Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 776 I dare not do it again, my face has changed completely.
Some people say that raising an army is that simple? They claim that in just two months, all the necessary steps can be resolved and a force of nearly 200,000 people can be assembled. That's pure boasting. Keep in mind that the Yellow Turban Rebellion prepared for nearly ten years under those circumstances.

Is it possible that Xia Lin's trap was planted at least seven years ago?

This story is a long one, and it's a very systematic thing. It started with economic connections, using financial relationships to build a fairly large network of relationships. Then, it was through infiltration of the underground intelligence network in the entire Northwest region.

While these things were being planned, the world was made to see the results of the Fuliang New Education Model, and a large number of finished products were intentionally released to confuse the public. Because the people who came out of these academies were so strong, many people thought that even picking up some scraps was excellent. So over the years, these people were recruited one after another.

However, one very interesting thing about this is the inexplicable loyalty of these people. Under what circumstances could they refuse high-ranking positions and generous salaries without betraying their cause?
This brings us to a fundamental concept in intelligence studies: screening. Of course, some of these people will lose themselves and their faith, but most will be able to stay true to themselves. If we compare the times to a tide, then they grew up on the giant ship of new ideas. Even if they eventually return to the old, broken, and insignificant ways of thinking, most of them will still be filled with longing and anticipation for the giant ship.

These people will shine in their positions because they know that the person in front of them is someone who could create an era even by eating swill.

These people are young and full of passion. Whether they truly believe in that place or not, they will unconsciously put what they have learned and seen into practice because everyone knows that it is good, progressive, and capable of achieving results.

Xia Lin had said long ago that he would never keep anything to himself and would teach anyone who wanted to learn. So these people who went out were like seeds scattered from dandelions, taking root in all directions. Each of them would consider themselves Xia Daosheng in their own little area.

To learn from Xia Daosheng, to emulate Xia Daosheng, is ultimately to become Xia Daosheng, and to surpass Xia Daosheng.

They struggled hard on the vast land with such fervent hopes, but not everyone is Xia Daosheng, and there are not so many Hongbao Emperors and Jingtai Emperors in the world. In this process, the reality they encountered formed a strong conflict with their ideals. Many people perished during this period, left in despair or betrayed their ideals, becoming one of those who enjoyed the fruits of others' labor. However, there were still some who gritted their teeth and persevered, persisting like stubborn donkeys.

These scattered dots, once dotted with individual ponds, are now like independent pools, each diligently cultivating its own little world and nurturing its own vibrant life.

However, one day, the person who once illuminated their thoughts and hearts suddenly appears and tells them, "It's time for us to do something." In that instant, the sharpness in their hearts, which had been almost worn down by the cruel reality, will sprout up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Yes, we need to do something.

Once even one county responds, the wave will soon spread like a raging river, connecting the numerous ponds scattered across the vast land.

A small puddle may seem laughable, but if there are ten or a hundred such puddles, they will become a massive, towering wave.

Li Tang? There was no Li Tang or Tian Wei dynasty. All that existed was the overwhelming resentment of the poor masses towards the stinking, corrupt upper class and their desperate gamble for a better future.

They may be uncultured and ignorant, but aren't they human? As long as they are human, they can be inspired.

At this very moment, the gentle streams of the past collided and formed the powerful force that swept into Chang'an.

The new army, which had conquered east and west, had left a good name everywhere. Even the old farmers living deep in the mountains would inquire about how these people were different from people from other places. Then, people who had seen them would tell them that these people were very different from people from other places.

Only after they have personally experienced it can they realize that they too can be treated as human beings.

Just as the loyalty of the first and second batches of new soldiers was astonishing, these ordinary people would naturally maintain and support them even if they only glanced at them a few times or experienced them a few times.

Taking this path is the right thing to do; it has been proven by history. Xia Lin doesn't need to think too much; he just needs to follow the example, because his teacher has already written the answers in the book.

