If I send you to join the army and marry a woman, will you conquer the Empress?

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Minister of War Li Jing dared not delay, and immediately bowed to accept the order, then turned and walked toward the mountain of documents.

Emperor Xia also harbored some expectations.

Previously, he traveled incognito and witnessed Qin Feng composing a poem at the Wenchang Pavilion, engaging in a debate with a group of scholars. His poem, "To see a thousand miles further, climb one more story," was a testament to his exceptional talent!

Therefore, he paid special attention to Qin Feng's answers to the written test.

"Your Majesty, we've found it!"

Soon, Li Jing returned quickly, carrying a scroll, and respectfully presented it to Emperor Xia.

Emperor Xia unfolded the answer sheet and his gaze fell upon the main text.

The strategies to break the deadlock can be categorized into three levels: superior, medium, and inferior.

The very first sentence made the Xia Emperor raise an eyebrow.

What a boastful tone!

Faced with such a dead end, it is already quite remarkable that an ordinary person could come up with a solution.

This brat dares to spout such nonsense, claiming to have three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior?

He wanted to see if he truly possessed extraordinary talent or was just putting on a show!

Emperor Xia's gaze continued downwards.

[The worst strategy: a feint to the east while attacking in the west!]

[The troops were divided into two groups. One group launched a large-scale, feigned attack on one side to draw the enemy's main force away.]

[Another elite force, under the cover of night, imitated Tian Dan's fire ox formation, using wild horses bound with fire oil to charge the enemy's weak western flank in the dead of night, tearing open a breach. The main force then seized the opportunity to break out.]

Seeing this, many of the generals on the reviewing stand began to nod slightly.

"What a brilliant feint!"

"Although there have been some sacrifices, the main force can be preserved, preventing total annihilation!"

"Such a strategy, which already surpasses 90% of the candidates, is actually considered a poor choice?"

"Your Majesty, please take a look at the remaining two strategies!"

For a moment, the generals and examiners present all became expectant.

At this moment, Emperor Xia turned to the second page of the answer sheet.

[Middle Strategy: Fabricate Something Out of Nothing!]

[The entire army was ordered to cut down trees and plant flags throughout the city. At night, a hundred times the usual number of bonfires were lit to create the illusion that reinforcements had arrived. Simultaneously, rumors were spread within the camps that their rear supply lines had been burned by our army, thus undermining their morale.]

[When their morale was wavering and their commander-in-chief was filled with doubt, they mobilized their elite troops in the dead of night, and with lightning speed, stormed the central command tent and beheaded their commander!]

With their commander dead, the enemy army is leaderless and will inevitably fall into chaos! At that time, even with three thousand against ten thousand, victory can be achieved!

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

After reading the second strategy, Li Jing, the Minister of War, couldn't help but slap his hand on the table and clap his hands.

The other generals present also praised it highly after reading it.

"This plan is far more prudent than the worst option!"

"He feigns weakness to reveal strength, and vice versa! He manipulates the enemy with ease! This boy... is truly terrifying!"

Li Jing looked at the answer sheet, his face filled with amazement.

If the worst strategy is "unorthodox," then this middle strategy is "orthodox"—a perfectly legitimate and aboveboard plan!

This has completely exceeded the scope of military examination essays. Even if it were presented to the Ministry of War and the Privy Council, it would be enough to make those veteran generals applaud!

Emperor Xia took a deep breath, his anticipation growing stronger.

The worst strategy is unorthodox, the middle strategy is orthodox.

So, what kind of situation must Qin Feng's so-called best strategy be?

Everyone held their breath.

Emperor Xia's gaze finally fell on the last paragraph.

[The best strategy: The Empty City Stratagem! Subduing the enemy without fighting!]

The Empty City Stratagem?

Everyone present, including Li Jing, was completely baffled.

What kind of strategy is this? I've never even heard of it before.

The light in Emperor Xia's eyes grew even brighter, and he continued reading.

[The flags were lowered and the drums silenced; the four gates were opened wide. A few old, weak, and disabled soldiers were ordered to calmly sweep and clean in front of the city gates, as if nothing had happened. The commander-in-chief, however, sat high on the city tower, burning incense and playing the zither, calmly awaiting the enemy.]

Upon hearing this, a deathly silence fell over the examination room.

Everyone thought they had misheard!

Open the city gates wide?

To lay low and call a truce?

And they even made the commander-in-chief play the zither on the city wall?

Isn't this crazy?

Isn't this like opening the door to thieves and courting death?

However, Emperor Xia's voice remained calm as he continued reading the words on the paper.

The enemy army is at the city gates. Seeing this situation, they will surely become suspicious. Our three thousand soldiers are already trapped like turtles in a jar. We should either close the gates and defend to the death or fight our way out. Now, we are doing the opposite, which seems like we are leading them into a trap.

The enemy commander will surely become suspicious, believing there is a large force lying in ambush within the city, and fearing a trap, will dare not enter rashly. He will inevitably withdraw his troops.

At that time, tens of thousands of troops will retreat without a fight! My three thousand soldiers can sit safely in the city.

The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting! A skilled strategist achieves victory without ostentation. The highest form of warfare is to force the enemy to retreat without losing a single soldier or a single blade of grass.

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire grading area became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, an old general with white hair and beard, trembling all over, spoke in a hoarse voice:

"A psychological attack...this is a psychological attack! The enemy commander's psychology has been calculated to the extreme! Ingenious! Absolutely ingenious!"

"hiss……"

Li Jing gasped, feeling a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!

"The worst strategy is to use unorthodox tactics, the middle strategy is to use open and aboveboard tactics, but this best strategy... is already divine!"

"Warfare is based on deception, but it is also a contest of courage and the will of the people!"

"This young man has such a profound understanding of human nature! He bets on the enemy commander's reluctance to advance by leaving an empty city! What courage, what magnanimity!"

"Inconceivable! This requires a commander with the unwavering courage to remain calm even when Mount Tai collapses before him, to be able to burn incense and play the zither amidst a siege by a vast army!"

"To subdue the enemy without fighting—that is the highest level of military strategy! Compared to this, the Marquis of Champion's fierce charge is nothing short of brute force!"

Exclamations of praise and gasps of surprise rose and fell.

The gazes of everyone present toward that answer sheet were no longer filled with admiration, but with awe!

"Snapped!"

Emperor Xia slammed the answer sheet shut, his eyes gleaming with unprecedented brilliance. He threw his head back and laughed, his voice filled with boundless joy and admiration.

"Excellent! What a brilliant empty city stratagem! What a brilliant way to subdue the enemy without fighting!"

"Hahaha! With this son, how can I worry about the decline of the Great Xia Dynasty?!"

Emperor Xia slowly put down the answer sheet, his heart filled with excitement.

Lin Xiao, whose rigidity makes him easily broken, is suitable to be a general.

This Qin Feng, however, is a master strategist, capable of winning battles from afar, and his three strategies can determine the fate of the world!

This man is capable of being a leader!

Just then, Xia Yingtai suddenly spoke up again: "Father, after the best answer on this exam paper, there seem to be a few more lines of text?"

Ok? !

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia and everyone present looked towards the end of the exam paper.

Sure enough, there were a few lines of text from Qin Feng.

It seemed like a casual remark, but it struck a chord with everyone present!

These are three strategies for answering exam questions.

There are thirty-three more such strategies!

[Collected as—The Thirty-Six Stratagems!]