Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 69 A Sudden Illness
In September of the 31st year of the Tianli calendar, as the rainy season had just ended, flags fluttered in Yongji Pass.

Within just a few days, tens of thousands of soldiers recruited from all over the country had completed their assembly.

This time, the scale of the expedition was smaller than the last, with a number of 12,000 men, but all the soldiers who went out of the pass felt that the requirements were much stricter in all aspects.

After crossing the pass, each battalion consisted of 800 men. The daily marching schedule, including the distance traveled and the location of camps, was sent to each battalion three days in advance.

The soldiers even discovered that the daily marching distance was a very fixed 40 to 60 li (approximately 20-30 kilometers), which was exactly 70% of their physical exertion. The camping was also conducted in accordance with regulations, with a curfew starting at a certain time each day, and the sentries at the camp entrance taking turns on duty; all soldiers had to follow fixed routes when leaving their tents to eat or get water; and without orders, everyone else stayed inside their tents.

The assessments were so harsh that the soldiers were tacitly allowed to play cards daily, using "fried beans" and "peanuts" as stakes, to relax. A monthly Cuju (ancient Chinese football) match was also arranged to divert attention and prevent boredom that could lead to nighttime riots.

For the leader in the camp, it was even more noticeable that the friendly forces stationed around him always maintained a stable distance from him. Each camp was like a row of people, stepping forward with their left leg together, and then stepping forward with their right leg together. Each camp was like a leg!

The dedicated communications battalion between each battalion is responsible for transmitting and confirming information between the various camps at fixed times every day.

This mutual information exchange is also scheduled at fixed times and locations. If the time is not right, or if it is a last-minute notification, a dedicated person must be assigned to handle it.

Inside the central military tent, a map with contour lines was placed in the center of the table. The map marked waterways and various crossings. Wu Fei had also promoted fifteen junior officers to serve as joint staff officers.

This time, the scale and number of troops deployed were smaller than the last time, but a proper corps command framework was established, simulating the system of an army of fifty to sixty thousand people.

…dividing lines on the worksheet…

Xuan Chong had no idea what modern armies were like, only gleaning glimpses from snippets of conversation, such as the warlord jokes he had heard.

One particular anecdote about the Fengtian warlords made me think about it many times: Japanese military instructors said that the Fengtian warlords' officers were very rigid, and they would stick to the distance specified in the drill manual every day during marches, unwilling to take even a single extra step; and when setting up camp, they would not consider the terrain, even though there was a more suitable high ground a few hundred meters away, they would stubbornly set up camp at a fixed distance from the low ground according to the drill manual.

That's right. Back then, the Fengtian Army was known for having the largest number of soldiers and the best equipment, but the worst combat effectiveness. They were repeatedly defeated and humiliated when they entered the pass.

However, they did have a manual, and this manual covered marching distances and corresponding encampments. — This is what Xuan Chong later pondered.

Based on Xuan Chong's work experience after he came of age, seemingly rigid regulations are all necessary for coordination with the system. Memorizing regulations without understanding the system will only make them seem rigid.

For example, Xuan Chong now needs his tens of thousands of troops to obey orders, disperse and assemble as usual, and encircle the enemy in a pincer movement, which makes it difficult to time the timing perfectly. Therefore, a proper command system is needed, as well as adherence to marching rules by each camp.

Xuan Chong is now consciously compiling a set of sergeant drill manuals.

…A dividing line for exploration and experimentation…

As his uncle urged him to head north, Wu Fei sensed that he might be about to face off against renowned generals from the Central Plains. Unlike the barbarians of the Southern Frontier, his opponents in the Central Plains also possessed family-trained military expertise.

Night raids, multi-pronged attacks, intense skirmishes on the supply lines—yes, all of these are things you'll encounter.

Wu Fei: As for the current successors of military strategists in the Central Plains, how much of the profound meaning in the middle and advanced chapters of military strategy, beyond the basics, can they truly grasp? — Let's say they've read and understood it. But we can bet on one thing: they haven't actually practiced it.

