A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 83: Recruiting for Military Service

It was lunch time.
Li Yi was taken directly to the canteen of the Shangshu Province.

Each government office in the capital has a public kitchen that provides free meals. Officials can eat in the kitchen and discuss work at the same time.

"Your Highness,"

Li Shimin beckoned him to sit next to him and eat together.

Li Yi glanced around and found Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Liu Wenjing, Yin Kaishan and others sitting beside the long table.

Among the crowd of officials in purple and crimson robes, Liu and Yin, dressed in white, stood out.

After the last defeat at Asamizuhara, these two were stripped of their posts and demoted to civilians, and have not yet been reinstated.

Originally, a prime minister and a minister of the Ministry of Personnel were both important officials in the court. They had fallen hard, but seeing that they were still able to appear here, it shows that both Li Yuan and Li Shimin actually trusted these two people.

Soon a lunch was placed in front of Li Yi.
It was quite rich, not only did they have millet stew, but also locust leaf cold pottery, the cold mutton that I had at Du's last time, and a dish that looked like cold porridge.

"This is Qingfeng rice. We are taking advantage of your highness. We don't usually have Leng Xiuyang and Qingfeng rice." Du Ruhui said with a smile.

Xu Luoren, standing by, explained that Qingfeng Rice is made by mixing crystal rice, camphor powder, and milk. After mixing, it is placed in a golden jar, lowered into a well, and waited until it cools down before being taken out and eaten. It is usually served exclusively to the palace.
Li Yi tasted it and felt that the taste was not unusual, and was on par with Huaiye Lengtao.

There were many officials in the cafeteria, and there was a partition in the middle, with officials on one side and clerks on the other.

The Secretariat was one of the highest central institutions of the imperial court. The canteen's food was subsidized by the Secretariat's salary and public grain, so the standard of the canteen's food was quite high.

Basically, we can eat mutton every day, which is a treatment that not every government office can provide.

Chatting while eating,

The atmosphere is quite relaxed.

"I heard that three of Xue Ju's spies went to your house last night?"

"Well, fortunately we discovered it in time. Those three people were carrying knives and poison," Li Yi said simply.

"I have good news to tell you. Xue Ju is dead. He died of malaria. Do you know why he sent people to your house? He wanted to kidnap you and make you his fifth-rank official in the Shang Pharmacy, so that you could give him elixir to cure malaria," Li Shimin said coldly while picking up a pair of chopsticks.

When the news of Xue Ju's death from malaria spread, the entire Chang'an city breathed a sigh of relief. Even the grain prices in the two markets fell. Previously, they had barely maintained at 600 to 700 coins per dou of rice, but within half a day after the news came out, the price had fallen below 500 and was still falling. It was very likely to fall to the previous price line of 300 coins per dou.

This shows that everyone in Chang'an felt that with Xue Ju's death, Longyou no longer posed a threat to the Tang Dynasty.

"I have asked the Saint to lead the troops to Jingzhou again. This time, I must destroy the Xue family in Longyou. Wuyi, you should come with me this time," Li Shimin invited.
"Ruhui will be coming with us this time," Li Shimin said, placing a piece of fatty cold-cut lamb on Li Yi's plate. "Ruhui is my star of wisdom, and you, Wuyi, are my star of fortune. Bringing you two with me will ensure this trip is a foolproof one."

This piece of mutton is big and fat,

Li Yi accepted it without hesitation. He was a little hesitant about following the army to Jingzhou. He knew that this time, with Li Shimin in command, they would not be defeated again. They would definitely win, and win beautifully.

Then he could join the army and gain some military merit.

The Tang Dynasty placed the greatest emphasis on military merit.

But he was still a little hesitant. Life in the countryside was still very comfortable. It was so comfortable to stay at home on such a hot day. He could go to the He River to bathe in the evening and enjoy the cool air under the corridor at noon. Not only were there beautiful maids to serve him, but he even had a maid named Hongxiao who could play the piano and sing for his entertainment.
Besides, he also has a primary school with more than a hundred students.

Li Shimin said, "Although we have captured many of Xue Ju's spies, we are certain that no one has escaped. You should be more careful during this period. It is safer to stay with the army."

Li Yi was not afraid of Xue Ju, but he was worried about Wei Du.

Going with the army could help him avoid the limelight temporarily, but if he was not at home, he would not be able to take care of Wei Du if he made another move.

"Your Highness, I'm just worried that after I join the army, I won't be able to take care of my family. I have a school and a workshop, with over a hundred students, dozens of workers, slaves, and fields. What if Xue's men poison or burn us again?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll have Yongzhou Prefecture and Wannian County assign some officials to guard your home. I'll also send a few personal guards from the Qin Palace to ensure everything goes well."

Yongzhou Prefecture, Wannian County, Qinwang Mansion,

If Wuji Caotang had the officials and guards sent from these three places, neither Xue Ju's men nor the Wei and Du families would dare to come and seek death.

