The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 177 Thought...Refining?
Li Yichen's gaze lingered on the confusion and contemplation on Li Chengqian's face.

He knew that what he was about to say would likely completely change the Tang Dynasty crown prince's understanding of power and even influence the future form of the Tang army.

"Your Highness yourself also needs to take advantage of this turmoil to begin cultivating the foundation of your military power."

Upon hearing this, the glimmer of fire that had just ignited on Li Chengqian's face was instantly extinguished by the cold water of reality.

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"I understand your meaning, sir. However, befriending military generals and cultivating a private army is a grave taboo for Father Emperor!"

"Let alone the fact that the students have made some progress now, even in the past... Father would never allow the Crown Prince to meddle too much in military power."

"This road may be difficult to pass."

He thought of Hou Junji and others; it was ultimately a clandestine transaction, something that couldn't be brought to light and was extremely risky.

"Your Highness has misunderstood."

Li Yichen slowly shook his head, a profound and unfathomable smile appearing on his face.

"What I am saying is not that Your Highness should try to win over any general right now, nor that you should raise soldiers in the Eastern Palace."

"Such actions are tantamount to giving others a handle to use against you and courting your own death."

"What does the gentleman mean?" Li Chengqian's doubts deepened.

"My intention is to take advantage of this potential military operation, not to win over established generals, but to cultivate future military talents!"

"Or rather, to forge a dagger that is hidden in its sheath, unassuming yet capable of deciding victory or defeat at crucial moments."

"Cultivating future leaders? A dagger?"

Li Chengqian murmured repeatedly, his eyes filled with incomprehension.

He simply couldn't connect those two words with the current situation of the Crown Prince avoiding suspicion.

“Exactly.” Li Yichen leaned forward slightly and began to systematically explain his ideas.

"Does Your Highness know what has been the primary basis for promotion in the military since the Zhenguan era of our dynasty?"

Li Chengqian was familiar with this, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Military merit is of utmost importance! Whether it is slaying generals and capturing flags on the battlefield or being the first to charge into battle, there are clear rewards."

"Secondly, there is the advantage of family background; the son of a general is like a tiger."

"Furthermore, among the soldiers, promotion is a legitimate path based on experience, bravery, and prestige."

"In addition, the Emperor often promoted brave and loyal men without regard to precedent."

This was the foundation upon which the Tang Dynasty was founded, especially during the Zhenguan era, and which was the basis for its strength.

Li Yichen nodded.

"Your Highness is right. Military merit is the primary factor, while family background and seniority are secondary. This system ensures the army's combat effectiveness and cohesion."

"However, whether they were brave generals from humble backgrounds who rose through the ranks based on military merit or descendants of military families who relied on their family connections, their primary loyalty was to His Majesty and to the Tang Dynasty."

"If Your Highness wishes to find someone who is entirely your own ally among them, it will be difficult. Moreover, such a high target is likely to arouse suspicion."

He changed the subject.

"Therefore, I have considered whether there is a force in the current imperial army that is not subordinate to any general and does not participate in regular battles."

"Yet they excel in infiltration, reconnaissance, sabotage, and protection; capable of taking the head of a general amidst a vast army, and of turning the tide of battle silently? An elite force specializing in special missions?"

Li Chengqian frowned deeply, trying hard to search his memory.

"Elite... The Xuanjia Army under Father Emperor's command is the most valiant in the world, unparalleled in charging into battle. However, it is a righteous army and is under the command of the generals."

"The Hundred Cavalry Command is the Emperor's personal guard, in charge of palace guards and ceremonial regalia."

"The scout battalion is distributed among the various armies, specifically tasked with reconnaissance..."

"What you say seems different. What exactly is this 'surprise weapon'?"

He simply couldn't connect his existing military concepts with the "dagger" described by Li Yichen.

At this moment, he was more confused, feeling that what the gentleman said was somewhat out of touch with reality.

Li Yichen knew that he had to instill the mindset of "special operations" in him in a way that this era could understand.

"Your Highness, please consider this. If there were a small squad of no more than a hundred men, each capable of fighting ten men, they could dress in nomadic clothing, infiltrate the heart of Goguryeo, burn their supply camps, and cause their 100,000-strong army at the front to fall into chaos without a fight."

"They can silently eliminate the messengers and patrols sent by Yeon Gaesomun deep in the mountains and dense forests, cutting off their communications."

"They can disguise themselves as merchants and infiltrate Liaodong City. At a crucial moment, they can coordinate an attack from within or directly assassinate the city's general!"

Li Chengqian's pupils contracted slightly upon hearing this, and his breathing became slightly rapid.

