Chapter 172: Choosing Between Two Military Systems

For any era or country, the method of supplementing military forces in the military system is the most crucial issue.

Chinese dynasties had various military systems, such as the integrated military and agricultural system of the Zhou Dynasty, the universal conscription system during the Warring States period, the conscription system during the Qin, Han, and Three Kingdoms periods, the militia system of the Tang Dynasty, the conscription system of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the garrison system of the Ming Dynasty, and the Eight Banners and Green Standard system of the Qing Dynasty.

Of course, there was also the conscription system that almost spanned every era.

Zhu Yunwen carefully analyzed each military system. It could be said that the most ideal system was the integrated military and agricultural system. This was not wrong—working in the fields during peacetime and serving as a soldier during wartime could solve both the food and war problems.

However, the most ideal things were often fantastical and unrealistic.

Real history had no warmth; it was only cold, harsh reality.

Whether it was the fall of the Zhou Dynasty or the disintegration of the Ming Dynasty’s garrison system, it proved one thing:

The endpoint of the integrated military and agricultural system was not a general with a mighty spear but an old farmer leaning on a withered vine and tree, lacking even the strength to stand up.

Universal conscription?

Forget it; that was not the norm for a country.

If it were a small country with few people, it might work, but with tens of millions of people, doing it that way would only lead back to the Warring States period. Today, I might raid your village, tomorrow, you might steal my tower, and the day after that, we could meet at the Magpie Bridge, play a game, talk about how many of your guys died, and how many are left…

This kind of thing might work during times of chaotic hegemony, but doing it casually during peacetime was simply asking for trouble.

The militia system and the garrison system, though they had different names, both had a common ancestor—the integrated military and agricultural system. They shared the same blood: half military blood and half agricultural blood.

Regarding these two military systems, one could say:

Little guys, changed your disguise, and you think I wouldn’t recognize you?

The militia system and the garrison system may have a different appearance from the integrated military and agricultural system, but the genes are still the same. Even if you do a DNA test, they are the biological offspring of the integrated military and agricultural system.

The Eight Banners and Green Standard system?

What was that?

I’ve become the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, where is there room for the Eight Banners and Green Standard system? Wait a few years until I have some free time, and then I’ll send their ancestors to dance with Siberian and polar bears.

Eliminating a bunch of impractical options, there were only two feasible solutions left: conscription and enlistment.

Conscription was easy to understand—drafting able-bodied men.

Send a group of people into households, look at you, seventeen or eighteen years old? Grab them.

What’s that? You’re only fourteen?

Judging by your development, you look eighteen. Since you’ve developed, you can definitely fight. Take him.

What about you, old man? Sixty years old?

What did you say? You’ll be sixty tomorrow?

Well, that’s not sixty yet, take him…

In the aspect of conscription, Emperor Yang of Sui was quite thorough. Just the phrase “sweep the floor to gather soldiers” is enough to testify to Emperor Yang’s vigor. It is estimated that he even scraped the land clean…

The busy Du Fu, when relegated to the position of a military officer in Huazhou, encountered the matter of conscription. Based on his observations, he wrote the famous poem “The Stone Granary Official”: “In the evening, I arrive at the village by the stone granary, where officials catch people at night… Though the old woman’s strength is weak, she pleads with the official to let her son return…”

This indicates that during the conscription at that time, even the elderly were not spared.

At the age of forty-eight, Du Fu, if he didn’t already have a military appointment, would probably have been conscripted as well.

Conscription might seem appropriate, but once implemented, problems were likely to arise. The biggest problem was that regardless of who you were, as long as you were between seventeen and sixty years old (there were variations depending on the dynasty), you were needed, and you became a soldier.

Whether you could fight or not, everyone was conscripted.

Conscription could quickly provide an abundant source of soldiers, which was its greatest advantage.

Old Zhu conquered the world, from a group of young men leaving Haozhou, becoming a million commander, and establishing the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, a commendation had to be given to every soldier who knew how to conscript…

Why, in ancient times, were rebellions either small disturbances or major upheavals?

