"If you use water and fire as a people, you can drum up great righteousness and move your conscience, you can kill them!" This is what Mao Wenlong wrote in his memorial when he went to the imperial court.
But is it really that easy to mobilize the masses?
When the only choice is between national justice and survival, not everyone has justice and conscience.
Let alone glory and wealth, you can't even have a full stomach. Where is the so-called righteousness and conscience?
What Guo Dajing did may not be entirely correct, but he was trying his best to ensure that the soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town could have food to eat, and he was constantly trying to give them better treatment.
If you don't have money, you have to use land; if you don't have delicacies from mountains and seas, you have to eat even a simple meal.
If you don't let the soldiers and civilians see hope and have a plan for their future lives, you can make the soldiers and civilians despair by just talking about righteousness and conscience. What a joke!
Looking at the coated slaves who got up in fear, Han Zhong glanced majestically and said in a deep voice: "When you go back, won't Jianlu behead you as spies? Just to be with your family and wait to die, you have to give Jianru Do you farm the land and collect grain, and then transport grain in carts for them?"
The coated slaves lowered their heads, and Yang Daman bravely spoke: "Sir, I want to be a soldier, will you accept me?"
Han Zhong looked at Yang Daman, his face softened slightly, and said: "As long as you are fine, of course you will accept it. However, it will take some time, after the fortifications are repaired and the troops are trained normally."
"I, I'll wait." Yang Daman's joy flashed over and he nodded vigorously.
Han Zhong smiled slightly, nodded appreciatively, turned and left. But in the distance, he called over the supervising soldiers and gave them a few words of advice.
It might be more effective to tell these slaves about the treatment of the army. Of course, it is not necessary to recruit them all into the army. Working on the farmland can also create value.
The first batch of immigrants has arrived in Jinzhou, and they are all people from nearby islands. Guanglu Island, Big and Small Changshan Islands, etc., have all been allocated villages and land according to prior plans.
In addition to the tens of thousands of troops involved in Nanguan construction, other troops were also mobilized to help the immigrants repair their houses and reclaim farmland on a large scale.
After settling in as quickly as possible, these immigrants enthusiastically devoted themselves to spring plowing. The vast fields gave them hope.
And their hard work is not only for Dongjiang Town, but also for themselves and their families.
Although it was still a military household system, more work would bring more rewards, and the reward policy formulated by Guo Dajing greatly aroused the enthusiasm of the soldiers and civilians.
Zhang Bang held the plow and the soldiers pulled the horses, turning over the thawed land. It was dark and exuding a trace of moisture, and the moist smell was pleasant.
"No one has planted it for several years. This land is so fertile!" the soldier leading the horse sighed. "Sow the seeds and don't worry about it, and you will get a harvest in the fall."
Zhang Bang grinned and said: "How can we not care about it? We have to cultivate it intensively. The more we harvest, the more we can get."
"The more we plow, the more we gain." The soldier said, "If you plow ten days, you will get one penny. Record it all in the book, and we will pay it together after you retire."
One-ten-for-ten is a one-time subsidy for officers and soldiers after they retire. Now it is a voluntary choice whether to receive food and salary or land.
If the family has a large population, the officers and soldiers will choose to get land. There are ten acres of tax-free land, and they can also rent land with preferential treatment for military families who pay less tax.
If the weather is good, these fields will be enough for a family to eat and drink. Compared with uncertain wages, it is more long-term and can give people peace of mind.
Of course, there are also people who choose to take food and salary, mostly just the elder brother, who doesn’t need to consider his family members, and the whole family will not be hungry if one person is full.
The imperial court was in arrears with food payments, so Guo Dajing only issued food, and paid and owed money first, but this was not a long-term solution after all. The idea of military stamps had been born, but he felt that the conditions were not mature yet, so it was not implemented for the time being.
Even so, there was no starvation in Dongjiang Town, and the morale of the military and the people could still be maintained. Guo Dajing didn't care about his resentment towards the imperial court!
After Zhang Bang heard this, he made a rough calculation and looked envious.
If you plow ten acres, you will be given one. This year, you will not be given twenty or thirty acres, or even more, for spring plowing. With dozens of acres of land, the whole family will not be hungry, and the family business can be passed on to the descendants.
What a pity - Zhang Bang couldn't help but look back. Not far away, his wife was carrying a child on her back, and she and her sister were sowing corn along the plowed ridges, carrying baskets.
This is a mandatory requirement of the government. Half of the fields should be planted with corn first, followed by rye and potatoes.
Guo Dajing was a little worried about the growing period of corn, so he adopted the method of planting first and waiting for a few more days to try to harvest before winter.
