In any era, there are always death-row prisoners.
Especially in an environment like the Great Kang, many people could no longer survive and chose to take desperate risks.
Some went up the mountains to become bandits, others robbed homes and houses.
There were even those who, seeing their neighbour buy a few jin of millet during the day, would dare to slaughter the entire family at night just to seize those few jin of millet.
It sounded absurd, yet it happened every day.
Although the prefectures sent batches of death-row prisoners to the battlefield each month to serve as cannon fodder, the death cells in every prefecture and even county jail were never empty.
Though some of these people had pitiful backgrounds, they had indeed committed deliberate murder, and most of those they killed were also pitiful folk. They had to pay the price for their crimes.
“Your Highness feels that Sister Mulan’s suggestion is a good one.”
The Ninth Princess also joined in persuading him. “This palace understands that you are kind-hearted, Mr Jin, and unwilling to do such a thing. But consider this: even if you do not use them, they will still be executed. You are giving them a chance at life. This is doing a good deed!
Moreover, if Gada attacks again, there will surely be widespread war and devastation, with countless common people suffering innocently.
If you can produce hand grenades in large quantities, Mr Jin, they can be used to defend the border and resist foreign enemies. That would be an immense merit in saving countless lives!”
It must be said that the Ninth Princess was very skilled at persuasion.
Knowing that Jin Feng cared for the common people, she used that as her breakthrough, bringing up Gada’s invasion.
Jin Feng was indeed moved by her words.
“I can use death-row prisoners to help, but I must select these people myself, and they must return to Xihe Bay with me.”
Jin Feng stated his conditions.
Gunpowder was a matter of great importance. He had to keep the production method firmly in his own hands.
If that was not acceptable, he would rather explore it slowly on his own.
Or select some heinous bandits to do it. He would never place the laboratory outside.
The Ninth Princess and Qing Xinyao exchanged a glance, both appearing slightly disappointed.
But the Ninth Princess still nodded and said, “That is acceptable!”
“Then we shall do as you say, Mr Jin!”
Qing Xinyao added, “Later, I will have someone organise the records of those currently in the death cells and send them to you tomorrow. You may select whomever you wish.”
“Good,” Jin Feng said. “Actually, there are a few matters I would like to trouble you with as well, Lord Qing.”
“Please speak, Mr Jin!” Qing Xinyao set down his chopsticks.
“Her Highness has helped me obtain a second-class military quota, so I wish to recruit some soldiers here in Xichuan.” Jin Feng said.
There were detailed regulations for recruiting soldiers. It was not simply a matter of recruiting wherever one wished.
For example, Qing Huai’s Tielin Army was mostly drawn from his fief in Jinchuan County.
But the able-bodied young men near Jinchuan had almost all been recruited into the escort team, so Jin Feng could only recruit from other areas.
“How many men do you wish to recruit, Mr Jin?” Qing Xinyao asked.
“Fill the quota!” Jin Feng said. “Five thousand men!”
“This…” Qing Xinyao hesitated somewhat.
Although Xichuan was a large city, if Jin Feng took five thousand men, it would affect his own recruitment the following year.
“I can recruit from among the common people with brands on their faces, and it does not matter whether they are men or women!” Jin Feng added.
Upon hearing this, Qing Xinyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He did not dare recruit branded commoners himself, for they would be ostracised even if they entered the army.
Moreover, resettling these people lately had given him quite a headache. If Jin Feng was willing to recruit them, it would solve a major problem for him.
So he agreed without hesitation. “No problem.”
“There is one more matter. After the soldiers are recruited, I want the authority to suppress bandits throughout the entire Chuanshu region!”
Jin Feng put forward another condition.
For Qing Xinyao, suppressing bandits could quell public resentment and stabilise law and order in his jurisdiction.
The only issue was that most bandits were colluding with local gentry. Suppressing them would offend those gentry.
Many deeply rooted gentry families had intricate connections in the court.
When Qing Xinyao sent the Qingyuan Army and Changxin Army to suppress bandits, he faced enormous pressure and even had to borrow the name of Jin Feng’s Zhenyuan Escort Bureau.
Now that Jin Feng was voluntarily taking on this task, Qing Xinyao naturally agreed without hesitation.
“Mr Jin, this is hardly asking my brother for help. You are helping him.”
Qing Mulan teased with a smile. “If I did not know you better, I would think you were flattering my brother.”
“Sister Mulan, Mr Jin is not doing it to help Brother Xinyao, nor is he flattering him. He truly feels for the common people.”
The Ninth Princess stood and performed a courtesy to Jin Feng. “Mr Jin, on behalf of the people of Chuanshu, and on behalf of my imperial father, I thank you!”
As long as one was not blind, everyone knew that Chuanshu was likely to suffer poor harvests next year, or even total failure.
When the bandits came to collect their “annual tribute” again, the common people truly would not be able to survive.
If they could not survive, they would rebel.
Hearing this, Qing Xinyao also stood and performed a courtesy to Jin Feng. “For your great kindness, Mr Jin, the Qing family will remember it in our hearts!”
“You both speak too highly of it. I merely seek peace of mind.”
Jin Feng stood and returned their courtesies. “If you truly wish to repay me, when someone goes to the capital to lodge accusations against me later, please speak a few good words on my behalf.”
“As you are helping the Qing family in this matter, Mr Jin, the Qing family will naturally assist you with all our might!” Qing Xinyao quickly promised.
“This palace will also report the matter fully to my imperial father.” The Ninth Princess was already mentally drafting how to stir the emperor’s emotions.
Jin Feng smiled and clinked teacups with the two of them.
Besides seeking peace of mind in suppressing bandits, he naturally had other aims.
Turning ordinary commoners into qualified veteran soldiers required a transitional process.
Otherwise, many new recruits who had never seen blood would go weak in the legs on the battlefield. How could they fight then?
It would simply be sending them to die.
The blow to morale would also be severe.
Morale was a very mysterious thing.
If a force always won battles, they would develop a belief in certain victory. Just like the Black Armour Team, even facing Tubo elites ten times their number, they dared to fight and struggle.
The reverse was also true. If a force kept losing from the start, the soldiers would fear the battlefield.
They would naturally fight with hands tied, ready to flee at any moment.
The escorts had already proven that suppressing bandits was an excellent way to train troops.
Moreover, bandits hoarded grain like ground rats. Suppressing them could also yield grain supplies.
Seized money could serve as military funds.
Captured bandits could be sent to coal and salt mines as free labour.
It achieved multiple benefits at once.
Everyone was happy.
The only drawback was that suppressing bandits would offend the gentry and powerful clans who secretly supported them.
But Jin Feng had even dared to directly kill Xue Henglu. Would he fear mere gentry?
Moreover, he believed the Ninth Princess and Qing Xinyao would help him absorb some of the backlash.
So this request was easily agreed upon by both sides.
Qing Xinyao set down his teacup and said boldly, “If you have any other matters, Mr Jin, please state them all at once. Whatever I can do, I will not refuse!”
The two matters Jin Feng had just raised were phrased as requests for help, but in reality, they solved problems for him.
This left Qing Xinyao feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
He almost wished Jin Feng would make a few more demands.
“There truly is one final matter,” Jin Feng said. “I want the exclusive salt trading rights for the entire Xichuan region!”
Pfft!
Qing Xinyao had just taken a sip of tea and sprayed it straight out.
He was still too young. Too hasty!