Upon careful analysis, the answer was clear. Those leading small disturbances were often incapable of conscripting; they were foolish and thought that raising a flag could conquer the world, without considering involving more people. Those leading major upheavals were experts in conscripting; they didn’t care if you were willing or not. If you didn’t join, they would cut you down; if you joined, they would ensure you ate and drank well, and you might even get a solution to your longstanding singlehood problem.

Conscription was often like this.

In peaceful times, using conscription was like still water. In times of war, using conscription was like a mad rabbit.

Zhu Yunwen did not want to use conscription because using conscription meant the court was proactive, and the lower class was passive. Being a soldier, there was no threshold; it was too unsuitable.

In the end, Zhu Yunwen turned his attention to enlistment.

Enlistment originated in the Spring and Autumn period when Wu Qi abandoned the conscription method and instead used recruitment to “recruit the best talents,” forming the first special forces unit in the various states: the martial conscripts.

How powerful were the martial conscripts of the Wei state?

One word: invincible!

In 389 B.C., during the Battle of Yinjin between Chu and Qin, Chu dispatched fifty thousand martial conscripts and defeated five hundred thousand Qin troops!

That was the true professional soldier!

Zhu Yunwen aspired to have professional soldiers, pure and dedicated warriors who could be mobilized at any time, armed and ready for battle! Not a combination of military and agriculture!

However, the use of the enlisment system in the Song Dynasty taught future generations a great lesson, making the enlistment system shaky and cautious.

The enlistment system in the Song Dynasty can be considered the most powerful enlistment system in history, adopting the approach of “recruiting those who are unemployed, brave, and capable.”

What is meant by “unemployed”?

If you lost your farmland, it was seized by landlords, and you had no land, no worries, the Song court would support you to become a soldier.

What is meant by “brave and capable”?

They were thieves and fugitives who committed crimes. Don’t sneak around stealing and killing; drop your weapons and become a soldier immediately.

If a region experienced disasters, with refugees and famine, don’t panic; come and be a soldier, the court will support you.

During the Song Dynasty, the problem of surplus military personnel was extremely severe. In addition to the Imperial Army, there were numerous local armies (xiangjun), along with their families totaling in the millions.

The rulers of the Song Dynasty had a unique mindset:

“All the rebels are strong, so if I turn all the strong people into soldiers, provide them with food, there won’t be anyone rebelling, right?”

Zhu Xi criticized the enlistment situation in the Song Dynasty, stating, “They drain the lifeblood of all living beings to support the military,” and “The surplus military personnel consume excessive provisions, becoming increasingly burdensome.” He almost directly scolded: “What’s going on? A bunch of scoundrels!”

The drawbacks of enlistment system are Firstly, it leads to large military expenditure, posing a risk to the fiscal burden. The Song Dynasty had to allocate seven to eight tenths of every monetary unit in the fiscal budget to support the military, which could be overwhelming.

Secondly, enlistment faces an unsolvable dilemma between generals and soldiers.

If generals stay in the army for an extended period, becoming knowledgeable about military affairs, after ten or more years, the imperial troops would become private soldiers, leading to regional fragmentation.

If generals do not stay in the army for a long time, during wartime, when the court temporarily assigns generals, it would be a problem. Generals wouldn’t understand the soldiers, and soldiers wouldn’t understand the generals, causing disunity and lack of discipline. In such a situation, even Sun Wu reincarnated wouldn’t win battles.

However, enlistment also has significant advantages, and the most significant one is a strong military!

With just these two words, Zhu Yunwen was determined.

The Weisuo system must be abolished, and the hereditary military household system must be broken. In the future, Ming will improve the combat effectiveness of its military through recruitment.

Although Zhu Yunwen had made up his mind and had a clear idea, it was not the time to completely introduce the enlistment system. The introduction of the enlistment system needs to be coordinated with the withdrawal of the Weisuo system.

Looking at the worried Ruchang, Zhu Yunwen sighed, saying, “The Weisuo system has caused many problems, and you, as the Minister of War, are well aware of it. We cannot just cling to the Weisuo system because of those fields under the Weisuo system.”

