Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 278 Observing the World and Discussing Rise and Fall
At the beginning of the year 2108 in the Han calendar, as the annual firecrackers rose in various parts of Hangzhou, Liu Haoxing turned eighteen and grew to be over 1.9 meters tall.

Now, at least in terms of height, no one dares to regard Xuan Chong as a child.

Every afternoon, Xuan Chong would temporarily hang a ring on the main gun barrel (230 mm caliber) and do 100 pull-ups every day.

Xuan Chong's ship, the Sparrow-Eyed Mantis Shrimp, belongs to the Xuan 4th Squadron. Originally, the Xuan 4th Squadron's cruise missions were carried out on a shift system, but now, in special circumstances, the leaders are on duty at all times. Xuan Chong had just completed a patrol and was about to set sail again after a short five-day rest.

As Xuan Chong's warships set sail, cutting through the waves, the ship's broadcast system received the latest news: "The Shu bandits are invading."

Xuan Chong was slightly taken aback. "Shu bandits"? And "invade"? Xuan Chong: "The person who wrote this proclamation is truly shameless."

However, as a modern Han Chinese, Xuan Chong liked this kind of "shamelessness" because Eastern Shu deserved to be attacked.

At this point, Xuan Chong was filled with resentment: "Damn it, they chose to fight a war when I was taking the imperial examination!"

…Let's rewind to three days ago…

Just as Xuan Chong received his examination admission ticket and was preparing to go to Hangzhou to participate in this year's Xiucai examination, a notice suddenly came that an emergency mobilization was needed.

Xuan Chong paused for about a second before immediately returning to the army to report for duty. Then, without stopping, he boarded his ship, the Bird-Eyed Mantis Shrimp (Patrol 023), to check the situation and prepare to set sail at any time.

Just as Xuan Chong was busy operating the warship, Liu Kehua arrived. This surprised Xuan Chong slightly.

After inspecting the combat readiness of the entire ship, Liu Kehua and his entourage were very satisfied. They then questioned Xuan Chong in the captain's cabin.

Liu Kehua: "I remember you were going to take the imperial examination for the lowest degree, right?"

Xuan Chong's face showed a pained expression: "Yes, I've already got the admission ticket."

Liu Kehua smiled and asked, "Then why didn't you ask for leave?"

Xuan Chong carefully observed the marshal's expression and realized that he was being tested. He replied fluently, "The most important matters of the state are war and sacrifice. The imperial examination is a private matter, while national war is a public matter. My family has received the country's favor for generations, so we should put the public interest first."

Liu Kehua: "That's right, you've really learned a lot."

Xuan Chong was unaware that his immediate return to Hong Kong after obeying orders was a test he had passed Liu Kehua's test.

Xuan Chong carried an official seal, which was linked to the Imperial Ancestral Temple system. Regarding this emergency summons, Liu Kehua and the Lin Lord made a bet. The bet was whether Liu Haoxing would contact the Lin Group. Liu Kehua believed Xuan Chong would (seek support from the Imperial Ancestral Temple), while the Lin Lord believed he wouldn't (Xuan Chong would make his own decision).

As a result, Lin Zhu won, but Liu Kehua, who lost, was still very happy because he had invested in Xuan Chong and hoped that Xuan Chong would be a trustworthy person.

Meanwhile, from Xuan Chong's perspective, Liu Kehua announced some good news: the "Xiucai Examination" was no longer necessary, and the results would be directly entered based on the previous "Test Examination" (mock exam).

This is based on the principle of "reason and sentiment" in the current Han Dynasty law. What should be done if there are people in the army who want to take the imperial examination, but there is an urgent matter at the border, and the two matters conflict? First, according to the order of importance and urgency, guarding the border is of course the priority; secondly, leniency should be given in accordance with reason and sentiment.

If a soldier had passed the examination, he was considered to have passed the "scholarly examination"; if he failed, the passing score would be lowered upon his return. The more merits he accumulated, the lower the passing score would be. In short, no soldier should be sent to the frontier without regrets.

Xuan Chong: "Thank you, Commander. I am willing to die for you." — This was Xuan Chong's true intention.

According to the current Han law, he was indeed qualified to be directly admitted as a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations). However, if Liu Kehua did not arrange it for him, there was nothing he could do.

In the modern Chinese legal system, the issue of special channels is treated with particular caution. It needs to be based on both reason and emotion. Reason means that the rule "allows" such channels to exist. Emotion means that someone will plead on one's behalf, and that the plea must withstand public scrutiny.

As for owing favors? The current Han Dynasty is all about personal connections; nobody wants to owe even the slightest favor.

