Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 134 The Three Evils
On the twelfth day of the fourth month of the second year of Qianfu, a fine day with gentle breezes, Zhao Da set off for Guang Prefecture.

Zhao Huai'an led his 1,300 elite soldiers, 800 newly surrendered Nanzhao volunteers, 200 Dangxiang volunteers, more than 300 Chuankang volunteers, and more than 3,000 servants and craftsmen who were willing to join the army, along with more than 2,000 mules and horses, as well as countless supplies and goods, all by boat to Guangzhou.

On this day, seventy or eighty inland waterway cargo boats lined up one after another outside the Dadu River. Zhao Liu and Wang Duo directed the crew to board the boats in turn.

Zhao Huai'an, Zhang Guinian, and some other righteous generals bid farewell to their comrades who had come to see them off on the shore.

Among those seeing off others, Zeng Yuanyu and Song Jian were the two with the highest status. As for Gao Pian, he naturally wouldn't come to this place. He had already summoned Zhao Huai'an to his tent the day before and given him some pointers.

Old Gao summoned Zhao Da mainly to tell him that the imperial court had shown Zhao Huai'an great kindness by promoting him, a nobody, to the position of governor of Guang Prefecture. If he didn't serve the court properly, he would be utterly immoral.

Zhao Huai'an knew that what Old Gao said was true. The court had indeed promoted him too much. His previous rank was only sixth grade, while Guang Prefecture, although it was a lower prefecture in terms of household registration, was configured as a middle prefecture due to its strategic importance, and thus he was a fourth grader.

To be promoted from the sixth rank to the fourth rank is to skip four ranks. Many people spend their whole lives going around in circles at that level, but Zhao Huai'an said he could skip it just like that. Moreover, this fourth rank is a powerful fourth rank like that of a local governor, a small feudal lord.

Therefore, Li Shitai and his ilk, having lost their moral compass, simply could not accept that the once uncultured Zhao Da had transformed into the powerful and influential Zhao Shijun, riding in a carriage and under a canopy.

This significant promotion was due to Zhao Huai'an's immense military achievements, for which only a high-ranking position could reward him.

If a brave general who has killed the ruler of a country is still stuck in the system based on seniority, then not only will the court lose face, but more importantly, Gao Pian himself will lose face.

After all, in the Former Han Dynasty, which also valued military merit, such achievements were enough to earn a marquisate! How could a mere governor possibly stop him?

No matter how great your achievements, if the court promotes you to this position, how can you not be grateful?

Zhao Huai'an naturally expressed his willingness to serve the court and the envoy to the death, and vowed not to fail the court and the envoy's kindness.

Upon hearing this, Gao Pian simply smiled and said:
"Alright, let's see what you do!"

Then he advised Zhao Da to be wary of bandits in the Central Plains after arriving in Guang Prefecture, as they might threaten the safety of the grain transport.

Instruct Zhao Huai'an that once he arrives in Guang Prefecture, he should not put away his weapons, but instead focus on acquiring land, building houses, and having sons. He should be prepared at all times so that he can fight if summoned.

Finally, Old Gao subtly hinted that Zhao Huai'an was still young and should work hard so that he might one day be able to take his place.

Zhao Huai'an readily agreed, then took the official document, official papers, and seal of the Prefect of Guang Prefecture from Old Gao and returned home.

……

Now, Zeng Yuanyu is also here to say goodbye to Zhao Huai'an, because the imperial edict has come along with Zhao Huai'an's appointment and dismissal documents, ordering these soldiers from the outer vassal states who had previously gone south to return to the capital.

Since the Pang Xun Rebellion, the imperial court has dared not keep troops from the outer regions in place for long periods of time. The Boye Army has been in Xichuan for four years. If they are not released soon, trouble may break out.

Therefore, today is also the day when Zeng Yuanyu's Boye Army, Hedong Army, Yicheng Army, and Zhaoyi Army set off. These are all northern soldiers and it is impossible for them to go to Nanzhao.

So at this moment, Zeng Yuanyu, wearing a crimson cloak and with a ruddy complexion, patted Zhao Huai'an and said:

"Zhao Da, you're doing very well. The future of the nation's affairs will rest on your shoulders. We're getting old after all."

What could Zhao Huai'an say about the expectations placed on him by his seniors? He could only pat his chest and say that he would not shirk his duty.

In fact, Zhao Huai'an himself was quite moved by this battle of Nanzhao.

Because this war was a national war, the Western Sichuan region was home to many powerful vassal states and elite troops, which gave Zhao Huai'an a true understanding of the situation of the various vassal states of the Tang Dynasty.

