Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 312 A Strong School Spirit Shocks an Era! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Today is a very special day.

Li Chengqian, dressed neatly with Lai Fu's help, arrived at the Royal Military Academy under the escort of Pei Xingjian and the Imperial Guards.

Because today is the first day of the Royal Military Academy.

As the first principal and founder of the Royal Military Academy, Li Chengqian would naturally not miss such an opportunity where the advantage was in his favor.

Therefore, in order to make a deep impression on all the teachers and students of the military academy on the first day of school, Li Chengqian had planned the opening ceremony several days in advance.

"The student greets the principal!"

As soon as Li Chengqian arrived at the school gate, he saw several instructors from Jiangling giving him a standard military salute.

"Yes, Not Bad!"

Li Chengqian nodded with great satisfaction.

In particular, the way he was addressed as "Principal" was so warm and welcoming that it made him feel very comfortable.

After glancing around the military academy, he couldn't help but ask one of the instructors, "Have all the generals from the imperial court arrived?"

"Almost everyone is here, even the Minister of War is here. They are all waiting for you in the auditorium!"

"Alright! Are you all ready?"

"Ready!"

Several instructors simultaneously stood at attention: "We guarantee to complete the mission!"

"Yes, all of you may leave!"

Li Chengqian smiled and waved, quickly watching them leave.

At this moment, Di Zhixun, who was the actual administrator of the military academy and had received the news, hurriedly came over, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, you have finally arrived!"

"Heh, Director Di, have you forgotten what I told you?"

"Ah? Oh!"

Di Zhixun reacted quickly, recalling Li Chengqian's instructions, and saluted again: "Greetings, Principal!"

"That's more like it! From now on, within the military academy or in private, don't address me as Your Highness the Crown Prince, address me as Principal, understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

Di Zhixun responded with a strange look on his face, while also being full of curiosity.

He didn't know why Li Chengqian had transferred him to Chang'an to serve as the director of the military academy. He only knew that the governor of Jiangling, Cai, had asked him, "What is your son's name?" and he had replied, "Di Renjie," before being transferred to the military academy by a single order.

It's completely baffling.

However, this military academy was truly extraordinary; all the attendees at the opening ceremony were renowned generals of the empire. This made him feel extremely uncomfortable sitting on pins and needles in the grand hall.

Fortunately, Li Chengqian arrived in time; otherwise, he was really worried that he wouldn't be able to control the situation.

But then Li Chengqian chuckled and teased him, saying, "Since we parted in Jiangling, Director Di has looked quite haggard. Could it be that having a son has brought you more worries?"

Upon hearing this, Di Zhixun couldn't help but smile wryly and said, "Principal, you flatter me. I'm not worried about my son's matter, but rather that I know very little about this military academy and I'm afraid I might be delaying your important business!"

"It's alright. You just need to manage the academy according to the outline I gave you. Other matters will be handled by professionals."

Li Chengqian waved his hand dismissively, then changed the subject: "However, you should educate your son well; he might become a pillar of society someday!"

"Uh, this."

Di Zhixun opened his mouth, about to speak, when he suddenly heard Li Chengqian say again, "Alright, it's almost time, we should go in!"

"Oh, yes."

As if realizing what was happening, Di Zhixun quickly gestured for Li Chengqian to proceed.

Soon, they arrived at the auditorium together.

In the front row of the auditorium sat Li Jing, Hou Junji, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, Qin Qiong, Li Xiaogong, Li Daozong, Chang He, Zhang Ping, Xue Rengui, Su Dingfang, Pei Xuan, and others, all dressed in military uniform.

In the second row were some of the court officials, such as Cen Wenben, Ma Zhou, Sun Fujia, Liu Rengui, Zhang Yunggu, Duan Lun, and Du Ruhui, who had been recuperating at home.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to His Majesty the Crown Prince!"

When everyone saw Li Chengqian walk in, they all stood up and bowed to him.

Li Chengqian smiled and gestured to them, then introduced himself, "I am not here today as His Highness the Crown Prince, but as the principal of the Military Academy."

