Ming politicians

() However, what is the real situation, he needs to give an answer through his own contact and judgment.

Perhaps feeling that Su Tiancheng had unusual interests, Sun Chengzong introduced Hou Jin's army in detail.

"Master Su, the old man has noticed that you are very interested in Houjin's Eight Banners. I will explain it in detail."

"Nowadays, many civil and military officials in the imperial court, when they talk about the Eight Banners Army, their faces change. This old man feels ridiculous and sad. A few years ago, there were officials in the imperial court who had never been to the front line of Liaodong. It was taken for granted. I thought that my army of the Ming Dynasty must be invincible. Houjin is just a barbarian, so there is no need to worry. "

"The imperial army fought against the Eight Banners Army several times. After learning how powerful the cavalry was, they began to become cautious again. It seemed that Houjin's Eight Banners Army were demons, scourges, wolves, tigers, and leopards. If they fought head-on, they would have no chance of winning. "

"Because of the influence of this extreme self-confidence and excessive inferiority complex, the Eight Banners Army of the Post-Golden Dynasty became even more invincible. They often went deep into Datong in Shanxi, Xuanfu Town in Beizhili, Yongping Prefecture, Yanqing Prefecture, Baoan Prefecture, and Baoding Prefecture. , Looting wantonly. I hate my Ming army, they can only stick to the city and dare not confront it head-on."

"It's the common people who are suffering, especially the people in villages and towns. I don't know when, the Houjin Eight Banners Army will come and tremble all day. The rich gentry and wealthy households have moved to the city a long time ago, but those Poor people cannot move away."

Su Tiancheng nodded, this is the actual situation.

With Sun Chengzong's introduction, he gradually learned some details.

The Eight Banners Army called by later generations is actually the Manchu Eight Banners, the Mongolian Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners, a total of 24 banners.However, the Mongolian Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners do not exist today, mainly the Manchurian Eight Banners.

The Eight Banners system is the military system of the late Jin Dynasty. The Eight Banners are divided into four positive and four bordered. The four positives are Zhenghuang, Zhengbai, Zhenghong and Zhenglan.The flags with four uprights have no borders, and the flags with four borders have borders, and the flags with red borders have white borders.The remaining three flags are red bordered.

Zhenghuang Qi, Zhengbai Qi, Zhenghong Qi and Zhenglan Qi have the strongest combat effectiveness, especially Zhenghuang Qi.The banner owners are the highest leaders of Houjin, that is, Nurhachi and Huang Taiji.

The organizational form of the Eight Banners Army is also fixed. The banner owner is called Gushan Ezhen, who is also the supreme commander. Under Gushan Ezhen, there are left and right Meile Ezhen, who are the deputy of the banner owner. Erzhen, Niulu Erzhen.

Niu Lu Ezhen is the most basic officer, and each Niu Lu is 300 people.

Jiala Ezhen commanded five Niulu Ezhen, and the number of sergeants was 500.

Gushan Ezhen commanded five Jiala Ezhen, with 500 soldiers.

During this period, the titles of the officers of the Eight Banners Army changed. Bei Yu, Niu Lu Zhang Jing and so on.

Houjin was not rich. The Eight Banners Army is an organizational form that integrates the military and the people, and the military and the government. Every man of the right age in the Eight Banners has a dual identity. He is a civilian in normal times and is engaged in agricultural production, hunting, etc., and he is a soldier in wartime. .

What's interesting is that Nurhachi absorbed the characteristics of the military settlements of the Ming Dynasty, and also required Niu Luezhen to pay taxes, and the sergeants under Niu Luezhen's command also had to carry out agricultural production. From this aspect, Niu Luezhen was both Military generals are also organizers of productive labor.

What's more strict is that the Eight Banners sergeants are not paid, and the weapons and horses are all provided by the sergeants.

But both Nurhachi and Huang Taiji stipulated that after each battle, part of the spoils captured could be taken out and distributed to the sergeants, which became one of the most important incomes of the Eight Banners sergeants.

This can also explain why the Eight Banners army burned, killed, looted and looted frantically after they penetrated into the pass.

When Sun Chengzong introduced the situation, Su Tiancheng was already thinking.

The Eight Banners Army of the late Jin Dynasty is not a very regular army. If it is regarded as a professional soldier, they still have flaws, but the Eight Banners Army has one of the biggest advantages, that is, they often hunt and do not have much time to engage in agricultural production. , The hunting process is also the training process, and fighting with large animals can stimulate their fighting spirit and make them vigilant enough, which is not much different from actual combat exercises.

