Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 149 Everyone Goes Home
In August of the 37th year of the Heavenly Calendar, in the Western Palace of the Hao Kingdom, King Hao stared at the troops facing off south of Gushou Pass on the map, noticing the "East Market Army" marking it. He clenched his teeth, thinking, "If this brat is not eliminated in a day, the beauties of my harem will lose their luster!"

Since losing Bo County, the consumption of the upper class in Hao Kingdom has visibly decreased. The palace maids' clothes have changed from silk to cotton, and their food has changed from rice to sorghum.

However, a young dragon-descended official standing nearby said, "Your Majesty, it's just that some people don't want to get rid of this boy."

King Hao glanced at the dragon descendant but refrained from issuing a warning. This was because more than one person was subtly suggesting that Zhao Cheng was wary of the court and intended to cultivate a powerful rebellion. This was no longer just the slander of one or two individuals, but had become a growing force within the Hao Kingdom; however, Zhao Cheng was not alone either. His victorious military leaders, the more they were suppressed, the more they banded together.

After all, the rumors generated by Wu Fei and Zhao Cheng's monthly correspondence had already created a situation where the rumors could become widely believed.

This "monthly communication" originated from Wu Fei, who openly told all parties, "No one understands General Zhao better than me. He and I are good friends."

His dignified demeanor led even his political enemies within the Da Yao organization, who disliked Wu Xiaoque, to not seize upon this to accuse Wu Fei of "colluding with the enemy," but rather to mock Wu Fei for boasting.

But Hao Guoren didn't see it that way. After all, Zhao Cheng had been invincible in battle before, and his several small-scale military campaigns this year had forced Wu Fei into a panic, causing him to lose dozens of cartloads of grain that were supposed to be delivered to the fortress. But now, why couldn't they take him down?
The loss of Bo County meant not only a loss of grain for the Hao Kingdom and its military strategists, but also a severe disruption to the lives of the elite, whose southward trade routes were cut off, significantly impacting their daily lives. And these were no ordinary daily lives; their heating wasn't provided by ordinary firewood, but by burning silver-boned charcoal.

In Wu Xiaoque's territory, the fact that powerful families dared to have such "daily" behavior proves that they still have "fat" to burn, and that they haven't shed enough. As a result, in the areas governed by Xuan Chong, the culture of wealthy families has remained "reserved," "restrained," and "not flaunting their wealth" for a century.

The leaders of the local maintenance committees in Bo County now have to lie in haystacks to keep warm when they travel by carriage to meetings. After returning home, they still have to work with their servants digging up rat holes.

In Wu Fei's calculations, this would save a lot of cotton cloth resources, allowing the Dongshi Army to have enough cotton-padded clothes for the winter.

The once aristocratic families of Bodi were forced to simplify their lives due to war and Wu Fei's iron-fisted rule.

In the 37th year of the Tianli calendar, Wu Fei and Zhao Cheng were both blockading each other, controlling the outflow of resources such as grain, medicine, and cloth under their jurisdiction; however, Wu Fei's ability to control resources was more adept than Zhao Cheng's.

Does the Kingdom of Hao provide the "daily necessities" that wealthy and powerful families in Da Yao need? Yes, it does.

For example, the lamps burning in the main hall of King Hao at this moment are eternal lamps made from whale oil, which are top-grade materials for cultivating divinity. Once they are transferred to the Great Dao, they become "necessities" that those aristocratic families are willing to spend a hundred gold coins to buy, and they are used as incense and candles in ancestral halls to worship their ancestors.

While the palace walls had few glazed tiles, they were adorned with numerous pearls, and the blue, purple, and red corals were exceptionally dazzling. These treasures, obtained from the sea, were also top-grade materials for cultivating arts and techniques.

Zhao Cheng allowed these resources to be taken south by merchants for trade, in exchange for grain, cloth, and alcohol; however, Wu Fei did not allow people from the mainland of Da Yao to buy them.

However, in the Hao Kingdom, all the merchants who brought "prohibited goods" were intercepted by Wu Fei on their return journey.

…Wu Fei said to Zhao Cheng: I can't compare to you in military strategy, but in terms of strategic situations, you face far more difficulties than I do…

In 37, Wu Fei began training the Eastern Market Army and the Wu Family Northern Route Army. Although both armies had been led by Wu Fei, there was still a barrier between them due to differences in local dialects and climate.

To this end, Wu Fei divided the entire army into two groups, randomly drew lots to form teams, and practiced artillery techniques and siege tactics.

