Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Hong Fu Nu sat to the side and, seeing Li Jing's appearance, also came over to take a look.

Although she didn't understand military strategy, she could tell the weight of the book from her husband's taut back and shining eyes.

In the past, when Li Jing read "The Art of War" and "Wu Zi", he would usually ponder them calmly and steadily, but he had never been so eager to "see the hunt".

Li Jing became more and more engrossed in the book, even forgetting to touch the herbal tea that Zhang Erya brought him.

Xiao Ran didn't disturb him either.

Li Jing's finger moved across the pages, tracing the words, sometimes nodding, sometimes pondering, and occasionally whispering to himself about a particular passage:

"The 'Mandarin Duck Formation' is a method that involves twelve people in a group, using a mix of long and short weapons, and can actually break the deadlock in a chaotic battle."

"Although our Tang cavalry is strong, such a small formation can make up for the cavalry's weakness in mountain and forest battles and street battles!"

He gradually slowed down his page turning, eventually taking almost half a cup of tea to read a single page, and would occasionally stop to close his eyes and ponder.

It was as if he was comparing the methods in the book with his own past experience in leading troops.

After a long while, Li Jing slowly closed the book, his fingertips still resting on the cover.

His eyes were filled with emotion, and his gaze toward Xiao Ran became more solemn: "Nephew, this book is truly extraordinary."

"It doesn't talk about abstract strategies, but focuses on practical training and combat methods."

"Many of the points actually coincided with my usual thoughts, but they were even more detailed and practical than I had imagined."

“For example, the rule that ‘soldiers’ armor must fit well and should not be uniform’ was something I used to only tell the quartermaster to prepare enough armor.”

"But I never imagined that ill-fitting armor would be a burden; this book has pointed out that!"

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Ran breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that Uncle finds it useful. I obtained it by chance and don't know if it's suitable for the military situation of the Tang Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing gently shook his head and carefully placed the book on the table.

It was as if it were not a paper book, but a rare piece of armor.

"Useful! Extremely useful! Military strategy is never static."

"Although the Tang Dynasty is strong now, border battles can take place in different mountainous and desert environments."

"The 'Training Methods Adapted to Local Conditions' in this book can perfectly fill the gaps in our army."

"For example, he said, 'To resist the Japanese pirates, we need to practice close combat; to defend against the Turks, we need to practice cavalry raids.'"

"This principle of 'training troops according to the enemy' is similar to the idea of ​​'using barbarians to control barbarians' in our Great Tang Dynasty, but it is more specific and easier to implement!"

As he spoke, he picked up the book again, turned to the page on "The Duties of a Corporal," and said to Hong Fu Nu:
"Look, this book lists thirteen duties of a corporal, from the soldiers' food and warmth to the signal transmission in battle, each one is clearly stated."

“In the past, our army’s corporals were mostly ‘leading troops into battle,’ but lacked the requirement of ‘managing the morale of the soldiers.’ If we can make this adjustment, the soldiers’ cohesion will definitely be stronger.”

Hong Fu Nu nodded and smiled, "Judging from your appearance, you'll probably be spending all night reading this book."

Li Jing did not refute, but solemnly put the book away and said to Xiao Ran, "I will remember your kindness, my dear nephew."

"If the methods of training troops and fighting contained in this book could be integrated into the military system of our Great Tang Dynasty, it would be of great benefit to the border defense and the morale of the army."

"However, there's no need for you to elaborate on the origin of this book, my dear nephew. I understand."

The “understanding” he spoke of meant understanding Xiao Ran’s “special” qualities and that this book was by no means an ordinary thing.

At this moment, he felt no curiosity to ask further questions, only a deep appreciation for the contents of the military treatise.

And gratitude for this "unexpected gain".

For a renowned general who has immersed himself in military strategy throughout his life, a military book that can make up for his shortcomings and inspire his thinking is far more important than questioning its origins.

“Nephew, if there’s anything your uncle can do for you, just let him know!” Li Jing patted Xiao Ran on the shoulder.

