Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 516 Unwavering Feelings
"Crackling..."

On the eighth day of the third month of the fourth year of Qianfu, with Gao Pian's surrender in Guangzhou, the chaotic world that had begun with the An Lushan Rebellion finally declared peace.

Unlike the previous Tang emperors who merely declared peace on the surface, the peace in the fourth year of Qianfu was undoubtedly a thorough and complete peace from the inside out.

After learning that the south had been pacified, many people spontaneously bought bamboo and set off firecrackers. Although the only smell in the air was the burning bamboo, it filled people with a joyful atmosphere.

"The battle is finally over..."

Inside the Yangguang Pavilion in Jiangling City, Liu Jilong gazed at the scenery on both sides of the Yangtze River. With a sense of relief, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Twenty-four years of military campaigns, fifteen of which were spent fighting against Tibet, and nine years were spent pacifying the world. Now, at forty-one, the chaotic era has finally come to an end.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on your victory over the rebellious minister! The people have won your hearts!"

Zhao Ying and Jing Xiang bowed and congratulated Liu Jilong one after the other. Liu Jilong turned to the side, and although he had a smile on his face, he responded:

"Ending the war is only the beginning. The arrogant atmosphere in the Guandong region has lasted for more than a century. It will take decades of hard work to change this trend."

As he finished speaking, his gaze remained fixed on the rolling Yangtze River, and Jing Xiang stepped forward and bowed, saying:

"Your Highness, in my opinion, the most urgent task at present is to escort the traitor Tian Yun and others to Luoyang for execution, and to imprison the common people in Luoyang."

"In addition, the garrison cities of Chengdu, Jiangling, Fengxiang, and Taiyuan can be abolished, and the officials of the garrison cities can be sent to places where there is a lack of officials, so that only the two capital cities of Chang'an and Luoyang can be retained."

Jing Xiang's advice made Liu Jilong nod in agreement. The Tang Dynasty set up many secondary capitals, and the officials in the secondary capitals were more than ten or even dozens more than those in ordinary prefectures.

If there are so many officials, one can imagine how many clerks outside the official ranks must be.

Maintaining a secondary capital requires considerable expenditures; Chengdu Prefecture alone needs to retain 300,000 strings of cash annually, and other prefectures require similar amounts.

Although Liu Jilong did not abolish these secondary capitals, he did reduce the number of officials in these places, so now they only lack the title.

"If that's the case, then draft an imperial edict and inform the Southern Court."

Liu Jilong agreed with Jing Xiang's advice, and added:

"Regardless of their merits, all soldiers on this southern expedition will receive a reward of twenty strings of cash. Military rewards will be calculated and distributed separately by the Southern Army."

"The troops that marched south, except for those who were not accustomed to the climate, were all engaged in military reclamation in Guangzhou, clearing forests and creating farmland."

"The autumn taxes from Hunan and Jiangxi were all transported to Guangzhou."

"After winter arrived, Li Yangchun was appointed as the Governor of Lingnan and the Commander-in-Chief of Lingxi. He quelled all the local officials in Lingxi and the area between Hunan and Guizhou who refused to submit to the court's control. In addition, he recruited 40,000 soldiers, mainly from people in Lingnan, Jiangxi, and Hunan, to be stationed in Lingnan to guard against the invasion of the southern barbarians."

"After the local officials quelled the rebellion, all the northern soldiers returned to their original hometowns, took their pay, and retired for three months. After returning to their places of origin, they were settled in various locations."

"The navy that sailed south to Guangzhou was concentrated in one place, set up as the South China Sea Navy, under the control of the Lingnan Governor's Office, and was dedicated to suppressing pirates in the South China Sea."

"By imperial decree, the lowly status of musicians, boat people, and beggars is abolished, and they are incorporated into the common people. Farmland is provided for them to support themselves, and the people of Lingnan are exempt from taxes this year."

Liu Jilong did not choose to exempt all the war-torn areas in the south from taxes, but only selected Lingnan to exempt them.

Ultimately, the problem stemmed from insufficient funds and resources of the imperial court, which prevented it from exempting taxes in Jiangnan and even the entire country. Exempting too many taxes would inevitably lead to numerous problems.

He would have to return to Luoyang and discuss with his officials before deciding on the specifics of tax reductions.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong took a deep breath and said to the rolling Yangtze River, "It's about time we went back..."

He turned around and looked at Zhao Ying: "Prepare the carriage; we will return to Luoyang in three days."

"Your subject obeys!" Zhao Ying was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then overjoyed.

Since Liu Jilong has chosen to return to Luoyang, and the world is now completely pacified, it is self-evident what he should do after returning to Luoyang.

