Chapter 220: The Lord Doesn't Suspect Me, Medal System

When all the princes, ministers, princes and princesses had arrived, Li Longji took Yang Yuhuan out of the Chenxiang Pavilion and arrived at the Dragon Pond.

The banquet was held in the northeast of Longchi, not far from the Chenxiang Pavilion.

"Meet the saint!"

Since it was not a court, people bowed to Li Longji and called him "saint".

"Be flat!"

Li Longji raised his hand to signal everyone to excuse themselves.

The rebellions of the Xi and Khitan did not dampen his mood much.

In Li Longji's view, the combined national strength of all the tribes in the northeast was less than half of that of Tubo.

They only relied on the vast plains and bitter cold land, and it was not easy for the Tang army to completely conquer them.

Li Longji believed that An Lushan would bring news of victory soon.

Yang Yuhuan first sat on the couch prepared in advance and looked at the crowd.

Li Longji came among the ministers and greeted them at close range.

He mainly met with retired old ministers and some talented ministers and greeted them to show his approachability.

"Mo Jie, please write another couplet for me someday..."

Li Longji paid special attention to Wang Wei, the leader of the literary world, and would write a few words for Wang Wei whenever he walked in front of him.

"When the Holy Lord gives his instructions, I will start writing immediately!"

Wang Wei responded with a bow.

Li Longji patted Wang Wei's hand and came to Li Shizhi again: "Song Guogong is so energetic, he can be the prime minister again!"

"I am only in good health. When I serve the country, I am bound to have shortcomings."

Li Shizhi immediately declined.

"pity!"

"Both father and son are pillars of the country. Qilang can be considered to have inherited the title of Duke of Song."

Li Longji said with a smile.

"Alas! The Saint is still too indulgent to Qi Lang. How could he hand over the troops of Shuofang and Hedong to Qi Lang? As a result, there are rumors everywhere in Chang'an. Qi Lang is also the same. He actually said to the old minister, 'The Lord does not doubt me.' How can he lead the two towns of Heshuo with such arrogance!"

Li Shizhi said to Li Longji with great fear and trepidation.

"Haha, I do trust Qilang. Duke Song is overly suspicious. Qilang must be able to lead Heshuo. Besides, during the war with Tubo, Qilang became the border commander of Heshuo, which made it easier for him to command the cavalry of Heshuo."

Li Longji laughed.

When he heard the four words "My Lord does not doubt me", he did not feel the slightest bit of arrogance, but rather a sense of utter loyalty.

People with ulterior motives cannot utter these four words.

Li Longji felt more at ease letting Li Xuan lead the troops and leaving the northwest to Li Xuan.

"In this case, after we pacify Tubo, we must take back Qilang's military power in Heshuo!"

Li Shizhi asked Li Longji.

"Duke Song, please enjoy your life at home. I know my limits."

Li Longji comforted Li Shizhi.

The pine and cypress are known only in winter, and the ministers of the royal family are the most reliable.

Li Shizhi and Li Longji continued to talk about some family matters and stopped disturbing Li Longji.

Li Shizhi said what Li Xuan said just now. Li Shizhi obeyed Li Xuan's words and said these words according to the plan when he met Li Longji.

A quarter of an hour later, after greeting the old ministers, Li Longji returned to the first seat and sat with Yang Yuhuan.

The princes and ministers also took their seats, enjoying the singing and dancing performances and drinking fine wine.

As a farewell banquet for Li Xuan as he joined the army, frontier songs were naturally indispensable.

Li Guinian, the best musician in the palace, presented Wang Changling’s famous song at the beginning: Clouds from Qinghai darken the snow-capped mountains, From the lonely city I look towards Yumen Pass in the distance, The yellow sands have worn through my golden armor through a hundred battles, I will not return until I have conquered Loulan.

The tone is passionate and sad, and it sighs three times in one song.

After a few songs, Li Longji invited Li Xuan to sit next to him.

Since it was a banquet to send off Li Xuan, Li Longji wanted to have a good talk with Li Xuan.

