Quick wear: She has turned over the big guys from all walks of life

Chapter 1282 Famine and Natural Disaster 441

"This is what I want to tell you." Ming Yi said slowly, "They are right to obey military orders, but they need a goal; a goal that they can unanimously believe is right and can be regarded as a belief. If there is such a goal, the Northwest Army will be unprecedentedly united. Have you thought about it?"

"A unified belief." Zhou Ting was lost in thought.

Faith is a broad word.

It can cover all aspects in general.

Thinking carefully about the people I have met since childhood, the Taoists I have met have faith. They believe in heaven and earth and the Three Pure Ones. They believe in them without a doubt and are willing to defend and protect this faith.

  So, what about the others?

What about the common people and even the soldiers in the army?

What do the people believe in? When it comes to mysterious things, they often ask for help from gods; however, when nothing happens, how many people insist on believing in gods?

From this aspect, we can see that the people’s faith is only when they need it, but they don’t have faith.

In summary, people generally have no faith!

  So, coming back to the point, what about the soldiers in the army, do they have faith?

What did the soldiers and generals seek when they bravely fought on the battlefield? Fame, wealth, a good life, and protection for their parents and relatives in the rear.

So, what do the soldiers believe in? Fame, wealth and power? Or their parents?

He seemed to understand the hidden meaning of Mingyi's words. What the soldiers lacked was a kind of conviction and admiration for the generals, the Northwest Army, and the Zhou Palace. They went to the battlefield for fame, fortune, and to let their families live a good life, prevent foreigners from invading their homes, and protect their parents, brothers and sisters in the rear.

They may have respected the Zhou Palace; however, they did not regard the Northwest Commander as their spiritual steadfastness, nor did they regard the Zhou Palace or him as the correct view that they believed in and followed.

"I understand." Zhou Ting expressed his thoughts, "Their thoughts and what they have seen and heard cannot form a true admiration for the Zhou Palace and the Northwest Army."

If it is for fame, wealth and power, any army will do; if it is to protect parents, brothers and sisters, any army will do.

The Northwest Army can do it, the Huben Army can do it, and even Yuan’s army in the east can do it.

"Then, what can we do to make the soldiers regard the Northwest Army as their belief?" The soldiers' sense of belonging to the Northwest Army is simply that the Northwest Army can become a place for them to realize their dreams.

This idea gradually took shape and influenced Zhou Ting's thinking.

Mingyi saw that he had figured it out, so she smiled and wrote on paper while telling him, "If you want the soldiers to have a complete sense of belonging to you and regard you as their faith, then we must first consider the people. The more you can do for the people, the more benefits you will get, and if you have a common goal, everyone will think that you are the best choice and the best person in power."

"I have done a lot for the people, haven't I?" He has never forgotten the saying that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

He did care about the lives of the people; at least much more than his father. After Ming Yi came, he paid even more attention.

"Those can only make the people re-understand Zhou Palace. Now, only by making the people's lives better and better, and letting the people understand that the only correct concept is to follow Zhou Palace, and let the people understand that Zhou Palace is really considering them. In this way, let the people truly respect and admire Zhou Palace. Only when the people are truly grateful to you and Zhou Palace, can they truly believe in you and Zhou Palace. By then, Zhou Palace will no longer be just a synonym for the powerful to them; instead, they will regard Zhou Palace as a place they truly respect, honor, and support."

Her idea was too absurd. It should not be difficult for the people to support the Zhou Palace, but it would be quite difficult to make them regard the Zhou Palace as a belief.

"That's easier said than done." He kept thinking, weighing the pros and cons. If he truly cared about the people, then he would affect the interests of the Northwest Army nobles. "The Northwest nobles will not watch us win over the people with their interests."

Mingyi nodded slightly and said in agreement: "Yes, the nobles will not watch us touch their interests, so we must first develop the industries I mentioned earlier; recruit common people to work in the workshops, alleviate the common people's economic situation, and let the common people taste the sweetness."

"We benefit from the common people. When some people become wealthy first, we can bring more people along. When the common people start to be loyal to us, we can then touch upon the interests of the nobles. The ultimate goal is to develop the northwest, both economically and agriculturally. When the northwest has a certain scale, we will radiate to the Western Regions, Ningguo, and even the grasslands."

"Then, we talked about military regulations. The formulation of military regulations should be based on the people. Everything should be based on the people. For example, the Northwest Army should not harass the people or take advantage of the people. When necessary, the Northwest Army can help the people with work, such as helping to harvest crops during the busy farming season and helping the people plant rice during the spring plowing season, so that the army and the people can be as close as one family."

Zhou Ting seemed to be listening to a fairy tale.

How is it possible for the military and civilians to be as close as one family?

  The generals in the army are in high positions and look down on the common people, even those who are lower in status than them; it has become a habit. Is it possible for them to lower themselves and mingle with the common people?

He couldn't even think about it.

However, Mingyi's next words made his heart beat wildly.

"When the common people have more contact with the soldiers and the soldiers have more exchanges with the villagers, the common people will be grateful for the soldiers' kindness; when the soldiers receive positive feedback after their efforts, what do you think they will think?"

"Cheerful?" Zhou Ting only thought of this word.

"It's not just about making you happy, but also about feeling close to each other. Come a few more times. The soldiers in the army will know that you, the commander, are truly thinking about the people. They will naturally feel grateful to you because most of them are part of the people."

"The people have received help from the Northwest Army, and they will feel grateful to the Northwest Army and you as their commander. This is a mutually beneficial thing, and it will become a virtuous cycle over time. No matter how unwilling the nobles are, it will be useless. If they have bad intentions, once they make a move, the people will only be more determined to support you, the Northwest Army, and the Zhou Palace."

"So, military regulations must be based on the perspective of the people. Soldiers and generals may have doubts at first, but it doesn't matter. With your current prestige in the army, they will not disobey you in name only."

The prerequisite is that Zhou Ting has enough prestige.

Zhou Ting has conquered two countries, and the time is ripe. If we don’t act now, when will we act?

"Wait, let me think about it carefully."

He was exposed to too many avant-garde ideas at once, which shattered the class concepts he had held since birth, and his head was buzzing.

  But he wanted all the benefits that Mingyi mentioned!

He had to think about it.