In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 887 If you want someone to help you, you must first risk your life.

As night fell and the moon hung high in the sky, its light grew increasingly cold and clear.

From some unknown time, the clouds began to drift, obscuring the moonlight, and a cold wind swept through the entire Liaodong Commandery.

The wind grew stronger, and initially, the lanterns in various places swayed slightly.

Within fifteen minutes, the lantern had been blown to the ground by the breeze.

A fierce wind howled, carrying a terrifying "whoosh whoosh" sound.
The wind made the doors and windows of many people rattle loudly.

The Zhou residence served as the official residence of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong.
Even at night, the defenses are tight, with soldiers in black armor standing on both sides of the gate.

Despite the howling cold wind, they remained unmoved.

As the first snowflake fell from the sky, a man who appeared to be a steward poked his head out of the mansion and called out:

"The master ordered you to come in; don't freeze at the door."

Upon hearing the order, a hint of gratitude flashed in the soldiers' eyes as they walked into the mansion in an orderly fashion.

In the main hall of the mansion, a howling cold wind rushed in through the open doors.

Zhou E sat on a chair in the main hall.

His disheveled hair was whipped into a tangled mess by the strong wind, and his beard kept whipping back.

But he remained unmoved, coldly staring into the darkness ahead, his eyes deep and unfathomable, his right hand gripping the armrest of the seat repeatedly clenching and unclenching.

Everything that had happened that day kept replaying in his mind.

Scenes from one day to another flashed through my mind.

Zhou E knew all too well that ever since he received the news that Lu Yunyi was coming to Liaodong,

The road construction had become unstoppable.
Today's arrival is simply the shoe dropping.

Nevertheless, he felt disappointed and exhausted.

Maintaining the current situation is already extremely difficult.

Just as he was thinking of a way to break the deadlock, the sound of rapid clanging of armor came from outside the door.

Bai Wenzhao walked in hurriedly.

Seeing Zhou E sitting there in the wind, he quickly closed the door, his voice tinged with reproach:
"Sir, it's so cold. Don't catch a cold."

Zhou E didn't come to his senses until the door closed. He looked at the person who had come in and let out a long sigh.

"How did you come?"

"My lord, I couldn't sleep after returning home, so I came to see you."

"What's so interesting about an old man like me?"

Zhou E chuckled self-deprecatingly, his voice tinged with melancholy.

He stared at the dim darkness filtering through the curtains, his expression unreadable.

Hearing him say that, Bai Wenzhao became somewhat anxious.
He strode quickly to Zhou E, knelt down, and said in a deep voice:

"Sir, the brothers are all counting on you now."

You must not give up on yourself.

Things aren't completely beyond repair yet; please think of another way.

"Method?"

Zhou E gave a self-deprecating laugh:
"There are many ways, but I'm already a bit tired."

The court and the palace supported Pan Jing so much.

"Does all this fuss really think we can change the court's mind? I doubt it."

"grown ups!"

Bai Wenzhao's tone became much more forceful.
"If we want to change the situation, we have to show our attitude first and fight with all our might!"

Otherwise, why would the officials in the imperial court help us for no reason!

Immediately afterwards, Bai Wenzhao said:
"My lord, Lu Yunyi arrived in Liaoyang City from Beiping Commandery without authorization."
Let's find him a ginseng root and make him regret it!

Zhou E's expression changed several times. He wanted to say something, but he didn't. He just let out a sigh.

"Wen Zhao, for border generals like you and me..."

How many have been impeached? Which one has His Majesty punished?
The officials of the Governor's Office would not reprimand the border generals without reason.

Leaving the yamen without orders is a matter that can be considered both a major and a minor issue.

For Lu Yunyi, it was a trivial matter.

Compared to his business dealings with the grassland people, it was insignificant.
"If selling contraband isn't punished, what's the harm in leaving the government? That's naive."

