Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 87 The Northern Court and the Palace Attendants

Zhang Dai was surprised to hear this, but he wasn't surprised that Wang Yuanbao had powerful backers.

The social hierarchy is: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Merchants are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. If a merchant as large as Wang Yuanbao didn't have a powerful backer, he would have been exploited countless times long ago.

However, Zhang Dai was taken aback when Gao Lishi said that Wang Yuanbao's backer was so powerful that he was eroding his interests.

Even though his grandfather had retired from officialdom, he was still a prominent figure in this world, and not just anyone could easily take advantage of him.

"Could it be Yuwen Zhongcheng, the Censor-in-Chief?"

The only person he could think of for a moment was Yuwen Rong, who had just won his battle against his grandfather, but he shook his head as soon as he said the name.

If Wang Yuanbao could get in touch with Yuwen Rong, why would he be so at a loss when the governor of Bianzhou was replaced? Moreover, he guessed that Wang Yuanbao's request to see Wei Jian might be because he wanted to get to know Yuan Fu, the newly appointed governor of Bianzhou, through Wei Jian.

As expected, Gao Lishi shook his head upon hearing this: "Even if Wang Yuanbao is a wealthy man, he is merely a merchant. How could he possibly gain the appreciation, trust, and confidence of the officials and nobles of the Southern Province?"

Upon hearing Gao Lishi's words, Zhang Dai frowned again.

Since he wasn't a powerful figure in the court, yet he had the power to encroach on even his own interests, Zhang Dai could only think of one possibility: could Wang Yuanbao's backer be Gao Lishi's colleague, the adopted son of a certain purple-robed grand eunuch?

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Gao Lishi knew that it was due to limited knowledge rather than a lack of intelligence. So he stopped keeping him in suspense, reined in his horse, and gestured for Zhang Dai to come closer. He then took Zhang Dai's hand and quickly drew the character "Huo" in his palm.

Huo Yuanjia?
Zhang Dai almost blurted it out, but luckily he thought about it for a moment before realizing what was going on. He couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Wang Yuanbao's reliance is actually the Duke of Huo!"

“Indeed, it was Wang Maozhong. Wang Yuanbao then established a kinship relationship with this man, treating him as his nephew. Wang Maozhong also admired his business acumen and often provided him with funds to make a profit.”

When Gao Lishi got to this point, his face showed deep disdain again. He said bluntly, "When ordinary people become successful, they often flaunt their Chinese ethnicity to glorify their family background. But Wang Yuanbao is a merchant by nature, only interested in profit. After becoming rich, he actually knelt down and served the Korean slaves. This shows that he is willing to debase himself."

Who is Wang Maozhong? He is the number one person in the Northern Army!
The Northern Army was in contrast to the Southern Army, which referred to the twelve guards that commanded the imperial troops, as well as the left and right gate guards and the left and right Thousand Ox Guards. Of course, the imperial troops no longer exist, and the current Southern Army's armed forces are the cavalry, which were originally the chief guards, and are now divided among the various guards.

The Southern Army was the country's regular army, responsible for the defense and protection of the capital region, and also responsible for sending troops on expeditions.

As for the Northern Guard, it was the emperor's private imperial guard, which routinely protected the area around the palace city to the north of the palace. The main entrance and exit to the north of the palace city was the famous Xuanwu Gate.

Although this initially referred to the Taiji Palace in the western part of Chang'an, the Daming Palace in the eastern part of Chang'an and the Ziwei City in Luoyang later followed a similar layout.

The origins of the Northern Army of the Tang Dynasty can be traced back to the Yuan Cong Imperial Guards during the Taiyuan Uprising of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the Northern Army was established on the basis of the former subordinates of the Prince of Qin, and further evolved into the Left and Right Garrison Flying Cavalry and the Hundred Cavalry.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Left and Right Garrison Camps were reorganized into the Left and Right Imperial Guards. During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, the number of cavalrymen increased from 100 to 1,000. During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, the number of cavalrymen increased from 1,000 to 10,000, still divided into Left and Right Camps.

