Chapter Seventy: Demobilization and Resettlement

  Sun Chengzong breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that these people would unite and run away together, which would be difficult to deal with. Now they asked who should be eliminated first, and naturally agreed to eliminate the soldiers.

  However, it was also difficult to decide who should come first. So Sun Chengzong asked: "Are there any generals who are willing to take the lead?"

  Who volunteered, who has a brain disease. None of the following generals came forward to be the first to cut troops.

  Zhong Jinwei was puzzled on one side and said: "Why come one by one, can't you all come together?"

  Everyone in the account looked at him, and Sun Chengzong explained: "More than 400,000 people, too many to monitor."

  "Then let all the cavalry come and supervise."

  This is a way, each department has some cavalry, collecting them for inspection should be enough.

  Sun Chongzong nodded and said: "This method is feasible, do the other generals have any opinions?"

  Let all the generals' subordinates participate in the supervision, which is the fairest. The lower-ranking generals naturally couldn't object, but Lu Xiangsheng suddenly spoke out: "This army, I suggest that each cavalry unit should not inspect its own infantry."

  A burst of gnashing teeth sounded from below, and the commanders hated Lu Xiangsheng with gritted teeth for speaking too much.

  Sun Chengzong nodded repeatedly: "Very good, very good."

  Then he stood up and concluded: "If all the generals have no other opinions, tomorrow at the first watch of Chen time, after the three drums are finished, the main and deputy generals of each department must come to the central army to clarify the details of the selection. The general idea is that each department will draw lots to determine the inspection object, and each department will line up outside the tent in their respective camps without bringing weapons. The cavalry will supervise, and those who are eliminated will all leave the camp and gather at a fixed point for counting. Now, everyone can go back and prepare."

  Then, all the generals below bid farewell and returned to prepare, hoping that they could keep a few more soldiers and receive an extra share of military pay.

  Zu Dashou was about to go out when he was stopped by Sun Chengzong.

  After the other generals left the central army account, Sun Chongzong ordered Zu Dashou: "Fu Yu, take your cavalry, divide them into four divisions, and station them at the transportation hubs of the four corners outside the main camp. Also, dispatch cavalry to be on guard against possible situations tonight. Do you understand?"

  Zu Dashou nodded, understanding Sun Chongzong's intention. He clenched his fist and said loudly: "I will go and take care of it now."

  Then Zhong Jun rushed forward and said: "General, Monitor, I bid farewell."

  After getting consent, exit the military account and go to the task assigned by this section.

  Finally, the strategy of dismissing soldiers was successfully implemented. As soon as Sun Chongzong and Zu Dashou left the commander's tent, they felt a great weight lifted off their shoulders. They leaned back in their chairs, closed their eyes, and began to rest, ignoring Zhong Jiwei who was still by their side.

  Zhong Jinwei looked at Sun Chengzong's appearance and was very understanding. He knew that he had been under a lot of pressure before.

  The court had several meetings to discuss the military needs of grain and forage, Sun Chongzong was always present. The difficulties of the court, he knew more than ordinary people, Emperor Chongzhen also placed great hopes on him, but in the early period, he was constantly resisted by the lower-level generals, and the troop reduction action was not implemented smoothly. It's really hard for this old man.

  Gu Bai Chuan and Wang Peng also let out a sigh of relief, changing to a more comfortable stance as they stood behind Gong Zhong Wei. They had been worried that those generals would rebel, always keeping their guard up.

  Suddenly, Sun Chengzong's personal soldier head came in to report: "The governor of the capital, Lu Xiangsheng, deputy envoy of the inspection office, requests an audience."

  Sun Chengzong was already startled when the head of his personal troops came in, and he opened his eyes and sat up straight to listen to the report. After listening, he looked at Zhong Jinwei and saw that he was looking at him with a bewildered expression, knowing it wasn't about himself or that there had been some prior agreement with the supervisor.

  But since Lu Xiangsheng took the initiative to ask for an audience, he must have had something on his mind. So, he let his personal bodyguard bring Lu Xiangsheng in.

  Lu Xiangsheng, a tall and majestic figure, stepped forward and bowed his hands in greeting: "General, Inspector, I have something to ask for your guidance."

  The other side is the famous Lu Xiangsheng, Zhong Jinwei didn't wait for Sun Chengzong to respond and said: "Lu Zhi, please speak."

  Lu Xiangsheng saw that he had obtained the inspector's permission and said: "This soldier, inspector, I don't know how to arrange these dismissed soldiers?"

  Sun Chengzong and Zhong Jinhui were both taken aback, this... hadn't even had time to think. The two of them looked at each other, then Sun Chengzong spoke up: "I wonder what brilliant idea the Ninth Prince has?"

  Lu Xiangsheng saw that he was asked to express his opinion, and originally he had thought of this problem before coming over. Naturally, he had some ideas at the time and didn't make polite conversation, directly responding: "Your humble servant thinks that these people should be given travel expenses and provisions and allowed to return to their original place. However, your humble servant doesn't know how to deal with those common people who were captured by various generals along the way. Many have already been harmed by bandits and are afraid of having no home to return to."

