Chapter 1296: Merit Deserves Reward

Many people were silently grumbling. Standing here watching column after column of elite troops march past — even though everyone stood still, they all felt utterly exhausted, because the murderous aura and martial pressure were simply too overwhelming.

Before long, they saw several hundred Zhao Family Army soldiers dressed in white walk past carrying wooden boxes. The quicker-witted ones immediately guessed what these were. They wanted to spit in disgust but didn't dare, and could only curse their bad luck inwardly. The military parade was supposed to be a joyous occasion — why bring out ash caskets? The sight alone sent chills down one's spine.

"... Truly, they all had families, fathers and mothers, dying out there like that, not even a whole body left behind..." Someone sighed with regret.

However, these Zhao Family Army soldiers carrying the ash caskets did not return to the ranks. Instead, they stood still before Zhao Jin's reviewing stand. By this point, everyone could see clearly that each ash casket bore a spirit tablet, inscribed with the deceased's place of origin, name, and such.

What exactly was this about? The people atop the city wall couldn't see clearly and all craned their necks to look down. The Shandong gentry on either side of the reviewing stand were equally baffled, merely glancing from time to time at Zhao Jin on the stand, wondering: facing a bunch of spirit tablets and ashes of common soldiers, what exactly are you going to do? Someone couldn't help muttering, "Did the Xuzhou forces really suffer only this many casualties in total?"

Someone pointed it out, and everyone immediately realized: the Zhao Family Army had fought battle after battle, defeating and annihilating well over a hundred thousand government troops. Could they really have suffered only a few hundred casualties in total? This was truly beyond comprehension. To destroy over a hundred thousand enemies, one's own casualties ought to number at least several thousand to be normal. How could it be only a few hundred? Could it be that the Zhao Family Army wanted to show off to everyone? To flaunt their own might?

Just at that moment, they saw Zhao Jin on the reviewing stand bow with the utmost solemnity toward the ash caskets and spirit tablets below the stand. The soldiers holding the ash caskets and spirit tablets stood in silent reverence. At the same time, the various brigades and regiments already formed up in formation all rendered a military salute in unison — every man's right arm leveled across the chest. The synchronized motion made the entire formation shudder, startling the onlookers both atop the wall and below so badly that they stumbled and fell.

"Boom—" "Boom—" The sounds rang out one after another, and the mournful wail of suona horns also rose. The booming sounded like cannon fire, which once again terrified the crowd. But this time, the Zhao Family Army soldiers standing beside them briefly explained that these were blank rounds, which finally calmed everyone down. The suona music this time remained very monotonous and brief, yet it brought out the grief-stricken and solemn atmosphere of the scene perfectly.

The Shandong gentry watching the parade all wore rather unpleasant expressions. They had come to attend a banquet, not to witness funeral rites. Though the scene was solemn and dignified, they still found it inauspicious.

Zhao Jin bowed three times toward the ashes and spirit tablets below the stand. Once the salute cannon and suona had sounded, the soldiers holding the ash caskets also returned to the ranks. Zhao Jin straightened up on the reviewing stand, nodded toward the side, and his personal guards began waving signal flags. The scene fell silent.

"The Zhao Family Army will never fail any fallen or wounded brother. You fought bravely forward for the Zhao Family Army. You bled and died for the Zhao Family Army. The Zhao Family Army will absolutely never abandon you." Zhao Jin raised his voice and spoke. His pace was unhurried, because every sentence had to be relayed line by line by his personal soldiers. The Shandong gentry standing on either side of the reviewing stand pricked up their ears and heard clearly. Many kept expressionless faces, but inwardly sneered. A perfectly good life thrown away — their families and parents still don't know how they'll grieve. They might get a few taels or a dozen taels of burial silver. What's that worth? This was a human life!

"For wounded brothers, all costs of treatment and recovery shall be borne by the Zhao Family Army. Upon full recovery, they shall return to their units. If disabled, the Zhao Family Army shall support them for life, with dedicated caretakers and proper arrangements." Zhao Jin continued. In this age, the danger of being wounded was immense. For many, it meant a later, more agonizing death in battle. Those who survived — light wounds returning to duty went without saying — but the severely wounded and disabled often met wretched fates. In the government armies, such men typically froze or starved to death. But the Zhao Family Army fully shouldered this responsibility.

"In a great battle like this, how many could end up disabled?" Both atop the wall and below, everyone heard clearly. Cynical people were never in short supply, and someone muttered under their breath. This was actually true. Wounds severe enough to leave one disabled usually meant the wounded man died outright. Those who survived with disabilities were truly few.

"Every single one who falls in battle and gives his life — the Zhao Family Army will never treat him shabbily. Those without family shall be enshrined in the Hall of Heroes and Martyrs, to receive eternal offerings. Those with surviving dependents shall be granted one hundred mu of land, tax-free in perpetuity. The bereavement compensation shall be thirty years' military pay. The household of the dependents shall be exempt from all taxes for fifty years. Their sons and younger brothers who wish to join the brigades, trade, farming, craftsmanship, or shipping departments shall receive priority in recruitment. Brothers! You have risked life and limb for the Zhao Family Army. The Zhao Family Army will absolutely never abandon you. From life to death, the Zhao Family Army will care for you always!" Zhao Jin declared in a ringing voice.

One hundred mu of land, tax-free forever — though this wouldn't make anyone fabulously rich, it was more than enough to support an entire family, even if an elderly widow or orphan rented it out for others to farm. Thirty years' military pay, the entire household exempt from taxes for fifty years — this was enough to live very comfortably, even to attain modest prosperity. As for the priority recruitment of sons and younger brothers, this guaranteed the family's future path and prospects. There were no flowery words, nothing dazzling to look at, but these were solid, tangible benefits.