Bai Wenzhao's expression changed repeatedly, and he leaned forward slightly:
"My lord, are we just going to let this go like this?"
Not only did they lose the wealth and status they had already gained, but...
Now that we've fallen out with Pan Jing, once he truly regains power, our good days will be over!

Zhou E remained silent, his bewildered gaze gradually sharpening, his relaxed muscles tensing, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke:
"Having put in so much effort and cultivated so many relationships,
Of course, we can't just let it go like that.

Being an official means being relentless and going down a path to the bitter end!

Bai Wenzhao's eyes lit up:
"Sir, do you have any good ideas?"

"The silver sent by the imperial court has arrived, a full 100,000 taels."

If the commandery runs out of money, can this road still be built?

When the time comes, Pan Jing, who advocates for road construction, will be the first to suffer, while you and I can stay behind and watch his building collapse with peace of mind.”

Bai Wenzhao's pupils suddenly contracted, and he felt a chill run through his body as a sense of fear welled up in his heart.

"This...this..." His voice stammered.

"Sir, that's a full 100,000 taels of silver!"

If we lose it, and the imperial court blames us, none of us will escape punishment.

"Who told you to get rid of it!"

Zhou E glared at him and then said:

"The military command still owes 60,000 taels of silver to the wealthy families in the city."

Although they all said they weren't in a hurry, no one could be in a hurry with such a large sum of money.

Once road construction begins, there will be even less money to pay them, and it could drag on for years.
Go and do some talking to them, give them some hints.
Tell them the company has money now, and tell them to hurry up and come get it!

"Besides, is Liaoyang the only city that owes wages?"
In so many local garrisons, quite a few people suffered from hunger and cold.

"Let them all make a scene right after the New Year holiday."

Bai Wenzhao, who had initially thought it was a brilliant plan, was shocked upon hearing it and said in disbelief:
"Sir, if we really do that, we'll completely break off all relations."

"Is it possible that we can still get along harmoniously now?"

If you're going to do something, go all the way!
"I'm not going to fight for money, I'm going to fight for my dignity! I'm already so old, how can I let them ride roughshod over me!"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhou E's eyes as he gritted his teeth!
Bai Wenzhao looked hesitant.

All he wanted was a promotion, not to fight the court to the death.
Zhou E noticed his hesitation and comforted him:
"Don't worry, I'll delegate this to someone else; it won't involve you."

"Just wait patiently. If an opportunity arises to earn merit, you must rush forward immediately."

"An opportunity to make a contribution?"

Bai Wenzhao was completely stunned; he couldn't understand it.
Where in the capital can one find an opportunity to make merit? Is there going to be another rebellion?

"Everything has an internal and external aspect. We need to be prepared within the Commandery."
There must also be plans outside the capital.

Write a letter to Goryeo and ask them to cooperate with our operation!

"What!" Bai Wenzhao was shocked.
Zhou E remained completely calm and said indifferently:

"There are unusual military movements on the Goryeo border, with troops already converging in three locations."
Under these circumstances, it's hard to believe they haven't taken any action.

Since that's the case...
It wouldn't be surprising if you did us a favor while you were at it.

"If their commanding general cannot be found, then look for the lower-ranking officers, such as the commanders of a thousand or a hundred households."
In short, making a splash is a good thing; there's no need to dwell on who the collaborator is.

"If personal relationships aren't enough, then give money."

"Goryeo is a poor, remote place; even the soldiers there are starving. Give them a little money, and they'll be at my service."

"Don't be afraid, have the determination to go all out. You'll never get anything done if you're timid and hesitant."

"Make the arrangements tomorrow. I'll delay things with the Commandery as much as possible."

The room fell silent for a long time.

Bai Wenzhao seemed to have figured it out as well.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he nodded firmly:
"My subordinate understands!"

"Go on, go back and rest early."

"Yes, I am resigning."

After saying that, Bai Wenzhao turned and left. Zhou E watched his back, and the determination he had just shown instantly melted away, turning into exhaustion.

