Chapter 450 Riding the Wind, Elite Troops and Generals

Chapter 450 Riding the Wind, Elite Troops and Generals

Chapter 450 Riding the Wind, Elite Troops and Generals

Now that the three dukes have come,

Lu Yunyi no longer needed to go upstairs. Instead, he looked at the marquises upstairs with a smile.

Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen, as the host, was the first to go downstairs.

More and more people followed behind him, most of them were old men in their forties or fifties.
He looks very crude, like an old farmer in the fields.

But the murderous aura that he inadvertently revealed made everyone present have to be careful.

Lu Yunyi looked at them, some of them he knew, some he didn't.
But it doesn’t matter, we should all know each other after today.

The group walked out in a mighty procession, and the waiters welcoming guests in front of Zuixianlou were already ready.

The windows of several restaurants not far from Zuixianlou were quietly opened, and the guests looked out with curiosity on their faces.

Even the pedestrians along the Qinhuai River stopped and looked in the direction of Zuixian Tower.

The princes and dukes gathered together, such a scene is rare even in Qinhuai River.

Soon, a group of people came from the end of the sight.

The wide roads were separated by guards, leaving gaps in the middle.

The leader was tall, wearing a dark blue robe, with a rosy cheek, a twisted smile, and walked with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, very arrogant. It was the great general Lan Yu.

On his right was Li Jinglong, dressed in a black and gold robe. He looked very experienced in this kind of situation, with a smile on his face.

On the left hand side is Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, who is dressed in a navy blue robe. He has a straight face and walks in a methodical manner, which makes him look quite imposing.

The three of them came to Zuixian Tower, and Lan Yu stood with his hands on his waist.
He looked at the grandly decorated Zuixian Tower, and then at Lu Yunyi who looked like a scholar, and nodded repeatedly:

"You are a good-looking boy. No wonder Mu Ying betrothed his daughter to you."

"General, those present today are all elders and adults. If your subordinates continue to be lifeless, they will inevitably be unhappy."

"Hahahahaha."

Lan Yu laughed loudly and patted his shoulder vigorously:

"That's right, we are all old now.

You and Jiujiang Zigong and other young people should be more active and lively, so as to avoid the dullness of the capital all day long."

After saying that, Lan Yu waved his hand inside and looked at Cao Zhen:

"I haven't even had lunch yet because I'm waiting for you to have this meal. Let's start the meal quickly."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present burst into laughter, and the sound almost broke the roof.

When the group walked into Zuixianlou, the wealthy merchants on the first floor had already stood up and were waiting there.

Seeing Lan Yu and others coming, they bowed and shouted in unison:
"Greetings, my Lords."

Lan Yu paused, looked at the merchants, smiled slightly, and waved his hand:
"Today we are welcoming the Beijing Army. Why are you being so polite?"

As he spoke, Lan Yu pointed at Lu Yunyi standing beside him:
"Now that we all know each other, we should all take care of each other in the future."

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of many military officers present suddenly became strange.

Jingchuan Hou even looked back and forth between Lan Yu and Lu Yunyi, examining them carefully.

Finally, I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the two did not look alike.

Many merchants did not dare to be negligent and started to express their greetings at the same time. Their words were so eloquent that people present laughed frequently.

Lu Yunyi was familiar with this kind of situation and handled it skillfully, and the atmosphere was extremely harmonious for a while.

"Okay, everyone, sit down and enjoy your meal!"

Lan Yu waved his hand, and then led a group of people to the second floor.
Watching them leave, a fifty-year-old businessman sighed:

"General Lu doesn't look like a northerner. He speaks elegantly and is humorous."

Someone on the side added: "He is good at fighting and handsome.

When he came today, I didn’t recognize him. I thought he was some scholar. I can’t tell, I can’t tell.”

Many merchants started talking at once, each with envy on their faces.

At such a young age, in just a few years, he overwhelmed the power they had accumulated throughout their lives.

Scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, no matter how rich these merchants are, they are just small people who can be abandoned at any time in the eyes of the court nobles.

The true and correct way is to study and join the army.

“It’s great to have power.”

