The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 168 The Zhe Family of Northwest China
Inside the Xuanhui Academy's offices in the Imperial City, the halls with their blue brick floors exuded a solemn atmosphere. The setting sun cast dappled light and shadow on the floor through the carved window lattices.

As Li Yi stepped across the threshold, the dust kicked up by his boots floated in the beam of light, and the clerks passing by bowed respectfully upon seeing him enter.

Upon entering the official residence, one could see Xiang Xunzheng bending over to organize the official documents on the desk, while Wang Pu was writing rapidly on a memorial to the throne.

The two looked up at the sound and greeted Xun. Wang Pu nodded slightly in acknowledgment, but did not stop writing with his brush, continuing to write the memorial.

Li Yi didn't see Han Tong, so he casually asked, "Hasn't Han Du Yuhou arrived yet?"

Xiang Xun put the organized documents aside, rubbed his sore wrists, and chuckled, "The Commander of Handu led his men to Hulao Pass, west of Zhengzhou, for an inspection this morning."

Li Yi was unaware of this, which explained why he didn't see Han Tong at all during his inspection of the construction site that afternoon.

He asked in confusion, "What is the Commander of Handu doing at Hulao Pass? Is there some urgent military intelligence?"

“No, that’s not it.” Xiang Xun shook his head and said, “Han Du Yuhou said that the soil near Kaifeng is loose, and the city walls built there are full of broken soil when you grab them with your hands, so they are not suitable for rammed earth construction. He heard that the soil around Hulao Pass is dense and hard, so he went there in person to see if soil could be transported over to build Daliang City.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yi couldn't help but gasp and said, "Hulao Pass is a hundred or two miles away from Kaifeng. Wouldn't it be incredibly costly to transport soil from there?"

Only then did Wang Pu put down his brush, tapping it lightly against the edge of the inkstone, producing a crisp sound.

He then continued, "The actions of the Han Du Yuhou are not without precedent... When Yuwen Kai built Daxing City, he specifically transported soil from Zhongnan Mountain."

After a pause, Wang Pu continued, "The expansion of Daliang City cannot be neglected. We must not make any mistakes. It is only right that the Commander of Handu be cautious."

Li Yi had only made a casual remark, and after hearing Wang Pu's response, he naturally had no way to refute it.

However, he recalled Han Tong's resume over the past few years—

In the early years of the Guangshun reign of the Later Zhou Dynasty, when Emperor Taizu Guo Wei personally led an expedition against Yanzhou, he appointed Han Tong as the Right Wing Inspector in the capital.

Just then, the Yellow River flooded, inundating the Heyin area. Han Tong was ordered to lead his troops to dredge the Bian River estuary. He then oversaw the construction of Heyin City and was soon promoted to the position of Military Governor of Baoyi Army.

Later, when Emperor Shizong Chai Rong ascended the throne, Liu Chong, the ruler of Northern Han, colluded with the Khitan to invade. Chai Rong dispatched Han Tong to assist Wang Yanchao in marching east from Jinzhou to intercept the allied forces of Northern Han and Khitan.

After Zhou Jun's great victory over the Northern Han army at Gaoping, Chai Rong appointed him as the commander of the northern expeditionary force of Taiyuan, in charge of digging tunnels to attack Jinyang City.

After returning from his campaign, Han Tong was transferred to Caozhou and given the honorary title of Grand Protector.

At this time, Chai Rong believed that the dikes along the Hulu River, which stretched for hundreds of miles between Shenzhou and Jizhou, were not high and steep enough to stop the Khitan cavalry from advancing. He ordered Han Tong and Wang Yanchao to lead soldiers and laborers to dredge and repair the dikes.

While overseeing the project, Han Tong also dealt with the incursions of the Khitan, successfully completing this arduous task. He also built a castle for the Jing'an Army at Liyankou.

In order to strengthen the border defenses in the northern frontier, Han Tong was ordered to build city walls in places such as Jianlu, Gucheng, Qizhou, Boye, Anping, and Wuqiang.

In addition, Emperor Shizong Chai Rong appointed him to oversee the expansion project of the city of Daliang in Tokyo.

According to this calculation, since Emperor Taizu Guo Wei ascended the throne, Han Tong did not have any outstanding military achievements. Instead, he devoted himself to engineering construction and achieved remarkable results.