As he spoke, he glanced at Di Zhixun and then said with a smile, "Just now I was joking with Director Di, telling him that in the future, whether at the military academy or in private, he should address me as Principal!"

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

But Cheng Yaojin spoke first: "Judging from His Highness the Crown Prince's words, the Principal's status is even more noble than the Crown Prince's!"

"Zhijie, don't talk nonsense!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Qiong immediately gave Cheng Yaojin a low shout.

But Li Chengqian didn't take it seriously.

He said in a deep voice, "The crown prince is the heir apparent of a country and is mainly responsible for governing the country, while the principal is the administrator of a school and is mainly responsible for cultivating talents."

So, what is the purpose of talented individuals? Naturally, it's to assist the crown prince in governing the country. Therefore, in my view, there is no distinction of high or low status; as long as one can demonstrate their talents for the country and its people, even a beggar on the street is greater than a saint.”

Wow!
As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar!

Especially the group of military academy students sitting in the back row of the auditorium.

Although most of them were adults and had some education, such a radical revelation still challenged their worldview.

But then Li Chengqian said, "I know that some of the students below know me and some don't, but that doesn't matter. Today, I will make sure you all know me!"

After saying this, he turned his head and gave Di Zhixun a look. The latter immediately understood and called the people behind the curtain of the auditorium to carry up two plaques covered with red cloth.

Li Chengqian slowly walked to a plaque, solemnly surveyed everyone in the hall, and loudly proclaimed, "These are the first words I give you!"

"Shh!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the red cloth was torn off.

Eight large characters were prominently displayed before everyone's eyes: "For promotion and wealth, please go elsewhere."

"Ok?"

Everyone was slightly taken aback, their faces filled with confusion.

Li Chengqian then walked to another plaque, ripped off a red cloth with a 'whoosh,' revealing eight large characters that read: "Those who are greedy for life and afraid of death, do not enter this gate."

boom!
The whole audience was shocked!

In particular, generals such as Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong stood up excitedly and clapped their hands in approval.

"Excellent! What spirit!"

"Your Highness, no, no, I mean the Headmaster! The Headmaster is awesome! Hahaha!"

Clearly, this couplet suited their taste perfectly.

He also has a very military bearing.

What they didn't know was that this couplet was also the one displayed at the entrance of the school later known as the "West Point of the East".

Li Chengqian felt that the couplet was very fitting for the characteristics of the military academy, so he had a similar plaque made and planned to hang it in front of the academy's gate.

Did you see these two sentences?

After the noise in the hall gradually subsided, Li Chengqian said in a deep voice, "I think you all understand. Now I will give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn; you can choose whether or not to leave!"

"."

The room fell silent upon hearing this.

Li Chengqian continued, "Even if you choose to leave, I will not hold you accountable for your mistakes. Everyone has their own ambitions, and there are many paths to success. You don't necessarily have to stay at the military academy to have a future!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room remained completely silent.

Soon, Di Zhixun had someone bring over a stick of incense.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Li Chengqian personally lit the incense stick, leaving everyone present, including Li Jing and Hou Junji, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Although they all knew that Li Chengqian valued the military academy, they never imagined that he would value it this much.

It should be noted that the last time they saw Li Chengqian take something so seriously was on the day of the Double Ninth Festival banquet.

Could it be that, in the heart of this Crown Prince, these 'apprentice soldiers' who have never fought a battle are more important than those scholars who have passed the imperial examinations?

However, those who were among the first batch of students to enter the military academy were not ordinary people.

They came to take the military academy entrance exam with great enthusiasm, and it was truly not easy to be admitted to a military academy among thousands of applicants.

How could I possibly give up because of those two sentences?

So even though they watched the incense burn out, not a single person got up to leave. "Good! Very good!"

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction, then looked around at everyone and said, "Since none of you want to leave and have chosen to be qualified soldiers, then I will now tell you what it means to be a soldier and what a soldier's honor is!"

After saying this, he looked at Di Zhixun again.

Soon, Di Zhixun personally pushed a huge blackboard from one side of the stage to the very center of the stage.