"Ugh"

A heavy sigh echoed through the main hall.

The candlelight flickered gently, casting intermittent light and shadow on Zhou E's aged face.

The following morning, while it was still dark, crowds had already gathered at the Liaodong Military Command's office.
The officials from the prefectural government and the military command arrived early.
Their faces were all grave!

They already knew about the silver and Lord Lu's arrival last night.
Furthermore, the commander had informed them well in advance that a meeting would be held today.

The discussion focused on connecting Liaodong and Daning via roads.

This concerns one's career and finances.
Even if some adults are lazy, they have no choice but to come.

After they had finished handling the official business of each department and prepared all the necessary documents,
By the time they began converging on the conference hall, it was nearly dawn!
Because it is located in the northeast, the sky was still only a faint, dim light.

If it weren't for the lanterns everywhere, we probably wouldn't be able to see the road under our feet.

When they arrived at the meeting hall, just as they were feeling its warmth, they wanted to complain to their colleagues about the winter chill.

He was silenced by a figure at the head of the table.

The meeting room was neither monotonous nor shabby.
At the very front is a huge map of the area outside the Great Wall.

Liaodong and Beiping are located on the shores of Buyur Lake and the Jurchen people, making it a military secret.

A figure stood there with his hands behind his back, quietly examining the defenses.

Not far away, two heavily armed soldiers stood guard silently.
Even when they saw them arrive, they remained completely calm and did not move at all.

Many people have already guessed who the person at the head of the table is.

They all pursed their lips and sat down obediently in their seats.

However, his eyes would occasionally glance upwards in a veiled way, revealing an air of disbelief.

They're too young, even younger than their sons.

If they hadn't experienced the war against the enemy Jurchens last year,

I simply cannot believe that a twenty-year-old could accomplish such a feat.

However, the war outside the 30,000 guards in the north...

They could see it all clearly.
Even within the military headquarters, there was a detailed review, with all military deployments meticulously detailed!
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they know it inside and out.

But it just can't be replicated.

The reason is simple: the individual soldiers' skills are insufficient!

Even if they could win, they wouldn't have done it so easily. They might have been discovered in Haramulin before even getting close to the main battlefield.

Finally, a head-on showdown is inevitable!

At that moment, a cry of surprise interrupted many people's thoughts.

"Lord Lu!"

The group of high-ranking officials turned around and looked on with displeasure.

But when they saw that the visitor was Xu Cheng, the Assistant Commander of the Capital Garrison, their expressions turned strange.
If I remember correctly, this commander of the 30,000 guards,
She was rescued by the person in front of her, who also escorted her to the capital.

At the head of the table, Lu Yunyi heard the call, turned around, and saw...
His serious expression vanished instantly, and he burst into laughter.

"Lord Xu, it's been a long time."

"Lord Lu, it really is you!"
The clerk came to report the news, but I was still somewhat incredulous.

Xu Cheng walked excitedly to the head of the table and bowed deeply.

Lu Yunyi quickly stepped forward and helped him up:

"Lord Xu, we've fought side by side twice, why are you being so polite?"

"I'm just excited to see you, sir!"

Xu Chengxing spoke excitedly, then suddenly remembered something and asked:
"Sir, you just arrived last night. Did you get enough rest?"

"Soldiers don't get that much rest; a short nap is enough."

Xu Cheng looked ashamed upon hearing this, turned around, sized up the many officials present, and asked:

"Has the person who transported the silver not arrived?"

The clerk in charge of organizing the meeting looked embarrassed and explained:

"Reporting to Lord Xu, the silver was deposited into the treasury yesterday, and it was nearly dawn."
Seeing that it was getting late, and fearing that the officials from the capital might not be getting enough rest, I did not inform them.

"What kind of talk is that!"

Before the clerk of the Registrar's Office could reply,

A very loud voice came from the doorway, and Zhou E, the Deputy Commander, stepped in.