From this point of view, it can also be understood why the Manchu Eight Banners are not good at attacking cities and villages.

This kind of army is indeed terrifying, especially their reward system. People make money and birds die for food. Every time they enter the customs and fight, as long as they grab enough property, they can get a large part of it. Throughout the ages, financial rewards have been one of the best ways to motivate soldiers.

On the other hand, the military system of the Ming Dynasty has become unsustainable due to the gradual changes in the situation. Military households have become synonymous with poverty. Many soldiers in the guards were like beggars when they came out, and they couldn’t get enough to eat. Not to mention raising women and children, letting such a sergeant go to war is tantamount to dying.

Some sergeants in the guards were so poor that they couldn't bear it anymore. They took advantage of the opportunity of the war to kill the good and pretend to be meritorious, and even robbed the people's money. of life.

For those acts of killing good people and robbing, the officers turned a blind eye, which was tantamount to acquiescing, and those changed sergeants, a large part of the court, also held a sympathetic attitude.

With such a vicious cycle, it would be strange if the Ming Dynasty did not collapse suddenly.

It seems that the fundamental problem of the Ming Dynasty is that there is a huge loophole in fiscal revenue. Everyone knows that it is impossible to imagine maintaining the regime without sufficient financial support.

There are also some historians who made an analysis and believed that it was the Communist Party that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Su Tiancheng did not agree with this point of view. In some cases, the eventual demise of the dynasty was not the main cause of the revolution, but some other reasons, but the revolution acted as a catalyst, causing the dynasty to fall faster.

Seeing that Su Tiancheng didn't speak for a long time, Sun Chengzong felt a little strange.

"What is Master Su thinking?"

"Master Sun, this junior has thought of some things, and even feels that the Zhongxing Academy will be established as soon as possible, and this junior will continue to play to the emperor. I, a wealthy gentry in the Ming Dynasty, have an inescapable responsibility to make my own They should know such a simple truth, seeing some of the situation here, the younger generation thought of those gentry and wealthy households in Jiangning County, who can help the people and farmers here."

Sun Chengzong was a little moved, stroked his gray beard, and spoke with emotion.

"Lord Su, you always think of the people and the puss. I admire you. I have already noticed. When you look at those poor people, there is a look of unbearable in your eyes. I was once young, but unfortunately, I don't have what you think." It’s so far away, don’t worry, even if I put my life to the test, I still want to run Zhongxing Academy well.”

"My lord's devotion, the younger generation admires me very much. The younger generation should learn more from the older generation. From now on, if the younger generation does something wrong, the older generation will criticize it."

"Hehe, Mr. Su, I know countless people. Although I dare not boast that I read it accurately every time. I have not been in contact with you for a long time, but I dare to assert that the one who prospers my Ming Dynasty must be you, Mr. Su."

Su Tiancheng's expression was a little serious. According to Sun Chengzong's words, his evaluation was very high, but the reason why three people became tigers, he kept in mind. Everyone who met him said that he was the mainstay of the Ming Dynasty. There are various meanings, and different people have different meanings when they say it. It has the meaning of praise, but it also has the warning of the master of high meritorious service.

In the afternoon of the next day, he had already entered the territory of Dingxing County.

I saw some people in the distance, standing by the side of the road, as if they were waiting for someone.

Seeing these people, Sun Chengzong became emotional and leaped forward.

"Shanji, why did you come here to greet him? You, a teacher, don't teach and educate people in the village, what are you waiting for here?"

Hearing what Sun Chengzong said, Su Tiancheng hurriedly followed.

The leader is Lu Shanji.

Lu Shanji was tall and tall, he looked powerful, with a dark complexion, he didn't look like a court official at all, he looked like a general in the army, but, perhaps because of the erosion of the years, he still felt old.

Su Tiancheng quickly got off his horse.

"Su Tiancheng, magistrate of Jiangning County, pay homage to Mr. Lu."

Lu Shanji looked at Su Tiancheng and was taken aback.

"So you are Su Tiancheng, Mr. Su, you look so young, I almost couldn't believe it."

Sun Chengzong on the side spoke with a smile.

"Shanji, since ancient times, a hero is a young man. Master Su is a person with great talent. In the past few days, I have talked with Master Su, and I admire him so much. I have never thought of Master Su's many acquaintances. How about it, sir Man, follow the old man, go out of the mountain again, do something, break out of the world."

Lu Shanji was very forthright.

"My lord has given my orders. How dare Shan Ji disobey them? As long as your lord has your orders, I will go through fire and water without hesitation." (To be continued. Welcome to the starting point to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets