The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 228 Northern Frontier Protector-General, Military Advisor of the Eight Departments
In winter, all fighting in the northern frontier ceases, and the enemy will not choose to attack at this time. Otherwise, the northern frontier army would not need to lift a finger; Heaven would punish them first.

Therefore, Li Xiao summoned all the generals to Jinzhou, mainly to discuss the establishment of the Grand Protectorate and the expansion of the three towns.

The meeting location was chosen to be Longcheng.

The weather was so cold that construction on the outer city had to be halted, but the inner city was already completed.

After simple renovations, the Grand Protectorate revealed part of its outline to the public for the first time.

In the front courtyard and the main hall, a large number of generals had gathered, numbering several dozen at a glance, all of whom were generals of the rank of commander or above.

The security measures in Longcheng have reached the highest level.

The inner city was patrolled by fully armed imperial guards, and the Grand Protectorate was also guarded by numerous personal guards.

They are truly on high alert to prevent anyone from taking advantage of any loopholes.

The weather was cold, and snowflakes were falling softly in the air, but the atmosphere inside the main hall was exceptionally lively.

At the four corners of the main hall stood braziers, each more than half a person tall, with fist-sized charcoal burning red-hot, crackling and sparking, making the hall feel as warm as springtime.

The generals, clad in cotton armor, had already removed their helmets, their collars open and sweat pouring down their faces, the veins on their bronze necks throbbing with each breath.

Some people simply leaned their armor against a pillar, revealing their sweat-soaked undergarments, and grabbed a wine jar from the table to gulp it down.

"Erhu, you need to wash that armor."

Seeing Erhu eating and drinking without any regard for his image, Dahu laughed and scolded, "If you soak it in water, the blood and sweat on it will be enough to pickle the vegetables thoroughly."

After he finished speaking, the surrounding generals burst into laughter.

Erhu was also very proud, gnawing on a sheep bone and showing off his glorious deeds in southern Xinjiang to Dahu and the others.

"This cotton armor followed me from Dongdu all the way to Jimo over several months, and it's stained with the blood of at least several hundred enemies..."

As Erhu spoke, spittle mixed with bits of meat in his mouth sprayed everywhere, and Dahu, sitting next to him, suffered the most.

"Let me tell you, the women in southern Xinjiang are really juicy, the kind that you can squeeze water out of when you pinch them."

"It's a pity I came in such a hurry this time, otherwise I would have brought back several hundred to let you all have a taste of meat~"

Erhu's words were quickly drowned out by the jeers and laughter. Seven or eight wine bowls clattered together as the generals downed their drinks, displaying the boldness of the men of the northern frontier.

On the other side, Chen Chong and Han Jiuyuan sat together, watching Erhu's posture across from them, and their lips twitched involuntarily.

"Is this the future son-in-law?"

"That's so~"

Is it appropriate to talk so openly about how many women he has stolen in front of his future father-in-law?

Chen Chong had been cultivating land in the desert and only recently returned to the northern frontier.

But he learned that his wife had taken his daughter to the Li family.

The Li family's wife and matriarch seemed very satisfied with their daughter and wanted to marry her off to Li Erhu.

Erhu is Li Xiao's younger brother, who also holds military power and has made outstanding military achievements. He is one of the most powerful figures in the northern frontier.

Chen Chong was naturally very happy to have Erhu as her son-in-law.

It was Erhu's carefree and easygoing personality that really gave Chen Chong a headache.

But this is just a minor issue.

Chen Chong was quite happy to accept the marriage.

Noticing that he had been paying close attention to Erhu, Han Jiuyuan chuckled and said, "Meng Shi, congratulations on finding a good son-in-law!"

Mengshi is Chen Chong's courtesy name.

The two had known each other when they were in the royal court, but their relationship wasn't very close at the time. However, after arriving in Jinzhou, they formed a small clique due to their similar backgrounds.

"Hehehe, congratulations to you too." Chen Chong nodded and smiled.

