Chapter 71

As Xu Dingchen finished speaking, the study fell into silence. Xu Dingchen, Zheng Fakui, and Mr. Tang all smiled as they looked at Yueyang.

In their view, the answer was simple and easy for Yueyang to choose. However, they did not know that Yueyang was hesitating and struggling in his heart.

After a long while, Yueyang finally said helplessly, "Sir, I am willing to take on the position of Cao Shou Guan!"

"Hmm, good! I will start the procedures for you as soon as I return. I believe the official letter will come soon!" Xu Dingchen stroked his beard and smiled, looking very pleased.

Here, it should be noted that in the Ming Dynasty, military officials were generally divided into two types: Lius (non-hereditary) and Shi (hereditary). Lius referred to non-hereditary military officials, such as Dudu, Dudu Tongzhi, Dudu Qianshi, Duzhi Tongzhi, and Cao Shou Guan, etc. Shi referred to hereditary military officials, meaning that when the father died, the son would take over, and if the son died, the grandson would take over. These positions included Zhizhi, Zhizhi Tongzhi, Zhizhi Qianshi, Qianhu, and Baihu, etc. However, the biggest difference between Shi and Liu was that Shi officials had to be registered in the military household, while Cao Shou Guan did not. Moreover, the descendants of Shi officials rarely managed to change their status and join the civil service, as the civil officials inherently looked down on military officials, and in this regard, the civil officials had a surprising level of默契 (tacit agreement).

Yueyang, who already had the title of Xiucai, was naturally seen by Xu Dingchen and the others as one of their own. If he did not choose this, it would be too foolish.

However, what they did not expect was that the position Yueyang truly wanted was not Cao Shou Guan, but Qianhu. Although the social status of Cao Shou Guan was higher than that of Qianhu, and Qianhu required registration in the military household, Qianhu had one significant advantage: Qianhu belonged to the field army, while Cao Shou Guan was part of the local defense force, which could not be mobilized without an order from the Ministry of War. This restriction was the most uncomfortable for Yueyang.

Although Yueyang very much wanted to join the military and become a formal soldier, he could not act rashly. After all, he had to consider the thoughts of the elderly at home. In this era where scholars were valued and soldiers were despised, a Xiucai giving up his title to join the lowly military would be a huge joke in the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, if he really did this, Xu Dingchen, Zheng Fakui, and others would certainly regard Yueyang as an oddity and distance themselves from him. This was a cost that Yueyang could not afford at the moment, so he could only choose the position of Cao Shou Guan, which others considered normal.

Looking at Xu Dingchen, who was smiling and stroking his beard, Yueyang sighed inwardly. When a country regards military service as a lowly profession and casually despises and suppresses soldiers, it is not far from its downfall.

Thus, after Yueyang stated his choice, Xu Dingchen looked at him with even more affection. He said to Yueyang, "Zhenghong, since you have chosen the position of Cao Shou Guan, you must understand that it is different from your previous position as the commander of the local militia. The local militia is essentially a self-defense force organized by the gentry, while Cao Shou Guan is a sixth-rank official recognized by the court, a part of the official army. You should be very clear about this difference. From now on, the defense of Yingzhou City will be on your shoulders. I believe that leading the army with your literary background will not affect your future prospects. You must do your best!"

Seeing the hopeful look in Xu Dingchen's eyes, Yueyang bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Sir! I will not let you down and will certainly defend Yingzhou City for you and the court!"

"Hmm, it's good that you understand!" Xu Dingchen nodded and then gave a slight nod to Mr. Tang.

Mr. Tang understood and cleared his throat, saying, "Mr. Yue, now that we are family, there are some things we would like to know. Mr. Yue, if the bandits invade Shanxi again, how many troops can you mobilize to drive them away?"

Yueyang was taken aback for a moment and then answered honestly, "I can't say for sure, but I can muster four thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry!"

"Four thousand infantry?"

