Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 308 Encounter on the road
Changan.

Thin willow.

Fei Yi, who was carrying out a mission and hurriedly returning north, sat in the carriage, looking travel-worn and slightly haggard. After all, he had just traveled thousands of miles to Jiangnan in the first month of the lunar calendar, and he never expected that he would have to travel thousands of miles back north before he could settle down.

But he was already used to this kind of busy work.

Two years ago, when the Prime Minister planned the Northern Expedition and moved the garrison from Chengdu to Hanzhong, he has been carrying out the mission, traveling back and forth between Hanzhong, Chengdu, and Wuchang, and taking charge of various liaison matters.

Now, the starting point has changed from Wuchang to Yiling, and the destination has changed from Hanzhong to Chang'an. Although there are now hundreds of miles of treacherous and difficult Baoxie Road, it can be considered a happy kind of trouble.

When he left, the Guanzhong Plain was still covered in frost and snow, but on his return, all he saw along the way since leaving Wuzhangyuan were green wheat seedlings growing well. The people were weeding and cultivating the fields, living a peaceful and contented life, which truly comforted him.

Just as he was pondering this, a commotion came from the official road ahead. Fei Yi instructed his guards to rein in their horses and slow down. He then stood up straight and looked up, and was taken aback.

On the dusty official road ahead, a rather strange procession was winding its way. The procession was not the merchants he had just thought were traveling to and from Chang'an, but rather hundreds of soldiers carrying Han army flags.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the group carrying the Han army's flags were not armed with spears or halberds. Instead, what they had surrounded in the middle of the road were thousands or even tens of thousands of chickens and ducks clucking and squawking!

A small number of chickens and ducks were kept in cages made of bamboo strips, stacked on oxcarts and donkey carts, layer upon layer, just like when military supplies were being transported. The majority of chickens and ducks were driven eastward.

The soldiers were clearly unfamiliar with such tasks. Some were scrambling to stop the ducks that were trying to escape from the formation, while others got their faces splattered with mud by the flapping wings of the rooster, making them look quite disheveled.

"What is this?" Fei Yi frowned slightly, surprised. He got out of the carriage and stepped forward, calling out to a military officer on the outer edge of the group: "Military officer, may I ask which unit of troops this is? What is the purpose of transporting so many chickens and ducks?"

Seeing Fei Yi's extraordinary bearing and the presence of his entourage, the military officer knew he was a high-ranking official in the court. He quickly clasped his hands in greeting, wiped the sweat from his brow, and replied, "Reporting to my superior, we are on orders from Jiang Fengyi to transport chickens, ducks, and poultry to Fengyi!"

"Jiang Fengyi?" Fei Yi was clearly taken aback.

Just as Fei Yi was wondering what was going on, a young general rode up from the front after hearing the noise. Fei Yi looked closely and realized that it was none other than Jiang Boyue from Tianshui.
Upon seeing that it was Fei Yi, Jiang Wei's face was instantly filled with surprise. He nimbly dismounted, quickly stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Wei greets Chief Secretary Fei!"

After the ceremony, they stood up in surprise and asked each other:

"Wasn't Chief Clerk Fei assisting His Majesty in restoring order to the lost territories of Jingzhou, such as Wuxian and Zigui, along with Attendant-in-Ordinary Dong? Why has he suddenly returned to Guanzhong?"

When Fei Yi saw Jiang Wei, an uncontrollable look of joy finally appeared on his face:

"Boyo! This is joyous news, a great joyous news!"

"Good news?" Jiang Wei's eyes widened, his gaze filled with disbelief.

His Majesty personally led a large army and broke through the counties of Wu and Zi in one month, breaking the iron chains across the river that the Wu people thought were impossible to break through, and the sinking cone that was the key to the river. As soon as the news came, the soldiers and civilians in Guanzhong were shocked and excited.

And now there's more good news?
"Could it be Yiling?" Jiang Wei asked.

Fei Yi laughed heartily and nodded, saying:

“Yes!
"The last line of defense that the Wu traitors set up in the dangerous gorges of the Yangtze River has been captured in a single day thanks to the combined efforts of His Majesty, General Zhao, and General Chen!"

"What?!" Jiang Wei was truly shocked, his eyes filled with disbelief. His fear of the locust plague and his exhaustion from days of running around collecting chickens, ducks and poultry vanished in an instant.

