"Your Highness!"
It had only been three days since Zhu Yixi's return. The heat in Xiangyang City was getting stronger, the plum rainy weather seemed to be dissipating, and the sun was hanging high in the sky.
Zhu Mou ran over sweating profusely with a smile on his face.
When Sun Xuan saw it, she stood up with her face flushed, twisted her legs, and left quickly.
Zhu Yixi smiled and wiped her hands, very happy for Zhu Mou's arrival.
After the establishment of the Staff Department, the first official appointed was Zhu Mou.
As a clan member and a member of the Heyang royal family, Zhu Mou, who was in his thirties, shrewd and capable, became Zhu Yixi's right-hand man.
The staff department has six departments including merit examination, search (recruitment of soldiers), food and salary, medical office, navy, equipment and equipment.
Zhu Mou was responsible for the most important duties of examination and food and salary, and was responsible for all meritorious service, payment of salary, and logistics.
"Why so late?"
Zhu Yixi handed over the kettle and asked.
"Hehe, speaking of which, you are also familiar with the sect leader. He is Zhu Yiquan, do you know him?"
Zhu Mou took a sip of water and smiled.
"I know that the most successful candidates in Xi'an City are from a clan origin."
Yi is the character generation, and the five elements belong to water.
Zhu Yixi thought for a while: "Why, what does he want from you?"
"Hehe, he escaped from Xi'an with him, and now he has arrived in Xiangyang from Hanzhong, and he wants to beg me for a job."
Zhu Mou said proudly: "At first he couldn't even look at me, but now he lowers his head and acts like a kid. Not to mention how happy he is."
"Juren, born in a clan!"
Zhu Yixi thought about it and said, "Let him serve as the county magistrate. I will ask the Military and Political Secretary to make arrangements later."
After being reminded by Zhu Mou, Zhu Yixi finally remembered that when she evacuated from Xi'an, she took many people with her.
In a sense, these people belong to his township party, and their reliability is self-evident, at least much better than those who were appointed and dismissed by the intruders who stayed behind.
At that time, we can arrange one or two.
Thinking in his mind, Zhu Yixi said to Zhu Mou: "This is the reward drafted by the Military and Political Department. Take a look."
"The generals are generous, but the soldiers at the bottom are too stingy!"
Zhu Mou took a cursory look, and his thin face was full of complaints: "Fine and meat are what we should have. If according to what is said above, brothers will be born and die for several months, and their monthly salary will be one tael, but the reward is only five or six taels, which is too little." ”
"If this doesn't go well, I'm afraid there will be a mutiny."
Hearing these words, Zhu Yixi did not feel dissatisfied, but said seriously: "This is the deep meaning of why I asked you to come."
Nearly 50,000 people, each with 10 taels, is 500,000 taels. If they come again several times, who can afford it?
Therefore, we can only tempt the soldiers to give up money and choose land.
"The Military and Political Department has reserved a large amount of land in Wuchang Mansion as a reward."
As he spoke, Zhu Yixi said seriously: "For example, if you choose land as a reward of five taels of silver, you will get ten acres of land. Isn't this better than five taels of silver?"
"You mean, let me encourage the soldiers to exchange silver for fields?"
"No, it's about exchanging meritorious service for land."
Zhu Yixi shook his head and said: "Every battle, you can get one to five points of merit. You will be calculated by the merit examination department."
"If an ordinary soldier wants to exchange money, then a little meritorious service can be exchanged for one tael of silver or two acres of land."
"As for officers, merit points are equal to one-tenth of soldiers and horses."
"Points of merit?" Zhu Mou was stunned. This was another new word. It felt so special.
It took him a long time to understand clearly, his eyes lit up, and he said seriously:
"In this way, in the future, rewards will only need to be based on the number of merit points, and calculations of increases and decreases will be made. Although it is a bit troublesome, it is also fair."
"Now that you understand, let's do it!"
Zhu Yixi waved her hand and asked him to retreat: "It's just right. It can be implemented this time. Try to get everyone to exchange for land."
