Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 74 Boundary Demarcation
Five days after the entire army crossed the river, the riverbed of the Lingjiang River began to recover in some places, and the river continued to flow eastward. However, it then rose intermittently again and stopped flowing once more. Each time the river stopped flowing, it would leave a group of bridge piers in the Lingjiang River. These bridge piers appeared in five places along the river, meaning that five bridges would be built in the next few months.

These bridge piers were made by stuffing large stones into bamboo baskets and placing them in the river when the water flow was interrupted. After the river resumed flowing, these piers withstood the impact in the water, and then the army felled huge logs to complete the bridge construction.

To ensure that the five bridges could be completed before the army withdrew, the Wu family army stationed here continued to work for the next month.

Approximately forty days after the entire army crossed the river, most of the riverbank was still only knee-deep. The disarmed soldiers became boatmen, pulling bamboo rafts to transport supplies.

The Wu family army transported huge stones down the river and piled them on both sides of the bridge. After the army's murderous aura permeated the stones, they were carved into the shape of elephants.

Just before the end of the year, after the guardian beast carving was completed, a herd of elephants began to stir in the jungle. The elephants, intimidated by the ominous aura, hesitated to approach. However, Jamud sent a newly arrived shaman from the southern border to the tribe to give orders to the herd. Only after receiving the orders did the elephants dare to approach the camp.

After each giant beast was successfully sculpted into an elephant, these elephants stood steadily in a row, filling the empty space in the army's ranks. As the army collectively performed a blessing ceremony for the sculpted stone elephants, the elephant herd also solemnly lined up. Then, an old elephant walked shakily toward the stone elephant, and in the shared gaze of humans and elephants, the stone elephant and the old elephant merged together in the light and shadow.

Although the soldiers of Da Yao were surprised, they had been warned by the military mages that this was a "ceremony for conferring divinity" and should be performed with the same solemnity as the worship of the gods of the land in their hometown. Therefore, they followed the ritual and paid their respects.

Meanwhile, the elephants were bellowing at the stone elephant. Unlike the sadness of sending off an old elephant in the past, they seemed to sense the echo of the stone elephant's kin and were communicating happily before leaving after a long time.

With the guardian beasts protecting them, these bridges will not be eroded by floods.

The above is a description of the experiences of most of the soldiers when they crossed the Lingjiang River during Wu Fei's first expedition.

In the decades that followed, historians recorded history based on the accounts of the older soldiers who had crossed the river. The construction of the five elephant bridges thus connected the north and south banks of the Ling River, uniting them in a single, unified way.

The task of building the bridge was arranged by Wu Fei to prevent the army from being idle after crossing the river.

While the army was repairing the bridge, Wu Fei didn't join them, wielding an entrenching tool; instead, he went deep into the jungle. —Anyone who's raised children knows that if you don't finish assigning homework before leaving home for work, they might cause trouble.

In the jungle, Wu Qing rode a rhinoceros, leading the way. Two groups of hunters, now naturalized as Claw People, advanced on either side, while crow people patrolled the skies above. Wu Fei, Jiamude, and Angri were among the group. After traveling for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they felt a sense of tranquility; the clamor faded far behind them.

Wu Fei turned his head and looked back at the bustling activity in the camp. He nodded and said, "When the tribes of Lingjiang finally submitted, they did not realize the long-term development of building a bridge to strengthen the connection between the north and south banks."

…barbarians fear power but do not cherish virtue…

Rewinding to the moment immediately after crossing the river, in the central army camp, Wu Fei and many soldiers began discussing the plans after crossing the river.

During this river crossing and camping process, Wu Fei himself meticulously implemented the "gradual and orderly" approach from military strategy, exploring how each battalion could maintain smooth communication during the complex process of crossing the river. The military camp remained in a state of busy tension. Each major camp only accepted the surrender of various tribes in the evening, and even so, Wu Fei did not handle the surrender process carelessly.

After crossing the river, Wu Fei dispatched his auxiliary troops to search for various tribes. Upon hearing the news, these surviving southern tribes hurriedly boarded bamboo rafts, their bellies exposed, carrying thorny branches, and headed towards the main camp.

Wu Fei was now even more certain that Ling Jiangnan truly had no resistance.

Zhao Xianzhong, standing beside Wu Fei, looked quite dejected, as if he had drawn his sword and looked around in bewilderment. At this moment, he desperately hoped to wait for a "feigned surrender" so that he could have some fun.

