A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 632 Wolf Fang
"The demands of the southern barbarians are outrageous. They levy a tax of one-tenth of the livestock's legs and a conscription fee of one-tenth of the tribes' soldiers. Even Khan Jieli never treated the tribes like this. How dare they?"

Inside the cowhide tent, Zhi Shiwu rubbed his temples, watching his brothers and nephews discussing the matter indignantly.

"Sili, what do you think?"

“Father, there is a saying among the people of the Central Plains: ‘The victor is king, the loser is villain.’ Now that the Tang people have won, even if their demands are harsh, we are powerless to resist.”

"Now that we've suffered defeat and are facing a devastating disaster, if we, the leader of our tribe, are not careful, we could face annihilation. Our survival is the most important thing."

"So you mean you accept the Tang people's appointment, and also accept these harsh demands, paying the cattle leg tax and performing eleven kinds of labor?"

“Father, this is Grandfather’s intention.”

As soon as Zhi Shisi Li said this, his uncles and cousins ​​in the tent all fell silent.

Zhishi Yan is still Jieli Fa of the Zhishi tribe. He was captured after his defeat during Jieli's eastern expedition and is still in the hands of the Tang people.

Zhi Shiwu is temporarily serving as the head of the Zhi Shi department.

He looked at the red edict in front of him.
Li Yi, the Minister of Works and Prince of Dai, was appointed by imperial decree as the Prefect of Zhishi Prefecture in Dingxiang Prefecture.

His father, Zhishi Yan, had already been granted the title of General of Huaihua and Duke of Kang by the Tang emperor and had entered the court to serve as an official with Jieli.

It wasn't just his father, Zhishi Yan, who was going to the court; several of his brothers and nephews were also going. They were given positions such as general and lieutenant general.

Zhi Shiwu then picked up a red document, which was for his son, Zhi Shiyan.

He was appointed as a military advisor to the Bingzhou Grand General's Office.

Along with Zhishi Sili, more than a dozen other members of the Zhishi family were recruited by Li Yi and were all given positions such as military advisor, brigade commander, and squad leader.

He picked up the dozen or so red edicts and handed them to the members of his clan.

Although they were granted official positions with red official documents and were to serve in the Bingzhou Grand General's Office, they were essentially hostages.

Zhi Shisi accepted the offer without hesitation, having anticipated this outcome. He had met Li Yi several times and had a good impression of him.

One of his cousins ​​was very burly and imposing, but he refused to accept the red edict from the brigade commander. "Our Zhishi tribe is one of the four great Blue Turkic tribes, with a population of over 20,000."
We've only suffered one defeat. Even if Khan Jieli is captured, we can still install another Khan. Why should we surrender like this? How can we let them manipulate us?

"Our Zhishi tribe has now been divided in two, leaving only 10,000 tents in our main territory. From now on, we will not only have to pay cattle leg tax and one-tenth of the four livestock taxes, but also one-tenth of the ten tents will be conscripted for military service, and one thousand able-bodied men will be conscripted to serve the Tang people every year."

"You actually agreed to this?"

Zhi Shisi glanced at his cousin; he was fierce, brave, and skilled in riding and archery, but clearly not very bright.

"Brother, who do you want to support as the Great Khan? Tuli, the Little Khan? He has already surrendered to Tang. Or Yusheshe, who has also surrendered to Tang."

"Furthermore, brother, don't forget that your grandfather and father are still in the hands of the Tang people."

"Even if we were to send troops now, do you think we could withstand a single blow from the Tang army?"

Zhi Sili's cousin was very unwilling, "Is our Zhi Si tribe destined to become a vassal of the Tang people from now on?"

“Brother, back then, Qimin Khan also relied on the Sui Dynasty in the Central Plains, and Shibi Khan also personally cut grass to clear a thousand miles of road for Emperor Daye. Now, our Zhishi tribe is temporarily relying on the Tang Dynasty, so what’s wrong with that?”

Sili's uncle sighed, "The Tang people have done a good job in this arrangement. The major tribes of the Khanate are now divided into two governorates and nine prefectures."

My territory was lost and split in two. One half was scattered with the other half and four new prefectures were established.

These titles—Governor-General, Prefect, General, and Commandant—were all bestowed by the Tang Emperor.

