Emperor Ming Dynasty

In the blink of an eye, Shaowu's thirty-eighth year has arrived.

For ordinary people, after thirty or forty years of peaceful life, it is already two or even three generations.

Everyone is used to the prosperity of Shaowu Nian, busy at work, taking care of the family's life.

But for Luo Datou, compared to the Chongzhen Year, such a life can be described as a life lived by an immortal.

He was sitting on the threshold, smoking cigarettes one after another, with his feet on the ground, and all the passers-by on the road bowed their heads to say hello.

As one of the eldest people in the village, Luo Big Head has a prestige that cannot be underestimated.

Several grandchildren were playing in the mud at the door, listening to his verbosity.

"In the past, there was no such delicious food, and we were so poor that we ate mud..."

"There were few living people in the village, and everyone was so hungry that their eyes turned green. I was so hungry at that time that when I saw the imperial army, I ran away, thinking that I would die of starvation. I never thought that the general would take pity on me and let me join the army……"

"Back then in the Northeast, the snow fell three feet high, which was higher than you. Many people were buried in the snow in their dreams..."

"Sir, when will it snow so much in our town?" A child said in a dream: "I want to see snow higher than me!"

"Pah!" Luo Da's head slapped his little head open: "What nonsense are you talking about? This heavy snow can't freeze people to death?"

At this time, several dolls burst out laughing.

At this time, a boy with his trousers pulled down his butt hurriedly ran over: "Mr. Luo, the village chief asked you to go!"

"Got it!" Luo Datou smoked a cigarette and walked slowly.

When they arrived at the village, the village chief and clan chief rushed out to greet him: "Master Luo, you are here!"

The two of them supported Luo Datou and welcomed him into the courtyard.

The village chief made a cup of ground tea and said:

"The imperial court has started conscription again, and the county said the recruitment quota is linked to immigration!"

"What?" Luo Da was stunned: "What are you moving?"

"Just move overseas and work as cattle and horses for the emperor's sons!" the patriarch snorted:

"Although there is more land and the residence is more spacious, the tombs of the ancestors are all here, and the relocation is so chaotic. The court is afraid that the princes will not have anyone around to take care of them, so they linked the conscription with the relocation..."

Rough words are not rough.

For the vassal king and the court, relocation is a thousand-year plan, but for the local clans, the young and strong labor force is the foundation for their local party.

They are the main force in grabbing water, doing corvee labor, guarding against thieves, fighting against township and county government offices, and Minzhuang.

There are thousands of young people in the clan, and even the county magistrate dare not speak loudly.

It may save a lot of money in tax collection and corvee work.

It is naturally not good to lose youth and strength.

"You have to be a soldier!" Luo Datou put down his cigarette pole and said hurriedly: "If there is a lord here, who in the county dares to look down on us?"

"Besides, it's good to be in the army. You can also serve as an official in the future and honor your ancestors——"

The clan leader and village chief agreed with this.

After the military household system was abolished, the imperial court adopted a recruitment system.

Recruit camps were set up in each province to recruit soldiers according to the imperial court's plan. The recruits were trained and sent to the capital or to patrol camps in counties.

Being a soldier not only provides you with good food and salary, but you can also make meritorious service and become a nobleman.

That's it, they can retire after twenty years, and then the court can arrange for them to serve as mayors of their hometown's prefecture or county.

No matter how bad it is, he can still be an officer in the patrol camp.

For ordinary people who are not good at reading and unable to practice martial arts, this is the best way they can aspire to.

Once you become a township chief or an officer, you will not only be able to eat royal food and honor your ancestors, but you will also be able to change your family, train scholars, and make your family and family prosperous.

Everyone wants such a spot.

Comparing the taxation, litigation, culture and education of various counties in the province, there are more than twenty people, and there are only about ten people less.

The county naturally also looks at taxes for each township and village, but compliance is indispensable.

Because the province can manage the county, but the county may not be able to directly order the villages, the best way to control it is the number of troops.

"There are eight townships in the county. At most two or three townships will be given to us. The village has to fight for it!"

"Isn't that right!" the village chief said helplessly: "The county said each township must have twenty households, and the top three in the township will be given the quota..."

"Then at least five households must be encouraged..."

Luo Datou felt that his head hurt. Who came up with this damaging move? It was too cruel.

"It's simple. There are more than a dozen widowers in the village. Just give them a random wife and you can make up for it!"

The clan leader gritted his teeth and said.

"Where's the money?" The village chief asked helplessly: "It costs a lot to get a wife!"

"Those who want to be soldiers will contribute half, and the clan will contribute the other half. This is also a good thing!"

Luo Datou groaned and said: "With so many oligarchs, it is also a disaster to stay in the village. Are there not many people climbing the wall?"

This is true.

After discussion among the three giants, they decided that this number of soldiers must be fought over, as it was related to the future of the village.

Whoever has no relatives or children has a bright future.

As soon as Luo Datou returned home, he saw his great-grandson running over: "Master, I'm back!"

"Yo, big mountain!"

Looking at his young son who was as strong as a mountain, Luo Datou was filled with joy.

This younger son just couldn't study well and joined the army. He became the mayor of the next county and the family was very prestigious.

Luo Dashan supported his father and said softly: "Dad, I heard that Anmin Hall in the county is recruiting apprentices!" "What?" Luo Dashan was stunned.

"It's the county medical clinic. It's looking for apprentices. It's accepting apprentices!"

"What does this mean? Doesn't it mean that he is very proud and doesn't accept disciples but only family members?"

