Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 336 Wartime Economy
The north wind blows, and the snowflakes float.

The late-arriving Tang army was still fighting fiercely on the front line.

The Tang troops who had risen earlier had been successfully captured by the Ming army and were escorted to the rear in large numbers.

All the prisoners of war were dejected, silent, and mechanically moved forward according to the instructions of the Ming army, like puppets.

Only the hatred that inadvertently flashed in the eyes of the Ming army escorts when they occasionally glanced at them made them look more like living people.

The prisoners were disheartened, and not just because they had lost the battle.

Moreover, they don’t know what the outcome will be.

Abused? Sent into slavery? Cut off arms and legs? Or simply buried in a pit?
always one option fit for you.

"Hey, don't be so depressed. I heard that the Ming army treated the prisoners well."

A large prisoner comforted his companion.

His companion was an old soldier. He gave him a look and snorted contemptuously:
"Who did you listen to?"

"The Ming soldier who captured me." The big man said honestly:

"He said that if I laid down my weapon, I would be safe and that the Red Turbans treated prisoners well."

The old soldier looked at this fool with sympathy:
"You believe the words that trick you into surrendering? Once you lay down your weapons, won't you be at their mercy?
"Even if I stab you to death, what can you do? Can you still complain to the King of Hell?"

When the big soldier heard this, his brain finally started to work and his face suddenly changed.

That’s right! Why didn’t he think of this?
Damn it, the Ming army is so cunning!
"But since people see you're such a big, stupid fool, maybe they can spare your life and make you a serf or something."

The veteran raised his lips without a smile:
"But considering your size, your new owner will not feel at ease unless he cuts off your big toe so that you cannot run."

The old comrade's two words successfully made the big guy's heart, which had just been put at ease, hang in the balance again.

He knew the other party was not trying to scare him.

Because that was how the Tang army treated prisoners.

We have all experienced the Five Barbarians' Invasion and are all adults now. Just listen to the high-sounding excuses like "the killing of the surrendered is unknown". Do you take them seriously?

Not letting you go straight to the table is a sign of progress, okay?

"But, didn't they say that there are no slaves in the Ming Dynasty..." the big man muttered.

The veterans were too lazy to talk about him.

"What is your current status? A prisoner!
"A prisoner still wants to be treated like a decent family member?

"Do you still want to divide the land? Do you still want to go to the Ming government and sue them?"

These words destroyed the big guy's last bit of psychological comfort.

Yes, the old soldier was right. I was too naive to believe the enemy's propaganda...

"But I was tricked into laying down my weapon. Since you saw through everything, why did you surrender?"

"Cough cough..." The old soldier started coughing violently.

The Ming army escort shouted:
"No whispering!"

The prisoners immediately fell silent and continued to walk forward woodenly on the ice and snow.

Their first stop was a prisoner-of-war camp not far from the battle line.

In the eyes of the prisoners of war, this was also their first disaster.

"search!"

In addition to the obvious high-value spoils such as weapons and armor, their personal belongings were also looted.

Fortunately, after searching behind them, the Ming army did not make things difficult for them and let them live in the prisoner-of-war barracks first.

The conditions in the barracks were unexpectedly good, with large bunk beds, a stove, and even felt for warmth.

The Tang army prisoners, feeling uneasy, looked around curiously, and their guard gradually relaxed.

"Alas, my two hundred coins of military pay were taken away. I should have not brought them with me."

After entering the barracks, the big guy kept muttering to himself.

"Why do you bring money to the war? Aren't you just giving it away for free?" the old soldier who lived in the same room with him asked in confusion.

The big guy answered without hesitation: "I'm afraid it will be stolen."

Be on guard day and night, but you can’t be on guard against your comrades.

The old man shrugged:

"That's all I can do. So what's the point of saving money? It's just giving it to others, so why not spend it yourself?"

"I have to save the money and send it back to supplement the family income..." the big guy said aggrievedly.

"And to subsidize the family income?!" His companions were all amused by this naive guy.

"The jailer has left this dress for you, so you should thank His Majesty Li Ming for his kindness."

The big guy was surprised:
"It's so cold, if your clothes are taken away, won't you freeze to death?"