"Yes!" Zhu Mou handed over his hands and left immediately.
…
When the King of Hanyang came back, the news of starting to distribute rewards quickly spread among the army, and everyone was looking forward to it.
The generals are not in a hurry, but the ordinary soldiers are very anxious. Even if there are two more pounds of meat and two ounces of wine, it will be good.
Chen Tieniu ate his rice, looking at the vegetable cakes and fish soup, but he didn't feel energetic.
"Tieniu, what's wrong?" asked the big man on the side: "You don't feel energetic after eating. Which girl are you thinking about?"
Ha ha ha ha--
In an instant, everyone burst into laughter. The military camp will never get tired of the topic of women.
Chen Tieniu was used to it. He raised his head and muttered: "These days, I have saved my monthly salary, but there is still a bit missing. If the king rewards me more, I can get married and have a mother-in-law."
"You kid, what's so good about Auntie Nanfang? Auntie Mizhi is so good!"
"You saved so much secretly, kid, no wonder you don't even go out during the rest of the week."
"This is also his good luck. Your Majesty pays you monthly and you never owe anything. It would have been good if you hadn't been asked to pawn your mother-in-law before."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was silent.
The three sides of the camp are all elite soldiers from the border towns. The sufferings involved are immeasurable. They feel like they are living a fairy life now that they can have enough to eat and are paid every month.
"Well, it's not like you. As soon as the waistband of your pants is loosened, your monthly salary is gone. You can only be happy for a while, but you can be happy for a lifetime!"
Chen Tieniu said with great air.
Everyone was silent.
It’s not their fault, because they were much poorer before, and they were afraid that if they paid their wages today, they would be gone tomorrow. Moreover, wars were frequent, and their lives were precarious, so they couldn’t enjoy themselves in time.
Too little money is saved.
"哐啷, 哐啷——"
Suddenly, there was a burst of gongs and drums, and everyone put down their meals and looked around.
"The king has given out a reward, please come and line up according to Mr. Qian!"
Hula la——
Everyone rushed out in a hurry.
"The three-sided camp went through Sanguan, Xianrenguan, Xiangcheng, Wuchang, Chengtian, and Jingzhou, a total of six battles, and each person will count six points of merit."
Zhu Mou shouted: "You can exchange it for six taels of silver or twelve acres of land."
"What are merit points?"
"How come it's only six taels!"
Everyone started talking, and they were quite resistant to such reforms and confused.
So, when it was their turn to receive it, they kept asking questions.
However, under the temptation of good paddy fields, one by one chose land instead of silver.
"My dear, in Yulin, you can get five or six taels for an acre of water irrigated. It's a huge bargain."
"Hey, the king is still taking care of us. He is no different from the white-haired one."
"A little merit is one tael of silver or two acres of land, choose one."
When it was Chen Tieniu's turn, he listened to it several times before suppressing his blush and said, "I have saved five taels of silver, can I exchange it for ten acres of land?"
As soon as these words came out, Zhu Mou was shocked and immediately said: "This is not possible. The land exchanged for merit points cannot be sold, so it is so cheap."
Chen Tieniu's face was filled with regret: "I need farmland even on my forehead."
Therefore, the merit examination department stamped Chen Tieniu's name in the merit book as having been redeemed.
"Sign, this is the voucher, take it!"
Zhu Mou stamped it with his own seal and then stamped it with Li Jizu's seal, so that it was complete.
Thanks to his literacy lessons, Chen Tieniu can write his own name.
So Chen Tieniu’s land deed showed something like this:
Wuchang Prefecture, Xianning County, twelve acres of Duishui field.
Signed - Chen Tieniu.
Seal: Kao Gong Si Zhu
Li Jizuyin
"In this way, I have twelve acres of land? Good irrigated land?"
Chen Tieniu still found it hard to believe that this was actually true.
"That's right!"
Zhu Mou explained again and again: "Just give this to the county government, and it will be cashed to you immediately. If you don't agree to it, they will punish you when the time comes."
