Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 234 The Matter of Life
On the tenth day of the third month of the third year of the Qianfu era, there was a strong wind.

Six hundred li north of Yizhou City, on the banks of Juye Marsh, atop the gate tower of Yuncheng.

The strong wind blowing from the lake made the flags on the city tower flutter loudly. Two officers and soldiers in crimson military robes, one holding the flag steady and the other bending over to reinforce it with hemp rope.

In the strong wind, the large flag embroidered with the words "Protect Righteousness" was firmly nailed to the gate tower of Yuncheng, but the flag next to it embroidered with the words "Xuanwu" was blown off the city wall and landed on the moat below because it was unattended.

Below the city, countless military forts and tents bloom on the meadow, adorning the area with beauty as spring arrives.

At this moment, several capable-looking warriors in black robes walked up the steps, and the Baoyi Army guarding the flags all lowered their heads.

Those people wearing leather outfits are definitely from the Black Shirt Society.

They weren't afraid of these people, after all, the Black Clothes Society actually had a very low presence in the military, but recently, the members of the Black Clothes Society had been recruiting people from the military to join the society, and they would take the military register with them.

They didn't want to go in; to earn merit, they had to go to the battlefield. What kind of hero would go to that place?

But clearly, the two officers were overthinking things. After the men from the Black-Clad Society went up the city wall, they ignored them and headed towards the city tower.

This made things difficult for the two flag watchers.

Damn it, I've been underestimated.

The one who underestimated them was Guo Shaobin, who had been given important responsibilities since joining the Black-Clad Society.

He looked down at the moat below the city and saw a group of naked people fishing in the water. Every time someone caught a big fish, more people couldn't resist jumping into the water to catch one.

Judging from the direction of the camp, these people should be the Juyeze River pirates from the prisoner camp.

Guo Shaobin had heard Commander He say that the assassins who had tried to kill the governor came from Juye Marsh, but the governor had been able to forgive and punish only the ringleader, while taking the others into the prisoner camp. This was true benevolence and righteousness.

In this era, indiscriminate killing is common, while not killing indiscriminately is rare and even more difficult!
He was glad that the lord he served was such a person, which meant that his brothers could work with peace of mind and would not be made uneasy by the whims of their superiors.

However, because of this incident, Guo Shaobin overheard his commander mention that sooner or later they would establish a guard army specifically to protect the magistrate's safety.

If I were to be assigned to a branch of the Black-Clad Society, I don't know if I would have that opportunity.

Thinking of this, he looked at the fishermen in the Juyeze area who were enjoying themselves in the water and felt a little envious.

Sometimes, having nothing at all can bring you simpler happiness.

Afterwards, Guo Shaobin looked around the city wall. At this moment, returning to this familiar place, he couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.

He spoke to his companions and comrades, then entered the city gate alone.

The Cao army had withdrawn from Yuncheng seven or eight days ago. After being taken over by the Baoyi Army, Xuanwu Army, and Zhongwu Army, they gradually pushed the battle line to Yunzhou.

After making contact with the Tianping Army in Yunzhou City, and setting aside the widespread famine and numerous small nomadic armed groups, the Tang army had essentially recovered the three prefectures of Cao, Pu, and Yun.

Therefore, from that time on, Yuncheng became the rear area, and after a few days of clearing and searching, it returned to the state it was in during the Anping period.

The Baoyi Army continued to provide relief to the disaster victims here. For those who were willing to go to Gwangju, the Baoyi Army would provide their families with boats and rice for the journey.

Those who were unwilling to leave their hometowns or still harbored illusions about the current situation were not forced by the Baoyi Army. The Army also tried its best to ensure that those who came could have food and survive.

As a result, from February to March, everyone in Cao and Ji knew the name "Hu Baoyi".

Hu Baoyi's reputation was no longer limited to the military, but had a great influence among the people and the grassroots.

They didn't know what Hu Baoyi had done before, but they knew that he was a truly benevolent, righteous, and compassionate person who had saved countless lives.

It is said that some people are secretly offering incense to "Hu Baoyi" because they cannot repay him in much way and can only express their gratitude in this way.

At this moment, a group of warriors were resting inside the city gate tower. They had just returned from a mission outside and were secretly drinking here.

The military is very strict about this; drinking alcohol is not allowed when on missions or in the camp.

These people happened to time it perfectly; they had already returned to the city and their mission was over, but they hadn't returned to their camp yet, so they were neither involved nor afraid of crossing the line.

