Chapter 274: The Five Great Generals, Expansion Of The Six Garrisons
In the main hall, a detailed Northern Frontier map was prominently hung in the center.
Li Xiao’s finger slowly moved along the border of the Hexi Corridor.
Looking at everyone in the hall, he said in a deep voice: “This Governor is different from ordinary officials. He must coordinate money and grain taxation, resettle refugees and distribute land, as well as supervise local education to ensure the smooth implementation of Han names and Han systems.”
“In the future, disputes among Gansu common people, water conservancy repairs, and merchant taxes will all be decided by the Governor.”
Seeing the thoughtful expressions on everyone’s faces, Li Xiao emphasized: “But the Governor’s power also needs to be checked. Military power still belongs to the local Generals, and the Governor has no right to deploy troops.”
“Only with civil and military checks and balances, and clear division of powers and responsibilities, can Gansu achieve long-term peace and stability.”
After Li Xiao finished speaking, everyone raised their cups and said: “We will strictly obey the Great Protector’s decree.”
Then, Li Shurong, who was in charge of documents, stood out holding a roll of gold-edged cloth and silk, straightened his back, and said in an impassioned voice: “Now that the Hexi Corridor is initially pacified, all things await revival.”
“Merit Assessment Department Staff Officer Zhang Xinghua, proficient in civil administration and skilled in managing money and grain, is specially relieved of his Staff Officer position and promoted to Gansu Governor.”
“Effective immediately, he will be in charge of Gansu’s civil affairs, with full authority over taxation and corvée, city repairs, and resettlement of common people.”
After he finished speaking, everyone’s gazes in the hall fell on Zhang Xinghua, mixed with surprise and envy.
One must know, this was the Northern Frontier’s first Governor!
However, Zhang Xinghua was one of the first civil officials to join the Northern Frontier. He was originally the Prefect of Dunhuang, in charge of civil affairs in Dunhuang.
And merely a few years later, he had become a high-ranking official in a border region responsible for the civil affairs of the entire Hexi Corridor.
Li Xiao’s trust and importance in him were evident.
Clearly, Li Xiao had already informed Zhang Xinghua about this matter; today was just going through the formal process.
Therefore, Zhang Xinghua’s reaction was very normal. He looked up at Li Xiao and said in a firm voice with hand on chest:
“This subordinate will exert himself to the utmost and not fail the Great Protector’s heavy trust.”
After saying that, he took the decree from Li Shurong’s hand, marking the official activation of his status.
Li Xiao nodded slightly, looked at Zhang Xinghua and said in a deep voice: “The first thing after taking office as Gansu Governor is to properly distribute land to Gansu common people, quickly restore people’s livelihood, and recruit common people who fled to the mountains.”
“Secondly, build Tiger Wolf Pass and turn it into a sharp sword hanging over the Hexi land.”
“Understood.” Zhang Xinghua nodded heavily and said.
Then, Li Xiao looked at Luo Meng and other Generals: “This Gansu land connects to Gaochang in the west, borders the Northern Frontier in the north, and joins the thousand li fertile fields of Hexi in the east.”
“In the past, Zhang Qian opened up the Western Regions, and Huo Qubing watered his horses at Qilian, all because this throat land concerns the pulse of Under Heaven!”
Li Xiao stood up and pointed toward the direction of Eastern Xia: “Although the Xia Kingdom is defeated, its wolfish ambitions are not dead!”
“Having lost this fat piece of meat, they will surely mobilize the strength of the entire country to counterattack!”
“Therefore, we in the Northern Frontier must assemble heavy troops in Gansu to guard it.”
Then, Li Xiao said in a deep voice: “Deputy Commander of the Fourth Garrison Luo Meng, where are you?”
Luo Meng stepped forward boldly, placed his right hand on his chest and said: “This lowly general is here.”
Gazing at his figure, Li Xiao’s voice rang out firm as gold and stone clashing: “In the battle of Shanle City, you led the Fourth Garrison to single-handedly resist thirty thousand Xia Kingdom troops.”
