Song Yi

Chapter 434 The Status of a Soldier

Du Wenhao said: "Soldiers of the Xiang Army are resettled based on the principle of combining military buyout and policy placement. Military buyout is the same as military officers. The buyout fee is calculated according to the number of years of service. The one-time buyout will not be taken care of by the imperial court in the future. Policy placement There are two possible places to go. One is to set up a large number of workshops for industrial production. A considerable number of people in the Xiang army can enter the workshops and become workers. Disarmed and returned to the farmland, the imperial court will give preferential policies to reclaim wasteland and cultivate land, and the newly reclaimed land will belong to the person, and there will be no tax for a few years, and the state can also provide loan assistance.”

"Loan?" Gao Taotao wondered.

"Yes, it's equivalent to Qingcaidai. A public-private partnership company is responsible for the loan. In the future, we can also open a bank to lend money, but this can be done slowly, and we can wait until the company system is established."

"Okay," Gao Taotao didn't ask too much, so as not to change the topic, he continued to ask just now: "I think your plan is very novel and reasonable, and it should be able to be implemented, but, I want to know, Xiang Jun originally Who will take on the job?"

"This requires an analysis of the work of the Xiang Army. As I said just now, the Xiang Army's Zhuangcheng Army, which builds cities, and the Bridge Road Army, which builds roads and bridges, can be reorganized into engineering troops. It was reorganized into a logistics force. As for the academy army that manufactures weapons, they were all turned into arsenal workers."

"arsenal?"

"It's the armory. I inspected the armory specifically, and I'm not satisfied with the conditions inside. Major reforms must be made."

"How to change?"

"First of all, we must establish respect for talents and knowledge. I have already had a high degree of respect for literati and inkmen, but I lack sufficient attention to technical talents. For example, in the Armament Institute, I witnessed a senior technical talent being flogged. The strange scene of torture. This old man invented a crossbow called "God Arm Bow". It has a much longer range than all the crossbows currently used by our army, and it is also much sharper. It can easily penetrate heavy armor However, he was whipped and punished by the official for fighting for normal welfare treatment for the military artisans. This is enough to prove my contempt for technical talents."

"Well, yes, you are right. Technical talents should be respected and cared for. If there is any good way, just tell me."

When Du Wenhao heard this, he immediately beamed with joy: "It is necessary to gather together the national military, economic and other technical personnel, and set up a scientific research institute. Create great wealth, should be given generous treatment and security. And given the highest honor."

"Okay, I agree. You are in charge of setting up this institute. You are responsible for promoting it."

Du Wenhao already has many positions, but this position cannot be pushed away. He nodded and said: "Okay, I will take charge. The emperor's arithmetic teacher is called Shen Kuo. He was demoted because he failed in the Xixia battle, and now he is in the local government. Draw maps of various places. It is reported that the work has been basically completed. This person is a genius, I want to transfer him back to the capital to serve as the judge (deputy director) of the scientific research institute."

"No problem, I will order him back tomorrow, and you decide how to use it."

"Okay. In addition, we need to increase the monthly salaries of weaponry craftsmen in the armory station. Their workload is too great. We need to reduce their workload, give them a certain degree of personal freedom, and give them humanistic care. Unleash a huge enthusiasm for labor."

"Well, I'll do as you please." Gao Taotao thought for a while, and then said: "I'm worried that there are too few logistics personnel, and I'm afraid there won't be enough."

"After the reorganization of the Xiang Army, although the number of logistics personnel is only about 7, in the past, the logistics personnel mobilized by our army did not exceed [-] at the largest time, so it is enough to meet the needs of normal battles. If a large-scale battle is launched, When the logistics personnel are not enough, you can spend money to recruit civilians to transport, and the common people can also make money from it. Of course, if you want to deal with a full-scale war, it is obviously not enough to rely on conventional troops. The support staff has also been increased as needed. That is the exception."