"One thousand cavalry?"

Two exclamations immediately echoed in the study, and even Xu Dingchen's eyes showed a hint of shock. At this moment, he could not maintain his composure and asked urgently, "Zhenghong, do you really have cavalry?"

At this point, not only Xu Dingchen but also Zheng Fakui, who was not familiar with military affairs, was greatly surprised. In this era, cavalry was not something anyone could afford. Not to mention how difficult it was to obtain a qualified warhorse, in this resource-scarce era, the cost of feeding one horse was equivalent to feeding five to six infantrymen. Moreover, the armor, weapons, and training of a cavalryman required a huge amount of money.

Although the cost of maintaining cavalry was enormous, their combat power and mobility were well-known. Why could Yang Guozhu, the general of Xuan and Da, defeat Gao Yingxiang so thoroughly? Wasn't it because he had three thousand cavalry? Now, hearing that Yueyang also had a cavalry, Xu Dingchen and the others were naturally shocked.

Seeing the shocked expression on Xu Dingchen's face, Yueyang felt a bit smug. In this world, there was no such thing as unconditional love. The reason Xu Dingchen was courting him and offering him the position of Cao Shou Guan was not because of his personal charm, but because he had a well-equipped and loyal force. This force had already proven its combat power in the recent battle against Zhang Xianzhong. Therefore, this governor, who was in dire need of a loyal armed force, had to lower his status to court him. Otherwise, why would Xu Dingchen, a high-ranking official, bother to chat with him?

Now, Yueyang was not showing off his strength, but rather increasing his bargaining power. His ability and strength were worth the position he was given.

The silence continued for a long time before Xu Dingchen finally sighed, "It seems I underestimated you. But this is good. With Zhenghong's five thousand elite troops, we don't have to fear the bandits even if they come again."

Seeing that Xu Dingchen seemed to have put down a heavy burden, Yueyang seized the opportunity to ask, "Sir, although I have the ambition to serve the country, I have spent a lot of money training these troops. After all, elite troops are expensive. I wonder if the court can help provide some provisions and pay?"

"Hmm..."

Xu Dingchen began to ponder. He understood Yueyang's meaning. I can use these troops to defend Yingzhou and follow your orders, but I can't work for free. Even the emperor doesn't keep bad soldiers.

Xu Dingchen, being a governor, quickly understood the situation. He smiled at Yueyang and said, "Of course. As the Cao Shou Guan of the city, you are an official of the court, and the troops you command are also the court's troops. You shouldn't have to pay for them yourself. Here's what I'll do: report the number of your troops, and I will have the military commissioner provide you with provisions, weapons, and armor. I won't let you pay out of your own pocket."

"Thank you, Sir!"

Hearing Xu Dingchen's response, Yueyang felt relieved. It seemed that Xu Dingchen was treating him well and was willing to invest. From this, it was clear that Xu Dingchen was not the type to make horses run without feeding them. Not only did he give him a position, but he also legitimized his troops, upgrading them from militia to regular army.

After receiving the benefits from Xu Dingchen, Yueyang, still not satisfied, turned to Zheng Fakui and said, "Sir Zheng, the Qianhu of Yingzhou Wei was recently punished for cowardice and not coming to the aid of Yingzhou. I believe there are still many officers left in the Qianhu. Could I select a few to assist me? If possible, could you also assign a few clerks and advisors to help me? After all, with more troops, there are more things to manage, and I can't handle everything alone!"

Zheng Fakui and Xu Dingchen exchanged a glance, and after Xu Dingchen nodded slightly, Zheng Fakui smiled and said, "Of course, Zhenghong. As the Cao Shou Guan of the city, you shouldn't have to do everything yourself. You should have a team to help you. In a few days, go to the Qianhu outside the city and select the people you need. I will assign you a few advisors and clerks. Is that acceptable?"

"That's very good, thank you, Sir!" Yueyang finally breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Zheng Fakui...

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