"Qi Lang, what are your specific preparations for this battle?"

Li Longji wanted to know Li Xuan's strategy.

"Your Majesty, I am still unclear about the deployment of the Tibetan army. Now that the Tibetan Zamp has come to Qinghai, referring to the 29th year of Kaiyuan, their forces are definitely not gathered together. So I can only deploy them when they reach Helong."

Li Xuan explained to Li Longji that he could not tell.

This is different from the last time, when Li Xuan and others had guessed through Tubo's layout in Qinghai, Jiuqu and Chiling, so they formulated a combination of real and fake strategies to trick Tubo.

Now that Tubo has gathered a large number of troops, it is definitely seeking a major battle with the Tang army. Li Xuan must first understand Tubo's deployment and then consider what method to use to fight the enemy.

"Qi Lang's words make sense. I believe in Qi Lang's ability to adapt to changing circumstances."

Li Longji no longer asked about the battle plan.

Li Xuan was able to win every battle, which made Li Longji very confident in Li Xuan.

"What I said before is still valid. As long as you take down the ruler and pearl, Qilang will be crowned king regardless of whether he is dead or alive."

Li Longji reminded Li Xuan of this matter again, which shows his hatred for his brother-in-law Chidai Zhudan.

"I will do my best. As long as there is a chance, I will kill Chidaizhudan!"

Li Xuan bowed to Li Longji.

He knew that Li Longji was not talking nonsense. In the late Tianbao period of history, Li Longji successively conferred the title of king on Geshu Han and An Lushan.

Li Xuan was a member of the imperial clan, a descendant of Li Shimin. Like Li Yi, the Prince of Xin'an, no ministers would object to him becoming a prince.

"The Tubo has been successful, can we go to the Snowy Plateau?"

Li Longji was still obsessed with the territory of Tubo.

"This time we will conquer Suobi and select soldiers who are not afraid of the cold miasma. We will train them in Suobi for a few years and we will have a chance to capture Luoshui City!"

Li Xuan replied to Li Longji.

The eleven Dongdai of Suobei were the rear base for Tubo's invasion of Helong.

If the Tang army occupied the eleven Dongdai of Subi, it would be equivalent to locking the door to Tubo.

It is very likely that Tibet will be conquered in the future.

No matter what, Li Xuan had to paint a big picture for Li Longji first.

Let Li Longji feel that he has the ability to create the world for him.

"With Qilang here, the Ministry of Revenue will sooner or later incorporate the Snowy Plateau into its territory."

Li Longji raised his glass and drank with Li Xuan.

Yang Yuhuan, who was standing next to them, listened silently to the conversation between Li Xuan and Li Longji, then took a sip from the cup.

"It is said that the Tibetan soldiers are ready to die. Wang Jun, Gai Jiayun, Wang Jue, Xiao Jiong, Huangfu Shangshu and others have all been defeated by the Tibetans. But the Tibetans are vulnerable to General Li's attack. General Li's soldiers are ten times stronger than one. If Chidai Zhudan wants to win, I'm afraid he will need an army of two million!"

Li Longji smiled humorously, implying that Tubo could not defeat Li Xuan.

Praise Li Xuan highly!
"I have used my own strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses, or to catch the enemy off guard and win by surprise, so I have achieved today's achievements. Although the Tibetan barbarians are not as powerful as the Tang Dynasty civilization, they still have their merits."

Li Xuan was not blinded.

Before the expedition, Li Xuan was praised too highly and almost deified by Li Longji, and he must win.

Otherwise, Li Longji would lose face and his future would definitely be difficult.

"The Yulin Longwu Imperial Guards of the Tang Dynasty, Tubo imitated them; the Jiedushi and the military envoys of the Tang Dynasty, Tubo imitated them; the Tang Dynasty used military fortresses to protect the border, Tubo imitated them; the Tang Dynasty used powerful crossbows and bows, Tubo imitated them...but they could not learn the propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame of the Tang Dynasty. What are their strengths? Qilang, tell me about it?"

