Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 402 Expansion of the Imperial Guard

The night was deep, and the bright moon shone brightly, its clear light spilling onto the bluestone pavement of Huwang Street, reflecting a faint, emerald glow.

A horse-drawn carriage came from the main street, shattering the moonlight, and drove into the narrow alley of Huwang Street.

After walking a dozen steps into the alley, an old man alighted from the carriage. He was dressed in a blue robe with wide sleeves and had a tall and slender figure. It was none other than Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji leisurely walked to the outside of a room and knocked on the door.

After a while, the door was opened, and Lu Dongzan, with a big beard, appeared behind it.

Upon seeing Changsun Wuji, a hint of surprise appeared on his face. He then stepped aside, raised his hand, and said, "Imperial Uncle Changsun, please come in."

"I'm sorry to bother you." Changsun Wuji cupped his hands in greeting and slowly entered the room.

After living in Chang'an for several years, Lu Dongzan still looked as carefree and content as before, but he had a lot of gray hair and looked old.

Although he was getting older, his mind was still sharp. After pouring a cup of tea for Changsun Wuji, he smiled and said, "Is there some change on the Indian side, Imperial Uncle?"

Changsun Wuji laughed and said, "I am now a leisurely man. Even if something changes in India, it is not my place to come looking for you."

Lu Dongzan said thoughtfully, "Then you came here on someone's behalf?"

Changsun Wuji picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled, "Brother Lu is indeed as perceptive as ever."

Despite being praised, Lu Dongzan felt no joy and remained silent in thought.

If it's a trivial matter and anyone needs to contact him, there's no need to entrust it to Changsun Wuji.

That leaves only one possibility: what they need to do can only be accomplished by Changsun Wuji.

It is very likely that he used Changsun Wuji's understanding of him to persuade him to do something.

The worst possible thought in his mind at that moment was that Tibet had been defeated by the Arabs and was in dire straits, and that the Tang Dynasty hoped he would write a letter to persuade Tibet to surrender.

Changsun Wuji seemed to have guessed his thoughts and smiled, "You don't need to worry. The situation in Tibet is very good right now. Your second son has just defeated the Arabs."

Lu Dongzan said calmly, "If that's the case, what business does the Imperial Brother-in-law have with me?"

Changsun Wuji said, "We just received news that someone wants to rescue you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Dongzan's expression changed slightly.

Changsun Wuji said, "Don't worry, it's not Tibet. Your son isn't that stupid. It's the Arabs."

Gar Tongtsen reacted quickly and immediately guessed that the Arabs couldn't do anything to Tibet, so they kidnapped him to deal with Tibet.

Even if the hijacking failed, they could still frame Tibet and sow discord between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet. Unfortunately for them, their little tricks could not fool the Tang people.

Lu Dongzan had another question: even if the Arabs wanted to rob him, the Inner Guard would be in charge, so why would Changsun Wuji come?
Just then, the sounds of swords clashing and arrows piercing the air suddenly came from outside.

Lu Dongzan strode to the window, listened intently for a while, and found that the sound came and went quickly, disappearing in just a few breaths.

As the Grand Chancellor of the country, Lu Dongzan naturally understood what had happened.

Just now, the Arabs made their move, but unfortunately the Tang people had already laid an ambush, so in an instant, the Arabs who made the move were all dealt with.

Why did the Arabs suddenly make their move as soon as Changsun Wuji arrived? What a coincidence!
There's only one reason: Changsun Wuji was bait, bait to lure the Arabs into taking action.

Lu Dongzan stared at Changsun Wuji and said, "Do the Arabs also want to abduct you?"

Changsun Wuji squinted and said, "To be able to make that connection in an instant, you truly deserve to be called Brother Lu. I admire you."

Lu Dongzan returned to his seat at the table and said slowly, "Please explain to me in detail what exactly happened."

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "You guessed it already. The Arabs came to Chang'an this time not only to take you away, but also to kidnap me."

