Chapter 104

Liao Tingyu looked at them with great curiosity.

Observing his interest, the young soldier decided to share some information: “There’s nothing good in the frontier, unlike what you find in the city. Even a child could handle it. Any more questions? Feel free to ask.”

“Do you have a city wall over there? Do you live in tents?” Liao Tingyu inquired.

“Of course, but we’re not within the city wall. We need to protect the people inside. Usually, we live in tents. It’s practical, and we can leave easily, if necessary,” General Zhao explained kindly.

“That makes sense! Let me ask you something quietly.” Liao Tingyu stood up, leaned into General Zhao’s ear, and whispered, “Do you eat, sleep, and discuss war in the same tent? Isn’t there a smell?”

He contemplated the logistics of Mongolian tents and the challenges of keeping them clean.

General Zhao didn’t grasp the mystery in this inquiry. “The tent is spacious. We can eat outside or return to the tent. No issues.”

“Oh! Then General, why did you bring so many people with you? I read in books that a general should command tens of thousands or thousands of troops.”

Liao Tingyu swiftly shifted the topic, realizing he might have probed into sensitive matters earlier.

Observing that only a dozen people were present in the cave, he wondered about the apparent contradiction between the actual number and the usual depiction of military forces.

“We are returning to Beijing to resume our duties, and the army is following us! Haven’t you, a scholar, heard of this?” The young man expressed his disdain for Liao Tingyu.

“People say scholars are knowledgeable, but I see nothing special about you. Just what you asked earlier could be punished by military law. Don’t think I didn’t hear it because there’s no one deaf around here,” the young man added.

“I’ve never been a soldier; how would I know?” Liao Tingyu replied confidently.

“I thought scholars knew a lot about astronomy and geography, but now it’s nothing more than that,” the young man remarked, expressing his disappointment.

“Not only is he ignorant, but also a medicine jar,” another person commented as Liao Tingyu hesitated before resuming to drink the medicine.

Liao Tingyu paused, then resumed drinking, savoring the unexpected taste. Huang Zilan promptly handed him candy to sweeten the aftertaste.

The little guy found the scene amusing, seeing a grown man being afraid of suffering.

“Do you have misunderstandings about scholars? Since finding out I’m a scholar, you’ve used these three words to mock me.”

Liao Tingyu, feeling better, ignored the young man’s gaze and warmed his hands by the fire. Huang Zilan sat beside him, and Xiao Qiu stood outside to protect them.

“I’m just speaking the truth. Look at your wrist, then look at mine. Yours is as thin as a chicken’s leg.” The young man stretched out his hand, showing a bronze, muscular wrist.

“Shut your mouth, you brat,” General Zhao scolded the young man, realizing he couldn’t contain himself. “He’s just a kid. Don’t mind him.”

“I don’t mind. After all, he’s just a child. I think he’s sixteen. Why did he join the army at such a young age?” Liao Tingyu asked casually.

“He is my cousin. He refused to obey discipline at home, and his family asked me to keep an eye on him, so he followed me,” General Zhao explained, restraining the young man.

“I see. No wonder. General Zhao must be from Great General family.” Liao Tingyu nodded in understanding, recognizing the general’s background.

General Zhao wasn’t surprised; he understood that not everyone had military matters on their minds.

“Now that General Zhao is back, has the border area stabilized?”

“Stabilized? It’s not just a big problem every three days, but every five days. While you live here in comfort, we face constant challenges at the border. You have no idea how tough it is for soldiers there.” The young man, now free from General Zhao’s hold, spoke about the hardships on the frontier, contrasting it with the prosperity near Beijing.

He couldn’t help but feel resentful: “And scholars like you still look down on us, but if it weren’t for us, how could you be discussing matters here? Scholars like you should be sent to the battlefield.”

“What you’re saying makes sense, but isn’t these scholars compared to women and children on the frontier when it comes to fighting. Everyone has their place. Scholars can’t help, so why bother talking about it?” Liao Tingyu dismissed the idea of offering empty words without contributing.

