Zhuang Li expressed the feelings of all the Wei generals. Jin had neither nurtured them nor protected them, nor offered them any benefits. So why should Jin's 450,000-man army sit back and watch the action unfold while they were asked to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Mongol cavalry?
This is using them as cannon fodder!
"It seems there is no need to fight this battle. Let's go." Le Zhengming slammed the table and stood up.
All the generals also retreated.
The monarch of Jin finally gave in and agreed to let his 450,000 troops lead the charge and hand over the supreme command to Le Zhengming.
The monarchs of several nearby nations knew that when it came to warfare, Le Zhengming was truly formidable. He could single-handedly charge into a million-strong army and slaughter them all. His fame outside the Great Wall could even stop a child from crying at night. With him around, the Mongols would at least be somewhat wary.
After the Jin monarch left, Zhuang Li asked his wife to gather all his confidants in the tent for a pre-war seminar.
"The Mongols were able to destroy a country with only a few hundred thousand cavalrymen, which shows their combat effectiveness. The Jin army is composed of remnants from various tribes, with low morale and scattered people. I'm afraid they can't withstand a fight." A general shook his head and sighed.
The other generals also agreed with this view and couldn't help but worry.
"We will definitely win this battle." Zhuang Li gave a completely opposite answer.
The noisy tent suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and everyone's burning eyes were all turned to the military advisor.
Le Zhengming immediately poured a cup of hot tea for the little curly-haired boy and asked him to give him a good tactical lesson.
Zhuang Liqian sipped his tea to moisten his throat before continuing, "When I say we're sure to win this battle, I'm not just encouraging you. I'm basing my conclusion on scientific deduction and calculation. Just as geometry can effectively divide the dimensions of warfare, mathematical formulas can accurately predict the outcome of a war. For example, how long a battle will last, who will win, and how many casualties each side will suffer. And so on."
The generals only understood the last few words, and their hearts were suddenly burning with anger.
Knowing the outcome of a war through calculation? Doesn't that amount to prophecy? The military advisor is truly a genius!
All sorts of doubts were swirling in their minds, but no one was in a hurry to ask questions. Later, the military advisor would naturally help them explain things clearly in simple terms.
Zhuang Liguo further explained, "How can we use mathematical formulas to predict a war? First, we need to understand a concept called kill rate. The ratio of the number of enemies killed in a certain period of time to the initial number of enemies is called the kill rate.
"For example, if the Mongolian army consists of 100 men, and we can kill 10 of them within an hour, then 10:100 is 10%, which is our kill rate within a certain time period."
"We only managed to kill ten Mongols in one hour? That's impossible?" Huai Lao Er said with a frown.
Zhuang Li: "..."
Le Zhengming scolded angrily, "Didn't you hear the military advisor say to give an example? This is just an assumption to make your calculations easier."
"I understand, I understand." Huai Lao Er lowered his head in shame, and his black face turned red.
The other generals covered their mouths and chuckled. They'd actually wanted to ask the same silly question earlier, but had been a bit slow to speak. Fortunately, the fool Huai Lao Er had rushed ahead, highlighting their own wisdom and intelligence.
Zhuang Li continued, "Kill rate is the most fundamental variable in describing the war equation. Through it, I can briefly reveal to you another secret to unwavering victory."
When they heard the words "victory in every battle", everyone looked over at once, their eyes shining green.
Zhuang Li filled out the form while recounting, "The Mongols were very powerful in combat. Do you agree?"
"Agree." Everyone nodded reluctantly.
"I set the Mongols' kill rate at twice ours. Do you agree?"
Everyone was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Agreed."
Zhuang Li filled in the blanks with the corresponding data and said, "So, the Mongols' kill rate is 20%, and ours is 10%. Our combat effectiveness is only half theirs, a significant disparity. So let's consider this: if both sides start with 100 soldiers, and in the first time series, the Mongols kill 20 of ours and we kill 10 of theirs, our strength becomes 90:80.
