Han officials

Chapter 36 Military Academy【4K】

Just as Guan Ning and the other two thought, Wei Zhe approached them after finishing the county affairs.

"You are all virtuous men of the world. I wonder if the common people of Daifang are lucky enough to receive your favor?"

Wei Zhe also took two shots regardless of whether there was a result or not.

Anyway, since these three people are here, it would be a shame not to try to invite them.

Of course, he was also prepared to be rejected.

However, to his surprise, Bing Yuan agreed immediately after hearing it.

This made Wei Zhe unable to help but show a look of surprise.

Even though Guan Ning and Hua Xin still had no intention of becoming officials, Wei Zhe was already very happy.

He immediately smiled, took Bing Yuan's hand and said with emotion: "The land of Daifang is small, so now I can only ask Genju to take the position of school officer and chief priest!"

Bing Yuan was not disappointed when he heard this. Instead, he bowed solemnly to Wei Zhe and said, "That is what I wish for, but I dare not ask for it."

Even Hua Xin and Guan Ning who were standing by didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Admittedly, with Bing Yuan's reputation, being a county official with a salary of 100 stones was a bit of a waste of his talent, but being a school official and a chief academic officer was different.

After all, this official position is responsible for the education of a county, so it cannot be viewed with ordinary eyes.

In fact, Wei Zhe had wanted to re-establish the county school a long time ago, but he had been delayed until now because he had no suitable candidate.

In fact, the Han Dynasty has attached great importance to education since the Western Han Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, Wen Weng, the governor of Shu County, established a school in Chengdu and enrolled students from subordinate counties. People at the time called it "Wen Weng's Stone Chamber." After his death, learning flourished in Shu County.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the Wenweng Stone Chamber model was popularized throughout the country. In addition to establishing the Imperial College in Chang'an, he mandated that all prefectures and states establish official schools. These schools were called "Xue" (schools) in prefectures and states, "Xiao" (schools) in counties, "Xiang" (communities), and "Xu" (schools) in villages and towns.

To a certain extent, the education system he designed is not fundamentally different from that of later generations.

Although Emperor Wu of Han had a good idea, it was a pity that this system was not implemented. In many cases, whether or not a county school could be established depended entirely on the attitude of the local governor.

Even if a local official is dedicated to running a school, it may soon become abandoned if his successor is not attentive.

Therefore, there are not many local official schools that can last for a long time, and most of them are just in name only.

This is also the reason why people nowadays are willing to seek advice from private schools and dislike official schools.

Of course, Daifang County does not have such worries.

Because the county school in Daifang had been abandoned for hundreds of years, even the children of the rich and powerful could not hire a teacher.

It can be said that Daifang County and even Lelang County are absolute cultural deserts.

It’s not that there are no talented people here, it’s just that there is no one to guide them.

For example, Tian Wen, who was previously beheaded by Wei Zhe, had his knowledge passed down from father to son.

Compared with Lelang County, Liaodong County is considered to have a flourishing literary atmosphere.

The scholars in Liaodong County, on the other hand, yearned for the "Jingshe" and "Jinglu" in Youzhou and even the counties in the Central Plains.

When the great scholar Lu Zhi from Youzhou opened Jinglu to give lectures, countless young people from Liaodong went there to study.

……

"My Lord, you want to promote education, but it will cost a lot!"

After learning that Wei Zhe actually wanted to re-establish the county school, Xi Zhicai suddenly felt a headache.

Do you really think that the county governors of the past didn't want to have a good reputation for promoting culture and education? It's just that they couldn't afford it.

Let’s just say that the daily expenses of a county school are enough to support a group of soldiers.

"Why not take it slow?" Xi Zhicai hesitated for a long time and couldn't help but persuade: "Mingsong's merit of conquering a country and expanding the territory is about to be achieved, so this little bit of credit won't be a big deal."

However, Wei Zhe was quite stubborn this time.

"This matter cannot be delayed! It takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred years to raise a person. Now it's too late."

Seeing Xi Zhicai's confusion, Wei Zhe thought for a moment and then explained, "Just consider it a precaution! After all, even if the Three Han and the Hippogriffs are pacified, we'll need to educate the barbarians and bring them back to China. Without Confucian scholars, that won't be enough."

The so-called enlightenment, in Wei Zhe's understanding, is to assimilate the customs of barbarians with Chinese classics.

First show your power, then show your virtue, this is the noble way!
Upon hearing this, Xi Zhicai stopped talking and started thinking about how to do things well and economically.

He pondered for a moment before suggesting, "In that case, why not move the county school to Fenghuangli? The Tian family's mansion is quite spacious and would be perfect for that."

Wei Zhe thought it was true, and immediately said with a smile: "I have benefited greatly from the Tian family's legacy!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Xi Zhicai burst out laughing.

It’s true that the Tian family’s accumulation over generations really helped Wei Zhe a lot.

Of course, joking aside, serious matters should still be taken seriously.

A few days later, at Fenghuangli County School.

