Chapter 139 Family Reunion
Chapter 139 Family Reunion
The army returned to the city and the military camp where they had been three months ago.
Because there are many more grassland captives,
The Qingzhou government had already expanded its camp to accommodate the grassland captives.
And Gyeongju City was also crowded with more than 200,000 people.
It seemed particularly crowded and there was a hint of heat in the air.
In the central army tent, Lan Yu, in casual clothes, sat behind a desk, his eyes fixed as he picked up a pen to write a report of the great victory.
Although the details of the border war had been sent to the capital a month ago,
But what he wrote at this time was a sign of the end of the Northern Expedition in the 21st year of Hongwu.
Once this memorial is received in the capital, Your Majesty will issue an order to withdraw the army, and only then can the army return to the territory of Ming Dynasty.
Taking a deep breath, Lan Yu focused his eyes and picked up his pen to write.
"Your Highness, Lan Yu, respectfully bows his head and says:
In the past, I followed Your Majesty's order and led troops to conquer Buyuer Lake, with the intention of wiping out the remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and recovering the territory of Central Plains.
I put on armor and held the sword, determined to never waver, and after going through many hardships, I finally reached that place.
The drums of war thundered, the flags covered the sky, my ministers took advantage of the weather and the terrain, planned their strategies, and my soldiers fought bravely, like dragons soaring and tigers leaping.
The Northern Yuan court was defeated, so Yuan Zhengtong also surrendered on the battlefield.
After ten days of fierce fighting, the enemy army was defeated, countless prisoners were taken and killed, and countless horses and supplies were seized.
The power of the Northern Yuan Dynasty was completely destroyed at this point.
When I heard the good news, my heart was overwhelmed and I was grateful to Your Majesty for his great virtue and kindness that has benefited the world.
The victory in this battle is all due to your Majesty's wisdom and bravery, your good leadership, and the assistance of wise ministers in the court.
As a general, I am only fulfilling my duty as an ordinary man, which is really not worth mentioning.
However, I know very well that the best strategy is to win without being arrogant.
Although we have won a great victory today, we must never forget matters concerning the border.
I am willing to continue to guard the border, train troops, and wait for the call of the country to ensure the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty.
I hereby report this victory report to you, and implore Your Majesty to bestow rewards to comfort the soldiers.
At the same time, I also request the allocation of food and fodder to repair military equipment in case of emergency.
I, your humble servant Lan Yu, bow my head again and wish Your Majesty good health and everlasting prosperity for the Ming Dynasty.
[May 25, the 21st year of Hongwu]. ”
The memorial was completed in one go, and Lan Yu gently blew the ink dry and closed the book.
Looking at the thick stack of letters requesting merit, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Somebody come!"
Shi Zhengyu, slightly drunk, walked in quickly with a serious face.
"General!"
"Send it to Yingtian at an expedited speed of eight hundred miles, and present it to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince."
"Yes!" A smile appeared on Shi Zhengyu's serious face. At this moment,
Just wait for the army to return to Beijing, and then discuss rewards and punishments with the officials of the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commands.
After the soldiers were sent back to their hometowns, the Northern Expedition in the 21st year of Hongwu came to an end.
After Shi Zhengyu left, Lan Yu showed a rare smile on his face.
He stood up, stretched himself, and walked out of the military tent slowly.
The warm sunlight hit him, as if he was bathed in light.
Lan Yu narrowed his eyes and looked at the soldiers in the central army who were packing their luggage and cleaning the camp, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised...
His expression was a little dazed. After this battle,
Lan Yu's name would spread throughout the Ming Dynasty and the grasslands, and the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty that had been entrenched in the north and entangled with the Ming Dynasty for nearly twenty years would also completely disappear.
He took a deep breath, looking serious.
After standing for only a moment, he returned to the tent and sat down, taking out a map from the side.
After a careful look in the northeast direction, the next step is to eliminate the former Yuan nobles entrenched in the northeast so that Liaodong will be completely free of external threats.
