In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 999 Xingyuan Teahouse Shen Zhengxin

Seeing that Ye Sheng was stubbornly refusing to let go, Lan Yu's anger flared up instantly.
He suddenly raised his foot and kicked the iron railing hard.

The iron railings clanged loudly.
The shaking caused the oil lamp flames on the wall to flicker wildly, and even the straw on the ground to fly up.

"You keep talking even when you are about to die!"

Lan Yu drew her long sword, her eyes bloodshot as she stared at Ye Sheng:

"I'll ask you one last time: Did you order the poisoning of the Crown Prince? Where is the antidote?"

Ye Sheng leaned against the wall and slowly closed his eyes, as if he hadn't heard Lan Yu's words.

After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"Lan Yu, we have known each other for decades, you should know my character."

Although I, Ye Sheng, am not exactly a loyal subject...
However, he would never poison the crown prince.

"Kill me or torture me, it's up to you. But you can't expect me to implicate others."

"Impossible? I think you won't admit it until you see the coffin!"

"Darma, open the door! Today I will behead this traitor and see if he will talk!"

Da'erma quickly stepped forward, blocking the iron bars, her face pale but still insistent:
"General! Calm down!"
Ye Sheng is a wanted criminal; without His Majesty's decree, no action can be taken. If we kill him, the trail will be cut off, which will be even more troublesome.

Lan Yu sneered, pointing the tip of her knife at Da'erma:

"The Crown Prince is currently suffering from a splitting headache in the Eastern Palace, as the poison is attacking his heart."

If anything were to happen to you, not only would you, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, be held accountable, but even I would not escape punishment!

The dermatitis made her face even paler, but the symptoms still hadn't subsided.

"General, the Embroidered Uniform Guard only acts according to His Majesty's orders."

If His Majesty orders Ye Sheng to be killed, this humble general will open the gate immediately!
"But without imperial decree, I cannot allow you to enter!"

"Good! What a fine way to say you only obey His Majesty's orders!"

Lan Yu laughed in anger, and with a flick of his wrist, he slashed the knife at Da'erma.

Da'erma was so frightened that she quickly retreated, but there was nowhere to hide, so she could only close her eyes and wait to be stabbed.

Just then, Lu Yunyi suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Lan Yu's arm:

"General! No!"

Lu Yunyi's voice was calm and steady:
"Killing Ye Sheng will cut off the trail!"
We haven't found out who's behind him yet. If we kill him, the truth about the Crown Prince's poison won't be revealed in a short time!
And this Lord Da'erma, he also followed the rules.

"Kill him, and the Imperial Guards will be thrown into chaos. Who will dare to help us investigate cases then?"

Lan Yu's chest heaved violently, but she knew he was telling the truth.

He took a few deep breaths and sheathed the knife.
Turning his head to look at Ye Sheng behind the iron bars, his eyes remained icy:

"Ye Sheng, His Majesty forbids anyone from killing you now."
Fine. I'll go to the imperial prison and kill your two sons.
Then I'll bring all your relatives to the capital and kill them one by one right in front of you!

Ye Sheng leaned against the wall, watching Lan Yu's furious expression, and suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter hoarse:

"Lan Yu, don't waste your energy, you won't find out."

His Majesty is old, and the Crown Prince wants to move the capital. Too many people are dissatisfied with this, far too many.”

These words were like a needle pricking Lan Yu's heart.

Just as he was about to erupt, Lu Yunyi suddenly stepped forward, stared into Ye Sheng's eyes, and slowly spoke:
"Lord Jingning, are you so sure we can't find out?"

Is it because the people behind it aren't military personnel or nobles at all, but rather scholars?

"Are they the civil officials who submitted memorials opposing the crown prince and obstructing the development of military equipment? Or are they the upright officials hiding among the common people?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Sheng's body stiffened abruptly!
The posture that had been leaning against the wall instantly tensed up, and his hand quietly grabbed the straw beneath him.

Lu Yunyi stared intently at Ye Sheng's reaction, his heart sinking suddenly.
Guess it right!
He immediately turned to look at Lan Yu, his voice urgent yet steady:
"General! You're going the wrong way!"
Marquis Jingning had probably noticed something amiss long ago, but chose to let it go and remain silent.

He was an accomplice, but not the mastermind.

What we need to investigate now is not the nobles associated with the Marquis of Jingning's mansion, but the civil officials who have dealings with him!

Especially those civil officials who oppose the Crown Prince's new policies!

Lan Yu glared at Ye Sheng, her eyes flashing with a fierce light:
"Is it Liu Ji's group? When did you get involved with them?"

Ye Sheng's eyes were filled with complex emotions: shock, helplessness, and a hint of warning.
"Don't investigate, according to him..."
There are accomplices everywhere under the sun. Do you really think you can kill them all?
The world's situation is as it is; you cannot stop it by your own strength.

