allonlinenovel Chapter 149 The Military System of the Top-Tier Farming Era
Chapter 149 The Military System of the Top-Tier Farming Era
Yu Zhanmo said calmly, "Yan Wu will soon be coming to take over."
His words, spoken casually, sent a jolt through Xiao Si's heart.
The reaction on the eve of time travel left her feeling dizzy—was this reality, or some kind of historical misalignment?
Xiao Si raised an eyebrow and looked up to ask Yu Zhanmo:
"Jiannan Xichuan Jiedushi, is that your current position?"
Yu Zhanmo nodded: "Yes."
Little Si chuckled:
"Then you must be a very high-ranking official. As the highest-ranking military and political official in the region, it seems you are an incorruptible official."
If it were a greedy and tyrannical person, they would probably become a powerful warlord, perhaps even a self-proclaimed 'King of Xichuan'!
Yu Zhanmo couldn't help but smile: "If that's really the case, it might not be so bad."
He glanced at Xiao Si, but his tone was somewhat heavy. "But recalling the An Lushan Rebellion, An Lushan eventually controlled one-third of the elite troops of the military governors, and later truly became... 'King'."
Xiao Si found Yu Zhanmo's tone hilarious:
"Alas, the An Lushan Rebellion was truly heartbreaking. It lasted for eight years, leaving the land desolate and barren. The once glorious Tang Dynasty plummeted from the heavens to the depths of desolation in an instant."
You say, could it be fate? The once prosperous Kaiyuan era, despite its many hidden dangers, was still arguably the world's strongest nation. 'Great legacies always leave behind unexpected chaos and decline...'
Yu Zhanmo sighed, "Alas, who could have imagined it? Li Longji's Kaiyuan era was truly the peak of the Tang Dynasty, but unfortunately everything collapsed after the An Lushan Rebellion."
Little Si laughed:
"You're right. However, Li Longji's Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai in 725 satisfied his supreme vanity!"
His mind wasn't on matters of state; he simply wanted to declare to the world, 'Look, this is the greatness of my king!'
Xiao Si waved his hand mockingly: "As for his daughter-in-law Yang Guifei, he truly dotes on her and treats her like royalty."
The royal family, ironically, is the least morally upright place. We can only sit back and watch this 'historical drama unfold.' If we were part of it, we would all be vying for power and resources, desperately tearing apart any power or resources we could grasp.
Yu Zhanmo chuckled: "Little Si, you've certainly made Li Longji sound quite unpleasant. After all, he was indeed extremely brilliant and became a role model back then. It's just that the situation and people's hearts are often unpredictable..."
Xiao Si curled her lip: "Human heart? Sigh, the so-called 'heart' is just the embodiment of desire."
Look at Li Longji. He initially won the struggle, but he unconsciously bound himself with the shackles of 'honor,' and he was almost crushed by this vanity!
Add to that his love affair with his favorite concubine... Ah, the royal family is always so 'perfect,' but that highest level of perfection is often the most imperfect..."
Little Si stretched again and said with a grin:
"Yu Zhanmo, we're still in Lushui City. I wonder when we can turn back time."
Hey, do you know about the Fubing system? It's a very interesting military system in ancient China!
Yu Zhanmo nodded, then stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Of course I know, Little Si. This system was first established during the Western Wei Dynasty, right? We can't underestimate it!"
Xiao Si began to explain with great enthusiasm:
"That's right! The best part is that it perfectly combines 'being a soldier' and 'farming'!"
These soldiers are just ordinary farmers, farming to support their families, and they can watch TV dramas in the evenings.
When the farming season is over, pick up the hoe and replace it with a spear, train a bit, and pretend to be a hero.
If a real war breaks out, I'll just put on armor, transform into a warrior, and wield a big sword to fight the enemy! Who knows, I might even get a legitimate position…”
Yu Zhanmo smiled and nodded, speaking with the air of an expert:
"Yes, this system was used from the Western Wei Dynasty all the way to the Northern Zhou, Sui Dynasty, and even the early Tang Dynasty. It lasted for almost two hundred years, which is practically an ageless legend in the long river of history! However, back then there were no TV dramas to watch, so people usually just chatted like the two of us!"
