Chapter 21: Mingxiu Plank Road
Li Ji proposed to establish an independent camp in Pingyuan County as the local armed force of Pingyuan County.
There were various regiments in the camp, each named after the surname of the captain of each regiment.
The guards of each regiment were selected from the best militiamen in each county, recruited to Pingyuan and trained strictly.
Use this team to protect the security of Pingyuan County and suppress bandits.
Liu Hong thought Li Ji's idea was very good, but it involved the issue of military power, and as a general he might not be able to make the final decision.
He said to Li Ji, "We need to create a new army and report this to His Majesty."
Li Ji thought to himself, I, Li Ji, have already left my mark with the government, and I cannot step forward in government affairs.
He said to Liu Hong:
"Asking for instructions from His Majesty is your responsibility. Don't mention my name. I don't want to be the first to do anything."
After hearing what Li Ji said, Liu Hong admired Li Ji's character even more.
People often say that a person of high moral character is often:
Do not compete with your superiors, do not compete for favor with your peers, and do not compete for credit with your subordinates.
Li Ji wanted nothing and was content to be the person behind the scenes.
Liu Hong certainly made his position clear:
"Sir Li, from now on, everything related to the protection of Pingyuan County and the people's safety will be in my hands."
This means that Li Ji was given the power to command the barracks.
The next day.
Liu Hong submitted a memorial to the emperor.
He proposed to establish a military base in Pingyuan County and form the Pingyuan Camp.
Defend the plains and suppress bandits.
Li Ji's goal was to build a powerful force that was different from bandits and the official army of the Sui Dynasty.
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, bandits were rampant in various places. They focused on robbing houses, were content with a small fortune, and often disturbed the people.
The government's officers and soldiers are either just sitting there doing nothing or are lazy, greedy and undisciplined.
This newly established team can be deployed outside the county at critical moments to maintain the security of the Henan Provincial Government.
Once the country is in trouble and the border is in crisis, it can even resist attacks from foreign enemies.
The new army was temporarily divided into two battalions, each with 300 men.
Li Ji's troops naturally formed a camp, and Li Ji let Shan Xiongxin lead the team, naming it "Shanzi Camp."
The old camp of Pingyuan County was also renamed "Luozi Camp."
The Luo Camp was led by Liu Hong's brother-in-law Luo Xiao.
Li Ji believed that all the leaders, big and small, in the camp must have a family relationship.
This is the bond that holds this camp together as a whole.
Only then can we share honor and disgrace, life and death.
There is a huge disparity in the strength of the two battalions.
Since Li Ji was in charge of military affairs, he began to organize the troops according to the military system of the Sui Dynasty.
He looked up the military system of the Sui Dynasty and found out that the Sui Dynasty followed the military system of the Later Zhou Dynasty and appointed twelve generals of the guards.
There are three levels of Zhechongfu: upper, middle and lower.
There are 1,200 people in the upper government, 1,000 people in the middle government, and 800 people in the lower government.
Each prefecture had a Zhechou Duwei and a Zuoyou Guoyi Duwei to be in charge of training.
The organization of its troops is:
Ten people form a fire, and the fire has a leader.
A team consists of fifty people, and each team has a leader.
A regiment consists of three hundred people, and each regiment has a captain.
Those who are registered as soldiers shall serve as soldiers at the age of twenty and be exempted at the age of sixty.
There were a total of 634 prefectures in the Sui Dynasty, and 261 of them were located within the Great Wall, so the central situation was quite strong.
At that time, the imperial guards also relied on rotation by soldiers from the palace, which was called "Fan Shang".
Li Ji studied ancient military books all night long.
He placed classical books .
While busy recruiting new troops.
The strength of the new army was mainly used to fill the shortage of troops in the "Single Character Battalion".
In order to strengthen his military control, Li Ji selected key elite soldiers from the two major military camps to form his own personal guard camp.