"I heard Ying'er is pregnant. Congratulations!"

The two didn't drink much; they simply reminisced and enjoyed the dance performance in the hall.

There were about a dozen dancers, all of them Naiman and Uyghur girls.

Their talent for singing and dancing is truly remarkable.

Once everyone had finished eating and drinking, Li Xiao ordered the dancers to leave.

The noise inside the hall receded like the tide, and the crisp sound of wine bowls being gently placed on the table could be clearly heard.

The generals stopped their playful banter and all eyes were fixed on Li Xiao.
"It's been a long time since I've seen everyone so lively."

Li Xiao, dressed in a black cotton robe, slowly stood up, his slightly oppressive gaze sweeping over the generals in the hall.

He sighed softly and said, "In the past few years, we have either been fighting or on our way to fight. Many of our old brothers have died on the battlefield."

"But I am still very fortunate that you are all still alive and well, and that you can still drink and eat meat with me, play with women, kill enemies together, and witness the arrival of the golden age of my northern frontier."

……

“You are all my brothers and brethren. When I raised the army, I said that as long as I, Li Xiao, have food to eat, I will never let you go hungry.”

"Now, we have established a firm foothold in the northern frontier, and all seven prefectures of the northern frontier are under our control."

"This is not only my achievement, Li Xiao's achievement, but also the achievement of all of you, and the glory of the millions of comrades who died in battle."

"I, Li Xiao, will not keep this honor to myself."

Li Xiao's gaze swept heavily over the generals in the hall. Seeing their resolute expressions, Li Xiao nodded slightly and began to announce the formal orders.

"This capital has decided to formally establish the Northern Frontier Protectorate, which will govern a territory of 30 million hectares encompassing seven prefectures: Jinzhou, Damo, Xihai, Yinshan, Yili, Qihe, and Beihai."

Thirty million hectares is equivalent to three billion mu, which, converted to later units of measurement, is two million square kilometers.

Today's Northern Xinjiang encompasses roughly the entirety of what would later become Northern Xinjiang and Ili, the entire Seven Rivers region, one-third of Mongolia's territory, and the upper reaches of the Irtysh River.

Even without a formal nation-state, the vast territory of two million square kilometers undoubtedly made Northern Frontier a behemoth in this era.

With a territory of 800,000 square kilometers, far exceeding that of the Western Xia, and comparable to that of the Southern Song Dynasty, it was a powerful force second only to the Jin Dynasty with 3.6 million square kilometers.

With such a vast area, simple vertical management alone is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of governance.

In particular, the population of northern Xinjiang will continue to grow, and northern Xinjiang will gradually bid farewell to its current state of being sparsely populated.

Therefore, it is necessary to establish a stable and efficient system of governance.

The establishment of the Grand Protectorate system is imperative.

"The number of towns in our northern border region is increasing, and the three-town system is no longer sufficient to manage all the towns. Therefore, this capital has decided to add three more towns, making it six towns."

As soon as Li Xiao finished speaking, all the generals stood up and shouted, "The Grand Protector is wise!"

"The Grand Protector is wise!"

They had known about the expansion of the six towns for a long time and were secretly excited, all waiting for this day.

They followed Li Xiao in his campaigns across the country. Although their initial motivation was simply to resist injustice and protect their families, their intentions changed as their status rose.

Who doesn't want to get promoted and make a fortune? Who doesn't want a loving wife and children, and eternal wealth and honor?

Then, at Li Xiao's signal, Gu Zizhong stood up, respectfully holding a bright yellow silk scroll in both hands. He gently unfurled it, stood in the hall, and loudly proclaimed:
"It is said that Heaven's way is clear and protects the people; its territory is majestic and cannot be coveted. The northern frontier is a land of magnificent mountains and rivers, fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles, the divine territory of China, and a vital point of the dragon vein."

