However, the sergeants were extremely excited, they hadn't been so cool for a long time, and they didn't have to worry about being too stubborn to resist, they just had to fight around the thieves and reap the spoils!

These thieves are like frightened birds, one by one frightened and inexplicable, and their combat effectiveness is extremely low, and they can be captured with only fifty percent of their strength, which is all military feats! Don't be too cool!

Unconsciously, the thieves have all been captured, and the sergeants are still looking at the battlefield, hoping to find a few fish that have slipped through the net again, however, what follows is disappointment, how can there be any fish that have slipped through the net, all the thieves have been cleaned up by them!

Helplessly, everyone had to clean up the bodies of their comrades, and at this time, they found that the casualties of their comrades on the battlefield were negligible.

But it turned out that on the battlefield, except for a team of sergeants led by Wu Qi, there were no casualties at all, and the rest were all the corpses of thieves, this battle was very cool!

So, they began to clean up the battlefield and bury the bodies of the thieves. Of course, before burying it, first find the accompanying superintendent of the imperial history to record the merits.

Here, we have to talk about the military merit system of the Ming Dynasty.

The military merit system of the Ming Dynasty implemented two major standards: "judging merit by combat performance" and "judging merit by counting the head". The "first merit system" is the dominant standard in the Ming military merit system.

Judging military merits by combat performance is to examine the actual role and brave spirit of a sergeant from the perspective of the whole that determines the outcome of the battle. The first merit system is based on the number of enemy heads killed to evaluate the reward level.

Those who are seriously injured by swords and arrows before the battle will be promoted to the first level; Those who have the most times in the first place will be rewarded separately; If there is no injury and the number is more first, the reward will be stopped; Those with minor injuries will also be rewarded. Before the battle, he was the first to be the queen of the palace, cut the flag, and captured the head of the thief.

The Ming Dynasty distinguishes martial arts with the first merit of the fourth and the second rank of the battle merit. Where the first merit is fourth-class, the Japanese northern captivity, the Japanese Liaodong female straight, the Japanese and the western Fan Miao Man, and the Japanese inland anti-thief. And today's military exploits will definitely be determined as mainland anti-thieves. It is a fourth-class. All military merits are second-class, the day is wonderful, and the sun is the head. The fourth class of the first merit is actually divided into different categories of reward for the first merit according to the different targets of capture, while the second class of combat merit embodies the principle of judging merit by combat performance.

The reward for military merits is divided into four steps: first, the officer in charge will visit the scene in person to investigate the combat merits; the second is to check the documents by the patrol according to the imperial history, register the origin, and report the book; Third, after the Ministry of War checks, asks for rewards, and approves, it will be sent and issued; Fourth, after receiving the detailed message forwarded by the Ministry of Meritorious Service and the Ministry of War, the inspector who was originally responsible for the investigation and declaration of the Imperial History must review the roster originally declared, and if there is no objection, he shall approve the award of his post and award.

In fact, regional differences can also affect the level of awards.

"Ming History and Soldiers" said: Appreciate the meritorious service of the soldiers, and perform it as a routine. The north side is the top, the northeast side is second, the west and Miao Man are second, and the inland anti-thieves are second.

The specific criteria are: "Those who capture more than eight people and capture men and women will be promoted to the second level and rewarded with this; Seven or less, captured and killed, promoted to one level, rewarded; If there are less than five people, there are captures, and they will be promoted to one level, and they will not be rewarded; If there are less than three and more than four local officials and the dead local soldiers, they will be rewarded and will not be promoted. ”

As for the more detailed, it is the Chenghua year that it is stated that the merit will be promoted: 1. Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Yansui, Yatouguan, Datong, Xuanfu, and the customs thieves in the area of the book, one person will capture one and raise one level, and the three will be promoted to three levels; The two of them captured and killed one piece, which was the first to be promoted to one level, and the third player was promoted to three levels; Male and practical teachers, young men and women and acting positions; For all four or more prizes. 1. Liaodong female straight, one person captures and kills two to upgrade to one level, to six to three levels; The strong men and the actual teaching, the young men, women and those who are not as good as the seven or more will be rewarded and not promoted. 1. Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, Huguang, and Liangguang thieves Miao Man, one person captures three and raises one level, to nine people are promoted to three levels, and the strong men and the actual teaching are examined, and the young men, women and more than ten are not as good as the number, and they are rewarded. 1. Mainland anti-thieves, one person captures and beheads six pieces, and raises one level, to eighteen pieces, and upgrades to three levels: strong men and actual teachings, young boys, young girls and more than 19 people are not counted, and they will be rewarded. If the merit is not one place a day, it will be the same as the previous example: if it is a number of one place a day, the first level will be planned, and the rest will be rewarded.

The specific details are more complicated, so I won't say them one by one.

There are two ways to reward military merit: knighthood and wealth.