Gao Tao said with a smile: "I'm not talking about this. In the past, the Xiang army was used to being employed by the local yamen. Once it is cut down, the local yamen may object. Officers at all levels are used to sending soldiers, so they will also object. Have you ever thought about this? "

"Of course I thought about it. I fully discussed this when I organized the commanders to discuss the reform plan. We believe that the reform will definitely damage the vested interests of some people. These benefits are actually illegal and should not be obtained. For example, when the local yamen sent Xiang troops, they did not provide military expenses for the Xiang troops. The Xiang troops were soldiers raised by the imperial court, so why should they send them? This is even more difficult for generals. So theoretically, it makes sense for us to do this, because it is to gain Make sense."

"That's what I said, but..."

"Don't worry, Tao Tao, the first emperor reduced the Xiang army by more than half from more than 50. As far as I know, there were voices of opposition from those with vested interests at that time, but the first emperor resolutely implemented it and completed the disarmament calmly. What's more, the first emperor at that time For disarmament, we don’t reissue a penny. We have taken into account the resistance in this disarmament, and implemented the dual means of buying out military service and policy placement. The soldiers have made a lot of profits, and the resistance should be smaller than before. They have no say in the reform, and it is natural to deprive them of the benefits they do not deserve. In addition, we adopt a step-by-step approach, first click and then step by step according to the plan. The rebound will be dispersed, and the resistance will be much smaller. What needs to be emphasized is , There will definitely be resistance, but the success of the reform depends on the will of the decision makers. If you are half-hearted and fearful of jackals and tigers later, you will accomplish nothing!"

Gao Tao burst out laughing, and slapped him lightly: "Are you calling me indecisive?"

Du Wenhao held her face and kissed it: "Tao Tao, now you are at the peak of the highest power, and the people of the whole country are watching you. If you really want to make the country rich and the army strong, you must definitely use an iron fist policy. You know, Might is truth!"

"Well! I listen to you!" Gao Taotao has a gentle and generous personality, not good at strategy, but was pushed to the peak of power by the wheel of history. Originally, he just wanted to wait for his grandson Zhezong to grow up and hand over power to Zhezong, but Enraged by Du Wenhao's count of the repeated defeats of the Song Army, Du Wenhao was put in charge of military reform.After Du Wenhao came up with the plans, she actually didn't know what the plans were. With the love in her heart, she firmly believed that Du Wenhao would not harm her.So, listen to Du Wenhao in everything.

Du Wenhao picked up the wine glass: "Okay! Let's have a toast to become the iron-fisted empress dowager!"

Gao Taotao smiled, raised his wine glass, and touched it like Du Wenhao: "Okay! For you, the iron-fisted general, let's have a drink!"

"Hey, don't we become a strong couple?"

Gao Taotao blushed slightly, looked at him with rolling eyes, leaned over and kissed him: "Forever after life, I wish to be like today!"

The two kissed and drank the wine in the glass.

Du Wenhao said: "I will continue to say that the second problem in the imperial court is the status of the army and soldiers. As we all know, the status of our soldiers is low. As far as the military generals of the court are concerned, among the sixty military ranks, the highest rank Taiwei is only a second-rank official, two ranks lower than civil officials. With the same qualifications, military generals are generally two or three ranks lower than civil officials. Two people with similar qualifications, as military commanders, see Can you balance your heart if you only bow your hands to give way? This kind of official title that emphasizes civility over military affairs has caused the whole society to despise the army and despise soldiers. How can such a social atmosphere build a strong army? ?”

Gao Taotao thought for a while and said, "Is everyone's opinion of the army not that bad?"

"It's not bad. Just look at the treatment of soldiers. The rank of generals is generally lower than that of civilian officials. As I said just now, let's look at ordinary soldiers. Soldiers have to get tattoos on their faces. Of course, the purpose of the designation of the unit is to prevent deserters. However, this rule directly fixes the soldiers on the pillar of shame! You must know that only criminals, government craftsmen and servants will be identified by tattoos. Soldiers are not related to criminals. Is it the same? In fact, a considerable part of the Xiang army among the soldiers came from criminals. Serving as a soldier to defend the country was originally a very sacred and honorable profession, but now it has become a shameful profession. From this point alone You know, the social status of soldiers is as low as that of criminals and slaves! Soldiers shed their blood for the country, but the military has such a social status. Who is willing to serve as a soldier and make sacrifices in a family of innocent people? How can we recruit good soldiers?"