This kind of forced merging of two forces into one would not have been possible under the old military system.

Because the soldiers and their commanders are bound together, the orders they exchange are unique.

Soldiers in the old-style army could only adapt to the way their former squad leaders gave orders; a decade or so ago, in the old army of the Wu family, the soldiers below knew the importance and urgency of the orders when the squad leaders changed their tone.

However, in the new army system, with the improvement of the manuals and the unification of the command system, the soldiers below can now obtain familiar instructions from unfamiliar squad leaders during the merger process, thus enabling them to be effectively commanded.

This is a seemingly insignificant yet crucial difference among the various gaps between the new and old military forces.

After more than ten days of intense training on the drill ground, the soldiers gradually became familiar with the commands given by their unfamiliar superiors, who had different accents but the same standard.

With the issuance of flags and orders, and after drills involving volleys of crossbow bolts and catapult launches, the final result proved that although the combat effectiveness of Wu Hengyu's army and the Dongshi army had decreased after the exchange of officers, the decrease was only within 20-30%, which was completely within an acceptable range.

Meanwhile, Wu Fei also learned through intelligence that Zhao Cheng had obtained his own manual and had begun a series of attempts to improve it.

Note: After receiving the bamboo slips, Zhao Cheng studied them by candlelight for three days and three nights, and his assessment was that they were the work of a Legalist genius.

It would be a lie to say that Zhao Cheng had figured out his training methods, but Wu Fei wasn't particularly bothered either.

Wu Fei: I still maintain that Zhao Cheng's weakness is not in military strategy, but rather that "a small country cannot afford to have a great general."

…They're exploiting each other, and what they're really exploiting are their weaknesses…

Meanwhile, in the Yan camp, Zhao Cheng remained silent in the face of the imperial decree from the Dragon Descendant ordering him to be transferred to the western front, but his eyes were filled with disappointment.

Zhao Cheng: "I originally intended to assist you in achieving great things, but the king sees me as a wolf."

After the dragon descendant left, Zhao Cheng said to his generals guarding the pass: "While I'm away, you must maintain strict military discipline. The Wu family son in the south is naturally suspicious and will soon write a letter to test you. I've left three letters; when he becomes suspicious, return them to him. Wu Yuan is often paranoid; you must hang my banner on the pass to give the impression that 'I'm only temporarily away and will return at any time.' This will ensure six months of peace. As for what happens after six months, prepare your defensive strategies; delay as long as you can."

His subordinate general asked, "General, will the Yao people attack us in six months?"

Zhao Cheng nodded: "Yes, there are changes within the Great Yao, and the Wu family is also in a state of suspicion between the ruler and his ministers, but for now they are able to remain calm."

Zhao Cheng covered his face and sighed, "If I had stayed here for another six months, I could have succeeded. I was too impatient." (However, beneath the cover, he spit out saliva instead of tears.)

On the chessboard next to him, the general has been moved out of the main position.

One day later, around the time the carrier pigeons would have made their round trip, a gold medal summoned Zhao Cheng back.

…the standoff began to subside…

Just after Zhao Cheng left the checkpoint, unbeknownst to him, Wu Fei also quietly left the checkpoint to go home and meet with Wu Hanluan.

This was based on the calculation that after the three dragon descendants on Haotian's side took control of the rear, a series of actions would prevent the Haotian army from quickly gathering its supplies. Even if something went wrong, Wu Fei could ensure that Wu Hengyu returned within two days.

So, taking some time to visit the Great Cave Heaven with Wu Hengyu, they quietly returned to Tianchi City.

Meanwhile, a change occurred in the Da Yao dynasty. In the capital city of Yao, the Su Wang faction, after Emperor Ling announced that he would enfeoff many officials outside the capital, did not intend to stop. They demanded that the generals leading troops in the field send hostages to the capital. A large number of imperial edicts were sent out of the capital to various regions.

In Lelang City, Wu Hanluan listened to the latest imperial edict, which seemed to be mockingly summoning "Marquis Qiansu" to the capital. It was as if the edict was trying to figure out how to deal with "Marquis Yun's" past refusal to accept a toast.

Wu Hanluan snatched the imperial edict from the eunuch's face and then ordered the armored soldiers to take the angel from the capital to rest.

Wu Hanluan unfurled the imperial edict bearing the imperial seal, sensed its power to command the land, and shook his head: "The current emperor has treacherous ministers by his side."

The ruler of the Great Yao is entrusted with the Mandate of Heaven and receives the worship of the people. The Son of Heaven possesses the power to "change the world with his mind".