Jue, that is, the reward of the official knight, including promotion, knighthood, shadow, title, giving edicts and other means.

Among them, knighthood, shadow, title, and conferral are mainly special political honors for high-ranking generals or civilian officials who have won military merits by leading the army with civilian positions, and are generally drafted on an ad hoc basis and must be approved by the emperor himself.

But the knighthood was only a large-scale reward in the early days of the founding of the Ming Dynasty. But after that, the rest of the bounties became more common.

The above rewards are relatively distant for the majority of ordinary sergeants and military attachés, mainly for official promotions.

The rank of military attaché in the Ming Dynasty is generally divided into the following grades: Governor (Zheng Yipin), Governor Tongzhi (from the first product), Du Governor (Zheng Erpin), Du Commander (Zheng Yi Pin), Du Commander Tongzhi (from the second product), Du Du Waving the matter (Zheng Sanpin), Commander (Zheng Sanpin), Commander Tongzhi (from the third product), Commander Servant (Zheng Sipin), Wei Zhenfu (from the fifth product), Zheng Qianhu (Zheng Wupin), Deputy Thousand Households (from the fifth product), the Zhenfu (from the sixth product), and one hundred households (from the sixth product). Up to the sixth grade, there are no seven or eight military attachés, but only Guiguan has seven grades. Further down the ranks are the general flag, the small flag, the soldier and the people. Among them, 100 households and the town of Fu each have a trial position, and the trial job starts from the fifteenth year of Yongle, as a level, and half a salary. The governor of the same knowledge, the governor of the same affairs, the commander of the envoy, the same knowledge, the servant, the commander of the envoy, the same knowledge, the servant, the chief and deputy thousand households, the trial of the hundred households, the trial of the suppression, each has an acting position. Where the agency is in office, the first level of the post is added, the deputy 1,000 households are awarded to 100 households, and the 100 households and the trial institute are all crowned with the general flag. The acting office started in the first year of Jingtai, and he was a fighting level and did not support it. When the military rank is promoted, the probationary post and the acting position must be counted, and those who serve as the probationary post must have military merits to be granted, and those who are promoted to the probationary position, Yongle Ten Year Order: Martial arts promotion and probationary position, those who have not been awarded the actual award, must make meritorious service to be granted, and the additional post is not a military merit, although it is a grace case, it shall not be granted.

The 14th year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty: "The soldier has merit promoted to a small flag, the person is promoted to the crown with a small flag, the small flag is promoted to the general flag, the crown with a small flag is promoted to the crown with the general flag, the general flag is promoted to the test 100 households, the crown with the general flag is promoted to the actual 100 households, the trial town is promoted to the actual grant of the town, the actual award of the town is promoted to the actual grant of 100 households, the 100 households are promoted to the deputy 1,000 households, the deputy 1,000 households are promoted to the 1,000 households, the 1,000 households are promoted to command the affairs, the command is promoted to the same knowledge, the same knowledge is promoted to the commander, and so on. Its soldiers, the people to the small flag, the small flag to the general flag, the people to the test center to pacify, the general flag to the test hundred households, all have no signature. However, more than 100 households will be promoted by the second department, and their office will also be awarded at the first level. If there is a fate, it should be lowered, that is, it will be descended by this. ”

In addition to the above official promotions, there is also a kind of wealth. The so-called wealth is also a material reward.

In addition to clearly stipulating the amount of silver and banknotes, there are three forms of material rewards for military merits in the Ming Dynasty, that is, rewards, rewards, and rewards. These three types of rewards are not uniform across the country. It is basically divided into several major regions such as Shaanxi Trilateral, Datong, Xuanfu, Liaodong, Sichuan, Huguang, Guangdong, and Guizhou. For example, in the three sides of Shaanxi, Datong, Xuanfu these places, the reward is the commander of the capital, each member of the silver five taels, color section one table; Conductor, each member of the silver three taels, color section one table; Thousands of households, calm, two taels of silver and two horses of silk per member; Flag army, sheren, total small armor, etc., each two taels of silver, two horses of cloth. If the reward is given in Liaodong, it will become, commanding each member of silver and meat, and silk cloth two horses, while Sichuan will command each member of the banknote of 600 yuan, and the color section will be one table, and Huguang, Guangdong, Guizhou and Sichuan. The reward means that according to the local rules, it will still be doubled in addition to the regular reward. The amount of reward is subtracted from the reward, or the reward is subtracted from different places. For example, the three sides of Shaanxi should get two silver and color segments, minus the color section of the table, add two pieces of silk, get two silver and silk cloth, subtract the silk cloth, and in Sichuan, it becomes the one who deserves the banknotes, color segments, and silk cloth, minus the banknotes. In general, the north side is more important than the south.

