The turmoil caused by the death of Maeda Toshiie was brewing within the Toyotomi clan, and it would cause an even bigger storm in the future. The conflict between the Toyotomi clan and the Tokugawa clan was on the verge of breaking out. The balance was broken, and the situation was extremely urgent.
At the same time, the city of Beijing was not peaceful, for no other reason than that the rewarded soldiers and the spoils of war had all arrived in the capital. There were a lot of things that the Emperor had to deal with personally.
Therefore, Xiao Ruxun had to put down the government affairs at hand and hand them over to Wang Xijue to coordinate, while he led Zhen Bang and the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War to welcome the returning soldiers.
It was impossible for the 160,000 soldiers to all come back to receive the reward, so those who came back were the meritorious soldiers who had beheaded level 30 and above, and some outstanding low-level officers.
This was a rule set by Xiao Ruxun. High-level officers generally did not come with the army to attend the reward ceremony, so those who came were the middle and low-level officers and low-level soldiers.
They came back together with the 30,000 soldiers of the Azure Dragon Camp.
In this battle, the Qin Army had beheaded a total of 41,636 native soldiers from Bozhou, and a total of 663 meritorious soldiers and middle and low-level officers came back to attend the reward ceremony.
They came to the capital fully equipped, and some of them were seriously injured, but Xiao Ruxun requested that not one of them be missing, and that all of them must arrive.
Therefore, this group of meritorious soldiers and officers were transported back by boat, and they were not allowed to walk more than a few steps. They were treated very well.
When they came back, their food and other aspects were taken care of, and the injured were taken care of. When they returned to the capital, the injuries of these soldiers were almost healed.
Xiao Ruxun went ten miles out of the city to welcome the arrival of the meritorious soldiers. Holding Zhen Bang's hand, he personally inspected these soldiers and low-level officers who had made great contributions, and talked with them cordially.
Every one of them was received by the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Xiao Ruxun's concern for the soldiers at the bottom of the hierarchy had not lessened from the Ningxia era until he became the Emperor. Instead, he valued them even more. This caused Xiao Ruxun's prestige in the army to increase instead of decrease. From the generals to the soldiers, there was not a single person who did not know of the Emperor's existence and his care for them.
These soldiers who had made great contributions to the Daqin army would also become the backbone of the Daqin army in the future. As long as they were there, the Daqin dynasty would be as firm as a rock.
Xiao Ruxun was very happy to see them cry because the Emperor and the Crown Prince had personally comforted them.
Compared to the healthy soldiers, Xiao Ruxun was more concerned about the soldiers with bandages on their bodies.
Xiao Ruxun paid the most attention to the bleeding soldiers with bandages on their hands, legs, and even heads.
"Why are you so careless? Did your ears get chopped off? "
Xiao Ruxun touched the wound on the side of a soldier's ear with a pained expression. The soldier was so moved by the Emperor's treatment that his eyes were brimming with tears. He stood up straight and said loudly, "For Your Majesty, for the Daqin, even if I lose my life, I will not hesitate! Not to mention it's just an ear! "
Xiao Ruxun took a deep breath and shook his head. "I am very happy that you are willing to fight for me and for the Daqin. However, I hope that you can continue to live normally and healthily. You must cherish your body and keep it useful so that you can do more things.
I often entrust the clerks in the army to educate you. Don't talk about sacrificing yourself until the last moment. Every one of you is an elite that I have spent a lot of effort to train. I need you to live, and I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself! Do you understand? "
Xiao Ruxun's face was solemn. The soldier straightened his body with red eyes and shouted together with all the other officers and soldiers around him, "Understood!"
"Hmm!"
Xiao Ruxun softened her tone again. "There are enough medicinal herbs and military doctors in the army. If you are injured or ill, you must go and treat them. Each and every one of you is my treasure. Compared to these spoils of war, these gold, silver, and jewels, I care more about you and not these worldly possessions. Remember to cherish your own body."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
More than six hundred soldiers and officers shouted in unison.
Then, as Xiao Ruxun walked, he talked with these meritorious soldiers and officers cordially. He held their hands and expressed his gratitude for their tireless fighting. He told them that the Daqin would not forget their meritorious deeds. Then, he ordered the officers of the Ministry of War to read out the imperial edict of rewards.
Everyone's name was read out, and everyone received the rewards they deserved. Not only silver, but also official positions, as well as the tax-free plots of land in their homes, as well as oil, rice, flour, and meat for the parents and family of the soldiers.
These were things that low-level officers and soldiers desperately wanted. For them, their value was greater and more important than gold, silver, and jewelry. They risked their lives to fight on the frontlines. If something happened to their parents and family, how disappointed would they be?
Therefore, the Daqin would prioritize the legitimate rights and interests of every soldier's family so that the soldiers would not have to worry about anything. Only then could the soldiers truly feel the importance of the Daqin to them, feel the sense of belonging and loyalty, and only then would they be more willing to risk their lives to fight.
The victory ceremony was very grand. After it was done, Xiao Ruxun personally rode a horse and put Zhenbang on top of it. Then, he led the meritorious soldiers to the military camp that had been prepared for them in the northwest of the capital.
There were hot meals, hot dishes, hot soup, and hot water for bathing. Xiao Ruxun had already arranged for the palace eunuchs and imperial kitchen chefs to prepare everything for them. As soon as they arrived, they could start enjoying it. After receiving their rewards, they could also enjoy half a month's holiday to visit their families. They also didn't have to pay for their travel expenses.
All of the above expenses were not recorded in the accounts of the national treasury. They were all from the emperor's own funds. The Ministry of Finance, which Ye Xianggao was also in charge of, expressed their welcome.
The second half of the welcome ceremony was the banquet. The banquet was hosted by the emperor himself. Xiao Ruxun personally led the soldiers to eat, drink, and have fun. He brought them to eat meat and drink wine, giving them enough enjoyment.
Other than them, there were also a large number of soldiers who had rendered meritorious service, as well as clerks and commoners who worked for the logistics of the war. Their rewards would be given strictly according to the rules and regulations set by the court.
For the soldiers fighting for their lives on the frontlines, the emperor's personal reward was a manifestation of honor.
Of course, beheading level 30 was a very important indicator. If one hadn't reached level 30, even if it was only level 29, they couldn't return to the capital to participate in the emperor's personal reward ceremony.
The military judge, the clerk, and the gendarmerie would strictly abide by the military rules and regulations. They would conduct a tripartite review of the number of beheaded soldiers. Only soldiers who had obtained the approval of the three parties could participate in the reward ceremony. As for buying or forcing soldiers to hand over their heads, once it was discovered, no matter how high an officer was, he would be immediately punished by military law.
A light punishment would be removal of his post, expulsion from the barracks, and imprisonment. A heavy punishment would be beheading on the spot to maintain the dignity of military law.
In the Daqin army, military law was the most important. Under military law, there was no monarch, minister, or general, father or son.
Such strict military law could indeed protect the interests of many grass-roots soldiers. However, it also made many soldiers feel incomparable regret and hate themselves for not putting in enough effort. This was especially true for the soldiers who had beheaded more than level 20. This would continue to encourage them to work harder in the future.
Naturally, they would also follow the rules of the Daqin army. What was the reward for beheading level 1 and what was the reward for beheading level 2?
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