In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 867 No matter what, you absolutely cannot move the capital!

On the second day of the imperial meeting,

When the court officials learned that a road was to be built in Liaodong, everyone was inevitably shocked!

Many voiced their opposition, and the entire court was in an uproar.

The exorbitant cost of 400,000 taels of silver was so high that it almost robbed the adults of their dignity.

Even the usually silent Grand Secretaries felt it was inappropriate.

The court meeting ended in discord, with the officials leaving in a huff.

However, something strange happened in the afternoon.

The officials all expressed their approval of the road construction in Liaodong and submitted a memorial praising the road.

Led by the heads of the Six Ministries, almost every official of the fifth rank or higher submitted a memorial to the emperor.

This made the Ming Dynasty capital incredibly lively.

Eunuchs were coming and going everywhere, delivering memorials to the emperor.

Inside the Wuying Hall, the ministers' change of mind did not please Zhu Yuanzhang; on the contrary, it enraged him to the extreme.

He sat on the dragon throne, looking at the piles of documents on his large imperial desk.
His eyes were practically spitting fire, like an angry old dragon!

The head eunuch stood silently with his head bowed.
My body was tense, afraid that something might go wrong.
The Wuying Hall was eerily quiet, with only heavy breathing echoing through it.
"Good, good! Very good! The entire court opposes moving the capital. Have I been too lenient with you?"

The sounds of kneeling thuds echoed one after another.
The guards, eunuchs, and palace maids inside the Wuying Hall all knelt down, not daring to breathe.

Zhu Yuanzhang, with his eyebrows raised and hands behind his back, paced back and forth at the head of the table.
The faster I walked, the worse my mood became!

He stared at the vast sea of ​​documents, his fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged.

"This is a coup! This is a coup!"

"Look, a court official who wouldn't even let you spend a single coin is now spending 400,000 taels of silver as he pleases."

"Does that mean as long as no roads are built in Guanzhong, anything goes?"

"Absurd! Insolent!"

The Wuying Hall was filled with angry shouts.

The eunuchs wished they had no ears so they wouldn't hear these angry words.

At that moment, the dull thud of armor clashing grew louder as it approached.
Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding entered, dressed in armor and carrying a long sword.

He immediately noticed the documents scattered all over the ground, and his expression tightened.

"His Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly turned around, his eyes wide open and bloodshot:
"Who, who orchestrated this? Who's pulling the strings behind the scenes?"

Guo Ying cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his expression serious, and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, it starts with the Ministry of War."
Qi De, the chief clerk of the Ministry of War, hoped that the court would spend its money in Guanzhong, not in Liaodong.

Minister Shen Jin, however, spoke frankly.

No matter where it is built in the Ming Dynasty, it cannot be built in Guanzhong.

After news of this spread, the officials finally realized their mistake and submitted memorials retracting their statements.

"Go back on your word? That's absurd! It's clearly someone who started it all, and they all rushed in!"

Zhu Yuanzhang kicked the imperial desk aside and began to curse:

"This Shen Jin, it's a shame he was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) for eighteen years, and he was even a disciple of the emperor!"

"His brain's stuck in his heels, so stupid, so incredibly stupid!"

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding remained silent, his eyes thoughtful.

But Zhu Yuanzhang had no intention of letting him off the hook, his gaze piercing straight at him with a cold intensity:

"Guo Ying, do you think there are many ministers in the court who have this kind of thinking?"

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding smiled wryly and spoke the truth without any concealment:
"Your Majesty, the officials of the Six Ministries and the chief clerks of each ministry have all submitted their memorials."
If this is not enough, then I do not know how much is enough.

Zhu Yuanzhang's furious face suddenly calmed down, becoming eerily quiet.

He stepped down from the seat of honor and came to Guo Ying's side, looking him up and down:
"Tell me again, how many people like this are there in the army?"

Guo Ying pursed her lips slightly and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, the splendor and wealth of Yingtian are something that countless people yearn for."