“You burned Shanle City and annihilated the Xia Kingdom’s central army, becoming the key to turning the tide in the Hexi battle.”
“Your military merits are outstanding, so you deserve promotion.”
“Now, I appoint you as Gansu General, in charge of Gansu’s military power, leading the Fourth Garrison troops to guard the Hexi Corridor.”
After he finished speaking, Li Shurong beside him hurriedly held up the decree appointing ‘Gansu General’ with both hands and handed it to Luo Meng.
Holding the decree with both hands, Luo Meng’s face was firm as he loudly said: “This lowly general obeys the order.”
“I will surely lead the Northern Frontier sons to guard the Hexi Corridor well.”
“If Gansu is lost, this lowly general is willing to offer his head.”
Li Xiao nodded slightly, his rough palm heavily patting Luo Meng’s shoulder.
He said solemnly: “Gansu is entrusted to you.”
For Luo Meng, this was trust and honor, but if Gansu were lost, it would become an abyss of no return.
The four words ‘offer my head’ were not said lightly.
Because the Northern Frontier Army has very low tolerance for failure in war.
Died in battle is honorable, surrender is shameful.
These eight words are engraved in the bones of every Northern Frontier Army soldier.
Even for a small defeat, Li Xiao would hold the Generals and soldiers accountable, kill those who should be killed, and demote those who should be demoted.
If it were the disastrous outcome of losing Gansu.
No need for Li Xiao to act, Luo Meng himself could not forgive himself.
So at this moment, the pressure on Luo Meng was still very great.
After all, the safety of over two hundred thousand people in Gansu’s six prefectures rested on his shoulders. He not only had to face possible rebellions from the newly surrendered Gansu common people but also the imminent counterattacks from Western Xia.
No room for the slightest slack.
But in any case, Luo Meng had officially become the Northern Frontier’s fifth General wielding local military power.
The first four were Desert General Li Dongjiang, Yin Mountains General Li Dongshan, Western Sea General Li Donghe, and Yili General Li Ao.
Because of the Northern Frontier’s soldier-civilian integration mechanism, these four not only controlled local military power but also managed all civil affairs.
Hidden dangers were great.
Therefore, after these over five hundred thousand Hexi common people were dispersed to various Northern Frontier states, Li Xiao planned to emulate Gansu by establishing the Governor system.
Gradually reclaiming the civil power from the four Great Generals’ hands.
However, the Northern Frontier was always a state founded on military might; the civil power in their hands was not given by Li Xiao but necessitated by the Northern Frontier’s situation.
Completely reclaiming it would not be the work of a day or two.
Population needed to be gradually enriched, reforms carried out slowly.
Moreover, due to war needs, Li Xiao also planned to continue strengthening the strength of each garrison’s Commanders.
After completing Luo Meng’s appointment, Li Xiao stood with hands behind his back in the center of the council hall.
He scanned his subordinate Generals, a meaningful smile suddenly curling at the corner of his mouth.
The tense air instantly loosened like a bowstring, the Generals exchanging glances, a knowing light flashing in their eyes.
“The last matter, I believe you have all heard rumors.”
Li Xiao’s voice was low but carried an unquestionable force as he walked past each General, observing their expressions, and said indifferently: “That’s right, we are going to expand the army!”
As his words landed, a suppressed commotion arose in the hall, excitement flickering in the Generals’ eyes.
Although they had no other intentions, who wouldn’t want more troops under their command?
Li Xiao strode to the wall hung with the Northern Frontier map, his palm heavily pressing the map’s center: “The current Six Garrisons’ troops are like an eagle’s wings not yet fully feathered—how can they bear the grand ambition of opening up territory?”
“The Hexi battle was our Northern Frontier’s first strike against Under Heaven!”
