Urban Sims

"The reward regulations for joining the army?"

"As long as a person joins the army, he can immediately obtain 30 acres of low-tax land. Only 10% of the annual tax is levied. Can he also enjoy the preferential policies of renting cattle and farm tools at low prices?"

"After joining the army, the lord will reward you with rank promotion and more low-tax land, as well as additional salary and reward subsidies based on your performance in peacetime and on the battlefield."

"For a centurion, the tax-free land quota is increased to 50 acres, and the monthly salary is 10 silver coins; for a centurion, the tax-free land quota is increased to 100 acres, and the monthly salary is 50 silver coins; for the centurion, the tax-free land quota is increased to 500 acres, and the monthly salary is 50 silver coins. The salary is 10 gold coins, and there are additional subsidies such as castle residences, fertile manors, servants and maids..."

"During the war, the lords will issue rewards corresponding to their military exploits. The more military exploits, the greater the rewards. After being knighted based on military exploits, the title can be inherited by future generations..."

"If he unfortunately dies on the battlefield, the low-tax policy for the land under his name will not be canceled for twenty years. Depending on his military rank, the lord will also pay a pension of varying amounts to his family."

As soon as the above-mentioned clauses of the "Regulations on Incentives for Joining the Army" were announced, the farmers present all looked at each other in blank dismay, whispered to each other, and started a heated conversation in private.

"Are these regulations true? As long as you join the army, your family will be allocated 30 acres of low-tax land right away?"

"Low-tax land, the lord only charges 10% of the tax, plus the church's tithe, that is to say, we can get 80% of the land harvest?"

"The captain has 500 acres of low-tax land, a monthly salary of 10 gold coins, a castle residence, a manor and servants. Isn't this similar to the noble knight? We ordinary farmers can also be like the knight. , have so many things?"

"I want to join the army! Butler Ryan, can I join the army?!"

The young boy who looked like 12 or 3 years old raised his hand and stood up, but was immediately dragged down by the middle-aged man beside him.

"Bruce, do you want to go to the battlefield and die? War is so dangerous, do you think it's a joke? Now that you have food and drink at home, why are you doing this kind of beheading business?" the middle-aged man said in a low voice, Immediately suppressed the young boy's idea of ​​joining the army.

Similar phenomena occurred in many corners. As soon as some enthusiastic young people expressed their intention to join the army, they were immediately suppressed and refuted by the elders next to them. They could only lower their heads, showing a look of unwillingness and frustration. look.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Ming had to stand up, cough twice, clapped his hands, so that the farmers' attention would be focused on him, and explained to them loudly:

"Fathers and elders, regarding this reward policy for joining the army, everything follows the principle of 'voluntary joining the army'. As long as anyone volunteers to join the army, the lord will allocate 30 acres of low-tax land to him in the spring of next year, and enjoy the low-cost rental of cattle and farm tools. Discount, if you don’t want to, I won’t force it, winter training is over, you can go back to your homes tomorrow.”

Zhou Ming gave them a reassurance first, but then said: "However, if you don't join the army, it doesn't mean that you have no obligation to be recruited into the army. Once the Grand Land is invaded by foreign enemies, all those who participated in the winter training here will be recruited. Going to the battlefield, so the difference between joining the army and not joining the army is just the difference between one receiving long-term training and the other receiving two-month short-term training every year. When the war really comes, whoever can hold a weapon will have to Let's go to battle together."

"So, you can think about it, whether to farm together at home with peace of mind, or send someone to the castle to join the army, bring 30 acres of tax-free land to the family, reduce the burden on the family, and also give it to the nephews who come to join the army , a bright future."

Zhou Ming's target for recruiting soldiers this time is not at all these middle-aged farmers in their 30s and 40s who have lost their ambitions and become timid and tactful, but those young people who are active in thinking, aggressive and malleable As long as a group of young people can be attracted to join the army, even if they are as young as 12 or 3 years old, they can become qualified professional officers through 5-10 years of training.

Not only that, he also dispelled the illusions in the hearts of these middle-aged farmers, thinking that if they don't join the army, they can live a smooth life. Don't even think about such a good thing, everyone has to go to the battlefield! Whether it is to resist foreign invasion or external military expansion, everyone who participates in winter training must bring weapons and play a role on the battlefield.

As soon as Zhou Ming finished speaking, the audience was quiet for a while, and many farmers began to make choices in their minds.

Which is more important, 30 acres of low-tax land, or a younger nephew in the family?

You know, with the current unit output of farmland in Granville, the grain grown on 30 mu of land, after deducting 20% ​​of the land rent, is almost enough to feed a family of six for a year.

And if the family does not have a nephew to join the army, it will take about 50 mu of land, after deducting 40% of the land rent, to support a family of six (the more land leased, the greater the physical cost).

What's more, once his nephew comes to the castle to join the army, there is one less person to feed (the lord provides food and accommodation), and the pressure on the family becomes even less.

Moreover, there is a bright and beautiful future waiting for them in the future. Maybe after a few years, their nephew will become a noble figure like a knight.

What else needs to be considered?

After weighing their interests, the middle-aged farmers who had previously opposed their nephews' joining the army quickly changed their minds and began to encourage their nephews to join the army. Some who were timid and didn't want to go were scolded. After a while, Except for a few older ones, more than 300 young farmers between the ages of 12 and 18 applied to join the army.

With so many people eager to join the army, Zhou Ming couldn't ask for them all. Instead, he conducted an "interview" for everyone to screen out those who were too old, those who were stupid, and those who were cunning and slippery. According to the so-called According to the selection criteria of the "good family sons", 182 people were selected, and they will be trained as the officers' seeds of the "Defense Force" in the future.

The majority of the 182 people admitted were under the age of 18, except for a few older "uncles" over 25 years old who were admitted by Zhou Ming due to some specialties.

From this winter to the beginning of the next spring, for more than three months, these 182 people, in addition to their daily outdoor warm-ups, spent most of their time sitting in a classroom in the castle, working hard to learn cultural knowledge.

It was in this classroom that Zhou Ming, as a teacher, completed the preliminary literacy work for these officers who were 100% illiterate. During the sand table war chess deduction, he instilled some military knowledge into them, and also prepared them for conquering this vast and boundless country. The Lord's World has taken the first solid step...