"In the past, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu in the north, sealed the Wolf Mountain, and displayed the might of the Han Dynasty; Li Jing and Li Ji pacified the Turks and drank water from the desert, demonstrating the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. Now we live in a chaotic world and witness the people of the northern frontier suffering in dire straits. How can we not step forward, follow the example of the sages, and save the people from their plight?"

"In order to protect our territory and people, and safeguard our land, we have decided to establish the Northern Frontier Protectorate, with Li Xiao of the Li family of Jinzhou as the Grand Protector, in charge of all military and political affairs."

……

The lengthy article, read aloud by Gu Zizhong with such cadence and intonation, further heightened the spirits of the generals in the hall.

Subsequently, this article spread throughout the various prefectures of northern Xinjiang, and the news of the formal establishment of the Northern Xinjiang Protectorate spread throughout the world.

Then, all the generals in the hall stood up, patted their chests and bowed to Li Xiao, saying, "Greetings, Grand Protector! Greetings, Grand Protector!"

"Greetings, Grand Protector!"

Prior to this, although Li Xiao had already been called the Grand Protector, the Northern Frontier Protectorate was actually still in the preparatory stage.

Now, all preparations are complete, and the Protectorate General has been officially established.

"No need to be polite."

"Everyone, please stand up."

Li Xiao gently raised his hand in greeting.

Then, Gu Zizhong took out another scroll and read aloud: "It is said that the safety of the country depends on virtuous and talented people; the stability of the borders depends on good officials."

"The northern frontier, bordered by mountains and rivers, serves as a bulwark for the Central Plains. Barbarian cavalry are always lurking, and war clouds are constantly gathering. The Grand Protector, entrusted by Heaven, is in charge of both military and political affairs. Now, he is recruiting outstanding talents and appointing them to important positions to jointly build an impregnable defense for the northern frontier."

"Imperial decree: Jiu Meng Anhe shall be appointed as the Sima of the Protectorate General's Office, concurrently serving as the Military Advisor of the Military Affairs Department, in charge of military training and battle formation."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiu Meng'anhe, dressed in a plain white cotton robe, walked into the hall, patted his chest heavily, and said, "This humble general obeys your command and will certainly not fail the trust of the Grand Protector."

The position of Sima was generally responsible for military decision-making, similar to the Privy Council in the State of Song.

The Military Affairs Department, similar to the Ministry of War, was the specific executive department responsible for the army's logistics, military training, and military registration management.

However, since Li Xiao is a military commander, he does not need a Privy Councilor as a direct military decision-maker.

Therefore, this function was replaced by Li Xiao, and although Sima's position was high, his power was greatly weakened.

Therefore, Li Xiao appointed Jiu Meng'anhe as Military Advisor of the Military Affairs Department, mainly responsible for the army's logistics and daily training, but not directly involved in commanding troops.

After Jiu Meng'an withdrew, Gu Zizhong read out: "Han Jiuyuan is skilled in calculation and adept at worldly affairs."

"He is hereby appointed as the Military Advisor of the Household Department, in charge of managing the revenue and expenditure of money, grain, taxes, and military supplies. He shall assess the situation, live within his means, replenish the treasury to meet military needs, allocate resources to ensure the well-being of the people, and ensure the orderly flow of money and goods so that there is no shortage of military and political resources."

The Household Affairs Office was equivalent to the Ministry of Finance, responsible for the finances and taxation of the northern frontier.

Han Jiuyuan was once the Minister of Revenue of the Wang court, and he is still doing the same job now.

The position of Military Advisor in the Household Department is perfect for him.

"Your subordinate obeys and will certainly not fail the trust of the Grand Protector." Han Jiuyuan walked into the hall and bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Chen Chong, a staff member, is knowledgeable in agriculture and skilled in managing military farms. Effective immediately, he is appointed as a military advisor in the Military Farms Department, in charge of military farm affairs in the northern frontier, planning land reclamation, constructing water conservancy projects, and promoting agricultural techniques to ensure sufficient military rations and enrich the people's livelihood."

