In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 876 A Letter from Goryeo on the Lunar New Year
Three days have passed in the blink of an eye, and tomorrow is the Spring Festival.

The entire city of Daning seemed to have been put on pause.
All the workshops are cleaning and tidying up their equipment in preparation for a holiday of more than ten days.

The people on Fine Sand Street seemed listless, and the laborers and artisans were more relaxed than ever before.
Their faces may be expressionless, but you can see the peace in their hearts.

The market next door was completely different.

In the past two days, the market has changed dramatically, from being bustling with people to being completely packed with customers.

Many merchants' stockpiled goods sold out within half a day as soon as they were put on the shelves.
Then they set up their stalls again and sold their wares, working up a sweat in the winter heat.

Many locals who had lived in Daning for a long time were shocked to see this scene.

They had forgotten when the last time Da Ning was this lively.
It seems there isn't one at all.

The atmosphere was equally lively at the military headquarters, as today was the day to distribute reward money.

Upon entering the vast courtyard of the government office, three large stacks of New Year's goods, each taller than a person, were neatly arranged.

It included pastries from Beiping, frozen fish from Liaodong, freshly pressed rapeseed oil, and affordable items such as beef and mutton.

The passing officials all stared intently at it, their faces filled with anticipation.

Since Lord Lu arrived, he has been incredibly generous during holidays and festivals.
Food, drink, and tips are all provided.

It looks like this year's feast is even more plentiful.

In the backyard of the yamen, apart from some patrolling soldiers,
The remaining clerks and officials gathered here, looking expectantly at the warehouse in front of them.

At this moment, the warehouse door was wide open, and even the side panels had been removed.

Inside, three square tables and three accounting offices were visible.

In front of them were three enormous abacuses and several registers.

Although rumors had long circulated within the government that the reward money would not increase this year.
But if it exists, that would be wonderful.

Li Xian, the Vice Commander-in-Chief, stood to one side.
Seeing the group of people eagerly anticipating their arrival, a smile crept onto his lips.

He looked at Asu beside him:
Was it the same last year?

Asu smiled and nodded:

“Last year it wasn’t this formal; it was just that the ministers took the money and divided it up.”

Li Xian looked emotional, even though he had only been in the yamen for a few months.

But its rapid changes are undeniable.

It must be said that being an official here is much more comfortable than being an official in the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

At this moment, the steward of the household, who was distributing the reward money, stood in front of the door with an account book in hand and shouted:
"Now, the distribution of rewards will officially begin. Colleagues whose names are called, please come in."
The rest of you should wait at the door, and must not make a loud noise or cause any disturbance.

"Hurry up, hurry up, we can't wait any longer."

The clerk from the Judgment Office, with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his nose red from the cold, urged him on with a smile.

"No rush, no rush, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
After deliberation by the officers of the Commandery, this year's reward will be increased by 30%.

The scene fell silent for a moment, and everyone stood there stunned, but the silence was quickly dispelled by joy.

"What's going on? It wasn't going to go up, so why is it going up again?"

"Yes, yes, it was rumored a few days ago and it sounded very convincing, with all sorts of details."

"Which bastard spread this rumor? I'll beat him to death when I find out."

The crowd began to murmur and the scene became noisy.
The accounting manager touched his nose somewhat awkwardly and coughed lightly:
"Alright, everyone, please wait quietly. Those whose names are called, please come in."

"Oh, by the way, when the yamen ends, I'll be distributing New Year's goods and food in the main courtyard."
"Don't you dare run away beforehand, those are all good things!"

After the manager finished speaking, he waved his hand.

The three accountants turned and went back into the room, sitting behind the table.
They were calculating rapidly while calling out names one by one.

Is Lord Li Xian here?

The sudden shout startled Li Xian, who was standing aside watching with a smile, and he looked around in confusion.

"Do I have one too?"

Asu and Zhang Bin also looked completely bewildered, while Duan Zhengze, who had experienced this before, smiled calmly:
"Lord Li, please go quickly, everyone will get a share of the reward money."

“That’s certainly novel.”

Li Xian nodded in realization and walked inside.