Li Longji really didn't think that the Tibetan soldiers had any strengths.

"Replying to the Saint, the Tibetan system of official certificates has its merits. Tibetans have six official certificates: iron official certificate, copper official certificate, silver official certificate, prajna official certificate, gold official certificate, and jade official certificate. Even the worst iron official certificate can only be obtained by brave warriors. Tibetan slaves and soldiers often charge fearlessly for an iron official certificate, and will not retreat even if a team is wiped out. Therefore, in some battles, Tibetan soldiers and slaves have demonstrated strong combat effectiveness..."

Li Xuan explained to Li Longji the characteristics of the Tibetan official system.

"The Tang Dynasty will also award medals to ordinary soldiers for their military achievements."

Li Longji believed that the honor was no worse than the Tubo official certificate.

"Please forgive me for speaking frankly. If I could have a piece of gold hanging on my chest to represent my military achievements, even brass or silver would be far more attractive than a medal."

Li Xuan replied to Li Longji.

The system of honorary officials in the Tang Dynasty was imperfect.

Although the medals were awarded at twelve levels, many officers were awarded medals without any military merit.

For example, Li Xuan's father, Li Shizhi, was granted the title of Shang Zhuguo.

Although Li Shizhi had served as a military governor, his military achievements were not enough to make him a pillar of the state.

As a person of later generations, Li Xuan knew that badges could serve as a glory for soldiers and boost morale.

"I think I understand."

Li Longji nodded slightly.

For a soldier, hanging a piece of gold or silver on his chest is a matter of honor for his family.

"After this battle, Qilang recorded the merits of the soldiers and awarded them jade, gold, silver and bronze certificates."

Li Longji suddenly had the idea and wanted to do the same.

"Our Tang Dynasty should not be called Gaoshen, we need to change the name." Li Xuan suggested to Li Longji.

"That's right! How can the Tang Dynasty use the Tibetan certificate?"

Li Longji suddenly realized and asked Li Xuan: "What do you think Qilang should call it and how should it be implemented?"

"In the Tang Dynasty, the twelve ranks of honors must be awarded with the word 'honor'. If we want to award a physical object, it must be as meaningful as a seal, so it should be 'zhang'. When combined together, it is called a medal."

"It's different from awarding honors. In our Tang Dynasty, we can divide honors into: Leaping Medal, which is cast in copper, and the craftsman carves a peony as the seal; Warrior Medal, which is cast in silver, and the craftsman carves an eagle as the seal; Hero Medal, which is cast in gold, and the craftsman carves a tiger as the seal; and Jade Unicorn Medal, which is cast in beautiful jade, and the craftsman carves a unicorn. Among them, the Hero Medal and Jade Unicorn Medal must be awarded by the saint in person in the presence of all officials, so that the generals can feel the saint's grace. The Warrior Medal is awarded by the Jiedushi to his subordinates. The Leaping Merit is applied for by the commander of an army to the Jiedushi, and then awarded to his subordinates."

"The medal system must strictly follow the military merit system. Without military merit, no one can be awarded, even if they are princes or dignitaries." After Li Xuan explained the complete medal system, he said solemnly.

Once medals are awarded indiscriminately, they will be meaningless.

"What are the criteria for awarding medals?"

Li Longji couldn't wait to meet Li Xuan again.

He imagined awarding medals to generals in the Xingqing Hall and these generals' loyalty to him.

It not only rewards soldiers, but also wins the hearts of the troops.

"The merit of jumping and swaying is the merit of jumping and swaying in the army. The first one to climb the mountain, kill the general and capture the flag can be called a warrior. The one who accumulates the merit of warriors is called a hero. The warrior who dies in battle is called a hero, and his medal and corresponding reward will be given to his family. The Jade Lin Medal is awarded to the commander who defeats the enemy with a smaller force and turns the tide of the battle."

Li Xuan replied to Li Longji.

When facing the enemy in battle, before arrows and stones were fired, the vanguard advanced forward, broke through the stronghold and penetrated the numerous troops, causing the defeated enemy troops to flee.

