Jinting Han people

Since Huangfu Shang went to Guanzhong to deliver the imperial edict, Luoyang quickly fell into a tense atmosphere of preparation for war again, with various dignitaries in the court secretly calculating their chances of victory. Within just seven or eight days, a constant stream of people came to test Liu Xian and Sima Yi under various pretexts. Liu Xian, overwhelmed by the constant inquiries, simply moved out of the Sili Prefecture, entrusting miscellaneous matters to Liu Kun, Lu Yun, Fu Chang, and others, while he himself went to Xuanwu Field to focus on reorganizing military affairs.

The Imperial Guards of Luoyang are currently in dire need of rebuilding.

Originally, the Imperial Guard consisted of thirty-six armies, numbering approximately 100,000 during Sima Wei's command. However, after the Zhao King's Rebellion, the well-trained Imperial Guard soldiers, considered the cornerstone of the state, suffered significant losses, leaving only about 40,000 to 50,000. Later, when Sima Jiong came to power, he transferred nearly 40,000 soldiers from Xuchang to fill some of the gaps, but their combat quality had greatly declined, and they were no longer as formidable as before.

Last December, Sima Yi staged a coup to defeat Sima Jiong, resulting in nearly 10,000 casualties within three days. Coupled with the recent exodus of scholars to Ye City and the departure of some imperial guards north, the imperial guards have dwindled to only about 60,000 to 70,000 men. While the Thirty-Six Armies retain their organizational structure, many are actually less than half their original strength.

In contrast, the forces that the Western Expeditionary Army could mobilize were originally estimated to be around 100,000 men in Chang'an. Last year, it forcibly absorbed the 50,000-strong army sent by Sima Jiong to pacify Shu and took over Hanzhong Commandery, resulting in a significant expansion of its strength. If Huangfu Zhong of Qin Province had not been willing to surrender to the court, the manpower of the two would probably not have been on the same level.

The bigger problem lies in the shortage of officers. Generally, scholars could only enter officialdom through two paths: either becoming minor officials in local governments or becoming officers in the Imperial Guard. Now, with scholars flocking north, there are many vacancies in the military.

A truly effective army undoubtedly needs skilled and courageous junior and middle-ranking officers. In this regard, the Western Expeditionary Army had a significant advantage; having survived the chaos of the Qi Wannian Rebellion, many of its officers were seasoned veterans with extensive experience in life-or-death combat. The Imperial Guards, however, had to start from scratch.

The only advantage they had was probably in terms of supplies and equipment. After all, their armory contained the largest stockpile of armor, weapons, crossbows, and arrows in the world, meaning that almost everyone in the Imperial Guard was armored and they didn't have to worry about running out of arrows. Most notably, the army possessed ten thousand sets of iron armor and crossbows—a number unmatched in the world.

However, this advantage was not overwhelming. During the campaign against Qi, Sima Jiong fired over 400,000 arrows in three days; and when Zu Ti set fire to the Grand Marshal's residence, the armory was also affected, destroying some supplies. It should be noted that once an arrow shaft is damaged, it is difficult to aim and reuse. All of this meant that the Imperial Guards would find it difficult to replicate the exaggerated scene of arrows flying like locusts on the battlefield in the future.

Considering the grand scene of 100,000 horses drinking from the Luo River when Li Han led the Western Army to the city last December, it is extremely difficult to say who would have the upper hand in the battle.

Logically, the Imperial Guards should have had an advantage in terms of provisions, since the canal construction by Liu Xian had improved the grain transport in Luoyang, allowing them to purchase large quantities of grain from various prefectures and counties. In contrast, the Western Expeditionary Army had to traverse mountains and valleys to transport grain from Tongguan to Hongnong, carrying a large number of horses. Aside from the military provisions, the daily consumption of fodder for the horses was astronomical. Theoretically, if the court could stall, it could wear down the Western Expeditionary Army.

But whenever Liu Xian recalled Zhang Fang's threatening words at Hangu Pass, a chill ran down his spine. He couldn't simply dismiss those cannibalistic words as mere intimidation; he had to prepare for the worst.

Liu Xian's first priority was to select officers. Time was of the essence. Although Liu Xian knew the best approach was to select outstanding soldiers from the ranks, train them through extensive military drills, and then gradually develop them, there was no time for that now. He could only select as many capable individuals as possible in the shortest possible time to establish the framework of the Imperial Guard.

So, before the weather got too hot, Liu Xian publicly announced the matter among the scholars of Luoyang, inviting those interested in joining the army to register at Xuanwu Field. He would then assess their skills in horsemanship, archery, military strategy, and other essential martial arts, selecting the best candidates. The officers remaining in the Imperial Guards were no exception; they too had to participate in the assessment, which also served as an opportunity for Liu Xian to get to know them.

However, the results of the assessment were not satisfactory.

That morning, a young man, his face flushed, strained to draw the bowstring to its maximum, attempting to aim the arrow at the target not far away. However, it was clear his thin arms couldn't support such effort, causing his legs to tremble slightly. He finally had to hastily release the arrow, which predictably struck the edge of the target.

