Chapter 306: Enduring with Ming Dynasty

Chapter 306: Enduring with Ming Dynasty

Chapter 306: Enduring with Ming Dynasty
"Brother-in-law, how did the Golden Tooth Guard break through?
This plan is really amazing, no one thought of it."

"Brother-in-law, I heard that Hanba is the best warrior in Luchuan. Have you ever fought with him?
I have heard from Brother Sheng that my brother-in-law has the courage to defeat a thousand troops."

"Brother-in-law, two years ago in the north,
I heard that you dared to go to the Northern Yuan Dynasty court with less than fifty people, you are amazing."

"Brother-in-law, your deeds have spread to Yunnan.
I wonder how many future generals like me would admire you, why don’t I go to war with you.”

Even in winter, the streets of Kunming are still bustling with people.

The bluestone-paved ground did not even have time to make a sound before it was drowned out by the footsteps of the following pedestrians.

On both sides of the street, except for the shops along the street,

You can see the well-arranged streets and alleys, blue bricks and black tiles, and antique style.

Even because of the Dali Kingdom, many ancient buildings still have some Buddhist and Taoist charm.

At this moment, the peaceful atmosphere was broken by Feng Bin's chattering.
As they walked along, Lu Yunyi felt as heavy as a bucket.

He glanced over helplessly.
Even if no one replied, Feng Bin never stopped talking, and was busy asking and answering his own questions, enjoying himself.

"Brother-in-law, when you marry my third sister, we will be a family.
I have a few playmates, and their sisters admire you very much. I will take you to meet them when the time comes."

"Wait until my brother-in-law marries the sisters of those little guys,
Hahahaha, they will follow my lead!"

Seeing that he was getting more and more outrageous, Lu Yunyi quickly put down his hand and said helplessly:
"The first priority when marching and fighting is to avoid talking nonsense."

Feng Bin's face darkened and his mouth closed tightly.

But he only paused for half a cup of tea before he started to chatter again.

"Brother-in-law, I am so bored in Kunming.
This garrison is just a decoration, wandering around the city all day. I want to go to war!
By the way, brother-in-law, do you know how Brother Sheng’s battle is going?

I asked my uncle, but he didn't tell me, and my third sister didn't tell me either."

Listening to his muttering, Lu Yunyi thought for a moment.

Now most of the defensive fortifications at Pingshan'ao have been built, and we can reveal a few things about them.

"The Hongfu Guards led by General Mu Sheng and the Longhu Guards led by General Deng Zhizhong won a great victory in Pingshan Ao and killed many people."

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Bin's eyes lit up and he exclaimed "Wow!"
"Brother-in-law, I want to go to war with Brother Sheng, but he won't let me. Can I go to war with you?"

Feng Bin's face showed desire, and there was an indescribable light in his eyes, as if there were stars twinkling.

"I can't make the decision. The front scouts will return to Kunming Prefecture for garrison.
It is still unknown how long it will stay, so I can’t help you.”

Lu Yunyi spoke lightly. Feng Bin could not hide his disappointment in his eyes after hearing it. He nodded sickly:
"understood"

But within a short break, he regained his energy.

"Brother-in-law, can you teach us how to fight? The people in the martial arts hall want you to give the class."

Lu Yunyi thought about it and sighed:
"The martial arts hall is full of young generals who hold important positions. Why would I go there?"

Feng Bin looked disappointed again and dejected.

Lu Yunyi glanced at him, somewhat curious.

Along the way, I found that many second-generation officials of Yunnan Dusi had a perverted fascination with joining the army.
Even at a young age, they all want to go to the battlefield.

Even Mu Chuting had some knowledge of military affairs, which was far beyond what ordinary women could compare to.

Lu Yunyi looked around and saw fewer and fewer pedestrians on the bluestone road, and the vendors on both sides of the street gradually disappeared.

The original quaint pavilions and courtyards gradually became wealthy families.
The tall walls blocked the view of passers-by, but pairs of majestic stone lions could be seen.

This street is located in the core of Kunming City.
Adjacent to the Yunnan Sansi Yamen, Xiping Hou Mansion is at the end of the street.

Seeing that they were getting closer, Lu Yunyi looked at Feng Bin, who seemed a little disappointed.
In a gentle voice, he asked:

"Why do you always think about joining the army and fighting in wars? This is not a good job."

Feng Bin raised his head, a hint of doubt in his small eyes.
He was no more than eighteen years old, and his voice was childish:
"Brother-in-law, isn't this what should be done?"

"Hmm?" Lu Yunyi looked puzzled and looked over.

