Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 224: Liberating the Untouchables and Paying Military Salaries
Although it is sailing against the current, the boat can continue sailing day and night. If there is wind, no matter it is with the wind or against the wind, the boat can go upstream and even the rowers and oarsmen can rest.

On average, a long dragon warship could travel 110 miles a day up the Xun River, slightly faster than cavalry. If the wind and water were favorable, a paddle boat could travel 300 miles a day, faster than a cavalry march.

Navy warships are really great things!
Danchu did not have to endure the pain of riding a horse, so he took advantage of the boat and had a rare few days of rest.

On that day, the warship reached Hengzhou and entered the Red Army territory. Many children were laughing and cheering on the shore, chasing the warship along the river bank.

The Red Army had a strict discipline and its reputation had spread. When they were marching, they were often chased by children. However, these children were carrying something like a waist drum on their backs, which caught Danchu's attention.

"Master, these are the people of Xu. They use boats as beds and water as quilts. They have lived on boats for generations and do not intermarry with outsiders. The wooden floats carried by the young children are light and can prevent drowning."

Ruan Tingfeng looked pleased and said, "The Navy has recruited a lot of civilians, most of whom are sailors. I believe these children are also looking forward to joining the Red Army one day and making a name for themselves in the future."

The sailors on the boat also responded to the shore. Although they did not dare to make loud noises, they waved their hands.

"Maybe their relatives are on the ship," said Yu Houji, the left military officer.

Danchu didn't say anything, seeming to be thinking about something.

The Red Army advocated equality. There were many ethnic minorities such as the Yao, Dong, and Miao people in the land army, and there were also many Xu people in the navy.

According to legend, Chen Youliang was born in a fishing family at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. There were many boatmen among his soldiers, and his navy was particularly strong. Zhu Yuanzhang fought with him for the throne, and suffered greatly from the Han army's navy. Later, he issued an edict to the whole country, punishing Chen Youliang's soldiers as common people and not allowing them to go ashore for generations.

The rumor is not entirely true, as Xumin have existed since ancient times. In addition to the Huguang area, there are also a large number of Xumin in the rivers, lakes and seas of Lingnan, Jiangnan, and the southeast.

These people were originally untouchables and despised by society, but the Red Army did the opposite and recruited them as soldiers.

Facts have proved that these untouchables are hardworking, brave and daring in battle, familiar with the terrain of Guangxi and able to adapt to the climate of Guangxi, making them a good source of soldiers.

As a time traveler, in addition to expelling the Tartars and making achievements, he also had to liberate the untouchables and improve the lives of the poor. It can be said that liberating the untouchables is also a necessary means to expel the Tartars. Only by winning over the vast majority of the poor can we gather strength to deal with the monstrous enemy.

Danchu came to a sailor and asked with a smile: "Brother, are you from the Xu people?"

The sailor was responding to the little boy with his hands and feet dancing, thinking that Danchu was going to blame him. He was so scared that he was trembling and his words were incoherent: "Reply, reply, reply to Marshal Jue's words..."

Ruan Tingfeng frowned and said, "Marshal Jue asks questions, you just answer truthfully."

When the sailor saw the commander, he immediately regained his courage and said, "General, I am indeed a commoner."

"Let me ask you, what do the people most want?"

The sailor said without hesitation, "People drift with the waves, making a living by fishing or transporting goods, and they have no idea where to get food. What they hope for most is to be able to settle down on the shore and have food to eat. It would be great if children can learn to read a few words." Danchu nodded and said, "You answered very well. Let me ask you another question. After you become a sailor, how are your family doing? Have you arranged food and accommodation for them?"

The sailor looked at Ruan Tingfeng. Ruan Tingfeng was about to answer for him, but Danchu waved his hand, indicating that the sailor should speak.

The sailor had no choice but to say, "I have a small family, just a wife and two children. The food in the navy is better than that of the infantry. I can eat my fill every day. I have been a soldier for five months and have gained a few pounds. As for my family, the army gives them two dou of rice every month, so they can also eat their fill."

Danchu frowned, knowing that the sailor was lying. According to the Red Army system, if a servant from a common family served as a soldier, he would be given two dou of rice per month.

