Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 14: Enlisting the military and meeting the wise
As time approached noon, Wang Hong's lecture was coming to an end.

Closing the bamboo slips, Wang Hong said calmly: "Is there anything you don't understand in today's lecture?"

The scholars in the hall lowered their heads in silence. The dance of the maids in the middle had already attracted their attention. How could they remember what Wang Hong had said in class today?

Zhang Yu was organizing his notes and was about to stand up to ask questions when he saw a scholar already asking questions to Wang Hong.

This scholar was thin and his Confucian robes had faded from washing, forming a sharp contrast with the scholars in brocade and jade clothes. However, he was not affected by these external things. He held his head high, spoke forcefully, and was full of confidence in his every move.

The saying "maybe he is materially poor but strong in spirit" is exactly about this person!
"I would like to ask you, sir. I serve you with loyalty, but you treat me rudely. What should I do?" said the scholar.

Wang Hong looked in the direction of the voice and said, "I should give you a warning!"

"If you do not accept it and are blocked by the villain, what should you do?" asked the scholar.

Wang Hong raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Confucius said, 'A gentleman serves his superiors. When he advances, he will be loyal to them. When he retreats, he will think about amending his mistakes. He will follow their virtues and correct their faults. This is how the superiors and subordinates can get along.' So when the king is blocked by villains, the ministers should retreat and think about amending their mistakes. Then they should correct their faults and eliminate their faults to help the king correct his mistakes."

"Thank you for your teachings, sir!"

Wang Hong stroked his beard and smiled, and asked, "Yanlong is thoughtful and curious. I wonder how your article is going these days?"

"Reply Sir!"

Sun Zi bowed and said, "I have learned something, but I still need your guidance!"

"Ok!"

With Sun Zi's warm-up opening, several scholars including Zhang Yu asked questions about difficult questions in the "Book of Filial Piety", thus ending the day's lecture.

But even so, due to previous observations and tests, Wang Hong had already put those students who were just eating and waiting to die on the blacklist.

"Jian, Yanlong, and Boxu stay!"

"promise!"

Sun Zi, Zhang Yu and Wen Shao walked up to Wang Hong, and the remaining scholars left with their book bags on their backs.

"Bo Xu, are you listening carefully today?" Wang Hong asked.

Wen Shao had long been fascinated by singing and dancing, so how could he remember what Wang Hong taught him!
Inspiration flashed in his mind, and Wen Shao lied, "Forgive me for being dull, I only half understand what you taught me today."

Wang Hong's expression turned cold, and he said, "What I am talking about today is nothing more than the doctrine of loyalty and filial piety. Everyone has learned the Book of Filial Piety, even a ten-year-old child in Lushan knows it, let alone young men of young age."

Although the arrogant Wen Shao was dissatisfied in his heart, he did not dare to get angry because he was facing Wang Hong's questioning. He could only bow his head in shame and said, "I would like to ask for your reprimand, sir!"

Seeing this, Wang Hong waved his hand and said helplessly: "Please step back first. You must listen carefully to the lectures in the future!"

"promise!"

Wen Shao bowed and kowtowed, then walked out.

Looking at Wen Shao's departing back, Wang Hong sighed inwardly.

He had two sons and one daughter, the eldest son Wang Chen, the eldest daughter Wang Ji, and the second son Wang Ling. The eldest son Wang Chen studied in Luoyang, and because of Wang Yun's discipline, he was outstanding in virtue. The second son Wang Ling, although young, was gifted and smart, and he was loved by Wang Yun.

In recent years, he was not worried about his two sons, but his eldest daughter. As his daughter grew up to be a beautiful girl, with a gentle temperament and good knowledge of classics, many big families in Bingzhou came to propose marriage to her.

There are not only the Xun and Chen families from Shangdang County, the Bao family from Tunliu County, the Feng family from Lu County, and the Wang family from Tongdi County, but also many other big surnames from Hedong and this county.

Among them, Wen Shao of the Wen family was so infatuated with Wang Ji that he gave up the opportunity to go to Luoyang to study, and went to study scriptures under him, hoping to win Wang's recognition.

Wang Hong thought of the Wen family's hometown relationship with the Wang family. The Wen family had served as officials for generations, so he did not exclude Wen Shao and usually took care of him. But Wen Shao's performance in studying the classics made him shake his head, and today he tested it out!