"Assuming our kill rate remains constant and the battle continues until the last man in one of the armies is dead, then at the second time sequence, our forces will be outnumbered 81:64.
“In the third sequence, the ratio was 73:51.
"In the fourth time series, the ratio is 66:41..."
Zhuang Li counted for nineteen time periods before the ratio of the two sides' forces became 14:0.
Then, he took out another piece of paper, drew a table, and continued, "Now, let's calculate another war model. Suppose the Mongolian destruction rate is still 20%, and our army's destruction rate is still 10%. However, this time, the Mongolian initial strength is 100, and our initial strength is 300. Then, in the first time sequence after the war, the ratio of Mongolian to our army's strength is 70:280.
“In the second time series, the ratio was 42:266.
“In the third time series, the ratio was 16:263.
"In the fourth time series, the ratio is 0:263."
Zhuang Li spread the two tables flat on the table and said slowly, "Now I'm going to tell you about the second variable, which is the casualty rate. This is the ratio of an army's lost troops to its initial strength after the battle. In the first war model, the Mongols completely annihilated our army, resulting in an 86% casualty rate. In the second model, our army completely annihilated the Mongols, resulting in a 12% casualty rate. Now, comparing the two models, do you see the secret?"
All the generals immediately gathered around, pointing at the two tables and discussing them. They felt that they had grasped something, but they couldn't tell what it was.
Le Zhengming understood it after just a quick thought. Just as he was about to tell the answer, he saw the little curly-haired boy winking at him.
He understood and remained silent.
The generals put their heads together and stared at the two forms, but they didn't dare to speak at all, for fear that they would say something wrong and cause everyone to laugh at them.
Zhuang Li had no choice but to remind them, "Don't just stare at the numbers. Just compare the two tables' destruction rates, casualty rates, initial manpower, and the time it takes to achieve victory. Explain the differences between the two, and everything will become clear."
Everyone was silent for a moment, and then one after another became excited.
"I understand, military advisor! The Mongolians' combat effectiveness is twice as high as ours, but when the number of combatants is equal, it will take them a long time to kill us! Look, in the first table, it took them nineteen time sequences to kill us all; in the second table, with three hundred of us, it only took us four time sequences to wipe them all out!" A general raised his hand and shouted.
"Right, right, right," someone nearby immediately echoed, "The more people join the battle, the quicker it will take to achieve victory!"
Someone else added, "The casualties will be even smaller! With the same 100 men, the Mongols killed 86 of us; with the latter, we had three times as many as them, so only 36 of us died!"
"I understand now. Even if the Mongols are much stronger than us, with our numbers being three times greater than theirs, we can still easily defeat them. Is that what you mean, Military Advisor?" Huai Lao Er also got the idea and shouted, clapping his hands.
Zhuang Li smiled lightly and was about to speak.
A general standing on the periphery suddenly roared with excitement, "Military Advisor, I've realized something. It might be the secret to victory you're about to pass on to us. Would you like to hear it?"
"You say." Zhuang Li looked over expectantly.
Everyone turned their heads with burning eyes.
The man cleared his throat and said quickly, "Combining these two tables, I find that there is no such thing as a battle in the world where the few defeat the many, or the weak defeat the strong!"
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the tent.
Someone immediately retorted, "You're talking nonsense! The military advisor led us to victory over the Jie people! Isn't that a case of defeating a larger force with a smaller one?"
Zhuang Li couldn't help laughing, and raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.
Le Zhengming looked around at this group of roughnecks who had suddenly become interested in learning and thinking, and felt quite comforted. After being taught by Little Curly, they seemed to have developed an overwhelming passion for fighting.
The general from earlier bravely continued, "No, think about it. The military advisor taught us the Crescent Moon Formation, which allowed us to limit the number of Jie people in effective combat to around 3,000. In fact, during the Battle of Guandu, our force ratio to the Jie people was 40,000 to 3,000. We outnumbered them by more than ten times!"