Zhao Ying needs to plan this carefully and be prepared to root out those treacherous villains.

With the world at peace and stability at our core, we must not allow any chaos to occur.

As the three talked, news of Wang Shi's defeat of Gao Pian continued to spread.

For the people who had long suffered from war, this news was undoubtedly a great joy.

Even though many people had enjoyed peace under Liu Jilong's rule for a long time, the nearly century-long tug-of-war between the imperial court and the regional military governors after the An Lushan Rebellion, coupled with the great chaos of the past few years, made the people feel that the world would continue to be in chaos.

Now that Gao Pian has been defeated, it means that the imperial court has quelled all the regional warlords, and the signs of turmoil will no longer appear.

"Finally, it's even..."

Inside Luoyang, when Li Shangyin learned that Liu Jilong would soon return to Luoyang, and that Wang Shi had quelled Gao Pian's rebellion and that Cai Xi had submitted to the emperor, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The imperial court was short of funds and supplies, and had almost emptied its entire coffers to supply the needs of the more than 200,000 troops on their southern expedition.

Currently, the national treasury and local savings amount to no more than three million.

Liu Jilong had almost completely used up all the money and grain he had seized from Hebei. Fortunately, it was already late March, and there were less than three months left until the summer harvest.

Although taxes were exempted for Lingnan Circuit, the taxes for Lingnan Circuit were not much to begin with; the real bulk of the tax burden came from the East and West Circuits of Jiangnan.

"Father, His Highness has returned to Luoyang after nearly two years. Shouldn't the court make a proper preparation for his return?"

Li Gunshi, who was standing in the Hall of State Affairs, asked Li Shangyin a question. Li Shangyin looked up and saw that Li Gunshi, Lu Guimeng, and others were all looking at him.

"His Highness dislikes making a big fuss, especially in these turbulent times, so it's best not to go on a grand show."

Li Shangyin knew very well how many people in Luoyang did not want Liu Jilong to return.

To their disappointment, Liu Jilong not only returned, but also returned with the achievement of pacifying the world.

"If that's the case, should His Majesty send someone to make arrangements on his behalf?"

Seeing Li Shangyin say this, Lu Guimeng took the initiative to bring up the matter of Li Yi.

The dozen or so officials in the hall were fully aware of what he was talking about.

If Liu Jilong hadn't been unwilling, the officials should have urged him to take the throne after the pacification of Hebei.

Although it has been delayed for more than a year, fortunately the world is now at peace, so this matter no longer needs to be delayed.

However, compared to these younger and more established figures, Li Shangyin's opinion was primarily conservative.

"I will personally go to Luoyang to inquire about this matter and make a decision after Your Highness has returned."

His answer satisfied everyone. After all, they had waited for more than a year, so there was no need to worry about these two short months.

"How much grain tax should we be able to collect this summer?"

Seeing that everyone was behaving themselves, Li Shangyin took the initiative to inquire about the situation at the Ministry of Revenue. Feng Bangyan, who worked at the Ministry, bowed and said:

"With the tax amount remaining unchanged, this year's summer tax should be able to collect five million strings of cash in miscellaneous and commercial taxes, as well as eight million shi of summer grain."

"Without an order, summer grain needs to be stored locally, only money, silk and miscellaneous items can be transported to Chang'an and Luoyang."

Upon learning about the summer grain situation, Li Shangyin nodded and said, "It's not bad. It's enough to distribute the rewards and military bonuses to the southern expeditionary army."

"His Highness's edict mentioned the need to reduce the number of old and weak soldiers in the army and replace some generals with officials to govern local prefectures and counties."

"Currently, the imperial court has 560,000 troops, and there are 300,000 local militia. Although the population of the country has not yet been fully registered, it will not exceed 40 million."

"With so many troops, it's definitely necessary to reduce their numbers..."

The main purpose of the state militia was to apprehend thieves and bandits. Their military pay was not high. The highest pay for the state soldiers was only twelve strings of cash per year, while the pay for the garrison soldiers and militia was only five or six strings of cash.

The reason they were kept in their positions was mainly because although the north was stable, the country was not at peace.

There were many bandits and river pirates in the area, so they were needed to protect the safety and smooth flow of traffic in the county, townships and official roads.

The war in the south is now over, and all that remains is to subdue the various barbarian tribes west of the mountains who are flirting with the southern barbarians after winter begins.

With over 200,000 Han troops and hundreds of cannons from the south, it would not be difficult to subdue these barbarian tribes who were still building wooden fortresses and hiding in the mountain streams.

Therefore, once Liu Jilong returned to Luoyang and the court officials urged him to ascend the throne, it would be time to begin reducing the number of old and weak soldiers and cutting military strength.