It can be seen that it is not easy to achieve the feat of jumping and swinging.

Not to mention the credit of the brave warriors who climbed the city first. To be the first to climb the city requires both courage and luck.

Many soldiers died on the city walls before they could gain a foothold.

"After a major war, I'm afraid few people will receive the Medal of Valor, let alone a hero?"

Li Longji thought it was too harsh, and he also wanted to award the generals the Medal of Hero and the Medal of Jade Lin.

"Medals should not be awarded lightly. If there are too many medals, it will be difficult to motivate the soldiers."

Li Xuan understood Li Longji's thoughts.

He knew that Li Longji would most likely destroy the medal system in the end.

What he said only made Li Longji trust him more.

After all, medals can win the hearts of generals.

Li Xuan felt that the military rank system was of little use in this era.

The medal system not only includes bronze, iron and jade hanging on the chest, but also rewards of land.

Further promoting the sense of honor of medals in the military will surely arouse the enthusiasm of the soldiers.

"Just do as Shichiro says. I'll arrange it!"

Li Longji nodded.

After Li Xuan’s battle with Tubo is over and the first batch of medals are awarded, let’s see the reaction of the army.

Li Xuan and Li Longji sat at the first seat, drinking and chatting, until it was dark.

Li Longji only allowed Li Xuan to accompany him, while the other princes, ministers, princesses and princes played by themselves.

There were also people who didn't fit in and were looking forward to the party ending as soon as possible.

Lamps were lit beside and on the Dragon Pond, making the entire banquet as bright as day.

The wine and food are constantly changing.

The dancers changed one after another, as well as the singing girls and musicians, and it seemed like there was no end.

The princes and ministers drank until their faces were red, watched the beautiful palace maids, and chatted with acquaintances over a toast.

Not many people can control their indulgence like Li Shizhi and Wang Wei.

Now Li Shizhi’s old friends joke that Li Shizhi is no longer one of the Eight Immortals of Drinking.

Only Li Shizhi understood that he could not get drunk.

Compared to Crown Prince Li Heng who was drinking alone, the prince seemed relaxed and comfortable.

The princesses and princesses gathered together, laughing and playing games.

Only Li Longji's twenty-ninth daughter, the insect lady, was sitting alone. She didn't drink and no princess paid any attention to her.

The insect girl is only in her teens and she is still young and ignorant.

If it weren't for the banquet, Chong Niang would never have seen her father.

She knew that the person sitting with her father was General Li, and that her brothers and sisters were not as favored as Li Xuan.

Chong Niang didn't know that although she was the emperor's daughter, she didn't have the status of a princess. Because her mother was a Huxuan woman who was sent as tribute by the Cao State, and she was born in September, Li Longji would not make her a princess.

Prince Shou Li Ying and Prince Xue Li Yan sat together, and he never looked up at his father from beginning to end.

Originally Li Heng didn't want to come, but he couldn't keep taking sick leave, so Princess Wei of Shou persuaded him to attend the banquet.

"The dancers in the palace are ten times better than those in my palace in terms of both beauty and skills!"

While enjoying the singing and dancing performance, Prince Xue toasted Li Heng to relieve Li Heng's depression.

Perhaps Prince Xue will return home drunk tonight, and Prince Shou will not be able to sleep.

Time passed and it was already dark for a long time, but everyone forgot the time and had a great time.

At the banquet organized by Li Longji, no one dared to leave early without reason.

"Your Majesty, after this piece is finished, I will play you a piece of pipa music that I composed myself to show my determination to win."

After drinking more than a dozen glasses of wine, Li Xuan and Li Longji felt a little exhausted and prepared to relax.

The piece he wanted to play was "Ten Sides of Ambush". During the few months he was in charge of Jiuqu, he had practiced it frequently and had already mastered it.

"Qi Lang's original pipa music, I'm all ears."

Li Longji instructed Gao Lishi that after this song, no more dancers should come up.

The palace maid handed the pipa to Li Xuan.

After tuning the pipa, Li Xuan is ready to go on stage at any time.

