Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 47 Courage and Wisdom

On the southern bank of Yunmengze Marsh, the Wu family army launched its first direct attack against the local bandits. The battle began during the dry season when the Wu family army stormed into several high ground areas in Yunmengze that were originally waterlogged. They first burned down the reeds, then used golden oxen to dig mud pits, constructing dikes for these high ground areas. Subsequently, they built a stockade about fifty zhang long using giant logs and mud.

If the aquatic tribes do not obstruct them, these villages will transform into a chain of islands blocking the view of the lake during the summer. These island chains will block the Yunmengze bandits' access to saltpeter, herbs, and other supplies.

Especially herbs. During the last epidemic, the aquatic creatures in Yunmengze were also plagued by aquatic pests. Due to the shortage of medicine, a large number of aquatic creatures succumbed to tapeworms in their abdomens, and those who survived were all emaciated.

If this happens this year, and another major epidemic breaks out, the rebel army that gathered in Yunmengze will scatter.

Therefore, the rebel leader of Yunmengze was clearly unwilling to find himself in this predicament six months later. He chose to proactively form an alliance with the Donghuajiang camp.

Thousands of small boats gathered at the shore, and the fishermen, dressed in fish skins, formed a chaotic formation and came to the shore.

These bandits, though numerous, were essentially stepping stones, "obstacles" preventing the heavy cavalry from charging into the central formation. As the saying goes, even 300,000 pigs would take a long time to catch; when the cannon fodder formation was densely packed and concentrated, the heavy cavalry found it difficult to cut them down.

The true main force of the aquatic rebels came from the floating celestial boats that sailed over the lake.

These warships, suspended by hot air balloons, looked exceptionally magnificent due to their enormous size. The lower pod was five zhang wide, with a Yanlin cannon mounted on it. The Yanlin cannon resembled a rocket pod, capable of firing multiple rockets at once. After each launch, a metal dragon on the barrel would rotate through each chamber before being reloaded with new rockets for continued firing.

As the Wu family army's formation began to confront the aquatic cannon fodder, these celestial ships lined up in battle ranks, facing the Wu family army's array of malevolent forces.

These giant aquatic ships were clearly severely damaged after entering the area of ​​malevolent energy. Their wooden hulls lost their lightness and their height was forcibly reduced. The personnel floating on the ships immediately ordered all the skyships to stop moving forward.

After the crew on the Sky Boat measured the distance to the Wu family army by looking at the mountain, they first fired a volley of cannons from afar. Twenty fire dragon warheads, spewing spiral clouds of mist, rushed over and blasted down the three towers and the hundred-foot-long fence directly in front of the camp.

A year ago, this bombardment caused great trouble for the two armies of the Da Yao South Camp. The conscripted farmers recruited from Jizhou and Donghuazhou were blown to pieces by the flames, causing a collapse in morale. At the same time, the Da Yao soldiers also encountered the sorcery of "Night Owl Technique".

The spell created a mud pit from which giant black mud hands, each several meters long, emerged and slapped at the soldiers within its range. Upon its appearance, this spell instantly overwhelmed the Grand Supervisor of the Martial Arts, who had come to suppress the rebellion. According to survivors' recollections, in that battle, the corpses of the Grand Supervisor's troops fed maggots to the maggots in the muddy water.

The Wu family army dared not form dense ranks now. After the first wave of artillery fire, the scattered ranks of the peasant army and most of the shells were staggered, with only a few hitting the line of fire. This seemingly dense bombardment only resulted in the deaths of a few dozen men.

Meanwhile, the cannons in the Wu family army's fortifications began to unleash their power.

…on the Tianzhou platform, amidst the smoke and mist of gunpowder…

Yu Li gazed at the great formation opposite. As a descendant of the dragon, she carefully maneuvered her celestial vessel, avoiding the flames spewing from the opposite shore. One by one, red fire crows flew over from that direction, seemingly consciously landing on the sails of her celestial vessel.

She picked up the binoculars and looked more closely.

In the Wu family army camp, the ballista was strung, and after the three crossbow arms completed their bending and charging, a crossbow bolt soaked in tung oil shot out into the air.