"Such a large number of troops should indeed be reduced. This could include lowering the pay of the local militia and reducing the number of soldiers who are unwilling to be stationed far from home. It would be best to reduce the number of troops to less than 500,000."

The usually taciturn Han Zhengke suddenly spoke up, proposing to reduce the army to less than 500,000.

Only he, who came from Longyou, and a handful of others like Li Shangyin dared to say such a thing.

If it were anyone else, the generals in Longyou would probably have been in an uproar after the news got out.

Reducing the number of troops by at least 60,000 would free up about 1.5 million strings of cash in funds and provisions, which would allow for many things to be done.

Judging from the Ministry of Works' situation, at least the Yellow River channel can be roughly repaired to prevent the Yellow River from breaching its banks in recent years.

The Han army's current military expenditure accounts for almost 70% of the court's taxes. If 60,000 soldiers could be dismissed and the salaries of the local militia could be reduced, the expenditure could be reduced to about 60%.

Even so, the number was still too large, so what seemed like a radical suggestion to outsiders was nothing to Li Shangyin.

In his view, the world today does not need so many armies.

At the height of the Kaiyuan era, the country had a registered population of over 50 million and tax revenue of over 20 million strings of cash. Externally, there were powerful enemies such as the Tibetans, Khitans, and Uyghurs. During the Tianbao era, even more enemies emerged, such as the Abbasid Caliphate and the Nanzhao Kingdom. Therefore, it was essential to maintain a conscripted army of 570,000.

However, in today's context, the only true enemies are Da Li in the south, Li Keyong, Li Sigong and the Tatar tribes in the north, as well as the Xi and Khitan people.

Deploying 100,000 troops along the Yinshan and Yanshan lines would be sufficient to defend against enemies in the north, and 100,000 troops would also be sufficient to defend the south.

The remaining western regions, such as the Western Regions and Hexi, only need to be equipped with 60,000 to 70,000 troops. Luoyang and Chang'an should also have some standing troops, so the total number of recruited soldiers is no more than 300,000.

Local problems can be completely handled by the local militia, which are a force that is neither too expensive nor too weak in combat.

If so, at least five million strings of cash in military funds could be saved, and other areas where the country could be developed would receive more support.

Lost in thought, Li Shangyin addressed the crowd, saying, "The world has just been at peace, and there are still many things that need to be accomplished."

"Human strength has its limits, therefore we need to pool our wisdom and ideas."

"Issue an order to all government offices throughout the land to submit memorials to the Emperor, reporting all concerns from various regions and awaiting the court's decision."

"Yes!" When everyone heard Li Shangyin say this, they knew that the Southern Office was probably going to be very busy.

It should be noted that clerks under the Han army could be promoted to officials through merit, and therefore they could also submit memorials to the various prefectural and county governments.

Now that Li Shangyin has allowed them to submit their memorials to the emperor, it means that more than 100,000 memorials will be sent to Luoyang.

The contents of these memorials all needed to be summarized and compiled by the officials of the Southern Court. Minor matters were to be shelved, while major matters were to be dealt with swiftly.

The main purpose of this approach was to resolve many problems left over in the localities, since the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty had basically not governed the localities well.

Besides maintaining stability, the main function of local governments was to provide financial support to the central government.

Against this backdrop of neglect, even the canals and waterways in Guanzhong were largely abandoned, let alone the various prefectures and counties far from the capital.

At Li Shangyin's instruction, the Southern Office began to work busily. Countless fast horses galloped through various prefectures and counties, and the official roads, which were rarely traveled before, quickly returned to their former prosperity.

Merchants became bolder, and local militias began to crack down on bandits and pirates within their borders.

If they encountered a problem they couldn't handle, they would go to the military camp outside the city to ask for help.

With the help of recruited soldiers, the mountain bandits and river pirates who had been entrenched in various places were all dealt a blow.

The peace and tranquility of the land lasted only a month and a half. The security near Luoyang and Chang'an began to improve, and people dared to walk on the official roads to sell their goods in the city.

In early May, with Gao Pian's surrender, the news of peace spread throughout the land. Well-informed merchants then took famous products from various regions to Luoyang, Chang'an and other places to sell.

In the northern market of Luoyang, even rare items such as Kunlun slaves and Silla maids appeared.

"Master, first bring a pot of boiled mutton, then lotus root duck skewers and shrimp with wine, ten flatbreads, and two pots of licorice soup with ice!"

"Here it comes, three hundred and fifty coins..."

"You won't be shortchanged, and the materials will be of high quality!"

"The one in charge..."

In a tavern in Taipei, Liu Jilong, sitting in a private room on the second floor, listened to the lively atmosphere on the first floor and couldn't help but look out the window.