A lone star, often associated with misfortune, is usually selfish and self-serving; Xuan Chong's Confucian teachings emphasize adherence to human relationships and social norms. During the Spring and Autumn Period, this is how the "people of the state" came to be united, while the "wild people" were considered unreasonable and lacking in common sense.

…Back to the present…

Amidst the surging waves, Xuan Chong, after confirming that the warship's interior was in good condition, began listening to the radio.

Although it is unclear how the top leadership of the Han Dynasty planned this war, Xuan Chong obtained information from various channels: in fact, the war was a passive one for Eastern Shu.

In the Eastern Shu region, due to the ongoing economic war waged by the Han dynasty, the plundering of Pengzhou has intensified. However, the pace has been too large, and a major indigenous uprising has recently occurred in Pengzhou.

Pengzhou is a continent.

In order to maintain this resource-rich area, Eastern Shu had no choice but to continuously invest resources over the past decade to maintain a standing force of more than two million troops.

Problems also arose in the lives of the local people in the continent; in a series of cities such as Tianhong City (the soil in central Australia is rich in iron oxides and is red in color), Guotai City, and Hailing City, a large number of "peace petition meetings" appeared.

Xuan Chong observed a detail from the reports of these "petition groups" parading through the streets. That is, the names of the petition groups in major cities across the continent are now "Sisters' Workers' Association" and "Mother's Longing for Return Association".

When the main force of the protests is mostly women, if it weren't for the emergence of "fist" within the system, it would indicate that Eastern Shu has already fallen into the contradiction of excessive military expansion.

It makes sense, considering that engaging in a naval arms race while maintaining a million-strong combat force on another continent year after year is something no one can handle.

Two years ago, there were rumors in various newspapers that Eastern Shu had long been preparing to seek peace.

The officials of Eastern Shu were willing to cooperate in dismantling the fortified islands in the equatorial region. However, the current Han dynasty did not agree and continued to build new and advanced warships, seemingly intending to drive Eastern Shu to the brink of incurable disease.

It is worth mentioning that, in the past hundred years, the Han Dynasty has launched three large-scale military campaigns against Eastern Shu.

This was the first national war between the two sides since the steam engine revolution brought about the technological transformation of rifled guns a hundred years ago.

Thirty years ago, advancements in steel processing technology led to the use of all-steel ships and cannons, marking the second major war between the two sides.

This war began fifteen years ago; eight years ago, both sides agreed that there could only be one voice in the equatorial region! They then escalated their actions on the relevant islands, deploying regiments like meat grinders. From the initial low-intensity standoff and friction involving the construction of bunkers, to the current deployment of temporary railways to transport siege artillery to the front lines.

Looking back at the century-long conflict between the modern Han and Eastern Shu, although the Han army suffered some minor defeats, overall, the modern Han has been on the defensive, pushing forward step by step. They have already landed on the enemy's territory several times.

Xuan Chong: The geography of Eastern Shu is terrible, but it has chosen an opponent with the best geography.

…Advantages…

A map appeared in Xuan Chong's mind. Compared with other civilizations in the world, the most unique element of the Han Dynasty is that it is located on the eastern side of the world's main continent.

Due to the Earth's rotation, numerous fragmented "attached blocks" appear on the southeastern sides of continents, with the southeastern side of present-day Han Dynasty having the most such blocks globally. The Japanese archipelago and the South Pacific islands are similar examples.

Once the main continent is unified and exerts its influence outwards, these subsidiary continents will become springboards for the main continent's power to extend its control over the oceans.

Compared to the former Mi region, the current Han dynasty, residing in the center, can better control the power in these areas.

This region includes Japan, Silla, Champa, and Jiaozhi, collectively known as the Confucian cultural sphere.

Excluding the main body of modern Chinese, within this circle, these peripheral countries alone surpass the European countries in terms of population density, economic development, and level of mutual exchange.

Europe was fragmented, while the surrounding areas of the present-day Han Dynasty were all tributary states.

As long as Han maintains a naval force of 200,000 men, it can exert sufficient deterrence over the entire region.

In Europe, even maintaining a standing army of 800,000 and a fleet spanning the Mediterranean and the Atlantic would be difficult to deter the various warlords formed by the terrain carved by the Alps.

Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire was spent his entire life traversing mountains to quell rebellions.

As for the lighthouse, "it was made and it was also destroyed by the two oceans."

Its period of world leadership coincided with a rapid decline in national power. In the industrial age, the cost for the modern Han to control these vassals was far lower than that of a beacon. Since its founding, Eastern Shu had aspired to monopolize maritime power, but its strategy was based on "not allowing the modern Han to develop maritime power." This flawed diplomacy angered the modern Han, leading to a confrontation, and Eastern Shu suffered repeated defeats.

