Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. His Highness the Crown Prince is, after all, the heir apparent..."

Li Junxian offered his advice.

"Even the crown prince won't do!"

Li Shimin glared fiercely at Li Junxian.

"Military power must remain in my hands. This Imperial Guard must not be controlled by him alone."

Li Shimin's mind worked incredibly fast.

It's no longer possible to overtly reverse the decision.

If we back out now, the profits of the business, worth millions of strings of cash, will be lost.

If you want money, you have to tolerate the existence of this army.

But how to control this army is a big problem.

"Junxian," Li Shimin suddenly spoke.

"Your subject is here."

"Immediately select five hundred of the most skilled and cleanest elites from the Hundred Cavalry Division."

A calculating glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.

"Have them change into civilian clothes and go to the West Market to apply for the military. Let them infiltrate this Imperial Guard for me."

Li Junxian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized:

"Your Majesty intends to..."

"Mix in sand."

Li Shimin gave a light snort.

"Isn't that rebellious son asking to recruit elite troops? I'll send him a batch of truly elite troops."

These people were to start from the bottom and climb the ranks based on their military merits, gradually gaining control of key positions within the Imperial Guard.

When it comes to the crucial moment, it's still uncertain whose orders this army will take.

Li Junxian clasped his hands in acceptance of the order and said:

"I will take care of it immediately. The best cavalrymen in the Hundred Cavalry Division are more than capable of handling the tests of a few spoiled brats."

West Market, Imperial Guard Recruiting Office.

Cheng Chumo sat behind the table, sweating profusely as he registered and compiled the records.

The queue outside stretched for miles.

"Next!"

A man dressed in coarse cloth shorts walked up.

"What's your name? Where are you from?"

Cheng Chumo asked without looking up.

"I am Zhao Ergou, a man from Lantian County."

"Go over there and lift the stone weights. They weigh 100 jin (50 kg). If you lift them above your head, you pass the test."

The man walked up to the stone lock, grabbed the handle with one hand, and pulled hard.

He easily lifted the 100-pound stone lock above his head.

Cheng Chumo's eyes lit up.

"Good job! Go to the back and run ten laps around the wall of the workshop. If you finish within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you'll pass."

Without saying a word, the man took off running.

In less than half an incense stick's time, he had run ten laps and returned to Cheng Chumo's side.

"Damn, we've struck gold today. With a physique like yours, you could be a captain in the border army."

Cheng Chumo picked up a brush and drew a circle on the roster.

"Passed! Go to the back and collect your ten strings of cash as a resettlement allowance."

For the next half day...

Cheng Chumo and Fang Yi'ai were pleasantly surprised to find that among the commoners who came to apply for the job, a large number of men of extremely high quality emerged.

These people are not only incredibly strong and physically amazing, but they also obey orders and do whatever they are told to do, even standing ramrod straight in a line.

"Chu Mo, this Chang'an city is full of hidden talents."

Fang Yi'ai looked at the group of men who had received their resettlement allowances and couldn't stop smiling.

"We've recruited over five hundred top-quality talents in just half a day. Your Highness will surely be pleased to see this."

Cheng Chumo said smugly:

"Nonsense. With such high treatment from His Highness, how could those reclusive wandering knights and outlaws not be tempted? I'll take them all."

That night.

Ganlu Temple.

Li Junxian reports:

"Your Majesty, it's done."

Li Shimin put down his teacup, his spirits lifted, and asked:

"They're inside?"

"All five hundred men passed Cheng Chumo and Fang Yi'ai's tests. They have now been incorporated into the Imperial Guard's new recruit camp."

Those spoiled brats were completely oblivious to what was going on; they thought they'd recruited some kind of martial arts master, and they jumped for joy.

Li Junxian said disdainfully.

Li Shimin leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Good, well done. Five hundred elite cavalrymen are enough to create a large network at the grassroots level."

Send the order down to them to perform well in the army and quickly secure positions that win people's hearts.

"I will make sure that the soldiers that rebellious son raised with his own money end up as my weapons."

Li Shimin felt that this move of selling off the stock was absolutely perfect.

He used that unfilial son's money to support his own soldiers.

Ultimately, the world still belongs to Li Shimin.

at the same time.

The Eastern Palace Study.

Li Chengqian leaned back in his armchair, toying with two walnuts in his hands.

A figure dressed in black silently emerged from the shadows in the corner of the study.

Shadow, the head of Tingfeng Pavilion.

"Your Highness, there's been an incident at the recruitment office in the West Market."

The shadow pulled a thin booklet from its pocket and handed it to him.

"Among the new recruits today, there are 500 whose backgrounds are suspicious."

Li Chengqian took the booklet, casually flipped through it, and asked:

"What's wrong with it?"