After gaining popular support, all that's needed is to purchase some equipment and conduct a short training session, and these ordinary people can be transformed into soldiers. All they lack is experience, nothing more.

In fact, we don't even need future experience. So many experiences in history have already written how to do it in history books. But some people are just arrogant. They don't respect the people's view of history and stand on the path of idealistic history without turning back.

If they won't do it, Xia Lin will. This makeshift team eventually needs someone to show them what real power is.

The workers in the new Xianyang went on strike, and Chang'an City responded. At first, of course, they tried to appease them, at least that was the order from above.

But it's clear that Li Tang's control over the grassroots is really poor. Of course, even without Xia Lin, Tian Wei wouldn't be much better. They're all just copying the same template. Don't laugh at me, brother.

The direct consequence of poor control at the grassroots level is that there will be interference from powerful forces, because the belts of the new Xianyang city are tied to the heads and cash bags of countless people, and such a strike will delay more than just making money for them.

The order from above was to appease them, but in their minds, appeasement was nothing more than whipping the cattle and horses. Once they felt the pain, they would naturally behave.

But this time they really fell into the trap. The whip was lashed out, but the cattle and horses did not submit as they always did. Instead, they silently took out the long, polished knives hidden behind their backs.

The strike quickly escalated into a large-scale riot due to the forceful intervention of various parties, but they were still unable to breach the walls of Chang'an.

At this point, even if His Majesty the Emperor knew who was responsible, he could only order the suppression of the rebellion.

Don't think being an emperor is easy. If it were, Emperor Jingtai wouldn't have gone to Fuliang to sing for money. The interests involved here are too much for even an emperor to handle. If Third Sister lets this go, the forces behind her will be engulfed in flames of war in no time.

At this crucial juncture, the plagued Li Shimin was still fighting the Japanese in Japan, gaining experience. She couldn't very well ask her retired father to take up arms again, could she? Would she still be able to be the emperor then?
But she understood that this was probably part of Xia Lin's play. Although she was angry, she still decided to step into the trap herself and see if Xia Daosheng had the guts to harm his woman and child to death.

Chang'an decided to quell the rebellion. Tens of thousands of ordinary laborers were quickly routed by Chang'an's elite troops. Even though the emperor gave a secret order to act cautiously, nearly eight hundred people were still injured, more than two hundred died, and more than two thousand were imprisoned that day.

The remaining workers then evacuated to the north in an orderly manner.

The soldiers in Chang'an, of course, could not let them escape, so they followed closely and chased them for more than fifty miles until they reached Jingyang County.

However, they were suddenly surrounded by a surprise force shortly after entering the city, and then ambushed. Caught off guard, the Li Tang soldiers suffered heavy losses and immediately retreated back to Chang'an.

Upon learning of this, the Li Tang court dispatched fifteen generals, totaling nearly 70,000 men, to meet the enemy. They also sent messages to the various military governors, summoning them to the capital to defend the emperor.

At this critical juncture, the entire city of Chang'an realized that things were going badly. Immediately, public resentment was boiling over, and in the eyes of the people, no one, including the entire court and His Majesty the Emperor, was a good person.

“I should have moved to the Great Wei with my second brother a long time ago. We can’t stay in a country that was not rightfully ours. You all know how poor my second brother was back then, he couldn’t even afford to eat. But he went to the south for less than two years, and last year when he came back to pay respects to our ancestors, he came by carriage!”

"That's right. My aunt's younger sister also married someone from the south. Back then, our family all looked down on the man she married because he was poor and stingy. But unexpectedly, in just a few years, he became a seventh-rank official there. He was promoted because he had a special skill in surveying water features."

The people of Chang'an are now in a state of panic. Outside, it is said that there is chaos and turmoil, and the security in the city is even worse. The whole of Chang'an is in complete disarray.

"Have you heard? Have you all heard? The north is going to attack the city. They say that His Majesty has been misled by treacherous officials and has done many things that have harmed the country. They are coming to eliminate these treacherous officials for the sake of our Great Tang Dynasty."