"Yiling was captured in a single day?! Was it really captured in just one day?!"

Jiang Wei, now a confidant of the Prime Minister, naturally knew that Yiling was defended by Zhu Ran, a general of Sun Wu, and that Yiling was the last line of defense for Sun Wu in protecting Jingzhou. He had thought that the Battle of Yiling would be a protracted and arduous battle, but he never expected that the victory would be so easy and swift!
This is Yiling!

It was Yiling that thwarted the late emperor and caused the Han dynasty to be annihilated and its generals killed!
Once the news spreads, what a boost it will be to the morale and spirit of the soldiers and civilians in Guanzhong!
"Absolutely true!" Fei Yi smiled and nodded heavily. He then briefly described the situation of the Battle of Yiling. Although it was only a few words, it made Jiang Wei's heart surge with emotion.

Fei Yi took a few steps forward, looked at the vast army of chickens and ducks before him, and then glanced at Jiang Wei's barely concealed exhaustion. His doubts resurfaced:

"Boyue, you are a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Personnel and a commander of an army. Why are you not by the Prime Minister's side to advise on military affairs and coordinate military supplies, nor are you training soldiers and troops? Why are you here doing such trivial things as collecting chickens and ducks?"

Jiang Wei is now highly regarded by the Prime Minister, who calls him a superior scholar of Liangzhou. Since the Emperor's eastern expedition, he has been personally trained by the Prime Minister and appointed to such an important position as the granary clerk in the Prime Minister's office. It can be said that he is showing signs of replacing Ma Su in the Prime Minister's heart.

Anyone with eyes can see that the Prime Minister seems to be grooming Jiang Wei as his successor.

As everyone can see, unlike Ma Su's boastful talk, Jiang Wei was extremely pragmatic, especially skilled in military affairs, possessing both authority and virtue, and perfectly embodying the Prime Minister's approach to military command. It was truly puzzling to Fei Yi that such a person would be doing such trivial tasks as collecting chickens and ducks.

Upon hearing Fei Yi's question, Jiang Wei's joy vanished, replaced by a serious expression: "Chief Secretary, Chen Fengzong, the magistrate of Linjin, reported that a locust plague might be brewing in Linjin. The Prime Minister personally went to Linjin ten days ago to investigate and confirmed the report. If the locust plague in Linjin cannot be controlled, Guanzhong may suffer a major locust disaster this year."

"A giant locust?!" Fei Yi's expression changed drastically, and his heart sank.

Locust plagues are common in the north. He was born in Jingzhou and grew up in Sichuan. He had never personally experienced a locust plague, but he knew how terrible it was.

The historical records stating that "when locusts rise, the land turns red for thousands of miles, and people eat each other" are by no means untrue.

The Han Dynasty had just recovered Guanzhong, and the people's livelihood urgently needed to be restored. Last year, all kinds of measures were exhausted to enable the people of Guanzhong to live and work in peace and contentment, and the fields were covered with green wheat seedlings.

If the locust plague were to break out in Guanzhong this year, the livelihoods of the people in Guanzhong, which had just begun to improve, as well as the food and provisions that supported the more than 100,000 soldiers and civilians of the Han Dynasty, would face a devastating blow.

This is a catastrophe that concerns the very foundation of the nation!

"How could this be?" Fei Yi was bewildered.

Upon seeing this situation, Jiang Wei quickly recounted to Fei Yi the Prime Minister's personal trip to Linjin to investigate the locust situation, the strategies for controlling the locusts, and the final strict orders to all levels of officials in the Han Dynasty to do their utmost to combat the locusts and to prohibit prayers and other superstitious practices.

"The Prime Minister has issued a strict order to do everything possible to kill the locusts before they grow wings."

"Wei was ordered to coordinate with Zuo Fengyi, Jingzhao Yin, You Fufeng, and even several counties in Longyou to purchase and transport chickens, ducks, and poultry, and distribute them to various farms in Fengyi and places where locusts might breed."

"This matter concerns this year's summer harvest and planting, and the provisions for hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. It is a matter of national importance, and the Prime Minister attaches great importance to it. Therefore, he sent Wei to personally oversee the matter to ensure the smooth implementation of government orders and the rapid delivery of supplies."

