In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 859: Work hard today, get a room and get married tomorrow

Once mid-October passed, the entire Beiping Regional Military Command suddenly became very busy.

It's almost the end of October.

As the sweet potato harvest season draws near, cities across the country, like Yingtian, are bustling with activity.

The wide roads of the capital were filled with horse-drawn carriages.

A man who looked like a farmer or laborer was pulling a horse-drawn cart.

From one city to another.

Some were transporting the grain harvested in recent days, while others were transporting farm tools.
Between heaven and earth, on the official road,
The long, winding convoy was particularly eye-catching.

It made the prisoner line on the other side of the road look rather dull.

Squads of soldiers escorted bandits from the grasslands to Daning City for trial.
The same winding path stretches endlessly, and there are probably over a thousand people just within sight.

The common people, laborers, and passing merchants had long been accustomed to such embellishments on the official roads.

Everyone knows that ever since the Military Commandery stopped trade with the grasslands,

The grassland people are like headless flies.
They wander around aimlessly, seeking any treatment they can find when they're desperate.

In the end, it was found that clearing out the bandits was the easiest way.
This has led to the current prosperity.
The Daning Vanguard Army Camp, north of Daning City.

It had now become a camp for imprisoning bandits and outlaws.

Tents were converted and used to hold prisoners.

Several rows of sturdy, white prison cells rose from the ground, built along the camp fence.
Several skilled craftsmen were mixing cement and expertly laying red bricks.

In no time at all, one wall was completed.

This greatly shocked the grassland people who were being escorted in.
What kind of magic tricks did the Ming people learn?
"Hurry up, hurry up, stop dawdling."

"Keep an eye on them! Anyone who's slow will be dragged out and given ten lashes. Let's see if they're still going to be slow!"

A centurion, holding a megaphone, kept shouting, urging everyone to hurry up and leave.

Not far away, Feng Yunfang, the newly appointed commander of the Daning Vanguard, stood nearby.

Looking at the endless stream of bandits, his face showed worry.

He now suspects that the Bai Song tribe has sent over all the people they can't support within their own clan.

"Sir, we don't have enough cells."

A soldier rushed over, looking anxious and sweating profusely.

Feng Yunfang's face darkened as he looked back at the endless camp and the seemingly endless line of prisoners.

"Damn it. Don't let them into the camp anymore. Settle them outside the camp."

Send someone to the west of the city to inquire if the construction site is short of workers. If they are, just say so; there are plenty here.

"Yes!"

After the soldiers ran away, Feng Yunfang returned to the camp gate.
Looking at the bustling fields not far away, he beckoned a subordinate over and gave him instructions:
"Come, take all those people we interrogated yesterday to the fields."

"They're made to clear weeds, enduring wind and rain and hunger on the grasslands, yet here they're enjoying a peaceful life. What kind of logic is that!"

"Yes!"

Before long, the group of bandits and outlaws, after initial interrogation, were dispersed and escorted to the fields to weed under the scorching sun.
This novel scene has attracted the attention of many people.

The farmers working in the fields glanced at their hoes, chuckled softly, and...

Even though they were from the grasslands, at this moment they felt a sense of pride in being born in the Celestial Empire.

On Xisha Street in the north of the city, Lu Yunyi walked along with some officials from the military command.

Along both sides of the street, workshops stood with their doors wide open, and inside, people were working busily.
Many craftsmen would not look up even if someone walked by, but would silently continue doing their work.

Lu Yunyi could tell that

These craftsmen cherished their work.

Upon seeing this scene, Li Xian's expression became extremely grave.

If we ask ourselves honestly, even at its most powerful moment, the Northern Yuan Dynasty...

It is also impossible to make so many craftsmen and ordinary people work with peace of mind, let alone be so diligent.

Especially when fishing in the sea, craftsmen would extend the time they spent working.
They might even deliberately slow down and spend their days cheating and shirking their duties.

As the Minister of Works at the time

Whether it's dredging rivers, excavating mountains, or building fortifications, it's all a very troublesome task.

"Lord Lu, there are some things I don't understand."

