Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 116 Killing the General

Amidst the raging rain, Gao Pian sat in a palanquin, carried by seven or eight burly Kunlun slaves, and ascended to the mountain camp.

Behind him, the Jiedushi and Huanyue were wrapped up by warriors to prevent them from getting wet in the rain.

They are currently on a mountain in Longcangling, northeast of Hanyuan. Yesterday, after surveying the surrounding terrain, Gao Pian planted his staff on this mountain peak.

This mountain is ordinary, but it offers a view of the Hanyuan Valley to the southwest, two mountain ridges to the south that extend into the plateau along the Dadu River, Rongjing to the north (which can be used as a retreat route), and rolling hills to the northwest (which provide a commanding view of the valley to the west).

At this moment, Gao Pian was carried up the hill, which had been leveled and a camp had been erected. Dozens of military generals from various vassal states were waiting to greet him.

Upon seeing Gao Pian arrive, they hurriedly came to greet him.

Gao Pian refused the help of several trusted confidants and jumped off the palanquin himself, almost twisting his ankle in the process.

Having traveled such a long distance, Gao Pian barely had time to sleep each day, as he was either meeting with various military commanders, assigning tasks along the way, or even dealing with disputes among his subordinates.

If it were twenty years ago, when Gao Pian was in his thirties, then there would naturally be no problem. Back then, he was full of energy and could stay up all night without any issues. He could often catch up on sleep for two or three hours on the road and then be full of energy again.

But now, Gao Pian is almost sixty years old, and his sleep is light and difficult to fall asleep. Moreover, he doesn't know if it's because he stayed up too late when he was young, but now Gao Pian's eyesight is not good and his memory is not very good. Sometimes he can stand for a long time and can't remember what he was just thinking.

Therefore, Gao Pian's afternoon nap time was the time when he could not be disturbed at all; even the sounds of insects and cicadas had to be taken away by the soldiers of Luodiaodu.

But now, Gao Pian is holed up in the deep mountains and forests. No matter how many soldiers there are, they can't drive away all the insects with their long poles. As a result, Gao Pian hasn't been sleeping well lately.

At this moment, Gao Pian swayed, and Zhang Lin grabbed the envoy's arm and steadily supported him.

Gao Pian smiled, patted Zhang Lin's arm, then walked up to the generals and said with a smile:

"Even if the rain in the mountains is light, it's still gloomy. Don't stand there, come into the tent together."

Then, the generals escorted Gao Pian into the tent, where fresh fruits and a soft couch that Gao Pian often lay on were laid out. These were carried here on the shoulders of the Kunlun slaves.

Outside, the mountain rain was drizzling down. Gao Pian was in a good mood, lying on his side on the soft couch, and casually picked up a piece of betel nut to chew.

This is something he's gotten used to eating in Annam. It not only refreshes him but also protects him from miasma. For someone of Gao Pian's age who has to shoulder both mental and physical labor, this is something he can't live without for even a moment.

Chewing betel nut and inhaling deeply, Gao Pian asked Sergeant Gao Tai:

"Thirteenth Brother, how are the foreign troops stationed in the various mountains?"

Gao Tai was Gao Pian's thirteenth brother and had always been trusted and respected by Gao Pian, so he was entrusted with the important position of Chief of the Army.

Gao Tai's hair was wrapped in a handkerchief. He had just returned from patrolling the various mountain camps and was also exhausted. When his elder brother asked about him, he quickly stood up and said:
“All camps are in good order. I inspected the eighteen camps and found that all officers and soldiers were ready to fight at any time.”

Gao Pian nodded and asked:

"How is morale? Tell the truth!"

Gao Tai hesitated for a moment, but still told the truth:

"The morale of all units is low, mainly due to the incessant rain in the mountains. Many soldiers in the army are from the northwestern tribes and northern troops from Hedong and Zhaoyi. They are not able to withstand the miasma and the rain, and many have fallen ill."

Gao Pian frowned:

"Have all the healers gone?"

Gao Tai sighed:

“They have already gone, but before that, when Nanzhao raided the surrounding areas of Chengdu, many local doctors were taken away. Only some of the doctors who came from Chengdu with the army were left, but their numbers were really not enough.”

Gao Pian fell silent, sighed, and said, "Let Gao Tai do his best."

Because he couldn't figure out whether the soldiers from Hedong and Zhaoyi were truly sick or faking it.

Even the ambitious Gao Pian closed his eyes wearily at this moment. Sometimes he was also confused. Everyone was flattering him, but how many of them were truly for the country?

Does the fate of the world depend solely on the Shence Army? Aren't the people of Hedong and Zhaoyi Tang people? Does this war have nothing to do with them?
Suddenly, Gao Pian remembered what Zhao Huai'an had said that day: "People, regardless of north or south, can all be of one mind."

Of course he knew this was nonsense. What could the people of Hedong have to do with the people of Western Sichuan? What did the Nanzhao people's raids on the people of Western Sichuan have to do with their Zhaoyi Army? If they weren't under royal orders, why would they have come to this old forest to suffer the wind and rain?

But if that were truly the case, things wouldn't be so difficult for the nation.

Just as Gao Pian closed his eyes, utterly exhausted, Gao Tai suddenly said:

"There was one battalion with high morale. When I went to inspect the camp, the campfires were blazing, and all the officers and soldiers were singing and drinking, eager for battle!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Pian opened his eyes and beamed with joy:

"Oh, whose camp is this?"

Gao Tai glanced at the assembled generals and solemnly said:
"To protect Zhao Huai'an's troops in Yidu!"

Gao Pian was somewhat surprised, but it was also understandable. He only sighed to Yang Qingfu beside him:

"As expected, this battle still depends on your Sichuan-Western Army! Bao Yidu's morale is high, you have a good general, and Zhao Da has a good soldier!"

Yang Qingfu came with Gao Pian, but he arrived first to greet Gao Pian, since Gao Pian was the leader.

At this moment, Yang Qingfu, wearing a military cap, a round-necked robe, and a rhinoceros horn belt, replied with a smile:

"Only Zhao Da is like this; this time, he's really determined to make a great contribution!"

Gao Pian laughed heartily, slammed his iron scepter against the table, and shouted:

"That's the spirit we need. Old Yang, Little Zeng, weren't we like that back then? We warriors live on the edge, risking our lives to make a name for ourselves on the battlefield. If you don't have that spirit, don't go in. You'll just die anyway."

The so-called "Little Zeng" was Zeng Yuanyu, the military commander of Boye Army. He also arrived in Hanyuan with three thousand Boye soldiers in the past two days. Most of his troops rested in Rongjing, but he went into the mountains with Gao Pian first.

As he spoke, Gao Pian suddenly pointed at one of his generals and shouted:

"But some people have probably forgotten this point, thinking that going to the battlefield and going to brothels are for fun."

Suddenly, the tent fell silent. Some of the guilty ones lowered their heads and dared not answer, while the general being watched by Gao Pian was filled with fear and immediately stepped forward and knelt down.

Gao Pian didn't even look at the man, and said to the generals:
“Since I started my military career, I have known that ‘a kind heart cannot command an army.’ Punishment can demonstrate military might, and punishment can establish authority. Therefore, if killing one person makes the entire army tremble, then kill him; if killing one person makes ten thousand people rejoice, then kill him.”

When Gao Pian repeatedly ordered the killing, the general could barely kneel, sweat beading on his forehead, and collapsed to the ground.

Gao Pian glanced at the ugly thing with disgust and continued:
"Therefore, a general must be ruthless and kill! Because you are not carrying one life, but hundreds of lives on your shoulders. Which is more important, killing one person and causing the grief of a family, or annihilating an army and causing the grief of a prefecture?"

As Gao Pian spoke, seven or eight armored warriors entered from outside. They were all followers of the Tanguts and Tibetans, and had no relation to the military officers present.

After they came in, they grabbed the kneeling general by the neck and dragged him out like a chick.

At this moment, the general was too terrified to speak. He stammered and looked pleadingly at one of the generals sitting to his left.

The man sighed, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gao Pian at the head of the table, and pleaded for mercy:

“Brother, with a great battle imminent, how can we kill a general? Moreover, the troops of Fufang are mostly merchants from the Guanzhong region. Although they are not good at fighting, they are useful in transferring supplies. It would be better to send this general back to Yazhou to atone for his crimes.”

The one who was to be beheaded was Yin Yuanyi, the military commander of Fufang who had accompanied Gao Pian south this time.

The person who pleaded for him was Gao Zhu, Gao Pian's cousin, who was then the Right Shence Army's Iron Fort Garrison Commander. He led 500 soldiers from Binzhou into Shu to assist Gao Pian.

