"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 began to chatter 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 are many poor farmers in their hometowns, and there are also many mountain people who are precarious.
Moreover, they all have military backgrounds and have a lot of experience. They have a lot of team leaders and deputy battalion leaders.
Whenever anyone had 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 cool air.
This cannot be explained by Xin Wencheng's generosity. 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.
If the border can be established, how could the court not allow it?
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 tell the truth, people will not believe you as an outsider.
Seeing that everyone was highly motivated, Xin Wencheng was also very pleased, and immediately asked someone to provide directions to the General's Mansion, as well as the number plate:
"With the help of road signs and number plates, you can stay at the inn in a simple and basic way, and save a lot of money on the road."
"Besides, considering that you are returning home, the General's Mansion has specially given you twenty pieces of silver..."
Now, the cheers became louder.
About two hundred people, wrapped in cotton-padded clothes, rode in specially arranged carriages and headed 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 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 police officer at the dock saw his appearance and knew that he was from the military. He checked the road and let him leave.
The desolation, dilapidation, and prevalence of soldiers and thieves back then 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 very prosperous, with a population of 500,000.
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, 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 red clay and asked him to sign and pledge it.
"What is this?"
"Register the accounts, reconcile them in the provincial capital at the end of the year, and then summarize them 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 a few officials in the spacious lobby, and next to the inn, 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."
After saying that, 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. The thin one is his family, and the thick one is also his family."
"It's nothing more than driving us there to sell money."
Yuan Jiang suddenly understood, raised his hand and thanked him, 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 the literary style flourished, anyone who had a surplus of food at home would support his studies, and not to mention the imperial examinations, even being an accountant, a 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 attaché and deputy battalion commander. Only then did he gain some understanding.
"Son, what grade are you in?" the old father asked tremblingly.
"In terms of seniority, the lowest right sergeant is from the ninth rank. His son has stepped over the ranks of 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 rank 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 have been selected as a scholar."
"Don't mention it."
The old lady sighed, and tears welled up again: "Studying was hard on my body, 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 rank, and even the county magistrate sent his master to visit him.
He also took the opportunity to bring up the idea of serving as a soldier and giving him fields.
"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 elder 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 a narrow area of less than one acre per person, many families make a living by fishing, not to mention how difficult it is.
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.