Chapter 558: Governing Great Ning with Ning People
Chapter 558: Governing Great Ning with Ning People
"What will happen after I leave Beijing this time?
You should be able to guess it a little bit, so I won’t say much.
It would be better if you didn’t know.”
Lan Yu sat at the head of the table and spoke calmly.
His eyes were fixed on Lu Yunyi, as if he was considering him.
Lu Yunyi pursed his lips slightly and did not hide anything:
"General, after this incident, the court will be able to maintain order and harmony."
Lan Yu's expression suddenly became complicated.
Then he smiled slightly, feeling somewhat relieved and somewhat reassured.
"It's good that you understand it in your heart. For the palace and even the entire court, conquering the world is just the first step.
Foreign enemies are certainly difficult to defeat, but the Ming Dynasty did it.
Civil unrest is even more difficult to quell, and it remains very difficult today.
The enemy is different now, and the state of mind is also very different.
The enemies we are facing now are all brothers who once fought bloody battles together.
Although they are not blood brothers, they are better than blood brothers.
I know you may not fully understand this feeling.
But I want to tell you that people will change, especially after they achieve success.
"What happened in the Six Dynasties? They were all for the selfish interests of their own families." This sentence is not said casually.
How much you can understand is up to you.”
After hearing this, Lu Yunyi stood up and bowed respectfully:
"Thank you for your guidance, General. I understand."
Lan Yu nodded and continued:
“Well, there are some people in the capital who have been fawning on Liu Heiying recently, so you should be more careful.
You are all still young, your minds are not stable enough, and your experience is limited.
If you are being bewitched and used by others, make a decision as soon as possible."
"My subordinate understands."
"Has Deng Ming contacted you recently?"
Lan Yu suddenly changed the subject, with a puzzled look in his eyes.
Lu Yunyi was shocked. In this capital city,
As expected, nothing can be hidden from these powerful people.
"Reporting to the general, ever since I took Deng Lingyun in, I have been waiting for him to contact me.
But until now, there has been no news, which makes me full of doubts. "
Lan Yu's expression also became a little strange.
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrests of the table and chair, his face gloomy.
After a moment, he sneered, with a hint of sarcasm on his face:
"Deng Ming, you still have some backbone.
Well, since he has entrusted his daughter to you, you should take good care of her.
I have been friends with him for many years.
Although we have gone our separate ways due to different positions, we still have to remember our old friendship."
"I understand." Lu Yunyi responded with a slight bow.
"Sit down. This time I'm going to Sichuan to build a city.
We will bring enough craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry to build a cement workshop there to make concrete.
If everything goes well, the speed of building the city can be greatly accelerated.
If there is anything difficult, you can wait until I come back to deal with it."
Lu Yunyi was shocked and said:
"General, the strength of concrete has been proven.
But the optimal ratio has not yet been truly studied.
Isn't it too hasty to start building the city now?"
“Some things don’t have to be perfect, as long as they are better than before.
This time when I went to Sichuan, building a city was only one aspect.
On the other hand, it is necessary to suppress some local rebels who intend to rebel.
It is also helpless to start early.
Otherwise, if the situation in the capital changes and the border is in chaos, the losses will be disastrous.”
Lu Yunyi knew that the unrest in the border areas would greatly distract the court's attention.
Once the court's attention is dispersed, it may be at a disadvantage in internal struggles.
Traitors in every dynasty have always liked to collude with both internal and external forces.
"I understand. The Ministry of Works will work overtime during this period to develop the concrete mix ratio."
Lan Yu nodded, with a look of emotion on his face:
"Concrete is a real good thing, it's as good as sweet potatoes.
It's a pity that it appeared too late. If it had come 20 years earlier,
It can save a lot of money and avoid a lot of trouble.
But it doesn’t matter, at least I have it in the end.”
At this point, Lan Yu lowered his voice a little.
"The sweet potato will show results by the end of this month.
But the palace may suppress this matter temporarily and release the news at a critical moment.
During this time, you need to be vigilant.
If anyone wants to get information from you, write them down and check them later."
