Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Until a burly, broad-shouldered officer was mercilessly kicked out by Huangfu Changshui. Seeing this, Huangfu Changshui's personal guard, who had been waiting at the door, hurriedly stepped forward and shouted to the group of people in front of the door who still wanted to see the Marquis: "My lords, the Marquis will not see guests today. Please go back!"

However, this shout did not make the crowd retreat, but instead caused a commotion.

In the crowd, a captain excitedly shouted, "General! I have accompanied you in battles for many years, but I am still just a small captain. Now there is a vacancy in the Water Defense Battalion. I don't dare to ask for too much, I just hope to get the position of a thousand-man commander!" After speaking, he stared at the closed door, as if expecting a satisfactory answer from inside.

Another captain had a sad look on his face and said with a slightly choked voice: "My lord, my wife, children and the elderly all live in this city. I really can't bear to leave them. Besides, my mother is old and in poor health. I just want to stay in the city and accompany her through her later years." Before he finished speaking, tears flashed in his eyes.

For a moment, all kinds of pleading voices were heard one after another. "General..." "General..." It was heard over and over again.

Zhang Jingwei, standing by and observing the chaotic scene, was filled with confusion and bewilderment. He turned to look at Le Qian beside him and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't it said that military settlements and garrisons are provided with farmland? Logically, the conditions should be good. Why are these people still vying so hard to become soldiers?"

Hearing this, Le Qian frowned slightly and explained, "Although military farms are allocated in military settlements and garrisons, life there is extremely difficult. Sometimes, you can't even go home for half a year. For those who care about their families, this is undoubtedly a huge torture."

Zhang Jingwei nodded thoughtfully, then continued, "Since you've chosen to join the army, why are you so obsessed with taking care of your family? Didn't you think you might face a situation like this when you joined the army?"

Le Qian smiled bitterly and replied slowly: "Actually, I mentioned to you before that people like us who can't achieve anything through studying can only hope to make achievements in the army. But even so, we are still ordinary people after all, and we have family ties that we cannot give up. Who doesn't want to fight bravely on the battlefield and make achievements, while taking care of the safety of relatives at home?" When he said this, his eyes revealed a hint of helplessness and melancholy.

Zhang Jingwei sighed helplessly: "Alas, there is no such good thing in this world. Everyone, go back!"

At this moment, two or three veteran officers stepped forward from the crowd and said in unison, "Sir, we've long heard of your extraordinary talent and wit. I'm sure you can help us lobby!"

Zhang Jingwei frowned slightly, his eyes sweeping sharply over the old officers before him, and coldly questioned, "Do you...re you truly concerned about your families, or are you just afraid of death?"

One of the hot-tempered old officers blushed and shouted, "How could we be afraid of death? Think about the decisive battle with the Chahars. I, armed with only a shield and a spear, bravely withstood the charge of the Rong cavalry! You, a weak scholar, it's fine if you refuse to help, but don't insult me ​​with your nonsense!"

Zhang Jingwei remained unmoved and pressed on, "Since you all care so much about your families, why don't you move your family members into the village? That way, we can all take care of each other."

The officer known as Lao Fang replied impatiently, "The village is so small, how can we accommodate so many people? Are we going to have to squeeze everyone into one big bunk bed?"

At this time, another slightly older officer hurried out to smooth things over: "Okay, okay, Lao Fang, why bother with a child? Let's think of other ways first." After that, he pulled Lao Fang and turned away.

Zhang Jingwei quietly watched their receding figures, his mind brooding. After a moment, he took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door to Huangfu Changshui's room. Inside, he saw his father-in-law hunched over his desk, his hand resting on his forehead, seemingly lost in deep thought.

Huangfu Changshui said with a smile, "Sorry for the trouble." He shook his head slightly, as if he was a little embarrassed about what he had just said.

Zhang Jingwei quickly waved his hand and responded: "What are you saying, father-in-law? We are a family after all, how can you say that I am embarrassed?" He looked sincere, and his eyes revealed kindness and respect.

Huangfu Changshui sighed softly and said with emotion: "They are all good soldiers, all of them are good, but they are old and have more concerns, alas..." There was a hint of helplessness and regret in his words.

Zhang Jingwei hurriedly comforted him, "Father-in-law, please don't say that. They are the pillars of your army! If it weren't for brave men like them leading the charge, how could we have lived so peacefully for so many years?"

Huangfu Changshui nodded and said in agreement: "That's true, but the situation is urgent now. If we are not careful, the morale of the army may be unstable." As he spoke, he frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.

After a moment, Huangfu Changshui raised his head and looked at Zhang Jingwei, and asked, "My dear son-in-law, do you have any good ideas for this situation?"

Zhang Jingwei replied with a firm gaze, "In my opinion, the only way to relieve the pressure right now is to expand the business!"

Huangfu Changshui frowned upon hearing this and said worriedly, "Yunzhou not only has the Garrison Battalion and the Water Defense Battalion, but also four garrisons and over twenty large and small military camps. If all of them were to be expanded, the manpower, material, and financial resources required would be enormous. I'm afraid it would be difficult for you and I to solve this problem with our abilities alone!"

Zhang Jingwei raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and said with a confident smile: "Don't worry, father-in-law. In fact, I have a plan in mind that can relieve your worries."

Huangfu Changshui looked at Zhang Jingwei with great interest and said with a smile, "Haha, you little scholar, come and tell me."

Zhang Jingwei looked at Huangfu Changshui with a piercing gaze and said firmly, "Since we can't solve the current problem, Yunzhou, while not a large county, has a population of 300,000. From another perspective, the wealthy merchants in Yunzhou City are also making a lot of money. The military settlements also have a population of over 10,000. The soldiers' daily expenses for food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all substantial, and if their families are included, the costs are even greater. Therefore, I doubt any merchant would easily pass up such a promising business opportunity!"

Huangfu Changshui frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then responded, "That being said, this action doesn't violate the imperial system. It's just that since ancient times, the Celestial Empire has gone through so many years, and no one has ever dared to take this step and set such a precedent."

Zhang Jingwei raised his lips slightly and continued confidently, "Since no one has tried this before, why don't we, the father-in-law and the son-in-law, be the first to try it out! If this can be successfully accomplished, all the credit will naturally go to you, my father-in-law!"

Hearing this, Huangfu Changshui showed a hint of hesitation on his face. He sighed softly and said slowly: "This matter is of great importance. I need to give it some time to think it over carefully..."