Looking at the cleaned-up mansion, Wei Zhe nodded with satisfaction.

Then he bowed to Bing Yuan beside him and said, "Genju, I'll leave this place to you from now on!"

Bing Yuan couldn't help but feel moved by such a serious attitude.

Bing originally thought that Wei Zhe re-established the county school just for the sake of education, but he didn't expect that he attached so much importance to it.

Bing Yuan then returned the greeting with a solemn expression, and then said solemnly, "Yuan, I will definitely live up to your trust!"

After saying that, Bing Yuan took a group of children into the county school and started class.

By the way, since the first batch of children enrolled in school were all children of the Twelve Battalions of Military Garrisons, their foundation was very weak, so Bing Yuan had to start teaching them from the most basic literacy.

Even so, Bing Yuan showed no sign of impatience, and this was what Wei Zhe admired most about Bing Yuan.

Maybe he doesn't have any earth-shattering ideas, but he can do everything calmly and without rushing.

So after watching for a while, Wei Zhe left with peace of mind. After all, he also had to prepare for class.

That’s right, under the banner of attaching importance to education, Wei Zhe also got a job in the county school.

However, unlike Bing Yuan's "Xiu Wen Tang", Wei Zhe's "Jiao Wu Tang" mainly taught mathematics and military tactics.

However, Wei Zhe’s “March Notes” has not been completed yet, so we have to wait a while before the class starts.

……

"We have to wait a little longer?"

In the county temple, Taishi Ci was a little disappointed when he learned that Wei Zhe's military academy was not yet ready to start classes.

You should know that after learning about Wei Zhe’s teaching content at the county school, this guy signed up immediately.

Seeing Taishi Ci acting like this, Wei Zhe was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

"It's just common military knowledge. Don't you know all of this?"

"I know, but the rest of the army doesn't!" Taishi Ci said confidently, "I'm asking on behalf of my subordinates."

Hearing him say this, Wei Zhe became thoughtful.

It’s true. Perhaps the ones who need remedial lessons the most right now are not the children, but these old soldiers in the army.

After all, this group of people are Wei Zhe's most loyal supporters and his foundation.

"You're right." Thinking of this, Wei Zhe said decisively: "Well, let's gather all the garrison commanders and above to attend the lecture in the martial arts hall tomorrow!" Wei Zhe paused slightly and then added: "The twelve military camps are also included!"

As soon as these words came out, Taishi Ci was immediately overjoyed and said, "Brother, you should have done this long ago! I'll go and pass on the order right away!"

After saying that, the guy left in a hurry and happily.

In comparison, Xi Zhicai is much more sensitive.

"Ming Gong...are you ready to take action?"

"Hmm!" Wei Zhe made no secret of his feelings in front of Xi Zhicai, and said with a murderous look in his eyes, "We must eliminate the seven tribes of the Immortals before winter, otherwise we will be too busy next year."

Upon hearing this, Xi Zhicai nodded slightly.

Thinking about it this way, it is really time to re-establish the Daifang County School.

After this group of middle and lower-level military officers have completed their short-term training at the Military Academy, they can go to the battlefield for practical experience.

And this is indeed Wei Zhe's purpose.

He frowned slightly and said, "This battle against the Xianbei will inevitably require a large number of garrison troops and volunteers. If I don't teach them in advance, I'm really worried about whether the men below can handle it."

……

While Wei Zhe was preparing lessons for the Military Academy, Guan Ning, Hua Xin and others also returned to Qingzhou.

Needless to say, Hua Xin continued to travel, study and make friends as usual.

Although he looked at Wei Zhe differently, he was not immediately convinced.

In addition, Wei Zhe's current status and position are still a bit low.

If Hua Xin was willing to take up an official position, he would know many people, not only the county magistrate, but also the prefect.

The reason why he is still a bachelor is not because he wants to be a hermit like Guan Ning.

Hua Xin was unable to take up an official position in his early years because of his teacher's reasons and was implicated in the party's imprisonment.

However, since the emperor's general amnesty for all those involved in the rebellion last winter, Hua Xin has actually been considering entering the government. The reason he hasn't made any move yet is simply because he wants to secure a place as a filial and honest official.

Therefore, after returning from Lelang, Hua Xin was still secretly planning this matter.

In comparison, Guan Ning was much more free and easy, interacting with people as he pleased, regardless of their wealth or status.

However, when socializing with others, he could not help but talk about what he saw and heard in Lelang, especially Wei Zhe, the Daifang magistrate, and he was full of praise for him. He said that before Wei Zhe took office, Daifang was in a precarious situation, but as a result, less than a year after he took office, Daifang was well governed, the people lived and worked in peace, and the border was stable.

For a time, the comment that Wei Zhe was "a capable minister in governing the country" spread in Qingzhou.

There is no way around it. This is the influence of celebrities, which is sometimes even more useful than that of prefects and governors.

However, although Wei Zhe became famous in Qingzhou, that was all.

This kind of reputation can at most make it easier for him to recruit refugees, but other benefits are not yet apparent.

