Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 307 The Commander of the Three Armies
"The army is the master of the three armies and the embodiment of the commander-in-chief's authority."

"A general who wields the power and influence of troops, and commands his subjects, is like a fierce tiger. Add wings, and he can soar across the four seas, acting as he sees fit."

"If a general loses his troops and his momentum, he is like a fish or dragon escaping from the rivers and lakes, hoping to swim in the ocean and play in the waves—how can he possibly achieve that?"

"..."

"..."

After Guanzhong was fully recovered, Wei Yan, Wang Ping, Ju Fu and other generals led their troops out of Yaoguan and occupied Shangluo. The whole Guanzhong region then entered a relatively peaceful period. At the same time as the Imperial Academy was restored, a military academy was also established in Chang'an under the leadership of Liu Shan and the Prime Minister.

The military academy temporarily has departments such as the Propaganda Department, Tactics Department, Training Department, and Logistics Department.

Xuanyi Division was responsible for the ideological and political education of soldiers, strengthening their loyalty to the emperor and their patriotism, and their desire to save the people from suffering. The person in charge was previously Fei Yi, but after Fei Yi left Chang'an for the southern front, the person in charge was taken over by Hu Ji, the chief clerk of the Prime Minister's Office.

The Tactics Division was undoubtedly responsible for the education of military tactics and strategy, teaching military academy students somewhat abstract knowledge such as tactics, classic battles, strategy, topography, and soldier psychology.

The Training Division is responsible for teaching military academy students about combat training, enabling them to understand how to scientifically and efficiently train their soldiers in shooting, horseback riding, battle formations, and martial arts exercises.

All the Tiger Warriors guarding Chang'an and the Eagle-Flying Inner Palace soldiers, numbering over a hundred, came to listen to the lecture.

Soldiers from outlying prefectures who have not yet rendered meritorious service to the court but wish to take advantage of it in the future need to volunteer.

There are now six Zhechong Prefectures in Guanzhong, similar to the Yingyang Inner Prefecture, with each prefecture having a staff of 800 people, which is more than 4,800 Zhechong Prefecture soldiers.

These soldiers from the outer prefectures provided all their own food, horses, bows and arrows, and armor. When they registered to become soldiers, they handed over their food, horses, armor, weapons, bows and arrows to the Chang'an armory to prove that they were indeed qualified to become soldiers of the outer prefectures.

Because they are scattered throughout Guanzhong and have no proof of their loyalty and fighting ability, they are now neglected by their parents. Therefore, after registering, they still need to undergo a certain degree of "political review" before they can become military academy students and attend classes in Chang'an.

In addition, officers and above of the Guanzhong border defense forces were recommended by their respective captains and generals to attend the classes. Each captain and general had a limited number of nominations, so only those deemed worthy of promotion were qualified to become military academy students.

For military academy students, this is an honor and a hope. Everyone understands that as long as they enter Chang'an Military Academy, it is equivalent to entering the sight of high-ranking officials of the court, or even the emperor and prime minister. It is a new way for the court to advance their careers, in addition to fighting on the battlefield.

But sometimes, this is also a kind of torture, because military academy students at Chang'an Military Academy not only have to attend classes, but also have to take exams.

The assessment was not about having them answer questions on paper, but rather about the effectiveness of their training and discipline after returning from military academy.

The assessment time was unpredictable. It might be a grand military review when there was no fighting on the front lines, a small-scale military drill or formation competition organized by the imperial court, a competition among elite soldiers in long-distance running, archery, horsemanship, or stone weights, or a sudden visit by a military inspector to the camp to check military discipline.

In short, if they only treat attending classes at the military academy as a pastime and a way to show off, and if they are idle and complacent at the academy, then they will eventually be expelled from Chang'an Military Academy.

Not only that, but it must also be recorded, which means that in future battles, key tasks will no longer be assigned to you, and new equipment, horses, and soldiers will no longer be prioritized for your troops.