The people were happily eating when they were startled to see a man in black enter. However, they relaxed when they realized that the man didn't seem to be there to arrest them.

Then someone handed Guo Shaobin a glass, which he drank sensibly. When the latter offered to pour him another glass, Guo Shaobin shook his head and refused.

Those people stopped trying to persuade him, since he had already drunk it and they weren't afraid of him gossiping.

While the people there continued drinking, Guo Shaobin began to look around the city gate tower.

By this time, the bloodstains on the white wall had been scraped off, leaving only a row of rammed earth walls that looked like they had been chewed by dogs.

He can still recall the bloodshed that night, his seat, and the actions of the killer.

Guo Shaobin thought he would have some kind of feeling, but when he actually got there, he found that it was just like that.

If I had to force myself to describe a feeling, it would be that anyone can die, everyone will die. In this world, if you don't eat people, someone else will eat you.

Guo Shaobin is leaving.

He had just received a secret order to lead a team to Yanzhou to build a site, and then be responsible for coordinating with their moles planted in the rebel army.

This journey was truly a matter of life and death. As someone who worked in intelligence, he knew the situation in Yanzhou better than anyone else; it was practically a living hell, a massacre.

Without the protection of the army, he could only rely on luck to drive a group of people into these places.

But who can know if they have luck?

He had also settled all his family affairs, which was a very good benefit of the Black Clothes Society, as all the family members of the society had a special camp to take care of them.

It's a pity that He Gui went out with the cavalry and is not in the city now, otherwise I could have seen him again.

Just then, his comrades outside called out, so Guo Shaobin took one last look at the wall, shook his head, and went out.

He will come back here again, and next time he comes, he will definitely make a name for himself.

After he left, the Baoyi Army warriors who were still drinking on the city wall looked at him strangely. He came and went, just to take a look?
Thinking of some rumors circulating in the military, that these Black-Clad Society members now frequently recruit military heroes to their side.

And of course they consider themselves heroes!
Upon thinking of this person, everyone shuddered and lost all interest in drinking. They fled back to their respective camps, determined that no matter how much the Black Clothes Society members pleaded, they would not go.

How can a good man stab someone in the back?
……

The Yuncheng County Government Office, also the garrison of the Baoyi Army, was located in a side hall.

He Weidao, the commander of the Black-Clad Society, was waiting outside. Seeing someone emerge, and recognizing Yuan Xi, the judge of the shogunate, he quickly asked:

"Judge Yuan, I wonder how much longer the magistrate will have?"

Yuan Xi smiled brightly and said:

"I just reported on the army's supply situation, and then the magistrate kept several master craftsmen behind. They must have something to discuss about military equipment. It will be over soon."

He Weidao bent slightly and shook his head:
"I am already apprehensive about taking up your time to rest, how could I dare to urge you on?"

Yuan Xi's smile remained unchanged, and then he said jokingly:
"Old He, you've been stirring up a lot of trouble lately. Now everyone in the army is afraid of your Black Clothes Society, afraid that you'll recruit their best men into the society. Many have come to me for help."

He Weidao said with distress:

“Judge Yuan, I didn’t want it to be like this either. Our Black-Clad Society is still in its infancy and needs people for everything. In addition, someone in the army is saying that our Black-Clad Society is just a bunch of petty thieves, which makes many people refuse to join. If I don’t do this, I won’t be able to finish the task that the magistrate has given me.”

Yuan Xi was present when Zhao Huai'an assigned the Black-Clad Society's tasks that day, so he knew He Weidao had a heavy responsibility, but he still offered a word of advice:
“Old He, you came from our shogunate, you’re one of us, so of course we understand that it’s not easy for you to do this. But those yamen runners don’t care about you. They all value elite warriors. If you whip them like this, how can they not have something to say?”

He Weidao frowned and snorted:
"These warriors were all raised by the magistrate, how dare those other brutes take them for themselves?"

Yuan Xi put her finger to her lips, gesturing for him to lower his voice, before pulling him under the eaves and speaking in a low voice:

"Of course they wouldn't dare, but you have to understand people's minds. If you rent someone else's land for a long time, they'll start to think that the land is their own, let alone the soldiers under their command. So this is something that people can't help but think about. The world is getting more and more chaotic now. If we scholars want to gain a foothold, besides sticking together and gaining the magistrate's trust, we also need to understand one thing."

He Weidao asked:
"How to say?"