Li Yi suddenly wondered: Could it be that Han Tong is a natural-born engineer?
Before he could think any further, Xiang Xun's voice rang in his ears: "I suppose the messenger I sent has already informed Governor Li about the news reported from Xingzhou that Liu Chong of Hedong has died."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi nodded and pondered for a moment before asking, "I wonder if this news is true?"

“It’s probably true…” Xiang Xun handed a report to Li Yi and continued, “It is said that Liu Chong passed away at the end of last month, but the people in Jinyang kept it very secret, and it has only recently begun to circulate around Taiyuan.”

"The Xingzhou authorities even sent people to Jinyang to investigate. With all these evidences, the news of Liu Chong's death should be true."

Li Yi reached out and took the report, unfolded it, and began to read it carefully.

It mentions that the garrison in Jinyang City was frequently mobilized, and that manpower was increased at all city gates. At the same time, strict control was exercised over the entry and exit of merchants and civilians... This at least indicates that a significant change had indeed occurred within the Northern Han Dynasty.

Xiang Xun said, "With the death of the false Han emperor Liu Chong, the people inside and outside the court are in a state of panic. No matter who succeeds to the throne, the first priority is to stabilize the people's hearts. In this way, they will naturally have no intention of invading our borders again."

"As for the Khitan in the north..." Wang Pu moved the still-wet ink of the memorial aside and then continued, "Since Yelü Shulü usurped the throne, various tribes on the grasslands have been constantly rebelling. At the beginning of the month, Zhenzhou reported that there were troubles in the Wugu and Xiaohuang Shiwei tribes. The Khitan should not provoke our dynasty for the time being."

Li Yi nodded slightly and said, "With the Shu Kingdom and the Dangxiang tribes in the west under the command of General Wang Lao, and the north temporarily unable to invade southward, the court can focus all its efforts on the war in Jiangnan."

"That's true, but we can't let our guard down in the north..." Wang Pu replied casually.

Li Yi naturally agreed, and after he sat down, Xiang Xun brought up another matter.

"In the middle of this year, the commander of the Zhejie Army stationed in Binzhou submitted a memorial to the court, saying that he was old and frail and could no longer bear the heavy responsibility. He requested to resign from his post as the commander of the Jingnan Army and wanted to retire in Dongjing. His Majesty granted his request."

"However, a report came from Luoyang today, saying that General Zhejie contracted the disease while passing through Shanzhou. His condition worsened after arriving in Luoyang, to the point that he could not get out of bed. He may not have much time left."

"Along with the report came a memorial from General Zhejie, expressing his deep regret at not being able to come to Tokyo to pay homage to His Majesty..."

Upon hearing Xiang Xun's words, Li Yi's expression shifted slightly—he had heard of Zhe Congruan, the military governor of Jingnan Army, very much.

The prototype of She Taijun in the opera Yang Family Generals is the daughter of Zhe Deyi, the eldest son of Zhe Congruan.

The Zhe family was a prominent clan of the Dangxiang people, who were said to have prospered in the Yunzhong region before migrating to Fuzhou and becoming a powerful local clan.

Since the late Tang Dynasty, he has been stationed in the northwest to defend against the Dangxiang and Tubo, and his reputation is renowned.

Zhe Congruan was one of the most outstanding among them. In his early years, he was employed by Li Cunxu as a military officer in Hedong, and later served as the deputy military commissioner of Fuzhou. After Li Cunxu ascended the throne and established the Later Tang Dynasty, he was promoted to the position of prefect of Fuzhou.

In the first year of the Kaiyun era of the Later Jin Dynasty, Zhe Congruan concurrently served as the Prefect of Shuozhou, Protector-General of Anbei, Military Governor of Zhenwu Army, and Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry and Infantry of the Khitan Southwest Expeditionary Force.

In the early years of the Later Han Dynasty, Liu Zhiyuan established the Yong'an Army in Fuzhou and appointed Zhe Congruan as the military governor of Yong'an Army, concurrently serving as the inspector and administrator of Fuzhou, Shengzhou and other places, and bestowed upon him the title of meritorious official.

He served under four dynasties—Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou—and remained steadfast throughout, enjoying the emperor's favor.

However, Li Yi's impression of the Zhe family came more from historical records from later generations... The Zhe family army, which had been a powerful force in the northwest for more than two hundred years, guarded the gateway to the northwest border from the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty.