Wu Fei used to lead an army on his own, so he never applied the "advanced" military system theory because it was unnecessary.

Communication between one's own unit and friendly forces is conducted as if they were all brothers; they can verify the reliability of information by exchanging tokens. There is no need for a dedicated communications battalion.

As for the priority of information transmission, it's all based on the intensity and on feeling.

If the commander-in-chief judged the enemy's movements to be suspicious, then they would maintain more contact and agree on more codes; if the enemy showed no unusual activity, communication would be more casual, with a simple report of safety every two or three days sufficing. At least that's how it was done when Wu Hanluan led him in the Battle of Chilian Mountain. These key details were all about being mindful; there was no set procedure.

Several years ago, Wu Fei received the following comment from Wu Hanluan: Given time, he will become experienced enough to stand on his own.

Today, Wu Fei's self-assessment is: Too naive.

Historically, high-level military campaigns involved the deployment of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of troops.

If a general's ability is limited to only a few of the most capable battalions in the army, and his attention is only focused on the most active corps of the enemy, ignoring the other enemy legions and assuming that these second-rate troops will just sit on the sidelines like anime grunts; then, if the "grunts" he ignores are actually the "divine move" left by the enemy, he will stumble and fall into a trap.

The famous Battle of Changping is a case in point. Zhao Kuo only saw the Qin army's vanguard retreating, but he did not detect that the Qin army had light cavalry prepared, or the movement of the main force in the rear. So he rashly pressed forward.

Is it really only possible to explain it as "recklessness"? Wu Fei now deduces from a military perspective that Zhao Kuo probably failed to establish a feedback loop within his troops. He only gained the trust of a small number of soldiers who dared to fight—as can be seen later, the Zhao army did not collapse after being surrounded and continued to fight bravely, indicating that Zhao Kuo maintained command over that group of the most capable Zhao soldiers.

But Zhao Kuo's abilities were limited to this. War is about outnumbering the enemy; the more effectively a commander can manage resources, the greater their advantage. (Similar to real-time strategy games, where professional players' multitasking can crush amateur players.)
Bai Qi's command ability in the Battle of Changping was demonstrated by his comprehensive planning of all Qin army battalions, leaving no unit unattended. This level of skill meant that Bai Qi could always keep a reserve of troops hidden from Zhao Kuo. In the Battle of Changping, this meant that several thousand elite cavalrymen, in the brief moment of Zhao Kuo's mistake, flanked him, burned his supplies, seized key points, and created a trap to trap him.

As a person from the 21st century, Wu Fei commented: If you're bad at something, you need to practice more.

Even though Zhao Kuo consciously left some elite troops to cover the rear, his main force advanced too far forward. If the Qin army retreated in an orderly fashion and then continued the confrontation, the Zhao army would either have to stay and continue fighting, suffering the debuff of a longer supply line, or they would still have to retreat. And retreat? With Bai Qi's skill, he would still be able to take a large chunk of the enemy, most likely turning it into a rout.

Practice more...

On the fifth day after the army entered southern Xinjiang, Wu Fei divided his troops into three routes, setting up camps along each route, with his forces pointing directly towards the three directions of Lingjiang. This marked Wu Fei's first time commanding troops in a "divided force" manner. Previously, in actual combat against the rebellious forces in southern Xinjiang, Wu Fei had never dared to do this, so he had never practiced it before.

Soon Wu Fei encountered various problems. On the central map, during the process of dividing the troops into three routes, Wu Fei was always able to catch the omissions in the information reported by each battalion during their operations.

Wu Fei pointed to one of the hilltops and said to the adjutant, "You've passed through, but have you checked this hilltop? What if the enemy has set up an ambush?"

The lieutenant muttered, "The Fifth Battalion sent hunting dogs to search after setting up camp."