Although there is a difference between civil and military affairs, both are human beings.
Since the civil officials wished to remain in the capital region of Yingtian, there were naturally quite a few military officials as well, though it wasn't explicitly stated.

"Okay, I knew you were honest."

Once you become an official in Yingtian City, nobody wants to go north!
What about you? Would you like to go to Guanzhong?

Guo Ying gave a bitter smile and sighed softly:

"To say you want to rise to a higher position is simply wishful thinking."
I am getting old, and even my bones ache in this mild climate, let alone in the north.

However, I understand the situation; the capital cannot be located in the south.
This place is a thriving commercial hub, a melting pot of culture, and a place teeming with brothels and red-light districts.

Unfortunately, it is not suitable as a capital city.

I have recently heard that even many students in the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Academy are not doing their studies after class.

Instead, they went to the Qinhuai River to indulge in revelry and a culture of comparison prevailed.

It's not about who's more talented, it's about who's richer.

Your Majesty, they are among the most simple-minded people in the capital.
If they are like this, then the officials of the imperial court must naturally aspire to it.

If this continues, the Ming Dynasty will also become extravagant and follow in the footsteps of the Northern Yuan.

Therefore, I believe it would be good for him to go north and calm down.

If the capital remains in Yingtian, trouble is bound to arise in the north sooner or later.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened silently, nodding almost imperceptibly:

"You are getting old, and so am I."
I might be able to live a few more years in the south, but who knows what might go wrong if I go to the icy north.

However, if these factors are not addressed, it's uncertain whether the Ming Dynasty could even survive the reign of the Yuan Dynasty.

"So, Your Majesty, do you mean to force it?"

Having said this, Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding clasped his hands together and bowed deeply:
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, for speaking so presumptuously. This matter must be handled gradually and we must not oppose the court."

Otherwise, His Majesty's reputation will be ruined by those scholars.

"Do I care about this? Haven't they insulted me enough already!"

Zhu Yuanzhang thought of something, and strode over to the table.
He rummaged through the desk and pulled out a document.

"Look, there are still six provinces where the fish-scale yellow registers are being drawn up."
People are dying everywhere, and local governments and powerful figures are resorting to all sorts of desperate measures.

Lan Yugang had just begun his massacre in Sichuan, and even then, rebel troops attacked the government office.

This is utterly absurd! Absolutely outrageous!
And that Da Ning, he had to ruin a perfectly good road.

They caught them on the spot and beat them to death! And yet, one after another, they continued to do so.
Tell me, it's so difficult for me to even know how much land there is in this world.
Relocating the capital would be even more difficult, and who knows how many more people would die then.

"Where there's a will, there's a way; Your Majesty, please do not worry."
Compared to the past, things have made great progress.

Everyone says that there's always a way out.
It is believed that the relocation of the capital and the creation of the Yellow Registers (a system of official documents) were also related to this.

A heavy sigh followed.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowed his pace, his expression regaining its composure, and asked softly:
Have any unusual movements been detected in the capital?

Guo Ying lowered her voice:
"Your Majesty, most of the heretics in the capital are instigated by cowards in secret, and they are not of any concern to the overall situation."

However, within the palace, undercurrents were swirling, and the exchange of information with the outside world was more intense than ever before.

"Look at them, look at them! They're doing nothing all day, even gathering information for the palace!"

Tell Wen Cheng to remove all those who don't follow the rules.

The palace is too large to accommodate so many people eating for free!

"Yes!"

Guo Ying cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and quickly left!

In the Divine Palace Supervisor's office, Junior Supervisor Wen Cheng was gently sweeping in front of the main hall with a broom in hand.

At this moment, the autumn wind is bleak, and the cold wind shuttles through the palace, sneaking into sleeves and making people shiver.

Wen Cheng swept the fallen leaves one by one with a broom.

Before long, Guo Zhen, dressed in armor, arrived hurriedly with a group of people.

Many of the eunuchs who were cleaning looked up.