Given the Northern Song Dynasty's emphasis on civil officials and suppression of military officers, and its precautions against military generals, the fact that the family was allowed to pass down their lineage from father to son and brothers demonstrates the importance of the Zhe family.

Of course, a large part of the reason was that the Northern Song Dynasty was too far away to effectively control the various Dangxiang tribes in the northwest, and could only rely on the Zhe family's local prestige to manage them. Li Yi pondered for a moment and replied, "Lord Zhe is nearly seventy years old and has spent his life on the battlefield. It is truly lamentable that he is now ill and lying in Luoyang."

Unexpectedly, Wang Pu interrupted, saying, "When Zhe Congruan was reassigned as the military governor of Wusheng Army, his eldest son Zhe Deyi was appointed as the military commissioner of Fuzhou. Last year, His Majesty promoted him to the military governor of Yong'an Army, putting him in charge of the affairs of Fuzhou, Linzhou, Shengzhou and other prefectures... Zhe Congruan has no worries about the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi's eyes flickered slightly, and he vaguely sensed the deeper meaning in Wang Pu's words.

The Zhe family had been operating in the prefecture for many years, and father and son successively served as military governors. Although the court relied on them to guard the northwest, it was not entirely at ease with them.

After all, since the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, there have indeed been many precedents where the sons of local military governors sought to inherit their fathers' positions after their deaths, thus creating the privilege of "hereditary succession," which had become too powerful to control.

Zhe Congruan's voluntary resignation from his military post in order to retire in Tokyo may also be a way of showing his loyalty to the emperor.

However, Wang Pu's words were too direct, and Li Yi could not respond, so he could only remain silent.

He glanced at Xiang Xun, only to see the other man pick up his teacup, take a sip, and say with an unchanged expression, "Last year, Zhe Deyi subdued the Dangxiang Yeli tribe on the banks of the Kuye River, and His Majesty specially issued an edict to commend him. Now that Lord Zhe is seriously ill, his son is already capable of handling things on his own. It is truly a case of like father, like son."

After saying that, Xiang Xun put down his teacup and changed the subject, saying, "In addition, Commander Zhejie also recommended a person to the court in his memorial, saying that he was resolute and resourceful and was a capable person, hoping that the court could summon him to serve in the Imperial Guard."

Li Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, a few memories suddenly flashing through his mind. Historically, Zhe Congruan had indeed submitted a memorial to Emperor Shizong Chai Rong recommending a general before his death.

As for why he remembered this incident, it was only because the person recommended by Zhe Congruan was named Li Chuyun, who later became deeply involved in the Chenqiao Mutiny.

Thanks to his role in supporting the emperor's ascension to the throne, Li Chuyun was highly valued by Zhao Kuangyin in the early Song Dynasty. He rose from a minor military officer to the position of Commissioner of the Southern Court of Xuanhui and concurrently Deputy Commissioner of the Privy Council in just a few years.

Moreover, his daughter was the third empress of Emperor Taizong of Song, namely Empress Mingde, née Li.

However, compared to Li Chuyun himself, his son is perhaps more well-known to later generations. He is Li Jilong, known as the "Number One General in the Northern Song Dynasty's Resistance Against Liao," and the only general to lead his army to a safe retreat during the Yongxi Northern Expedition.

As expected, Xiang Xun lightly tapped the table and said, "The person recommended by Commander Zhejie is named Li Chuyun. He is a former subordinate of his prefecture and has followed him since his early years."

He turned his gaze to Wang Pu and asked, "Your Excellency is well-versed in all matters, both internal and external. Do you know anything about this person?"

Wang Pu pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, “I do have some impression of this person… In the early years of Guangshun, Zhe Congruan’s nephew came to Tokyo to accuse Li Chuyun of a crime, and Emperor Taizu demoted him to the position of Yilu Town General. But not long after, Zhe Congruan submitted a memorial to plead for his exoneration, and only then was he reinstated to Zhe Congruan’s army.”

Xiang Xun then said, "Since this person is so highly regarded by Lord Zhe, who even recommended him when he was seriously ill, it is clear that he must have some ability. Why not attach this matter to the report sent to the front line in Huainan and let His Majesty make a decision together?"

"The responsibility of those who remain is to share the burdens of the ruler."

Wang Pu, however, had a different opinion. He bluntly said, "Your Majesty is currently focused on the battle situation at the Huainan front. If such a trivial matter still requires Your Majesty's personal consideration and decision, then why entrust us with the important task of staying behind?"