The specifics lie in this imperial edict, which allows the emperor to arrest high-ranking officials with a single decree when his authority is at its peak.

During Emperor Xu's reign, although he suffered defeats in foreign wars and his dragon aura weakened, he was still able to suppress Wu Hanluan's arrogance on the whole.

A year ago, Wu Hanluan didn't have this courage, but now Emperor Ling is several orders of magnitude weaker than Emperor Xu in terms of succession to the Mandate of Heaven, like a "dwarf." If Emperor Ling were to come in person, or send a minister promoted during Emperor Xu's era as an imperial envoy, Wu Hanluan would still show him the proper etiquette and make concessions on non-core interests.

But now, Wu Hanluan is going to show no mercy to the eunuchs who use the Emperor's authority as a facade.

In recent years, Wu Hanluan has made great contributions and won the hearts of the people in Zhenzhou. Although he cannot yet take the lead in denying the legitimacy of Emperor Ling, he is qualified to define Emperor Ling's actions in certain aspects as "being deceived by treacherous officials".

Three months ago, there was a story behind the minister who committed suicide by crashing his head into the main hall, accusing Emperor Ling of "favoring sycophants and alienating virtuous ministers" and undermining the emperor's weakened imperial aura. His soul has been worshipped by a sympathetic clan and has become one of the ninety-nine underworld officials who follow Emperor Ling. These underworld officials are eligible to serve as city gods and enjoy the offerings of incense throughout the land.

After Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu returned quietly, Wu Hanluan had them hide behind the scenes. He then recruited advisors, mainly to show Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu which of these advisors were useful.

Wu Hanluan's advisors immediately reached a consensus: this was a forged imperial edict, and they should not obey it.

These non-Wu family strategists are now of very different backgrounds. Some come from Leishui and Zhuzhou, some from Donghua County, and some are from Zhenzhou. However, their interests are now deeply intertwined with Wu Hanluan's.

These strategists, faced with a choice between Emperor Ling and the regional governors, unhesitatingly chose Wu Hanluan. This was because everyone was pragmatic, needing to make a choice for their own "future."

Although Emperor Ling held the reins of power, he was surrounded by treacherous officials, and all the positions available for advancement had been seized by Su Wang's faction. While some were willing to commit executions, no one wanted to do something so pointless and futile.

In the eyes of the scholars: as long as the Wu family doesn't defy the world by declaring themselves emperor, then attaching themselves to them will ensure the family's rise in power. —Given time, when a new emperor arrives and things are restored to normal, wouldn't their solid foundation be enough to secure them an even higher position?

In the old residence of the King of Lelang, Wu Hanluan addressed his men in a feigned manner, saying, "We may disobey the imperial edict, but my nephew is in the north. Alas, he suffers."

Wu Hanluan secretly watched his advisors, while behind the screen, Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu, who had been there for some time, held their breath.

Among the staff, someone immediately added, "The Young Master of the Army was personally appointed by the late Emperor as the General Who Conquers the North. Although the court is currently controlled by treacherous officials, they will not touch him." This was the statement from a staff member of the Zhuzhou faction of the Northern Route Army.

Although the title of General Who Conquers the North has not yet been officially conferred and requires the capture of Gushou Pass as a prerequisite, the advisors sitting before Wu Hanluan are all his own people, so he is simply raising the title in advance. From the Wu family's perspective, with Wu Yuanchang and Wu Hengyu both gathered at Gushou Pass, is it really that difficult to take it down?
However, the staff members who came from the Northern Route Army had their own thoughts on mentioning "General Who Conquers the North" at this time.

The staff of the Southern Route Army immediately objected: "The court is in the hands of treacherous officials, and the young commander is already hated for leading the army in Bohai. The rumors spread by the treacherous party that the young commander is colluding with foreign countries have piled up before His Majesty's desk. How can you turn a blind eye to this matter?"

Factional divisions have emerged within the Wu family army regarding this matter. At least the generals from Zhuzhou and Leizhou now prefer Wu Hengyu to return and take charge.

This scene will become clear when Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu each lead a region in the future, showing how to rely on which ministers based on their loyalty.

Wu Hanluan asked the leader of the state faction, "What do you think?"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the aide who had been forcibly called upon forced himself to say, "The court is tyrannical; disaster is imminent!"

Just as everyone was taken aback by this hothead and was about to offer advice and interrupt him, he said, "Wu Yuanchang should make a decision as soon as possible, let the eldest son (Wu Hengyu) assist in the northern war, and then wait for the imperial decree before making further plans."