The difficulty of your promotion to Sima, Xiaowei, or Jiangjun will increase dramatically, almost to the point of being hopeless for life.

Unless you slack off at military school and then unexpectedly achieve remarkable feats on the battlefield, then that's another story.

"There is nothing more difficult than understanding human nature."

"Beauty and ugliness are distinct, and their appearances and feelings are not the same."

“There are those who are kind and gentle but are actually deceitful.”

“There are those who are outwardly respectful but inwardly deceitful.”

“There are those who are brave on the outside but cowardly on the inside.”

“There are those who exert themselves but are not loyal.”

There are seven ways to understand people.

"First, ask them about right and wrong, and observe their intentions."

"Secondly, we should use arguments to exhaust their knowledge and observe their changes."

"Thirdly, consult him on strategies and observe his understanding."

Fourthly, inform them of the impending disaster and observe their courage.

Fifthly, get them drunk and observe their nature.

"Sixth, approach them with benefits and observe their integrity."

"Seventh, set a deadline for them and observe their trustworthiness."

"..."

Zhang Yi, a tenth-generation descendant of Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, a military advisor in the Prime Minister's office, and the General Who Pacifies the West, sat at the head of the table and spoke eloquently.

Since the establishment of the Chang'an Military Academy, this General Pingxi has often served as a lecturer.

He was born into a family of filial and incorrupt officials and served as the magistrate of Jiangyang, the magistrate of Shu County, the governor of Guanghan, and the governor of Shu Commandery. He was renowned for his governance in all these places. After the Northern Expedition, he accumulated merits and was promoted to General Who Pacifies the West. He was a typical scholar-general of the Han Dynasty who commanded troops with civil administration, just like Zong Yu, Deng Zhi, and Yan Yu.

The purpose of having such "academic" Confucian generals teach military lessons to a group of rough, bloodthirsty men was to temper the wildness of these men who only knew how to kill.

However, because the lectures given by this General Pingxi were too academic and his speech was often a mix of classical and vernacular Chinese, the military students could barely understand them, but they still found it somewhat difficult.

In addition, this general's usual lectures were mostly general and theoretical, which was far too boring compared to the tough guys like Wei Yan, Ju Fu, and Wang Ping who had given them practical lessons. As a result, the students who came to listen to the lectures were rather uninterested.

The soldiers of the Yingyang Inner Palace, in groups of ten, gathered together, listening intently or listlessly.

Wei Xing, the valiant cavalry captain of the capital prefecture, sat with Zhao Heizi, the head of the second regiment of Weiqiao prefecture. Wei Xing held a 'lesson plan' written on Chang'an paper in his hand and stared at several familiar soldiers.

He already knows five or six hundred characters, but there are still quite a few characters on this list that he doesn't recognize.

Even though I don't recognize the name, I can guess its meaning from the context.

"There are nine kinds of generals!" The General Pingxi, surrounded by hundreds of people, stood in the center of the classroom, holding a piece of Chang'an paper, and continued to speak in a serious tone.

Upon hearing this, Wei Xing looked up and gazed at Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi put down the Chang'an paper in his hand and recited it fluently from memory:

“To guide them with virtue, to regulate them with propriety, and to know their hunger and cold, and to observe their toil and hardship, this is called a benevolent general.”

"A righteous general is one who will not shirk responsibility, will not be swayed by profit, and will consider death an honor rather than life a disgrace."

"A noble but not arrogant, a victorious but not domineering, virtuous yet humble, resolute yet patient—this is what it means to be a courteous general."

"A wise general is one who can adapt to any situation, respond to any situation, turn misfortune into fortune, and win in times of crisis."

"Those who advance will be richly rewarded, and those who retreat will be severely punished. Rewards will not be delayed, and punishments will not be imposed on those of high rank. This is what is meant by a trustworthy general."

"A general whose spirit surpasses that of the entire army, whose will disdains the powerful enemy, who is timid in small battles but courageous against formidable foe—this is what makes a fierce general..."

The military academy students sitting around had already started whispering and discussing among themselves.