"Yes, that's how we treat barbarian prisoners of war."

The big guy was so scared that he trembled all over, and was glad that he was captured by the Ming army and not fell into the hands of his own people...

"Wang Dazhuang, come out for a moment." The jailer shouted, and the huge barracks immediately fell silent.

The naive big guy was shocked as if he had been electrocuted, and his face turned pale instantly. Under the sympathetic gaze of his comrades, he floated to the door of the barracks with his head heavy and followed them out obediently.

Finished, time to serve...

The other people in the room also had gloomy faces, feeling grieving for the loss of their loved ones, and couldn't help but worry about their own fate.

The old soldier laughed at himself and said:
“I was naive to think they would be different.

"What a pity, that guy is pretty good..."

Before he finished speaking, the good young man came back, holding a bundle in his hands and looking confused.

Comrades immediately surrounded him.

"What's wrong? What did they ask you to do?"

"Did they beat you?"

"Or should I let you do hard labor?"

"What's in this bundle?"

The big fool shook his head dumbly, opened the bag and spread it out in front of everyone.

It was two hundred coins, and some other personal belongings that were taken away.

"They only seized dangerous items such as daggers and arrowheads. All other valuables they took were returned to us."

The big soldier still looked a little dazed and couldn't believe this was real.

Although I have heard many rumors about "Ming army treating prisoners well", this is too kind!
Is it really free of charge?
Why did my colleagues on the other side join the army?

Isn’t the purpose of being a soldier to get food and make money?
Many of the Tang Dynasty's soldiers served at their own expense, yet their combat effectiveness was still overwhelming because they could legally plunder after winning a battle, which meant they were working for themselves.

This is also why the Tang army can be a powerful army, but not a civilized army.

Therefore, the Ming army's actions were completely beyond their understanding and truly stunned these veteran soldiers of the Tang Dynasty.

"Brother, what do you think...will they kill us or take us as slaves?" the big fool asked stupidly.

The veteran didn't want to bother with this guy who was taking advantage of him.

…………

In the following days, there was fighting on the front line, but life in the prisoner-of-war camp was calm.

Eat, sleep, work, and "study".

After a period of adjustment, it was time to "divert" these prisoners of war.

We cannot always stay in the POW camps near the front line. After all, logistical resources are still very precious and cannot be used to feed prisoners.

"I want to go to Ming to get land, and I want to go back to Tang to get travel expenses!"

Under the command of the Ming army, the Tang army soldiers consciously divided into two columns.

"Brother, it seems that we are no longer on the same path from now on."

The big man said goodbye to the old soldier somewhat sadly.

He was among those who chose to return to the Tang Dynasty.

Because he was a soldier, his family was still in the Tang Dynasty, farming the land given by the Tang court and enjoying the tax-free policy of the soldier system.

"I won't accompany you. I'm just an old bachelor who recruits soldiers and makes a living by fighting in the war. If I eat enough, the whole family will not be hungry." The old soldier shrugged.

Anyway, I came here naked and would leave without any worries, so I might as well try my luck on the other side. Maybe I could really get some land.

He now believed that the Ming army's propaganda was not just propaganda, but was very likely true.

"Then, we'll say goodbye."

The big guy bowed to his comrades one by one, and then followed the team on the journey back home.

They were not worried that the Ming army would shoot them from behind and "lure" out and bury those stubborn elements who still chose to be loyal to the Tang Dynasty.

One reason is that the Ming army had strict military discipline and had gained their trust.

The second reason is that they were exchanged back to their respective camps through "prisoner exchange", one for one with Ming army prisoners of war in the hands of the Tang army.

After all, the Tang army was no weakling and had a large number of Ming army prisoners of war in their hands.

"Go well."

The old soldier looked at the receding backs of his comrades with a complicated look in his eyes.

He felt that the harm caused to the Tang Dynasty by these Tang army prisoners of war returning to their respective units would be much greater than if they stayed in the Ming Dynasty.

Once the news that "the Ming army really treated prisoners well" spread in the Tang army camp, the grassroots soldiers knew that they could still have a way out if they were defeated.

Then who is still fighting on the battlefield?

After all, there are only a few war maniacs who dream of making great achievements in bloody battles, and most soldiers are just ordinary people.

