Chapter 148: Military Camp

"Coo~ coo~"

Within the towering courtyard wall, several low cries of night owls transmitted out.

Taking advantage of the night's cover, a group of black-clothed men approached the courtyard wall, one after another throwing out grappling hooks that caught on the wall top.

With practiced movements, they vaulted over the courtyard wall and rendezvoused with the people inside.

The inside man led a group of people, skillfully maneuvering to avoid the patrol sentries.

Their bodies were all sprayed with dog-repellent agent, and they reached the warehouse exterior with great ease.

"They all say Generalissimo Chongtian's soldiers can really fight."

During the lock-picking, someone chuckled low, "This defense is too slack."

Someone at the side lowly rebuked, "Silence!"

With the inside man's assistance, the heavy thick big lock was quickly pried open.

The heavy big door was pushed open, a group of people with eyes shining entered within.

By the moonlight entering through the window, what appeared before everyone was row upon row of big chests.

Dense and numerous, layered and stacked full the warehouse.

Someone impatiently rushed up, smashing locks and opening chests.

There was no imagined silver light flashing; inside the chests it was empty, hollow, not even a single hair.

"How is this possible!?"

A group of people greatly surprised, hurriedly opened more chests.

The result was all the same; the chests were all empty.

"Where is the silver!"

"Several thousand ten-thousand taels of silver, where is it!?"

The news of Lin Dao auditing several thousand ten-thousand taels of silver, many people knew.

Naturally there were bold desperadoes who wanted to hit on this batch of silver's idea.

This batch of desperadoes in the warehouse, planned for many days expending countless effort, finally entered the silver storage warehouse.

Result: the silver was gone!

In violent anger, they wanted to first kill the inside man.

The accomplices outside the warehouse shouted, "Eagle Claw Sun has arrived, the wind is tight, run~"

Armor leaves vibrated and rang, large batches of soldiers from all directions surrounded in.

Rows of strong crossbows raised up; the desperadoes all stared dumbfounded.

At this moment, even if they grew wings and flew, they could not think of escaping out.

The morning sunlight was bright and moving, carrying warmth through the glass window, scattering onto the ground.

Lin Dao, who had cultivated the habit of early rising sleep, responded by opening his eyes.

Briefly waking up, first he removed the arms and legs pressing on his body, then lifted the quilt and sat up.

Glancing at the crabapple-spring-sleep pretty face beside him, Lin Dao rose and dressed himself.

Not going on campaign to fight wars, he also didn't wear chain mail armor.

Lin Dao changed into a custom-made lightweight stab-proof vest, dressed neatly and went out to wash up.

Before eating, a personal guard came to report the matter of the silver treasury encountering thieves last night.

"On the spot beheaded and shot dead seventeen people, inside and outside captured alive nineteen people."

"Among them there are several, all are long-time wanted habitual bandit major thieves."

"Inside the silver treasury, there was no loss."

Lin Dao with calm expression instructed, "Interrogate first, make them confess all the crimes they have done."

"Afterwards public trial dispose of them."

He of course was calm, because he knew it was impossible to lose silver taels.

Precious metals and such, basically all were transferred by Lin Dao to the modern world, or stored in Yonghe Spacetime.

That side's world is stable and peaceful much more.

Wanting to steal his precious metals, unless the thieves have the ability to cross time and space.

That would not be thieves; that would be time-space grand thieves.

The girls who were off-duty last night, one after another came out from their respective rooms, and ate breakfast together with Lin Dao.

"Today it's not Sister Xiaowan cooking, the taste really is worse by a lot."

"Sister Xiaowan worked hard last night, just let her rest well."

"Want to eat good, learn to cook yourself~"

Women became many, seven mouths eight tongues talk also followed along.

Wanting to let a group of gathered women eat quietly, that difficulty is not inferior to a certain team winning the championship.

Lin Dao single-mindedly, wholeheartedly ate his meal.

