Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 528 The Emperor's Personal Army
Princess Yuzhen traveled with great pomp and circumstance. After the carriages and ceremonial procession were prepared, it was already completely dark before the group set off to leave Yuzhen Taoist Temple.

Zhang Dai had no choice but to go along. Even if he won this level of struggle, the tangible benefits he would receive would be minimal; he would only gain some favor from powerful figures.

Favorability is an intangible and difficult-to-quantify thing. For example, Princess Yuzhen had done him a great favor on their first meeting last year. And the various military resources controlled by Prince Xin'an were something Zhang Dai coveted.

So Zhang Dai just thought of it as building up his reputation. Not to mention the favors he could do for these two important figures in the same industry, at least he could get to be recognized by the emperor, right?

It was already dark, and the curfew had long since begun. But this rule only applied to ordinary people; someone of Princess Yuzhen's stature could, of course, disregard it. In fact, the Imperial Guards had even specially dispatched a detachment to accompany and protect her when they learned of her upcoming trip.

Zhuque Gate was a wide and straight street, bustling with activity during the day. It was a place where high-ranking officials and their entourages, as well as ordinary people and vendors walked along the street, making it one of the most lively, prosperous, and magnificent streets in Chang'an.

But at night, apart from the occasional patrolling soldiers on horseback, there were hardly any people to be seen. The whole street was quiet, which made people feel uneasy.

Fortunately, the procession was not moving too slowly, and it did not take long for them to reach the vicinity of Xingqing Palace in the South Inner Palace. Because the Emperor was now residing in Xingqing Palace, the level of security here was very high, with numerous checkpoints set up several miles away.

However, when the patrolling imperial guards learned that it was Princess Yuzhen traveling, they did not conduct any further checks, simply glanced at the group, and then let them pass. As for the Golden Guards who accompanied and protected her, they were sent back to where they came from and were not allowed to approach the palace grounds again.

Tens of thousands of troops were stationed in Chang'an. These troops performed their duties according to their respective affiliations, and their areas of activity were also restricted.

Such an arrangement has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are numerous: different armies perform their respective duties, ensuring the safety of the imperial guards and city guards, while also checking and balancing each other to prevent any one side from becoming too powerful.

However, in reality, such an arrangement leads to low response efficiency, buck-passing, and a lack of overall coordination and command. In the event of an unexpected emergency, the armed forces scattered throughout the city would find it difficult to quickly mobilize and respond to unforeseen circumstances.

Especially for forbidden gardens like Taiji Palace and Daming Palace, which were located on the edge of the city, once the palace gates were attacked, the soldiers in other places were just for show and could not be used at all.

The current emperor, back then, relied on the support of a few hundred soldiers from the North Gate to storm into the Daming Palace and eliminate the Wei clan, so he is naturally well aware of this. Now that he has moved to Xingqing Palace, it is naturally also to guard against this.

If the Taiji Palace and Daming Palace are located at the head of Chang'an City, then Xingqing Palace is at the shoulder and neck. This location is more convenient than the other two palaces for gathering and deploying military forces inside and outside Chang'an City.

Although Xingqing Palace is located in the eastern part of Chang'an, the area outside it is not a desolate wilderness, but rather Wangchun Palace, which is also within the forbidden garden area.

Wangchun Palace is located on the eastern slope of Longshou Plain. The palace and gardens are built between the Chan River. Climbing the towers, one can overlook a large area in the east of Chang'an City. It was also a prosperous place in the east of Chang'an City, and it also had a protective effect on Xingqing Palace in the city.

However, Xingqing Palace is not absolutely safe. Because it is close to the city center and has frequent traffic, it is actually more convenient than the other two palaces if you want to do something.

At least the gathering and dispersal of people would be much more convenient. Take the East Market, which is not far from Xingqing Palace, for example. It would be perfectly normal for it to hide hundreds of desperate criminals.

They didn't even need that many people. A few could easily sneak in and set a fire near Dog Ridge, which would be enough to alert the city's guards and create more opportunities for trouble.

Later, the emperor ordered the construction of a covered passageway connecting Xingqing Palace and Daming Palace, and also expanded Wangchun Palace in the east of the city, all to address these security gaps. He was truly concerned about his own safety.

Although they arrived at the palace gates smoothly with Princess Yuzhen by their side, they were still subjected to a thorough questioning and inspection before entering the palace.

Princess Yuzhen's numerous entourage were left outside the palace, with only two maids accompanying her. As for Prince Xin'an and Zhang Dai, they were only allowed to enter on their own. The distinctions between close and distant relatives, and between those of high and low status, were clearly evident in every aspect.

After entering Xingqing Palace, the group was temporarily placed in the Hanlin Academy, where eunuchs went to report to the palace for instructions.

When Zhang Dai served as Left Remonstrator and Inner Court Attendant, he often stayed overnight in the Hanlin Academy as a waiting official. However, after being transferred to the position of Supervising Censor, he no longer had such opportunities. Now, revisiting this familiar place, he felt a strong sense of familiarity.

Seeing that Princess Yuzhen and Prince Xin'an were simply sitting there solemnly, probably pondering how to respond to the emperor later, Zhang Dai felt no such pressure. Knowing that a round trip from here to the Hua'e Tower would take at least half an hour, he simply excused himself and went for a stroll in the courtyard. "It really is Liu Lang! I didn't believe it when my subordinate told me earlier. I just thought it was late at night, what would Liu Lang be doing in the palace..."