Wouldn't it be better to keep your life and wait for the liberation of the Ming Dynasty soldiers?

He didn't know the allusion of "surrounding the enemy on three sides and leaving one side open", but he simply realized that this kind of thinking had an immeasurable corrosive effect on the army's fighting spirit... "But what does this have to do with me?"

The old soldier packed his bags and followed the huge team, migrating eastward along Taihang Xing under the escort of the Ming army, which was almost negligible in number in comparison.

…………

The Tang army prisoners of war who chose to surrender to the Ming Dynasty marched across the Taihang Mountains and moved to the Ming Dynasty's rear.

How can a defeated general talk about courage, let alone a shameless idiot?

So everyone looked a little frustrated and embarrassed.

However, their physical and mental condition are still pretty good.

After all, although life in the prisoner-of-war camp was not very good, it was extremely regular.

Go to bed early and get up late, combine work and rest, eat well, and if you are sick, there is a doctor. After a period of recuperation, many chronic diseases have been cured.

As they advanced, more and more people joined them. Ordinary border people who were fleeing from the flames of war gathered from all directions and joined the ranks of prisoners of war, migrating to the Ming Dynasty together.

It’s not that the Tang Dynasty was poorly governed, but that the Ming Dynasty’s policies were too good.

The Tang Dynasty still implemented a strict household registration system, and refugees who fled their hometowns had no human rights.

But in the Ming Dynasty, what are refugees?

Those are fresh leeks... no, they are the builders of the Ming Dynasty's unique feudalism!

Give identity, give subsidies, give land!
On one side, you are a pariah, and on the other side, you are a builder. Comparing the two, which direction should the people who want to escape the war go to? Is there any need to choose?

You love Datang, does Datang love you?

…………

With the influx of a large number of people in a short period of time, Daminghebei, which is adjacent to the front line, has become somewhat overcrowded.

With deliberate guidance and policy support, batches of refugees began to migrate to the vast black soil of Northeast China and joined the great project of developing the Great Northern Wilderness into the Great Northern Granary.

During this long journey across most of northern China, the refugees witnessed the daily lives of the people of the Ming Dynasty and were surprised to discover a problem.

"Have you noticed?"

Along the way, a middle-aged man talked to the old soldier.

"What did you find?"

"The local people in Daming are a little strange."

"What's so strange about that? Aren't they both just one nose and two eyes?"

"They all have faces that have not experienced war."

"?"

"Don't you think the people of Ming Dynasty are relaxed? The tax burden is not heavy, there is no curfew, and a lot of money is spent on water conservancy and building houses."

"I don't understand what you mean. Isn't it the same in our Tang Dynasty? At least it was like this during the Zhenguan period."

"But it's different now, it's war time!"

After being reminded by the other party, the veteran finally realized that this was indeed the case.

Fighting a war is a very draining thing on a country's national strength, let alone fighting a full-scale war with a behemoth like the Tang Dynasty.

As an old soldier who has been in the army for a long time, he may not have a personal experience of it, but the fleeing civilians are very sensitive to it.

In just those few months, taxes soared, vendors were cut off, and there was a labor shortage.

Not to mention renovating the old water conservancy houses, a large number of fertile fields have lost their owners' care and have been abandoned, overgrown with weeds.

It can be predicted that by next year, the Tang Dynasty will almost certainly fall into a food crisis.

But in the Ming Dynasty, the atmosphere among the people is completely different.

Everyone was doing what they were supposed to do, whether it was production and construction or life and entertainment, and was completely unaffected by the war. It can be described as "the people were unaware of war."

It was as if the Ming Dynasty was just using one hand to fight the Tang Dynasty casually, and the Tang Dynasty was already exhausted from dealing with it.

The situation currently seems to be evenly matched, but the people can clearly see who is stronger.

"I don't think the Tang Dynasty can win." The man lowered his voice and made a defeatist statement.

The old soldier shrugged nonchalantly:

"Who cares about the sissy emperor in Chang'an? I only care about where I'm going to have my next meal. Going to the Goguryeo government pays me, so I'm going."

"Haha, yes, we ordinary people only care about living our own lives."