He had studied military books since childhood and knew the principle of combining the orthodox and the unorthodox, but such meticulous and highly targeted small-scale sabotage, assassination and disruption tactics completely transcended the scope of traditional battle formations.

This is no longer a formidable battle, but a venomous fang lurking in the shadows!

He began to feel that although he had never heard of the gentleman's argument before, upon closer examination, it seemed... to make sense.
If successful, its effects will be enormous!
"This... such a battle tactic actually exists in the world?"

His voice carried a hint of inquiry.

"Isn't this... the behavior of an assassin or a death squad?"

In his education, war was more of a head-on clash of courage, strategy, and strength.

"They are not simply assassins or death squads."

Li Yichen solemnly corrected him.

"Assassins and death squads are mostly for one-off use, or rely solely on their bloodlust. But the 'surprise troops' I speak of are professional soldiers who have undergone extremely rigorous and systematic training!"

"They are proficient in various killing techniques, and are even more skilled in wilderness survival, camouflage and infiltration, intelligence analysis, and coordinated operations."

"They are tools born for war, the sharpest and most concealed knife in Your Highness's hands!"

"They are carrying out special missions that ordinary troops cannot accomplish, but which can have a decisive impact on the overall situation."

He observed the change in Li Chengqian's eyes and knew that the other party had begun to accept this idea.

They then went on to analyze the benefits of this move for the crown prince.

"Your Highness, consider this: if you were to propose this idea to His Majesty, forming such a small but elite force, there would be three advantages."

"First, the scale is extremely small, with only one or two hundred people. It will not touch His Majesty's sensitive nerves regarding the Crown Prince's command of troops, and it will remain inconspicuous."

"Secondly, Your Highness can take this opportunity to legitimately participate in or even lead the selection and formation of this future weapon."

“The members can be selected from loyal and reliable guards of the Eastern Palace with clean backgrounds, or from collateral branches of military families with little background, or even from extraordinary people in the folk.”

"This is an excellent way to cultivate future elite officers!"

"Third, once this team is established and makes outstanding contributions in future battles, how much will His Highness's influence and voice in the army be enhanced?"

"Moreover, due to their special training and combat methods, these people are naturally more likely to develop a high degree of loyalty to their direct commanders."

Li Chengqian felt that the fog that had been troubling him had been blown away by this crazy idea.

Yes, we should avoid touching those existing, deeply entrenched military forces.

Instead, they started from scratch, creating a completely new force shaped entirely by ideology and rigorous training!

This certainly fits his current situation of "waiting and seeing what happens, and secretly building up strength"!

Your strategy, sir, is not only reasonable, but also... brilliant! He saw the enormous potential and room for maneuver it contained!

"Sir...this strategy...is truly...enlightening!"

Li Chengqian was so excited that he became somewhat incoherent, but he quickly realized the key point.

"However, how should such a formidable force be trained? And how should I propose this to Father Emperor? If I were to suggest it, would Father Emperor become suspicious...?"

“Your Highness’s concerns are very valid,” Li Yichen replied.

"Therefore, this matter must be handled openly and honestly. Your Highness should take the initiative to explain to His Majesty that this is a 'new strategy' devised to deal with the formidable mountains and strong fortresses of Goguryeo, reduce casualties in large-scale sieges, and achieve victory through surprise attacks."

"It is emphasized that this team is specifically designed for special wartime missions. Only in this way can His Majesty's suspicions be dispelled, and it may even gain His Majesty's praise and support."

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions, and slowly nodded.

"Sir, your wisdom is profound; I understand."

"However, how can we train to achieve the effect you described?"

Li Yichen seemed to have been prepared. He took out a roll of paper covered with writing from his sleeve and handed it over solemnly.

"These are some training guidelines that I have drafted based on the ancient methods of training elite soldiers, with some additional ideas. I offer them for Your Highness's consideration."

"I am also a novice in military affairs, and this is merely intended to offer a starting point for discussion."

Li Chengqian eagerly took it and unfolded it for a closer look.

At first he was able to remain calm, but the more he read, the more his expression changed, eventually turning into utter shock and bewilderment.

What was written on that paper completely overturned his understanding of "training troops"!

"Carrying...carrying a heavy load and moving at high speed for forty miles every day? And without being able to rest in between?"

He couldn't believe his eyes.

The elite Tang army could only march forty or fifty li a day under normal circumstances, and they still needed to rest in between. This required them to carry heavy loads and run continuously, which was simply torture!

"Surviving in the extreme cold, wearing only a single layer of clothing, for several days? Identifying poisonous creatures and hunting wild food?"

In his view, doing so was tantamount to suicide!

Seeing that his gaze lingered there, Li Yichen explained, "Your Highness, Liaodong is bitterly cold, far more so than Chang'an."