And this time there are two big battles, Ming Zhongxin and his students played a decisive role in it, and won the main merit, and they didn't make much effort at all, but now it is the first merit, and there are a lot of thieves left, and now Ming Zhongxin eats meat, and they also drink thick soup! This is much more cost-effective than sitting at home in Beijing.

In the two big battles, the heads they harvested were real, and these are all military merits!

Don't you see the heads hanging from their saddles! What a harvest!

As a result, the on-site supervisor Yushi became the busiest person.

The Ming Dynasty implements a military merit inspection and audit system, and the main force is the official of the department, and this section refers to the six departments to the matter, and the province refers to the thirteen ways to supervise the imperial history. Their duty is to "supervise the discipline of the army if there is a tiger in the Ming Mountain, and supervise each of them in their own affairs." ”

And this time he went out on patrol because he was accompanied by the supervision of the imperial history, and he never expected that before he arrived in Yunnan, there would be two major battles, and all of them were victorious, this military feat, but it was a bargain!

Therefore, the superintendent of the army sat aside, waiting for the sergeants to come forward to verify and understand the heads of the captures, and the meritorious sergeants to investigate and make a book, so as to prepare for the promotion of rewards.

Of course, the thieves who were killed by the "Heavenly Thunder" were recorded on Ming Zhongxin and the students.

Ming Zhongxin had already turned around at this time, standing beside Wang Shouren and Wu Qi, discussing his next move.

As for military merits, there are their own students to record their merits.

"Master Ming! You've done a great job! Before Ming Zhongxin's horses could stand firm, Wu Qi boasted to him with admiration.

"General Wu praised it falsely!" Ming Zhongxin arched his hand and said with a smile, "Actually, the first credit this time is you, General Wu!" ”

"Me?" Wu Qi was stunned.

"What do you mean by that?" Wang Shouren also looked at Ming Zhongxin in confusion.

"Hmm!" Ming Zhongxin laughed and explained, "We surrounded and suppressed those thieves who came after us in front of the first line, and General Wu was among them!" ”

Wang Shouren's eyes lit up and he nodded unconsciously.

"Are there really pursuers?" Wu Qi was taken aback and looked at Wang Shouren.

"Yes, not only there are, but there are nearly 300 people!" Wang Shouren nodded in response.

"Three hundred?" Wu Qi stared at the two of them with wide eyes, and couldn't help but look them up and down, there were three hundred people? So how did you escape?

"We've wiped them all out!" Wang Shouren laughed.

"Exterminated?" At this time, Wu Qi was stunned.

After all, the news is shocking enough!

You must know that Wang Shouren and them, even if they add the team of people taken away by Wu Qi, there are only a few dozen people! In the face of 300 thieves, there is no chance of winning at all! And how did they win?

"This?" Wang Shouren was stunned, smiled bitterly, and looked at Ming Zhongxin, "How do you win?" We'll have to ask Master Ming! ”

"Master Ming?" Wu Qi looked at Ming Zhongxin strangely, what is this related to Ming Zhongxin? Could it be related to the "heavenly thunder"?

Thinking of this, his eyes lit up and he looked at Ming Zhongxin expectantly.

"Alas!" Ming Zhongxin sighed before he could say anything, after all, he didn't want to expose his secret weapon! But it's come to this, and there's no point in hiding it! Looking at Wang Shouren and Wu Qi, he said solemnly, "Don't hide it from the two adults, in fact, the so-called 'heavenly thunder' is a thing researched by the Ming family to open the mountain, I just brought some with me just in case, I never thought about it, I really used it!" ”

"What is used to open the mountain?" When the two heard this, they looked at each other and looked at Ming Zhongxin in puzzlement.

Ming Zhongxin said with a smile, "The matter has come to this, and Ming can't hide it from the two of you anymore!" ”

Obviously, this was a secret, and Wang Shouren and Wu Qi listened curiously.

"That thing is actually black medicine used in firecrackers!"

Firecrackers? Black medicine? Is it so powerful? Wang Shouren and Wu Qi frowned.

"Actually, it's gunpowder!" Ming Zhongxin is thorough.

"Gunpowder?" Wang Shouren and Wu Qi were even more stunned, does gunpowder have such power?

"There is no doubt that the Ming family has just mastered a method that can give full play to the power of gunpowder! However, it is still very unstable, so Ming did not say it clearly, of course, after that, if it can be more stable, it will definitely be dedicated to the court and used in the army. ”

That's it! Wang Shouren and Wu Qi looked at each other, with a hint of surprise in their eyes, and then a look of horror.

They thought, if this "improved gunpowder" is used in the army, will those enemies of the Ming Dynasty still have a way to live? The Ming army will be invincible, is the surrounding bandits still a problem? It's only a matter of time before they are exterminated, and when the time comes, Da Ming will have no external troubles, and he will be strong and abnormal!

What a weather it would be! It's exciting to think about!

But then their faces changed, and they thought of how miserable it would be if this "improved gunpowder" were used by hostile forces!