An old man in his sixties sighed. He looked at Zhou Song, the owner of Xinchen Trading Company, and asked:
"Brother Zhou, do you have any connections with General Lu?"

Zhou Song was stunned for a moment, then he understood and cursed the old fox in his heart.
"General Lu is so young and has only been to Yingtian twice. How can I have any connection with him?"

The old man smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, I heard that the house where General Lu lives is managed by you."

Everyone in the group looked over here with bright eyes.

Zhou Song thought to himself that this was not good, so he sighed heavily and pretended to be regretful:
"Some time ago, someone from the General's Mansion came and asked me to take care of the house, so I sent someone to do it.

But who would have thought that when the Beijing troops came back,

I just realized that it was General Lu's house. If I had known, I would have gone there to decorate it myself and become familiar with it."

After hearing this, the atmosphere among the less than ten people at the table eased a little.

Your own failures are terrifying, but your friends' successes are even more heart-wrenching.

The old man was also a little disappointed and sighed:
"I'm going to open a business soon.
He traveled to the north and Yingtian, transporting silk and porcelain, which was very profitable.
I want to give General Lu some shares, but now I have no way to do it. "

Zhou Song shook his head: "Mr. Chen, you are a respected elder in Yingtian. If you don't have a connection, how can we have one?"

"Yes, yes." Another person said:
"Those of us sitting here may not be very noticeable,
But if he were to be outside, he would be able to call the shots wherever he went. Mr. Chen doesn’t have the connections, so it’s even more impossible for us to have them.”

After these words were spoken, the atmosphere at the table became mixed.

Old Chen smiled meaningfully. He looked at everyone present and said thoughtfully:

"In the afternoon, I heard Doctor Li from the Ministry of Works say,
The imperial court is going to reopen a few weapon workshops in the capital, are you interested?"

"Weapons workshop? How can we participate in this?" Someone shook his head and smiled bitterly, with a look of self-mockery on his face.

There were many different opinions at the time, and the weapons workshop was a secret of the imperial court.

Most of the merchants who can participate are family members of military officers and have strong financial resources. If war really breaks out, they will fight back at the command of the court even if the court does not give them money.

Old Chen chuckled and lowered his voice:
"This is not an ordinary weapons workshop. You have all heard about Yuezhou's incident.

That cart is a good thing. Even at my age, it is very easy for me to pull goods with it.

But with this thing, Li Fu had nowhere to go.
So the court decided to open a workshop in the name of a weapons workshop, make these carts, and recruit some laborers to work there."

"Is there anything else going on?"

Zhou Song, who was standing by, suddenly widened his eyes and immediately realized the mystery.

Whether it is the raw materials for the carts, the final sales, or the transportation involved, it is a very good business.

The money earned may not be much, but the advantage is that it can last for a long time and can also provide close ties with the court.

Old Chen smiled and said, "What I mean is that we are all well-known figures in the capital.

We should make money together, but we cannot create any rift over this matter and cause the court to be annoyed for nothing.

If we anger the imperial court, we will lose more than we gain."

“That’s right.”

Some people nodded repeatedly, with a little heat in their eyes.

The Ming Dynasty is so big. If we can sell these things everywhere, I wonder how much money we can make.

It can even be sold to the grasslands and neighboring countries.
This is not simply making money, but a huge profit of ten or even a hundred times!

Seeing their expressions, Mr. Chen smiled and nodded:

"Well, wait until the court has made up its mind, and we will study this matter together. In the meantime, I would like you to find out more about what the rules are."

"Of course we should." Several people at the table echoed, their eyes flickering, ready to try their luck.

The promotion of carts not only allows them to earn some money, but also saves them some labor costs.

The families present here are large and powerful, employing countless laborers and helpers.
If they could use the cart without restraint, they could save a lot of money every year, so they were particularly concerned about it.

On the second floor, the soft candlelight and the moonlight outside the window interweave.
A huge, finely carved round table is set in the center of the second floor, covered with a delicate satin tablecloth.

A group of military officers sat around the round table in an orderly manner, chatting and laughing.

