Han Yuan 1002, February 26, Qingming.

There was also some chilly air, with a hint of coldness, straight into the heart. After the vernal equinox, the Central Plains begins its annual cultivation.

It is strange to say that since the imperial court issued an edict to the whole country and the northwest Dayue Prefecture reversed, this thief who had not seen heavy rain for two years actually began to rain lightly. And it was not finished at once, and it rained for almost ten days before and after, intermittently, making the fields a little muddy.

However, this kind of mud made the people of the big Han very happy. Although there is no saying that "spring rain is as expensive as oil" at this time, everyone from the court ministers to the common people know how the spring rain that begins at the spring equinox will have a significant impact on the harvest of the year.

Therefore, although the rain was constantly dripping, no one showed any dissatisfaction, but everyone had a happy smile on their faces.

Some people are even saying that the new state in the northwest is a curse for the old state, and as soon as it rebels, our old state will have a smooth weather. This rumor is now only spreading in the Central Plains, and with the business travel of people coming and going on the straight road, it will soon spread throughout the country.

The carriage was walking on the straight road in the direction of Kaifeng, and Shen Yun and Fang Cheng also looked at the slight cold light rain and talked and laughed in a low voice. There were a lot of pedestrians, and the speed of the carriage could not be fast, and it could only walk about 180 miles a day. However, neither of them had any burden at this time, and they were not in a hurry.

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Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu's enlistment procedures went smoothly. In the end, the Marquis of Huainan did not rush back to send his son to join the army, but asked people to send back the news, and asked Fang to transcribe the household registration certificate and other things, and went directly to the county lieutenant of Huainan Prefecture.

It was not only Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu who went to the county governor's office to report that day, in fact, at this time of year. Each family prepares a household registration certificate early in the morning, gives the child a full meal, and then goes to the county governor's office. And if it is a tenant, the landlord himself needs to lead all the school-age men in the village to report to the county governor's office.

As for the luggage, there is no need for luggage, every man of school age who comes to the county governor's office is dressed in coarse cloth clothes, even if he has a little money in the family, he will not let his son wear it too well. Because the Imperial Army was covered with food, lodging and clothing, no matter how good the clothes were, they had to be thrown away and replaced with Imperial uniforms.

This is also the reason why many poor families are keen to let their sons join the army, once they become soldiers. Not only is there a monthly allowance, but parents are no longer required to take care of their children's meals. The eighteen-year-old boy is the time when he has a good appetite, "half the size of the child, eating the poor old man". The barracks manage the food and pay the money. This kind of good thing is undesirable for poor families. This is also one of the reasons why Emperor Shengzu was able to quickly unify the whole country - the people at that time did not care who was the emperor. They only know that this emperor of the Liu family can take care of his son's food, so that he will not starve to death in this troubled world, and even if he unfortunately dies on the battlefield, he will not be nameless, and the government will give bereavement pensions and subsidies with great fanfare, and his family can also enjoy tax exemptions and honors!

If it is a meritorious battle. That's even more remarkable, every county has a martyr's shrine, and the martyrs who have made war exploits are personally held by the county guard. Enter the Martyrs' Shrine to accept incense offerings, as long as the Han Society is endless, the Martyrs' Shrine will always enjoy the royal incense! For this, the common people will also resolutely defend the existence of the Liu family's royal family!

So until now, whether it is a rich family or an ordinary person, they all unanimously support the Liu royal family! This is also an important reason why the Liu royal family can stand for 500 years!

Over the past 500 years, although the children of the nobility have made meritorious contributions in the military, there are many people who have become generals from a grassy person. Coupled with the 500 years of vigorous propaganda of the Ministry of Rites, the eighteenth army has become the only way out for poor children who cannot afford to go to high school and college!

Shen Yun remembered that there were thousands of school-age men who signed up at the county governor's office that day! This is only the first day of conscription, and there are still some people from far away who have not yet been able to arrive in time, you must know that this spring conscription will last for seven days!

The entire vicinity of the county governor's office is as lively as a festival. The people call this day "the day of the marquis", which means "the marquis worships the generals". Five hundred years later, this day has long become an indispensable day in the lives of the people, many people also take advantage of today's crowds, will pick out their own things to sell here, there are exquisite people in the rivers and lakes, will also put on a posture here, over time, "Fenghou Day" has become one of the festivals that the entire empire collectively celebrates, and passed on to future generations.

