Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Qijun smiled and said, "Changwei is indeed wise. I have come here for a very important reason. It is not convenient to discuss official business during the banquet. Let's talk about it after the banquet."

After the banquet ended, Li Qijun requested a private conversation with Li Ji. Li Ji led him into an inner room and also ordered Cui Cuo and Qingluan to come and pay their respects. After the women had left, the two sat facing each other. Li Qijun began by asking, "This time, Commander Changwei personally led the troops and decisively defeated the rebels, capturing the head of the traitor Tian. His Majesty was overjoyed to receive the news. This also serves as a warning, deterring the regional military governors from harboring any further arrogance. However, I wonder, after this victory, Commander Changwei, do you have any further plans?"

Li Ji replied, “To be honest, Uncle, having pacified Tianxiong Army and quelled Wushun Army, the next step is Chengde Town. Xue Song of Zhaoyi Army is still relatively obedient. Among the powerful vassal states in Hebei, only Chengde and Youzhou disobey the imperial orders. Youzhou is still far away, and if we attack it, we must guard against the Eastern Barbarians taking the opportunity to invade, so we cannot take it lightly. Li Baochen of Chengde is also arrogant, and I am afraid that he has allied with Youzhou, making him powerful and difficult to control—we must take him first.”

Li Qijun asked, "How many years will it take to conquer Chengde?"

Li Ji thought for a moment and replied, "If the court is willing to increase the territory of Weibo, and can take advantage of Xue Song's visit to the court this time to completely control the Zhaoyi Army, then within three years, even Weibo alone can be conquered. However, it also depends on the situation. If Li Baochen does not commit any further rebellious acts, or if he has already formed a firm alliance with Youzhou, then..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Qijun interrupted, "I'm afraid the court can't wait three years."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was taken aback: "Could it be that an imperial edict is about to be issued to punish Li Baochen?" He thought to himself, "Could it be that my battle went too smoothly—actually it didn't go smoothly, but the victory report inevitably contained some exaggeration, so from the court's perspective, it might only be a minor alarm, not a major danger—causing Li Yu to become arrogant and plan to solve the Hebei problem in one fell swoop? Li Mi, why didn't you stop me?"

Li Qijun shook his head and said, “No. In the eyes of the court, Hebei is just a minor problem, and it is far from the central government; the Western Barbarians, on the other hand, are a major enemy in the heart of the country. Once they have captured Longyou, they can enter Dazhen Pass at any time and threaten Guanzhong. Once they have captured Liangzhou, they can annex Anxi and Beiting at any time. If a person is afflicted with a disease, the disease is in many places. Naturally, the heart and the heart should be treated first, and then the limbs can be treated.”

Upon hearing this, Li Ji's brows furrowed: "Does the court want me to guard the Guanzhong Plain in the west?"

Li Qijun smiled and said, "Changwei is a smart man, so it is very easy to talk with him. Do you understand why the court sent me as an envoy?"

Li Ji did not answer, but simply spread his hands: "As my foolish nephew just said, although Tian Chengsi is dead, Li Baochen and Li Huaixian are still alive. If they collude, they are still enemies of the country. Since I have been ordered to pacify Hebei, I cannot completely eliminate all the hidden dangers. I fear that before I can finish my duties, they will become arrogant and unruly again after I leave office!"

With me, Li Jizhen, here, I believe Li Baochen and Li Huaixian, mindful of past mistakes, won't dare to act rashly. If I leave Hebei now, even if the Weibo army remains the same, they'll definitely feel much more at ease. Who knows what those guys, who harbor separatist intentions, might do if they feel safe? Give me some more time, at least let me stab Li Baochen in the back before we talk.

Li Qijun said, “So what if they are so arrogant and unruly? We can use Hedong and Xiangwei as a lock, and Weibo as a garrison, so that even if they rebel, they cannot cross the river to invade Henan and the capital region. However, since the barbarian bandits have occupied Longyou, it is like a sharp blade hanging over their necks. Who can sleep soundly? Even if they do not invade, we still have to use more than 100,000 troops every year to defend against the autumn, which consumes countless amounts of money and grain. If this continues, I am afraid that if Changwei wants to continue to fight against Li Baochen, the court will not be able to provide even a single grain of rice to help them.”

