The Holy One actually had to recruit 270,000 soldiers at one time!

It's a lot of money, but how much money does it cost?

Zhu Cihong was also worried and said: "Father, will 270,000 soldiers be too much?" According to the calculation of a monthly salary of 2 taels for a recruit, 270,000 recruits are 540,000 taels. ”

"540,000 taels a month, that's 6.48 million taels a year."

Speaking of this, Zhu Cihong said again: "This is just a salary, in the event of a war that lasts for many years, it needs to be paid, and it costs 20 million a year, which is too much." ”

It costs 20 million taels of silver in just one year.

Even if the Ming Dynasty has mountains of gold and silver, it can't bear it.

You can't go back to the capital and use the official fields in the north to offset the salary, right?

"Actually, it doesn't take that much." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "The previous Guan Ning Army was spoiled by the imperial court, and it can no longer be used according to this standard in the future." ”

"Guan Ningjun has indeed spoiled the imperial court."

Hearing this, Huang Degong, Zuo Mengeng, and Jin Shenghuan thought so.

Even Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Hongkui, etc. have heard of this.

Since Wanli, the Guan Ning army has not been paid once or twice, and it has been replaced by other border towns, and I don't know how many times it has been suppressed, but the Guan Ning army is stunned.

Chongzhen said again: "But in fact, only Zu Dashou, Wu Sangui and other generals of the Guanning Army and their cronies are really spoiled by the imperial court, and the ordinary soldiers of the Guanning Army actually can't get so much money. ”

Hearing this, except for Huang Degong, the rest of the border town generals all bowed their heads.

Because deducting military salaries is only a routine operation, how many border town generals do not deduct salaries?

Chongzhen said: "The standard set by the imperial court for Guan Ningjun is to add 1 stone of rice per month, but when it is sent to ordinary soldiers, there are only two coins of silver left, and less than three buckets of rice. ”

"The land in western Liaoning is narrow and dense, and the prices are expensive."

"So relying on this little money alone, the soldiers of Liaozhen can't support their families at all."

Saying this, Chongzhen gritted his teeth and said: "I hate Zu Kuan, Zu Dale and other Liaozhen generals, and don't want to distribute the deducted salary and Lu rice, but instead connived at the soldiers of Liaozhen to rob on the road, so that the discipline of the border army collapsed. ”

When the brothers Huang Degong and Zheng Zhilong heard this, they couldn't help but sigh again.

Jin Shenghuan, Ma Huabao, Wang Zuntan and other generals are even more ashamed.

Because they did the same thing back then, even more ruthless than Guan Ningjun.

Chongzhen continued: "But fortunately, there will be no such thing in the future. ”

"Now the military salaries of each town are issued by the Qincha, and do not have to go through the hands of the generals, and in the future, even each soldier will open an account in the Ming Imperial Silver Account, and then directly distribute the salary to their accounts, so that even the Qincha does not have to go through the hands, and it will completely put an end to the way of greedy Moke to deduct military salaries."

"So, you don't need as much silver to raise a soldier as you used to be."

"In the future, all recruits will be paid according to the Zhejiang soldiers of the Wanli Dynasty, and the monthly salary will be 1 tael and 5 yuan."

"And there will be no more salaries and war salaries, just this one standard, but if you kill Jiannu, surrender the army or Jiannu wrap your clothes, the silver reward standard is the same as before, fifty taels for real slaves, and the rest are ten taels."

After a pause, he said: "So even if there are 270,000 recruits, the monthly salary is only 405,000, I can still afford it, as for the reward, as long as the soldiers can kill the Jiannu on the battlefield, I will definitely pay them the bounty even if I smash the pot and sell iron, and it will definitely not be short." ”

The proportion of salaries in military spending must be reduced.

As Xuzhou did before, the expenditure on silver accounts for most of the military expenditure, which is absolutely unacceptable.

The bulk of military expenditure can only and must be weapons and equipment, and at most it will be five or a half percent of the salary.

The total military expenditure set by Chongzhen himself is 10 million taels per year, so the salary and silver expenditure of 270,000 recruited soldiers accounts for about 50% of the military expenditure, which is no problem.

In this way, about 50 percent of the military expenses are left to purchase weapons and equipment.

The annual expenditure of about 5 million taels of equipment is enough to arm an army of 270,000 people.

Chongzhen didn't think about investing more and recruiting more recruits at once, such as 500,000.

In addition to the more than 40 million yuan in the royal silver account, the 12 million mu of cultivated land in Kaifeng Prefecture will soon be used as a debt of 60 million taels.

So even if the military spending is doubled to 20 million taels, it can last for a few years.

But Chongzhen feels that it is still necessary to be careful and leave room for it.

After all, the bond market of the Ming Dynasty is not yet mature, and it may not be able to borrow money in the next few years.

