Rise From the Humble

Zhao Zhi County is very efficient. In just one hour, two notices were posted in conspicuous places in Yiwu County, one for mining control and one for Zhejiang Army recruitment notice. In some of the most popular places in the county, such as the Shenming Pavilion of the county government, the market entrance, the Nongchao Restaurant, and the city gate, etc., scribes were specially assigned to read and explain the contents of the notice to the onlookers in front of the notice.

In addition, there were more than thirty police officers who rushed to towns and villages with notices to post them.

"Okay, from now on, I will understand that this mine belongs to the government. Whoever the government approves can dig it. If the government doesn't approve it, no one can fight. If you continue to fight, you will end up in jail for theft and robbery." Sin."

"It's good like this. The government will forget about the things that were occupied before. No one can occupy the things that were not occupied anymore. There is no need to fight with weapons anymore. Finally, we can live a peaceful life of mining and farming."

"Hey, this recruitment notice is interesting. What the Zhejiang Army recruits are militiamen, not guards, and they are not military households. You don't have to worry about being a military household for generations. But this is also a regular army, and they receive imperial military pay, and the military pay is so high. , there is actually a military salary of one and a half taels of silver every month, which is equivalent to eighteen taels of silver in a year. If the discipline performance test is excellent, you will get a more generous military salary.

"Moreover, every time a Japanese pirate is killed, he will be rewarded with thirty taels of silver. Thirty taels. This is not ten thousand times better than fighting with weapons. If you injure or kill the opponent in a fighting with weapons, not only will there be no reward, but you will also have to worry about being sought for revenge. I was even worried about being caught by the government and imprisoned! But joining the Zhejiang Army is different. When you go to the battlefield, if you kill one Japanese pirate, you will receive thirty taels of silver, and if you kill two Japanese pirates, you will receive sixty taels. You can also become a hero. By then, you might even be able to become an official, and if you kill a few more Japanese pirates, you can enjoy peace and happiness in this life."

The crowd gathered around the notice and discussed it. Most of the reactions were positive, but of course there were also negative voices.

"You tell me, could it be that the government was tricking us and luring us into a trap in the name of recruiting soldiers? We went to recruit soldiers, and they just happened to arrest us. Which of us heroes in Yiwu has never fought for a mine, illegally mined, and was charged with theft? Gathering a crowd Fighting with weapons is a crime of wounding or murder. No matter which crime is committed, it is enough to put us in jail."

"No, didn't the mine management notice say that if the mine has been occupied, as long as they pay in kind or taxes, the government will issue a new approval document to acknowledge it. How can the government slap itself in the face? Who will listen to him in the future? No It would be so short-sighted.”

There are also people who are skeptical and questioning, but the number is relatively small. The yamen clerk in front of the notice also repeatedly assured the onlookers, don't worry, this notice is definitely not a yamen trick to put people in jail.

Zhu Pingan led Liu Dadao and others, dressed in casual clothes, and walked around the notice offices in the county, watching people's reactions and listening to people's comments. Seeing that people generally responded strongly and positively, Zhu Pingan's lips couldn't help but curl up. He smiled, and it seemed that there would be many people applying to join the army tomorrow.

"Dadao, go and change your banknotes into pieces of silver so that you can pay them settling-in allowances after recruiting troops tomorrow."

"I'll go find Magistrate Zhao and borrow some more scribes from him to help with registration and registration. Well, I'll also borrow some servants to help maintain order."

"We also need to tidy up the recruitment field and expand it. There will be more people applying to join the army. Don't be unable to accommodate it."

Zhu Ping'an gave instructions to Liu Dadao and others with a confident look on his face, explaining one preparation after another.

The troops were divided into three groups. Zhu Ping'an went to Zhao County to discuss the matter of borrowing librarians and servants. Liu Dadao took people to exchange for scraps of silver, and the remaining people went to clean up the recruitment site.

In an orderly manner, by evening, everyone had successfully completed their respective tasks. Liu Dadao successfully exchanged 6,000 taels of silver, and the venue was tidied up. It was nearly doubled in size as planned, enough to accommodate more than 3,000 people.

Zhao Zhixian was also easy to talk to. Zhu Pingan came to him to explain his purpose. Zhao Zhixian handed over two-thirds of the scribes and servants of the county government to Zhu Pingan without saying a word, leaving only one-third to maintain the operation of the county government. Clerks and servants are needed.

Everything is ready, just wait for tomorrow.

In the evening, Zhixian Zhao enthusiastically wanted to greet Zhu Pingan and others at the restaurant. Zhu Pingan was so kind that it was difficult to refuse. Moreover, when recruiting troops in Yiwu, Zhixian Zhao needed to cooperate. It would not be good to refuse bluntly. However, Zhu Pingan repeatedly said that the restaurant would be fine. Just add two dishes in the county government kitchen. At Zhu Pingan's insistence, Zhao Zhixian went to the county government office to help Zhu Pingan and others. The county government kitchen added eight more dishes and made a perfect meal.

After eating and drinking, Zhu Pingan rested for a night in the county government room.

Early the next morning, after a hurried breakfast, Zhu Ping'an took Liu Dadao and others, as well as scribes and servants from Yiwu County, to the open space in front of the south gate of Yiwu County, which was the recruitment location informed by the recruitment notice.

I am afraid that the people who came early to apply will be kept waiting.

The venue had been decorated yesterday, with tables, tables, chairs, tea, etc. all in place.

At that time, the east was white, the morning sun revealed half of its face, and thousands of golden lights shone on the earth through the morning light.

Everything is vibrant and full of hope.

However, Zhu Ping'an took Liu Dadao and others to the recruitment site and found that the site was empty.

It was really deserted, with no one around except tables, chairs and benches.

"Sir, it's still early. The people may not have had breakfast yet. Wait a minute. They should come after they finish breakfast." Liu Dadao scratched his head, thought for a while, and found a reason.

"Maybe." Zhu Ping'an was noncommittal.

Something seems to be wrong, and there is something weird everywhere. It cannot be that all the people in the county have not eaten breakfast. Are there not some people who get up early? How is it possible? This is not in line with common sense.

After waiting for a while, the county town had woken up from its slumber, and people began to appear on the streets.

Those who are doing business and hawking, those who are driving out of the morning market, those who go out to do things, those who get up for a walk to find breakfast.

There were also people approaching the recruitment site, pointing and watching from a distance.

Liu Dadao and others were looking forward to it at first, waiting for someone to apply, but after waiting for a long time, no one came.

"Are you here to apply for the army? Don't be shy, just come here." Liu Dadao walked towards the onlookers in the distance. He thought they were too shy to come and join the army, so he took the initiative to ask.

"No, no." The person in the distance waved his hands repeatedly and walked away.

Liu Dadao left a lonely place and rushed to nothing.

Until three o'clock in the morning, when the sun was high in the sky, no ordinary people came to apply for the army.

what happened? !

What went wrong?

Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but frowned, puzzled as to why no one came to apply for the army.