Lu Dongzan nodded and said, "The emperor's brother-in-law has long held power in the court and knows the situation in the Tang Dynasty very well. Now he has been demoted to a commoner and has no power to protect him."

"The Arabs naturally thought that kidnapping you was a very profitable and low-risk endeavor. Unfortunately, they didn't know that even if Changsun Wuji were reduced to a commoner, he wouldn't be so easy to deal with."

Changsun Wuji smiled and said, "Brother Lu, you flatter me."

Lu Dongzan said, "So when the Arabs saw that you had come to find me, and that we were together, they naturally wouldn't let go of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Changsun Wuji said, "That's right."

Lu Dongzan cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, Grandson, the Imperial Uncle."

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "What's there to be happy about?"

Lu Dongzan said, "The spies in Chang'an are all handled by the Inner Court, right? The Inner Court is backed by your emperor. Since they've asked you for help, it means your emperor has regained his trust in you. Isn't that something to congratulate us on?"

Changsun Wuji remained silent for a long while, then stood up and said, "Now that the matter is settled, I will take my leave." He then turned and strode away.

The alley was exactly the same as when he came, except that there were a few traces of blood in the cracks in the walls.

Changsun Wuji stepped out of the alley and saw a tall, lean man standing there waiting for him. It was Wang Jishan.

Changsun Wuji cupped his hands and said, "General Wang, the matter is settled. May I return to my residence now?"

Wang Jishan bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your help, Imperial Brother-in-law. I have another matter I would like to discuss with you. May we speak inside the carriage?"

The wheels rolled on, returning to the Changsun residence. Changsun Wuji stared at Wang Jishan without saying a word.

When he first came to power, Wang Jishan was just a minor officer in the Imperial Guard, and was not even worth his attention.

However, over the years, Wang Jishan has been in charge of the Inner Palace, making it almost impossible for foreign spies to hide in Chang'an.

In this incident, Wang Jishan also used him as bait to easily deal with the Arabs. His methods were so powerful that even he dared not underestimate him.

This made Changsun Wuji sigh again, wondering how the emperor, at such a young age, could be so good at recognizing and utilizing talent.
Wang Jishan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Grand Uncle Changsun, although this matter was not His Majesty's intention, there is something I want to tell you: His Majesty has always valued your abilities very much."

Changsun Wuji laughed and said, "General Wang was just trying to comfort me."

Wang Jishan said, "No, I know that someone like you doesn't need anyone's comfort."

Changsun Wuji remained silent.

Wang Jishan continued, "I am a foolish man, but I have been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the Inner Palace by His Majesty's trust. I am afraid that I am not up to the task and have always hoped that someone can help me."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji asked in surprise, "You don't mean to invite me into the Inner Court, do you?"

Wang Jishan asked with a burning gaze, "That's right, does the Imperial Brother-in-law think highly of the Inner Court?"

Changsun Wuji was silent for a while, then said, "I admire General Wang very much, but I am curious, why did you suddenly think of having me join the Inner Guard? Ordinary people would not have such an idea."

Wang Jishan said, “Although I am dull-witted, I have often served His Majesty, so I can see that His Majesty values ​​your abilities very much and has always wanted to use you, but he has many concerns.”

"The Inner Guard is an organization hidden from the light of day. Letting you into the Inner Guard will be unknown to anyone, which will eliminate His Majesty's concerns."

Changsun Wuji said, "Do you think I would agree?"

Wang Jishan said, "Ever since you came out of Zhaoling, I have had people keeping an eye on you. After years of observation, I have come to a conclusion."

"What conclusion?"

Wang Jishan gazed at him and said, "You are a man who is devoted to the country."

Changsun Wuji was slightly startled. He looked up at the ceiling and after a long while asked, "I am currently helping Yu Zhining compile a new law, so I am afraid I don't have much free time."

Wang Jishan said, "You don't need to worry. Even if you join the Inner Guard, I would never dare to bother you with trivial matters, nor would I assign you any tasks. I will only rely on your wisdom in important matters."