"Hey, I have to be a fierce general!"

"I don't have the ability to be a benevolent general, a courteous general, or a wise general, so I can't be one. But the titles of righteous general and fierce general sound a bit more interesting!"

Ignoring the whispers and murmurs, Zhang Yi continued his eloquent discourse:

"A man who can discern the wickedness of others and foresee their calamities, and who is respected by the masses, is a general of ten men."

"A man who rises early and retires late, whose words are carefully considered, is a general of a hundred men."

"A man who is upright and thoughtful, brave and capable in battle, is a general of a thousand men."

"With a dignified appearance and a passionate heart, he knows the diligence of others and is aware of their hunger and cold; this is the general of ten thousand men."

“To promote the virtuous and capable, to be cautious day by day, to be honest and magnanimous, and to be at ease in times of order and chaos, this is the general of 100,000 men.”

"A general who is benevolent to his subjects, trustworthy to his neighbors, knowledgeable in astronomy, discerning in human affairs, and familiar with geography, who regards the whole world as his own home—this is the kind of general who will rule the world!"

This article was written by the Prime Minister himself. Many of the principles contained within are thought-provoking, not to mention the group of illiterate men below, even Zhang Yi himself finds them insightful. After much thought, he realizes that he is merely a general of ten thousand men.

But as the saying goes, those who aim high will achieve something in the middle. If all military academy students, including myself, understand these principles and strive to achieve them, then we will always be able to become better than we were before.

"There are eight faults in being a general!" Zhang Yi shifted his thoughts from the generals of the world and continued his lecture.

"First, he is greedy and insatiable."

"Secondly, it is jealousy of the virtuous and capable."

Thirdly, they believe in slander and are fond of flatterers.

Fourthly, one should anticipate the enemy's moves but not one's own.

Fifthly, he hesitates and cannot make a decision.

"Sixth, he indulged in wine and women."

"Seventh, he is cunning and cowardly."

"The eighth is speaking cunningly without regard to propriety."

"A general must not be arrogant, for arrogance leads to disrespect, disrespect leads to alienation, and alienation leads to rebellion!"

“One should not be stingy with rewards, for if one is stingy, rewards will not be given.”

"If rewards are not given, soldiers will not risk their lives; if soldiers do not risk their lives, the army will not achieve anything; if the army does not achieve anything, the country will be weak; if the country is weak, the enemy will be strong!"

Zhao Heizi, the prefectural head of Weiqiao, scratched his head as he looked at the Chang'an paper in his hand, then lowered his voice and asked Wei Xing beside him:
“Brother Wei, what do ‘Huanhuan’ and ‘Qiayuxia’ mean? They’re even more confusing than when General Wei is cursing.”

Wei Xing snorted coldly: "How would I know? It sounds like chanting scriptures. It's not as practical as Wang Pingbei's lecture on digging trenches and building fortifications last time. We can actually use that stuff!"

In fact, he understood, but he was too lazy to explain to these illiterate brothers. It was better if they couldn't understand.

He and several of the soldiers around Zhao Heizi nodded in agreement, some of them secretly stretching their numb legs and their eyes darting around.

Compared to General Pingxi's vague and general theories, they preferred the overwhelming sense of bloodshed that General Biaoqi Wei Yan brought to them when he talked about charging into battle.

At the very least, General Wang Ping of Pingbei could demonstrate to the public those seemingly rustic but extremely practical techniques for guarding and setting up camps.

Zhang Yi took in the subtle reactions of the people around him and couldn't help but sigh slightly.

He was well aware that his teaching style clashed with the temperament of these tough soldiers. He was also well aware that for the vast majority of people, this knowledge would be useless to them.

But there are always some people who will listen.

The capable shall advance.

Those who cannot will be dismissed.

But it would be good if we could train a captain or a general for the Han Dynasty.

He remained calm and continued to speak methodically: "...A general must not be arrogant, for arrogance leads to disrespect, disrespect leads to alienation, alienation leads to rebellion...A general must not be stingy, for stinginess prevents rewards from being given..."

