Chapter 710 Recruitment
"Conscription! Conscription!"
Across all territories controlled by Gao Family Village, this news began to spread like wildfire.
Massive recruitment posters were put up, vividly detailing the benefits and treatment offered to those who joined the Gao Family Village Militia.
"To join the Gao Family Village Militia, recruits only need to pass a physical examination and a political review. Those who pass will be hired, no diploma required."
"Upon recruitment, you will immediately receive free food and lodging, and a monthly military stipend of five taels of silver."
"In addition to the stipend, there are various other benefits!"
"No wives issued! None!"
Since Lao Nanfeng, Shi Jian, and Bai Mao had all been "promoted," granting them the legitimate authority to lead larger armies on campaigns, Gao Family Village naturally needed to conscript a new wave of soldiers.
Furthermore, the recent pursuit of Zijing Liang by Gao Family Village had been cut short when their home base was threatened, forcing them to recall their troops. This incident made the management realize that their current military strength was severely insufficient, and more soldiers needed to be recruited.
Within Gao Family Village's territories, the response to conscription was far from enthusiastic.
Even though the militia's stipend had been raised to five taels of silver, only a sparse few were willing to join.
This was likely the inevitable outcome of the prevailing mindset: "I'm well-fed and warmly clothed, why should I risk my life?"
In China, an ancient saying went: "A good man doesn't become a soldier, just as good iron isn't used for nails."
Viewed through a modern lens, this idea was, of course, misguided. But during the Ming Dynasty, it was a deeply ingrained belief that many found impossible to shake.
After all, soldiers back then were "military households," a status not much different from "artisan households." When it came to profit, you were excluded; when it came to sacrifice, you were indispensable.
Generation after generation, they faced discrimination and scorn.
Meanwhile, the common folk within their jurisdiction lived happy and fulfilling lives under the protection of Dao Xuan Tian Zun, content to be "commoners." Who among them would willingly rush off to become a soldier?
Recruiting soldiers now was an entirely different magnitude of difficulty compared to when Gao Family Village had just been established. The wealthier they became, the harder conscription would likely prove in the future.
The recruitment efforts had, for a time, stalled.
Cheng Xu sat across from San Shier in the main keep of Gao Family Fortress. "Steward San," he began, "did you not distribute enough flyers? We've been recruiting for almost a month, and you've only brought me a thousand men? What good is such a small number?"
San Shier replied, "I certainly haven't held back on the flyers, and the benefits are already exceedingly generous. But if people aren't willing to fight, what can I do? It is called... 'willing but unable to help!'"
Cheng Xu quirked an eyebrow. "Then what do you suggest?"
San Shier sighed. "It seems that if we want to acquire more troops, we'll ultimately have to look to the prisons. Only the prisons can serve as our best reserve camp. It is called... 'finding a new path!'"
Cheng Xu frowned. "Aren't the prisons mostly filled with the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled? How many among them could possibly serve as soldiers?"
San Shier replied, "There's a batch of young, able-bodied men who have been in prison for quite some time now. Perhaps they can be put to use. This group numbers a full five thousand, and they might just be able to offer assistance. It is called... 'sending charcoal in snowy weather!'"
Cheng Xu cursed, "Damn it, I've known you for six or seven years, and I still can't stand the way you talk. Every time I see you, I want to punch you."
San Shier continued, "Do you remember when the rebels in Yan'an Prefecture surrendered to Hong Chengchou? Hong Chengchou executed several hundred of the leading desperadoes, then handed over three thousand surrendered rebels to He Renlong—that madman He—to be escorted into Prison Valley. Among those three thousand, fifteen hundred were young, able-bodied men. They've been serving their sentences for almost two years now and should be sufficiently reformed. You could go and see if they can be utilized."
"Additionally, after Wang Jiayin's death, Xing Honglang pretended to be a rebel leader and brought back five thousand rebels from the foot of the mountain. All five thousand of those men were young, able-bodied fighters, and they too have undergone over a year of labor reform."
San Shier said, "That makes a total of roughly seven thousand men. You'll have to really comb through them. It is called... 'meticulous selection!'"
Cheng Xu nodded. "It seems we have no other choice."
Cheng Xu had no option but to visit Huanglong Mountain Prison once more.
As he walked into Huanglong Mountain, he looked around, eyes sweeping the landscape, and couldn't help but let out a surprised "Oh!" He hadn't been to Huanglong Mountain in so long that he barely recognized the place.
All around him, cement roads crisscrossed the mountains, winding and twisting up the slopes like countless gray earthworms.
Buildings dotted the mountainside, forming small clusters here and there.
To his left, ahead, thirty-odd houses clustered together, encircled by a long wall. If not for the words "Labor Reform Is Most Glorious" painted on the wall, Cheng Xu would have assumed it was a small fortified village, not a prison.
Relying on his memory, Cheng Xu navigated through a maze of unfamiliar buildings until he reached the central office of the prison.
There, he finally met Zhong Gaoliang.
Cheng Xu got straight to the point. "Zhong Gaoliang, I've come to recruit soldiers from the prison."
Zhong Gaoliang was momentarily stunned. "What? You're here to recruit soldiers again? Are you trying to take all my young, able-bodied laborers away?"
Cheng Xu was torn between amusement and exasperation. "Oh? So you value your laborers now?"
Zhong Gaoliang retorted, "How could I not? We're engaged in a massive construction effort here, you know. Look, this is the planning blueprint Dao Xuan Tian Zun handed to me."
He pulled out an enormous map, depicting the entire Huanglong Mountain region.
More than half of it was already within Li Daoxuan's field of view.
However, the plan on the map encompassed the entire Huanglong Mountain, even beyond his current field of view. This was called 'pre-planning.' Li Daoxuan knew that his field of view would eventually cover the entire Huanglong Mountain region.
All usable flat areas on the mountain were designated for farmlands, factories, and residential zones, connected by long cement roads.
Another cement road cut through Huanglong Mountain, leading directly to Yan'an Prefecture.
And this road was now more than halfway complete; only a final short section remained to connect it with Yan'an Prefecture.
Cheng Xu studied the map and couldn't help but mutter, "It's almost connected to Yan'an Prefecture. Isn't Hong Chengchou, the Supreme Commander of three border regions, currently stationed there? He's a ruthless man; if he detects any rebellious intent from Gao Family Village, who knows what kind of trouble that will stir up."
"Don't worry, Hong Chengchou isn't here," Zhong Gaoliang said. "Mongol tribes attacked the Yansui border camps in the west, then raided Lingzhou, Hengcheng, Yansui, Xichuan, and other places... Hong Chengchou has gone to Guyuan to take command, so he's not in Yan'an."
Cheng Xu finally let out a breath. "Then who's in charge of Yan'an now?"
"Chen Qiyu, the Governor of Yansui," Zhong Gaoliang stated. "While he's also formidable, his mind isn't as sharp as Hong Chengchou's. He hasn't harbored any suspicions about us at all. In fact, Chen Qiyu was quite pleased that we were building a road towards Yan'an, saying that building roads and bridges accrues boundless merit, and he wholeheartedly welcomed local gentry funding such projects to assist the imperial court."
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