bayedsolid Chapter 1949 Progress is going well
Chapter 1949 Progress is going well
Two days flew by amidst the unprecedented hustle and bustle of Chang'an City.
The fervor sparked by the recruitment order did not subside; instead, like a boulder thrown into a lake, ripples continued to spread outwards.
In Li Bi's study, the atmosphere was less gloomy and more busy with business and cautiously optimistic than it had been two days earlier.
Li Bizheng was hunched over his desk, reviewing documents from various places regarding preliminary statistics on land acreage, his brow furrowing and relaxing intermittently.
At that moment, steady footsteps sounded outside the study, followed by the steward's announcement: "Master, Lord Zhang Tao requests an audience."
"Please come quickly!" Li Bi put down the documents in his hand and rubbed his throbbing temples.
Zhang Tao strode into the study. He was dressed in a practical outfit, and although he looked tired, his eyes were bright and showed a sense of competence and excitement.
Compared to the angry and somewhat agitated general he was two days ago, he now exuded a greater sense of composure and control over the situation.
"Lord Li!"
Zhang Tao clasped his hands in a salute and said in a loud voice, "The recruitment of soldiers has yielded initial results, and I have come to report to Lord Li!"
"Oh? Lord Zhang, please tell me, what's the situation?"
Li Bi immediately perked up, leaning slightly forward; this was one of his most pressing concerns.
Zhang Tao couldn't hide his smugness as he loudly proclaimed, "Reporting to Lord Li, it has only been two days since the notice was posted, and at the three main recruitment points set up in Chang'an City alone, more than 5,300 people have already been registered, preliminarily screened, and qualified!"
"Moreover, applicants continue to come in droves. In my opinion, at this rate, recruiting 10,000 people within ten days will not be difficult!"
"More than five thousand people?"
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Li Bi's eyes, and his tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
This number far exceeded his initial expectations.
With these 5,000 men, plus the existing 10,000 Chu troops, the defense of Chang'an City and their confidence will be greatly enhanced.
Zhang Tao continued his report, his tone carrying a deeper meaning: "Not only that, Lord Li, the news of recruiting soldiers and equal land distribution has spread extremely quickly, and is now no longer limited to Chang'an City."
"People from the surrounding counties and prefectures, upon hearing the news, were mobilized. Many young men and women took the initiative to come to Chang'an to inquire about the situation, and some even directly requested to join the army!"
"Countless villagers eagerly await the arrival of the imperial envoy for land equalization, hoping that he will soon arrive and implement the new policies!"
He paused, then emphasized, “The people’s hearts are worth having, Lord Li! The common people may not understand the concepts of dynastic changes, loyalty to the emperor, and patriotism.”
"But they know who can ensure they have land to cultivate, food to eat, and tax reductions! Your Majesty's policy has indeed grasped the essence!"
Li Bi nodded slowly. The news brought by Zhang Tao was undoubtedly a timely help, greatly relieving his anxiety caused by that threatening letter.
Having troops at your command gives you confidence.
"Great! Zhang Da, you've worked hard!"
Li Bi praised, "These more than five thousand people recruited will be entirely entrusted to you, Lord Zhang, for training and drills!"
"We must ensure that they understand orders, know when to advance and retreat, and form combat capability in the shortest possible time! I will coordinate the allocation of the necessary military equipment as soon as possible."
"Rest assured, Lord Li! Training troops is my duty, and I will certainly not fail in my mission!"
Zhang Tao readily agreed, then changed the subject and asked, "Then... regarding the matter of equal land distribution, should we speed up the process and extend it to the surrounding counties?"
"With public opinion so strong right now, it's the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot."
When the scope of the equal-field system was mentioned, Li Bi's joy faded, replaced by caution and worry.
He stood up, paced around the study a few times, and pondered, "Speed up the progress... This matter requires careful consideration and cautious action."
He stopped and looked at Zhang Tao, his gaze deep: "Lord Zhang, it's not that I'm unwilling to implement His Majesty's new policies as soon as possible."
"However... those remaining members of the burly Han gang lurking in the shadows have still not been brought to justice."
“They lurk like venomous snakes. If we rashly disperse our forces to various places, our fundamental base will inevitably be left vulnerable.”
"If they take advantage of the situation and incite rebellion in the localities, thus disrupting the equal distribution of land, we will be unable to defend ourselves from both sides, and the situation will become uncontrollable."
"Without eliminating the remnants of the previous dynasty, I cannot find peace of mind."
Li Bi still felt lingering fear when he recalled that enigmatic and threatening letter.
Increased scale also means increased risk.
Zhang Tao was no fool. Hearing this, he calmed down and nodded slightly to show his understanding: "What Lord Li is worried about is very true. I was just a little too hasty."
After a moment's thought, he proposed a more prudent plan: "In that case, let's proceed cautiously and steadily."
"First, we should concentrate our efforts on Chang'an City and several neighboring counties that are easy to control as pilot areas to thoroughly implement the equal-field system."
"Make this area a model so that people in other counties can see the benefits of equal land distribution."
"At that time, with the support of the people, we can promote it to more distant places with greater success and less resistance."
"To set an example..."
Li Bi repeated the sentence, his eyes gradually brightening: "Good! Lord Zhang's proposal is excellent! Let's proceed with this plan!"
"We will first focus on developing Chang'an and its surrounding areas, building a solid foundation, and then plan for the future!"
With the policy set, Li Bi felt the pressure on his shoulders lighten somewhat.
He walked back to his desk, his gaze falling on a memorial that was mostly finished and the ink had dried. This was a report to be presented to Emperor Chu Ning.
"However, this matter..."
Zhang Tao pointed to the memorial and reminded him, "Lord Li should report to His Majesty as soon as possible."
“Recruiting soldiers and distributing land equally are both major national affairs, and His Majesty should be informed of our efforts and progress here.”
Li Bi stroked his short beard and nodded: "Of course, I have been preparing the memorial for a long time, and I am just waiting for Lord Zhang's specific data on troop recruitment."
How could we possibly keep such important news from Chu Ning!
After all, he hoped to use this incident to firmly establish himself in the Chu officialdom!
He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote at the end of the memorial, which detailed the current situation in Chang'an, the determination to implement the equal distribution of land, and the anonymous threats he had encountered.
They solemnly added the words, "More than 5,000 new soldiers have been recruited and are undergoing intensive training to strengthen the city's defenses and prepare for any eventuality."
After writing, he blew the ink dry, carefully checked it, then put it into a specially made letter tube, sealed it with sealing wax, and stamped it with his own seal.
"Somebody come!"
A trusted guard entered in response.
"Send this letter to His Majesty by carrier pigeon as quickly as possible!" Li Bi handed over the letter, his tone serious.
"Yes!" The guard took it with both hands, turned around and quickly left.
Just one day after Li Bi's messenger released the carrier pigeon, Chu Ning received the message.