Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 190 Fish Gazing at the Sky
In the fourth year of the Tianyou calendar, everyone in the capital city longed for its former glory. Even the horses in the capital were growing thinner and thinner.

In the final years of Emperor Xu's reign, although the war in the north was devastating, the country was still able to maintain its stability, and many prefectures in the south continued to send grain and fodder to Yaodu.

In the summer of the fourth year of the Tianyou calendar, the whole world felt the pain as Xia Prefecture was captured by Hao Army.

For Hao State, what they captured was a devastated prefecture; for Da Yao, the emperor's army could no longer withstand the rebellious forces, giving several neighboring prefectures a reason to become warlord states. It also gave the southern prefectures an excuse to withhold taxes.

In the northern section of the Grand Canal, boats became scarce, and the boatmen who used to paddle boats were nowhere to be seen. As for the occasional officials from outside the capital who came to visit, they no longer brought gifts; instead, they took the tokens of powerful local officials and went straight to the residences of their allies in the capital's court to stay overnight.

…The earth is cracking…

This is similar to the situation of groups like Xuan Chong's previous life's Ou Meng in their final stages.

The European Union actually has different strategic directions. Some are aligned with Eastern Europe, some with Northern Europe, and others rely on the trade along the New Silk Road. When there is overall surplus, everyone can maintain unity and is willing to concentrate resources. However, when the Eastern European faction suddenly picks on a powerful opponent and depletes a large amount of public resources in the struggle, the other factions become somewhat unhappy.

Although they outwardly appeared united, the Franco people of the west and the Athenians of the south, in their statements at the assembly, seemed to wholeheartedly support their brothers in East Europe in their fight against the bear.

But when the bear gained the upper hand, just like the Battle of Sarhu of the Later Jin Dynasty, a bottomless pit of resources was created in the northeast of the Ming Dynasty.

The various factions within the European Union would then use the excuse of splitting up to avoid being exploited any longer. From a military perspective, it would only mean losing a corner in the east, but internally it would be fragmented.

This is how the "Imperial Grace Shattering Fist" occurred, according to some history enthusiasts.

This kind of "Imperial Grace Shattering the Earth Fist" actually happened to Xuan Chong when he was sixty and one hundred years old in his previous life, one in Intsia and the other in the New World. In both cases, after a strategic failure and overspending in a certain direction, and with no end in sight, the various franchisees simply quit.

In Paradox strategy games, the loss of territory by feudal states like Da Yao cannot be quantified. In the game, even if you lose a piece of land, other regions can still accumulate resources for you. However, in reality, once an empire loses its core army and authority, the resources it can mobilize drop sharply.

Therefore, in times of great conflict, it must be recognized that military strength is the top priority. If a war cannot be won, the total health bar will be reduced to individual health bars.

Even during this time of national crisis, ambitious individuals still viewed the country through the lens of "Neo-Confucianism" and "strategy," and their discussions of the nation's situation were interspersed with "metaphysics."

…rainstorm…

In the thatched cottage in Yuzhou, learned scholars converse and laugh, and there are no uncultured people among the visitors.

Raindrops pattered down from the thatched roof eaves like a beaded curtain. Visitors passing through this rain were all soaked, but scholars from various places still came in with umbrellas, drank a pot of tea, and took turns explaining their views on current affairs.

Unlike the self-amusing scholars of later generations, these political enthusiasts in the thatched huts were destined to serve under various rulers. Sure enough, dressed in simple clothes, a minor official in the prefect's office was quietly taking notes. Some of the opinions that were widely praised would be presented to the prefect's desk.

In the absence of a monarch-led imperial examination system for selecting officials, and with the system of recommendation and selection still in place, discussions of politics in humble cottages, where young people articulated their insights and logic, were often the way to showcase talent.

This thatched hut may look shabby from the outside, but the occasion is for judging people; just as the examination hall, which resembled a thatched hut, was a sacred place for scholars.

Compared to the rigidity of the imperial examination questions, this kind of discussion in a humble cottage allowed for a more flexible selection of talents.

After all, the examination room cannot test adaptability. The selected senior students who have gone through many imperial examinations are only good at writing essays.

However, when talented individuals in a humble abode offer their opinions, they must be scrutinized by all parties. Of course, the core factor is the quality of the participants. Only those with a sufficiently high perspective can guarantee the quality of the "discussion."