Ruchang’s mood was heavy, expressing concern, “Your Majesty, once the enlistment system is implemented, surplus military personnel will flood in, and regional separatism will lead to chaos in Ming…”

Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, “Minister Ru, Ming is not the Song Dynasty. Ming will cut back on military forces in the future. Having an excessive number of military personnel is not a good thing. We don’t want the Song Dynasty’s surplus military personnel problem. As for regional separatism, it depends on the new army policy. Proper ideological education is essential, telling every soldier that their mission is to fight for Ming, not to become someone’s private soldier!”

“If the new army policy cannot control the soldiers’ ideology, making them wholeheartedly loyal to the court and Ming, then the new army policy is a failure. I believe that focusing on the supply, ideology, training, and equipment of soldiers, even if a general commands for twenty years, can only lead soldiers for me!”

Upon hearing this, Ruchang relaxed his brow, solemnly saying, “Your Majesty’s concerns are profound, and I cannot comprehend them fully. However, the implementation of the enlistment system is a major national matter. I humbly suggest that Your Majesty think it over and convene a meeting with the Five Army Commandery to discuss and make decisions together.”

Zhu Yunwen nodded in agreement and said, “This matter will be decided after the recruitment of talents. Let’s handle the official business first.”

Instead of returning directly to the Kunning Palace, as usual, Zhu Yunwen went to the Imperial Kitchen, personally preparing a bowl of green bean soup, making cold lotus root slices and a stir-fry. He didn’t let Shuangxi and others help, carrying the food box himself and went to the Zhongcui palace.

Consort Ning had suffered from heatstroke yesterday and had no appetite.

When Zhu Yunwen entered the Zhongcui palace, the palace maids were stunned. They probably never thought that the emperor would come to Zhongcui palace. For a moment, they forgot to bow. After Zhu Yunwen entered the room, they remembered to kneel.

Thinking it was a palace maid, Consort Ning, lying on the bed, said, “There’s no need to decoct those medicines. They are too bitter and not effective.”

“Alright, not even listening to the imperial physician’s advice? I think you are being too willful.”

Zhu Yunwen placed the food box on the table, scolding her.

Hearing the sound, Consort Ning, surprised, looked at Zhu Yunwen who walked in. She wanted to get up, thinking of bowing down after getting off the bed.

Zhu Yunwen reached out, gently supported Consort Ning’s delicate back with a slight force, and said, “Sit properly. I’ve prepared some late-night snacks for you. Eat a little more.”

Consort Ning sat down, her face slightly flushed as she looked at Zhu Yunwen, saying, “I am unwell, afraid of troubling Your Majesty and disturbing the imperial body. Please, Your Majesty…”

“Heatstroke is not contagious. How about it? Is the prescription from the imperial physician not working?”

Interrupting Consort Ning, Zhu Yunwen asked with some concern.

In modern times, even heatstrokes could be life-threatening.

In ancient times, the dangers were even more pronounced. There are rumors that Su Shi (Su Dongpo), the husband of Li Qingzhao, and Zheng Chenggong, who reclaimed Taiwan, all died from heatstroke.

Although there are no official historical records, folk accounts are numerous.

Setting aside the authenticity of these stories, it is undeniable that these individuals passed away during scorching summer days.

“I always feel that it’s not effective, and my head is aching.”

Consort Ning’s eyes were filled with teary light.

Zhu Yunwen reached out to touch Consort Ning’s forehead. Fortunately, there was no fever. After a moment of contemplation, he instructed a palace maid beside him, saying, “Go prepare a bowl of clear water.”

The palace maid hurriedly went to prepare.

Zhu Yunwen walked to the food box, picked up a spoon, and gently said to Consort Ning, “Please undress…”

Consort Ning became flustered, not daring to look at Zhu Yunwen, holding the quilt with both hands, and struggling to say, “I’m not feeling well, afraid I won’t be able to serve Your Majesty…”