The emergence of express delivery provided the soldiers with a sense of connection.
This connection naturally strengthened military morale.
It was even more significant when Lin Tian later introduced the ability for soldiers to mail money home.
Many soldiers worried deeply about their families.
However, apart from some important generals, ordinary soldiers did not have the means to send money home.
The sheer number of them made the task of delivering money to every soldier's home an immense undertaking.
This meant that much of the soldiers' earnings did not reach their families.
Many soldiers were unable to send money home.
But now, it was different. With money reaching their homes, they could finally offer some support to their families.
Their earnings provided a lifeline for their families.
For them, this was a seismic shift.
Many wept with joy at this development.
"Excellent, truly excellent, my family can finally receive my money!!"
"Wuuu wuuu! If I couldn't send money to my family, my little Bao might starve to death. Thankfully, thankfully, His Highness the Crown Prince allows us to mail money to our families!!"
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. This is all thanks to Your Highness the Crown Prince's benevolence. We will be eternally grateful!!"
While this undertaking might not seem grand, not comparable to a battlefield victory, it was an expression of concern for the people and had a profound impact on the soldiers.
Many soldiers were exceptionally satisfied with this logistical support, and because of it, their loyalty to Great Qin deepened.
Even many common people yearned to become soldiers.
On one hand, they wished to serve the country and achieve great deeds.
On the other hand, they also wanted to receive military pay and secure financial well-being for their families.
However, for Lin Tian, this kind of logistical support was merely a beginning.
He aimed to transform the army and the entire Great Qin from every aspect of life.
Therefore, at this point, Lin Tian proposed another policy.
Pig farming.
When the words "pig farming" were spoken, many were bewildered.
Pigs were not prevalent at this time. Although wild boars were common, domestic pigs were rarely raised.
This was because these pigs grew meat very slowly, consuming a lot of grain only to yield a meager ten or twenty jin of meat.
Moreover, their meat had a gamey odor that was unbearable.
It was far less delicious and practical than beef or mutton.
Consequently, when Lin Tian proposed pig farming, countless people were astonished.
"Your Highness, we, should we really raise pigs? What is the use of these pigs??"
"Yes, Your Highness, these pigs, they can't be for eating, can they!!"
"It's probably not for eating. If it were for eating, wouldn't that be a huge loss? Your Highness must have other uses for raising these pigs!!"
The military officers and court ministers held great respect for Lin Tian's capabilities.
Thus, the court ministers agreed with Lin Tian's proposal to raise pigs.
However, in their understanding, Lin Tian raising pigs was not for consumption but for some other purpose.
As for what that purpose might be, they had no idea.
Therefore, they gazed intently at Lin Tian, awaiting an unexpected answer.
However, Lin Tian's next response did indeed surpass their expectations.
"I want people to raise pigs, actually for eating, to improve the dietary provisions for the soldiers in the army!!"
"Pigs have low costs, strong reproductive capabilities, short growth cycles, and abundant meat, making them perfectly suitable for the soldiers to consume!!"
Upon hearing this, the ministers in the court fell silent, exchanging glances, unsure of what to say.
From Lin Tian's demeanor, they could tell he was serious.
And it was difficult to change what Lin Tian was serious about.
In this regard, Lin Tian's imperiousness was akin to that of Ying Zheng.
In some ways, Lin Tian's imperiousness had even surpassed Ying Zheng's.
Thus, after hesitating for over ten breaths, someone tentatively spoke.
"But Your Highness, the growth period of pigs is similar to that of sheep! Moreover, pigs have an indelible gamey odor that the soldiers might find unbearable to eat!!"
"Indeed, Your Highness! Since their growth period is similar to sheep, and the meat produced is not significantly different, why don't we raise sheep instead??"
Many people wished Lin Tian would raise sheep.
After all, pigs were a type of animal that almost no one raised.
Therefore, upon learning that Lin Tian intended to raise pigs, some even voiced their concerns.
"If we raise pigs, won't we incur losses??"
They worried that Lin Tian's actions would plunge Great Qin into difficulty and dissatisfy the soldiers.
Therefore, in their hearts, they opposed raising pigs.
However, given that everything Lin Tian had done previously had been successful,
even if they objected, they did not dare to protest too loudly.
Lin Tian naturally heard their objections.
He understood their concerns, as people's understanding of pig farming at this time was still rooted in the distant past.
But now, Lin Tian's method of pig farming would be entirely different from the past.
He intended to geld the pigs and then raise them in pens.
Pigs raised this way would not only be free of gamey odor but would also grow quickly, develop ample fat, and have short growth periods, making them very suitable for consumption.
In later generations, many people disliked fatty meat, but at this time, fat was a delicacy.
People lacked oil and fat, and for them, fat was essentially sustenance.
Eating more fat might lead to gaining a few jin of weight and a bit more strength.
This would be an excellent benefit for the soldiers.
It would be the same for the common people as well.
More importantly, the cost of raising pigs would be reduced.
This would enable many common people, many households, to raise pigs.
Under such circumstances, pork would increase significantly.
At that point, all the soldiers of Great Qin, all the people of Great Qin, would be able to eat meat.
If Lin Tian truly achieved this, there was no doubt that both the soldiers and the people of Great Qin would be eternally grateful to him.
However, the other ministers had not yet grasped this vision.
Even after Lin Tian explained his breeding method, the other ministers remained hesitant.
Fortunately, their indecision would not affect Lin Tian's decisions.
What Lin Tian intended to do, he would still do.