But outside the window, all the shops along the street had their doors open, and various banners displaying their business information were hanging up.

Among them were vendors selling bronzes, paper, brushes, inkstones, calligraphy and paintings, as well as clothing, hats, boots and shoes, and various porcelains and shops.

What is particularly eye-catching is the storefront, which occupies a large area and has more than ten strong men guarding the entrance.

In the early years of the Kaiyuan era, due to the prosperity of private commerce, and the fact that money and silk were too heavy as the main currency for transactions, the industry of counter shops emerged.

The main business of the store was to store gold and silver valuables on behalf of customers and charge a certain rent.

Merchants could withdraw funds by presenting a note (similar to a check) or a token when needed, representing the earliest form of banking.

However, with the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion, the storehouses often became the primary targets of looting by the rebel soldiers, and thus the area of ​​the storehouses began to shrink.

Now that the world is at peace, many people who have sensed business opportunities have used their own influence to open one store after another in the local area, and even extended their reach to places like Luoyang and Chang'an.

The existence of the money exchange reminded Liu Jilong of banks in later generations.

In terms of banking services alone, services such as deposits, loans, and remittances had already become very common in the Tang Dynasty at this time.

However, bringing these businesses together and having them managed by the imperial court would likely encounter considerable problems.

Regarding this matter, Liu Jilong can only try it out in the future. If it doesn't work out, he can end it quickly so as not to suffer too much loss.

"These merchants are well-informed. I'm afraid they've led the Kunlun slaves north as soon as the south was pacified."

As Liu Jilong was observing the shop, he saw a foreign merchant leading dozens of Kunlun slaves into the street, attracting the attention of many people along the street.

It must be said that these foreign merchants were quite shrewd.

To prevent slave traders from buying Kunlun slaves to breed and sell, they castrated these Kunlun slaves before setting sail, thus monopolizing the Kunlun slave trade.

Although Liu Jilong abolished the slave trade, the market also made adjustments according to his decree, changing the slave trade to domestic servants.

If a commoner of the Tang Dynasty became a servant, he or she could not be dealt with privately if he or she committed a crime. If the master or servant beat him or her in private, the servant or servant could go to the government office to report the crime to the authorities.

Even if the master family has connections in the local area, these connections require money and provisions to maintain, so local powerful families do not dare to be too harsh on their servants.

However, if the servants are not Chinese but were purchased from abroad, no one will care even if they report it to the authorities.

For this reason, servants such as Kunlun slaves, Silla maids, Bodhisattva maids, and Hu servants became more popular.

"What are the current prices of Silla maids, Kunlun slaves, and Bodhisattva maids in the northern market of Luoyang?"

Liu Jilong couldn't help but ask, and Zhao Ying, who seemed to know all about these matters, respectfully replied:

"Kunlun slaves are divided into two types. One type is short in stature and is good at diving for pearls in the sea. Each one is worth fifty strings of cash."

"Another type of person is tall and thin, and each person receives forty strings of cash."

“Silla maids are divided into those who can speak Mandarin and those who cannot. Many of them are skilled in embroidery, and their prices range from forty to eighty kan.”

"The Bodhisattva's Barbarian is worth sixty or seventy strings of cash, the Hu woman is worth around one hundred strings of cash, and the more beautiful one is worth two hundred strings of cash."

"Other Turks, Uyghurs, Tatars, and other nomadic tribes are worth around twenty strings of cash..."

Zhao Ying recounted these events with great familiarity, and then explained to Liu Jilong:
"Many officials keep these slaves in their homes, so I am very clear about the prices of these slaves."

"In addition, the brokers under the command of the Prince of Jiaohe (Zhang Huaishen) often sell Hu servants and Hu women, so I am naturally aware of this."

Liu Jilong had no idea that Zhang Huaishen's business involved selling Hu servants and Hu women.

Even though he knew, he didn't show any displeasure.

Ultimately, given the historical context, the fact that he was able to abolish slavery and replace it with a system of household servants was already a step forward in history.

He only needs to care about his own people; as for those outsiders who are not yet part of his territory, that's none of his business.

Moreover, powerful and wealthy people all need servants, so he couldn't completely shut down the channels.

Even if he blocked this path, things would still be restored after his death. Zhu Yuanzhang also prohibited officials from privately recruiting too many servants, but a few years after his death, servants were everywhere in Jiangnan, and by the end of the Ming Dynasty, the little-known Jiangnan Slave Rebellion broke out.

Learning from mistakes is something Liu Jilong often does. Even though he knows that every lesson will come back to him in different ways, he can only add to the lessons within the context of the times and cannot completely eliminate them.

"Let's go, it's time to return to the Prince's Mansion."