Liu Xian shook his head slightly, sighed, and said to Xi Jian, who was recording the notes beside him, "Let's put it in the third category."

Xi Jian nodded, wrote "Grade C" in the archery section of the slip, and handed it back to the young man. The young man took the slip. Although he kept his head down, it was clear that his face was still flushed. Previously, it was because he was exhausted, but now it was because he was ashamed and embarrassed. He didn't speak to Liu Xian and the others, and quickly walked away.

Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai, was sitting to the side. After watching the young man leave, he said to Liu Xian, "Lord Songzi, wasn't that a bit too harsh?"

Sima Yue, now known for his gentle nature, proper conduct, and his allegiance to the Prince of Changsha during the coup, was highly valued by Sima Yi. Not only was he promoted to Minister of Works, but when Liu Xian planned to reorganize the Imperial Guards, Sima Yi also had Sima Yue accompany him to investigate.

As Liu Xian reviewed the list in his hand, he called out the name of the next person. Then he said to Sima Yue, "Your Highness, this is a target at thirty paces. The Xun family member just now hit the bullseye three out of five times, but not a single arrow hit the bullseye. It is normal for him to be ranked in the third grade."

Sima Yue advised, "But nowadays scholars mostly read poetry and study literature. Where are we going to find so many young people who are both literate and skilled in martial arts? Lord Songzi, just make do. Why don't you lower your standards a bit?"

"After all, everyone came here with a heart to serve the country. Moreover, it was you who personally announced at the Imperial Academy that you wanted to recruit talented people, but you turned everyone away. This is probably harmful to the hearts of the people!"

Liu Xian nodded, signaling the newcomers to begin the archery contest. He then said solemnly to Sima Yue, “Your Highness, swords are merciless. We must be selective and not compromise on quality here, as this is the only way to be responsible to them. Otherwise, when they go to the battlefield, they won’t even have the strength to wear armor and fight. Are we going to use them as expendable shields? In the end, people will die, and the battle will be lost. That would truly harm both ourselves and others.”

"As for the people's hearts, the stricter we are in disciplining our army, the more the people will think that we are capable of winning battles. If we indiscriminately send anyone into the army, regardless of age, weakness, or disability, Your Highness, the people will only think that we are on the verge of collapse and are desperate for resources."

Liu Xian's words were sound reasoning, and Sima Yue could not refute them. He had no choice but to swallow his pride and continue the assessment with Liu Xian. However, it must be said that the results of the assessment were truly disastrous. Liu Xian had a shortage of about two hundred officers. His requirements were not high; all that was needed was basic horsemanship and archery skills, some knowledge of simple military texts, and familiarity with military orders. But after nearly three days and assessing almost a thousand people, only one-tenth met the standards, which was half of the vacancies.

This doesn't even consider the quality of the officers already in the Imperial Guard. Although many princes held nominal positions within the Imperial Guard, very few were truly in charge; most delegated tasks to their advisors. Examples include Sima Yang, Prince of Xiyang; Sima Rui, Prince of Langya; and Sima Yan, Prince of Wu. Sima Yan, in particular, was nearly blind and had to rely on the Grand Secretary He Xun to manage the army.

And many of the sons of noble families were the same. In battle, they would only point fingers and shout, ordering their subordinates to their deaths. Very few of them were willing to live and die alongside their soldiers, fighting side by side.

Liu Xian thought to himself: There's nothing major going on in the Sili Prefecture right now, so why not discuss with Sima Yi about transferring Xi Jian, Huan Yi, Li Sheng, and others to the Imperial Guard and giving them some positions? That would be better than the current situation.

Even so, there were still dozens of vacancies that were difficult to fill. Were they really going to just find some random people to fill the positions? After the assessment ended, it was already quite late. He had arranged to have dinner at home with A'Luo that day. After saying goodbye to Sima Yue, he led Zhuge Yan, Meng Tao, and a few others on horseback back to the manor. On the way, he pondered this problem, but couldn't come up with any good ideas.

In the end, he thought helplessly: if there really was no good solution, then he might as well look for someone from his own relatives. He still had several cousins, such as Liu Xuan, Liu Ke, and Liu Yu. Although they weren't particularly capable, at least they were in the Imperial Guard and could obey his orders. He just didn't know if Sima Yi would allow it.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the Duke of Anle's residence, he suddenly saw a carriage parked in front of the gate. The carriage was extremely luxurious, with vermilion wheels, deer-shaped saddles, bear-shaped saddlecloths, black bridle, and a black silk canopy—a style reserved for dukes and marquises. Liu Xian felt the carriage was both familiar and unfamiliar. After looking at the Xiangyang flag hanging on the carriage for a while, he finally remembered: wasn't this Wang Cui's carriage?
He hurried inside and saw Wang Cui and Xiu Hua sitting in the hall, with A Luo accompanying them.

Upon seeing Liu Xian return, Wang Cui quickly stood up and smiled at him, saying, "Huai Chong, you're such a busy man! I've looked for you three times this month, and I'm so glad to finally see you!"

