GBP Chapter 653 You must live up to the boots I've worn out!
Chapter 653 You must live up to the boots I've worn out!
It wasn't exactly a promise, but it put the soldiers present at ease.
However, while feeling relieved, many people also began to secretly regret their actions.
After some whispering, one of the bolder soldiers bowed directly to Yang Shaofeng and asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, will Lingshan Guard also be restructured like the reclamation farms, with some kind of recommendation system and small government offices?"
Yang Shaofeng glanced at the soldier who had spoken with some surprise and smiled, "That's right, Lingshan Guard will also be reorganized."
Upon hearing this, many soldiers immediately regretted their words.
Aside from those who were forced to leave the military by the prince consort due to their age, why should we leave the garrison?
It's not that the garrison isn't appealing, but rather that they've had enough of the oppression from Xiang Fei and his officers.
Now that Xiang Fei has been arrested, the garrison will also have to organize elections and small government offices like the reclamation farms. This means that we soldiers will have some protection, at least we won't have to worry about being oppressed like before.
However, after leaving the military, they could only honestly work on the so-called reclamation farms and would never have the opportunity to go to the battlefield to earn military merit again.
I feel like I got ripped off!
However, as that famous person once said, everything has two sides.
Some people feel they've lost out big time, while others feel they've made a huge profit.
For those soldiers who chose to stay in Lingshan Guard, they have definitely made a fortune this time!
Wasteland reclamation and settlement?
From now on, land reclamation and settlement will have little to do with us soldiers. Although we will still have to cultivate the land and even raise pigs and chickens in the garrison, the land and the chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep raised in the garrison will belong to the imperial court and will be our food.
People like us will never have to worry about the land we've painstakingly reclaimed becoming someone else's again.
Seeing the excited expressions on the faces of the officers, commanders, and centurions, Yang Shaofeng chuckled to himself as he said, "Let's settle the matter of farming and animal husbandry within the garrison for now. Now let's talk about having the soldiers elect representatives for the local government offices."
After repeating the recommendation process he had previously explained to the sergeants who had retired from the military, Yang Shaofeng continued, "Don't think you're at a disadvantage. In fact, you officers are the ones who benefit the most."
The commander who had been temporarily assigned by Yang Shaofeng to manage Lingshan Guard bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness's intentions are good, and we all understand. It is those officers who have retired from the military who have misunderstood."
Yang Shaofeng smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's good that you understand. I believe you all can understand as well."
After a slight pause, Yang Shaofeng continued, "Next, let's talk about the precautions I mentioned earlier."
"Three major rules and eight minor matters."
What precautions did Yang Fuma raise?
The officers, commanders, and centurions present were somewhat unconvinced.
How about learning about the Seven Forbidden Rules and Fifty-Four Cuts?
If they can accept even the Seven Forbidden Rules and the Fifty-Four Executions, what are these things that Prince Consort Yang proposed?
Seeing that everyone seemed somewhat dismissive, Yang Shaofeng said seriously, "Don't think that these precautions are easy to follow."
"Yes, it's easy to do, but not so easy to stick to it."
"After all, the same rice feeds a hundred different kinds of people. There are honest and simple folks, and there are also cunning, treacherous and unreasonable people."
"To address this issue, you must first understand that the soldiers of our Great Ming Dynasty come from the common people, and they will also go among the common people in the future."
"We must adopt a mindset of being one family with the people."
"If you really feel it's difficult, think more about your parents, wife and children."
"What kind of soldiers do you hope they will encounter?"
"Is it someone who would stand up to protect them when they're in danger? Or was it someone who just happened to be passing by and robbed them?"
"Among the brothers present, some of you must have been oppressed by the Tartars and have seen what the Tartar army is like."
"..."
Yang Shaofeng first smiled and instilled the concept of the close relationship between the army and the people in the group of officers, commanders, and centurions. Then he changed the subject and said, "Next, we need to talk about training."
