It was the first day of the first lunar month in the ninth year of Chongzhen.

Zeng Yongzhong, Liao Wenru, Liu Ning, Lu Faxuan, Shi Kefa, Cui Yunhui, Luo Dianzhao, Qin Dalong, Qiao Mingjun, Niu Ben, Teixeira, Correa, Henry and others collectively came to wish Wu Zongrui New Year. Luo Dianyong was stationed in Lushun Island, Luo Dianming They have arrived in Xi'an Fucheng and continue to track the bandits. The two of them cannot come to pay Wu Zongrui New Year's greetings.

Everyone knows that Wu Zongrui will be busier as time goes by, and the time he spends with his family may gradually decrease, so everyone made an appointment to come home to pay New Year greetings on the first day of the first lunar month.

As for Wu Zongkun and Chen Siyu, they were originally celebrating the New Year at Wu Zongrui's home.

Chen Lingyan personally went to the kitchen to arrange the dishes and prepare fine wine.

Seven years have passed and the number of Wu Zongrui's cronies has not changed much. In other words, it is not that simple to become someone Wu Zongrui truly trusts.

During the meal, everyone toasted to Wu Zongrui one by one. Teixeira, Correa, Henry and others followed the Romans and were accustomed to the living habits of the Ming Dynasty. They stood up frequently to toast to Wu Zongrui and others. .

After eating, everyone left one after another. Zeng Yongzhong, Liao Wenru, Liu Ning and Lu Faxuan stayed behind.

The families of Lu Faxuan, Shi Kefa and Cui Yunhui all came to Dengzhou and lived with them.

Zeng Yongzhong's family still did not come to Dengzhou, and Wu Zongrui did not ask again.

Everyone followed Wu Zongrui to the study.

The tea has been brewed long ago. It is West Lake Longjing tea that has been carefully preserved.

There is a refreshing scent of tea leaves floating in the study room. It is rare for tea leaves to be kept so well.

Although you may not taste good tea after drinking alcohol, it still has a certain effect on relieving hangover.

Wu Zongrui's face was a little red. Because he was in a good mood, he still drank a lot of wine today.

"Everyone, please take a seat. I asked you to stay because there are some things to discuss."

"Mr. Lu, it has been more than a month since I took office. How do you feel? Are there any difficulties?"

Lu Faxuan, who had already sat down, quickly stood up, clasped his fists and spoke.

"Sir, I have received the full support of Mr. Zeng. I have not encountered any trouble. All matters have been handled very well. It is the spring plowing season soon. Corn, soybean, wheat and rice seeds are all ready. After the new year, The governor's yamen immediately dispatched officials to various places to supervise spring plowing and production. In the twelfth lunar month, the Ministry of Household Affairs sent a document stating that Dengzhou and Laizhou were exempted from the land tax for three years. The time has expired, and the land tax will be collected starting next year. ..”

Wu Zongrui nodded. The amount of land tax that needs to be paid in Dengzhou and Laizhou is not very large. Farmers can completely bear it. Moreover, there is almost no land annexation problem in Denglai. In the past, many scholar-bureaucrat families and official gentry families were involved in the rebellion in Denglai. During the rebellion, they were massacred, and there were very few left. After Wu Zongrui became the governor of Denglai, the Fuzhou County Yamen tried every means to buy some fields from the literati families who were unwilling to return to Denglai, and distributed them to farmers.

Over the past four years, the Fuzhou County Government has strictly controlled land annexation matters. In principle, random land sales are not allowed. Transactions that need to be made must obtain the consent of the County Government, otherwise the transaction will be invalid. This has effectively controlled those who enter the registration system. The merchants in Lai land have money in their hands and want to buy land, but they have no way to do it.

There has been no famine for three consecutive years, and the food grown by farmers has basically been harvested. The Denglai land has also introduced the cultivation of corn and sweet potatoes. These food crops have high yields and can also fill the stomach, so farmers in Denglai land do not suffer from hunger.

In addition, there is no need to pay taxes for three consecutive years, and the grain harvested is owned by the family, so every family has grain reserves.

The stability of farmers has completely stabilized the Denglai land.

The total population of Denglai Land has reached three million, a number that has never appeared before. Even though there are so many people, the land is not starved, and the farmers are basically living a leisurely life.

"Land taxes will be collected this year. I don't think there will be much of a problem. Moreover, most of the collected land taxes will be kept in the governor's office. I think the Ministry of Revenue has specially sent documents, and the meaning is very clear. I am afraid that the Ministry of Revenue will not pay them this year."

What kind of money should be allocated to Dengzhou and Laizhou, the salaries of officials, and the expenses of the yamen all need to be paid by land tax."

"The lower official understands that the governor's yamen and the Fuzhou and county yamen are all prepared."

Wu Zongrui nodded and looked at Zeng Yongzhong.

Zeng Yongzhong picked up the tea cup and took a gentle sip.

"Sir, the trade taxes collected by the Municipal Shipping Department were completely calculated yesterday. Last year, a total of 4.47 million taels of trade taxes were collected, of which 1.2 million taels were used for the expenses of the yamen at all levels, including salaries and benefits, etc.

, 200,000 taels of silver were used for relief and disaster relief, 400,000 taels of silver were used for the construction of ditches and waterways, 1.5 million taels of silver were used for the expenses of the Denglai New Army, and 200,000 taels of silver were turned over to the Ministry of Household Affairs. The current balance is still

There are ninety-seven taels of silver..."