Upon seeing that it was Guo Zhen, he quickly lowered his head, pretending that he hadn't seen anything.

Wen Cheng straightened up and looked at Guo Zhen with a kind expression:
"Lord Guo, please come with me."

Guo Zhen nodded slightly and followed Wen Cheng to the inner hall.

The inner sanctum of the Imperial Palace was very simple and sparse.

Apart from the normal decorative items, there is not a single superfluous object.

The two sat down at a square table in the rear hall.

Guo Zhen took out a document from his pocket and handed it over, saying in a low voice:

"This is His Majesty's order." Wen Cheng, who had initially maintained a smiling demeanor,
Upon hearing this, his expression immediately turned cold.
After taking the document and opening it, he glanced at it casually and nodded slightly.

"understood."

Upon receiving an affirmative reply, Guo Zhen stood up without hesitation and quickly left.

Wen Cheng was left sitting there, his expression complex, his face changing repeatedly.

Anger, confusion, resentment, and a hint of heartache kept appearing on his face.

Finally he calmed down.

"Someone, bring Hou Xian here."

A figure appeared in the shadows of the rear hall at some unknown time and quietly disappeared.

Before long, Hou Xian, who was very young, arrived in a hurry. He looked to be in his twenties and was dressed in a blue eunuch's robe.

Upon seeing Wen Cheng, he lowered his head and quickly walked over.

"grown ups!"

Wen Cheng sat at the head of the table, quietly watching him with a complex expression:

"Hou Xian, if I remember correctly, you are a Westerner."

Hou Xian raised his head slightly, then lowered it again.

"Reporting to you, sir, I am a Westerner."

"How is things at home? Are you doing alright?"

"When I first entered the palace, life at home was not easy because there was not enough people to do the work."
But now the imperial court is giving these scoundrels a considerable salary.
After sending it back, my family's life became a little easier.

Wen Cheng nodded almost imperceptibly:
"We are all rootless people, ridiculed by those scholars."

But among the common people, especially those thugs and hooligans,
We are all people in the palace, we have nothing to fear, and it will save our families a lot of trouble, don't you think?"

“You are right, sir.”

"Since you're doing alright, don't cause trouble for your family. Be careful and cautious even in the palace."
"Your loss of position affects your family."

Wen Cheng looked at Hou Xian calmly.

Seeing the fine beads of cold sweat on his forehead, his eyes grew increasingly calm.

Hou Xian remained silent for a long time, his breathing heavy, a hint of panic flashing beneath his lowered eyelids.
He didn't know if his actions had been exposed.
The back hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Wen Cheng spoke softly:
"You've been with me since you entered the palace, is there anything you want to say?"

Upon hearing this, Hou Xian did not hesitate and immediately knelt down:
"My lord, Hou Xian knows he was wrong."

"what have you done?"

"I bought some sewing machines from Daning that are still classified, and I plan to send them back to Xifan."

Wen Cheng lowered his eyelids and chuckled softly:
"Are they those strange objects stored in the warehouse outside the city?"

For some reason, upon hearing this, Hou Xian breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he had confessed honestly.

Otherwise, things won't be so simple once the adults tell us.

"Yes."

"What is it for?"

"Weaving cloth".

"Weaving?"

A strange light flashed in Wen Cheng's calm eyes:

Why buy these?

"Reporting to Your Excellency, our people work extremely hard, and even after a day of toil, they often don't have enough to eat."

Therefore, after learning that Da Ning's sewing machine could process cloth quickly, the villain had an idea.

"Who did you buy it from?" Wen Cheng continued to press.

Hou Xian pursed his lips and said softly:

"They were purchased from a powerful figure in Beiping who had some connections with Taxue Trading Company, and these items were delivered by Taxue Trading Company."

When do you plan to send it home?

"My lord, I haven't had a chance to leave the palace and haven't had a chance to find a merchant caravan yet."

I'm thinking that if I'm sick and on leave next time, I'll go out of the palace and take care of this matter.

