Chapter 214: The Talented of the Guo Faction

At night, within the Guo residence.

After a simple evening meal, he summoned his two sons and examined their studies. Though Guo Wei came from a military background, he was sharp-witted and fond of learning, delighting in reading and understanding principles, and he took great care in the education and upbringing of his children. When answers to his questions were wrong, he sternly punished their lessons before letting them go.

The Guo household appeared quite frugal throughout. With the Son of Heaven leading by example in thrift, most of the bureaucrats and nobles in the Eastern Capital had recently reined themselves in. Unlike others who put on a show, Guo Wei's frugality was as it had always been—he had risen from obscurity, knew the hardships of the common folk, and by nature disliked extravagance, so the Guo household's plainness was no pretense.

The study was even more austere, without any superfluous ornate decorations. Behind the desk stood a bookshelf holding several dozen volumes, mostly military texts. Though the number was not great, judging by the covers and page corners, all had been read, and some volumes' pages had bulged outward.

Seated behind the desk, he closed his eyes to rest his mind, yet his brain kept turning, and fragments surfaced in his thoughts—the situation since the new emperor's accession: the troubles at the borders, the Son of Heaven's methods, the various measures and policies, the shifts in the court, the state of the army, the heavy affairs of the Bureau of Military Affairs...

Slowly, Guo Wei lost track of what he was thinking, accompanied by a wave of fatigue. He was now the head of the Bureau of Military Affairs, in charge of military matters, entangled in confidential affairs—while wielding great power, he also bore a heavy burden, especially at a time when the state was rebuilding from ruin and the situation was perilous.

Having followed the dragon from Hedong, rising from the hegemon's headquarters, before the Great Han was founded, Guo Wei's presence in the Hedong system had truly been weak. Even after the state was established and he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Military Affairs, his status elevated somewhat, he was still firmly suppressed by Yang Bin.

Only after Liu Chengyou succeeded to the throne was he elevated to the top post, presiding over the affairs of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Only then did Guo Wei truly emerge from his ordeal, and thanks to Liu Chengyou's support, he became a rapidly rising force in the Great Han court. During Liu Chengyou's western tour, he jointly assisted in governance, firmly grasping the Bureau of Military Affairs and contending with the opposition.

After a long while, Guo Wei snapped back to himself, tucked away his weariness, leaned against the desk, and began to ponder the day's court assembly and hall deliberations. After mulling for quite some time, his eyes grew deep as he murmured heavily: "It seems the court situation and the imperial army are still due for changes..."

Guo Wei's brows knit tightly, looking exceptionally conflicted and hesitant. He raised a hand to thump his forehead, wearing an expression of racking his brains: "If my son were in the capital, he could offer some counsel."

"Master, the young lords Chongjin and Yongde have arrived!" the old servant who had followed him for many years reported softly at the study door.

Hearing this, Guo Wei immediately resumed his stern demeanor, sitting up straight, and instructed: "Have them come to the study to see me."

Soon, accompanied by footsteps, two young men stepped into the study and respectfully saluted Guo Wei: "Greetings, Uncle (Father-in-law)."

"No need for ceremony, sit down, both of you."

Of the two young men who came to pay their respects, one was named Li Chongjin, Guo Wei's nephew, and the other Zhang Yongde, Guo Wei's son-in-law. Both were the more outstanding of the next generation of Guo Wei's kin, aside from Guo Rong. Zhang Yongde in particular was accomplished in both letters and arms, with insight and knowledge of propriety—otherwise Guo Wei would not have taken a liking to him and given him his daughter in marriage. Li Chongjin was considerably older, and his bearing and talent might be somewhat inferior to Zhang Yongde's, but he could still be counted as a man of ability. Because of Guo Wei, both now held positions in the imperial army—Li Chongjin as Inspector of the Eastern and Western Squads, and Zhang Yongde as Commander of the Xingjie Army camp.

"May I ask what instructions Uncle has for the two of us?" Without excessive formality, Li Chongjin looked directly at Guo Wei and asked.

Zhang Yongde also looked at his father-in-law, curiosity showing in his eyes.

Guo Wei hooked a finger through his beard and said without any delay: "You two have been in the imperial army for some time now. Haven't you always wanted to make achievements? The court intends to dispatch imperial troops to the prefectures to suppress bandits. I want you two to go with the army on campaign, to be tempered and to establish some merit!"