Later, Li Longji and others launched the Tanglong Coup with the help of the Left and Right Ten Thousand Cavalry to eliminate the Wei clan, and the four armies of the Northern Army, namely the Left and Right Imperial Guards and the Left and Right Ten Thousand Cavalry, continued.

Wang Maozhong is currently the most powerful and favored general in the Northern Imperial Guard system. He not only commands the Northern Imperial Guard, but also holds the positions of Director of the Imperial Stables and Supervisor of Horse Breeding, and controls the administration of horses both inside and outside the capital.

The fact that Wang Yuanbao's backer was Wang Maozhong of the Northern Court truly surprised Zhang Dai. Wang Maozhong was someone even his grandfather, Zhang Shuo, had to flatter and fawn over; kicking him aside would be incredibly easy for him.

With such powerful backing, why is Wang Yuanbao still so troubled in the southern part of Luoyang?
The logic is simple: if you have a dog that doesn't guard the house properly, do you get a new one, or do you sit in the kennel and guard the house for the dog from now on?

Wang Maozhong could be Wang Yuanbao's patron, but he might not be willing to clean up his messes. And even if Wang Yuanbao suffered a crushing defeat in Luoyang and lost everything, would he dare use Wang Maozhong's money to cover his losses?
Furthermore, although Wang Maozhong was a prominent figure, his power was limited to the Northern Government system. To put it nicely, he was the most powerful person in the Northern Government; to put it bluntly, he was just a security captain and head of the household guards.

Even if he's the emperor's head servant, he might give you a friendly face, but if you want to manage the country for the emperor, isn't that crazy?
People respected Wang Maozhong, but more fundamentally, they revered the emperor behind him. Wang Maozhong's downfall was due to this lack of loyalty; this dog (Wang Maozhong) actually wanted to become the Minister of War in the southern province. The emperor couldn't very well stand guard at Xuanwu Gate himself, so he dealt with Wang Maozhong.

However, Zhang Dai remained silent after learning this. While he did want to expand his network and curry favor through this matter, if the interpersonal relationships involved became too complicated, it would be a case of more harm than good. "You little brat, you know fear? Seeing your boldness the other day, I thought you were fearless!"

Seeing that Zhang Dai had lowered his head and was no longer speaking, Gao Lishi smiled and asked.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai smiled helplessly and sighed, "Where the Way leads, there is nothing to fear. Why contend with the grace of Heaven? As a junior in the human world, is it not wise to avoid the influence of predecessors? However, I am truly sorry for rashly reporting this before fully understanding the matter and disturbing the Duke of Bohai's view."

He planned to go back and tell the county magistrate of Yunyang about this hidden personnel matter. Since she trusted him, he naturally had to explain all the inside information about the personnel to her.

"You don't need to leave. Once the words are spoken, you can't take them back!"

Gao Lishi reached out and grabbed the reins of the horse, pulling it closer to him. He then said with a smile, "Your plan was hard-won, and you're willing to share the benefits with an elder. It's gratifying. How could I be so arrogant and unaware, letting you leave disappointed?"

"Since the Duke of Bohai is aware of this matter, he can simply send someone to inquire with Wang Yuanbao. Why bother keeping an ignorant boy like me here!"

Zhang Dai was not allowed to pass, so he said with a wry smile, "I have disturbed the Duke of Bohai today, and I still have to go home to ask my grandfather for punishment!"

"You don't need to use the Duke of Yan to scare me. What's wrong with telling you the truth? I do have a problem with Wang Maozhong. You're ignorant, and even if you gave him such a brilliant scheme to make money, he might not be loyal to you. If I didn't know about this, that would be fine. But now that I do, you must take it from me!"

Gao Lishi increasingly felt that this kid truly had the cunning style of his grandfather. Not only did he think of such a clever way to make money, but he also knew when to back down if he sensed that things were not going well. He was courageous in the face of danger and knew when to advance and retreat. No wonder the sage had praised him highly the other day.

