Chapter 62 Military System Reform In Progress

(Thanks to Xiyan 856, for my heroic book friend in the Han and Tang dynasties!)

At the end of May of the ninth year of Zhenguan, about three months after Wang Yi got married again, his newly married wife Murong Xue gave birth to a daughter.

Because the time between the wedding date was too short, and the birth of a daughter and Murong Xue did not make any statement in Wang Yi's mansion. Except for the people in the mansion and some of the closest relatives, some of the people in Murong Shun who knew about this, most of the others were not aware of this matter.

Wang Yi was a little lucky when Murong Xue gave birth to a daughter. If he had a son, it would be really hard to cover up this matter. In this era when the son was much more noble than his daughter, it would be unreasonable for people with the eldest son to be born. But if they wanted to celebrate their birthday, they would not be able to inspire him to have an affair with Murong Xue in Qinghai, and the princess of Tuyuhun was pregnant. This matter would definitely become a topic of discussion among the people on the streets and alleys, causing a sensation.

No matter which era, such things are the most talked about, and most people have a gossipy mind. No matter what era, such romantic affairs will spread the fastest among the gossipy people.

Wang Yi's wife gave birth to a daughter, so the people close to him naturally had to come and celebrate. Those who came to congratulate him were also very low-key. They sent gifts, looked at the newborn child, and then congratulated Wang Yi a few words, leaving Wang Yi with a few meaningful looks, and then left.

Friends and relatives were tactful, and Wang Yi also breathed a sigh of relief. Taking advantage of the few days of "maternity leave" given to him by Li Shimin, he would accompany his wife and children in the mansion.

The arrival of every little life is very gratifying, especially for parents. Wang Yi is no exception. Although he already has two daughters in front of him, he also likes this newborn little thing who must be a beauty, and often holds it to amuse you. Compared with the other two daughters, this girl weighs nine pounds when she was born. At a rough look, her eyebrows and eyes look more like Wang Yi.

Looking at the other two little girls chattering to see their sister, Wang Yi sighed. He wondered if these little things would break the threshold when they came to the door to talk about the matchmakers. He didn't know which powerful and noble sons he was seeking benefits for and raising an outstanding wife for them.

It’s just that such feelings are hard to say. If you say something, you will be drowned by your wives and concubines and despise them to death.

Murong Xue was very upset about having a daughter and not being able to give birth to a son for Wang Yi before the other sisters. Even if Wang Yi liked this daughter very much, he complained when Wang Yi accompanied him. Wang Yi could only excuse him on the grounds that he liked his daughter more, so that Murong Xue would continue to work hard, raise her body, and strive to make a son come out next year.

While comforting Murong Xue, Wang Yi was also very surprised. Why did his wives and concubines give birth to daughters? Is this because the environment he lives in is sour? He hoped that Princess Changle would have a son in her belly. Princess Changle gave birth to the eldest son, so it would be easier to explain to everyone, including Li Shimin and Queen Changsun.

Before Murong Xue gave birth, Wang Yi was busy with work in the Ministry of War. When Murong Xue was about to give birth, he took the time to come back home and personally prepared for prenatal and during delivery. After a few days of special "maternity leave", Wang Yi went back to work on the work.

In addition to the ten-day holiday, every day, she only has time to spend at night with her wives and concubines. This makes her belly a little big, as well as Murong Xue, who has just given birth, Changsun Ling and Su Yan, who are anxious about not being pregnant, were very dissatisfied. Princess Changle also secretly entered the palace and complained to her father's mother. However, Li Shimin, who had high hopes for what Wang Yi did, did not comfort Princess Changle after trying to comfort Princess Changle for a few words, did not give Wang Yi more fake as Princess Changle, but only allowed Wang Yi to take some things back to the house for treatment.

Princess Changle was slightly satisfied with her father's franchise. In addition, she was in good health after pregnancy, did not suffer any illness, was in a good mood, and Wang Yi personally treated her. Princess Changle spent this hot summer safely.

Wang Yi had to be busy at both ends and wanted to get things done. Fortunately, he served his wives and concubines at home, which was really a little tired.

The Tang ruling class led by Li Shimin was quite efficient. After a court meeting at the end of March and the subsequent meeting of the Political Affairs Hall passed the military system, the military system reform was gradually kicked off with Hou Junji, the Minister of War, Wang Yi, the Minister of the Procuratorate of the Ministry of War, and other officials of the Ministry of War and many military generals in the court.

Among the most important points of military system reform, one thing that must be implemented at the beginning is that it is the change in the recruitment system.

The Tang Dynasty currently implemented the system of military troops, which is the system of reservist militia in later generations, both farming and military service, farming in leisure, and going out to war. The system of military troops can be said to be a product of a specific era. When it appeared, it was very suitable for the level of productivity in this era, but such a system must have its inherent flaws. While reducing the burden on the country, the recruitment system of military troops was also destined to be impossible to reach a very high level. In the several external conquests by the Tang army, these shortcomings were also revealed. To change this, it is necessary to adopt the recruitment system, recruit young people of appropriate age to join the army, conduct formal training, and strictly train chief officials at all levels, so that the overall quality of the military members will be greatly improved and practical training will be carried out, so that the overall combat power of the army will reach a higher level.