But as soon as Gao Zhu began to plead for mercy, Gao Pian said sternly:

"I have no elder brothers in the army, let's talk about it later!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhu knew that Fu Fang was doomed, so he could only clasp his hands in a fist salute.

"Your Excellency, please consider that we are brothers within the pass. You may be able to command the army with authority, but only benevolence can inspire your subordinates to serve you to the death."

Gao Pian, who had been expressionless, suddenly flew into a rage upon hearing these words. He smashed the table with his iron ruyi and roared:

Do you think I'm arrogant and heartless?

How terrifying is Gao Pian's anger? Gao Zhu's hair stood on end, his entire back was soaked with sweat, and he no longer mentioned brothers within the pass; he knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

At this moment, Gao Pian abandoned all decorum and roared at the Qin Hu soldiers:
"Why aren't you dragging this out?"

Then the Tibetan and Tangut warriors came to their senses. First, two men smashed Yin Yuanyi's kneecaps with iron maces from the left and right, and then dragged the wailing man out of the tent.

Outside, the mountain rain was drizzling. Suddenly, a scream rang out, and Yin Yuanyi's head was chopped off.

Several Tangut warriors placed the head on a wooden table, held it, and waited outside the tent without coming in.

But the strong smell of blood had already drifted in, and the previously somewhat lax generals all lowered their heads and became solemn.

Only then did Gao Pian address the group:

"I came from the Shence Army, and half of the people here also came from the Shence Army, so I don't need to say more about what kind of state our Shence Army is in now. I wouldn't even bother with you if you were just making money and lending money on a regular basis, because I know you're rotten! But what time is it now? Where are we?"

With that, Gao Pian jumped off the soft couch and rebuked the generals:
"Lift them all up and look at the other side. What's on the other side?"

Including Gao Zhu, who was kneeling, all the generals looked up at the opposite side. In the mountain rain, the opposite side was also a series of mountains, shrouded in mist, but they could still see countless flags fluttering on the ridges, which was where the Nanzhao army was stationed.

Gao Pian berated his generals:
"But this is war! It's a national war! The battlefield is a place of life and death, a place where the fate of the nation hangs in the balance. If you do business in the army and make money, and the war is lost, you can just pack your bags and leave. But what does it mean for the country? In this war, our army has gathered tens of thousands of elite troops. If we win, the century-old border conflicts between Nanzhao will be over, and the people can finally breathe a sigh of relief. If we lose, the court will lose these elite troops, Sichuan will not be at peace, and the nation will fall into chaos."

"At this time, you're talking to me about brothers in Guanzhong? At this time, you're talking to me about gaining people in Huai Ren? What a load of bull!"

This was the first time Gao Pian had cursed someone in front of everyone. This old martial artist, who loved writing poetry and the Daoist arts, was always so calm and elegant, but when he cursed someone, he was just as fierce and ruthless as a commoner!

He pulled out the sword that was lying on the table, threw it on the ground, and shouted at everyone:

"In this battle, there are no brothers, no fathers and sons, no kinship in the army, only commanders and generals, generals and soldiers. I order you to advance, and you advance! I order you to retreat, and you retreat! Whoever disobeys my orders, I will kill! If you can't do it, take your own life now, and I will spare your dignity. But if you can't do it on the battlefield and harm my brothers in the army, then I will slaughter your entire family!"

At this moment, not a single soldier dared to breathe, and even Gao Pian's close advisors were parched, for their envoy was truly enraged.

They didn't know the emperor's wrath, but they did know that if the prime minister were angered, their entire family could be wiped out!

Of course, there is a paradox here: there are quite a few members of the Bohai Gao clan in the army. If these people are not good on the battlefield and their entire families are to be executed, then shouldn't Gao Pian also be executed?

But no one dared to make such a blunder. They were all lying on the ground, sweating profusely, shouting in unison, "For the country, for the emperor, for the prime minister, let us fight to the death!"

Then Gao Pian roared:

"Then why don't you all return to your own camps and restore order to your troops? Anyone who dares to be so incompetent and refuse to fight again, don't blame my blade for being unsharp!"

The generals roared in unison, then descended the mountain in the pouring rain, rushing back to their respective camps to wreak havoc!
Even if I were to die in this battle, I would rather not face the wrath of the envoy again; it is truly terrifying.

……

Gao Zhu, the Right Shence Army Commander, descended the mountain in a daze, supported by several Binzhou generals.

The guy behind him was holding a large umbrella high to shield himself from the rain, while he himself was soaked to the bone.