After organizing his thoughts, Wang Hong looked at Zhang Yu and asked, "How was Ji'an's study of military books today?"

Zhang Yu bowed and replied, "Sir, I have read Sima Fa and Wu Qi's Art of War and I have gained a lot of insights!"

Wang Hong pondered for a moment and said, "The two books by Wu and Sima were written hundreds of years ago. Since the Western Han Dynasty, chariot soldiers have gradually been abolished and cavalry has risen. Emperor Guangwu led the Youyan cavalry to pacify Hebei and then pacify the world. Therefore, military affairs are different from those of the previous generations and need to be flexible and adaptable."

"However, in terms of marching, commanding troops, and setting up camps, there has been little change over the past few hundred years. Ji An can study and understand it."

"promise!"

After a pause, Wang Hong asked, in order to test whether there was a need for instruction, "Since Ji'an has read Wu Zi thoroughly, do you know Wu Zi's way of using troops?"

Zhang Yu thought for a moment and said, "Wu Zi's military command emphasizes 'assessing the enemy's strengths and weaknesses and attacking them when they are most vulnerable'. I think his intention is to attack the unprepared with the prepared, to gather the many to defeat the few, and to use the sharpest soldiers to defeat the weakest soldiers."

“If the enemy is numerous and we are few, and they advance in groups, we should take advantage of the terrain and attack them by force. If the enemy is few and we are many, and they gather together to defend their camp, we can find an opportunity to cut off their food supplies, force them to fight, and then gather our forces to defeat them.”

Because he originally had outstanding military talent and he liked to learn about famous battles in history in his previous life, this ignited Zhang Yu's military talent.

When Zhang Yu was able to summarize the essence of Wu Qi's Art of War in just a few words, Wang Hong was surprised. He did not expect that a powerful young man from the frontier had such military talent.

Wang Hong glanced at Zhang Yu and fell silent. He was considering whether to teach Zhang Yu further and explain "The Art of War" to him personally.

"Jian, is your father a Sima of another department?"

"Exactly!"

Vaguely sensing Wang Hong's thoughts, Zhang Yu cupped his hands and said, "When General Zhang Huan of the Liao Dynasty was in office, he made my father a trusted member of the army because he was well versed in military strategy and archery."

"Ran Ming Gong?"

Wang Hong nodded in agreement and fell into thought again.

Zhang Yu saw Wang Hong's dilemma, and he straightened his back, bowed, and said solemnly: "I am of humble status, and do not seek to be your disciple. I hope you can teach me military affairs, subdue the barbarians outside, and bring peace to the people inside, so as to live up to your expectations." Hearing this, Wang Hong stroked his beard and smiled, saying: "I am not doubtful about the teaching, but confused about how to teach!"

Wang Hong helped Zhang Yu up with both hands and said, "Ji'an can come here at noon tomorrow. I will teach him the Art of War."

"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Zhang Yu bowed.

"Ok!"

Zhang Yu looked at the situation and saw that Sun Zi was still in the hall, so he tactfully withdrew.

After Zhang Yu left, Sun Zi presented the bamboo slips and said respectfully: "Here is my humble poem. Please correct me, sir!"

Wang Hong spread out the bamboo slips, read the entire text carefully, nodded with satisfaction and said: "Yanlong has outstanding literary talent, and he will become a great man in the future."

"It's all thanks to Lord Chang Wen's teachings!"

Wang Hong put down the bamboo slips and said, "With Yanlong's knowledge, he can go to Luoyang Imperial College to study!"

As he spoke, Wang Hong stood up from the couch and said, "In autumn, Luoyang Imperial College will recruit students. Yanlong should be well prepared."

"I will never forget your kindness, Your Excellency!" Sun Zi knelt and bowed with his hands clasped, performing a great ceremony.

"No need to be polite!"

Looking at Sun Zi's leaving back, Wang Hong nodded and smiled, looking quite satisfied.

Sun Zi lost both his parents when he was young, and was raised by his brother and sister-in-law. His family was not rich. By chance, Wang Hong discovered Sun Zi and saw that he was quite talented, so he asked Sun Zi to come to Dalu Mountain to study.

