Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 893 No rainbow without rain

The night was not prolonged by the turmoil at Kunming Pool, and dawn still arrived on time.

But that night, the air in Chang'an was filled with a tension unlike any other.

The camp was definitely not a place to stay, since the fact that it had been breached meant that their security was flawed. San Niang had no choice but to set off overnight and return to Chang'an.

After that, the Zichen Hall of Taiji Palace was brightly lit with candles all night.

The Third Lady sat upright behind the imperial desk, with a thick stack of detailed records about the organization, rations, and training of the Northern Garrison Army spread out in front of her.

Her fingertip paused heavily on a certain redundant staff list, leaving a clear mark.

"Your Majesty, it's past 3:45 AM. Would you like to rest for a while?" the personal maidservant reminded softly, her face showing concern.

Third Sister raised her eyes, which were bloodshot, but she showed no signs of fatigue: "No need."

Her voice was indeed somewhat tired, but unusually firm: "Issue the decree that at the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM), summon the Prime Minister of the State Affairs Hall, the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and all civil and military officials of the fifth rank and above from the capital region to the Taiji Hall for a meeting."

The female official felt a chill run down her spine, knowing that this court assembly would be of great importance, and quickly accepted the order and left.

As dawn broke, officials entered the palace in order.

Many people stood there discussing yesterday's martial arts demonstration and the night's events, exchanging glances and trying to glean some information from each other.

At noon, the bells and drums rang.

Third Lady slowly ascended the throne, her gaze sweeping over the assembled officials. Her gaze lingered briefly on the faces of important ministers such as Changsun Wuji and Wei Dingfang, but she made no comment.

"Yesterday, during the martial arts competition at Kunming Pool, all of you were present," Third Lady spoke, her voice not loud, yet clearly carrying throughout the hall, silencing all whispers. "Five hundred against seven thousand, and within an hour, the commander's flag changed hands. Last night, my camp was completely deserted. Do any of you have anything to say?"

The hall was deathly silent. Among the military officers, many were flushed and bowed their heads. The civil officials, on the other hand, mostly kept their eyes downcast, not daring to provoke them at this moment.

Wei Dingfang stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and said in a deep voice, "I have failed in my command of the troops, resulting in the Northern Imperial Guards being undisciplined and weak in combat, thus disturbing Your Majesty's presence. I deserve to die a thousand deaths! I beg Your Majesty to punish me severely!"

As soon as he spoke, a group of Imperial Guard generals knelt down behind him.

Third Sister did not immediately rouse them; her silence weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like an invisible boulder. After a long while, she slowly said, "I already decided on Minister Wei's crime yesterday. Today, I want to question not just one person's fault, but the shortcomings of my million-strong Li Tang army!"

She stood up and descended the imperial steps, picking up a report from the Ministry of War: "Last year, the Ministry of War inspected the troops of various prefectures and found that 20% of them were not in service! In the armory, more than 30% of the registered bows, crossbows, swords, and spears were unusable! The training records reported by the various military commands were mostly perfunctory and half-hearted! How can such an army protect the borders and the people? How can it deal with the covetous neighboring states?"

With each word she spoke, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense. Everyone present was well aware of these long-standing problems, yet no one had ever dared to lay them bare so openly in the imperial court.

"Your Majesty!" An elderly minister with white hair and beard stepped forward. He was the Minister of Rites. His voice trembled as he said, "The military's long-standing problems are not a recent development, and they have far-reaching implications. If we act too hastily, I fear it may lead to unforeseen events! Moreover, the founding of our Tang Dynasty also relied on the foundation of the Fubing (military force)..."

"Precisely because the nation is founded on this foundation, we cannot sit idly by and watch it decay to this extent!" Third Sister interrupted him, her tone sharp: "If the foundation is rotten, the edifice will collapse! Do we really have to wait until the enemy is at the gates before we can truly learn from our mistakes?"

She returned to her throne, her gaze sweeping across the entire room: "My mind is made up. The reform of the military system is of utmost urgency. Effective immediately, a Military Reform Bureau shall be established, personally led by me, with the Crown Prince assisting. The primary task is to reorganize the Northern Imperial Guards!"

