Chapter 8: Current Situation of Bian County

"If the soldiers are not paid, will they not cause a disturbance?" Gao Yuan asked a crucial question

It is not a matter of whether we can endure hardship, but rather that our Liao West County is a border county, and our Fufeng County is the closest to the enemy within Liao West County, with Juri Pass being the most affected. The Eastern Hu barbarians harass and plunder year after year, and Juri Pass inevitably suffers losses in manpower each year

"Uncle, in fact, I prefer leading troops, it's quite exhilarating!" Gao Yuan said with a smile

"To lead troops, one must first gain their loyalty, and to earn their loyalty, one must not only possess exceptional courage but also ensure that everyone has food to eat." Lu Hong said: "The unit you are about to join has been in arrears of pay for over half a year. I have prepared one hundred guan for you, which is equivalent to one month's salary. This is all I can offer; if it were someone else, it would not be such a bargain."

Lu Hong laughed heartily, appearing extremely satisfied. He also drank the wine in one gulp

With this second bowl, I wish my elder brother success in his studies abroad. On the day when my elder brother achieves great success, do not forget to support your younger brother

Lu Hong smiled slightly, as if everything was taken for granted

During this period, Gao Yuan and Zhang Yi engaged in casual conversations. Zhang Yi worked alongside Lu Hong and was quite knowledgeable about the affairs of the border regions. Gao Yuan was also aware that the greatest enemy of Liaoxi Commandery was the Donghu people. The Donghu were powerful, and Liaoxi Commandery was essentially in a defensive position, to put it bluntly, it was a situation of passively enduring attacks. To deal with the Donghu, it would require a nationwide mobilization of the Great Yan to have any chance of success

Lu Hong nodded and said, "Yes, self-raised, Gao Yuan, to speak frankly, I have three hundred soldiers under my command. The number is complete, but every year when I distribute their salaries, only the one hundred stationed at Juri Pass receive their full pay. After all, being stationed there might cost them their lives. The other two units are stationed in the county town and various villages to maintain public order, and it is already quite good if they receive half of their salaries each year."

The nephew went to lead the troops. Gao Yuan said without hesitation, "Working on some paperwork in the county office, my nephew truly cannot endure this annoyance."

The nephew is capable of enduring hardships! Gao Yuan said earnestly

Ah, Gaoyuan, my original intention was not to let you serve in the military again. Back then, I even allowed you to study together with Chao'er, but you could not endure the patience required. Your temperament is too restless; you are truly not suited for studying. It is also my fault; your parents passed away early, and I spoiled you a bit. Otherwise, with your intelligence, if you had pursued your studies, your achievements today would surely not be inferior to those of your elder brother

I understand! Gao Yuan nodded.

Gao Yuanxin has an uncle who is an official, which is quite good; he can choose his own work.

Gao Yuan secretly laughed to himself; with this wine, even if he drank an entire jar by himself, he would hardly get drunk. In his previous life, he could easily drink two jin of pure grain liquor with an alcohol content of fifty to sixty degrees and still appear completely composed.

The two individuals completed the task thoroughly

It does align with your temperament, but the military camp is not like other places. Your uncle can arrange for you to go, but whether you can establish your footing there is another matter. In the military camp, the strong prevail. Even with your uncle as your backing, those below may not necessarily submit to you. Lu Hong said with a smile, "If you want to lead troops, that's fine. I will give you three months. If you cannot hold your ground, come back. I will keep that position for you for three months. How does that sound?"

Gao Yuan nodded, finally understanding that the Donghu people came to plunder, but only raided the villages outside the city. As long as they did not attack the city or seize land, the Great Yan would not bother to intervene. However, this meant that the villages outside the city would suffer greatly.

However, Uncle, I have some uncertainties. Since our Fufeng County is a border county, what should we do if the Eastern Hu people attack? Can we rely on these three hundred soldiers, who can't even receive their full pay?