Changsun Wuji smiled faintly and said, "You are truly a formidable young man. I am almost convinced by you."

Wang Jishan asked, "Do you still have any concerns?"

"There is only one concern."

"You asked."

Changsun Wuji said, "I am old and have long lost the vigor of my youth. There are so many talented people in the court, why does General Wang think so highly of me?" Wang Jishan cupped his hands and said, "Uncle, you are too modest. Your abilities are admired by all the civil and military officials in the court."

Changsun Wuji said, "Stop with the flattery, I want to hear the truth."

Wang Jishan was silent for a while, then said, "Lord Li once told me that the strategy of splitting Tibet was all your doing. Since then, I have been thinking about how to get you into the Inner Guard."

Changsun Wuji snorted and said, "That old bastard Li Ji really did betray me after all."

Wang Jishan asked, "So what is your decision?"

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "As long as His Majesty agrees, I can offer you some advice."

A glint flashed in Wang Jishan's eyes, and he said, "I will ask His Majesty about this matter tomorrow."

Wang Jishan has always been a very sensible person.

The reason he dared to set his sights on Changsun Wuji was because when he asked the emperor for money that day, he realized how much the emperor valued the Inner Guard.

That's where his confidence comes from.

The next day, because the emperor had to deal with government affairs in the morning, he was busy at the guard post all morning and only went to meet the emperor in the afternoon.

Upon arriving at the Ganlu Hall, the eunuch on duty told him that the emperor had gone to the Shenlong Hall and was summoning several generals.

Wang Jishan immediately went to the Shenlong Hall and entered without announcing his arrival. The eunuchs outside did not stop him.

Because he and Wang Fusheng were the only two people who could report directly to the emperor without needing to be informed.

Upon entering the hall, one sees the emperor conversing with Li Ji, Xue Rengui, Yuchi Gong, and Cheng Zhijie.

These four men were the emperor's most trusted generals in the army. The emperor would usually summon them to discuss major military and political matters.

Seeing Wang Fusheng standing near the Tongmen Gate, he came over and stood next to Wang Fusheng.

Li Zhi glanced at him only once, and seeing that he did not come forward, he knew that his matter was not urgent, so he continued to talk with Li Ji and the others.

Today's discussion is about expanding the army, specifically the Imperial Guard under Xue Rengui's command.

The Imperial Guard originally numbered 50,000, but later 30,000 were transferred to Liaodong, with some stationed in Japan and others in Xiongjin Port.

Only 20,000 people remain.

Unlike the other twelve guards, the Imperial Guards were originally the Imperial Guards during Li Yuan's reign. They received salaries from the imperial court, served for twelve months of the year, and did not need to be rotated every three years.

Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) expanded the Imperial Guard and sent them to the battlefield to demonstrate the advantages of the Imperial Guard to his ministers.

As the territory of the Tang Dynasty expands, the battle lines will also become longer and longer.

If we continue to use the local troops, the battle lines will be extremely long when dealing with the Arabs, making it difficult to rotate troops, and the soldiers' morale will also be a problem.

If soldiers are preoccupied with their families and farming, their morale will decline and their combat effectiveness will be affected if they stay on the front lines for too long.

According to historical progress, in another ten years or so, the disadvantages of the Fubing (府兵) system will become apparent.

During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, the status of the Fubing (府兵) military declined, and they frequently suffered defeats, which made the Tang people realize that the Fubing system was not a military system that could last forever.

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the Tang army began to replace the local militia with recruited soldiers, gradually forming military towns, and the Tang army's combat strength began to recover.

However, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang relied too heavily on recruited soldiers and gave the military governors too much power. This led to the military governors of these regions holding military, political, and financial power, giving them the ability to rebel, which ultimately resulted in the An Lushan Rebellion.

Therefore, successfully transitioning from the Fubing system to the mercenary system was a major task that Li Zhi always focused on.

If the garrison system were abolished directly, it would definitely cause a sensation, and even the soldiers who served as garrison soldiers would feel dissatisfied.

