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

Chapter 1475: Inspiring Generals

"I understand your good intentions, fellow Daoist. But you're thinking too simply. I'm willing to teach, but who can accept me?"
Once the Qin Dynasty fell, they immediately turned against each other.

"If the Meng family army is considered part of the authority of the Central Plains, do you believe me if I hand it over to them and they immediately mobilize the Meng family army to enter the pass and suppress other rebel kings?" Grand Tutor Yu said.

In her previous life on Earth, the Great Wall Legion of the North was indeed transferred to the Central Plains to participate in the chaos of the Central Plains.

It's often said that Zhang Han swept away the rebel armies using convicts, but that's not entirely accurate. First, the definition of a convict is inaccurate. To increase the conscription of able-bodied men, Li Si's "Old Qin Laws" turned many innocent civilians into convicts.

The prisoners of Lishan were essentially a group of respectable people.

Secondly, Zhang Han only initially dealt with the first wave of "monsters" using convicts. By the time he swept away the anti-Qin rebels led by Xiang Liang, Zhou Shi, and Wei Jiu, his main force had been replaced by the Great Wall Army marching south.

However, only the Qin soldiers transferred from Guanzhong to the north returned. The local garrison troops in the northern frontier mostly remained in the north to guard their homes.

Soldiers are human too, with parents, wives, and children. Abandon your own homes and families, let them be ravaged by the barbarians, and I'll go south to fight for you? You bastard, I'll take your life first!
Survival is the instinct of all living things, and also the instinct of all dynasties.

Grand Tutor Yu was able to defy the dynasty's instincts and was willing to leave the Qin people in the north to guard the Great Wall because she clearly realized that only the hearts of the people could save the situation, and that the army was sufficient, even a bit too much.

But she could overcome her instincts, something no one else could. Because she could escape unscathed after failing to save the Qin Dynasty, while they would lose their lives if they failed in their struggle for supremacy.

Lu Lingzi thought for a moment and said, "We can discuss the matter of the Northern Border with them in advance and see how they plan to proceed."

At the very least, it must be ensured that after the Xingyang court collapses, the new dynasty in the Central Plains can continue to supply the north with provisions and troops.

Grand Tutor Yu felt more and more that this guy was pedantic.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you think the situation will be like in China when Xingyang falls? Right now, Xingyang is already powerless to support the north."

The Central Plains will only deteriorate with each battle, to the point where there won't be enough food to feed the people. In cities near the battlefield, less than one in ten people will survive.

Who knows, by then, the northern prefectures of Daiyi, Jiuyuan, and Yunzhong will have become the most prosperous places in the Central Plains.

Lu Lingzi was shocked. "It can't be that bad, can it? Even during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, the fighting wasn't this bad. From the Western Zhou Dynasty to now, it's not like the Central Plains are so devastated that nine out of ten houses are empty."

Grand Tutor Yu said, "When the Qin Dynasty swept across the six kingdoms, the Central Plains must have suffered greatly, right?"

"It's far from being a border prefecture that could be called 'prosperous'," Lu Lingzi said.

Grand Tutor Yu sighed, “Fellow Daoist, we will probably meet you often in the future.”

Lu Lingzi asked doubtfully, "At least the area controlled by the true Son of Heaven won't be destroyed, right? Just like when King Wu attacked King Zhou, Xiqi only had soldiers transferred to it and had to bear heavier labor and taxes, but overall it was still okay."

When Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, Guanzhong was still relatively prosperous.

"Further words are useless. Let's wait and see!" said Grand Tutor Yu.

Lu Lingzi was uneasy and did not want to end the topic there. "Grand Tutor, in order to prevent the Central Plains from being ravaged and unable to support the North, should we strike first?"

"Whom should we subdue?" Grand Tutor Yu asked.

Lu Lingzi pointed north and said, "Didn't the Grand Tutor say last time that killing Maodun would only take two sword strikes?"

Grand Tutor Yu rolled his eyes. "I only needed two sword strikes to kill him, but before I could even swing those two swords, I was already overwhelmed by at least fifty immortals using their great supernatural powers."

“We’re not letting the Grand Tutor charge into battle alone; we’ll go with him. They have fifty immortals, and our Divine Continent can mobilize two hundred more, plus the invincible iron cavalry of the Meng family army. Let’s try to charge straight into the royal court.” A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Lingzi’s eyes as he made a decapitation gesture.

Grand Tutor Yu asked curiously, "Can you still summon two hundred Xuanmen immortals now?"

Lu Lingzi said, "Grand Tutor is a 'Great Immortal.' We will find two hundred or more Xuanmen Qi Refining practitioners to form an immortal formation to assist you."

Grand Tutor Yu wanted to roll his eyes again. "No, no! Such recklessness has a frighteningly low chance of winning."

The Great Wall Army is already short of supplies and manpower, making it difficult to even hold the northern defense line.

If we suffer a major defeat and the situation in the north completely collapses, then we will be condemned for all time.