…………

For immigrants from the Central Plains of Shanxi to enter the Northeast, Pingzhou is the only way.

As soon as they entered the city, they were shocked by the prosperous street scene.

It goes without saying that there are pavilions and towers everywhere.

But what impressed them most was the strong smell of fireworks.

Small street vendors, noisy bars, and crowded pedestrians...

Everything seemed familiar, yet so strange, making those who had just left the war zone feel as if they were in another world.

At least in their eyes, there is no need to discuss who will win this battle in the end.

"There's a soup kitchen over there. You can go take a break there."

The official in charge pointed to several sheds on the roadside to the refugees.

Yes, when these refugees entered the Ming Dynasty, they were not looked down upon. The government even thoughtfully provided them with "tour guides" to accompany them all the way to the Northeast.

These are all precious treasures who volunteered to go to the ice and snow of the Northeast to fight against nature and the earth. They have long been reserved by various production teams in the Great Northern Wilderness. They must not be lost along the way.

This can make the newly arrived refugees feel at home, full of fighting spirit, and vow to be pioneers and contribute to the feudal construction of the Ming Dynasty.

"Warm up a bowl of porridge and a plate of roasted green beans."

The old soldier sat down on a bench at the porridge stall and began to place his order with familiarity.

Along the way, they ate at stalls similar to those in highway service areas.

"Okay."

A gentle female voice responded to him.

The old soldier subconsciously looked up and saw a dignified and elegant middle-aged woman holding porridge and walking towards him.

The woman was wearing a low-key brown and black dress. The material...even the ignorant old soldier couldn't tell whether it was good or bad.

But he inexplicably felt that the other person exuded nobility from head to toe.

Damn, the people in Pingzhou are so rich that even the waitresses are so well-maintained...

The old soldier was in a daze and didn't notice at all that the official who brought them here was so nervous that his whole body was tense and he dared not breathe.

"Your porridge, eat your fill and go build the Northeast."

The woman placed the bowl steadily in front of him.

The old soldier joked casually:

"The local conditions in Pingzhou are very good for people. I thought it was the Queen Mother herself who came to entertain an old man in distress like me."

The woman was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said:
"If His Majesty the Emperor had not divorced me."

"What?" The old soldier didn't understand what the other party meant.

Just then, a group of people came to the stall with serious faces, passed the refugees, and respectfully bowed to the middle-aged woman who was visiting incognito.

"Your Highness."

What what next?!
The refugees were immediately stunned.

The woman nodded gently to the foolish crowd, and then left the place surrounded by people and horses.

The old soldier's hands were shaking slightly as he held the bowl.

…………

Queen Yang, who was tasked with the "propaganda" mission, interrupted her mission of gaining favor at the soup kitchen and returned to the carriage.

"Prime Minister Fang and Prime Minister Zhang Sun have drafted the latest decree according to your majesty's order. Please review it."

Wei Daijia handed a piece of paper into the car window with both hands.

"You guys can decide the national affairs. I won't interfere."

While Queen Yang said this, she had already taken the decree with her bare hands and gently unfolded it.

His Majesty Li Ming personally led the army and fought on the front line in the Central Plains, but there had to be someone who made the final decision in the Ming Dynasty.

This important task naturally fell on the shoulders of Queen Mother Yang.

Oh, how could a mother usurp her son's power?
Even if he wanted to usurp the throne, he couldn't. The power structure of the Ming Dynasty was made so complicated by Li Ming that it was like a few balls of wool that had been played with by a kitten.

No one can solve it except Li Ming himself, and it's still a mess.

“Um…what is this?!”

Queen Yang read it carefully, then closed it and savored it, then she let out a long sigh.

"Really? Tighten private spending, suspend large-scale construction, and coordinate fiscal allocation...

"Has the battle finally come to this point?"

Is it time to switch to the economy?

Wei Daijia explained:

"It is not easy to confront the Tang Dynasty head-on and at the same time maintain the domestic people's livelihood without being affected for such a long time.

"It's just that the war has reached a critical moment, and this is where the winners and losers will be."

"I understand."

Empress Yang simply returned the memorial:
"Transfer the instructions of the Prime Minister's House and handle it accordingly."

(End of this chapter)