"This is Chang Xiaojiu, the commander of the Imperial Son-in-Law's personal guards. He will assign someone to the Lingshan Guard to be in charge of their training."
"I will give you six months."
"The first three months are a period of reorganization for Lingshan Guard, during which all soldiers are required to learn the basic training content."
"The next three months will be the real training period, requiring all soldiers to reach the level of Ningyang Thousand Household Garrison."
"Then, I will try to secure opportunities for you to go to the battlefield."
“You may go to Liaodong with the Duke of E, or to Mobei with the Duke of Cao, or to the Western Regions with the Duke of Song and his men.”
Ok?
The officers who remained were immediately thrilled.
Will there be another opportunity to go to the battlefield and earn military merit in the future?
Seeing the excited officers, Yang Shaofeng almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Laugh, while you can still laugh, laugh as much as you can.
Once you officially start training, I'm afraid none of you will be laughing!
……
"What about people?"
Chen Zhong, sent by Emperor Zhu, and Zhu Yunsheng, the Assistant Prefect of Shandong Province sent by Wang Guangyang, stared blankly at Yang Shaofeng.
Chen Zhong asked directly, "Your Highness, did His Majesty instruct me to properly settle those soldiers who left the military and were transferred to land reclamation? You said they went to Dengzhou Prefecture?"
Yang Shaofeng glanced at Chen Zhong and asked, "Have you forgotten, Mr. Chen, how you stopped me a while ago?"
Chen Zhong was completely dumbfounded.
Standing next to Chen Zhong, Zhu Yunsheng, the Assistant Prefect of Shandong Province, was completely dumbfounded.
Although he had long anticipated that he would likely make a wasted trip and not be able to snatch anyone back, who would have thought that Yang the Madman would actually snatch people directly from the hands of the superior?
What's worse, Yang Dianfeng doesn't seem to take Chen Zhong seriously at all.
That was the chief eunuch attending to the emperor. Even people of Li Shanchang and Xu Da's rank had to greet Eunuch Chen first.
How come when it comes to you, Yang Dianfeng, Chen Zhong, such a high-ranking eunuch, doesn't have any respect at all?
Just as Zhu Yunsheng was lost in thought, Chen Zhong took a small step back and said with a forced smile, "Look at what you're saying, Your Highness. Last time it was the Emperor's order, so it really wasn't my fault. This time..."
Damn it, you damned eunuch, you even dared to betray your position!
How the hell are you afraid of Yang the Madman, you bastard!
Zhu Yunsheng was internally screaming, but Yang Shaofeng interrupted Chen Zhong with a smile: "This is really unfortunate. The people have already been sent away. If your husband Chen had gone after them as fast as he could, maybe he could have caught a few more?"
Chen Zhong chuckled dryly twice, showing no intention of moving to chase after him.
Who the hell is stupid?
If you, Yang the Madman, send those people to Dengzhou Prefecture, you must send a few of the Imperial Son-in-Law's personal guards to accompany them.
My family is nothing but a dead eunuch. If we had an imperial edict to take over, that would be fine, but we have nothing. So how can we snatch people from the guards of the prince consort's mansion?
After mentally ranting for a moment, Chen Zhongcai looked at Yang Shaofeng and asked, "Shouldn't Your Highness spare some soldiers from the garrisons behind us?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to Zhu Yunsheng.
Zhu Yunsheng quickly cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I came here on behalf of Provincial Governor Wang to see if there is anything I can do for Your Highness, and also to see if there is anything I can do for the soldiers who have retired from the military, such as registering them."
Yang Shaofeng smiled and nodded in agreement.
It's necessary to give some of the retired soldiers to Lao Deng and Wang Guangyang. After all, with so many garrisons in the Ming Dynasty, it's impossible to monopolize them.
However, since you, Emperor Zhu and Wang Guangyang, have taken a share of the benefits from me, you must find other ways to make up for it.
Otherwise, wouldn't all my efforts have been in vain?
At the very least, it has to be worthy of these few pairs of boots that I've worn out!