With that, his fingertip slashed across the Western Xia territory like a sharp sword, his voice cold and stern: “The Xia Kingdom is newly defeated yet clings stubbornly; soon we will launch another Eastern Expedition, raze Xingqing Prefecture, and erase the Xia Kingdom completely from the map!”
Li Xiao’s gaze turned to the Northern Grassland, his expression growing fiercer: “And those grassland tribes, plundering and killing at the border every day!”
“I want them to know that wherever the Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry goes, the grassland becomes our Northern Frontier pasture, all war horses for our Northern Frontier’s use—the former Turkic Khaganate’s territory must be restored in our Northern Frontier’s hands!”
At its peak, the Turkic Khaganate stretched from the upstream of the Liao River in the east to the Caspian Sea in the west, south to the Pamir Mountains, north to Lake Baikal, covering 8.35 million square kilometers.
The current Northern Frontier’s territory is far from the Turkic Khaganate’s; even taking the Eastern Grassland tribes would not be enough.
In the western Seven Rivers, vast tracts of Turkic homeland await the Northern Frontier to reclaim.
“We must also launch a Southern Expedition to the Central Plains, reclaim the Han Family’s homeland—how can we, as Han descendants, tolerate the mountains and rivers shattered, Huaxia taken by foreign races?”
“And a Western Expedition to the Royal Court, take that foolish ruler’s head to sacrifice to King Xiao’s spirit in heaven!”
Li Xiao’s low voice echoed in the main hall, the setting sun growing dimmer, yet reflecting the blazing war intent in his eyes even more intensely.
The Generals in the hall were boiling with blood, clenching fists and shouting with hands on chests: “We are willing to follow the Great Protector to shatter mountains and rivers!”
“We are willing to follow the Great Protector to reclaim the Han Family’s Under Heaven!”
The cheers thundered, causing even the personal guards outside the main hall to involuntarily straighten their backs.
Li Xiao looked at his impassioned subordinate Generals, the smile at his mouth turning into determined sharpness, and continued:
“We have the ambition to open up territory, the resolve to restore the Han Family’s Under Heaven, and must have the mighty military prestige to make the four directions’ barbarians kneel in submission!”
“This Protector hereby decrees: expand the army.”
“The First Division adds ten thousand troops, the other five Garrisons add five thousand each.”
When Li Xiao first established the Six Garrisons, he stipulated a troop quota of twenty-five thousand per Garrison.
Five Chiliarchs form one Myriad Household Commander, five Myriad Household Commanders form one Garrison.
But at that time, the Northern Frontier population was small, so each Garrison’s scale had to be reduced.
Now, with the addition of one hundred thousand Xia Kingdom surrendered soldiers and hundreds of thousands of common people, the Six Garrisons’ organization could finally look proper.
Before, a Myriad Household Commander had only three thousand under him, which indeed didn’t live up to the name.
Other places like the Jin Dynasty’s Ten-Thousand Household Offices had four to seven Chiliarchs depending on the situation.
So this army expansion was mainly to restore each Myriad Household Commander’s organization.
Because essentially, the Myriad Household Commander was the Northern Frontier Army’s basic combat unit; a Garrison was just a collection of Myriad Household Commanders.
Every Garrison’s Myriad Household Commanders were Li Xiao’s confidants, directly under his command.
But because there were too many Myriad Household Commanders, for operational convenience, Li Xiao promoted some to Commanders to temporarily oversee others.
Like the Fourth Garrison: Luo Meng was Li Xiao’s brother-in-law, imperial relative; Tie Tou came from the Wuwei Army, Li Xiao’s playmate; Mo Jun was the leader of Jin Prefecture’s nomadic tribe, obedient to Li Xiao.
The three were not from the same faction, supervising and checking each other, only obeying Luo Meng the Deputy Commander during war.
If one had disloyal thoughts, the other two wouldn’t follow, greatly reducing the risk of secession or rebellion.
Therefore, Li Xiao increasing the troops under each Myriad Household Commander was not allowing the Six Garrisons’ Commanders’ strength to inflate, but rather a form of restriction.
