Chapter 242 Chapter 249-250: Shopkeeper, please take away your magical powers

"I think what you all have considered is very reasonable. Qiu Aiqing's first point of view is both offensive and defensive, and I deeply appreciate it.

But what do you think is the solution to the shortage of manpower? Are the officials appointed by the original Jurchens used? Those people are also Jurchens."

"Back to Your Majesty, I believe that not all Jurchen officials are unavailable, not to mention that there are many original Han officials among their households, and most of these people are also available.

And we only need to control the army at the garrison, integrate the army of Jiannu, and slowly replace it in the future."

"Well, that's okay, but there are still some shortcomings. I can give you an answer to the rest of Hong Aiqing's concerns, that is, you don't have to worry about food and salary.

With an army of more than 100,000, I can guarantee that we will not be short of food and salary, and we can still have several full meals of meat every month."

"If it is true as your Majesty said, then I am confident that it will only take at most half a year, with the help of the King of Luxhu, to take over all the inheritance of the Haixi Jurchens."

Hong Chengchou said loudly that as long as the money and food were sufficient and no corruption was used, the Ming army's combat effectiveness would always be very strong.

"This matter cannot be rushed. I think the concerns of Sun Aiqing and others are more urgent. Now that the disaster in the mainland is serious, the people's problems should be considered first.

Qiu Aiqing, I give you a task."

"Your Majesty, please give your orders."

After hearing Chongzhen's words, Qiu Min raised his head and said with fists in his hands.

"The calculation starts from Shanhaiguan, and all the land in Liaodong, whether it is the Weisuo land or the general army land, is calculated.

The surrendered slaves must also occupy the cities together, and at the same time, the entire population of Liaodong should be counted.

Those who do not own land and can only rent land must register separately."

"I understand."

"I have only one request, the property must be as it is, and it belongs to everyone.

If there is any fraud, over-reporting or under-reporting, if there is more, I will let you make up for it; if there is less, I will ask you to make up for it."

"I obey the decree!

It’s just that Your Majesty, now that Liaodong has just been recovered, it might not be good if there is a large-scale land survey, right? They may have some complaints about the newly recovered areas and the original guard posts.”

After Qiu Minyang answered, he was a little frightened. Farmland is the root of the world. If we thoroughly investigate farmland, wouldn't we be forcing those newly surrendered cities to make food?

"What's wrong? It's not like we want their fields, we're just registering them.

In this way, I will send a team of soldiers to you. If anyone is unwilling to cooperate, my home will be confiscated."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely complete it seriously."

Qiu Minyang thanked him for accepting the job, but the inspection of the fields was at best a deterrent, not too difficult, so he sat down again.

"Sun Aiqing, Hong Aiqing."

"Your Majesty, I am here."

Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou stood up together and said.

"With the liberation of Liaodong, the border crisis has been resolved, but the remnants of the Jurchens are still there, and they still need to be guarded. Moreover, the liquidation of land in Liaodong cannot be separated from the support of the army.

But it would not be a good idea if so many soldiers stayed in Liaodong all the time. After all, everyone has a family, and with so many troops guarding Liaodong, the cost is also a big problem.

Therefore, I decided that, including the Royal Army, there will be a total of 120,000 troops, leaving only 60,000 in Liaodong."

"Your Majesty, should we keep a few guard posts or spread out the people?"

"The Royal Army has nine battalions selected from each garrison, and each battalion must be integrated into two regiments.

This is equivalent to a twenty-fold increase in the number of people, and the remaining military households will return to their respective garrison posts, and from now on they will work full-time in the fields and no longer serve as soldiers."

Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting were a little surprised when they heard this arrangement, while Zu Dashou and others' expressions immediately changed.

According to this arrangement, after the rectification is completed, their general soldiers will be of no use at all. Especially if the guard station is dedicated to farming, future food and salary are destined to be cancelled, and taxes will have to be paid.

Huang Degong's face was full of excitement. If this arrangement was followed, the three of them would definitely be promoted to the level of division commander of the third regiment.

The three people who were still envious of Guan Nei before would soon be promoted to division commanders. I didn't expect that they would also become division commanders so soon.

Chongzhen saw their respective expressions and spoke again.

"Officers below the rank of Commander-in-Chief 1,000 in each guard post will also be given priority in hiring those who are not corrupt. The remaining officers who are corrupt and have exceeded military pay will be hired from back to front in accordance with the corrupt rules, and all past decisions will be ignored.

Zu Dashou, Ma Ke, if you seven generals want to enter the Royal Army, I can give you a regiment. At least two of you can be promoted to division commander.

How to choose is up to you."

Hearing Chongzhen's words, several people breathed a sigh of relief and thought secretly about which one to choose.

According to Chongzhen's arrangement, I am afraid that the future guard station will never be able to make its mark.

But if you join the Royal Army, according to their observations, you will not be able to become a local emperor. If the world is peaceful, life will probably be uncomfortable.

"I'll tell you the details. Anyway, it will be implemented soon.

In the Ming Dynasty, I will abolish the guard system by next year at the latest, return the guard land to military households, cancel the military household system, and re-collect taxes based on land.