Wu Fei even discovered that this "head enthusiast" was cursing and punching the prisoners behind his back, provoking the tribal chiefs to resist.

But the result was the opposite; the harder the tribal chiefs were kicked, the more obsequious they became, expressing their willingness to be the big boss's dogs.

Therefore, after consulting the classics, Wu Fei prepared elegant attire and music to preside over the surrender ceremony in accordance with the established rites and regulations.

From a modern perspective, Wu Fei's demanding ritual was mainly a way to manipulate the survivors in southern Lingjiang.

During the ceremony, the leaders of the various tribes in southern Xinjiang were required to line up, and then jade discs made of stones from Lingjiang South were hung around the necks of these defeated warriors.

Finally, Wu Fei, dressed in the attire of a high-ranking general, surrounded by soldiers, accepted the surrender document from the south from a high position, and then, on behalf of the court, granted them the right to cultivate and settle in various lands.

This set of rituals is the standard of the Great Yao orthodox system, and the tribal chiefs in the southern border who were forced to cosplay it did not know what its purpose was.

But Wu Fei knew that this was putting them in the shackles of etiquette (i.e., promoting Confucianism and Mencius' teachings as a prerequisite for establishing Confucius Institutes).

Ten years later, when things are no longer peaceful here and the army comes again, they will pick a few who do not farm or worship the gods of the land, kill them as a warning to others, and exterminate their entire clan.

Wu Fei anticipated that this combination of benevolent and domineering approaches would prevent the southern tribes from becoming as fierce and savage as before after each campaign against the disobedient. Instead, it would prevent them from collectively resisting the order he was promoting, under the leadership of certain ambitious individuals.

Because members of these tribes who experienced today's surrender ceremony will recount that "the reason for being beaten was that they did not conform to the rules and regulations; as long as they followed the rules and regulations, they would not be beaten."

Of course, rights and obligations are corresponding. Many tribes in southern Lingjiang surrendered according to etiquette and law, which meant submission. Submission meant becoming a subject. The various strange events faced by the subjects of southern Xinjiang made "pacifying the region" a responsibility that Wu Family Army needed to shoulder.

After the surrender ceremony, Wu Fei listened carefully to the information brought by the surrendered people. These tribal leaders, who were prostrate in front of the newly recognized "sun," described with lingering fear the disaster of "the Gu worms eating the leader."

However, when Wu Fei tried to inquire about the details behind these emotional words like "terrifying" and "scared to death," these incoherent barbarians couldn't even explain it themselves.

After the interrogation, Wu Fei ordered his soldiers to take these surrendered people away and keep them under good guard, ensuring they were not mistreated in terms of clothing, food, or other necessities.

At this point, Wu Fei had already made a decision, but before making it, he needed to prepare a "trap" to deal with those in the camp who might oppose him.

…Wu Fei: We really lack non-commissioned officers…

On the second night after crossing the river, the camps began to quiet down, and the relay of orders was changed to the banging of wooden clappers.

In the main camp, Wu Fei looked at the generals standing in rows waiting for orders and began his dignified speech: "I called everyone here to discuss the current situation of our army after crossing the river, and to see if anyone has any good ideas. Everyone, please begin to speak."

Wu Fei tapped the table, giving the opportunity to speak to the generals, but the tent remained quite quiet.

The generals stared expectantly at Wu Fei. Clearly, they were used to following orders.

A simple-minded general mustered his courage and said to Wu Fei, "General, you know that when we roughnecks come up with ideas, all we can say is that we should take the opportunity to go south and kill them. We can't think of any other way. Please make the decision, Commander."

Wu Fei said to the soldier beside him, "Record it. Wu Xizhang proposed to take advantage of the chaos in the south and strike at the heart of the enemy."

Wu Xizhang quickly waved his hand: "Young Marshal, I'm a roughneck, I really can't think of this method."

Wu Fei slammed his fist on the table: "I'm not blaming you for having the wrong idea. If you don't have any other ideas, then shut up."

