A day passed in the blink of an eye. It wasn't until dusk that Fang Xuan and the others left with the remaining memorials they had approved. Gu Yifeng let out a sigh of relief and then returned to the prison with a sense of helplessness.
Now he finally understood why the emperors of his previous life all died young. It was simply because this job was not for humans. Even someone who had embarked on cultivation felt his energy depleted after just one day of this work, let alone an ordinary person who had never cultivated.
Upon returning to the prison, Gu Yifeng immediately went to his bed to cultivate, feeling the surging spiritual energy within his body, which immediately relieved much of his fatigue.
He didn't leave his cultivation until the midnight watchman's drum sounded, and then he activated the system to start checking in.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in. You have obtained 5,000 Mo Dao soldiers, which have been stored in the system space and can be released at any time."
The system voice sounded, but this time the reward was somewhat unexpected. It wasn't something that could help with cultivation, but rather an army.
Gu Yifeng was no stranger to this army. He had heard of it in his previous life. It was a special army that was set up to kill cavalrymen, and when it came to infantry, it could turn them into meat grinders.
"System, why did you only change the reward?! Couldn't you give me something to improve my strength?!"
Looking at the reward, Gu Yifeng knew how useful it would be to him now, but he still couldn't help but question it.
"This system never forces growth. Your current aptitude is sufficient. Giving you more would be a waste."
The system's complaints quickly followed, clearly delivering another blow to his heart.
Fortunately, Gu Yifeng was already used to it. He just helplessly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, cursed inwardly, and then began to look him over.
With the Mo Dao team, the Great Chu is no longer a threat. At least, we don't have to worry about being completely suppressed by the Great Chu. Five thousand Mo Dao soldiers are enough to rival ten thousand, or even thirty thousand, elite troops.
Thinking of this, Gu Yifeng pondered the battle formation competition he was to have with Gu Cheng at the Ministry of War the next day. He immediately lost his sleepiness and began to recall a strange book he had read in his previous life, the Art of War.
...
Nothing happened that night. The next morning, under Qin Shan's protection, Gu Yifeng changed into some light clothes and headed to the Ministry of War.
All the civil and military officials gathered at the Ministry of War, making the originally spacious venue seem somewhat cramped. Fortunately, only a few people were qualified to stay by the sand table to watch the battle.
The Ministry of War's sand table for practicing battle formations is quite interesting. In addition to the sand table in the middle, models of soldiers and horses made of copper and iron can be placed on it. They are attracted by magnets, and the soldiers below the sand table can manipulate the magnets to move the soldiers and horses.
A general can issue military orders from both sides, allowing troops to change formations and engage in battle. A skilled person can immediately discern the advantages and disadvantages, and the outcome of any tactical changes.
Everything had to be done under precise control; it couldn't be decided simply by someone informing on you. That's why Gu Cheng agreed.
With Gu Yifeng's arrival, the Ministry of War immediately became lively. The first thing to do was to pay homage to the emperor, and then proceed to the main topic of the day.
Without wasting words, Gu Cheng bowed and went directly to one of the command positions. Gu Yifeng smiled slightly upon seeing this and then went to the other side, the two of them essentially separated by a room.
On Gu Cheng's side, his deputy would naturally relay military orders, instructing the soldiers of the Ministry of War to manipulate the magnets to change formations. Gu Yifeng, on the other hand, would have Qin Shan relay the orders.
At the Minister of War's command, both sides immediately began to form their battle formations, with bronze and iron soldiers standing up on both sides, and then they began to move.
Qin Shan and his deputy general Gu Cheng began to report military intelligence in an orderly manner, and to rehearse real battle formations and confrontations between the two sides. The civil officials were puzzled, but the military officers watched with great interest.
In the first two rounds, Gu Cheng and Gu Yifeng fought back and forth, with both sides suffering losses. However, judging from the battle formation, King Cheng's troops were more compact and well-organized, without any gaps in their formation.
At a glance, one can sense Gu Cheng's extensive experience and wisdom gained from countless battles; he is indeed incredibly skilled in military operations.
Although Gu Yifeng's formation was somewhat scattered, he proceeded step by step with great care, turning every mistake and weakness into a trap to launch a counterattack.
Based on the first two rounds alone, the generals abandoned their underestimation of His Majesty the Emperor.
In the third round, Gu Cheng won a small victory and pressed his advantage. However, a troop of soldiers suddenly attacked from his right flank, defeating him and sending him back in disarray.
This immediately caused a gasp from the crowd.
"It's a mix of reality and illusion, ever-changing!"
Fang Xuan saw the subtlety in it and couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Gu Cheng then walked out of the cubicle and stood in front of Gu Yifeng, looking somewhat dejected.
"Your Highness need not be discouraged. My superiority over you is simply due to my extensive reading of military texts. Because I am not preoccupied with war, I have had more time to study the methods of warfare. Although I do not engage in theoretical discussions, I am not necessarily incapable of winning. This cunning is something that you, being involved in the situation, cannot discern."
Gu Yifeng noticed the Prince's distress and immediately patted him on the shoulder, offering words of comfort. This was indeed true; many theoretical strategies are often misunderstood by generals who have fought for a long time, which is determined by habitual thinking.
Hearing the words of comfort, Gu Cheng finally felt better and his spirits recovered considerably.
"Then, Your Majesty, may I ask if the military strategy you used today has a name?"
Gu Cheng immediately asked.
"These are also rare books that I found in the Daqian Library. No one noticed them before I collected them. They are called Sun Tzu's Art of War. It is said to have been written by a great master surnamed Sun. It contains many methods of military operations."
Gu Yifeng slowly spoke up upon hearing this. He disdained to claim the title of "great power" and spoke frankly. However, to avoid arousing suspicion among the court officials, he still placed the future path on the Daqian Library.
Gu Cheng and the others had no doubts and nodded in agreement. It now seemed that Gu Yifeng's ability to lead troops might not be inferior to theirs.
“In that case, Your Majesty has no objection. Your Majesty may lead the troops to confront the Great Chu army. However, for Your Majesty’s safety, I request that Your Majesty take two generals with you and not do everything personally.”
Gu Cheng conceded a step and then stated his bottom line. Upon hearing this, the other ministers all expressed their agreement, and even Fang Xuan and others spoke up.
However, to make things easier for Gu Yifeng, Fang Xuan finally named two generals for him. These two generals were not involved in factional strife and were dedicated to serving the country.
With these two involved, Gu Yifeng could only nod in agreement. The matter was now completely settled, and everyone dispersed to prepare for their own affairs. He and Gu Cheng planned to lead their troops to the border that afternoon.
Putting aside the distant future, at the very least, Gu Yifeng's thought is to reclaim the three counties he currently controls.
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