Little Si clapped its hands:
"Haha, I've traveled back to ancient times! It's been so long since I've watched any TV dramas!"
But historical dramas are more interesting.
So, by the time of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the Fubing system had reached its peak? However—"
She made a mysterious pause.
"This system was abolished during the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang." She added in an exaggerated tone, "Just like many old games have been phased out, sigh, it's really a sad story."
Yu Zhanmo stroked his chin:
"Speaking of this, the Western Wei was split into two parts, East and West, in order to fight against the Eastern Wei from the very beginning."
In the eighth year of the Datong era, Yuwen Tai was in a difficult situation. He organized the soldiers of the Six Garrisons and the Xianbei people in Guanzhong into six armies.
These soldiers weren't just sitting around doing nothing; they had to provide their own weapons and horses, relying entirely on themselves.
Xiao Si's eyes widened: "That's right! Look at them, same name, different era, different actions. Back then, who would dare to join the army without some skills?!"
There were also special military prefectures throughout the country responsible for selecting and training soldiers.
That year, the Western Wei and Eastern Wei went to war at Mangshan in Luoyang. The Western Wei suffered a great loss, resulting in heavy casualties.
Yu Zhanmo wore a sighing expression:
“Alas, there are not enough soldiers. In the following years, the Western Wei began to absorb local Han Chinese gentry and militia from the Guanzhong region, and even specially selected some well-known local people to be leaders.”
Oh, that's a real leader!! Not a nominal 'manager,' but a true commander leading troops into battle!
Little Si said admiringly:
"You're right! By the sixteenth year of the Datong era, the Western Wei had already established a massive military system with eight pillars of state, twelve generals, and twenty-four officials in charge of military posts!"
Moreover, the establishment of these Eight Pillars of State was modeled after the Eight Tribes system of the Xianbei Tuoba tribe, which was truly ingenious.
Yu Zhanmo gestured with his fingers in the air a few times:
"Yuwen Tai is the commander-in-chief, but Wei Zongshi Yuan Xin is just a figurehead."
The real power lay with the Six Pillars of State, much like the Zhou Dynasty's system of six armies.
Little Si smiled and snapped his fingers:
This leads to the Fubing system (a military system) in the early Tang Dynasty!
Did you know that in the Tang Dynasty, there was a military government in the central government? The officers there were all selected from ordinary people. Back when my father was in his prime, it wasn't difficult to join the army; it just depended on your ability!
Yu Zhanmo pondered for a moment, then gently patted his forehead:
"Alas, we always dwell on the past..."
These soldiers farmed the land to support their families, and the people also had some surplus wealth, so agriculture was not neglected.
Once war breaks out, they can be quickly 'summoned' and transformed into warriors.
This is far better than part-time employees in the future!
This saved the country's military spending without interfering with farmland cultivation, truly achieving a win-win situation!
Xiao Si gently patted Yu Zhanmo's back:
"Indeed! But this system was later replaced by a conscription system. Otherwise, those displaced people whose land was seized by powerful families would also become a destabilizing factor in society. Recruiting them into the army was also a means of stabilizing society."
I just don't understand why it has to be rolled up like that?
If the wealthy and powerful hadn't initially seized the assets of ordinary people by force, there wouldn't have been so many displaced people, and there would have been no need to bother appeasing them.
It's really puzzling...
In my opinion, the Fubing system was the most practical military system in ancient times.
It can both ensure national security and allow people to live a comfortable life—killing two birds with one stone, truly remarkable!
Yu Zhanmo responded with a smile:
"Indeed, the Fubing system has a mechanism of 'farming and fighting in parallel,' which can greatly reduce military expenditures!"
Xiao Si spread his hands and laughed:
"Haha, you're right! But even if we want to farm and join the army, we'll probably have to start by building up our physical strength and losing a few pounds of fat first!"