"Moreover, the barbarian bandits have been waging war in the north in recent years, capturing Guazhou and Shazhou, and heading straight for Anxi and Beiting. The Western Regions are home to many barbarians, skilled in riding and archery. If they were to be annexed by the barbarian bandits, their power would be immense and difficult to resist. If we had not allowed the Western Barbarians to annex the former territory of Tuyuhun, they would not have become a threat to our Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the court intends to stockpile grain and provisions, strengthen the army and prepare horses, and within two or three years, make every effort to recover Longyou and Liangzhou to aid Anxi and Beiting."

"Whether Anxi and Beiting can hold out for another two or three years is still unknown. Moreover, Changwei plans to attack Chengde after three years... The Emperor has high hopes for Changwei. He hopes that Changwei will not let personal feelings ruin public affairs and will take command of the Western Army as soon as possible."

Li Ji hung his head and remained silent.

He understood that Li Yu wanted to eliminate the threat from the Western Barbarians as soon as possible, and therefore wanted to transfer him to Guanzhong. Previously, when the chaos in the east had subsided but Hebei was still unsettled, there was neither enough money and supplies, nor the resolve, to launch a counterattack against Tibet. Furthermore, there was a fear that if the western campaign failed, the east would descend into chaos again, returning to the perilous situation of fighting on two fronts as during the reign of Emperor Suzong. That was why Li Yu had ordered Li Ji to garrison Weibo. Now that Tian Chengsi had been beheaded, the garrisons of Yan and Zhao should be able to remain quiet for a few years. Li Yu believed that Hebei was no longer a threat—at least temporarily—and that it was time to address the Tibetan problem.

Every autumn, over 100,000 troops gather in Guanzhong for defense. The grain production west of Tongguan is already insufficient to meet the needs of officials and the people—in the past, when there was a famine, the emperor had to lead the court to Luoyang to find food—how much more so to support over 100,000 soldiers? If the barbarian invaders come, everyone will be worried. Even if they don't come, they will still be upset that this year's military rations have been wasted... If things continue like this, how can we possibly accumulate enough strength to launch a counterattack?

Therefore, he wanted to transfer Li Ji to the western front. Although Li Ji thought it was a bit hasty and the timing was too early, he could understand this sentiment. After all, he was not necessarily right and the court was not necessarily wrong. After all, Li Bi was in power now.

However, Li Ji had just won a great victory and controlled six prefectures. Hebei was prosperous and had sufficient money and grain—at least a few more years of peace and accumulation would surely provide enough. He was riding high, ruling over powerful vassal states and commanding a large army. How could anyone be willing to give all of this up and go to the impoverished and dangerous western frontier? Therefore, Li Qiyun, who was both Li Ji's cousin and had always had a close relationship with him, was specially sent to give him a heads-up and try to persuade him.

If Li Ji's understanding is not obtained beforehand, and an imperial edict is issued, what if Li Ji, like Lai Zhen and Li Guangbi in the past, fails to make excuses? Where will the court's face be? Moreover, the various garrisons will surely look down on the court even more because of this—look, even Li Ji, whom the emperor trusts the most, does not obey the king's orders, so is there any need for us to take the Chang'an regime seriously?

Li Ji was conflicted.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Poisonous Tongue

People change, and as their status and position change, their attitudes naturally shift—Li Ji was no exception.

Even when he was still serving in the central army, he considered all local warlords to be a bunch of bastards deserving of death. While he didn't appreciate this feudal bureaucratic system, a nation needs to be able to unite its people and ensure smooth communication between the top and bottom to concentrate its resources on major tasks—like defending against the Tibetans. If everything was left to local autonomy, with everyone pursuing their own interests, how could the nation possibly thrive? How could it possibly resist the ever-advancing Tibetans?

But when he was transferred to a local post and took charge of Weibo, his perspective inevitably became somewhat biased. He felt that local areas also had their own difficulties—the emperor was unreliable, the imperial court was not strong enough to control hundreds of prefectures across the country, and the level of transportation and communication was backward. If everything was remotely controlled by the imperial court, the local areas would inevitably descend into chaos.

