A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 437
There are several denominations of these food stamps, the lowest one is one liter, then one liter (less than two catties for later generations), then one bucket, five buckets, and the highest one stone.Those with more than one stone are mostly used for settlement between the army and merchants, and are not circulated among the people.
These food stamps can be exchanged for rice at the grain store of the Department of Civil Affairs. A bucket of denomination can be exchanged for a bucket of rice.
Now food stamps can be used for tax payment and shopping on the East Road, and more and more people use them, which is likely to replace silver taels and copper coins.After all, silver grades vary in quality, value fluctuates, and depreciates more and more, while food stamps are stable and easy to carry.
You have to use the Escort to escort thousands of taels of silver, and you can take away thousands of food stamps in a small bag.With all kinds of convenience, it is conceivable that food stamps are popular in Donglu.Now on the East Road, when many foreign merchants come, they have to go to the Department of Civil Affairs to exchange for food stamps, otherwise no one will want silver and copper coins.
Food stamps have been called banknotes in Donglu, reminiscent of Daming banknotes.But it is obvious that the food stamps on the East Road are much stiffer than the Daming Banknotes. Can the Daming Banknotes be taxed?Can a bucket of rice be exchanged for a bucket of denomination?
Of course, the value of food stamps is getting more and more expensive, so it is inevitable that some lawbreakers will take risks. Therefore, in addition to harsh punishments and crackdowns, Donglu also strengthens the anti-counterfeiting of food stamps.
Don't underestimate the technology of this era. The watermarks on money orders made by merchants in the early Qing Dynasty are clearly visible.
……
Touching the big stack of "food stamps", Chen Sheng's eyes showed a satisfied expression.
If all these food stamps in hand were replaced with rice grain, there would be dozens of shi, which would allow the wives, concubines and children to live a good life for a long time.
According to his own merits, he had about dozens of taels of silver to share in the rewards for the expedition. When the Shangguan asked him whether he wanted silver or food stamps, he chose food stamps without hesitation.As far as Chen Sheng knew, almost everyone in his team received food coupons when they received the reward.
There were only a few guys who hesitated to choose silver and copper coins, but they were teased by their colleagues, saying that now that businessmen from other places come over, the exchange rate between silver and food stamps is getting bigger and bigger, you still receive silver, stupid!In the end those guys got food stamps back.
Chen Sheng put away the package, slanted it on his chest, and looked at the Tongjia brothers in the room. Everyone's faces showed satisfaction, obviously thinking of the joy of his family when he returned home.
Even his good friend Ju Yiwu is no exception, this handsome young man rarely shows a gentle smile on his face.
Chen Sheng knew that Ju Yiwu missed Miss Sun Pannan from Tongtunpu, her lovely and pitiful expression touched Ju Yiwu's originally cold heart.
Chen Sheng looked at Ju Yiwu and said, "Are you ready?"
Ju Yiwu said, "Okay."
Although the two of them are good friends, they are both taciturn people. After each saying a word, they stop talking.
At this time, Jia Chang hurriedly walked in and shouted: "Have you tidied up, you bastards? After tidying up, everyone will go back to their respective houses. The ten-day holiday is not long or short. Let's go home early and hug your wife." "
Everyone in the room burst out laughing.
Chief Jia yelled again: "Remember, you must strictly abide by the military law when you go home, and don't disturb the people, but whoever dares to take the initiative to provoke and disrespect my Jingbian army will draw his sword and kill his mother, and it will be in vain."
He said, "Let's go."
He took the lead and walked out.
Brother Tong Jia followed him out. Before going out, each of them took a picture of his appearance in front of the big bronze mirror beside the door. Chen Sheng also took a picture. He was wearing cotton armor, an iron helmet, and a waist knife. Very mighty.Even the cold-faced bow, I couldn't help but take a photo.
Mr. Jia was careless and hot. He took the horse and was about to leave, but after thinking about it, he took Tong Jia's brother to the store in the barracks to go shopping.
Every military headquarters in Yongning City has a two-story building. There are many shops in it, with a wide variety of goods, food, clothing, and other things. The style is simple and durable.The price of goods here is [-]% lower than outside, to show the preferential treatment for soldiers.
At this time, there are a lot of soldiers queuing up to shop here, obviously returning home from vacation, and everyone has to go shopping so that their families can enjoy it together.Most people buy rice, noodles, tea, sugar, bacon, ham, salted eggs, etc. For those who are more ruthless, they also buy fox hats, fur coats, scarves, warm shoes, thick socks, gloves, etc. luxury.
In addition to the chief of the army, the team officer, and the chief officer, the ordinary soldiers are all the second-class army. The family members are either in the Tunpu, or they are former military households or ordinary people on the East Road.On weekdays, it is rare for the family to eat meat, and they eat less white noodles. If these rice meats are brought back, the family will definitely be happy.
Moreover, the goods in the military camp are cheaper than those outside. If it weren’t for the fact that each person has a quota according to the military rank, everyone really wants to buy more.
When it was Chen Sheng's turn, the chief took out a stack of food stamps and slapped them on the counter, shouting, "Give me twenty catties of 'Shunxiangbao' big fat pig bacon, ham, and salted eggs. They all need twenty catties! Remember, they all need the Shunxiang Castle brand.”
For a while, everyone in the store checked their eyes, and a leader from the same team behind shouted: "Old Li, you have become rich. You bought so much meat to go home, can your wife finish it?"
Li Jiachang shouted: "Eat a fart!"
Then he turned around and shouted to the same armored sergeant behind him: "Each person has two catties for each dish, and I will share it with Lao Tzu."
