Chapter 5: Life is worth knowing

Chapter 5: Life is worth knowing

Chapter 5: Life is worth knowing
"My son will remember this." Lu Yunyi could only show respect on his face, while secretly admiring him in his heart.

The Ming military system was indeed increasingly broken, and in the end it had to resort to the recruitment system.
As for the military households in the garrisons, they all became farmers who only knew how to use hoes.

"Just remember this, and don't tell anyone else, or you'll get into trouble." Master Lu warned Lu Yunyi with a calm expression.

"The kid knows."

"Well, since you are back, then you can go with me to the banquet. Magistrate Liu is inviting the wealthy merchants in the city to a banquet to reward the army for its march north."

"Is this matter settled?" Lu Yunyi's eyes widened. How come the fact that the army was leaving Qingzhou became known to everyone?

"You know?" Lu Dangjia stared at Lu Yunyi in surprise, "Did Yan San tell you?"

"Well, this is my guess. I saw General Lan in the military tent today.

If the army didn't go from Qingzhou, why would General Lan come here?"

Lu Yunyi told everything that happened in the afternoon and handed over the letter.

He also discovered that his brain didn't seem to be as useful as his father's.

After reading the letter, Lu looked thoughtful, frowned slightly, paced lightly in the room, and finally sighed:
"It is my father's fault that Liu Zhizhou has not shown up in recent days.
My father went to see him many times to discuss the wedding, but he always declined due to his busy government affairs.

I thought that Liu Zhizhou looked down on you, but now I think it might be because he is preparing for the army to go out, and he is indeed busy with government affairs. "

"What's your impression of Marquis Yongchang?" asked Mr. Lu suddenly.

"He suspected that I was a spy from the Northern Yuan Dynasty, but after I introduced myself, he didn't say anything. I think it was a joke."

Lu Yunyi was a little embarrassed and didn't know where to start. Should he say that he was shaking like a sieve as soon as he saw Lan Yu?
The head of the Lu family looked thoughtful, and soon his frown gradually relaxed. He tilted his head slightly, looked deeply at Lu Yunyi, and said word by word: "Have you found Yuan Ting's trace?"

Lu Yunyi, who had originally lowered his head, suddenly raised his head, widened his eyes, and stared at his father, as if asking, how do you know?

"How did father know this? This matter is confidential!"

"You have been granted a hundred households, like a sixth-rank official, with a salary of one hundred stones. There are only a dozen or so people like you in Qingzhou.

If you get on, others will get off.
Although Yan San is easy to talk to, he never offends anyone.

If you are allowed to be a centurion, your contribution must be so great that you cannot shirk your responsibility, otherwise just giving you some reward would be enough.

In addition, Liu Zhizhou was very enthusiastic towards me today and asked me to take you to the banquet again and again, so this is the only possibility. "

Lu Yunyi was stunned, with only one thought in his mind.
This brain can't even pass the imperial examination? ?

What kind of monster is Jinshi?

"Don't be surprised. The Northern Expedition was decided last year. The fact that Marquis Yongchang can see you also shows that you have made great contributions. But..."

As he spoke, a trace of worry flashed across Lu Dangjia's eyes, and he sighed:

"You have to go to Mobei. The journey will be difficult, so you have to be careful."

It was the first time that Lu Yunyi saw his father like this. He was moved and asked after thinking for a while:

"Father, I have a worry in my heart, but I don't know whether I should talk about it or not."

"You and I are father and son, what can't we talk about?"

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and organized his words in his mind:

"Father, on this northern expedition, I and the Qingzhou Thousand Households will serve as scouts in the front line.
This trip should give me a chance to make a contribution, but I am hesitant as to whether I should be the first to do so."

"The leading bird?"

"It's just to be in the spotlight."

Mr. Lu nodded, showing his understanding, and said slowly:

"A tree that stands out on land will be destroyed by the wind; a pile that stands out on the shore will be washed away by the current; a person who stands out from others will be criticized by the crowd.

But what are you afraid of? Will Yan San persecute you? You are worrying too much."

As soon as the words fell, the room suddenly became quiet.
Lu Yunyi was hesitating about how to attack indirectly. After a few breaths, he prepared a draft in his mind and said in a low voice:
"I feel that the current emperor is old and the country is a little unstable. If I get too involved with the Marquis of Yongchang, I might suffer the consequences."

The originally peaceful atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn. Headmaster Lu frowned slightly and looked at Lu Yunyi:
"What do you know?"

"I don't know anything. I just feel that Marquis Yongchang behaves erratically and has close ties with Duke Zheng, so there might be trouble." Lu Yunyi said respectfully.

Lu frowned in deep thought, tapping the back of his chair with his fingers. Thinking of the relationship between Marquis Yongchang, Duke Zheng and the Crown Prince, his frown gradually relaxed:
"You worry too much, Prince,

The heart has ravines, the eyes have mountains and rivers, Yongchang Hou and Zheng Guogong are relatives of the prince, there will not be any trouble. "

Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a little annoyed, as he couldn't tell the prince directly about his death.