Just then, a young man burst in. After hurriedly and excitedly finishing his speech, he lowered his voice and asked, "Do you know who the leader is?"

"Who is it, talking so mysteriously? Tell me quickly."

"It's Commander Xia Daosheng!"

"Huh? It's Commander Xia? Isn't he one of Tian Wei's men? Why is he meddling in Tang Dynasty affairs?"

At this moment, one of the "well-informed" people said from the side, "You all don't know this, but I've heard rumors for a long time, saying that His Majesty..."

He glanced around as if afraid of being discovered, then continued, "Your Majesty, in your early years you married Chai Shao of the Chai family. Later, you developed feelings for Xia Lin, which led to your separation from Chai Shao. After that, you became pregnant... I've heard that the Crown Prince is Xia..." He was stopped mid-sentence by someone covering his mouth, "Don't you dare say such things!"

"Hey, what nonsense are you talking about! Everyone knows about this; it caused quite a stir back then."

"If that's the case, why did Xia Lin still attack Chang'an?"

"Hehe, who knows, this might just be a good show put on by the couple. Don't speculate about what's going on up there, nobody can say for sure."

Rumors were rampant among the people, while those in the palace were extremely anxious because none of the messengers sent out had received a reply. This indicated at least two things: one, that at least seven border towns had rebelled; and two, that the Tang Dynasty had been thoroughly infiltrated.

Third Sister looked at the civil and military officials below with a solemn expression. They were all looking at each other in bewilderment. At this moment, one of them stepped forward. This person was Fang Xuanling: "Your Majesty, at this moment, we should protect ourselves. The rebel army outside the city is nearly 300,000. If the regional military governors do not come, Chang'an City will not be able to hold out for three days. We should flee."

"That's not right, Lord Fang. Chang'an has been fortified several times. Even cannons might not be able to breach the city gates. How could a mere few hundred thousand peasants possibly break through Chang'an?"

Fang Xuanling turned back and glared at him coldly, a sneer playing on his lips: "Lord Gou, you should use your pig brain to think about who's on the other side! He can mobilize 300,000 people within the Tang Dynasty, do you think he can't open the gates of Chang'an?"

Lord Gou paused upon hearing this, silently took two steps back, and then fell silent. They had all heard who the enemy was who was besieging the city. Although no one knew what he was up to, they knew that it was unlikely that anyone could stop him at the moment.

The city gates of Chang'an? Based on everyone's understanding of Xia Lin, if he wanted to open them, there was no way to stop him. The four prefectures and nineteen counties surrounding Chang'an began to respond to his call, and the six border passes were also closed for him. His influence was no longer about whether he belonged to Wei or Tang; he truly had the seals of six kingdoms on his person, and could roam the world at will.

"Your Majesty, please make the decision."

"You..." Third Sister slightly raised her eyes: "Go to Dragon City, I'll stay."

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

"I said I'll stay, right here in the palace." Third Sister slammed her hand heavily on the dragon throne. "If you have the guts, then stay too. Court adjourned!"

The court remained silent for a long time after the emperor left. It was Fang Xuanling who first raised his hand and said, "What are you all standing there for? Pack your things and run!"

That afternoon, countless nobles and their families began heading north to Longcheng from Chang'an. A large number of palace maids and eunuchs were also dismissed from the imperial palace, leaving only a small area where people were still active.

At this moment, Bean Sprout was leaning against the crescent-shaped gate, eating a maltose-filled pancake, and asked Third Sister, who was cleaning her armor, "Are you really not going to run away?"

"Why should I run?" Third Sister glanced at her. "If he's so capable, he can kill me."

"You know what, he really dares to do it."

“Let me tell you, you probably don’t know him very well. If he really wanted to do something to me, he would have had the child taken away a few days ago.” Third Sister sneered, “I’d like to see what tricks he’s up to. I don’t believe it.”

"You know..." Bean Sprout's eyes darted around a couple of times, "Do you think he might be..."

