In the same year that he visited the outside of the city, when he passed by the city gate again, he saw that the old soldier was still standing alone in the city gate, his back was more rickety, and his body was thinner.

Mao Yulong stood up and asked with a smile: "Old man, have a good New Year." ”

The veteran raised his head with a staggering gun, opened his dim eyes, and carefully looked at Mao Yulong in front of him before he remembered him and smiled at him.

As a result, this smile was more ugly than crying, he sighed and shook his head gently: "What's good, it's already a blessing to be able to climb through this year, alas-this world, how can we live as military households?" ”

Mao Yulong frowned, looking at his weak appearance, and wanted to comfort him, but suddenly heard a cooing sound, but it came from the old soldier's stomach, and it seemed that the old soldier had not eaten.

Fortunately, when I came back from a visit to a friend in the first month, I returned the gift in the same year, not some cakes or something, so I sent it to the veteran: "The kid just came back from a visit to a friend, and he bothered with a meal of wine and meat in the same year. ”

The veteran raised his head suspiciously, and then looked at the two bags of dim sum that Mao Yulong was holding in his hand: "Xiaoxiu is going to give me this dim sum?" ”

Mao Yulong saw the veteran's angry eyes, and really admired the old man's backbone in his heart. I really wondered, why are the most backbone people who are greedy and soft-boned, but most of them say that the saints don't eat the food that comes to them?

Looking at the stubborn eyes of this veteran who had reached this point, he hurriedly explained: "My mother is a stubborn and strong person, and my mother will not be happy to see me take the same year's gift in return, but will complain that I accept gifts from people casually, and it is indispensable to wait for another broomstick." You also know that the taste of a broom pimple on your body is really unpleasant, so it's better to do this, so please let me eliminate it. ”

It's really tiring to be so far-fetched to be explained by yourself. But for a strong and stubborn old man, it's still worth it. In fact, it is a good thing to have a stubborn old man at home, at the very least, when you are decadent, you will get a broom pimple.

Hearing such a lame reason, the old man's eyes softened, and he also knew that this child was sincerely giving himself food, and the reason why he used such lame rhetoric was not to take care of his own feelings?

Since it's sincere, then accept it calmly, or you can't solve your embarrassment and let down the child's heart.

Take it, tear open the wrapped paper, take out a piece, and put it in your mouth to soften first.

Everyone knows that in this era, everyone only gives fruit snacks during the New Year, but it is still the same sentence, you give his hand to his hand, and finally feed the dog, these fruit snacks that I don't know how many hands have been experienced, and they have long been hard to bite.

He helped the veteran to sit on a stool by the city gate and patted him lightly on the back. The veteran swallowed the hard fruit with difficulty, and carefully hid the rest behind him.

Mao Yulong hurriedly persuaded: "Let's eat one more piece." ”

The veteran said embarrassedly: "Don't hide that Xiao Xiucai said that there is an old wife at home, a widow and daughter-in-law, and a grandson, this New Year, as a jacket, I changed a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner." I've been hungry for three days now, and if you're good, I'll be able to take it back for a few more days. ”

Mao Yulong was gloomy, there are people in this world who are richer than himself, but there are more people who are more difficult than himself. How can they all have enough food and clothing, even if they are not rich in food and clothing, at least they have a meal.

But looking at his current situation, he can only give up this delusion painfully.

Then he asked cautiously: "Old man, haven't you paid money and food yet?" ”

The veteran sighed and shook his head: "Originally, we, the military households, were given land to each family when Hong Wuye trained us, and it was okay at that time. However, Hong Wuye forgot one thing, that is, we also have to have children and grandchildren, how can that fixed land support the growing and smaller? However, this policy could not be changed, and it was also stipulated that the boys born to military households would be military households for generations, and could not do business, conduct scientific examinations, and were not allowed to do anything anyway, but could only become soldiers."