Potatoes and rye are both early-maturing varieties, which are relatively safe. It doesn't matter if they are a few days late.
Potatoes, corn, and rye are all grown in large fields, and small pieces of wasteland are used as rewards. People who cultivate and plant will enjoy a two-year preferential period and only pay 30% of the harvest.
Zhang Bang had already taken a liking to a piece of barren slope land. Although it was not big, he wanted to grow some radishes and cabbage, which would be enough for his family to eat.
If there is still wasteland, Zhang Bang plans to grow hemp. In addition to making clothes, he can also make hemp ropes and sacks to make a living in the winter.
"Master Bing, what are you going to plant on the land you got?" Zhang Bang asked casually.
The soldier didn't think about it carefully and said: "In addition to potatoes and rye, I want to plant some alfalfa and beans. In this way, I will have fodder for raising horses at home."
"Bing Ye can still raise horses?" Zhang Bang became even more envious. He held the plow more steadily and straightened it, making the furrows plowed as straight as ink lines.
The soldier pulled the horse's reins and said: "Whether it's a cow or a horse, every family will have to raise it in the future. Especially those who have served as soldiers, they have to be ready for call after they retire. If the war is urgent, you can get on the horse and rush to the barracks to report."
, received the weapons and went to fight."
Looking back at Zhang Biao, the soldier said: "At your age, you should organize military training in your free time."
Zhang Bang nodded repeatedly, indicating that he knew about this, and said: "I know, I want to participate in militia training."
Both came from Guanglu Island, so the two of them had a natural closeness. The nearby villages were all inhabited by the people of Guanglu Island, and the farming was greatly assisted by the officers and soldiers of Guanglu Island.
After a pause, Zhang Bang continued: "Master Bing raises horses, but in our common people's homes, it is more suitable to raise cattle. I heard that this corn straw is a good feed, and both cattle and sheep can eat it."
Oxen are good at plowing the land and are more efficient than horses. Moreover, oxen can feed roughly, while horses are more delicate.
For ordinary people, what they consider is economy and farming life, and cattle are of course the best.
"Horses can still pull carts!" The soldier seemed to have a preference for horses and said, "In the future, pulling goods and driving will also be a good way to make a living."
Zhang Bang's eyes lit up and he thought it was a good idea. But he turned to smile bitterly. Buying a horse was too far away and he could only eat enough now.
On a field not far away, the land had been plowed. Shuzhen and Han Shantong were digging holes and sowing seeds, and they were working together quite well.
As a military dependent, he naturally received all kinds of preferential treatment. The land he was allocated was close and good, and he was plowed first. Even his house was allocated better.
The little girl jumped up and followed behind, holding a pancake in her hand, taking a bite from time to time and giggling with joy.
"I heard from the soldier who helped us plow the land that the Jianlu were getting more and more cowardly. Thousands of them were killed this time. Do you think they still dare to come?" Han Shantong said excitedly, "This Jinzhou is considered stable.
It makes people feel at ease."
Shuzhen smiled. Although she didn't like hearing about the killings, when it came to peace of mind, she really felt like this.
After escaping from the tyrannical rule of the Jianlu rulers, he narrowly escaped death along the way, and then arrived on the island without dying of cold or starvation. Now, the vast fields, built villages, and bigger houses on this land are getting better and better.
.
"I wonder when Brother Han will come back?" Shuzhen straightened up, showed some concern, and asked: "Isn't the war over? Isn't it always a holiday before?"
Han Shantong said: "This time is different, because it is on land, unlike an island, and Jianlu cannot cross the sea. Tens of thousands of people are building fortifications to secure Jinzhou. It will take at least a month to complete the repairs."
Shuzhen came from a womanly family and did not have much communication with the soldiers who came to help plow the fields for spring plowing. Han Shantong was different. Han Zhong was an officer, so the soldiers naturally couldn't find him annoying, and he only knew a lot.
Shuzhen nodded and said: "Then let's seize the time, plant the land, tidy up the house and yard, and don't let Brother Han be burdened with work when he comes back."
Han Shantong said with a smile: "I can do all these jobs. I can also ask the village chief to send people to help. We are military relatives!"
Military families, the policy of preferential treatment is really good. Shuzhen was envious and grateful because she had benefited from the Han family and his son.
However, there must be an explanation for this matter, and we cannot continue to muddle along like this.
Han Shantong snatched the basket from Shuzhen's hand and urged: "I'll do it alone first. Aunt Zhen, please go home and cook. I'm a little hungry."
Shuzhen was interrupted from her train of thought. She raised her head and looked at the sunlight without fighting for it. She told Han Shantong to go home for dinner soon, then she called the little girl and walked along the field ridge to the village not far away.
On the road, villagers greeted Shuzhen and passed by in a hurry.
We have just settled in, and there is too much work to do. In the fields and at home, we are busy and we have no time to spare.
But amidst the busyness and fatigue, I also placed my hope on living a better life in my new hometown.
Land is no better than an island, and living on an island is like a temporary life after escaping. But now, with our own house and our own fields, we need to have long-term ideas.
In the eyes of the villagers, I have become a member of the Han family?!
Under the intentional or unintentional words of the villagers, Shuzhen's face felt a little hot, but she couldn't explain it, so she quickened her pace and hurried home.
There are two rooms, a utility shed, the yard is simply fenced, and the weeds on the ground haven't had time to be removed.
Shuzhen carried firewood, lit a fire in the kitchen, and washed rice for cooking. The rationing system is still in place, and the people who moved here are given grain, salt and other necessities per head.
As a member of the military, you can get extra food and dried salted fish. There are differences in what you eat, but at least you are guaranteed to be full.
In a few days, I should be able to dig some wild vegetables to eat.
Shuzhen was waiting for the pot to boil, standing by the door and looking around at random, when she suddenly noticed a little green on the ground in the courtyard, which was the germination of weeds.
After getting rid of the weeds, you can also grow some vegetables in the yard, which are convenient to eat.
Shuzhen was thinking and longing, and under the warm sunshine, she felt relaxed and comfortable. This is home, and she hopes it will always be.
………………..
Just one day after returning to Lushun Fort, Mao Wenlong felt the tedious work. At this time, he had just put down the documents, took off his glasses, rubbed his sore eyes, and smiled bitterly at Chen Jisheng who came in.
Chen Jisheng chuckled and said, "Leave the work to the people below, you don't have to worry so much."
Mao Wenlong waved his hand and said: "I would like to enjoy my leisure time, but spring plowing is the top priority, and resettlement cannot be neglected. The main reason is that there are too few people in government affairs, and I have never managed it so meticulously before."
In addition to immigrant farming, there are also military settlements. How much land can be planted now is related to the autumn harvest and the food of the soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the top priority.
Boat after boat of people left the island to land, and boat after boat of household supplies arrived at the port. They had to be arranged as quickly as possible so that the people could settle down and cultivate their homes as soon as possible.
Mao Wenlong is right. The key is that there are too few government officials and extensive management was used in the past. However, the plan formulated by Guo Dajing is quite detailed and thoughtful, which requires more energy.
Chen Jisheng was also very tired. He was sitting in Jinzhou and wanted to do a good job. Every day he was either watching the progress of the fields or dispatching military personnel to help resettle the immigrants.
"How about calling Dajing back?" Chen Jisheng suggested tentatively: "He should be able to make more skillful plans."
Mao Wenlong shook his head and said: "The Nanguan defense line cannot be careless. Only by leaving him there can I rest assured."
Chen Jisheng sat down and said: "Overall, it is satisfactory. Commander, there is no need to insist on perfection. The millions of acres of fields have already greatly exceeded expectations."
The total number of the first batch of immigrants in the plan was more than 60,000. Except for a few military dependents from Pidao and Yuncong, almost all of them moved to Jinzhou. Most of the people on each island were retained according to the amount of cultivated land on the island.
Coupled with the nearly 20,000 garrison troops, cultivating nearly 10 million acres of land is indeed not an easy task.
Of course, it’s just the time of clearing land and harvesting in autumn that is more arduous, but normal field management is much easier.
Although it is cumbersome and labor-intensive, Mao Wenlong feels excited when he thinks about the harvest of tens of millions of acres in the autumn. If the weather is good, and based on the average output, there is great hope for the military and civilians of Dongjiang Town to be self-sufficient.
You must know that Mao Wenlong reported to the court that there were 150,000 soldiers and civilians. In fact, since the opening of the town of Dongjiang, the total number of fleeing Liao people accepted for transfer was no less than one million.
Due to the limited carrying capacity of the islands, many Liao people went to the interior, with the largest number in Shandong and Beizhili.
For example, in the third year of Tianqi, when Dong Yingju, the minister of Taipu Temple and the censor of Henan Province, was in charge of the farming affairs from Tianjin to Shanhaiguan, he resettled 13,000 refugee households in the Northeast within one year.
Even so, Shatou Liao people continued to escape from the Jianlu-controlled areas, and the army and civilians of Dongjiang Town now have a population of more than 200,000.