"Why does the Duke of Bohai make things difficult for a mere youth? Your position is lofty and your reputation immense; with a single command, followers swarm like ants. I am but an ugly, weak, and cowardly youth..."

Zhang Dai's original intention was that his grandfather knew everything about their affairs, and that they shouldn't try to fool him. However, Gao Lishi explained things very clearly, yet still refused to let him go, leaving Zhang Dai somewhat bewildered.

"Can a weak and cowardly person speak with unwavering integrity and a voice that would rather die than submit? Since you have told me this, you must know that I have the ability to mentor and care for your children. Help me accomplish this, and in the future, I will protect you from the places where your father and grandfather cannot provide care!"

Gao Lishi didn't really think this kid could help him defeat Wang Maozhong, but the kid was indeed talented and worthy of admiration. Now that he had taken the initiative to come to him, he didn't want to let him go. In particular, training this kid gave him the feeling and wicked pleasure of toying with the young Zhang Shuo.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai's eyes immediately cleared, and his tone, which had previously been filled with helpless bitterness, became solemn: "The Duke of Bohai recently came to the province and took me under his protection in the palace, which led to various matters. I have never forgotten this kindness and will repay it when the time is right. That is why I came to inform you in haste, having already made some plans."

"However, the current plan involves Huiwen's family affairs. The Lady of Yunyang County appointed me to serve and entrusted me with this advice. Now, grieving the loss of my father, I offer this plan to facilitate family matters, unaware of the internal strife and entanglements. The Bohai official has sent me; a single word is sufficient, but if this matter causes unrest in Huiwen's family, I dare not comply!"

Hearing the young man speak so seriously, Gao Lishi's mischievous smile vanished slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he sighed and said, "Young man, you are indeed dignified and should not be pressured by force. Rest assured, with the death of Emperor Huiwen drawing the attention of the world, who would dare to cause trouble?"

Even if you want to seize this business, you must plan carefully afterwards. You are naturally intelligent and you seek to do good things with people and things, which is good. However, some people and things are ultimately tainted and difficult to clean up, and it is difficult to coexist with them. Your grandfather's past is a good lesson to him.

My intention to seize Mao Zhong's assets is a precautionary measure. If you help me, I will not abandon you. Perhaps you are too young to understand; you can go home and ask your grandfather about my character. If he thinks I am worthy of your service, you can come to visit me again.”

Zhang Dai wasn't stupid; having gone this far, he knew exactly how to respond.

Now that they had reached the north of Tianjin Bridge, where there were many people and eyes, he naturally couldn't make any overly conspicuous noises or actions. He simply bowed to Gao Lishi from horseback and said, "Who am I, sir? Even the Duke of Bohai has seen my talent. Since I have been appreciated, I dare not presume to follow suit. I dare not boast of anything else, but the plan for now is mine, and the future will be clear to me. Please wait patiently, and I will surely present this work to you soon!"

Joining the struggle between the eunuchs and the Northern Imperial Guards is certainly risky, but the rewards can be substantial. Scavenging on the streets every day isn't too risky, but when will one accumulate the capital to strategize for the world?

Moreover, Zhang Dai understood that Gao Lishi's ambition to acquire this business wasn't purely driven by greed. After all, the conflict between the eunuchs and the Northern Army generals wasn't about who had more or less money, but rather a contest for power.

His primary aim was likely to reduce and control Wang Maozhong's financial resources, and to undermine his methods of cultivating relationships with the soldiers of the Northern Army through bribery. If Wang Maozhong wanted to continue winning people's hearts, he would have to resort to other tactics, which would increase the probability of making mistakes and leave ammunition for the eunuchs to use against him.

Therefore, Zhang Dai didn't need to directly participate in their competition; he only needed to control the outflow of profits from Feiqian. That's too simple. What if project profits weren't distributed as dividends? Expand investment!
An entrepreneur who can't paint a rosy picture for investors isn't a qualified entrepreneur! A good entrepreneur must get investors to risk everything and work together to create a brilliant future!

(End of this chapter)