Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 35 Strategy, Defense, and Combat

On the walls of Yongji Pass. During the afternoon truce following the first wave of attacks, there was no victory celebration. After removing his armor, Wu Fei went directly behind the walls to supervise the captains and battalion commanders in temporarily reinforcing the defensive equipment on the walls. Stones and wooden stakes, traditional necessities for city defense, were naturally indispensable, but now it was time to stockpile some new supplies.

So, after the work was arranged, the group leaders directed the soldiers to carry various materials up the city wall on their shoulders and in their hands.

…from the main city wall to every single brick and tile…

In the sheltered rest area set up behind the city wall, Wen Si found a spot in the crowded place and lay down. He rubbed his back and then heard his men complaining, "We thought that once we were freed from slavery, we wouldn't have to do this. Now it seems there's no difference between being a slave and being a slave."

Wen Si immediately stood up, and just as the soldier who had spoken was about to greet him with a smile, he slapped him across the face: "What are you saying? What do you mean by being like slaves? In the past, we worked under the whip, and the work was tiring with no future. Today, although it's a bit tough and tiring, it's all our own."

Wen Si gave these soldiers a lecture. The reason was simple: he wanted a better future. If the unit wasn't united and they couldn't earn merit, it would ruin their own prospects.

Having witnessed the individual monsters of the Southern Frontier during his previous battle outside the city, he knew that although this task was tiring, the merit points earned were far more valuable than fighting outside the city, so there was nothing to complain about.

After unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks, the kind-hearted Ren Si gave the greenhorn a long lecture on the principles of sharing life and death and achieving wealth together. Everyone fell asleep afterward.

…The perspective shifts from the snoring prefab houses to a brightly lit area within the city walls…

Wu Fei was leading all the teams in discussing the second wave of the Kuroshio attack tomorrow.

Why tomorrow? Because the Southern Frontier suffered a defeat during the day, and morale is low. Their leader is unlikely to issue effective orders; all the defeated soldiers must get a night's sleep to reset their morale. On the other hand, Wu Fei's side achieved a great victory during the day, so his orders can be effectively communicated to his soldiers, who will obey 100% and thus have sufficient organizational capacity to operate at night.

Moreover, Wu Fei now has scouts outside the city, continuing to face encirclement from all sides.

At this point, some of Wu Fei's generals suggested a night raid, confidently asserting its success. Wu Fei also believed such a night raid would yield sufficient results. However, he suppressed their impulse.

Back inside the city walls, Wu Fei first inquired about the soldiers' condition. They weren't the ones who had worked on the city walls during the day; they had been resting and recuperating all day. Upon seeing Wu Fei, they all asked, "When are you going to battle?"

Wu Fei: "There's a chance for everyone, there's a chance for everyone."

Wu Fei thought to himself, "If everything goes smoothly tomorrow, they still won't be the ones fighting the defensive battle!"

If we're going to fight on the city walls, we should let those soldiers who were freed from slavery and became bricklayers fight! Because, Wu Fei: I want to liberate the slaves!

…Is this noble? Haha…

After his previous attempt to grant slaves human rights failed, Xuan Chong did not simply dismiss the idea that "slaves should remain slaves." Instead, he wondered if a different approach could be taken.

As a student, I noticed a few key terms in other people's problem-solving derivations. I tried to apply those terms to my own, but then my derivation got stuck. There are two possibilities: either the answer is wrong, or my derivation is incorrect. Having a long history of being a poor student, Xuan Chong primarily believes that his derivation is flawed!
In other words, in the course of social and historical development, liberating slaves should have brought enormous benefits. However, one cannot simply copy the answer; a rigorous derivation process is necessary.

…System: You answered this question correctly. You're awarded two credits…

Regarding this war in southern Xinjiang, Wu Fei's perspective is no longer limited to this immediate victory, but is looking towards future rule.

War is the result of numerous underlying contradictions, and the current conflict between Da Yao and Nanjiang stems from a misalignment of values ​​between different governance systems, leading to mutual plunder, infighting, and a lack of adjudication. In short, to initially resolve this conflict, Wu Fei must eventually expand into Nanjiang and establish his own order.