Xuan Chong had examined this talent selection model and commented that while it produced excellent viewpoints and many talented individuals emerged from various forums, its effectiveness diminished as the scope of discussion expanded and many incompetent people joined in to spout nonsense. Coupled with the influx of online trolls and attention-grabbing angles, the model's overall impact was negated.

Because the Zhenzhou system requires a large number of governance talents, Xuan Chong rejected this "thatched cottage" model after his investigation.

After careful comparison, Xuan Chong concluded that it was still necessary to select talent through academies. Of course, regarding the abilities of these "forum gurus" from other prefectures, Xuan Chong believed that as long as they could be observed and their thinking changed, he would still give them a chance.

However, the old scholars no longer value the opportunities offered by Xuan Chong. After all, Xuan Chong had abandoned the practice of "treating scholars with respect."

Back to the present, in the thatched cottage, the majority of the discussion was still about "what should be done about the world?"

The first wave of discussion revolved around the ups and downs of the Hao Kingdom in recent years. These scholars divided the northern Hao Kingdom into "Former Hao" and "Later Hao".

Two years ago, the two Wu brothers (Wu Hengyu and Xuan Chong) guarded the borders and effectively contained and attacked Qian Hao.

At the time, scholars believed that the Northern Hao Kingdom was severely weakened, and that as long as the northern troops were appeased, there would be no further problems. However, after two years of relative calm, the former Hao Kingdom resurfaced in the west and repeatedly captured the major prefectures of Yao.

Therefore, these scholars sought to remedy the situation by referring to the Hao Kingdom, currently ruled by Zhao Cheng, as the Later Hao.
In the literary circles, some members of the atmosphere group who had infiltrated commented emotionally on this: "Some foolish officials in the court are short-sighted. When the dynasty was in decline, they were quick to discard their elite troops after the birds were gone, which led to endless troubles."

As the saying goes, "When the nation is in peril, it thinks of its best generals." After the Wu brothers made great contributions, they were separated by the senior officials of the court. One remained in Bozhou to continue commanding the Eastern Market Army, while the other fled back to Zhenzhou in the west.

So at this point, some people wondered if it was possible to let Wu Yuanchang of "Zhendi" fight against Hou Hao again.
These directions of discussion have a strong sense of "building a big triangle".

That is, after identifying a "common enemy," they expect their side to unite various factions and achieve perfect coordination, but forcibly ignore the fundamental differences in their priorities and willingness to contribute.

The strategy of forming alliances to counter powerful enemies is full of idealistic assumptions and lacks analysis and consideration of reality.

Soon, the thatched cottage was divided into two factions. One faction was led by Wang Botao, who emphasized "resisting external threats to resolve Hou Hao's problems"; while the other faction's leader was Xi Houyu, whose argument was to "pacify the internal situation to resolve the problems caused by the treacherous ministers."

The two arguments don't seem directly contradictory, but they're actually skirting each other. Their true arguments can't be stated directly. One argument is that the major hexagram is beyond saving, and future division is a long-term situation; the current strategy for local areas should be to prepare for separatism. The other argument is that the major hexagram can still unite, and separatism shouldn't occur; the current priority should be serving the king.

Wang Botao: "Hou Hao will bring great disaster, and the people of the world will suffer."

Dissatisfied with the interruption, Xi Houyu retorted, "Hou Hao is a homeless dog; how could he possibly cause trouble?"

Wang Botao: "When the late emperor was alive, he used all the power of the world to quell the false Hao, but failed. Have you all forgotten this today? The reason why Hao caused trouble for the world was three-tenths due to his military force and seven-tenths due to internal discord within our Great Yao."

This statement immediately created tension, with everyone preparing to steer the conversation in the right direction and prevent the debate from becoming "outrageous."

The reason why Emperor Xu allowed the Hao Kingdom to revolt was due to the current emperor's inexperience in military affairs when he was the King of Zhou. So, is this a topic that can be discussed now?

Currently, all sides still tend to purge the emperor's inner circle, and this purge still requires the application of Emperor Ling's legal principles. At this point, they haven't even met the emperor yet, but they're already criticizing him. Doesn't this confirm that their side is the one who is a traitor and a rebel?
Water was boiled in the thatched hut, and tea cakes, red dates, and other ingredients were poured in.