"First, weed out the weak and keep the strong. Within three days, with the assistance of the Wei Army Training Corps, all soldiers of the Northern Army will be reviewed. Those who are old, weak, unskilled, or occupying positions without merit will be dismissed, given severance pay, and resettled in their hometowns."

"Second, reform the drill manual. Abolish the old-style fancy drills and fully adopt the new drill manual, emphasizing combat, formations, and discipline. Instructors will be dispatched by the training regiment to conduct training in different camps."

"Third, investigate military supplies and provisions. A joint investigation team composed of the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Censorate will thoroughly investigate the procurement of military supplies and the distribution of provisions over the past five years. Anyone found to have embezzled, misappropriated, or used substandard goods will be severely punished, regardless of who is involved!"

The three imperial edicts, like three thunderclaps, silenced the entire court. This was no longer just a military reorganization; it was a complete reshuffling of the existing military power structure.

"Your Majesty!" Changsun Wuji finally stepped forward, his face grave. "Such drastic measures may cause unrest within the army. Perhaps allowing the Wei army to conduct training deep within our Imperial Guards...?"

"Does Grand Chancellor Changsun think that my Imperial Guards are not turbulent enough?" Third Lady looked at him, her tone calm but carrying an undeniable power: "As for the Wei army instructors, I have already agreed with Commander Xia that they will only be responsible for training, not for personnel matters or command. If we don't even have this much magnanimity and confidence, how can the Li Tang dynasty stand in the world?"

She gave the court officials no chance to object and directly ordered: "The decree shall be issued to the world immediately. Court adjourned!"

The storm of military reform first swept through the Northern Garrison.

The review and assessment were conducted rigorously under the cold gaze of the instructors of the training regiment. Those who were unfamiliar with archery and horsemanship, those who were overweight, and even many sons of noble families who relied on their family background to hold temporary positions in the army, turned pale when the first batch of names was announced.

Some attempted to cause trouble, but were forcibly suppressed by lower-ranking officers who had already received strict orders and were also under pressure to meet performance targets. Moreover, Wei Dingfang personally oversaw the operation, publicly whipping and expelling several sons of noble families who led the disturbance, showing no mercy.

Under this iron-fisted approach, complaints abounded, yet the efficiency was astounding. In just five days, the first batch of over three thousand dismissed soldiers, receiving meager severance pay, left the Imperial Guard camp—a place they had once considered a source of honor and prestige—with dismay. The vacant positions were not immediately filled; the entire Imperial Guard camp seemed to have shed some of its excess fat, appearing leaner but more robust.

At the same time, the instructors from the training regiment officially moved into each battalion, bringing not only new drill manuals and training methods, but also a distinct temperament.

They ate and lived with the soldiers, demanding extremely high standards, yet they also personally demonstrated how to reward and punish.

At first, there was great resistance. Soldiers who were used to the old-style training were at a loss with the new method and complained bitterly. Some officers even secretly tripped them up and responded passively.

The real change occurred after a routine combat exercise. A training instructor pointed out a command error by a general, who publicly ridiculed him, saying, "What do the Wei people know about Tang army tactics?" The instructor did not get angry, but instead proposed a live-fire exercise with 100 men against 100 men, using both the old and new tactics.

The result was no surprise: the instructors' team, which employed a new style of small-team coordination and was highly mobile, routed the generals' team, which still clung to the idea of ​​a large-scale army charge.

After the victory, the instructor said only one thing to the disgruntled general and the silent soldiers around him: "On the battlefield, there is only life and death, not Tang and Wei. The best way is the one that allows you and your brothers to survive."

These words, carried by the evening breeze, quietly seeped into the hearts of many soldiers.

The Eastern Palace, Chengxinzhai.

Li Zhi carefully read the daily reports sent from the Imperial Guard camp, his brows sometimes furrowing and sometimes relaxing.

Zhang Jianzhi sat opposite him, with the old regulations for the Ministry of Personnel's assessment of officials spread out in front of him.

