It was a bit unexpected for a mere general who was stationed at the border fort to dare to ask about military and national affairs like this.
But Guo Ning only chuckled: "Old Tian, you are very eager to fight."
He looked at the people around him, beckoned the generals to come closer, lowered his voice, and said slightly reproachfully: "You guys, are you too eager to make meritorious deeds, and only want to fight in your head? Things on the battlefield are just shaking. Is it majestic?"
The troops stationed in northern Xinjiang not only need to be brave and capable, but the first and most important thing is actually loyalty. For all the forts, especially those with important strategic positions and leading the troops, the responsible generals are all old men from the Dinghai Navy.
For example, in the Jinlianchuan Fort to the east, the defense envoy actually responsible for military affairs was Zhang Shao, who defeated the defeated troops of Yehuling and once shot down the fourth prince of Mongolia who was dragging mines with one arrow.
The general who was stationed at Badger's Mouth did not have a high official position, but he talked and laughed with Guo Ning and Qiu Huiluo freely. Of course, he was also a veteran. His surname is Tian and his given name is Tian Xiong. He is one of the earliest guards of Guo Ning. Liu Ran, who is now a judge of the Nanjing Road Military and Horse Capital, was under his command when he first joined Ding Haijun.
However, having an old relationship with Guo Ning does not necessarily mean that he will become a successful person. To stand out in a chaotic situation requires connections, talent and luck. Tian Xiong lacked some luck.
He had failed to make any meritorious service in several consecutive battles before. No matter how many acquaintances he had in the army, he could not be promoted. Later, he was involved in a lawsuit and was implicated. Therefore, after several years of delay, he still stayed at the position of the capital general.
But such a character is at least absolutely reliable in Northern Xinjiang. His experience was enough to ensure that the Zhou court had both ears and eyes on the grassland.
Hearing what Guo Ning said, Tian Xiong grinned and sighed:
"Your Majesty, there are winners and losers in wars. I am a person with limited talents, so I may not win every time. So if I am timid, I will not seek war frivolously."
He glanced at Qiu Huiluo: "Shuai Qiu put me here, and he didn't want me to rush to fight."
Seeing his enemy, Huiluo nodded, and Tian Xiong continued: "It's just that in the early years, I was a Bianpu soldier here in Badgerzui. My whole family was killed by the Mongolian army that went south, so for more than ten years, I was filled with anger and thought about it day and night. Revenge, even now, I have married a wife, had children, and settled in Shandong, but I still can't let go of the hatred in my heart. Over the years, the court has gradually penetrated northward with swords and money, which makes me more and more hopeful. One year I will be able to march into the grasslands and kill my enemies with my own hands to eliminate the strongholds in my heart."
Guo Ning nodded slowly: "I heard from my old enemy that you built a tomb for your family members and paoze in the mountain valley behind Badger's Mouth... Take me to see you later, and I will also offer you a stick of incense."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Tian Xiong gave Guo Ning a military salute and opened his mouth. He hesitated for a moment and lowered his head.
Guo Ning was not in a hurry, just waiting.
After a while, Tian Xiong raised his head. The expression on his face, which was originally like that of a loyal hound, now became a little cunning and eager. He said: "However, I am a little eager to go to war these days, but it is not because of hatred, but because...ahem, Your Majesty, I heard that the imperial court has made a final decision on the grassland?"
"How can you be so well-informed!"
Guo Ning was taken aback and couldn't help laughing again. He immediately remembered that since Tian Xiong was a guard, there were quite a few high-ranking officials among his peers. Even though this gentleman is located at the outermost edge of the Great Periphery, he is still much smarter and wiser than ordinary people.
As Tian Xiong said, this matter has indeed been settled, and it is not considered a secret. Joint documents from several relevant yamen are being issued level by level.
In the past few years, the Great Zhou Dynasty was busy sorting out internal affairs and replenishing finances. Apart from gradually restoring the defense lines built by the Jin Kingdom, there was no special action on the grassland. But since this year, Xu Ding and a group of civil servants who are proficient in financial planning have taken advantage of the opportunity and plan to increase immigration around the military towns behind Monan Mountain starting next year.
Part of the source of immigrants is the people who came out of the mountains and rivers after the stability of the Central Plains and were re-established as households; the other part is the descendants who were demoted to hard labor during the previous wars in the Central Plains. The total number of immigrants is about 100,000 to 200,000, and it takes about three years to complete.
After completion, the entire defense line from Huanzhou to Fengzhou on the eastern edge of the grassland will be basically leveled. There will be a military state with elite cavalry, an insurmountable fort with hundreds of people, and a large area will be reclaimed. soil of. Each grassland with dense rivers would cover tens of thousands of acres, and countless cattle, sheep and war horses would also be grazed.