Liu Xian was also extremely happy. He first returned the greeting with clasped hands, then took his hand and led him to his seat, laughing, "How could that be? Hongyuan, I missed you too! I thought you were going to be in mourning for your father. Is it over now?"

As one of the few friends who had been with Wang Cui since their time at the Prince of Shiping's residence, Liu Xian had deep feelings for her. Although he wasn't particularly talented and had some minor flaws due to his pampered upbringing, he was impeccable in his treatment of friends.

However, during the Zhao King's Rebellion two years ago, Wang Cui's father, Wang Ju, passed away, and he returned to his hometown to observe mourning according to custom. As a result, he stayed away from politics for more than two years, thus avoiding these two major political upheavals.

Wang Cui was deeply moved by this and said to Liu Xian, "Yes, it was only a three-year mourning period, but now that I'm back, it seems like everything has changed. In this huge city of Luoyang, I hardly recognize any of my old acquaintances anymore."

In their early years, the two served as study companions to Sima Wei at the Prince of Shiping's residence. Now, Sima Wei has been dead for over ten years, and their teacher Liu Song passed away the year before last, along with Meng Guan, Li Zhao, and others. Sima Yi, who used to occasionally visit the Prince's residence, has now become the regent prime minister. Thinking of all this, Liu Xian felt that fate was unpredictable and patted Wang Cui's hand, everything understood without words.

After Wang Cui sat down, he pulled a ten-year-old child out from next to Xiu Hua and pointed at Liu Xian, saying, "Quickly, A-Zhen, call him Uncle Liu!"

It turned out to be Wang Zhang, Wang Cui's eldest son. He inherited his mother Xiu Hua's looks and appeared to be more handsome than Wang Cui. However, he was still a bit shy. He looked at Liu Xian, timidly greeted him, and then hid behind Xiu Hua to watch him.

Xiu Hua smiled and said to Liu Xian, "Although he is young, he has always admired you, brother! Now that you are General Wei, you must take good care of him in the future."

Liu Xian readily agreed, and said to A Luo beside him, "Hongyuan's child is my child, there's no difference." A Luo smiled and agreed, the two families getting along so well that they were practically like one big family.

That evening, the two drank together. Wang Cui revealed his purpose, saying bluntly, "The court is in chaos right now. The Prince of Changsha is in Luoyang, the Prince of Chengdu is in Yecheng, the Prince of Hejian is in Chang'an, and there are so many princes in the provinces. With multiple authorities issuing orders, there will inevitably be a battle between them to determine a winner."

“Now that my father has passed away and I have inherited the title, I must take on the mission of the Marquis of Xiangyang County. Before he died, he instructed me: In this chaotic world, never disgrace the name of my ancestor (Wang Jun).”

"Judging from the current situation, I think the King of Chengdu has the best chance of winning, so I originally wanted to go to Ye City. However, Xiu Hua told me that if I stayed in Luoyang to assist the King of Changsha, there might be an opportunity, so he wanted me to stay. Huai Chong, tell me frankly, do you think the King of Changsha can succeed?"

This is a very serious topic, and even the best of friends must answer it seriously. Liu Xian sighed and said, "Hongyuan, it is true that the King of Changsha is indeed weak and isolated now. But I have also been to Ye City, and to tell you the truth, the King of Chengdu is not a suitable ruler. There, eunuchs are in charge now. If you go there, even if you are the prince consort, you will still suffer."

"What about the King of Hejian? I heard he doesn't stick to any particular type of person when it comes to hiring."

"He is indeed unconventional, but he relies too much on intrigue and will not amount to much. He is not as good as the King of Qi."

Wang Cui seemed to be deep in thought, then leaned forward slightly and asked, "I recently heard that the court is going to war with the Prince of Hejian. What are your chances of winning?"

Liu Xian said sincerely, "If it's just fighting the Western Army, the chances are still 60-70%."

"Oh? So low?" Wang Cui raised his glass and laughed, "I thought that with your reputation, it should be around 80% or 90%."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian laughed heartily, clinked glasses with Wang Cui, drank it down, and said, "Even a clever cook can't cook without rice!" He then told Wang Cui the truth about the recent shortage of officers in the Imperial Guards.

Wang Cui said, "It's only a few dozen people, what's so difficult about that?"

Liu Xian shook his head and said, "It would be easy to find a few dozen people at random, but after all, it's war, and the court needs people who can go to the battlefield."

Wang Cui patted Liu Xian's shoulder forcefully and said solemnly, "Don't underestimate me! My ancestor was the one who made the greatest contribution to the destruction of Wu, and my family is a family of military merit. We still have quite a few connections in the army!"

He then scratched his head, frowned, and said, "As far as I know, there are indeed suitable people in Luoyang, and they have some old connections with my family. However, in recent years, the court has been embroiled in frequent political struggles, and they have become disheartened and have not been involved in politics for many years. I don't know if I can persuade them to join me." (End of Chapter)