Yuan Xi lowered his voice and said seriously:

“We must understand the governor and know the difficulties of his position. He is both a brother and a superior to those below him, so there are some things he cannot do or say to their faces. But we must share the governor’s burdens. We need not ask the governor to do anything, but we must be aware of our own responsibilities.”

“Warriors, when it comes to fighting, life and death are at stake, so naturally they have to make decisions unilaterally. But if they make decisions unilaterally for too long, their minds will inevitably wander. So they need someone to keep them in check, to pull the reins, and to prevent them from getting too out of control. It’s not appropriate for the magistrate to do this himself, so it’s naturally up to us.”

He Weidao understood, pondered for a moment, and then smiled:

“Judge Yuan, I understand, but that’s a matter for later. Let’s focus on getting the manpower in place and getting things set up first. We’re really exhausted from working every day.”

Yuan Xi smiled as well. These kinds of things are usually left unsaid, and this was a confirmation of their mutual understanding.

As for forming a faction, he would never dare to do that!
Besides, if someone were to form a party, they wouldn't do it with a spy chief!

……

In the side hall, a burly man with a full beard was showing Zhao Huai'an several iron rings, occasionally poking them with a dagger to test their sturdiness.

Seeing that the iron rings could indeed block the dagger's cuts, Zhao Huai'an nodded, then took one of the pre-strung iron rings and asked:
"The craftsmanship looks about right, and the sturdiness is sufficient. How long will this take?" The master armor maker who stayed behind this time was surnamed Fei. He was brought back by Zhao Huai'an when he was in Xichuan. His family had been local armor makers for generations.

Master Fei replied:
"Your Excellency, this was made by me personally. I used quenching, so it took half a day. If it were an ordinary craftsman, it would probably take a day to a day and a half."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an frowned.

This time, he kept several master craftsmen behind to inquire about the progress of forging the chainmail.

When Zhao Huai'an was in Xichuan, the first thing he came into contact with was chainmail. He was quite familiar with it, as it appeared in many Western films and television dramas. He just didn't expect that the Tang Dynasty also had it at this time.

However, he later learned that chainmail was not widely used in the Tang army; it was mostly reserved for elite troops and border troops.

However, he later captured a lot of chainmail from the Nanzhao army, most of which came from the Tubo (Tibetan) side.

However, Zhao Huai'an didn't pay much attention to chainmail at first, only equipping a small number of elite troops and officers and warriors with it, because it was very effective against arrows and swords.

However, at that time, chainmail was not a cost-effective armor for the Baoyi Army.

Because chainmail offers almost no protection against spears or heavy armor, while the Baoyi Army was facing a national war, and its enemies were the elite troops of the Nanzhao Army.

Both sides fought highly advanced formation battles, relying on strong armor, fast bows, and large spears. The overly sophisticated chainmail was indeed unsuitable for the battlefield environment at that time.

However, the situation changed after they arrived in the Central Plains to fight bandits.

The Cao army's fighting style was still guerrilla warfare; if one attack failed, they would retreat thousands of miles. Under such circumstances, Zhao Huai'an's Baoyi Army often could not catch up.

Since the former was fleeing without armor, while the Baoyi Army was in full armor to pursue, how could they possibly catch up?
As for not allowing the Baoyi Army to wear armor, Zhao Huai'an would never dare to do so. Because of the existence of the Baoyi system in the army, each Baoyi Army member is very valuable. If they were ambushed by the enemy due to a reckless pursuit, it would be a huge loss.

Furthermore, the Baoyi Army's current equipment is somewhat overkill; to put it nicely, it's like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.

The eight infantry and cavalry units led by Zhao Huai'an, along with the later-acquired Shouzhou Chixindu, all had an armor coverage rate of around 80%.

Their enemies were mostly unarmored peasants, and in such a situation, wearing iron armor to fight would be completely counterproductive. On the contrary, the militia warriors only needed to wear chainmail to achieve both defense and mobility.

But here's the problem: after asking several master craftsmen separately, they all gave similar results, which was that if a craftsman were to make a chainmail, it would take at least eight months.

The Baoyi Army is currently short at least three thousand chainmails. Even if he finds three thousand skilled armorers, it will take until the end of the year to deliver them. But the Cao Army is clearly about to invade Pinglu Army. Where is he supposed to have eight months?
In fact, Zhao Huai'an initially planned to have Yang Fuguang replenish the armory, since the Xuanwu Army's arsenal was full and it shouldn't be a problem to take out three thousand pieces of chainmail.

But when he asked Yang Fuguang, Yang Fuguang actually told him that there really wasn't one.

Because the iron armor commonly equipped by the Tang army consisted of Mingguang armor, Shanwen armor, lamellar armor, and a small number of chainmail.

Among them, the Mingguang armor was the mainstream iron armor used by the five yamen heavy infantry of the Baoyi Army, and it was also the iconic armor of the Tang army's heavy infantry.

This kind of iron armor, covered from top to bottom with plates, was the equipment of the cavalry and mid-to-high-ranking generals in the army. Ordinary people couldn't even afford to wear it; their lives weren't worth as much as the money spent on maintaining their armor.

Zhao Huai'an accumulated nearly five thousand sets of Mingguang Iron Armor through his battles in Xichuan, the suppression of bandits in Dabie Mountain in Guang Prefecture, and several battles in the Central Plains. It was these weapons that formed the core fighting force of the Baoyi Army.

How staggering is this number? Take the wealthiest Xuanwu Army for example. The equipment allocated to their 100,000 soldiers, after so many years of accumulation and maintenance, is only about 10,000 pieces. And this is something that has been crafted and preserved by countless generations of artisans.

Sure enough, robbing is always much faster than farming.

Besides the massive armor with ten thousand layers, the main armor worn by the Xuanwu Army consisted of mountain-patterned armor and lamellar armor. The former was used to equip the main combat troops, while the latter was issued to ordinary soldiers at the lower levels.

Yes, this is the glorious Tang Dynasty. Even ordinary soldiers have a suit of armor, although this armor only protects the torso and is the lowest-grade armor.

Of course, this only applies to powerful states in the Central Plains. Places like Rongguan and Guangnan are all covered in leather armor.

Therefore, if Zhao Huai'an wanted these mainstream equipment, Yang Fuguang would give them to him without even frowning.

Because of this campaign, he was truly exhausted from winning against Zhao Huai'an.

In the eyes of the imperial court, Yang Fuguang is now considered the most knowledgeable military strategist in both the Northern and Southern courts. Even now, some of the court's subordinates, such as Wang Duo, would travel great distances to write letters to Yang Fuguang to inquire about his military views.

This kind of persona is not just about inner vanity; it can be directly converted into political capital.

Now, there are many voices in the imperial court calling for Yang Fuguang to replace Song Wei as the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, officially becoming the commander-in-chief of the entire army.

This is completely different from the previous military supervisors. In the history of the Tang Dynasty, only a few powerful eunuchs, such as Yu Chaoen and Tu Tu Cheng Cui, became commanders of armies of more than 100,000 men.

However, Lu Xie, another prime minister under the court, still supports Song Wei. After Gao Pian's defeat in Nanzhao, he is currently being held accountable in Chang'an and there is no chance of him being reinstated in the short term. Therefore, Song Wei is currently the only one who can carry out the campaign.

In addition, Yang Fuguang also wrote a letter supporting Song Wei. With the Baoyi Army in hand, he was even more determined and proactive than Song Wei in the subsequent campaign.

Little did he know that Song Wei would directly undermine him by transferring the Baoyi Army, on which he relied, to the Yanzhou battlefield.

Yang Fuguang was unaware of these things. He told Zhao Huai'an that chainmail and similar items originated from the Western Regions and were primarily used by border troops like the former Anxi Army. The armor was made by Sogdian craftsmen from the Chang'an Imperial Household Department.

Therefore, the only place where Zhao Huai'an could find such a large quantity of chainmail was the armory in Chang'an.

Unfortunately, these equipment were all reserved for the Shence Army, and the current lieutenant of the Shence Army was Tian Lingzi, so Yang Fuguang was powerless to help.

Zhao Huai'an hadn't expected things to turn out this way, but since he couldn't get it, he'd just make it up himself.

But now that the construction he's building is taking so long, he's in a bind.

Meanwhile, after reporting on the work progress, Master Fei proactively said:

"My lord, if we have enough manpower later, we can also divide the production work like the Chang'an Imperial Household Department. In that case, the production cycle of chainmail can be shortened to two months."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an perked up. He certainly knew the role of division of labor in improving efficiency, but he had never made chainmail before and knew nothing about the process, so how could he break it down?
That's when the expertise of a master craftsman like Fei becomes apparent.