After a while, the dancer in the center of the banquet stepped down, and Li Xuan came on stage with a pipa, shocking all the spectators.

Before the performance, many people were playing games and didn't pay attention, but when Li Xuan performed, they all wanted to watch it.

At this time, all the princes and ministers remembered that Li Xuan was not only a frontier general, but also a great poet and a talented man who was proficient in music.

"Dengdengdeng..."

Everyone thought they were just going to listen quietly.

But at the beginning, the solemn and murderous aura of Li Xuan playing the pipa almost shook the wine glass of the person who raised his glass.

The earth-shaking sound of the pipa instantly silenced the entire banquet, and everyone looked at Li Xuan in disbelief.

As Li Xuan plays the instrument, the majestic melody of war and iron cavalry is even more shocking.

Even a music master like Li Longji was completely attracted. He slowly put down his wine glass and listened very seriously.

After the prelude, Li Xuan began to pluck the strings faster, with the sounds of gold, drums, and swords colliding...

Soon there was silence again, and then there was sobbing again...

This kind of ups and downs made everyone's heart tremble.

Yang Yuhuan was so absorbed in watching, and when she came to her senses, she saw Li Xuan playing the pipa with such concentration, his shadow dancing under the candlelight.

She liked the sight of Li Xuan being the center of attention so that she could watch without restraint.

It seemed that she was also attracted by Li Xuan's pipa.

Even so, the tune is indeed superb!

As Li Xuan ended the song, it came to an end.

"Clap clap clap..."

Li Longji turned around and took the lead in clapping, followed by the princes and ministers.

Damn it, I was tricked by the little thief again.

While Li Linfu was applauding, he was wondering how Li Xuan could know so much and be so good at it.

Chong Niang was also surprised, because her mother also played the pipa, but she had never played it like this.

Seeing her father applauding, she also wanted to learn the song, naively thinking that as long as her mother played the song, her father would come to see them.

"Qilang, what song is this? Do you have the music score?" Li Longji asked Li Xuan hurriedly.

This is even more majestic and magnificent than the "Ganzhou Daqu" presented by Gai Jiayun before.

"This is "Ten Sides of Ambush", which tells the story of Han Xin defeating the Overlord of Western Chu at Gaixia, the Overlord of Western Chu bidding farewell to Yu Ji, and then committing suicide at Wujiang River. Please take a look, sage."

Li Xuan took out the music score he had prepared in advance and handed it to Li Longji.

After Li Longji opened the music score, he looked at it carefully, praised it highly, and wanted to play it immediately.

Li Xuan also took this opportunity to withdraw from Li Longji's seat so that Li Longji would not neglect other important ministers.

After talking with Wang Wei and Wu Daozi, he drank and chatted with the ministers, who all praised Li Xuan's superb pipa playing.

In fact, it’s not that Li Xuan is an expert at playing the pipa, but that the melody is unparalleled.

This is the most famous pipa piece over the centuries, bar none.

This banquet will not end until midnight!
Before leaving, Li Longji toasted Li Xuan again, because Li Xuan would be on his way before dawn the next day.

After Li Xuan bowed to Li Longji, he left the palace and went home with his father and brother.

The next day, Li Xuan got up before dawn.

Without notifying Li Yuying, after washing up, Li Xuan prepared to leave for the post station.

As soon as Li Shizhi and Li Qian sent him out of the house, Li Xuan refused to let them send him back, saying that he wanted to get on his way as soon as possible.

Father and brother can only give up and hope that Qilang will return next year!
Although it was still dark, people were already cleaning the streets.

Normally, there should still be people attending the morning court.

But today the morning court was cancelled due to a banquet.

"What is the night like? The night is still young, the fire in the courtyard is bright. The gentleman has arrived, and the phoenix's voice is coming..."

Li Xuan looked in the direction of Xingqing Palace and uttered this meaningful poem. Then he led his personal guards and Pei Ying through the streets and passed through the Jinguang Gate of Chang'an, which was already wide open before dawn...

(End of this chapter)