At the same time, he also got to know a large number of elite warriors and generals in the Tang army through this battle. Although they all returned to their respective fiefdoms afterward, Zhao Huai'an managed to get their addresses so that he could still maintain contact with them when he returned.

The bonds forged on the battlefield are indeed very genuine, and Zhao Huai'an values ​​this relationship highly. After all, once he arrives in Guang Prefecture, he won't be able to move around freely. If he wants to learn about world affairs or even help with some tasks, he will still need the assistance of his comrades-in-arms from the battlefield.

However, it was also through this Nanzhao War that Zhao Huai'an glimpsed the true nature of these regional armies: they were almost all dogmen guarding their own domains, representing only their own interests, and were unlikely to risk their lives for the imperial court.

In this decisive battle, if Yang Qingfu hadn't led the Xichuan army in a bloody fight at the front, these people still wouldn't have put in so much effort. After all, they came here to make money, not to serve their country.

Among all the armies, the only one that stands with the interests of the imperial court is the Shence Army. However, these people are more like merchants than warriors, and you can't rely on them to fight and risk their lives.

It was precisely because of this understanding that Zhao Huai'an realized why Huang Chao was able to capture Chang'an. After all, only by fighting alongside these vassal armies could one truly comprehend the strength of their forces.

The reason why such a strong army of various vassal states could not stop Huang Chao's rebel army was that they were all going through the motions but not putting in the effort.

Thinking of this, Zhao Huai'an understood that the fate of the Tang Dynasty, or the Chang'an court, was already irreversible.

Zeng Yuanyu spoke with Zhao Huai'an for a while, then gave Zhao Da a sword before riding off to catch up with the group.

Meanwhile, Song Jian waited until Zhao Huai'an and Zeng Yuanyu finished speaking before coming over.

Zhao Da guessed that his old leader had something important to say.

Sure enough, Song Jian's first words were:
“Guangzhou is a strategically important place, and the presence of a valiant general is a blessing for the nation. But if you, Zhao Da, start to let your guard down and feel that you've had enough of the war and want to enjoy yourself, I'm afraid you won't have a good end in Guangzhou.”

Zhao Huai'an quickly asked for advice, because he knew that Old Song's style was that he either didn't speak at all, or he would speak for a reason.

Song Jian and Zhao Huai'an walked to the ancient ferry crossing of the Dadu River. He looked at the white sails that blocked out the sun and saw the officials and soldiers of Baoyidu on the cargo ships waving goodbye to their comrades from the foreign vassal states on the shore. Everyone's face was filled with longing for a happy life.

They all knew that He and his family were going to Gwangju, where they would not only be allocated land but also wives. They would then be able to establish their own lineage in Gwangju and become the progenitors of their own clan.

But these people, including Zhao Da, were completely unaware of the dangers in Gwangju.

With a sigh, Song Jian said to Zhao Huai'an:
“There are three dangers in Guangzhou that you must know: first, river pirates; second, mountain bandits; and third, smugglers. If you are unaware of these, you will likely suffer a great loss if you go to Guangzhou.”

"And I suspect that Gao Pian appointed you as the governor of Guang Prefecture mainly because of these three reasons."

Zhao Huai'an bowed and listened attentively. These were the earnest words of advice from his old leader before his departure, words that were worth a thousand pieces of gold.

The lake breeze was strong on the shore, and Zhao Huai'an consciously stood beside him to block the wind. Song Jian nodded and then continued:
"These river bandits are the river pirates who plunder along the Huai River. Since the beginning of the difficult times, our dynasty has relied on tribute from the southeast, the most important of which is the profit from salt and tea, which brings in seven million strings of cash a year. All of this huge sum of money is transported to Chang'an through the Huai and Ying waterways. Therefore, river bandits from the Huai River often roam the river, and the prefectures and counties cannot govern them."

"And the second is the mountain huts. Your Guangzhou is located in the Tongbai and Dabie Mountains. The hut people in the mountains are both simple and savage. They are cruel to kill, hunt instead of farm, migrate frequently, and are brave and good at fighting."

"Back then, the soldiers and generals of Huaixi were elite and brave, and there were three types of people. The first were the southern migrants from the Uyghurs, Turks, and Goryeo. These were people who had been defeated by our Tang Dynasty and then migrated here after submitting to us. The second were the Pinglu warriors and their descendants who sailed south from the south. The third were the mountain huts of your Guang Prefecture."

Seeing that Zhao Huai'an did not react, Song Jian became even more direct:

"Although Huaixi is a place in the Central Plains, it is influenced by the barbarian culture. There are not many good people in the area, and the people's hearts are too barbarian. You must be careful."

Zhao Huai'an chuckled:
"Lord Song, you're exaggerating. Guang Prefecture wasn't without a prefect before, and it managed to get by."