"Yes, I understand."
"One last thing, I may not be back until next year.
By then, you should have made your way to Daning.
I don’t know when we will be able to meet again.
I have nothing to tell you about military matters.
With your ability, you can handle the troubles of the three Wuliangha guards.
But you have to pay more attention to the many cities in the Beijing Xingdusi.
While you still have power, build more strong cities."
Lan Yu showed a rare look of sadness on his face, and gently rubbed his eyebrows.
"Beijing Xingdusi is located outside the Great Wall, surrounded by many foreign tribes.
The imperial court spent countless amounts of money there every year.
Some ministers in the court have already believed that it is not appropriate to invest so much money and grain in the cities outside the Great Wall.
I think it is enough to guard Shanhaiguan and the Great Wall.
They don't understand the interests involved, but we do.
Shanhaiguan is known as the best pass in the world, and the important town of Xuanfu is also guarded by elite soldiers and generals.
But there is no reason to put the battlefield at your doorstep, and there is still no reason to wait for others to fight.
So, push the front line towards the grassland as much as possible!
This is also the reason why the prince, against all odds, wants to send you out of the capital.
I hope you can show your skills in Daning and build enough strong cities.
To win the support of the people and reclaim the farmland there.
By then, even if the imperial court deployed its main elite troops inside the pass, there would still be strong cities outside the pass to defend.
Moreover, as long as Daning is defended, Liaodong will be safe.
Once Daning is abandoned, Liaodong will be isolated outside the Great Wall and will not be able to hold out for long.
I hope you understand the importance of this matter.”
Lu Yunyi's face was solemn. The abandonment of Daning should have happened after the Jingnan Campaign.
At that time, Zhu Di could not even control the entire Southern Zhili, and had no time to take care of things outside the Great Wall.
But he didn't expect that the rumor of abandoning Daning had already spread.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:
“General, I am from Gyeongju, and Gyeongju is located at the northernmost tip of Da Ning.
If the imperial court abandons Daning, the first to suffer will be the fellow countrymen of its subordinates.
I will do my best to protect Daning!"
After hearing this, Lan Yu did not show any joy, but instead felt a little guilty:
“I hope you can understand the court’s painstaking efforts.
Although the fact that you are from Gyeongju is also within the consideration of the court,
But if other generals were to go, the court would be worried that they would not do their best."
Although Lu Yunyi was secretly happy,
But on the surface, he still pretended to be a little indignant and asked doubtfully:
"General, does Lord Zhou, the commander of the Beijing capital, also not care about Daning?"
Lan Yu sighed:
“As a veteran general, Zhou Xing is good at fighting and is an expert at warfare.
But asking him to pacify the people and build the city is harder than climbing to the sky.
In the past few years, he has submitted two memorials every year, requesting the court to transfer him away from Daning.
He also bluntly said that there was nothing he could do about those grassland people except killing them.
After a few years, instead of winning the support of the people, the situation became even more chaotic.
Not to mention the construction of the city.
The imperial court had limited money and grain, and the relationship between the governors and the local authorities was extremely bad.
It would be strange if this city could be repaired.”
After hearing this, Lu Yunyi's mouth twitched slightly.
Such a mess, it's not a good job no matter how you look at it.
“This time, His Royal Highness sent you there to see if there could be any improvement.
If you do it well, it will naturally be a great achievement.
Even if I don’t do well, I won’t blame you.”
Having said this, Lu Yunyi didn’t know what to say anymore.
He stood up slowly, took a deep breath, and said:
"Reporting to the general, I will do my best.
We will work hard to win the hearts and minds of the people of Daning and let them live and work in peace and contentment."
"it is good!"
Lan Yu stood up suddenly, his eyes were sharp and gleaming.
"I was right about you. Tell me, what can I do for you that the court can help me with?"
"Reporting to the general, when I went to Daning,
We need to bring sweet potatoes and concrete, and strive to facilitate trade with Beijing and other places.
Especially in Beiping and Liaodong, these two places must not be blocked. "Lan Yu looked thoughtful and said bluntly:
"Tell me why."