The generals thought about it for a moment and suddenly realized: Yes, that's the truth!
Seeing everyone nodding, the general raised his voice a little, "Then I thought of Mr. Kong Ming's most famous battle, the Battle of Gaopo. In that battle, Mr. Kong Ming annihilated an enemy force of 300,000 with only 130,000 men.
He was using the Bagua formation, effectively dividing the enemy army into sixty-four divisions. Do the math: sixty-fourths of three hundred thousand is over forty-six hundred men. Mr. Kong Ming's forces instantly outnumbered the enemy by more than twenty times. That's why he was able to achieve such a resounding victory! Now, are you understanding something?"
"I've figured it out, I've figured it out. In fact, all wars are won by the side with more people. And the concept of a large number of people is not what we see with our eyes. It is divided, calculated, and deliberately arranged!"
Huai Lao Er rubbed the back of his head and said with a laugh, "I can actually say such profound words! General, did you hear that?"
The ice on Le Zhengming's face melted as his subordinates spoke one after another, and he could only smile and nod.
Zhuang Li clapped his hands and chuckled, "Everyone is right. This is the most fundamental secret to victory in every battle—concentrating superior forces. As long as our forces outnumber the enemy by three, four, five, or even ten times, and if there's no significant generation gap in weaponry, victory is guaranteed. At that point, no matter how powerful the enemy is or how far their range, they'll find it difficult to achieve victory. Any advantage they have will be negated by our human wave tactics."
This theory of war was once applied to the extreme by a great Chinese figure. His most famous argument was "concentrate all superior forces to annihilate the enemy."
The so-called "concentrating all superior forces" meant dispatching the largest possible number of troops to the battle in the shortest possible time. If the troops were insufficient, he would rather avoid them. As a result, the enemy's planes, tanks, machine guns, and artillery were destroyed by his millets and rifles.
After hearing the military advisor's encouragement, everyone became more interested in strategy and tactics. They took out the Mongolian past battle reports and studied them carefully. They discovered something new and started shouting.
"Military Advisor, Military Advisor! I know how to defeat the Mongols!"
"I know that too!"
"I, I, I know that too." A general standing at the outermost edge jumped up and raised his hand, fearing that the military advisor couldn't see it.
Zhuang Li chuckled and said, "Then help me analyze how we can defeat the Mongols."
Huai Lao Er was the first to speak, afraid that others would steal his thunder: "The Mongols may not seem to know how to set up battle formations, but in fact they also know how to divide the enemy's war dimension, so they can always defeat the enemy with fewer troops."
"Exactly! That's what I meant!"
"Huai Lao Er, you are the worm in my stomach!"
"I think so too!"
Many generals shouted at the top of their lungs, trying to steal the spotlight from Huai Lao Er. Isn't it just analyzing strategic tactics? They can do that too!
But God knows, before Little Curly came, these rough guys would look at Le Zhengming with confused eyes every time they fought, as if to say, "We will do whatever you say."
The great transformation they have experienced today is all thanks to Curly's training.
Given time, Le Zhengming could almost imagine how much they would grow. If they were released one by one, they would all become powerful generals who could defend a region.
Huai Lao Er, the most clueless one, was now confidently saying, "Military Advisor, the Mongols actually learned this fighting style from wild wolves.
"They favored harassment tactics, using their cavalry to periodically surround and attack enemy infantry. If the infantry retreated, they would pursue and attack; if the infantry advanced, they would immediately ride away to avoid casualties.
"Over time, the enemy's battle formation was broken up by their constant harassment, and the enemy soldiers became exhausted and found it difficult to organize an effective attack. They first divided the enemy's battle dimension, making the enemy tired, and then fought back to reap the victory."
The generals nodded in agreement, "That's right! The Mongols love to use fatigue tactics!"
Huai Lao Er became even more proud, slamming the table and saying, "Military Advisor, have you ever seen a pack of wolves attacking a flock of sheep? That's what those beasts do.