Xue Ju is already dead. Even if there are still some of his men who have not been caught, they will not fall into the trap when they see that someone is guarding the Li family, especially since Xue Ju is dead. Why would they still look for medicine?

Wei Du should be even more afraid to provoke him.

"Thank you for your protection, Your Highness. However, I don't have much skills. I can neither fight nor ride or shoot. I will be of no use on the battlefield."

"I don't need you to ride into battle. You can just serve as a soldier in the camp."

The Western Expedition Recruiting Camp is a temporary unit. All the personnel in the camp, from the marshal to the military officers, are temporarily assigned and are in charge of their duties.

Therefore, Li Yi's participation in military affairs was actually just a errand, not a formal official position.

Cold-cut lamb is delicious, especially with the skin, which is very chewy. Li Yi also likes to eat locust leaf cold pot, which is very refreshing.

Finally, have some hot yellow rice and meat soup.
This meal was very satisfying, much better than what Li Yi usually ate at home. As a country landlord, it was rare for him to have a meal of mutton, and he couldn't even eat pork every day.

After dinner, Li Shimin went to the palace to see the emperor.

Li Yi stayed in the Shangshu Province and talked with Du Ruhui for a long time.
Mainly talking about the recent conflict with Mrs. Guo,

"I know that I, a country girl, am not worthy of Du Shiniang, and I have already told the old lady that I have no such intention. But now the old lady is angry and punishing Shiniang. I heard that she not only put her in solitary confinement, but also sent her to Luoyang.
Luoyang is now a dangerous city. The roads beyond Tongguan are also unsafe. The soldiers are in a state of panic and confusion.

Du Gong, you are Shi Niang's cousin, I hope you can help her."

Du Ruhui hadn't expected so many things to happen during this period. He had never had a good impression of the Guo family. "I did hear that my fourth uncle intended to marry Shi Niang to the Wei family, but Wei Erlang is still in mourning, so this matter has been delayed." After a pause, he continued, "I'll talk to the old lady about this matter. It's really not appropriate to send Shi Niang to Luoyang now."

"But whether the old lady is willing to listen to me is hard to say. You don't have to worry too much. Shi Niang is still her jewel in the crown. She is just angry now. You should try not to interfere, otherwise it will only make the old lady more unhappy."

Du Ruhui did not think that it was right for Shi Niang to be with Li Yi. He did not even ask Li Yi if he was interested.
The idea of marrying someone of equal social status is still deeply rooted.

"Wuyi, how do you think this war should be fought if His Highness can lead the army again?" Du Ruhui smiled and changed the subject.

"I don't understand military affairs, but I know a little bit about chess. I think fighting a war is similar to playing chess, and the principles are the same. I heard that when His Highness responded to Xue Ju's massive attack last time, he proposed a strategy of defense against offense, digging deep trenches and building high fortifications to hold them back until their food ran out, and then attack.

Now that Xue Ju is dead, the morale of the Longyou Army must be low, and even if they plunder the countryside, it is not yet harvest season, and they will not be able to grab much food and grass.
Their food and grass should be almost exhausted now, so I think that His Highness has returned to the front line, and what he should do is to continue to waste time and wait.

"When the Xue army is completely deprived of food, we can capture them in one fell swoop. Not only can we defeat them, but we can even annihilate their main force. Then, we can take advantage of the situation and push back to recapture the entire Longyou region in one fell swoop."

Du Ruhui admired Li Yi's opinion.

"Your chess skills must be very high. Yes, as long as we don't rush, the Xue army will be defeated within two months." Du Ruhui said with a smile, "But I'm worried that some people in the court can't wait."

"In fact, the situation in the Central Plains has changed drastically recently. Yu Wenhuaji fought a fierce battle with Li Mi at Tongshan. Although he almost won the battle, he was ultimately defeated. Now he has fled to Weizhou, and most of his soldiers have died. He usurped the title of the empire Daxu, but he is actually a dead man. We can ignore him.

Although Li Mi defeated Yu Wenhuaji with great difficulty and suffered heavy casualties, he was free from worries. Then, Li Mi returned victoriously according to the agreement with Luoyang and entered the court to assist in the administration.

Li Mi fought with Luoyang for so long, who would have thought that he would enter Luoyang in this way in the end.

I'm afraid things are about to change in Luoyang."

Du Ruhui was very worried about this matter. Li Mi's Wagang Army was very powerful, with strong soldiers and horses. It had been besieging Luoyang before. At the beginning of the year, Wang Shichong was beaten by Li Mi and almost committed suicide by jumping into the river. He was so scared that he led more than a thousand defeated soldiers to flee to Henei, north of the Yellow River, and did not dare to return to Luoyang.

If Li Yuan had not decisively sent Jiancheng and Shimin to attack Guandong and forced Li Mi to retreat, Li Mi would have been able to capture Luoyang in one fell swoop.

