Since Yan Jizu, Zhao Caiming and others finished drinking in the Governor's Palace, the news that Liu Yan wanted to rectify the soldiers and horses in various guards in Shandong also spread.

When Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty originally created the guard system, the original intention was to imitate the military system of the Tang Dynasty and establish a national standing army with enough troops, wide distribution, and sufficient combat power at the lowest cost. Therefore, in addition to the local guards, there are also some special guards in the fiefdoms of the feudal kings in various parts of the country, that is, the guards of the feudal kings in various places.

For example, there are guards of King De in the city of Jinan, guards of King Qi and King Han in the city of Qingzhou, and guards of King Lu in Yanzhou. Although these guards also belong to the jurisdiction of the five major prefectures, and the feudal kings in various places have no right to transfer, but in the chaotic times at the end of the Ming Dynasty, not to mention that the five major metropolitan governors have existed in name only, and have completely been reduced to "honorary titles".

Of course, this kind of real power can mobilize the guard forces of the vassal king, and it is only the big feudal lords like King De and King Zhou, after all, they are also a minority. The relationship between most vassal kings and their guards is similar to that of helping each other and taking what they need.

Therefore, when the news came out that Liu Yan was going to completely dismiss the guards in various places and reorganize the soldiers and horses in Shandong, not only the generals of the guards in various places were panicked, but even the vassal kings in various parts of Shandong were also greatly shaken.

As a result, the vassal kings from all over the country secretly contacted each other, wanting to collectively impeach Liu Yan to the imperial court.

Half a month later, Liu Yan had already received the news from the Intelligence Department, and Liu Yan actually had a headache for the vassal kings in various places. kill

An auxiliary general has caused a lot of trouble for himself, Hong Chengchou wrote twice, asking him to explain the situation, and wrote a plea to Emperor Chongzhen in time, but Liu Yan refuted it on the grounds that Zhu Shuwei "intended to rebel" and led his troops to suppress it.

After that, the military salary and food issued by the Ministry of War to all parts of Shandong were reduced by 10%, which was regarded as a lesson from Hong Chengchou, the head of the cabinet, to Liu Yan.

At this time, in the face of the backlash of the feudal kings in various places, Liu Yan decided to focus on the surveillance of the Intelligence Department and collect relevant information as much as possible. At the same time, the 1,000 households, 100 households, and guards guarding the various places were first rectified.

Dongchang Mansion, Pingshanwei.

Zheng Yi, the commander of the Pingshan Guard, stood on the school ground, looking at the guards gathered from all over the thousands of households, hundreds of households, as well as Tunpu and Huoludun, his face was a little unbearable, and he smiled at Jia Hongyu, the director of the Shogunate's Military Department, and said: "Lord Jia, my situation here is indeed not good, forgive me, forgive me." ”

At this time, Jia Hongyu had been promoted from the integrity officer of the Great Song Guard to become the secretary of the Shogunate Military Department, which could be regarded as a shotgun change and a new level in his life.

Jia Hongyu looked at the more than 1,000 guards gathered in front of him, his brows were furrowed, his face was sad, and he said, "I said that Commander Zheng, you can't say anything too much. Although all parts of the country and the dynasty are now eating empty salaries, and military households everywhere are fleeing, but you are a Pingshan guard, there should be 5,600 soldiers on the military register, but now there are only more than 1,000 people, and most of them are old and weak soldiers, I can't afford to pay for such a situation! ”

"Hehe, my lord raises your noble hand, we should remember it in our hearts!"

merchant

Hong Yu looked at Zheng Yi, who handed over the silver coin, hurriedly waved his hand, and said, "Don't harm me, the governor has an order: those who are corrupt and pervert the law by shogunate officials will be guilty of one more degree!" Take it back. ”

"Yes, yes, my subordinates don't dare."

"Alas!"

Jia Hongyu may have been rectifying the guards everywhere during this time, and he was used to seeing all kinds of bad scenes, so he just sighed at this time, and said, "Okay, let's start working." Whoever comes, register all the soldiers, and verify their lives, their affiliations, their ages, and the number of people in their families. ”

"Yes!"

Among the men and horses brought by Jia Hongyu, in addition to the officials of the shogunate's military department, there was also a sentry of the soldiers of the right battalion of the new army, and at this time everyone began to enter the school field to run errands.

The commander Zheng Yi leaned over anxiously and said, "My lord, after this verification is completed, what should I do with these subordinates?" Is it as rumored that they will all be dismissed? ”

Jia Hongyu said: "Not necessarily. After the verification is completed, we will dismiss the soldiers under the age of 14 and over the age of 40 on the spot, and the rest of the soldiers who are strong and have no disabilities will be reorganized and will begin the training, and those who pass the training will be assigned to the Dongchang garrison. ”

"What about the general flags, hundreds of households, and thousands of households at all levels?"

"It's all the same, anyone who doesn't meet the regulations will be dismissed, and severance pay will be paid according to the level."

Jia Hongyu glanced at Zheng Yi and added, "Including you." ”

"Ahh

Zheng Yi made a bitter face and said, "Your subordinates should be eligible, right?" As for the whole training, the subordinates must also work hard to pass. ”

"That's good, as long as you pass the whole training, according to the strategy of the governor, you can enter the Yanwu Hall in Qinglai Town to study and get out

After coming, there is a great future. ”

Zheng Yi was suddenly overjoyed, and there was such a good thing?

Although Liu Yan has been promoted to the governor of Shandong, the names of the Qinglai Town Military Academy and the Yanwutang of Qinglai Town have not changed.

"The subordinates must do a good job of training, please rest assured."

