Chapter 47
Chapter 47
In my opinion, the timely appearance of those Northern Army guys wasn't necessarily out of a genuine desire to save me. Most likely they were just shouting loudly from afar, thinking they had an easy target since I was alone, and rushed in to take credit for the achievement. Unfortunately, these pampered and inexperienced fighters didn't get to show off their usual skills, but instead got caught off guard and were beaten back by a desperate counterattack. In the end, I was the one who benefited from it all.
Since the officers of Longxie Camp were heavily killed or wounded, even the main officer Yuwen was severely injured and could only lie down and groan, unable to take care of affairs. After assigning tasks, I took advantage of the emperor's good mood to nominate a batch of meritorious personnel for promotion, and also let Lü Xi replace Yuwen, while appointing another deputy who was not too close to the Five Tigers. Anyway, most of the officers in this camp were either dead or wounded, and the remaining ones were all dispersed and reassigned to other troops, so I took advantage of their weakness to get rid of these useless people once and for all.
Of course, I wouldn't really think that I can cover the sky with one hand from now on. It's necessary and beneficial to leave some controllable troubles in conspicuous places, and it can also bring out some unstable factors that were originally hidden underground. As for those guys in history who thought they could do whatever they wanted just because they were close to the emperor, I'm afraid they didn't even know how they died.
Afterwards, I secretly ordered to investigate which son of a bitch gave the old emperor the stupid idea of personally leading the expedition to boost morale, nearly getting the entire army killed. Once found, I'll make him pay, don't doubt my abilities. In this situation, buying off an eunuch with a piece of salted meat or a wind chicken is more effective than gold and silver. Of course, if there are any uncooperative guys, I won't mind having one or two more missing persons. Besides, the Shu Road is long and treacherous, losing a few people along the way shouldn't be a big deal anyway.
The rewards have been given out, and the generals have all returned to their posts. I found an excuse to entrust the matters at the back to that vice-general with a bitter face, and pulled along those little brothers to tell them about the thrilling process of capturing and killing the enemy general. By the way, I also taught Little White how to be a qualified supervisor.
"As a commander, one should try to stay out of the battlefield as much as possible. This is not cowardice, but rather a matter of responsibility. Boasting and showing off, taking the head of a general in the midst of a thousand soldiers, at most that's just being a brave warrior. It's easy to get your soldiers to admire you, but it's hard to make them fear you." Everyone nodded in agreement.
。。。。。。。。
"It's a good thing we've never lost once, so why is Boss still sighing?" said Xiaobai.
I am the color of righteousness. "It is precisely because I have not experienced defeat that I easily win and become arrogant, thus underestimating my enemy. As the saying goes, 'A proud army will surely be defeated.' The result of underestimating one's opponent is to pay a greater price in the next war, without experiencing setbacks. How can one know their own possible shortcomings and mistakes, let alone make progress? The bandit army has lost its way due to consecutive victories, which is the path to defeat. I sigh with regret, seeking to warn myself and others. Consecutive battles exhaust the soldiers, consecutive victories make the general arrogant. With an arrogant general and exhausted soldiers, how can one not lose the battle and be defeated?" The crowd deeply agrees.
I patted him to continue hanging the book, "It's not easy for those who are going to be generals. What is called a mediocre general, soldiers and soldiers are disheartened, military discipline is corrupt, those who should win can't win, those who should lose must lose. What is called a regular general, those who should win win, those who should lose lose, relying on the number of troops, the strength or weakness of the soldiers. What is called a good general, those who should win win, those who should lose are defeated, but the military strength is not as good as the situation, and the one who is good at defeat can be a good general. And what is called a famous general, attacking without being defeated, winning without being defeated."
A true great general, wins when he should win and does not fight when he should lose. What is called a good general, never engages in battle unless there is a strong chance of winning, attacks by surprise when the enemy is weak and retreats when the enemy is strong, knowing when to advance or retreat is what makes a general truly great.