Lu Yunyi was picking up a teapot from the display table at the workshop entrance and examining it from all angles.
The teapot is not very well made; you can see many burrs on the edges.

But the teapot has many grassland totem patterns.
It looks imposing and was probably built specifically for the nobility of the grasslands.
Upon hearing Li Xian's words, Lu Yunyi turned around and looked:
"what's up?"

Li Xian paused for a moment and then said:

"My lord, I noticed that many of the people in these workshops are from the north. Are they prisoners of war from the previous battle?"

"Some came here because they couldn't survive the winter, and others came here seeking refuge."

"Then why are they so obedient?"

Li Xian looked at him with disbelief, and gave a wry smile:
"To be honest, even when the Northern Yuan Dynasty was in power, these people were not as diligent as they are today."

Lu Yunyi laughed, his gaze sweeping back and forth across both sides of the street.
He quickly pointed to a large red sign on a high wall:
“Look, nowadays they’re not working for the clan patriarch, they’re working for themselves.”

Li Xian looked in the direction the finger was pointing.

[Work hard today, and you'll be allocated a house and get married tomorrow!]
No pain, no gain!
[Two hands of ethnic unity, walking side by side on the production line!]
Li Xian stared blankly at the slogan; the black lettering against the red paper was extremely striking.

Moreover, these phrases are catchy and easy to remember after just one reading.

He just didn't understand how these things could work.
"Lord Lu, are these useful?"

"Of course it's useful; words are the most powerful force in the world."
It is true and useful when everyone believes it to be true.

Lu Yunyi pointed to the workshops on both sides:

"This is the result. Of course, just shouting slogans is useless; we also need to put real money into it."

Today, even the laborers in the workshops...

Working here for a day can support a family of three.

With such a foundation, these slogans become exceptionally true.
Even if the authorities say it's fake, they'll believe it's true.

Li Xian frowned and fell into deep thought.

He originally thought that, based on his experience as an official,
It only takes about ten days to figure out how the military command operates, and then one can blend in.

But he has been in office for almost twenty days now.
He sees new things almost every day, and they are all new things that leave him bewildered.

At this moment, Asu, who was standing to the side, tentatively asked:

"Sir, are you really planning to assign rooms?"

"Of course, if the workshop makes so much money, why shouldn't it share it?"
The workshops are now run by government officials; they need to be responsible.

Merchants and shopkeepers could hide all their money in cellars and pass it down to their descendants endlessly.

But if the government's money isn't spent, there will be big trouble.

"Since that's the case, what's wrong with building some houses? There's plenty of empty land everywhere in Daning City anyway."

Lu Yunyi explained with a smile, then remembered something else and said:

Have you seen the prison built by the Daning Vanguard outside the city?
If it's modified from cement and concrete, and done quickly...
Several rooms can be built in a day; they are sturdy and easy to use.

It just so happens that the cement workshop also belongs to our government office, so when there's no work, we let them build houses.

Money is like water; it flows and lives, but if you keep it in your hand, it'll eventually mold and grow mildew.

The group looked at each other, thinking of the silver-gray "boxes" of the Daning Vanguard.
To be honest, although it looks a bit ugly...
But it's better than a shack. If it's built bigger, there's no problem with people living in it.

Okay, let's keep walking forward.
Let's see how the preparations for the sweet potato harvest are going.

Seeing that they looked thoughtful, Lu Yunyi didn't give them a chance to think it over.

He pointed to three huge warehouses side by side in front of him.

That was a place reserved in the city for storing sweet potatoes.

Seeing that the adult had spoken, the group of people smiled and nodded, and followed.

Time flies, and a day passes in the blink of an eye.
Lu Yunyi took a stroll outside and returned to the yamen feeling refreshed.

When he saw the three large stacks of documents neatly arranged on the long table.

A wave of exhaustion washed over him, leaving him looking listless.

"Ugh"

Lu Yunyi sighed softly, looked at Gong Xianzhi who was standing respectfully behind him, and said:

"I don't need to bring so many documents in advance anymore; it's too stressful."

Upon hearing this, Gong Xianzhi immediately stepped forward.