Xiang Xun wasn't angry at being rebuffed like that, as he was well aware of Wang Pu's temperament.

The meaning behind the other party's words was also very clear: before leaving, the emperor granted the group some authority to make decisions. They were not required to worry about anything that was not too important; they were simply to make arrangements and report back to the emperor.

He then asked, "What does Your Highness think should be done?"

Wang Pu said, "Zhe Congruan's memorial will certainly be sent to Huainan, but we should also give our opinions on how to arrange the people he recommended for His Majesty's consideration. They could be promoted to serve in the Imperial Guard, or transferred to border garrisons for training. Whether or not this is appropriate, His Majesty will decide."

Li Yi listened quietly from the side, not intending to say anything.

After all, Xiang Xun and Wang Pu were the main and deputy commanders left behind. He was only temporarily in charge of the military affairs of the Palace Guard, and also assisted in inspecting the defenses and illegal activities inside and outside the capital, as well as helping with the expansion project of Tokyo.

Such personnel arrangements are not his place to interfere.

However, Wang Pu's gaze turned to Li Yi at this moment, and he suddenly spoke up: "Commander Li is much more familiar with the situation of the Imperial Guards than I and Commander Xiang are, and he is also in charge of the arrangement and training of personnel serving as Imperial Guards in various places. If we don't transfer Li Chuyun to a border town, but instead directly promote him to serve in the Imperial Guards, I wonder if that would be appropriate?"

The sudden question caused Li Yi's expression to shift slightly; he hadn't expected the question to end up on him.

However... Li Chuyun is someone worth winning over.

After a moment's thought, he said, "In my opinion, the Imperial Guards are in dire need of generals who are familiar with military affairs in the Northwest. Your Highness's suggestion is not inappropriate."

Wang Pu then asked, "In Li Dushi's opinion, what position should he be given?"

"There are vacancies in the Left and Right Commanders of the Palace Guard..." After a pause, Li Yi explained, "The Left and Right Commanders are equivalent to the commanders of various camps, in charge of guarding the palaces and pavilions. Li Chuyun is a garrison officer, and it would be difficult to convince the people if he were given too high a military rank, but if he were given too low a rank, it would seem unreasonable... I think it would be just right to promote him to the position of Commander."

Upon hearing this, Wang Pu stroked his beard and nodded: "Commander Li's suggestion is very appropriate. It does not violate regulations and can also hone his abilities."

Xiang Xun immediately agreed, and the matter was naturally settled.

Wang Pu immediately took out a brush and ink and added a few lines to the memorial. Then, he handed the memorial to Xiang Xun for review, and then passed it on to Li Yi.

As for Han Tong, who is far away at Hulao Pass, he certainly won't be able to return in a short time, so we can only send someone to inform him.

After confirming that everything was correct, Wang Pu summoned the officials of the yamen and instructed them: "This report shall be sent to the Huainan imperial court tonight by express courier, which will cover 600 li."

The distant sound of drums drifted in from outside the window, and dusk had quietly enveloped the imperial city.

Wang Pu straightened his clothes, stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "There are still backlogged documents in the government office that I need to deal with, so please excuse me for taking my leave first."

Before he finished speaking, he strode out. His hurried footsteps echoed in the office, and the fluttering of his robes stirred a breeze that made the candlelight on the desk flicker.

Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, Li Yi turned his gaze away and smiled at Xiang Xun, saying, "Your Highness is indeed decisive and efficient in your actions."

Xiang Xun shook his head and smiled wryly, lowering his voice as he said, "Lord Wang is diligent in his duties and is truly a pillar of the state. It's just that his temperament... to be honest, I often feel that he is the one in charge, while I am more like his deputy."

It seems that Wang Pu's absence made Xiang Xun feel much more at ease. In addition, he was close to Li Yi, and with no outsiders present, he even started joking.

“Although the prince is of a fiery temperament, he is fair in his dealings,” Li Yi continued. “However, a humble and open-minded person like Brother Xiang is the true demeanor of a prime minister.”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Xun laughed loudly and pointed at Li Yi, saying, "Brother, are you trying to flatter me like this because you're thinking of taking a few more days off the day after tomorrow and want to ask your brother for a few more favors?"

The two exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere in the office immediately lightened.

(End of this chapter)