Everyone was stunned, and one of them said: "Li Jiachang, how can we ask you to spend money?"
Li Jia yelled: "There's a lot of bullshit, I'll put it away!"
After yelling, he bought cashmere scarves, felt jackets, rain cages, etc., and a cloak, all for his wife and children, but nothing else.
As a veteran of the army, Li Jiachang has distributed rewards many times, and he is used to these meaty things.
After buying, the merchant gave him an exquisite rattan leather bag, and put the cloak and other things in it. Li Jiachang carried the rattan bag in one hand, and the oil bag containing two catties of bacon, ham, and salted eggs in the other. He shouted: "You bastards, be quick, I'm waiting outside."
When he went out, the armor chief behind him called out, "Lao Li, haven't you bought it for me yet?"
Li Jiachang yelled: "Buy a fart, I'll be fine if I don't want to blow the wind to you, but I still ask me for it."
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Chen Sheng shared the meat and food that Chief Jia gave him, and he felt warm in his heart, but he bought a few more catties of bacon, three meat porcelain jars, and ten catties of white flour.Remembering that my two sons loved daggers the most, I bought two more knives, one large and one small.There are also two coconut scoops (the Ming army kettle at that time).
There are also daggers such as Jieshou Dao outside, but the ones used in the army are much better than those outside.
I also bought a thick scarf for my daughter, which can be used in winter, and bought fox hats, ear warmers, face scarves, etc. for my wife and concubine, which cost a lot of money.
Next, Ju Yiwu, in addition to meat noodles, also bought candy and cakes, scarves, warm shoes, thick socks, gloves and other things, obviously more for Sun Pannan.
All the people in Jiajia bought their favorite goods and carried them in big bags and small bags in their hands. Only Li Jiachang owned a horse, and all the goods were placed on the horse's back.
Except for sentry cavalry and messengers, the rest of the barracks were not allowed to ride horses. Li Jiachang led the horse with one hand, and hurriedly walked in front. When he left the barracks, he couldn't wait to get on the horse and shouted: "Brothers, I will take a step first!" Yes, aha, lady, the gentleman is here too!"
As soon as he whipped the horsewhip, he left in the dust.
……
Following the flow of people, Chen Sheng and the others left the barracks and walked southward for two miles. They saw a tall and thick sign at the Kuanda intersection, which read on the outside: "The important place of the barracks, don't approach it, and anyone who violates it will be killed!"
The two miles of the Shunxiang army barracks are guarded areas, and idlers are not allowed to approach them, but when you see this sign, you can see that the road is full of porters carrying burdens on both sides of the road.
Chen Sheng knew that they were all from Tunbao near Yongning City. They usually farmed and camped, and came out to do some part-time work during the slack season. Presumably, his family was the same, right?
Seeing Chen Sheng and others coming, the porters said in a hurry: "Master Jun, do you want to go to the 'yes' character warm shop? It's more than ten miles away from here, one hundred catties, and only three liters of food stamps."
"Master Jun, choose me. I can take all your luggage with me."
"Choose me, choose me..."
The atmosphere in the arena was extremely lively, and everyone was vying for business. Everyone in the duty team knew that the general gave the soldiers a ten-day holiday, and the soldiers returned home. How can there be no big bags? They came here early to wait. Have done business a few times.
Chen Sheng and others chose "the guy who only needs three liters of food stamps for a hundred catties." Baoding accent.
He saw that among the group of Chen Sheng, Chen Sheng and Ju Yiwu both wore red waist tags, and their expressions were more respectful. What does this mean?In the Shunxiang Army, no, it is now called the Jingbian Army, and they are all top-class skilled soldiers with extremely extraordinary skills.
With this waist card, you can sit on an equal footing with Captain Jia at ordinary times, and when you meet the team officer, you just bow and don't kneel.Especially when they returned from the expedition, they must have made a contribution. Maybe next time we see each other, the two of them will be the captain or team officer.
Uncle De enthusiastically packed everyone's luggage on his two burdens, picked them up, and led everyone to the warm shop with the word "Yes".
Ten miles outside the west gate of Yongning City, there is a warm shop with the word "Yes", there is a warm shop with the word "Feng" twenty miles west of the city, and there is a warm shop with the word Zhu in the forty miles west of the city. These post stations lead to Huailai City.
The people didn't have horses, so they had to go to the warm shops first. Now the business of the car dealers there is booming, and they can hire horse-drawn carriages to go home.
In fact, there is also a post station near the west gate of Yongning City, but Wang Dou, out of safety and environmental considerations, is not allowed to operate private convoys in this post station, it is only used for military purposes.Instead, the prevalence of porters has been bred. It can be seen that private operators are really seeing the needles.
Uncle De was quite talkative. Seeing Chen Sheng and the others walking in a row, with their backs upright and their armor and knives on their waists, they were full of heroism. He couldn't help sighing: "It's great that you can join the army. Kid, I've been looking forward to joining the army day and night."
Chen Sheng said: "Actually, it's pretty good on the East Road. If you go to Henan and other places, you will know what hell is."
Uncle De opened his mouth and laughed: "That's right. On the East Road, as long as you dare to work, you can have enough food. It's considered heaven. If my kid joins the army again, I will have no regrets."
There are only two gates in Yongning City, east and west. When everyone passed by the west gate, the place was already very prosperous, and everyone didn't want to look at it, and Uncle De was even more immersed in walking.
Walking to the warm shop with the word "yes" in one breath, the brothers in Jiazhong competed to pay, and finally Chen Sheng gave three food coupons with a denomination of one liter. Uncle De smiled openly, thanked him, and hurried away, obviously I want to go back and do a few more business trips.

(End of this chapter)