The crossbow bolts were engraved with wind-controlling patterns, so after being fired, they maintained a rapid speed of a hundred paces in an instant as they flew towards the Sky Ship.

When the crossbow bolt came within fifty paces of the Sky Boat, it scattered a large amount of purple flames. This was due to the flammable materials such as sulfur, saltpeter, and pine oil carried on the crossbow bolt.

Although the spaceship had "field energy" that isolated some of the flames, some tiny flames, no bigger than flies, still managed to seep in.

The two spacecraft on the left side developed defensive vulnerabilities, causing them to begin to descend in altitude.

Because the Tianzhou was constantly moving during the battle with the Wu family army, although it was to avoid the Wu family army's ballistics, in most cases, the Tianzhou's own trajectory could not be calibrated, and most of the warheads landed on the open ground.

The bombardment of the Wu family's artillery on the dragon boats was not very effective. The only significant result was that the mages on the dragon boats used a tailwind spell to increase the firing range, and a few shells landed right in the ranks of the farmers guarding the artillery. Because the ranks were relatively densely packed, seven or eight people were blown away, causing several minutes of chaos. However, Wu Hengyu's cavalry detachment rushed over and killed a few people, and the ranks quickly returned to normal.

The Tianzhou launched copper-patterned iron bullets, and the billowing sails also consumed Xiuyan jade, making the cost of the battle even more expensive.

The daily maintenance and wear and tear on the Tianzhou over a year could recruit one and a half teams of laborers. When neither side's artillery could harm the other, the two armies could only stand in a stalemate between the clouds and water, waiting for the cannon barrels to cool down.

An hour later, a shouting match broke out in the Wu family army's camp!

A dragon dance troupe appeared, banging drums and gongs. Paper dragons supported by red-tasseled spears swayed and danced in front of the camp, chasing after the paper "dragon balls" in play. It was quite comical.

Yu Li paused slightly, realizing that the other person was provoking her. Within the Haotian Realm, dragons are sacred, and the dragon descendants would absolutely not allow mortals to make such jokes about folk customs.

Even though she could ignore such tricks, the retainers who had come with her from the Haotian Realm couldn't withstand such provocation. She wasn't Pu'e; although she was only one step away from transforming into a dragon, she ultimately failed to fully transform into dragon form. Furthermore, her bloodline was far inferior to that of Pu'e, a direct descendant of the clan, and she also lacked prestige.

The Tianzhou advanced once more and returned fire with its cannons. Smoke once again filled the center of the lake.

…In this battle, Yu Li was on the offensive, and every offensive has its weaknesses…

Just as Yu Li was about to prepare for a second round of artillery fire, a sudden cloud of wind and clouds rose from the lake surface a few hundred feet to the left of the Tianzhou. Then a cavalryman appeared from the side, led by Wu Hengyu, who was riding a black horse. He deflected the incoming rockets with his spear and charged straight at the Tianzhou. Accompanying him were twenty-eight knights riding dragon horses.

Wu Hengyu divided his cavalry into three routes, with himself leading one route and the other three routes launching surprise attacks from other directions.

Ignoring the barrage of crossbow bolts fired from below the celestial vessel, the cavalry pierced through it from the side. The vessel's airbags, like heads spun by a greatsword, flew upwards, while the hull below, having lost its ropes, tumbled and crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.

The hull of the Sky Boat looked like a small house, but after it crashed, it became clear that the thing was incredibly light, made of very light wood, and weighed less than even a war chariot.

After this battle, 26 of the 28 riders remained. The other two were brought back by their own ground riders after they fell. After Wu Hengyu returned to the formation, the whole army shouted "Ten thousand victories!"
Amidst the cheers, Wu Hengyu raised the Star Han Spear, but suddenly his eyes became glazed over, and then a memory that did not belong to this world surfaced.

He looked at the Donghua River in front of him and unconsciously touched his neck; there were no marks there now.

On the side that was attacked, Yu Li stared blankly at the departing cavalry, even though beside her, the burning celestial ship was spiraling down, its flames reflecting her face, as if she were in a scene that had happened before.