Then spread his hands painfully: "For example, our family had 100 acres of land back then, but in my life, I didn't even have a penny, so I could only rely on going around to hunt wild food to feed this family." ”

Mao Yulong could only sit here, not knowing what to say.

The military system of the Ming Dynasty was based on the peasants at the beginning. Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, implemented the system of separating military and civilian registration, and the peasants who were organized into military households served as soldiers for generations. The government organized them according to the establishment of the health center and carried out the tuntian. Defend the city along the border guard post for three points, and plant for seven points; The interior is divided into two to defend the city, and eight is divided into tun. Each sergeant was given fifty acres of land and cattle and farming tools. Twelve stone of the harvest was given to the sergeants for their own consumption, and the rest was used as food and storage for the officers of the Guard. Under this system, the government only supervises the situation in the tuntian, and does not pay salaries. Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang once said proudly: I raise millions of soldiers, and it doesn't cost a grain of millet to the people. However, later, the law was born for a long time, and most of the army's tuntian was seized by officers, Haoyou, and internal supervisors. That is, as Lu Xiangsheng said: "There is less land and more military land." Over time, they are all occupied by the right. It is the increasing embarrassment of Yitun, and the army is becoming poorer and poorer. Even those who are in the army have no land, those who cultivate the land are not in the army, and the powerful invade and bully the fat family, and the public and private are in trouble because of what they are. ”

In the face of such a situation, in fact, the imperial court has not changed nothing, the military tun is corrupted in name only, and the imperial court can only allocate money from the state treasury.

However, after Wanli, the state finances could not make ends meet, and the situation of arrears of military salaries became more and more serious. Coupled with the deductions of the officials, the soldiers can receive very little money. In the late Ming Dynasty, when the famine continued for years and the price of grain rose sharply, the lives of the soldiers were even more desperate.

He had to sell his sons and daughters, or let his wife be the half-closed door to survive.

"It's okay if you don't have military salaries, but no matter what, every year the emperor and queen have three festivals and six birthdays, and the emperor will also reward some money and food."

These gifts from the emperor are all from the emperor's internal funds, and now, these few sums of money have become the only income of the border army, or the soldiers of these guards.

"However, this year's New Year's reward has not come down."

"Why? Isn't the emperor looking for a routine? ”

The veteran first respectfully rushed to the north and arched his hand: "The emperor's grace is vast, how can you forget these bitter people?" Father-in-law Wei also generously allocated it. ”

Judging from this veteran, coupled with Mao Yulong's usual observations, the people at the lower levels do not have any dislike for the eunuchs and Wei Zhongxian, but have a better impression of them.

Think about it, in fact, the rich people that the eunuchs deal with have the mentality of hating the rich.

"However, Zhejiang's capital Yushi thought that in the name of his mother's birthday, he asked us soldiers to be filial, and he directly withheld it, and not a penny was sent down." Then he stomped his feet hatefully: "Those damn Donglin bastards, they say one thing with their mouths and do one thing behind their backs, why don't they die." ”

Mao Yulong was very embarrassed, Donglin is the representative of the scholar, in principle, he is already a scholar directly, and he should be regarded as Donglin. But being scolded by the veterans like this, as a member of Donglin, Mao Yulong could only accept it embarrassedly.

But it's even more sad, now, even the self-proclaimed Donglin, who supervises the corrupt officials and cool officials across the country, has begun to set up a clever name for corruption and bend the law, what has the country come to, can this country be saved?

As if remembering something, the veteran suddenly mysteriously put his mouth to Mao Wenlong's ear: "I am immortal and grateful for the kindness of Xiao Xiucai, and I will not eat your fruit in vain, let me tell you something, recently, you don't have to move around anymore, close the door well, something big is going to happen in Hangzhou." ”

Mao Yulong was stunned, something big is going to happen in Hangzhou, what is going to happen? But combined with what the veteran said just now, Mao Wenlong's mind suddenly remembered that in history, this year, one of the two major events that occurred in the fourth year of the Apocalypse - the Weisho Mutiny.