Chapter 30: The Marquis of Martial Virtue’s Contingency

"Excellent! The Marquis of Martial Valor has been transferred to the Ministry of War! With the Tianze Command no longer in his hands, I’d like to see who in the imperial court now dares to oppose my Shangguan family!"

Within the Shangguan residence, Shangguan Wu slammed his palm down, snapping the armrest of his chair. Upon hearing the news that the Marquis of Martial Valor was taking over the Ministry of War, he burst into hearty laughter.

"But Father, the Marquis has been granted a royal title. Aren’t you concerned?" Shangguan Yun, standing by his side, frowned deeply, his voice grave.

"Hmph! What does it matter if he’s made a king? So long as he holds no military command, he’s like a tiger without its claws and fangs. Affairs of state are nothing like the clashes on the battlefield. Now that the Grand Tutor has withdrawn from court, what can he, alone, possibly stir up?"

A cold sneer played at Shangguan Wu’s lips.

"But Xu Changhai still commands two hundred thousand Tianze troops. These men have served under the Marquis for centuries. Whether or not he remains Chief of Tianze means little to them," Shangguan Yun sighed.

"So long as he no longer heads Tianze, everything becomes far easier. If there is any unrest on the frontier, the forces of Tianze can be scattered. Didn’t Tianze recently produce a Young Commander? If memory serves, his two adopted sons have been fighting for that position these past years. This is the perfect chance to weaken Tianze. Surely, I don't need to teach you how to handle such matters..."

Shangguan Wu turned away, a cold smile on his lips.

...

Looking at the stern faces of the gathered generals, now split into two factions, the Marquis of Martial Valor felt hollow inside, as if he’d stepped off a precipice, plunging endlessly into a void.

He drifted from the council hall in a daze, not even knowing how he made his way out.

"So, the blow comes this swiftly? Old drunkard, you were right after all. Once I step out of the Tianze Command, I may never set foot there again."

"His Majesty’s suspicion towards me remains as deep as ever. After nearly a hundred years, he still does not trust me? The timing was perfect—after the northern campaign, where I destroyed the main force of the Xiongnu, the royal title is just and proper. The Crown Prince’s implementation of the Jiedushi system—surely that was under your tacit approval. As a result, the empire now has no strategic reserve; the Ministry of War’s power is all but hollowed out. Now, I am pushed into the Ministry, tasked with reorganizing the military. Your move, Your Majesty, is truly a masterstroke."

...

Countless thoughts raced through his mind. Suddenly, the Marquis understood why, when the Crown Prince had vigorously promoted the Jiedushi system, the entire court had objected, yet the sovereign, secluded deep within the palace, had remained silent, letting it unfold. Now, the frontier generals no longer obeyed court decrees and were growing ever more autonomous.

Tap, tap, tap.

His fingers drummed lightly on the table as he pondered his next steps.

He had held Tianze Command in his grasp for a hundred years. Now that he was being transferred out, the sovereign’s intentions were clear: the process of weakening Tianze’s power within the empire’s military structure had begun.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when a familiar voice reached his ears:

"My lord, the generals in the hall are still fiercely debating your transfer. What course should we take?"

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The voice came from outside the door, laced with anxiety.

"Hss!"

The Marquis leaned back in the grand master’s chair, eyes half-closed, drawing a deep breath.

"Since the imperial edict has been issued, I must accept the post of Minister of War."

"But what of Tianze? Is there truly nothing else we can do?" The voice beyond the door cried out, the speaker’s face turning pale with alarm.

Suddenly, the room fell silent.

The Marquis said nothing, his expression calm. He understood better than anyone: once he was removed from Tianze, the sovereign would gradually pare away its forces, waiting until he no longer saw them as a threat.

For two centuries, Tianze had been a thorn in the emperor’s side. The root of it all lay in Tianze’s stance on the night the emperor ascended the throne two hundred years before.

Throughout the transitions of imperial power, Tianze had always played an indispensable role. This was, in part, the original intention behind Emperor Taizong’s establishment of Tianze: not only to safeguard the empire, but to ensure the legitimate succession of the throne. Yet, precisely because of this, every sovereign since had harbored deep misgivings toward Tianze.

