"Zichuan, I didn't expect you to have such refined interests," a voice with a hint of amusement came from beyond the wall just as Chen Xi finished his recitation and was about to head back to sleep.
"Lord Xuande," Chen Xi opened the door and smiled at Liu Bei, who stood there with Li You and Xu Chu. "It seems that you too enjoy the night's tranquility. Please, come in," Chen Xi gestured, and a servant led Liu Bei and the others to the main hall.
"I didn't come with the intention of leisure; it's just that Xuzhou's affairs force me to act," Liu Bei said with a bitter smile as he sat down casually. Accepting Xuzhou had indeed propelled his power to new heights, but with that came the heavy responsibility of governing the province.
"Lord Xuande, are you contemplating how to deal with the Xuzhou aristocratic families? Fearing that if you take strong action, Xuzhou might descend into chaos, yet also knowing that allowing them to remain entrenched would waste all of Tao Gong's efforts?" Chen Xi sighed. Sometimes, being too rigid could lead to breaking.
"Indeed. The aristocratic families in Xuzhou have deep roots. Although Tao Gong executed many of them, it only deepened their enmity. If I continue on Tao Gong's path, even if I succeed, the backlash could plunge Xuzhou into turmoil, which is not what I want. Yet, letting these families remain entrenched would mean that Tao Gong's hard work was in vain," Liu Bei sighed again and gestured toward Li You.
"Zichuan, Xuzhou's military system differs from that of Taishan. If we directly integrate the Xuzhou troops or attempt to reorganize them for fairness, there will be a significant drop in combat effectiveness during the adjustment period," Li You said calmly. While he could solve the problem, it would still be somewhat inappropriate, which is why he discussed it with Liu Bei before coming to consult Chen Xi.
"For now, we should put aside the issue of Xuzhou's military system. What does Lord Xuande think of the structure of the Danyang troops?" Chen Xi pondered the military system and then thought of the Danyang troops, who had managed to mitigate much of the confusion associated with reorganization.
"The system isn't without merit, but the biggest problem is that they tend to fight as independent units. While this looks coordinated because they are elite soldiers, such a system applied to regular troops would undoubtedly weaken combat effectiveness due to the fragmented command structure," Liu Bei said seriously, clearly having given the Danyang troops' structure some thought.
"Lord Xuande is missing a point. The Danyang troops' structure works because they're recruited from the same village, so the commander's first responsibility is to ensure his village's success. Additionally, because they're all from the same place, they're familiar with each other's abilities," Chen Xi explained, shaking his head. The Danyang troops' unit structure was inherently regional.
"Regional cohesion can lead to unity but also to infighting," Li You frowned, recognizing the age-old dilemma that regionalism posed.
"Disband and reassign them, building a control structure like the Xiliang troops!" Li You didn't hesitate to suggest his previous creation.
"No," Chen Xi immediately rejected the idea. Li You's hierarchical military structure was highly stable and well-structured, but it would stifle initiative at the lower levels. For Li You, who needed to maintain military purity, it worked perfectly. However, implementing this system in the Central Plains would be a disaster.
Liu Bei, having never heard of the Xiliang control structure, looked at Li You and Chen Xi with curiosity.
"Ahem, the absolute control structure works like this: first, you select three to five senior officers, and each of them selects three to five deputies. Those deputies then choose mid-level officers, and so on, down the ranks. In battle, if a lower-level officer falls, the nearest officer from the same level takes over, and after the battle, a higher-ranking officer assigns a replacement," Li You explained, somewhat embarrassed. He hadn't designed this system with Central Plains soldiers in mind—it was meant for the Xiliang troops and their auxiliaries.
"This method seems sound," Liu Bei nodded in approval, though he wondered why Chen Xi opposed it.
"The Xiliang troops can operate this way because every one of them is a low-ranking officer in charge of several auxiliary troops. If a Xiliang soldier dies, assigning a replacement is simple. But in the Central Plains, where all soldiers are Han Chinese, direct appointments will cause discontent. Here, officers must be promoted from within," Chen Xi explained, acknowledging that the Xiliang system only worked in Xiliang.
"I see," Liu Bei nodded, understanding that the greatest threat to military effectiveness was disunity, making such a system unsuitable for the Central Plains.
"Lower-level officers are essential," Chen Xi said with a sigh. "The Danyang troops' flexibility and their ability to continue fighting even after a commander falls are remarkable. From that perspective, we must establish lower-level officers."
"Wu leaders, squad leaders, and company leaders—these positions need clear rankings so that if an upper-level officer falls, there's someone ready to step in. Also, let's double the number of officers and reserve officers. In times of need, we can draw from the reserves to form new units for defense," Chen Xi suggested, laying out the essence of a strategy that emphasized rapid mobilization.
Li You and Liu Bei exchanged glances, recognizing how clever this approach was. Fully staffed with officers, even the agricultural soldiers could quickly be turned into a defensive force.
"How about this: we'll select lower-level officers directly from the current troops. It doesn't matter if it's through competition or other means—if they win, they take the position. Lower-level officers don't need intellect, just bravery and the ability to command respect. For mid-level officers, let's have the current mid-level officers recommend promising lower-level officers for training," Li You proposed after some thought.
"That works," Liu Bei agreed.
"That should ensure cohesion," Chen Xi nodded. "I suggest establishing a structure similar to that of the Danyang troops."
"Let's hear it," Liu Bei seemed eager to hear Chen Xi's thoughts.
"Disband and reorganize the troops. For now, don't mix Taishan soldiers with others—just focus on selecting lower-level officers. As for the Xuzhou troops, remove those who don't meet the standards and reorganize them similarly. For mid-level and lower-level officers, draw from the Taishan troops who have distinguished themselves in battle and promote them by half a rank to a full rank within the Xuzhou troops. Military authority must be absolutely secure from top to bottom," Chen Xi explained calmly, thus ensuring control over the Xuzhou troops.