Chapter 33: The New Official Takes Office

  It's a coincidence that the commander of Danfeng Gate today is Qin Tong, Qin Mu Bai's older brother. He is the Left Guard General of the Fifth Rank, also known as the Gate General who guards the palace gate. Don't underestimate this small Gate General, although his position is not high and his power is not great, it is related to the life and death of the emperor. In the past, when Li Shimin was in the Xuanwu Gate coup, if the commander of the Xuanwu Gate, Chang He, had not turned to him, history would have been unknown.

  "Third brother, is this your first day on duty? Not bad, you look neat and spirited, a fine young man of the Qin family. Eldest brother Qin Tongsheng, who was even taller than Qin Mubai by half a head, laughed loudly and patted Qin Mubai's shoulder armor, "This armor is really good! I heard that this set of armor was specially made by the Imperial Armory last year, and it's the only one in the world. Look at this shoulder armor, it's light, thin, and strong, and the chest armor can even reflect a person's shadow. The whole body is wrapped tightly without any gaps, and it doesn't look clumsy at all. It's much more magnificent and solid than ordinary Mingguang armor, and wearing it on your body is like wearing a fiery flame. And with this set of imperial yellow battle robes, you'll be the most eye-catching wherever you go."

  Qin Mubai smiled and said: "Big brother, don't be ridiculous. I'm a general's son, not a peacock here to show off its plumage. Why are you only paying attention to my appearance?"

  "Haha! That's it! Our Sanlang is a versatile and talented person, that's not an exaggeration." Qin Tong burst into loud laughter, patting Qin Mubai's shoulder. "Go in! The Emperor is in the Hanyuan Hall. Hmm, you don't need to remove your sword here. The Emperor has a special decree, allowing the Hundred Riders to carry their weapons near the imperial carriage."

  "Thank you, brother. I'll go in now." Qin Mu Bai bowed and walked into the Danfeng Gate.

  The Tang Code strictly stipulates that privately carrying a weapon near the emperor is punishable by treason. In his early years, the most trusted and favored nephew of the emperor, Zhangsun Wuji, once forgot to remove his sword when entering the palace due to carelessness, which led to a major controversy. Although the emperor did not hold it against him, the imperial censors would not let it go, and as a result, even Zhangsun Wuji was almost impeached, and the generals guarding the palace were also punished. Now, the emperor has issued an edict allowing the Hundred Riders to wear knives when attending the emperor, which is undoubtedly a major privilege granted to Qin Mubai, demonstrating trust and favor.

  The newly built Daming Palace's Huanyuan Hall is majestic and extraordinary. The thousand-step staircase on Longwei Road seems to reach the clouds, and there are also soldiers guarding in front of the hall. The general in charge is Li Junxian, the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard, who is currently the emperor's most trusted confidant.

  Li Junxian was a general under Wang Shichong during the struggle for supremacy at the end of the Sui dynasty. When Li Shimin conquered the world, he led his troops to surrender to the Tang Dynasty and followed Li Shimin's side to protect him, achieving great military exploits. Soon after Li Shimin ascended to the throne, he directly handed over the imperial palace guard to him, becoming a general in front of the emperor.

  Li Junxian had a relationship with Qin Shubao. In addition to serving together in the palace of King Qin Li Shimin, at the beginning of the Zhenguan era, Qin Shubao was appointed as the General of the Left Dragon Guard and Cheng Zhijie as the General of the Right Dragon Guard, each commanding half of the Imperial City Guards. At that time, Li Junxian served as a general under the Left Dragon Guard, directly under Qin Shubao's command and one of his trusted lieutenants.

  Li Junxian saw Qin Mubai walking up the Longwei Road, so he took a few steps forward and smiled at him from afar: "So it's General Qin who has arrived. I said, why haven't I seen anyone wear such dazzling armor before? It turns out to be Hundred Riders Envoy Qin Mubai!"

  "General Li smiled." Qin Mubai stepped forward and returned a fist salute, "Is Your Majesty in the palace?"

  "In the imperial study of this palace, you can go in and see His Majesty yourself." Li Junxian looked up and down at Qin Mubai with a complex expression of both joy and worry in his eyes, nodded and said: "The younger generation is to be feared, one generation is better than the previous one!"

  "General Li is indeed a role model for us juniors, and we will eventually listen to the general's teachings. Please, General, do not hesitate to instruct." Qin Mubai said with a bow.

  "Alright, alright." Li Junxian chuckled and smiled, "Go on, the Emperor has specially summoned you today, there must be something important, don't be late."

  "Thank you, General Li. I'll take my leave first." Qin Mubai smiled and bowed with his fists clenched, then walked towards the palace.