What was different between Li Ji's military system and the government's was that the age for conscription was lowered to thirteen years old.
At the same time, Li Ji suggested setting up a Pingyuan County Public Security Management and Case Review Bureau to be responsible for daily case review work.
Li Ji asked the case review bureau to impose severe penalties on all criminals who endanger social order.
He also established a reward system for reporting public security cases.
If the report is true, reward funds will be distributed according to the size of the case, the number of criminals, and the degree of harm.
It is divided into three grades: 5 taels, 50 taels and 100 taels of silver.
Encourage soldiers from each battalion to capture bandits on their own initiative.
Every time someone is caught, he will be rewarded five taels of silver on the spot.
Li Ji also strengthened the means of public security punishment.
No matter whether they are habitual bandits, roving bandits, bullies, gangsters, thieves or troublemakers, we will kill them all if we catch them.
He particularly admired the Qin Dynasty's laws and regulations, which suppressed banditry and did not allow for any mercy or benevolence.
Following the Legalist theory of Li Si of the Qin Dynasty, detailed rules for public security punishment were formulated.
Follow the example of Shang Yang's reforms, take drastic measures, eliminate harm and promote benefits.
In order to achieve the effect of killing one to warn a hundred.
Li Ji ordered people to make ten wooden cages.
The wooden cage is about one person tall. The prisoner's head is stuck in the wooden yoke, his limbs are tied, and he stands in the cage.
During the day, the wooden cage was pulled by a cart and paraded around the city.
At night, the wooden cage is placed in the open air.
No food or drink.
Within three or four days, the prisoner would die in the cage.
Liu Hong admired Li Ji's approach very much.
At that time, small-scale riots, robberies, fights, and mobs that disturbed the public often occurred in Pingyuan County.
As soon as the soldiers arrived, the perpetrators heard the news and ran away, so they could not be caught.
Li Ji was very angry and printed a notice saying "Kill without mercy".
Each copy is stamped with a large blue seal that reads "Pingyuan County Independent Case Trial Bureau Li".
They are widely posted at stations, docks, alleys, and city gates.
Guards were also sent to patrol everywhere day and night.
Especially strict precautions are taken in the city center and main streets.
The common people all lowered their heads and looked cautious, for fear of having anything to do with the bandits.
It's time to do something.
That afternoon, Li Ji was reviewing reports from various camps in the Case Review Bureau.
Suddenly a guard ran in.
The guard reported hurriedly:
"Master Li, something big has happened."
Li Ji's eyes widened with anger. "What's the matter? Why are you so panicked?"
When the guard saw Li Ji's frosty eyes and aggressive look, he was so scared that he stammered.
"Li, Lord Li, someone is robbing the rice shop."
"Which rice shop?"
The guard was so nervous that he couldn't speak.
"Say it!"
Li Ji stared at the guard again and thought, "Damn, what a useless pus!"
The guard calmed down and said hesitantly:
"Ling County Xiaguan Rice Market, no, no, it's Wang Laowu Rice Shop in Dongguan Rice Market."
Li Ji walked forward and snapped!
A slap hit the guard's face.
"Next time, make sure the time and place are clear. You won't be able to speak in a logical way."
The guard turned pale with fright, and a hot stream ran down his trouser legs.
Li Ji shouted, "Shan Xiongxin!"
Shan Xiongxin hurried to Li Ji.
"Gather all the guards of your Danzi Camp and take them to Wang Laowu Rice Shop in Dongguan Rice Market immediately."
His eyes flashed with ferocity. "Catch all the thugs who robbed the rice shop. Those who resist will be executed on the spot."
"yes!"
Shan Xiongxin turned and walked out.
"slow!"
"Go to my personal regiment and send a hundred guards to support you."
After Shan Xiongxin left, Li Ji changed into merchant's casual clothes, put on sunglasses, and went to Wang Laowu Rice Shop under the escort of two personal soldiers.