。。。。。。。
Why have the supervisors of the army been hated by people since ancient times? It's because the monarchs were worried that the generals would not listen to their commands when they led the troops outside, and would turn against them. They sent trusted officials to control them, but although these officials were loyal, they weren't necessarily capable.
Emperors have always been wise, if the supervising army can lead troops to fight wars, what's the point of sending those generals? It would be better to let the supervising army take command directly. However, many people don't understand this principle, the supervising army is only a representative of the emperor, inspecting and reporting on the military situation, and assisting the main general in achieving victory. They shouldn't interfere with matters they are not good at. Forgetting their duty as the emperor's ears, some people use the supervising army as an opportunity to show off personally, leading to resentment and disaffection among the soldiers.
Few can truly keep to their own duties, and it's only a minor matter if someone who likes to take credit for others' work doesn't affect the overall situation. However, if you encounter someone who is eager for fame and fortune, and uses their power to give orders to those with actual experience, it will be a disaster for the entire army. This often leads to defeat in battles that should have been won, and victory in those that shouldn't have been lost. Moreover, losing soldiers and generals is a minor issue, but due to the emperor's trust, the unluckiest ones are usually the lower-ranking officers. Therefore, throughout history, there have been many who were cursed for their fame, but few who received praise.
Just like suddenly letting you lead the army to fight the enemy, do you have the confidence and ability to win? Of course, you are different, your family background is very good, even if you lie down and don't move, you will still get a good life, and you don't need to grab my rice bowl.
。。。。。。。
Are you kidding me, Your Majesty? Do you want to hear the truth or lies? Lies would be that Your Majesty is wise and powerful, naturally invincible in battle. If you want to hear the truth, then prepare to flee for your life. Don't give me that look. On the battlefield, no matter how skilled an individual is, their impact is limited. The Emperor's true abilities lie in governing the country and using his people wisely. If it really comes down to the Emperor personally leading the troops into battle, that means all of us loyal ministers and generals are already dead, and the country has no one left to rely on - we're not far from collapse. Why wait any longer to flee? Moreover, with the Emperor's wealth spanning the four seas, why bother competing with his subjects for military achievements? Isn't that just a joke? And you want an amateur who's never fought in battle before to command the army? That's just asking for death. Even if someone has read all the military texts, what use is it? Zhao Kuo, who lost 400,000 troops, was also well-read - the key is being able to apply what one has learned. Don't give me that look again. Did I say anything wrong? Ah, ah, ah, when did you return, Your Majesty? You haven't gone far, have you?
I was just talking nonsense, I beg your majesty to punish me.
The old emperor seemed to be in a good mood after winning the battle, and he kindly comforted Xiaobai for a while, saying that his words were unpleasant but very pertinent. The crown prince followed behind him, still with a warm and gentle appearance, nodding repeatedly in agreement, and gave me a meaningful glance. "The supervisor is the ears and eyes of the superior, well said," I was already shocked and my heart was cursing, you people from the Li family are all like cats, why do you like to stand behind others and speak?
"Hey, no need to be so polite, I'm not an outsider. Win or lose, I'll reflect on myself afterwards. You always manage to surprise me."
What does this mean. I recall that before you became the emperor, those who weren't outsiders to you seemed to have ended up badly. Yet they didn't dare speak out. Suddenly missing Vice General, truly arrogant and forgetful.
Another place, someone sighed again, this war has many aftermaths. The common saying goes that killing a thousand enemies results in eight hundred losses for oneself, but now it's the opposite - killing eight hundred and losing a thousand, not to mention the number of civilian casualties. Dealing with the aftermath is easy to say, but the dead need to be buried, the wounded need medical treatment, and the seriously injured need transportation. The loss of military equipment is severe, most of the vehicles were destroyed to block the enemy, and some were used as bait, plus the destruction caused by the enemy's invasion of the headquarters. The loss of supplies is terrible, and the scattered civilians need to be reassembled and supplemented, otherwise this large group of people won't be able to move forward for long. Those heavily damaged troops need to be reorganized and rearranged, naturally there are people who are happy about it, but also need to consider the reaction of the lower-level personnel, the "unstable factors" in the mouths of adults, and minimize the adverse effects. The treatment of those refugees who have returned is a big headache. What a pile of troubles! Sometimes I really envy my superior, who can get rid of all these troubles with just one word. When did I get used to being worn out by this process?