"Oh no!" Third Sister slapped her thigh, her eyes filled with panic: "They're finished!"

Sure enough, on the road north to Longcheng, a vast number of corpses were left on the trade route. Most of these people were dressed in fine clothes, and some were even entire families who had died on the road.

The pedestrians following behind them would encounter checkpoints, where soldiers would drive them back.

"Go back, all of you. This is none of your business." A soldier covered in blood grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"Sir, this..."

"Really, go back. Eat and drink as usual." The soldier spat on the ground after saying that: "I'm also from Chang'an. If I said it's okay, then it's okay."

Sure enough, a few days later, those who had fled Chang'an returned. However, it was clear that the vast majority of those who returned were small merchants and ordinary people. Few of the wealthy and privileged returned; only a handful did. The first thing these people did upon their return was to get back to work. Although there was still some panic, it was noticeably less intense than it had been a few days before.

However... the devastation outside the city was truly enough to make one's teeth ache.

That was real killing; a massive, orderly line of people being hacked down.

At this point, some people became curious: why were some nobles able to return while others were killed? But soon, people discovered the clues: those nobles who were released had become poor, extremely poor. The first thing they did upon returning was to distribute their wealth—rice, flour, cooking oil, whatever the people needed—and then they returned the land deeds and house deeds…

One household did it, and then everyone did it, until one day Her Majesty the Empress stood on the imperial city and saw the troops that had attacked Chang'an entering the city, while the people on the roadside were still setting up stalls to sell things.

Of course, saying they attacked is not entirely accurate. The accurate thing is that they were put down before they even reached the city gate. There was no attack at all; everything happened so naturally.

After a large number of soldiers entered Chang'an, the next step was immediately a major purge. The uprisings and such were just a prelude; this purge was the real beginning.

The next day, Xia Lin entered the city. By this time, the streets had almost returned to normal production and life, and everyone was saying that only Marshal Xia's soldiers could have done this.

In reality, he eliminated nearly 53,000 people this time, which is about the same number as the number eliminated in Nanjing, but none of this happened in front of the public.

Of course, there were many more people left, because besides Luoyang, Chang'an was also a gathering place for wealthy families. The remaining number might reach 100,000.

Xia Lin stood on the city wall, holding a telescope, gazing at San Niang on the palace gate. He chuckled and turned around, saying, "Go, send a message to His Majesty the Emperor of Tang, saying that we have come to purge the court of corrupt officials."

The imperial court... there was no imperial court left. The entire city of Chang'an was filled with military officers. The city defense, the Imperial Guard, and the Thousand Bull Guard had all defected. Xia Lin even went to the Xuanjia Army's camp to visit and comfort the most elite soldiers of the Tang Dynasty.

These were all Li Shimin's trump cards, but now Li Shimin was outside seizing Xia Lin's fleet, while Xia Lin was here toying with his cavalry...

"Now, we are going to carry out a series of reforms, which we'll call the Chang'an Reorganization for now. We will address the problems of too many officers and too few soldiers, confusion in the troops' thinking, and poor organizational discipline by carrying out a series of reforms and restructurings."

“This…isn’t that inappropriate?” The Xuanjia Army general whispered in Xia Lin’s ear, “You don’t hold any official position in the Li Tang dynasty, so this isn’t a proper title.”

“You’re right, I definitely can’t handle this. I’ll find someone who can. You guys rest for a few days.”

The leader of the Xuanjia Army nodded and said, "Then I will wait for Marshal Xia's good news."

At that moment, Li Shimin, who was sitting on the Dingyuan warship with his arms crossed, enjoying the sea breeze, suddenly turned to the captain and said, "Hey, I had a dream yesterday that my wife was seeing other men. Do you think that's a good omen?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Dreams are always the opposite of reality; it certainly can't be that something has happened to your wife."

“Hmm…that’s true, but I have a feeling something very important is missing.” Li Shimin nodded. “How much longer until we reach Luzon? I want to see what good stuff those natives have.”

(End of this chapter)