In the sky of Handan, thick dark clouds squeezed the sky, as heavy as if they were about to fall at any time. The sound of wind rose and fell, and there was a slight noise outside the car.
After parting ways with Zhao Tian, Zhao Yongben went to inspect the standing military camp outside Handan City. However, looking at the weather now, it was probably going to rain again.
After entering summer, the rain in Zhao State has increased unknowingly.
I just don’t know if this rain will affect the wheat harvesting process.
There are three military camps outside Handan City, which are the standing army of Zhao State to defend the capital.
What is a standing army? The military systems of various Xia countries today are different from those of the Spring and Autumn Period, and also different from those of later generations.
For example, in the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period, the world was still dominated by slavery. Each vassal state adopted the conscription system, and the main members were all the people's scholars, that is, the aristocracy.
Although civilians and slaves also participated in the war, they did not directly participate in combat and could only do some work such as logistics and transportation. It's not that they are unwilling, but that they are unable and unqualified.
This is how the later name "soldier" to the soldiers came from.
At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the slavery system began to gradually collapse, but it was not completely collapsed.
But one person appeared and completely broke this system. He was: Zhao Xiangzi.
In the early days of Zhao Xiangzi's reign, it was a foregone conclusion that the three families would be divided into Jin Dynasty. After he ascended the throne, he immediately did something that would have a profound impact on future generations, which was to completely emancipate the slaves.
He announced the liberation of all slaves within Zhao's borders and granted them ten acres of land. He also promised that all slaves from other countries who entered his Zhao country would be treated equally.
In this way, not only did Zhao have no slaves, but all the countries in the Central Plains had to abolish slavery. If they did not abolish it, these slaves would try their best to escape to Zhao and become free citizens. Slavery has since collapsed.
During the Warring States Period, not only the frequency of wars between countries was extremely high, but the scale of the wars also expanded rapidly. Tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of troops often attacked each other. In order to adapt to the wars between countries, a new military system was developed. And born: the recruitment system.
The recruitment system is a standing army formed by each vassal state after strict selection. At this time, the more famous standing armies in each country include: 'Wei Wuzu', 'Qi Great Wall Army', 'Han Heavy Crossbow Soldiers', 'Qin Tieying Ruishi' and so on.
These soldiers are all off-the-job professional soldiers, and their treatment is relatively generous. Since these standing armies often undergo long-term training, although these armies are small in number, they are the guarantee of the army's combat effectiveness.
However, there are many standing soldiers who are not engaged in production, and they are exempted from taxes, so the burden on a country is also quite large. Today, the strength of a country is often determined by the size of its standing army.
If Zhao Yong wanted to reform the military system, the place to start would be the standing military camp. Agricultural and economic reforms must also be put on the agenda.
The saying goes, "Economy is the key to war."
After thinking about this, Zhao Yong opened the curtain and glanced at the sky, seeing that the clouds were lower now.
So he gave up.
He said to Chen Zhong outside the curtain: "Go back to the palace."
…
On both sides of the wide road in Handan City, people knelt on the ground to respectfully see off the king's carriage.
A little girl not far away stretched the sleeves of the handsome young man next to her and said softly: "Don't look at the princess, they are already gone."
"Bah, bah, bah, who's looking at that...I was just looking at the sky, look, it's going to rain."
Han Jiyao, who was obviously a woman disguised as a man, immediately denied it. After saying that, I realized something was wrong, and suddenly turned around: "You Xiaohe, how dare you laugh at me!"
As he said this, he started to scratch the little girl's itch.
The palace maid Xiao He touched the cloth on her head and hurriedly avoided it, begging for mercy: "I was wrong, princess... Hey, princess, look at the beautiful leather over there."
Xiao He skillfully diverted Ji Yao's attention.
"Hmph, I'll let you go this time. Next time you dare to be too big or too small, I'll punish you...I'll punish you without eating." Ji Yao said pretending to be angry.
"My slave knows." The little girl replied helplessly.
...The owner of the stall is a big bearded man of the Hu ethnic group. The slovenly appearance of his face is in sharp contrast to the smooth brown fur on the horse's back.
At this time, the man saw a group of handsome young men in bright clothes walking towards him. He quickly stood up and greeted warmly: "Dear gentlemen, please see, this skin is the best among furs."
After saying that, he rubbed his thick hand on the horse aside, picked up a piece of leather on the horse's back and showed it to everyone.
Ji Yao couldn't help but find it funny to see the bearded man showing off and boasting, and she couldn't help but murmur in her heart: People say that barbarians are cruel and cruel, why does this man look like an ordinary citizen?
"Don't try to trick me. You can tell me a top-notch method." Xiao He on the side asked.
"The noble man doesn't know. The origin of this wolf skin is that a servant shot it into the wolf's eye with a strong bow and killed it with one blow. Then it was neatly peeled off from the wolf's body. Its completeness is rare in the world." Neither is a barbarian man. Annoyed by the little girl's rebuttal, he explained seriously.
Xiaohe naturally didn't listen to his family's words and turned to look at the first guard of the Han Palace, Mo Yu, who was standing stupidly.
Seeing Mo Yu Nuonuo nodding, the little girl said: "How much does it cost to wrap up this bag?"
The big man's eyes lit up, and he knew that a big customer was coming. You must know that it has been three days since he arrived in Handan City, but because the price he asked for was too high, he never sold it, and the money he brought with him was almost used up.
Then the man said: "I don't dare to deceive the nobles. This load of ten skins is all of high quality. Each skin is sold for five coins, and ten skins are worth fifty coins."
You must know that the current market price of high-quality millet is only one coin, which is really expensive.
(Coin is the sword coin minted by Zhao State, and it was also the most widely used currency during the Warring States Period. One bushel of millet is roughly equivalent to about three kilograms of millet today.)
After listening to his words, Xiao He looked at his princess with a questioning look. Seeing Ji Yao nodding, he shouted to Mo Yu behind him: "You idiot, hurry up and pay."
"Oh." Guard Mo Yu responded, then took out a cloth bag from his sleeve robe and handed it to the barbarian man.
Xiao He looked at his actions and couldn't help but cursed in her heart: This idiot from the Prince's faction, why do I feel a little unreliable?
"My lord, the currency I quoted is the currency of the State of Zhao. This is the currency of South Korea. You need to add more money." The big Hu man took the bag, opened it, took a look, then nodded, and then replied bitterly.
"What an idiot," Xiao He cursed lightly, then took out a small gold cake from the small purse around his waist and handed it to the man.
"That's enough for now."
The man took the gold cake and immediately put it in his mouth to make a tooth mark. He said with joy on his face: "That's enough, that's enough."
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