Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 130 Rank and Position
Zhao Huai'an came in, while Wang Jin and the other guards stood outside, occasionally glancing at the eagle-wielding soldiers outside the tent.

Zhe Zongben sensed the subtle atmosphere, hesitated, sighed, and stood outside the tent with his subordinates, Luo Diao Du.

As soon as Zhao Huai'an entered, he sensed the tense atmosphere inside the tent. Some of the generals were fidgeting with their hands on their swords, while others stared intently at him, as if they could pounce at any moment.

Only Song Jian, Tian Chongyin, and Zeng Yuanyu, whom he knew well, looked worried, especially Song Jian, who quietly shook his head at him.

Ok?
Looking at Gao Pian in front of him, he still had that same fierce and timid demeanor, but today he seemed to have a fierce but weak-willed air about him.

What? Does everyone think I, Zhao, will draw my sword and fight? Am I really that brave?
Then he pointed to an empty stool and smiled at Gao Pian:
“Prime Minister, there’s no one there, so Zhao Da can sit there.”

Following the direction Zhao Huai'an pointed, everyone saw a low stool near the tent, which had originally been occupied by a general from the Hedong Army. The man had just drunk too much water and had gone to the toilet.

Gao Pian's expression changed several times. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Tian Chongyin stand up and smile at Zhao Huai'an, saying:

"Zhao Da, you deserve the most credit for this battle. How can you let me sit in the corner? If word gets out, people will think we don't tolerate the brave warriors who fought and bled for the country."

As he spoke, Tian Chongyin kicked one of the blue-robed warriors to his left and cursed:

"Get up and make way for Zhao Da. Stop gossiping about him. He earned his merits by fighting through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Who cares what side he's on? What, just because he was a bandit, he's blacklisted? You were captured by Pang Xun back then, weren't you a bandit too? Get out of the way and make way for Zhao Da."

This blue-robed warrior was the one who had just spoken ill of Zhu Mei; he was He Gongya, a military officer from the Hedong Army.

Because the generals of the Hedong army had been affected by miasma and were left in Yazhou to recuperate, he was allowed to lead five hundred Hedong cavalrymen south. Therefore, they would temporarily be sitting below Tian Chongyin.

The reason this person slandered Zhu Mei was because he thought he had seen her at Pang Xun's camp years ago, and that's why he made a comment. Now, his background has been exposed by Tian Chongyin of the Yan Navy, and he is both angry and furious.

But he dared not refute it, because Tian Chongyin had participated in the battle to quell Pang Xun four or five years ago and knew his background very well.

Just as he was about to regain his composure elsewhere, he suddenly noticed that all the generals were staring at him, and he immediately realized that he had incurred the wrath of the crowd.

Those fighting generals outside, aren't they all the trusted confidants and fierce warriors of these people? They are powerful figures within the vassal states. They themselves usually speak well of them. Now it's your turn, a petty man from the Hedong Army, to gossip.
Not to mention, given the current atmosphere, even Zhao Da has nowhere to sit. If you don't stand up to offer him a seat, are you expecting them to stand up as well?
Finally, He Gongya couldn't withstand the pressure and stood up. He then sat down in the spot by the tent. At that moment, the former general from Hedong came in after finishing his business in the toilet. He was confused when He Gongya glared at him and sent him away.

There's no way around it; sometimes the difference between two skilled fighters is greater than the difference between a person and a dog.

And so, He Gongya awkwardly gave up his seat, and Tian Chongyin pulled Zhao Huai'an to sit down. Zhao Huai'an declined for a while, and then more generals persuaded him.

Finally, Zhao Huai'an had no choice but to sit down, pat the stool under his buttocks, and added:
"Hey, this stool is nice, it's high-end stuff! But I'm not showing off to you guys, Zhao Da and the brothers. Have any of you ever ridden in the envoy's palanquin? That's what you call a real treat, it's like being in heaven."

As he spoke, Zhao Huai'an chuckled, scratching the back of his head with a憨笑 (a simple, honest smile).

"However, while the prime minister's palanquin is comfortable, it's too high. We still find this stool more stable. Ah, even I, Old Zhao, am a wild boar; I can't handle fine food!"

