Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 474 Side Story: Luoyang (Part 1)

Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin had drunk half a cup of tea when Pei Qinghe arrived.

The two quickly stood up to greet each other.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "There are no outsiders here, so there's no need to be so formal, and don't keep bowing. Sit down and let's talk."

Having spent several years together, the emperor and his ministers had developed a strong tacit understanding. Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin then sat down. As usual, Prime Minister Pang spoke first, addressing the main matter: "Prime Minister Qi and five others left Luoyang early this morning. This old minister sent someone to deliver their gifts."

Pei Qinghe nodded slightly: "That's how it should be. They are surrendered officials. I'm already being very magnanimous by not holding them accountable for past grievances and allowing them to leave peacefully. There's no need for excessive courtesy, lest these surrendered officials develop arrogant and disrespectful attitudes."

“From the very beginning, we must establish rules for them. Whoever can change their old habits and adapt to the new customs of Yan County’s officialdom will be employed by me. If they still want to form cliques, scheme for power, and be greedy and corrupt as before, they should be kicked out as soon as possible. I do not keep parasites here.”

Pei Qinghe remained outspoken and straightforward.

Having listened to this for several years, Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin were already used to it: "What the Emperor says is absolutely right."

"Last night, I compiled some rules that surrendered officials must follow. I request Your Majesty to review them first. If Your Majesty approves, I will have several hundred copies made today, one for each surrendered official. Also, one copy should be sent to each of the prefects and magistrates in the south."

This is the meaning of "courtesy before force".

First, establish the rules and guidelines. Those who can do it should stay, and those who can't should all be let go, making room for capable people to fill the vacancies.

Over the past few years, Pei Qinghe has accomplished two major tasks in the North. One was recruiting and training soldiers, and the other was reforming the bureaucracy. He executed many corrupt officials, dismissed some incompetent officials, and promoted a group of ambitious young officials.

Now that we've entered Luoyang, it's natural that the officials of Luoyang should first learn the rules of Emperor Zhaoyuan.

Pei Qinghe took the memorial from Minister Qin, read it carefully, and was quite satisfied: "Minister Qin is meticulous in his work, which is very much to my liking. Have a copy of this memorial made and sent out."

Every soldier in Pei's army is literate, and many can write. Copying two or three hundred copies is not a big deal; it can be done in a day or two at most.

In addition, there were matters such as promulgating new laws and appeasing the people, each and every one of which was of great importance and could not be delayed.

Pei Qinghe disliked holding grand court assemblies, so he consulted with Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin, and quickly made a decision. After discussing for half a day, he invited Prime Minister Pang and Minister Qin to lunch, and then sent them away to serve him like slaves.

Pei Qinghe rode his horse to the guard camp.

Pei Yun, Pei Yan, and others accompanied them, along with three thousand elite cavalry.

The Imperial Guard consisted of twelve guards, three of which were stationed inside the city to protect the palace. The other nine were stationed in a large camp outside the palace.

The elite troops in the main camp outside the city were all taken to the north by General Situ, and most of them perished in Mo City. A large number of surrendered soldiers were sent to mines. Now the military camp outside Luoyang is empty.

The city's imperial guard camp had only four thousand soldiers left, most of whom were old, weak, or wounded.

Pei Qinghe led three thousand elite cavalrymen into the military camp, and the veterans were filled with trepidation. When they heard the war drums signaling them to assemble in the training ground, their fear intensified.

"What is Emperor Zhaoyuan doing here at the military camp? Could it be that he intends to eliminate us completely to prevent future troubles?"

“We didn’t go to the north; we stayed in the capital obediently. The evil deeds of the traitor Situ cannot be attributed to us.”

"That makes sense. Don't scare yourself, nothing will happen."

The veterans hurriedly ran towards the training ground, whispering among themselves. When they arrived, they saw a large, dark mass of soldiers standing there in perfect formation, each one tall and imposing with a cold, sharp gaze, like swords about to be drawn. Just looking at them sent a chill down their spines.

These are truly unparalleled elite troops.

Pei Yan curled her lip, looking disgusted: "These soldiers look like misfits." Some are old, some are short, some are thin, and there aren't many decent-looking ones.

Pei Feng and Pei Yue grinned.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "The elite soldiers of the Imperial Guard have all been taken away by Situ Xi. Those left in the capital are all veterans and wounded soldiers. Today, I am going to the military camp to see for myself and make sure they are settled properly."

Pei Yun nodded slightly: "After all, they didn't go to the battlefield, so we can't send them all to mining. It's not safe for them to stay in the military camp either. Let them return to their hometowns."

Pei Qinghe said, "They must be disciplined before being sent back to their hometowns. This will prevent them from going back and causing trouble in their villages and bullying the people."

The Pei family army had been established for over a decade. Those who died in battle received compensation, and those seriously wounded also received generous compensation. Some returned to their hometowns and became village chiefs or similar positions. They were all loyal to the emperor and served him after their military service. This was one of the key factors that enabled the Pei family army to consolidate control of the northern regions in just a few years.

These veteran soldiers of the Imperial Guard were clearly not as well-trained as the soldiers of the Pei family army. Settling them in was a considerable challenge.

After three drumbeats, all four thousand-plus imperial guards were present and stood in a single line, clearly separated from Pei's army.

Pei Qinghe stood on the nine-foot-high training platform, looking down at the bewilderment and unease of the veteran soldiers of the Imperial Guard.

“General Liu,” Pei Qinghe said, looking at a military officer in his forties.

General Liu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your subordinate is here."

Pei Qinghe said calmly, "I plan to release these four thousand veterans from the military camp. What do you think?"

What else?

General Situ has been beheaded, and hundreds of thousands of troops have vanished without a trace, leaving only the old and weak. They are like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
General Liu lowered his head even further, his tone respectful and sincere: "This humble general is dull-witted and only knows how to follow orders."

Pei Qinghe twitched the corner of his mouth: "Don't worry, I won't just send them away. I'll find them a suitable job before letting them leave the military camp."

General Liu respectfully agreed.

The veteran standing at the front, with his sharp ears, heard these words and quickly became agitated.

Pei Yan snorted coldly and shouted, "Shut up!"

He roared angrily as he drew his long sword and swung it through the air.

The veterans immediately fell silent.

Pei Qinghe raised his voice: "I have summoned you here today because I have something to say. You have been in the military camp for many years. Now that the North and South are unified, there are no more major battles to fight. I am letting you go home to reunite with your families. I will allocate land to you, and you will no longer have to risk your lives. You can farm, get married, have children, and live a peaceful life."

The veterans wanted to cause a disturbance, but the imposing, dark-faced General Pei Yan waved her long sword again, and the veterans quieted down once more.

Pei Qinghe instructed General Liu to bring over the troop register and call out names one by one according to the register.

As a result, about 30% of the names in the military register were blank.

Pei Qinghe's expression grew colder: "It's not uncommon for soldiers to receive salaries without working, but to receive 30% of that is far too greedy."

General Liu's face turned pale, cold sweat poured down his forehead, his knees buckled, and he knelt down, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

(End of this chapter)