Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 890 must be revised!
Third Sister knew the truth, but others did not. At this moment, the victory of 500 men against 7,000 men had spread throughout the entire arena, and the whispers on the viewing platform rose and fell like a tide. Although it was just a drill, the fact that 500 men had captured the command flag of 7,000 men was simply a joke.

Wang Ben knelt on one knee, his armor still bearing the lime marks that signified "death in battle." This usually proud Imperial Guard general hung his head, his clenched fists bulging with veins.

"This humble general... concedes defeat."

These three words seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He didn't even dare to look up at San Niang. This tough man suppressed his sobs as he spoke, afraid that he would burst into tears if he said a few more words.

The seven thousand imperial guards behind him were completely silent, many of them wearing expressions of disbelief. They were the most elite Northern Imperial Guards of the Tang Dynasty, and yet, despite outnumbering the enemy by fourteen times, their commander's flag had been captured within an hour.

Xia Lin did not speak immediately. He strolled to the front of the victorious guard camp, his gaze sweeping over the young soldiers. His eyes lingered on Wei Tong's face for a moment. The little black-skinned man stood up straight, his face covered in greasepaint and sweat, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.

"What do you think..." Third Sister spoke at this moment, her voice not loud but clearly carrying throughout the entire arena: "What is the key to victory or defeat in today's competition?"

The civil and military officials looked at each other, none daring to give a quick answer.

Li Zhi stood on the viewing platform, deep in thought, and said softly, "Could it be that the victory lies in tactical cunning?"

"No," Third Sister shook her head. "Deceptive tricks may prevail for a time, but not forever."

She walked to the front of the Imperial Guards who stood frozen in place, and casually drew a sword from a soldier's waist. The blade gleamed coldly in the setting sun; it was a finely forged sword made of refined steel.

“Your equipment is not bad, your training is rigorous, and your individual martial arts skills are even stronger.” Third Sister lightly flicked the blade, producing a crisp ringing sound: “Then why did you lose?”

Then she suddenly threw the knife back, her gaze sweeping across the entire area like lightning: "Because you don't know what you're fighting for."

These words struck like a thunderbolt, causing many generals to change their expressions drastically.

“Every soldier in the guard battalion knows,” Third Sister’s voice deepened, “that they are here today not to compete for power or to gain fame. They are here to show the world what a truly strong army is.”

She then walked towards the guard battalion and casually patted a young soldier on the shoulder: "You tell me, why are we fighting?"

The soldier stood at attention and saluted, his voice booming: "Defend our homes and country, protect our people!"

"And you?" Third Sister pointed to another soldier with a childish face.

"To give my parents a better life, and to let my sister go to school!"

The answers were varied, yet each one was resounding.

Third Sister turned to face the Imperial Guards: "Now, who can tell me why you are fighting?"

Silence fell over the Imperial Guards. Many soldiers lowered their heads; they had never considered this question before.

Soldiers are fed, promoted, and made rich; that's their truest thought.

“An army that doesn’t know why it’s fighting.” Third Sister’s tone was calm but heavy: “No matter how well-equipped they are, they are nothing more than lambs to the slaughter.”

She suddenly raised her voice: "Today's competition is not to humiliate the Northern Imperial Guards, but to show the world what Chinese soldiers should be like!"

General Wei stood up abruptly, his old face flushed. He recalled the stubborn look in his daughter's eyes when she left home to join the army, and suddenly understood something. But to be honest, his daughter had really made him proud today, far too proud... Just thinking about the disgusted expressions on his old comrades' faces later made him want to burst out laughing.

But the occasion didn't allow him to laugh out loud; holding it in was really uncomfortable, and his face turned as if he had suddenly fallen ill.

"Starting tomorrow," Third Sister's gaze swept across the entire area, "all members of the Northern Garrison will undergo reorganization and training. Instructors will be drawn from the Guard Battalion, and they will be trained according to the new drill manual. Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with according to military law!"

This order, like a boulder thrown into water, caused a huge uproar. The officials were in an uproar, and the faces of the imperial guards commanders were extremely grim. To let the Wei army train the Tang army—this was simply…absurd!

