Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 224 The Next Generation Has Arrived
The perspective shifts to Yongzhou and Xingzhou. Because Zhao Cheng has always been a subject, his political approach has consistently been one of reduction.

Although Zhao Cheng led a large army in campaigns across the north and south within the pass, and his strategists and generals had greatly expanded, there were some whom he deemed incompetent, and he couldn't assign them tasks. To do so would only jeopardize important matters.

But these people were restless. Finding no opportunities with Zhao Cheng, these rejected talents immediately jumped to the opposite side. After all, Zhao Cheng's title also came from the Hao Kingdom; wouldn't it be wonderful for them to opportunistically join Zhao Cheng's opposition and gain a title in return?
Before Zhao Cheng was appointed Grand General in the third year of the Tianyou calendar, he had already discovered this; therefore, he had no choice but to accelerate his steps toward disloyalty, rushing into the palace to seize the seal of the King of Hao and placing his own people around him.

However, those people who had been enfeoffed by King Hao earlier had already been settled in Yongzhou, so they could not be dismissed.

Therefore, Zhao Cheng had no choice but to assign this group of people who "wanted to take shortcuts but lacked the ability" to Yongzhou and Xingzhou. Out of sight, out of mind. (In Zhao Cheng's memory, this was how his ancestors, who had achieved great merit and overshadowed their rulers in his previous life, were dealt with.)
Thus, the last remaining "loyal and righteous" descendants of Haotian Dragon were trapped in the land of Xingzhou.

However, their skills are too poor. Over the years, not only have they failed to develop this place into a support base, but they have also driven away batches of people who wanted to make a difference.

The battle lines in Yongzhou and Xingzhou became the easiest places to fight in the territory controlled by Zhao Cheng.

In Zhenzhou, after the staff of the General Staff confirmed on the sand table that the current defenses in other directions were stable enough, they began to deploy troops to Yongzhou.

In Yongzhou, Su Ming strictly adhered to a defensive strategy; he relied on the land reclamation strategy to confront Haoguo for many years, and used the advantage of the people's livelihood to make the few remaining people in Yongzhou and Xingzhou flee south continuously.

It is worth mentioning that, with local powerful families in various states within Xuanchong's territory now turning their backs on other regions, the front line in Yongzhou is firmly under control.

First, strategic resources such as salt, tea, and herbs were controlled. Second, military personnel throughout the region were given preferential treatment in a systematic way.

Those soldiers who reclaimed and developed the Yongzhou region, those who reached the "Zan Niao" rank, could have their offspring recruited into the officer academy with lowered entry requirements.

Furthermore, when sergeants are promoted to full-fledged officers, everyone else has to go to the southern border for rotational combat. These trainee sergeants from Yongzhou can use their seniority as a substitute for military training in the north after completing a round of military exercises between Zhuzhou and Yongzhou.

These officers, originally from Yongzhou, are now using the classic tactics taught to them: the same methods Xuan Chong employed when he entered Bozhou to "plan robberies." They routinely infiltrate enemy-occupied territory year-round to raid for food and livestock, abducting cattle, sheep, and people. After these years, the northernmost cities of Yongzhou are living in constant fear.

Su Ming led his subordinates to continuously understand the spirit of Xuan Chong's meeting, and said in the war meeting: "Our strategy this time is to prevent Zhao Cheng from becoming Hao Chen."

…general mobilization…

In the spring of the fifth year of the Tongzheng calendar, the seventh year of the wars that raged across the land, the people of the world saw the Zhen region recklessly launch an attack on the Hao Kingdom.

As the supreme commander of Nanzhen, Xuan Chong observed the current situation in the five southwestern prefectures. At this time, the labor stations in various places had been fully constructed, and after finishing their farm work, the local militia spontaneously went to the labor stations to find work.

Meanwhile, the original labor groups, after six months of training, began to deploy to various regions. By the beginning of spring, the total number of troops in Xuanchong territory had reached a staggering 200,000.

Xuan Chong was very domineering, adopting the "spring battle, autumn defense" strategy that Zhao Cheng had once mentioned! This was a strategy used by agricultural societies to fight the Mongols. They relied on their abundant grain reserves to inflict damage. For the Hao Kingdom, although Zhao Cheng had conquered many territories in recent years, its agriculture could not recover.