Chen Chong walked into the tent, bowed with a smile and said, "Thank you, Great Protector. I will certainly live up to your trust."

The Yingtian Division was responsible for grain and other supplies in Jinzhou.

In addition to overseeing the slaves who were farming the land, they were also responsible for building granaries to store up grain from Jinzhou and transport it to the battlefield during wartime.

Moreover, grain in Jinzhou was also a monopoly, just like salt and iron. Even grain grown by the townspeople was not allowed to be sold or traded at will.

They could only be sold to specialized grain merchants in Hexi, who would then deliver them to the Tuntian Si warehouse. The existence of these two departments was to ensure a stable supply of grain in the northern frontier and prevent unscrupulous merchants from taking advantage of the situation.

"Luo Ping of the Luo family in Jinzhou has distinguished himself in battle and is known for his unwavering loyalty. He is now appointed as a military advisor in the Salt and Iron Bureau, responsible for controlling the vital mineral resources of the northern frontier. He must strictly crack down on smuggling, stabilize prices, develop mines and smelt iron, and produce salt from the mountains to replenish the treasury and supply the military," Gu Zizhong continued reading.

These words surprised everyone in the hall.

Some of the newly appointed generals were not very familiar with Luo Ping, but the veteran generals of Jinzhou were very familiar with him.

Luo Ping was a founding member who joined Li Xiao in raising an army.

He fought against the Karluks, raided the Naiman by crossing the Golden Mountain, and fought countless wars, but due to health reasons, he has left the army.

But unexpectedly, Li Xiao invited him out again this time.

Meanwhile, Luo Ping and his son Luo Meng, having already received Li Xiao's instructions, were standing in the hall.

Luo Ping was perfectly willing to take on the position of military advisor in the Salt and Iron Bureau, since he was not too old, only bulky and still recovering from an injury sustained a few years ago.

He can no longer go to the battlefield, but he is still willing to come out of retirement to manage logistical matters.

He was wearing a wolfskin coat, and his large belly made him look like a mountain of flesh.

He always had a smile on his face, like a Maitreya Buddha, but if you stared at him for too long, you could feel a faint chill down your spine.

It felt like being targeted by a ferocious wild beast.

Although Luo Ping had not been on the battlefield for two years, the murderous aura on his body had not been worn down by the comfortable life; it was still terrifying, only now it was hidden.

Standing in the hall, Luo Ping chuckled and patted his chest, saying, "Thank you, Grand Protector. This humble general will certainly manage those slaves well."

Li Xiao nodded slightly and smiled, "I naturally believe in Uncle Luo's abilities."

"Having fought so many tough battles, a mere group of slaves with their fangs pulled out will surely be no match for Uncle Luo."

"However, although official business is important, Uncle Luo, you still need to take care of your health."

Compared to the last time I saw Luo Ping, he is now much fatter.

Weighing at least 250 pounds and not very tall, his body was all flesh, which made Li Xiao quite worried about him.

"It's alright, haha, this humble general's body can still hold up for several more decades, holding a great-grandson is no problem," Luo Ping said, which caused the generals in the hall to burst into laughter.

Li Xiao chuckled and nodded. His nephew, Luo Wenzhong, was only two years old this year.

As for the Salt and Iron Bureau, it was not a salt and iron monopoly as the name suggests, but rather responsible for managing all natural mineral resources such as salt mines, iron mines, coal mines, and gold mines within the northern border region.

It was equivalent to the Ministry of Natural Resources in later times.

Moreover, the Salt and Iron Bureau and the Agricultural Development Bureau, which Chen Chong was in charge of, were the only two departments in the Northern Frontier Protectorate that, apart from the regular army of the Six Garrisons, possessed military power.

Because land reclamation and mining required a large number of slaves.

At the Jinshan Iron Mine and the Xihai Coal Mine alone, tens of thousands of slaves worked continuously every day.