As he finished speaking, the General of Pingxi put away the Chang'an paper in his hand and then took out another Chang'an paper from his sleeve.

Looking at the Chang'an paper in his hand, Zhang Yi cleared his throat, his voice suddenly rising in pitch, and spoke solemnly:
What follows today will be extraordinary!
"This was sent back by Zhao Chariot and Cavalry from the front lines in Jingzhou!"

This statement truly stirred up a hornet's nest, instantly turning the somewhat dull classroom into a boiling fryer.

"what?!"

"Zhao Chariot Cavalry?!"

"It's General Zhao?!"

All the military academy students, whether they were daydreaming or not, pricked up their ears, straightened their backs, and their eyes became eager.

This is none other than Zhao Zilong, who has long served the lord of Dangyang in times of crisis!
This is Zhao Zilong, who was praised by the late emperor as having unparalleled courage during the Battle of Hanzhong!
Even General Wei Yan, who had been sitting in the back row with his arms crossed and eyes closed, looking somewhat impatient, slightly opened his eyes. Zhang Yi looked at the handwritten letter from General Zhao in his hand, his expression solemn: "The military is the master of the three armies, and must be diligent and cautious in its handling."

"A general should have no other goals or thoughts besides war, military law, and all kinds of training for war, nor should he regard anything other than military affairs as his hobby or skill!"

General Zhao's presentation slides were no longer convoluted and difficult to understand, but were written in plain language that everyone could comprehend. The very first sentence struck like a thunderbolt, making everyone in the room shudder.

Even though everyone knew they couldn't do it, they also knew that this must have been General Zhao's lifelong principle of being a general.

And what a focused and pure way of being a general this is!

Zhang Yi continued:
"Even when there is no war, a general should not think about anything other than war!"

"A general should never let his thoughts and ideas stray from the issue of military training!"
"Especially in times of peace, we should place even greater emphasis on training than when war has broken out!"

Wei Xinghe and Zhao Heizi exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Although their daily training was tough, they would miss home, their wives, and even want to drink and gamble in their spare time. But General Zhao said that even when there was no war, one's thoughts could not be separated from the war. This was a very high standard for himself.

Zhang Yi continued reciting, his voice growing deeper:
"A general can do this in two ways."

"The first is to take action."

"The second is to use your brain."

"In terms of taking action, in addition to properly organizing and training the army, generals should engage in outdoor hunting from time to time to acclimatize their bodies to the harsh military life."

"In terms of using one's mind, a general should be familiar with the various terrain features of the garrison, understand how mountains rise and fall, how valleys are deep and shallow, how plains unfold, and grasp the characteristics of rivers and swamps..."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xing nodded.

These are the two things he has been doing since the pacification of Chang'an, but he didn't think about them that much and just acted instinctively.

“This knowledge has two uses,” Zhang Yi continued to explain.

"First of all, only by knowing the geography and terrain of his own territory can a general better organize defense and garrison."

"Secondly, the hills, valleys, plains, rivers, and swamps of Guanzhong will have some similarities with the various geographical features of Guandong..."

The room was completely silent.

Because it was General Zhao who made the statement, many people began to truly reflect on whether they had observed and thought to such an extent in their daily lives.

Zhang Yi paused for a moment, then continued:
"In addition to being familiar with the geography and terrain, even when not at war, a general must think about war at all times, which becomes an instinct."

"We came across a hill."

"If the enemy occupies the hill, while your army is on the flat ground below the hill, who has the advantage?"

"If you wish to retreat from the flat ground below the hill, what should you do?"
"If the enemy retreats, how will you pursue them?"

"Of course, neither you nor I can foresee all the circumstances."

"But because you always think ahead when you encounter terrain, you will be able to quickly and calmly handle any unexpected situations in the future based on your usual thinking."

Wei Yan, sitting in the back row, twitched his lips slightly. Everyone could understand what he was saying, but not everyone could do it.