Then Wu Fei turned to the crowd, “Our army is here and has already gained an absolute advantage. At this point, we are not afraid of stupid methods, but of having no methods at all! If a method is stupid and we run into obstacles while implementing it, we can discuss and correct it. Now our family and our business are large and can withstand stumbles. If we follow Xi Zhang’s method now, the worst outcome will be to go south and burn and kill. Our southern army will at most lose some popular support south of Lingjiang within the next ten years. After that, we can go out of the pass a few more times, which will only consume some military strength (becoming more and more sarcastic), and personally capture some slaves. The barbarians here fear power but do not appreciate virtue. We have already demonstrated our virtue north of Lingjiang. We can give them the south or not. Now, we are like heaven to them. Every move we make, whether thunder or rain, is a blessing from heaven.”

Despite being a reprimand, the soldiers in the tent grinned and laughed, even Wu Xizhang, who had just boasted of being a roughneck, was now holding his head high.

Of course, another member of the family quickly tugged at Wu Xizhang, who was startled and asked his cousin behind him, "What's going on?"

Cousin: "Others can laugh, but why are you laughing? That's a terrible idea. The general will hold his nose and critique your plan. You're just a piece of shit brain."

On the stage, Wu Fei said, "Tell me, I'm not afraid of bad ideas, I'm afraid of indecisiveness. Is there anyone less capable than Wu Xizhang?" Encouraged by Wu Fei, the generals then shared their insights one by one. After speaking freely, Wu Fei instructed a scribe to record each person's remarks on a sand table, and then to transcribe them concisely on bamboo slips.

The officers then took turns sharing their opinions.

Some of the generals believed that the tribes of southern Xinjiang should send hostages.

Some believed that a fortress should be built on the north bank of the Lingjiang River, facing each other across the river, with a reserve of about a hundred people.

Of course, there were also conflicts, with some people thinking the other's suggestions were foolish and almost getting into an argument.

Wu Fei immediately kept a record, allowing everyone to speak at set times and in set quantities, with dissenting opinions to be expressed during the recollection and discussion phase.

In the end, Wu Fei summarized the results in accordance with meeting rules.

As he compiled a large number of useful suggestions, Wu Fei thought to himself: "Three mediocre generals are indeed as good as one Zhuge Liang."

…Workbook divider…

Xuan Chong took notes in the system. The difference between feudal armies and modern troops lies in the initiative of rank-and-file officers.

The non-commissioned officer class in feudal armies, namely the battalion, followed the path of fierce generals, focusing only on brute force and not on strategic bravery. These fierce generals led the charge but did not systematically address tactical issues.

When the command center of a feudal army fails, most of the lower-ranking centurions are like headless flies, and only a few outstanding individuals can step forward. These outstanding individuals are what is known as "fierce generals emerge from the ranks." However, within the ranks, most "non-outstanding" mid-level officers will only act after receiving a message from their superiors.

However, modern sergeant majors are different. The earliest instance in Earth's military history of modern armies clashing with feudal armies was during the Napoleonic era. Napoleon proudly declared that every platoon leader under his command could be a general on the opposing side.

…Doing the questions…

Wu Fei has realized that he now wants to further enhance the combat effectiveness of his army. This involves more than just compiling infantry manuals; it also requires the institutional development of a "non-commissioned officer system."

The non-commissioned officer (NCO) system aims to involve lower-ranking military commanders in military discussions and mandate their participation. They are then tasked with maintaining order in meetings, gathering the most useful suggestions, and making deployments.

Previously, Wu Fei had managed the entire military camp single-handedly, which was nothing short of extraordinary. However, after the physical fitness test showed his body's stress levels and he later fell ill, Wu Fei realized that he had been obsessing over things.

There is a limit to how strong a person can be.

The military system has taken a step further; instead of putting all the pressure on oneself, it needs to get these people's minds working as well.

The historical case of Erzhu Rong shows that an excellent feudal army does not lack talent, but rather lacks channels to unleash that talent.

Wu Fei is not some "Demon-Suppressing Tower," but a ruthless boss who makes everyone, regardless of their abilities or what kind of monster they are, work overtime.

At the end of the meeting, Wu Fei encouraged all the team supervisors present, saying, "Very good, you are all very capable."

The team leaders collectively clasped their hands in thanks: "Thanks to the general's guidance."

Wu Fei nodded, then said something truly shocking: "From now on, these kinds of meetings will be held regularly. Even if I'm occasionally absent, they still need to be held. I don't want to suddenly fall ill and, after a few days, see you all coming to my bedside seeking advice, waiting for the situation to collapse."