Gao Taotao was stunned, with a sad expression on his face: "Is it true that the consequences are so serious by emphasizing literature over martial arts and using literature to control martial arts?"

"Yes, this kind of belittlement of the army and soldiers directly affects combat effectiveness. And this kind of thinking will inevitably lead to distrust of generals, and various measures are taken to check and balance. The most prominent manifestations are 'civilians lead the army' and 'decentralization' and several measures that will seriously damage the combat effectiveness of the army."

"I already know the harm of civil servants leading the army, what about the latter two?"

"Decentralization of power is to divide a large army into several small armies and let the generals lead them. Even if there is a rebellion, it will not do much harm. This is the original intention, but the result is not a division of troops. Both the Liao and Xixia are superior, but as soon as they come up, they divide their troops into several places and advance aggressively. The enemy wants us to do this, so that they can concentrate their superior forces to encircle and destroy one place and defeat them one by one. With few enemies, the cause of defeat is planted here!"

"I understand, what harm will I avoid from it?"

"In strategizing, winning thousands of miles away is just an ideal. It is impossible to achieve in real battles. The battlefield is ever-changing, and the palace is thousands of miles away from the front line. How can the emperor and the civil servants of the Privy Council predict the future and predict the enemy first? Opportunity? It can only be a matter of seeking the sword. Can we avoid repeated battles and defeats? For the civil servants who lead the army at the front, of course they welcome the generals to defend them, because they do not understand military affairs, and they can execute according to the battle plan formulated by the emperor without having to use their brains. I can’t blame myself for losing a battle, because I didn’t directly command it. The unlucky ones are naturally the officers and soldiers who have become victims of this clumsy and dull remote control command!”

Du Wenhao's words were a bit harsh, but Gao Taotao was shocked. She lowered her head and said, "In this case, these wrong practices still need to be corrected. In your opinion, what should we do?"

"Two aspects of rectification: On the one hand, the status of the army and soldiers should be improved in an all-round way, tattoos should be canceled immediately, so that the personality of soldiers can be respected at the minimum, and the ranks of generals should be raised so that the ranks of generals and civilians can maintain a balance. Through various This kind of media widely publicizes the heroic deeds of soldiers defending their homes and defending the country and bloody battles, establishes a heroic image, publicizes the spirit of martial arts, improves the social status of the army and soldiers, and establishes the concept of joining the army in the whole society. A sense of mission, fighting on the battlefield and sacrificing one’s life for the country has become a voluntary action. Only when the society recognizes that soldiers respect soldiers and even worship soldiers, can soldiers be willing to sacrifice their lives to serve the country and regard death as home. Only in this way can a virtuous circle be formed.”

"Well said! It should be like this! I completely agree with what you said. Soldiers sacrificed their lives to defend the peace of the country, and their contributions should not be underestimated, nor should they be underestimated! — On the other hand, what should be rectified?"

"Abolish the system of civil servants leading the army and generals from the middle, and give full trust to the leading generals. If you want to be suspicious, don't use it, and don't use it!"

"Oh..., it's easy to control the generals, I just don't interfere, but it's not easy to control the military with the civil, and the civil officials of the court will strongly oppose it. After all, this is the ancestor's instruction, and it is the basic strategy of governing the country. It has been practiced for more than 100 years, and it has been deeply rooted in the thinking of all ministers."

Du Wenhao said: "Yes, this reform has to be done slowly. According to the method we discussed last time, first increase the decision-making power of the generals and deputy commanders. The active combat plan opposed by the generals and deputy commanders cannot be implemented. If you don't seek victory, Think about defeat first. Avoid defeat first. By increasing the decision-making power of generals, publicizing the fruitful results achieved by generals and leading the army, and appropriately punishing the leading civil servants who have suffered defeats, the government and the public can feel the joy of victory and gradually recognize the generals leading the army. Then appoint some military generals to serve as the commanders of some small battles, strengthen the publicity effect of the military generals leading the army to win, step by step, and finally achieve the goal of military generals leading the army."

"Proceed in steps, I completely agree, and it should be like this." Gao Taotao paused again, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Just in this way, will there be military dictatorship and warlord separatism in the Southern and Northern Dynasties again?" situation?"

(End of this chapter)