Chapter 8: The Salt Route (II)

The new governor of Yangzhou, Cui Yuanshan, is from the Eastern Palace!
For Li Kuo, this was the greatest discovery of last night. Cases of illegal salt smuggling were merely superficial issues. The domineering Prince of Gaoyou and the powerful Changlongji Trading Company feared Cui Yuanshan’s involvement and gathered to discuss countermeasures.
Li Kuo was no longer the ignorant young man who had just started his career. Time had allowed everything to settle, and repeated experiences had made him more mature.
Though he couldn’t fully understand the complexities of court politics, he could at least grasp the motives and goals of various interest groups at play.
It was well known that salt transportation in the Jianghuai region was a murky affair, and the imperial court turned a blind eye. After all, the lucrative salt trade was too tempting for the court to monopolize. As long as laws were not violated, giving merchants appropriate benefits might lead to a win-win situation.
The central government, local authorities, and merchant groups all wanted a share of this profit—no one could claim it all for themselves!
A piece of paper with ink stains was unattractive, but what if an entire stack was soaked in ink?
When one couldn’t remove the ink stains from themselves, the best way to shift blame was to throw the ink at their companions.
So, if the new governor only investigated salt trafficking, neither the Prince of Gaoyou nor the interest groups behind Changlongji Trading Company would worry. At worst, they could offer the governor a generous gift to turn him into another beneficiary.
All crows are black—no one in this world would refuse good money.
But Cui Yuanshan was from the Eastern Palace, meaning he represented the interests of the crown prince. If he were to uncover the real masterminds behind these schemes, it could unleash chaos in Yangzhou!
Cui Yuanshan was known for his stubbornness and determination. Even in Chang’an, he had been rebuked by the emperor for defying Chen Xilié. Such a man wouldn’t easily back down. If he used this as an excuse to provoke Prince Yong, all the officials in the Jianghuai region would be held accountable.
Therefore, they decided to form an alliance to deal with Cui Yuanshan. Perhaps he was also a target for their assimilation?
Stroking the desk thoughtfully, Li Kuo considered the various possibilities.

First, the biggest planner was Prince Yong, Li Lin. Officials of all ranks in Yangzhou and local merchants all benefited from his kindness and were willing to serve him loyally. Second, Prince Yong Li Lin only maintained a cooperative relationship with the merchants. He used his influence to facilitate things for them while amassing wealth for himself, collecting regular tributes each year.

Comparatively, the second scenario is far more likely. After all, Prince Yong could not take charge of everything on his own; the merchants had to lead the way. Since it was a partnership, both sides needed to be equal and benefit from it…

“Commander, the new recruits are almost ready. Their basic weapons training has reached 70% of the level of the Anxi Army, and their formation training has reached 80%. However, they still fall far short in actual combat.”

Dou Qing had somehow entered the barracks and reported to Li Kuo with a bow. Although he didn’t understand why the emperor had sent the commander from Anxi to Jianghuai to train troops, since things were already as they were, everyone had to fully support their commander.

Throughout history, those who achieved too much power often met poor ends. Perhaps this move was also a way for the emperor to indirectly protect the commander!

Yet the strength of these local troops in Yangzhou far lagged behind that of the Anxi border troops. He couldn’t detect even a hint of discipline in them, and their basic execution skills were far inferior to those of the Anxi Army.

It was clearly unrealistic to turn such a lax force into a disciplined and formidable army. For now, the best they could do was teach them some basic formation tactics and make them more aggressive in armed combat.

As for the aggressive spirit unique to border troops, it was something these inexperienced young soldiers could never learn.

Li Kuo nodded and said, “There’s no rush for actual combat. After all, our Tang Dynasty has military governors in charge of the borders. As long as these governors don’t turn rebellious, our Tang Dynasty can maintain peaceful borders forever!”

What he said was true. Since the An Lushan Rebellion, frequent border conflicts, extended defense lines, and heavy military service had gradually undermined the household soldier system. Initially, soldiers had set periods of rest and return, but later, they were often kept beyond their terms, leading to desertions.

Another reason was that at the beginning of the dynasty, following the traditions of the previous Sui Dynasty, soldiers were respected, and with a culture that valued martial prowess, people were eager to serve in the army to serve their country. But during the reign of Empress Wu, soldiers were often borrowed by aristocrats and officials for personal use, causing commoners across the Tang Dynasty to view serving as household soldiers as a disgrace.

Thus, after the current emperor ascended the throne, he boldly implemented reforms: he conscripted strong soldiers for the border garrisons and simultaneously recruited large numbers of mercenaries from barbarian regions to replenish the military forces. As a result, the troop strength in the Tang Dynasty’s border garrisons increased rather than decreased, enabling repeated victories in external battles. In contrast, the strength of the local militia forces in the Central Plains was far too weak. By now, the Zhechong Duduifu had long ceased to function effectively; these militia soldiers, having lost their land, no longer had the enthusiasm to train, and many even fled. Over time, half of the registered soldiers disappeared, leaving the additional militia camps as empty structures. The situation in the Jianghuai region’s militia camps was somewhat better, but they still fell short of their full strength. Take the Yangzhou militia camp, which was in the best condition, as an example—it could barely reach 4,500 men, still far short of the target of 6,000. (Note 1) Li Kuo was currently serving as the Jianghuai region’s chief militia commander, a position equivalent to that of a military governor. However, due to his location in the heart of the Central Plains, his authority was greatly restricted by the prefects and inspection commissioners, far less formidable than that of border military governors. (Note 2) But for now, Li Kuo clearly wasn’t concerned with such trivial matters. Although investigating the salt transport case in the Jianghuai region was important, it had to be carried out secretly. His official role was that of chief militia commander, so his immediate task was to train this army into a elite force.
Note 1: Since the Gaozong era, land consolidation had become increasingly severe. The main recruits for the imperial army were farmers under the equal-field system. With the breakdown of this system, the economic basis for conscripting soldiers disappeared. As a result, during the early years of Xuanzong’s reign, more and more soldiers deserted, leading to shortages of guards and difficulties in mobilizing troops for defense.
Note 2: Tang Dynasty militia commanders could be divided into chief militia commanders and provincial militia commanders. Initially, they were responsible for military affairs in a particular region or province. But since inspection commissioners also served as chief militia commanders and prefects served as provincial militia commanders, they effectively became the military and administrative leaders of those regions. The duties of chief militia commanders were the same as those of military governors or chief defense commanders (while provincial militia commanders had similar duties to provincial defense commanders). The difference lay in their rank, sequence of promotion, salary, and whether they were granted ceremonial banners. Therefore, regions with military governors or chief defense commanders did not have chief militia commanders, and vice versa.
Liu Yun specifically consulted the Tang Liudian. Before the An Lushan Rebellion, the Central Plains generally did not have military governors, so the highest military rank was that of a militia commander.