"May I borrow this book, Uncle?"

“Uncle, this book is just for show here. If you like it, you can take it.” Xiao Ran was telling the truth.

"If Uncle can find it useful, then it will be a good use of it!"

"Hahaha, good, good, good"

Li Jing left Kaolao Village with the military treatise, but did not return to his own residence, leaving Hong Fu Nu to go back on her own.

He went straight to the palace.

There weren't many people in this era who could discuss military strategy with Li Jing, and Li Shimin was the most qualified one.

The Taiji Hall was quiet, with only the sound of turning pages of a memorial.

Li Shimin had just finished approving a memorial regarding the suppression of the rebellion by the Liao tribes in the southwest, his fingertips still stained with ink, when the eunuch Zhang Anan entered quietly, bowed, and reported:
"Your Majesty, the Right Minister is outside requesting an audience, saying he has urgent business to attend to."

Li Shimin paused, his hand holding the pen still, and raised an eyebrow slightly: "The pharmacist? Didn't he take his wife to Kaolao Village to consult with Master Sun? Why is he back now?"

Li Shimin remembered that when Li Jing left the palace, he said he would stay in Kaolao Village for a day. Now that it was still early, he hurriedly turned back, which was quite unusual.

“This servant doesn’t know either,” Zhang Anan said, lowering her head and speaking softly. “But judging from the Right Minister’s expression, he is not as composed as usual. He is also holding something tightly in his arms, as if he is afraid of dropping or bumping it.”

Li Shimin put down his pen, leaned back on the dragon throne, and tapped the edge of the table lightly with his fingertips: "Summon him in."

A moment later, steady footsteps could be heard outside the hall, but they were a bit more hurried than usual.

Li Jing was dressed in casual clothes, not yet in his court robes, and indeed he was holding a cloth bag in his arms, the corner of the cloth tightly clenched in his hand.

He didn't even dare to put the cloth bag on the ground when he bowed, but only said, "Your subject Li Jing pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No gift."

Li Shimin's gaze fell on the cloth bag, and he saw that a few pages of paper were vaguely visible at the edge of the bag. The texture was not like the Xuan paper of the Tang Dynasty, but rather had a firm luster.

"What's that you're carrying in your arms? It's so big that you don't even have to go back to the manor to change your clothes?"

Li Jing straightened up, took the cloth bag with both hands, and carefully opened it.

Inside was the "New Book of Effective Tactics," its pages flat and the ink clear. Its horizontal layout stood out starkly against the backdrop of the Taiji Hall, which was filled with vertically formatted handwritten copies.

As soon as Li Shimin's gaze fell on the pages of the book, his fingertips instinctively reached forward.

Upon seeing the tiny yet neat handwriting and the crisp texture of the paper, his brow relaxed instantly, and his tone carried a mixture of understanding and surprise:
"This belongs to that brat Xiao Ran?"

Although he had never seen Xiao Ran take out the book, he remembered seeing Sun Simiao's Compendium of Materia Medica and Tai Chi at Xiao Ran's house before.

It is not paper that Tang Dynasty craftsmen could make, nor can it be as neat as handmade paper.

"Your Majesty, indeed. I find this book quite extraordinary. Please take a look."

Li Jing didn't mention that this was a military treatise, which only made Li Shimin more curious.

"I want to see for myself whether Xiao Ran's things are anything special."

Zhang Anan took the book from Li Jing and respectfully handed it to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin rested his fingertips on the spine of the book, initially with a casual air of "let's see what new tricks Xiao Ran has up his sleeve this time."

After all, he had studied military strategy and commanded armies since childhood, and was accustomed to classic military texts such as "The Art of War" and "The Art of War." He didn't have high expectations for this oddly formatted booklet.

My fingertips casually flipped through two pages, my gaze sweeping over the phrase "It is not the quantity of soldiers that matters, but their quality."

He simply nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "This is a common principle, nothing new."