At this moment, one of the dentists couldn't help but complain:

"What's wrong with the Prime Minister today? It's one thing to be stern with those generals from western Sichuan, but why is he taking it out on our old brothers from Guanzhong? We're all on the same side!"

That's right. For example, Binzhou Town of the Right Shence Army has been the Gao family's base since Gao Pian's grandfather. Gao Pian's grandfather rose to the position of Jiedushi from here, and Gao Pian's father also rose from here. Gao Pian also left from here. After he left, Gao Pian's cousin became the commander of the garrison.

It can be said that the four generations of the Gao family were close relatives in Binzhou Town, even closer than the Inner Shence Army in Chang'an.

Gao Zhu was quite a distance from the camp when he finally came to his senses. To put it bluntly, when his brother smashed the table with the iron ruyi, Gao Zhu almost wet himself.

Despite being brothers and sharing the same surname, Gao Zhu had rarely been on the battlefield. Within the pass, he mostly did business with the soldiers of Fufang. How could he possibly withstand Gao Pian's formidable power?
Their lineage is the Gao family of Bohai, ostensibly descended from Gao Aocao, but in reality, their clan records state that they are descended from the Gao family of Northern Qi.

When this family goes mad, they really kill without blinking an eye. At that moment, Gao Zhi truly believed that Gao Pian could kill him!

He had become arrogant. With a major battle imminent, he dared to defy Gao Pian. He had really been living a carefree life for too long.

Hearing the general complain, he only dared to explain on behalf of his own brother:
"Little Zhu, say less. Don't you know my brother's intentions? He wants to be remembered in history. Now, whoever stands in his way, he will kill. What's the point of talking about being one of us? It's useless."

That little Zhu is a military officer in Binzhou named Zhu Mei. His family has been military officers in Binzhou for generations, with four generations serving under the Gao family. Therefore, Gao Zhu considers him one of his own.

At this moment, the soldiers holding umbrellas for Gao Zhu and Zhu Mei couldn't help but interject:

"What you say is true, my lord. I also think that the Prime Minister wants to achieve great things. Looking closely at the Prime Minister over the years, he has won countless battles, but none of them are great victories worthy of a grand sacrifice. Once the Prime Minister wins this battle and settles the Nanzhao Kingdom, solving the century-old border troubles of the court, he can be posthumously honored with the title 'Wumu'."

Gao Zhu, who was walking ahead, was stunned. What he said actually made sense.

All these years, my elder brother has been seeking divine guidance and enlightenment, just hoping for an immortal name. Now that we have truly conquered Nanzhao, my elder brother will have achieved his goal. He will be posthumously honored as "Wumu," and his name will be recorded in history.

As Gao Pian's cousin, a hundred years later, when historians write history, his elder brother will definitely have a separate biography, and wouldn't his relatives and generals also be appended to the biography?
Suddenly, Gao Zhu's heart was filled with excitement.

He understood his elder brother's thoughts to some extent. Indeed, his elder brother was a capable fighter, fighting from the Northwest to the Southwest, and could be called a pillar of the country. However, although he had many military achievements, he did not have a single major merit that could be definitively attributed to him.
What can definitively conclude this? It must be the destruction of a nation in a single battle! Especially for a powerful nation like Nanzhao, which had existed for centuries.

How did Su Dingfang achieve his place in history? Was it because he accompanied Li Jing on his northern expedition against the Turks? No! No matter how well he fought, it was still Li Jing's achievement. His great fame came from conquering Baekje in a single battle.

Gao Zhu thought it over and felt it made more sense. Just as he was about to praise the man behind him who was pointing at the umbrella, Zhu Mei next to him pointed at the man's nose and said in a harsh voice:

"Wang Xingyu, why are you talking so much? Doing this just makes you seem so capable? Hold your umbrella properly, stop wasting your breath!"

Gao Zhu, who was about to offer a word of praise, swallowed his words and hurriedly led his officers back to the camp.

Looks like we really need to play this game well! Who knows, maybe Gao Zhu will even make history!

So, their steps became lighter.

……

The Longcang Ridge where Gao Pian was stationed is ten miles southwest of Tianjingshan Dam.

Zhao Huai'an, wearing a straw raincoat, led his staff and members of the Righteous Society on a patrol of the camp in the rain.

At this moment, the narrow mountain valley was already filled with tents, all of them large tents for groups of ten people.