Xi Houyu seized the opportunity: "Houhao was originally a minor ailment, caused by the treacherous officials of our Great Yao deceiving His Majesty over the years."

The topic shifted from Emperor Ling back to the treacherous officials, and everyone echoed their sentiments.

Wang Botao: Hou Hao was originally a rulerless and fatherless man. It doesn't matter that they lost their old ways; moreover, the fact that we call him Hou Hao indicates that his dynasty was destined for continued rule. Now, his ministers are strong while his ruler is weak, and a usurpation is imminent. But what about my Great Yao? The pillars of my state have collapsed. How many more upheavals can my nation withstand?

Wang Botao eventually stopped the conversation and shifted the focus to Da Yao's attitude towards meritorious officials.

Of course, many people have also begun to reflect on how many "pillars of the nation" there are left in this world. A topic as taboo as "King Zhou's ignorance of military affairs" is "whether the Wu brothers are truly pillars of the nation." A few years ago, there was no doubt that the Wu brothers were the undisputed pillars of the nation. However, as the major sects confirmed that the "evil spirits of the Southern Frontier" originated from Wu Hanluan, the Wu family became tainted.

In recent years, the powerful clans in various regions have been influenced by the sects and have developed the following view: the martial arts family has original sin in the plague disaster and should now make amends for its merits.

Five Elements Immortal Sect: Wu Yuanchang had the opportunity to clear his name back then; he could have sacrificed his family for the greater good and put the world first. However, Xuan Chong directly used a substitution trick, plunging all sects into a great calamity.

In the narrative of powerful families colluding with the cultivation world, the Wu family cannot be the pillars of the nation, but rather tyrants.

This year, Xuan Chong watched as Xia Prefecture was captured, and then used his military power in Yong Prefecture to expand his territory on his own. In the comments of these scholars, he has become a treacherous villain who covets the world.

Despite Wu Yuanchang's bad reputation, the political commentators at the thatched cottage couldn't ignore his role in their logical deductions. They wanted to give Wu Yuanchang a chance to "turn back from his misdeeds and start anew."

Regarding the latter half of the fourth year of the Tianyou calendar, many scholars from thatched cottages believed that as long as Zhuozhou showed some loyalty, Houhao would not dare to manage Xiazhou, nor would he dare to relax his defenses on the western side.

Whether it's the loyalist faction or the separatist faction, all their plans require Da Yao to hold out for another year.

Many scholars hoped that Da Yao could maintain this precarious but not yet collapsed situation, and that Zhao Cheng's progress could be slowed down. Therefore, how to keep Xuan Chong in charge of the fierce army in the western frontier became everyone's goal.

The advisors wanted to make arrangements for Xuan Chong, such as sending a woman to marry him. Ideally, she would be a woman from the imperial clan.

Before it rains, the fish come to the surface of the lake. They peek out and look up at the sky, making a wish…

Cough cough cough, Xuan Chong choked on the overly spicy river seafood. Of course, Xuan Chong did not reflect on his own behavior, but cursed, "Who is insulting me?"

After finally breaking open a clam, Xuan Chong noticed an unpleasant smell. "Damn, it's rotten, we can't eat it." So, he casually scooped it out and fed it to the dog that had come up to him.

Xuan Chong's location is in the southern part of the four prefectures of Lingjiang. It is sparsely populated, and the roads are newly built.

Five hundred meters to the left is a camp built with a wooden fence, which is a temporary supply point.

In the summer of the fourth year of the Tianyou calendar, Xuan Chong did not intend to confront Zhao Cheng directly. Nor did he consider the "marriage alliance" request that had been sent, as the Grand Strategist had envisioned. Instead, he was exploring the use of Chi You's troops in the south.

Xuan Chong: As a thirty-something-year-old man, can't I play with some space-themed toys?

First, the mecha traversed the sky and earth, leaving a contrail as it flew from south to north—a unique "flight" for Xuan Chong. This north-south journey provided Xuan Chong with a tool to return to the north at any time to take charge of the overall situation.

Chi You's army's base was a treasure trove. Xuan Chong patiently discovered it. Seventy percent of the facilities were functionally unusable, but some structures could still function.

