Chapter 57: I Beg Your Majesty to Deliver Justice

Since the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, anyone holding regional military power inevitably became a warlord, and anyone with overwhelming influence inevitably usurped the throne.

Ever since Liu Yu, a general of the Eastern Jin Northern府 Army, gradually seized military control of the Northern府 Army by suppressing the rebellions of Liu Laozhi and Huan Xuan, and subsequently ascended the throne to found the Liu Song dynasty, the pattern repeated. In the twilight of the Liu Song, General Xiao Daocheng gradually seized military power and ascended the throne to found the Southern Qi. Not long after, at the end of the Southern Qi, Xiao Yan ascended the throne to found the Southern Liang. Following the Hou Jing Rebellion in the Southern Liang, General Chen Baxian ascended the throne to found the Southern Chen.

This pattern was not limited to the Southern Dynasties of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen; the Northern Dynasties were entirely the same. At the end of the Northern Wei, the Six Garrisons Rebellion erupted. During its suppression, Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan rose through military achievements. They first split the Northern Wei into the Eastern and Western Wei, after which Yuwen Tai's nephew and Gao Huan's son ascended the respective thrones to establish the Northern Zhou and Northern Qi. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong, the Northern Zhou conquered the Northern Qi. Amidst this upheaval, Yang Jian rose to prominence and subsequently ascended the throne to found the Sui Dynasty.

Because this reality of powerful ministers leading to usurpation was omnipresent, it eventually transformed into a kind of cognitive inertia throughout the Central Plains.

Everyone believed things must be this way; everyone believed things would certainly turn out this way. And then, because everyone thought so, things truly turned out that way.

Having just emerged brilliantly on the battlefield, Chen Ying faced Li Yuan—who had established the Tang Dynasty through usurpation—and it was entirely natural for Li Yuan to assume Chen Ying would rebel. Yet at this moment, Chen Ying openly defied Liu Zhongzhi, deeply infuriating Yang Ze. When Liang Shidu attempted to win Chen Ying over with the titles of Prince of Yanan and Grand Preceptor of the First Rank, Chen Ying remained completely unmoved, arguing Lu Jilan to death with his words alone.

How could Chen Ying possibly rebel?

Yet Liu Zhongzhi began bombarding him with interrogation. Regarding Chen Ying's acceptance of Liang Shidu's surrendering troops and arming them into a military force, Chen Ying, the Record-Keeper Du Shanguo, and Yang Ze himself as the Administrator of Lingzhou had jointly memorialized the court. It was impossible for Liu Zhongzhi not to know. The only explanation was that Liu Zhongzhi was feigning ignorance.

Perhaps the lords at court were unaware of Chen Ying's formidable capacity, still imagining him to be an insignificant bug that could be crushed with a single finger. However, observing Chen Ying up close, Yang Ze knew very well that young as Chen Ying was, if he truly decided to rebel against the Tang, the entire Guannei Circuit and the entire Northwest would instantly undergo a cataclysmic upheaval.

At this moment, Yang Ze gained a flash of insight.

Nothing is more ruthless than an emperor. In an emperor's eyes, regardless of a minister's true intentions, as long as the minister possessed the military strength to rebel, steps must be taken to restrict him.

An atmosphere thick with the impending storm seemed to pervade the air. Yang Ze reached out to touch the hilt of his sword. The moment Chen Ying rebelled, his own head as the Administrator of Lingzhou was neither too large nor too small, making it just right for sacrificing to the battle flags.

So be it. Death is death!

Just as Yang Ze closed his eyes and awaited death, Chen Ying suddenly shouted out once more: "Yuguni!"

Yuguni prostrated himself devoutly upon the ground and said, "My master, your servant is here!"

Chen Ying shouted in a commanding voice: "The Yushe She Tribe is hereby reorganized, and the tribe shall become an army named the Victorious and Swift Army. Five men shall form a squad, with a squad leader; two squads shall form a platoon, with a platoon leader; five platoons shall form a company, with a company commander; two companies shall form a battalion, with a battalion commander. Five battalions shall form a regiment, with a regimental commander. Five regiments shall form a division, with a divisional garrison general. The Victorious and Swift Army shall command five divisions under its banner!"