Of course, the empire generally conducts two conscriptions a year, spring conscription and autumn conscription, and in case of special circumstances, temporary conscription may also be carried out, which will not be detailed here.

Although the number of people who came to enlist in the army was large, and the empire was indeed very short of soldiers due to the limitation of the population base, the conscription would not be overcharged, and everyone wanted it. The conditions for conscription in the spring and autumn are not as harsh as those for military schools, but they are not so simple.

First of all, the body is sound and the weight must not be less than 80 pounds. Of course, this is not a problem for ordinary households, but for poor families, it is not easy for a son to be so big, and it is a little difficult for him to maintain his weight. Therefore, generally before the son is eighteen years old, the parents of poor families will stuff all the delicious food into their sons, relatively speaking, this is also asking parents to treat their children well in disguise.

Second, it also requires that the conscripts have no criminal record in the first three years of military service and have contracted a serious illness that may delay their enlistment. Of course, this requires the neighbor to guarantee this, or the landlord's family to issue a certificate, which is one of the reasons why the landlord came in person.

Again, the applicant must not have a bad record of being a bad neighbor. This also needs to be guaranteed. This includes stealing chickens and dogs, knocking on widows' doors, digging graves, and so on. This is also the empire's disguised discipline of regulating the lives of the people at the bottom.

Finally, conscripts must have completed nine years of compulsory education. This is crucial. Not only do you need to be guaranteed by your neighbors and landlords, but you also need to issue a graduation certificate from a local school professor or tutor. Since compulsory education is free, it is easy to delay the farming time, and at that time, men will have to work in the farm from the age of 10, so they can help the family a lot! Therefore, in the early days of the Holy Ancestors, many poor people knew that the school was free, but they still did not want their children to enroll. After all, although primary and secondary schools are free, they do not include room and board. The inclusion of this clause in the conscription regulations also makes those poor families who want their children to get ahead have to grit their teeth and support their children to go to school. Over the past 500 years, the results of education have been evident.

For the spring-autumn conscription. The empire does not say that "an only son cannot be a soldier". However, this article will be remarked on the military registration when recruiting, and the army will pay attention to these people when arranging the military ranks, and even directly put them in some idle posts after the training camp until they are discharged. This also makes rich families feel very relieved about their children joining the army, but it is unacceptable for poor families. They let their only son join the army not to have an idle meal, but to hope that they will make contributions on the battlefield and glorify their ancestors. Therefore, they will generally ask the registrar to make a note on the military registration, and no special treatment is required. The Registrar will also write in accordance with the wishes of the parents. Occasionally, you can also receive some red envelopes, which can be regarded as oil and water for the registered officer in the army.

Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu's military registration books wrote "no special treatment". The nobles still have aristocratic privileges, although there are many people who come to apply, but because of the relationship between the Huainan Hou Mansion, Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu did not queue up outside at all. Instead, he went straight to the back door and went through the formalities. After receiving the military uniform in the warehouse, Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu were considered to have enlisted in the army. On the day of registration, they will enter the barracks for three months of intensive training, and then be assigned to the army, and only a small part of the Huainan garrison will be left here. Most of the men who were conscripted into the army would be transferred to other garrisons as a way to avoid the risks of some "one army".

And in that conscription. The only thing that Shen Yun remembered. There was a small room next to the place where the county lieutenant was registering for conscription, and the door of the room also said "Conscription Office", but no one went there to line up. Shen Yun still wanted to take Fang Zhong and them there, thinking that it was a special reception for the children of the nobles!

Fortunately, there was also Fang Cheng, a person who understood, and directly pulled Shen Yun back from the door. Explained: "This is the recruitment office for female soldiers! What are you going to do in there, a big man? ”

"What? Women? There are still female soldiers in our empire? Shen Yun was so shocked that his mouth was big. This is not the way that later generations will pay attention to women's emancipation, and women now will still be like husbands and children.

After Fang Cheng's explanation, Shen Yun knew that the empire did indeed have a recruitment office for female soldiers. This is the rule set by the Holy Ancestor Emperor. It is also stipulated that if there are no sons in the family, but only daughters, women of appropriate age may also be sent to the army. At the same time, it is also stipulated that in the event of a special conscription period, if the conscripts are unable to enlist for any reason, women may also be sent to the army.

