Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 97
Two barbarians rushed into Xingyuan, dragged Sun Xiangxian and left.

Sun Xiangxian was paralyzed from fright, with eighty sticks, where is his life left?
Immediately, Sun Xiangxian's screams sounded like killing a pig. Eunuch Sun really didn't have a long memory, and he forgot the lesson from the Chahar Grassland last time so quickly.

Today's Long Live Lord is not what he was when he first took the throne.

How could it be something that you, an old eunuch, can figure out at will?

Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong looked at each other, is this the majesty of an emperor?
Wang Chengen persuaded: "Long Live Lord calm down, don't let a servant piss off the dragon's body."

"I'm not angry." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "But I'm worried that those soldiers who shed blood and sacrificed for Daming will be angry, and I'm even more worried that the enthusiasm of the soldiers will be cooled by the nonsense of a few servants."

Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong felt a little confused, what's going on?

Isn't it just that Sun Xiangxian made a few greedy remarks?How did it involve the soldiers of the border town?

"Long Live Lord, this old slave will go to investigate now." Wang Chengen turned around and walked outside Xingyuan after finishing speaking.

"Wang Daban, there's no need." Chongzhen sneered, "What kind of virtue do these servants have, don't you know? If you go and check, you'll be sure that it's just a casual mention, but the bad things are caused by the mouths of these servants. Above, because in the eyes of the common people and the soldiers of the three armies, these slaves are my servants, and what they say must be my will."

"Long live, it's all because I don't know people well." Wang Chengen also fell to his knees, "Long live, please..."

"Wang Daban, why are you doing this with me?" Chongzhen signaled Wang Chengen to get up, and said angrily, "Our monarchs and ministers almost went on the road together, how can I not believe you?"

"Strictly control these slaves from now on."

"Let's talk about this little thing, it won't bother me."

"Go, deliver the silver to the big gun platform."

"The silver reward will be issued today."

"The military pay is also paid in advance."

"The morale of the army cannot be disturbed!"

Recruiting soldiers is really hard to manage, especially when it comes to salaries.

That's why Qi Jiguang especially emphasized that recruiting soldiers must choose honest people from the countryside.

But even these honest people in the countryside often rebelled because of arrears of military pay.

Therefore, when it comes to military salaries and rewards, Chongzhen is very generous, and he would rather not procrastinate.

There is no way around this, right now is the time when the three armies need their lives, otherwise Daming would be dead!

……

Of the 4 multilateral troops in the ten towns, except for the more than [-] people who were killed in battle, all the rest came to the central gun platform, including those who were injured, and they were all on crutches or were simply carried over.

Because there will be a victory ceremony in the morning.

Yang Ponu and Wang Laoshi were chatting together.

The main thing is to chat about life, about marrying a wife and having a son.

Wang Laoshi and the others especially liked to hear what Yang Ponu said about him and Widow Wang from the same village.

"Well, mangy dog, let's talk about the matter between you and Widow Wang, how cool is it?
"Go, who are you calling a mangy dog? Who are you calling a mangy dog? Believe it or not, I beat you up?"

"Okay, Yang Ponu and Yang Shichang, are you going to the head office now? Tell me what it's like?"

"Are you talking about the thing with the girls? Hey, it's beautiful. It's really the best thing in the world."

As soon as he was about to get to the point, a sentry officer from Tongzong suddenly came over: "Mangy dog, have you heard?"

"What's the matter?" Being called a mangy dog ​​again, Yang Ponu felt very upset for a moment, but since the other party was a sentinel and his rank was two levels higher than him, he could only endure it.

"I heard from the father-in-law in front of the Holy Majesty that the reward will be cut by more than half."

The sentry officer said: "The 50 taels of Jiannu should be reduced to 5 taels, and the Han army, surrendered soldiers, and coats should be reduced to 1 taels."

"What?" Wang Laoshi and Yang Ponu became impatient when they heard this, "Why? Why do you cut it when you say cut it? How can you do things like this? Isn't this cheating?"

"You're cheating?" the sentry officer said, "You're cheating, what can you do."

"Even the imperial court can't play tricks." Another soldier said angrily.

This soldier killed two Han troops. He originally thought he could get 10 taels of silver, but in the end it became 2 taels. Who can bear it?Can't bear it!
"This won't work, I have to ask for an explanation!"

The soldier became excited as he said that, stood up and was about to charge forward.

"Come back! Sit down for me honestly!" Yang Ponu hurriedly dragged him back, glanced at the provocative sentinel, and said with a dark face, "It's not yet decided, what are you in a hurry for?"

While he was talking, there was a sudden noise in front of him.

"Look, it's a silver box! Rewards are coming!"

"My God, how much money do you get for so many boxes?"

"Let me do the math for you. This kind of big box carried by four people is usually 5000 taels. Yi Ding can carry hundreds of boxes. I estimate it is 50 taels."

"50 taels?" Wang Laoshi looked at each other in blank dismay.

Yang Ponu said to the anxious soldier just now: "Have a look?"

The soldier smiled embarrassedly, it seems that the court didn't want to play tricks.

At this moment, the soldiers who were sitting in front suddenly got up one after another.

Immediately, a voice came from the front according to word of mouth: "The Holy One is here!"

Yang Ponu and Wang Laoshi also quickly stood up and looked eagerly at the reviewing stand.

There are more than [-] small blunderbuss platforms in the periphery without a review stand, but there is a review stand in the center of the big blunderbuss platform.