Through Du Shanguo's translation, joy bloomed across Yuguni's face as he replied, "Your will is my command!"

At this moment, hearing these words, Liu Tong's expression stiffened. The Yushe She Tribe had possessed only a little over six thousand tribesmen, yet Chen Ying had just organized five divisions comprising fully over twelve thousand five hundred Turkic cavalry. This meant he intended to select six to seven thousand captives from the Turkic prisoners of war and arm them into a formidable military force. Following this reorganization, the troops under Chen Ying's direct control swelled to more than twenty thousand men and horses.

Liu Tong thought to himself, "It's over, it's completely over. Chen Ying definitely intends to rebel!"

Luo Shixin felt nothing of the sort. He felt that even if Chen Ying rebelled against the Li family's throne, it was no big deal. After all, the Li family's empire had been seized from the Yang family in the first place. Even if Chen Ying snatched the Li Tang empire, it was entirely justifiable.

In truth, Zhang Shigui's loyalty to the Li Tang dynasty was not particularly deep. Zhang Shigui's great-grandfather, Zhang Jun, had served the Northern Wei as a Grand Master of Silver Youth and Luxuriously Adorned and a Wild-Ranging General; his grandfather, Zhang He, had served the Northern Qi as a Cavalry General Opening a Bureau; his father, Zhang Guo, had served the Sui Dynasty through various posts including Registrar of Shanzhou, and Registrar and Adjutant of Xiazhou, eventually being awarded the rank of Grand Metropolitan Commander for his military achievements. Zhang Shigui also hailed from an official lineage, but by his generation, the family had fallen into decline. In reality, he had been one of the rebel kings who gathered followers to revolt at the end of the Sui Dynasty. Although his martial prowess was formidable and his combat capability fierce, he had raised his banner relatively late, beginning his revolt in Henan in the thirteenth year of Daye. However, in Henan, Li Mi was the undisputed number one boss at the time. Daring to stir up trouble in his domain was asking for trouble. Ren Jingsi, a commander under Li Mi, led two thousand cavalry and infantry to track down Zhang Shigui and force his surrender.

Being young and hot-headed at the time, Zhang Shigui paid Ren Jingsi no mind. Seeing Zhang Shigui so unappreciative of favors, Ren Jingsi wasted no words and gave him a severe beating. The few hundred men Zhang Shigui had just gathered were routed by Ren Jingsi in a single strike. Only then did Zhang Shigui surrender to the Li Tang. However, because his reputation was obscure, he was merely appointed as a junior captain.

It was only by following Chen Ying that Zhang Shigui's career soared smoothly upwards, elevating him from a Captain of Decisive Fruit of the Proper Seventh Rank to his current status as a Commandant of the Hurling Strike of the Proper Fifth Rank. If Chen Ying rebelled, he would be a founding hero of the new dynasty.

Truth be told, among the Tang generals present, those truly bound by absolute loyalty to the Great Tang were vanishingly few. In the chaotic landscape of the current world, whoever held troops was the king of his own domain. Eating the Li family's grain today and serving the Liu family tomorrow was an entirely normal phenomenon.

Naturally, as for those fiercely loyal to the Great Tang among the Right Guard Escorts—such as He Yuejing, Gao Yunquan, and Lu Zedao—Chen Ying simply kicked them aside, telling them to return to Chang'an to serve as deputy commanders of the Right Guard Escorts.

Liu Zhongzhi quietly signaled the surrounding Palace Gate Guards. Trembling, the Palace Gate Guards slowly shifted their positions. Seeing that Chen Ying appeared not to be paying attention to him, Liu Zhongzhi bolted toward the city gates of Lingzhou.

Watching Liu Zhongzhi and his men flee, Zhang Shigui picked up his bow and arrow, intending to shoot Liu Zhongzhi down.

Before Zhang Shigui could draw his bowstring, Chen Ying shook his head at him.

Yang Ze watched as Chen Ying refrained from delivering a fatal blow to Liu Zhongzhi, and a wave of relief washed over him. Yet immediately afterward, a wave of anxiety for Chen Ying took hold.