But now, after all, it is impossible to stop Li Mi from entering Luoyang.

Perhaps, soon Li Mi in Luoyang will accept the abdication and establish the country named Wei.

If Li Mi had been allowed to take control of Luoyang and integrate the Central Plains, the Li Tang Dynasty might have been blocked in Guanzhong, and the story of the Northern Zhou and Northern Qi dynasties might have been repeated.

"Lord Du, I don't think Li Mi can enter Luoyang. He might even be on the verge of defeat."

These words greatly surprised Du Ruhui. After all, based on the current intelligence and his understanding of Li Mi, he came to the conclusion that Li Mi would enter Luoyang and even proclaim himself emperor.

But what basis did Li Yi have to say that Li Mi, who had just defeated Yu Wenzhi, was going to be defeated?
"Du Gong overlooked one person,"

"Wang Shichong?"

"right,"

"But since Wang Shichong suffered a great defeat at the beginning of the year, although he returned to Luoyang, he does not have much real power. In name, he is one of the seven nobles in the court of Emperor Huangtai of Luoyang, but he has lost his military power. Now the Luoyang court is mainly composed of Duan Da, Yuan Wendu and others." Du Ruhui told him.

"No, even if Wang Shichong doesn't have military power now, that's just in name only. Ever since Jiangdu came to Luoyang's aid, he has been leading troops for Luoyang to fight against Li Mi. His connections in the army are not comparable to those of Duan Da and others.

Moreover, Wang Shichong was a very ambitious and resourceful man. He often served under Shi En and had great prestige in the army. He and Li Mi were mortal enemies. How could he sit idly by and watch Li Mi enter the court to assist in the administration?

If Li Mi entered the court, Wang Shichong would definitely be the first to be eliminated. Wang Shichong would not sit still and wait for death, and if he wanted to save himself, there was only one way to survive.

Du Ruhui did not expect Li Yi to say such a thing. After thinking about it carefully, he felt that what Li Yi said made sense.

"Are you saying that Wang Shichong will launch a mutiny in Luoyang to seize power before Li Mi arrives at court?"

"This is inevitable, and judging by the past performance of Duan Da and others, Wang Shichong is very likely to win."

"What are his chances of winning?"

"At least 90%."

Du Ruhui thought for a moment, "Even if Wang Shichong could successfully launch a coup and seize power in Luoyang, he was defeated by Li Mi. How could he defeat Li Mi?"

"Li Mi almost died in the Battle of Tongshan. This shows that the elite troops of the Wei army must have suffered heavy losses and were very tired.
Although Wang Shichong was known as a minister who got promoted by luck, he had been leading troops to fight in recent years, and he had more victories than defeats. Even if he was defeated by Li Mi, he could rise again quickly. This resilience was actually what Li Mi did not have. Although Li Mi had many soldiers and generals under his command,

But there are not many truly elite troops, and many are recruited bandits. The biggest problem with this kind of army is its lack of resilience. Once it suffers a major defeat, it will easily collapse quickly and be difficult to clean up.

"And Li Mi, the leader of the Central Plains Alliance, came from a prominent family in Guanlong. He had previously seized Zhai Rang's legacy, a move that was deeply unjust. Xu Shiji, Shan Xiongxin, and other former Zhai Rang subordinates certainly still harbor resentment. If Li Mi were to suffer a crushing defeat, they might seize the opportunity to disengage."

Li Shimin walked in from outside, clapping his hands in praise. "I've been listening outside for quite a while. Wuyi, your analysis just now really opened my eyes and enlightened me. I can say that you are much better than many generals in the Twelve Guards."

Li Yi used the results to reverse the process, which of course made Li Shimin's eyes light up.

“In fact, after Li Mi defeated Wang Shichong at the beginning of the year, he should have taken Luoyang in one fell swoop, but he was timid. When he saw Your Highness sending troops, he gave up the great opportunity and withdrew on his own initiative.

As a result, he was tempted by the high positions and generous titles in Luoyang, and fought a fierce battle with Yu Wenhuaji, resulting in heavy losses of elite troops.

Li Shimin agreed with Li Yi's analysis. At that time, he and his brother quickly led their troops to Luoyang. If Li Mi was determined to seize Luoyang, the tens of thousands of troops of Li Tang at that time might not be able to stop him. Besides, if Li Mi really wanted to fight, Li Yuan might not have the determination to do so.

After all, it was Li Mi's fault for not making decisions.

Li Shimin thought for a moment, "What do you think the Tang Dynasty should do about the situation in the Central Plains? Should we intervene? And if so, who should we support?"

"Your Highness, I think you can just ignore them and let them fight. In the end, they will both suffer losses."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "After listening to what you said just now, I think we can help Wang Shichong and help him seize the power of Luoyang. Only then will Wang Shichong fight Li Mi. We must not let Li Mi enter Luoyang easily."

(End of this chapter)