Even many Beihai nobles suspected that Guan Ning was deliberately flattering him and did not take it seriously.

After all, many people in Beihai County knew that Wei Zhe was Guan Ning's son-in-law, so they naturally didn't dare to believe Guan Ning's words completely.

But overall, it's a good thing for Wei Zhe.

It has been almost two years since he came to this world, and he has finally become a little famous.

However, Wei Zhe didn't take it too seriously and turned around to become a teacher at the Military Academy.

……

The next morning, I went to Fang County School.

"Military tactics, like medical prescriptions, require practice to acquire. However, intelligent individuals will naturally apply their principles, learning from their intentions without being bound by their methods. Only then can they achieve victory in every battle."

In front of the spacious lobby, there is a plaque with the words "Military Academy" hanging high in the middle.

Wei Zhe, sitting high on the platform, said with a serious look, "However, as a famous general, there is no one who has not learned a single method, knows a single word, or experienced a single thing, yet can master the infinite changes and manipulations!"

"No one has ever been born knowing it, and even less so has anyone been born knowing the art of war. If there were, he would be a sage."

Having said this, Wei Zhe immediately glared at the group of rough soldiers below and asked, "Are you saints?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a group of fierce soldiers immediately shook their heads and acted like children in front of Wei Zhe.

Seeing this, Wei Zhe slowly said, "Famous generals in ancient times may have learned their skills without a teacher, but these people also gained their proficiency through at least some experience in battle. Otherwise, I know they would never be able to achieve this. Therefore, the methods of witchcraft and divination can boost military morale, but they should never be trusted."

Wei Zhe didn't care what other Han generals thought, because his soldiers definitely couldn't believe in these ghosts and gods.

After suppressing their arrogance, Wei Zhe finally said patiently, "I know that perhaps because you were not educated at a young age and don't understand writing, or you don't know the true meaning of Sun Wu's Art of War, so few of you study it. But this is a big mistake!"

“War is a matter of great importance to a country. It is a matter of life and death, a matter of survival and destruction. It must be carefully considered.”

"You learn the art of war to protect your own lives. This is the way to save your life!"

"In the future, officers and soldiers who can read should read a few pages of their military notes every night after dinner during the long winter nights. They should then lay them on their pillows before going to sleep and ponder them carefully. If they find that they do not understand the meaning, they can ask a knowledgeable person the next day and they will naturally understand. Those who cannot read can ask their soldiers who can read to read them aloud several times a day. When they go to sleep, they can ponder them as before and they will naturally understand.

“Reading is beneficial, and learning does not mislead people. That’s how it is.”

After explaining his intention of summarizing the main points, Wei Zhe did not say any more profound truths.

As he said before, Sun Wu's Art of War still has a certain learning threshold.

Therefore, during this "Autumn Training at the Military Academy", Wei Zhe did not plan to talk about any advanced military strategies, but only about various common things in the army such as marching and camping.

He glanced sharply at the audience below the stage, then said sternly, "The most important thing in the army is to keep quiet."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xi Zhicai, who was listening outside the window, could not help but look surprised.

At present, he is not yet the military advisor who will accompany Prime Minister Cao in his campaigns in the future, so he is not very proficient in military affairs.

If he was like this, let alone Bing Yuan standing next to him.

However, although he didn't know much about military affairs, Wei Zhe's opening words still made Bing Yuan nod repeatedly.

When he learned that Wei Zhe wanted to teach him military tactics, he didn't say anything but he couldn't help shaking his head in his heart.

After all, the most important thing in military strategy is the results of the battle.

If he had no outstanding military achievements, even if Han Xin were resurrected, others would only regard him as a scholar with nothing but theory.

The only thing Wei Zhe could show off now was the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and he was still acting as a military commander and following orders.

Although he has made many contributions, this kind of resume is obviously not convincing.

However, Wei Zhe's previous words made Bing Yuan feel that he might really be a master of military strategy, but he just had no place to use his skills.

While the two people outside the window were secretly pondering, Wei Zhe on the stage had already mentioned the key point:
"Anyone who wishes to move, stop, advance, or retreat will be accompanied by flags, gongs, and drums. If you are not allowed to speak, anyone who does will be severely punished. This is especially forbidden at night!"

"Also, if we encounter a deserter, all the members of our team must tie him up and beat him, with half of them imprisoned and the other half securing his capture. If we fail to capture him, each will be imprisoned for a year, with their wages and food deducted as a lesson."

Upon hearing this, many military officers in the audience couldn't help but show a look of realization on their faces.

Although it is just a simple issue like dealing with deserters, there is a lot of knowledge involved.

Others might not think it was a big deal, but those of them who spent all day in the military could sense the beauty of what Wei Zhe said.

When they thought of this, many people looked at Wei Zhe with more respect and admiration. After all, they could really learn something from him!

As Wei Zhe recounted the details of military management on the stage, the officers below gradually became immersed in his speech, as if drinking fine wine...

(End of this chapter)