Wu Fei's voice boomed like thunder as he lectured, "He was following the manual. Did you give him any orders or instructions? You need to make arrangements in advance for these kinds of things. If you don't want the enemy to get there first, then you should get there first!"

Wu Fei waved his hand, signaling the staff officer to reflect on his actions.

Wu Fei then assessed the grain transport situation: "The grain deployment at these stations is too scattered. This is enemy-occupied territory. While the main road is safe when our troops are passing through, the enemy may launch a surprise attack on the rear stations once our troops have passed. At that point, the grain must be concentrated here—"

Wu Fei placed a chess piece on the silk map and said to the reprimanded officer, "Why didn't you send a centurion to scout the high ground around this ferry crossing! Did you think we wouldn't be ambushed?"

Thus, within this camp, Wu Fei was constantly engaged in the high-intensity work of identifying problems, pointing them out, teaching how to solve them, and reprimanding his subordinates for their repeated failures to correct their mistakes.

After being constantly scolded, Wu Fei's mouth became dry, and his forehead was burning hot without him realizing it. During the break, Wu Fei slowly sat down, and his aunt supported him, whispering, "You don't look well right now." Her slender fingers pressed on Wu Fei's temples, and her fingers not only glowed blue but also had golden lines.

Just as Wu Fei was about to express his gratitude, the system brought up a pop-up window, which then displayed an hourglass countdown.

Wu Fei asked the system, "What's wrong?"

System: "It's nothing, some programs are updating and might be getting a little hot."

...from a faction's perspective...

In Wu Fei's eyes, his three armies were plagued by various oversights and minor mistakes during their march. However, from an external perspective, the three armies were advancing in unison.

Two large armies swept across the area like combs, with spies from the Li Huo Sect—people from the southern border tribes implanted with fire talismans, their lives controlled by the sect—between the teeth of the comb. They crossed the river to exchange information with the northern tribes, gathering intelligence on the northern route. The tribes north of the Ling River were not entirely subjugated, so these covert agents were maintained.

In the past, these spies sent by the Li Huo Sect were confident that they could avoid Da Yao's troops and flee south before the Wu family army could establish absolute control over the area. However, now they were careless and, before they could react, they were already surrounded in a pincer movement.

During the infiltration, Wu Fei's three forces continuously dispatched scout formations on both sides to investigate the situation.

Therefore, these guys on the south bank of the Ling River, as well as the tribes they were communicating with, were caught red-handed almost without warning.

When the scouts sent out by the Wu family army discovered the anomaly in the sealed-off areas, they quickly dispatched crow people to confirm it.

Once the enemy's location was confirmed, a nearby military camp mobilized a hundred men to surround them. Then, the entire tribe with "rebellious intentions" was caught red-handed and escorted to the north.

The north bank of the Lingjiang River was already powerless to resist. This advance was so rapid, it was like a storm sweeping across the land! As fierce as explosives.

The people on the south bank of the Ling River, looking across the water, were intimidated. After all, with such a fierce posture, it seemed likely that they would break through the Ling River in one fell swoop, destroying mountains and temples.
What if Wu Xiaoque attacks? The Jingguan (a mound of corpses) left on the north bank of the Lingjiang River last year has already dampened the courage of the various ethnic groups in southern Xinjiang to face this problem.

The consensus among the tribes south of Lingjiang was that no one could defeat Wu Xiaoque, and they could only hope that he would go easy on them before he attacked.

Or perhaps, they are waiting for Wu Xiaoque to have an accident, such as falling into the river and drowning.

...Urgent...

In Cloud Cutting Valley, within the sacred grounds of the Li Huo Sect, a bizarre human sacrifice was being conducted. A total of one hundred and two people were stripped naked and laid out in the still-burning red ash, resembling lit cigarette butts. A candle wick was inserted into the head of each person, and a flame was lit on the wick.

These offerings, now transformed into human-shaped candles, are beginning to rotate in a circle. At the center of the circle is a paper figure inscribed with the seven characters "Southern Frontier Evil Enemy Wu Yuanchang." The paper figure is wrapped with hair said to have been cut from Wu Fei's body.

