Late Ming Dynasty: Special Forces in 1645

Upon returning to Xinzhou City, Li Chengming immediately convened a meeting to discuss and refine matters related to the governance of Fenglingtou Town.

Li Chengming first stated his thoughts and the strategies he would implement:

First, land surveys were conducted, and land tax, forest tax, and mining tax were collected, regardless of who they were, their status, or their power, all according to the same standard.

Second, the Restoration Army can redeem land, minerals, and forests at a reasonable price;

Third, post notices to recruit some accountants, and then draw manpower from the Restoration Army to establish a special tax agency to be responsible for collecting taxes.

Then everyone was asked to give their opinions one by one.

Liang Zicheng: "Taxing everyone equally is a given in the future, but it wasn't achieved in the Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty implemented a system where officials and gentry paid taxes together, but ultimately it still didn't achieve equality before the law. In short, I support the captain, and I also want to see a world where everyone is equal!"

Chen Shaoping: "Captain, I also support it, especially the establishment of a special tax agency, which is somewhat like the armed tax collection system in the United States later on. It avoids the situation in the Ming Dynasty where people were so poor that they couldn't collect taxes. It's a good thing."

He Mingqiu: "The land and minerals redeemed by the Restoration Army also have to be taxed. The captain is so ruthless to the Restoration Army. But it's good this way. Be ruthless to yourself first, and then you can be ruthless to others!"

Huang Longkun: "Captain, your plan is great. No matter what, I support you!"

Yan Huidong: "I'm good at giving advice online before I transmigrated, but I'm really not good at offering opinions on specific matters."

Song Yourong: "Captain, just tell us what we need to do! I don't understand political matters, so just support you, Captain!"

Zhou Lei: "I also support the captain!"

Seeing that his comrades hadn't offered any good suggestions, Li Chengming sighed helplessly: "I called everyone here to discuss this matter not to get your support, but to get your opinions."

The others exchanged glances and laughed awkwardly and helplessly.

Song Yourong said, "Captain, we all entered the army for training before graduating from school. You could say we've always stayed in an ivory tower and never had any real contact with the outside world. I can't really say anything about it."

The other commandos nodded, indicating that they had all had similar experiences.

He Mingqiu said, "Captain, among all of us, you are the most knowledgeable. You have experience in overseas missions many times, and you have met all sorts of people. Later, you also..."

He Mingqiu laughed as he said this, adding, "Later, I also worked as a security guard, tightened screws in a factory, and led a team in a factory. Who has as much experience as you?"

He Mingqiu was referring to the time when Li Chengming was punished and sent home to reflect on his actions. Since he was idle anyway, he was called to work at his uncle's auto parts factory for a while, starting as a security guard, then becoming an ordinary worker, and finally a production line supervisor.

At the time, my uncle said that he would come back to be the deputy factory director after Li Chengming officially retired. Unfortunately, Li Chengming was recalled to the army after working for a year and a half and became the captain and instructor of this assault team. Then, the whole team traveled here.

The other assault team members were also correct. Apart from Li Chengming, the highest-ranking officer here was Liang Zicheng, who was a captain and company commander before joining the assault team.

Since they had both led teams before, Li Chengming and Liang Zicheng often had things to talk about.

The other assault team members were able to join the assault team because of their extremely strong individual combat capabilities, but they had never led a team, had little social experience, and were a few years younger than Li Chengming and Liang Zicheng.

Therefore, there are objective reasons why they dare not easily offer opinions on government affairs.

Li Chengming didn't say anything more. In short, he had already told the entire plan to the assault team. Now that there were no objections, they could only obey orders and carry it out.

So Li Chengming ordered, "Liang Zicheng, tomorrow you will lead two battalions into Fenglingtou Town, where you will set up camp and conduct daily training, and also promote our Xingfu Army's policies."

Chen Shaoping, you are responsible for recruiting as many people as possible who know how to do accounting, and then taking them to Fenglingtou Town to measure the fields, forests and mines, and make a record.

Huang Longkun, in a couple of days you will take two thousand prisoners to Fenglingtou Town to clear roads, open mines, and cooperate with Liangzicheng in building a steel plant!

