Chapter 21

After a night's rest, the army set out early the next morning, and all three divisions were on the move.

The closer they got to Chang'an, the more Luo Shixin could feel a new vitality, a kind of atmosphere that he had never seen in Hebei.

The key factor was people; only with a large population could there be vitality and hope.

The damage caused by the great turmoil at the end of the Sui Dynasty was too great and too tragic. The government had once consolidated population statistics: in the fifth year of Daye, the national population was about 8.9 million households, but by the Wude period, it had dropped to just over 2 million households, a sharp reduction of nearly three-quarters, with nearly 35 million people dying in the turmoil.

With most places across the country nearly empty, there was naturally a lack of vitality and a shortage of people.

Chang'an was different from other places. The Li family had established themselves in Guanzhong from the beginning of the turmoil and had never experienced warfare. Compared to other places, Chang'an exuded a vibrant and new atmosphere.

Luo Shixin, one of the twenty-three major generals under Li Shimin, was at the forefront of the army. Seeing such a scene, his mood brightened, but not seeing Pingyang was a small regret.

The victorious army was warmly welcomed back to the capital. Li Yuan even sent his trusted minister, the first minister of the Tang Dynasty, Pei Ji, to welcome them in the suburbs.

Upon entering Chang'an, the band played welcoming music, and the people who had been waiting for a long time to celebrate the victory were already there.

On the way to the palace, the people lined the streets, cheering and applauding, setting off firecrackers and fireworks, and every household was decorated with lanterns, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere, reflecting the gratitude and passion of the Tang Dynasty's people.

However, as a discerning person, Luo Shixin noticed a bit of a discrepancy. Most of the people were there for the excitement, and the majority of those truly cheering were dressed as servants or in fine clothing, either officials, nobles, wealthy merchants, or their servants. It made sense; with the country just stabilized and not yet in a golden age, most people were still struggling for basic needs and had no leisure to specially celebrate the victorious army. It was already quite good that they could come to join in the excitement and see the spectacle.

Luo Shixin was not too concerned about this superficial show. He was particularly interested in the scene in Chang'an: the ancient Chang'an was indeed the most luxurious capital of ancient times, with each district meticulously planned. Looking into the distance from his horse, the various ancient buildings were clearly layered, exuding a grand and luxurious style, not inferior to the skyscrapers of later generations.

This was the Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, the center of the world, the destination for the tribute of myriad states.

Upon reaching the Zhuque Gate, the soldiers who had been on the campaign received rewards at the gate.

Li Shimin led Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Jingde, and other meritorious generals into the palace, where they were personally rewarded by Li Yuan.

The grandeur of the Taiji Palace exceeded Luo Shixin's expectations. Compared to the Forbidden City in his memory, the Forbidden City seemed insignificant.

Indeed, the Taiji Palace was originally the Daxing Palace of the Sui Dynasty, built by the architect Yuwen Kai, with every brick and tile meticulously planned, extremely grand and majestic, nearly six times the size of the Forbidden City, its grandeur and magnificence were unimaginable.

Li Yuan received Li Shimin, Luo Shixin, and other meritorious officials in the main hall of the Taiji Palace, along with a hundred officials.

The Taiji Hall was divided into the main hall, the East Hall, and the West Hall. The West Hall was where the emperor resided, naturally. The main hall was used only for important state affairs such as the New Year's assembly, the coronation of a new emperor, a major amnesty, or significant political decisions. The East Hall was where the emperor truly handled daily official business.

Li Yuan's choice to receive the meritorious officials in the main hall of the Taiji Hall clearly showed his high regard for the victory in this campaign.

"Your Majesty!" Li Shimin, the Supreme Commander, led the Tang Dynasty's generals to kneel on the ground.

"Ha ha ha... My dear ministers, please rise, please rise!" Li Yuan appeared very pleased, his face beaming with excitement. He stood up from the dragon throne, expressing his joy, and said with a smile, "My dear ministers, you are truly the pillars of our Tang Dynasty. The battle at Ming River was fought brilliantly. When I heard the good news, I was so delighted that I couldn't sleep at night!"

"Thanks to the blessings of Your Majesty, we were able to achieve such a great victory!" Who said that straightforward men couldn't flatter? Not only Li Shimin and Li Ji, but also Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde shouted hoarsely, leaving Luo Shixin staring wide-eyed. The victory was the result of the soldiers' hard-fought battles, what did it have to do with Li Yuan? He secretly glanced at Li Yuan. Despite being over fifty, Li Yuan showed no signs of aging, except for a slight paleness from excessive drinking. His eyes were sharp, his forehead broad, and his appearance dignified. No wonder Li Shimin and Princess Pingyang were handsome and beautiful; they had inherited their father's excellent genes.

Li Yuan opened the merit book presented by Li Shimin and, as expected, his gaze fell on Luo Shixin's name on the first page.

"Truly a young hero!" Li Yuan smiled and praised, then loudly announced, "Luo Shixin, listen to your appointment!"

"Your servant is here!" Luo Shixin stepped forward and responded loudly, his heart inevitably fluttering with a bit of excitement, wondering what reward he would receive.

Li Yuan solemnly said, "Guo State Duke and Governor of Jiangzhou, Luo Shixin, defended Ming River with only four hundred wounded soldiers against tens of thousands of enemy troops, fighting for eight days. You also contributed the water attack strategy to help the army defeat the enemy and captured the enemy leader Liu Heita, securing the victory at Ming River. Your contributions are immense. Your loyalty to the country, your bravery, and your leadership in battle are commendable. You are hereby appointed as the General of the Right Brave Guard, conferred the title of Grand General, and granted an additional hundred households. Furthermore, the position of Grand General of the Right Brave Guard is vacant, and you may temporarily assume the authority of the Grand General."

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials in the hall were all astonished.

Luo Shixin was so stunned that he forgot to express his gratitude.

Li Shimin was initially taken aback, then his eyes involuntarily turned to the position closest to the throne, where the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng stood calmly, with an extraordinary demeanor.

Luo Shixin was fundamentally different from Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde.

Despite Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin being much older than Luo Shixin, the twenty-year-old Luo Shixin held a higher position in the Tang Dynasty than Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin.

Initially, Luo Shixin, dissatisfied with Wang Shichong, directly led a group of followers to join the Tang Dynasty. Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, on the other hand, joined Li Shimin's ranks alone. The value of their allegiance was different, and thus their status was different.

When Luo Shixin joined, he had troops and horses, and Li Yuan directly appointed him as the Commander of the Shanzhou Route, commanding the Shanzhou Route troops and leading independent military operations. Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, having no troops or authority, were assigned to serve under Li Shimin and later became generals in the Tiance Mansion. When Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin were leading the guards of the Qin Mansion, Luo Shixin was already serving as the Governor of Jiangzhou, wielding significant military and political power.

Although Luo Shixin often received orders from Li Shimin, it was due to his bravery and combat skills. Li Shimin temporarily assigned him to his command, but strictly speaking, Luo Shixin was not a direct subordinate of Li Shimin but an independent general of the Tang Emperor Li Yuan, capable of leading troops independently, similar to Li Jing and Li Ji.

Luo Shixin indeed made significant contributions in the campaign against Liu Heita, but he was not Li Shimin, and his rewards were not to the point where there was nothing more to reward or confer.

Granting an additional hundred households was fine, and conferring the title of Grand General was reasonable. However, appointing him as the General of the Right Brave Guard and granting him the authority of the Grand General of the Right Brave Guard was a major issue.