Chapter 775: Inside the Bureau of Military Affairs

"Guohua, you've been serving in the Ministry of Personnel for over half a year now, haven't you? How is it—have you encountered any trouble or difficulties? Are the various bureau officials and clerks still up to the task?" Calming the slight irritation pent up in his chest, Li Tao looked at Shen Wenbing, revealing a warm smile and showing concern for his subordinate's work.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenbing smiled modestly and, without haste, cupped his hands in reply: "Thank you for your concern, Chancellor! Thanks to your authority, all is well—the various bureaus operate normally, my colleagues do their utmost, and with the foundation you have laid, this humble official need only follow the regulations in handling matters, so there has been no trouble."

Clearly satisfied with his attitude, Li Tao looked at him and said: "Guohua also comes from a distinguished family, passed the imperial examinations with distinction, and has served in many posts—truly a capable administrator. You ought to bear heavy responsibilities and serve the court, so that your talents may be fully displayed.

Originally, I recommended you for the post of Governor of Kaifeng, but His Majesty favored Li Gu. However, the Ministry of Personnel is a key post of the Heavenly Office, standing at the head of all court ministries—its authority and responsibility are equally weighty and must not be taken lightly. With your assistance, my burden has been greatly reduced......"

Pausing for a moment, Shen Wenbing maintained his modest demeanor and said: "I must also thank the Chancellor for his promotion!"

"That being so, regarding the appointments for Chu and Si, when you return to the ministry, also screen some suitable candidates. After all, they are key prefectures on the lower Huai River—only capable officials are fit to hold them, and many factors must be considered. We rejected Wang Pu's recommendation, so we also need to be prepared on the Son of Heaven's side, lest he inquire and accuse me of blocking the path of talent recommendation!" Li Tao instructed.

"Yes!" Shen Wenbing acknowledged, then hesitated slightly before saying: "I report to the Chancellor—over at Chongzheng Hall, they have recently been frequently inquiring about the appointment of officials in Jinghu?"

"Those two Zhaos dare to reach their hands into the Ministry of Personnel's affairs?" Li Tao said with some contempt.

Shen Wenbing said: "Previously, when selecting officials to be sent to Jinghu, Zhao Pu did, on His Majesty's orders, inspect and review the officials appointed to the south."

Hearing this, Li Tao's brow furrowed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Shen Wenbing and asked warily: "Is there any problem with the transfer and appointment of officials in Jinghu?"

Shen Wenbing, who appeared to be a slow-tempered man, replied unhurriedly: "All selections made by the court and from within and without have conformed to court regulations. However, regarding the assessment and retention of the former Jinghu officials...... this humble official has only heard by rumor that some of the officials sent south to conduct assessments accepted bribes and altered the evaluation results!"

"Is this really true?" Li Tao's body jolted.

Shen Wenbing replied: "There is no solid evidence as yet—merely rumors!"

Although Shen Wenbing said this, Li Tao's expression turned grim. Last year, after the court dispatched troops to pacify Jinghu, in addition to transferring officials from the central government and local regions, a large number of local former officials were retained, with special envoys sent south to assess and evaluate them. The one who arranged this matter at the time was Li Tao.

At this moment, hearing Shen Wenbing say this, Li Tao felt a sense of being offended and deceived. After pondering for a while, Li Tao instructed Shen Wenbing: "Where there is smoke, there is fire! Otherwise, why would the two Zhaos of Chongzheng Hall be so attentive to this matter? So, have someone investigate this secretly—especially the officials and clerks who went south to conduct the assessments—and get to the bottom of the problem!"

"Yes!" Shen Wenbing still calmly cupped his hands in acknowledgment: "This humble official takes his leave!"

"Go!"

After Shen Wenbing left, Li Tao could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose hard. When alone, a barely concealable weariness spread across his face. Since the disturbances in Guanzhong, he was no longer so spirited and confident, though before others he still displayed the authority of the chief chancellor. Now it seemed that indeed many things were going awry. Standing at such a high position, he enjoyed the glory and prestige that power brought, but equally, the pressure imposed from above and below was by no means small.

Of course, if Li Tao could be like Feng Dao, perhaps he would have an easier time. But in the end, he was not Feng Dao. Moreover, to Emperor Liu Chengyou, there was no need for another Feng Dao—unless one wished to be like Su Yugui, but that would mean distancing oneself from the center of power......

A thousand tangled threads ultimately condensed into a low murmur: This Li is not so easy to scheme against.

Li Tao seemed to sense that someone was plotting against him.

Shen Wenbing left the Hall of State Affairs, paused to look back for a moment, his expression unchanged—a picture of serene gentleness. He was merely pondering the matter of his dealings with Li Tao. Just now, Li Tao had spoken to him with utmost sincerity, earnestly admonishing him and relying on him as a trusted confidant.

It could not be denied that Li Tao had shown him the kindness of promotion, but Shen Wenbing's mind was also clear—his post as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was also an appointment by the Emperor. Even if Chancellor Li's power flourished and he oversaw all official appointments throughout the realm, the post of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel could not be obtained without the Emperor's approval.

Shen Wenbing was a man of unhurried temperament, modest in manner, courteous and refined, with the bearing of a gentleman—but that did not mean he was pedantic. Lately, from the winds blowing through the court, he could sense something unusual.