Under his teaching, Sun Zi's talent became more and more outstanding, which made Wang Hong look at him with new eyes, so he prepared to make arrangements for him and let him go to the Imperial Academy in Luoyang to study.

There were many people who did the same thing as Wang Hong. In order not to waste their own political resources, the major clans would often promote talented and virtuous scholars from below to establish relationships between disciples and former officials, thereby strengthening their own clans. This is one of the reasons why the gentry in the Han Dynasty could prosper and last long.

Zhang Yu's outstanding performance made Wang Hong somewhat excited, and he intended to train Zhang Yu to become Wang's disciple and former official.

After all, Zhang Yu has good looks, strong fighting skills, and outstanding military talent. It would be a shame if he was not trained to be a disciple of the Wang family!
Zhang Yu had no idea of Wang Hong's inner thoughts. At the moment, he was having a headache because of Wen Shao, the son of an official.

Outside the courtyard, Wen Shao and two servants blocked Zhang Yu's way and said angrily: "If you kowtow to me and confess your crime today, I will forgive you for what happened in the market."

Zhang Yu was taller, and when he spoke to Wen Shao, he couldn't help looking down, and said calmly: "It's a market matter, I bid, you raise the price, both parties agree to leave, what's the problem?"

Wen Shao was speechless for a moment, then said angrily: "What does my affair with that young man have to do with you?"

"I'll forgive you this time for your sir's sake if you apologize today!"

Zhang Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Have you apologized to that woman?"

"Apologize to that woman?"

Wen Shao sneered a few times and said, "You are a lowly peasant woman. You harmed my beloved dog. I did not send you to the officials for punishment. This is already my grace. Why should I apologize?"

As he spoke, Wen Shao's expression of contempt formed a sharp contrast with the humility and fear he had just shown in front of Wang Hong.

Zhang Yu became more and more annoyed. Perhaps in the eyes of some carnivorous dignitaries, the lives of common people were not important, and were even less important than that of their own pet dogs. Sometimes pity seemed more like alms.

After exhaling a little, Zhang Yu said, "Since Mr. Wen has no intention of apologizing, I also have no intention of apologizing!"

Hearing this, Wen Shao immediately became angry, pointed at Zhang Yu's nose, and threatened: "You are just herding cattle and horses, don't you fear death?"

Zhang Yu looked stern, grabbed Wen Shao's wrist, and said coldly: "I don't want to have a grudge with you, but if you insist, I am willing to accompany you!"

"open!"

Under the huge force, Wen Shao's wrist hurt.

Seeing Wen Shao being captured, the servants prepared to step forward to help.

Li Song and Zhang Maoshan decisively drew their swords and protected Zhang Yu on both sides, scaring the servants into stopping.

Zhang Yu clenched his palms, leaned close to Wen Shao's ear, and said coldly: "You should be thankful to live in Taiyuan instead of Shuofang!"

As he said that, Zhang Yu fiercely shook off Wen Shao's arm.

"How dare you bully me!"

Wen Shao rubbed Le Hong's wrist and said in helplessness and fury.

At the same time, Sun Zi walked to the door and shouted, "The master is here!"

As soon as these words came out, Wen Shao's anger suddenly subsided. He glared at Zhang Yu fiercely and came over with his servants. Li Song and Zhang Maoshan hurriedly sheathed their swords.

Seeing Wen Shao walking away, Sun Zi walked to Zhang Yu's side and said, "The son of the Wen family is arrogant and domineering, and has a strong background. It is not wise for Ji An to make an enemy of him!"

After not seeing Wang Hong for a long time, Zhang Yu probably guessed that Sun Zi was trying to help him out, so he bowed and said, "Thank you, Yanlong, for helping me out!"

After a pause, Zhang Yu said, "I didn't mean to provoke Wen Shao, it's just that Wen Shao was too bullying!"

Then, Zhang Yu told Sun Zi why he had a conflict with Wen Shao and how Wen Shao had oppressed the citizens.

After understanding the reason, Sun Zi sighed helplessly and said, "Brother Ji'an's brave action is admirable, but this matter is not easy to resolve. In the future, we should have less contact with Wen Shao and see if we can make this matter less serious."

"Yanlong is right!"

(End of this chapter)