Just as he was about to move a stack of them, Lu Yunyi quickly waved his hand:
"Alright, alright, put it here. Are there any important documents today?"

"My lord, the documents regarding the road construction progress have arrived today."
Envoys also came from other parts of the steppe, hoping to continue trade.

Then, letters arrived from the capital, from Duke Cao and Manager Mu.

As he spoke, Gong Xianzhi brought over all the documents and letters. After Lu Yunyi sat down, he instructed:

"Go and get a pot of iced tea."

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi left in a hurry, closing the door behind him.
Lu Yunyi didn't look at the progress report, but instead opened the email.

What comes into view is Li Jinglong's bold and powerful calligraphy.

[To my dear brother Yunyi:]
Since we parted, the situation in the capital has changed dramatically, and everything you predicted has come true.

With a bumper sweet potato harvest, land prices have indeed fluctuated wildly, to an astonishing degree!

Those inferior fields, which were originally worthless mud and ignored by everyone, suddenly became like oil being poured on a hot fire, with prices soaring and everyone scrambling to buy them as if they were afraid of missing out.

We followed your plan and sold them secretly.

In just three days, the money had more than tripled, a truly unexpected and delightful surprise.

If top-quality farmland is hit by frost, its price will plummet.

Those wealthy landowners in the capital, who were usually so arrogant, are now like stray dogs, howling in despair, a truly lamentable sight.

We took the opportunity to buy, waiting for land prices to rebound. This is the brilliant strategy of "buying low and selling high" that you mentioned.

However! This matter actually caught the attention of Han Yi, the head of the Market and Commerce Bureau.

Such despicable people, ignorant of their own limitations, dare to complain to His Highness the Crown Prince.

To claim that we manipulate land prices and compete with the people for profit is utterly absurd!
His Majesty heard of this matter but did not investigate it further.

As for matters concerning merchants, they have their own rules, and the imperial court should not interfere too much.

However, we also know that His Majesty has his own plans.

We must be more careful in our actions to avoid angering the Emperor.

There is another matter that I need to inform my elder brother about.

The relocation of the capital is now inevitable.

His Highness the Crown Prince will leave the capital in early November.

When His Majesty went to Guanzhong to investigate, he also let slip some information.

Although we are unwilling to leave the capital,
However, he also knew that this was a major matter for the court and had no choice but to comply.

Although Guanzhong is the place where the emperor rose to power, it has been ravaged by war and is no longer as prosperous as it once was.

I wonder if the imperial court can revitalize Guanzhong and bring it back to life.
Another matter is that if the news of moving the capital spreads,
The price of prime farmland is likely to plummet. When will we be able to sell the land we own?

Can the fields in Guanzhong be purchased?
Please inform my brother Yunyi!
Li Jinglong, October 19th, 23rd year.
After reading the letter, Lu Yunyi's expression became somewhat serious.

This kind of blatant money-making behavior is undisguised.

Whether it's the Imperial Palace Administration or the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they can easily investigate; nothing can be hidden from the Crown Prince and His Majesty.

And this matter is not important.
They were all relatives of the emperor, making money off the powerful and wealthy, which the palace was happy to see.

After all, these are people that the imperial court cannot deal with.

What's more noteworthy about this letter is the issue of relocating the capital.
His Majesty has already hinted at it, so it is indeed inevitable.

Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi gently put down the document and leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.
Thinking about the potential troubles and possible events involved.

A short while later, he opened Mu Jinghe's letter again.

Besides the good news of making a fortune, there were also some hidden messages above.
It was said that he learned it from some ladies.
But Lu Yunyi knew very well that this was obtained from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Lu Yunyi wrote down these messages, picked up a pen and paper, pondered for a moment, and began to reply.

[To my esteemed brother Jinglong:]

I have heard of the events unfolding in the capital, even though I am far away in Daning.

Since moving the capital is now inevitable, Jinglong should make plans as soon as possible.

In this land of Heaven's favor, we should act swiftly.
Once the news of the relocation of the capital spreads, land prices will inevitably plummet again.

However, a fall is inevitably followed by a rise; this is a common sense principle among merchants.
Jinglong should seize the opportune moment and not miss this opportunity.