In this way, the Ming Dynasty could utilize the many minerals in Liaodong to grow and become increasingly powerful.
At the Lu Mansion, Lu Yunyi, after settling the soldiers, hurried back on his warhorse!
He was already a lieutenant general in the front army, leading 5,000 soldiers and becoming the overlord of a region. He was no longer the cautious centurion of the Qingzhou Guard.
Now he can ride the war horse in the military camp however he wants and go wherever he wants!
The concierge, Lao Zhang, was already waiting at the door, looking around.
Seeing Lu Yunyi coming back, there was suddenly some crystal in his old eyes. He walked quickly forward and stretched out his hand to take the reins that were about to fall.
"Master, you are finally back."
Lu Yunyi smiled, handed over the reins, and took out a simple-looking scimitar from his horse bag and handed it over:
"Come here, Uncle Zhang. This is the Khan's sword you've been clamoring for. I seized it from the Northern Yuan Dynasty court. I'm giving it to you."
The doorman, Lao Zhang, opened his eyes wide and took the Khan's knife tremblingly.
This is used by the grassland royal family, and the people who can hold it are all elite members of the royal family.
Lao Zhang had fought against the grassland people in the north before, and he had always wondered when he could capture a Khan knife.
I didn’t expect that even though my body was decayed and I was old, I could see it with my own eyes.
The doorman, Old Zhang, was so upset that his lips trembled, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Master, this is too expensive."
"Take it, Uncle Zhang. It will be your heirloom."
After Lu Yunyi finished speaking, he walked up the stairs and entered the home he had been away from for a long time.
The two-entry courtyard is quiet and simple.
As you enter the door, you will see the ground paved with blue bricks, which is still flat and solid despite the wind and rain.
There are several old locust trees planted on both sides, and the dry branches have added a touch of green.
There are several stone benches and a stone table under the tree. The sunlight shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows.
Lu Yunyi couldn't help but slow down his pace, stepping on the blue bricks.
Looking at the moss occasionally visible in the cracks, my mood suddenly became a little complicated.
There is no longer the urgency I felt when I was not home, but instead a bit more hesitation.
Three months without seeing you feels like three years.
The main door was open, and half of Qiu He's head was visible from behind the intricately carved door.
She stared at the entrance to the courtyard, hoping to see the figure she had imagined countless times.
Finally, a tall and well-proportioned figure dressed in black stepped in.
His face was still as handsome as before, but the cracks on it made him look more mature.
His eyes were no longer as bright and lively as before, but now looked cloudy and tired.
Qiu He felt a sudden pain in her heart, but this could not drown out the joy in her heart, and she began to chirp.
"Master, Master is back!!"
Liu's figure appeared in front of the door, her face somewhat sad, the mist in her eyes was spreading rapidly, and could no longer be stopped.
She stepped out of the house, stumbling,
He rushed towards Lu Yunyi quickly and held him in his arms.
"My son!"
The tears finally burst out and silently slid down Lu Yunyi's collar, leaving mottled marks.
It seems that Lu Yunyi is no longer a general who plans and strategizes on the battlefield, nor is he an invincible warrior.
But it's the hopeless kid who is naughty all day long.
"Mother, I'm back."
"It'll be good to come back, it'll be good to come back"
At this time, Mr. Lu also walked out of the main room.
His steps seemed steady, but each step seemed to carry a heavy weight of thoughts.
The steps were much faster than before, then slower and slower, until finally he stood still not far away.
His eyes were always lingering on Lu Yunyi, with mixed emotions.
His fists were clenched and unclenched, and the stern expression on his face seemed to relax a little at this moment.
After a long pause, Master Lu finally calmed down his thoughts and spoke in a deep voice:
"came back?"
Lu Yunyi blinked, stood up straight, and nodded vigorously.
"Well, father, I'm back."
Mr. Lu nodded slightly without saying anything.