Ate and drank his fill, rose and left.

His current work focus, mainly is strengthening training soldiers, as soon as possible form combat power.

Actually the various predicaments the Ming Dynasty currently faces.

North side the Mongol tribes and Jiannu, south side the Red Hair barbarians, along the coast numerous pirate giant bandits, southwest the numerous native chieftains, inside ravaging various route wandering bandits.

And from above palace nobles, court high officials, imperial relatives, civil ministers military generals, down to local various level yamen, various local gentry landlords temples etc.

All of these people bringing to the Ming Dynasty's predicaments, torture, and oppression.

All of it, all of it, there is one most direct way to resolve.

That is, to resolve it with the most primitive military force.

Eliminate the creditors, and the debts naturally vanish like smoke and clouds.

Subdue them, and taxes can be collected normally.

With taxes, the state can continue to function.

The Wild Boar Skins of history were exactly this ruthless.

After wiping out all those bloodsucking leeches, their tax revenue exceeded ten times that of the Chongzhen Era.

Even as they gradually headed toward extinction, they could still effectively collect taxes and pay astronomical indemnities.

Unlike the Great Ming today, which has fallen into a state of paralysis.

This kind of thing can be done by the Wild Boar Skins, by the bandits, and by Lin Dao.

But only the Chongzhen Emperor cannot do it.

Because these bloodsucking leeches are the very foundation upon which the Emperor maintains his rule.

To strike at the foundation of the dynasty's rule means the Emperor is no longer an Emperor, but a rebel and grave-robber who destroys the dynasty.

To have such awareness and such determination to do it, probably only the likes of Qin Shi Huang, Han Wudi, and Tang Taizong were such formidable men.

The Chongzhen Emperor, outwardly fierce but inwardly timid, wanting the substance yet unwilling to give up the facade, lacks this willpower.

Lin Dao knew this long ago, so from the very start he never thought of throwing himself into that huge dye vat of the Great Ming that constantly emitted a foul stench.

He chose to start anew.

"The Wild Boar Skins can sit? Can't I sit?"

The foundation for getting things done is an army with overwhelming combat strength.

In this era where everyone competes to see who is worse, a strong army can run rampant across the world.

And the strength of a strong army is reflected in countless details.

Surrounded by many guards, Lin Dao rode his horse to a newly built camp outside the city.

By this time the camp had already eaten breakfast, and the soldiers were sweating on the training ground.

Lin Dao did not go to the training ground, but went straight to the kitchen.

The cooks cleaning the stoves, seeing the Great Commander coming, hurriedly saluted.

"Attend to your own business."

Lin Dao waved his hand and carefully inspected the kitchen.

"What the soldiers in the army care about most is whether they can eat their fill and eat well."

He asked the soldier on duty supervising, "Is there anything unusual?"

"Great Commander!"

The soldier saluted, "For today's breakfast, the grain, oil, salt, sauce, and vegetables used all meet the standards."

"No one embezzles, no one wastes."

Lin Dao's gaze swept toward the Imperial Guard Commander who was also responsible for supervision.

"Reporting to the Great Commander!"

The Imperial Guard Commander responded loudly, "For today's breakfast, all expended supplies have been recorded and verified, with nothing improper."

In old-style military units, food is the easiest thing to embezzle, and also the thing the soldiers complain about the most.

Soldiers who feel they have been treated unfairly will not exert themselves on the battlefield, thus leading to defeat.

Lin Dao kept a tight grip on this aspect.

Not only was there an Imperial Guard Commander stationed at every meal, but there were also soldiers on duty to supervise.

Once anything unusual is noticed and reported upward, the cooks' good days will come to an end.

Since the army was formed, the number of cooks beheaded for embezzlement, deduction, and reselling military rations has reached over a hundred.

Lin Dao looked at the menu.

Training in the morning, the food was not bad.

Corn porridge was served without limit.

