The war was naturally the main topic of conversation for the soldiers, and for those who had grown accustomed to military life and felt they had a future, the primary concern was how to achieve success and establish themselves.
People can change. The former playboy has become an imperial soldier, a transformation that has taken place after several years of war experience.
There were still many wealthy men in the capital who, though they did not dare to cause trouble, still lived off their wealth. Although the court did not stop paying salaries to the nobles, it also cut off their means of making money through business and lending.
Although they could eat and drink enough with their salaries, everyone could see that if things continued like this, they would end up like the ever-growing number of vassal states.
The family is growing, but there is only one successor to the title, and it is inherited by descent. How can the salary alone be enough?
And the way out the emperor left for the nobles was not the only one.
Your children can join the army or become officials as long as you have the ability; your family can do business or engage in other industries; if all else fails, you can buy land and farm it.
Of course, if one wants to remove the restriction that prohibits officials from doing business, they should just give up their titles and become commoners, just like the children of royal families.
For example, Zhao Huizu, Zhang Zongbao, and others, their families chose to let them join the army. After all, the nobles started their careers through military means, so this can be considered as a return to their ancestral heritage.
There are all kinds of development opportunities in the current Ming Empire, but if you want to enjoy them without working for them, your path will definitely become narrower and narrower.
"I could have made a fortune from war bonds, but my family wouldn't listen." Zhao Huizu shook his head and said, "Luckily, I still have some savings. I made a small profit, but it's only enough to cover more than half a year's military pay!"
Zhang Zongbao laughed and said, "You're not very prudent. I just made up an excuse to borrow money from my family. Now that I've made money, I'm telling them straight."
"The thinking of the old generation—" Zhang Junneng took a sip of his wine and sighed, "They can't keep up with the times, and they can't keep up with Wansui's requirements."
Zhao Huizu smiled helplessly and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. Just talking about getting engaged and getting married is such a headache. I haven't even met the person, and I only hear people say how good-looking they are."
"Once you lift your veil, wow, you'll definitely be a wealthy and fertile woman." Zhang Zongbao said jokingly, "I guess that's how Auntie sees things."
Zhao Huizu rolled his eyes, but sighed helplessly and said, "I guess it's about the same."
Fatty Zhao had become history, but his parents' perspective and standards remained unchanged. This made Zhao Huizu very upset, but he could do nothing about it.
"As for a woman, as long as she's virtuous, don't be picky about anything else." Zhang Junneng patted Zhao Huizu's shoulder and comforted him, "Besides, you can take a concubine in the future!"
Zhao Huizu gave a bitter laugh and said, "Thinking about taking a concubine before getting married is quite unkind."
"You--" Zhang Zongbao looked at Zhao Huizu with a surprised expression.
The one who had changed the most was Fatty Zhao. Not only physically, but mentally as well. It seemed like he had fallen out with me on the island because of a country girl.
Could it be that after all these years, he's still thinking about her? She might have married long ago, and her children might have all run around.
Zhang Zongbao scratched his head and swallowed his words. They were finally together, so it was better not to bring up the unpleasant things.
"Drink, drink." Zhang Junneng raised his glass and changed the subject, saying, "I still have further studies after the New Year. I should take advantage of this leisure time to eat, drink and have fun."
Everyone toasted and drank, and the topic turned to military affairs. They speculated whether a new type of artillery had been developed, which was why they needed to study it.
……………….
The emperor has always been concerned about the weapons and equipment of the Ming army. Although it is now ahead of the world, it cannot stagnate.
After the great victory in the war against Burma, the emperor immediately added one million yuan to the navy to purchase more naval guns and build more warships.
As for the army, the production of various types of field artillery has not stopped. After all, that should be the mainstream of historical development.
The direction of the Ming army's development is to specialize in staff, artillery, and logistics, and to make the army more mule- and horse-drawn. As of now, there is still a long way to go to achieve this goal.
Not in terms of hardware, but in terms of software and talent, and meeting the standards expected by the emperor.
As for warfare, the Ming army's tactics were close to modern times. In the emperor's view, they were enough to defeat any army in the world.
But at the same time, his strong self-confidence also made the emperor secretly vigilant, reminding himself not to be crazy and take the path of excessive military power and defeating the country.
Battles must be fought one by one, and only when they are absolutely sure; food must be eaten bite by bite, and if you cannot firmly occupy and digest it, don't swallow too fast.
The emperor must not only remain calm but also establish a set of principles and norms. For future wars, there must be overall planning and comprehensive assessment and judgment.
Expansion and aggression are one thing, revenge is another. Perhaps the benefits of the latter are not immediate, not even in the form of actual money, land, or population.
For example, the Spanish in Luzon must be dealt a heavy blow, without mercy. Even if Luzon is not occupied, it will not affect the emperor's determination to conquer.
Not only must they be dealt a heavy blow, but they must also be treated cruelly, and the news must be spread to the Southeast Asian countries. In this way, the emperor wanted to achieve the effect of deterring the Western barbarians and bolster the courage of the Ming people, or rather, the overseas Chinese.
Anyone who dares to kill or injure the people of the Ming Dynasty, including those overseas, must be prepared to endure bloody retaliation. "Even if they are far away, they will be punished" is not just an empty threat, but must be put into action.
The Western Barbarians are like this, and you can't persuade them with sweet words. Only iron and blood, only strength, can make them abide by the rules, the rules of the Ming Empire.
The Spanish, the Dutch, the French, and the British are all equally cruel and tyrannical, and they all bully the weak and fear the strong.
The emperor knew the nature of the Western barbarians and the cruelty of the law of the jungle better than anyone else, and he was more filled with hatred and desire for revenge than anyone else.
At that time, or in that history, China suffered humiliation and torture. I will lead a million strong army to take back all of it.
The emperor held the cat in his arms and gently stroked its furry head. The cat purred comfortably and nudged itself into the emperor's arms.
His eyes were gentle and his movements were soft, but the emperor's gaze was fixed on the sand table, his mind on killing and conquering.
Wang Tigan walked slowly, afraid to make any noise. At this moment, the Emperor was contemplating matters of state and could not be disturbed.
Japan?! The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking that he might have made the same mistake as other time travelers, always wanting to eliminate all hidden dangers for the country.
Especially those that brought great disaster to the Chinese nation, how could the emperor forget them?
Wait, wait a little longer. Sooner or later, we'll have to deal with them, and no one can escape.
The emperor let out a long breath and warned himself: "If you are too aggressive and want to suppress war, you will eventually perish."
……………….
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