The Northern Route Army's advisors said, "No, the war in Bo County is incredibly complicated. If the eldest son gets caught up in it too, what will become of us?"—He didn't want both second-generation leaders of the Wu family to die in battle at the same time; otherwise, what would be the point of their power struggle?

A group of advisors, preoccupied with political gains and losses and considering how to maximize their interests in the current situation, were suddenly silenced by Wu Hengyu's appearance. Only then did they look behind the screen.

Wu Fei covered his head. He had wanted to keep an eye on the screen for a while longer, but Wu Hengyu was a person of "making his own decisions." He would never let the connection to his power influence his straightforward thinking.

Wu Hengyu swept his gaze over those who wanted to attach themselves to him with extreme domineering power, and the murderous aura he exuded silenced everyone.

Wu Hengyu: "Now is a moment of life or death; standing by and watching may seem to protect ourselves, but we will eventually be overthrown along with the army. Only by seizing this moment, while we still have a chance to turn the tide, can we launch a powerful attack that will shake the world."

He then stared at the staff of the Northern Route Army faction, pointed his sword at them, and said, "If anyone dares to say that he will abandon my brother again, don't blame me for cutting off his head."

After these words were spoken, no one dared to offer any further advice, and all factional disputes within the group ceased from that point on.

Wu Hanluan tapped the table: "Let's call it a day for now. Everyone, please go home early."

He then added, "No one is allowed to leak the news of Hengyu's return."

…The staff members present speculated: How many people could be behind the screen?…

After everyone left, Wu Fei also came out.

Wu Hanluan asked, "Are you two confident that you can quickly end the war with Bo Yan?"

Wu Hengyu said, "I can lead eight hundred soldiers to be the first to scale the city walls."

Wu Fei, holding his sword and drawing a map, said, "Taking Gushou Pass is not a problem, but the important thing is the strategy to take over Yan territory north of Bo. I need to leave an elite general at Gushou Pass to plunder every year, suppressing the population and food there, so that Hao Kingdom cannot gather troops there again to threaten this place."

Wu Fei looked at Wu Hengyu and recommended a list to him. These were all outstanding generals from impoverished backgrounds in Bohai who could be put to use.

Wu Hanluan looked at the two men and slowly said, "It seems you've all made your decisions." Then he said to Wu Fei, "Yuan Chang, are you coming back?"

Wu Fei nodded.

Wu Hanluan turned to Wu Hengyu: "Have you decided to leave home and head north?"

After hesitating for a moment, Wu Hengyu said, "Me?"

Wu Hanluan said, "My Wu family also migrated from the east three hundred years ago. After you make something of yourself in the east, repair the tombs of our ancestors."

Wu Hengyu nodded.

…The disloyalty depicted on the landscape painting is blatantly obvious…

In the same year, in the Qian Palace, Emperor Ling was still obsessed with Changchun's invincibility.

However, upon receiving news that Wu Hanluan in the south had disobeyed the imperial edict, Suwang was immediately enraged. His expression, however, was twisted and stiff, as if he had donned a fake face.

His pupils glowed blue as he walked into the Ziwei Palace, which had fallen last year but was now slowly being raised and repaired.

Suwang gazed at the enormous abacus in the palace. Around it, hunched-over officials of the Imperial Observatory were calculating celestial secrets. He stepped forward, waving for anyone not directly involved to leave. He then produced an imperial edict, ordering the palace officials to perform divination on the Wu family. Clearly, Suwang intended to thoroughly search for Wu Hanluan's weaknesses before launching an attack.

Si Tiancheng glanced at him, wanting to offer advice, but sighed. He then activated the enormous divination instrument in the central palace to perform the calculation. This kind of divination is generally not done for personal grudges, because if it leans towards calculating for a particular person, then the divination for the whole world loses its accuracy.

However, Si Tiancheng also knew that the new emperor was currently neglecting affairs and had entrusted everything to Suwang.

The final divination yielded the result. Su Wang stared at Wu Hengyu's domineering fortune and the connection between Wu Fei's destiny and the Vermilion Bird constellation in the south, speechless. However, after calculating that Wu Hanluan's fortune corresponded to the green evil moon in the sky, his eyes lit up slightly, and a plan formed in his mind.

Outside the palace, the Daoist looked up at the central palace, which had been lifted a hundred feet high once again, and gazed at the shimmering divination light. A barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

(End of this chapter)