Establishing its own order requires starting with the economy and the military. Wu Fei has already made his best efforts in the economic sphere, so the focus now is on the military.

We need to maintain a strong military force to keep the people of southern Xinjiang in check!

At this point in the deduction, if the method isn't correct, those who struggle with the material will get stuck. This is because the Wu family, as military commanders guarding the frontier, has spared no effort in maintaining their military strength. However, they can only maintain a rudimentary level of control over the various tribes of the southern border, resorting to periodic raids! This is because their military power is not yet strong enough.

In the past, the Wu family's approach to the southern frontier was similar to the Jin dynasty's control over the Mongols: constantly dividing the grasslands and weakening the weak while attacking the strong. However, the end result was that their period of decline coincided with the Mongols' period of strength, and they also encountered a foolish leader who lost 7,000 heavy cavalry in the Battle of Yehuling. It was a complete collapse.

Wu Fei is determined to bring complete peace and prosperity to the southern border. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a military force on a higher level than the current Wu family's mass troop deployment model in the south.

Building up military power requires money, and the current soldiers of the Wu family are too expensive to afford. Therefore, it is now necessary to find an "economical" army to play a role.

In the end, Wu Fei searched high and low and found the answer in the "colonial history of the Age of Exploration." That is, at that time, the Ming Dynasty and the West explored the oceans simultaneously, with Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean even far ahead of the West. However, the Ming Dynasty ultimately withdrew. Later historians analyzed why the East lagged behind the West in this aspect. Some said it was due to the backwardness and stagnation of Confucianism, but in reality, the imperial examination system was far superior to the recommendation system in Europe at the time. Others said it was due to monsoons, but monsoons cannot reach the West, but since they couldn't even defend their own doorstep in Southeast Asia, this reason cannot be used.

However, Wu Fei now has another answer based on military reasons: the troops that the Ming Dynasty sent were too expensive!

Just kidding. Artillery and cavalry—these were top-tier troops in the world at the time, legions that had just fought alongside Emperor Yongle to conquer the empire, accumulating a legacy of merit. Such a legion might be good for displaying power, but controlling a region and establishing order? It's like deploying sixth-generation fighter jets to the mountains to compete with drones for bombing tents, or a combined arms brigade kicking out local proxies and personally waging a counterinsurgency war.

Without a doubt, after Emperor Taizong's death, the Ming Dynasty withdrew its military presence from Southeast Asia, much like a lighthouse retreating from the graveyard of empires.

In contrast, Europe found its own economically viable military force. How effective were the musketeers in the European colonies? The answer is a dismal third-rate force. Back on the continent, facing the musketeers and knights trained by the lords, they would crumble at the first touch. As for the Guan Ning Army and the Eight Banners? (Of course, before they fell into corruption). If they could withstand even one charge, Spain would have simply pulled its colonial army back to the continent and swept through England and France. In fact, Europe, like the Ming Dynasty, relied on knightly-like military forces composed of generals and retainers. These knightly-level forces possessed first-rate fighting spirit, but they were expensive.

The thousand-plus elite troops that Wu Fei rotated to send out during this battle were a prime example. They were capable of open field battles and dared to be the first to scale the walls. Wu Fei essentially supported each of them with the tax revenue of twenty households, providing them with lifelong support, marriage leave, and a fixed number of promotions and preferential treatment for their offspring. After all, their sons were willing to join the army and were important assets of the Wu family. If their offspring were even slightly successful, then captains and various military officers would be chosen from among these family members. If Wu Fei were to rise to power in the future, these core members would not be replaced; instead, they would all rise to prominence along with him.

These soldiers are Wu Fei's gamble in this life-or-death battle. In this current engagement, Wu Fei wants to deploy "economical and practical" troops. However, the key to "economical and practical" is "practicality," meaning they must be usable.

Referring to the process of the Age of Exploration, when the colonists' troops went into the South Asian region, they were able to suppress the local armed forces' resistance.