Feng Bin spoke to himself:
"My father once said that Yunnan wanted to return to the Central Plains.
We need our descendants to carry on the torch, not only to suppress rebellions everywhere,
We should also develop military farms, encourage people to learn agriculture and sericulture, and respect the wise and promote education."

As he spoke, Feng Bin looked a little embarrassed:
“I have only learned military books since I was young, and I don’t know anything else, so I can only go to war.

My father and second grandfather told me to join the army to learn skills and inherit their legacy.

But I am already eighteen years old, so I can only stay in the city and work as a sinecure in the garrison."

As he spoke, Feng Bin's mood became a little low, and he sighed heavily:
"I don't know when I can go to the battlefield to kill the enemy and make achievements."

Lu Yunyi frowned and thought deeply, his steps were neither fast nor slow.

Walking on the bluestone road, there was a dull sound of "da da da".

For some reason, Feng Bin felt an inexplicable sense of oppression when he heard it.

The two of them didn't talk anymore, and the atmosphere was a bit dull.

It was not until he arrived at the gate of Xiping Marquis's Mansion that Lu Yunyi slowly raised his head.
Looking at the words written by the emperor himself on the plaque, a hint of enlightenment flashed in his eyes.

Perhaps it is because of this kind of inheritance,

The Xiping Marquisate was able to guard southern Yunnan for generations and remain with the Ming Dynasty.

When I walked into the Xiping Marquis's Mansion, I happened to meet many officials and generals who had left this place.
Because they were not familiar with each other, Lu Yunyi did not greet him, but just looked at each other quietly.

Lu Yunyi saw something inexplicable and strange in their eyes.
It seemed a little incredible that he was here.

Feng Bin on the side whispered:

"Brother-in-law, my uncle came back the day before yesterday.
Some officials came to the house and discussed important matters with my uncle all day long, making the family restless.

Now that you are back, your uncle has chased them away."

After saying this, Lu Yunyi blinked slightly. No wonder those officials looked at him strangely.

Soon, Lu Yunyi and Feng Bin arrived at the main hall of Xiping Marquis Mansion.
Xiping Hou Mu Ying, who had not been seen for a few days, had changed his clothes.
He was no longer wearing armor, but was wearing ordinary clothes, sitting there quietly.

Seeing Lu Yunyi coming, his originally silent face showed a little more smile.

He looked at the old servant beside him and waved his hand:
"Go, Yun Yi has worked very hard on this journey, take the things over."

The old servant at the side hurried forward and bowed slightly when he came in front of Lu Yunyi.

There was a bit more gentleness on his old face. He called softly "son-in-law" and was about to take the bamboo tube from Lu Yunyi's hand.

But Lu Yunyi's eyes clearly flashed with nervousness, and he raised his hand to refuse:

"Thank you, old man. Yun Yi can carry it by himself. This is a gift for my father-in-law."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xiping Hou Mu Ying, who had originally looked surprised, squeezed his features together and revealed a rare smile.

"Now that you're here, what else do you want to bring?"

"What is so valuable?"

As he spoke, Xiping Hou Mu Ying's face was filled with laughter.
I glanced at the screen behind the corridor and could vaguely see two figures reflected in the hollow connection.

The smile in his eyes became more and more obvious, so he raised his voice a little and said loudly:
"Could it be a gift for proposing marriage?"

Behind the screen, Mu Chuting's face was as rosy as the sunset glow.

There was a gleam of light in her big, bright eyes, with a hint of shyness and some sweetness.

However, Xiaohong beside her stamped her feet lightly and complained in a low voice:

"Miss, the master must have known that we were hiding here, so he made a joke."

Mu Chuting smiled and gently raised her finger to her red lips.
"shush"

Xiaohong closed her mouth tactfully, squatted down angrily, and looked out through the hollow part of the screen.

In the main hall, Lu Yunyi took a bamboo tube in his hand, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice:
"Father-in-law, please keep me in suspense for now."

As he spoke, Lu Yunyi placed the bamboo tube on the ground and said to the old servant:

"Old man, please find some servants. What we want to give to my father-in-law today is a painting."

“It’s a bit big.”

Lu Yunyi's emphasis made the old servant serious.

He looked at his master, and after getting his approval, he walked out of the house.

Mu Ying sat there, watching Lu Yunyi fiddling with the bamboo tube.
He even took out a pair of precious-looking silk gloves.
These actions made him look confused.

"Yun Yi, what kind of calligraphy and painting is this that deserves such careful treatment? Could it be an authentic work of some great master?"

