Thirty-six thousand troops originally met the emperor's bottom line requirements.
But this was originally an initial idea after the pacification of Liao, for the purpose of saving military supplies.
But now, the emperor has changed his mind, because he thought of garrisoning and guarding the border, thinking of the Production and Construction Corps, and thinking of using military reclamation to consolidate the border defense, develop the economy, and resettle people.
Even though these 36,000 troops were the strongest fighting force, and could be called Type A or Type B according to later generations, the emperor, after careful consideration, still decided to add another 10,000.
The emperor believed that reducing the army to save money was short-sighted and tantamount to letting the horses go to the mountains.
Of course, these 46,000 people were not all the main force of Liaodong. 16,000 of them were garrison troops, that is, guarding the city. Compared with the main force, their equipment and combat effectiveness were slightly inferior, and their treatment was also reduced.
"Recruit another 10,000 new soldiers and mix them with the 6,000 veterans to form a garrison. The remaining 30,000 troops will be used for mobile attacks." The emperor said his plan with a smile, and was very happy to see Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai showing surprise.
"Establish a settlement corps, composed of retired or disabled soldiers and their families. They will first settle and guard the newly opened territories, and then recruit immigrants to further develop the territory." The emperor continued, "With a gun in one hand and a hoe in the other, they will defend their country while cultivating the land and enriching their families..."
Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai exchanged glances imperceptibly, and it was obvious that they had not expected the emperor to make such an arrangement.
With a pistol in one hand and a hoe in the other, does that mean retired or disabled officers and soldiers can leave the army with their guns?
It's not about how much the gun is worth, but about violating the law.
The Great Ming Code states: "Any civilian who possesses prohibited military equipment such as horse armor, side shields, fire cannons, cannons, flags, or banners shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane for each item, with an increase in severity for each item. Private manufacture shall be punished with an additional severity of crime for private ownership...
Obviously, muskets were standard military weapons and private ownership by civilians was prohibited. Veterans, however, were no longer part of the military in name, but were no different from ordinary civilians.
The two did not dare to interrupt and listened attentively to the emperor's continued narration.
Besides being sparsely populated, the Great Northern Wilderness was also teeming with wild animals. Back then, tigers weren't yet a protected species, so they were plentiful. There were also bears, wild boars, wolves, and others.
If the deadly creatures in the tropical and subtropical jungles of the south are poisonous insects, then the ones here in the Great Northern Wilderness are wild beasts, poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, which are equally difficult to deal with.
Allowing retired soldiers to return home with their weapons was only the first step in the emperor's plan. Universal conscription was the second, and universal military service was the third.
Every young man of military age had to serve in the military for two to three years. They might not have to fight in battles, but mastering the musket was one of the benefits. If the country was in danger, they could pick up a gun and re-enlist to fight, making them ready-made soldiers.
When the final step of universal military service is reached, the emperor believes that no matter how ferocious the foreign enemy is, it will be difficult to defeat the Ming Dynasty with tens of millions of soldiers.
More importantly, the emperor hoped that by taking advantage of the relaxation of gun control, more people with pioneering and adventurous spirit would emerge in the Ming Dynasty.
Whether it was the call of the powerful or the recruitment of the wealthy, groups of Ming people carrying muskets rushed to the vast overseas to explore, forge ahead, and occupy land for reclamation.
Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai did not understand the emperor's long-term plans, but they admired his courage.
They still had traditional ideas. The fact that the people had standard muskets did not make them think of pioneering adventures, but they had some concerns about internal unrest.
Although the emperor also talked about the management of civilian firearms, it was still difficult to dispel the concerns of Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai.
Of course, none of them voiced any objection, because they could tell that the emperor had already made the decision, which was difficult to change.
"If there really is an emperor who is incompetent and cruel to his people, then let the people of Ming overthrow him. That is much better than the destruction of the country by foreign invasion."
The emperor has already realized this and would rather see a change of dynasty that breaks out from within than a change of dynasty caused by foreign races or external forces.
"The military's pay and supplies are all funded by the people's blood and sweat; rather than the court supporting the army, it's the people who support it."
The emperor's voice echoed in the hall, and Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai heard every word.
"Therefore, I believe that the army's settlement and participation in local construction to reduce the burden on the people should be shared, and there is no time limit. The reconstruction of Liaodong is just the beginning..."
I understand. His Majesty isn't just requesting the military contribute to Liaodong's reconstruction this year; this will become a tradition going forward. Whenever local governments or civilians face difficulties, the military must provide assistance.
In fact, Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai only understood part of it, but did not know the emperor's ultimate goal.
The emperor did not say it out loud, but he knew that in a feudal society, it was difficult to form a people's army and to achieve a state where the military and civilians were one.
He could only try his best to make the relationship between the military and the people closer and the connection more integrated.
The emperor stopped, took the tea offered by Li Chengcheng, and ordered the palace servants to serve tea to Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai as well.
After expressing their gratitude, Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai held up the tea bowl and respectfully took two small sips.
Although their expressions were cautious, their minds were spinning. Clearly, the emperor's demands were very high, and he was willing to increase the rations and support an additional 10,000 troops.
Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai also understood the emperor's focus. Suppressing the remnants of the Jiannu had become secondary, while rebuilding Liaodong and expanding the territory were the top priority.
Simply put, the emperor wanted the army to continue to advance northward, not only to occupy, but also to firmly hold the territory and settle immigrants there, until the army reached the place where the Jiannu had fled and destroyed them.
The emperor put down his teacup, looked up at Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai, smiled again, and said, "Mr. Mao, Mr. Gou, if you have any suggestions or needs, please speak up here."
Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai looked at each other and returned the teacup to the palace maid.
Mao Wenlong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I fully agree with your judgment and will do my utmost to complete the plan and live up to your expectations."
Gou Zhenhuai also bowed and made a guarantee, indicating that he had fully understood Wansui's entire plan.
The emperor smiled and nodded, took out a detailed written plan, and ordered the palace servants to give it to Mao Wenlong and Gou Zhenhuai, asking them to go back and study it carefully before submitting it to the emperor.
He just said a lot, but not in detail.
Seeing that the two had no suggestions or requests, I knew they hadn't grasped the key points. After reading the detailed plan, their memorials should be more valuable than their current blind assurances.
From the beginning to the end, the emperor did not test Mao Wenlong. Judging from his words, he had basically decided that Mao Wenlong would be the commander-in-chief of Liaodong.
Mao Wenlong also understood this. Although he was not completely certain, a 70% or 80% certainty was enough to surprise him.
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