From now on, all sergeants will follow the same recruitment system as the Royal Army, that is to say, they are all professional soldiers. Money and food will be directly issued by me as military coupons, and will be directly distributed to the soldiers without going through senior officers.

The future mission of the Royal Army is to protect the Ming Dynasty's borders from foreign invasion.

At the same time, I will protect my assets overseas. In the Ming Dynasty, I have the final say over the Royal Army. Whatever you do overseas, as long as you report it, I can give you a certain amount of decision-making power."

"Your Majesty! This move..."

Just as Hong Chengchou was about to object, he was stopped by the looks of three bachelors and Sun Chuanting. The words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say what he wanted to say.

Qiu Minyang was originally prepared to object, but looking at Hong Chengchou's appearance, he suddenly realized that it would be useless to object to Chongzhen's words.

Zu Dashou, Wu Sangui and the others were all stunned at this time. Is Your Majesty going to be an enemy of the world? Isn't he afraid of the rebellion of the generals?

"My dear friends, I don't tell you how rotten the guard system is. You know it, right? The country has kept so many people in captivity, but in the end it has fattened the hereditary general soldiers and thousands of households. The soldiers have to be strong in combat. The key is

It's getting worse and worse.

Wu Sangui, are you right? When I came to Jinzhou, I discovered that your Wu family should quickly turn Jinzhou into the territory of the Wu family, right?

I don’t need to mention how much of the Liao salary I have distributed to Ningyuan and Jinzhou over the years has fallen into the hands of you and Zu Dashou, right?"

"Your Majesty, forgive me! Your Majesty, forgive me! I know I was wrong, and please forgive me!"

Zu Dashou and Wu Sangui knelt on the ground, and other generals also knelt down. Chongzhen just said that they were both clean, but it did not mean that they were all clean.

Wu Sangui was originally very happy, but now she felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

On the contrary, after a whole day of observation, Zu Dashou saw some of Chongzhen's thoughts, so he did not worry too much, but he still had to express his attitude.

"That's why I say that the guard system needs to be reformed, and reforming the guard means cutting off your flesh and blood on your close associates.

There is a saying that cutting off people's financial resources is like killing their parents. If I cancel the Wei system, I am cutting off your financial resources. So I understand if you are unhappy.

Everyone, please get up and listen to me about my arrangements."

After listening to Chongzhen's words without any hint of fireworks, several people stood up and did not dare to sit down. They all looked at Chongzhen, somewhat curious about what Chongzhen wanted to say.

Chongzhen's words entered their hearts. If the guard system was abolished and replaced with a recruitment system, then the guards all over the world would definitely be in turmoil under the instructions of the generals.

Oh, not including their seven guard posts. After today, their seven guard posts will cease to exist in name only.

Now, even if they want to make small moves, Chongzhen will hold the machine box that can amplify the sound and give an order, and the soldiers can string them together and hand them over to Chongzhen.

With neither meat nor soup to drink, the military households were worried. Now it was too late for them to win over the military households.

Chongzhen saw them looking at him with aggrieved, dissatisfied, and puzzled looks, and smiled indifferently.

"First, after the announcement of the lifting of the guard system, every guard station and all the farmland, no matter how you obtained it, will be taken back to the Ming Dynasty and redistributed.

I allow the general soldiers to be allocated 500 acres, those with more than 1,000 soldiers to be allocated 200 acres, and those with less than 1,000 soldiers to be allocated 100 acres, and they will never pay taxes.

As for taking away your fields, I will not take them for free. No matter what name you get, I will use two years of harvest as compensation."

A one-time harvest of two years, if converted into money, would be a large amount of income. A few people feel that it is somewhat acceptable, and it would be nice to have compensation.

"Second, the Royal Army has generous benefits. Those at regimental commander level receive fifty taels of silver and ten thousand military coupons every month.

You can buy whatever you want from the Royal Merchant's products. If you get sick, you will be diagnosed and treated by famous doctors and looked after by magical machines.

Third, and the most critical point, the Royal Army was never allowed to do business in the Ming Dynasty, but the Royal Army officers sent overseas could do business.

If you are interested in a certain territory outside, you only need to break away from the Royal Army and organize your own people to grab it. If you seize the corresponding territory, I will give you the corresponding title.

You can form a force controlled by the Royal Army to protect your own industry, and the Royal Army will also protect you.

In this regard, I treat everyone equally. As long as I can capture them by sea, I can entrust them to you.

Of course, if you don't want to, you still have about half a year. If you want to rebel or unite, I will support you. What do you think?"

Chongzhen gave a good introduction before, but what he said later made several people feel scared.

Choose? Are there any choices? This is not telling them that if they choose to go back, they will not be able to go back.

Moreover, each of these three conditions can be regarded as the best way to deal with it relatively speaking. Chongzhen did not insist on it, but adopted a compromise method.

"Your Majesty, I have chosen to join the Royal Army, serve Your Majesty, and bring peace to Your Majesty forever."

"Well, since the ladies have no objections, let me talk about the issues after the leak.
To be continued...