Lu Yunyi opened the bamboo tube and carefully took out the huge scroll inside, saying:
"Father-in-law, this thing is extraordinary.
With this item, foreigners in Yunnan can feel more at ease."

"Oh?"

After hearing this, Mu Ying became interested.

Then he picked up the teacup placed beside him and sipped it gently.

But his eyes never left the painting.

Soon, the old servant came in with more than ten servants.
There were both men and women, all handsome and neatly dressed.

When Lu Yunyi saw them, he began to give orders.
One person on each side, and the rest in the middle.

They were even asked to wear silk gloves to show that they took it very seriously.

It was only at this moment that Lu Yunyi handed the scroll to the old servant who was standing there quietly, and instructed:

"Uncle, don't use force, it will dilute the treasure." A trace of emotion flashed across the old servant's wrinkled face, and he nodded slightly.

"Uncle, don't worry."

Lu Yunyi nodded, and the huge scroll began to slowly unfold.

He ordered the servants standing in the middle to carefully grab the top and fix it.

As the scroll unfolded, Mu Ying's eyes, which had originally contained a smile, gradually widened.

The body leaned forward slightly, revealing a bit of disbelief.

He quickly put down the teacup in his hand, stood up, and walked quickly to the painting.

When he was two steps away, he seemed to be afraid of disturbing the portrait.

His steps slowed down, and he became more cautious.

"This"

The sun shines obliquely in the ancient main hall, and the painting is slowly unfolding.

It is so wide that it stretches from east to west before reaching the midpoint.

The sunlight shines through the delicate window lattices, casting a mottled shadow.

In the interweaving of light and shadow, the Bodhisattvas and Arhats on the scroll seem to be endowed with life.

Each stroke reveals an extraordinary skill, and the sacred image appears even more lifelike under the light.
The whole body is surrounded by a faint divine light that seems to come from the other world.

Everyone present was shocked by this sudden picture.

For a moment, the main hall was so quiet that only the sound of gentle breathing could be heard.

Xiping Hou Mu Ying also forgot about words at this moment, his eyes were fixed on the scroll.

His expression showed both surprise and confusion, and his body was unable to move.

At this moment, a series of quick and light footsteps broke the silence.

Just like the spring breeze blowing across the lake, bringing a touch of vitality.

The woman was dressed in white, with a graceful figure and beautiful face. She ran out of the inner room with light steps.

At first, the steps were as fast as a flying swallow skimming the waves, but as they approached the painting, they gradually slowed down and finally stopped.

In those clear eyes, there was a flash of disbelief and shock, which was then replaced by deep tenderness.

She spoke softly, with a tremor in her voice, as if she was a little confused:

"The Buddhist scroll?"

But soon, her voice became resounding and firm:

"The Dali Kingdom Buddhist Image Scroll!"

It was only at this moment that the stagnant time and space in the main hall began to flow slowly.
Mu Ying and Mu Chuting's eyes stayed on the scroll.
At first they might think Lu Yunyi was making a fuss,
It now seems that no one can be too cautious.

The two of them looked over at the same time, with doubt and astonishment.

The Dali Kingdom Buddhist scroll was lost many years ago.

Luchuan has searched, Guyuan has searched, and Daming has searched, but none of them have found it.

To this day, this painting represents the orthodox Buddhism and Taoism of the Dali Kingdom.

It actually appeared in the hands of a man who had just arrived in Yunnan two months ago.

How could this not surprise and shock them?
Mu Ying quickly calmed down, looked solemnly at the old man in the corner and the servants present, and ordered:

"Be careful, there can't be any damage."

Then he looked at Lu Yunyi, who was holding the remaining scrolls by the west wall, and waved at him carefully:
"Come, Yun Yi, put the painting away. It's a small place here. Don't damage the painting."

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded slightly.

Then he turned his sight to the tall figure standing quietly.

The two looked at each other, and Lu Yunyi smiled brightly.
Mu Chuting turned her head away in embarrassment, as if she didn't want to look at him, but a hint of undisguised joy flashed in her eyes.

The scroll was collected bit by bit, and soon it was only less than ten feet away.
At this point, Lu Yunyi and the old servant were the only ones left to support the group, which made Mu Ying breathe a sigh of relief.

He looked at Lu Yunyi and complained:
"Such a valuable thing is so casually unfolded,

You are so brave, do you know what this scroll means?"

Lu Yunyi smiled, looking shy.

In a flash, Mu Ying knew that the boy knew, and said unhappily:

"What are you laughing at? Tell me."

Lu Yunyi looked at the servants standing by:

"You guys go down first."