This struggle for supremacy is now coming to an end. In the battle in the equatorial region, the Eastern Shu had already used up all its "good family" resources, but the modern Han is actually inviting its underlings to gang up on it.

As the "suzerain state in the family law," it is only natural that numerous vassal states serve the main suzerain state.

Xuan Chong couldn't help but sigh: In his time, if one were to talk about "cultural patriarchy," one would be criticized for being conservative, like an "old empire." But this was because the country was still in the rising stage and its culture was not strong enough.

But if they truly become strong, they will benefit from the cultural patriarchal system! Then the voices that previously "mocked conservatism" will be ridiculed as "not being domineering enough".

…disadvantages…

As Xuan Chong reviewed the history of battles between the modern Han dynasty and the Eastern Shu, he discovered that the modern Han dynasty was not entirely superior.

One hundred years ago, the main battlefield of the first round of conflict between the present-day Han and the Eastern Shu was still in Java. The present-day Han dispatched three regiments, totaling 6,000 men, as a detachment to land on the mainland. As a result, the Han army won a major battle on Java Island with a force of 50,000 men, but the troops on the mainland were completely wiped out.

The second confrontation took place thirty years ago, with the main battlefield being Sula Island. Both sides had acquired steamships, greatly increasing their transport capacity, and their troop strength was 60,000 and 80,000 respectively. Meanwhile, the Han Dynasty again dispatched a detachment of over 10,000 troops to attack Hailing City on the continent. The Han Dynasty again successfully seized the island, but suffered a humiliating defeat at the gates of Hailing City, retreating in disgrace.

The Third Great War began fifteen years ago. The current strength of the Han Dynasty has overwhelmed that of Eastern Shu. Whether it is shipbuilding or steel production, it is several times that of Eastern Shu. Therefore, in this great war, the Han army is prepared to directly conquer Dianlu from the very beginning.

This attempt failed, with a large amount of artillery and supplies ultimately lost to Eastern Shu, and the Han army retreated in disgrace. They were forced to resort to piecemeal attacks to capture the surrounding islands again.

The previous defeat emboldened Eastern Shu for ten years.

Xuan Chong discovered a pattern: in island battles, the Han dynasty could generally capture them. However, the mainland was a hot potato.

Xuan Chong realized something from this.

…the limits of sea power. …

Far off the equator, the main fleet of the Han army is escorting landing troops into Guinea. The Han naval steel fleet forms a long line, while eight hardened airships patrol the sky.

Within this massive battle formation, the perspective shifts to the capital ship.

Passing through rows of large-caliber naval guns, we arrived at the bridge and reached the captain's observation room through the windows. Admiral Sun Jingtao was looking at a nautical chart.

There is currently a pervasive contempt for Eastern Shu within Hanzhong. In other words, various fields are arguing that Eastern Shu is destined for numerous defeats.

A theory coined by biologists (or biological scientists) suggests that compared to the inhabitants of the main continent, the creatures of the continental landmass were confined to a corner, losing their ability to move forward; subsequently, they faced invasions from foreign animals such as cats and dogs, pushing them to the brink of extinction. The original inhabitants of the continental landmass entered tens of thousands of years ago, living a primitive, unsavory existence, and continued this primitive lifestyle even after civilization discovered them! This stagnation is the feng shui of this place. The Eastern Shu dynasty also suffered from this.

However, Sun Jingtao was under great pressure because, for decades, there had been a famous general in Eastern Shu named Qin Shen, who came from the imperial family!

Fifteen years ago, the Han army's reckless advance and subsequent defeat was a masterpiece he had just created when he was only eighteen years old.

In that battle, various nations had just transitioned to automatic rifles. Qin Shen, on land, used a multi-pronged attack to stretch and divide the Han army. However, taking advantage of the Han navy being bogged down near the coastline, he proactively dispatched his navy northward to launch a surprise attack on the existing Han fleet, ultimately winning two naval battles and forcing the main Han fleet to retreat from the coastline. Subsequently, the Eastern Shu forces launched a full-scale counterattack on land. The Han army's lines collapsed, and 300,000 troops were forced to abandon their supplies, retreat from the coastline, and flee back to Sula Island.

Qin Shen then became a pillar of the Eastern Shu state. Ten years ago, after being sent to Pengzhou, the Eastern Yin attempted to seize Pengzhou, sending troops to land on the southern shore of the Sargasso Sea under the pretext of "saving the Yin people in the south".