Lu Yunyi's words were powerful:
"Daning is the link between Beiping and Liaodong.
The rise and fall of Daning does not depend on itself, but on Beiping and Liaodong.
If the trade between the two places is prosperous and they can exchange what they have,
As Daning is a must-pass place, its trade is bound to be prosperous.
Once people have money, they will live a peaceful life and naturally turn their attention to the court.”
Lan Yu lowered his head in deep thought, pacing back and forth at the top.
"Since all these years of military efforts have yielded no results,
Maybe you can try the trade route.
Don't worry about this matter. Before I leave Beijing today, I will report this matter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
As long as Daning can truly win the support of the people, the court will fully support you."
Lu Yunyi breathed a sigh of relief. With the support of the court, everything would be much easier.
He continued: "Reporting to the general, now that we have concrete,
If Daning develops smoothly in the future,
My subordinates may build another Great Wall outside the pass to include the entire Daning.
Only then will the people of Daning be considered true citizens of the Ming Dynasty."
"Build the Great Wall?"
Lan Yu's eyebrows twitched wildly, and she was very shocked by his bold idea.
The Great Wall connecting Shanhaiguan and Juyongguan was built under the supervision of Xu Da in the 14th year of Hongwu.
It's only been ten years and we have to rebuild the Great Wall again?
"Building the Great Wall is a costly and laborious undertaking." Lan Yu was a little worried.
"Reporting to the general, if we can achieve mutual exchange and explore wealth,
In addition, the cost of concrete is relatively low, so perhaps Daning can bear the construction costs alone, and the court only needs to provide support.
Even, at that time, the subordinates can send someone to deliver the money to the court.
Then the court will send it back to Daning and go through the formalities, so that it will be legitimate. "
"Do you trust the court so much?"
Lan Yu was shocked by his words.
So much so that no one even thought about whether it was a bit unrealistic to build the Great Wall alone in such a cold and bitter place like Daning.
Now the fifteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty,
Even if a place has money, it won't show it easily.
They would not voluntarily hand it over to the court, but would instead think about spending it on themselves.
What's more, Lu Yunyi's "passing on the hand" approach,
If the imperial court withholds the money at that time, all your efforts will be in vain.
Lu Yunyi looked confused:
"General, I am an official entrusted with an important task by the court. How could I not trust the court?
Besides, aren't the General and the Crown Prince here?"
Lan Yu was stunned for a moment, then a smile slowly blossomed on his lips, and finally turned into a big laugh:
"Hahahahahaha,
Okay, okay, Lu Yunyi, you are very good!
You were born outside the Great Wall, but you are more loyal than the Ming people inside the Great Wall, good, good, good!"
After the excitement wore off, Lan Yu heaved a sigh of relief:
"I know about this matter. I will inform His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Do you have any other requests?"
Lu Yunyi quickly cupped his hands and said:
"General, I would like to check the documents left by the Governor's Office and the court regarding Daning in recent years.
This will help to sort out the disputes among various forces and the local situation as quickly as possible, saving a lot of time."
Lan Yu waved his hand without hesitation and said:
"The documents will be delivered to your governor's office tomorrow.
But you can’t take it out of the yamen. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but it’s not safe outside.
If there is anything, go find Geng Zhong and let him handle it."
"My subordinate understands!"
Lu Yunyi straightened his back with a resolute expression.
Lan Yu sighed, stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, his voice much gentler:
"Do your best. If you can't do it well, don't force yourself. I'm here for you."
As soon as Lu Yunyi left the room, he attracted countless people's attention.
This time, most of the looks were filled with jealousy.
Others went in in groups and came out in less than a cup of tea.
But the man in front of him not only cut in line but also went in alone.
They waited for another quarter of an hour. How could they not feel jealous?
Lu Yunyi turned a blind eye to these gazes.
Just nodded symbolically.
He quickly left the Lan Mansion and rode towards Duke Cao's Mansion.
The Caoguogong Mansion is more magnificent than the Liangguogong Mansion.
