Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 33 I want my country to be strong!
The Ming Dynasty's imperial guards were divided into four guard camps and the Warrior Camp, and Guo Rong was a centurion of the Warrior Camp.

Like most officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, Guo Rong, who came from a military background, had been a soldier of the imperial court for generations. His father had been promoted to the rank of general flag bearer because he had made meritorious service by following the Grand Tutor Wang Yue in the battle of Hetao. He himself became a centurion of the Warrior Battalion because he saved the life of the governor Zhao Fu in the battle of Helan Mountain.

Guo Rong's father, Guo Yang, had been hungry for almost two days. He lay motionless on the bed, looking at Guo Rong weakly: "Rong'er, has the court distributed the rice?"

Guo Rong, who was also so hungry that his steps were a little unsteady, said, "Master, it's almost time. It says that the Duke and the governors have already gone to the Ministry of War."

Guo Yang nodded and said nothing more.

At this time, a child's cry came from the inner room: "Mom, I'm hungry!"

Guo Rong looked at his old father lying on the bed and the child crying hoarsely and weakly in the inner room, and could only sigh helplessly for a moment.

"It's been three months, and the court still hasn't distributed the rice. I'm afraid it won't be distributed this time. Even if it is distributed, it will only be the pepper and treasure notes to make up for it. Rong'er, you should sell the thousand-mile horse that the governor gave you that year. It's a small matter to starve me to death, but you can't let my grandson starve to death!"

The old officer Guo Yang shed tears as he spoke.

Guo Rong nodded, then went to the courtyard and took out the thousand-mile horse that the governor Zhao Fu had awarded him that year. He thought that without this horse he would not be able to be a real cavalryman on the battlefield in the future. However, seeing that the court was in such a difficult situation now and the three elders did not attach importance to armaments, there would probably be no wars in the future, so it would not have any impact if he sold it.

Although he comforted himself in this way, Guo Rong also felt a little regretful. He once hoped to ride this good horse into the battlefield again to seize a hereditary official position.

Guo Rong led the horse out of his house, but just as he was closing the door, he saw a general under his command named Liang Ze running over: "Brother Rong, my wife is about to give birth. Has the imperial rice subsidy been issued? It's okay for me to starve, but I have to use the money to hire a midwife and raise my unborn child. Or you can report to the higher-ups that I'm dead of illness, and I'll go to Chongyang Gate as a coolie. I'll starve to death if I stay in the barracks!"

Liang Ze was an officer who had always been beside Guo Rong. He was one of the few archers in the army who could pull a two-stone bow. As a result, he shot and killed two Tartars and became the chief flag officer. Guo Rong therefore begged the governor Zhao Fu to let Liang Ze stay with him all the time. He hoped that one day he could take Liang Ze to kill the enemy and make merit again.

But now, both he, the old cavalry captain, and Liang Ze, the archery expert, have to worry about rice.

This is also the current situation of Ming Dynasty's military men. As the imperial court increasingly emphasizes culture over military affairs, although the gentry and merchants have become richer and richer, most of the Ming Dynasty's soldiers have begun to fall into poverty. Many of them were even heroes who killed the Tartars, but they have disappeared at the foot of history like dust, and history remembers those scholars who are good at writing.

This also prompted more military men to engage in other industries or even take the literary examinations to obtain imperial honors. Even if they became high-ranking military officers, they had to pretend to be cultured in order to be respected. As a result, the military prestige and national strength of the Ming Dynasty began to decline.

Guo Rong smiled and patted Liang Ze on the shoulder: "Liang Ze, you have also killed Tartars. You are a dignified seventh-rank general flag officer. Why would you do hard labor? You will lose your status. Don't worry. When I sell this fine horse, I will give you half of the money. You can use it. I will deduct it from your salary when the time comes."

Liang Ze then saw that Guo Rong was holding the fine horse that the governor Zhao Fu had given him. He was shocked: "Brother Rong, this was a reward from the governor Zhao Fu. Are you really going to sell it?"

"What else can I do if I don't sell it? I can't let my family starve to death. Come with me, and we can take the silver home."