Wang Yi traveled through the later eras in which he lived before. The strong army of troops adopted the recruitment system, and there were many ways to recruit troops. In addition to the soldiers obtained from recruitment, there were also reserve troops that could be mobilized in a very short time. Similar to the current main tune, the system of permanent troops and reserve troops was organically combined with regular training and practical opportunities, so that the combat effectiveness of the army can be guaranteed.

However, at the beginning of the reform of the military system, it is impossible to convert the entire Tang Dynasty armed forces formed under the government system into recruiting the military system at once. In this way, the change from the government system to recruiting the military system will be a continuous and gradual process.

Li Shimin adopted Wang Yi's proposal. After this autumn harvest, the court will conduct the first recruitment of troops. First recruit a certain number of soldiers, conduct systematic training, and then determine the size of the recruitment scale, how to recruit soldiers, and make corresponding changes to the pros and cons, and complete the reform within a few years, and finally form a system.

After the change of the recruitment system, a series of other changes that followed, including personnel appointments and removals, promotions, logistics supply systems, garrison defenses, and rotation systems, must be re-formulated or changed.

When Wang Yi studied history in his later generations, he also studied a lot of ancient military aspects, including the Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, and the later Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, Republic of China, and the modern army composition, which he lived in, had obtained results, and published papers. However, the foundation of the army in this era, the composition and appointment of generals, and the logistics supply of logistics are different from historical records. We need to pay more attention to all aspects, and it is impossible to copy all the research results of his later generations.

Most of the military reform leadership group headed by Hou Junji are generals who have been through the battlefield. Wang Yi, a person familiar with the modern military system of various dynasties and later generations in history, could basically find effective solutions in the system plan and the series of problems that arise when it was implemented. Hou Junji, the Minister of War, was also very efficient in doing things, and his way of doing things was also decisive. If it weren't for knowing that this famous general was killed for rebellion in history, Wang Yi would have become a close friend with him.

The recruiting system can be said to be the main guide for the reform of the military system. Other changes are changed according to changes after the implementation of the recruiting system.

Li Shimin also paid attention to the military system reform throughout the whole process, and convened officials in charge of the matter from time to time to understand the situation and personally make arrangements.

How to set up the military mode, while maintaining the combat effectiveness of the army, and not allowing the generals to be in power, so that all the troops can be firmly in their own hands, is the most troubled issue that bothered Li Shimin and was also the one he considered the most. When he secretly ordered Wang Yi, he also focused on the setting of the management mode, but he did not tell Wang Yiming about his concerns.

Of course, Wang Yi knew Li Shimin’s concerns, so he wrote a memorial to Li Shimin for this.

It is definitely not feasible to manage the army obtained by recruiting troops in the current Sixteen Guards model. The management agencies of the Sixteen Guards, that is, the yamen of each Guard are in the capital and within the imperial city, must effectively manage the army at all levels. The heads of these Guards must be set up with the army, but all Guards cannot be placed near Chang'an, and the model of the Sixteen Guards leading the troops from the remote government must be changed.

Not to mention that so many troops are placed in useless places around Chang'an, the various consumptions of these people alone cannot be afforded by the power of the capital.

Wang Yi's proposal was that under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, several institutions in charge of military affairs similar to those in the later military regions were set up according to the administrative area of ​​the road. Each military organization was under the jurisdiction of several military guards similar to the group army organization, and the Governor's Office to manage the troops stationed in this road. The main generals at all levels could be set up like the current sixteen guards, with the generals and generals responsible for the daily management and training of the troops under their jurisdiction.

However, the general and general only had the power to manage military power and train military power, but did not have the power to dispatch military power. When there was a war, the Ministry of War transferred troops according to the emperor's order, appointed generals to lead the troops mobilized by the military guards to go to war. After the war ended, the generals led the troops to hand over the seal and returned to the court. The soldiers returned to the military guards to separate the power of the military power and the power of the military transfer. Moreover, two or three years later, the chief generals of the guards were exchanged to avoid the situation of the autocracy of the military governors in the history of the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, military generals were not allowed to interfere in local affairs. Local affairs were presided over by civil officials to avoid the autocracy of the military generals.

Various military supplies for the army, such as weapons, armor, horses, and food, are managed and supplied by the court. The supply of these strategic materials can be jointly managed by local prefectures and military branches in various fields...

After reading these suggestions made by Wang Yi, Li Shimin was overjoyed. After discussing with other ministers, he immediately decided to adopt them and passed them on the court with a strong attitude. The political affairs hall composed of the prime minister passed them without any suspense.

A series of military systems formulated with these suggestions proposed by Wang Yi as the outline will be gradually implemented in the following time.

It can be said that the fundamental reform of the military system of the Tang Dynasty army has officially begun...

Chapter 62 Military System Reform In Progress
Chapter completed!