After explaining the armor-making process to Zhao Huai'an, he gave Zhao Huai'an a figure: if he could be assigned 300 blacksmiths to smelt the metal, 300 forges to forge it, 300 wire cutters to cut the iron bars, and 300 ring weavers to weave the iron rings, with other leatherworkers assisting, he was confident that he could make 3,000 sets of chainmail for the army within two months.

This Master Fei is really asking for an exorbitant amount, demanding 1,200 craftsmen at once, practically putting all the craftsmen currently accompanying the Baoyi Army under his control.

But Zhao Huai'an only thought about it for a moment before nodding, and then he directly told Master Fei:
"Old Fei, let me be blunt. I don't have two months to give you. If nothing unexpected happens, our army will be setting off soon, so I can only give you one month. Within this time, you must build three thousand chainmail suits to support the front."

"If you can complete this task, I'll promote you to chief engineer. But if you can't, then I'm sorry, you'll be primarily responsible. So, are you willing to accept this pledge?"

Master Fei nervously swallowed, then looked at Zhao Huai'an and gritted his teeth, saying:
"My lord, I, Fei Ruhai, accept this military order!"

Zhao Huai'an laughed heartily, then asked Pei Desheng, who was standing next to him, to write a note. All the necessary supplies and food support for the craftsmen would be managed by a special staff member, so that the craftsmen could focus on production without any distractions.

The armor workshop was first set up in Yuncheng, which served as both a rear base and a location next to Dayeze, making it convenient for water use. Once the chainmail was completed, ships could be dispatched directly from Dayeze to Yanzhou.

After arranging all these matters, Zhao Huai'an sent the master craftsmen away and then called He Weidao, who was waiting outside, in alone.

As soon as He Weidao entered, Zhao Huai'an got straight to the point:

"Let me see the whole list."

He Weidao quickly pulled out the booklet from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Zhao Huai'an.

This booklet lists all the members of the Black-Clad Society, including sixty undercover agents from six stations, ten Grass Army spies, and twenty members from Xuanwu, Zhongwu, and Shence Armies.

Yes, Zhao Huai'an didn't even spare friendly forces; he planted people in there as well.

After carefully reviewing these lists, Zhao Huai'an specifically mentioned one person:
“Something has changed now. You need to have that ‘deceiving bug’ you had before try to get closer to the bandit army in Yizhou and Yanzhou and try to infiltrate their ranks. Pinglu will not be our army’s focus going forward. You need to try to use your manpower in the south.”

Even something as simple as a single sentence, He Weidao wrote down on paper.

Seeing He Weidao bowing respectfully and earnestly, and remembering that someone had spoken ill of him before, he smiled and said:

"Do a good job, and report anything that happens. As for the rest, just go ahead and do it."

Upon hearing this, He Weidao felt reassured.

After all, when it comes to snatching people from those martial arts masters, how could he really be as nonchalant as he appears on the surface?
Just as he was about to say a few words to express his stance, a burly man rushed in from outside, waited by the door, handed a military report to Pei Desheng behind the door, and then retreated.

Zhao Huai'an took the military report from Pei Desheng, read it, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying:
"It's done!"

Then he addressed Zhao Liu and his trusted confidants in the hall, saying:
"Then let's solve the problem of the Xuanwu Army!"

Then he instructed Zhao Liu:
"Sixth Brother, go find Liu Xingxian and Kou Yi and tell them that I, Zhao Da, have invited them to drink and we can discuss a business deal."

Zhao Liu nodded, then left the hall and headed to the Xuanwu Army camp outside the city.

On the other side, Zhao Huai'an said to Fatty Dou:

“Fatty, I have a letter here. Take it to Caozhou and give it to Yang Fuguang. Then, answer whatever Yang Fuguang asks you. As for the rest, I have explained it all in the letter.”

As he spoke, Zhao Huai'an handed the letter box he had prepared to Dou Pangzi, and also ordered a team of cavalry to escort Dou Pangzi across the state.

Given the rampant cannibalism outside the city, with Bean Fatty's good physique, without a powerful samurai escort, he would probably be like throwing meat buns to a dog, never to return.

Dou Pangzi was unaware of Zhao Huai'an's "concerns" and happily left the hall after receiving the box.

This trip to Caozhou on official business will surely allow me to enjoy another good meal.
Watching his trusted confidants leave one after another, Zhao Huai'an was also full of confidence:
"This time, I, Zhao Huai'an, will truly become famous in one battle, and the whole world will know me!"

　One chapter was posted around noon.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)