His words made the generals burst into laughter, and the previously tense atmosphere eased considerably.

Gao Pian, sitting at the head of the table, also smiled, but in his heart he felt a sense of apprehension towards Zhao Huai'an.

Just now, Zhao Huai'an walked over amidst the cheers of the officers and soldiers. Gao Pian had only one thought in his mind:
"With the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, his horns piercing the sky—how come I never noticed Zhao Huai'an had such an air about him before?"

In fact, he knew that the saying about dragons and tigers was just a saying used by fortune tellers. What really made him wary was the thunderous movement of the three armies just now. Zhao Da had such a good heart.

Gao Pian himself couldn't remember the last time the three armies cheered for his high reputation.

This kind of prestige and power gathered from the bottom up made him, a native of Chang'an, very uncomfortable. So he had just been thinking of using the resentment that the generals had stirred up to suppress this person's arrogance.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Da was quite tactful and adept at social maneuvering. His words not only eased the atmosphere but also dispelled the generals' resentment.

As a result, Gao Pian became even more wary of this person.

but……

Thinking of this, Gao Pian suddenly said to everyone present:

"After the merits of this battle are recorded, I will petition the Emperor on your behalf. Don't worry about anyone's merits being coveted. With me, as long as you make a contribution, you will be rewarded!"

Then, Gao Pian pointed at Zhao Huai'an and said to everyone:

"Take Zhao Da for example. He killed the ruler of a country in battle. He deserves the greatest credit for this battle. What harm would it do to give such a military achievement to a military governor?"

Upon hearing this, the generals gasped in astonishment. From a mid-level military officer to a military governor? What kind of legend was this?
However, those who participated in the Pang Xun Rebellion four years ago felt that this was the proper way to do it.

At this moment, Tian Chongyin nodded and said to the generals:
“What the Prime Minister said is correct. I remember four years ago, Li Guochang was appointed as the military governor of Zhenwu because of his role in suppressing the Pang Xun Rebellion, and he was also granted a mansion in Qinren Lane in the capital. Now, Zhao Da’s achievements are no less than those of Li Guochang, so it is only right that he be appointed as a military governor.”

The generals secretly cursed, thinking, "Tian Chongyin really dares to say that. How old is Zhao Dacai? Not even thirty, right? And he wants to be the military governor of a region?"
Gao Pian was still stroking his beard and smiling when Pei Xing, the chief secretary beside him, stepped forward and said:

"Commander Tian is mistaken. Before suppressing the rebellion, Li Guochang was the commander of the Taiyuan Expeditionary Army and the military commander of the three Shatuo tribes. He was already one step away from becoming a Jiedushi (military governor). After the war, he was promoted to Jiedushi for his merits, which was only natural. Not to mention, the Shatuo cavalry under his command were the most valiant in the army. They were already a famous and powerful force during his father's time, so it is not surprising that he became a Jiedushi."

The generals all nodded in agreement. They would never have accepted Zhao Huai'an being appointed as a military governor, but they felt it was only right that Li Guochang had been granted the title.

It wasn't that Li Guochang was particularly capable or that his achievements far surpassed Zhao Huai'an's; rather, it was because anyone capable of commanding that Shatuo cavalry should rightfully hold the position of Jiedushi (military governor).

It should be noted that at this time, the Shatuo cavalry had become the most elite force in the Tang Dynasty. Although their numbers were only 1,200, they had already made numerous contributions to the court.

During the Yuanhe era, he attacked Chengde Wang Chengzong and Huaixi Wu Yuanji. During the Wuzong era, he fought against Zelu Liu Zhen. During the Xuanzong era, he fought against the Tubo, Dangxiang, and Uyghur. Finally, in this generation, he fought against the Pang Xun Rebellion. He advanced in every battle and was victorious in every attack.

These Shatuo people were skilled in both horsemanship and archery, as well as charging into enemy lines. They could travel a hundred miles a day on horseback and repeatedly clash with the army. Even the fierce Xuzhou soldiers were no match for them with their bows and spears.

The Eagle Fallers under Gao Shixiang's command are strong enough, having recruited heroes from the Qiang, Tibetan, Dangxiang, and Uyghur tribes, organized them into military formations, and equipped them with horse spears, swords, and armor. But they might not necessarily be able to defeat the Shatuo army!

