Chen Jingke said: "In fact, there is no need to make the military system too complicated, and there is no need to think of too many new tricks."
"Throughout history, no matter what kind of military system was used in the early days of the dynasty, it would become a simple recruitment system."
"We just need to respect the objective facts and that's enough."
Zhu Yuanzhang said disappointedly: "Shall we directly adopt the recruitment system?"
"It's not impossible, it's just that recruiters are prone to empty pay, and they don't have a strong will to fight."
Chen Jingke said: "There is nothing we can do about this, but recruiting troops to win requires flexibility, and it is easier to adjust when problems arise."
"As long as we have a general with military talent, we can ensure that the imperial court has an elite force of about 100,000 people."
"It's hard to say whether it can turn the tide, but at least it can help the court maintain the situation."
When the entire system is completely broken, there is really nothing we can do.
In this case, no system is of much use.
Zhu Yuanzhang also had to agree that this indeed made sense.
Zhu Biao had the same idea. Since he was going to enter the recruitment system sooner or later, he might as well do it from the beginning.
So as not to leave an unmanageable mess for future generations.
At this time, Princess Fuqing said doubtfully: "As long as the reward is sufficient, the combat effectiveness of the recruited soldiers can be very strong."
"Didn't the Han Dynasty achieve the might of Han Dynasty by recruiting soldiers?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment, as if this was indeed the case.
Zhu Biao also showed a thoughtful expression.
"Ahem." Zhu Xiongying coughed dryly to attract everyone's attention, showing his white teeth and said:
"The strong combat effectiveness of the armies of the Qin, Han and early Tang Dynasties has nothing to do with the military system, but because of the military merit system."
"For meritorious service, there will be corresponding rewards. Naturally, everyone will fight bravely to kill the enemy."
"During the early Tang Dynasty, the Tang army was the most powerful in the world, and there were countless cases of defeating large numbers with a small number."
"But because Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty was so vain, he showered many lords with rewards."
"And the land in the hands of the imperial court is getting less and less. There is not enough land to reward meritorious officials."
"So from then on, except for a few elites, most of the Tang army's combat effectiveness began to decline."
"After the Anshi Rebellion, the combat effectiveness became even lower."
"It even happened that he and the feudal lord acted in a play for the emperor."
"The reason is still the result of the complete collapse of the military merit system."
"Serving as a soldier is no longer a way to change your identity, it's just for pay."
"The salary is only a few dollars, is it worth the risk?"
"Besides, even if you die, you will lose your salary. It is unknown whether the pension promised by the court can be fulfilled."
"Under such circumstances, how can we expect them to fight bravely."
"So it is meaningless for us to discuss the military system here. It is better to think about how to establish a feasible military merit system."
After saying that, he looked at everyone with pride.
Zhu Biao was very surprised. Did my son say this?
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and said to Chen Jingke, "Did you teach him this?"
Chen Jingke was also surprised. He shook his head and said, "I only told him why the Qin Dynasty's army was so strong. I haven't had time to tell him later."
He didn't say it, that's what he concluded by himself.
After getting this answer, Lao Zhu was ecstatic: "Haha... OK, OK, our good grandson is really smart."
"This analysis is so insightful that it surpasses most people."
Princess Fuqing also looked at her eldest nephew in surprise. She knew he was smart, but she didn't expect him to be so smart.
This understanding and analysis is something that few people can match.
Zhu Biao couldn't see his son being proud and said, "It's just clever. If Jing Ke hadn't suggested it, would you have discovered this?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said unhappily: "Fart, why didn't you think of it?"
Zhu Biao was choked and couldn't speak for a long time.
No, is it really okay for you to dote on your children so much?
Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a smile: "My dear grandson, you just said that the Tang Dynasty was due to the proliferation of titles."
"And not being able to get enough land to reward meritorious soldiers led to the decline of the Tang army's combat effectiveness."
"If the Ming Dynasty also adopts the military merit system, how can we avoid this problem?"
Zhu Xiongying spread his hands and said: "Why should we put an end to it? No matter how good the system is, it cannot withstand the corruption of future generations."
"Tang Taizong was so wise and powerful, and left a deep family legacy to his descendants."
"But he died only a few years ago, and he was completely destroyed by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty."
"If it weren't for Zhang Jianzhi and others, it would be impossible for the country to perish."
"One generation will do its own thing, as long as we stick to these systems."
"As for whether the military merit system will collapse in the future, it depends on how the children and grandchildren deal with it."
"Besides, it doesn't matter even if it collapses, isn't there still a recruitment system?"