Shen Yun immediately thought that this was prepared by the Holy Ancestor Emperor for those poor families who wanted to enjoy tax exemption for military service and had no sons. And the latter regulation obviously thought of the allusion of Mulan joining the army for her father. The so-called special conscription period must have been the time when the Imperial Standing Army was exhausted and the reserves had to be used. But when the standing army of more than two million is gone, why recruit a bunch of female soldiers? Go to the battlefield to scratch your head and make a gesture to confuse the enemy?

Of course, since its establishment, the Women's Recruitment Service has never encountered a period of special recruitment. It is a bit sensational for women to serve in the army, and even after 500 years, there are still very few women who have been drafted. What's more, the regulations for women to enlist in the army are more stringent than those for men, and the inspection period is also longer, and even if female soldiers are enlisted, they cannot serve as frontal battlefields, and can only do some detailed work in the logistics department. And because of customs, female soldiers who enlist and retire from the army generally reach the age of "old girls", and it is very inconvenient to marry, so for 500 years, there has been a standing female soldier system in the imperial army, but the number is very small. It is said that during the Holy Ancestor period, there was a 12,000-strong Red Pink Legion, which was decreasing year by year, and it is still unclear whether this legion still exists.

Anyway, Shen Yun stayed in the recruitment office for a day, and the female recruitment office still hadn't opened.

After receiving the military uniforms and bedding, Shen Yun and Fang Cheng took Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu directly to the temporary military camp outside the city. This military camp was set up by the Huainan Prefecture Second Class Regiment, and every spring and autumn conscription, the Huainan Prefecture Second Class Army Corps would send a part of the First Division of the First Army Corps to assist, including the training of new recruits.

Shen Yun still couldn't get a glimpse of the barracks, and when he was still about three miles away from the barracks, the barracks sent soldiers to set up a "door of life and death".

The "Gate of Life and Death" is a gate-shaped military formation composed of eighteen teams armed with halberd swords. All those who sent their relatives to enlist in the army could not go any further when they arrived here, and the conscripts had to go in on their own, and then immediately shave their hair and put on their uniforms, and start training.

The so-called "once you enter this door and receive the grace of the king, life and death, blessings and misfortunes are determined by heaven." After entering the "door of life and death", even if it is a soldier of the Han Empire, everything has nothing to do with his parents, but he handed over the whole person to the emperor, and whether he lives or dies depends on the will of God.

In front of the "door of life and death", countless parents shed tears on the spot. The old father was stubborn and speechless, but the old mother held her son and didn't let go. There are also some married daughters-in-law holding their stomachs, or holding their infant children, holding their husbands' hands, and crying constantly. When they have cried enough, these dearest people will take out all kinds of amulets from their arms and wear them on their sons (husbands), while crying and saying words of blessing, that scene makes Shen Yun feel a little sour.

Fang Renxu seemed to have thought of something, and he was also silent. On the contrary, it was Fang Zhong. Looking at the military array composed of swords, he was very excited, and excitedly said to Fang Xuan and Shen Yun: "Third brother, Brother Yuanrang, junior brother is joining the army!" Turn around! ”

Fang Cheng nodded solemnly at Fang Zhong, and also took out a jade pendant from his arms. handed it to him and said, "This is what my father asked me to give to my younger brother." As soon as you enter this door. When Si Zhongjun serves the country, you don't have to worry about family affairs! Strive for early battlefield achievements and glorify the lintel! ”

"Well, don't worry! I will definitely become a general, and I will be a marquis! Fang Zhong took it casually and looked at it. smiled happily at Shen Yun and said, "Brother Yuanrang, don't be envious when the time comes!" ”

The heaviness in Shen Yun's heart was swept away, and he scolded with a smile: "Get out of yours." When you become a marquis, I will be crowned a prince, and then you will salute me!" ”

"Haha, okay. Little brother is waiting for that day! After speaking, Fang Zhong waved his hand, carrying the luggage containing the military uniform and bedding, and strode towards the barracks.

