“Shaoling said that Your Highness is very different from His Majesty, so I won’t beat around the bush with Your Highness. Your Highness must be well aware of the current situation of the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion. Since Shaoling and Chang’an both trust Your Highness, I am willing to trust Your Highness this once. I will use all my experience to teach Your Highness and help Your Highness take command of the Divine Might Army! This is the only way to protect the Divine Might Army, protect your family, and put His Majesty’s mind at ease!”

Throughout his life, the Duke of Zhenguo was a soldier who always upheld the principles of clear rewards and punishments, strict military discipline, and strict adherence to orders. He never resorted to any underhanded tactics.

His bluntness made Ye Jingchen feel a little uncomfortable. He secretly glanced at Xie Chang'an, who also had a complicated expression.

Ye Jingchen had originally harbored some thoughts of slacking off, but now he had no choice but to abandon those inappropriate ideas.

"Don't worry, I will definitely study hard!" he said, forcing himself to speak.

In the study of the Duke of Zhenguo, one wall was lined with a row of bookshelves taller than a person, filled with books.

He walked to the bookshelf and said to Ye Jingchen, "These are military books I have read, as well as some of my own insights. Your Highness can take a look when you have time."

When Ye Jingchen saw those rows of books, he felt despair!

He did enjoy reading military books for a while when he was in school, but now he prefers reading storybooks and can't really get into military books anymore!

The Duke of Zhenguo was a man with a resolute face, and his stern demeanor was quite intimidating. At least, Ye Jingchen felt more pressured in his presence than in his father's.

“Reading books teaches basic knowledge and the experience of predecessors, but military campaigns are different from academic studies. Apart from these two points, the battlefield is where people can grow the fastest.”

"But there is no room for trial and error on the real battlefield. Once on the battlefield, as a general, you must be responsible for the lives of all your soldiers. Therefore, before going to the real battlefield, I will first teach the Crown Prince to use a sand table to plan battles and accumulate experience!"

"Chang'an, you can go out now!" When the actual teaching began, the Duke of Zhenguo asked Xie Chang'an to leave.

Ye Jingchen was somewhat bewildered.

What's going on? They've already taught him, so why can't Xie Chang'an listen in too?

Are we going to leave him to face the Duke of Zhenguo alone?

"Wait a minute—" Ye Jingchen hurriedly called out, pulling Xie Chang'an back as he was about to leave.

"Duke Zhenguo, won't you let Chang'an attend classes with me?" he asked.

"The Duke of Zhenguo's family will only have one child in this generation, Chang'an. I hope he can live a peaceful and happy life!" the Duke of Zhenguo said, looking at Xie Chang'an.

Ye Jingchen finally understood why Xie Chang'an had such a sour face today.

The Duke of Zhenguo has three sons, each in his prime, and their wives are all young and healthy. How could they possibly only have Xie Chang'an as their child?

It's likely that the Duke of Zhenguo wanted Xie Chang'an as his only child, so that he wouldn't have to go to the battlefield and the Duke's mansion could preserve its last remaining heir.

The Zhenguo Duke's family has devoted generations to the Great Abyss, yet in the end, they can only preserve their last bloodline in this way. How ironic!

If a natural-born military talent like Xie Chang'an cannot fight on the battlefield, it is a loss for Dayuan, and even more so for him!

"Duke Zhenguo, since you're willing to trust me this once, why not trust me even more completely? I believe you also hope that the Duke Zhenguo's mansion will prosper!" Ye Jingchen looked at the Duke Zhenguo and said sincerely.

"Besides, I already promised Chang'an that I would definitely let him take command of the Divine Might Army in the future. You wouldn't want me to be a person who breaks his promise, would you?"

As Ye Jingchen said this, Xie Chang'an kept looking at him.

Actually, he wasn't surprised at all that Ye Jingchen would say that. Ye Jingchen was the kind of person who liked to make the most of everything. He didn't even spare the princes who were most likely to become his enemies, so how could he possibly spare him?

Although Xie Chang'an knew that Ye Jingchen was only saying those words to use him, he was still very grateful to him.

My grandfather was loyal to the emperor and served the country all his life. He did not understand the wickedness of people's hearts. He thought that as long as he handed over his military power, he could protect the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion. However, he did not know that without military power, the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion would become a fish on a chopping board and be slaughtered by others!

“Your Highness, when the late Emperor was still alive, he and I were as close as brothers. He also promised that our descendants would be on good terms and never be suspicious of each other. I just don’t want to live to my age in Chang’an and have to face the same fate as me.”

"The Divine Might Army does not belong to the Xie family, and the position of commander of the Divine Might Army should be held by the most capable person, but I hope that person is not Chang'an!" The Duke of Zhenguo said, looking at him and Xie Chang'an.

"Have you asked Chang'an if he's willing? You don't know how suitable Chang'an is for that position. If you exclude him just because of what might happen in the future, it's too unfair to him!" Ye Jingchen said, pushing Xie Chang'an in front of the Duke of Zhenguo.

We can't let him face the Duke of Zhenguo alone. Xie Chang'an should also try to fight for himself!

"Grandfather, if you are willing to give me ten years, I will definitely be able to completely drive out the Northern Barbarians and make them never dare to invade Dayuan again!" Xie Chang'an said earnestly to the Duke of Zhenguo.

The Duke of Zhenguo's eyes narrowed, and his aura became even more terrifying. "You have never been on the battlefield, and you have never even seriously studied military strategy. Where does your confidence come from to say such arrogant words?"

“Isn’t there a sand table here? Why don’t you and Chang’an do a simulation together and you’ll know if he’s arrogant or not?” Ye Jingchen said.

"Then come on, let your grandfather see your abilities!" The Duke of Zhenguo didn't say much, but instead went to a sand table.

The study is very large. In addition to a long row of bookshelves and a desk, the most eye-catching feature is three huge sand table models.

These three sand tables—one simulating the desert and grassland terrain outside the northern border, one representing mountains and hills, and one representing rivers and lakes—basically encompass all the terrain of Dayuan.

"Which topographical map would you like to choose?" The Duke of Zhenguo let Xie Chang'an choose first.

Xie Chang'an pointed directly at the topographical map of the northern frontier.

"I've spent thirty years in the northern frontier and know this place like the back of my hand. Are you sure you want to compete with me here?" the Duke of Zhenguo asked Xie Chang'an.

Xie Chang'an nodded.

"Then please let His Highness the Crown Prince set the questions!" the Duke of Zhenguo said to Ye Jingchen.

Ye Jingchen thought for a moment, "The enemy's 100,000 iron cavalry have already reached this position—" Ye Jingchen pointed to a location on the sand table, "while we only have 100,000 soldiers, including 20,000 iron cavalry, 40,000 archers, and 40,000 spearmen. We must intercept the iron cavalry at this desolate mountain." As he spoke, he pointed to the location of another mountain.

After passing the barren mountains, the road ahead was flat and there was no way to stop 100,000 iron cavalry.

"You go first?" The Duke of Zhenguo looked at Xie Chang'an.

“Grandfather, please go first!” Xie Chang’an said.

In a sand table simulation, the terrain is clearly visible, and the first mover often has the advantage. The Duke of Zhenguo probably let Xie Chang'an go first because he didn't want him to lose too badly.

However, Xie Chang'an did not appreciate the gesture and instead let the Duke of Zhenguo go first. His behavior seemed to be a provocation to the Duke of Zhenguo.

Ye Jingchen was sweating bullets for him.