If Zhao Zilong could do it, so could he.

But do you think this group of military academy students, composed of officers, magistrates, and colonels, can do it?

How can it be?

Even Zhang Yi, who was giving the lecture, couldn't do it.

The same is true.

After receiving General Zhao's letter from the Prime Minister, Zhang Yi benefited greatly and was deeply moved.

In this day and age, all methods of training and deploying troops are like bedroom arts—you can talk about them briefly, but you can't go into depth about them.

Therefore, high-ranking generals train and deploy troops almost like they engage in sexual activity, fearing that others might witness it.

The saying "a worn-out broom is treasured" perfectly describes this situation. For the sake of family lineage and to make their family a family of generals, not to mention the art of war, even Sun Tzu's Art of War, which many generals and officers have read, is only passed down to the eldest son of the legitimate wife in some families.

Even more extreme, they never wrote books about it, but passed it down orally among the eldest sons of each generation to prevent it from being leaked.

Apart from ancient texts like the "Six Secret Teachings" and "Sun Tzu's Art of War," few generals are willing to write books detailing how they train their troops and how they deploy them in wartime.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, bookstores sold military strategy books, but not military drill manuals or organizational management regulations. If either of these appeared, the person would surely lose their head.

For example, the "New Book of Effective Tactics" that everyone can see online in later generations was absolutely impossible to buy in ancient times. It was something from the spine of the Dragon-Slaying Saber and could not be passed on to outsiders.

This is also why military science has progressed slowly throughout history.

But in fact, once this thing is institutionalized, it won't be afraid of people learning it.

Now, for the sake of the Han Dynasty's revival, the Prime Minister no longer cherishes his own wisdom, and General Zhao no longer cherishes his own wisdom either. What is needed is someone who does not cherish his own wisdom.

According to General Zhao, what use is family prosperity if the country cannot prosper?

Zhang Yi's voice rose again:

"What Zhao, the charioteer, wrote down."

"The primary tactical principle is 'one point, two sides'!"

The military academy students were greatly encouraged, straightening their backs and perking up their ears.

“What is a point?” Zhang Yi explained.

"That is, to concentrate superior forces on the main attack points and oppose the division of forces equally among various points!"
"Like a clenched fist, if the five fingers are spread out, there is no power; only by clenching it into a fist can one strike and defeat the enemy!"

"What do you mean by two sides?" he continued.

"That is to say, once we encounter the enemy, we must adopt the method of bravely encircling them, attacking from at least two directions, and if we have enough troops, we can attack from three or four sides! The purpose is to prevent the enemy from breaking through and escaping!"

"One point has two sides; in short, it means breakthrough and encirclement!"
"The goal is to defeat the enemy, and the goal is to annihilate the enemy!"
"This principle is designed to address the shortcomings of our Han Dynasty in the past, which sometimes dared not fully concentrate its forces or dared not boldly outflank and encircle!"

A buzz of discussion immediately arose from the audience.

Wei Xing's eyes lit up as he gestured to Zhao Heizi beside him: "Just like last year when we fought Sima Yi, our main force went straight for his central army, while the other brothers flanked him from the left and right, leaving him nowhere to run!"

Zhao Heizi slapped his thigh hard:
"Yes! That's exactly right! In the past, we were always afraid of this and that, so our forces were scattered everywhere, which made fighting difficult!"

Zhang Yi let the military academy students discuss for a while, and only after the noise subsided did he raise his hand to signal for quiet before moving on to the next point.

Secondly, "four fast and one slow!"

"First and foremost, we must advance quickly towards the enemy!"

"For example, if we are to launch a surprise attack on a certain place, and we are afraid that the enemy will flee at the first sign of trouble, our army's speed of advance must exceed the enemy's expectations!"

"The enemy calculates our army's journey according to common sense, but we insist on marching day and night to catch them off guard!"
"So that they don't have time to mobilize, or even to escape!"

"The second fastest thing is to be quick in preparations before engaging the enemy!" he continued.