The same red cloth completely covered the huge blackboard.

Following the same action, Li Chengqian slowly walked to one side of the blackboard, grabbed a corner of the red cloth, but did not immediately remove it. Instead, he began to speak eloquently:

"On your first day at the military academy, your instructors must have given you a 'Military Handbook,' which begins with ten large characters: 'Glory brings glory to the world, shame brings shame to the world.'"

"Now, I will tell you the meaning of these ten words!"

As soon as he finished speaking, with a 'whoosh,' the huge red cloth was forcefully torn open, revealing the contents of the blackboard.

The scenes depicted were like battlefields in a living hell, striking a chord with every trainee.

Even seasoned generals were so shocked by these scenes that their eyelids twitched wildly.

But Li Chengqian said calmly and indifferently, "Since ancient times, a strong army has been the mainstay of a country, and soldiers are the foundation of that pillar."

"As the saying goes."

At this point, Li Chengqian looked at all the students. When they all looked up and met his gaze, their eyes lit up with anticipation, which pleased Li Chengqian greatly.

He then continued, "As the saying goes, an army is raised for a thousand days to be used for one. The country is training you so that you will protect the country and serve the Tang Dynasty wholeheartedly in the future."

"Because the future of the Tang Dynasty is closely related to the fate of each and every one of you. Without a strong country and the revitalization of the nation, there is no honor and dignity for an individual as a citizen, let alone the value of an individual's life!"

"Therefore, from the first day you step into the academy, you must remember one thing: a soldier's duty is to obey orders! A soldier's goal is to defeat all invading enemies!"

"When the country needs me, no matter what difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, no matter if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, I will forge ahead without hesitation and never give up!"

"Finally, as the principal of the military academy, I must remind you that in this academy, there are only senior and junior students, teachers and students. There are no 'Young Master Zhang' or 'Young Master Li', no 'older brother' or 'younger brother'. Everything is governed by the discipline outlined in the Military Manual!"

Seeing that everyone was listening attentively, Li Chengqian shouted, "Did you all hear me clearly?!"

"Listen clearly!"

Everyone shouted in unison, their voices like thunder.

Seeing their vibrant energy, Li Chengqian was very pleased.

So why did he tell them all this?
Because he was very clear about a key point: a military academy must have its own temperament and character.

This temperament and personality are largely related to the principal.

Just like that military academy in later generations.

From the very beginning, a specific idea was established.

Seven parts politics, three parts military.

As a result, the students of that military academy later became fond of politics, and even produced many famous figures who were involved in political factional struggles.

Conversely, if the principal of a military academy has a strong personality, the students of that academy will inevitably carry a strong personality with them when they graduate.

It's like a cowardly soldier leading to a cowardly army.

That's why Li Chengqian attached such importance to this opening ceremony.

He must lay a solid foundation for this academy, rather than cultivating a bunch of useless charlatans who can only talk the talk.

"Alright, I've said everything I wanted to say. Now, let the instructors demonstrate the training exercises of the Great Tang New Army. Watch carefully, practice diligently, and don't let me down!"

After saying this, Li Chengqian raised his hand and gestured to the instructors on the right side of the platform, instructing them to lead the students to the training ground.

He then walked towards the generals with a smile and thanked them, saying, "Generals, thank you for attending this opening ceremony. After they finish watching the training exercises, you will give them a military lesson. Thank you for your hard work!"

"Haha! We were deeply impressed by the principal's demeanor just now! We didn't take these apprentice soldiers seriously at first, but now it seems we were mistaken. With your leadership, the future is bright!"

Upon hearing Li Chengqian's words, Yuchi Gong immediately laughed and flattered him.

Cheng Yaojin, standing to the side, also smiled and bowed, saying, "What the principal said is excellent. If this military academy can truly cultivate a group of capable generals, we will also be honored!"

“That’s right, I also have high hopes for this military academy!” Qin Qiong echoed with a smile.

Other generals also expressed their opinions.

Li Chengqian, on the other hand, paid particular attention to the views of Li Jing and Du Ruhui.

