If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1227 The Sage of War and the God of War

Guowei Liao was still struggling with the idea of ​​"a person destined to be without the 'Weiliaozi'", and found it difficult to get rid of these distracting thoughts.

However, he only thought it to himself, and deftly opened the scroll, saying, "Grand Tutor, do you know the four strategies of military tactics?"

Grand Tutor Yu said, "I've heard of it, but personally, I feel that dividing into four factions like this is useless."

Taking off your pants to fart is pointless and unnecessary.

"It doesn't seem very useful," Guowei Liao felt uneasy again. "If I, or a peerless general like Meng Tian, ​​Meng Yi, Bai Qi, or Wang Jian were to say this, it would indeed be fine."

At our level, we have long since integrated military strategy and wisdom into a unified whole, and can use all kinds of skills at will.

Indeed, there is no need to distinguish between factions anymore.

"Grand Tutor, your military strategy skills are woefully inadequate; you're clearly a novice. For you to say such things is rather presumptuous and boastful."

Grand Tutor Yu was displeased. “How is my military strategy and skills so lacking? Although I have never officially commanded troops in battle, when I was in Western Shu, I led tens of thousands of heroes to sweep away the evil influences on both sides of the Liusha River.”

“Everyone knows that fairies are not good at battle tactics. Besides, back then you were just a ‘vanguard’ charging into battle, and it was the Western generals who commanded the troops for you, right?” the Imperial Commander said.

Grand Tutor Yu said, "Isn't my ability to 'command generals' far superior to my ability to 'command soldiers'?"

Even Han Xin, the military genius who believed "the more the better," praised Liu Bang for his ability to "control generals." Although Liu Bang's sword was already at Han Xin's throat at that time, Han Xin had no choice but to give his approval.

The Grand Commandant said, “'General' refers to the ability to recognize talent and the way of being a ruler. We will only talk about military strategy now.”

Pure military strategy—Grand Tutor Yu, ask yourself honestly, are you good at it? How many troops have you led?
For a beginner like you, with limited natural talent, understanding the four strategic positions and following their rules on the battlefield is still very necessary.

"A meager talent?" Grand Tutor Yu was indignant. "Grand Commandant, if you don't understand, don't talk nonsense."

If I ever humbly described myself as having "meager talents," it was only in front of one person.

The one I just mentioned, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the "God of War".

I may not be able to compare to the God of War, but I am still the number one being in the world.

Seeing the doubt on the old man's face, Grand Tutor Yu said loudly, "I competed with the God of War in a dream in terms of battle formations. Although I lost more than I won, the situation was not too bad."

"The God of War? Others call me the 'Sage of War'!" the Grand Commandant said calmly.

Grand Tutor Yu shook his head and said, "Even if you four military sages were combined, you might not be able to defeat one 'military immortal'."

What is a 'saint'? A saint is one who transcends the mundane.

To put it bluntly, even the saints among mortals are still mortals.

"Immortals are those who transcend mortals, achieve harmony between humanity and nature, and merge with the Dao."

Guowei Liao couldn't hold back any longer and said coldly, "Four military sages are no match for a newly emerged military genius."

I don't believe it! Where is he? Who is he? Take me to meet him right now.

"I, too, will challenge him to a battle of wits in my dreams."

"Who he is, you'll find out yourself in the future without me telling you. But where he is now, I have no idea."

However, since I can engage in a battle of wits with him in my dreams, I can also practice a few rounds with you, Grand Commandant.”

Grand Tutor Yu was full of confidence, his eyes even showing a hint of provocation, "Well, does the Grand Commandant want to give it a try?"

"I've been eager to learn from the Grand Tutor's skills, please!" The Grand Commandant was in high spirits, showing no sign of backing down.

Grand Tutor Yu raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

In an instant, crimson dream bubbles appeared around them.

A "stage curtain" was drawn back in front of them, and without moving an inch, they found themselves on a vast and boundless battlefield.

"Lord Grand Commandant, please! You can choose the type of battlefield, the type of troops, and the number of troops first."

Two years in the dream, half an hour later in reality.

Guowei Liao and Yu Taishi reappeared in front of the large bookcase.

Grand Tutor Yu's complexion was rosy, his eyes were bright, and he looked even more radiant than before.

The old Grand Commandant looked tired, but his face showed no shock or disappointment. However, his gaze toward Grand Tutor Yu became somewhat complicated.

"What does the Grand Commandant say now? Ten major battles, each involving more than 50,000 people, and I haven't lost a single one," Grand Tutor Yu said with a smile.

Guowei Liao said, "But the Grand Tutor didn't win a single game either."

He then added, "In reality, the Grand Tutor would lose all ten of his battles."

Dream simulations have their limitations.

Many variables that are bound to occur in reality cannot be reflected in the dream battlefield.

In a real world war, I have far too many ways to break the deadlock.

In the dream, she fought ten major battles over two years. Grand Tutor Yu did not lose a single one because she was very cautious. She did not seek victory, but only built strongholds and fought tough battles, trying her best not to lose.

