Chapter 22: Xiao Bai's Story
It's been three days since the imperial court meeting, and some things have happened in between. I've discovered that I seem to have a great potential for being a villain, or rather, my ordinary self was suppressed too much by the dull life in my previous world, and now that I'm in this world, I'm making up for it with interest. Whether it's intimidating and extorting those younger cousins (this is a new hobby that I and Xiao Yu discovered after we took advantage of the compensation to swindle the Crown Prince into poverty), or coercing and driving away the old ministers who are relying on their seniority, thanks to the effect of the imperial court meeting, the discordant voices around the Emperor have temporarily disappeared. The military affairs are also proceeding with some difficulties, not only did we take advantage of the opportunity to get rid of some people who were not on our side, but also sent some free labor to the middle camp (what's wrong with being lazy, hypocritical, afraid of death, or committing crimes? Get out of here and go chop trees and dig ditches in the middle camp. It's safe and can exercise your body, what's not to like?). However, when it came to the Northern Army's Five Tigers, there was no intense backlash as I had expected. This makes me very depressed.
We continued westward, and I was still living in the military camp-style accommodation - a life of three points and one line between Lao Huangdi and Xiao Yatou. It seemed that I was getting more and more used to this kind of life without water or electricity, far away from the internet and complex information. The scenery along the way was vastly different from the loess plateau in Shaanxi during my time, with its winding gullies and flying dust filling the sky. If it weren't for the occasional harassment by small groups of pursuers like annoying flies, I would have felt as if I were on a tour, despite the conditions being much worse than when I was camping with the archaeological team. At least every day I could take a look at the beautiful women and chat with Xiao Yatou to alleviate my boredom.
Little girl seems to have had some issues these past two days, don't know if it's because of that "Three Women Theory" about the kitchen, imperial court and boudoir that I accidentally mentioned a couple of days ago. Or maybe it's since she heard the Eight Great Rules of Chivalry and has been pestering me to be her XX Knight. Luckily, she's been busy currying favor with the Emperor, so she hasn't had time to bother me, which means I've had more time to hang out with my subordinates.
It had to be changed to the third person, otherwise everyone generally felt that it was a bit confusing to read, because there were many descriptions of other people in the back, and relying solely on the "I" perspective might not have been able to bring it out.
After a simple dinner, it was rare that there were no military matters to attend to. Now, Liang Xiao and his subordinates sat around the fire, chatting freely about his experiences in the Western Regions. It wasn't boasting, nor was it empty talk. His subordinates couldn't ask him any questions that would stump him, because most of what he said was based on actual events recorded by later generations. He had a solid foundation to back up his claims, and he wasn't afraid of being exposed. After all, he had spent four years in university and two years after graduation with nowhere to go, relying on the legacy of a deceased old man to get a part-time job at the library. And if you wanted to deceive people, you had to make it seem like the real deal. As the commander-in-chief, he naturally had to show that he was more capable than others. He seemed to have blended into this role perfectly, and after several rounds of conversation, his subordinates were deeply impressed by his vast knowledge, already considering him a true polymath (according to the language of the time).
The day before yesterday, from the eight great precepts of the Knights Templar "Humility, Justice, Mercy", to yesterday's story about the Huns' invasion of Europe, the legendary tale of Attila, the "Scourge of God", sweeping across the continent, conquering countless barbarian tribes, and the two great Roman Empires successively surrendering and seeking peace. The story was full of twists and turns, shocking and thrilling, stirring everyone's emotions like a raging tide. Especially when it came to the part where Attila, on the eve of his greatest achievement, suddenly died mysteriously on his wedding night, many people were left stunned and grief-stricken. In between, there were also some anecdotes about Western customs and strange stories, such as how men and women in the West could marry freely without parental consent or matchmakers, and that they could divorce easily if they didn't get along. The group of listeners was amazed and impressed, with many expressing their admiration. He was very satisfied with this effect.