"Besides, you are now a soldier, and thinking ahead and behind is something that only scholars would think about.

Since you are going to follow the army north, this is a great opportunity to make a contribution. If God has given you this opportunity, you should not take it. "

"You are still young, why do you live like that 80-year-old man, as timid as a mouse?"

"Although a tree that stands out from the land will be destroyed by the wind,

But if the tree stands upright in the land, the wind will add to its majesty;

The pile is like a towering bank, and the flowing water makes it look even steeper;

If a person walks in front of the crowd, he will attract everyone's attention!
As for future events, we can make plans later. There is no such thing as taking one step and looking a hundred steps ahead."

Mr. Lu's tone became heavier and his expression became more serious.

"If a soldier loses his spirit, he is like an old farmer without a rake or a knight without a sword. He is just a figurehead and can only be laughed at."

"But" when it comes to talking, he definitely can't beat his father, but he still wants to struggle.

But Mr. Lu raised his hand to interrupt:
"Well, there is no need to say more about this matter. Follow your father to the banquet first. It will take some time for the army to go out. Think carefully about it."

After saying that, he stood up, pushed the door open and left, leaving Lu Yunyi standing there with a sad look on his face.

Mr. Lu left the main room and went straight into the west wing.

Liu was sitting on the bed at the moment, looking anxious. When she saw him come in, she quickly stood up and walked over, asking:
"How?" She was a little worried that the father and son would have an argument.

Mr. Lu frowned, and Mrs. Liu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly said:

"Yier is still young, and it is enough for him to return safely now. As elders, we should not be too harsh on him."

"Now we have a family business. If we don't make any achievements in the military,
At worst, you can just learn to read again and let him take the exam to become a scholar. At least he can become a teacher.

He has a volatile personality, but he is sensible. It is not good to be too harsh on him."

Listening to the chatter in his ears, a trace of helplessness flashed across Lu's brows, and he pinched his eyebrows:
"It's not what you think. He made great contributions during this trip and was awarded the title of Hundred Households."

Huh? Liu's eyes widened slightly, and a smile immediately blossomed on her face. She gently pushed Lu Dangjia:
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? I thought you and your son were fighting."

"How can a scholar move his hands?"

"Okay, okay, then why are you so sad?" Liu came closer and asked, her big eyes filled with curiosity.

"Although Yi'er is terrible at studying, he has a far-sighted vision and is mature beyond his age. He is also very afraid of the Marquis of Yongchang, and said."

Lu glanced at Liu and lowered his voice, "Marquis Yongchang is acting erratically, something bad might happen."

"What does this have to do with him?" Liu felt that this boy was worrying too much.

Lu Dangjia sighed and said, "Yan San once told me that Lu Yunyi has a great talent for military affairs.
Whether it was the tactics of military formation or fighting in battle formations, he was the best in Qingzhou Guard.
Moreover, he was naturally alert and never lost his way in Mobei.

The army is about to go out, it would be strange if we don't make any achievements.

Therefore, he was afraid of being too closely involved with Marquis Yongchang and being implicated in the future.

Although it is groundless worry, it is not without reason.

My teacher is now in the Prince's Mansion. If the Marquis of Yongchang comes out,

A dazzling light suddenly burst out of Liu's eyes. She didn't listen to the worries at all. She only thought that her son was gifted and would definitely make great achievements!
Seeing this, Mr. Lu swallowed back the words he had prepared, and just sighed, not planning to say any more.

"My son is amazing."

Liu's happy look made Mr. Lu sigh again. He waved his hand gently, saying that it was not something a woman should talk about.

As the sky gradually darkened, Qingzhou gradually became quiet, and the people hurried back home.
If the family is well-off, they can have another meal. If the family is poor, they can rest early.

But for some people in Gyeongju, the carefree life has just begun.

Because there are thousands of households in Gyeongju, even though Gyeongju is not big, there are still brothels, and the night is the busiest time.

As for the officials working in the government office, they should drink some good wine after work, so that life can be interesting.

In front of a tall courtyard, Lu Yunyi followed his father to this place.
Looking at the two characters "Liu Mansion" written in graceful strokes above, I once again felt that Governor Liu must have been greedy.

In fact, Liu Zhizhou came from a family of farmers and scholars. He had been an official in the court since the Yuan Dynasty, but his family fell into decline in the later period.

Now that the Ming Dynasty was newly established and there were few scholars, Liu Zhizhou sought another opportunity to become an official.

Led by the servants into the mansion, Lu Yunyi was somewhat amazed.

There is a pool of clear water in the center of the courtyard. Even in the cold weather, the water is still rippling and reflecting the scenery.

By the lake, willow trees are swaying, their dry branches hanging down into the water, swaying gently with the waves.

Not to mention the pavilions, towers and rockery standing everywhere.

Lu Yunyi originally thought that his own house was excellent, but compared with this one, it was inadequate and not up to par.

But Mr. Lu looked calm and composed. He walked slowly under the guidance of the waiter and was not at all intimidated by the surrounding scenery.