After expansion, each Myriad Household Commander would have five thousand troops.
Including a three-hundred-man Heavy Cavalry unit, each Heavy Cavalryman equipped with two Auxiliary Soldiers, who were actually Light Cavalry.
Each Heavy Cavalry Centurion consisted of sixty Heavy Cavalry and one hundred twenty Light Cavalry.
Adding up exactly to one Chiliarch.
After the Hexi battle, the Northern Frontier Army captured large numbers of Western Xia Army, seizing quite a bit of heavy armor, though of varying quality.
But enough to nearly double the Northern Frontier’s Heavy Cavalry.
Then a three-hundred-man Divine Arm Crossbow unit, many captured from the Western Xia Army.
Finally, a Divine Machine Camp of twenty Tiger Zun Cannons.
The Divine Machine Camp and Divine Arm Crossbow units were both Deputy Chiliarchs, directly under the Myriad Household Commander.
Thus, each Myriad Household Commander oversaw five Chiliarchs and two direct Deputy Chiliarchs, totaling just over five thousand.
Three Myriad Household Commanders formed one Garrison, directly under a Divine Machine Camp Chiliarch of twenty Divine Might Cannons.
However, the only special one was the First Division directly commanded by Li Xiao.
This time it would double in strength to four Myriad Household Commanders, total troops reaching twenty thousand.
Actually the same as the combined strength of the First Division and Fourth Garrison back then.
And such a large-scale expansion would bring promotions and transfers for each unit’s Generals, which was what excited them most.
“Li Dongshui, where are you?”
As Li Xiao’s call rang out, a General stepped forward in the hall.
In his thirties, tall and burly, with a resolute face—he was Li Xiao’s cousin, Li Donghe’s blood brother.
Li Dongshui, ranked Fourth Master, originally named Li Sishui.
“I appoint you as 19th Myriad Household Commander, under the First Division’s command.”
“This lowly general obeys.” Li Dongshui took the decree, placed hand on chest and said in a deep voice.
Although he had been notified by Li Xiao beforehand, with the order now official, he still couldn’t help feeling excited.
His blood brother was the Sixth Garrison Commander, his cousin Er Hu was also a Commander, even Da Hu was a Deputy Commander.
He had been stuck as Deputy Myriad Household Commander before, which was quite awkward.
So in this Hexi battle, Li Dongshui fought fiercely, earning considerable merit, and finally got promoted to full position.
Extremely happy.
But in the short term, his promotion path would end here.
Unless one day Li Donghe stepped down, otherwise being this Myriad Household Commander was the limit.
Although the Northern Frontier was ruled by the Li Family, only one person per branch could rise.
The second branch died young, leaving no heirs.
The third branch was Li Donghe, fourth was Li Dongshan.
The main branch split into two houses: with Second Uncle in power, Da Hu struggled to get full promotion.
Er Hu was grown and actually considered separate from Li Xiao, his own branch.
San Bao could also rise, but he was young with insufficient merit, so he could only bide his time first.
But with this Hexi battle’s merit, at least he could become a Deputy Myriad Household Commander.
……
The Myriad Household Commander positions only added Li Dongshui, but Chiliarchs increased quite a few.
Each Myriad Household Commander would add at least two Chiliarch positions.
Across the entire Six Garrisons, that’s over forty Chiliarchs; plus more Deputy Chiliarchs, Centurions, etc.
So this expansion naturally became a celebration for the Northern Frontier Garrisons’ Generals.
But all earned through battlefield slaughter and military merit.
And for those Generals who felt limited promotion in the army, or were older with bodies unfit for continued fighting, there was another path.
Transfer to civilian office.
For example, a Deputy Centurion, with battlefield merit, could at least get promoted one rank, but military competition was fierce—rank up but not necessarily a position.
So they could transfer, rise two levels to become a Chiliarch managing one thousand military households.