Which merchant should we use for delivery?

"A Singapore-Malaysia trading company?"

"Is there enough money?"

Hou Xian's face stiffened, and his head drooped even lower:
"I've saved up some money and need to discuss it with someone. I don't know if it'll be enough."

"We'll write you a note to cover your salary for the next three years. If that's not enough, we'll discuss it further."

After I finish my work, I'll give you something else.

If this matter is handled well, our family can let bygones be bygones.

Hou Xian felt a chill run down his spine and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you for saving me, sir. I will obey your orders, even at the cost of my life."

Wen Cheng smiled:
"You are of Western origin, a foreigner, but you are a loyal person."
Many people in this palace were born in Yingtian.
But what you're doing is betraying your own people. This time, you're going to kill a lot of people. Do you dare to do it?

Hou Xian knelt down and prostrated himself, his voice strong and clear:
"Please give your orders, sir, and I will do my utmost!"

"Go and settle your affairs first. Things in the palace are dangerous; you could lose your life."

"Yes."

Hou Xian agreed without hesitation, stood up and bid farewell to Wen Cheng.
As he reached the main entrance of the rear hall, Wen Cheng called him back and whispered:

“We’ll pay you five years’ salary. The Singapore-Malaysia Trading Company recently got new carriages, which are more expensive.”

Hou Xian pursed his lips, whispered "Yes," and left the inner hall.

As soon as Hou Xian stepped out of the inner hall, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
His face turned deathly pale, and his lips became dry.
"That was close, that was close!"

Hou Xian's eyes flashed with lingering fear. He was about to say that the sewing machine was purchased from Lord Lu...

But he changed his mind before he could say it.

Because he thought of something,

Lord Lu is a border soldier, while he is a member of the inner court.
For the two of them, it would be a sin to say even a single extra word, let alone conduct business.

Fortunately, I changed my mind at the last minute.

As evening approached, the orange-red sun lingered on the horizon.

Countless soft rays of light were cast down, making the entire city of Yingtian feel languid.

On Fudong Street, pedestrians strolled leisurely, enjoying the cool autumn air. The breeze lifted the corners of their clothes, causing their hair to flutter.

Soon, the quiet gathering of peace was shattered by the rapid sound of horses' hooves.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of more than ten soldiers riding warhorses.

He sped along the main road in the city, with the flag of an urgent dispatch hanging on his body!

Many people looked thoughtful, wondering what had happened.

North of the city, at the Yingtianfu River ferry crossing,
Covered in sweat, Li Wu was waiting here, pulling his newly bought carriage.

Waiting for the ship to arrive so it can take the cargo away.

During this period, the brokerage business has plummeted, far from the booming business it had when it first opened!
The dozen or so businesses that he partnered with changed hands several times in the past two months.
New shopkeepers come and go, business is intermittent, which greatly annoys him.

Fortunately, the brokerage firm also took on some government jobs.

This job was unpleasant to do and paid little money.

But at least they can keep it afloat, preventing the brokerage from closing down.

However, Li Wu had already prepared for his business to deteriorate further.

So they try to save money wherever possible and come to pick up the goods themselves.
"Ship C15 is entering the dock!"

Just then, a loud shout snapped Li Wu out of his daze, and he quickly looked up.
A merchant ship emerged from the river and headed towards the port.

Seeing this, Li Wu breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally docked. After receiving the goods, he needed to hurry back home; his family was waiting for him.

At this moment, the shouts suddenly rang out again:
"Ship C15 shall not proceed to the dock; the ferry shall go first!"

"what?"

Li Wu stood on tiptoe and looked ahead.

The waiting merchants began to discuss among themselves, and the scene became noisy for a moment.

But soon, they learned the whole story.

It turned out to be a convoy of couriers on an urgent mission to the other side of the river.
"What bad luck!"

Seeing them quickly board the ship, Li Wu sighed silently to himself.

Looking at the setting sun, I knew I wouldn't be able to go home early today.

(End of this chapter)