Zhang Dai was planning to visit some old colleagues when a surprised voice suddenly rang out behind him. He turned around and saw Jiang Xingwei, dressed in armor, striding towards him.

Upon seeing that it was Jiang Xingwei, Zhang Dai was also surprised: "General Jiang, what brings you to the inner palace on duty?"

"Thanks to Liu Lang and the Duke of Bohai, the Wanqi recently persuaded many veteran generals to retire. Their sons and daughters still need training and are assigned to various subordinate positions. I was selected to join the Wanqi as a commander of the Vanguard Battalion, and from then on, I have the honor and good fortune to guard the imperial residence!"

When Jiang Xingwei arrived in front of Zhang Dai, he put his hands in a gesture of respect and said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai was secretly pleased. It seemed that Gao Lishi was vigorously promoting the ideas he had previously given him.

The Northern Army, especially the Ten Thousand Cavalry, faces considerable difficulty in replacing its old guard with new talent due to its inherent closed nature, which makes it hard for the Ten Thousand Cavalry to absorb a large number of new recruits from outside. However, if this closed nature is broken, it will be much harder to prevent in the future.

Jiang Xingwei was quite lucky, seizing several rare opportunities. Born into a commoner family, he joined the army as a brave soldier at the beginning of the Kaiyuan era. He earned merit on the frontier through his bravery and fighting prowess. He also took advantage of Zhang Dai's suggestion to Yang Sixu and others to win over the frontier soldiers the previous year to enter the court and join the Northern Army.

However, the Imperial Guards in the Northern Palace were only a relatively peripheral and marginal armed force. They were not assigned to the palace gardens for any ceremonies, security activities, or daily duties and guard duties. Their treatment was also vastly different from that of the Ten Thousand Cavalry.

"Congratulations! Once you join the Ten Thousand Cavalry, you will be a true member of the Emperor's personal guard. If you perform well in the next year's service to the Emperor, your wife and children will undoubtedly be rewarded!"

Although Zhang Dai helped create this opportunity, he did not recommend Jiang Xingwei to Gao Lishi. However, it was only natural for Gao Lishi to want to intervene in the Wanqi (Ten Thousand Cavalry) and counterbalance the original group of meritorious officials of the Tang Dynasty, and to absorb and appoint a marginalized general like Jiang Xingwei.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingwei grinned and said, "Although the Imperial Guards and the Ten Thousand Cavalry are both under the North Gate, there are quite a few differences between them. After joining the Ten Thousand Cavalry, everything became clear. I recently bought a house in Xinchangfang. Although it is not very spacious, it is more than enough to accommodate my family."

It was a trivial matter, and I dared not trouble Liu Lang with it. But since we've met in the garden, I'm taking the liberty of telling you, Liu Lang, if Yingniang and Aying wish to visit, I will certainly arrange for my family to come out and greet them!

Living in Chang'an was extremely difficult; many people spent their entire lives without ever having a roof over their heads. The fact that Jiang Xingwei, after being transferred from the Imperial Guard to the Ten Thousand Cavalry, was able to quickly acquire a property in the eastern part of the city demonstrates the prestige of the Ten Thousand Cavalry.

The generals of the Ten Thousand Cavalry might not have much in the way of personal gain, and their duties as guards were extremely demanding. However, there were also advantages. First, they were closer to the emperor and more likely to gain his favor. Second, once they joined the Ten Thousand Cavalry, it was as if their descendants had a secure job. As long as they didn't commit serious crimes like treason, their descendants could stay there indefinitely.

This position is much more secure than those seemingly prestigious ministers in the outer court. Ministers can fall from grace at any time, while the cavalrymen, even if they experience the Xuanwu Gate Incident and do not participate on the winning side, will still be treated with favor and appeasement afterward, as long as they do not oppose it too outrageously.

Eunuchs like Gao Lishi hated the generals of the Ten Thousand Cavalry with a passion, but they first had to acknowledge that the generals' positions and power were passed down through generations before they could take action against them.

Jiang Xingwei knew that he had abandoned his wife and daughter, which left a bad impression on Zhang Dai, so he tried his best to improve their relationship.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai smiled and said, "I will go home and tell my aunts. They will surely be happy for you. If you have some free time, you can go and visit them."

He was just saying that casually; Ah Ying still harbored deep resentment towards her father and wasn't particularly willing to get close to him. However, adults often put on an act, and everyone is happy to hear polite words.

Jiang Xingwei was about to say a few more words to Zhang Dai when he suddenly heard some noise. He turned around and saw a tall figure in a purple robe coming towards him. It was his benefactor, Gao Lishi. He quickly turned around and went forward to pay his respects.

Zhang Dai was surprised that Gao Lishi would come to greet him personally, so he quickly stepped forward. Gao Lishi first waved Jiang Xingwei away, but did not go into the hall to see the two men. Instead, he gestured for Zhang Dai to follow him to a secluded place, presumably to give him important instructions.

Seeing this, Jiang Xingwei couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and envy. After joining the Wanqi, he considered himself someone of importance, but the higher the rank of the people he came into contact with, the deeper his awe for Zhang Dai became.

(End of this chapter)