And as Northern Frontier common people increase, they might even promote to Deputy Myriad Household Commander or Myriad Household Commander.
So for Northern Frontier Army Generals, this was also a bright path.
However, specific promotions and transfers were a long process; some Generals still needed to attend Hexi Military School.
So Li Xiao only publicly announced Li Dongshui’s Myriad Household Commander appointment; the other Chiliarchs and Centurions would be evaluated gradually back in Jin Prefecture.
“Jiu Meng’an Sima.” Li Xiao called.
“This lowly general is here.”
Jiu Meng’an He stepped forward.
He was nominally the Northern Frontier Army’s second-in-command, also serving as Military Affairs Adviser, high in position and power but not actually controlling military power.
“This army expansion and conscription will be fully handled by the Military Affairs Department.”
“Prioritize selecting from Xia Kingdom war prisoners, especially the Kuli Army infantry who fought with our army in the Military Horse Farm battle—they are good soldiers.”
“You must carefully consider.” Li Xiao instructed.
While expanding the army, he was also gradually reducing the Six Garrisons Generals’ power.
Previously, the Six Garrisons could expand on their own as needed for war, but henceforth, conscription rights would return to the Great Protector’s Mansion.
Only in emergencies could Garrison Generals form Kuli Army followers for combat.
But after war, they must hand them over to the Great Protector’s Mansion for organization and training.
“This lowly general obeys.”
Jiu Meng’an He nodded with hand on chest, then asked: “However, can these newly conscripted soldiers become military households?”
Li Xiao’s eyelids lifted slightly, shaking his head: “Without military merit, how can they become military households?”
“Soldiers with sufficient merit from the Hexi battle will convert to military households.”
“Other newly recruited soldiers will be civilian households.”
Military households were cadre status: could divide land, get promoted, transfer to office; strict standards.
Not every Northern Frontier soldier could become a military household.
Join the Northern Frontier Army as ordinary soldier, earn merit first, then become official.
……
Military and political affairs were myriad and complex, many requiring Li Xiao’s personal arrangement.
So this day dragged on very late.
Da Ya and Su Renli the couple, with their child, waited a long time in the back courtyard.
Just as dusk was falling, two young beautiful women entered the room, both with some Uyghur features in their brows and eyes.
One of them said softly: “Noble ladies, the Great Protector and the Lords are discussing important matters and will need some time to come.”
“The Great Protector sent word for the noble ladies to go ahead and dine first.”
Today was a family banquet, only Da Ya’s family and Wei Xuan attending, so no need for excessive formalities.
Besides, with children here, Li Xiao sent word for them to eat first.
But the Su family were guests—how could they eat before the host arrived?
Not even for a blood brother-in-law!
In fact, Su Renli and Da Ya were still quite afraid of Li Xiao; after all, he was the legendary Great Protector of the Northern Frontier!
A demon butcher who killed without blinking.
Naturally, the couple didn’t dare act on their sister/brother-in-law status.
Moreover, Wei Xuan had specifically reminded them that though Er Ya was the Great Protector’s Noble Concubine, under that halo of glory, she wasn’t that free.
After all, there was a main wife above her.
And that one was from a prestigious family, noble status, with great influence in the Northern Frontier Army.
So Wei Xuan urged them to be low-key and cautious, never causing trouble for Er Ya.
And not to flaunt imperial relative status and stir trouble.
So at this moment, though Da Ya’s couple had waited long, they stayed obediently; instead, the children couldn’t sit still.
“No need, no need.”
“We’re not hungry; we’ll eat together after the Great Protector finishes.” Da Ya and the other shook their heads and declined.
The women persuaded twice without success, then smiled faintly and turned to leave.
But not long after, they returned with a Northern Frontier personal guard, carrying a food basket. Opening it revealed three bowls of steamed egg.
“Though the noble ladies aren’t hungry, the three children can’t wait.”
“Let them have a bowl of steamed egg to tide them over.”
“The Great Protector will be a while longer.”
