Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 154 Step by step
In Bohai, Wu Fei handed over military affairs to Wu Hengyu and took over the position of handling political affairs.

Wu Hengyu led the elite troops of the Eastern Market Army, appointing Zhao Xianzhong as the vanguard, and continued the northward campaign. Amidst the clash of swords and the thunder of drums, the chariots carrying supplies gradually moved northward.

The area around Wu Fei grew increasingly quiet, filled mostly with the clattering of bamboo abacuses, the clicking of calculations, and the rustling of scrolls being filed away.

On the one hand, Wu Fei planned to hand over this place to Wu Hengyu in the future. Since his fiefdom was here, it was more suitable to establish the relationship between ruler and subject. Therefore, he handed over the army to him in advance to adapt.

Secondly, Wu Hengyu is well-suited to guard the north. Supplying troops northward from Gushou Pass into Yanbei would be increasingly difficult. In summer, Yan is mostly marshland, while in winter it's a frozen wasteland. The total number of troops that can be supported here should not exceed three thousand. This requires a small but elite force for frontline operations, along with excellent logistical planning.

Wu Hengyu's troops were elite enough. Wu Fei's troops were less than three thousand, with about five hundred cavalry. Wu Hengyu was capable of defeating ten thousand men.

Based on the intelligence gathered by the "spies," Wu Fei learned that on the battlefield in Yan, the enemy, limited by poor road conditions, could not mobilize more than five thousand troops in any given area, no matter how large the mobilization. Meanwhile, their own side possessed a small but formidable force led by a commander capable of defeating ten thousand men, thus holding the strategic and tactical initiative. Even the most brilliant strategist on the enemy side would be unable to effectively utilize their strengths.

Let's not even talk about Gongsun Du's conquest of Liaodong during the Three Kingdoms period.
The most classic example is the Tang Dynasty. When Goguryeo amassed an army of 150,000, Li Shimin was not alarmed but rather pleased. He not only refrained from amassing more troops for a standoff, but also abandoned Li Daozong's strategy of raiding Goguryeo's base. Instead, he proactively besieged Goguryeo and attacked any reinforcements. Why was Li Shimin so arrogant? Or rather, why was this emperor, who rose from the ashes, so confident?
Wu Fei: The productivity of Yan might be able to support an army of 100,000. However, the transportation here cannot support the gathering of such a large army. Gathering an army of 100,000 would require a "major urban transportation hub" to gather enough food and supplies.

The Yan region lacks such a transportation hub. Although there are many castles, the losses would be enormous if the grain supplies of the Yan region were to be gathered at one point.

Therefore, even if they mobilized 100,000 troops, they would have to be deployed in a dispersed manner. These scattered troops would then be defeated one by one by the elite forces sent from outside. So, the next step would be to focus on Wu Hengyu's area of ​​expertise.

Wu Fei began preparing sufficient logistical support for Wu Hengyu's small but elite troops.

South of Gushou Pass, Wu Fei established numerous silage pits, using wind-powered machinery to crush the hay, then sprinkling in baking powder and air-drying it. This technology originated from merchants who traded horses in the north, and after purchasing it, Wu Fei mobilized laborers to construct large underground cellars.

These silage depots were initially state-run by Wu Fei, with the plan to hand them over to local gentry families who had married into the Eastern City Army after ten years, providing fodder for merchants traveling between Yan and Bo. Relevant laws and regulations fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation.

Note: The limited number of official positions within the feudal government was insufficient for managing such large-scale settlements. Over time, the lack of direct accountability to specific individuals would lead to their abandonment.

Xuan Chong delegated the daily profits and losses of the private enterprise to these aristocratic families. These families had their own performance management system, and if any of the dozens of related positions incurred losses, there were family rules to control the situation.

Xuan Chong: If these hay storage yards are really to be run by the government, they will eventually suffer losses and accumulate debts year after year, and eventually absurd things like a student who has only been employed for three months being convicted and forced to settle accounts will happen.

However, since the hay storage facility is affiliated with a powerful family, it's not something that can be settled by settling accounts with some unfortunate individual. As for military use now, the military can simply issue a "service order."

If the privately-owned haystacks were to incur losses and rely on loans to stay afloat, Xuan Chong would generate orders by arranging engineering and transportation projects, such as large-scale logging operations in the deep mountains of Yan, which required horses. This would give them a much-needed reprieve. —This is how the various merchants in Southern Xinjiang were kept afloat by Xuan Chong, clinging on until a large-scale war arrived, allowing them to feast.