…The perspective shifts to the north, thousands of miles away…

In the spring of the 28th year of the Tianli era, outside Yinsi City. This place was two hundred li away from the front line of the battle between Dayao and Guotai. A down-on-his-luck man carrying an iron sword looked around outside the city wall like a thief.

After a while, when he was sure no one was paying attention, he found a cave while crouching in the corner. By tapping on the wall, he confirmed something. Then he took a few steps and found two other inconspicuous holes. He found some stones to block up the extra holes, and then gathered some weeds, leaving only one air inlet and one air outlet.

Enduring the smoke, he stood guard in front of a cave and soon waited for the rats to peek out. But he did not rush to strike with his sword until the rats rushed up the slope and slipped on the fine sand before he finally slashed them down.

The man caught the headless gray rat and hurried away, afraid of being seen. Only beggars catch rats to eat.

Half an hour later, having eaten a little, he carried his sword back into the city. He was still down on his luck, yet he maintained an air of superiority. Pu'e, in human form, watched from afar. Yes, she had been watching this impoverished man named Zhao Cheng for a full month. In her eyes, this boy was nothing special? In fact, one could say he was somewhat "lowly."

Zhao Cheng desires a respectable life, but when faced with the reality of hunger, he will ultimately resort to any means necessary to solve it.

He would blend into other people's funeral processions and collect food. When someone pointed it out, he would remain silent and stand there awkwardly, until someone took pity on him and gave him the food.

Pu'e stared at the system screen, clearly surprised, and asked the lottery platform, "Is this the 'famous general' you connected me with after I entered this world?"

After the Smart and Courageous System gave a confirmation reply, Pu'e frowned: "How do I make contact? If I bring him food, will I gain his favorability?"

System: "This person adheres to the principles of a 'scholar' and emphasizes 'equal return.' If you bring him food, he will only return a thousand gold pieces, but what you need is not 'a thousand gold pieces' but 'a general'."

Pu'e fell silent. The system's answer was: "You need to show him the kindness he deserves!"—Pu'e looked up and asked, "Is that enough appreciation?"

Her expression was strange. After observing her for the past few days, the fact that she didn't show disdain was already a sign of good manners; how could she possibly appreciate it? She sighed, nodded, and said, "I'll give it a try."

Looking back a year ago, the general she had originally reserved in the system was a match for her, but in this dimension, for unknown reasons, the famous general she had prepared encountered a problem during the "Obsession Loading" process, and she could only start this backup.

…The backup card wasn't satisfactory. …

In early February, in the market of Yinsi City, a woman set up a special chess game. As the game was moved, the symbols of wind, forest, fire, and mountain appeared. And when the pieces moved, they even resembled the forces of war.

The woman (Pu E) claimed: "Whoever can solve this game will receive a thousand gold pieces! Even if you cannot solve it, you can still get ten coins for making one move."

Some well-meaning people tried it out, but most of them were just ordinary folks; when they picked up a chess piece to make a move, they felt as if they were about to be attacked, and they hurriedly abandoned their pieces and left.

For two days, no one could solve the game with ten moves. The young man who did manage to solve it didn't dare ask for money, but instead stared in astonishment at the chessboard. He bowed deeply to the woman who had set up the game and inquired where she came from.

On the third day, Zhao Cheng, who had been observing for a full ten hours, looked at the chessboard and wanted to go over, but as soon as he sat down in front of the game, he was mocked by a wandering knight: "Isn't this the brave man who hunts beasts under the city wall! Today he can earn a few dozen coins to fill his stomach." Although Zhao Cheng did it very discreetly, his act of catching mice was still seen by others, who ridiculed him in public.

Zhao Cheng looked pale and was slightly taken aback when he heard these words, but he ignored them and pretended to be calm as he sat down in front of the chessboard.

After observing the overall situation, he placed his black piece, one move, two moves, three moves. The chessboard was filled with a fierce atmosphere, and the pieces moved like a slowly advancing army.

The surrounding mockery turned into whispers, and the disdain turned into disbelief. The person they had previously considered "despicable" suddenly possessed extraordinary talent, making their former critics seem like mere background figures.

