Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 7: Ancestor Gongshuban

"This formation is amazing!"

Although Zhao Zhongzhong was "killed in battle" just now, he still praised happily, saying that once this formation is promoted throughout the army, Zuo Junbi will be beaten into a fool!

"Brother Lu is indeed a capable person. I underestimated you before. I have a quick temper and I don't know how to talk. Please forgive me if I offend you."

Liao Yongjian, who had always been in a bad mood, bowed to Lu Jin and said when he saw that he finally showed his true skills.

Seeing this, Lu Jin immediately clasped his fists in return, "General, you are too kind. We are all brothers from now on. Is there anything wrong with seeing each other?"

"Yes, brother Lu is good at talking. We are brothers from now on." Liao Yongan interrupted quickly when he saw this, walked between the two men and put his arm around one of them's shoulders to show closeness and solidarity.

The Liao family is not only a group of boat fishermen, but in addition to fishing, they also help people transport goods by shipping. Every time they solicit business, it is usually Liao Yongan who comes forward. He is serious and loyal, and has high emotional intelligence. He is much better than the two brothers, but it is a pity that he died early.

Lu Jin suddenly thought of Liao Yongzhong, who was later arrogant and domineering and was killed by Zhu Yuanzhang. If his brother Yongan was still alive, he might be able to control him, otherwise this youngest brother was too arrogant.

"Brother Lu, I didn't know your background before. Are you from a military family?" Liao Yongan suddenly asked, putting his arm around Lu Jin's shoulders.

As soon as these words were spoken, all the Chaohu generals around him looked over.

"A general?" Lu Jin laughed at himself. "My grandfather was a carpenter, my father built bridges and roads, and I learned all the skills of a craftsman. I don't dare to be a general, but I'm more like a craftsman."

"Didn't you say before that this was a family-inherited method of training soldiers and formations?" Liao Yongan asked puzzledly.

Lu Jin suddenly smiled mysteriously, "Have you heard of Lu Ban?"

"I know. Brother Lu is talking about the ancestor of all craftsmen, Gongshu Ban?"

Yu Tonghai, who was standing next to him, suddenly jumped out and interrupted, "The Book of Rites, Tan Gong Xia, records the story of him using a machine to bury the mother of the King of Lu, but the King of Lu did not agree. In the chapter "Without rules, there is no square or circle" in Mencius, it is also recorded that Gongshuzi was a world-famous craftsman."

There is no way, Lu Ban's influence in ancient times was so great that even though the unworthy descendants of Confucianism in later generations shouted "strange and lewd skills" every day, almost all the ancestors of Confucianism recorded Lu Ban's name.

In ancient times, as long as you had read the Four Books and Five Classics, it was impossible not to know Gongshu Ban.

Seeing this, Lu Jin was surprised and asked, "Brother Tonghai, have you ever been to school?"

Yu Tonghai scratched his head and said, "I have read a little bit and can recognize some words, but if you ask me to write an article like those scholars, I can't write it."

"Hahahaha." This caused everyone to burst into laughter.

Liao Yongan also smiled and said, "Although I have never been to school, I know the story of "Banmen Nongfu". Who in China doesn't know the name of Lu Ban? Why did Brother Lu bring this up now? Could it be?"

"That's right, Gongshu Ban is my ancestor!"

"what?"

"Brother Lu is actually from a famous family?!"

Lu Jin admitted it without hesitation. This was something he had been thinking about for several days.

Whether it is a car, a telescope, a flashlight, or anything else in his hand, he needs a reason to take it out without making people feel weird. It is most appropriate to borrow the name of Lu Ban, the master craftsman.

In addition, he also needed the identity of a "descendant of a famous family" to enhance his influence. Although the effect was limited, Zhu Yuanzhang, who called himself a commoner, became emperor as well, but being a "descendant of a famous family" was still a plus.

Of course, these are not the main reasons. An ancient craftsman could not be considered a famous person, but Lu Ban’s influence was huge, and there is also the most crucial point.

Some people say that modern people worship the past and always say how awesome the ancient people were. Although this view is not wrong, Lu Jin feels that it is actually the ancient people who worship the past the most.

Confucianism created five sage kings such as Yao, Shun and Yu, promoted them and asked later emperors to learn from them, and studied ancient books from the pre-Qin period repeatedly for more than two thousand years. Isn't this enough to respect the past?
Moreover, throughout the dynasties, whenever the court encountered serious problems and urgently needed reform, those reform pioneers would always seek theoretical support from ancient books, and then a retro movement would arise.

Looking through the history books of various dynasties, restoring the past is basically equivalent to reform, which is what the ancients often called "reforming the system by relying on the past". This is the biggest purpose of Lu Jin.

His idea was very simple. He wanted to use Lu Ban's name to promote scientific enlightenment and education, and then gradually start the industrial revolution, improve productivity, and make people's lives better.

Don't let Chinese civilization be surpassed by the West at the node of the Western Renaissance, don't miss the great voyages, and seize more living space and resources for the Chinese nation. Even if my dynasty is destroyed in the future, I hope that the future Han regime will be better, rather than being replaced by the barbaric Qing Dynasty, a semi-slave and semi-colonial civilization pretending to be feudal, that's all.

As a feudal emperor, Chongba Ge, the Hongwu Emperor, had done an excellent job. If it wasn't for the purpose of doing better than him, what was the point of fighting with Zhu Yuanzhang for the throne?
The dispute between Lu Jin and Zhu Yuanzhang was never a dispute over the throne, but a dispute over the way of governing the country. If Zhu Yuanzhang was willing to govern the country in his own way, then Lu Jin would be willing to work for Chongba. Being an emperor is so tiring, and doing scientific research is where his interest lies.