Lu Hong chuckled and said, "You may not know this, but the Donghu people come to take advantage of the autumn winds every year, though their scale is not large. When they come, we will defend the city. Besides the three hundred soldiers, we can also temporarily conscript young and strong men. The Donghu people do not attack cities; they may raid, but if they truly wish to assault the county town, that would create a significant enmity. The court and the prefecture would not stand idly by, and that would lead to a major battle. If a large-scale conflict were to break out, the Donghu people would also feel uncertain. A few years ago, the governor gathered over ten thousand troops to engage in a major battle with the Donghu people, giving them a severe lesson, which made them much more compliant. The truly capable soldiers are in the prefecture; we in these local areas are merely for show. The Donghu's internal situation is also unstable; they are a tribal alliance with differing intentions. Now, do you understand?"

Raising the wine bowl, Gao Yuan did not sit down, and said in a loud voice: "This first cup of wine, I would like to toast my uncle and aunt, thanking them for their years of care. Gao Yuan's parents passed away early, and my uncle and aunt have become my second parents. I will drink this first cup in respect."

Watching Gao Yuan consume two bowls without even blinking, Lu Hong began to feel a bit worried. "You have just recovered from your injury, drink less alcohol and eat more vegetables. It would not be good if you get drunk; there are many days ahead."

This depends on the methods of the commanding officer!" Lu Hong cast a meaningful glance at Gao Yuan, "There are many ways to make money down below, it just depends on whether you know how to handle it.

Self-raised? Gao Yuan gasped in surprise

Gao Yuan stood up and respectfully bowed to Lu Hong. He understood in his heart that this one hundred guan was actually given to him specifically by Lu Hong; if it were another military officer, he would certainly not have dared to think about it. "Thank you, Uncle."

Uncle, I have a question that puzzles me. Our Fufeng County is the first border county facing the Eastern Hu, so how come we only have three hundred regular soldiers? This number of personnel, in the event of a battle, what can we accomplish?

Gao Yuan took a deep breath, mentally calculating that Lu Hong received 4,800 guan of money each year from the prefecture and the county. It cost 2,000 guan to maintain 100 people in the barracks, which was non-negotiable. If the other two teams were to be maintained for half a day, it would only amount to another 2,000 guan, leaving a surplus of 800 guan. If further cuts were made in other areas, such as food and weapons, the total would definitely exceed 1,000 guan. Where did this money go? It was clear to him; after all this time, he realized that his uncle, whom he had always held in high regard, was also someone who profited from the blood of soldiers.

Lu Hong's family is not particularly prosperous; apart from the couple, there is only one child, Lu Chao. Thus, the family dinner consists of only four people. Gao Yuan is seeing Madam Lu for the first time; she is indeed a kind and gentle woman. However, compared to Lu Hong's special care for her, Madam Lu appears much more indifferent.

You are a clever person, and naturally, you know where the remaining money has gone. I am also in a difficult position, as I not only have to support my family but also have to pay for your elder brother's education. The expenses for the teacher are quite substantial. Furthermore, the annual expenses for various arrangements also amount to a significant sum. If I were to rely solely on this little money, it would truly be insufficient even for the basics. Fortunately, there are some other sources of income, and my uncle is barely managing to achieve a balance between income and expenditure.

"Uncle is the county lieutenant, commanding a regular force of three hundred soldiers, with a total of four positions for military officers. Currently, two positions are vacant: one is to assist Uncle with various tasks, and the other is to lead troops. Which one do you choose?" Lu Hong asked.

Putting down the wine bowl, Gao Yuan subtly furrowed his brows. Just moments ago, Lu Hong had claimed that this was an old wine he had treasured for several years. However, upon tasting it, it was indeed bland and tasteless, resembling the yellow wine from a past life. To be honest, it hardly qualifies as good wine, but seeing Lu Hong's reverent demeanor, it was not appropriate to say anything.

Today is a joyful day, and I must indulge in a few good drinks. This jar of wine was a treasured gift from Magistrate Wu many years ago, and I have refrained from drinking it for four or five years. Gao Yuan, you are in for a treat today.

"There is no need, Uncle. Since I have chosen to lead the troops, I will certainly not turn back. Just wait and see." Gao Yuan said loudly.

Gao Yuan and Jing Lu Hong couple, Lu Chao also stood up and said with a smile: "Chao is here to accompany you!"