Twenty moves later, Zhao Cheng stopped placing his piece. He cupped his hands and said, "Could you please give me the payment first, and we can continue the game tomorrow?" The game had taken a lot of mental effort, and Zhao Cheng's already pale face looked even more sickly.

Pu'e put away the chessboard and took out a thousand gold pieces: "I set up this game to find you, sir. Please come with me."

Zhao Cheng was slightly taken aback. He looked at Pu E and suddenly said, "Madam is not a person of great influence?"

Pu E looked surprised. Then Zhao Cheng picked up a reward coin and said, "If Madam wants me to help you break this deadlock, I have no choice but to help. I will not enter a situation where there is no way to win!"

Zhao Cheng stared at this person whose clothes and appearance were different from those of the locals of Da Yao. Being good at calculating, he had a guess in his mind.

Pu'e was displeased, believing she had already been courteous enough. However, a pop-up window appeared from the system, indicating her strategy level was insufficient. She was told to suppress her emotions and find a solution.

Finally, following the system prompt, Pu'e revealed her true form, dressed in a black robe with dragon patterns. Such magnificent attire astonished the ignorant women of the marketplace, who knelt in worship. However, those with some knowledge knew that such silk garments were not worn by anyone but royalty, and their style differed from Da Yao's. Clearly, she belonged to a noble of the Northern Kingdom of Tai.

After revealing her magnificent attire, Pu'e bowed to Zhao Cheng with her hands clasped in respect. A lacquered box appeared beside her, slowly opening like a giant clam to reveal the general's seal inside.

In the "Wisdom and Courage" system: clothing represents status. Under the dynastic system, when a person wears fine clothes befitting their rank to receive another person, it means that they are entrusting that person with an important matter.

Therefore, even if Pu'e had just offered a thousand taels of gold, she was dressed in fish-skin clothing and in the marketplace. Zhao Cheng was unsure whether she genuinely wanted to use him or truly trusted his abilities. Serving someone who didn't believe in him was tantamount to risking everything before a battle; even if a thousand taels of gold were placed before him, he couldn't step into that territory.

Theoretically, without the system notification, Pu'e wouldn't have been able to summon this general, but now she has. Zhao Cheng made a pledge of loyalty to Guotai, promising to "never fail Heaven," "never fail the Lord (Pu'e)," and "never fail the Iron."
Several hours later, the chief constable rushed to the market, but the chessboard was already empty. The constables could only pass the message to the yamen, but the yamen magistrate waved his hand and issued a "wanted" notice, thus ending the matter.

…The perspective shifts to the south…

At Yongji Pass, the large iron pot was opened, and a unique aroma filled the air. Because of the special control over grain in the pass, everyone eats taro at this time of year, so eating taro at this time of year has become a tradition.

Xuan Chong picked up a piece of taro with his chopsticks, dipped it in the brown sugar syrup beside him, took a bite, and nodded. He was very satisfied with the status quo. However, at this moment, the system beeped, and a progress bar appeared on it.

Xuan Chong choked for a moment and quickly gulped down a glass of water. This wasn't the first or second time the system had ruined his enjoyment; sometimes Xuan Chong strongly suspected that the system was doing it on purpose.

System: "The teaching aids are about to finish loading. Please note that what has arrived here is a test paper, which will be the 'interest questions' in this course. You can do them or not."

Xuan Chong took a sip of water to clear the sweet taste from his mouth, and asked arrogantly, "What will happen if I don't do it?"

System: "There will be no consequences."

Xuan Chong squatted down for a while longer, then asked timidly, "So, where's the question? Can you give me some hints?"

System: "You're already in your current situation."

Xuan Chong responded humbly, "But I didn't know?"

System: "I have already given you a hint. Please read the question carefully and do not overlook any suspicious points."

Xuan Chong hurriedly ate four or five bites, then called over, "Third Aunt."

Xuan Chong asked his third aunt, "Hey, let me ask you, what are your plans?"

Third Aunt tilted her head and looked at Xuan Chong, who also looked at her curiously, wondering what the question was, so he tested her.

Wu Fei, no longer holding back, asked, "Would you like to be my wife?"

The third aunt responded with the composure of offering incense before Buddha: "I agree."

(End of this chapter)