“In my opinion, those scholars are useless, except for scheming and plotting.” The young man, angered by the scholars he encountered, expressed his discontent.

“But your military advisors should also be scholars. Even if they haven’t passed the exams, they should have studied for a few years. Reading isn’t for nothing; it’s to learn from the experiences of predecessors. Their experiences help achieve current success, and what’s recorded in books are the thoughts of those predecessors. Without their foundation, how could we achieve the changes we see today?” Liao Tingyu explained patiently.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, and our military advisor is different from you scholars. He’s a true hero who can go to the battlefield.” The young man thought of their military advisor and winked at General Zhao.

“Let me compare with you. Let’s talk about the war you’re best at and know the most about. You ask the questions, and I’ll answer them.” Liao Tingyu felt the need to improve his impression in the young man’s eyes, possibly turning them into friends. After all, he wanted to become a court official and had no connections, so he needed help.@@novelbin@@

“Okay, let me talk about the war I encountered! Let’s see how you answer.” The young man agreed, looking at General Zhao expectantly.

General Zhao found the situation quite entertaining and decided to participate in the conversation.

“Alright, I’ll give you a question. Pay attention. In our recent battle in the Linjiang area, we faced an enemy with forces five times larger than ours—one to the south and one to the north. They had big ships, and we didn’t. You have three days to figure out how to handle it. What would you do?” the young man asked Liao Tingyu.

“Three days ago, were you the first to spot the enemy?” Liao Tingyu inquired.

“Yes.”

“Was there a large tree?”

“Yes, we found traces of the enemy by relying on that tree. They were already approaching when we discovered them.”

“So, it was a water battle. Was there fog in the morning?” Liao Tingyu deduced.

“Yes.”

“Based on your estimation, will they arrive in the morning, evening, or during the day?”

“They’ll arrive in the daytime and afternoon,” replied the young man.

“This is simple. Calculate the time and follow their direction. When it’s foggy in the morning or evening, meet them and launch a surprise attack,” Liao Tingyu suggested.

The general looked impressed. It was indeed a practical approach. If they acted nonchalant, they could feign deception and strike directly.

“But how do we calculate the time?” General Zhao wondered.

In truth, Liao Tingyu wasn’t just a scholar who knew nothing about military affairs. The young man interrupted, “Okay, stop teasing him. You can continue on your own.”

“Cut!” The young man glared at him and walked away, realizing that Liao Tingyu’s strategy made sense, even if they had learned it too late.

“I think you have unique insights into military affairs,” General Zhao noted.

“I’ve read a book on military strategy called ‘The Thirty-Six Strategies.’ The first one is ‘Walking Up,'” Liao Tingyu shared.

General Zhao listened with interest, as these concepts were unfamiliar to him. Liao Tingyu continued to explain the strategies from ‘The Thirty-Six Strategies,’ impressing General Zhao with the brilliant tactics involved.

He regretted not having a pen to jot down these insights, and he wished the military advisor were present. While they had won the battle the young man mentioned earlier, it had come at a heavy cost. Listening to Liao Tingyu, General Zhao realized there could have been a better solution.

General Zhao, deeply inspired by the Thirty-Six Strategies, expressed his admiration, “Why are the Thirty-Six Strategies so wonderful? People who can come up with these tactics are incredibly wise.”

The two engaged in a fruitful discussion, exchanging ideas on warfare and logistics, realizing that they complemented each other’s knowledge.

As they conversed, time passed swiftly, and the rain outside had ceased. General Zhao and his party were still in a hurry to continue their journey.

“Listening to your words today is better than ten years of reading. Indeed, there are benefits to reading,” General Zhao remarked as he held his horse.

Feeling a camaraderie in their shared interests, General Zhao proposed, “Why don’t you and I treat each other as brothers? From now on, you can call me Brother Zhao. How about I call you little brother?”

“I, Liao Tingyu, am lucky to have a relationship with the general. Brother Zhao,” Liao Tingyu responded warmly, welcoming the unexpected bond between them.