"Your Highness, the military system has been reformed, and the reform of the bureaucracy should probably also be put on the agenda. The court is currently stagnant, and many officials only seek to avoid mistakes rather than make contributions, which is of no benefit to the country."

Xiao Wu placed a cup of warm tea beside Li Zhi and said softly, "The new military reforms have touched the interests of military officers and nobles. If we then rectify the bureaucracy, we will be at odds with the entire civil service system, and the resistance will be even greater."

Li Zhi put down the briefing and sighed: "How could I not know? But Mother has made up her mind, and the army is so corrupt. How can the administration remain unscathed? Yesterday, the Prefect of the Capital reported that an eighth-rank clerk in Chang'an County had embezzled as much as ten thousand taels of grain transport funds! The connections behind him are intricate, and how many superiors are involved? Just thinking about it makes me shudder."

Zhang Jianzhi's eyes burned with fervor; the young man's thirst for merit had reached its peak at this moment: "Destroy the old to build the new. Now is the time. We can start with assessments, increasing the emphasis on practical strategies and reducing the weight given to family background. At the same time, we should encourage whistleblowing, rewarding those who verify information and punishing those who make false accusations. We can gradually eliminate the corrupt elements."

"I'm afraid Jian's words will be criticized as encouraging insubordination and corrupting the officialdom," Xiao Wu said calmly.

“Then let them attack each other.” Li Zhi’s eyes showed a determination beyond his years: “Mother is at the front with pressure from the army. If I am afraid of the turmoil on the side of the civil officials, how will I inherit the throne in the future? Brother Jianzhi, you and your senior sister should start by examining the performance of the officials under the Crown Prince’s command and the local officials in Chang’an, and draft a plan.”

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the newly sprouted green plants in the courtyard: "It's time for Chang'an to be thoroughly cleaned up."

Just then, a palace attendant came to report that Wei Tong was requesting an audience.

Li Zhi was somewhat surprised. Since the incident that night, Wei Tong had been recuperating and training in the guard camp and had not gone out.

A moment later, Wei Tong walked in. She had changed out of her camouflage uniform and was wearing a clean military uniform. She stood up straight, and her brows were less lively than before, but more calm. She first saluted Li Zhi, and then nodded to Zhang Jianzhi and Xiao Wu.

"Your Highness, I have come today to say goodbye."

"Saying goodbye? Where are you going?" Li Zhi asked in surprise, "You've only been in the camp for a short time, and your father isn't in a hurry to leave."

"The training regiment received orders to set off in three days to assist in the reorganization and training of the border troops in Hexi." Wei Tong explained, "I have been assigned to the advance team."

Li Zhi paused for a moment. The Hexi Corridor bordered Tibet and the Western Regions, a complex situation with deeply entrenched border troops. The risks and difficulties of this journey far exceeded those of training the Imperial Guards in Chang'an. He looked at Wei Tong; she was now completely different from the simple-minded, spirited daughter of a military family who had ridden alongside him on the training ground just months before.

“The frontier is harsh and the situation is complex, you…” Li Zhi paused, then finally said, “Be extra careful.”

Wei Tong grinned, revealing his familiar white teeth, and his dashing spirit was still faintly visible: "Your Highness, rest assured, I am now a proper armed reconnaissance soldier in the training regiment. It's a good time to go and meet those Tibetan guys and see what they're made of."

She looked at Xiao Wu and said, "Sister Wu, I'm not in Chang'an, so please take good care of yourself." Then she said to Zhang Jianzhi, "Brother Zhang, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to look after His Highness."

Even Xiao Wu was surprised by what she said; her tone and demeanor clearly indicated that she considered herself the female lead of the Eastern Palace…

However, she smiled slightly in the end and did not argue with her naive younger sister, but simply nodded.

Zhang Jianzhi returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Sister Wei, have a safe journey. When you return, it will probably be the time for you to become the Crown Princess."

Li Zhi pinched his buttocks to tell him to stop talking nonsense.

Wei Tong simply smiled and said, "I'd rather be a general than a crown princess. Your Highness, I'm leaving now!"

(End of this chapter)