  Li Junxian gazed at Qin Mubai's back, let out a soft sigh and shook his head: "I'm old, not as good as young people! Just this appearance and demeanor, this young man is several times better than me... It's time for the Emperor to change his attendants too."

  Qin Mubai walked into the Taiyuan Hall, feeling a bit dizzy. This newly built palace was the main hall of the Daming Palace. The emperor usually reviewed memorials or rested here on ordinary days. The furnishings in the palace were extremely luxurious and dazzling. In fact, Li Shimin had always been a relatively frugal emperor. This palace was originally built to pay respects to his father, Li Yuan, so it was extremely luxurious. Compared to the solemn and majestic Taiji Palace, the Daming Palace seemed more noble and full of imperial luxury, revealing the rich and noble atmosphere of the royal family without a doubt.

  A eunuch led Qin Mubai in the grand and magnificent Hanyuan Hall, walking through corridors and alleys for a while before stopping in front of a residence at the back hall, saying: "General Qin please proceed to pay your respects, His Majesty is inside this study."

  "Thanks for your trouble." Qin Mu Bai let out a light breath, adjusted his clothes and hat, and prepared to knock on the door.

  From the moment he entered the Vermilion Bird Gate, he felt as if he had entered another world. Inside Chang'an City, a scene of peace and prosperity unfolded before him, giving people a feeling of relaxation and harmony, yet also a sense of freedom and ease. The imperial palace, on the other hand, was solemn and dignified, with a sense of grandeur and luxury that did not feel extravagant or vulgar, but rather exuded an air of nobility. Every person in this imperial city, from high-ranking officials to lowly eunuchs and palace maids, was proactive, confident, optimistic, and full of vigor and vitality.

  The so-called Han and Tang spirit, 'positive, optimistic, confident, and striving', is an indispensable part of it. Through the peephole, the majestic atmosphere of the Great Tang Dynasty in the Zhenguan period is even more prominent in this palace. Thanks to some directors with braids, Qin Mubai had watched many Qing dynasty TV dramas. No matter how these plays were beautified, Qin Mubai could always smell a strong sense of slavery and the dull air of decay. I guess if you work in such a palace for three to five years, even the most proud men will become eunuchs.

  There were eight guards standing guard in front of the imperial study, and they looked slightly surprised to see Qin Mu approaching. After a routine inquiry, an eunuch went inside to report, and then Qin Mu was summoned into the study.

  In the study, the furnishings were extremely simple. There was no luxurious carpet or rare treasures as Qin Mu Bai had imagined, only two large bookshelves, a brazier, a couch and a desk. Li Shi Min wore loose comfortable brocade robes, sitting beside the brazier casually flipping through a book.

  Qin Mubai finished his courtesy and withdrew. Li Shimin put down the book, smiled: "No need to be polite. Mubai, it's your first day in the Great Ming Palace, how do you feel?"

  "It feels great." Qin Mu Bai replied, "It turns out that Your Majesty is not only good at governing the country, but also has a wonderful way of treating his subordinates. The entire imperial city is full of vitality, rich but not arrogant, noble but not extravagant, and everyone is diligent, knowledgeable about etiquette, and has a sense of propriety. I am deeply moved."

  "Well said." Li Shimin smiled and said, "Those who achieve great things take people as the foundation. This is a method that I have always insisted on. As for leading by example, if you want to restrain the people below, you must first set an example yourself. A family is like this, an army is like this, and a dynasty is also like this."

  "I have learned from your teachings." Qin Mu Bai bowed his hands in response, thinking to himself: The Emperor is teaching me how to rule and govern this army of a hundred riders.

  "Taibai, I have specially taken time out today to see you alone for three things." Li Shimin said, "First, is to discuss with you the training of the Hundred Riders. Tell me your thoughts."

  "Yes." Qin Mubai had already thought of a draft, and after some consideration, said, "Your Majesty, I have no experience in leading troops, and I'm not good at training soldiers and horses. So, I think it would be better if Your Majesty appoints an experienced old general as my guide. However, I am worried about one small thing."

  "Let's hear it."

  "I am worried that these 600 hundred riders and officers, all come from wealthy and noble families," said Qin Mu Bai. "Among them, there must be people who have developed the habit of being arrogant and lazy since childhood. Now that they have entered the imperial guard to serve Your Majesty, they have even more reason to be proud. I think that in order to govern this army, one must first govern their hearts."

  "Spoken well." Li Shimin stroked his palm and smiled, "This is also a problem that I have been worried about. These aristocratic sons, compared to commoner sons, receive much better education and training from a young age, and their overall quality is several times stronger, which is why I favor them. At the same time, the drawbacks they possess are also not to be taken lightly. Tell me your thoughts, how do you plan to govern their hearts?"

  "My humble opinion is simple, just implement a competitive elimination mechanism."

  "What is a competitive elimination method?"