Lan Yu sneered, her eyes sharpening once more:

"Bullshit! We've conquered the whole country, what are we afraid of with a few rebels?"
Let alone a few civil officials, even the entire educated class of the court...
"If they dare to harm the Crown Prince, I'll have them all dragged out and executed!"

He turned to Da'erma and gave the order:
"Darma! From today onwards, keep a close watch on Ye Sheng!"

No one is allowed to see him, and he is not allowed to lose a single hair!
If anything goes wrong with him, I'll kill you first!

Da'erma breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed:

"The last general takes command!"

Lan Yu then looked at Lu Yunyi:
"Send people to investigate immediately! Report any leads to me right away! Focus on those people in eastern Zhejiang! You know who they are, right?"

"Reporting to the General, I understand."

Lu Yunyi bowed in response, his eyes filled with determination.

Lan Yu glanced one last time at Ye Sheng behind the iron bars, her eyes icy cold:

"Ye Sheng, you better pray that we can find the real culprit, otherwise, even if you don't tell, I will make you pay the price!"

After saying that, he turned and walked out, with Lu Yunyi following closely behind.

Daerma watched the two figures disappear into the distance.
He glanced again at Ye Sheng, who remained silent behind the iron bars, and sighed softly.
They had new chains brought and locked the cell door even tighter.

Silence returned to the secret prison.
Only the flickering flame of the oil lamp on the wall reflected Ye Sheng's pale and complex face.

He leaned against the wall, slowly closed his eyes, and murmured to himself:
"Isn't it better to live a peaceful and stable life? Why do we have to move the capital?"

Stepping through that black wooden door, the midday sun was blazing.
The sun was so strong that the bluestone slabs in the alley were scorching hot, and even the wind carried a sweltering heat.

Lan Yu walked ahead, still angry, her brows furrowed tightly.

Lu Yunyi followed behind, quickly catching up, his voice steady:
"General, I've come to the conclusion that there are two areas we need to focus our investigation on."

"Say!"

"The first one is Xu Guan, the newly appointed top scholar."

Lu Yunyi met his gaze and spoke clearly and logically:
"After winning the championship, he bluntly stated at the Zuixianlou restaurant on the Qinhuai River that the capital should not be moved."
They also said that moving the capital would be wasteful of resources and manpower, and that it was a short-sighted move driven by greed

More importantly, he won six consecutive top honors.

He was first in every examination: county, prefectural, provincial, metropolitan, and palace.

He is the first in nearly a thousand years since the school was founded.

Without someone guiding, paving the way, and smoothing things over behind the scenes,
How could a scholar from a fallen family possibly have a smooth life?

"Xu Guan?"

Lan Yu frowned, as if recalling the name:
This person definitely has problems.

His Majesty and the Crown Prince merely arranged for him to enter the Hanlin Academy.
He wasn't given important responsibilities, which suggests there was something wrong with him.

Lu Yunyi's gaze swept over the hidden sentries at the alley entrance, memorizing their names, and he said:
"The people behind him must be civil officials or local upright officials who can influence the imperial examinations and sway public opinion."

Catching him is easy, but taking action before thoroughly investigating who's behind him might alert them.

"continue."

Lu Yunyi continued:
"The second direction is the Red Leaf Shipyard in Zhongdu."

My subordinate previously investigated the source of funds for land speculation in the capital and discovered a huge sum of 70,000 taels.
It flowed in from Fengyang Prefecture and was first deposited into Huitong Money Shop.
Later, it was split into more than a dozen plots and distributed to small businesses in the capital, specifically to suppress land prices and create panic.

In retrospect, this money may not have come from Jiang Xiahou.
Rather, it's from those local powers; investigating them might yield some clues.

Upon hearing this, Lan Yu clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, and abruptly turned to his personal guards behind him, shouting:
"Guards! Go to the Hanlin Academy and arrest Xu Guan! Lock him up in the Imperial Guard Prison!"

The guards were all veterans who had fought alongside Lan Yu.

Always obedient to orders, he immediately drew his sword and turned to leave.

Lu Yunyi looked helpless and quickly stepped forward, reaching out to stop him:

"General, you mustn't!"

His hand rested on the guard's scabbard, his voice low but firm:

"Xu Guan is the newly appointed top scholar personally selected by His Majesty, and all the scholars in the country are watching him closely."

If we were to arrest them rashly like this, it would firstly discourage scholars from all over the country.

They say that we soldiers are suppressing civil officials, giving rise to accusations of abusing our military power to bully the people.
Secondly, he's just a pawn; if you touch him, the person behind him will immediately notice.
If we let them get away, all our efforts will have been for nothing.