However, when the focus shifts to "building courage is not about pre-battle speeches, but about checking on soldiers' well-being and relieving their families' worries every day; when morale is high, courage will grow."

His fingers, which were resting on the spine of the book, suddenly froze, and his nonchalant expression vanished instantly.

He looked up at Li Jing and saw that the other was standing with his head down, so he lowered his head again and read the text word by word.

As a monarch, he understood the importance of "military morale" better than anyone else.

During the previous campaign against the Eastern Turks, some soldiers were distracted on the battlefield because their families had suffered misfortune. At that time, officials were sent to comfort them.

But they never imagined that "routine checks" could prevent problems in advance.

This book now incorporates "managing soldiers' morale" into the foundation of military training, which precisely addresses the oversight in the Tang Dynasty's military system of "emphasizing tactics while neglecting morale."

When Li Shimin turned to the section on "The duties of a corporal must include 'recording information about soldiers' families and reporting shortages of military supplies'", he suddenly sat up straight on his dragon throne.

He tapped the paper heavily with his fingertips, and his breathing became heavier than usual.

He recalled a report from the Ministry of War a few days ago: most of the sergeants in the border troops were military officers who only knew how to lead troops into battle, and they didn't even know that the soldiers were short of food until the quartermaster inspected the area.

If we follow the advice in this book and let the sergeant handle these “trivial matters,” wouldn’t that allow the central government to grasp the true situation of the border troops more quickly?
This is not a method of training troops; it is clearly a brilliant strategy to strengthen the central government's control over the army!

Zhang Anan noticed that His Majesty's originally relaxed shoulders and back gradually tensed up, and the hand holding the book even tightened slightly.

Even the vermilion brush on the table was knocked off and rolled half an inch. He quickly and quietly stepped forward to steady the brush, then quietly retreated.

The further Li Shimin read, the more his brows furrowed, not out of dissatisfaction, but out of shock at the "global perspective" presented in the book.

When he saw the words "To fight against Japanese pirates, train short-range weapons; to defend against Turks, train cavalry; and to determine the military system according to the border terrain," he simply stood up, held the book, and paced around the hall.

Li Shimin closed the military book, both surprised and delighted. "This kid, he had such a good thing, but he didn't bring it out sooner."

"Right Minister, is this what Xiao Ran asked you to bring back for me?" Li Shimin asked Li Jing.

"Your Majesty, no, this was a gift from Young Master Xiao Ran to me!"

Li Shimin's smile froze; he realized he had been presumptuous.

However, Li Shimin didn't dwell on this issue. In any case, he could see what was given to Li Jing.

Li Shimin reopened the book on the table, his fingertips tracing the illustrations and annotations of the "Mandarin Duck Formation".

When he looked up at Li Jing, his tone had lost its earlier jokingness and gained a more solemn air, as if a monarch were discussing state affairs.
"Pharmacist, you have fought for many years and are familiar with the military system of my Great Tang Dynasty."

"Which of the methods in this book do you think are useful, and which should be put on hold?"

Li Jing bowed and took two steps forward, his gaze falling on the sentence "To resist the Japanese pirates, we must practice close combat" on the page. He first shook his head:

"Your Majesty, the author of this book must have spent many years fighting against Japanese pirates, dealing mostly with coastal pirates and mountain bandits, hence the emphasis on close combat and naval warfare."

"But the main border troubles of our Great Tang are the Turks in the northern desert and the Western Regions, and cavalry is the key."

"These minor details of naval warfare are of little use to our Great Tang Dynasty; at most, they can serve as a reference for the garrison troops in the coastal prefectures."

Li Shimin nodded in agreement and pointed to the "Thirteen Duties of a Squad Leader":
You're right.

“But look here—our Tang Dynasty squad leaders have always been ‘charging ahead and commanding troops behind’.”

"But this book actually made the sergeant responsible for the soldiers' food and clothing, the safety of their families, and even the reporting of military supply shortages."