"Yes!" Li Chongjin immediately responded, excitement in his tone.

Though Zhang Yongde was young in years, his temperament was calm, and his response showed no impatience. Guo Wei noticed this and was clearly satisfied.

Seeing Li Chongjin's slight rashness, Guo Wei admonished him: "Chongjin, though you have been in the army for many years and have some battlefield experience, you must not be careless or underestimate the bandits, nor be overconfident and take the enemy lightly. Suppressing bandits has its own strategy. Don't think that because you are older, during the campaign you shouldn't listen more to Baoyi's advice in the army!"

Hearing this, Li Chongjin glanced at the young Zhang Yongde beside him, somewhat unconvinced, a knot forming in his heart, but he had always respected and obeyed his uncle Guo Wei, so he dared not argue and answered with a yes.

"Uncle, why is the court sending the imperial army to suppress bandits? They're just a bunch of petty thieves—isn't that overkill?" Though his interest was stirred, once he calmed down, Li Chongjin couldn't help asking.

"Just from that remark, I can see your arrogance and contempt for the enemy!" Guo Wei pointed at Li Chongjin and rebuked him.

Hearing this, a flash of embarrassment crossed Li Chongjin's face, and he quickly and solemnly admitted his fault.

"Since you have doubts, have you ever thought it through?" Guo Wei asked, fairly satisfied with his attitude.

Li Chongjin answered without hesitation: "It must be that the local prefectural troops are incompetent and have failed to suppress the bandits!"

"Shallow." Guo Wei commented: "How could a court policy decision be so simple!"

Li Chongjin gave an awkward smile and directly took it upon himself to direct Zhang Yongde: "Baoyi, Uncle often says you have insight—you give it a try."

Zhang Yongde, who looked young and beardless, glanced at Guo Wei, and under his gaze, thought carefully for a moment, then said with slight hesitation: "The Son of Heaven has just ascended the throne, the prefectures are still uncertain, and the people's hearts have not yet submitted. Is the court using bandit suppression to display its authority?"

"You've hit the key point!" Guo Wei nodded. Then he rose and paced about the study, explaining the situation regarding this matter from the hall deliberation to the two of them.

Zhang Yongde's somewhat strained expression dissipated, as if enlightenment had poured over him, and Li Chongjin likewise showed a look of sudden understanding.

"If you lead troops to suppress bandits and defeat foes, how can you achieve great merit?" Guo Wei asked the two in a guiding, educational tone.

This immediately stumped both of them, leaving them utterly puzzled. Li Chongjin asked in confusion: "Isn't it that the more bandits you kill and the faster you pacify them, the greater the merit?"

This time Guo Wei did not continue playing the inscrutable sage, but directly reminded them: "The Son of Heaven wishes to govern banditry. Besides suppressing the bandits to restore peace and production to the localities, there is also the matter of transforming bandits into commoners, returning them to farming and labor. So this bandit suppression is not a contest of how many you kill, but of how many people you can add to the court's governed populace. Mindless slaughter may earn some merit, but it is by no means great merit, and it may even bring blame!"

Hearing Guo Wei say this, Zhang Yongde nodded, while Li Chongjin seemed half-understanding and sighed: "Why is suppressing some bandits so troublesome, requiring so much consideration?"

Hearing this, Guo Wei turned back, slowly sat down, and spoke earnestly to the two: "His Majesty is young, but since his accession he has governed with vigor, reforming abuses, implementing good policies, and winning the people's hearts. Though the Great Han is in difficulty now, as long as the situation is stabilized and we rest for a few years, the state's strength can flourish—and even the whole realm may turn from chaos to order."

"I cannot see the future clearly, but I know this is the great opportunity for men like us to assist an enlightened lord and establish our achievements. As for you two, if you wish to earn merit and bring glory to your families, relying on mere courage in battle is far from enough. The situation is about to change; you must value both letters and arms, govern and command, and it is not impossible to go from the battlefield to the chancellery. Otherwise, a mere brave man will never amount to much!"

Guo Wei's words, however one looked at them, seemed aimed at Li Chongjin. But neither of the two paid much mind to that—both gained something and bowed deeply to Guo Wei: "We will heed Uncle's (Father-in-law's) teachings!"

"Among the prefectures of the Central Plains, bandit troubles never cease, and the hardest to suppress is Ruzhou. I intend for you two to go to Ruzhou!" Guo Wei added.

Naturally, neither of them had any objection to this.