Although the Guanzhong Plain was the birthplace of the Chinese dynasty, it has suffered from war and turmoil, and the people's livelihood has been devastated. It is not something that can be restored in a short period of time.

The relocation of the capital is a long and arduous task, and whether it will be successful remains to be seen.

Therefore, the fields in Guanzhong should not be disturbed lightly.

To avoid getting bogged down and unable to extricate oneself.

In the business world, profit is paramount, which inevitably breeds resentment.

As for money, enough is enough.

Therefore, one must act cautiously and avoid being ostentatious to prevent trouble from arising.

Furthermore, although we have restrained the powerful and influential people in the capital, their power is still immense and should not be underestimated.

Jinglong needs to closely monitor its movements to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.

Lu Yunyi, born on the 28th day of the tenth month of the 23rd year of the Hongwu reign (1389).
After writing the letter, Lu Yunyi personally used a specific method to seal it with wax.
He set it aside and wrote another reply to Mu Jinghe.

This letter was much simpler and more straightforward; he wrote it very quickly.

Soon after, two letters were placed on the table.

Just then, Gong Xianzhi walked in carrying a pot of ice water.

Lu Yunyi said:
"Come, send these two letters to the capital."

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi then asked, "Has Sun Si'an written yet?"

"Reporting to you, sir, not yet."

Sun Si'an was assigned to test Mu Jinghe's loyalty.
Almost two months have passed, and there has still been no letter.

Lu Yunyi felt that he had already begun to clear himself of suspicion regarding Mu Jinghe.

This person really did not reveal any information to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Okay, I understand. You can go now."

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi strode away, while Lu Yunyi looked at the documents on the table, sighed heavily, and began to read them one by one.

"Basong, go back to the manor and tell the lady that we will not be going home for dinner today."

"Yes!"

That night, the moon hung high in the sky.
The entire territory of Beiping Commandery was bathed in a ghastly white light.

Nestled among mountains and forests,
A silver-white road paved with concrete stretches from east to west.

On both sides of the road, long lines of lights dispelled the darkness of the night.
The entire campsite was completely silent, with rows and rows of tents densely packed together like a honeycomb.
Not far from the camp, there were also scattered lights.

They were merchants who traveled between Beiping and Daning.

Every night, they would rest on the official road.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly rang out from the end of the construction site!

The laborers, who had been lying in bed, sat up with a start.

With little time to react, they rushed out immediately, heading towards the camp where the weapons were located.

The quiet construction site suddenly became lively.

"Don't panic, don't panic, take your weapons in an orderly fashion!"
"Stay in the tent and don't come out. If the enemy comes, kill them!"

A laborer who looked like a foreman was holding a loudspeaker and shouting continuously!
The laborers took their spears and lances and retreated back into their tents, and the bustling camp suddenly became quiet again.

The laborers all hid in their tents, while only three hundred soldiers in armor gathered outside.

They looked at the light at the end of the official road, their faces grave!
"Boom boom boom——"

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer, the earth trembled slightly, a somber atmosphere began to permeate, and everyone stood ready for battle!

Ten breaths, five breaths, three breaths, two breaths!
The cavalry finally broke out of the darkness.
A cavalry force of over a thousand men surged out of the darkness, moving at great speed, their hooves thundering incessantly!

The dust on the official road filled the air like sand, making their figures indistinct.

"Uu——"

The cavalry gradually came to a stop, stopping less than a hundred paces from the front-line construction site.

The men and horses were scattered, and one of them was wearing armor.
A middle-aged man with a weathered face rode out on horseback.

It was none other than the newly appointed Liaodong Commander-in-Chief, Pan Jing!

Pan Jing sat on his horse, gazing at the long line of candlelight stretching to the end of the road ahead, speechless for a long time.

The newly built road, countless times wider than the official road, stretched across the sky and earth, unlike anything of ordinary kind.
He was somewhat dazed.

Is this something that humans could actually create?

Upon seeing the massive construction site and the long dragon-shaped railway, Pan Jing had already made up his mind.

This kind of road must also be built in Liaodong!

(End of this chapter)