Xuan Chong deployed 200,000 troops, and Hao State would inevitably have to deploy 200,000 troops in return; for Hao State, the amount of food and supplies required to maintain such a large force in its various military outposts would be enormous.

Zhenzhou has accumulated a great deal of grain over the years, and in recent years, it has accelerated the construction of a railway corridor centered on Zhenzhou; if it were to wage war in all directions, the cost of transporting provisions would basically only be coal and jade. There would be no need for the consumption of pack animals along the way.

Furthermore, Xuan Chong received intelligence that, apart from Yuhua Prefecture, the treasuries of all other prefectures under Zhao Cheng's command were completely empty.

If the impending war drags on until the busy farming season in May, Zhao Cheng's peasant soldiers from all over the country will have no choice but to return home to farm. Therefore, Zhao Cheng can only launch one attack against him, and if he fails to win this one, his internal forces will collapse.

But what if he doesn't attack? Xuan Chong moves the small pieces forward on the sand table, then he can easily capture two of his states and stop.

He wanted to prove to the world that although Zhao Cheng's army was powerful, it was not enough to subdue him. And if he couldn't subdue himself, he wouldn't be able to solve the problems of an empty treasury, unrest in the regions, and ultimately, the loss of popular support. (Fu Jian)

Why conquer two states instead of more? Xuan Chong calculated his own grain production and determined that the conquest would be enough to save the people of just two states!
Xuan Chong told the General Staff: "This battle will not be decided by proclamation, nor will it accept the surrender of local powerful families. All means of production will be redistributed!"

The young people in the staff department began to work automatically. Amidst this busyness, Xuan Chong, freed from a great deal of work, began to review his time-travel experience.

Twenty-four years in the military, twenty-four years of service; from initially leading five hundred peasant soldiers to guard the rear granaries for Wu Hanluan; to becoming a general capable of leading three armies and attacking one side; and now, Xuan Chong has finally reached his full potential, becoming a commander capable of organizing hundreds of thousands of people for a national war. Such a level of military skill is unprecedented in the history of the Xiren realm; the Great Yao's thousands of years of peace and prosperity could not have fostered such conquests, while the Great Sacrificial Dynasty relied entirely on its sharp armor and weapons, as well as numerous ancient divine weapons spewing thunder and flames, to crush all sides.

It can be said that when chaos reigns, there will always be heroes who can use the heroes of the world as their chess pieces to play this game.

Now, Xuan Chong sits down at the table, and the player opposite him, who was originally focused on the game, now has to think about how to place his piece next.

…Now, a chessboard of Chu and Han, with the Chu River and Han Border, unfolds before Xuan Chong…

Meanwhile, on the administrative side, Wu Ju relayed Wu Fei's explanation: "If we accept the proclamation and settle the matter, a large number of people in that area will starve to death, and land, such an important means of production, will be inherited by the local powerful clans; our country will be unable to implement new policies in the occupied territories. Moreover, even if we accept the proclamation from the local powerful families, who can guarantee that they won't be disloyal? Will they continue to ally with Hao? After all, we only occupy two states. These powerful families have already pledged their elite members to Zhao Cheng; they won't let our 'minor victory' cause their investment to be sunk."

At that time, after they recover decades later, they will likely revert to their old ways. After all, we are a force of the "new human way," having usurped their position of "governing the country and ensuring its stability." If we don't rely on them to govern, we are essentially taking away what they consider a position of "benefiting the country and its people." Our conflict with them is irreconcilable.

Wu Juwang looked at the officials selected through the governance of the Southern Frontier and said, word by word, "If the general accepts the surrender and is incorporated into our system, he will inevitably become our political enemy! Only by completely eliminating them can our ambitions be realized."

With the integration of all forces, a modern warlord faction began to emerge in this battle.

Conscripting 200,000 soldiers is one thing, but sending those 200,000 soldiers out to fight is quite another. In the semi-feudal era, half of the able-bodied men would die if they were sent out.

According to the administrative textbooks of Zhendi, organizing an armed force of 200,000 men to advance requires building multiple granaries along the way. Currently, the local militia that Wu Fei has recruited in the five prefectures are still scattered in various places.

The army relied on the granaries of the local cities for food; if one of the troops was to be moved to another city, it was necessary to ensure that the troops originally stationed there were also removed.