Therefore, in addition to having an army stationed around the mine, the Salt and Iron Bureau, which was under Luo Ping's jurisdiction, was directly responsible for guarding these slaves.

Each mining area would have a special guard team responsible for watching over the slaves, supervising their mining, and suppressing any slave rebellions.

Only when the mine protection team loses control of the situation will the surrounding town soldiers come out to suppress it.

The size of the mine protection team was not very large. For example, at Jinshan Iron Mine, the team consisted of only three hundred people, who managed more than five thousand slaves.

Moreover, most of the members of the mine protection team were retired or disabled soldiers from the town.

They possess rich combat experience and are equipped with advanced weapons forged in the northern frontier. As long as it is not a large-scale rebellion of miners, they can suppress it.

Similarly, coal mines, gold mines, salt mines, and so on, are all equipped with mine protection teams and are all under the jurisdiction of Luoping.

The main reason is that Luo Ping, as a former high-ranking officer of the Jinzhou Army, had enough prestige and was ruthless enough to subdue those mine slaves.

Moreover, the agricultural protection team was formed by a large number of retired or wounded soldiers under the jurisdiction of Chen Chong.

Both of these are powerful departments under the Grand Protectorate.

After confirming the four military advisors, Gu Zizhong continued to read out the next advisor.

"Zhang Xinghua was appointed as the Military Advisor of the Performance Evaluation Department, in charge of evaluating officials and soldiers, verifying their political achievements, and recording their military exploits."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Xinghua walked into the hall, patted his chest, and said, "Your subordinate obeys and will certainly live up to the great protector's kindness."

The Examination and Merit Office was equivalent to the Ministry of Personnel.

However, the northern frontier is now strong in military affairs but weak in literature, and the performance evaluation of officials is just an empty shell.

Therefore, the mission of the Performance Evaluation Office is still within the military.

His main responsibility was to record the merits and demerits of mid- to low-ranking officers, assess the severity of their mistakes, and, based on the recommendations of officers from various departments, determine the candidates for promotion or punishment before reporting to Li Xiao.

In fact, this should have been the Ministry of War's task.

However, Li Xiao did not want the Military Affairs Department to have too much power, since it controlled personnel promotions and was equivalent to the Ministry of Personnel. Therefore, he established the Examination and Merit Department separately.

"Li Dongzhi is skilled in mechanical arts and knowledgeable in weaponry. He is appointed as the Military Advisor of the Weaponry Department, in charge of weapon forging and armor repair," Gu Zizhong said loudly.

A new department has emerged: the Ordnance Department.

It was originally the Hexi Armory, and Li Dongzhi was Li Xiao's cousin, Li Sanzhi.

After revising the family genealogy, Li Xiao personally changed his name to Li Dongzhi.

The original Hexi Armory was established by Li Xiao and belonged to the Li family as private property.

However, industries like the military industry, which are vital to the nation's survival, must be controlled by the Protectorate General.

Li Xiao had a clear vision for the Hexi Trading Company: to develop downstream industries of the Protectorate General and expand into areas that the Protectorate General was not comfortable or had the resources to pursue.

But we cannot turn the tables and take the lead.

Otherwise, wouldn't the northern border region become a regime controlled by capital?
Moreover, as long as the Northern Frontier is big enough, even if they only eat what the Protectorate General spills out, it will be enough to fill the Hexi Merchant Guild's stomach.

After all, in this field, no one can compete with Hexi Trading Company.

"Hu Li is quick-witted, eloquent, and well-versed in etiquette. He was appointed as a military advisor in the Court of State Ceremonies, in charge of diplomatic affairs."

As soon as the words were spoken, a slender figure eagerly walked into the hall.

She looked at Li Xiao with an excited expression and tears in her eyes.

While others would clasp their hands on their chests in a gesture of respect, he knelt down on both knees and said in a trembling voice, "Your subordinate thanks the Great Protector for his trust."

"Your subordinate will serve the Great Protector with utmost loyalty, even unto death, going through fire and water."