Besides, I've worked tirelessly to establish myself in Hebei and finally enjoy the comfort of commanding a powerful army. Now you want to transfer me away, to start all over again... I'm a little reluctant. Furthermore, if I leave, who will be able to defend Weibo and govern Hebei? If my successor cannot maintain the status quo, and the vassal states of Yan and Zhao become even more arrogant and uncontrollable than before, how can I be at peace with that?

Although my ambition is to resist foreign aggression, and even if I cannot recreate a prosperous era, I should at least restore the nation's prestige. I must fight for the country and its people to make my time here worthwhile. But... I must also consider myself and those around me. Continuing to govern Weibo would create an unshakeable position. Even Xue Song is considering succession by his brother. Perhaps I can succeed my father and secure a peaceful future for my descendants. If I were to abandon all of this and be transferred to the western frontier, so close to the central government, I would find it difficult to protect myself. The best outcome would be like Guo Ziyi, returning to Chang'an to sit on the sidelines.

Guo Ziyi was incredibly shrewd; I could never match him. In the more than one hundred years of the Tang Dynasty, he was the only emperor who was a "father-in-law." And unless he died now, no one could predict what would happen tomorrow, what his final fate would be, or whether he would be a model for others.

Li Ji hesitated, stroking his beard, and remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, Li Qijun said, "I have said everything I need to say. If you are still hesitant, there is another old friend I would like to meet."

Li Ji was taken aback upon hearing this: "Who is this old friend?"

Li Qijun smiled and said, "You'll know once you come and see for yourself."

Li Ji had no idea that the imperial court would send two groups of envoys to persuade him to return west. One group was led by the official envoy, Li Qijun, and the other was an old friend who had disguised himself and mingled with the delegation.

Yan Zhuang, who once served as prime minister in the puppet state of Yan, later demoted to the position of Minister of Agriculture in the Tang Dynasty!

Li Qiyun took his leave, and Yan Zhuang came to see him. Li Ji was astonished: "The Sage actually sent Lord Yan to speak to me?"

Yan Zhuang smiled and shook his head, saying, "The one who appointed me is not a saint, but His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Ji narrowed his eyes slightly: "When you were banished from the capital and demoted to a minor county magistrate, didn't you resent His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Yan Zhuang first expressed his loyalty: "The thunder and rain are all the Emperor's grace. The appointment of the Crown Prince was actually caused by Li Fuguo's covetousness of wealth and power. How could I dare to harbor any resentment?" But then he changed the subject and replied: "Moreover, the past is past. If I only dwell on personal grudges, I will find it difficult to move an inch in the officialdom. Now, if I wish to rise again, I can only seek help from His Highness the Crown Prince. Who else would care?"

Li Ji couldn't help but smile: "Yan Jun is indeed willing to speak the truth."

Yan Zhuang said solemnly, "I have never uttered a lie!"

Li Ji sneered and retorted, "If there were no lies, why did An Lushan rebel in the past, and why did he die?"

Yan Zhuang replied without changing his expression: "When I said An Lushan rebelled against the Tang Dynasty, I was thinking that with the strength of the three northeastern towns and 200,000 troops, he would be able to control the two capitals and rule the world. How could I have lied? It was An Lushan's own lack of virtue, his arrogance in victory and his discouragement in defeat that prevented him from achieving great things. How can you blame me? As for his death, I only failed to report An Qingxu's treasonous plot to his father. I never lied to An Lushan that his son had no intention of rebelling."

—I never lie, but that doesn’t mean I have to tell the truth.

These few words left Li Ji speechless. Ultimately, his understanding of Yan Zhuang's past experiences was limited, so he couldn't offer any concrete examples to directly criticize him. To be honest, Li Ji didn't necessarily harbor natural hatred for the generals and officers under An Lushan and Shi Xiangru, but he had always been quite disgusted with strategists like Yan Zhuang and valiant generals like Tian Chengsi.

If it weren't for the former's instigation, how could such chaos have arisen? If it weren't for the latter's burning and looting, which caused people to hate Yan but not turn against Tang, perhaps An Lushan and Shi Siming would have truly succeeded. In short, while the ordinary soldiers may have been lulled into complacency and coerced, every single one of the upper echelons of the rebel army was a bad person!