But then he smiled and said to Li Jing and Du Ruhui, "General Li Jing, Duke Cai, what do you think?"

"This"

Li Jing and Du Ruhui exchanged a glance, and then Li Jing spoke first: "To be honest, Principal, I think the Military Academy is good in every other way, but it is missing one thing."

"what?"

Li Chengqian looked at Li Jing with a face full of curiosity.

The other generals also turned to look at him.

But Li Jing, as if deep in thought, uttered four words: "The interplay of the orthodox and the unorthodox."

"Ok?"

Li Chengqian was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but frown, asking, "What does this mean?"

Li Jing thought for a moment and said, "Consider political condemnation as 'orthodox,' military surprise attack as 'unorthodox,' main attack direction as 'orthodox,' and feigned flanking maneuver as 'unorthodox.' Even retreat can be considered 'unorthodox.' In other words, military academy students must learn to be flexible and adaptable, changing with the times and circumstances. Only in this way can we cultivate insightful generals."

"In addition, there is one more thing that must be made clear."

As Li Jing finished speaking, Du Ruhui's voice rang out again: "Although the principal just emphasized discipline, honor, dignity, and responsibility, he did not emphasize rewards and punishments."

"A school is like a small military camp. It must focus on immediacy and fairness, and avoid 'rewards and punishments being too obvious to see and hear,' thus neglecting the overall situation!"

“That’s right. Punishment and reward are not about severity, but about necessity; not about quantity, but about appropriateness,” Li Jing echoed meaningfully.

Li Chengqian suddenly realized and accepted their suggestion, and said with a smile, "It's fortunate that you all attended this ceremony, otherwise I wouldn't have noticed these problems."

"Hehe, the principal has already done a great job. These problems are actually not difficult to solve!" Hou Junji quickly said with a smile, as if he would be ignored if he didn't speak.

But Li Chengqian only glanced at him and nodded, without responding to his words.

At this moment, Qin Qiong, who had been silent all along, suddenly pointed to the paintings on the stage and asked curiously, "Why did the principal bring these paintings up? You didn't seem to explain them!"

"Oh, the purpose of those paintings isn't for lecturing, but to create psychological pressure so that the trainees understand the cruelty of war, thereby concentrating their minds and listening attentively to the ideas I'm imparting!"

Li Chengqian explained with a smile, "After all, these trainees have never been on the battlefield before, so they don't know what going to the battlefield means."

"I see."

Qin Qiong nodded in realization, then bowed to Li Chengqian with admiration and said, "The Crown Prince's grasp of people's hearts is simply unmatched."

"Hehe, General Qin, you flatter me."

Li Chengqian smiled modestly, then said, "There's still some time before the trainees finish watching the training exercises. Let me take you to see the classroom!"

"it is good!"

The group responded with smiles and quickly followed Li Chengqian to an army classroom.

In the center of the classroom, there was a huge sand table map.

It encompasses almost every mountain peak and river of the Tang Dynasty, and even describes the regions and topography of the surrounding countries.

"Principal, this is..."

Li Jing stared wide-eyed at the sand table map with a look of astonishment.

As the top military leader of the Tang Dynasty and a general who had won every battle, he had never had such a clear overall view of the situation.

It was like having a god's-eye view; it was absolutely breathtaking.

But Li Chengqian explained casually, "This is a 1:100 scale sand table model that I had the Academy of Sciences make, specifically for simulating army combat. We can use it to deduce tactics or simulate battles, which will allow trainees to learn troop deployment more quickly."

"In addition, in order to get closer to the real battlefield, I had the Embroidered Uniform Guard collect a lot of local gazetteer data, which included the weather patterns, human environment, and complex relationships between various forces in each place."

"hiss--"

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.

This isn't a sand table model, this is clearly a battlefield!

It can be said that standing here to command the battle is just one step away from a real battlefield, except for the clash of blood and fire!

No wonder the Crown Prince often says that times have changed.

Now, we people are probably really going to be left behind by the times.

.........

Requesting double monthly votes; I'll add an extra chapter when I reach 1000 votes.

(End of this chapter)