Under the scorching eyes of more than [-] soldiers, Chongzhen led Zhu Cihong, Zhu Cijiong, Huang Degong, Gong Yonggu and other generals and nobles to the reviewing platform slowly.

"Long live!" The soldiers cheered spontaneously.

But these cheers should be more for money.

Chongzhen pressed his hands repeatedly, and finally suppressed the cheers of the soldiers.

After shouting long live three times, the cheers of the soldiers finally died down.

Immediately, hundreds of carefully selected soldiers with loud voices ran to the stage and lined up.

The ceremony was attended by tens of thousands of people, and the ceremony site was still open, so it was impossible for Chongzhen to transmit his voice to every soldier of the Ming army at the scene even if he broke his throat.

So someone has to pass it on.

These more than one hundred soldiers are responsible for spreading the word from the middle.

This is equivalent to the big Han general who is in charge of spreading the word in the Forbidden City.

Chongzhen was not too polite, and came up with: "The first item in the ceremony of congratulations: praise before the emperor! Yang Ponu, Zhen Laojiu..."

The Grand Congratulations Ceremony was not the first creation of Chongzhen, but the link of boasting meritorious service in front of the imperial court is definitely an original creation of Chongzhen.

After the champion among scholars, there are officials in the imperial street.

Soldiers should also praise their merits after they have made great contributions to the country.

After the scholars won the number one scholar, civil officials blew the gong to clear the way, and the people in Beijing would kneel down and pay homage to them.

After the soldiers have made great contributions to the country, there must be this link. Those who sing the gongs to clear the way can be replaced by honorable generals, and the people in Beijing will kneel down and pay homage.

In short, Chongzhen had only one purpose,
It is to set up personnel for soldiers with great merits as much as possible,

Let them become the envy of the world and the first choice for husbands and sons-in-law.

Or to put it more bluntly, it is to improve the status of soldiers as much as possible!
In short, recruiting soldiers and increasing salaries is by no means a long-term solution, and no dynasty can afford such a huge expenditure.

Therefore, it is inevitable to return from recruitment to the Guards Army or conscripts. Of course, it is impossible to return to the Guards Army founded by Zhu Yuanzhang.

The exaggeration of the imperial court that Chongzhen racked his brains to think of was only a small step.

The first name Chongzhen yelled was Yang Ponu. When he heard "General Dahan" calling his name, Yang Ponu suddenly felt a little confused. What's going on?What are you calling me for?

"Mangy dog, Your Majesty invites you to come on stage."

The sentry officer who provoked just now said with some jealousy.

Yang Ponu just woke up like a dream, and hurried forward.

But after running for two steps, he turned back, stared at the sentry officer and said, "Call me Tuasuo from now on."

The sentry officer's complexion fell instantly, what, gave you face, didn't it?

When Yang Ponu ran to the reviewing platform, more than fifty soldiers whose names were called by Chongzhen had already arrived.

Each of the more than fifty soldiers selected by Chongzhen had killed or captured at least five Jian slaves, and among them there must be at least two real slaves.

The eunuchs had already prepared horses and red silk.

More than [-] soldiers, including Yang Ponu, quickly put on red silk and were put on horses. Afterwards, Huang Degong and other generals led the horses.

Seeing Yang Ponu pass by in front of the queue on a fine horse, Wang Laoshi shouted out of excitement.

The sentry officer who had clashed with Yang Ponu just now also changed his attitude and cheered enthusiastically, because he had already realized that Yang Ponu would surely be successful.

After a circle, Yang Ponu and the others returned to the reviewing stand.

Chongzhen laughed and said: "The army is simple, so we can only make do with it. When you make greater contributions in the future, I will definitely take you back to Nanjing, arrange for you to praise your achievements in the imperial street, and accept the people in Nanjing to kneel down and pay homage to them!"

Yang Ponu and the others were already too excited to speak, and today all this has gone beyond imagination.

Thinking back when he joined the army because of the anger of the widow Wang, how did he ever think that all this would happen today?Looking back now, it's almost like a dream.

……

At the same time, in Nanjing Guozi Prison.

Just as Zheng Sen was about to go out, he was suddenly stopped by Lu Xiangtong who was sleeping with him.

"Brother Tongren." Zheng Sen turned around and asked, "But what's the matter?"

Comrade Lu Xiang said: "That's right. Didn't the Holy Majesty win a big battle in Xuzhou? He beheaded more than [-] slaves in the first battle. It can be said to be the greatest victory since the beginning of the East."

Zheng Sen nodded and said, "So?"

Comrade Lu Xiang said: "So a group of classmates made an appointment to hold a poetry meeting in Meixiang Building to sing the praises of today's literary and martial arts. Maochaomin, Hou Chaozong and Chen Dingsheng will all participate. I want to invite you to Meixiang Building, so this time I will give my little brother some face."

Zheng Sen's sword eyebrows immediately frowned.

According to his original intention, he really didn't want to associate with the descendants of the aristocratic family like Hou Chaozong.

It's just a group of dandies who rely on the shadow of their ancestors to do their best in Liudu. They talk about saving the country with words, but real swords and guns are useless.

Lu Xiangtong bowed again: "Brother Big Wood, please."

"Okay." After all, Zheng Sen felt that the hospitality was hard to turn down.

"However, Brother Tongren, this time is not an example."

"Okay, just this once." Lu Xiangtong agreed repeatedly.

(End of this chapter)