Luo Dashan explained: "The imperial court requires that three apprentices must be taught before they can return to the capital. Those Anmintang doctors have long wanted to go back..."

Anmintang, a convenience medical clinic set up by the imperial court in various counties, helped the people. The medical fees and medicines were very low, making many people affordable.

But these people are basically descendants of the Taiyuan Hospital, either their children or their disciples and grandchildren. For them, going to various counties means being sent to the frontier.

Except for the capital city, it is all in the countryside.

Nowadays, the emperor is recruiting apprentices because the local medical conditions are too poor. More doctors can save many people.

According to statistics, there are only three or five medical clinics in an ordinary county, and goddesses, Taoist priests, and monks are the mainstream in treating diseases.

Doctors basically serve people from the middle class and above.

"It would be great to choose someone smart and become an apprentice. When the time comes, you can open a medical clinic. Joining the army and studying may not be better than this!"

Luo Dashan said: "As the old saying goes, ten robbers are not worth one medicine seller. This is something that can be passed down from family to family..."

"That's true!" Luo Da suddenly had an idea in his head:

"The army can recruit military doctors. When the time comes, they will be sent directly to the military camp. Not only will they be able to eat royal food, but they will also receive meritorious deeds..."

Nowadays, the army does not count the number of people, but the overall merit. Military doctors, like the leading soldiers, can also get merit. It may be difficult to judge, but the rewards are many.

"I can't afford to go to the capital camp, but I can still be a capital citizen!"

Luo Datou muttered: "When I was in the Beijing camp, those people in the capital were shouting that even a dog had to be reborn in Beijing. This sounded rough, but it was true..."

Luo Dashan agreed, but did not refute.

When he was a soldier, he had many connections thanks to his father. I don't know how many people in the border army envied Jingying!

Not to mention anything else, the imperial court dismissed many veterans from the frontier army and Beijing camp every year, so it recruited troops every two years, with only thirty to fifty thousand soldiers.

There are twenty-seven provinces in the world, three generals, two governor's offices, and thirty-two places. Each province has less than a thousand people, while the capital and Shuntian Mansion recruit at least five thousand people.

In the imperial examination, the quota for candidates in Shuntian Prefecture has now been expanded to 160, while the quota for candidates in Shandong Province is only 75.

There are more than 10 million Shandong people, only half of the Shuntian Mansion with 300 to 500 people.

fair? hehe!

Luo Datou once again talked about the link between immigration and military quotas. Luo Dashan sighed: "I don't know who came up with this idea. It's so bad!"

"I've been traveling around the villages recently. The people who have been relocated want to live or die, and they want money and women. There's been a lot of trouble—"

"You still have to listen to what the court says."

Luo Datou said in a deep voice: "You are an official now, so you must not be obedient!"

The father and son were chatting here, and suddenly someone came to visit.

Take a closer look and see Wu Laoer next door.

In his thirties, he behaves like a fool and spends all day wandering around without working. He is one of the few second-rate men in the village.

And his capital is naturally his father who was once the mayor of the township. Even though he has been dead for more than ten years, he still keeps him hungry.

"Mr. Luo, Uncle Luo!" Wu Laoer bowed his head and came over with a smile on his face.

"What's wrong? Where did you go to steal again?" Luo Dashan's voice was cold.

"Didn't I hear that you are back, so I came here to say hello!" Wu Laoer didn't even look at him and came up to him shamelessly.

"Go, go, if you have something to say, just say it!"

Luo Dashan was too lazy to pay attention to him and waved his hand.

"I heard in the countryside that the money to raise money seems to have changed?"

"You're quite well informed!" Luo Dashan said casually:

"In the past, if an official died in office, his wife (son) would take it with him until his death. But now it has changed. It no longer includes his son, but only his wife!"

"Then, why did this change?" Wu Laoer was horrified and said in a sharp voice: "My father died for the emperor and the court -"

His mother has died a long time ago, so doesn’t he have no money to collect?

"Hmph, there are many people who are greedy for cheap. They can adopt dead people as their heirs and lead them for decades. How can the imperial court bear the burden?"

Although Luo Dashan felt unhappy, he still said: "This has been changed. The wife will not be born until her death, and the children can be taken for ten years. If they are young, the children will not be taken until they reach adulthood, and the heirs after death will not be counted..."

When Wu Laoer heard this, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Dad is the head of the township, so he can get ten yuan a year. How happy he is in the countryside!

If it were gone now, how would we live like this?

"Uncle Luo, when will this be finalized?"

"That's this year!" Luo Dashan chuckled:

"I let you get last year's reward, which is pretty good. You'll get it this year. Find a job, good times are gone!"

Wu Laoer walked away in despair.

Along the way, he ignored all the invitations from fair-weather friends, and ignored the acquaintances who left the door ajar.

"Master, what's going on?"

"It's gone, it's all gone!" Wu Laoer said with a sad face: "My father's pension is gone, I can't get it anymore!"

This voice immediately startled the mother-in-law.

After asking clearly, the mother-in-law's expression immediately changed, and she put her hands on her hips and said: "You are a bastard who is just waiting to die. Why are you still sitting here when you have no money?"

"Go to the fields and weed quickly, or we won't have anything to eat!"

Wu Laoer was stunned when he saw his wife changing her face, and he didn't recover for a long time.

The cold door instantly made him extremely helpless.

creak.

The door was opened, and half of his son's face was revealed. Before he could speak, he was hit on the foot with a hoe:

"Dad, Mom said I can't let you hang around anymore. Don't come back until the fields are hoeed..."

(End of this chapter)