Chapter 5: Military and Soldiers

Huang Laifu, accompanied by Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu, after surveying the surroundings of Wuzhaibao, finally ascended the fortress wall of Wuzhaibao with a complex state of mind, while Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu naturally followed closely beside him

The walls of Wuzhaibao are constructed with brick and stone. Since Wuzhaibao is situated in a flat area, there are 4 gates in the walls.

Do you know about the soldiers stationed in the towns of Shanxi? My goodness, the conditions there are quite comfortable. In addition to the monthly grain allowance, they also receive a stipend of one or two taels of silver each month. This is still the treatment after the previous allocation of soldiers from the garrison brothers!

After observing for a long time, naturally, the distant fire beacon remained quiet, showing no signs of disturbance due to Huang Laifu's arrival. In fact, since the negotiations during the Longqing period, the large-scale incursions by the Mongols had largely ceased. Aside from some small Mongolian tribes on the fringes occasionally raiding towns after disasters, the nine borders generally remained peaceful. However, Huang Laifu knew that in two years, during the Wanli period's three major campaigns, the border would once again be ablaze with war. What role would he play in this?

Huang Laifu said lightly: "Get up, I do not blame you, but this shall not happen again." Although he is only 17 years old in this body, there is not a single person in Wuzhaibao who dares to disregard his words

The situation observed by Huang Laifu regarding those soldiers clearly illustrates this point. In fact, during the mid to late Ming Dynasty, the Wei Su system had already deteriorated, with a significant number of able-bodied men fleeing. The Wei Su was severely lacking in personnel, and in addition, it had effectively become a reserve force, continuously supplying outstanding individuals to the army and for various tasks. As the Wei Su continued to lose its strength, the weaker elements became increasingly vulnerable, which is not surprising.

Indeed, indeed, I feel the same way...

Finally, Huang Laifu climbed to the corner tower and unconsciously gazed towards the direction of the fire road mound.

Huang Laifu said: "Let's go, out of the city!"

Huang Laifu was lost in thought, feeling a sensation akin to iron horses crossing icy rivers. Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu, however, were secretly observing Huang Laifu. Both thought, "The young master was never this quiet before; he used to be quite fierce. Perhaps the events of the past few days have affected him."

People strive for higher positions, and the treatment of military personnel in the camps is better than that of the garrison troops. Therefore, it is quite normal for these individuals to discuss and envy this situation. Forcibly suppressing such sentiments is not an effective approach. To forge strong iron, one must be strong oneself. If we want the soldiers to feel a sense of attachment and recognition towards Wuzhaibao, we must manage Wuzhaibao well, ensuring that the soldiers are free from worries about their food and clothing

Huang Laifu listened quietly; next year he would take over as the commander of Wuzhaibao. Naturally, he wanted to understand the thoughts of the soldiers under his command, as they would be the foundation of Wuzhaibao in the future. However, from what he heard and observed, the situation was quite dire, with people's hearts in turmoil. Wuzhaibao truly has many issues.

However, neither the garrison soldiers nor the recruited soldiers constitute a combat formation. During operations, they must be organized into battalions composed of garrison soldiers or recruited soldiers, referred to as battalion troops. The sources of battalion troops are primarily twofold: recruited soldiers and garrison troops. The main force of the battalion troops consists of recruited soldiers, with a portion also selected from the garrison troops.

Huang Laifu suddenly had a flash of insight. He found it strange that he had come to this world and wondered why he was here and if there were any unusual circumstances during his arrival. That day, when he crossed over and took possession of this body, he had been unconscious. Today, he decided to visit the location where the incident occurred to see if he could make any discoveries.

This is nothing compared to the envy one feels for Liaodong Town. It is said that the soldiers recruited from there receive an initial settlement payment of five taels of silver, along with three taels for armor and equipment, and an additional fifteen taels for horse and saddle expenses. Moreover, they also receive monthly pay. Tsk tsk, what a life...

Yang Xiaolu noticed that Huang Laifu was lost in thought while gazing into the distance, so he approached and said softly, "Young Master, the wind is strong on the corner tower; let us go down!" Jiang Dazhong also hurriedly agreed.

... ...

In fact, the garrison troops and camp soldiers mentioned by the soldiers earlier are a unique military system of the Ming Dynasty

Although Huang Laifu has not yet taken office and theoretically does not have the authority to deal with them, the soldiers all know that Huang Laifu's words essentially represent the words of the Qianhu. After all, Huang Sihao's favoritism towards Huang Laifu is known throughout the entire Wuzhaibao.

From the vantage point of the corner tower, one can see several miles away. The terrain surrounding Wuzhaibao is approximately higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest. In the areas visible to the eye, the northwest, south, and three directions of the fortress are mostly flat within ten miles, consisting either of plains or hills. Only to the east, not far away, are the towering mountains, known locally as Kela Mountain.

Yang Xiaolu glanced at Huang Laifu's expression. Naturally, he had heard the soldiers' words just now. He hurriedly rushed forward and shouted, "What are you few trying to do, are you looking to get yourselves killed? Speaking such words that undermine the morale of the troops here, do you want to face military law?"

