"The army has not a scrap of fabric to ward off the cold, while the Prime Minister has gold to build houses. Rewards and punishments are unclear, people are treated as worthless. With such a muddled leader, why should a general be loyal like a dog or horse?"
Pei Jue grasped her hand, his gaze becoming slightly heavy.
"Years of constant warfare have depleted the treasury. According to old practices, the Northern Yong Army should levy food and taxes locally..."
This was Jin Country's Imperial Court's rationale.
After the Northern Yong Army occupied places like Wanning and Andu, they should have, according to tradition, levied food and taxes locally to fund military expenses.
In other words, they should feed off the land as they fight.
However, because of Pei Jue's wartime policies, which included land distribution and tax exemptions to relieve the people, the common folk's lives improved but military expenses were reduced.