"Your Majesty!" Changsun Wuji hurriedly stood up: "This matter concerns the national system, should we..."

Third Sister's phoenix eyes swept across his face: "Is it more humiliating than being defeated by 500 men against 7,000 men?"

She stepped to the front of the stage and declared loudly, "Today's competition has been witnessed by all of you. If we do not consider reform, when we meet on the battlefield in the future, the sons and daughters of the Great Tang will have to use their flesh and blood to withstand the enemy's iron hooves. Is this what you want to see?"

There was silence.

The waters of Kunming Pool gently lapped against the shore, as if echoing the Empress's words.

Li Zhi took a deep breath, walked to Xia Lin's side, and whispered, "Father, can the training be carried out gradually? I'm afraid the soldiers will be resistant."

Xia Lin looked at his son, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes: "Son, if we don't let these arrogant and fierce generals taste defeat, they will never understand the necessity of change."

He turned to the victorious guard battalion and suddenly shouted, "All troops, stand at attention! Destination: Kunming Pool. Armed swimming, begin now!"

The order was given without hesitation. Without a second thought, the five hundred soldiers turned and leaped into Kunming Pool, swimming toward the opposite bank. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if this were not a last-minute training exercise, but rather part of their daily drills.

The Imperial Guards were dumbfounded. Such execution and discipline were completely beyond their comprehension.

Before entering the water, Wei Tong glanced back at her father, waved vigorously, and then disappeared. General Wei stared blankly in the direction his daughter had disappeared, his old eyes suddenly welling up with tears. "Did you see that?" Xia Lin said to Li Zhi, "That's what a soldier is. Obeying orders without question, fulfilling their mission without fail."

The sun finally sank behind the western mountains, and twilight enveloped Kunming Pool. The soldiers of the guard battalion arrived at the opposite bank one after another and began to line up and count off. The whole process was quiet and swift, with not a sound except for the water.

The officials who had come to observe the ceremony began to leave one after another, each with a thoughtful expression on their face. Today's competition was destined to change the fate of many people.

Changsun Wuji walked at the back, glancing back at Xia Lin standing in the twilight. He suddenly recalled the scene when he first met Xia Lin many years ago, when he was just a county magistrate begging for favors.

“Yes…” Changsun Wuji muttered to himself, “The Tang Dynasty needs to be changed.”

As night deepened, bonfires were lit along the shores of Kunming Pool. The guards ate around the fires, remaining quiet and orderly. In the distance, the Imperial Guard camp was also brightly lit, but it was clear that many would find it difficult to sleep that night.

After dinner, Li Zhi accompanied Xia Lin for a stroll by the pond and couldn't help but ask, "Father, can training the Imperial Guards really transform them?"

Xia Lin picked up a pebble and threw it into the water: "The strongest army is not trained, but forged. Only through the baptism of blood and fire can a true military spirit be forged."

He gazed at the starry sky, his voice deep and resonant: "Our generation has laid the foundation. Now, it's up to you."

“But Father, the reorganization will likely face considerable resistance.” Li Zhi looked at the continuous lights of the Northern Army on the opposite bank, his tone tinged with worry: “Those generals, especially the veterans, may not be able to save face, and they may not be convinced in their hearts.”

Xia Lin chuckled, picked up a flat stone, skipped it across the water, and the stone skipped seven or eight times before sinking.

"Face? Face is something you earn yourself, not something someone gives you. They've lost everything today, and they're still thinking about face? Zhi'er, make them feel the sting, then they'll start thinking about changing their way of life."

He stopped and looked at his son: "Training is not a dinner party. It will inevitably affect the interests of many people and break many conventions, but it is the only way. An army without a soul and without knowing why it is fighting, no matter how many people it has or how well-equipped it is, is nothing but a rabble. Today's defeat is a good thing. It has torn away that seemingly glamorous fig leaf."

Li Zhi nodded silently, taking his father's words to heart. He understood that this was not merely a military reform, but a shock to the existing power structure and distribution of interests. As the crown prince, he himself had to find his place in this transformation.