"Fine words, but who knows if they'll actually follow through." By this point, the spectators had relaxed somewhat, and the sharp-tongued and caustic couldn't resist showing off their wit. The Great Ming court also spoke in equally fine-sounding phrases, but in the end, they all became excuses for deductions and extra levies. Who knew if the Zhao Family Army would be the same?

No sooner had these words fallen, before anyone else could chime in, than a thunderous, tsunami-like roar of cheers erupted, startling the spectators once again. They had seen large crowds before, but never such a uniformly disciplined whole. Such a whole — in every movement, even in the space between breaths — carried immense power, and was incomparably soul-shaking.

"Wansui! Wansui! Wanwansui!" Everyone could only hear this one cry. Originally, "Wansui" was shouted only for the Great Ming Emperor. Now it was being shouted for a different young man. Everyone felt somewhat discomfited, but they were slowly getting used to it. Yet this fervent shouting drowned out all those doubts. Whether you believed or not — what did it matter? The soldiers of the Zhao Family Army believed unshakably. They knew Zhao Jin did what he said and had never broken a promise.

Joining the army and fighting, risking life and limb — winning glory, rank, and riches was a fine aspiration, but being wounded or dying in battle was the dreaded fear. Now Zhao Jin had given them a promise and a guarantee. Being wounded or dying in battle was worth it. It could exchange for a life of food, warmth, and modest comfort for one's family. All of this was worth it.

Among the bystanders listening in, a few were still dazed, but most were busily calculating, trying to figure out what Zhao Jin's promises actually meant. The conclusion came quickly: this could essentially guarantee food, warmth, and modest comfort for a family of several. If one knew how to manage, one could even become wealthy. After this calculation, they too deemed it worth it. In these years of unending man-made and natural disasters, human life was cheap. Yet Zhao Jin was offering such a high price — no wonder everyone was so utterly devoted.

Zhao Jin raised his arm on the reviewing stand. The drumbeat rhythm quickened. The cheering below rapidly died down. From the thunderous roar just moments before to utter silence — there was almost no transition in between. Such a swift transformation once again deeply awed all who watched.

"... Every soldier who took part in the battle shall receive three months' pay and provisions as a reward. Every soldier who took part in the battle shall be granted ten mu of land. Soldiers who faced the enemy in the front lines shall each be granted twenty mu of land. Arquebusiers and cavalrymen shall each be granted forty mu of land. Artillerymen shall each be granted forty mu of land. Those who distinguished themselves by scaling walls or capturing prisoners shall each be granted one hundred mu of land..." Zhao Jin's words were not yet finished. What had just been bereavement and care arrangements for the fallen and wounded was now rewards for the soldiers who had fought.

The entire venue was so silent one could hear a pin drop. The officers and soldiers of every brigade and regiment listened with rapt attention, afraid of missing a single word. The people on either side of the reviewing stand also listened with rapt attention — they too dared not miss a single word. Many, in their silent calculations, had already changed color.

After Zhao Jin finished speaking, the entire parade ground remained silent for a moment. Then an even greater roar of cheers erupted. This was a tangible benefit for every single man, and every man could see room to advance. As long as one fought bravely forward, as long as one did not fear death, one could earn land and rewards. Ten mu, twenty mu — even one hundred mu was not that much. But everyone knew that these lands earned through military merit accumulated battle after battle. Many men already had well over a hundred mu to their names. And in the foreseeable future, such tangible benefits would only grow more and more.

No one had any complaint about such a distribution. In a square formation on the battlefield, most of the time, the part that had to meet the enemy in direct combat, the part with mortal danger, was the first four ranks. Meanwhile, the ones who could inflict massive casualties on the enemy were the arquebusiers, the cavalry, and the artillery. The arquebusier ranks had to face the charge of enemy infantry and cavalry head-on. The cavalry had to charge into the enemy lines. And the artillery shattered mountains and split rocks, storming cities and seizing strongholds. Comparing battle merit, comparing enemy kills — naturally, those more capable bore more of the burden.

Zhao Jin did not mention the company commander, battalion commander, and regiment commander levels on this occasion. However, the rewards they received were far greater than those of the common soldiers. Many officers already held over a thousand mu of land. In the present times, a thousand mu of land was actually nothing remarkable. But everyone could see the future. The Zhao Family Army had only just taken two provinces. What would happen if they took the entire realm? Moreover, being stationed in Xuzhou, from officers down to soldiers, though they still valued land highly, they had seen even more clearly the immense profits of industry, commerce, and foreign trade. That was the true mountain of gold and sea of silver. That was their future.

"... This time, they'll have to give out two hundred thousand mu... no, more than that — it could very well exceed five hundred thousand mu..." The gentry on either side of the reviewing stand had already calculated a rough figure. Everyone's faces changed color somewhat.

The figure of five hundred thousand sounded large, but in truth it wasn't all that much — especially in the eyes of the top-tier gentry who had come today. True great landowners often held the greater part of an entire county, department, or even prefecture. Five hundred thousand mu was merely five thousand qing. A household with a "Thousand-Qing Plaque" could be called a great house, but it still fell short of the top-tier great houses.

Thanks to "Brother Feiran, Xishuashua, User Veteran Soldier" and several other new and old friends for the tips. Qidian is back to normal — those who have it on their bookshelf can read, but searching for it won't bring it up. Ming Warrior doesn't get much in the way of recommendations, and some things can't be helped. It's all thanks to your support that we've made it this far.