However, his attitude towards Yan Zhuang was somewhat contradictory. Yan Zhuang had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty earlier and, through Cui Guangyuan, had known him for a long time. He didn't initially hate Cui Guangyuan, and later even plotted against his maid, so he had no choice but to give Yan Zhuang face and appease him. But after all this appeasement, they had eventually become acquaintances. Moreover, in the past in Chang'an, he had relied on Yan Zhuang's scheme to have Kang Qian provide financial assistance to his family. As the saying goes, "He who takes a man's money is bound to be grateful," so how could he possibly be harsh and stern with Yan Zhuang?

Besides, people change, and we can't always look at them with old eyes. Yan Zhuang is wise and resourceful. If he can use his wisdom and resourcefulness for the right purpose, he can strengthen the country and nurture the people. Even poison can become a cure. There is no need to condemn him outright.

So he gave a fake smile and said, "That's perfect. I'm just looking forward to hearing your honest advice, Master Yan. Now, what can you teach me?"

Yan Zhuang sat upright and slowly asked, "General Li must have already heard about the Emperor's appointment of Prince Zheng as the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm."

Li Ji nodded and said, "I have heard about it..." Then he raised his eyebrows and asked, "Is Your Highness the Crown Prince afraid because of this?"

Yan Zhuang replied, “Of course. In the past, the Li family was also appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Army, but they harbored rebellious intentions and staged a palace coup. Moreover, if the late emperor had lived three or five more years, the throne might have really fallen into the hands of the Li family. Given this precedent, Your Highness cannot help but be alarmed.”

Li Ji understood the implied meaning behind the music, but still pretended to stroke his beard: "Imperial affairs are for the imperial family to manage; it is not appropriate for me to interfere..."

"Could it be that Commander Li did not intervene at all before and after the current emperor's ascension to the throne?" Yan Zhuang said with a smile, "I speak frankly, Commander Li, please don't take offense—if you hadn't intervened in the affairs of the imperial family and helped the current emperor ascend the throne, how could you, with your seniority, have been appointed as the governor of a major prefecture and the military governor of a town? The greatest merit has always been in supporting the emperor's ascension, and once it can be done once, it can be done again. Commander Li, do you have no interest in this?"

Li Ji didn't know how to respond, so he could only lower his head and remain silent.

Yan Zhuang continued to persuade him, "Although His Majesty is now dedicated to reorganizing the Imperial Guards, the Guanzhong region is barren and impoverished, and the national treasury is empty. In a year, he can only muster 20,000 to 30,000 men. Moreover, he does not trust the generals and relies solely on eunuchs. Furthermore, he rarely sends them to experience battle. If this continues, we will eventually fall into the same trap as at the end of the Tianbao era, when the six armies scattered at the first sign of trouble. Therefore, the only troops that can be used in the country are the regional military governors. The court cannot be without concern if the powerful regional military governors are in favor of the current Crown Prince. Even His Majesty would not dare to easily change the heir apparent."

"His Highness the Crown Prince trusts only Commander Li the most, but unfortunately he is far away and may not be able to handle emergencies. If he were to move to the western frontier, in Yuanzhou, his cavalry could reach Chang'an in five days and nights. In that case, His Majesty would have to consider this when choosing his sons."

Seeing that Li Ji remained expressionless and seemingly unmoved, Yan Zhuang paused for a moment before continuing, "It is widely rumored that I instigated An Qingxu's patricide, and I did not defend myself, even claiming to have rendered meritorious service to the Tang Dynasty. However, at that time I was still a subject of Yan. Did I not know that a conflict between father and son would inevitably disrupt the foundation of the state, cause the people to be divided, and bring disaster upon us? Moreover, given the lessons of the past, I cannot bear to see our Tang Dynasty repeat the same mistakes."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is intelligent and diligent, possessing the same brilliance as Emperor Xuanzong in his prime. If he were to succeed to the throne, the revival of the Tang Dynasty would be within reach. As for Prince Zheng, I do not know much about him, but I suspect he may not be as capable as the Crown Prince. He may have made a mistake in one or two matters, but he will ultimately be the second son. Deposing the eldest son and establishing the younger one is not only against the rules of propriety, but it will also easily disturb the hearts of the people. I do not ask General Li to protect the Crown Prince, but to move him to the western frontier and put him in charge of an important town. No special measures are necessary, but as long as the Crown Prince's favor is not severed, the foundation of the country will naturally be solid, and it will be difficult for unrest to arise."