Wu Ju led several hundred men and commanded thousands of officials, taking charge of every detail of the battle.

For example, during recruitment, local governments that support recruits provide subsidies every year. After the soldiers report to the military camp, they can receive another subsidy from the city's conscription office based on their credentials.

If the militia members collect this subsidy on behalf of the soldiers and find that the subsidy has been withheld, the militia members are responsible for appealing to the "Retirement Department"; of course, the Retirement Department can also check with the soldiers to verify whether the subsidy has been fully distributed to them.

This step is currently designed to be relatively problem-free, but if strange incidents occur where the "Retirement Department" and the "Baojia" (local security system) are at odds, it will severely test the government's ability to handle grassroots situations.

Wu Juwang: A swift investigation is necessary, and the relevant government departments must be dealt with immediately; if the civil affairs department fails to respond quickly, it will dampen the army's morale. (And such minor incidents occur frequently during wartime.)

Wu Juwang, a disciple of Xuan Chong, understood "civil affairs" not as a matter of "a just and upright official judging cases," but as a highly specialized field requiring extensive calculations and standardized procedures. At the headquarters in Zhenzhou, a full two thousand people were busy handling the aftermath of the massive army's deaths. As the overall leader, Wu Juwang was present every day, overseeing the tasks.

…Yuzhou, amidst lightning and thunder…

The April rain was falling, making the roads muddy. Zhao Cheng was now looking at his current game of chess.

At this point, he was like a chess piece, with each square holding only one piece. Most of the local militia were like pawns, only able to move one space per turn; only the elite standing troops were like "chariots, horses, and cannons," capable of long-distance movement. (Xuan Chong's side was all chariots.)
Despite strong opposition, Zhao Cheng decided to first clear out the rear before waging a decisive battle against the alliance led by the Prince of Bo, which was entrenched in the east. However, within a month, as intelligence reports from the west poured in, Zhao Cheng lost his appetite.

Military reports from various regions have reported recent dangerous developments in Nanzhuo.

1. Troops have been deployed in the Yongzhou direction, with 5,000 elite troops expected to be led by Su Ming.

2. On the water front, a large number of musketeers began training.

3. According to intelligence, in Dongjiang Prefecture and Jizhou Prefecture, a corps with at least fifty oxcart cannons is stationed near the border of Jizhou Prefecture.

……

Inside the main tent, Zhao Cheng's military advisors reported on the enemy they were to attack, one by one. The military preparations of Nanzhen caught many of the advisors in Yuzhou somewhat off guard. With this situation, who was actually attacking whom?

"Impossible!" a staff member from the water faction immediately denied, adding, "This is just Nanzhen bluffing!"

Yes, this outstanding man who left Nanzhen felt his homeland was "old and decrepit."

As the ruler of Nanzhuo, Wu Fei waged wars year after year, neglecting talented individuals and allowing merchants to amass wealth. Meanwhile, the disciples of various aristocratic families either became decadent or indulged in extravagance. In contrast, Yuzhou allowed them to fully display their talents, presenting a thriving and vibrant scene of life.

Therefore, these advisors from Shuizhou and Zhuzhou did not believe that the "virtuous and incompetent" Nanzhen could withstand Zhao Cheng's army. In this campaign against Nanzhen, they were staunch advocates of war.

Little did they know that their circle belonged to a group that Xuan Chong had long ago designated as "not to be outdone by the virtuous."

The merchants who hoarded money were by no means "greedy and forgetting righteousness"; with Xuan Chong's permission, they were also "deeply aware of righteousness".

Zhao Cheng learned from the secret letter in his hand that laborers conscripted from various places were being armed and formed into legions with a huge amount of money. Within the legions, due to a shortage of talent, they began to recruit people without regard to background; many former ruffians were given access to the library simply because they could read; and after learning to recite classical texts, they were promoted!
Looking back on his own actions, Zhao Cheng realized that it had taken him several years to gradually acquire inside contacts from prominent families in places like Zhenzhou Prefecture through talent recruitment.
As for the other ordinary feudal lords in the world, when faced with the "sweeping momentum" that Zhao Cheng has now accumulated, their internal situation will definitely become one of "military overwhelming force" and "popular support driven by the general trend".

Six months ago, Zhao Cheng's strategists all believed that once his army rose to power, the various factions within the Wu family would become disaffected, debating whether to "submit" or "be wiped out."