"Reconnoitering the terrain, selecting a breakthrough point, constructing fortifications, preparing assault equipment, pre-battle mobilization, troop movement, and deployment of crossbows... all must be completed swiftly, ensuring thorough preparation before the enemy can react!"

"The third fastest."

"Once you break through, you must quickly expand your gains!"

"The fourth fastest."

"The enemy is retreating; pursue them quickly!"

Zhang Yi's voice grew increasingly impassioned.

"Once the enemy's lines falter and the entire army retreats, we must disregard fatigue and pursue them day and night! This opportunity is fleeting; a moment's delay could mean letting the tiger return to the mountains!"

He paused and then said:
"However, with these four speeds, there must be one slow one!"

"This 'slowness' does not refer to slow action, but rather to composure when facing the enemy!"

"The timing of the general offensive must be carefully considered and fully prepared before giving the order!"

He paused deliberately for a moment:
"Even if superiors urge or reprimand you, a general must remain calm!"

"Only when everything is fully prepared can war be waged!"

Zhang Yi then gave an example:

Last year, Wei launched a swift attack on Shangluo. Wei General Wang Pingbei was ordered to quickly cut off Wei's reinforcements.

"However, Wang Pingbei's troops had just arrived and had not yet completed their pre-battle preparations, so they disobeyed orders and postponed the battle until the next day."

"Although he ultimately won, Wang Pingbei still pleaded guilty, and Wei Biaoqi was also angry and reported it to the emperor."

"However, when the Prime Minister heard this, he made a clear judgment: 'To fight without preparation is to win by chance, but to fight with preparation is to have no regrets even if one is defeated.'"

Therefore, when superiors urge an attack, they should urge preparations before the battle, rather than hastily launching the attack.

"Anyone of the rank of Sima or above, when faced with this situation, must have a firm opinion and remain calm rather than act rashly!"

These words drew nods of agreement from the military academy students in the audience.

Even Wei Yan gave a slight hum, but did not refute it, which can be regarded as tacit acceptance of this reasoning.

The classroom atmosphere had reached its climax.

Zhang Yi turned his gaze to the back row and said loudly:

"Zhao Chariot Cavalry's theory is insightful and detailed, yet in the face of battle, courage and bravery are indispensable. Now, I would like to invite the General of the Flying Cavalry to supplement our understanding with the essentials of practical combat!"

Wei Yan snorted coldly and suddenly stood up.

Upon hearing the sound and seeing this, all the military academy students immediately focused their attention on Wei Yan.

Wei Yan, without taking out any books, spoke in a booming voice, getting straight to the point:
“What Zhao Cheqi said is all true!”
"However, in the final analysis, the battle on the battlefield depends on one word."

"--ruthless!"

He glanced around the audience, and seeing that all the military academy students were holding their breath, he continued to shout:
"I will only say three points, and you all need to remember them well!"

"First, strike hard!"
"At the designated main attack point, give me all the knives, spears, crossbows, cannons, and even the fire sticks in your hands, and aim them all at one spot and smash it hard!"
"Stop acting like a woman, moving around aimlessly! Concentrate your firepower and smash the enemy formation to pieces!"
Secondly, charge!

"While the enemy is stunned, dumbfounded, and panicked, charge like madmen!"

"Do not hesitate! When paths cross, the brave shall prevail! We must have the spirit of a bloody battle, the courage to charge forward against swords, spears, arrows, and stones! Only by advancing without hesitation can we establish the might of our Han army!"

At this point, Wei Yan almost roared:
Thirdly, pursue relentlessly!

"Once the enemy collapses and runs away, don't the hell stop! Chase them! Chase them to death! Day or night, mountains or rivers, keep pressing them until they breathe their last! This is my relentless pursuit, Wei Yan's way!"

"Good!!" Wei Xing shouted, clenching his fist.

"Attack fiercely! Charge fiercely! Pursue fiercely!!" The military academy students roared into action.

(End of this chapter)