“In the past, when pacifying the Liao, some soldiers were distracted because their families were suffering from disasters. If the squad leader had noticed and reported it earlier, how could morale have been affected?”

"only."

Li Shimin changed the subject, his brows furrowing slightly, "Our Great Tang army has hundreds of thousands of soldiers. If every squad leader has to manage these 'trivial matters,' can the grassroots level handle it?"

"After all, the household registration and military supplies statistics of each prefecture and state are already handled by local officials. If the squad leader is distracted, things will probably get chaotic."

"Your Majesty's concerns are very valid!"

Li Jing quickly chimed in, his tone conveying agreement, "I think it's unnecessary to implement this across the entire army; we can start by piloting it in the border regions of the southwest and northwest."

"The southwest is mountainous and forested, which is exactly where the 'Mandarin Duck Formation' comes in handy. The squad leader can also keep the soldiers' morale stable."

"In dealing with the Turks in the Northwest, cavalry will still be the main force. The squad leader only needs to learn 'memorizing military supplies and observing the wounded and sick,' and does not need to be greedy for more."

"We should wait until the pilot program proves effective before making adjustments gradually; that would be the safest approach."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin smiled and turned to the page on "mutual assistance between soldiers and civilians":
"That's a good idea of ​​yours."

"Furthermore, what alarms me most about this book is that 'soldiers come from the people, and if the people are not disturbed, the source of soldiers will never cease.'"

"The Sui Dynasty fell because of excessive conscription of the people, which forced them to rebel."

"Although our Great Tang Dynasty has light taxes and levies, in previous years when soldiers were conscripted, some local officials still took the opportunity to harass the people."

"If we follow what this book says, and have generals restrain their soldiers from plundering the people, and even help them with the autumn harvest, then this unity of soldiers and civilians is the foundation of long-term stability!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Li Jing said, “Last year, when I was training troops in Longyou, I saw some soldiers trampling on the wheat fields of the people. At that time, I only severely punished the soldiers, but I did not think about teaching them to respect the people from the root.”

"This book says, 'To cultivate courage, one must first cultivate virtue; those who disturb the people, though brave, shall be executed.' This statement is more practical than any military law."

"When soldiers respect the people, the people will respect the army, and future recruitment and grain procurement will proceed smoothly."

Li Shimin turned a few more pages, and when he came to the sentence "Rewards and punishments must be timely and on-site," he suddenly laughed and said:
"And this too! The other day, the Ministry of War requested that the soldiers who pacified Liao be rewarded, saying that the list should be compiled before the rewards were conferred, and I approved it."

"According to this book, soldiers who have just made meritorious contributions are rewarded with wine and cloth on the spot, and that enthusiasm can last for ten days or half a month."

"If you wait a month or two, even the most generous reward will lose its flavor."

"The Ministry of War's rewards and punishments need to be changed from now on."

"What your Majesty said is absolutely true!"

Li Jing added, "I have also noticed that 'armor must fit properly.' In the past, when the quartermaster made armor, he only made it in three sizes: 'large, medium, and small.' Thin soldiers wore wide armor and fat soldiers wore narrow armor, which was not only uncomfortable but also affected their ability to wield swords and shoot arrows."

"This book says that 'making armor according to the size of soldiers will reduce losses.' I think the Ministry of Works should add a 'make armor by measurement' job to the Military Supplies Department."

"Although it takes some effort, it saves the soldiers from the burden of armor, so it's worth it!"

Li Shimin nodded, closed the book, and gently tapped the spine with his fingertips, lost in thought.
"However, there are some things that must be done with caution."

"For example, this book says, 'When training soldiers, you should select the strong and healthy, and never use the old or weak.'"

"Most of our Tang soldiers are conscripted during the off-season and return to the fields during the busy farming season. If we only select the strong and able-bodied, who will till the land during the farming season?"

"Furthermore, there are many veterans among the border guards who are familiar with the terrain. Although they are not as physically strong as the younger men, they can serve as guides and pass on their experience. We cannot simply abandon them." (End of Chapter)