  "Your Majesty, it is like this." Qin Mu Bai said, "Isn't the Hundred Riders' quota of 600 people? It can be assessed and trimmed every three months or half a year. Every soldier and including myself as a general will undergo moral, military, cultural and other evaluations, and those who are lagging behind and unqualified will be eliminated regularly, and new blood will be added. Still water breeds no fish, and the door hinge does not rot if it is moved frequently. I think this is the only way to keep the Hundred Riders thriving and overcome the arrogance of the noble-born sons."

  "Well said, well said. Your idea is in line with mine!" Li Shimin laughed, "Qin Mubai, I didn't expect you to have such insight at a young age, it's not easy. You can start working on this matter immediately. As for the usual training, I have appointed Li Junxian as the temporary deputy commander of the Hundred Riders, let him help you. If you don't understand something, just learn from him. I'll make a deal with you, in three months, we will conduct an assessment and elimination of the Hundred Riders. At that time, no matter who it is, anyone who fails to pass the evaluation will be dismissed. You don't have to worry about offending people or being hesitant, I will openly support you."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qin Mubai cupped his hands in response, but couldn't help sneering to himself: Long Sun Reng, Wei Chi Bao Yun, I've already taken the initiative. This Golden Lock Curse was bestowed by the Emperor himself. Hopefully, you won't try to be clever and play tricks on me later.

  "The second thing is to determine the personnel of the Hundred Riders." Li Shimin said, taking out a paper note, "Take a look, do you have any opinions?"

  "Your Majesty... this humble subject need not look at it." Qin Mu Bai did not go to receive it, cupped his hands and said, "Major events are decided by Your Majesty, this humble subject does not dare to overstep."

  "It doesn't matter, just take a look," Li Shimin said with a smile. "These people will be your colleagues and subordinates in the future, so it's better for you to get familiar with them first."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Qin Mubai bowed and accepted the list, scanning it briefly. As expected, the three deputy envoys were Longsun Ruan, Wei Chi Baoyun, and Cheng Huai Bi. The other generals were also mostly young people under the age of 30.

  "Your Majesty, your humble servant has no opinion."

  "This is good." Li Shimin smiled and said, "In the Zhenguan era of the Great Tang Dynasty, what I advocate for is unity of heart and morality, with the upper and lower ranks working together. As a commander of a hundred riders, you must unite every single person in the hundred riders. You cannot stir up conflicts or create divisions. Of course, you also cannot let anyone in the hundred riders ride roughshod over you, ordering you around. A general is the soul of an army. Your abilities, Qin Mubai, will determine the strength and style of this branch of a hundred riders. Mubai, don't disappoint me."

  "Your Majesty, rest assured that I will not fail in my mission!" Qin Mu Bai responded with a serious expression and a bow. He thought to himself: I think I've caught the emperor's underlying tone - if even subordinates can't be controlled, it's a failure. Don't let fear hold you back just because there are a few powerful underlings; muster up your courage and take action.

  "Well, I will wait with bated breath." Li Shimin said, "The third thing is also the most important. The Hundred Riders are a new army, although they were formed after strict selection, it's still hard to guarantee that there are no good or bad people and unified hearts. I have formulated special military rules tailored for the Hundred Riders. You must let every single one of them learn and understand within these three months, and remember them in their hearts."

  Having said that, Li Shimin handed over a thick folded paper.

  Qin Mubai took it and flipped through it hastily, roughly understanding that this was not only a military rule, but also a textbook for political education. No wonder, the emperor's personal guards had to undergo political brainwashing. The capability of this army was secondary, loyalty was what Li Shimin valued most.

  No wonder he said this matter is the most important one.

  "I have received your orders. Your Majesty can rest assured, I will make these military rules penetrate into the bones of every single soldier, and they will remain unchanged until death."

  "Very good. You are clever and have insight, I am looking forward to you polishing this hundred riders into a truly royal elite guard." Li Shimin chuckled and said, "Three months later, the hundred riders will officially take over the defense of my side. From then on, there will still be Imperial Guards, Golden Armor Guards and other troops protecting me. But no matter how other troops change, the hundred riders are always closest to me. Don't let me down."

  "Yes!"

  "Go. Find Li Junxian outside the palace, he will lead you to the Baiqi Army camp and tell you everything you want to know." Li Shimin smiled and looked at Qin Mubai, paused for a moment, and said, "Suspect not to use, use not to suspect. I give you a special edict, if there is an important matter, you can come directly to the palace to report to me at any time. Without dismounting, without putting down your sword, you can move freely in any corner of the imperial palace."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qin Mu Bai bowed with his hands clasped together, but in his heart, a strange thought flashed by: The imperial harem is full of beauty and temptation, aren't you inviting a wolf into your home? Cough...