Hearing this, Li Ji was slightly moved. He certainly hoped Li Shi could smoothly succeed him. Firstly, considering their personal relationship—he and Li Shi were very close—and secondly, from the perspective of national interests, although Li Shi was young and his future was uncertain, he was at least a barely qualified candidate for monarchy at present. The stability of a feudal society depended first on the completeness of the bureaucratic system, and second on the reliability of the emperor. Although placing the weight of the entire nation on one person's shoulders was inherently unstable, this was the reality, and there was no way to change it.

Even if Li Ji were to rebel and succeed by chance, he would ultimately only be changing the name of the emperor and becoming emperor himself. To think that a single generation could fundamentally change the social system and national institutions, allowing China to cross the threshold of democracy ahead of schedule, is pure fantasy. Furthermore, democracy needs to be compatible with an industrial society to be truly effective; if it's compatible with ancient slavery, the Roman Republic serves as a cautionary tale… and if it's compatible with feudalism, that's even more absurd.

Therefore, allowing Li Shi to sit securely on the throne and smoothly hand over power in the future is beneficial to the Tang Dynasty at present, and it is also a good choice for ordinary people.

Seeing that Li Ji's expression changed slightly, Yan Zhuang felt reassured and continued to persuade him, "The Crown Prince values ​​Commander Li highly. If he ascends the throne, he will surely appreciate Commander Li's loyalty and protection. It would be a natural thing for him to be granted a title and enter the hall of power in the future. But if Prince Zheng ultimately succeeds to the throne, will he be familiar with Commander Li? How can he gain his heart and be used by him?"

Li Ji even went so far as to feign detachment, saying, "My ambition is to protect the country and bring peace to the people; my own achievements are as insignificant as fleeting clouds."

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "That would be best. If General Li has his own selfish motives, he might as well stay in Weibo for a long time. Perhaps after several years, he can conquer Chengde, annex Zhaoyi, head north to Youyan, and take over all the prefectures in Hebei. Even if he doesn't become like An Lushan, he can still carve out his own territory and become a king, just like Nanzhao..."

Before Li Ji could wave his hand in denial, he continued in one breath: "But if Commander Li is wholeheartedly devoted to the country, then he must plan to take up a post in the west. Firstly, to protect the capital region; secondly, to support the crown prince; and thirdly, to resist the invasion of the Western Barbarians. The Western Barbarians are a major threat to our Tang Dynasty. If the Western Barbarians are not driven out, Longyou will not be recovered, Liangzhou will not be accessible, and the court will ultimately be powerless to govern the world."

"If General Li has no selfish motives but is unwilling to go west, perhaps he is reluctant to give up the solid foundation he has built in Weibo over the years? If he moves west sooner or later, it is better to go sooner rather than later. If he waits a year or two, his foundation will probably be even stronger, and he will have even more things that are hard to give up."

Li Ji nodded in agreement: "You are right."

He was indeed reluctant to give up the situation that Weibo had painstakingly built up, and he was reluctant to give up the powerful army that he had painstakingly trained and cultivated—the soldiers of the Jiezhen (military districts). Most of them were locals, and it was impossible for them all to run to the western front with him. Moreover, if the Weibo army moved west, the situation in Hebei would definitely deteriorate; and with the sudden addition of 20,000 to 30,000 strong soldiers in Guanzhong, the funds and supplies would probably be even more strained—he was reluctant to abandon those precious resources.

But Yan Zhuang's words made sense. Since he was determined to defend the barbarians, he would have to go west sooner or later. Could he bear to leave Weibo now, but would he be able to in a few years? It was better to let go sooner rather than later, so that he would have fewer things to give up.

Upon hearing Li Ji's approval, Yan Zhuang couldn't help but smile. He then lowered his voice and reminded Li Ji, "Commander Li has just quelled the Tianxiong Army and beheaded Tian Chengsi, achieving great merit. At this moment, the court wants to send him to the west, but is hesitant and dares not issue an edict hastily. This is a good opportunity to ask the court for more benefits. This is a golden opportunity that should not be missed!"