Easterners who entered the Industrial Age without colonization held a misconception: that the most important asset of maritime civilization was powerful warships and cannons. This was a consequence of being attacked by enemy ships and cannons. In reality, the most important asset for colonists in the early stages of the Age of Exploration was local fortified strongholds. Fortified systems offered a commanding view, and the defenders could be as strong as ten men.

Several years ago, when Wu Fei opened the trade route in southern Xinjiang, he was well aware that he was doing unethical colonial business and that this work was bound to cause trouble sooner or later. He had already consciously selected certain places in southern Xinjiang to prepare for building fortresses and strongholds.

Besides having a fortress, you also need people to guard it.

Currently, the three thousand conscripted farmers guarding Yongji Pass have been specially trained in a set of city defense tactics in the ten days leading up to the battle. Now, it's actual combat. Wu Fei hopes that in this "battle training" session, they can thoroughly understand and apply the preparatory work for defending the fortress they learned half a month ago, as well as the relevant training content on how to calmly and effectively inflict casualties on the enemy as they climb the walls.

Wu Fei: After all, people can't learn by being taught, but they can learn by doing.

In the future, if a fortress in southern Xinjiang is besieged, as long as it can hold out for a few days until the Wu family army's field troops arrive, such an economical and practical army will be considered a success.

…The candlelight went out, the moon set and the crows rose…

After a difficult night's sleep amidst various harassments, the Black Tide began their second siege under the oppressive fear within the camp!
On Angri's advice, Jamud deployed his elite siege troops, accompanied by a large number of regular soldiers capable of scaling the walls, for the second day of the attack.

Angri: Without the strength to break down the city gates or ram the city walls, if we advance together, the enemy's firepower on the "smaller" group will be indiscriminately poured on them. Furthermore, once the smaller men see no possibility of the walls being breached, they won't even have the morale to charge to the walls. Jamud was not unaware that the "morale-deprived" smaller men had virtually no chance of taking the walls, but he hesitated: should he pay a heavy price to suppress the "big men" from attacking together? Ultimately, he reluctantly summoned all the big men's leaders to receive his orders, commanding them to be the first to rush to the city gates and smash them down the next day.

Clearly, dozens of monster races, including pythons, mountain monsters, and xiaomen, shook their heads. Jamud looked at them and pushed open the bronze coffin.

Angri felt a chill run down his spine. As a melodious sound rang out from the bronze coffin, a pale hand reached out. All the big leaders tried to run, but threads pierced through their skulls. Then, these big men first became shriveled under the red threads, and then the threads turned black. The shriveled big men became plump as if inflated, but their skin turned deathly pale.

When the threads are red, it means the blood is being absorbed; when the threads are black, it means an unidentified black substance from the coffin is being injected into the victim's body.

As the bronze coffin lid closed, a satisfied burp echoed from within. All the large figures transformed into eerie beings with translucent skin and completely black pupils. Then, these large leaders obediently returned to their respective camps to relay the orders for the sacred fire.

Angri: "This, this is?"

Jamud: "My ancestor's concubine."

Angri: "You—"

Jamud: "The order to attack is now in effect."

Neither of them noticed the lamp on the bronze coffin flicker...

Inside Yongji Pass.

Third Aunt smiled and then continued to draw the talismans needed for the battle.

…the bugle call on the battlefield…

The second wave of attacks in southern Xinjiang did not begin early on. Instead, the Black Tide was launched again after a dark cloud suddenly rose out of nowhere. The dark cloud in the sky was very strange because it stopped when it touched the sky above Yongji Pass, so the sky above Yongji Pass was still clear and bright.

Looking at the large number of "small" bodies rushing in today, as well as the big guys carrying "hammers," Wu Fei clearly felt that it was different from yesterday. First of all, the formation was less orderly than yesterday, but it was more ferocious.

Wu Fei saw that the guy at the front had obviously sprained his leg and was walking abnormally, but he was still charging forward in a contorted and abnormal posture. He muttered, "This thing is a zombie, isn't it?"

