"When you go home, as long as you recruit a hundred people, I will promote you to one level. With five hundred people, you will be promoted to two levels."
"What if there are a thousand people?"
"If you can recruit a thousand people, what's the point of just guerrillas?"
Autumn tigers are still raging in Beijing, but in Jilin, the autumn wind is bleak and winter is about to enter.
On the stage, Jilin General Xin Wencheng changed from his usual dullness and started chattering endlessly.
In front of him, hundreds of big men in cotton robes, with dark faces blowing cold wind, kept asking questions.
This group of people were carefully selected. In Jiangxi, Sichuan, Anhui and other provinces, there were many poor farmers in their hometowns, and there were also many people from mountainous backgrounds who were precarious.
Moreover, they are all military officers and have a lot of experience. There are a lot of team leaders and deputy battalion leaders.
If anyone had any questions, Xin Wencheng answered them without hesitation.
"General, how much land will be allocated to our family if they come to us?"
"Ten acres of land per person, divided among men, women, old and young."
Xin Wencheng said very generously: "This is all mature land that we have reclaimed. When they come, those wastelands will also be reclaimed by them."
Many people in front of me took a breath of cold air.
This is why Xin Wencheng is so generous. Jilin is really short of people.
The land awarded by the imperial court to the capital camp and the land exchanged for nobles were all in Liaodong.
Jilin is a ghost place. Even if it is given to others, they will not want it, because even if there is land, the tenants will not be able to find it.
Therefore, he had to report to the emperor and come up with an emergency move: send veterans home to recruit people.
How could the imperial court not allow it if it was possible?
Of course, in name it was recruiting troops, but in reality it was all about taking the blame.
As long as people come to Jilin and understand the land allocation policy, why don't they eagerly move their families here to settle down and start a business?
If you talk about allocating land directly, even if you say it bluntly, people will not believe you as an outsider.
Seeing everyone's high enthusiasm, Xin Wencheng was also very pleased, and immediately asked someone to provide the directions to the General's Mansion, as well as the number plate:
"With the help of road signs and license plates, you can stay at the inn with simple meals and save a lot of money on the road."
"In addition, considering that you are returning home, the General's Mansion specially gave you twenty yuan of silver..."
Now, the cheers were loud.
About two hundred people were wrapped in cotton-padded clothes and rode in specially arranged carriages, heading towards the seaside. They entered Denglai directly, then took boats into the Yangtze River, and returned home one by one.
After getting off the boat in Jiujiang Prefecture, Yuan Jiang looked at the vast and calm Yangtze River in front of him and the densely packed sails. He was a little unbelievable for a moment.
After being away from home for several years, he survived the battlefield and now he can return home again.
Sweating coolies, hurried pedestrians, wealthy merchants, and policemen in soap uniforms carrying swords,
Since the imperial court did not ban swords and guns, but only fire blunderbuss and armored crossbows, Yuan Jiang held a short sword, raised his chest and raised his head. The evil spirit in the army could not be dissipated, and people had to get out of the way.
The catcher at the dock saw his appearance and knew that he was from the military. He checked the road guide and let him leave.
The desolation, dilapidation, and prevalence of soldiers and thieves at that time have disappeared and disappeared, leaving a peaceful scene.
Then we changed to a passenger ship and traveled for half a day to reach Duchang County.
Duchang County is surrounded by lakes on both sides, with hills and plains occupying the majority. Because it is adjacent to Poyang Lake, its Dingkou is booming, with a population of half a million.
Thinking back to the acupuncture fish and purple-skinned garlic in his hometown, Yuan Jiang felt his stomach growl.
After eating some dry food hastily, he went to the inn and checked in with the help of directions and identity cards.
A plate of green vegetables and tofu, a plate of pickles, and a large bowl of whole grain rice left him helpless.
"Jilin Dusi, Captain Yuan Jiang, please sign!"
The clerk handed over the account book and asked him to sign and pledge it.
"What is this?"
"Register it into the accounts, reconcile it in the provincial capital at the end of the year, and then summarize it in the capital."
The clerk took the trouble to say: "This loss is half of the imperial court and half of the vassal's treasury. We can't be careless."
Yuan Jiang had a clear conscience, but he still had to sign and sign for such a simple meal, which made him curse secretly for being stingy.
"The army still eats meat every once in a while. The food at this station is so bad. It really has been greatly improved. How much energy does it cost?"
He raised his eyes and saw that there were only twos and threes of officials in the spacious lobby, and next to the post station, there was only a luxurious restaurant, which was very lively.
The waiter looked at him and couldn't help but said: "You can go there too, but you have to pay for it yourself. It will cost a lot."
With that said, take care of yourself and leave.
The person at the next table sneered and said: "The restaurant next door is also run by the inn. Bo is his family, and thick is also his family."
"It's nothing more than driving us there to sell our money."
Yuan Jiang suddenly understood, raised his hands and thanked her, and then started to eat.
The sleeping accommodation at night was nothing more than a thin wooden quilt and a pot of hot water, which was very simple.
Early the next morning, after eating three bowls of porridge and a plate of pickles, Yuan Jiang set off.
His family is located in Heshe Village, where the Yuan family lives together, with a total of more than 100 households and a population of more than 700. They are famous in Duchang County.
Returning home suddenly, my parents burst into tears.
It turned out that he had been studying since he was a child. Although he only passed the county examination, he was still the best among his clan. He studied in Jiujiang City and never thought that he would join the army in Nanjing.
My mother was crying, but he was almost beaten to death by his father.
In Jiangxi, where literary culture flourished, anyone who had a surplus of food at home would support his education, and regardless of his reputation in the imperial examination, even being an accountant, teacher, or even a master would be better than farming.
Yuan Jiang knelt for a long time, trying to persuade him that he had become a military attache and deputy battalion commander, and then he was slightly forgiven.
"Son, what grade are you in?" the old father asked tremblingly.
"Big, in terms of rank, the lowest right sergeant is from the ninth rank, and his son has crossed over from sergeant, left sergeant, and senior sergeant. Now his son is the deputy battalion commander, and Tian is the seventh rank."
As he spoke, he straightened his back and said proudly: "It's only half a grade lower than the county magistrate."
"Okay, okay!" Dad was overjoyed.
"Ai, we're in the north, but we've earned hundreds of acres of land. I'm going home now to take you back and enjoy your happiness."
At this time, he also consciously stood up and straightened his back: "By the way, your eldest brother, he is better at reading than me. He must be a scholar."
"Don't mention it."
The old lady sighed, and tears welled up again: "I had a hard time studying, and I died last year, leaving orphans and widows to live with me."
"That's good, let's go north together."
Yuan Jiang's loud voice sounded, and the pretty young woman who came with tea burst into tears.
The next day, in the ancestral hall, firecrackers were set off and people were shouting.
Yuan Jiang can be regarded as returning to his hometown in fine clothes. He has an official rank of seventh grade, and even the county magistrate sent his master to visit him.
He also took the opportunity to propose the idea of serving as a soldier and granting land.
"After serving as a soldier for five years, I will be given ten acres of land."
One person has ten acres of land, and no child or old man can bully him.
This made the eyes of the second sons who could not get much property suddenly turned red.
Then it spread to the entire Duchang County.
In Duchang, a densely populated area with less than one acre of land per person, many people make a living by fishing, which is extremely difficult.
But people are humbled when they leave their hometown. Without security, no one dares to leave their hometown to seek a living.
But now that there are villagers as guarantees, I naturally feel relieved.
