Chapter 404: Rewards and Draft
The credit for countering the rebellion is definitely there, but it is not too big.
Rewards are actually nothing to worry about.
But what Zhao Xing wanted was a heavy reward, and his purpose was to buy horse bones for a thousand gold coins.
The reward of fields before was to stimulate the fighting spirit of ordinary soldiers, but fields were nothing to generals.
What generals care most about is official position and title.
Zhao Xing plans to create a count in the Song Dynasty this time to stimulate the enterprising spirit of the generals.
Let the generals see the benefits of meritorious service. Only in this way can the generals have the courage to fight.
The rewards for the soldiers who put down the rebellion were drawn up by the Privy Council and reported to Zhao Xing.
After Zhao Xing read it, he added a reward of land to the rewards for ordinary soldiers, ranging from three to ten acres depending on the merit.
As for the monetary and food rewards, Zhao Xing did not make any changes.
Zhao Xing has made changes to the generals' rewards, which have been greatly improved on the original basis.
Especially the rewards in the Song Dynasty.
The rewards formulated by the Privy Council are promotion to the next level, gold, silver, cloth, farms, etc.
On this basis, Zhao Xing added an earl reward of Uncle Zhongyong.
This reward can be regarded as a heavy reward, but in fact it is just a nobility, and it cannot be inherited. After the death of the Song Dynasty, his son will not be able to inherit it.
Zhao Xing looked at the achievements and rewards of other generals, and unexpectedly saw Shen Congxing's name.
However, Zhao Xing soon felt relieved. Yuzhou was only about three hundred miles away from Bianjing. It was normal for Yuzhou troops and horses to be mobilized from the Central Plains.
Shen Congxing is the deputy commander of the Yuzhou Xiang Army, so it is normal for him to lead troops there.
The Privy Council's reward for Shen Congxing was to be transferred to the Forbidden Army, but his rank remained unchanged.
But entering the Forbidden Army from the Xiang Army is itself a promotion.
Zhao Xing did not change it after reading it.
Shen Congxing is still capable. Zhao Xing will not deliberately reuse him, but there is no need to target him.
Although he is Zhao Zongquan's brother-in-law, Zhao Zongquan is still from the same clan as Taizu. Even if Shen Congxing joins the Forbidden Army, there will be no threat to him.
After formulating the reward, Zhao Xing asked Sanshui to take it to Hanlin to compile and draft the decree.
When the army comes back and rewards are given for their merits, the imperial decree needs to be read out in person.
After doing this, Zhao Xing continued to deal with the problem.
Half an hour later, Zhao Xing was drinking tea while looking at the prick in front of him.
This tie was presented by the Ministry of Rites to invite him to draft.
Zhao Xing currently has only ten concubines in the harem. Many of the ministers have more than that, let alone the emperor.
Since Zhao Xing succeeded to the throne, many officials in Bianjing City did not dare to take concubines.
After all, the emperor only had so many women, how could they have the nerve to take concubines.
Zhao Xing put down the tea cup, pondered for a while, picked up a pen to review the correct words, and then wrote down that the Ministry of Rites and the Zongren Mansion will jointly host the draft.
He has been on the throne for so long, so he has been working hard, and it’s time to reward himself.
It’s better to enjoy the draft and get the concubine than to go too far.
Every once in a while, a chamberlain would send the zhazi that Zhao Xing had taken care of to the corresponding yamen.
When the Minister of Rites received the letter from Zhao Xing approving the draft, he was also stunned.
He came up with the idea of giving it a try, but he didn’t expect Zhao Xing to really agree.
After coming back to his senses, the Minister of Rites pondered for a while and went to see Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing was a little confused when he learned that the Minister of Rites asked for an audience, so he ordered someone to pass it in.
When the Minister of Rites finished explaining the purpose of coming, Zhao Xing was so angry that he cursed.
The Minister of Rites actually asked him whether the draft was limited to those who had never been married, or only those who were unmarried. Zhao Xing didn't react at first, and it took him a while to understand what he meant.
Those who have never been married are yellow-flowered girls. Those who are unmarried are not necessarily married, including those who are married and divorced.
You really think of him as a Cao thief, right?
Although Zhao Xing doesn't care about this, can a rookie choose this way?
If we really do this, maybe many married people will join Li Lai.
What should the world think of him?
The Minister of Rites was so scolded that he bowed and left in a hurry.
Of course, this was just a small episode. Soon the news of the official draft spread throughout Bianjing and became a hot topic in Bianjing.
In fact, after Zhao Xing ascended the throne, not only the official families in Bianjing, but also some ordinary families who were confident in their girls' looks, girls and hairpins, were not in a hurry to discuss marriage for him.
They are all waiting for the official draft so that they can participate. If they can be selected, it will be a good thing to shine.
It’s just that after Zhao Xing ascended the throne, he still showed no intention of being a new star. Several petitions from courtiers were rejected by Zhao Xing.
Many people can only give up after seeing this. There is an age limit for the draft.
Normally speaking, it will be limited to between fourteen and sixteen years old. If it continues, even if the draft is drafted, the grade will be exceeded.
Who knew that news of the draft would come out at this time, and this draft was different from usual, the age range was between fifteen and eighteen years old.
In fact, Zhao Xing wanted to set the grade level a little older, but in ancient times, women from normal families rarely got married over the age of eighteen.
Those who had not yet decided were overjoyed and immediately called off the marriage discussion.
And those who have already made up their minds are filled with regret.
They wanted to cancel it, but the talent show will check it. Once it is found that there was an original engagement, they will be held accountable.
Naturally, the draft cannot be limited to Bianjing, but should be conducted throughout the Song Dynasty.
Governments in various places will go through preliminary elections, and the selected people will be sent to Bianjing to participate in the draft with the government's travel expenses.
This is also the reason why Zhao Xing has not agreed to the draft before. It is too laborious and costly.
Just when the news of the draft spread everywhere, the anti-rebellion army also returned to Bianjing.
Zhao Xing ordered Han Zhang to take the lead, assisted by the Minister of Rites, and go out of the city to greet the triumphant army on his behalf.
What no one knew was that people from the Imperial City Department were accompanying them and secretly picked up the Zuo brothers.
Zhao Xing had long received a report from the Song Dynasty and learned that the Zuo brothers were descendants of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
But he didn't pay too much attention to it. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and too many princes were wiped out.
There are even many descendants of the princes who are hiding incognito.
The Zuo brothers are just descendants of the deputy commander of the palace guards of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
It means that they have something to do with the Wizard Cult, otherwise Zhao Xing would order people to execute them secretly.
After all, the Southern Tang Dynasty was still very popular in the Jiangnan area. If it could not spread, it would be better not to spread it.
The army returned to camp, and the meritorious generals entered the palace to meet Zhao Xing.
In the Daqing Hall, Zhao Xinggao was sitting on the dragon chair, with hundreds of officials standing on both sides of the hall. Song Chaozhong led more than ten generals into the hall, bowed and said: "I, Song Chaozhong, was ordered to quell the rebellion, and fortunately I lived up to my order. I came here to report back to Your Majesty to put down the rebellion!"
"Song Aiqing put down the rebellion so quickly, and I am very pleased with his hard work!"
Zhao Xing made some remarks and then asked Sanshui to announce the decree.
When Song Dynasty heard that he had been given a title, people around his palace showed excitement.
The other generals were very happy when they heard about their reward.
On the way back to the army, they all guessed what reward they would get, but the final reward was much more than they guessed.
(End of this chapter)