jdhmnovel Chapter 724 Do you think I just want to annoy you?
Chapter 724 Do you think I just want to annoy you?
There's a famous saying in female-oriented fiction: "The one who isn't loved is the mistress." In stories about real and fake heiresses and real and fake young masters, there's often a protagonist who isn't favored, forming a stark contrast with the other protagonist who is favored and loved.
From a certain perspective, the repeated desertion incidents in the garrison are strikingly similar to those famous scenes in female-oriented online novels where characters "turn away when they no longer love someone."
Although Emperor Zhu had not read those short stories on female-oriented platforms that were full of outrageous values and mind-blowing ideas, he could easily draw a conclusion based on his own personal experiences and what he had seen and heard in the various centurions under the Ningyang Thousand-Household Office.
An army that clings to the old idea of "joining the army to earn a government salary" is absolutely no match for an army that takes "defending the country and protecting the people" as its guiding principle.
An army that believes in "serving the emperor" will not spontaneously help the people harvest wheat.
The phrase "soldiers pass by like combs" truly captures the reality of the military, where soldiers are paid by the emperor.
Thinking back to the Lingshan Guard, the current Fujian Military Command, and the guard posts involved in the Fujian Wokou case, Emperor Zhu was suddenly startled.
Therefore, the army of our Great Ming Dynasty has actually begun to slowly slide from the initial vigor and determination to "expel the Tartars and restore China" and defend the borders and protect the people, to a state of "swords and spears put away and horses grazing on the southern mountains", and may even become an army full of veterans, drawing salaries without working and drinking the blood of soldiers.
"We understand."
Emperor Zhu calmly picked up the small dragon ball, took a sip, and put down the cup before saying, "We will continue to promote the reform of the garrison system. We will make other reforms later when Tiande and Boren return."
"besides."
Emperor Zhu adopted a matter-of-fact attitude and said, "You raised these problems, so we won't force you to solve them for us, but asking you for a few people isn't unreasonable, is it?"
Yang Shaofeng blinked blankly.
If I heard correctly, it was this old man who just asked me for manpower, right?
So here's the question: how is it that Old Deng can remain calm and composed, even putting on an air of nonchalance?
Yes, the question was raised by me.
But why do I raise these questions?
Do you think I'm just trying to annoy you?
Definitely not.
I am doing this for the sake of your Ming Dynasty's land and its people.
And yet you, old Deng, have turned around and exploited me?
This is really too much!
Yang Shaofeng grew angrier the more he thought about it, and simply shrugged and said, "Anyway, there are only so many people in Ningyang County. If my father-in-law wants to exhaust all resources, then there's nothing I can do about it."
Well, if you insist that I'm the one causing you trouble, then there's nothing I can do about it.
Because I am indeed causing you trouble.
However, Emperor Zhu's reaction was far beyond Yang Shaofeng's expectations.
Emperor Zhu glanced at Yang Shaofeng and snorted coldly, "It's alright. You're short-handed here, but Biao'er has already prepared manpower for us."
Yang Shaofeng was slightly taken aback and asked, "Your Highness?"
Emperor Zhu simply snorted.
You're allowed to cause us trouble all the time, but Biao'er isn't allowed to share our burdens?
Emperor Zhu picked up the small dragon ball again, took a sip, put down the cup, and then leaned back in the recliner in a comfortable and relaxed posture.
As the saying goes, governing a large country is like cooking a small fish.
"The problems you mentioned cannot be solved in a short time, and they require a large number of reliable people to gradually implement them."
Emperor Zhu pointed to the stack of memorials on the table and said with a smile, "If you flip through them from the bottom up, it should be the fourth one from the bottom."
Yang Shaofeng, full of suspicion, picked out the fourth to last one from a large pile of memorials.
Ningyang Farm.
Upon seeing those four large characters for the first time, Yang Shaofeng felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
No, does that mean the black sesame glutinous rice ball has some kind of serious illness?
I established a farm in Dengzhou Prefecture to resettle the soldiers who were discharged from the military.
You, a black sesame dumpling farmer, are running a farm just to send those rich kids from Beijing to suffer in Ningyang County?
Good heavens, so you're trying to pin all the blame on your brother-in-law, me?
Yang Shaofeng raised his head, staring blankly at Emperor Zhu, and asked, "Is this the manpower that His Highness the Crown Prince prepared for you, Father-in-law?"
Seeing Yang Shaofeng's face turn into a colorful mess, Emperor Zhu asked with a forced smile, "Is there a problem?"
What's the problem?
Big problem!
Your black sesame dumpling knows what kind of people the noble families in the capital are, and it also knows that officials in other places dare not offend them, so it makes me offend them.
Although I am not afraid of offending people, let alone a group of second-generation nobles, could you at least give me a heads-up beforehand?
Those guys are a bunch of second-generation nobles, their families are either dukes or marquises, or at the very least earls. Even the commanders of a thousand households have to behave themselves like grandsons. With them coming to Ningyang County, how can the people of Ningyang County have a good life?
Putting everything else aside, just consider this: when these second-generation rich kids are exhausted and starving, will they do something petty like stealing chickens or dogs?
Furthermore, among these privileged second-generation nobles, there are quite a few single men in their teens. If they come to Ningyang County, will the daughters of ordinary people still be safe?
Yang Shaofeng grew angrier the more he thought about it, and couldn't help but snort, saying, "What's their status in coming to Ningyang County? A military settlement? Or an official settlement?"
There is a fundamental difference between military settlements and government-run settlements.
The so-called military settlements were formed by organizing the second-generation nobles into an army and stationing them on farms in the form of military land reclamation and cultivation. They were required to both cultivate the land and train.
The so-called "official farms" meant that the second-generation nobles could come and cultivate the land directly, but they did not need to temporarily join the military farming, nor did they need to receive training, and they could not be bound by military regulations.
Emperor Zhu smiled and said directly, "Military settlements."
……
"Li Qi, Chang Sheng, Chang Mao."
"This time, the three of you will lead the team to the Ningyang County Farm reclamation project."
"If nothing goes wrong, that's fine. But if something does go wrong, I won't go after anyone else, I'll go after the three of you."
Zhu Biao stood in front of the group of second-generation nobles, pacing back and forth as he said, "And you, after we set off, forget your identities as young dukes, young marquises, and young earls. Even if you have the greatest arrogance and temper, you must all restrain yourselves."
Stopping in his tracks and glancing at the numerous second-generation nobles, Zhu Biao continued, "What exactly does this trip to Ningyang County to establish farms and reclamation mean? I don't need to elaborate; you should all understand, or at least have heard some rumors about it."
Li Qi, Chang Sheng, Chang Mao, and others nodded in agreement.
Zhu Biao took two more steps and walked up to a second-generation nobleman, saying, "Sir, you are nobles, and I am the Crown Prince. I will not be able to do without your assistance in the future, and the Ming Dynasty will not be able to do without you either."
"Personally, among you are my elder brothers and my younger brothers. I also hope that you can achieve something in your studies and not be cursed as good-for-nothings who only rely on the legacy of your fathers."
"So, once you get to Ningyang County, do whatever your brother-in-law tells you to do. Be obedient, learn more, and observe more."