While it is true that the great cow is enviable, he is drawn from the garrison troops and holds a hereditary military status. What is most enviable are those soldiers recruited from the battalions, who enjoy generous treatment, do not have hereditary obligations, and have the freedom to come and go. It is said that upon recruitment, each of these individuals is given a settlement allowance of five taels, with southern soldiers receiving a monthly salary of one tael and five cash, while northern soldiers receive one tael.

Those recruits all come from civilian backgrounds; even after becoming soldiers, they remain civilians. We are merely some impoverished military households, how can we compare?

The soldiers expressed their heartfelt gratitude and rose to their feet

At this moment, some soldiers were huddled against the fortress wall, chatting with a relaxed demeanor. Upon seeing Huang Laifu and his companions approach, they quickly straightened up and respectfully greeted, "Young Master Huang!" Although Huang Laifu would only assume the position of a thousand households next year and currently held no military rank, none of the soldiers dared to treat him with disrespect, fearing that he might reprimand them for their laxity.

How enviable it is to be a big shot, receiving a salary and allowances every month, which is far better than our meager monthly rations. Alas, my wife has never had a full meal since she married me

Huang Laifu nodded, leading Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu down the corner tower. Just as they were about to descend the fortress wall, they heard several city guards nearby gathered together, discussing something with great interest. Huang Laifu felt a stir in his heart, stopped in his tracks, and listened intently to the conversation.

"How do I know? Do you know Daniu? He used to be from Wuzhaibao, skilled with a long gun. Last year, he was selected to serve as a soldier in the town. A few days ago, he sent a message back!"

In the distance, voices of discussion could be heard: "Goodness, that just scared me! Does anyone else think that this yellow tiger's gloomy silence is even more terrifying than when he used to be fierce?"

Military positions are not hereditary, and the provisions and treatment for soldiers are relatively generous, gradually leading to soldiers replacing the role of the military. Soldiers take the initiative in battle, while the military focuses on defense and garrisoning.

Huang Laifu led Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu down from the fortress wall, while the soldiers respectfully sent them off

Huang Laifu, however, had no intention of paying them any mind. He nodded slightly and waved his hand to signal them to continue their patrol. He then took Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu with him, strolling slowly atop the fortress city, carefully observing every corner, and finding that each place he visited matched perfectly with his memories.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the Weisuo system was implemented nationwide, which is known as the Weisuo army. After the mid-Ming period, the Weisuo system deteriorated, and the Weisuo army became unfit for use, forcing the Ming government to resort to the large-scale recruitment of soldiers.

Military family garrisons are organized into small banners, general banners, hundred households, thousand households, garrison commanders, and chief commanders. Troop camps are organized into squad leaders, team leaders, sentry officers, captains, defenders, guerrillas, deputy generals, and generals. The two systems are contradictory yet coexist, having persisted together for nearly a century.

Within the fortress, there is also a moat city, along with the horse faces, crenels, shooting ports, and bunkers on the city walls. The facilities such as the horse path along the inner side of the fortress walls and the corner towers collectively form a comprehensive castle defense system

However, the military did not completely replace the position of the army. The camp soldier system was established due to warfare, characterized by a highly mobile military organization that was deployed according to the demands of the conflict, without a fixed station. After the completion of military affairs, soldiers were disbanded and returned to their homes to engage in agriculture, while the garrison troops continued to serve. The garrison system persisted until the fall of the Ming Dynasty

The primary distinction between conscripted soldiers and the garrison troops lies in the fact that conscripted soldiers predominantly come from the civilian population. Upon joining the military, they do not change their household status, do not inherit their military position, and are not required to serve for life. The government explicitly stipulates that they return to farming after their service. In this manner, garrison troops are referred to as soldiers, while conscripted soldiers are termed militia. The conscripted soldiers became the main military force relied upon during the late Ming Dynasty

How should one change this situation? Without young and strong individuals, Wuzhaibao should not expect to develop

With such thoughts in mind, Huang Laifu approached his horse. Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu came over, with Jiang Dazhong innocently asking: "Young Master, where are we going now?"

The implementation of the camp soldier recruitment system has undoubtedly brought significant impacts and changes to the normal operations of the garrison. A considerable portion of the camp soldiers comes from the surplus military personnel, who are likely to serve as substitutes for the regular troops or as important forces for local defense. The large-scale recruitment of surplus military personnel will inevitably affect the selection and replacement of the garrison troops.

When Huang Laifu descended from the fortress wall, he was still pondering the words of the soldiers from earlier

The soldiers then realized that Huang Laifu and the other two were standing beside them, each one startled, kneeling and saying: "I acknowledge my mistake, please forgive me, young master"

To the north of Liang Fortress lies a river, locally known as the Qinglian River. It is evident that there are some fields on both sides of the river, which were originally the cultivated lands of the military households of Wuzhaibao, but now most of them are occupied by the Huang family