As the battle dragged on, both sides ran out of supplies. The opposing Wei Liao army only held an advantage in local battles, without any strategic overwhelming force. Left with no other option, they had to retreat.

If he retreats, wouldn't Grand Tutor Yu have won? Well, he didn't win, but at least he didn't lose.

All ten major battles were like this.

In reality, the Grand Commandant would certainly have resorted to unconventional tactics, such as spreading rumors to demoralize the enemy, or using a divisive strategy to force Grand Commandant Yu's forces to launch an attack.
Even without resorting to unconventional tactics, the Grand Commandant Liao could still hold out against Grand Tutor Yu by relying on the strength of the Qin state.

In the dream, there were no chaotic and unpredictable external factors, and both sides had exactly the same military strength and supplies.

Grand Tutor Yu was also well-versed in "Wei Liao Zi" and "Bai Qi's Military Treatise".

I learned it from a master, but I can’t break the trick!
As long as Grand Tutor Yu doesn't make any major mistakes, the State Commandery does not have an overwhelming advantage.

To avoid making a serious mistake, Grand Tutor Yu simply refrained from taking any risky actions.

Do not seek victory, but stability, thus being inherently invincible.

"Grand Commandant, you said it yourself. Let's set aside everything else and just compare pure military strategy. When I competed with the 'God of War' in military strategy, the situation was similar to today. Yet he won every battle, leaving me disheartened and my fighting spirit completely extinguished," said Grand Tutor Yu.

The Imperial Guard shook his head and said, "I don't believe it. When you fought that person, your mindset and goals were definitely different from today."

Today you don't seek to win, you only wish to avoid defeat.

They specifically waste my time, energy, and supplies.

There was no proactive advance, no fierce fighting, no life-or-death struggles, and no crucial moment in the war where a single decision determined the outcome.

Both of us are behaving strictly according to military strategy, arranging our troops and formations exactly as described in military texts. This fails to reveal our true abilities.

But when you're with that person, you'll definitely try to squeeze out their potential.

Everyone knows that Bai Qi won a great victory in the Battle of Changping.

However, the Qin army, with a total strength of 500,000, also suffered more than half casualties. The resources consumed prevented the Qin state from recovering for several years.

After such a crushing defeat, can we really say that Bai Qi was all talk and no action?

Or perhaps Zhao Kuo was severely underestimated, and he wasn't actually that much worse than Bai Qi? The fact is, in a duel, a warrior with a combat power of 100 points can definitely crush an opponent with a combat power of 60 points, and can fight however he wants and win however he wants.

On the battlefield, when both sides have equal troop strength, a commander with 100 points in military talent cannot overpower a commander with 60 points in ability, but who is cautious and avoids making major mistakes.

If Zhao Kuo hadn't been so reckless, the states of Qin and Zhao would surely have ended up like Grand Tutor Yu and Wei Liaozi in today's dream—one side had the advantage, but the result was a draw.

Of course, the above rules only apply to "battles between mortals" and have no effect on "warriors".

Grand Tutor Yu sighed, “I’m not a fool. When I first faced the God of War, of course I took the initiative to attack, to force him to his limits, and to squeeze both myself and the other side out.”

After losing dozens of games in a row, should I continue playing like this?

I've tried various tactics, such as building strongholds and fighting a protracted war, which had some effect, but not enough.

The so-called "building strongholds and fighting a protracted war" means striving to minimize mistakes and prevent the opponent from finding any loopholes.

But the God of War is a 'god,' not like a mortal!

He could easily find and exploit any loophole, and before I could react, he would amplify it infinitely, ultimately leading to my inexplicable and crushing defeat.

"How could this be so inexplicable?" the Imperial Commandant asked, puzzled.

"It was inexplicable, a defeat we were completely bewildered and didn't know why. Looking back at the whole battle, I still don't think I made any major mistakes," said Grand Tutor Yu.

The Grand Commandant exclaimed in astonishment, "Such a being truly exists in this world? I have lived for over ten thousand years, consulted Sima Rangju, exchanged military strategies with Wu Qi, and instructed Sun Bin."
"I've seen countless military strategists and unparalleled generals, but none of them are as exaggerated as you describe."

If he had heard her say this before his dream contest with Grand Tutor Yu, he would have thought she was incompetent.

But he had personally witnessed Grand Tutor Yu's military strategies.

Not particularly impressive, her moves were somewhat stiff. Her strengths are her down-to-earth approach, her lack of greed for quick results, and her avoidance of major mistakes. If a weakness is exploited, she can quickly detect it and adjust accordingly.

To deal with such a commander, you either need to use unconventional tactics or exhaust the nation's resources.

Grand Tutor Yu sighed, “This is the difference between humans and ‘immortals.’ Immortals are born as mortals, but they comprehend the Dao from nature and constantly elevate themselves.”

Even the Grand Commandant, and all the great military strategists he has met, who among them doesn't have a first-rate lineage?

The military genius had no teacher, relying solely on a third-rate military treatise passed down in his family. He observed the gathering and dispersing of clouds in the sky and looked down upon the ever-changing shape of the river. In the eyes of ordinary people, clouds are just clouds, and water is just water.