Once Liu Zhongzhi fled back to Chang'an, he would undoubtedly embellish the story to Li Yuan and bitterly slander Chen Ying. By then, even if Chen Ying had yellow mud smeared in his trousers, if it wasn't shit, it would still be treated as shit.

Looking at Chen Ying in perplexity, Liu Tong said, "General-in-Chief, by offending Liu Zhongzhi now, I fear you will bring down a fatal disaster upon yourself!"

Although Chen Ying had successively defeated the Turkic forces four times, if he were to match himself against the full military might of the entire Great Tang, he truly possessed no advantage. Lancer cavalry naturally triumphed effortlessly against the poorly equipped Turkic horsemen.

However, lancer cavalry was not omnipotent, especially when facing the combined-arms forces of the Tang army. If the Tang army were allowed to deploy their formations in the open field—particularly with ten thousand arrows unleashed simultaneously—let alone a lancer force of a mere fifteen hundred men, even if their numbers were multiplied tenfold, it would not be enough for the Tang army to slaughter. Just as Chen Ying could use bed-crossbows, heavy crossbows, and powerful bows to form triple-layered arrays where three waves of arrow rain shattered the Turkic cavalry, the Tang army could similarly shatter Chen Ying's lancer cavalry with arrow fire.

"None of this matters!" Chen Ying turned to face his officers and soldiers, laughing dismissively. "The entire army has just been reorganized, and matters are complex. Everyone, go back to whatever you were doing!"

Liu Tong had already boarded Chen Ying's pirate ship, and there was no getting off. Now, sharing the same fate as the officers and soldiers of the Dingyuan Army, his fortunes rose and fell entirely with Chen Ying. Seeing Chen Ying's nonchalant attitude, he stepped forward to advise him: "General-in-Chief, caution must be paramount in all things!"

"Caution about what?" Chen Ying still wore that infuriating expression.

With a solemn expression, Liu Tong said, "The court will certainly move against the General-in-Chief!"

Chen Ying replied, "You mean Liu Zhongzhi will return to Chang'an and slander this General-in-Chief?"

Depression weighed heavily in Liu Tong's heart. Wasn't this as obvious as lice on a bald head? Why couldn't Chen Ying understand?

Chen Ying looked at Luo Shixin, Zhang Shigui, Zhang Huaiwei, and Duan Zhigan; even Bi Xin wore a worried expression. Chen Ying smiled and said, "Do you really think that fellow Liu Zhongzhi can cover the sky with one hand?"

"Distant relations do not alienate close ones, and outsiders do not interfere with kin!" Zhang Shigui did not oppose Chen Ying's rebellion. Even if Chen Ying won a few more battles against the Great Tang, the Tang court would inevitably find ways to appease and conciliate him, and by then Chen Ying would at least secure the title of a founding duke. However, the necessary preparations must be made thoroughly.

Chen Ying called out, "Du Shanguo!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Draft a memorial to His Majesty!" Chen Ying thought for a moment and dictated: "Liu Zhongzhi, the Commissioner for Inspecting Military Appearance and Consoling and Disposing Envoy of the Lingzhou General-in-Chief's Office, recently demanded bribes from this General-in-Chief totaling ten thousand strings of cash, a hundred fine horses, and twenty Turkic slave women. This General-in-Chief flatly refused, holding that all battlefield captures rightfully belong to the national treasury and cannot be used for personal gain. The Commissioner for Inspecting Military Appearance then threatened this General-in-Chief, declaring we shall see how this ends. On the third day of the second month of the second year of Wude, the Commissioner for Inspecting Military Appearance, Liu Zhongzhi, under the pretext of inspecting Hongshan Fortress and Bogulü City, suddenly pressed southward. By the time this subject discovered this, the Imperial Commissioner had already approached Yuanzhou. This subject's loyalty to His Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon in the sky; to prove my innocence, I hereby resign all military ranks and noble titles, confine myself to a humble thatched cottage, and request that His Majesty uphold justice!"

Liu Tong was dumbfounded.

Zhang Shigui was struck speechless.

A myriad of unspoken curses echoed wildly through Yang Ze's mind.

"Even this works?"

Deepest gratitude to book friend 37036439 for the generous tip of 10,000 points. An extra chapter will be released shortly!