On the table, exquisite porcelain and silverware shine together, and various delicacies are placed, and the tempting aroma drifts gently with the breeze.

At the four corners of the second floor, the screens that originally blocked the view have quietly withdrawn, and replaced by four beautiful women.

They all held different musical instruments in their hands.
The guzheng, pipa, flute and xiao, the melodies flow like the gurgling spring water, and the gauze clothes on the body sway gently like flowing clouds.

The atmosphere was lively. As soon as we sat down,
Before Lu Yunyi could say a few words, he had already drunk three bowls of wine, which made him feel a little confused.

This was even more true for Li Jinglong, who was sitting next to him, who kept burping.

Sun Ke, the Marquis of Quanning, looked at the two of them and said jokingly:

"To join the army and fight, one must not only be able to make achievements, but also be able to drink.

Don’t let the general say he can’t drink when we have a victory banquet. It will be embarrassing for the brothers.”

Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen nodded repeatedly and laughed:
"That's right. I still remember when we went to Yunnan to fight a war a few years ago, we won the war, but we drank too much during the celebration and lost. Hu Hai ridiculed us for half a year."

Speaking of Hu Hai, Governor Geng Zhong had a complicated expression and sighed:
"Hu Hai used to be able to drink, but now he is not in good health.

I saw him when he left Beijing for home a few days ago. He was extremely thin and sick. It looked like he would not live long. "

Lu Yunyi was somewhat stunned when he heard the news.
He clearly remembered that during the Northern Expedition, the Marquis of Dongchuan was still in good health and had no problems.
But after one year, he returned home due to illness.
Xiongwu Hou Zhou Wu smiled, his voice was hoarse, and he was much thinner than a year ago.
"He's old. Even if he dies, it's a happy funeral. He went home to die. I'll be dead soon too."

"What's wrong with you?" Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen looked at him with a frown.

Zhou Wu pounded his chest, his face flushed.

"I've been having chest tightness lately, can't sleep at night, and my whole body aches."

Jingchuan Hou waved his hand and said, "You have an old illness and hidden injury from the war."

“I know where those old ailments hurt even with my eyes closed.

Now the pain is all new. My family found a doctor, but I didn’t want to see him, so I sent him away.”

At this point, Zhou Wu's dark face flashed with a hint of hostility:
"After fighting all my life, how can I die on a sickbed? If I have to die, I'd rather die quickly and not procrastinate and suffer."

Cao Zhen nodded repeatedly:

“That’s right, even if you have been strong all your life, you can’t collapse on a hospital bed.

A few days ago, Shazi Wang wrote to me and asked me to find him some high-quality ginseng and send it over. He said that the weather in the north was too dry and he needed to replenish his body. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

At this point, Lan Yu, who was sitting in the main seat, suddenly laughed:

"I think he has chosen a girl and wants to have another son."

As soon as this was said, everyone burst into laughter.

They all knew that Wang Bi had several useless sons, and they had been worried about them for years.

Now that he is old, he becomes more and more anxious when he sees that the title of Marquis Dingyuan is about to decline.

Lan Yu turned his gaze towards Cao Zhen, picked up his wine glass, and asked:
"How's your question going?"

Cao Zhen immediately smiled, picked up the wine glass, and drank it all:

"Don't worry, General. The matter has been settled. Yun Yi has agreed."

"Hahaha, I've already said it before. He's easily influenced by others. If you talk to him, it will definitely work."

Lan Yu also drank the wine in the cup, turned to look at Lu Yunyi, then looked at Xu Huizu, and asked:

"How's it going? Zigong has become more sensible now, right?"

Xu Huizu showed emotion on his face and looked at a round table not far away on the second floor.

There, Xu Zengshou was drinking with Guo Quan at the top of his voice.
Every move he made was full of boldness, without any of the timidity and restraint of his earlier years.

He sighed deeply and nodded heavily:
"General, the army is indeed a good place to train people."

He picked up the wine glass and looked at Lu Yunyi under everyone's gaze:
"Yun Yi, you and I have known each other for a long time, so I won't be polite.

Everyone in the family is extremely grateful for what my brother has done. I offer this glass of wine to you. Thank you very much!"