Importantly, in order to increase the attractiveness of grassland reclamation, the distribution system of these lands is very different from that in the Central Plains, and is not limited to one hundred acres per household. Military households were given preferential treatment. The higher their status in the army, the more land they got. Everyone will receive nearly a thousand acres of land, and at the level of Qian Ju or above, the land must be calculated in terms of hectares!
The previous policy of the Great Zhou Dynasty had always been to allow and encourage soldiers to participate in stocks and engage in business, but it was strictly prohibited to break through the imperial system and purchase land on a large scale. Anyone who bullies others and engages in land annexation under the military household system will be severely punished if caught. Dozens of people will be beheaded for this every year.
But the Han people are a farming nation after all, and their desire for farmland and land has been imprinted in their bones for generations. Even though the financial income was generally generous, the soldiers could not help but feel a little regretful when it came to not being able to pass on their land and houses to their descendants.
At this moment, the imperial court suddenly opened its mouth in Northern Xinjiang. Immediately, some people got wind of the news and proposed to transfer the officers to serve in Northern Xinjiang with the intention of fighting in Northern Xinjiang. The number of officers was more than ten times more than usual.
Guo Ning explained: "Lao Tian, do you know that these allotments will not be actually managed by you? There will be someone on the business side who will help set up the farm and run it on your behalf. The income from the land will eventually be converted into money and distributed."
"That's my land too! Your Majesty, I've inquired about it, and every piece of land has a title deed, just like the rules in the Central Plains! Even if the farmland must be managed, the homestead is your own, and you can build a village!"
When Tian Xiong said this, his eyes shone: "To get these lands, we must ensure the normal development of reclamation. To ensure the normal development of reclamation, we must drive away the Mongolian forces far away. It is best to rush to Mobei. ! Your Majesty, we have to fight a big battle now, be tough! We can’t rely on those Mongolian tribes alone, we have to rely on us! Only our navy officers can have such majesty!"
Having said this, Tian Xiong obviously got a little excited and his voice became louder and louder.
"The soldiers in the northern border have been resting for several years. All day long they have only listened to their comrades in charge of the south eat meat and drink soup. Now the weakness of the Mongols is undoubtedly revealed. Your Majesty, it's time for us to take a few bites of fat!"
Guo Ning laughed.
"Seeing others get benefits, are you also greedy for it?"
Tian Xiong nodded heavily.
"You want to eat fat, but there are dozens of forts in northern Xinjiang, 34,000 regular soldiers, and 41,000 auxiliary soldiers. Do you want to eat fat?"
"Your Majesty, everyone has been waiting impatiently for a long time, and I am not just talking nonsense. The imperial court has given so many benefits over the years, and everyone has long thought about killing the enemy and returning the favor... Now killing the enemy and returning the favor can earn more, without the need for military orders. Everyone has been grinding The sword is roaring."
"We really want to fight on the grassland. It is different from the routine of cutting off the borders and seizing cities in the Central Plains. We often drive thousands of miles, go deep alone, and have no help in all directions... Do the soldiers have this determination? We all witnessed the ferocity of the Mongols with our own eyes. I have seen that even if their main force is transferred away by Genghis Khan, there are still a lot of ruthless characters among the grassland tribes...Do all the soldiers have such courage?"
Tian Xiong rubbed his neck and said repeatedly: "Yes! Yes!"
Guo Ning sat down on the carriage shaft and thought about it. He asked Qiu Huiluo: "Does the morale and morale of the army seem to be usable?"
Qiu Huiluo squinted his eyes and looked at the old comrade in front of him.
It seems that this time, the grassland is not only in chaos, but is about to be turned upside down?
Over the years, Guo Ning would always get into trouble no matter what he got involved in, no matter how much he claimed to restrain himself, the result was the same. To be honest, when a person with such a temperament becomes the emperor, it is really hard for the ministers under his command. However, His Majesty the Emperor does whatever he thinks of and succeeds every time, so everyone has to be convinced.
"Ahem, before we start a big fight, we should find Lu Shu first."
Qiu Huiluo paused, then lowered his voice and added: "In addition, the money and food support have been more generous than last year, but they are still slightly insufficient. Should we wait for a while and wait for Prime Minister Xu to come and discuss it again?"
"There's something I just forgot to mention..." Guo Ning turned to Qiu Huiluo, showing a relaxed expression that was rare in these days, and then showed a bit of laughter: "This morning, news of A Shu came from the north... ...If that news is true, the shortfall in money and food seems to have been solved by Ah Shu."
These two things are completely unrelated, so why are they related?
Qiu Huiluo was stunned: "What?"