Currently, Wu Fei is in charge of many logistical matters for Bo Yan, and everything is stable. In addition to food and fodder, high-concentration alcohol, cotton cloth, herbs, and talismans to prevent epidemics and ward off evil spirits must also be stockpiled securely.

Note: Wu Fei confirmed that the exorcism talisman was effective. After burning, the talisman seemed to have a microwave effect, which could sterilize water.

Although Wu Hengyu's forces numbered only three thousand, Wu Fei prepared a full five thousand logistics personnel, including various complex considerations such as transport vehicles, horses, and ships. Wu Fei was perfectly able to assist Wu Hengyu's army in its operations.

Following the lead of Gu Shou Pass, Wu Fei began the work of recommending virtuous and filial individuals for official positions in Bohai and Yan. (The quota for virtuous and filial individuals in Yan did not necessarily require local Yan origin, just as in later Mongolia, where special recruitment could be conducted by purely virtuous people.)
Wu Fei began to build a "subject system" within Bo County, which meant that he would bring the people who had previously governed Bo County to meet Wu Hengyu.

The talent pool is readily available. When Zhao Cheng was around, Wu Fei had already built up the team during their intense confrontation.

…the process of talent development…

All related military operations planned by both sides must take into account the vulnerabilities of the attack routes, such as supply lines and siege logistics, as well as the possibility of the rear being bribed and the disruption of supplies such as food, iron, and fodder.

Through various "minor details," Zhao Cheng, as a "good teacher and helpful friend," teaches Wu Fei how to improve through "experiences."

Master Wu Fei was no pushover either. His arrangements for catching spies were like a vast net. Every household was registered in the local security system, and even peddlers were given quotas by the dealers. Outsiders who tried to get near the well would be caught. It was already difficult for spies to cause sabotage, but it was even harder for them to get away unscathed afterward.

Conversely, Zhao Cheng found it difficult to use spies in the later stages. They were unlikely to achieve significant sabotage, but obtaining intelligence required a heavy expenditure. Otherwise, the spies would betray him.

According to the intelligence gathered by Wu Fei after capturing Gu Shou Pass, Zhao Cheng had already squandered most of the rare items such as pearls and corals he had collected. If Zhao Cheng didn't leave soon, his treasury would also run out of funds.

After Zhao Cheng left, those "spies" in Bohai didn't fare any better. Where could they run off to with their treasures? They could only move to other parts of Da Yao, for in feudal times, people were considered worthless away from their hometowns. Only wandering knights would flee to other places; when wealthy people migrated, it was like a three-year-old child carrying gold in a bustling market. These "spies" could only dig pits in their own earthen houses and secretly bury their wealth so that future generations could dig it up and spend it.

However, Wu Fei's reputation for burying sparrows is not undeserved. Can he simply deny it after burying them?
In the storage room of Huang Tao, the garrison commander of the Gu Shou Guan Hao Army, Wu Fei obtained a series of bribery lists from the "Records of Officials' Conduct." His expression was quite interesting; the "bribery record book" was simply the best thing ever.

Instead of burning everything down like Prime Minister Cao did, Wu Fei reverted to his ruthless, ruthless ways. All the families that had become enemy spies were named, and Wu Fei confiscated all the wealth they had received from Zhao Cheng, one by one.

As for those ambivalent aristocratic families connected through "intermediaries"? Most of them are aristocratic families within Huangyu City. They were severely punished by Wu Fei once, and Wu Fei understands their resentment. He has no intention of dealing with them by guillotine.

Wu Fei: After all, it's human nature. Although I'm petty, I'm not so petty as to exterminate the entire family of someone I don't like.

While Wu Hengyu was fiercely attacking, Wu Fei called over the aristocratic families in Bo County one by one for tea.

The elders of the Bo County Aristocratic Family Maintenance Association, who had shared joys and sorrows with Wu Fei, all changed their expressions drastically after seeing the list of their own people in the "Records of Officials' Conduct".

Wu Fei said to them, "I have no problem, but my older brother is petty. In the future, if he wants to be in charge here, you may not have a good time."

The elders of Bo County quickly said, "Lord Wu Fei, we cannot do without you."

These two-faced people from Bo County implied that if a power struggle were to occur in Bo County in the future, they would side with Wu Fei.

However, Wu Fei nodded and smiled mischievously: "I can't do without you all either, so why don't you all come with me?"

