Liu Jingxuan's eyes widened and he murmured: "Three-year compulsory military service? Do you mean that all ordinary people must serve the country as soldiers for three years?"
Liu Yu nodded calmly: "What I mean is that all people must undergo military training, just like the official examination in the Han Dynasty. Military skills and formation techniques must become the basic survival skills of every man and should be trained."
, these can be taught by doing the corvee during the annual off-farm period, during concentrated labor, or even in the years after they become adults, without asking these newcomers to do any specific projects or projects, and without them going to work.
Instead of building roads, digging rivers, or constructing cities and palaces, they specifically focused on training military skills as corvees."
"Two to three years later, when you are about twenty years old, at your best age and when you are strongest, you can be selected as a compulsory soldier. Relatively strict standards for enlistment can be formulated, including physical fitness, use of weapons, and some basic formations.
We will assess the mastery of the army, and then set the target for new sergeants to join the army every year based on the state and county. I think that based on the current situation of the Jin Dynasty, we should maintain an army of 300,000 to 500,000, and one-third of the soldiers will be recruited every year.
The number of sergeants is needed."
Liu Jingxuan said thoughtfully: "What you mean is that once the three-year period is up, the veterans will retire and return to their hometowns and become common people again, while the new soldiers will join the army to replace the veterans. In this way, the army will be maintained throughout the country.
The number is 300,000 to 500,000, which is not too heavy a burden compared to Dajin’s current population of about 10 million?"
Liu Yu said seriously: "I'm talking about 300,000 to 500,000 compulsory soldiers, because with only three years of military experience, it is unlikely that they can cope with the war. The core and skeleton of an army must have rich combat experience."
Veterans and generals of the army, just like us Jingkou people, are mostly veterans who have fought in the war. Although they may be a bit older and not as strong as the new recruits, they are fully qualified as officers and commanders. Just like you
I am in my forties and am running for my fifties. It is not appropriate for us to charge in front of the battle like we did when we were young. But if we are allowed to command thousands of troops, it will be much better than new recruits.
.”
Liu Jingxuan laughed: "Yes, this is just like every time before when the army was disbanded and returned to the field, the elite soldiers were retained in the army. Although they looked like sergeants, in fact they would be used as soon as there was a war.
All of them are promoted to team commanders, brigade commanders, or at least grassroots officers such as centurions to command the urgently recruited recruits. In this way, your conscripts are actually the temporary recruits who are used as regular troops.
Have you kept it?"
Liu Yu nodded: "Yes, there is such a large-scale army that can be drawn out to fight at any time. It is better than recruiting at short notice if there is a war. The soldiers and generals are not familiar with each other and need a long period of running-in. We must effectively
Many, the reason why they have not retained a large army in the past and only left a few backbones as shelf troops lies in the selfishness of the aristocratic families. They do not want to expedition to the north, and they do not feel that there are forces at home and abroad that can really threaten them, even the Hulu
We can also resist the invasion in Jiangbei first, let you strong people in Huaibei be on the front line, organize farmers and tenants for them, select the best and expand the army, and buy time."
"Generally speaking, the Hulu are from the north and will not adapt to the climate in the south. Whether it is Jingzhou or Yangzhou, in the Huaihe River area in the north of the Yangtze River, they can no longer fight and can only retreat. Therefore, the crisis of the noble family is relieved and after regaining the lost territory
, you can also disband the army and let the young men return to the manor to become their labor force. This method has been practiced for almost a hundred years since the founding of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. "
"But this is not the army I want. What I want is the Northern Expedition, to regain the lost territory and return it to the old capital. Without an army large enough and capable of fighting, we cannot do this. After the demon thieves were eliminated this time,
, the number of our troops should not be less than 300,000. I need to retain a standing army of 300,000 to 500,000, half of which will be used for local security and training of new recruits, and the other half should be considered in the future Northern Expedition.
, and attacked as various legions.”
Liu Jingxuan laughed: "Then you just let the new recruits reorganize and train at home, while the veterans continue the Northern Expedition, wouldn't that be the end of it? Why do you want to make it so complicated?"
Liu Yu said calmly: "It's not that simple. In the past two years, from the Northern Expedition to Southern Yan to the suppression of the demon bandits, the veterans have fought continuously. Many of them are scarred and very tired inside. They don't really want to fight. Look at us today.
The army's morale seems to be high, but that's because they all regard this battle as a decisive battle against the demon thieves, and want to completely settle the grievances they have had for many years. Once the demon thieves are really eliminated, if you want them to go north,
Many people may not be willing to engage in a new war."
Liu Jingxuan nodded: "What you said makes sense. Generally speaking, if a person has been fighting for three or four years in a row, he can no longer be used. Unless he is knighted and promoted to a general, it is best to disband and return to the field.
Okay, but the army of three to five million you mentioned depends entirely on the voluntary participation of the people from all over the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people join the army to serve the country. This is probably not easy. When the Beifu Army was formed, the number of 80,000 people was high.
It took three times the military pay of ordinary soldiers, and it took half a year to form an army under such conditions. The conditions and household registration in Jin Dynasty may not be as good as they were during the Battle of Feishui. Are you sure you can form an army of this size?"
Liu Yu said seriously: "This requires giving enough benefits to the conscripts. The first benefit must be tax exemption and exemption from military service for the past few years. After completing the military service, they can be exempted from service for life. In addition, during the training before becoming a soldier,
The military skills you have mastered and the strong body you have developed will be very advantageous in the village. Even if you have not made any meritorious service, you will become a strong man in the village and will not be easily bullied."
"The second advantage is that when you are in the army, you can learn cultural knowledge and be able to read and digit as I just said. Before the country has the ability to fully popularize Xiangxu and official education, you are a civilian in the army.
It is the best way to receive cultural education, so that after retiring from the army, you will become a half-scholar. This alone is enough to make those who want to be soldiers overwhelmed every year!"
Liu Jingxuan stroked his beard with satisfaction: "These benefits are indeed significant. They are equivalent to opening up both civil and military training resources to ordinary people. Then the army will become a school, which will definitely make people squeeze their heads. In order to be able to
If you become a compulsory soldier, then everyone must keep fit and practice martial arts. We don’t have to worry about the supply of troops for the Jin army." (End of Chapter)