Fei Yi was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then let out a long sigh of relief and exclaimed in admiration:
"Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister is knowledgeable about locust control!"

"This is truly a blessing from heaven for the Han people, a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune!"

Fei Yi was truly relieved. Without the Prime Minister's timely and resourceful plan, he would have been helpless in the face of such a locust plague and would have watched the tragedy unfold.

“Jingzhou and Shu are abundant in water but scarce in locusts. Even I have no experience in locust control. The Prime Minister is also well-versed in the south, yet his locust control strategy is practical and detailed. He is truly a great prime minister of the Han Dynasty.”

He paused, then suddenly thought of something.

"Last year, there was a severe drought in the Guandong region of Cao Wei. As the saying goes, 'When drought reaches its extreme, locusts will appear.' I fear we will not escape this calamity either... But I wonder how they will deal with it."

He then shook his head, pulling his thoughts back.

"Never mind, let's ignore it for now."

Jiang Wei nodded, then asked, "Chief Secretary Fei's return to Chang'an this time must not be solely to deliver news of the victory at Yiling, right?" Any messenger could easily deliver a message, but Fei Yi is a high-ranking official and a key figure in the Prime Minister's office; he clearly has something more important to do.

Fei Yi nodded emphatically:

"Indeed, my hasty return north was on His Majesty's mission to consult with the Prime Minister and raise funds for His Majesty's eastern expedition, but unexpectedly, Guanzhong was suddenly hit by a locust plague."

"If the locust infestation in Linjin can be contained, that would be fine. But if it cannot be controlled and the locusts from Linjin ravage Guanzhong, I'm afraid only Your Majesty's national debt policy can ensure a safe passage through this period."

"The method of national debt?" Jiang Wei was slightly taken aback, clearly not understanding what this method was.

Fei Yi knew that this matter was of great importance and should not be discussed in detail here, so he said, "This matter is difficult to explain in a few words. It concerns His Majesty and the country's major plans. I will discuss it with the Prime Minister after I return to Chang'an. If Boyue is free of trouble, why don't you return with me?"

Jiang Wei was curious, but knowing the gravity of the situation, he nodded and replied:
"Very well! Everything here has been arranged. My subordinates and soldiers will carry out the orders accordingly. Now, I will return to Chang'an with the Chief Clerk!"

Jiang Wei immediately ordered the troops to continue their journey towards Fengyi as planned, while he and Fei Yi rode side by side at full speed towards Chang'an.

Changan.

Wei Bridge in the north of the city.

A location randomly chosen by the instructors.

The site is already prepared with various materials for building a camp, including wooden stakes, ropes, cloth curtains, digging tools, and supply wagons.

"Today's drills, set up camp!" Zhang Yi stood on the low platform, his voice booming.

"Each team, according to the usual four instructions, shall demarcate the camp area, erect the flag gate, set up barricades, and dig the hearth pits. The time limit is half an hour! Wei Xing!"

"This humble general...is here!" Wei Xing, a first-term student of the Chang'an Military Academy, responded loudly. There was no doubt that his Eagle Yang Inner Palace was the demonstration team today.

As expected, Zhang Yi announced loudly, "Your team should demonstrate first, striving for precision and speed!"

"Yes!" Wei Xing, with a large beard, responded loudly. He then turned to his nine Eagle Yang Mansion brothers and summoned dozens of temporary auxiliary soldiers who were not familiar with him. He quickly divided them into four groups.

"Group A, determine the central command position and erect the lookout tower!"

"Group B, follow me to mark the boundaries of the camp and lay boundary markers!"
"Group C, prepare ropes and tents!"
"Group D, plan the locations of the stables and stoves!"
"Move quickly, as if the enemy cavalry were already thirty miles away!" Although Wei Xing was not very educated, his military orders were concise and clear.

Wei Xing surveyed the terrain, then grabbed a marker wrapped in red cloth, strode towards a location, and roughly circled the center point.

The middle-ranking officers of the garrison acted swiftly, working in pairs to position the stakes by holding poles and hammering them into place. Others, holding ropes and rulers, measured the locations of the camp walls and trenches according to the methods taught at the Chang'an Military Academy. The auxiliary soldiers, guided by the garrison officers, dug shallow trenches and erected wooden fences.