As soon as Guo Rong finished speaking, Liang Ze suddenly clenched his fists: "Brother Rong, I cannot thank you enough for your kindness!"

"Why are you and I talking about this?" Guo Rong smiled bitterly. Just as he was about to move forward, he saw a servant riding a horse following the captain of a thousand households. "Captain Guo, the master has ordered that all captains of each department must quickly gather their officers and soldiers to gather at the commander-in-chief's place. His Majesty will personally distribute the rice to us starting today. It will be distributed directly for three months and there will also be a year-end bonus!"

After the servant finished speaking, he rode off to inform the other hundred households.

But Guo Rong stood there in a daze, unable to believe his ears.

It was Liang Ze who reminded him with a look of surprise: "Brother Rong, the court is distributing rice as a stipend! But what is this year-end bonus? Are they going to give more?" Guo Rong came back to his senses and couldn't help but show a look of joy on his face: "I guess that's what it means. Since the court is going to distribute rice as a stipend, Liang Ze, quickly tell the brothers and ask them to gather here. I'll take them to His Majesty to receive the rice as a stipend!"

at that time.

Zhu Houzhao was already sitting on the high platform in the military camp, and drums were beating on the platform. Officers and soldiers were gathering from all directions one after another.

The commanders of each camp led their officers and soldiers to stand in order, looking at their Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao with full expectation.

Zhu Houzhao was also watching them.

Zhu Houzhao could see some of their bravery in past battles from the faces and eyes of many older officers and soldiers. Some still had scars on their faces, and it was unknown which battle they had been in. Some still had gaps on the tips of their swords, and it was unknown how many enemy heads they had chopped off to create the gaps.

Although the army of the Ming Dynasty experienced the defeat at Tumu Fort, it also experienced the desperate struggle in the Defense of Beijing, and dominated the border under the leadership of Wang Zhi, Wang Yue and others. Even though many young officers and soldiers at this time had never experienced fierce fighting, they had learned about the glory of the past battles on the battlefield from their fathers.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao believed that the army of the empire had not yet completely declined and still had blood and military spirit.

But Zhu Houzhao had to admit that the army's decline and morale had already begun.

Zhu Houzhao saw that all these officers and soldiers were wearing tattered clothes. Even some officers wearing armor were wearing very tattered ones, not to mention the weapons in their hands. Many of them were rusty, and most of them were mentally exhausted and thin.

Zhu Houzhao had to admit that this was the consequence of civil service politics.

The world has been at peace for a hundred years, and the phenomenon of emphasizing culture over military has become increasingly serious. The empire's military equipment is becoming less and less valued. These veterans who have experienced the baptism of war will have to face the fate of losing their fighting spirit in poverty, and some will gradually become peasants or even slaves.

The so-called Hongzhi Restoration was nothing more than a revival of the literati, but it did not form a military revival.

The peace and prosperity brought by Emperor Hongzhi allowed his Royal Exposition to earn more than 500,000 taels of silver a day, but he could not afford to pay the Ming army the rice salary worth 200,000 taels of silver.

The phenomenon of the country being poor while the people are rich is becoming more and more serious.

If there were no external forces to destroy the dynasty, the empire could have existed in this way, and eventually the extreme wealth of the people would have given rise to new economic and social methods, thus forming a more civilized civilization.

In that case, it wouldn't matter even if the Zhu family's Ming Dynasty perished or was overthrown by revolution.

But history has proven that this is not the case. The difference between the continental civilization of the East and the maritime civilization of the West is that in this land of the East there is not only the Ming Dynasty, but also many other civilizations that can slow down the progress of history at any time.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao did not want the military of the Ming Dynasty to decline, nor did he want the Ming Empire to enter its twilight years like these old soldiers before him, and even the new officers and soldiers would be infected with the old spirit.

Zhu Houzhao wants to keep the Ming Empire full of vitality!
If the Hongzhi Restoration was just a beginning, merely making the people rich, then his Zhengde Emperor career was to make the country strong!

His mission is to eliminate all external factors that will destroy the Ming Dynasty in the future during his lifetime! If the Ming Dynasty is to perish in the future, it can only be internal destruction!
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(End of this chapter)