Therefore, it is not without reason that even with only a few hundred or thousand cavalrymen, they could become a military and national force that the imperial court relied on.

The most direct example is the battle five years ago when Pang Xun was defeated, which gave the powerful vassal states in the Central Plains a clear understanding of the fighting capabilities of the Shatuo army.

How fierce were the rebel troops under Pang Xun's command in Xuzhou back then? They once cut off the Grand Canal and Cangcheng, making it difficult for the imperial army to defend both sides. Yet, such a powerful army was wiped out by the Shatuo people during their pursuit.

Therefore, no one thought it was inappropriate for the chieftain of this group to become a military governor.

And this is something that Zhao Daneng can't compare to?
After Pei Xing finished speaking, Tian Chongyin of the Yan Navy nodded in agreement, and it was unclear what he meant.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an glanced at Gao Pian above him and cursed inwardly, "That old man has no vision. He's already said all the nice things, but can't he at least give me a military governorship? Doesn't he know that?"

If Gao Pianzhen were to propose to become the military governor himself, would you think Zhao Da would accept the position? No matter how high the position, as long as you are willing to give it to me, what wouldn't I dare to accept it?
But can you, Gao Pian, give it to him? Or rather, can those high-ranking officials in your court give it to him?

By this time, Zhao Huai'an was no longer a greenhorn in the power arena. Zhang Guinian under his command was a real gem. No one knew what Zhang had experienced in Chang'an before. Although he was there to take the imperial examination, he seemed to have been involved in the central government and had a very clear understanding of the upper echelons of power in the Tang Dynasty.

For example, he had wanted to go to the Xuzhou area to leave the town, but Zhang Guinian persuaded him to stop. After explaining the pros and cons, Zhao Da realized that he had almost fallen into a big pit.

So he later took the time to sleep side by side with Zhang Guinian, and learned about the situation of the regional military governors from him.

Generally speaking, in the eyes of wise men within the system like Zhang Guinian, although there were countless regional military governors in the country, they could actually be roughly divided into four categories.

One type was the Hebei military governorships, the originators of the rebellion of the An Lushan rebellion. These were mostly remnants of An Lushan's regime, including the Wei, Zhen, and You governorships, as well as the Yiding, Cangjing, Huaixi, and Ziqing governorships. These governorships were the most rebellious, frequently retaining their own taxes and declaring their own independence, making them virtually untouchable by the imperial court. However, despite being remnants of the An Lushan rebellion, and despite several emperors' attempts to subdue them over the past century, their relationship with the imperial court has become quite complex in recent years.

These military governors of Hebei were able to consolidate the Northeast and suppress the Khitan and Xi tribes in the area. After the Uyghurs collapsed on the grasslands, their remaining forces fled to Hebei, attempting to occupy the region, but were also defeated by the Hebei military governors.

The victory, which resulted in the capture of a million cattle and sheep, was a rare major triumph for the various vassal states of Hebei in recent years! There are still quite a few Uyghur prisoners serving as guards in the Fanyang army.

Moreover, they would obey the imperial court's orders and participate in the suppression of internal rebellions.

For example, during the reign of Emperor Dezong, the Jingyuan Mutiny occurred, and Zhu Ci declared himself emperor. At that time, Wang Wujun, the military governor of Chengde Town, initially opposed the court on behalf of Zhu Tao, but later sided with the court and helped to recover the capital.

In addition, during the Huaixi Rebellion, they also participated in suppressing the rebellion under the command of the imperial court, but mainly played a restraining role.

At that time, Zhang Guinian summarized the Hebei military governors in one sentence for Zhao Huai'an:

"This group of people, a mixed Han and non-Han ethnic group, has no loyalty or righteousness, and no respect for the imperial court. They have been able to entrenched themselves in the local area for a hundred years. They are related to each other by marriage and sometimes obey the imperial court. However, they are powerful in martial arts. At least in the Hebei region, they are truly local tyrants."

The towns in Hebei are very powerful, but these people live their lives behind closed doors. If the court needs them, they will act accordingly, but if others infringe on their interests, they will unleash tremendous fighting power.