Wu Fei revealed a plan that made the hearts of these unfortunate families stop beating: he didn't intend to stay in Bo County, but instead planned to return directly to his hometown. Of course, he would also take advantage of the situation to fleece them again, but instead of "fleecing" them with money first, he would now fleece them all.

"Sir, are you going back?" a leading member of a prominent family asked tremblingly.

Wu Fei: "What, you don't want to? Didn't you all want to follow me? You just said it, you're all steadfast. I hate fickle and disloyal people the most. In my hometown, such people would be drowned in a pig cage."

Wu Fei did not learn Cao Cao's "magnanimity," and the reason he "burned the letters" was because Cao Cao needed to control the region, so he avoided conflicts between himself and local powerful families.

Cao Cao was no magnanimous man. He killed someone who hadn't spoken a word while composing a poem with a spear in hand, and he showed no mercy to Xun Yu in his quest to become king.

Now, Wu Fei doesn't need to concern himself with the conflicts between himself and the local powerful families. What he wants is a complete cleanup, clearing away the conflicts for Wu Hengyu.

Once these powerful families leave their ancestral homes and come to the territory he has designated, would they dare to have any conflicts with him? Wu Fei was very confident that after they migrated to his territory, they would definitely call him "Demon-Subduing Loyal and Filial Spirit Soaring Yuan True Lord".

Wu Fei used every trick in the book to help Wu Hengyu gain a foothold in the local area.

Wu Fei knew that Wu Hengyu was arrogant and intolerant of groups with "flaws," and also didn't know how to harmlessly resettle such groups. Given Wu Hengyu's personality, knowing the truth would likely lead him to make things difficult for them, potentially provoking a sudden outburst at an uncertain time and in an uncertain process (like Mi Fang's betrayal during Guan Yu's campaign against Jingzhou).
Therefore, Wu Fei preemptively removed those potential conflict groups from his group.

…After the crows left, new swallows flew in…

Wu Fei brought the selected loyalists to pay their respects. Wu Hengyu accepted the list submitted by Wu Fei; these were all loyalists who had been tested.

Wu Hengyu called out each of them by name, thus accepting these loyal and hardworking individuals. However, when the two brothers met to discuss the matter, Wu Hengyu asked, "I heard that you ransacked Zhao Cheng's treasury and storehouses."

Wu Fei: "Yeah, I shaved."

Wu Hengyu: "And the valuables from various families, you've already taken them all recently."

Wu Fei sensed something was amiss and looked up at him, asking, "What, you want it?"

Wu Hengyu frowned and said, "Tone it down. My subordinates told me."

Wu Fei looked at him, and Wu Hengyu, feeling the stare, grew somewhat impatient.

Wu Fei: "Who is this person? Is he one of your trusted confidants?"

Wu Hengyu: "What's wrong?"

Wu Fei took a deep breath: "The money I made was earned through my reputation here; if I didn't make any money, or if I shared the profits with you, how do you think it would affect your ability to stay here?"

Wu Hengyu paused, then, after understanding, looked slightly embarrassed and raised his glass to cover it up: "This is what Chu Nan told me."

Wu Fei stared at him with wide eyes.

Wu Hengyu was somewhat annoyed by Wu Fei's strange gaze.

Wu Fei: "How could you say Chu Nan's name? Aren't you betraying him? Besides, as an outsider, he's been following you since the state. Does he have any better loyalty to you besides you? Shouldn't you be protecting him?"

Wu Hengyu: "It's not your place to lecture me."

Wu Fei's momentum surged: "I may not be able to beat you in a fight, but today I'm going to teach you a lesson. A minister who is not discreet will lose his life, and a ruler who is not discreet will lose his ministers. You must protect your ministers. You may be a good fighter, but you must bring good fortune to those around you."

After an incense stick had burned, Wu Fei was driven out of the main tent.

Wu Fei glanced at Wu Hengyu, his eyes filled with worry.

I'm worried...

Wu Fei sighed inwardly: Wu Hengyu was different from him. He had been strong-willed since childhood and had never been bullied. He had never encountered a situation that made him bow his head. In fact, he couldn't stand criticism, and even after knowing he was wrong, he would subconsciously feel that it was someone else's problem.

As for myself, I am frail and sickly, and I have been threatened by others because of the nickname "Little Sparrow." Therefore, I know how to back down in times of conflict and how to advance by retreating.