Sometimes I really wonder, is this superior a bold and daring person who doesn't care about his reputation, or is he just ignorant of the consequences? In terms of how he handles things, he doesn't care about praise or criticism, he does what he wants, uses people boldly, and takes action without considering others' opinions. Although his behavior is a bit strange, in other aspects, he's not bad. He's extremely considerate and protective of his trusted subordinates, unlike the usual cautiousness of officials. He has surprising methods to deal with those who dare to cause trouble. Many people grit their teeth in frustration, but can't do anything about it. Even the arrogant princes are subdued by him. He can even discuss sensitive topics like changing dynasties with the future emperor, which is something that others would not dare to mention. Despite being criticized by many, he still receives praise from the Emperor and the Crown Prince. It's not just good luck that can explain this clearly. Under his leadership, I've done many things that I never thought possible or didn't dare to think about, but actually admired. The Emperor's comment that "in extraordinary times, one needs extraordinary people with extraordinary methods" is really fitting.
Even the upright and honest Taichang Dafu, who was known for his strict adherence to propriety and his dignified demeanor, would be at a loss when he met this gentleman. It was as if he had been bewitched by some sort of magic spell that made him hasten to settle matters that he had previously looked forward to with great anticipation. The words of the old man still lingered in his ears: "At present, the Wei family has received imperial favor and has produced both civil and military officials, as well as a censor who controls public opinion. They are at the height of their power and prestige, and everyone looks up to them. This is also something that an official should be wary of... Having this gentleman as your superior may not necessarily be a bad thing." There were many more words unspoken, but they were already clear in his mind.
He was just the second son of a humble family, not particularly noticeable, and unlike his older brother, he did not receive much attention or bear the responsibility of inheriting the family business. In his early years in Chang'an, he had also indulged in reckless behavior with those dissolute young masters, gaining some shallow fame, but always feeling like something was missing. Therefore, he resolutely chose to join the military, which led to quite a bit of gossip among his peers. As the Taiping Colonel in the capital, although he tried to make a name for himself, he couldn't shake off the shadow of his father and brother. At first, when he asked his father's permission to lead this unreliable rear army composed of remnants, it was just a young man's impulsive desire to establish his own achievements. Although he had never been on the battlefield and wasn't looked upon favorably, some people still supported him because he was the son of a noble family. He hadn't always regretted his decision until he met this lord.
That disheveled figure, unlike any soldier, burst out of the chaotic army ranks with an uncontainable frenzy in his eyes, bellowing "It's you!" as he grabbed himself, who was standing there dumbfounded and terrified, only to be inexplicably dragged onto the battlefield.
It all started from the moment when this unusual person, who had no airs about him, grasped my hand and said "I trust you, that's enough", thus beginning his brief but extraordinary career as a deputy general. As I got to know him better, I realized that this man of eccentric character was not simple at all. Although he often spoke and acted strangely, showing a tendency to be unconventional and sometimes doing things that left people speechless, more often than not he would display extraordinary insight that left people amazed and admiring. This left ordinary people in a state of bewilderment, torn between his profoundness and shallowness.
Various thoughts and considerations, yet no resentment can be mustered. When did this person see through my nature? In the midst of helplessness, I've grown accustomed to this tense and fulfilling process. Could it truly be as he said, that I have a natural inclination towards being overworked? My mind is a jumble of thoughts, and I've even made a mistake in correcting the military document again.
The author is not very satisfied with these few chapters, and even the title has not been thought of yet. However, they are an important setup for future developments and will definitely be revised later. For now, please bear with it, dear readers. If you find it uninteresting, feel free to skip ahead.