Thinking that Lu Lingzi ultimately represented a part of the Xuanmen forces, she paused and then said, "However, if you can find at least one hundred fellow Daoists whose realm is no less than that of a Celestial Immortal, and at least two Great Luo Golden Immortals to support you, I can discuss the Northern Expedition with General Meng."

She was actually very unwilling to let the Left Wise King Maodun leave.

Maodun was even more "despicable" than Xiuge.

He led the Xiongnu cavalry along the Great Wall defense line, without venturing deep into the north. His purpose was to hinder the Great Wall army.

Before the Xiongnu approached the Great Wall, the Great Wall troops were scattered and stationed in hundreds of fortresses. During the busy farming season, they would also return home to plow the fields and harvest wheat.

But once the Xiongnu arrive, all the armies will inevitably converge on one place.

If Maodun were to attack the pass, it would be a good fight between soldiers and generals.

Instead of attacking the passes, Modu led his Xiongnu cavalry along the Great Wall from west to east, a journey of 20,000 li (approximately 10,000 kilometers) from early spring to autumn. At least one-fifth of the main force of the Great Wall army had to accompany him on this journey.

Production was impossible, and during the long march, the loss of food and supplies was ten times greater than usual.

Why did Meng Yi disguise himself as an ordinary scout when he came to see Grand Tutor Yu?
He was facing off against Modu across the Great Wall. If Modu found an opening, he would immediately lead a wave of Xiongnu cavalry to attack.

This underhanded tactic immediately angered Grand Tutor Yu.

But when the thought of killing this guy crossed her mind, it was as if a fire alarm had been triggered deep within her heart, and the alarm bells of her sense of crisis rang out loudly.

Lu Lingzi was both shocked and troubled, saying, "After a Great Luo Golden Immortal escapes the cycle of reincarnation, he basically doesn't care about human affairs, and he doesn't even do good deeds anymore."

Grand Tutor Yu said solemnly, "Although we haven't locked onto a target, the Xiongnu must have power no less than that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal."

Without a Grand Luo Golden Immortal to hold the line, our decision to leave the Great Wall defenses would be tantamount to suicide!

Lu Lingzi exclaimed in surprise, "Power no less than that of a Great Luo Immortal? Is he a demon god or an immortal?"

"I'm not sure. I just felt particularly heavy-hearted when I stood outside Modu's camp, as if a dark cloud stretched from the far north all the way to the Xiongnu camp, pressing down on me."

"They probably haven't noticed me, but they're constantly suppressing the fortune of Maodun," said Grand Tutor Yu.

"It must be an ancient demon god!" Lu Lingzi gritted his teeth and said, "Human immortals may help the Dragon Court to absolve their sins, but Great Luo Golden Immortals are not tainted by karma and will not help alien races! Helping alien races will only bring great karma."

Grand Tutor, you should have told me about this sooner.

I must immediately inform my fellow Daoists and have them contact their respective patriarchs.

"In the north there are demon gods, and in my divine land there is also a Great Luo!"

After saying that, he hurriedly flew away in a flash.

"Alas, if I can sense the aura, how could your ancestors have been completely unaware?"

Grand Tutor Yu sighed and prepared to leave Dai County.

"Grand Tutor~~" A black-armored warrior, holding a long sword at his waist, ran like the wind from the direction of the camp outside the city.

He was Meng Huo, Meng Yi's nephew and chief bodyguard.

"General Meng, is there something you need from me?" Grand Tutor Yu asked as he approached. Meng Yi bowed first, then nodded and said, "The general saw that the Grand Tutor was looking at the newly arrived group of 'Heavenly Mandate Ministers' from the city wall, and sent me to inquire about it."

Those people have been verified and are about to go to various places to take up their posts.

"I wonder if the Grand Tutor has given any instructions?"

Grand Tutor Yu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Have them line up outside the command tent and wait. I'll be there right away."

If it weren't for Han Xin, she wouldn't bother with them at all.

Han Xin stood there lazily, but his spirits were not bad, much better than Xiao He's.

Xiao He looked ten years older; he was weathered and his eyes had lost their sparkle.

Unlike Han Xin, who only cared about himself, Xiao's family of over a hundred people were all relocated from Pei County to Guanzhong. He didn't even know their exact address.

"Grand Tutor Yu has arrived!" With a loud shout from Meng Huo, Grand Tutor Yu descended from the sky, his robes fluttering.

"This humble general pays his respects to the Grand Tutor!" Meng Yi led a group of officers in bowing in unison to welcome him.

The group of "divinely appointed ministers" had different expressions and were a couple of beats slower in their movements, but they still knelt down and kowtowed.

"No need for grand ceremony in the army." Grand Tutor Yu waved his sleeve, and a gentle, wind-like force lifted everyone in the camp, causing them to stand up unconsciously.

Han Xin secretly glanced at Grand Tutor Yu, his eyes filled with amazement, as well as curiosity and suspicion.

Grand Tutor Yu glanced at them and said, "Looking at your dejected appearance, it seems that sending you to the north to guard the frontier is a disservice to you."
Do you think your talents and good fortune are comparable to General Meng Yi's?
Both of the Meng generals possessed the talent of prime ministers, yet they diligently guarded the Central Plains in the north for hundreds of years.

If you want to complain, first establish achievements here that surpass theirs.

You don't need to worry about not having a chance.

The rebels in China colluded with foreign barbarians, causing endless rebellions in the Central Plains, while the barbarians migrated south every year.

As long as you perform meritorious service, the imperial court will certainly reward you handsomely.

Even if you were given the chance, you would still be useless. Don't even dream of returning to the Central Plains and conquering the world.

"You can't even get past the Xiongnu, how can you possibly defeat the Qin Dynasty?"

They all lowered their heads and kept their mouths shut, their faces showing a hint of "I'm not convinced."

Grand Tutor Yu turned to Meng Yi and asked, "Are their posts close to the front lines?"

Meng Yi turned around, took the booklet from an officer, handed it to her, and said, "They are not familiar with the situation in the north, so they will first train soldiers, prepare provisions, and organize military reclamation in the rear county towns."

He will not be required to go to the front lines during his term of office.

After their three-year term, depending on their performance, they might be transferred to important positions in the military.

If you can stay in the company for three years without running away, you'll basically gain his trust and be able to be entrusted with important responsibilities.

Grand Tutor Yu said, "For ordinary people, this arrangement is appropriate. But they are not ordinary people."

At this moment, they must have been filled with immense grief, indignation, and resentment.

If you put them in ordinary positions and let them waste their time, they will have plenty of free time to complain about the unfairness of fate.

Send them straight to the front lines. They'll see bloodshed within three days, and then lead them on patrols of the grasslands in ten days.

If you want to run, run now; those who stay are the real heroes.

An assessment will be conducted one month later. Those who perform well will be immediately granted important positions, such as commander of a thousand or ten thousand men.

If Han Xin is left to do odd jobs in the rear, he will definitely find a chance to sneak away.

He is a military genius, a general who wins battles. Only war and bloodshed can activate the instincts of a born general, truly bringing him to life and even making him exhilarated.

Meng Yi glanced at the "Heavenly Mandate Assistants," and their expressions changed one by one, some with fear, some with anger, and they wanted to shout.

"The Xingyang court's arrangement for them is to appoint them as officials governing a region, such as county lieutenants or county magistrates. They are not to serve as soldiers directly on the front lines," he said tactfully.

—If we let them serve as local officials in the rear, at least they could be of some use. Now, changing our minds and sending them all to the front lines, they'll either die or run away, rendering them all useless. When the news reaches the Central Plains, the court's credibility will be ruined.

Grand Tutor Yu understood his unspoken meaning, after all, they had discussed this matter in their dream meeting before.

"They still retain their status as county magistrates and lieutenants. The northern frontier is different from the Central Plains. The county magistrates and lieutenants here may face Xiongnu cavalry crossing the Great Wall and raiding villages at any time."

Now let them demonstrate their talents as 'divinely appointed ministers'.

Incompetent good-for-nothings, when faced with the Xiongnu's sabers, should recognize their own worthlessness early on, so as not to be full of resentment and constantly put on a miserable face when facing the people under their rule.

Those with true talent can be promoted three ranks directly, from a county magistrate governing a region to a military commander in charge of his own affairs, and even be allowed to form his own legion.

Like you, you manage the military and political affairs of one or more counties.

This is the only way to fundamentally alleviate the pressure on the Great Wall Army.

Upon hearing this, not only did Meng Yi show a shocked expression, but the "Heaven-ordained ministers" also looked incredulous.

"Grand Tutor, you think so highly of them? They..." Meng Yi looked at the group of green recruits with surprise and doubt. They all looked like ugly ducklings!

Grand Tutor Yu curled his lip and said contemptuously, "I don't think much of them at all. I think they're just a bunch of arrogant and stupid donkey dung."

They had expressions that said, "I'm so wronged, the North isn't good enough for me," which really annoyed me.

I'll make these women from the South cry before these northern heroes.

"Hahaha~~" The northern soldiers in the camp burst into laughter.

The "divinely appointed ministers" blushed, their eyes blazing with fury.

Some heroes of the martial world overcame their fear of Grand Tutor Yu and shouted, "Grand Tutor Yu, do you think your petty tricks are any good? It's just a provocation."

We won't fall for it.

Grand Tutor Yu laughed and said, "Whatever you think won't affect the speed at which the Xiongnu wield their swords."

I will stay in the North for a few months, and I will record any of you crying using the Qi Shadow Technique.

The next time a proclamation is issued to the people, the footage of you kneeling and weeping under the Xiongnu's scimitars will be shown to the people of the Central Plains.

She had absolutely no expectations of anyone else.

If you have no expectations, what's the point of trying to provoke me?
She only cares about Han Xin; as long as she can train him, it doesn't matter if everyone else is crippled.

(End of this chapter)