Liu Jilong returned to Luoyang ahead of schedule to prevent Doulu Zhuo and his group from having a chance.

He will give opportunities when they are warranted, but at other times he prioritizes his own safety above all else.

Now is not the time to give Doulu Zhuo and his group a chance, because the south has not yet been completely stabilized, and the number of officials sent by the imperial court to Jiangnan is far from sufficient.

Once the South is stable, that will be the time to take action against these people.

The bloated bureaucracy of the imperial court will also become healthier after this scheme is completed.

Lost in thought, Liu Jilong, escorted by Zhao Ying, left Beishi and headed back towards the Prince of Han's residence.

He entered the Prince's mansion through the back door, where Feng Hui, Zhang Sao, and others, who had known the news in advance, were already waiting with more than thirty servants.

"Greetings, Your Highness..."

"Everyone, get up."

Upon entering the inner courtyard, Liu Jilong saw everyone bowing to him. He raised his hand to signal them to stand up, and then stepped forward to look at Feng Hui and the other women.

Most of them were close to forty, the youngest being Feng Bangyan and the four concubines sent by Feng Ao years ago.

In Liu Jilong's view, women in their thirties are still quite attractive, but he had just returned to Luoyang and didn't have much time to enjoy them.

"All of you may step back now. My lady, come with me."

"Yes……"

Liu Jilong wanted to have a proper talk with Feng Hui, so he dismissed everyone.

Most of his children lived in Chang'an, mainly because the official schools in Chang'an were more well-established, and Liu Jilong didn't have much time to supervise them.

Rather than having him supervise them, it would be better to place them in Chang'an and send a trustworthy person to supervise them.

Lost in thought, Liu Jilong led Feng Hui into the main house in the inner courtyard. After sitting down next to her in the main seat, he reached out and took Feng Hui's hand.

Feeling her still soft hand, Liu Jilong comforted her, "After being away from home for nearly two years, I'm finally back, and I can't wait to see Xijun."

"It is my honor that Your Highness is so concerned." Feng Hui nodded with a smile, but Liu Jilong sensed a sense of estrangement.

After being away from home for two years, even though they had been married for many years, there was still a sense of awkwardness when they met again.

Liu Jilong could only continue to hold her hand tightly and tell her about what had happened in the past two years.

Feng Hui went from being distant at first to gradually becoming familiar with Liu Jilong, and even dared to interrupt Liu Jilong from time to time, just like he had been years ago.

In fact, as Liu Jilong rose in rank, Feng Hui became increasingly respectful of his rules.

However, Liu Jilong seemed to have never changed; his personality and temper remained the same as before, which reassured her somewhat.

The two chatted for a long time until Aunt Zhang came to ask if they wanted to eat. Only then did Liu Jilong nod to signal that the meal should be served.

The two enjoyed their dinner very much. Only after the meal was over, and Liu Jilong rinsed his mouth with tea, did Feng Hui hesitate before saying, "Father is gone..."

"..." Liu Jilong was stunned for a moment, and then he sighed after realizing that Feng Hui was talking about Feng Ao.

"When did you leave?"

“Last September, I was afraid of bothering you, so I kept the matter quiet.”

When questioned by Liu Jilong, Feng Hui confessed truthfully.

Feng Ao was of great help to him. The large number of people that could be introduced to Longyou in the early stages was mainly due to Feng Ao.

Feng Ao had staked almost his entire fortune on him, so naturally he should reciprocate.

Otherwise, Feng Bangyan would certainly not have been able to become the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and this was only power, not wealth.

True wealth and honor naturally come from founding a nation and receiving titles and honors...

Feng Bangyan's contribution wasn't significant, but given his relationship with Liu Jilong, no one would object to him receiving the title of a prince.

The matter was completed in secrecy. Liu Jilong did not promise any honorary titles, but simply nodded slightly: "When will Zhi'er and Hutou return?"

"I'm afraid it won't be until winter," Feng Hui replied. At that moment, Zhang Sao entered the hall and bowed to Liu Jilong, saying:
"Your Highness, Minister Li and Minister Gao are requesting an audience in the outer courtyard."

"I'll be right back." Liu Jilong didn't show any surprise when he heard that Li Shangyin and Gao Jinda had arrived, because he had asked Zhao Ying to inform them.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Feng Hui, Liu Jilong went to the outer courtyard and soon arrived at the main hall.

"Your Highness..."

Inside the main hall, Li Shangyin and Gao Jinda stood up and bowed to Liu Jilong. Although both were over sixty years old, Li Shangyin was in good health, while Gao Jinda had not only lost a lot of weight, but also looked unhealthy.

"I have been on a southern campaign, and all matters in the north have been entrusted to you two. Now that I have returned, I hope you will take good care of yourselves and look forward to creating a peaceful and prosperous world in the future."

