Hehehehe~ See you in three days~ Chapter Ten
In fact, regardless of a person's posture or clothing, the most important thing is self-confidence.
Yan Shujin has no shortage of confidence, so it's not difficult for her to learn.
After lunch break, Yan Shujin and Yan Qiyu went to the study together. Mr. Du had already assessed their progress in the past two days and knew how well they were studying.
After the two handed in their homework, Mr. Du put it aside, sat down in his chair, and said, "Have you thought through yesterday's question?"
Yan Shujin and Yan Qiyu both nodded.
Mr. Du said, "Then you can speak."
Yan Shujin looked at Yan Qiyu and said, "Younger brother, you go first."
Yan Qiyu scratched his face somewhat embarrassedly and said, "I thought about it. If I had a hundred men and ten warhorses, but the food rations were barely enough to feed eighty men for three days, then I would kill the warhorses. That way, the food rations would be enough, and I would take a detour to avoid battle."
"Although I know warhorses are important, I think human lives are more important. As long as there are people, we can make a comeback sooner or later." Yan Qiyu had thought it over carefully. In addition to the lack of food and fodder, the enemy also had 120 men with ample supplies. He felt that he should avoid fighting and look for another opportunity.
Mr. Du did not say whether it was right or wrong, but looked at Yan Shujin.
Yan Shujin paused for a moment and then said, "I will give all the food to the soldiers, feed all one hundred men and their warhorses, and then fight to the death."
Mr. Du remained silent.
Yan Qiyu said, "But if you do this, you might lose. After all, the enemy outnumbers us and always has enough to eat and plenty of supplies. Isn't this too risky?"
"That's why we won't lose," Yan Shujin said. "They've always had enough to eat, but my soldiers have tasted hunger and that's why they cherish the feeling of being full even more. They still have plenty of food and supplies, while we don't. We'll either die in battle or starve to death."
Yan Qiyu was stunned and stared at Yan Shujin.
Yan Shujin remained calm, as if discussing a very ordinary matter: "Besides, we won't go hungry after we win. In fact, they have a way out, but we don't. So even if they have 120 people, they can't beat us. We won't lose."
"And it's barely enough to feed eighty people for three days. Even if everyone reduces their food intake, how long can it last?" Yan Shujin knew what it was like to go hungry. Even if they were very frugal, three days' worth of rations would only last five days at most. And what about after five days? Moreover, during those five days, everyone would probably be hungry. If they encountered the enemy again then, they probably wouldn't even have the strength to fight back.
Eating the warhorse is one option, preserving strength for a comeback is also a good idea, but that's not Yan Shujin's style.
Mr. Du did not say who was right or wrong, but just smiled and said, "Then let me tell you about something that happened back then. Your uncle also encountered a similar situation, except that he had more than 10,000 people with him instead of a hundred. Your uncle did not hide the fact that there was a shortage of food, and he had the cooks prepare all the remaining food. Everyone ate and drank their fill and rested for a day. The next morning, they had a good meal and then launched an attack on Huzhou."
The victory in the Battle of Suhu laid the foundation for Yan Chao's ultimate victory.
There was a saying in the previous dynasty: "When Suzhou and Huzhou are bountiful, the whole country is well-fed."
Since occupying Suhu, Yan Chao no longer has to worry about food supplies and can recruit soldiers on a large scale.
Yan Qiyu's eyes lit up, and she looked at Yan Shujin and said, "Sister, you're amazing."
Yan Shujin said, "Because I'm your older sister."
Yan Qiyu nodded vigorously.
Mr. Du was amused: "Yan Qiyu's method is not wrong, but there is one thing to remember: the first effort is vigorous, the second is weak, and the third is exhausted. Sometimes, fighting a war depends on that kind of spirit."
Yan Qiyu said seriously, "I understand."
Yan Shujin found it strange, as her uncle shouldn't have brought insufficient supplies: "Mr. Du, was it very dangerous when you went to attack Suhu, and were you forced to go?"
Mr. Du looked at Yan Shujin and asked, "Why do you ask that?"
Yan Shujin said, "Because I find it strange."
Mr. Du laughed and simply said, "Why don't you wait for your father to return and then ask him?"
Yan Shujin nodded.
Mr. Du said, "I'm going to give you the instructions for tomorrow's discussion, so listen carefully."
Yan Shujin and Yan Qiyu straightened their backs involuntarily. They both respected highly learned people and knew that Mr. Du was there to teach them, so they were especially attentive.
“Once upon a time, there was a wealthy family. They were kind and had plenty of grain stored up. The people in the town all listened to them.” Mr. Du’s voice was pleasant, and his pace was just right, making it easy to listen to. “The people in that town were very rich and kind-hearted. But one day, many refugees came from outside. Their homes suffered a disaster, and if they didn’t have anything to eat, they would all starve to death. If you were a wealthy family, what would you do?”
After Mr. Du finished speaking, he asked, "Do you have any questions?"
Yan Shujin asked, "Who are those refugees? The elderly? Children? Women? Or young adults?"
Mr. Du smiled and said, "They're mostly elderly people and children."
Yan Shujin asked again, "What about the woman? Don't the children have a mother?"
Mr. Du said, "There aren't many women."
"Approximately how many refugees are there?" Yan Qiyu asked as well. "And how many people live in the town?"
Mr. Du said, “There are 100 people in the town, and 40 of them are refugees. The town has enough food to feed 140 people for three years.”
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