In this case, the money is spent too much in the first few years, and then there is no money in the back, and then the calf is finished.

It's not a good saying, it's easy to go from thrift to luxury, it's difficult to get used to frugality from luxury, and it's hard to adapt to the big expenses every year, and then you want to go back to the hard days before.

What's more, the Ministry of Internal Affairs now also needs to use a large amount of silver.

Not to mention anything else, the resettlement and support of the 150,000 soldiers in Xuzhou Zhentai, the 200,000 Zhentai in Guide and the more than 1 million immigrants who moved to Kaifeng Prefecture required a large sum of silver.

Because of a war in Xuzhou, the agricultural time was delayed.

After Jiannu was discharged, the town soldiers and immigrants could only replant winter wheat.

Therefore, before the winter wheat ripens in the summer of next year, the imperial court will have to take grain to feed it.

In addition to the danger, it was necessary to provide these town soldiers and the common people with seeds, farm tools and cattle.

Of course, the seeds and farming tools and ploughing cattle are not given in vain, and when the town soldiers and immigrants lay down food next summer, they will start to repay the seed farming tools and ploughing cattle money, which can be paid off in many years at most.

All in all, spending money is still about living within your means.

At the moment, the profitability of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is still too weak, so it must be spared.

When the handicraft industry in Jiangnan flourishes, and the people's 700 million taels of silver are fully flowing, and then there is a three-fold, five-fold, or even seven-fold currency multiplier effect, then it can be spent openly.

As for now, it is better to save a little bit and recruit 600 recruits with a total of 270,000 recruits first.

270,000 people is not much, but when the army is organized and trained, all kinds of weapons and equipment are in place, plus the 350,000 militia in Xuzhou Zhentai and Guide Zhentai, self-protection will definitely not be a problem.

……

From Nanjing to Shanyin, there are more than 600 miles.

But Xu Yingwei only took less than five days to complete, and by the evening of the sixth day, Xu Yingwei had even rushed to his hometown in Mudong, a large village located at the eastern foot of Tianmu Mountain.

What is called returning to the heart like an arrow, this is called returning to the heart like an arrow.

The sun was about to set on this day, Xu Shiyi collected the farm tools and prepared to return home.

Xu Shiyi is the patriarch of the Xu clan in Mudong, and his family also has dozens of acres of land, and even hires long-term workers, but he will still go to the field with long-term workers during the busy farming season.

This year, the entire Laodong mountain area has suffered a major drought that has not been seen in a century, and most of the crops in the field have died.

Xu Shiyi took two long-term workers to get up before dawn to carry water to water the crops, but he still couldn't withstand the scorching sun, and watched the rice in the field and the soybeans in the field die one by one, not to mention how uncomfortable it was.

"Alas, it looks like this year is going to be a catastrophic year." Xu Shiyi said worriedly.

"yes, I don't know how many people will starve to death." The long-term black cow urn sounded the urn angrily.

Looking at the strong back of the black cow, Xu Shiyi wanted to speak and stopped, saying in his heart that this black cow has a big waist and a round waist, it is a good crop, and he is also very willing to work hard, and one person can almost stand up to a cow.

But one thing that is not beautiful is that the amount of food is really frighteningly large.

In the past, when the year was good, Xu Shiyi didn't mind raising black cows.

But at this year's time, I really can't afford to raise this black cow.

But for a while, Xu Shiyi didn't know how to open this mouth.

"Shi Yi Gong, Shi Yi Gong!" Just then, a boy came galloping in.

"Little madman?" Xu Shiyi's train of thought was interrupted, and he immediately reprimanded angrily, "What are you doing crazy? What about your sheep? If the sheep is taken away by the wolf, your father will beat you to death when you come home. ”

"Shiyigong, Xiucaigong is back." The boy ran a little out of breath.

"Xiucaigong? You say my boss? It's all nonsense. Xu Shiyi said angrily, "The boss of my family is fighting in Xuzhou with the saint, how can I go back to Maodong's hometown so quickly." ”

The mountainous area is closed, and in the past few months, I still don't know about the victory in Xuzhou.

"Shiyi Gong, it's really a showy man." The boy swore an oath, "The boy saw it really on the top of the mountain, and Xiucai Gong rode a tall horse, and he had already passed the south pit and would soon reach the entrance of the village." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves clattering came from the mountain pass ahead.

When I looked closely, I saw a soldier in a shirt already riding a horse galloping from the bullet stone road.

"Shiyi Gong, look, Xiucai Gong!" The boy pointed to the horses galloping along the rocky road, and shouted repeatedly.

"Master, it seems to be a great prince!" Wu Niu rubbed his eyes, and said in disbelief, "Master, it's really the eldest prince who is back, it's the eldest prince who is back!" ”

"Really, it's my son's back." Xu Shiyi couldn't help but wet his eyes.

