Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 456 My sons, who follow me, must already be adorned in scarlet.

What Gao Lishi truly desired was to eliminate Wang Maozhong as soon as possible. As for the Northern Gate Imperial Guard as a whole, he did have some ideas, but not many.

Now Zhang Dai has offered him a plan with a broader vision, greater operability, and a more profound impact on the North Gate, which he is naturally happy to accept.

In the past, the North Gate was strictly hierarchical and orderly, appearing as an impenetrable unit, making it difficult for outsiders to intervene. Although there were some minor disagreements between generals of Wang Maozhong and Ge Fushun, the North Gate as a whole still shared a common interest and order to maintain.

Despite Gao Lishi's painstaking efforts and lavish spending, he managed to bribe several mid-level generals. However, as Zhang Dai pointed out, these men were merely weaker versions of Wang Maozhong. Once they truly gained power, they might not remain as obedient and subservient to Gao Lishi as they were now.

Zhang Dai's proposed "extending grace and sharing of hereditary privileges" could plunge all the military families of the Northern Gate into a delicate state of mutual distrust and suspicion among brothers. If even their closest relatives are constantly arguing over power and position, how can they possibly unite with other military families of the Northern Gate outside?

"The guards at the North Gate especially need to be young and strong. Those who are old and do not go are all greedy and disloyal! The third-rank positions will be granted through hereditary succession, and the adopted son can obtain a fifth-rank position, while other sons can obtain a sixth or seventh-rank position. As for when to grant hereditary succession, that also needs to be considered. Although Lian Po is old, he is still useful! All these matters should be strictly supervised to prevent any further private succession at the North Gate!"

Gao Lishi, drawing inferences from this example, quickly grasped the key to controlling the families of the generals at the North Gate in this plan. He knew when serving generals needed to resign and receive their inheritances, and how much inheritance each of their sons would receive. By controlling these details, he essentially controlled their lifelines.

In the past, the North Gate was stronger than the Inner Palace. The most obvious difference was naturally the level of martial prowess. But that wasn't the most serious issue, because with the presence of the emperor, even if the North Gate was powerful, they dared not abuse their strength at will.

Secondly, their roles differed. The North Gate was responsible for the security of the palace, which directly determined the emperor's personal safety, while the inner officials were merely responsible for serving the emperor's daily needs, communicating between the inside and outside, and handling various other miscellaneous matters. Undoubtedly, the North Gate was more likely to gain the emperor's favor and tolerance.

The eunuchs were not known for their martial prowess and belonged to a different system from the North Gate. Moreover, due to their physical disabilities, the North Gate Imperial Guards, who admired bravery, held them in contempt. Even though they were deeply favored by the emperor, they did not receive the respect of the North Gate.

However, if they had such means and methods to control the North Gate, then the generals at the North Gate would have no choice but to submit to them.

Gao Lishi grew increasingly excited as he thought about it, and his gaze toward Zhang Dai was filled with appreciation and admiration: "Young man, you truly have a plan. A conversation with you has relieved most of my worries! No wonder your grandfather doted on you so much. You don't need many intelligent and capable sons; with one like this, the family has a bright future! Duke Yan has achieved numerous merits throughout his life, and in his old age, his greatest satisfaction was probably seeing this young talent grow up in his family!"

Zhang Dai really talked to Gao Lishi a lot today, and it was all very informative. It covered everything from controlling the selection and replenishment of the soldiers at the North Gate, to instigating infighting between Wang Maozhong and Ge Fushun, and now he has proposed the "Yan'en Dienyin" plan, which will have a significant impact on all the families of the generals at the North Gate.

If Gao Lishi were to heed all of these suggestions, then Zhang Dai would have single-handedly elevated the conflict between the North Gate and the Inner Palace to a new level, making their struggle more colorful and worthy of Gao Lishi's praise and gratitude.

"Lord Bohai is too kind. I am merely diligent in thinking but lazy in doing. Having a thousand plans in one's mind is not as good as taking action. I am relying on the indulgence of my elders, and I am arrogant and daring to talk big on this matter. I have said a lot, and I am just lucky to have hit the nail on the head."

Zhang Dai then humbly summarized what he had said that day: "Water has no constant shape, and military tactics have no constant form. Understanding the times and acting accordingly is the only way to achieve success and make contributions."

With a wise and virtuous ruler in court, and righteous officials filling the court, plus loyal and righteous men like the Duke of Bohai surrounding the imperial residence, the prosperity of our Tang dynasty has never surpassed that of this era, and the Kaiyuan reign is especially magnificent! In this unprecedented golden age, all people and things must adapt to the times.

Huo Gong and his ilk, relying on past merits and adhering to old laws, lack ambition and only know how to seize favors and abuse their power. Such people are destined to be eliminated in this prosperous era. Bohai Gong, however, is utterly loyal and righteous. His ambition is not merely for power or position, but to eradicate the old abuses of the Northern Gate Guard system and establish new laws!

"This, this, what you say, young man, is truly magnificent! Indeed, old ways and old methods are no longer applicable today. Wang Maozhong and his ilk are not ambitious and are out of step with the times. They should be discarded like worn-out shoes, without any point in clinging to them!"

After Zhang Dai summarized his schemes and plots to harm his colleagues, Gao Lishi was immediately elevated to a higher level. He was quite excited and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Zongzhi, your many plans have benefited me greatly. How can I ever thank you enough!"

If you do these things that I've asked you to do well, that will be the greatest thanks you can give me!
Zhang Dai thought to himself, but of course he dared not say it aloud.

The schemes he told Gao Lishi seemed to be advice for Gao Lishi, but in reality, he was using the power of Gao Lishi and other eunuchs to eliminate those vested interests in high positions at the North Gate, shake up the original order and system of the North Gate, and keep the guard system of the North Gate in turmoil, thus maintaining the opportunity for new forces to take advantage of the situation.