Liu Jilong stepped forward to help the two up, speaking sincerely, but Gao Jinda coughed and said, "Since my last serious illness, my health has deteriorated, and I am afraid I will not be able to continue to handle the affairs of the Southern Office for Your Highness."

"Prime Minister Li has handled government affairs well recently, and I hope Your Highness will rely on him more..."

Gao Jinda's health was indeed failing; even Liu Jilong could sense his weakness.

I originally thought he would recover with some rest, but judging from Gao Jinda's coughing as soon as he opens his mouth, it seems unlikely that he will recover in the short term.

He developed these illnesses mainly because of Liu Jilong. Now that he wants to enjoy peace and tranquility, how could Liu Jilong possibly refuse?

"Jinda, please rest well first. There will always be a place for you in the Council of State."

Liu Jilong led the two men to their seats before walking to the head seat and sitting down himself.

"You two should already know about what's happening in the south. There are many people in Luoyang who are dissatisfied with me, but I don't intend to deal with them now."

"Right now, we need to appease the south and restore production there. Then I want to see what the population and land situation is like before deciding on taxes, so that the people are not burdened too much and the court is not controlled by money everywhere."

Faced with Liu Jilong's words, the two nodded in agreement. At the same time, Li Shangyin asked:

"Your Highness has said that you want to reduce the number of elderly and weak soldiers in the army. I wonder how you plan to do it?"

"Now that the world has just been at peace, we should resolve the problems left over from various prefectures and counties. However, the imperial court has raised 560,000 soldiers and 300,000 militia in the prefectures, with 70% of the tax revenue going into them and another 25% used for the salaries of officials."

"If Your Highness hadn't confiscated so much wealth in Hebei, the imperial court would probably be running into financial difficulties long ago..."

Liu Jilong confiscated a considerable amount of money and grain in Hebei, and later confiscated the property of Lu Yan and others, further enriching the national treasury.

A year passed, and all the money and grain were exhausted. If the world had not been at peace, Li Shangyin really didn't know how he would have managed the household.

Because Li Shangyin frequently mentioned military pay in his memorials, Liu Jilong had already prepared a draft in mind.

"I have decided to eliminate the old and weak, and to lay off ordinary soldiers over forty years of age. In addition, I have established a system of rotating garrisons for the army."

"Soldiers who cannot accept the rotation system can be discharged and receive fifty acres of land in their hometown to cultivate and live on, and be exempt from taxes for one year."

"As for the specific system of garrison duty, I need to first talk about the system of governance I envision for the world."

As Liu Jilong faced the two men, his expression gradually became serious. The two men also quickly straightened their posture and leaned forward to show that they took it seriously.

Seeing the two of them like this, Liu Jilong spoke directly: "Since the An Lushan Rebellion, you two must have witnessed the harm caused by the military governors."

"The harm caused by the military governors is too great, not to mention the arrogance of the warriors in Guandong. Therefore, the martial spirit should not be too strong, nor too weak."

“I have decided to keep the Three Departments and Six Ministries unchanged, and to establish the Governor-General’s Office, the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s Office, and the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner’s Office in the localities, which will be simply divided into military, civil and judicial departments, collectively known as the Three Offices.”

After Liu Jilong finished speaking, he went on to explain in detail the division of powers among the three departments.

The Provincial Administration Commission was headed by one Provincial Administration Commissioner and two Deputy Provincial Administration Commissioners, who were in charge of various matters related to civil affairs, finance, land, household registration, grain and rations, official performance evaluation, and communication with prefectures and counties within the province.

The Provincial Surveillance Commission is headed by one Provincial Surveillance Commissioner and two Deputy Provincial Surveillance Commissioners, who are in charge of judicial affairs, military affairs, education, maritime patrols, Qing troops, postal services, and land reclamation in the province.

Among them, the state soldiers and militia were all assigned to the military affairs and patrol and maritime command, and were mainly responsible for apprehending bandits and suppressing mountain bandits.

The Governor-General's Office is headed by one Governor-General, two Deputy Governor-Generals, four Assistant Governor-Generals, and two to four Military Commissioners, who are in charge of recruiting and stationing troops in the region.

In addition, the Five Military Commissions were established in the capital, and the military commissions of all the provinces were placed under the management of the Five Military Commissions. The Five Military Commissions consisted of five armies: East, West, South, North, and Central. Each army was headed by two Left and Right Grand Commanders and four Assistant Grand Commanders, who controlled the various provinces within their respective armies.