The soldiers and villagers accompanying Bao Yidu also wore straw raincoats and carried supplies down the dam. Because there was no time to build warehouses, a large amount of supplies could only be piled up together and covered with tents.

Despite working in the rain, the laborers and villagers were very enthusiastic, not only because they could have a hot soup after finishing their work, but more importantly, because they could get paid.

Among these people, some were rescued from Qiongzhou by Bao Yidu. By all accounts, they should be considered as slaves accompanying the army. Those wrapped in blue turbans are these people.

Then, the other villagers were conscripted from various counties and assigned to their respective garrison districts.

In the early years of the dynasty, the rent-labor-tax system was still in effect, so the conscription of laborers and soldiers was an obligation of the people. However, after the implementation of the Two-Tax System, the people needed to be paid by the court for any further conscription, because their labor had already been converted into money and grain.

But these were all theories. After being conscripted, these villagers worked every day but never saw a single penny. It was simply because it was always easier to take money from the people; how could they have ever seen money leaking from the local area? Not to mention the army, which was a hundred times more powerful than the local authorities.

Therefore, even though these people had already paid the labor tax, they still had to come and work for the army for free. It must be said that the person who invented the Two-Tax System was truly a genius.

But after these people were assigned to Baoyidu, the situation changed. The warriors there settled accounts with everyone every day, paying them for each day they worked. Where did this benevolent bodhisattva come from?

So these people are hoping this war will last a year or two, so they can go back, build big houses, get married, and live a good life.

Upon seeing Zhao Huai'an approach, these people bowed deeply in gratitude.

Zhao Huai'an nodded and smiled the whole way, but he felt strange:
"Don't say that the Tang Dynasty is really a good time to start a business. Just paying these people a normal salary makes them grateful. This makes capitalists envious to tears."

After greeting some familiar faces, Zhao Huai'an asked Xue Hang, who was currently serving as a judge and also acting as a military officer, about the fact that he had just led a group of military officers to inspect the various teams.

He asked Xue Hang:

"Old Xue, how's the morale of the brothers in the army?"

Xue Hang, stern and unsmiling, walked behind Zhao Huai'an, iron rod in hand. Having heard the question, he quickly replied:

"The morale of each team is very high. They are all saying that they will make an unparalleled contribution to the final battle! The brothers are all in high spirits right now."

Zhao Huai'an laughed heartily and praised:

"As expected of my brother Zhao Da, good! Very spirited!"

Then Zhao Huai'an asked in a low voice:

"What are the plans of the soldiers for going to Huaixi later?"

Previously, Zhao Huai'an had sent Xue Hang to inquire about the generals' and officers' thoughts on going to Huaixi.

In this kind of situation, Xue Hang and his group should first test the waters with rumors. If the rumors are popular, an official announcement will be issued soon. If there is a strong backlash, then other methods will need to be considered.

In short, Zhao Huai'an definitely couldn't bring a bunch of people in and just say he was going to take the brothers to Huaixi to work. If the brothers had any ideas, would they speak up or not? There would be no room for negotiation or compromise.

Because Zhao Huai'an had distanced himself from the men behind him, Xue Hang moved closer and whispered:
"The brothers are all happy to go to Huaixi with the general. They fought so bravely this time because they wanted to help the general make great contributions. When they go to Huaixi, they will not be looked down upon."

Zhao Huai'an was deeply moved. Indeed, he treated everyone with sincerity, and everyone treated him with sincerity in return.

But Xue Hang's next sentence was exactly this:

"The brothers all know that Huaixi is a good place. When the general arrives in Huaixi, he will choose a large town, build a manor, and keep a group of beautiful concubines. Once there, he will be a person above others!"

Zhao Huai'an's emotion abruptly ceased, and he forced a smile:

"That makes sense. Now that Zhao Da has become the Defense Commissioner, the brothers should naturally also advance and become superior people!"

Xue Hang nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and then said something else:

"General, someone from Commander Yang's side is coming and wants all of us old generals to go. Do you think we should go?"

Zhao Huai'an did not hesitate:
"Yes, we definitely have to go. Is this a call for us to stick together and support each other? The final battle is coming, and war will be fierce and dangerous. The more friends we have, the more options we have!"

After saying that, Zhao Huai'an told the men to call all the generals over so that they could all go and show their faces to Commander Yang and get acquainted with the generals from western Sichuan.

Don't let him become someone you don't recognize later!
(End of this chapter)