The other military academy students were not idle; they were required to stand around and observe, offering quiet critiques, or have top students interrupt their critiques to point out flaws and discuss the merits and demerits of the fortifications.

Zhang Yi said loudly:
"When establishing a camp and stationing troops, one should first assess the terrain."

"Not only should one avoid dampness and pestilence, but one should also be situated on high ground with a broad view, convenient access to water sources, and unobstructed waterways."

"With the mountains behind us, we can prevent the enemy from taking up high ground."
"Facing the plains, we can launch an attack."

"If it is unavoidable to stay in a low-lying, damp place or a place with abundant vegetation, one must prepare plenty of fire-making tools, take precautions against fire attacks, and dig deep drainage ditches to drive away snakes and insects."

"This place is low and damp. Wei Guanghan marked the location of the gate slightly southeast, avoiding the upwind side, in order to prevent the enemy from launching a fire attack!"

"The camp's passageways have been left redundant to facilitate troop deployment and emergency response; you should carefully inspect them!"

Shortly after, Zhang Yi's voice rang out again.

"Stop! Wei Guanghan's demonstration at Yingyang Mansion is complete, but the hourglass is not yet halfway full! Excellent! Each team, enter the field in order and begin training!"

In an instant, the Wei Riverbank was abuzz with excitement as dozens of teams surged into their designated areas.

Wei Xing breathed a sigh of relief and led his team to retreat to the edge of the rest area.

A soldier brought him warm water, which he readily accepted. However, he did not drink it immediately. Instead, his gaze swept across the noisy training ground, observing the skilled and clumsy movements. He unconsciously compared the scene before him with the articles recorded in the Prime Minister's "New Book of Military Administration".

This "New Book on Military Administration" was compiled by the Prime Minister himself after receiving instructions on military affairs, in order to summarize various experiences and lessons related to military administration and warfare.

As the Prime Minister led more and more troops and fought more and more battles, he revised some of his previous ideas and optimized the content of the "New Book" several times.

Finally, this book, "New Book of Military Administration," came into being. Not all military academy students received this book; only true confidants and trusted advisors were granted it. Wei Xing was fortunate enough to receive it and treasured it like a precious gem.

Every night after finishing his marital business, he would have his wife dictate the book to him. As a result, he learned more characters and gained an understanding of the principles of being a general, something that the former Wei Xing could never have known.

A moment later, he raised an eyebrow, pointed at a group of somewhat clumsy military academy students in Weibin, and smiled:
"Hei Zi, do you know why an open space must be left in front of the central command tent when setting up camp?"

Zhao Heizi, the head of the Weiqiao Prefectural Militia, scratched his head: "Isn't this for troop mobilization?"

"Yes, and not entirely." Wei Xing pointed to a unit on the open ground of Weibin where the central army had not left any space:
"Look, if they don't leave this open space, how will their troops quickly assemble in case of an attack? How will orders be effectively transmitted? How will supplies and wagons be moved around?"

Zhao Heizi suddenly realized, and slapped his thigh:
"I see! That explains why I sometimes felt the camp was too crowded, and it was awkward to move troops around. It turns out we didn't put the right troops here!"

A slightly short young man asked curiously:

"Brother Wei, what should we do if the enemy suddenly attacks when we've only set up camp halfway through?"

Wei Xing chuckled and said in a low voice:
"Good question!

"The enemy arrived before the camp was fully established, so the first priority was to stabilize the position."

"Once the fortifications are completed, hold them immediately."

"Where the road is not yet completed, carts and baggage trains are used to temporarily block it, and elite troops rely on them to fight."

"Not only that, but archers must also be assigned to high places or behind cover to fire in a concentrated burst to slow down the enemy's advance."

"The most crucial point is that we officers must take the lead, order our subordinates not to panic, and fight and defend as we have practiced, so as to buy time for the subsequent establishment of the battalion."

Zhao Heizi was somewhat bewildered: "Brother Wei, we are both illiterate peasants, and we both came here to study. How come you are better at learning than us?"

Wei Xing pretended to be serious and said, "That's naturally a talent! Otherwise, how come I, Wei Xing, am a cavalry captain while you, Zhao Heizi, are still a regimental commander?"

Zhao Heizi and the other soldiers, all of whom were from humble backgrounds, burst into laughter.

(End of this chapter)