"Go and summon the two officials who transported the silver."
Since they came representing the Ministry of Revenue and the Governor-General's Office
They need to be informed of the specific details of the road construction so they can report back to their superiors.
If you delay your work, you'll be the first one they yell at!

The clerk in the clerk's office stood there dumbfounded, but quickly came to his senses:

"Yes, yes, I'll go and fetch him right away."

Once the officials had left, Zhou E casually walked into the meeting hall and invited the assembled officials to sit down.

Then he looked at Lu Yunyi at the head of the table and smiled:

"Lord Lu, please sit down. You've had a long and tiring journey, even more exhausting than fighting a war."

Lu Yunyi sat down with a smile.

At this moment, Commander Pan Jing also entered, carrying two documents.

When he saw the two neat rows of adults in the room, he laughed:
"My lords, you've arrived exceptionally early today."

These words were barbed and sarcastic, causing some people to show a hint of embarrassment on their faces, and a fleeting expression of dissatisfaction as they lowered their heads.

Pan Jing ignored their ulterior motives and went straight to the head of the table, gesturing for them to enter.
"Please sit, please sit. We have invited Lord Lu here today."
We should listen to him share his many experiences in road construction.

Otherwise, we'd be completely clueless and wouldn't know where to begin.

The adults took their seats one after another. Lu Yunyi looked around at the empty seats and asked thoughtfully:

"Aren't the artisans and merchants from the city coming?"
Building such a long road required the combined efforts of everyone involved, from ordinary people and laborers to soldiers, merchants, and officials.

Pan Jing was taken aback, and quickly said:
"This was my oversight. I will send someone to fetch him right away."

Lu Yunyi smiled and gestured for Lu Yunyi to lower his hand.

"I just said it casually. There are too many people, and it's not good if everyone has their own ideas."

At that time, we can select a few respected representatives from among the common people, merchants, and soldiers.

Any opinions should be raised and resolved on the spot.

Otherwise, with all the shopkeepers present, there will be too many people talking at once, each with their own agenda, making it impossible to reach an agreement on business.
The worst thing you can do when undertaking great tasks is to have too many people talking at once.

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat heavy, and surprise flashed in the eyes of the adults.

With just a few words, he greatly changed their impression of this young general.

At least in terms of doing things, they are very methodical and organized.

But thinking about it, I'm not so bothered by it anymore.
Without a proper order, it would be impossible to accomplish the tasks of Yingtian Trading Company and the road construction in Daning.

"Lord Lu is right. Now that everyone is here, let's begin the meeting."

Today, let's discuss where to build this road, when to start construction, and all the necessary preparations.

Pan Jing nodded repeatedly, urging the gentlemen to sit down.

Soon, the sound of documents turning filled the meeting room, and Pan Jing spoke first:
"The 100,000 taels of silver sent by the imperial court are ready."

The Beiping Regional Military Command's funds and workers are ready and can begin work at any time.
Now all that's missing is Liaodong.

From this moment forward, all officials and clerks of the Commandery...
Everyone must fully commit to the road construction process.

Be diligent and conscientious, avoid causing trouble, and work hard without holding others back!
The sooner the road is repaired, the sooner Liaodong will regain its vitality!

"My lords, don't you agree?"

The adults present looked at each other, and soon nodded in agreement.

"Lord Pan is absolutely right!"

"Road construction is the top priority!"

Pan Jing nodded in satisfaction:
"Very well, the most important thing about road construction is money."
Before the New Year, the Commander-in-Chief borrowed 60,000 taels of silver from many merchants in the city regarding military pay.
I hereby decide to postpone this payment! The government funds should be used first for road repairs!

These words immediately caused an uproar in the conference room.

Many people suddenly looked up, staring at Pan Jing in disbelief.
I have gained a deeper understanding of this Lord Pan's shamelessness.

"Absolutely not!"

(End of this chapter)