"If ordinary soldiers are unprepared, frostbite casualties may be more severe than battle losses. Therefore, special troops must learn how to survive in cold regions."

"For example, you need to know how to find sheltered spots and use the snow to build snow houses or dig snow caves to avoid the cold. Under the snow layer, it is often much warmer than being exposed to the cold wind."

"One must know how to identify edible tree bark, grass roots, and the few wild fruits and prey that can still be found in winter, and know how to set traps to catch small animals."

"One must know how to make fire. Even in wet snow, one must know how to use flint, tinder, or friction to start a fire."

"It is also necessary to know how to move the limbs to promote blood circulation and prevent frostbite."

"In fact, one should know how to use animal fats to coat exposed skin for protection."

"All of these require repeated practice to become instinctive, in order to find a glimmer of hope in desperate situations."

As Li Chengqian listened to these unheard-of survival skills, he felt his scalp tingle.

This cannot be simply summarized as courage; it is a survival wisdom akin to witchcraft!
"To disguise oneself and infiltrate, one must blend into the city or the mountains without revealing any flaws?"

"Secret communication, hand gestures as proof, ever-changing?"

What quick thinking and discipline that requires!
"Do you need to be proficient in all kinds of weapons, such as bows and crossbows, swords, short blades, and even ropes and grappling hooks? And do you need to master basic healing techniques?"

"To live and fight in various harsh environments such as mud, thorns, and fires?"

He read through them one by one, his forehead already beaded with sweat.

Where in this description is soldiers being trained?
They're clearly creating a bunch of omnipotent "monsters"!
He was well aware of the current training methods of the Tang army.

The soldiers of the garrison farmed on weekdays and trained in their spare time, mainly focusing on formations, archery and horsemanship, and individual strength.

Even elite units like the Xuanjia Army place greater emphasis on horsemanship, coordinated charge formations, and the use of armor and weapons.

Never before has there been such a brutal, hellish training method that targets individual limits and special skills.
"Sir...this...this method is unheard of! If we train like this, I'm afraid...not one in ten will survive!"

Li Chengqian's voice trembled; at this moment, the shock in his heart had reached its peak.

He couldn't imagine what kind of mortal body could withstand such a test.

This was completely beyond his comprehension, leaving him with a shock that bordered on dread.

Li Yichen remained calm.

“Your Highness, extraordinary troops require extraordinary methods. Only by traversing hell can one survive the battlefield and complete the mission.”

"Four months is indeed too short to train a perfect team."

"However, by selecting and training them according to this standard, even if they only master three or four parts of the skill, they can still take shape and far surpass ordinary elite soldiers."

"Once such a concept takes shape, the team will have a soul."

"Through continuous refinement in future missions, it will eventually become an invincible sharp blade in Your Highness's hands."

"Furthermore, I have a set of training methods that can be used as a reference to improve the success rate."

Li Chengqian fell silent, staring at the paper repeatedly, his mind in turmoil.

Reason told him that this was too crazy and too unrealistic.

But another intuition, a desire for power, was urging him on.

Perhaps... perhaps it's really worth a try?
If it can be accomplished, its value will be immeasurable!
"There is another point, which is crucial, even more important than the training exercises themselves."

Li Yichen's voice pulled him back from his chaotic thoughts.

"What is it?"

Li Chengqian looked up, his gaze intense. He was completely captivated by Li Yichen's imaginative yet logically sound idea.

"It is 'mental tempering'."

Li Yichen said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Thought...refinement?"

Li Chengqian was puzzled again. Wasn't training soldiers just about training their physique and combat skills?
Where does the concept of "thought" come from?
“Exactly,” Li Yichen explained.

“To make these fierce soldiers work like one’s own limbs, harsh laws and rations and rewards are far from enough.”

"An unwavering belief must be established in their hearts!"

"First and foremost, we must make them understand why they are fighting—to protect the peace and stability of the Tang Dynasty and to safeguard their parents, wives, and children at home. This is what we call 'loyalty'."

"Secondly, we must make them understand that their direct allegiance, besides His Majesty, is to you, His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"You are the cornerstone of their existence and their ability to achieve great things. You represent the future of the Tang Dynasty. This is 'righteousness'!"

"Finally, we must temper their spirit, enabling them to possess an extraordinary will, so that no matter what dire circumstances they face—bitter cold, hunger, injury, loneliness—they can always remember their mission, overcome their instinctive fear, and vow to complete the task to the death!"

"This too is the spirit of the army!"

Li Chengqian listened intently, then suddenly realized!

He never imagined that training soldiers would also involve training their "minds"!
(End of this chapter)