"From time to time they would run to the edge of the flock and tickle a sheep's butt. When the sheep came running towards them with their horns pointed, they would scatter and flee. This would repeat until a sheep became exhausted and fell behind. The wolves would then pounce on it and kill it.
"The Mongol army is actually a pack of wild wolves. Unlike us, they have already mastered the art of battle formations. They rely entirely on their wild instincts."
Zhuang Li nodded appreciatively and suggested, "So what? What should we do when facing a wolf pack?"
Huai Lao Er was so proud that his tail was almost raised in the air. Just as he was about to speak, someone in the tent couldn't wait to shout: "With an absolute advantage in manpower, don't fall behind. Maintain our battle formation. Attack when necessary and defend when necessary. Don't let the Mongols run away!"
Huai Lao Er was almost suffocated by the loud talk stuck in his throat. Damn, who stole his thunder?
At the same time, someone else shouted, "Don't be afraid of the Mongols, they're not that powerful! When you get to the battlefield, forget about anything else and just fight them!"
This land was ravaged by the Mongol cavalry. Upon hearing that the Mongols were coming, what army wouldn't be terrified? Some smaller nations even opened their gates and knelt to welcome the invasion.
The Mongols were as ferocious as jackals. Even if the Han people surrendered, they would still kill them. They would often ride across the border, leaving the city covered in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Even the air was filled with smog made up of the dead spirits.
In the past, the Wei soldiers were also afraid, but now, when they learned the key to winning a battle, this fear has been completely replaced by an urgent desire to fight.
They wanted to have a good fight with the Mongols on the battlefield.
They always felt that their combat proficiency was almost catching up to that of Mr. Kong Ming. If the old man could use the Bagua Formation, they could use it too! As long as they could break the Mongol battle dimension into smaller pieces, they could easily win. However, the specific method still needed to be carefully deduced on the sand table.
They can defeat the majority with the minority and the weak with the strong. With time, they can also create such miracles!
Seeing the wolf-like green light in everyone's eyes, Le Zhengming immediately suppressed their swollen ambitions: "Behave yourself, everyone, and don't get excited. I won't let you shed a drop of blood for the State of Jin. I brought you out without missing a single one, and I must bring you back without missing a single one."
Everyone's eyes welled up, and they were almost in tears. The general was so kind to them. Even the military advisor was reluctant to let them go to help the Jin State fight.
An atmosphere of emotion and joy enveloped the big tent.
Zhuang Li spoke cheerfully, "It seems you're all ready to go. Indeed, defeating the Mongols requires only two things: first, teach the Jin army to remain undisturbed by the Mongols and maintain a well-organized, solid battle formation. Second, teach them how to overcome their fear. This way, they can maximize their numerical advantage."
The generals nodded repeatedly and praised it as a brilliant idea.
Le Zhengming poured cold water on them at this moment: "But these two points are precisely the most difficult to achieve.
"The Jin army is made up entirely of remnants of foreign tribes. They have no idea how to unite and cooperate. How can they maintain a neat and solid formation on the battlefield?
"Moreover, most of these remnants' homelands were destroyed by the Mongols, and they are afraid of the Mongols. I'm afraid they will scatter and flee once they enter the battlefield, and we will have to take over the fight ourselves."
The generals were immediately seized with anxiety. The general was right; those foreign tribes were cunning and treacherous, and they wouldn't risk their lives for the Jin State. Many of them might even be planning a comeback.
Zhuang Li followed suit and asked, "So, do you have any good ideas?"
Everyone looked at each other, bewildered. To unite the scattered sands of Jin into a solid rock, to imbue the remaining alien tribes with the courage to brave death and the resolve to never retreat—this was no simple task; it was harder than ascending to heaven!
After thinking about it, everyone could only shake their heads.
Huai Lao Er said with a smug look on his face, "Military Advisor, how about you teach us a method?"
