"Fellow villagers, the militia is not here to fight a war, but to protect your hometown and your fields!"

Standing on the high platform, Lin Qing, the militia captain of Shenzhou, shouted loudly: "Whether it is Dongning or Liaodong, there are many bandits who rob and plunder, as well as grassland bandits, who are constantly threatening our safety."

However, the government may not be able to provide timely assistance to the people!

Would you like to see our homes and our food stolen by bandits?

"No!"

The crowd of people answered in unison.

"Yes, I don't want to!"

Lin Qing continued, "Therefore, we need to establish our own militia."

The militia works in the fields during the busy farming season and trains during the off-season.

The purpose of our training is to ensure that we have the ability to protect ourselves when bandits come.

It can protect the land beneath our feet, the houses in the village, and our wives and children behind us!

Protect them from being robbed by bandits!

Hearing Lin Qing's words, the gathered people became interested.

They all understood that the militia was a village-level operation and had nothing to do with the military.

Therefore, there was no resistance.

During this period, after taking over Liaodong, Lin Qing also became the militia commander of Shenzhou Prefecture.

His task was to instruct the counties and villages under the jurisdiction of Shenzhou Prefecture to quickly organize militia teams and publicize their benefits.

In this way, firstly, it can ensure that each village has the ability to protect itself.

Secondly, it also extended the government's control to the villages.

Thirdly, it will enhance the people's support and love for Dongning.

At that time, it will be much easier to win the hearts of the people, recruit workers, or recruit soldiers.

For the past two weeks, Lin Qing has been visiting more than a dozen villages every day, explaining things to each one.

Even when his voice was hoarse from shouting, he persisted.

He knew that this was a sign of the Prince Xin's trust in him, and he had to do his job well.

While each village established its own militia team, Dongning's policies were also thoroughly publicized to all villages.

In addition, orders to recruit soldiers in Liaodong and other places were also issued to various villages.

They received a generous monthly salary, food and lodging were provided, and land taxes were reduced or waived.

Such generous benefits naturally attracted enthusiastic applications from villagers in various villages in Liaodong.

Located outside the city of Shenzhou, the reserve force of new recruits from Dongning is responsible for recruiting new soldiers.

There were a lot of conscripts from the surrounding villages.

With generous benefits, the notion that "good men don't become soldiers" is gradually changing.

Meanwhile, Liaodong Prefecture also began policy promotion, militia formation, and new recruit recruitment.

Even in the dead of winter, when heavy snow blocked the mountains, the people who came from Dongning did not rest.

Everyone carries a very heavy burden on their shoulders.

They need to make sure everything is in place before spring.

After the start of spring, various places will begin clearing land for planting, entering the busy farming season.

By then, there won't be as much time to be busy with these things.

Liaodong's wealth was not solely due to its abundance of fertile land.

More importantly, population!

Dongning today has a population of less than one million.

That was after one or two consecutive years of migration of people from Huaibei and other places, and the acceptance of refugees.

This also includes some members of the Tufu tribe.

Liaodong is different; its registered population has reached over four million.

Although it is not as wealthy as Jiangnan, Qiantang, Huguang, and Sichuan, it is the most prosperous place in Northeast China!

Even though in recent years, when grassland bandits frequently raided Liaodong, Liaodong remained one of the wealthiest regions!

This is why the Liao Prince's Palace had tens of thousands of troops under its command and was renowned for its power!

Such a prosperous land naturally deserves the Prince Xin's Mansion to devote a great deal of energy, manpower, and resources to the development and construction of Liaodong.

Dongning alone is enough to support the army in a battle against the imperial court.

If Liaodong is developed well, its future should not be underestimated!

This is also why Li Xin repeatedly urged him to take good care of Liaodong.

In addition to providing supplies to the front line of Yuguan, it is also for long-term planning!

As construction in Liaodong progressed, the year-end approached once again.

As the new year arrived, the reign title in the capital was changed to the first year of Longxiang.

However, the reign titles in Dongning and Liaodong were not changed; instead, the reign title of the previous emperor, Tongxu, was still used.

The nineteenth year of the Tongxu reign.

After the Spring Festival, construction in Liaodong entered a high-intensity phase.

In particular, the continuous supply of materials from Dongning became a logistical guarantee for Yuguan City.

Despite the large number of Liaodong troops stationed along the Guangning front, they are still struggling to hold on.

However, the clever Dongning militia organized a supply route from the sea to Yuguan City.

Even after the New Year, the sea remained frozen solid.

The sea ice was thick and incredibly hard.

Horse-drawn sleighs, carrying supplies, traveled along the sea ice all the way to the Yuguan City line.

In Yuguan City at present, the forces of Dongning and the imperial court are in a standoff.

Dongning has a small troop strength and has always adopted a defensive posture, without taking the initiative to attack.

The imperial court's forces were numerous and powerful, but their attacks were repeatedly repelled by Prince Xin's army.

The imperial court, having suffered heavy losses, had no choice but to wait inside the pass.

They waited for the capital to produce a large number of thunderbolts, anticipating the decisive battle after spring.

Both sides in the standoff appeared relaxed and at ease.

After all, Yuguan City had received logistical supplies from Liaodong during this period.

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