"No matter how noble a family is, under the brutal rule of the Tartars, he is nothing but a craftsman." Lu Jin said self-deprecatingly.

Everyone was shocked by the identity that Lu Jin revealed. He was a descendant of a famous family from two thousand years ago, a world-famous figure from the same era as Confucius and Mencius.

Liao Yongan opened his mouth, still puzzled, "I know that Lu Ban is the most powerful craftsman in the world, but how come your Lu family also has the art of war?"

After saying that, he looked at Yu Tonghai, but the boy also shook his head to indicate that he didn't know.

Seeing this, Lu Jin asked, "Brother Tonghai, have you never read Mozi and The Strategies of the Warring States?"

Yu Tonghai shook his head like a rattle, "I haven't even heard of these two books."

"That's right, no wonder you didn't know." After saying that, he looked at everyone and explained.

"My ancestor Gongshu Ban was originally of the Ji surname, and the Gongshu clan was a clan of the Zhou emperor. The Zhou emperor divided the world among his clansmen, and they worked hard to cultivate the four directions and transform the four barbarians into Chinese people. That is how the nine states of China came into being.

"My ancestors were from the clan that was granted fiefdom in Lu State. Because they lived in Lu State for generations, they were also called Lu Ban and Gong Shuzi.

“My ancestor’s name as a skilled craftsman is known to the world. In fact, he was also quite virtuous. For example, the well-drilling and millstones he invented were all tools that benefited the country and the people. Therefore, he was recruited by King Hui of Chu as an official. He modified warships for the Chu State, trained sailors, and fought against the Yue people on the Yangtze River and defeated them. This allowed the Chu State’s territory to extend eastward to the East China Sea, expanding the territory of the Chu State by thousands of miles. The land you are standing on was snatched by my ancestor from the hands of the barbarians!

"Later, my ancestors helped the State of Chu to attack the State of Song and built the world's first siege ladder and the first battering ram. Unfortunately, they were stopped by the great Mohist scholar Mo Di, a minister of the State of Song. Why do you think my family has the art of war?!

"People only know Gongshu Ban as a skilled craftsman. How many people still remember that he was a general and fought a war to destroy a country?"

Everyone opened their mouths in shock. They didn't expect that the legendary skilled craftsman Lu Ban had such an experience. They immediately admired Lu Jin even more.

Zhang Desheng scratched his head, "It turns out that the skilled craftsman Lu Ban was once a general. The land that my family cultivates was conquered by Brother Lu's ancestors. You are indeed a descendant of a famous family. I am so sorry for your disrespect. Brother Lu, please accept my greetings."

After saying that, he bowed to Lu Jin.

"Yes, I didn't know about Brother Lu's family heritage before. I'm really disrespectful. Please accept my greetings." Yu Tonghai's three brothers also bowed to him.

Lu Jin hurried forward to support everyone.

"Hey, brothers, please don't do this. Mencius said that the grace of a gentleman will be cut off after five generations. I have no idea how many generations I am descended from. My bloodline is thin. Even if my ancestors did something wrong, they would have lost their affection for me. Why are you worshipping me?
"I'm not saying this to show off my family background, I'm just trying to prove my family's military tactics. As long as you trust me and are willing to use my methods to train your troops, I will definitely lead you to conquer Luzhou!"

Yu Tonghai was quite excited.

"Brother Lu, what you said is not true. Although I haven't read much, I know that Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty also had a thin bloodline and was just a farmer's son. Emperor Zhaolie of the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms was just a straw sandal seller at first. Brother Lu is a member of the same clan as the Zhou emperor. Although your bloodline is thin, don't you still have the family military strategy? You may be able to achieve great things."

Wow, Lu Jin just wanted to use Lu Ban's name to spread scientific knowledge, but he didn't expect that the ancients attached so much importance to family background that they even started thinking about achieving great things!
He pretended to be terrified and waved his hands repeatedly, "How can this be possible? I have never thought of this. When I was young and lived overseas, my father told me that China is the country of my ancestors. Now I have returned to China, but I didn't expect that China is in turmoil and the nine provinces have fallen into the hands of the barbarians.

"I've long heard that the barbarians won't last a hundred years, and now it's proven true. Right now, rebel armies are rising up everywhere, and the Yuan Dynasty has been defeated in battle after battle. I don't want the country that my ancestors conquered to be ruined, so I joined the rebel army to fight against the Yuan Dynasty. However, I only want to protect the country and the people, and wait for the saint to be born."

After hearing what Lu Jin said, the others calmed down a bit. They were in a difficult situation now and were far from being able to "proclaim themselves kings". Other rebel armies had their own territories and cities, while they could only hide on a small island in the lake.

Without saying anything else, the most urgent task is to defeat Zuo Junbi and improve one's own strategic predicament.

At this time, Liao Yongan happened to say, "Brother Lu, this mandarin duck formation is really an eye-opener for us, but Zuo Junbi has 200 armored cavalrymen under his command. Brother Lu, do you have any way to deal with them?"

Without even thinking, Lu Jin said, "This is easy. The strength of cavalry lies in their high mobility. We just need to find a place that is not conducive to cavalry movement and set up an ambush in advance to lure them into the ambush circle, such as a water swamp, a forest, a hill, or other terrain.

"Also, don't forget that my ancestor is Gongshu Ban. I also have a treasure that is specifically designed to defeat cavalry!"

Everyone's eyes lit up again when they heard this, and Liao Yongjian couldn't wait to ask, "A magical object like a telescope?"

Is anyone watching? Please give me a shout (doge)

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(End of this chapter)