Lan Yu glared at him, furious, but quickly let out a long sigh and calmed down.
"You're right. Now that we have a clue, we can't just make any random moves."

Lu Yunyi also breathed a sigh of relief; he was really afraid that the general would become flustered because of his concern.

"General, the matter of Xu Guan can be handed over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Tell them to keep an eye on Xu Guan and see who's behind him.
As for the Red Leaf Shipyard, I will send someone from the Yingtian Trading Company to Zhongdu.

Under the guise of doing business, they investigated which merchants were connected to the Red Leaf Shipyard.

Seeing that Lan Yu's expression gradually softened, he added:

"Once we have solid evidence, we will take swift and decisive action. Even if the people behind him want to protect him, they won't be able to!"

General, I think
The reason Your Majesty and the Crown Prince kept it a secret was to secretly investigate and avoid alerting the enemy.

Lan Yu remained silent for a moment, staring at Lu Yunyi for a long time.
It's rare to see someone so young act with such composure!
He took a deep breath and kicked the stone against the wall hard. The stone rolled a long way and hit the bluestone slab at the entrance of the alley with a crisp sound.

"Okay! Let's do it this way for now!"

Lu Yunyi bowed respectfully.
"I will immediately send someone to Zhongdu to investigate the Hongye Shipyard. Any activity will be reported to you and me immediately."

Lan Yu nodded and mounted his horse.

The black horse neighed as he reined it in, its front hooves pawing the ground and kicking up dust.

He looked down at Lu Yunyi:
"I'll go back to the manor to arrange for people. If you have any news, come to the manor to find me."

Remember, don't mess this up. The Crown Prince's affairs can't be delayed!

"Yes, General!"

Lu Yunyi also mounted his horse and watched Lan Yu's cavalry gallop away.

The black armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

The horses' hooves clattered loudly on the cement road before disappearing at the end of the alley.

The alleyway returned to quiet, with only the lingering coolness of the breeze.

Lu Yunyi's expression was solemn as he turned to look at the pitch-black gate in the alley.
Then he looked around at the high walls of the small courtyard.
Make sure you remember this place, and stay secretly on guard.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, a powerful organization that had been entrenched in the capital for fifteen years,
They have a profound foundation and should not be underestimated.

Leaving the alley, Lu Yunyi mounted his horse.
As he watched the bustling crowds on the street, his expression gradually turned serious.

The prince's poison hadn't healed.

It also left behind troublesome aftereffects such as headaches.
This left Lu Yunyi speechless.

I had advised against rushing to move the capital, but you insisted on doing it anyway.

Shaking his head, Lu Yunyi looked at Basong and instructed:
"Go to the sugar shop and send a message to Yunfang to come back."

Basong's expression immediately turned serious, and he nodded:
"Yes, my lord."

The group left quickly. Lu Yunyi first went to Yingtian Trading Company and Yingtian Construction Company.
Arrangements were made to investigate the Red Leaf Shipyard.
Then we went to Xingyuan Tea House at No. 3 Hubu Street.

Arriving at the teahouse, Lu Yunyi stared blankly at the imposing building before him, slightly taken aback.

He remembered that when he last bought this teahouse, it was just a two-story building.

Now it has been converted into a four-story building, with the exterior repainted and carefully decorated.
The lintel is inlaid with bronze.

It looks like a solemn and serene place.

At this moment, the waiter standing at the door came up to greet them.

Seeing the group's imposing presence, he lowered his voice to a steady tone:
"Gentlemen, would you like to discuss business or have some tea? Do you have a reservation?"

Lu Yunyi looked at the meticulous waiter and suddenly laughed.
It seems that no matter where they are, gangs like to put on such grand shows after they've gone legit, and even train their men to be so disciplined.

The waiter was puzzled when he saw him smile, but he still stood there with his head bowed, his dark brown clothes looking particularly neat.

Lu Yunyi said calmly:

"Is Shen Zhengxin here? Tell him to come see me."

The waiter raised his head slightly: "May I ask who you are, sir?"

"This official is Lu Yunyi!"

The private rooms on the third floor of Xingyuan Tea House are usually only used when important figures visit.

At this moment, the candlelight outside the door was gently lit.

The passing shopkeeper stared wide-eyed at the sight. Who was it?

Just then, the sound of footsteps suddenly came from the stairs.

The waiter frowned and looked in the direction of the sound.

This is a tranquil place, reserved for dignitaries and important officials. How can you be so rude?
However, soon, a group of teenagers stood on both sides of the corridor, bowing slightly:
"Boss!"

Shen Zhengxin, dressed in a brocade robe, ignored him and walked anxiously towards the innermost private room.

Under everyone's gaze, he stopped at the entrance of the private room and carefully tidied his clothes and hair.