They also summoned the clan chief to Chang'an to serve as an attendant, recruited some of our clan's sons to the capital to serve as officials, and summoned many young men to serve as attendants to Li Yi.
In addition, a thousand able-bodied men were selected to serve in the military.

If our Zhishi tribe agrees to this, then we will have no power to resist.

Zhishi Sili bluntly stated, "Uncle, even Tuli Khan and Yusheshe have surrendered directly. What ability do we, the Zhishi tribe, have to resist? We might as well go with the flow, temporarily avoid the limelight, and seek survival."

"Hey."

A chorus of sighs filled the tent.

There was resentment in the voice, but even more so, helplessness.

Zhi Shi Sili saw things quite clearly. Accepting this red edict for a ninth-rank military officer and going to Bingzhou to serve as an official was essentially being a hostage, but so what?

What if half of the lost territory is divided up and four other prefectures are established alongside other departments?

The winner is king.

The current outcome is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune; at least they are safe. However, they still have to pay the cattle leg tax, perform military service, be granted official positions by the Tang Dynasty, and send their sons to Chang'an and Taiyuan as hostages.

But even if the tribe is preserved, it still retains the right to self-governance.

Whether they are called Zhishi Prefecture or Zhishi Tribe, they will continue to roam this land.

He glanced at his father.

Zhi Shiwu nodded to his son, "When the Tang emperor first raised an army in Taiyuan, he borrowed troops from our Turks. Father then led a cavalry force south to assist us on the orders of Shibi Khan. This can be considered a connection."

Nowadays, the Tang emperor treats the clan chief well, bestowing upon him the titles of Duke of Kangguo and General of Huaihua, so going to Chang'an can be considered a way to enjoy a life of luxury.

Sending fifty members of the clan to Chang'an, either as imperial guards or as military officers in the court, is not a bad thing.

There's no need to worry about Sili and the other fifty young men going to Bingzhou to serve as close attendants or in the army.

The old clan chief, Zhi Shiyan, entered the imperial court as an official.

Now his son, Zhishiwu, has been appointed as the Prefect of Zhishi Prefecture by the Tang people, and naturally he is the leader of the tribe.

The father and son advocated accepting the Tang Dynasty's arrangements.
The other nobles of the Zhishi tribe, though they had their objections, had no other good options and ultimately had to agree to Zhishi Wu's words and accept the court's arrangements.

All the nobles of the Zhishi tribe also obtained official positions in the Tang Dynasty, either serving as Dukes, Grand Generals, Generals, or Lieutenant Generals in Chang'an, or as Imperial Guards.

Or they served as governors, generals, or commandants on the grasslands, while others went to Bingzhou to serve as military advisors, brigade commanders, or squad leaders. The nobles of the Zhishi tribe were divided into three groups: one group went to Chang'an with the old clan chief to serve the emperor, another group of young men went to Taiyuan to join the army, and the rest remained in the tribe.

Not only were a hundred young men selected to go to Chang'an and Taiyuan, but also a thousand able-bodied men were selected to serve in the military.

Zhi Shiwu also had some selfish motives.
They arranged for some of the most senior and prestigious uncles and elders in the clan to serve the emperor in Chang'an as generals and lieutenant generals.

Some of the younger sons from the other branches of the family were also sent to Chang'an and Taiyuan as hostages.

In this way, he can better take over the Zhishi Prefecture and secure his position as the governor of Zhishi Prefecture.

"Sili, personally select the fifty clan members and one thousand able-bodied men from the tribe who are going to Taiyuan, and bring them to the Prince of Dai to receive his orders as soon as possible."

"Yes, father."

"When you arrive at the Prince of Dai's place, serve him well. Li Sikong is a very capable man, so learn some of his skills."

The department that was in charge of the case was very compliant.

They had no will to resist.

This is related to the capture of the clan chief Zhishiyan and many prestigious nobles in the clan, as well as the surrender of Tuli, Yusheshe, and others to the Tang Dynasty.
Not to mention the double whammy of white disasters and war disasters.
The Zhishi tribe is now trapped south of Yinshan Mountain and is powerless to escape.

Whether it was asking them to send their sons to Chang'an and Taiyuan as hostages, to divide their tribe in two, or to pay taxes and perform corvée labor, they accepted it all.

They separated the non-direct descendants and retained the Wanzhang tribe.