"Although these five hundred people came from different places, spoke different accents, and even forged perfect household registration and travel permits, the calluses on their hands were all from years of wielding swords and practicing with hidden weapons."

The shadow spoke quickly,

"Following the clues, Tingfeng Pavilion investigated the whereabouts of several of them and discovered that they had gathered in a secluded mansion in the south of the city before entering the conscription office."

The shadow paused.

"Hakukisi."

Li Chengqian stopped flipping through the booklet.

He looked at the densely packed names on the page and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Old Li, you really can't hold back."

Li Chengqian threw the booklet on the table.

"My personal guard hasn't even been properly established yet, and you're already rushing to add sand to it?"

Xiao Shunzi listened with his heart pounding.

"Your Highness, His Majesty is trying to sideline you. With these five hundred elite cavalrymen infiltrating, what secrets will the Imperial Guards have left? This servant will immediately inform Young Master Cheng to have all these people dragged out and dealt with according to military law."

"stop."

Li Chengqian called out to Xiao Shunzi.

"Why drag them out? Old Li kindly sent me five hundred well-trained elite troops. If I send them back, wouldn't I be betraying Father Emperor's good intentions?"

Xiao Shunzi was completely bewildered.

"But Your Highness, these are all His Majesty's spies."

"What happened to your eyeliner?"

Li Chengqian stood up and stretched.

"Once it's in my bowl, even if it's a piece of iron, I'll chew it up and swallow it. Go and call Cheng Chumo here."

The next morning.

The Imperial Guard camp outside Chang'an City.

Ten thousand newly recruited soldiers stood in neat rows on the drill ground.

Li Chengqian stood on the command platform, dressed in light armor.

Cheng Chumo shouted while holding the roster:

"Those whose names are called, step forward."

"Zhao Ergou! Wang Tiezhu! Li Daniu..."

Five hundred people strode out of the ranks and stood in a square formation in front of the reviewing stand.

These five hundred men were all burly and had a sharp look in their eyes.

It was the 500 elite cavalrymen sent by Li Junxian.

They were secretly delighted at that moment.

It seems that yesterday's performance was so outstanding that it caught the Crown Prince's attention.

This means they're going to be promoted to military officers.

Once you become an officer, your plan to win over the lower ranks will be half successful.

Li Chengqian stepped down from the command platform and stood before the five hundred men.

He walked around the formation with his hands behind his back, his face full of admiration.

"Good! What a hero!"

Li Chengqian patted the shoulder of the lead soldier, "Zhao Ergou."

"I have reviewed your assessment results from yesterday. All five hundred of you are top-tier."

The five hundred elite cavalrymen stood tall and proud, feeling even more smug.

"My personal guard requires the elite of the elite. And you are the ace among those elites."

From today onwards, you five hundred men will be organized into a separate battalion. The designation is: Special Vanguard Battalion.

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Special Vanguard Battalion? Just from the name, it must be the most core unit in the entire army.

Li Chengqian continued to make empty promises.

"Since he's an ace, his treatment should naturally be doubled."

Your pay has been increased to six strings of cash per month. Every meal will include meat and wine. Your equipment is the best in the entire army.

The five hundred elite cavalrymen were filled with excitement.

Although they were Li Shimin's loyal followers, this treatment was too harsh.

The Crown Prince truly treats them like precious treasures.

"but."

Li Chengqian changed the subject.

"Since you receive the highest military pay, you must bear the heaviest responsibility."

"I have a top-secret mission, and only your elite team can accomplish it."

The elite Hundred Cavalrymen felt a chill run down their spines.

A top-secret mission?

Could it be that the Crown Prince is plotting something sinister? This is crucial intelligence.

If we can find out the details and report them to His Majesty, it will be a great achievement.

The leader, "Zhao Ergou," roared:

"I am willing to die for Your Highness! Please give the order, Your Highness."

Li Chengqian looked at the group of spirited "sand" and nodded in satisfaction.

He turned around and waved to Cheng Chumo.

Cheng Chumo ran over carrying a large wooden box.

The lid of the box was lifted.

A foul stench instantly filled the air.

The box was filled with dark, lumpy iron objects and several bundles of hemp rope.

Zhao Ergou was stunned:

"Your Highness, this is..."

Li Chengqian pointed at the box with a smile.

"This is the latest weight-bearing training armor developed in Liaodong, each set weighs eighty jin (40 kg)."

From today onwards, your vanguard battalion will wear this every day and run fifty li around Chang'an City.

No food until you finish the run.

Li Chengqian leaned close to Zhao Ergou's ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Practice hard, I have high hopes for you guys."

"Chu Mo, give them a little something extra later, don't let our ace be idle."