Father-son relationship,
It is the most complicated relationship in the world.
We are kings and subjects, enemies and friends.
Only when one of them is lying on the sickbed, they are truly father and son.
Father and son always have nothing to say to each other?
The father was eager to pass on his experience so that his son would avoid taking detours.
But the son is always curious about the unknown and is determined to experience the setbacks and lessons his father has experienced.
At the dinner table, my mother prefers to pick up the food while my father chooses to avoid it.
At this time, the mother was chattering like a surging river, and the father was silent like a heavy mountain.
Qiu He was wiping her tears, but she was smiling brighter than ever. She was holding Lu Yunyi's favorite snack in her hand.
Because I was so excited, I didn't even realize it.
After a long time, when Lu Yunyi looked over, Qiu He's eyes lit up, a blush appeared on her cheeks, and she timidly handed over the cake in her hand.
"Master, your favorite cake."
But when she saw the dessert with five deep fingerprints, she cried out in surprise.
He quickly hid the cakes behind him and said repeatedly:
"In the house."
"Hahahahahaha!" Qiu He's laughter blew away some of the heavy atmosphere in the Lu Mansion.
Lu Yunyi put on a smile on his face and wiped Qiu He's head fiercely. Liu burst into laughter, and a hint of tenderness appeared in Lu's eyes.
"Come in, come in. The food is ready. We are just waiting for my son to come back."
Liu took Lu Yunyi's bag and pulled him into the house. Qiu He hurriedly followed and stuck out her tongue at him.
Lu stood quietly in the courtyard, his hands behind his back, watching them jump into the house, then he slowly walked forward and ordered:
"Mr. Zhang, please close the door. I won't see any visitors today."
"Okay, sir."
Two quarters of an hour later, in the study,
Lu Yunyi told the general story of the trip.
Mr. Lu's expression went from being relaxed at first to frowning and finally relieved. It's hard to imagine how complicated his inner feelings were.
He looked at Lu Yunyi with complicated eyes, rarely showing a smile.
After a long time, he let out a sigh.
"Yun Yi, you have grown up."
"Father, do you think there are any omissions and improvements in what I have done?" Lu Yunyi asked.
Mr. Lu had a complicated expression on his face. He shook his head slowly and spoke softly after a long while:
"You don't need to ask me about these things in the future. You have to walk the road ahead on your own. I can't help you.
Most people are in the game but don’t know it.
But for some people, only by being in the situation can they see it clearly.
As a father, I have not been in the political arena, nor in the military or the court, so I cannot see some things clearly.
And you have penetrated deeply into it, and have done very well, far surpassing the millions of troops of the Ming Dynasty,
The advice given to you by others may be the best choice at first sight, but it may bring the worst results in the future.
So you have to trust your own judgement.”
After a pause, Mr. Lu spoke again:
"I think some of your choices in the central army and the grassland king's tent are inappropriate.
But there are unimaginable benefits to be gained, which shows that,
Your choice is correct and in line with the general trend hidden beneath the surface.
What you need to do now is not to listen to my teachings, but to carry out what you want in your heart to the end!"
"What's wrong with that?" Lu Yunyi asked for no reason with empty eyes.
"Let things come as they come, do not anticipate the future, do not mix them with the present, do not dwell on the past,
Who doesn't make mistakes in this world? If you make a mistake, it's a mistake. So what?
The past cannot be changed, but the future can still be pursued. Right or wrong, both are beneficial. Just keep moving forward."
Mr. Lu's tone was a little heavy, which made Lu Yunyi emotional.
"Why are you leaving? Come and have dinner!" Liu's voice came from outside, with a bit of dissatisfaction.
The solemn atmosphere in the study room dissipated in an instant.
Lu Dangjia shook his head helplessly and patted him on the shoulder:
"Since you have made your decision, I will go to Magistrate Liu's home to propose marriage tomorrow."
"Thank you father."
"Okay, let's eat first."
(End of this chapter)