But now that Wu Xiaoque has returned, she seems to be poised to "take over the western frontier," which has made Zhao Cheng's advisors somewhat embarrassed.

"But that's alright!" the strategists said optimistically. "The advantage still lies with us!"

As a military strategist who had also reached the level of "the more the better" and was even more experienced, Zhao Cheng could naturally see that Wu Fei of Nanzhen had already made a breakthrough in his skill level.

Zhao Cheng stared at the map, a wry smile playing on his lips. He could tell that Wu Fei's "the more the better" philosophy was largely learned from him. —Even his own son, whom he had personally taught, couldn't grasp it, yet Xuan Chong, sitting opposite him, seemed to understand it perfectly.

This life's confidant happens to be a worthy adversary.

Zhao Cheng is now gazing at the northwest direction of the half-scrolled map of mountains and rivers, clearly indicating that Xuan Chong's offensive intentions lie in Yongzhou to the north.

Zhao Cheng understood Xuan Chong's strategy of "golden corner, silver edge, and grass belly"; Xuan Chong had the confidence to do so because nearly ten years of good governance had made his land prosperous and thriving, and this was accomplished by kicking away traditional local forces, which meant that he had completed the reform!

Countries that have successfully implemented reforms will remain active and productive for at least several decades, thanks to the renewed vitality they bring.

Decades are enough time for Jin Jiao and Yin Bian to gradually conquer the world. Zhao Cheng still doesn't know what the Martial Furnace looks like; but because of his silence, he is certainly not a foolish person. And having inherited all of Xuan Chong's abilities, even someone of average appearance would be far superior.

Zhao Cheng murmured, "Now all he has left is to 'win one move against me on the battlefield.'"

Then his gaze sharpened and became resolute: "Then let me see for myself!"

At this time, Zhao Cheng had also gathered a group of the most outstanding talents in the world, and these talents, after being selected and trained by him, were all capable of great things. He stood up and issued orders to his advisors, who, seeing their commander's unwavering resolve, quickly straightened up and were determined to teach the invading Wu Xiaoque a lesson.

…In the ever-changing world, the new generation surpasses the old…

Amidst this great military battle, the immortal sects, the Five Elements Sect, and the Linghua Sect were all watching closely.

The immortal sect leaders remained silent for a long time as they watched two streams of human destiny suddenly rise up in the world and collide with overwhelming force.

After the clouds had moved about twice, the leader of the Linghua Sect, seemingly trying to lighten the mood, said, "Those who follow the Way receive much help, while those who stray from the Way receive little help."

Everyone glanced at him, wondering who was really in the wrong now.

Whenever the Kingdom of Zhen suffers even the slightest setback, everyone blames it for the saying "those who stray from the righteous path find little support." This is because Wu Yuan has been tyrannical and cruel to his people in recent years, causing many virtuous and capable individuals to flee Zhen.

But now, even with so many virtuous and capable people gone, the state of Zhen is not at a disadvantage when facing Zhao Cheng's army; and this momentum reveals a kind of "vibrant energy".

The Five Elements Sect leader finally responded in a low voice: "The Zhao army may suffer setbacks in this battle."

The Qinghua Sect leader then said, "It's just that his fate hasn't run out yet." — The Qinghua Sect and others still wanted to lend Zhao Cheng a hand, along with many fellow Daoists, to hinder Wu Xiaoque's rise to power. After all, over the years, the Qinghua Sect had completely wiped out all the disciples of the Wu family's Lingnan lineage. This was equivalent to completely withdrawing their investment from Wu Fei's faction.

The Qinghua Sect was just waiting for Wu Fei to lose, but now it seems that Wu Fei is not going to lose, and what if he wins? The Qinghua Sect leader also knows that Wu Xiaoque is very narrow-minded and might set the mountain on fire.

However, the astrologer of the Five Aggregates School, who was well-versed in the calculations of celestial principles, said: "The fate of the great line is not yet exhausted—the great line has lost its deer, but its remaining virtue still exists, and it cannot be usurped by one generation."

This statement effectively negated the Qinghua Sect's plan; because helping Zhao Cheng now would be useless, and on the contrary, if it caused a backlash from the Human Realm, each of them would be wiped out.

(End of this chapter)