Qin Shen's 30,000 troops marched forcefully, cutting off Longzhou's 150,000-strong intervention force in the tropical rainforest, where they were entangled with crocodiles and pythons. In the end, only 80,000 of the 150,000 survived, thwarting Longzhou's plans to intervene in Pengzhou to the south.

With these two battles, Qin Shen has made military strategists around the world dare not underestimate him.

Sun Jingtao glanced at the nautical chart and asked his adjutant, "Didn't we encounter any enemy fleet resistance?"

Adjutant: No.

Sun Jingtao: "According to intelligence, what is the enemy's defense like at Dongzhu (Gua Island)?"

Adjutant: "They are mainly concentrated inland, not on the tidal flats. My fleet is conducting minesweeping operations in the East China Sea."

Sun Jingtao pointed to "Juanwei" on the east side of Jiya Island: "Land here and be wary of the Eastern Shu navy."

…A weak navy takes too many risks…

The Han navy crossed the equator and pressed on the doorstep of Eastern Shu; while on the vast Pacific Ocean, an Eastern Shu fleet, zigzagging its way around the Han navy's blockade area, crossed the typhoon-ravaged region, and sailed over while maintaining radio silence.

This fleet attempted to penetrate the eastern ocean and carry out a surprise attack.

Aboard his battleship, the commander of Eastern Shu gazed at the nautical chart and murmured, "Even if our operation succeeds, will it be enough to make the Han Dynasty fear the losses of war and cease fighting?"

The continuous crashing of the waves had left the crew of Dongshu with both upset stomachs and anxious minds.

On the masts of each of these small steel mountains at sea, signalmen struggled to use flag signals to command subsequent warships to follow.

...directly in front of the right hook...

On the seventh day at sea, Xuan Chong stood at the stern of the patrol ship 023, calculated the ocean data, and fed back a series of natural data such as wind speed and wave height to the flagship behind him before continuing to patrol ahead of the fleet.

The flagship's broadcast also sent a battle report today. The Han army has successfully landed on Dongzhu Island (Papua New Guinea), the second largest island in the Thousand Islands region.

The 200,000-strong army of Eastern Shu on the island lost its strategic maritime position almost instantly; under the bombardment of battleships and airships, they had no choice but to retreat to the mountainous areas of the inner island.

Four hundred years ago, after the Eastern Shu completed its governance and unification, it established four prefectural governments here.

When the Han Dynasty was conducting military operations, it was clear that it had already established contact with the local powerful families and would recognize the genealogies of these families as belonging to the Huaxia lineage.

The Han court will now recognize clan records, allowing members of these prominent clans to participate in the imperial examinations as Han citizens, and has promised to grant them twenty places as successful candidates within twenty years.

The number of candidates who passed the imperial examinations represented a path to officialdom, allowing them to serve as important bureaucrats within the vast territory of present-day Han, while choosing to return to their hometown meant they could receive significant industrial transfers.

Xuan Chong was extremely envious of this, as the imperial court's policies toward these islands were very favorable.

Dongtu, such a large island, has only produced five scholars in the past few decades, resulting in its industry still being whaling. Xuan Chong: "Whales are so cute, how can you eat them!"

Without a doubt, the current Han dynasty is eager to resolve its long-standing enemy in the southeast, and doesn't want to wait even a day longer.

Over the past century, this has been a subtle and gradual approach, not only in military preparations but also in industry and local culture.

Xuan Chong looked at the map and muttered, "After reaching Dongzhu, so many people are 'physically in Shu but their hearts are in Han'? It seems the outcome of the war is already decided, right?"

"Something's not right!" Xuan Chong stared at the map: The enemy's main force was retreating towards strategic locations! They were planning a protracted war.

Looking at the ravines and gullies on the island, Xuan Chong felt that there were many snakes, rats, insects and ants on it.

It's worth noting that Dongzhu covers an area of ​​460,000 square kilometers, almost the size of Sichuan and Chongqing, and even larger than the Federal Republic of Germany in the 21st century. So, despite appearing as an island on the map, it has a mountainous interior comparable to the Dabie Mountains. If the inhabitants were truly determined to resist, guerrilla warfare would be a significant challenge for the Han army.

However, that afternoon, news came that two regiments from Eastern Shu had surrendered en masse and were leading the way for the Han army.

Xuan Chong was somewhat embarrassed by his slap in the face. However, he still stuck to his original view that Eastern Shu must still be hiding something.

Large flocks of seagulls circled around the Type 023 destroyer, making loud "Leo Leo" noises.

The propaganda department issued an order to activate electromagnetic stealth to prevent these birds from hitching a ride.

(End of this chapter)