Soon, the two came to the main hall. An old man in casual clothes stood in front of the door. When he saw the two coming, his dry old face suddenly squeezed together, smiled, and stepped forward again and again:
"Brother Lu, you are finally here. You have kept me waiting for a long time."

"Lord Liu, you are too polite. This is my son Lu Yunyi." Head Lu had a calm expression and was not surprised by praise or criticism.

Liu Zhizhou looked at Lu Yunyi, sized him up, and then smiled:
"Nephew Lu, I've heard about this a long time ago. My little girl told me that you often played with her in the school."

Lu Yunyi's face was serious: "Please forgive me, Master Liu. I was ignorant at that time."

"It's okay, hahaha, it's normal for young people to fight and play around." Liu Zhizhou laughed and turned sideways to make a 'please' gesture.

He lowered his voice and said, "Those merchants are eating, drinking and having fun on one side, and we scholars need to find another quiet place."

Mr. Lu was stunned and nodded slightly, but his eyes became deeper.

Soon, three people entered the house.

It felt so quiet here, as if no one was there.
But Lu Yunyi clearly noticed that there were two people behind the curtain, but he couldn't see their faces clearly.

After entering the room, Liu Zhizhou put away his smile and waved his hand gently, and the waiter on the side immediately closed the door.

He lowered his voice and said, "We have distinguished guests here, Brother Lu, please be careful with your words."

Lu Dangjia narrowed his eyes slightly, a flash of understanding flashed through his mind, and he nodded gently.
Lu Yunyi on the side had obviously guessed something, with a strange look on his face and his whole body tense.

When Liu Zhizhou lifted the curtain, two figures appeared.
One person sat at the head of the table, drinking the wine in his glass, while the other person sat to the side in fear and trepidation, seeming to be fidgeting.

It was Lan Yu, Marquis of Yongchang, and Qianhu Yan San.

Mr. Lu paused for a moment, then walked straight forward, nodded slightly to the two of them, sat down, picked up his chopsticks and looked at the food on the plate.

Lu Yunyi felt a black screen before his eyes. It wasn't over yet! !
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi took heavy steps and slowly sat down, and Liu Zhizhou did the same.

At this moment, a strange scene appeared in front of Lu Yunyi. There were five people at the table, and no one spoke.

Only the sound of two people picking up their chopsticks could be heard, while the other three sat there like puppets.

Lu Yunyi felt extremely tortured, but his face showed no trace of it and he remained calm.

He exchanged a glance with Yan San silently, then immediately looked away, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.

Time passed little by little, and after a quarter of an hour,
Yongchang Marquis Lan Yu smiled lightly, picked up the wine pot, and drank the wine in it. His eyes swept across everyone's faces, and finally stopped at Lu Yunyi's face.
Lan Yu raised her chin towards him and said, "Eat. You just came back from Mobei, don't you want to eat?"

Lu Yunyi paused and said, "Reporting to the general, the food we ate in Mobei was all dry food. If you overeat greasy food, you may get sick."

Lan Yu laughed again and nodded:

"Yes, when I first joined the army, several of my brothers were greedy when they saw meat and eventually died of gluttony.

You are so restrained, it seems that it is not luck that you can come back alive. "

With a click, Lu placed his chopsticks on the bowl, and then looked at Lan Yu:

"Of course. Although my son is very stupid in studying, he is very talented in the military."

Something happened that made Lu Yunyi's eyes widen. Lan Yu didn't seem as domineering as he imagined. Instead, he nodded:

"Well, those who can survive the battlefield don't rely on luck."

He looked at Lu Dangjia again:
"When I came here, I went to the Prince's Mansion to say goodbye. I met Old Man Liu, and he told me that there were disciples of his in Qingzhou, and asked me to take care of them and not let them get involved in the war. Are you the one?"

Lu Dangjia pondered for a moment and said slowly: "If the old man Liu that Yongchang Hou mentioned is Liu Sanwu, the governor of Guangxi, then it must be me."

"Hahahaha, that's right. Old Liu looks so dull all day long.
When you open your mouth, you talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but when you close your mouth, you talk about the Four Books and the Five Classics. You are just like him. No wonder I feel annoyed when I see you.
You scholars, even though you are thousands of miles apart, have acquaintances. In the end, you still unite to unite and attack those who are different from you. "

Lan Yu laughed unscrupulously.
Yan San and Liu Zhizhou looked at each other with shock in their eyes.

Liu Sanwu is now a role model for scholars all over the world!
How come they didn't know that Mr. Lu had such a background and even asked Marquis Yongchang to look after him? His background is really impressive.

Mr. Lu remained silent and continued to pick up his chopsticks and eat.

But Lu Yunyi had already looked ashen and his mind was empty.

If I remember correctly, this Liu Sanwu was the main culprit in the North-South List case in the 30th year of Hongwu, and was also identified by the Hongwu Emperor as a remnant of Lan Yu.

"He is my father's teacher? The father-son relationship is severed today!!"

(End of this chapter)