If I'm still here, Wu Hengyu's situation is fine, but if I'm gone? Maybe...
That being said, I had no choice but to leave.

Xuan Chong still holds a modern worldview, lacking a sense of dedication to his family. So far, he maintains a harmonious relationship with his family as a member of the Wu clan, but to Xuan Chong, it's just like running a company. He's clear about everything: what he owes, what he repays; what he can borrow from the family; and what the family will need to borrow from him in the future.

Xuan Chong's spirit is that he is unwilling to depend on others and has his own plans and opinions. When a faction with his own interests appears around Wu Hengyu and he cannot integrate into it, then he will definitely part ways with him.

Under the moonlight, Wu Fei lowered his head and pondered for a while before deciding to ask.

Xuan Chong: "System, can I activate the exchange to add an attribute or support to someone else?"

System: "No, this system is only for teaching you and will not change the teaching content."

Xuan Chong stopped searching the column. As if his heart could finally rest after confirming the answer, he sighed, "Oh, no way."

…System: Obsessions, when used as teaching aids, cannot be written on or drawn on…

Wu Ju returned, along with his adopted sons. Looking at these returning children, Wu Fei realized that even the last bit of leverage Da Yao had been regained.

As for why Da Yao didn't try to manipulate Wu Fei through these children, perhaps it was because he felt their status was too low and considered them merely abandoned pawns left behind by Wu Fei.

Wu Fei said to Wu Juwang: "Objectively speaking, it's impossible for me not to have considered abandoning you all. Military strategists always need to make choices. Because only by learning to make choices can you preserve the most people in the harshest environments. But..."

Wu Fei looked at Wu Juwang and said, "If we really abandon you, those people haven't even calculated my valuation of you."

Wu Fei pointed at Wu Juwang: "I am willing to exchange you for an equal amount of gold."

Then, pointing to a boy next to him, Wu Baitong, the one who always came in last place in exams, he said casually, "You're the equivalent weight of silver." The adopted sons exchanged smiles, then raised their heads, ready to accept Wu Fei's valuation. They were quite satisfied with Wu Fei's description of exchanging them for gold and silver.

These guys grew up in the lowest rungs of society, witnessing far too much of the coldness and cruelty of human nature. They're tired of hearing about sentimentality; even their mentors, who introduced them to the trade, always told them, "I've done you a great service." So, there's no need for excessive sentimental talk. Real money is what truly matters.

Later, after the founding of the Chen Kingdom, Wu Juwang and other first-generation Chen people recalled this "kindness between ruler and subject," which became a well-known story for later generations.

Wu Fei's valuation of them with "real money" wasn't just empty promises. The future paths he laid out for them, the titles and positions they would ultimately receive, would be worth that price, or even far exceed it. For Wu Fei, his time was now "priceless," and the time he had invested in these adopted sons had to be included in his "performance evaluation."

Unlike Wu Hengyu, who is currently clueless, Wu Fei already has a set of criteria for evaluating his "profession".

Wu Fei: A monarch's performance depends on only two factors: ensuring that those around him are "reliable" and "capable".

1. Assign people who are "capable but unreliable" to positions that "require ability but are not very destructive".

2. Assign "reliable but incompetent" people to "critical and straightforward" positions.

3. "A person who is both capable and reliable" is the embodiment of the monarch's governing will. The more such people there are, the more effective the monarch's governance of the country will be.

The quantity and proper utilization of these individuals constitute the performance evaluation of a monarch. A monarch's energy is limited throughout his life, and his time for discovering talent is also limited. Moreover, some monarchs indulged in excessive pleasures and died young—oh, I'm talking about that sweet-toothed family of Cao Wei.

The imperial examination system was the culmination of feudalism, sending the most talented individuals to the palace for a unilateral examination, where they would articulate their worldview and values ​​to the emperor, who would then judge their character. However, Wu Fei lacked this advanced mechanism.

After his adopted sons returned, Wu Fei maintained his military demeanor. He arranged for their toiletries to be placed in designated areas. Then he showed them the locations of the mess hall and the administrative office, and finally had them take over the keys to the surrounding rooms.

Wu Fei emptied the room next door and set up a dormitory for these "real money" people to sleep in.

After settling in for the day, Wu Fei said, "Go to sleep for now. Tomorrow, you will begin a new round of classes."

A student timidly asked, "Master, could you give us a sneak peek at the new course?"

Wu Fei: "Assist me in governing the prefecture."

(End of this chapter)