Two dou equals 25 jin. In those days, people were generally malnourished and did not eat enough grain. 25 jin of rice could feed an adult and a child.

"What do you look forward to most in the Navy Camp?"

"What I want most is to achieve military merit so that my family can get more rice."

It was with this consideration in mind that the Red Army set the subsidy standard of two dou of rice, so that one soldier could support an adult family member and a young child.

In poor Guangxi, in this chaotic world of constant war, this policy was very attractive and the people were very enthusiastic to join the army.

But to be fair, this standard is too low. You should know that the Qing Dynasty's Ministry of War had already initially determined the military pay for the Eight Banners and the Green Camp. In the first year of Shunzhi (the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, 1644), the Eight Banners initially determined the military pay, and the standard was based on the most elite and best-paid servants in the Ming Dynasty's border army.

The most common horse armor, that is, cavalry, received a monthly salary of 3 taels of silver, and a rice allowance every quarter, which was 4 shi 8 dou per year. The monthly salary of infantry armor was 2 taels of silver, and the rice allowance was the same as that of horse armor. As for the emperor's personal troops such as cavalry, guards, vanguards, and personal troops, their military pay was even better, with a monthly salary of 4 taels of silver, and the same rice allowance as horse armor and infantry armor.

Silver was expensive in the early Qing Dynasty, and the generous military pay from the Eight Banners, plus the plunder from wars, was enough for the whole family to live a prosperous life.

In particular, the salary standards for the cavalry, guards, vanguards, and soldiers of the imperial army were equivalent to those of a seventh-rank county magistrate. This generous salary placed a heavy burden on the finances of the early Qing Dynasty, which resulted in expenditures exceeding incomes. The salaries of the Eight Banners were also adjusted repeatedly. However, since they were initially set too high, it was difficult to reduce them later. The Qing court could only use various methods, such as reducing the salary in silver and increasing the rice allowance, or increasing the salary in silver and reducing the rice allowance. The overall standard did not decrease but increased.

Although the Green Camp was raised by a stepmother, its standard was not low. In the first year of Shunzhi, it was stipulated that the monthly salary of the cavalry soldiers in each town was 1.5 taels of silver, and the monthly salary of the combat soldiers and guard soldiers was 1 tael, and the monthly salary of rice was 4 dou. Like the Eight Banners, the salary of the Green Camp also changed frequently. In the fourth year of Shunzhi, it was stipulated that the monthly salary of the cavalry soldiers was 2 taels, and the monthly salary of the combat soldiers and guard soldiers was 1 tael each, and the monthly salary of rice was increased to 5 dou. In the fifth year of Shunzhi, the monthly salary of the Green Camp soldiers was reduced to 3 dou. After that, the monthly salary and salary of the Green Camp remained unchanged and became a custom until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Now, it is the third year of the Yongli reign, that is, the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign. Most of the Southern Ming army cannot even pay their salaries, so why fight? Du Yonghe, Cao Zhijian, Chen Bangfu and others occupy rich places, but they are all unable to take on important tasks.

In the future, if the Red Army and the Qing Army go to war, the Red Army will not even have money to pay for their salaries, and will not even be able to support their families. How will the soldiers still want to fight for their lives? Will they rely on education? Will they rely on justice?
There is a crucial prerequisite for educating soldiers and inspiring them with justice: to solve the soldiers' worries and give them something more valuable than silver and rice.

What is the most valuable thing? Of course, it is the land. Judging from the current situation, the Red Army is unable to distribute land equally and exempt taxes, and the conditions for distributing land equally and exempting taxes are not mature.

There was only one way to go, which was to increase fiscal revenue and pay soldiers' salaries by requiring tenants to pay taxes and encouraging industry and commerce.

Danchu had been thinking about it for a long time, and finally made up his mind. He said to Yu Houji: "Zuo Canjun, draft a draft as soon as possible, and do two important things first. First, liberate the untouchables. From now on, regardless of whether they are civilians, artisans, or kitchen households, they will all be liberated as civilians and no longer be treated as untouchables. The military households will also be abolished. Second, pay the military salaries and set the military salary standards. The monthly salary of ordinary soldiers should not be less than eight cents of silver."

(End of this chapter)