I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 169: Occupying all of Shaanxi, demoting Wang Zhenyuan, and rebuilding...

After joining the People's Salvation Army, Chen Mo took the letter Yang Jiamo wrote to Yang Guanglie and found the army instructor.

The matter was quickly reported to the dynasty.

Wang Chao simply smiled with interest at this.

Although he was somewhat interested in Yang Jiamo, since Yang was unwilling to take up an official post and preferred to be a teacher, he had no intention of disturbing him.

After Chen Mo passed the military training, he was recruited into the army directly without waiting for the Salvation Army to expand.

He was one of the vanguard in this attack on Yulinwei.

The letter was naturally delivered by a clerk from the Ji family business that he had asked to pass on.

The Ji Family Trading Company still bears the name of the Ji family today.

However, it was a genuine state-owned commercial firm under the Ministry of Commerce, affiliated with the Salvation Army.

The shopkeepers and employees among them were also considered part of the system. In addition to normal business activities, they were also responsible for gathering information from abroad and, when necessary, relaying messages and correspondence.

Furthermore, they would also receive corresponding merits if they discovered useful information or delivered urgent messages.

If Yang Guanglie had taken the initiative to lead his troops to join the People's Salvation Army in this case, thus avoiding an unnecessary battle, then the shopkeeper and his assistant who took the risk would have received one hundred military merits.

What does this mean?

The militia would only earn ten merit points for killing an ordinary enemy soldier.

One hundred military merits is equivalent to killing ten enemy soldiers.

This is enough to elevate their rank from regular soldier to combat soldier.

As for those shopkeepers and employees, they were neither soldiers nor officials, so what use were their merits?

Yes, the dynasty plans to revive the five ranks of nobility: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron, and add a first, second, and third rank. Anyone who has made enough contributions will be granted the corresponding rank and will have certain priority under the rule of the Salvation Army.

However, that can only be a baron.

For titles of viscount and above, substantial military achievements are required, such as expanding territory or occupying land.

Of course, this expansion of territory may be different from the usual meaning.

However, these are still just the dynasty's ideas at the moment, and how they will actually be implemented depends on how the situation develops.

After receiving Yang Jiamo's letter, Yang Guanglie was once again caught in a dilemma.

Originally, because his father died at the hands of the militia, and because of his loyalty to the country, he wanted to defend Yulin to the death and live and die with the Yulin Garrison.

But now, half of the reasons that supported his fight to the death have vanished in an instant.

Although Yang Jiamo's letter did not contain any words urging him to surrender.

However, in his speech, he recounted what he had seen and heard in Lanzhou.

As for the specific decision, he left that to Yang Guanglie.

If Yang Guanglie decides to dedicate himself to the country, Yang Jiamo will be heartbroken, but he will still support his son's decision.

After putting away the letter, Yang Guanglie stood there in a daze for a long time before turning around and going down the city wall.

Walking along the road, looking at the desolate city, the anxious and emaciated people, and then looking at the personal guards beside him, he was also somewhat absent-minded.

Yang Guanglie couldn't help but give a helpless bitter smile. If his personal guards were like this, what about the other ordinary soldiers?

Think again about the descriptions in your father's letters.

It seems that for these ordinary people and soldiers, joining the People's Salvation Army was not a bad thing.

"Sigh~, I'll write a letter, and you can give it to the clerk at the Ji Family Trading Company to tell the dynasty leader that Yang Guanglie has surrendered."

In an instant, Yang Guanglie's originally upright body seemed to hunch slightly, yet he also felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

With Yang Guanglie's cooperation, the People's Salvation Army captured Yulinwei without bloodshed.

At this point, the People's Salvation Army had completely occupied the entire Shaanxi province, and was now integrated with Shanxi province along the Hua River, bordering Henan, Huguang (Hubei and Hunan provinces), and Sichuan province.

Subsequently, Yang Guanglie and all his soldiers who still wanted to continue serving were sent to the recruit camp for retraining.

Later, at Yang Guanglie's request, the dynasty appointed him as the Guazhou Guerrilla General, serving under He Jiping, the general of Shazhou.

Wang Chao could naturally guess Yang Guanglie's thoughts; he simply didn't want to fight against his former employer, the Ming Dynasty.

Wang Chao readily agreed, saying, "What difference does it make who we fight? As long as it serves the cause of saving the people's army."

Anyway, in the fight against the Ming court, we don't need another guerrilla general like him.

What followed was what truly gave the dynasty a headache.

That was Wang Erniu, who stubbornly wanted to go to Zhenyuan Temple to become a tomb keeper, or rather, a temple keeper.

In the ancient battlefield, only a hundred or so people died, yet he felt that he was not suitable to lead troops, felt guilty and wanted to resign from his position as general, and insisted on becoming a shrine keeper.

On the battlefield, isn't death a perfectly normal thing?
Even if Wang Erniu made a mistake, in ancient times, people might feel guilty, but they probably wouldn't resign from all their positions because of it.

Moreover, even if it were a dynasty, it would only want to reprimand or demote him, and send him to a certain place to become a guerrilla general, so that he could accumulate military merits again.

Moreover, to be honest, Wang Erniu was from the same hometown and village as Wang Chao, so he could be considered the core of the core team.

Compared to others, Wang Erniu and his group naturally enjoyed greater trust from the Wang dynasty.

As for whether it involves nepotism...
Haha, all else being equal, why wouldn't I practice nepotism?

Moreover, they have been through countless battles along the way and have long been tempered by experience.

Perhaps they cannot reach the level of the famous generals of ancient times.

However, their command of battles was also quite disciplined, and coupled with the formidable strength of the militia, they were absolutely invincible.

Compared to those so-called famous generals, how much worse can they be?

Naturally, when the dynasty appointed officials, it would give priority to these core members. However, when Wang Erniu got angry, he was incredibly stubborn, and no amount of persuasion could change his mind; he was the kind of person who couldn't be pulled back even by ten oxen.

For this reason, he gave himself a new name, Wang Zhenyuan, so that he would always remember the mistake he made in Zhenyuan Garrison.

Wang Erniu's behavior almost infuriated Wang Chao and the others.

In a fit of anger, the dynasty granted his wish and demoted him to Zhenyuan Guard, where he served as the head constable of the patrol office.

After receiving the appointment, Wang Erniu—no, Wang Zhenyuan—couldn't help but smile with relief.

Upon witnessing this scene, Wang Chao and Li Yu, who had been recalled, couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

That's fine then. Let Wang Zhenyuan rest well in Zhenyuan Garrison City for a while.

As for after
Wang Chao's eyes flickered.

A plan that had been temporarily shelved due to the lack of a suitable candidate resurfaced in his mind.

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen also received news that the People's Salvation Army had occupied most of Shaanxi, had entered Yan'an Prefecture, and was heading straight for Yulinwei. He was so angry that he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

However, what angered him even more was yet to come. Just as he was preparing to send troops to support Yulinwei, he received an urgent report that Yang Guanglie, the guerrilla general of Yulinwei, had surrendered with the officers and soldiers of Yulinwei.

This blow nearly caused Emperor Chongzhen to faint again, and it took him a long time to regain his senses.

Naturally, another round of cursing ensued.

He vehemently denounced Yang Guanglie for disgracing his father Yang Jiamo's reputation, calling him disloyal, unjust, unkind, and unfilial.

However, no matter how angry he was, the deed was done, and all he could do was try to make amends.

After consulting with his ministers, Chongzhen appointed Song Tongyin as the governor of Shanxi, tasked with suppressing the remaining rebels who had infiltrated Shanxi and with launching a counterattack against Shaanxi.

As for the former governor, Geng Ruqi, he had already been imprisoned because of the mutiny of the soldiers when he went to the capital to defend the emperor.

In addition, Hong Chengchou was ordered to intensify military training and then seek an opportunity to launch a counterattack against Shaanxi with Song Tongyin, the governor of Shanxi, to annihilate the People's Salvation Army.

Faced with the emperor's order, Hong Chengchou was inclined to refuse, but after seeing Chongzhen's earnest gaze, he finally bowed and accepted the appointment, even if it meant sacrificing his life for the country.

After the ministers had left, Emperor Chongzhen looked up at the capital city, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

In the dim light, he seemed to be able to see a bright yellow cloud above the capital, but within this bright yellow cloud, there was also an endless gray-black aura.

Unconsciously, Chongzhen began to murmur aloud.

"Has my Great Ming Dynasty truly lost the hearts of the people and is now in its twilight years?"

"No, our Great Ming still occupies vast lands, is the legitimate dynasty, and will surely rise again."

On the other hand, after the dynasty had completely occupied Shaanxi, it moved its offices to Xi'an.

Countless members of the agricultural commune began to take up their respective posts, handling their affairs with both unfamiliarity and caution, in accordance with the information and various rules and regulations transmitted by their divine status.

Although there were occasional mishaps, the situation in the newly occupied territories was generally stabilized.

Countless grain supplies were continuously transported into eastern Shaanxi for three days of free disaster relief, after which workers were recruited on a large scale to begin post-disaster reconstruction.

Anyone who is not too old or too young to understand is eligible for recruitment by the People's Salvation Army.

Even boiling water for construction workers can earn them some wages.

Not much, but three to five coins a day, there's still some.

For many elderly people living alone, this is a life-saving blessing.

The militia would generally not provide free disaster relief to the newly occupied areas.

Firstly, if the disaster victims are well-fed but have nothing to do, some troublemakers are bound to cause trouble.

Secondly, the suffering of those disaster victims has nothing to do with the People's Salvation Army.

All they can do is save lives initially, but afterwards they only save those who can save themselves.

Aside from the very elderly or infants, no one should expect to get something for nothing.

Even if you have a disability or intellectual disability, I will cure you so you can work for me.

The medical skills and magical abilities of the militia's doctors, including medicine and talismanic water, can definitely cure your illness.

Furthermore, if one could reach the fourth level of supernatural powers, it would be entirely possible to make up for deficiencies in life.

Even if you're missing an arm or a leg, you can grow one back.

Although, at present, no one has reached the level of the fourth level of supernatural powers.

Even those at the third level of supernatural power are rare.

However, even a level two supernatural power is enough to restore a person's health.

Even with congenital disabilities, recovery can be achieved through gradual conditioning.

As for those with intellectual disabilities, this is actually the easiest disease to treat.

What is spiritual power?
That is a power derived from the soul, which nourishes and repairs the damage and defects of the soul's consciousness. Isn't that a matter of course?

These disabled people naturally had no aversion to the militia's practice of forcing people to work; on the contrary, they flocked to it.

These patients and their families were extremely grateful to the Salvation Army and the Dynasty.

Of course, even normal people would praise a job when they know that they can eat three meals a day and receive wages.

In an instant, the entire Shaanxi province was filled with praise for the People's Salvation Army and the benevolent and virtuous name of the dynasty.

However, at the same time, because Shaanxi was completely occupied and the territory expanded by nearly double, the shortage of talent inevitably arose again.

However, unlike before, even in the newly occupied areas, the resistance of many intellectuals to the People's Salvation Army has weakened considerably, and quite a few even want to join.

However, when they learned about the Salvation Army's policies on appointing officials, they couldn't help but criticize them.

They felt that the People's Salvation Army was acting in a way that violated the rules of ancient times and was not in accordance with the way of the sages. How could those peasants who had never studied the way of the sages be able to govern a region as officials?
(End of this chapter)