Lu Faxuan, Liao Wenru and Liu Ning all widened their eyes. They really didn't expect that the trade tax collected not only covered the expenses of the Denglai New Army, but also the expenses of the yamen at all levels, and there was still nearly one million taels of silver left.

It should be said that the salaries of officials in Fuzhou and county yamen have been guaranteed. The benefits that officials receive are several times their salaries. The salaries and benefits are enough to support family expenses. For example, a county magistrate's annual salary is about sixty taels of silver.

The welfare reached six hundred taels of silver, ten times the salary.

The yamen at all levels in Dengzhou and Laizhou are different from the yamen in other parts of the Ming Dynasty. The expenses required by the yamen are listed in special catalogs, and all the money needed is paid for, such as the expenses needed for office work, the expenses needed by the master, and travel needs.

The expenses, including expenses for transporting documents, etc., are listed in detail and are all-inclusive.

In the past, the county magistrate had to come up with this money himself, but now the governor's office handles it collectively.

In addition, chief officials such as prefects, prefectures, and county magistrates can also receive rewards from the governor's office. Whoever does a good job and is praised by officials and people will receive more rewards at the end of the year.

After Zeng Yongzhong finished speaking, Wu Zongrui slowly spoke.

"Sir, you still need to worry about the matters of the Chamber of Commerce and trade and taxation, including the matters of the governor's Yamen. I think that if Chen Siyu goes to the governor's Yamen to do things, it is better to follow Mr. and help handle some specific matters. Let's

Wu Zongkun was appointed magistrate of Penglai County."

Speaking of this, Wu Zongrui looked at Lu Faxuan.

"Master Lu, Wu Zongkun is my brother. I'm afraid many people think it is difficult to manage. Today I will give you special authorization to strictly control Wu Zongkun. Whenever there is anything wrong, I will remind you in time. If there is no sign of correction, what should I do?

Punish whatever you want, if Wu Zongkun is not convinced, report it to me directly."

"I don't need to say more about the importance of Penglai County. You all understand that there cannot be any mistakes. No one can destroy the foundation we have worked so hard to build."

Zeng Yongzhong and Lu Faxuan stood up and spoke at the same time, promising to live up to Wu Zongrui's trust.

"Wenru, please tell us about the situation of the Denglai New Army."

Liao Wenru stood up.

"The Denglai New Army currently has a total strength of 107,000 people, of which 72,000 are stationed in Dengzhou Military Camp, including the navy, 10,000 are stationed in Laizhou Military Camp, 10,000 are stationed in Lushun Island, and 10,000 are stationed in Jinzhou.

There are 5,000 people stationed in Pidao, and the Denglai New Army has 35,000 cavalry and 20,000 navy. The cavalry is basically concentrated in Dengzhou and Laizhou, and most of the navy is concentrated in Lushun, Jinzhou, Pidao and other places.

..”

Wu Zongrui nodded with satisfaction. In just a few years, the Denglai New Army expanded to more than 100,000 people. It was truly the result of the hard work of Wu Zongrui and everyone else.

"Yes, regarding the Denglai New Army, I have some ideas and a list of provisions that need to be implemented as soon as possible."

"First, the number of permanent sergeants stationed in Dengzhou, Laizhou, Lushun, Jinzhou and Pidao is maintained at about 40,000, of which 10,000 are stationed in Dengzhou, including the navy, and 5,000 are stationed in Laizhou.

There are 10,000 troops stationed in Lushun, 10,000 troops stationed in Jinzhou, and 5,000 troops stationed in Pidao. Maintaining such a force is enough to deter the Jin Tatars."

“Second, within the Denglai New Army, the arms have been fixed, with cavalry battalions, infantry battalions, artillery battalions, divine machine battalions, scout battalions, etc., and specialized battalion commanders set up. In principle, the battalion commander is a deputy general.

The commander-in-chief can also serve concurrently, and the list of battalion commanders will be considered by Liao Wenru and Liu Ning, and candidates will be proposed within three days."

"Third, based on the current actual situation, the Denglai New Army is divided into two parts, with 40,000 people stationed in Denglai, and the remaining 60,000 people will follow me in the expedition. We defeated Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng and Ma Shouying.

Don’t think about having an easy life in the future, I’m afraid you may have to take on more combat missions.”

...

Wu Zongrui talked the most about the Denglai New Army.

No one thought that Wu Zongrui's unusual arrangement was of great significance. The artillery, the god of war in the modern army, was born at this moment. The artillery battalion was independent from the Shenji battalion. It was a dedicated single column. Within a short time, Liao Wenru and others

If they don’t understand the significance of such an arrangement, it won’t take long for them to understand the importance of such an arrangement.

The strength of the Denglai New Army has been greatly improved, and it can already look down upon all the armies of the Ming Dynasty, including the Liaodong Frontier Army, which can no longer compare with the Denglai New Army.

Wu Zongrui is also preparing secretly. A lot of big things will happen in the ninth year of Chongzhen, no less than the eighth year of Chongzhen. Others don't know it, but Wu Zongrui knows it well. In other words, Denglai's new army will face more events in the ninth year of Chongzhen.

A tough challenge.

Wu Zongrui didn't have much time, and neither did Denglai's new army. There were more than 100,000 troops, nearly half of whom were recently recruited. Their combat effectiveness was not particularly strong, and they needed more rigorous and rigorous training.
Chapter completed!