......

Li Chengming assigned tasks to each member of the assault team, in order to take control of Fenglingtou Town as soon as possible, implement the governance plan, and build the steel plant and cement plant!

Li Chengming's biggest frustration right now is that there isn't a single official in charge of government affairs available, which makes things very difficult!

Just as Li Chengming was troubled, Chen Qiliang came in to report that someone was requesting an audience outside the government office.

Li Chengming asked, "Who wants to see me?"

Chen Qiliang replied, "He said he had served as the magistrate of Xinzhou Prefecture and wanted to see Commander-in-Chief Li."

Li Chengming suddenly realized something and was overjoyed. He ordered, "Quickly, invite him in."

The prefectural magistrate is, after all, an official. Let's first see what kind of person he is and whether he's willing to serve.

Chen Qi brought the man in. Li Chengming looked him up and down. The man looked like a middle-aged scholar, nearly forty years old, with a gentle and refined demeanor but also a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry).

As soon as the man entered, he bowed deeply to Li Chengming at a ninety-degree angle and said, "My name is Yang Xuedong, a Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examination) in the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), and I once served as a magistrate in Xinzhou. I greet General Li!"

After inviting him to sit down, Li Chengming asked, "What brings Magistrate Yang here?"

Yang Xuedong, looking extremely humble and respectful, said, "General Li, you are too kind. I have had the honor of witnessing the Xingfu Army's disciplined and well-organized military bearing, which is like an iron wall. Their merit in protecting the territory and ensuring the safety of the people is no less than that of Yue Fei or Qi Jiguang..."

Yang Xuedong immediately began to flatter him, speaking in a very literary style.

Finally, Li Chengming became a little impatient and interrupted, "Just say what you have to say, I have something to do later."

Yang Xuedong's expression changed, but he quickly said, "General, I am also a native of Xinzhou. I once served as a magistrate in Xinzhou. After the Zheng family army occupied Xinzhou, I left Xinzhou and returned to my hometown because I could not stand their behavior."

Now that Xinzhou City has returned to its former peace, I want to return and do my part for the people of Xinzhou City once again!

Li Chengming nodded: "So you want to find a job?"

Seeing Li Chengming's directness, a fleeting embarrassment crossed Yang Xuedong's face, and he said, "That's exactly right!"

Seeing that a scholar had taken the initiative to come to him looking for work, Li Chengming was secretly pleased, but he didn't show it on his face. He said calmly, "How about this, I happen to have a job here. You can do it for me, and if you do it well, I'll let you manage Xinzhou City. Let me tell you the details first..."

Li Chengming didn't waste any words and directly told Yang Xuedong that he was going to Fenglingtou Town to survey land and take charge of taxes. If Yang Xuedong was willing to do it, he would be Liang Zicheng's deputy.

To everyone's surprise, Yang Xuedong's expression changed drastically after hearing this, as he was terrified by Li Chengming's bold idea and the plan he was about to implement.

Having grown up in an environment deeply rooted in feudal ideology, the idea of ​​equality for all presented in Li Chengming's plan truly terrified him.

He was not a pedantic scholar, but an official with rich experience in governance. He knew what the consequences would be if Li Chengming's plans were implemented.

Throughout history, countless peasant uprisings have rallied under the slogan "We share the land and the food," but emperors who truly secured their rule implemented a policy of "the scholar-officials and the monarch governing the country together," taking care of scholars and aristocratic families in terms of taxation and corvée labor.

But Li Chengming's strategy was to treat everyone equally, with scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants paying taxes on an equal footing, which was what shocked Yang Xuedong.

After pondering for a long time, Yang Xuedong said tremblingly, "General, this assignment..." Yang Xuedong wanted to refuse directly.

Li Chengming interrupted, "Go back first, think it over carefully, and give me an answer tomorrow!"

Yang Xuedong hesitated for a moment, but finally bowed to Li Chengming and left.

After Yang Xuedong left, Li Chengming ordered an investigation into Yang Xuedong's background.