After Xiao Yifeng and Chen Dong were sent out for armed escort, Ding Yunyi suddenly became short of manpower.
There were originally fifteen soldiers, but now half of them are gone. What if another group of pirates comes?
Ding Yunyi thought about recruiting a group of soldiers on Penghu Island first, replenishing the military camp, and training them, and then they could put them to good use. When he found Hong Tiaoyuan to express his thoughts, the always cautious Hong Tiaoyuan couldn't help but look embarrassed:
"Third brother, recruiting troops privately without permission is a serious crime that is tantamount to rebellion. I think it is better to report it to the superiors first and then make a decision later."
He had expected that Hong Tiaoyuan would say this, so Ding Yunyi said: "Brother, when the approval comes from above, I'm afraid it will take half a year no matter how fast it is. I can't wait. Besides, eldest brother already has so many people under his command, but I just want to run one today."
, I’ll just run out one and run out tomorrow. Now I’m waiting to recruit strong soldiers, it’s just a supplement, it’s no big deal.”
Seeing that Hong Tiaoyuan was still hesitant, Ding Yunyi said again: "If the eldest brother is really worried, he can ask the superiors for instructions and ask Qin Yun to come forward and recruit strong men in his own name only to escort the merchants out to sea. In this way, the eldest brother will have nothing to do.
It’s related.”
"It's the best, it's the best." Hong Tiaoyuan felt relieved.
Asking Qin Yun to come forward is a private matter and has nothing to do with him, Mr. Hong.
Then he frowned again: "Third brother, when recruiting people, we need weapons and wages. These two are top priorities."
This is a practical problem, especially in terms of pay and silver. The problem of military pay has always troubled the Ming Dynasty, and there has never been a good solution.
The Ming Dynasty first used the military system and the military settlement system. When the living standards of military households were lower than the living standards of the people across the country, the contrast between the army and the local area made military households uneasy and rioted. They wanted to get rid of the heavy corvee, and the only way
The only way is to leave the army. In order to make a fortune, the officers invaded the military villages and forced the soldiers to farm, which led to insufficient food and salary supply for the guards; the officers exploited the soldiers, making them more miserable; the officers tried to bribe the soldiers and allowed the soldiers to flee; the military households could not escape.
I want to pursue a report. Because the monthly rations of the escaped military household will naturally fall into the pocket of the officer, so the shortage of the guard army becomes more and more serious. In the third year of orthodoxy, the number of fleeing military households reached 1.63 million.
.
Hence the reform of the "military recruitment system".
Recruiting soldiers have room for selection, and they are fully qualified to select young adults. The salary of recruited soldiers is double or even several times higher than that of the guard army. Good management can enable soldiers to serve with peace of mind, and the army is relatively stable. Recruited soldiers do not have family members brought by the guard army.
Drag is more suitable for expeditions in the east and garrison in the west, mobile warfare. Recruitment of troops comes from the common people. Although the troops are abundant, the shortfall can be recruited at any time to keep the army full; when it is not needed, it can be reduced at any time to save military expenses.
The recruitment system is more conducive to building an elite army that is good at recruiting and fighting than the world military system. But whether the recruitment system can build an elite army depends on the recruiters and the people who lead the troops. During the Jiajing period, Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang both fought on the southeast coast.
He personally recruited soldiers and trained them rigorously after recruitment, so they all became elite soldiers. Qi Jiguang's "Qi Family Army" was especially famous.
There is another very important reason, that is, the issue of military pay in the recruitment system, which is also the key to the stability of the army.
Recruiting soldiers, as professional soldiers who voluntarily join the army, do not enjoy the tax-free policy like military households. In short, joining the army is for military pay, to make a living, and to attract outstanding young adults. The food and salary for recruiting soldiers is higher than that of guards.
About double.
During the Jiajing period, Qi Jiguang's recruitment of soldiers in the south was three cents of silver per day and nine cents per month. However, during the Longqing and Wanli years, Qi Jiguang's monthly salary for the southern soldiers recruited in the north reached one to two and five cents. From the Tumu Revolution to the early Jiajing period,
The cost of recruiting soldiers increased significantly. In the eighth year of Chenghua, the cost of recruiting soldiers in the northwest was "3 taels of silver, 2 pieces of cloth, and 2 stones of rice per month", which was equivalent to about 5 taels of silver. During the Hongzhi period, when recruiting soldiers, "people were given 5 taels of silver."
"It was several times higher than the 2 pieces of cloth given by the orthodox initial recruiters. By the 29th year of Jiajing, the amount of silver for Jiubian recruiters alone was as high as 590,000 taels.
After the Second World War, military pay increased, and military pay varied from place to place. Some were three taels, and some were five taels. Together, by the Chongzhen period, it became a heavy and unbearable burden for the imperial court.
If we want to recruit troops in Penghu, considering the bitter cold in Penghu and Ding Yunyi's reputation in the local area, the cost will be slightly less, but it must not be less than 20 taels of monthly salary.
Moreover, this level of 2 taels cannot remain this way forever. When the economic situation improves, rates will inevitably have to be increased.
According to the current level, recruiting one hundred soldiers will cost two hundred taels per month in salary alone. This does not include the soldiers' food, drink, and toilet expenses, as well as weapons, clothing, etc. supplements.
Thinking of this, Ding Yunyi's head felt a little big.
Except for those taken away by Cai Jiuzhou to build new ships and weapons, to build Fenggui City, to distribute to the people of Penghu, to bribe Fujian officials, and to keep as backup in case of emergencies, I still have what I can use.
With only three hundred and fifty taels of silver, I could barely recruit a hundred soldiers and last for a month.
What about a month later? With the little military pay issued by Fujian? Throwing it into the sea will not even make a splash.
I don’t want to think about it anymore. I don’t want to think about it anymore.
Ding Yunyi shook his head repeatedly. No matter what, let's pull the people up first. Once we have the people, we can then think about weapons and other things.
Thinking of this, Ding Yunyi said to Hong Tiaoyuan: "Brother, I will solve these matters. Let's just gather the people first and then take it one step at a time."
Hong Tiaoyuan nodded, and then sighed: "Third brother, you are bold and careful, and you are good at doing big things, but sometimes you are too courageous. You are just a small patrol, I
We are just a small boss, and our words can still be useful here, but when we leave Penghu, no one will take us seriously. I have a few more years to live than you. Listen to my advice and think twice before you act.
Don't be reckless."
Ding Yunyi knew that Hong Tiaoyuan had good intentions. He had been cautious and cautious all his life. Now that he suddenly had such a bold third brother, he was on tenterhooks every day.
But the troubled times of the Ming Dynasty have come. In Penghu, I look like a red barbarian and surrounded by pirates, but in fact, I live a much more peaceful life than in the Central Plains.
If you don't take this opportunity to develop some capital, it will be too late to regret it in the future.
If I had Zheng Zhilong's wealth and wealth, all my troubles would be solved. Unfortunately, not only do I not have it, even if I ask Zheng Zhilong to borrow money, others may not be willing to do so.
It's hard, it's hard. Ding Yunyi sighed in his heart.
With no one to help me, I am now relying on myself to support myself. God knows what else is waiting for me in the future.