Hu Li was very excited.

His original name was Huli, and he was just a slave who changed hands several times and lived a life of constant wandering.

Until four years ago, when Dongdu was fighting against the Naiman, he was captured by Li Xiao by chance and became Li Xiao's slave.

Then, his extraordinary life began, and he changed his name to Hu Li.

In just four years, he went from being a slave to becoming a high-ranking official in the northern frontier, serving as the military advisor of the Protectorate General's Office.

Some people may look down on him because of his background, but he doesn't care.

At this moment, Hu Li could only think of the saying, "A scholar will die for one who understands him."

If his master trusts him, then he must not disappoint his master and must do a good job as the military advisor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Looking at Hu Li's appearance, Li Xiao shook his head slightly and said with a hint of reprimand, "Stand up. You are now the Military Advisor of the Court of State Ceremonies, representing the face of my Northern Frontier Protectorate."

"Never kneel before anyone."

Hu Li remained excited, stood up, and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes~"

Then, he greeted Zhang Xinghua and the others with an excited expression.

Zhang Xinghua and the others responded with smiles.

Heroes are not defined by their origins.

Hu Li's abilities are undeniable, especially his talent for languages.

He is fluent in multiple ethnic languages, including Chinese, Khitan, Uyghur, Turkic, and Naiman.

Then there's his smooth interpersonal skills; he can get along with everyone, making him a rare diplomatic talent.

Li Xiao also employs talent in unconventional ways.

After Hu Li finished speaking about his position as a military advisor in the Court of State Ceremonies, only Gu Zizhong remained.

At this moment, he cleared his somewhat dry throat, straightened his back unconsciously, and shouted in an even louder voice: "Gu Zizhong is upright and prudent, incorruptible, well-versed in the law, and discerning and decisive, and strictly abides by the law."

"Gu Zizhong is hereby appointed as the Military Advisor of the Legal Affairs Department, in charge of judicial affairs, adjudicating military and civilian lawsuits, maintaining local order, promoting the law, so that the people can live and work in peace and the border areas can enjoy long-term stability."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Zizhong immediately bowed respectfully to Li Xiao: "Thank you for your trust, Great Protector. I will certainly live up to your expectations and serve you wholeheartedly."

The Ministry of Justice was essentially a castrated version of the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate, all three of which were overseen by Gu Zizhong.

In addition to cases committed by ordinary townspeople, the Legal Affairs Department also oversees illegal activities by officials and generals.

They still wield considerable power.

After all the officials had been read out, Li Xiao said to the eight men, “Now that you have been appointed to these posts, you should take it as your duty to defend the territory and ensure the safety of the people.”

"Be conscientious and dutiful, and live up to the trust placed in you. If you achieve something, you will be richly rewarded; if you are negligent, you will be severely punished. I hope we can work together to protect the peace and tranquility of the northern border."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone bowed and said, "We will follow the Grand Commander's instructions."

With this, all eight departments under the Northern Frontier Protectorate have been appointed.

They are Sima Jian Bingcao Si Canjun Jiu Meng Anhe;
Han Jiuyuan, Military Advisor of the Household Department;

Chen Chong, Military Advisor of the Agricultural Development Bureau;
Luo Ping, Military Advisor of the Salt and Iron Bureau;
Zhang Xinghua, Military Advisor of the Performance Evaluation Department;

Li Dongzhi, Military Advisor of the Ordnance Department;

Hu Li, Military Advisor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices;
Gu Zizhong, Military Advisor of the Ministry of Justice.

These eight departments formed the basic structure of the current Northern Xinjiang Protectorate.

However, compared to a complete imperial court, these departments are far from sufficient, and will naturally be supplemented in the future.

After the appointment of the military advisors of the eight departments of the Protectorate General was completed, the next step was to appoint military generals.

Six towns!

Instantly, the generals of the Northern Frontier Army looked at Li Xiao with even greater excitement.

(End of this chapter)