After all, this is Li Wenzhong’s residence, which is not much different from the Kaiping Palace and almost occupies the entire street.
Here, too, there was a great deal of noise.
However, unlike the Duke of Liang's mansion which was full of war horses,
Most of the carriages here are from merchants, as well as some court officials.
After Lu Yunyi arrived, he was still like he was before in Lan's house.
Led by the steward, he passed by many people and went straight into the back hall.
This time, there was no jealousy in the looks they cast, and few people even dared to look him in the face.
In the back hall, Lu Yunyi saw Li Jinglong who had just sent the two away.
He was now slumped in a chair, his face full of fatigue.
Seeing Lu Yunyi coming in, he didn't stand up, but just waved his hand casually:
"Yun Yi, we are so familiar with each other, I won't get up to greet you, let me rest for a while."
He turned and shouted to the back hall:
"Jinyan, Li Xuan, come out to meet the guests."
After a while, a lady in brocade robe came out with a little baby of four or five years old, smiling.
Lu Yunyi quickly stood up and bowed to her:
"Greetings to Madam Cao."
Yuan Jinyan has a dignified appearance, elegant manners, and walks gracefully. She looks about 22 or 23 years old.
She was the daughter of Yuan Hong, the commander-in-chief of Shandong Province.
Seeing Lu Yunyi being so polite, she waved her hand quickly:
"General Lu, please take a seat. My husband has been talking to me about you all day.
I finally got to see her today, and she is indeed so young."
"Thank you, Madam Cao." Lu Yunyi sat down.
Yuan Jinyan looked at the little kid beside her and said gently:
"Li Xuan, call someone quickly."
The little baby opened his two big eyes like black pearls.
Staring at Lu Yunyi, he said in a baby voice:
"Hello, Uncle Lu."
"Oh my, what a cute little baby."
For some reason, Lu Yunyi suddenly became flustered.
He searched his body for a long time but couldn't find anything suitable to give to the child.
Finally, in the shocked eyes of Li Jinglong and Yuan Jinyan,
Lu Yunyi took out a large stack of banknotes from his pocket and stuffed them over:
"Uncle didn't bring anything good with him today, so you can spend this money first."
Little kid Li Xuan's eyes suddenly lit up, and her voice became more excited:
"Thank you, uncle. I'll go buy some candied haws later."
"Children should eat less sugar, or they may damage their teeth."
Li Xuan pouted, lowered her head and fiddled with the banknotes in her hand, looking a little aggrieved.
Lu Yunyi said quickly:
"Eat, eat as much as you can and brush your teeth more often after you finish eating."
Li Xuan then turned from sadness to joy, and jumped to Lu Yunyi.
She stretched out her little hand and gently grasped his fingers:
"I see. Thanks, uncle."
Lu Yunyi smiled so brightly that his heart almost melted.
Li Jinglong and Yuan Jinyan looked at each other, their faces becoming a little grim.
They obviously all understood why Lu Yunyi was so enthusiastic about children.
Li Jinglong waved his hand:
"Alright, alright, madam, my husband is not in the capital.
If you have any difficulties, go find Yun Yi and he will help you."
Yuan Jinyan nodded gently:
"I know it."
"Okay, take Li Xuan to the back. Today's homework is not finished yet."
At this moment, Li Jinglong was very imposing and had the dignity of a head of the family.
After the two left, Li Jinglong returned to normal and sighed:
"Yun Yi, Jin Yan is a woman after all.
If there is any trouble in the capital, you must help out more."
Lu Yunyi's expression was solemn:
"I understand. It will be a smooth journey. As long as we work steadily and steadily, we will definitely achieve results."
Li Jinglong cupped his hands, his expression serious:
"I'll lend you some good words!"
Near noon, the four gates of the capital slowly opened, and a huge team slowly drove out of the capital.
The nobles, dressed in bright armor and riding on war horses, looked extremely imposing.
The people of the capital gathered at the four city gates, their eyes wide open.
I have lived in the capital for many years, but I have never seen such a grand scene.
(End of this chapter)