"At most, the army's combat effectiveness will be lower, so that it won't completely collapse."
"The key is that after the military merit system collapses, it would be better to just abolish it. It will not turn into a cancer and continue to harm the country."
Chen Jingke couldn't help but give Zhu Xiongying a thumbs up in his heart.
In fact, what he wanted to do was to use the early Tang Dynasty's combination of government recruitment and recruitment, focusing on government soldiers, and then recruiting soldiers when large-scale battles needed to be launched.
This is what Li Shimin did when he conquered Goguryeo.
It was also at this time that Xue Rengui joined the Tang army by recruiting troops and started a legendary life.
Why is the government military system so powerful?
In addition to the incentive of military merit and nobility, it is also a fair transaction between you and me.
The imperial court clearly stated the price, using 400 to 500 acres of land to buy your life.
From the day you join the army, the land is assigned to your name.
There is no need to worry about not being able to get any salary when you die, and there is no need to worry about the pension being swallowed up.
Because there is no military pay at all, and there is no pension when you die, and you even need to prepare your own food, grass and equipment.
Everything is contained in those four to five hundred acres of land.
Of course, if someone really dies in battle, the court will still give him a symbolic reward.
The soldiers of the government have no worries, so they naturally fight bravely, and can often defeat ten with one.
However, history has proven that this system will collapse sooner or later.
Land annexation caused the soldiers to lose their land, and personnel could not be repaired after the expansion of the territory, etc., which were all factors of collapse.
And history has proven that there is no way to stop these things.
Then when using the Fubing system, you must be prepared to give up.
And this will inevitably cause a certain amount of confusion and trouble.
Zhu Xiongying's method is indeed more appropriate.
The military merit system and the military recruitment system are enough to ensure the combat effectiveness of the army.
When the imperial court is unable to fulfill its military merits.
Just abolish it directly and keep only the recruitment system, and the court does not need to consider setting up a new military system.
This transition is smoother and will not cause any turbulence.
At most, the combat effectiveness of the army has declined.
Zhu Yuanzhang was obviously convinced, but he did not express his position directly, but asked:
"Jing Ke, what do you think?"
Chen Jingke praised highly: "This method of Taisun is extremely wonderful. The military merit system only needs to be maintained for fifty years, which is enough for the Ming Dynasty to wipe out enemies from all directions."
"In the future, even if the military merit system collapses and the army's combat effectiveness declines, it can still be achieved."
"If a famous general is born, he can win every battle just by relying on the recruitment system."
He did not tell the truth here. To be precise, he did not tell Zhu Yuanzhang and others his real plan.
The military meritocracy is a system designed for expansion.
Once the Ming Dynasty implemented this system, it would be like a dump truck cutting the brake line and never stopping.
Either destroy yourself or destroy your enemy.
And with Chen Jingke here...hehe, the whole world will tremble.
Before that, he was still thinking about how to mobilize the enthusiasm of the military.
Unexpectedly, it was Zhu Xiongying who sent the most perfect assist.
Seeing that he had no objection, Lao Zhu finally made a decision and said:
"Okay, just listen to our dear grandson. The new military system is the system of military merit plus military recruitment."
"Okay." Zhu Xiongying jumped up excitedly.
This is the first time he has participated in a major national policy, and he has been recognized, so he is naturally happy.
Zhu Biao was also very pleased. Unknowingly, his son could already share his worries.
Princess Fuqing felt that her three views had been refreshed again. Such an important national policy was decided like this?
And it was the eldest nephew who was only ten years old who came up with the idea.
Why does it feel like a bit of a joke?
She thought again of Chen Jingke, who had made far-reaching plans at the age of fifteen, such as moving the capital and diversion of the Yellow River.
One is ten years old and the other is fifteen years old, but they have become the makers of national policies.
It should be something that has never happened before.
The Ming Dynasty was indeed different from previous dynasties.
No wonder his father wanted him to be his great-grandson’s companion.
I'm afraid only the two of them can have a common topic.
Soon, Zhu Biao frowned and said: "The military merit system will improve the status of soldiers, which may cause opposition from scholars."
"Ha..." Zhu Yuanzhang sneered: "What can they do?"
Chen Jingke nodded and said: "The Ming Dynasty was only founded seventeen years ago, and most of the founding achievements are still alive."
"The scholar's ability to talk is useless in their hands."
"Besides, it is in the interests of the country to pit civil and military forces against each other, so let them engage in fierce verbal warfare."
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said: "Haha, Jing Ke's words won my heart."
Zhu Biao thought so and stopped saying anything.