Song Jian shook his head: "Please continue to listen to me. I just finished talking about the river bandits, the mountain huts, and the third scourge in Guang Prefecture, which is smuggling, specifically salt and tea smuggling. And do you think there are three scourges? Actually, there is only one scourge, which is the Zhongwu Army of Guang and Cai."

Upon hearing the term "Loyal Martial Army," Zhao Huai'an immediately realized the gravity of the situation. He quickly grabbed his old leader's hand and pleaded earnestly:

"Lord Song, you must teach me, you must explain it to me clearly."

Song Jian patted Zhao Da's hand and nodded:

"I'm going to teach you so you don't die without knowing why, so you'd better listen carefully!"

"Since the imperial court takes the profits from salt and tea in the southeast for its own use, all that is left for the local areas is the income from military farms. But how can the output of these lands meet the needs of the regional military governors? You are also a military commander, so you know how much it costs to lead the troops of my Tang Dynasty! Therefore, the regional military governors along the Grand Canal are trying every means to make money from the waterways. For example, Xuzhou robbed the tribute ships on the Yongqiao Road, and the Zhongwu Army also targeted the Huai and Ying waterways around them."

"However, after the Huaixi Army was split up, the successive military governors of the Central Plains Army were all appointed by the court. With these people in place, the warriors within the fiefdom could not directly rob the waterways, so river pirates, mountain bandits, and smugglers emerged."

"After the division of Huaixi into three, a large number of warriors were left to wander in the wild. Most of them went into the mountains of Guang Prefecture and set up huts. These people were also familiar with the Huai River. Many of the boatmen and polemen along the river served as their spies. Whenever a large ship passed by, they would come out of the mountains to rob it on the river."

"Since the looted goods could not be sold, they would wait for the tea in Gwangju to ripen, then take the goods into the mountains to buy large quantities of tea, and then become smugglers to return to their home state to sell the tea, repeating the cycle endlessly."

"Over the years, who among the people along the river wasn't a river pirate? Where in the mountains wasn't a den of thieves? Not to mention, the ones who control this network are the powerful figures like Shen, Guang, and Cai."

"How do you, Zhao Da, plan to fight them? What do you have to fight them with? Rely on your few thousand or so Baoyidu? Don't forget, many of those few thousand are Xu and Cai's men. Aren't you afraid?"

Zhao Huai'an gasped.

Despite the bright sunshine, Zhao Huai'an felt incredibly cold.

That wasn't all; Song Jian continued:
"Gao Pian placed you there to fight these three scourges and the Zhongwu Army. From a public perspective, he comes from the Shence Army, and his interests are aligned with those of the court. These people are like lice sucking blood from the court's veins. The court has wanted to get rid of this scourge for many years, but has failed several times. It even tried to separate Guang Prefecture into Xian Prefecture, but failed."

"Now that we have such a hothead like you, who seems to have some troops under his command and is still thinking about going back to his hometown to get married and build a house, we would be letting the court down if we didn't keep you around."

"That's from a public perspective. But from a private perspective, do you know who the current military governor of Huainan is working for?"

Zhao Huai'an honestly said:

"This humble general knows that Liu Ye received a great favor from the Gao family of Bohai, and should have some connection with Minister Gao."

Now Song Jian took a closer look at Zhao Huai'an, thinking that Zhao Da wasn't a complete brute; he was quite shrewd. It was just that he lacked information, so he jumped straight into the fire. But with his courage, he might actually be able to gain a foothold in Guangzhou.

So Song Jian nodded:
"Since you know about this relationship, let me tell you the truth. Of the seven million strings of cash in salt revenue that the imperial court earns each year, the Gao family gets a share. Those remnants of the Huaixi clan who smuggle salt are practically tearing his flesh out. How could he not want to get rid of them? You saw it this time too. Since Gao Pian came, my Zhongwu Army has not given them any chance to make a name for themselves."

"Therefore, he wants to bring you to Gwangju to completely solve the major problem in the region."

"Let me add one more thing, and you should think about it more. Since the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the salt profits of the imperial court have been seven million. But over the years, the amount of salt produced has increased, but the salt profits have decreased. I don't need to explain the implications of this, do I?"

"So if you only serve as a nominal governor when you arrive in Guang Prefecture, that's fine. But if you want to achieve something, do you know the meaning of 'enemies of the whole world'?"

Zhao Huai'an nodded emphatically. At this moment, his mind was completely clear, and he no longer had the superstition about his own power that he had felt a few days ago.

He never expected that a small prefecture like Guangzhou would have such a big impact, relating to the imperial court's profits from salt and tea. Moreover, the entire population of Guangzhou was involved in banditry, or perhaps they simply switched freely between farming and banditry during the off-season. So what could he do even if he had over a thousand soldiers?
Good, good, now he knows how cunning Gao Pian is.