Without waiting for Lu Yunyi to react, Xu Huizu drank the wine in the glass.

Lu Yunyi's eyes widened, and he had no choice but to drink a glass, and said with a wry smile:

"Zigong and Guo Quan both learned from their families and were already familiar with the military and the operation of war.

You may not be sensible when you are young, but as long as you are a little older, you will be able to gain a firm foothold in the army."

"You kid, you only talk nice things.

My son has been in the army since he was fifteen, and I haven't seen any progress from him." Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen widened his eyes and shouted unconvinced.

Han Xun, Marquis of Dongping, also nodded repeatedly, and so did his son.

As more and more dukes and marquises nodded, Lu Yunyi didn't know what to do.

Li Jinglong chuckled, moved closer, and whispered:
"Most of them are heroes, and their sons are heroes. You have touched upon their pain."

Lu Yunyi could not understand or comprehend the thought of wanting his son to become successful, and could only drink one glass of wine after another.

After drinking countless glasses of wine, Lan Yu finally spoke with a smile:
"The children in the family are spoiled and used to wealth and luxury.

Asking them to endure hardships while marching would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.

If it's like before, when we first joined the army, we couldn't even get enough food without joining the army, let's see what they do."

The military officers nodded with mixed feelings, but Xu Huizu looked surprised and said in a deep voice:
"My nephews and nieces are capable, but it is difficult to find a capable general who does not care about their status.
No matter who you are, you always have to consider the face of your uncles and not blame them.

But if this is the case, then there will be no success without beating.

Zigong told me that in the front army scouts, regardless of family background, military law and military orders are of utmost importance.
Moreover, the military system of the front army scouts is different from that of ordinary troops.

Just like a spider web, each person is a web, and only when they are connected together can they have fighting power.

If one person fails, everyone in the team will be dragged down, which forces everyone to work hard.

Strangely enough, after Zigong returned home,

We also practiced today, saying we would do more today and more tomorrow.
In one month, he would have gained a lot more, and in one year, he would have surpassed others. How strange, how strange, I have never seen him so diligent. "

After hearing this, the people at the table frequently looked towards the other tables in the distance, their faces thoughtful.
"Does the Governor's Office have any ideas about the military system?" Quanning Marquis Sun Ke asked Geng Zhong who was standing aside.

Geng Zhong, the commander-in-chief of the Left Army, had a bitter look on his face and scratched his head vigorously:
"What's the point of having ideas? Cities need to be built, ditches need to be dug, and wastelands need to be reclaimed.
If the garrisons did not cultivate land and focused on managing the military, who would do these things?

We can't just recruit civilians, the imperial court doesn't have the money."

He looked at Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, and said earnestly:
"Yun Gong, the strategy of building elite troops is the way forward, but before that, the court still needs the soldiers of the garrison."

Lu Yunyi was a little stunned. From his words, it seemed that the court wanted to change the military system?
And it seems to be divided into two factions?

Xu Huizu pursed his lips and said in a deep voice: "It is true that reducing the number of soldiers is the strategy for the future.
But nowadays, we can’t do nothing.

You uncles are all veterans who have fought in battles. You probably know that an army of 5,000 elite soldiers is better than 50,000 miscellaneous soldiers.
The imperial court's military system is now too bloated, and now it needs to build cities and other tasks.

But when everything is finished, it will be too late to take action.

What happened to the people in Yuezhou today is a warning.”

After these words were spoken, the atmosphere became somewhat dull. The military officers' eyes flickered, with a myriad of thoughts in their minds.

At this time, some hurried footsteps came from the stairs.

Fang Hanheng, the shopkeeper of Zuixianlou, rushed up but was stopped by several guards who were blocking the stairs.

He was allowed to leave after speaking to his guards.
He came to the main table, bowed slightly, looked at the general Lan Yu in the center, and spoke respectfully:
"General, Lord Deng, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, has arrived and is outside."

As soon as the words fell, the eyes of many military officers present narrowed, and an invisible dangerous atmosphere began to spread.
Deng Ming? What is he doing here?
(End of this chapter)