In his eyes, clouds could represent a vast army, and water could symbolize the evolution of military forces.

"How old is he?" the Imperial Guard asked in a hoarse voice.

“In his early twenties,” said Grand Tutor Yu.

"Oh my god~~~" the Grand Commandant groaned, "It really is 'God' who wants to destroy my Great Qin!"

Grand Tutor Yu shook his head and said, "No matter how strong the God of War is, he is only strong in terms of strength. The Great Qin has never perished because it was weaker than others."

In terms of absolute power, the Qin Dynasty was at a disadvantage from the very beginning.

The Qin army was very strong, but unfortunately there were immortals in the world.

Among the rebels who overthrew the Qin dynasty, ten near-Great Luo were easily gathered.

In terms of high-end combat capabilities, we are no match for them at all.

Now it's just that we've gained a military genius; for the other side, it's icing on the cake, while we're being sent ice into the snow—it doesn't matter anymore.

The Grand Commandant sighed, "Fortunately, Great Qin has the Grand Tutor. From the beginning, the Grand Tutor never intended to follow the old path of the Shang Dynasty's Grand Tutor Wen, who used force to quell the rebellion."

"Let's get back to the main topic, Grand Commandant, please continue with the 'Biographies of One Hundred Generals'," said Grand Tutor Yu.

Holding the scroll that he had once treasured and relied on as the trump card for Qin's comeback, Guowei Liao's old face was filled with bitterness and helplessness. "It seems there's no need to look at it anymore."

Before that 'God of War,' all the 'Hundred Generals of Qin' that I've meticulously prepared over the past few decades are merely someone else's military exploits.

Despite saying that, he still opened the scroll and explained: "The four aspects of military strategy are military situation, military skills, military yin and yang, and the highest level of military strategy, 'military power and tactics'."

Military strategy is characterized by rapid and unpredictable movements, striking first despite being late, and employing tactics of separation, reunification, and shifting allegiances. It is about using speed and agility to subdue the enemy.

My book, "Wei Liao Zi," can be considered the "military situation" among the four military strategies.

The strategy emphasizes gaining advantages over the enemy before battle; meticulously refining battlefield deployment during the battle to further expand these advantages; and ultimately, achieving overwhelming dominance after the battle.

As Guoweiliao spoke, he unfurled the scroll, which contained a series of pictorial images.

"These young talents are not yet famous, but they are all geniuses in the field of military strategy."

Upon closer inspection, Xiaoyu realized that none of them were familiar to her.

However, the "Bai Jiang Pu" provides very detailed information about them, including their birth dates, backgrounds, when they began their cultivation, what techniques they practiced, what their innate supernatural abilities were, and their character.

With this list of one hundred generals, Grand Tutor Yu could easily raise a terrifying army.

"So Chen Huan from Chengfu County is also in the 'List of One Hundred Generals'." Soon, Grand Tutor Yu spotted a familiar face.

She was somewhat surprised, but upon closer reflection, she found it quite reasonable.

Chen Huan nearly crippled or killed Chen Sheng, and this wasn't because Chen Sheng was too weak.

"Alas, what a pity for Chen Huan." Guowei Liao sighed, "He could have become the commander of ten thousand armies, leaving a lasting legacy and becoming famous for all time, but he died at the hands of an immortal at the very beginning of the chaos in the Central Plains."

He picked up a vermilion brush and drew a conspicuous "X" over the name of Chen Huan, the father of the city.

"Huh, what's he here?" A moment later, Grand Tutor Yu spotted another familiar face.

I was even more surprised than when I met Chen Huan.

"Who?" The Imperial Guard tilted his head and glanced at her, then followed her gaze to the Hundred Generals Register, and asked, "Is it Zhongli Mei? Do you know him?"

"During my travels across China, I met him once."

Zhongli Mei in the picture is very young, probably not even twenty years old.

The introduction clearly states that the innate supernatural power "Po Jun" is: to sense the aura of military force and find the flaws in military formations!

Completely correct.

"You included Zhongli Mei in the list of generals, but do you know where he is now?" Grand Tutor Yu asked with a strange expression.

The Hundred Generals Register is the "foundation of the Qin Dynasty" that this old man has been preparing for decades!

Guowei Liao said: "He used to be in Huaiyin, but later he killed someone and fled to Hengshan County and Zhongli County."

He became an outlaw in Mengshan. Then, several years later, one day, he suddenly disappeared without a trace.

"Why don't you keep a close eye on him?" Grand Tutor Yu asked.

"How could we not keep a close watch? From Huaiyin to Zhongli, we had Sima Ling keep a close eye on things," said the Imperial Commandant.

Xiao Yu was speechless and asked, "The Sima Ling of Hengshan County is his sworn brother, did you know that?"

"So it was the Sima Ling of Hengshan County who caused the problem." A hint of murderous intent appeared on the old face of the Grand Commandant. "I have painstakingly and secretly cultivated Zhongli Mei for ten years!"
As a result, all their efforts were in vain because of a mere Sima Ling. The great general protecting Qin was now seen as a potential rebel leader, Zhongli Mei. That Sima Ling deserved to die!

(End of this chapter)