  In this era, the shortcomings of various armies were understood by those with a bit of status. Therefore, when Lu Xiang rose to the position of Governor, he was aware that various armies were seizing ordinary people and pretending they were soldiers in order to receive military pay, which didn't surprise him at all.

  Zhong Jinwei was not very familiar with the proportion of soldiers in the army, so he asked: "How many people will be homeless?"

  Sun Chengzong grasped the overall situation, and on this point, he understood the most. So, without waiting for Lu Xiangsheng to answer Zhong Jingwei's question, he directly spoke up: "These military officers temporarily came to Beijing to quell the rebellion, and the matter arose suddenly. The common people near their original garrison locations probably wouldn't have been many; most likely, they were seized after arriving in the vicinity of the capital and understanding the situation, then pretending to be soldiers to receive military pay. The area within and around the capital has already suffered greatly from the ravages of war, so it's estimated that most of these common people are homeless. The number shouldn't be less than 80,000."

  Zhong Jinwei took a deep breath, so many! Although these civilians are basically physically strong, they can't be left unattended. In this cold and icy weather, if they are left to fend for themselves, most of them will not survive, or they will become bandits. Neither Zhong Jinwei nor the imperial court wants to see this happen.

  Sun Chengzong was also in a dilemma, there were too many people. Lu Xiangsheng had just said that he didn't know how to deal with these people either.

  The military tent suddenly fell silent.

  However, Zhong Jiwei immediately had a solution. He first said: "Alright, treat these dismissed civilians and the refugees from the Jing Shi Wang Gong factory in the same way."

  There are almost 400,000 to 500,000 refugees in Beijing. There are nearly twice as many refugees on this side compared to Beijing, and the pressure will be huge.

  Lu Xiangsheng was not clear about the situation of refugees in Beijing, but Sun Chengzong knew. When Zhong Jinwei proposed the refugee camp issue and provided solutions at the Wenhua Hall, he was present.

  However, Sun Chengzong was a bit worried and asked Zhong Jingwei: "How about the refugees in the capital city? Is your method useful?"

  "I don't know the specifics either, but it's already being implemented. Judging from this morning's results, it's really beyond expectations."

  Zhong Jinwei said up to here, and told Sun Chengzong and Lu Xiangsheng about the situation he understood today.

  Sun Chengzong and Lu Xiangsheng listened, and couldn't help but look at each other in silence. The difficulties of the imperial court still require a humble woman to take the lead in responding and resolving them. Those people in the capital who have received the teachings of the sage, those high-ranking officials, shouldn't they be ashamed to death?

  Sun Chengzong fell silent for a moment, then said: "I will immediately write a memorial to the emperor, detailing the implementation of the strategy of eliminating the weak and retaining the strong, as well as the measures proposed by Zhongxingbo to resettle the displaced commoners who have no home to return to. I will report everything to the emperor and let him make the final decision."

  Zhong Jingwei thought to himself that Emperor Chongzhen would probably agree with his suggestion.

  In ancient times, people took their bodies and skin very seriously, considering them gifts from their parents. Therefore, the Qing dynasty's policy of either shaving one's head or leaving it unshaven did not intimidate the Han people. However, when Emperor Chongzhen was about to die, he said that his own body could be torn apart by the enemy, but not a single commoner should be harmed, showing that he held the people in high regard.

  Sun Chengzong ordered his personal soldiers to bring over the four treasures of the study, and soon he finished writing with a flourish. Then, he looked up at Zhong Jinwei and said: "Duke of Zhongxing, this memorial mainly reports on the implementation of the strategy for eliminating redundant troops in the army. Since you are the supervisor of the army, come and sign it together."

  The signature is no problem, but his own brushwork... Zhong Jinwei thought of this and said with some embarrassment: "This, my brushwork is not good, can I not sign it?"

  Lu Xiangsheng was taken aback, this supervisor still has some unique features.

  Sun Chengzong leaned on his age and glared, saying: "Just sign it, don't be so fussy."

  Zhong Jinwei has always respected the elderly, let alone Sun Chengzong. He also doesn't mind his intimidation, but instead sees it as a kind of affectionate expression from an elder to a younger person.

  Then, obediently went over to sign.

  I learned calligraphy with a brush in elementary school, but I was never good at it to begin with. After all these years of not using a brush, my signature naturally doesn't look good anymore.

  Sun Chengzong looked at Zhong Jinwei's crooked and twisted three big characters, and burst out laughing wildly.

  Zhong Jinwei was laughed at, his face turned red like a monkey's buttocks, all the way to his ears. He thought to himself: When he gets back, he must ask Qi Duo to teach him more about brush calligraphy and literary classics, otherwise he'll always be speaking in plain language. If he doesn't learn some classical literature, others will laugh at him.

  Lu Xiangsheng was unclear about Zhong Jinxing's background, and looking at the harmony between the old and young, he couldn't help but feel a little puzzled: Looking like this, could it be that the supervisor and his soldiers have a blood relationship?

  Every meaningful first time in life is worth commemorating. Thanks to the voter of the first real monthly ticket, Woyi Zi!