Li Tao was growing ever more assertive, overshadowing the other chancellors. Within and outside the court, he had many followers and partisans; in the various ministries and offices, and in key local posts, he had placed many people, his momentum unmatched for a time. But equally, his reputation was gradually declining, with growing criticism in the court, and Chancellor Fan and Chancellor Xue seemed to be drawing closer together.

After thinking seriously for a few moments, Shen Wenbing regained his composure, his steps unhurried. Excessive worry was useless—for him, he took things philosophically; doing his own duties well was enough......

Inside the Bureau of Military Affairs, Guo Rong stood with his hands behind his back, staring intently at the map hanging in the hall. Li Chuyun entered quietly and, noticing where his gaze was fixed, could not help but say: "Is the Bureau Director still pondering the Guanzhong rebellion?"

"I have no choice but to worry!" Guo Rong replied: "Though it has been pacified, its impact is immense! I was thinking—is the military deployment of the various circuits' command offices too weak?"

Hearing this, Li Chuyun shook his head: "Not so. This rebellion arose in various counties, yet was quelled in less than twenty days from start to finish—this sufficiently proves that the government's control over the localities remains tight enough. It was merely that after years of peace, with military deployments concentrated mostly on the frontiers, vigilance slackened, and the rebel forces took advantage. Moreover, this disturbance was caused by Shu captives—had they been ordinary commoners, they would have been suppressed even faster, and certainly would not have caused such a great stir!"

"What you say also has merit!" Guo Rong nodded: "However, we should still take this as a warning. I intend to suggest to His Majesty that, besides garrisoning key towns and strategic points, the troops of the various circuits' command offices should also organize patrol inspections at appropriate times. The military deployments of the various circuits should also be reasonably adjusted. Should similar disturbances or dangers arise again, we must ensure that local garrisons can respond in a timely manner. The local militias of counties and towns should also strengthen their organization and training, to assist in maintaining public order and suppressing rebellion and violence!"

"What the Bureau Director worries over are words of statecraft for the nation's security, hitting the mark precisely—His Majesty will surely adopt them!" Li Chuyun nodded repeatedly, greatly approving of Guo Rong's thinking.

"However, the specific proposals still require us to plan them out carefully!" Guo Rong revealed a slight smile.

"Yes!"

Turning to look at Li Chuyun, Guo Rong raised a hand and pointed, asking: "Zhengyuan, what do you think—how will those chancellors in the Hall of State Affairs propose to deal with the remaining Shu army captives?"

"The chancellors are seasoned in statecraft—they will naturally devise a sound solution!" Li Chuyun said calmly. Noticing the brightness in Guo Rong's eyes, he cupped his hands and asked: "Does the Bureau Director have any thoughts?"

"The Shu army has long been regarded by our dynasty as a weak force—every battle between Han and Shu has ended in our victory. But to despise Shu soldiers on that account would be biased. Reflecting on the Shu army's past defeats, it is merely that after years of peace, their soldiers rarely trained, lacked actual combat experience, and were short of capable generals. Add to that the decline of their state's affairs and prevailing customs—these factors affected their army's combat effectiveness......" Guo Rong spoke at length:

"But among the Shu people, there is no lack of brave men. The Shu soldiers captured and surrendered could be called an excellent source of troops. I have always felt that using those captives as slaves and forced laborers is a tremendous waste. Of course, constrained by circumstances, it would not be appropriate to incorporate them all."

"Originally, I intended to advise His Majesty to incorporate all suitable Shu captives into the army for the campaign against Shu and retrain them. Having suffered great hardships, if given the opportunity for liberation from their suffering, they would surely unleash extraordinary strength—and it would also reduce casualties among the imperial army and the southwestern border troops......"

As he spoke, Guo Rong could not help but sigh: "However, after this disturbance in Guanzhong, restoring the peace of former days in a short time will not be easy. The civilian casualties, the lost grain and funds, the ruined farmlands—these are certainly regrettable, but the instability in Guanzhong has affected preparations for the Shu campaign. If we raise troops again this year, there will surely be no shortage of ministers opposing it throughout the court. If the Shu campaign cannot proceed, then my ideas about the Shu captives are also overthinking!"

Hearing Guo Rong's words, Li Chuyun also thought for a moment before saying: "Bureau Director, in my view, postponing the timing of the Shu campaign may not be a bad thing. We took Qinfeng the year before last, and Jinghu last year—if we raise troops to destroy Shu this autumn, there would be war every year without exception, placing too heavy a burden on the court, the army, and the people. If the Guanzhong rebellion can make His Majesty temporarily set aside his desire to destroy Shu, that also gives everyone above and below a chance to catch their breath. Even if it only buys one more year, the court's preparations will be more thorough, and the results achieved will be all the better......"

"What you say does hit the mark!" Guo Rong smiled and said: "However, His Majesty has not yet made a decision—the preparations that should be made must not be relaxed, and the training of troops for the Shu campaign must not be relaxed. Especially over at Jiangling—issue another order to Zhang Yanqing that the naval training must not be neglected!"

"Yes!"

Guo Rong noticed the memorial in Li Chuyun's hand and only then asked: "What is it?"

Li Chuyun presented it: "Bai Chongzan of Yongning Army has submitted a memorial stating that the reorganization and training of the Dingzhou troops has been completed, requesting the Bureau Director's review!"