Xuan Chong salvaged some usable technologies from a large pile of obsolete ones. (Just like an interstellar scavenger picking up scraps.)
For example, some smelting furnace technologies are ineffective, but they can still be used to make bricks.

The three fortresses near Chiyou Mountain used this brick. Although the walls of their defensive ramparts were made of logs and rammed earth, the defensive towers were built with brick walls.

Most importantly, Xuan Chong found the maintenance system that originally produced nutrient solutions for the soldiers in the biological bank.

This thing can turn organic matter into an edible nutrient solution, in a jelly-like form. This mechanical device is a key area for protection.

…Assembly process…

In the four counties of Lingnan, wooden oxen, covered with rubber tarpaulins (the material of raincoats), transported twenty strange machines to an open space and secured them. The two hundred people in charge of logistics immediately unloaded the machines in groups after the vehicles stopped.

Amidst shouts and commands from the sergeants—"Careful!" "Slow down, don't smash it!" "The wooden pad is here, put it on the pad first!"—the machine was placed securely.

Xuan Chong operated the machine according to the instructions and found that by mechanically crushing the wood, then steaming it in a large iron pot, and then feeding it into the nutrient solution making machine, a nutrient solution with a sweet taste and vitamins could be produced.

This nutrient machine consumes electricity; and regarding electricity, Xuan Chong found "solar" components among Chi You's soldiers and generators in some abandoned warehouses.

This means that Xuan Chong will not face any restrictions on the size of his troops in terms of food supplies during his upcoming southward expedition. What he will need to ensure are supplies of ammunition, tents, arrows, and other necessities.

After calculation, Xuan Chong determined that his troops could be led to a force of over 20,000.

During the chaos in Zhendi, I recovered many forces, and now they all urgently need a war to test them. These forces include the soldiers I led on the expedition to the Seven Towers.

Without a doubt, their loyalty is beyond question. After I led them out of the most terrifying plague monsters during the expedition to the "Sevenfold Hell of Rot," they have been completely devoted to me ever since.

However! Loyalty requires not only the loyalty of subordinates, but also the arrangement of positions by leaders.

Now, within the territory of Zhen, the Southern Route Army faction has no intention of giving these rebels any place.

If left unattended for a long time, even those who are loyal to you will eventually develop internal divisions and conflicts.

This is just like in the TV series "Empresses in the Palace," where both Consort Hua and the Empress love Fatty Orange, but is the harem peaceful? They still fight endlessly for titles and honors.

The same applies to the various factions of military nobles under the lord's command.

A commander must create a "chain of interests" in order to keep everyone fully engaged.

Xuan Chong looked up at the sky, and it seemed that something else was falling down, but this time it wasn't the rotten style he had seen on Xie Yue last time, but something that looked like a lotus root.

…invite…

At this moment, on the Evil Moon, in the putrid territory, the lotus seeds had already quietly unfolded in a daze, white lotus roots and green leaves unfolding in this chaotic flow of information.

As an aberrant species that utilizes neutron stars to reproduce and multiply annually, it has now begun to irrationally "decompose" and "nourish" itself on the planet of Xieyue, which has a high concentration of unknown information.

In the green, decaying garden, plump, decaying sprites, as well as mushrooms and flowers, melted and withered. Even the decaying lord, as large as a mountain, was now entangled by roots, groaning. Meanwhile, the "Qingbao Daozun," of the same size as the decaying lord and hidden in the Mirror Palace within the surrounding blue domain, seemed to sense something.

In the crimson domain nearby, bloodthirsty berserkers enveloped in crimson power attempted to rush over and smash the lotus flowers, but after stepping on the lotus leaves, they turned into ruby ​​dewdrops and then flowed into the pond below.

The forces in the other three domains of Xie Yue watched silently as the rotting domain transformed into blooming lotus flowers.

But they couldn't stand idly by, because roots often extended into the other three realms. As spring thunder flashed around the lotus seeds, wherever they struck, whether it was the blood-red frenzy or the purple palace, the places turned into pools of mud.

Meanwhile, roots are growing in the mud, and as the evil moon is projected onto the Xiren realm, these roots often appear in the places where the evil moon is projected.

The lotus seeds have grown, and now they await the human world to loosen the "pond mud" for them.

(End of this chapter)