The generals below looked at each other, wondering what Wu Fei meant by saying that.

Finally, Wu Fei gave a summary.

Wu Fei: "The situation in southern Xinjiang has changed suddenly. If I had known beforehand that the ruling system of many tribes in southern Xinjiang would collapse after our army's intervention, the troops I brought this time would definitely not be 10,000. Now, we cannot suppress the south for long with just military force. But we cannot give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Therefore, while we are appeasing and consoling the various ethnic groups in southern Xinjiang, we must also firmly grasp some fundamental principles."

Having the various ethnic groups of southern Xinjiang send hostages is a good method! But we need more than just hostages; we also need to intervene in their power succession system.

Wu Fei: "I have ordered all the chieftains north of the Yangtze River to pay me a blood tax starting this year. The conscripted men will be used for the development of the Southern Frontier project and for military garrisoning. Next, we will use the barbarians on the north bank of the Lingjiang River to control the barbarians on the south bank. The people south of the Yangtze River have surrendered. The Jiangnan and Jiangbei regions of the Southern Frontier need to check and balance each other. We are outnumbered and need allies to act as a buffer."

"On this point, after everyone discussed the candidates, Wu Qing was chosen!" — Wu Fei shouted.

The snake woman paused slightly, then immediately stepped forward. However, Wu Fei said, "You don't need to be selected." The snake woman, who had been directly rejected, was filled with disappointment.

Wu Fei was calculating. This snake woman had control over the direct descendant of the Li Huo Sect, and the two had recently had a child. Although the Li Huo Sect was dead, its influence was far from over. Wu Qing's hand held too many cards to play.

Wu Fei believed in Wu Qing's loyalty, but he wouldn't test it. Chai Rong, on the other hand, believed in Zhao Kuangyin's loyalty and tested Zhao Heilian's loyalty.

Wu Fei coldly believed that there would definitely be a rebellion in southern Xinjiang in the future, so he rationally considered where the new "source of rebellion" would be.

…the meeting continued…

Wu Fei continued, "Currently, we know very little about the situation of the various tribes south of Lingjiang. What lies further south in the southern border region? Are there any more formidable enemies? If we surrender blindly and inexplicably take on an even greater burden, that would be a joke."

Currently, the deployment of the native Da Yao human race's troops to Lingjiang is already at its limit.

Wu Fei's plan was this: the area south of the Lingjiang River must maintain a certain degree of autonomy. This autonomy, however, would be influenced by external independent forces, eventually leading to its separation from the region.

Therefore, Wu Fei explained his core idea to everyone at the meeting: "There must be a boundary south of Lingjiang. This boundary belongs to my Great Yao. All those within this boundary must abide by the rule of my Great Yao. If anyone harbors disloyal intentions, my Wu family, as a subject of Great Yao, will certainly send troops to punish them. However, if they cross this boundary, their uncivilized and primitive lifestyle is none of my business. We authorize the local chieftains to retaliate against border provocations and tacitly allow them to retaliate across the border under the organization of Great Yao's border generals."

Wu Fei walked up to the officers and said in a confident and authoritative tone, "Only I can draw this line now."

Many officers looked up, and some of the smart ones finally realized why Wu Fei had called them together for a meeting.

It seems like he's letting everyone speak, but in reality, he's letting his subordinates reveal their talents and accurately assess everyone's abilities.

Ultimately, it clearly tells everyone, "None of you are allowed to proceed with the next step of expanding your influence into the depths of southern Xinjiang and promoting royal rule."

In the future, if any rebels disobey the king's rule, they will certainly be punished. If not, then the barbarians will rebel one after another, all the way to Yongji Pass. The barbarians are easy to defeat, but if a rebellion breaks out in any remote place, it will require a long and arduous expedition, and the Wu family army cannot afford that.

So how many lines should be drawn to ensure that "hegemony" is deterred while "benevolence" is rewarded? This is a question only Wu Fei can answer, calculating every page of the "big picture" ledger.

The meeting was adjourned after lasting into the evening...

Without any objection from any generals, Wu Fei finalized his itinerary for surveying the southern border of Lingjiang.

Wu Fei chose to cooperate with Gongshu Wang, Angri, and Jiamude.

In another tent, Third Aunt watched Wu Fei walk away from afar. Behind her, tens of thousands of people in the camp were unaware that their general had gone south and were busy building a bridge.

(End of this chapter)