"Alright, go find your senior sister. I need to go keep your mother company too."

"Father, take care of yourself..."

Back in the temporary tent, Third Sister was removing her heavy headdress and rubbing her throbbing temples in front of a bronze mirror. At that moment, Xia Lin's figure was reflected in the mirror as he strolled in.

"Still thinking about today's events?"

Xia Lin came over and naturally took the comb from the palace maid's hand. She waved for them to leave and then, with less-than-gentle movements, helped the Third Sister comb her long hair.

Third Sister felt waves of pain in her head, but thinking that this was a rare moment of tenderness from that scoundrel, she gritted her teeth and endured the pain, even as she grimaced in agony: "How can I not think about it? Five hundred against seven thousand... If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it. The Northern Imperial Guards have been at peace for so long, yet they have become so corrupt. Your training corps is truly terrifying."

“It’s not that the training regiment is scary, it’s that the difference in ideology and system is too great.” Xia Lin put down the comb, placed his hands on her shoulders, and massaged them gently. “The role of the training regiment is to be a seed planter and a propaganda team. Spread them out and spread the new training manuals, new methods of leading troops and beliefs. It will definitely be difficult at first. There will be resistance and some people will be outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. But as long as we persevere, the seeds will eventually sprout.”

He paused, his tone both teasing and serious: "Besides, if you, as a mother, are willing to put your precious son in the eye of the storm, what face would the generals below be unwilling to give up?"

Third Sister pressed down on his mischievous hand, turned around and glared at him: "Don't give me that. Rectification is one thing, but you need to be careful not to provoke a mutiny. Also, the people in the training regiment are, after all, Wei people. Staying as instructors in the Imperial Guard for a long time will inevitably attract criticism."

"I know, I understand the rules." Xia Lin smiled and said, "The instructors are only responsible for training and guidance, and they don't interfere with personnel, supplies, or command. They are rotated regularly to avoid controversy. Besides, we still have our son to look after things, right? Let him go to the military camp more often. It's both a way for him to supervise the troops and to learn. Practice makes perfect, which is more useful than reading a hundred military books in the palace."

When Li Zhi was mentioned, Third Sister's expression softened a little: "Zhi'er's performance today was alright, he kept his composure. However, after this incident, his relationship with those people in Guanzhong is probably even worse."

"It's only a matter of time." Xia Lin said dismissively, "Since he's in that position, he can't please everyone. He has to make choices to achieve something. I think that little dark-skinned girl from the Wei family is a good starting point. She really made her father look good today."

Speaking of Wei Tong, Third Sister couldn't help but smile: "That girl is truly an anomaly. I heard she performed exceptionally well in the guard camp? It seems your talent scout was right."

“That’s right. When have I ever misjudged someone?” Xia Lin raised an eyebrow smugly. “That girl might very well become a great female general in the future. With her around, the relationship between the Wei family and the Crown Prince will be much more secure. With the support of the military, what is there to worry about?”

As the night grew deeper, the only sounds outside the camp, besides the footsteps of the patrolling soldiers and the drumbeats, gradually faded into silence.

But in the Imperial Guard camp on the opposite bank, many tents still had lights on, and the faint sounds of arguing and shoving could be heard. For many, this night was destined to be sleepless.

Meanwhile, at the guard camp's encampment, Wei Tong lay fully clothed on a makeshift bed, listening to the even breathing of her fellow tentmates, yet she felt no sleepiness. The excitement and trepidation of the day gradually subsided, and she recalled the moment she leaped up and threw the lime packet, and the complex and indescribable look in her father's eyes from the reviewing stand.

She sighed and turned over, but then she heard her sister's voice beside her: "Tongtong, can't you sleep either? Shall we get up and sneak some food?"

"That's not a good idea... If we get caught, we'll be punished."

"We're scouts, we'll be fine as long as we don't get caught." The sister jumped out of bed: "Let's go!"

"Where to steal from?" Wei Tong's eyes lit up. "Tell me."

"Of course they stole from their own camp's mess hall; there should still be some steamed buns left. Getting caught stealing from someone else is truly bad luck."

"go!"

(End of this chapter)