Jia Hongyu stayed on the side of Pingshanwei for more than ten days, and after the more than 1,000 guards were removed, only 352 people remained.

Subsequently, accompanied by Zheng Yi, Jia Hongyu traveled all over Pingshanwei, and with the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Households, he checked the situation of military households, civilian households, and cultivated land in various places, made up the amount of cultivated land for all military households, and then selected qualified young men and women to be included in the guard.

But even so, because of the serious flight of military households, the number of soldiers is still a lot worse, and Jia Hongyu selected some young people from the civilian households and incorporated them into the guard.

However, this part of the civilian households did not turn into military households, because Liu Yan was ready to convert all military households into civilian households on the spot after rectifying the strength of the Shandong Guard, and now Qingzhou Mansion and Laizhou Mansion have begun to pilot the transfer, so there is no need for those civilian households who are soldiers.

After a busy company, Jia Hongyu made up all the 5,600 soldiers of the Pingshan Guard, and then left the officials of the Shogunate Military Department and the soldiers of the New Army of the First Banner in Pingshan Wei to continue the training of the Pingshan Guards, while Jia Hongyu himself was ready to take his subordinates to Dezhou Wei for rectification.

The commander Zheng Yi specially prepared a send-off wine for Jia Hongyu, during this time Zheng Yi was very active, assisting Jia Hongyu everywhere, and he would also waste a long time of martial arts

Newly picked it up, which made Jia Hongyu look at it.

After three rounds of drinking, Jia Hongyu said with a smile: "Waiting for the completion of the training here, I will recommend Commander Zheng to go to Qingzhou Mansion, and then study hard in the Yanwutang in Qinglai Town, and serve the governor after completing his studies." ”

Zheng Yi patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, my subordinates understand." ”

Like Jia Hongyu's side, at this time, the Shogunate Military Department sent more than a dozen teams to various prefectures, prefectures, and counties to dismantle and rectify the guards in the entire Shandong.

After more than a month of rectification, almost all the guards in Shandong have gone through the process of being dismantled and recruited, and the guards who have re-replenished their troops in various localities have all begun to train off work and carry out strict training.

The arable land of those soldiers' families was cultivated by their families, or the families of soldiers with a small population directly rented out their arable land, became small landlords, and sat on tenants' rents.

As a result, Liu Yan's military strength has increased greatly, and in addition to the eight battalions of the new army, there are also a considerable number of guards and horses that are being reorganized.

In May, Jinan Fucheng, Governor's Palace.

Tian Huixu, the head of the shogunate's military department, was reporting to Liu Yan with the troop strength reported by various guards.

"Governor, now the guards in various places, as well as the guards of the vassal kings, have all completed the training, and the total number of troops has reached 137,000, of which the total number of guards of the vassal kings is 25,000."

Tian Huixu's face was solemn, and he said: "Governor, these 137,000 people are currently not paid military salaries, and they still rely on the output of the military camp as their income, and the military department has made up the amount of cultivated land for them, which has also made their lives much better. ”

"Just follow the Governor's plan, the next step

It is necessary to select the best of the 137,000 people and reduce the number of them, and then the military expenditure of the military department will increase sharply, and the doubling of military expenditure will be small, and the financial pressure on the shogunate will be very great. ”

Liu Yan said: "This governor knows and has expected it. However, Minister Tian should not measure future expenditures by the current fiscal and tax revenues, my governor's office is in charge of the whole of Shandong, and now the Ministry of Commerce has begun to fully blossom, and the iron yards and workshops in Tiepu Mountain have begun to expand greatly, and mines, workshops, and shops have been opened in various places, and the income of the Ministry of Commerce will increase dramatically in time. ”

The same is true of the Chamber of Commerce, and now the businessmen of Yanzhou, Dengzhou, Jinan, and Dongchang have begun to join the association on a large scale, and the income from membership fees and commercial taxes has surged, and even businessmen from the south and north have come to discuss the matter of membership. My old Taishan complained to me last time, saying that he was too busy to have time to eat now, so he asked me to send Lao Taishan an extra salary. ”

Tian Huixu said with a smile: "I think President Wang is full of energy, stronger than ordinary young people, and he can work for at least another ten years!" ”

"Haha."

Liu Yan continued: "So don't worry about military spending, let it go, and when the garrisons in various places are built, the Ministry of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Ministry of Agriculture will naturally provide enough money and food." ”

Tian Huixu clenched his fists and said, "My subordinates have been taught." ”

"Anything else?"

"Yes."

Tian Huixu put away his smile and said: "Governor, now the opposition of the vassal kings in various places is getting louder and louder, and even the people in the military department have been resisted many times when they are training the guards of the vassal kings.

”

"The next step of the military department is to start reorganizing the garrisons in various places according to the plan of the governor, and the subordinates are worried that the reaction of the vassal kings in various places will definitely be more fierce at that time, so ......"

Liu Yan waved his hand and said, "The Ministry of War just needs to continue with the next step and don't be affected by these external factors." As for the vassal kings in various places, the governor will find a way. ”

Tian Huixu said: "If your subordinates say more, although the vassal kings in various places do not have military and political power, and they have no subordinate relationship with those vassal kings' guards, most of them are colluding, but after all, the vassal kings go straight to heaven, they are not auxiliary generals, and the governors have to think twice about acting." ”

Liu Yan said with a smile: "Minister Tian's reminder, this governor has written it down. ”

"Then the subordinate will retreat first."

After Tian Huixu left, the smile on Liu Yan's face gradually disappeared, and he looked at the Shandong map that had just been replaced in the main hall, and at this time, the positions of the vassal kings had been marked on it.

"I don't want to turn against the vassal kings, I can give them a chance, but it also depends on whether they know each other!"