The slightly younger woman reached out her fair hand to place the three bowls of steamed egg on the table.
Crystal clear and fragrant, filling the room—all made by the chefs Li Xiao brought from the Northern Frontier, instantly attracting Su Wuji and the eldest daughter’s attention.
As for the youngest Su Wuyang, still nursing in Da Ya’s arms.
Said to be for the three children, but one bowl was also for Da Ya.
After the two women left the room, Da Ya took a spoon to feed her youngest son steamed egg, sighing: “The women around the Great Protector are quite nice.”
“But they probably aren’t ordinary maidservants…”
The two women earlier wore luxurious clothes, poised and elegant—not ordinary people.
And appearing in the Great Protector’s Mansion back courtyard, their status was self-evident.
Li Xiao’s women!
Possibly even concubines.
Thinking of this, Da Ya felt pity for her sister again.
In a slightly sour tone: “The Great Protector has so many women.”
“Even in war, he doesn’t forget to bring them.”
Though in this era, men with three wives four concubines was taken for granted, especially capable men like Li Xiao— a hundred wouldn’t be too many.
But which family wouldn’t worry if their sister became a concubine, whether she’d be bullied in the back courtyard!
Of course, those who sold sisters for wealth and glory naturally didn’t care.
And there were plenty of such people.
But Da Ya clearly wasn’t one.
Not daring to vent resentment at Li Xiao, she turned to her man: with a light hum toward Su Renli:
“Hmph, if you dare bring other women home, I’ll…”
But before finishing, she saw this guy staring dazedly at the backs of the two women as they left.
Da Ya’s face changed, lowering her voice: “Su Renli, have you gone mad?”
“You dare covet the Great Protector’s women?”
Su Renli had been quite the playboy in youth, but after some events, he reined in his nature; home had only Da Ya as main wife, no other women.
But unexpectedly, this guy was incorrigible, daring to sneak peeks at the Great Protector’s women in his headquarters.
Simply courting death!
Seeing Da Ya’s flushed face and tightening fist, Su Renli panicked instantly, hurriedly saying: “What nonsense are you talking?”
Then lowering his voice to explain: “Even with ten times my courage, I wouldn’t dare have designs on the Great Protector’s women.”
“I just think the slightly older woman earlier looked familiar.”
“Familiar?”
Da Ya frowned and glared at him, somewhat disbelieving.
Su Renli racked his brains, face tangled in thought: “I’m sure I’ve seen her.”
“Where though?”
After thinking long, as he glanced out the window, inspiration suddenly struck.
This was once the Liangzhou Prefect’s Mansion, instantly linking him to that woman’s identity.
“I got it, she’s the Prefect’s Wife~”
Su Renli’s eyes widened, shocked as he whispered wildly.
He was a Western Xia Juren Scholar, and had mingled with Puchá Ayida for a time, so had seen Puchá Yu from afar.
That is, Liangzhou Prefect Su Binara’s wife, the Puchá family’s eldest daughter.
But he never imagined seeing her again in the Great Protector’s Mansion back courtyard.
“Yes, yes.”
“Liangzhou City was breached by the Great Protector; everything in Liangzhou City naturally belongs to the Great Protector. The mere Liangzhou Prefect is now just his prisoner.”
“How could he protect such a flower-like beauty?”
Su Renli said excitedly, as if thrilled at the retribution for the once high-and-mighty Prefect.
Then sighing softly: “The Great Protector is truly the model for us men.”
He almost wished he could mount a war horse and do such earth-shaking deeds.
Da Ya, upon hearing Puchá Yu’s identity, was also shocked: “The Prefect’s Wife?”
“Serving us like a maidservant? Truly~”
But then shook her head, worrying for her sister.
The Great Protector collected a few women per battle.
More and more women in the back courtyard—when would it end!
So many women together would surely fight; would it affect Er Ya’s status and the Great Protector’s favor for her?
Indeed, men are only honest when hung on the wall.
