From the Carp that Brings Children to the Celestial Officials

Chapter 214 Conscription of Soldiers
Before dawn, a thin mist was already rising on the bluestone road at the village entrance, and the mountain wind made the flags flutter softly.

The yamen runners from the city beat the gongs and drums, and with the help of the village head, the villagers gathered at the edge of the field, talking in hushed tones, keeping their voices very low and not daring to make a loud noise.

The official stood behind a makeshift table at the entrance of the village, with two soldiers standing beside him, one holding a book and the other a token.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, the clerk cleared his throat and walked to the front of the crowd.

"The county government has issued an order that, effective immediately, the patrol and inspection department shall recruit soldiers."

"Anyone aged fourteen or older may contribute one person if there are three or more able-bodied members in the family, or two people if there are five or more members, with the voluntary participation of the family being the priority."

As he finished speaking, a gong sounded, deep and resonant like thunder.

Upon hearing this, everyone reacted differently. Some looked worried, but most were overjoyed and eager to try.

"I'm here to sign up!"

Soon, a man stepped out from the crowd. He had broad shoulders, a thick waist, and a dark complexion; he was quite a hero.

Everyone recognized him as the third son of the blacksmith's family at the west end of the village.

"Tao Gang, eighteen years old, volunteered to join the camp."

The man spoke loudly, and the clerk quickly registered his name in the register.

After him, several more people stepped forward. Many other young adults were discussing it with their parents, but they were clearly also tempted.

Enlisting in the army and receiving military rations is not something to be proud of in other places. Being a soldier is not only tough, but also carries the risk of death. What good family's child would want to join the army?

However, this regulation does not apply in Bingzhou.

Bingzhou is near the border, and its people are known for their fierce and untamed nature. In addition, there is not much land available for cultivation. Scratching a living in the soil might at best ensure survival, but a life of wealth and luxury is out of the question.

However, if you are truly willing to risk your life, then join the army and participate in the "reclamation of mountains and pacification of villages" organized by the county and prefectural governments in various places to fight against the barbarians in the mountains and the nomads on the grasslands.

As long as you can come back alive, you won't necessarily become rich and powerful, but you'll basically be allocated dozens of acres of fertile land.

If one can achieve merit, one might even be granted a minor official position.

This is a unique feature of Bingzhou.

For hundreds of years, the imperial court has formulated a strategy for dealing with the ethnic minorities in the Yinshan Mountains and grasslands, which is to "reclaim the mountains and level the villages, gradually encroaching upon their territory."

Every so often, they would organize local forces to go into the mountains to burn, kill, and plunder. Those mountain people who could be incorporated into the army would be incorporated, while those who could not would be killed directly.

Then they ordered people to cultivate the land on the spot and establish villages, towns, and even county towns.

The imperial court will provide cattle, horses, and supplies. As long as you are willing to settle here, you can also be exempt from taxes for several years.

Compared to mobilizing large armies to expand outwards, this method is slower to take effect, but each step is very stable and low-cost. It relies on the fact that the people of the Central Plains Dynasty outnumbered those foreign tribes by hundreds or thousands of times, gradually compressing the living space of the foreign tribes.

This method is clearly effective, as most of Bingzhou's territory was developed in this way.

After some discussion, more and more young and middle-aged people came to sign up.

The hunter's son from the east village, the twin brothers from the fishing family by the river, and even the tailor's apprentice...

The group of young men had expectant looks in their eyes.

The physical condition of these young men is far better than that of their fathers.

Because they all grew up during these ten years, Youming's divine power [Tai Guang Divine Contract] constantly shone upon them, making the children from ordinary families stronger and more robust.

In addition, various martial arts sects organized schools, providing food and teaching martial arts free of charge.

Although these people do not have the aptitude for cultivating immortality, if they were placed in the mortal world, each of them would be physically strong and literate, and could even serve as minor officials in the army.

Their opponents were the mountain people and non-Han peoples. These people lived in tribal communities, were disorganized, and were far less well-equipped than the Central Plains dynasties. In the eyes of the young and strong, this was a good opportunity to make a name for themselves.

In just one afternoon, Dadun Village recruited more than 30 able-bodied men, while Youming's entire jurisdiction recruited as many as 800 able-bodied men.

……

You Ming was fully aware of all of this.

It seems that our City God Cao has just taken office and is already preparing to set off a big fire.

Not only are the gods cooperating in the "breaking mountains and destroying temples," but the human government is also sending troops to "reclaim mountains and level villages."

This time, eight hundred were recruited from within their own jurisdiction alone. Although the quality of their own recruits was better, the total number of soldiers was estimated to be no less than three thousand.

This is a local [Inspection Bureau], this number is outrageous.

What is the concept of a "Patrol Inspectorate"? It's basically a local militia. If you recruit more than three thousand people at once, that's enough to fight a fairly large-scale battle.

Since the City God has made such a big fuss, he can only win; he cannot afford to lose.

You Ming smiled and said, "A larger scale is good. It's a good opportunity to cultivate more land. With more land, we can accommodate more people."

Now he is worried that the population is growing and his territory is not enough.

"Wu Mo".

You Ming called out softly, and soon a figure slowly appeared in the hall.

"Prepare five thousand divine powers and recruit some cultivators above the [Profound Light] level to join us in [Destroying Mountains and Temples]."

You Ming has accumulated a substantial fortune over the years, so five thousand divine powers are nothing to him.

This divine power would be enough even for the Yin God cultivator from the Bright Moon Temple to make a move, and even some poorer Dharma Aspect cultivators would be tempted, since the minor gods who break mountains and destroy temples are generally not very strong.

However, You Ming only needs some [Mystic Light] cultivators, partly for easy deployment, and partly because the Mystic Light cultivators are already fully capable.

Wu Mo nodded without saying anything and went down to prepare.

You Ming didn't tell him how many people to recruit, but given Wu Mo's personality, he would definitely try to negotiate a high price and recruit people at the best cost-effectiveness.

"Next, we need to prepare for the [Mountain Destruction and Temple Collapse]. I originally wanted to master an offensive divine power before going out, but it seems plans can't keep up with changes."

You Ming strolled slowly through Yuanling Mountain, sorting out some recent events in his mind.

Mastering a supernatural power takes two to three years, even with cheat codes. He doesn't even have a glimpse of his current supernatural power yet; who knows where his next one will come from?

"Huh."

Just as he was feeling sentimental, suddenly, the clouds and mist above the entire Yuanling Mountain surged up.

The void, which was originally empty, seemed to have a barrier.

Outside a barrier, a small golden sword was blocked, flying around aimlessly like a headless fly.

All the deities within Yuanling Mountain were alarmed, thinking that an enemy had attacked.

However, You Ming simply reached out and the void barrier disappeared. Then, the small sword instantly flashed a golden trajectory and landed in front of You Ming.

This is a golden sword used for communication, and it was a message sent to him by a celestial being.

You Ming scanned the area with his divine sense and couldn't help but be astonished.

(End of this chapter)