The steward personally handed over the document and respectfully said:
"Sir, your reward is sixty-three taels and two mace. You can sign here."

"so much?"

Li Xian was somewhat surprised; this amount of money was naturally beneath his notice.

But since it's a reward from the government office, it feels different.

"My lord, the reward was determined by Lord Lu, and it comes from his salary."

Since you just arrived this year, you shouldn't have any [received benefits].
But Lord Lu changed the rules; regardless of how long one had been employed, even if it was only for a month, there would be a bonus.
They also said that since the commander's life had improved, he wasn't worried about scarcity but rather about inequality; everyone had some, more or less.

Li Xian nodded repeatedly, took the document, signed his name, and said:

"I admire Lord Lu's work, and I will accept this reward."

The manager nodded with a smile:

"When you leave the office, sir, don't forget to collect your things at the gate."

"Okay, I must go."

Li Xian waved his sleeves and strode out of the storeroom, his heart filled with joy and his smile never ceasing.

Not far away, Wang Junping of Goryeo stood in a corner.

Watching the group of people coming and going in the warehouse.

Seeing everyone smiling, he felt a pang of unease.

He remembered that when he was a child...
The Grand Prince also controlled the government, and as a member of the royal family, he would go to the palace every year to collect his silver.

Since Yi Seong-gye seized power and sidelined the Grand Prince...
Not only were annual rewards stopped, but even monthly stipends were no longer paid, causing widespread resentment within the royal family.

But they dared not say anything, because Yi Seong-gye was truly capable of killing people with a knife.

"It wouldn't be bad to stay in the Ming Dynasty."

Wang Junping thought to himself, his gaze turning eastward.

For some reason, he now felt a sense of anticipation.

If Yi Seong-gye discovers the messenger and their plan falls through, would he be able to stay in the Ming Dynasty?

Wang Junping felt that with his abilities, securing an official position in the Beiping Metropolitan Commandery shouldn't be a problem.

They will also receive rewards and gifts in the future.

Just as he was lost in thought, a clerk rushed over, his face somewhat grave.

"Lord Wang, Lord Lu requests your presence. Please follow me."

Wang Junping was taken aback, then quickly nodded:

"it is good."

Before long, Wang Junping arrived at the yamen in the back hall of the military headquarters.
Upon entering, one immediately sees Lu Yunyi sitting behind a table, his expression grave.
And there's Liu Heiying, who's deep in thought, resting his chin on his hand.

He hurriedly paid his respects:
"Wang Junping pays his respects to Lord Lu and Lord Liu."

Neither of them spoke, but Liu Heiying waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down opposite him.

Wang Junping sensed something was off about the atmosphere, so he sat down nervously.

As time passed, Wang Junping felt extremely uneasy.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Yunyi, who was sitting behind the table, finally raised his head, waved the letter in his hand, and said in a deep voice:
"Lord Wang, a letter has arrived from Goryeo."

Wang Junping was taken aback. "What?"

Then, he suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open:
"A letter has arrived?"

"have a look."

Lu Yunyi placed the letter in his hand on the table, gesturing for him to look at it.

Wang Junping rushed forward, hurriedly picked up the letter, and quickly read it.
His expression shifted from anticipation to seriousness.
Finally, it turned into anger, and then into pleading.

When he looked up again, Wang Junping's eyes were brimming with tears, and his voice was trembling with sobs:

"My lord, this Yi Seong-gye is an inhuman son. I beg you to send troops to save my lord."

Wang Junping seemed unable to contain his grief.
He fell to his knees with a thud, banging his head on the ground, and burst into tears.

Lu Yunyi sighed softly as he looked at him like this.

The letter was extremely complex.

The Goryeo king agreed to exchange money for peace.
However, the process of delivering and replying to the letters was particularly arduous, with 90% of the messengers dying and many more dying when it came time to reply.

Furthermore, Yi Seong-gye sent men to chase after the letter.
They chased him all the way to the Liaodong border, only to watch helplessly as the messenger rushed into Liaodong.
Without a doubt, unless Yi Seong-gye was a fool,

It should have been known that the Goryeo royal family had established contact with the Ming Dynasty. At this point, whether the royal monarch would even be alive enough to launch a military campaign was truly uncertain.

They might be killed by Yi Seong-gye in a fit of rage.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Wang, please rise. We are discussing important matters. How can we talk when you are crying like this?"

Wang Junping stood up with difficulty, sobbing uncontrollably.

Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying exchanged a glance, a hint of helplessness flashing in their eyes.
Wang Junping was sometimes very clever, and sometimes he seemed very stupid, making it impossible for people to guess what he was thinking.

"My lord, please save my lord!"
That Yi Seong-gye is a beast! He plays with the palace concubines at will.

Now that he has discovered the truth, His Majesty will surely face dire consequences.

With red eyes, Wang Junping sat down in the chair and started crying again.

Liu Heiying looked helpless, picked up a cup of tea from the side, walked over, and patted him on the shoulder:

"Come, Lord Wang, have some water. Aren't we discussing countermeasures right here?"

Wang Junping sobbed softly, then drank the tea in one gulp, and cried out with tears in his eyes:

"Sir, this tea has become quite bitter; it doesn't taste good anymore."

Liu Heiying froze for a moment, his lips twitched slightly, and he gave an awkward laugh:
"At this hour, Lord Wang still has the mind to enjoy tea. I admire you."

"This tea will turn the water a dark brown color when it's bitter, if consumed in moderation."

"All right!"

Seeing that he was about to bring up tea again, Lu Yunyi quickly raised his hand to stop him.

"Lord Wang, the letter says your emperor agrees to exchange money for peace."

But Kaesong in Gyeonggi Province is a thousand miles from the border. Even if we went, who would we get the money from?

Wang Junping freed himself from the entanglement of the tea leaves, twitching as he thought.

"Lord Lu, Kaesong is where the Queen's family resides."
The emperor's intention must be for us to go there and collect the money.

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly. Gyeonggi Province is located in the heart of Korea. If you start from Liaodong, it will take at least 1,500 li to reach Kaesong. Under such circumstances, it would be too dangerous to transport silver.

After a moment's hesitation, Lu Yunyi's eyes turned cold, and he said indifferently:
"Lord Wang, I see no sincerity whatsoever in your king's letter."

Wang Junping was startled, then abruptly raised his head, his face full of astonishment:
"My lord, His Majesty is very sincere. Please do not misunderstand, Lord Lu."

"No misunderstanding."

Lu Yunyi shook his head and pointed to the entrance of the government office.

"The Commander is currently distributing this year's rewards and New Year's goods; I'm sure Lord Wang has seen it."
Displaying the goods and preparing the money demonstrates true sincerity.

Do you really think I'll lead my men to Kaesong and then take the money?

"If it comes to that point, does it still matter whether you give it to me or not?"

Wang Junping was taken aback, not quite understanding what he meant, and asked in a trembling voice:

"My lord... you don't want it anymore?"

Liu Heiying, who was sitting quietly to the side, covered his face with his hands, looking helpless, and then burst into curses:
"You bastard, the army has already invaded Gyeonggi Province. If you won't give it to us, why don't you just rob us?"
If we really want to seize it, why don't we seize Ping'an Road and Huanghai Road, which are closer to Liaodong?

"Could it be that such a large place doesn't even have 500,000 taels of silver?"

Wang Junping understood, and his expression changed drastically:
"No, no, no, you two have misunderstood."

My lord didn't mean that! He didn't mean that!

"Bang!" Liu Heiying slammed his hand on the table beside him and shouted.

"Then send the money over first. Do you expect us to rush out with troops just because of a letter?"

No, no, no, no.

Wang Junping waved his hand repeatedly.

"Please calm down, my lord. I will write a letter right away."
They were told to bring the silver; they would never dare to deceive the two gentlemen.

Liu Heiying suddenly stood up straight, looking down at Wang Junping, and spoke in a sinister tone:
"Remember this, we don't necessarily have to cooperate with your royal family; cooperating with Yi Seong-gye is the same."
Five hundred thousand taels in exchange for peace on the border—presumably Yi Seong-gye wouldn't be stingy with that.

Wang Junping's expression changed drastically, and he raised his head in disbelief.

He looked at Liu Heiying and spoke tremblingly:
"My lord, you mustn't! Yi Seong-gye is a traitor!"

"Who cares if you're a rebel or not? We'll cooperate with whoever pays us. Do you understand?"
"The Ming Dynasty hasn't even settled accounts with you for the Tieling Garrison incident yet, and you're already pushing your luck!"

Liu Heiying spoke harshly, his dark face filled with hostility.

Wang Junping felt a chill run through his body, and only then did he realize what was happening.
Yes, the Ming people didn't necessarily have to cooperate with the royal family.

If the Ming Dynasty were to recognize his usurpation of power, that villain would not hesitate to give up not just 500,000 taels, but even 1 million taels!

After he understood, he looked at the two adults in front of him again.
Wang Junping suddenly felt that these two officials were truly kind!
He took a deep breath, slid off the chair, and knelt down with a thud.
"My lords, I will write a letter immediately and have the emperor send the money."

We implore you two gentlemen to be merciful and absolutely refrain from cooperating with Yi Seong-gye!

Liu Heiying watched him kowtow repeatedly, and let out a barely perceptible sigh, somewhat helpless.

"Ahem." At this moment, Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice.

"Lord Wang, please rise. This letter is sent by express courier."
I will only wait for you for one month.

If no news is ready after a month, then there's no point in discussing it further.

This official will send someone to discuss cooperation with Yi Seong-gye!

"grown ups!"

Wang Junping let out a wail, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

"Alright, take him away!"

Lu Yunyi shouted, the door opened, and a cold wind howled in.

Two soldiers stepped forward, grabbed Wang Junping, and dragged him out of the yamen.
The crying faded into the distance, only subsiding completely when the gates of the government office were closed.

Liu Heiying sat down dejectedly, leaning back in his chair with a sense of helplessness, and sighed:

"Brother Yun'er, I feel like the Goryeo royal family is a bit unreliable."

Lu Yunyi was also somewhat exhausted.

"If they were reliable, the Tielingwei incident wouldn't have happened."

"Brother Yun'er, do you think the royal family can really give money?"
"Don't end up working so hard for nothing."

Liu Heiying sat down opposite the desk and asked a serious question.

"Don't worry, the Goryeo royal family is more anxious than we are. The money is almost certainly going to be used. Even if it doesn't work out, we can ask Yi Seong-gye for help."

Liu Heiying felt relieved, but after a short while, he raised another question:
"Brother Yun'er, are we really going to send troops?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was solemn, and after a long while, he finally spoke:

"We'll see when the time comes. If the desired effect is achieved, we may not need to send troops. But if Lee Seong-gye is incredibly audacious, then we will definitely have to send troops."

"What about the imperial court?"

"If you don't tell me, and I don't tell you, who will know?"

Even so, Liu Heiying was still somewhat uneasy and pressed for an answer:
"Brother Yun'er, sending troops without authorization is a serious crime. If someone finds out and reports it to the imperial court..."

"That's fine."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, offering words of comfort:
"In this situation, we need to be bold. As long as we don't rebel,"

His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince won't do anything to us; on the contrary, they should try to appease us.

"What?"

"Did you see Jinglong's document from a few days ago? The entire court opposes moving the capital."

Under such circumstances, His Majesty must carefully protect those like you and me who support moving the capital—we are as rare as phoenix feathers.

Liu Heiying thought about it carefully and realized that what was said made sense, and his eyes lit up.

“That makes sense.”

Lu Yunyi chuckled softly:
"Besides, things won't escalate to the point of a full-blown war."

In short, make thorough preparations and plans, and no one else will find out.

"Alright, we've finished up this year's work. Go back and rest."

I'll take the New Year's goods and bonuses home tonight to make my wife happy! By the way, when is my uncle coming?

Liu Heiying chuckled and scratched his head:

"They said they'd arrive this afternoon, so it should be soon."

"It's afternoon, so what are we dawdling for? Hurry up and get ready to pick them up!"

(End of this chapter)