Therefore, these Hebei military towns are beyond Zhao Huai'an's reach. Even if he were willing to become a garrison commander in a military camp, he would find it difficult to move an inch. Perhaps Zhao Da's descendants would have a chance, but if Zhao Huai'an went there, he would be ruined.

Besides the north, there was the Central Plains. The various vassal states in the Central Plains were wealthy and had strong armies, such as the six garrisons of Xuanwu, Wuning, Zhongwu, Zelu, Heyang, and Yicheng, who were responsible for protecting the canal transport in the southeast.

Then there are the surrounding areas near the capital, such as Hedong, Hezhong, Shanguo, Shannandong, and Jinshang, which have strategic mountains and rivers and are the outer vassal states protecting Chang'an.

Before the imperial court pacified Huaixi, these vassal states still held considerable military power, but now they are basically all areas under the control of the imperial court.

The imperial court could easily appoint military governors and prefects in these areas.

Therefore, if Zhao Huai'an has enough merit, he can indeed become a prefect or defense commissioner in the Central Plains. As for a military governor? Don't even think about it, because that's for people from Chang'an.

However, Zhang Guinian and Zhao Huai'an's assessment of the future situation was that as the Central Plains were engulfed in civil unrest, these regional military governors would be caught in a chaotic war. At that time, Bao Yidu would definitely be the main force in suppressing the rebellion. But without a rear supply base, no matter how capable Bao Yidu was, how many battles could they fight?
Therefore, the various vassal states in the Central Plains were also off-limits.

Then there is the Frontier Defense Commissioner, who is divided into the Northwest and Southwest regions. The Northwest region includes the eight Shence Garrisons such as Fengxiang and Binning. This area is the Shence Army's ancestral homeland. Zhao Huai'an is not from the Shence Army, so he cannot go there.

Then there are the nine towns, including Xichuan and Shannan, where Zhao Da and his men are now. These places were set up to defend against the Tubo and Nanzhao.

But with the collapse of Tibet and the pacification of Nanzhao, what use would these places be? Not to mention that Xichuan was a vital center of wealth and grain, controlling important trade routes, and was the heart of the court. Every military governor there was a high-ranking official, serving as an envoy or prime minister.

Therefore, Zhao Huai'an was also buried in Xichuan, and now he had no choice but to leave, because Gao Pian had many followers. They had finally cut off the power of the local faction in Xichuan and were preparing to divide up the profits of the trade route. How could they be willing to let Zhao Huai'an stay here and share the spoils with them?

Therefore, even if Zhao Huai'an himself did not ask, Gao Pian's subordinates would encourage Gao Pian to "promote" Zhao Huai'an to other places.

Therefore, the southwest region could not be retained either.

Then, after calculating and calculating, it came down to the southeast and the Yangtze-Huaihe River region.

Unfortunately, the southeast is too wealthy and has always been the imperial court's purse. The nine garrisons under its jurisdiction, including Zhejiang East, Zhejiang West, Huainan, and Jingnan, are the lifeline for maintaining the imperial court's expenses. Therefore, only high-ranking officials can serve as military governors in this region, and only generals of the Shence Army can serve as local rulers.

But Zhao Huai'an still didn't get anything!
At the same time, this place is also weak and lacks strong soldiers and generals. Any hero would be ruined if he came to such a gentle place.

Zhao Huai'an didn't want his brothers to indulge in pleasure at the age when they should be working hard. He wanted them to fight alongside him!

So Zhao Da counted for himself, which of the vassal states in the world was empty, and which military governor could give Zhao Huai an easy position?
Yes, Gao Pian put it nicely, saying that his merits were enough to qualify him for the position of military governor. But even if the court was generous and his merits were exchanged for titles and ranks, that was a completely different matter from an official position.

It's never about how much you do that determines your position; it's about where there's an opening and you're assigned to a spot, and then you have to wait in line.

Therefore, Zhao Huai'an really looks down on Gao Pian now. You've already said everything, and you've played the role of a great general who is generous with rewards, and now we have to cooperate with your performance.

Yes, yes, it's not that you, Gao Pian, won't give it to us, it's that our Zhao Da doesn't want it!

