The court treated soldiers very well, with few delays in pay and preferential treatment for their families. Not to mention officers of Kong Youde's rank, even ordinary soldiers had no trouble supporting their families.
The imperial court hoped that the soldiers would take root in the area, but it also greatly encouraged their enthusiasm.
If you work hard while guarding the border for a year, you can get at least a dozen acres of land. From being exempted from taxes for several years to being given directly to individuals now, the attraction is very strong.
Take Kong Youde for example. After less than two years of settlement and border defense, he already owned nearly 100 acres of land.
Although it is still a number and will not be allocated until retirement or personal request, he will be a small landlord who will not have to worry about his life for the rest of his life.
The key point is that Kong Youde doesn't care about that little piece of land. He doesn't embezzle or withhold the salary, so it is enough for him to eat and spend, and he can even save a lot, even though he likes to smoke cigars, which are not cheap, and drink Erguotou produced in the capital.
He has been promoted to deputy general. If he can't even meet this little expense, then the emperor's goal of improving the treatment of soldiers will become empty talk, right?
The army belongs to the country and is supported by the country. There is no need for generals and officers to withhold military pay to support private soldiers such as servants.
The proportion of officers with a martial arts background is getting higher and higher, and there are relatively independent military law and pay officials. If you want to have your own troops, where will you get your loyal confidants?
The same applies to civil servants. As long as you don't engage in corruption or break the law, your salary will still allow you to live a comfortable life. If you retire normally, you can still receive a pension and don't have to worry about life problems.
But if you don't know what's good for you, the emperor has sharp eyes and ears, and his sword is swift. Not only will your future be ruined, but your whole family will also be punished.
With strict supervision and control, a perfect reward and punishment system, and a combination of kindness and severity over the past few years, the political and military outlook of the Ming Dynasty has not only been completely renewed, but also has seen smooth government orders and clear government affairs.
No one is not afraid of death; it all comes down to whether the laws are strict and the supervisory system is robust. When the cost of breaking the law is too high, the idea of breaking the law will naturally be nipped in the bud.
As the saying goes, what the emperor likes, his subordinates will follow. The inclinations expressed by the emperor will inevitably become the vane for the guidance of officials.
Improve the treatment and status of military generals. We like officials with practical abilities. We don't ask about their background or the way they entered the officialdom, we only look at your work ability.
To put it simply, as long as you do your job well, satisfy the emperor, and please the emperor, promotion and wealth will naturally follow.
But if you can't even do your job well, no matter how knowledgeable you are, you will still have to go home and eat rice. You won't starve to death if you become a teacher.
Besides, as long as you implement the court's policies and act conscientiously and responsibly, there are no high demands on you. If you can't do it, what's the point of keeping you?
"Why keep him?" Lü Xiaobu waved his hand, interrupting the chief clerk's plea. He said slowly, "This county is newly established, and while things may be complicated, there are laws to follow. It's a bit hard right now, but once the work is sorted out, it will naturally become easier."
Lu Xiaobu suddenly raised his voice. "But he's just being perfunctory. If the land measurement isn't accurate, won't there be trouble in the future? If there's a dispute or lawsuit, wouldn't that be the county government's dereliction of duty?"
The chief clerk gave a wry smile and said, "Your Excellency is absolutely right."
Alas, the chief clerk sighed and said with emotion: "After failing the imperial examination, I finally got the chance to become an official, this path to officialdom, why didn't I cherish it?"
Lu Xiaobu snorted and said, "This is the problem with many scholars. They are delicate and noble, but they still think they are knowledgeable and superior, and they are unwilling to stop and work hard. I think he feels wronged by taking the path of official promotion!"
The chief clerk nodded in agreement, sighed, and turned away.
If a person is dismissed by his superiors in a reasonable and legal manner and it is caused by his own dereliction of duty, he will be prohibited from serving as an official or taking the imperial examinations within three years.
For many scholars, this was a heavy blow. Don't think that the path of becoming an official is easy. There are still supervision and rewards and punishments, and it's not a place for you to get away with it.
The imperial court not only severely punished officials who committed illegal acts, but also showed no leniency to clerks.
Mekong Province, Dongfan, Hainan, and Liaodong all lacked immigrants, and the punishment for clerks was exile of their entire family. Many clerks were local tyrants, extorting bribes and having a very bad reputation.
Just as the system of transferring officials to other positions was perfected and launched, severe punishment of illegal officials was also launched.
The court's method was simple and brutal: those guilty of serious crimes were beheaded, and the rest were exiled. This not only rectified the political climate of local governments, but also provided manpower for the development of new areas.
Besides clerks, the country also purged scoundrels who committed crimes. These people had committed no serious crimes, but they were a nuisance to the local area. They were often imprisoned and released, and then imprisoned again, causing great trouble to the local government.
Now, exile has become the mainstream punishment, the prisons are empty, and the local people applaud it.
Lu Xiaobu has come to where he is today, thanks to his good grasp of the court's policies, and more importantly, thanks to the expansion of the country's territory and the substantial increase in official positions.
As a county magistrate in one of the newly established counties of Jilin Prefecture, Lu Xiaobu could not have imagined a few years ago that he, a failed scholar working as an accountant in a restaurant, would have the seventh-rank official rank today.
Of course, Lu Xiaobu will definitely cherish the opportunity in front of him. It is in Xinxian that he can show his talents and demonstrate his abilities.
After dealing with his lazy and irresponsible subordinates, Lu Xiaobu took out the plan he had made and continued to improve it.
The plan included his own ideas as well as suggestions from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences to local governments. Although it was called the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, it encompassed agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries.
Agricultural planting is naturally the top priority, but it seems not enough to rely on farming to get rich or to make people's lives better.
Therefore, the Academy of Agricultural Sciences has provided a variety of methods based on the soil, climate and other conditions in various places. In the words of later generations, this is the diversified operation of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, sideline production and fishery, and comprehensive development.
Lu Xiaobu is optimistic about digging soil to make bricks and using the dug pits to store water for aquatic breeding.
People in other counties build mud houses, but people in this county build brick houses. Doesn't that make them a higher class? Raising fish in ponds not only increases people's income, serves as a cheap alternative to meat, but also helps store water to combat drought.
There are also plans to plant trees on both sides of the roads. This was proposed by the imperial court, but not many have been done well.
Lü Xiaobu suspected that His Majesty would most likely visit Liaodong. He might even personally tour further north.
As for the time, it would take five years at most and three years at least. It was estimated that when all the remaining Jiannu were wiped out, the emperor would go through a ceremony to make his name known in history, surpassing Taizu and Chengzu in achievements.
Regardless of whether the emperor would pass through the county, it was always a good idea to be prepared. Moreover, good governance was also a performance that the Ministry of Personnel assessed, and if it was rated as excellent, it would be easier to get promoted.
Lu Xiaobu has thought it through. Whether it is for himself or for the benefit of the herdsmen and the local people, there is no harm in achieving results.
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