Unlike the scholar-officials of his time, Zhang Dai never harbored any delusions of "serving the emperor like Yao and Shun." He believed that if you didn't want to do a good job, plenty of others would; it wasn't a big deal. And to maintain this extraordinary self-confidence, one naturally needed to possess some extraordinary power.

He wasn't worried that the emperor would see through his scheme; the greatest advantage of an open plot lies in its unsolvable nature. As the emperor, his stance and perspective naturally wouldn't side with his ministers. The sight of a group of white-haired veteran generals stationed at the North Gate was unsettling. The emperor, of course, desired more comprehensive and reliable security, and these sons of military families at the North Gate were arguably his best option.

Would he possibly refrain from implementing a policy of internal generational change within the Imperial Guards simply because he was worried about discord within the Northern Gate Guards' family and a surge in ethical conflicts? He didn't even consider the ethical relationships within his own family!

Being a loner for too long can cause one to lose basic empathy. He was extremely protective of his son, but he didn't see anything wrong with replacing the old man with a new one at the North Gate. In the later stages of his life, this guy became even more inhumanly stupid.

After all, an emperor can remain forever high above, but the world ultimately requires people to be grounded in reality. Being detached from the masses for too long leads to a loss of the ability to be pragmatic, and the decisions made in the end are often incredibly foolish and inhuman.

People like Gao Lishi also had their own stances. Through their provocations, the personnel of the Northern Gate were kept in an unstable and stressful state, which was also conducive to the division of the Northern Gate Imperial Guard and the rise of new forces.

Therefore, as long as Gao Lishi could keep causing trouble for the Northern Court, he was doing Zhang Dai a great favor, allowing him to continuously find opportunities to infiltrate the personnel power he controlled into the interior.

However, since Gao Lishi had already said so, he certainly wouldn't play the role of someone who asks for nothing in return. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Since I entered the mortal world, I have received much care from the Duke of Bohai. Now that I can make some intellectual contributions, how dare I ask for anything in return? It's just that there is a problem with someone in my family. Seeing my grandfather sighing and lamenting, I am also worried. Now I dare to speak to the Duke of Bohai about it."

"What is it that can ease the worries and difficulties of the Duke of Yan? Tell me, and if I can help, I will certainly do my duty!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lishi smiled and said that Zhang Dai's explanation today had enlightened him on the struggle against the North Gate, and he was even more convinced that this kid was a rare talent, and his goodwill towards him was overwhelming.

"It's a bit embarrassing to talk about, but I have no face to speak of in front of the Duke of Bohai, so I'll just have to beg like a rogue. I have an uncle at home who is lazy and good-for-nothing. He is not doing well in his studies at the Hongwen Academy, and my father is having a hard time managing him for the time being."

At this point, Zhang Dai's face showed a somewhat embarrassed expression: "Although my uncle is an elder to me, he is also a playmate of the same age. His current misdeeds are entirely his own fault, but he is about to seek a wife, yet he remains a penniless commoner. I am afraid he will not be valued by the people of the time. Therefore, I earnestly request that the Duke of Bohai help me find a new place to live and make some changes so that my uncle can go out and meet people."

"Haha, so that's what it is! Just like the ten fingers of a person, each is of different lengths. Although Yan Gong is a famous figure in this world and has a virtuous grandson that is the envy of many, his offspring are not all good. This also subtly conforms to the principle of humility and contentment! It is rare for a young man to be so dedicated, not taking pride in being the only one outstanding in the world, but still willing to care for his relatives and friends. How could I bear to refuse your request!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lishi burst into laughter, then turned to Zhang Dai and said, "Literature and scholarship are merely skills in this world. Not mastering them doesn't necessarily make one a useless person. What are your interests, Uncle? Let me think about what I can do for you."

"Although my uncle did not excel in his studies, he had a pure heart and treated people sincerely. Although he enjoyed playing with dogs and horses, he was also courageous and resolute. He may not be able to follow the proper path of scholars, but judging cases on the spot was one of his strengths."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Dai launched into another awkward boast. He didn't want Gao Lishi to be given a sinecure. Although he wasn't sure how talented his uncle was, he could arrange assistants for him once the position was secured, just like his father had a think tank in Zhengzhou.

"The Left Gatekeeper is still short of a Chief Clerk. I will make arrangements for him. You should also go home and tell your uncle to make preparations. If things go well, I will personally inform him."

After thinking for a moment, Gao Lishi spoke to Zhang Dai again.

"This...this...my uncle is a commoner, yet he has been appointed to a sixth-rank position. Isn't this a bit too hasty?"

Although Zhang Dai wanted a cushy job, he didn't expect Gao Lishi to be so generous, promising a sixth-rank position right off the bat, which surprised him greatly.

"I certainly don't have the ability to seek advancement for others in the various departments of the Southern Province, but matters within the palace are merely family affairs. It's rare for a young man to ask me for help, so how could I let you leave disappointed? Although this matter may not conform to the principles of personnel management, it is in accordance with mutual respect!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lishi chuckled again, his tone tinged with a hint of resentment and bitterness: "The Prime Minister of the Southern Province is dignified and proper, and he follows the rules in employing people and handling affairs. Although he possesses extraordinary talent, he is treated as an ordinary person. If you, young man, were to serve under me, you would surely be dressed in scarlet robes by the time you reach adulthood!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai suddenly felt a chill in his groin. He then chuckled dryly, thinking that his blue official robe was quite decent, and he wasn't in a hurry to change into purple or scarlet. "Entering the palace would be a different story," he thought, "we're even brothers-in-law now!"

(End of this chapter)