Both the Five Military Commissions and the Ministry of War were jointly responsible for the selection and assessment of military officers, as well as the control of military registers, maps, borders, border defenses, vehicles, stables, post stations, equipment, ordnance, and ceremonial guards. However, the Ministry of War was in charge of the state troops and militia of each circuit, while the Five Military Commissions were in charge of recruited and stationed troops.

The Governor-General's Office was responsible for fighting abroad and defending the borders against enemies, while the Ministry of War was mainly responsible for maintaining order within the territory, suppressing bandits and pirates, etc., and could request assistance from the Five Military Governor-General's Office when necessary.

With Liu Jilong's explanation, the system of the Five Military Commands, the Three Departments and Six Ministries, and the Three Local Offices gradually became clear.

After hearing this, Li Shangyin and Gao Jinda felt that this would divide the troops, but in an era that did not emphasize civil and military affairs and had not experienced the superhuman martial spirit of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Liu Jilong's reforms were not unacceptable.

Moreover, the division of power among the three departments could check and balance each other, preventing any single department from becoming too powerful. This was indeed an excellent system for the Tang Dynasty, which had suffered from the influence of regional military governors.

"Your Highness, if that's the case, how many troops should be stationed in each regional command? Is it related to the number of military commanders?"

Gao Jinda took the initiative to bow and inquire, while Liu Jilong explained:

“From now on, the military system of each governor’s office needs to be changed. Officials in the governor’s office will be responsible for the military affairs of their respective provinces, and the troops will be under the command of the military commanders. Each military commander will command two to three captains, and each captain will command more than 4,500 soldiers and more than 400 military officers, doctors, cooks and other miscellaneous soldiers.”

“The generals who led troops were changed to camps, with a camp of more than 1,500 men. The captains who led troops were changed to armies, with an army of 5,000 men. The military commanders who commanded troops were changed to legions, with a legion of 15,000 men.”

After Liu Jilong's explanation, Gao Jinda understood that the Governor's Office had only added the position of Military Commander between the Commandant and the Governor, and that it was just a change in the organizational structure and name, with no other major changes.

"The number of troops deployed varies from place to place depending on the circumstances."

"For example, Hebei Province needs four full-strength military commanders, four corps to be stationed, and a full-strength army of 60,000 soldiers."

"In addition, three army corps were set up in Hedong, Guannei, Longyou and Lingnan, with a full complement of 45,000 soldiers."

"The Western Regions were divided into two circuits: Anxi and Beiting. Anxi was divided into two armies, each with a full complement of 10,000 soldiers; Beiting was divided into one legion, each with a full complement of 15,000 soldiers."

"Two army corps will be set up in Jiannan, Jingji and Dongji, with a full strength of 30,000 men. The other provinces will each set up two armies with 10,000 combat soldiers."

"The total number of soldiers in the country is 425,000. The military pay has been adjusted to 15 strings of cash for infantry, 18 strings for cavalry and infantry, and 20 strings for cavalry, with an annual cost of about 8 million strings of cash."

Liu Jilong stated the number of soldiers he had reduced, noting that the annual military expenditure of eight million guan was still somewhat high, but lower than it was now.

"Your Highness, are there any restrictions on the number of troops in the Provincial Surveillance Commission?"

Upon seeing this, Li Shangyin inquired, and Liu Jilong replied, "The number of troops is calculated based on the population of the region. Each region has one to three armies, with a total number ranging from five thousand to fifteen thousand."

"The specific numbers are up to you to determine. The number of state soldiers should not exceed 150,000, the number of militia should not exceed 100,000, and the number of garrison troops will be determined by me personally based on the situation."

"As for the military pay of the state soldiers, garrison soldiers and militia, it is set at twelve strings of cash, eight strings of cash and four strings of cash respectively."

Liu Jilong increased the military pay for garrison troops and reduced the pay for militia. The main reason for this was that the garrison troops were stationed in harsh conditions, while the militia gradually became more leisurely as the country became more peaceful.

Once the major bandit groups and river pirates have been largely wiped out, the militia system should also be abolished and phased out.

"These are just general details. Specific details, such as how much allowance soldiers should receive for business trips and how silk and cotton should be distributed each year, need to be carefully discussed before a decision can be made."

"After you two return, please put some effort into finalizing these regulations as soon as possible, so that they can be implemented next year."

Liu Jilong gave instructions to the two men, and only felt slightly relieved when they both nodded in agreement.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, Li Shangyin took the initiative to bow and said, "Your Highness, the world is at peace now, but Your Majesty is cowardly and unable to govern the country. I am deeply worried."

Li Shangyin, feigning concern for the country and its people, uttered these words. Upon hearing them, Liu Jilong knew that Li Shangyin was testing his attitude in order to arrange a scene where the young emperor abdicated and the officials urged him to ascend the throne.