Many servants walked away obediently. This scene made the father and daughter look at each other with strange expressions!
The old servant even laughed at the side. This new son-in-law was really not shy.

When there were only five people left in the room, Lu Yunyi said in a resounding voice:

"Father-in-law, when I was fishing in the sea, I had a realization.

Later, I understood why the Northern Yuan Dynasty royal court wanted to graze the cattle in Buyuer Lake even though it was thousands of miles away.

Buirhai was the territory of Nahachiwen, the direct descendant of the Mongols, so the Yuan Dynasty was orthodox. The Northern Yuan Dynasty could have the reputation of being orthodox there.

The Dali Kingdom's Buddhist statue scroll, like the Dali Chongsheng Temple, is a symbol of southwestern orthodoxy.

With this item, you can declare to the outside world that the destiny has returned to the Ming Dynasty.
From now on, the Ming Dynasty can claim to be the legitimate ruler in the southwest."

"it is good!"

Mu Ying's eyes were burning, and he let out a light shout, the admiration on his face could not be concealed.

"You really have a plan for the overall situation. You have made great contributions to turning the situation around in Dali.

Now we have found the "Dali Kingdom Buddhist Image Scroll",
It is not a loss for me to marry my daughter to you."

"Father!"

Mu Chuting, who was standing nearby, was listening attentively.

Hearing this suddenly, a flash of shyness and anger flashed across her face, and she stamped her feet lightly.
She was no longer as aloof as before, but had become more coquettish like a child.

"Hahaha." Mu Ying didn't mind at all. He pointed at Lu Yunyi and said loudly:
"Is this husband that your father has found for you good?"

Mu Chuting's cheeks were so red that water seemed to be dripping out of them. She turned her back and ignored him.

Lu Yunyi spoke in time:
"Father-in-law, I have a bet with Miss Mu, and the matter has not been settled yet."

But unexpectedly, before Mu Ying could speak,
Mu Chuting turned around quickly, staring at him with her beautiful eyes:
"You've already called your father-in-law, but you haven't made any decisions yet? You scoundrel!"

After saying that, Mu Chuting left angrily, leaving only a wisp of fragrance.
Xiao Hong quickly saluted the two and chased after them.
"Miss."

Mu Ying laughed and waved his hand quickly:
"Put the things away quickly. Such valuable calligraphy and paintings cannot be left outside forever."

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded, then quickly rolled up the painting and put it into the bamboo tube.
This time, he handed the bamboo tube to the old servant and instructed:

"I found it hanging in a room,

There are a few creases in the corners of the house. We need to find some experts in antiques and calligraphy to take a closer look and see if they can be restored.”

The old servant took the heavy bamboo tube, sank his body, and nodded vigorously:

"Please rest assured, there are many masters of calligraphy and painting in Kunming. We will invite all of them to our home when the time comes."

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded, watching the old servant slowly retreat.
It was only at this moment that Mu Ying spoke with a smile, pointing to a chair not far away:
"sit."

"Come here, serve some tea."

Lu Yunyi smiled and sat down. Soon a young and beautiful maid brought him a bowl of tea.
Lu Yunyi put it aside, looked at Xiping Hou Mu Ying, and took the initiative to say:

"Father-in-law, this painting is also related to the Yuyu Department."

"Oh?" Mu Ying, who was drinking tea, paused for a moment and raised his eyebrows.
"Tell me carefully."

"These words come from Shi Wenguang, the shopkeeper of Baiyan Trading Company."

Lu Yunyi quickly told the story about Shi Wenguang.

At the same time, he also told her the process of finding the Brahma Elephant Scroll, which made Mu Ying frown and look thoughtful.

"This is a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect that the treasure of the southwest would be hidden in the hands of such people.
I wonder how many good things are hidden in the wealthy families in the southwest."

Mu Ying was somewhat emotional. Although there was a lot of bloodshed when Ming conquered the southwest,

However, they did not conduct a thorough cleansing of the wealthy families in their respective cities.

Instead, they relied on their strength to stabilize the situation, and their wealth and land were preserved.

Mu Ying looked at Lu Yunyi with a smile on his face:

"Everyone on that list has already looked at it.
When the war is over and the disturbance has subsided, we will investigate and deal with it bit by bit.

This process will take a long time, so don't worry about it.

When are you going to arrange your wedding with Chu Ting?

I just returned from Jingdong the day before yesterday. After Si Lunfa learned that Hanba was arrested,
I have spoken, and I vow to put you under the feet of my elephants."

(End of this chapter)