The thickness of the porridge had to reach the point where chopsticks could stand upright in it.

In addition there were white flour steamed buns, four per person.

Boiled eggs, one per person.

A plate of pickled vegetables.

Lin Dao no longer allowed egg drop soup to be made.

Because after it happened many times, the cooks diluted it to skimp on eggs.

Afterwards they simply switched to distributing eggs directly, one per soldier.

Accurate and counted; if anyone was short and didn't receive one, they would kick up a fuss.

"Jinling City doesn't have this many eggs; it all relies on my supply. Feeding an army really costs too much money."

Not just Jinling City, no one else in the entire Great Ming could afford to feed Lin Dao's soldiers.

Starting with one egg a day, under such treatment, who could take Lin Dao's troops away from him?

The cooks cleaned the stoves and kitchenware, and began preparing lunch.

Lin Dao looked at the lunch menu on the side.

The staple food was Su Mi exported from San Ge's home in the Modern World.

In order to earn foreign exchange, San Ge was truly willing to let people starve to death rather than not export grain on a large scale.

The price was not high, and Lin Dao was very satisfied with this.

Rice was sufficient, accompanied by one meat dish and one vegetable dish.

Meat dishes were usually luncheon meat stir-fried with potatoes, or potatoes stir-fried with luncheon meat.

Both were cheap, so they used them generously.

As for vegetables, they were either onions exported by San Ge or stir-fried cabbage.

The Lin Dao Army had heavy training, training both morning and afternoon, so they ate large portions and were well fed, while also ensuring a balance of meat and vegetables.

Likewise, fats were indispensable.

He continued flipping through the menu.

Dinner was much simpler at night: porridge-like feed and a boiled potato.

After dinner and night school, they went to sleep; once the feed was digested, they could grow flesh as quickly as possible.

Potatoes were bought in too large a quantity and needed to be consumed as much as possible.

San Ge also exported potatoes at very cheap prices.

As for whether people in their homes would starve to death due to lack of grain~~~

What did that have to do with Lin Dao? He had paid for it!

Previously, to encourage soldiers to attend night school, soldiers who went to night school in the evening were each given a can of sugar water to supplement fruit and sugar.

This tradition was kept, and the consumption of cans was quite high.

Lin Dao was already a major customer of many canned food factories in the Modern World.

After long-term cooperation, he could get very favorable prices, and shipping was free.

Leaving the Chufang, Lin Dao went to inspect the Dry Latrine.

The "Jun Ying Hygiene Management Ordinance" was enforced very strictly.

No drinking raw water, no relieving oneself anywhere, no walking barefoot, no eating unclean food, and personal hygiene must be maintained regularly, etc.

As for violators, a squad right before his eyes cleaning the Dry Latrine was the best example.

If one person violated the rules, the whole squad suffered; they all had to follow and clean the Dry Latrine for at least ten days.

As for those ten days, how the soldiers who violated the ordinance would be complained about and educated within their squad would surely leave them an extremely profound impression, so they would not dare offend again.

Lin Dao entered the barracks and inspected personal duty hygiene in the barracks.

Bedding and personal items had to be arranged neatly; these went without saying.

Lin Dao randomly visited several barracks, confirmed that everyone had tooth powder and soap, and then nodded in satisfaction.

Disease epidemics in the Chongzhen Spacetime were terrifying.

Although medicine could be bought, prevention was obviously more important.

Oral hygiene and regular bathing and hair washing, eliminating lice and other disease spreaders, all had to be strictly observed.

Compared with other armies of this era, it was obvious that the troops trained by Lin Dao had too many requirements.

Yet from top to bottom in the army, they strictly observed them, with no one complaining or shouting to leave.

It was not relying on severe laws and punishments, beatings, or executions, but on high welfare and high treatment.

The cost of Lin Dao feeding the soldiers, if placed with others, would be raising household servants, raising adopted sons, raising dead soldiers!

End of Chapter