This old bastard wins no matter what Zhao Da does! If Zhao Da can't suppress the local tyrants in Guang Prefecture, then Gao Pian will no longer have to worry about Zhao Huai'an. If Zhao Da can suppress them, it will also clear away a stubborn problem for him and the court.

Once he figured this out, Zhao Huai'an really felt that Gao Pian was quite something.

At this moment, Zhao Da looked up and saw Song Jian across from him with a half-smile. Zhao Huai'an had a sudden inspiration and hurriedly cried to his old leader:
"Lord Song, can I not go to Guang Prefecture? I thought it would be a good job because it was close to home and had the benefits of the tea plantations. Who knew it would be such a den of dragons and tigers? Not to mention, you also said that the Zhongwu Army is behind those three evils. How can I, Zhao Da, possibly defeat them!"

Song Jian smiled and patted Zhao Huai'an on the shoulder:

"Has the imperial edict been received?"

"Have you collected the seal and fish bag?"

"Have you received the parasols, flags, and drums yet?"

Zhao Huai'an nodded three times in a row, his heart growing increasingly bitter.

Of course, Song Jian was never there to tease Zhao Da. He pointed to himself with his finger and said to Zhao Huai'an:

"So you should train your troops well when you get to Guangzhou and not slack off. With Bao Yi in your hands, as long as you don't harm the interests of the Zhongwu Army, you'll be firmly in your position as the governor of Guangzhou."

Zhao Huai'an could only nod, but he knew in his heart that a struggle between himself and those local tyrants of Caizhou who had been entrenched in the area for generations and had served as generals and officers of Huaixi and Zhongwu was probably inevitable.

That's exactly what the saying goes: "It is endlessly joyful to fight against Heaven, and it is also endlessly joyful to fight against man!"
The Chungmu Army is indeed strong and well-equipped, and the river bandits and mountain bandits of Gwangju are indeed numerous and powerful, with deep roots and complex networks. Without this, how can the grand drama of Gwangju be exciting? Without this turbulent situation, how can his heroic nature be revealed?

Let's see how Zhao Huai'an, this powerful dragon, manages to suppress these local bullies!
So, Song Jian, who had been observing Zhao Huai'an, noticed something strange. Just a moment ago, Zhao Da was crying and sobbing, but in the blink of an eye, he became spirited. What a young man! Full of vigor!

Thinking of this, Song Jian left a message:
"I can tell from your attitude that you won't listen to advice. If you ever have any trouble in the future, you can go to my uncle. He's the military governor of Pinglu. No matter what, he can stand up for you if necessary!"

What could Zhao Huai'an say at this point? He could only bow deeply to his old leader.

Then Song Jian waved his hand, telling him to go and say goodbye to his friends in Xichuan.

There, Xianyu Yue, Ren Tong, Song Yuan, Ren Conghai, Shan Xingzhang, Zhang Zao, and Zhe Zongben, all brothers and friends he had met in the army, were smiling and watching him.

Zhao Huai'an bowed to Song Jian again, and then went to his friends.

On a boat not far away, Mao Niang and some of the Hu women who had come to her aid were also on the deck, watching Zhao Huai'an and his friends laughing and saying goodbye.

She couldn't help but look eastward, towards Gwangju, and smiled sweetly.

On the twelfth day of the fourth month of the second year of Qianfu, Zhao Huai'an, who had been awarded the title of Prefect of Guang Prefecture, with 400,000 strings of cash in his pocket, sailed on more than 70 large ships, accompanied by 1,000 armored soldiers, 500 cavalry, and more than 4,000 other troops. The ships were lined up one after another, sailing majestically towards the southeast. Their first stop was Jiaozhou.

Coincidentally, the place where Zhao Huai'an left Hanyuan and boarded the ship was the same place where he had arrived in the Tang Dynasty six months earlier.

Standing on the deck, Zhao Huai'an looked back at the plateau, watching his brothers and friends from Xichuan gradually shrink and disappear. Looking ahead at the fleet that blotted out the sky, Zhao Huai'an felt a surge of ambition.

In just six months, I, Zhao Huai'an, have accomplished so much and built this fortune. So what if Guangzhou has three scourges? Let's see how I, Zhao Huai'an, will eliminate them one by one.

However, Gao Pian's face suddenly appeared in Zhao Huai'an's mind, and a possibility suddenly came to mind.

This old man, he doesn't think I'm the fourth evil, does he?

How about I give you a Tang Dynasty version of "Zhao Da Eliminates the Three Evils"?
This old thing!
(End of this chapter)