Li Ji immediately waved his hand: "Nonsense, am I a greedy person? To use power to coerce the court is not the behavior of a loyal minister!"

But when he turned to Li Qijun and expressed his willingness to go west as ordered, awaiting the official imperial edict, he also showed a troubled expression: "Weibo is now well-equipped with soldiers and abundant provisions, which I, your humble nephew, built up single-handedly, expending countless efforts. If the successor cannot follow the established rules, I fear that chaos will break out again in Hebei, and even if I, your humble nephew, am in the west, I will not be at peace..."

Li Qijun couldn't help but smile wryly: "Changwei, don't be pretentious. If you have any requests, I can petition the Emperor on your behalf." I knew you were going to make demands, so please be frank.

Seeing that Li Qijun was so shrewd and seemed to have anticipated this, Li Ji didn't beat around the bush and directly said: "Yan Qingchen is an upright and loyal minister who is devoted to the country. He has worked with my nephew for several years and is well aware of the affairs inside and outside Weibo. If the court is willing to entrust him with the duties of observer and governor, then I will have no worries."

In truth, Li Ji's cooperation with Yan Zhenqing was far from seamless. The old gentleman would always find a way to argue with Li Ji's various policies, and if it were someone clumsy with words or lacking in conviction, they might have been hampered to the point of accomplishing nothing. However, Li Ji also recognized Yan Zhenqing's selfless dedication to the country and felt that he was better than most officials of that era.

If he were to simply walk away, and the court were to appoint another military governor of Weibo, who would know who would be sent? Who would know their abilities, temperament, or even character, and whether they would leave him with a mess? If Yan Zhenqing were to succeed him, he would certainly dismantle the textile workshops immediately, smash the looms, dismiss the weavers, and restore the original small-family production model. However, many other policies, including suppressing large households, curbing land annexation, distributing farm tools, and rewarding farming and weaving, would likely be retained.

In particular, these policies have been quite effective in recent years. Yan Zhenqing is not stupid, so why would he smash them and start from scratch?

Therefore, Li Ji could only be at ease with Yan Zhenqing succeeding him. In fact, Du Huangshang was also a good candidate, and he was more adaptable than Yan Zhenqing. However, his rank was too low, and he could not even become the acting military governor, let alone the military governor.

Chapter 40, The General's Journey West

In the spring of the second year of the Dali era, the imperial court officially issued an edict, transferring Li Ji to the position of military governor of Shuofang, Lingwu, Dingyuan and other cities, and commissioner to oversee and manage the local tribes, as well as the chief administrator of the Lingzhou Grand General's Office.

How this position came about, and whether it arose from a power struggle among various factions in the court, was unclear to Li Ji. He had originally thought he would be reassigned to guard Jingyuan, Binning, Fufang, or Fengxiang. Deep down, he preferred the position of military governor of Fengxiang, because it was not only close to the barbarian tribes, but also often served as the prefect of Fengxiang, making it the highest-ranking position. The position of military governor of Jingyuan would also be acceptable, as it would be convenient to take Liangzhou directly once he had sufficient strength.

As for Shuofang Town, it's quite far away. To the west of Lingwu are vast grasslands and deserts, making it inconvenient to travel directly. To reach Liangzhou, one must detour south of the Yellow River and pass through Huining Pass.

Moreover, Lingwu is far from Chang'an; even by straight-line distance, it's a thousand miles away. The same distance eastward would take you past Luoyang... no, to Xiangzhou. Could it be that Yan Zhuang's words have come true, and the emperor is worried that there's a loyal faction of the crown prince near Guanzhong, preventing him from hastily considering changing the heir apparent? Is that why he deliberately sent him further away?

Li Ji thought to himself, "When I made my demands, I should have specified that I wanted to be the military governor of Fengxiang. Who knew that I would be exiled to Shuofang instead... But Shuofang really does have no commander. Pugu Huaien, who used to sit on the sidelines, holds the empty title of military governor, while the real power is in the hands of the acting governor Hun Shizhi. Speaking of which, it was I who recommended Hun Shizhi to govern Shuofang!"