"This natural disaster and the chaos of war have caused considerable losses to our Zhishi tribe. Fortunately, the King of Dai promised to provide relief and exchange the frozen livestock for grain."

You can also trade furs, medicinal herbs, horses, and camels for grain.

They could even borrow grain as collateral and repay the debt with livestock the following year, plus some interest.

Once you've all returned, make arrangements quickly and get through this cold spring first.

"Chief, I've inquired around. The Tang people are offering very low prices for our frozen meat in exchange for grain, but their grain prices are very high. Even cattle, horses, camels, furs, and medicinal herbs are being sold at much lower prices..." a nobleman from the tribe complained.

"Fool!" Zhi Shiwu cursed, "Do you think this is normal border trade, like the old days when Han merchants came to the grasslands to do business, and we were the ones taking the initiative to bargain?"
What time is it now?
"We're at a life-or-death situation; we should be grateful they gave us food in exchange, and we're still complaining it's not enough."

The man was silenced after being scolded.

Zhi Shiwu continued, "Replace them as soon as possible while the weather is still cold. Get rid of these frozen livestock quickly, or they'll all be ruined once the weather warms up."

Sell ​​as many other furs as possible, and exchange them for more grain to ensure a more secure supply.

In the past, when a major disaster occurred, the tribe would definitely go south to plunder or attack other tribes. But in the current situation, how can the Zhishi tribe still go south to plunder?
Even raiding other tribes is unrealistic.

It's safer to exchange some grain for food as soon as possible. As for losing money on the price, so be it. If you're too slow, you won't even have the chance to suffer this loss.

Grassland tribes have always believed in the supremacy of the strong.
I don't feel embarrassed about bowing down to the strong.

Early the next morning,
Zhishi Sili selected fifty young men from his clan, along with a thousand selected able-bodied men from the Zhishi tribe, to report to the Tang camp.

Dingxiang Khan's Court

At this time, the former Sui capital city had become Li Yi's temporary headquarters.
Outside was a bustling military market.

The merchants accompanying the army were overjoyed; business was booming, and many more were rushing over upon hearing the news.

A large amount of goods are gathered and traded here.

Various frozen meats, livestock, furs, slaves, grains, salt, tea, cloth, etc.

Even in the first month of the lunar calendar, the cold winds outside the Great Wall were still biting.

Outside the castle gate,

The newly established two Turkic prefectures and nine counties have already had their nine governors select young men to come to the Tang camp.

The Nine Provinces, which are the new Nine Departments, each sent fifty people.

A total of 450 young Turkic noblemen were arranged in nine teams.

Li Yi walked out of the castle.
Zhi Shisi led the way in paying respects.

Li Yi recognized the name; this man had succeeded his father as the leader of the Zhishi tribe, followed Jieli to the Wei River, and signed the Wei River Alliance with the Tang Dynasty. After the Battle of Dingxiang, he surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and was even married off to Li Shimin by his sister, Princess Jiujiang. He became the Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant of the Tang Dynasty, serving as the Left General of the Imperial Guard, assisting in the imperial guards. He was ordered to pacify the Tiele tribes and to conquer the Tuyuhun, and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Anguo.

He was also one of the better-off among the Turkic nobles who surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.

Li Yi had met him a few times; he was a rather pragmatic young man.

“Those who understand the times are heroes. You have all submitted to the Tang Dynasty and are now serving in my Bingzhou Grand General’s Office. You are all heroes.”

"From now on, you four hundred and fifty men will be organized into the military forces of the Bingzhou Grand General's Office, with the battalion name Wolf Fang."

Li Yi assigned fifty mid- to low-ranking Tang officers to this battalion of Turkic noblemen.

General Liu Heizi of the Flying Cavalry concurrently served as the commander-in-chief of the Wolf Fang Camp.

"Zhi Shisi, I hereby appoint you as the Chief Clerk of the Wolf Fang Battalion. Assist General Liu in leading the battalion's affairs."

Zhi Shisi was somewhat surprised that he, a ninth-rank military advisor in the Grand General's Office, had become the chief secretary of this Turkic youth camp.

What surprised him even more was that Li Yi did not scatter the 450 Turkic noblemen, but instead organized them into his personal guard battalion.

"Sili is very grateful for the King's appreciation and will certainly live up to the King's expectations."

Li Yi patted him on the shoulder, "Keep it up."

(End of this chapter)