"Jianqiu, we have no time to lose. Come in and help me draft a few letters. Otherwise, Tianze may vanish from the annals of our empire’s history."

After some time, the Marquis opened his eyes and spoke in a low voice.

"Yes, my lord!"

The man outside bowed. The Marquis was not exaggerating. When Emperor Taizong founded the Tianze Command, it was to prevent his descendants from repeating the bloody struggles he endured at Xuanwu Gate. Yet never could he have imagined that future generations would outdo him in their schemes for the throne.

"The first letter, to Geshu Han at the Anbei Protectorate—tell him I shall leave seventy thousand troops in the north to aid in restoring the northern defenses. Also, keep Taiyi Garden stationed along the northern border in case the Xiongnu invade again come spring."

"Yes, sir!"

"The second letter—transfer eighty thousand Tianze troops from beyond Yanmen Pass to the Anxi Protectorate. I suspect the court will soon move against Gao Xianzhi. Lately, the kingdom of Great Bolü has grown close to the barbarian Tubo. Should Gao Xianzhi be recalled to the eastern capital, Anxi will surely have to face the barbarians alone."

"Tell Ye Wenshui, who commands the troops, to detach half the heavy cavalry and keep them off the official rolls. Secretly transfer them to the Yuling Army. I’ll discuss the details with the Divine General of Tianyu myself."

"What?!"

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At these words, Zhu Jianqiu’s brush halted mid-stroke, shock flashing across his face.

"That would leave less than sixty thousand men!"

Of all the empire’s forces, none were as formidable as the heavy cavalry. Tianze’s armored cavalry were the finest of the elite—time and again, their charges had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Now, the Marquis meant to hand over more than twenty thousand of them to the Yuling Army. As Tianze’s chief strategist, Zhu Jianqiu could not fathom the reason behind this.

"Don’t worry about it. I have my reasons—carry out these orders as given."

The Marquis’s voice was calm, yet brooked no dissent. He knew precisely what he was doing: preparing for the worst. Rather than allow the emperor to disband Tianze piecemeal, it was better to disperse his best troops among the protectorates, to safeguard the empire’s borders.

Within the court, most key institutions were dominated by the Confucians, who were ever critical of the military’s campaigns. The Censorate, in particular, submitted memorials daily calling for reductions in the army, many aiming squarely at Tianze.

During the recent northwestern campaign, had the Shangguan family not colluded with the Censorate, Tianze’s forces would not have nearly starved along the northern line. Were it not for the Grand Guardian’s intervention, the taxes and grain from the three southwestern prefectures would never have reached the northern defenses.

Now, with himself removed from Tianze, Xu Changhai alone could never stand against the Shangguan family and the court’s Confucian officials. In just a few years, Tianze’s army would become a second Yuling Army.

The Marquis spoke steadily, while Zhu Jianqiu’s brush flew across the parchment, recording the orders at astonishing speed.

"The fourth letter—send it to Wang Zhongsi in Andong. Tell him to keep a close watch on the three Jiedushi there. Of late, many Koryo exiles have flooded Pinglu and Fanyang, and those three prefectures are all commanded by barbarian generals. We cannot be too careful!"

Order after order flowed from the Marquis’s lips, his expression growing ever more severe.

"There are three other letters… deliver them to Xu Changhai, Yang Ning, and Li Fu," the Marquis said lightly.

Zhu Jianqiu blinked in surprise. The first four letters were for the protectorates—no cause for concern. But Xu Changhai and the others were right here in Tianze; why write to them?

Yet as the Marquis explained their contents, cold sweat began to bead on Zhu Jianqiu’s brow… the letters’ contents chilled him to the core.

"Also, spread the word—avoid entanglements with the Divine Strategy Command in the coming days. As for the Marquis of Valor, I’ll deal with him myself. Hmph! Does he think my title as Marquis of Martial Valor was granted for nothing?"

His final words were icy as frost, sending Zhu Jianqiu’s thoughts spinning back to events long past.