The imperial decree also reorganized the administrative planning of the Hebei region after the Battle of Jizhou, which was quite cunning and far-sighted. Even Li Ji had to secretly applaud it – it was probably mostly Li Bi's plan.

First, the Tianxiong Army was retained, but reduced by half, leaving only the Ji and Ying prefectures, with Tian Qianzhen succeeding as the military governor of the two prefectures; second, the Wushun Army was disbanded—however, after Qin Rui was escorted to Chang'an, Li Ji was unable to find out what happened to him, only knowing that he was not beheaded.

Most importantly, through Xue Song's audience with the emperor, the court seized the opportunity to strike a major blow against the Zhaoyi Army, ordering them to withdraw from Xiang and Wei prefectures and replace them with Beizhou. The two prefectures of Xiang and Wei were incorporated into Weibo, and Yan Zhenqing was appointed as the military governor of the region, while still concurrently serving as the prefect of Weizhou.

The remaining three prefectures of De, Cang, and Di were to be given the position of Military Commissioner of Heng Hai Army, appointed by the meritorious official Nan Jiyun. Compared to the military governor, the position of military commissioner was less prestigious and powerful, mainly responsible for military affairs, but with less say in civil administration. Furthermore, the edict specifically stated that the coastal salt fields of Cang and Di prefectures must be nationalized, with the profits transported westward to Guanzhong.

Upon hearing the news, Li Ji thought to himself, "It seems I can't take Generals Nan and Lei to the western frontier to defend against the barbarians... I originally planned to leave one of them behind to assist Yan Zhenqing in leading my Weibo army, while the other would accompany me westward. Now that Nan Jiyunhe has taken on an important mission, I must leave Lei Wanchun in Weibo, and both generals will have to be placed in Hebei."

On second thought, it's a good thing. With these two generals forming a pincer movement, the Yan and Zhao warlords will probably not dare to make any rash moves for at least a few years.

Li Ji had always felt that, in terms of controlling the river and monitoring and blocking the southward or westward routes of the Yan and Zhao vassal states, Wei and Bo were inferior to Xiang and Wei. Now, the court had simply merged the four prefectures into one and handed them all over to Yan Zhenqing. At the same time, the court also established the Heyang Three Cities Military Governor and the Huai Mengze Observation and Disposal Commissioner in Mengzhou to cooperate with Wei and Bo, forming a double gate to protect the safety of the Eastern Capital.

The newly appointed military governor of the three cities of Heyang is Ji Guangchen, the former military governor of western Zhejiang. He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the twenty-third year of the Kaiyuan era. He once served as the chief administrator of Jingzhou. He outwardly obeyed Prince Yong, Li Lin, but inwardly defied him. In the end, he submitted to the court and was appointed military governor of five prefectures including Qing and Xu. He participated in the Battle of Yecheng, where the eleven military governors fought. After the defeat, he was demoted to military governor of western Zhejiang.

Since Ji Guangchen was transferred north, he naturally became the new Inspector General of Western Zhejiang, a position bestowed upon Li Bi...

Upon hearing the news, Li Ji was quite annoyed.

In fact, when Yan Zhuang came to persuade him last time, he had already given him a heads-up: "Now that General Li has been transferred to Guanzhong, I'm afraid your elder brother Yuan's position as prime minister won't last long..."

Although they were only cousins, Li Ji could be said to have been raised by Li Bi. The two were brothers in name but father and son in reality, with a very close relationship. They also supported each other in officialdom, which was common knowledge. How could the emperor trust a prime minister and a general who came from the same school? If Li Ji had been stationed in Hebei, it would have been fine. But now that he had entered Guanzhong, which was close to the capital, it would have been inappropriate for Li Bi to remain in the government office.

Li Ji's reaction at the time was: "If the sage suspects me of having a private matter, that's one thing, but how dare he... how could he suspect my elder brother?"

Yan Zhuang smiled and replied, "Only Changyuan is selfless; without the Emperor's instruction, he will surely request to resign and return to the mountains to live in seclusion. If the Emperor does not grant his request, then the most likely outcome will be an exile..."