Afterwards, everyone began to discuss how to improve the recruitment system, how to establish military merit titles, what kind of benefits each level would have, etc.
Chen Jingke didn't say much about this. He believed that Zhu Yuanzhang and others would do better than him.
The only principle he insists on is that no one should be given tax-free privileges.
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao both believed in this.
Tax-free privileges encourage mergers and must not be granted.
And with Chen Jingke’s popular science, they understand the nature of tax better.
Previously, they believed that land annexation was the root cause of the dynasty's downfall.
After Chen Jingke's explanation, I realized that this was not the case.
What really led to the collapse of the dynasty was the inability to collect taxes.
Large local households used various means to evade taxes, leaving the court unable to collect even a penny.
If the court has no money, it cannot support the army or provide relief to the victims.
The country can only perish.
If we can collect taxes, everything will be easy.
During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, land annexation was already very serious.
However, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a way to collect taxes and support an obedient army.
Are there people who can't survive and rebel?
Kill them all.
By the way, if we kill all the big local households, the land will be freed up, right?
Then migrate people from other places to solve the problem perfectly.
Big local households don’t pay taxes if they have money?
Confiscating the family and exterminating the clan.
All problems are solved.
There is only one reason why past dynasties have curbed land annexation. It is difficult to collect taxes from large households, but it is much easier to collect taxes from common people.
This is the essence of the problem.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's methods were too violent and could not last long.
It would be best to adopt something that is a little milder and can be institutionalized.
Therefore, at Chen Jingke's suggestion, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao began to set up the Tax Inspection Department.
Specially ask big households to collect taxes.
But the prerequisite for tax collection is that the country does not have tax-free groups.
Otherwise, the establishment of the Tax Audit Department will have no meaning.
Although taxes cannot be exempted, corvées can.
There is another misunderstanding here. Many people think that the officials and gentry of the Ming Dynasty did not have to pay taxes.
In fact, this is not the case. There has never been a tax-free group in Ming Dynasty.
Officials and gentry were exempted only from corvee service, and they still had to pay taxes.
It's just that people are now officials and gentry, they have power in their hands, and they have many ways to pass on taxes.
To put it bluntly, it is tax evasion.
Only the Manchu Qing Dynasty, in order to win over scholars, introduced a preferential treatment policy whereby officials and gentry were exempted from all corvées and taxes.
The Tax Inspection Department was established for large tax evaders.
Everyone discussed it for more than half an hour, and almost had a clear framework.
There is no need for them to worry about it anymore, it will be up to the people below to improve it.
During this period, there was another incident that surprised Chen Jingke.
Of course, it can also be said that it is expected.
That is Princess Fuqing actually participated in the discussion and put forward many constructive suggestions.
Zhu Yuanzhang was accustomed to it and had no objection.
Obviously this is not the first time she has done this, which is in line with the rumors.
Seeing that the conversation was almost over, Chen Jingke took the opportunity to ask for leave and said he wanted to go home and take a look.
Zhu Yuanzhang naturally gave him a holiday readily. There was no time limit. He could just come back to work when he was done.
After Chen Jingke thanked him and was about to leave, he was stopped by Lao Zhu:
"Don't leave in a hurry yet. This is our eighth daughter, Princess Fuqing. Do you know her too?"
Chen Jingke had a bad feeling in his heart and said cautiously:
"The Eighth Princess is famous far and wide, and I have heard about it."
Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself, the boy wants to run away, but it's too late.
"She rarely leaves the palace, and has never left Yingtian City. She is very curious about the outside world."
"You just came back from outside, tell her some interesting things about outside."
Chen Jingke was shocked and said, "Ah, this...isn't appropriate."
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said, "Is there anything inappropriate? You don't want to reject us, do you?"
Chen Jingke looked at the nervous Princess Fuqing and sighed inwardly. It seemed that he could not escape this level.
"How could it be? It's an honor for me to tell the princess about the outside world... I'm just afraid that I might do something wrong and offend the princess."
Zhu Yuanzhang changed his face and laughed: "Haha... You have never been afraid of collision when talking to us, but now you are being pretentious."
"Our daughter is not a petty person. You must have something to say, so go ahead."
Chen Jingke cupped his hands and said, "I'm leaving."
Then he said to Princess Fuqing: "Princess, please."
Princess Fuqing's pretty face turned red, she saluted Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao, and left as if fleeing.
"Pfft..." Zhu Xiongying couldn't hold back and let out a gloating laugh.
Chen Jingke rolled his eyes at him angrily, then turned around and chased after him.
(End of chapter)