And Fang Renxu also recovered his mood after taking a few deep breaths, and hugged his fists at Shen Yun and Fang Cheng and said, "Renxu is here to say goodbye to the two brothers!" ”

Fang Cheng also hugged his fists and said: "Well, the little brother is in the camp, and I hope the brother will take care of it!" ”

"Brother Teng Yu, don't worry, as long as I am here, Renxu will definitely be well preserved!" Fang Renxu said solemnly, and after speaking, he turned his head to Shen Yun and said, "Brother Yuanrang, the letter I handed over to you, if you have the opportunity, please also transfer it to the family teacher, just say that Renxu was born as a Han Chinese, and since he is of the right age, he should repay the grace of the monarch first, and when Renxu retires from the army, he will definitely go to her to fulfill his filial piety!" ”

Shen Yun smiled and took out a headscarf embroidered with the word "bravery" from his arms, handed it over and said, "Don't worry, Renxu, this time I will go back to the imperial capital with Teng Yu, and I will make a special trip to Linying to visit the Venerable Master." This is the day before yesterday in the city Rong Bao Zhai bought, it is said to be very effective, you take a picture auspicious! ”

Fang Renxu choked up, and his eyes suddenly turned a little red. This kind of thing, called "protective belt", is usually sent by close relatives, and the sword on the battlefield has no eyes, and there is such a thing that can at least give psychological comfort.

Fang Renxu was also stubborn, refusing to let the moving be exposed, and said stiffly: "Don't leave it here, there will be a period later!" ”

"There will be a date later!"

The three of them clasped their fists at the same time, took a step back, and bowed with a big bow! This is the farewell prayer of the week, full of deep blessings and prayers for the best friends who have traveled far away.

Shen Yun was full of feelings about sending Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu into the army this time, although the "door of life and death" was poignant and a little sad, but what filled Shen Yun's ears was:

"When my son goes, he will be loyal to the monarch and serve the country, and make contributions on the battlefield!"

……

"Lang Jun is going to the lintel, don't worry about the family, the concubine will take care of her parents, I just hope that Lang Jun can remember that Jun is like the sea, the country is deeply gracious, he will fight on the battlefield every day, and he will move forward bravely. If you can return to your hometown in triumph, don't forget that your concubine is at home and looking forward to Langjun's return! ”

……

"Since ancient times, the march and even the act of the yang, can my son be delicate and weak? Let's go, don't fight for a thousand households to come back, see that the father won't break your legs! ”

……

"If you have a white head, why do you care about everything? The concubine body has been able to hold the hand of the son, and she has no regrets in this life. I hope that God will bless you, Your Majesty will be wise, and Lang Jun will be loyal to the country, so that Hu Lu will not dare to look south, and let the enemy flee from the wind! ”

……

In the earnest words, there are almost a lot of words "loyal to the monarch and serving the country", which shows that these four words have penetrated into the hearts of the Han people. And the fierceness of these Han parents, Han family's wives and daughters also made Shen Yun impressed. Family education of shouting, beating and killing at every turn, you can imagine how brave these soldiers will be on the battlefield!

Of course, these words are also like a ritual, and every family member who sends their sons and husbands to enlist in the army will say them again, but don't these words also reflect the fierce martial arts of the Han people at this time?

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The carriage was still slowly moving forward, drifting farther away with Shen Yun and Fang Cheng's thoughts.

"Come, I wish them all the best!" Shen Yun took the lead in raising his glass.

Fang Cheng also immediately raised his glass and said, "Well, I wish them all the best!" ”

……

Take the straight road, start from Huainan to the north, pass through Dangshan County, then turn northwest, take the straight road to Kaifeng, and then arrive at Bozhou, then turn west, and go straight to Xuchang. From Xuchang to Linying, you can take the county road, but it takes two hours.

On the evening of March 15, the day they arrived in Xuchang, Shen Yun and Fang Cheng deliberately slowed down their pace along the way, so they walked very comfortably. There is no hurry to go to Linying, so the two plan to stay in Xuchang for one night.

As before, the Yunyan car of Yan's car company was parked outside the post station in the east of the city, and Fang Cheng went to check in. Xuchang is a big city, and there are as many as ten post stations, five of which are distributed in the city and five are distributed outside the city.

There was nothing to say all night, but when they got up the next day, Shen Yun and Fang Cheng found that the entire Xuchang City seemed to be in some kind of inexplicable restlessness. (To be continued.) )

PS: Thank you for the reward from Brother Gu Xueye, thank you for the reward from the brother who is too lazy to die!

If you can, I'd like to ask for a few more referral tickets or something...... hehe