Three Kingdoms, Myth

"Only military merit can grant nobility, and only noble titles can grant high office." If this were said during the Song Dynasty, where scholars held power, it would be met with fierce opposition. In the Ming Dynasty, where military officials were automatically considered inferior to civil officials, such a statement would be met with ridicule and disdain.

This is why later dynasties criticized this notion. It was because scholars held power, and they couldn't allow military officials to rise to prominence. The corrupt scholars always believed they were right, while military officials were always seen as inferior. This mentality led to their repeated defeats. The scholars would even say things like, "Better to die with honor as a starving corpse than to fight back like a praying mantis," showing just how low their standards had fallen.

However, in this era, civil officials hadn't yet seized total control. From the Qin Dynasty's system of awarding merit through military achievements to the Han Dynasty's slightly modified system of granting noble titles for military service, one thing was clear: pure civil officials didn't exist in this era. Almost everyone had been on the battlefield at some point. Ban Chao could put down his pen and go to war, and Li Dian could toss aside his books and become an excellent general. In this era, civil and military duties were not separate.

The Six Arts of a Gentleman—archery and charioteering—were just as important as ritual and music. If someone in the Han Dynasty got angry enough, even a random censor could turn into a general. Martial spirit was deeply ingrained in this era. There might not be many literate people, but there were plenty who could fight. After all, if you wanted to be ennobled, you had to be prepared to go to war!

Because of this long-standing tradition, people like Jia Xu had no issues with the idea that only military merit could grant nobility. When Chen Xi mentioned that scars from battle were a badge of honor, the strategists who had been on the battlefield themselves nodded in agreement. Whether or not this approach was extreme didn't really matter.

"Next, let's talk about the Jingling Temple. Every soldier who dies on the battlefield will have their name engraved on a monument in front of the temple. During the four seasons, we will conduct ceremonies with sacrifices that match those offered to princes and kings. This will serve as the final resting place for all our soldiers," Chen Xi continued, returning to the original topic. He wanted to give benefits to the living and honor to the dead so that those who lived would have no worries, and those who died would have no regrets.

"Although this might seem to overstep our bounds..." Man Chong and Liu Ye exchanged a glance and murmured, "But considering the reasoning behind it, it should be acceptable."

"Let's not worry about overstepping boundaries. Some things, even if they exceed the limits, will still be overlooked by everyone," Chen Xi waved his hand dismissively. He didn't care about overstepping boundaries. If he weren't worried about making things too grand and creating a spectacle, he would have considered using the grand rituals reserved for worshiping heaven. In this era of the Han Dynasty, where honor and loyalty were highly valued, that level of glory would attract countless people like moths to a flame.

"Zichuan, continue with your plan. This should be a complete system. You've already talked about honoring the dead, so now it should be about taking care of the living, right?" Jia Xu motioned for Chen Xi to continue. For someone like Jia Xu, overstepping boundaries wasn't a concern as long as he felt safe.

"Yes, for the families of those who died in battle, they will be exempt from agricultural taxes until their eldest son turns eighteen. The family can also send one child to the government for compulsory education. For three years, they can study anything they want for free, as long as they have the ability to complete it," Chen Xi explained casually. These were systems he had gradually built up over time, and now they were finally ready to be put into practice.

"This isn't a huge financial burden, but it's very valuable. However, what if the eldest son is already eighteen?" Lu Su asked a somewhat amusing question.

Chen Xi paused, then realized that this wasn't the modern era. It was quite possible that the eldest son could already be eighteen. Despite the retirement system, some people might still die in battle at thirty-three or thirty-four, and in this era, it wasn't uncommon for commoners to marry at thirteen or fourteen. So having an eighteen-year-old son wasn't out of the question.

"Hmm, in that case, if the eldest son is under fifteen, in addition to the five-year pension, the family will be exempt from taxes, and they'll receive a stipend. After five years of support, plus three years of education with room and board, the child should be able to start earning a living. It's not that I don't want to give more; it's just that this compensation plan involves so many people. Once we make a promise, we have to fulfill it. If the morale of the army falters, it could be a big problem. After all, the money I have circulating isn't infinite," Chen Xi said.

"The pension is for five years? Hmm, I thought Zichuan would give ten years of pension like before, but it seems you've only provided five this time," Lu Su chuckled. When Chen Xi first mentioned pensions, Lu Su had prepared to allocate funds for ten years of payments. He hadn't expected Chen Xi to stop at five years—it seemed a bit out of character.

"Yes, the first pension payment is for five years," Chen Xi replied calmly.

"So there's a second payment?" Lu Su sighed. He knew that Chen Xi wouldn't shortchange people, and sure enough, there was more to it.

"The first pension payment goes to the widow. If she continues to fulfill her duty of raising the children, she'll receive half of her husband's annual salary every year for ten years. Additionally, when the government has suitable work for women, these widows will have priority. After ten years, if the child is still under fifteen, the payments will be extended until the child turns fifteen. At the same time, the injured veterans who have returned home will have supervisory authority to oversee the government..." Chen Xi glanced at Lu Su, then continued with a smile.

"Of course, you'll still pay the full amount," Lu Su sighed. He had expected this from Chen Xi.

"This approach is good. The benefits for injured veterans and retired soldiers are probably also distributed annually, with everything being handed out together. Using the bonds of camaraderie and hometown ties to protect these benefits," Liu Ye said, stroking his beard with satisfaction. Chen Xi seemed to have thought of everything.

"Yes, only by having these retired soldiers band together can they ensure their benefits. And those who aren't seriously injured can be given priority to become bailiffs, which will make it easier for them to protect their interests," Chen Xi nodded, showing that he had some understanding of checks and balances.

"As for the elite soldiers Jia Xu mentioned, they will be the guardians. The city management and patrol units will consist of elite troops—around thirty-five years old, having fought hundreds of battles, and uninjured. They'll be tasked with patrolling the city and guarding the Jingling Temple. I refuse to believe that with this level of protection, anyone would dare touch their money. If they do, these soldiers will cut off their hands! Bernin! I'll recommend you to take charge!" Chen Xi's eyes gleamed with cold determination. He didn't believe that under the pressure of such a purely violent force, anyone would dare to reach out.

"That's no problem," Man Chong nodded. He understood why Chen Xi was giving him such a unit. Although it was nominally under his control, the deterrent force it provided would be significant, and as a strict enforcer, he greatly appreciated this.

"Also, all retired soldiers, whether due to injury or age, will be taken to the Jingling Temple to offer incense before returning home. Likewise, newly enlisted soldiers, after being organized, will be brought to the Jingling Temple for the same ritual. My goal is for the Jingling Temple to never be without incense!" Chen Xi stood up, gazing solemnly at the sky outside. His goal was to forge a spirit—a never-ending martial spirit, one that would be etched into their souls.