Zhuang Li looked around at everyone and saw that no one had any ideas. Then he knocked on the table and said, "Listen to the drum."
"What?" Everyone was stunned.
Zhuang Li pointed to his ear and repeated, "You don't need to inspire their morale, mediate their conflicts, or teach them complex battle formations. For the next month, you only need to teach them one thing: when they hear the drums beating, they must charge forward and never retreat. That's all that's needed."
"Is it that simple?" Huai Lao Er confirmed.
"Yes, it's that simple." Zhuang Li nodded firmly, and then explained in detail: "After thirty days of high-intensity training, the soldiers of Jin will develop a conditioned reflex of 'rushing forward at the sound of thundering war drums.'
"You don't need to know what a conditioned reflex is. You just need to understand that the sound of the drums will deprive these soldiers of their ability to think, and they will fight based on instinct. When the drums beat, they charge; when the drums stop, they stop, just as you know which direction to turn when you see the signalman waving a flag.
"This way, no matter how much the Mongols harass us, the Jin army will always be in control of the rhythm of the attack. Do you understand?"
All the generals had undergone arduous training and were accustomed to following the beat of drums and signal flags on the battlefield, so they naturally understood this principle.
They seemed to understand something, then clapped their hands in praise and each led tens of thousands of Jin soldiers to training.
When leaving the tent, Huai Lao Er swung the curtains until they crackled, walked outside with his legs spread wide, raised his hands to the sky, and shouted wildly, "Given time, I will definitely become a god of war!"
Everyone burst into laughter, yet they also harbored the same ambition. Under the military advisor's guidance, they gradually discovered that battle formations and military tactics weren't as difficult to understand as described in books. With diligent study, they could eventually become renowned generals.
Le Zhengming listened attentively to the noise outside and laughed a few times. After a moment, he looked somewhat dejected and murmured, "They say that a bad soldier brings a bad general. They've been with me for several years, but they haven't improved at all. Since you came, they've all changed. Is it because I'm not good enough?"
Zhuang Li glanced at his lower abdomen and said meaningfully, "I think you're great."
Le Zhengming's ears immediately turned red. He wanted to glare, but he smiled first, pursing his thin lips.
Zhuang Li stood up, put his arms around his lover's neck from behind, and gently pressed his lips against the crown of his head. He whispered softly, "If you're not capable, how can you expect them to follow you so loyally? You always stand at the forefront when fighting the enemy, leaving danger and death to yourself. You're not good at words, but you shoulder all responsibilities. To me, you are the best person in the world."
Not only did Le Zhengming's ears feel hot, but his eye sockets, nose, and heart also felt hot. His hardship, his exhaustion, his confusion and helplessness were finally completely soothed at this moment.
Zhuang Li lowered his head slightly, resting his cheek against his lover's temple. He breathed out a stream of hot air and said, "I will be your brain, and you will be my sword. I will plan your strategies, and you will fight for me across thousands of miles. Together, we will be invincible. How about this?"
"Okay." Le Zhengming spoke in a very hoarse voice, and his eyes, which had always been frosty, now showed clear tears.
Zhuang Li bit the tip of his ear and continued to coax him: "How about we play with guns for a while?"
Le Zhengming was filled with emotion: "..."
He was stunned for only a moment before he bent down, picked up the little curly-haired boy, and strode towards the inner room.
He may not be good at things that require his brain, but he is the best at using guns!
---
A month later, the Mongolian army arrived.
The Ninth Prince and Zhuang Xu sat in the pavilion on the top of the mountain, leisurely gazing at the distant mountains blurred by rain and fog.
"Has our army assembled?" The Ninth Prince slowly brewed tea.
"We've assembled, waiting for Jin to be severely defeated so we can immediately enter the battlefield and reap victory. My father asked me to bring a coffin with me to retrieve Zhuang Li's body. Your Highness will also need to assign me a few men. Finding a broken body on such a vast battlefield is quite difficult."