Seeing his son return home safely, Xu Shiyi's hanging heart finally fell back into his stomach.

The ancestors of the Xu family in Mudong also used to be wide, but in the past few hundred years, there has been such a talented man.

This time, I finally didn't fold in Xuzhou, I finally returned to Laodong's hometown alive, and it seems that I still returned to my hometown in fine clothes, otherwise where would this high-headed horse come from?

Needless to say, it was Xu Yingwei who came.

There were still dozens of steps away, and Xu Yingwei saw Xu Shiyi.

Xu Yingwei quickly rolled the saddle and dismounted, walked a few steps to Xu Shiyi's side, and knelt on the ground: "Father, please accept the child's worship." ”

"Get up, just come back."

At this time, Xu Shiyi had already put away his emotions.

Confucianism pays attention to distant sons and close to grandchildren, and is strict with sons and close to grandchildren.

Xu Shiyi has always been extremely strict with Xu Yingwei and does not smile.

Xu Yingwei respectfully kowtowed to his father before he dared to get up.

The black ox next to him had already led Xu Yingwei's mount, and praised it repeatedly: "Good livestock, it is as tall as my shoulders, and the strength is estimated to be not small, and it should not be a problem to plow ten acres of land." ”

"Black Cow, what nonsense." Xu Yingwei smiled, "That's a war horse." ”

"War horses?" Xu Shiyi said, "This is the war horse that the imperial court allocated to your Shizi battalion?" ”

"No, it's the war horses that the imperial court has allocated to the cavalry battalion." Xu Yingwei said, "My son borrowed it from the cavalry battalion. ”

Xu Shiyi's eyes flashed with an imperceptible look of disappointment, it turned out that it was just a borrowed war horse, not a reward from the imperial court to his son, and it seemed that his son was not doing well.

At that moment, Xu Shiyi asked his son again: "How was the battle in Xuzhou?" ”

"Won." Xu Yingwei said, "Jiannu died almost 20,000 people, and the Huanghuai defense line was also held. ”

"It's good to hold the Huanghuai defense line." Xu Shiyi sighed lightly and said, "In this way, at least half of the south of the Yangtze River can be saved, and at least a hundred years of peace can be lived." ”

After a pause, Xu Shiyi asked again: "Then you came home this time to save your relatives?" ”

Xu Yingwei said: "My son came back this time not only to save relatives, but also to recruit soldiers. ”

"Recruitment? Are you going to recruit troops in Laodong? Xu Shiyi's eyes lit up when he heard this.

This year, the whole of Laodong has suffered a major drought, and I don't know how to get through this difficult time.

Well, now, if he can recruit soldiers, then Lao Dong will not only be able to eat with dozens of mouths, but also have silver to take, so that there is no need to starve to death, and there is no better result than this.

Xu Yingwei said: "Yes, my son was ordered by the emperor to recruit at least three outposts in Laodong. ”

"Three whistles?" Xu Shiyi was even more happy when he heard this, "Recruit 270 soldiers? ”

Xu Yingwei said: "Yes, it's just that Laodong will recruit 270 soldiers, and the entire Jiangnan will recruit 270,000 soldiers. ”

"Little madman." Xu Shiyi said to the boy, "You have fast legs, hurry up and go to each village, let the chiefs, lieutenant chiefs and clan elders of each village come to the ancestral hall for a meeting overnight, and say that there is something important." ”

The boy was a little embarrassed and said, "Patriarch, what should I do with my sheep?" ”

"I'll let the black ox drive you back to the sheepfold for you." Xu Shiyi said with a wave of his hand.

"Okay." When the boy heard this, he was overjoyed, and immediately flew to report it.

"Father, son, come." Xu Yingwei took the bucket burden from Xu Shiyi's hand.

Xu Shiyi was not hypocritical, and asked while letting another long-term worker lead the war horse: "Youzhen, this time you are serving King Qin, have you seen the current saint?" What does he look like? ”

In the end, he is a countryman, curious about what the emperor looks like.

Xu Yingwei said with a smile: "The son has not only seen the saint, for a long time, the son has eaten and lived with the saint, and even how many beards the saint has, the son is almost counting." ”

"Is that true?" Xu Shiyi's eyes lit up with wonder, "So, the Holy One values you very much?" ”

"Sort of." Xu Yingwei smiled slightly and said, "Meng Sheng will not give up, and my son is now given a position in the military department." ”

"The military department is in the middle of the matter?" Xu Shiyi was suddenly so excited that he couldn't even take care of his old father's reserve, and said hurriedly, "Are all the military departments of the seventh grade in the matter?" Is it the same grade as the county lord? ”

"County master?" Xu Yingwei just smiled when he heard this.

(End of chapter)