In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 572 An Indescribable Sense of Satisfaction

The imperial court always offered excellent conditions for conscripting soldiers, but once the people joined the army, they would find that the court's promises were nothing but bullshit.

The promised three meals a day actually consisted of three bowls of thin porridge with water visible at the bottom of the bowl. The promised two taels of silver in military pay were actually distributed in amounts less than half, or even less than a third. Anyone who had a family member or someone they knew who had served in the military knew these things, so the people were skeptical of the contents of the announcement.

"Officer."

Mustering his courage, Zhao Jie stepped forward and asked the officer next to the notice, "Are the recruitment conditions stated above all true?"

"of course it's true."

Without hesitation, the official replied, "This recruitment notice was personally issued by the prefect. How could it be fake? I can guarantee with my life that there will be no shortage of three meals a day, and not a single penny of the monthly military pay of one tael of silver will be deducted."

Wow!

There was an uproar.

Seeing the officials' resolute promises, the people were even more tempted and asked the officials how to join the army.

"Officer, what should I do if I want to join the army?"

"Old Zhang, you're already forty-five, and you're still thinking about joining the army?"

"Officer, I want to join the army."

"I want to join the army too."

"..."

Faced with the enthusiastic crowd of people signing up, the official smiled and replied, "Don't worry, everyone. Recruitment will officially begin tomorrow. You can come here to sign up first thing tomorrow morning, and someone will be in charge of the recruitment."

After saying that, the official said no more.

Meanwhile, the onlookers continued to discuss the matter.

"Three meals a day, meat every three days, and a tael of silver a month... I must join the army!"

"This is a treatment I never even dreamed of! I must come tomorrow and sign up as soon as possible."

"Me too."

"..."

Soon after, the first crowd dispersed, and a new group of people gathered around. When the scholar next to the notice read out the benefits listed in the notice, their reaction was exactly the same as the previous group. They were all very excited and wished they could sign up for the army right now.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jie and Zhao Er, who had left the announcement area, rushed back to their rented, simple house. While drinking large gulps of water to relieve their hunger, they began to discuss their situation.

"Brother Jie, are we really going to join the army?"

Zhao Er asked with some hesitation. The benefits offered in the announcement for joining the army were indeed very tempting, but the idea that a good man should not join the army, which he had formed over the years, still made him hesitate.

"Of course!"

Without hesitation, Zhao Jie said, "It's better to join the army than to go hungry every day. At least I can get a full meal."

As he spoke, Zhao Jie touched his lower abdomen. He and Zhao Er had only eaten a little food that morning, and their stomachs were now completely empty. Unfortunately, they were short of money and could not afford to buy food, so they could only fill their stomachs with water.

"Too."

Zhao Er nodded and muttered, "I wonder if the benefits mentioned in that announcement are valid. I hope they don't trick us into joining the army and then not give us enough to eat or pay us."

"Do not worry!"

Zhao Jie said with a smile, "Prefect Zheng is a good official and would never lie to us."

…………

…………

The next day, Zhao Jie and Zhao Er arrived at the area where the notice had been posted the day before. Because they were young, strong and in relatively good health, they were successfully recruited and became two new soldiers in Taicang County.

On the third day, the two successfully arrived at the makeshift military camp and ate the full meal they had been longing for!

The moment the cooks in the military camp brought out the steaming hot buns, Zhao Jie and Zhao Er's throats bobbed and their mouths watered.

"The prefect didn't lie to us, there really are steamed buns to eat."

Zhao Er grabbed a steamed bun in each hand and wolfed it down. The sweet taste of the bun exploded on his taste buds, making Zhao Er feel an urge to burst into tears!

When someone who has been eating bran and chaff year-round and is still not full eats a steaming hot white flour bun, the inner satisfaction they feel is indescribable.

"This tastes amazing! Is this what steamed buns really taste like?"

While eating, Zhao Er mumbled something indistinctly.

But no one cared what he said at that moment. The recruits, who were already starving, devoured the steamed buns on the table like hungry ghosts being reincarnated.

Before long, the first batch of steamed buns was completely devoured, and the new recruits patted their half-full bellies, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

"It's so delicious! The steamed buns are so delicious."

"This is the first time I've ever eaten a steamed bun! If I could eat steamed buns every day from now on, I'd feel it would be worth dying for."

"The prefect didn't lie to us; soldiers really do get to eat steamed buns."

"Yes! The prefect is truly a good official!"

"..."

With just a meal of steamed buns, Zheng Qing had already won the loyalty of these new recruits, which showed just how poor the living standards of ordinary people were back then.

However, just when the new recruits thought they had finished eating all the steamed buns, another batch of steamed buns was brought up by the cook.

"besides?"

Looking at the steaming buns in front of him, Zhao Jie couldn't help but ask the cook, "Brother, how many buns are left?"

"Eat as much as you can."

Or they might reply with a smile, "The prefect said that you must be well-fed, so you can eat as much as you want, and don't worry about not having enough steamed buns."

These words shocked all the new recruits.

"Good heavens! Steamed buns are all you can eat?"

"My goodness! The prefect is treating us so well! I thought we'd only get half a meal, but we actually get all the steamed buns we want."

"Great! I only ate half full just now, but I feel like I could eat five more steamed buns."

"I can eat ten more!"

"I can eat twenty!"

Stop bragging.

"..."

After the initial shock, the recruits transformed into gluttons once again, frantically devouring the steamed buns that were served. In no time, the newly served steamed buns were completely wiped out.

By this time, many new recruits with smaller appetites already had round bellies and felt bloated. But just then...

Another batch of steamed buns was brought up by the cook. Looking at the steaming buns on the table, many new recruits almost burst into tears.

The most painful thing in the world is having a delicious meal in front of you, but being unable to eat it because you have a small appetite...

Especially for these new recruits who have been starving for years, the feeling of having food right in front of them but being unable to eat it is heartbreaking.

On the contrary, some of the new recruits with bigger appetites were overjoyed and started eating the steamed buns again.

However... after the third batch of steamed buns was completely devoured, even the new recruits with the biggest appetites could no longer eat.

"I'm full! I really can't eat anymore."

"I ate 15 steamed buns."

"I ate 20!"

"I have a small appetite, I only ate 8..."

"What a pity! I wish my family could eat such good food too!"

"..."