Well, as long as you understand

You are indeed similar to your father. Well, let me introduce you to the situation in Fufeng County. Our Fufeng County has a total of 300 regular soldiers, with 100 stationed in the county seat, another 100 stationed at Juri Pass, which is over 50 miles away from Fufeng City, and the remaining 100 are usually dispersed throughout the various townships in the county to maintain public order. This is the arrangement of the three battalions, which rotate annually. The 100 soldiers you are bringing this time will be stationed in the city. However, after the New Year, they will have to go to Juri Pass. Lu Hong said, "That is not a good place to be." However, after the New Year, they will have to go to Juri Pass. Lu Hong said, "That is not a good place to be."

Lu Hong laughed heartily, "Upon hearing your words, it is clear that you are a little fellow who knows nothing. Gao Yuan, our Fufeng County has three hundred regular soldiers, which is already quite a number. In the Liaoxi Prefecture, there are more than a dozen counties, and the regular soldiers in Fufeng County are three times that of the other counties. Have you ever calculated how much it costs to maintain a soldier?" Upon hearing your words, it is clear that you are a little fellow who knows nothing. Gao Yuan, our Fufeng County has three hundred regular soldiers, which is already quite a number. In the Liaoxi Prefecture, there are more than a dozen counties, and the regular soldiers in Fufeng County are three times that of the other counties. Just the monthly salary of one guan per soldier amounts to over three thousand guan in a year. Additionally, for clothing, weapons, and food, each soldier costs another ten guan a year. This means that for these three hundred regular soldiers, we need to allocate over six thousand guan annually. This is no small sum. Fufeng County has a special situation; every year, the governor allocates sixty percent of the budget, which amounts to three thousand six hundred guan. I can also extract another twenty percent from the county, which is one thousand two hundred guan. However, there remains a shortfall of one thousand two hundred guan that must be raised independently.

There were not many dishes, just five or six bowls, but the chef's skills seemed quite good, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, both colorful and fragrant. Among the four people at the table, Gao Yuan was the youngest. Since it was a family banquet, Gao Yuan did not stand on ceremony, treating himself as one of the hosts. He was the first to pick up the wine jar on the table, removed the clay seal, and prepared to pour wine for the four of them

Lu Chao nodded and said, "Of course." With a bang, the two of them downed their drinks in one go

After dinner, Madam Lu went to the backyard to attend to matters, while Lu Chao also took his leave to return to his room to study. However, Gao Yuan was retained by Lu Hong.

"When one becomes a soldier, one cannot avoid the bloodshed of the battlefield. Your father died in battle, and your mother passed away in sorrow. I truly do not wish for you to return to the battlefield, but since you are unwilling to study, that path is closed off. The only option left is to enlist and strive for a future. This time, I have arranged for you to take the position of a military clerk; your uncle has two vacancies. You may choose whichever you prefer." Lu Hong said.

Madam Lu raised her wine bowl and smiled, saying: "Gao Yuan was never so eloquent before. I didn't expect that this time, as a second-generation person, he has truly become much more sensible. So, it seems that enduring a knife wound this time was indeed worth it"

This time, my nephew has been lying down for nearly a month, and he truly does not know what wine tastes like. Gao Yuan smiled and poured wine into the bowls of the four people. As the wine was poured out, Gao Yuan couldn't help but be taken aback; the wine smelled quite fragrant, but its color was indeed not very good, somewhat murky. Compared to the pure, water-like wine he had drunk in his previous life, its appearance was lacking significantly. Could it be that it had been stored for too long and had gone bad? Gao Yuan thought to himself, but seeing Lu Hong's expression, there was no sign of anything unusual, which made him secretly curious. However, the color was indeed not very good, somewhat murky, and compared to the pure, water-like wine he had drunk in his previous life, its appearance was lacking significantly. Could it be that it had been stored for too long and had gone bad? Gao Yuan thought to himself, but seeing Lu Hong's expression, there was no sign of anything unusual, which made him secretly curious.

A meal was enjoyed in a harmonious atmosphere, and Gao Yuan could see that this family truly regarded each other as kin, which moved him deeply. In his past life, he had no knowledge of warmth; what he faced daily were either cold instruments or the brutal reality of life and death. He had never experienced such warmth before