After hesitating several times as if he wanted to say something, he finally knocked gently on the door.

"Come in."

A calm voice came from inside, and Shen Zhengxin carefully opened the door and disappeared inside.

The men who witnessed this scene were all shocked.

Who is inside? Why is the head manager so respectful?
Inside the private room, Shen Zhengxin met Lu Yunyi, whom she hadn't seen for two years.
Even when we met again, I was still filled with emotion; we were so young.

He has been overworked for the past two years and is showing signs of fatigue.
But the adult before me is still young, sharp, and in the prime of his life.

Shen Zhengxin strode to the tea table, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed deeply:
"Shen Zhengxin calls on you, sir!"

Lu Yunyi blinked, waved his hand, and Basong quickly stepped forward and helped him up.

"You are also a well-known gang leader in the capital. You should be careful about your image. If people see you like this, they will gossip."

Shen Zhengxin stood up, his face filled with fear and unease:

“My lord, everything I am today is thanks to you.”

If it weren't for you, I would have gone back to my hometown to farm long ago; how could I have such wealth and prosperity today?

Lu Yunyi smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down:
"sit down."

Shen Zhengxin carefully sat down next to the edge of the chair.

He stood ramrod straight, his heart pounding with excitement, yet he forced himself to suppress it.

Lu Yunyi looked around the private room and smiled:

"The renovation is quite nice. Who gave you the idea to use bronze for decoration?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, it is Lord Wang, the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works."

At first, I approached Lord Wang, but he was not skilled in this area, so he introduced me to Lord Wang instead.

After Lord Wang's design, things were indeed quite different.
Business has improved considerably; many adults and merchants are discussing deals here.

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"It's just that the buildings are too tall. Many of the powerful and influential people in Beijing are getting old, and climbing the stairs isn't easy for them."

Shen Zhengxin was taken aback, then nodded repeatedly:

"What you say is absolutely right, sir. Many of the officials from the Six Ministries come to discuss matters, but they don't come to the private rooms on the third floor. Instead, they go to the ordinary private rooms on the second floor."

Lu Yunyi laughed and said:

"The Ministry of Works has come up with something called an elevator, and Yingtian Trading Company will be installing it in a few days."

Go check it out then. Once it's installed, you won't have to climb stairs anymore. If it's feasible, I'll get you one."

"The mad ladder?" Shen Zhengxin looked completely bewildered.

Lu Yunyi explained:

"It's an elevator, a grain transport device made in the military workshops. Since it can transport grain, it can naturally transport people as well."
All you need to do is hire ten laborers to pull it from below; it's very effortless.
It's hard to explain to you now; you'll see for yourself when the time comes.

Although Shen Zhengxin didn't understand, he nodded repeatedly:
"Yes, sir, that thing... must be very expensive, right?"

"Expensive; a single fine iron gear costs over a hundred taels."
Don't worry, we can just take one unit out under the guise of a trial run. The workshop also needs to do some experiments anyway, so it won't cost us any money.

"Thank you, sir!"

Shen Zhengxin's face lit up with surprise. This top-secret item, regardless of its usefulness...
Being able to appear in a tea room is a symbol of status!
"Alright, take a look at this book."

Lu Yunyi took the document from Basong and placed it on the table.

Shen Zhengxin took it and opened it. Inside was information about the newly appointed top scholar, Xu Guan, detailing everything from his food, clothing, housing, and social interactions.

"My lord, what... what is this?"

Lu Yunyi stared intently at Shen Zhengxin with deep-set eyes and spoke earnestly:
“Send someone to approach him and find out everything about him.”

Record everything: what you bought, what books you read, what you said, and what plans you made.

Shen Zhengxin froze on the spot, his face filled with shock.

Without much hesitation, he nodded emphatically:

"Rest assured, sir, I will arrange it immediately."

"What do you wish to do, sir? It would be good for me to have a direction."

"Xu Guan is suspected of cheating in the imperial examinations. He achieved the highest score in six consecutive examinations and was associated with many high-ranking officials."
It's not feasible to arrest someone directly; we have to find evidence indirectly. Do you understand what I mean?

"fraud?"

Shen Zhengxin's eyes widened, and he nodded repeatedly:

"My lord, I understand! Rest assured, I will arrange for someone to approach you immediately."

"The person must be reliable and quick-witted, and the investigation must be completed within ten days."

So anxious?
A flicker of pain crossed Shen Zhengxin's eyes as he said in a deep voice:
"My lord, I have a mistress who comes from a scholarly family, but her family has fallen on hard times. She is proficient in poetry and prose and is very understanding. I will arrange for her to go."

Lu Yunyi thought for a moment, then nodded calmly:
"ASAP."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)