Thinking of this, he originally wanted to answer directly, but then his playful side arose, and he couldn't help but tease, "Prime Minister Li is the prime minister, so he should naturally be worried."

"I am but a subject, so of course I will listen to Your Majesty and Prime Minister Li on this matter."

After Liu Jilong finished speaking, Li Shangyin couldn't hold back any longer. He looked at Liu Jilong and saw that Liu Jilong was suppressing a laugh. Relieved, he couldn't help but pretend to be serious and asked, "Is Your Highness serious?"

"Of course!" Liu Jilong replied casually. The two looked at each other across the distance, barely suppressing their smiles, as if they couldn't hold back their laughter.

Upon seeing this, Gao Jinda stroked his beard and smiled wryly, "Why are Your Highness and Prime Minister Li behaving this way?"

"Hahahahaha..."

After he finished speaking, Liu Jilong and Li Shangyin both laughed and waved their sleeves, saying, "It was Mr. Yishan who tried to fool me first."

"I was just worried about displeasing Your Highness," Li Shangyin quickly explained with a smile.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Jilong raised his hand and said, "I never try to avoid these things with the two of you. Although I am a commoner from Longyou, I never thought that the world would be given to me. But if Heaven wants me to take it, I will naturally take it."

Upon hearing this, Gao Jinda smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "In that case, let Prime Minister Li handle things with His Majesty and the officials."

"The Tang Dynasty lasted for 256 years, surpassing all previous dynasties. I wonder if Your Highness will use Han as the name of your dynasty?"

Throughout history, although later generations have referred to dynasties as Great Qin, Great Han, Great Tang, etc., the names of these dynasties are all single characters.

Therefore, in Gao Jinda's view, Liu Jilong should also have named his state Han.

In response to his question, Liu Jilong smiled and put down his teacup: "From ancient times to the present, the name of a country has always been a single character."

"Since later generations have divided the Han Dynasty into the Eastern and Western Han Dynasties, if I continue to refer to it as the Han Dynasty, I wonder how future generations will refer to my dynasty?"

"Should it be called Northern Han? Or Southern Han? Or perhaps a Shu Han like that of Emperor Zhaolie?"

"Since all dynasties have used single characters, I will use two characters and refer to it as the Great Han Dynasty, how about that?"

Liu Jilong asked the question with a certainty, which made Li Shangyin and Gao Jinda exchange bewildered glances.

"This……"

The two were somewhat undecided, seemingly feeling that this was not in accordance with etiquette, but etiquette did not stipulate that single characters must be used.

"Since it is Your Highness's wish, we will naturally comply."

Gao Jinda was the first to express his opinion, and Li Shangyin followed suit.

Seeing that the two agreed, Liu Jilong nodded and said, "In the next few days, do not mention that I have returned to Luoyang."

"First, order the students from Kansai to take the imperial examinations two months earlier and then take over the positions of officials from Kanto, and then adjust the positions of the officials from Kanto who are going south to pacify Jiangnan."

"Once the south is relatively stable, I can go through the east gate and return to Luoyang."

As he said this, the two men were immediately startled and said one after the other, "There are many uneasy people in the court. Your Highness has clearly indicated that there might be some problems after returning to the city..."

Faced with their concerns, Liu Jilong simply smiled and said, "That's exactly the imperfection I wanted."

"I want to see if they can give their lives for the Tang Dynasty they love."

"With the country newly settled, everything needs to be rebuilt, and a great deal of money and grain are required. As long as they take action, I can save myself a lot of trouble."

Seeing Liu Jilong like this, the two were speechless, unable to utter a word for a long time.

They were not unfamiliar with the tactic of using oneself as bait to lure others, but if this person was Liu Jilong, who always prioritized safety, then it was something they were worried about.

Seeing the worry on their faces, Liu Jilong chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I won't risk my life."

"This world still needs my good governance, and many outdated customs and practices still need my dedicated efforts to resolve."

After he finished speaking, he slowly stood up, looked out the window at the twilight, and then looked at the elderly Gao Jinda and Li Shangyin.

"After twenty-four years of military service, all I sought was for farmers to have land to cultivate, children to have access to education, and the people to live in peace."

"Now that the world is ablaze with glory, how can we, people of such lowly status, bear to let our long-cherished wishes flow away like the eastward flowing river?"

Upon hearing Liu Jilong's question, the two couldn't help but think of the visions Liu Jilong had shared with them years ago.

Now that they have established peace, though they are weary and gray-haired, whenever they recall those scenes from their memories and look back on the present, they feel that although their bodies are old, their spirit remains unchanged.

"Your Highness, I am willing to follow you in governing the world and bringing peace to the people!"

(End of this chapter)