Because the welfare benefits of soldiers during this period were very good, if one person served in the army, the whole family was exempted from taxes.

A family only needs to raise one male and send him to the battlefield to ensure that the whole family can live a life free from worries about food and clothing.

For this reason, people paid special attention to cultivating their sons' physical fitness so that they could stand out and become soldiers.

This creates a virtuous cycle, making the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty exceptionally strong!

Therefore, we cannot simply smash this system with one blow; we need to adjust and change it gradually.

Li Zhi's method was to use the Imperial Guard as an institution to gradually convert all the local soldiers into recruits.

For example, more than half of the 50,000 Imperial Guards recruited previously were originally from the local militia.

They were the first to switch jobs.

Judging from the situation on the front lines, these professional soldiers performed better than the local militia, which made the court officials realize that recruited soldiers had an advantage over local militia.

When this batch of recruits was formed, Li Zhi did not reduce the number of soldiers in the local militia, but instead used the Khitan able-bodied men to supplement the military governorships in various places.

From the current perspective, these Khitans have not caused any trouble and have integrated well into the Tang army.

However, if soldiers continue to be drawn from the Zhechong Prefecture and converted into recruits, then similar methods can no longer be used to replenish the Zhechong Prefecture with surrendered soldiers.

Otherwise, the number of soldiers in the local militia would remain unchanged, while the number of recruited soldiers would continue to increase.

Ultimately, the country will certainly not be able to support such a huge military expenditure and will be dragged down by the military.

Li Zhi's meeting today is about trying something new.

While converting these local militia into recruits, the number of local militia was reduced.

As long as the system continues to transform, the Fubing (府兵) soldiers will eventually become recruited soldiers. When there are no more Fubing soldiers, it will be natural to abolish the Fubing system.

When Li Zhi put forward his idea, Li Ji and the others exchanged glances and understood the emperor's intention to reform the military system.

For these veterans, easily changing the old system would inevitably generate a sense of resistance.

In their view, the Tang army was currently at its most powerful and its morale was high, so changing the military system at this time was completely unnecessary.

Throughout history, it was only when a particular military system encountered significant problems and became unsustainable that better solutions were developed.

However, Li Zhi changed the military system when the country's military strength was at its peak, which puzzled them all.

On the other hand, in recent years, the emperor's decisions have been mostly correct, and he has a longer-term vision than anyone else.

Regarding the war against Japan, the results exceeded their expectations.

Not only did they gain a large island, but they also made up for their war losses with reparations from Japan, so they only made a profit and did not lose anything.

For this reason, even the usually mature and prudent Li Ji did not dare to easily raise any objections at this time, and only asked: "Your Majesty, if the militia are gradually converted into recruited soldiers, the court's finances will probably incur an additional expenditure."

Li Zhi said, "You can calculate it this way: whether it's the militia or the conscripted soldiers, the number of soldiers on the payroll remains the same, and there's no need to waste time changing garrisons."

"In other words, if the wasted manpower is saved and put into production, then the country's productivity will actually increase."

The group looked at each other, none of them quite understanding what was being said.

Yuchi Gong said, "Your Majesty, the soldiers in the imperial guards don't need our salaries, but the recruited soldiers need the court to provide their pay. If you calculate it this way, the court still has to spend more money!"

Li Zhi said, “That’s right, the court did spend more money, but recruiting soldiers is different from recruiting soldiers. It is not possible to exempt the whole family from taxes, so that money was paid back through taxes.”

Yuchi Gong said, "In other words, it's equivalent to distributing the taxes they were exempted from back to them as salaries?"

Li Zhi said: "Not bad."

Yuchi Gong bluntly stated, "Your Majesty, this seems somewhat redundant, and..."

He didn't say one more thing: if the soldiers were exempt from taxes, even if they encountered corrupt officials who exploited the people, it wouldn't affect them.

However, if soldiers are recruited through recruitment, corrupt officials will embezzle funds at every level, potentially reducing the soldiers' pay and increasing taxes for the people, which will only make life more difficult.

(End of this chapter)