Although it's unclear what methods the Black Tide used, isn't it a coincidence that our own side also has a practitioner of unorthodox methods—oh, a practitioner of "yin magic"?

Wu Fei pointed over there to his third aunt and asked what was going on.
Third Aunt: "A Gu worm!"

Wu Fei: "Hmm?"

Third Aunt: "The sorcerers of the Southern Frontier use witchcraft to curse and then scheme for money, but..."

Wu Fei: "Say it all at once."

Third Aunt: "Most of the cursed worms only produce one or two finished products. Different types of worms are mutually antagonistic. Different people subdued by different worms will harm and devour each other after losing their sense of self, just like the worms in the jar. And these worms have fed the same type of worm to at least hundreds of people. This means that the other side has a strange treasure that can cultivate hundreds or thousands of cursed worms at once."

Wu Fei thought for a moment: "You want this?"

Third Aunt smiled slightly. Wu Fei glanced at the item below and asked, "If you obtain this item, will you harm me or my people?" As he said this, Wu Fei's hand was already on the sword.

Third Aunt: "We will never harm your Wu family bloodline."

Wu Fei: "I will not allow anyone to lay a hand on those who are loyal to me."

Third Aunt: "Okay."

Wu Fei stared intently as his third aunt made a solemn oath.

Wu Fei agreed to help her obtain this item after the battle, and now she has to help him.

When the first wave of cursed insects climbed onto the city wall, they left the rear ranks two hundred paces behind. Aunt San said to Wu Fei, "This is what happens when you're cursed."

Wu Fei stared at the zombie-like soldiers and nodded, saying, "They can't follow orders, and they have no tactical coordination ability."

……

As the crossbowmen on the city wall, having once again drawn their bows, began firing at the "zombie" cannon fodder charging at the forefront, an order came from the city wall for them to stand by. Just then, a five-zhang-tall swirling cloud disc appeared on the city wall, and Yao Sangu—or, in everyone's eyes, a fairy—stood atop this cloud disc floating in the middle of the pass.

Then, she clasped her hands together to gather energy, and then aimed at the vanguard of the zombies who had rushed to the foot of the city wall and were trying to climb it, and pushed out a wave of energy. The previously crazed and zombified victims suddenly showed painful struggle in their eyes, and then their souls began to separate, their souls turning into a purplish-black skull struggling in their heads, while their own heads trembled.

The Third Aunt's spell transformed the souls of these cursed cannon fodder from the Southern Frontier, trapped in the Mud Palace Cave, into undead. These undead would then control the Gu worms in their heads and wreak havoc. Soon, they stood frozen beneath the city walls, then collapsed before the very eyes of the defenders on the walls and the Black Tide barbarians who had arrived below.

After finishing her spell and annihilating the raiding squad, the Third Aunt leisurely returned to the city tower.

Angri, from the Southern Frontier Array, looked at the "mage" who was floating back to the city and said, word by word, "Dead Soul Spell." He turned to look at Jamud, whose expression froze. Jamud was clearly surprised that his spell had been so specifically disrupted.

At this point, they had no time to think further; the siege had begun.

On the city wall, the ballista aimed its long shaft, engraved with "wind-controlling patterns," at the large figures rushing towards the city gate. The egg-sized arrowheads, paired with shafts a full meter long, struck the mountain monsters from the city wall, instantly leaving behind a large number of severed limbs.

The smaller groups who followed the charge were also hit by crossbow bolts, and as if they had been singled out, they fell to the ground one by one as the arrow shafts pierced the ground.

Compared to the first charge, the larger group, who were the main targets of the crossbow bolts, did not collapse. After suffering 40% casualties, they rushed to the city gate and smashed the gate with iron hammers. Amidst the sounds of the smaller group pounding the gate, they finally reached the city wall and began to climb, sacrificing more than 500 lives.

Once the climb began, there was no turning back, so the siege officially began.

Then various objects rolled down from the city wall and crashed down, and it was clear that there seemed to be an abnormal liquid attached to the wall. This caused the shorter people who climbed onto the wall to often slip and fall off without gaining a foothold.

(End of this chapter)