Now he is talking about the Art of War by Sun Tzu and some of its later developments, such as: wind, forest, fire, mountain, "Invade like fire, move like wind, be quiet like a forest, and steady like a mountain." The four-character motto (don't ask him how he knows, has he read Huang Yi's book, played Street Fighter, or watched the TV series Takeda Shingen, if not, go to Xinhua Bookstore to take a look, it's the most popular one).
"The so-called 'army has no fixed formation, water has no fixed shape', the wonder of its application lies in one's mind." He concluded with a quote from a famous military strategist. Seeing the crowd's admiring and astonished gazes, he even caught sight of someone hastily writing something on their clothes with charcoal. He couldn't help but smile to himself, thinking that ancient people were indeed easy to deceive. But did it have to be so exaggerated? (Of course, he had only recently arrived in this world and was unaware of the social situation at the time. Since movable type printing had not yet been invented, books were expensive and mostly a luxury for wealthy families. Military strategy books like "The Art of War" were even more rare due to the ruling class's deliberate control, making them seem especially precious. In most cases, many famous generals relied on their experiences and lessons learned from the battlefield, which were usually passed down within their family and not shared with outsiders. It was unthinkable for someone like him to casually use such knowledge in conversation, yet it attracted a large audience and created some admirers.)
He said happily, and naturally wouldn't care about what kind of impact these things would have on them in the future.
The flickering bonfire cast a warm glow on everyone's faces, and the roasted golden rabbit sizzled with oil. The crowd, who had their appetites whetted, eagerly awaited his next words. Even the old veterans, who had been in the army for many years, showed serious expressions. After taking a sip of water from the canteen passed to him by his subordinate, he took another bite of the roasted leg and began to explain the profound meaning of "Defend then hide in the depths, the enemy will not know where to attack; Attack then move above the nine heavens, the enemy will not know where to defend". These were indeed the crystallization of the blood and sweat of later generations, every word was precise and convincing, and they could not help but believe.
Suddenly, that little white who gets red in the face when he talks came again, for the fourth time. He looked a bit displeased, last time he had a free meal and drinks at everyone's expense (just roasted sparrows and stewed field mice) with an air of taking it for granted, without any shame or self-awareness. Considering his familiarity with Xiaoyu, I didn't mind. But this guy is getting more and more presumptuous. Is it necessary to give him a reminder? When I call him Little White, it's not meant to be discriminatory, but rather because he looks quite pale and delicate, the kind of face that resembles jade, easily making people think of the type that many women in later generations would willingly throw themselves at.
Here is the translation:
(Speaking in Liang Xiao's words) Ever since that incident with Xiang Guo Gongzi, he has been questioning my decisions, as if trying to make a big deal out of nothing. I was so annoyed that I grabbed him by the collar and scolded him face-to-face: "Don't think you're superior just because of your family background! You're no different from those who disregard human life. I hate people like you who think they can do whatever they want just because of their social status." His face turned pale, and after a moment's thought, I decided to scare him some more: "Don't think this is a big deal. I'm actually saving your lives. If we tolerate those who invade and plunder the common people, trample on their dignity, and take their lives, no one can guarantee that their wives and children won't be affected. Soldiers have families too! Can you ensure that none of them will be harmed? When the people rise up in revolt, they'll first slaughter us officials, and then exact revenge on your families, your wives, and your children. Do you know how Emperor Yang of Sui died during the Jiangdu Rebellion? His youngest son was torn apart by the mob like a dog! And what about Yang Guozhong's death? It seems that once the wound heals, the pain is forgotten!" He had lost all color in his face, and I felt a sense of satisfaction. (Actually, things weren't that serious, and we had enough military power to suppress any uprising.) But he seemed to lack experience in this area, and with the precedent of the previous military mutiny, he was actually intimidated. I thought he would slink away like those other guys, but instead, after recovering from his shock, he came over and bowed to me, saying things like "The ancients said that among three people walking together, there must be one who is my teacher. Indeed, I have learned a lot from you." He even asked to become my disciple and continue to seek guidance from me in the future. I was left speechless. One of his followers nearby had a drastic change in expression and tried to intervene, but he silenced him with just one glance.