As for where this hair came from, the Li Huo Sect bought it from those ignorant merchants for one tael of gold per hair.

This is what happens when Wu Fei takes off his helmet during an inspection of a certain place; there might be one or two hairs stuck to it.

As for the present, all 102 people are compatible with Wu Fei's birth date and time.

Because there was a fortune teller by Wu Fei's side who could "read faces," he calculated through divination that Wu Fei still had a full 102 years of life left.

Now, as the 102 people paid homage to the paper figure, the candlelight on their Baihui acupoints immediately went out, and the person fell to the ground with a thud.

As the 102 people collapsed in a circle, the person presiding over the ritual coughed up blood and stared intently at the paper figures! The paper figures did not burn.

The thousands of disciples of the Li Huo Sect outside the ceremony remained silent, unaware of why their ancestor's ritual had failed.

In the sacred land, the patriarch of the Li Huo Sect, "Xin," rebuked another person in the lamplight, "Why, Yan! Why didn't my spell work? Did you even place the spell charm beside him?"

In the camp, Wu Fei's third aunt, who was accompanying him beside the sand table, had a peculiar smile on her lips and her lips moved slightly.

At the Li Huo Sect, "Flame" calmly replied to "Core's" mockery: "If the one who casts this Yin-style curse is unwilling to offer enough 'tribute,' then one should be prepared for the ritual to fail."

Caught off guard by the flames, the "core" trembled slightly, then painfully pulled out a piece of red light. After this red light appeared, the fire ancestor's originally sallow face turned charred black, just like a candle wick touching the outer flame, turning its original sallow color into charred black.

This is one of the most powerful sacred objects in the Li Huo Sect, a wisp of feather left behind by the Vermilion Bird among the Four Spirits.

That is, the sacred object that was enshrined on the altar before the Li Huo Sect became an evil sect was taken away by the henchmen of the Great Yao Li Prince after they fled south.

This item is extremely valuable. Several years ago, when Ang Ri came to ask for it, this "Fire Ancestor" vehemently denied having such a thing, claiming: "The remains of the Vermilion Bird are elusive and impossible to find."

……

Inside the cave, this tiny feather filament, like an incandescent light bulb filament—no, hundreds of thousands of times more powerful—illuminated the entire cave in a warm red glow.

The ashes and bones gathered in the cursed killing array set up by the Fire Ancestor were unstable under this scorching heat, as if they were about to be reduced to ashes at any moment. And the cursed paper figure was showing signs of disintegration.

It doesn't burn to death; instead, it turns directly into dust starting from the edges.

This wisp of feather has an extremely high temperature, but it seems unwilling to ignite any ordinary objects; any ordinary object should simply turn to ashes in front of it.

It is precisely because of this extraordinary attribute that whenever the Fire Ancestor's body develops uncontrollable twisting flesh due to evil magic, this sacred object can be used to directly remove it, restoring it to pure fire spiritual energy.

Fire Ancestor gritted his teeth and reached out, manipulating the paper figure to combine with this wisp of feather. This brief operation burned away most of the spiritual energy in his body.

As soon as he confirmed that the feather had landed on the paper figure, he immediately prepared to activate the spell to supply a wisp of pure essence for the sacrifice.

Suddenly, the feather seemed to trigger something within the spell, and with a flash of golden light, the Vermilion Bird feather vanished! The red embers throughout the cave, resembling lit cigarette butts, also extinguished in an instant.

The cave still retained some warmth. Meanwhile, all the flames on the mountains outside had gone out, and all the lights had dimmed.

In the darkness, the Fire Ancestor appeared lifeless, as if dead, but then he began to groan in pain, followed by bubbling sounds emanating from his body. Wisps of smoke rose from the bubbles, transforming into the heads of vengeful spirits, while burning ashes appeared on the Fire Ancestor's body; he could no longer utter a sound.

(End of this chapter)