But at this moment, Zhao Huai'an could only offer a humble reply against his will:

“The prime minister, the military governor is a position held by celestial beings. I, Zhao Da, am not destined for such a position. I am just an ordinary man. Now that I have gained some power, I am somewhat of a figure. I want to take my brothers back to my hometown, build a big house, keep beautiful maids, and have ten or eight children. Only then will I be truly happy.”

The generals laughed heartily. Zhao Da was still the same Zhao Da, still as uncultured as ever. He had made a great contribution. They wondered if he could ask the envoy to take him back to Guanzhong to register his household. Even if he couldn't become a resident of Chang'an, he could at least settle in a nearby village.

By then, after two or three generations, your Zhao family can be called "powerful local tycoons under the heavens." What wouldn't be worth it?
Everyone was secretly laughing at Zhao Da, but no one dared to say anything to persuade him. After all, seeing someone from an even lower social class climb up to someone above them, they wished they could use both hands and feet to pull him down.

At this moment, looking at Zhao Huai'an's sincere expression, Gao Pian wondered to himself, "Am I overthinking things? Does this guy really want to go back to his hometown?"

At this moment, Gao Pian felt at ease, stroked his beard, and shook his head:

"Zhao Da, I will report all your merits to the authorities; it is my duty as commander. But whether you become a prefect or a defense commissioner is not something I can decide. How can I privately bestow national honors upon others? That is the business of the imperial court."

Zhao Huai'an was taken aback for a moment, then asked:
"Ha, Prime Minister? I thought the imperial court was the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister was the imperial court. Asking the imperial court for an official position was just a matter of the Prime Minister's word."

At those words, the entire room fell silent. Even Gao Pian was stunned. He glanced at Zhao Huai'an, who was standing there dumbfounded, and snorted:
"You bumpkin, I'm just a member of the court. There are also officials like the Chancellor and the Commandant in the court. How can I make decisions with just a word? But I know about your matter and will take care of it properly for you. However, I'm going to continue south to Nanzhao later. Aren't you coming with me?"

Zhao Huai'an didn't respond to that, shaking his head vigorously:
"Minister, don't try to fool me. What merits will I get when we go to Nanzhao? Right now, none of the brothers here are competing with me. Aren't I the one who gets to choose the good positions first? Once we've pacified Nanzhao, when we're reckoning our achievements, there won't be any good positions left for me. No, no, I'm going to Huaixi. You must choose a good place for me."

These words made the generals present secretly gasp in surprise. This Zhao Da actually has some brains. He's not just a warrior; he knows how to advance and retreat.

Seeing that Zhao Huai'an was indeed determined to return to Huaixi, Gao Pian stopped trying to persuade him. However, he still harbored resentment towards the scene of the entire army shouting for justice. He decided to think it over carefully and give Zhao Da a "good" place, which would be good for him.

So Gao Pian said no more, raised his wine cup, and sang:
"Now let us drink this cup to the brim, to His Majesty, to all of you, and to us, his loyal and courageous officers and soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals prepared to sing along, except for Zhao Huai'an, who silently added a line in his mind:
"And also for all the brave warriors of Xichuan who sacrificed their lives for their country in this battle!"

Finally, everyone under the command drank to their hearts' content, and then a grand victory celebration began. This event was to last for three to five days, and Gao Pian had already ordered the Chengdu authorities to recruit musicians and dancers to come and reward the army.

This was his last major victory, and he wanted to celebrate properly to make it a perfect ending.

And so, the Tang army camped in the Hanyuan Valley, and amidst the mournful screams of the surrounding fields, a grand banquet began.

This was also the first time Zhao Huai'an hadn't enjoyed a drink; he left after only eating half of it.

Gao Pian was unaware of this.

He's catching up on sleep in the back right now; he's getting old and can't stay up all night anymore.

Whether Zhao Huai'an was happy or not, the six-month-long Nanzhao War had finally come to an end.

The final battle, fought in the Hanyuan Valley, ended in an indisputable victory for the Tang army.

On that day, the armies of Nanzhao and Xichuan suffered heavy casualties, with the dead scattered throughout the valleys and blood flowing through the meadows of Hanyuan, turning the river waters completely red.

Gao Pian became the biggest winner, right?

(End of this chapter)