Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 36 The Great Ming Dynasty is Coming
Guo Rong, a captain of the Warrior Camp, returned home with the heavy bag of twenty taels of silver. At this time, he was still leading his thousand-mile horse.

Guo Rong was in a good mood. After all, he had enough money and no longer had to sell his fine horse.

Twenty taels of silver was a huge sum of money even for Guo Rong, a centurion, because it was enough to ensure that his family had enough food and clothing for a year.

Therefore, Guo Rong was very grateful to the Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao in his heart. He couldn't help thinking that the current emperor was really good. It was different from the previous time when the Ministry of War distributed rice as salary. Now the emperor directly distributed silver in full and even gave more year-end bonuses.

Guo Rong still remembered that the new Ming emperor had said that salaries would be paid in full and in cash in the future. For a moment, Guo Rong couldn't help but look forward to his happy life in the future.

According to his own treatment as a centurion, if his salary could be paid in full and converted into silver, he could earn about 60 taels of silver a year. This way, he could not only ensure that his family had enough food and clothing, but could even buy some new clothes or even a house.

The housing prices in the capital of the Ming Dynasty were no less expensive than those in Beijing in later generations. Many officials in the capital had to rent houses. The same was true for Guo Rong, a centurion who was transferred from other places to the capital. Moreover, he could only rent a house in a remote place outside the city. He had to get up very early every day to report for duty at the Qianhu Office, and could not spend more time with his wife.

But now, if the court can really pay his salary in full every year, he will be able to save up a hundred taels of silver in a few years and buy a courtyard near the inner city.

Guo Rong began to be full of expectations for his life. What made him even more excited was that the emperor said that he would take them to fight the Tartars in the future. Although Guo Rong was not well educated, he had heard the governor, Mr. Zhao, say that "fame and fortune can only be achieved on horseback." He agreed with this statement and knew that his family's future wealth and honor could only come from the battlefield.

He longed for war, especially when he remembered what His Majesty had said about the Tartars killing and looting border residents in the border towns.

Guo Rong was originally from a military family in a border town. Because of his meritorious service in saving the governor, Mr. Zhao, he was transferred to Beijing to avoid suffering bloodshed in the border town. However, he was a young man, a man of blood, and an excellent cavalryman in the border town. Therefore, he always had the idea of ​​making money by killing enemies. Now the words of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty made this desire in his heart even stronger.

It was late at night, and Guo Rong was not in a hurry to go home. He first went to a blacksmith shop named Lin, which he was familiar with, knocked on the door, and gave the blacksmith Lin one or two taels of silver: "Blacksmith Lin, use the good iron you have. I want to make a good sword! I will use it to kill the Tartars in the future!"

There are many officials in the capital, and there are even more sixth-rank military officers like Guo Rong. Although Lin the blacksmith is a craftsman, he has seen many officials and is not afraid of Guo Rong. He just smiled in surprise and said, "When did Lord Guo become so generous that he actually spent a tael of silver to make a good sword?"

"The court has distributed rice as a salary, a full twenty taels of silver! Now we are considered to have met a good emperor."

Guo Rong and Lin the blacksmith were old acquaintances, so there was no awkwardness and they just started chatting after mentioning some silver.

In the eyes of Guo Rong and others, whether the emperor is good or bad does not depend on whether he follows Confucian etiquette, whether he is cynical, or whether he is lustful and cruel. As long as he is given enough salary, he is a good emperor.

Lin the blacksmith had not expected that Guo Rong would have so much silver all of a sudden, and a little more respect appeared on his face: "Since the captain wants to make a precious sword to kill the Tartars, I will definitely make it for you carefully!" At the same time, Lin the blacksmith said: "Is the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty really coming? Even you, the captain, can get twenty taels of silver."

Guo Rong smiled but said nothing. He went to buy some rice and meat, and then led his horse to his yard. Guo Rong pushed open the door of the shed he rented, put the rice and meat on the ground, and then tied the horse to the yard. Guo Rong loved his horse very much. He couldn't help but touch the horse's face: "Now that we have money, you don't have to eat only grass. I have bought beans and will make bean cakes for you tomorrow! When you are stronger, we will kill the Tartars together and make meritorious deeds!"

The good horse snorted, as if it understood what Guo Rong said, and rubbed its head against Guo Rong happily.

Guo Rong chatted with his horse for a while and then returned to his house with rice and meat. Guo Rong's father Guo Yang saw Guo Rong coming back and asked weakly, "Have you sold the horse?"

Guo Rong smiled and replied truthfully: "No!"

Guo Rong's father Guo Yang pointed at Guo Rong weakly. Although he could not stand up to beat Guo Rong, he was obviously very angry. Even his breathing became rapid. "What can I say to you? Do you really have the heart to starve your son to death? My little grandson is so hungry that he can't even cry. If you really don't want to sell the horse, then chop me up and feed my grandson."

"Master, what are you talking about? It's not that I don't want to sell the horse, but there is no need to sell the horse. The court has already issued the salary rice, and it is over-allocated, and it is issued in silver, a full twenty taels! I have already bought rice and meat, and now I will let Yu Niang cook for you."

As Guo Rong spoke, he called out his wife, Yu Niang, and handed the rice and meat to her.

When Guo Rong's wife Yu Niang saw the rice and meat, she was very happy and hurriedly took the rice and meat and went to the kitchen.

The father Guo Yang asked his son Guo Rong: "Why did the court suddenly give out rice as salary and also give you twenty taels?"

"It was issued by the emperor himself. Three months' compensation will be paid out, plus a year-end bonus!" Guo Rong replied.

"We have met a good emperor!" Father Guo Rong said and laughed, "Speaking of which, only during the Xuande Dynasty did we have such a generous rice subsidy."

"Your Majesty also said that silver will be paid in full in the future, which shows that the new emperor is indeed a good emperor. Master, please teach me riding and shooting from tomorrow. I want to go to the battlefield to make achievements in the future. The new emperor seems to want to revive the military power of our Ming Dynasty," said Guo Rong.

Father Guo Yang became even more excited upon hearing this, and hurriedly pulled Guo Rong aside to tell him stories about his past in the border town.

The next morning, Guo Rong and his father Guo Yang got up early, and Guo Yang continued to teach his son Guo Rong the art of riding and shooting.

Guo Rong's wife Yu Niang and son Guo Chen were also standing by and watching. His wife and son also had rosy faces and put on new clothes. They no longer looked hungry or cold.

(End of this chapter)