Zhuang Xu turned the cup over and washed it with boiling water, with a calm smile on his face.
The death of his brother seemed like a wisp of mist blown away by the wind in his mouth, so thin that it was not worth mentioning.
"It's a pity to have lost such a brilliant and talented person." The Ninth Prince shook his head regretfully, then rolled up his sleeves and poured tea.
As he handed one of the cups of tea to Zhuang Xu, a soldier hurried over and bowed, "Report! The Jin army defeated the Mongol cavalry!"
With a crisp clang, the scalding hot tea splashed around the hands of the Ninth Prince and Zhuang Xu, burning their skin red.
"Hiss!" The Ninth Prince gasped and suppressed his anger, asking, "Did Jin win?"
"Yes, General Le Zheng did not send any troops during the entire battle. The 450,000 Jin troops drove the Mongols away on their own."
"Are the Mongols so vulnerable?" Zhuang Xu came back to his senses and asked in a hoarse voice.
The soldier bowed and said, "It is said that after the battle began, the Jin army's war drums kept beating, and the Jin army charged forward without hesitation. They were even more brave and skilled than the Mongols, and they quickly won the victory."
"Just charge forward when you hear the drums, and you can repel the Mongols with just this one tactic?" The Ninth Prince was stunned.
During this month, he sent people to Jin State many times to inquire about the movements of Yue Zhengming and Zhuang Li, so he knew that this strategy was proposed by Zhuang Li.
Zhuang Li was reluctant to let Yue Zhengming's private soldiers participate in the war, nor did he teach the Jin army advanced battle formations. He only let them form the simplest square formations every day, listen to the roar of war drums, and charge back and forth on the training ground.
Upon seeing this intelligence, the Ninth Prince fully believed that Zhuang Li had run out of ideas and could only treat the Jin army as fools. After all, after being defeated, he could still safely leave Jin with the protection of Le Zhengming's 150,000 private soldiers. There was nothing to worry about.
Now, after hearing the exact results of the battle, the Ninth Prince realized belatedly that Zhuang Li's arrangement was not nonsense, but an ingenious strategy.
But the Ninth Prince had no idea what the other party was thinking, and he didn't understand the secret of this man's repeated victories.
"If I let you go to Jin State, can you help them defeat the Mongols?" The Ninth Prince turned to look at Zhuang Xu.
Zhuang Xu hid the back of his burned hand in his sleeve and said with a smile, "A 450,000-man army against a 150,000-man force, how can we not win?"
The Ninth Prince stared at him for a long moment, then lowered his eyes to sip his tea, scoffing inwardly. "That's easy to say, but you haven't volunteered to support the Jin State." Ultimately, you simply lack Zhuang Li's skill. A collection of scattered, scattered remnants of a foreign tribe could be trained into an impenetrable army by Zhuang Li. The other party was truly formidable!
It was not until this time that the Ninth Prince discovered that there was such a huge discrepancy between the rumors and reality.
Zhuang Xu, the renowned young prodigy, didn't seem particularly impressive; nor did Zhuang Li, the dandy young man, seem weak or incompetent. Clearly, the person spreading the rumor was deliberately trying to flatter Zhuang Xu and suppress him! But what was the real benefit?
The Ninth Prince concentrated and thought carefully, and soon thought of Madam Yanran, who was loved like a treasure by Zhuang Ran.
His heart suddenly felt heavy with pain, and he felt even more miserable. A foot-washing maid was just a foot-washing maid. Just because of a little selfishness, she had ruined Zhuang Li's reputation and caused him to lose a trusted official!
Because of this thought, the Ninth Prince no longer felt any favor towards Zhuang Xu when he looked at him again.
Good things are afraid of comparison, this is an eternal truth.
Zhuang Xu, a highly sensitive person, quickly picked up on the Ninth Prince's subtle shifts in mood. He closed his eyes and frantically flipped through military manuals in his mind, trying to figure out the reason for Zhuang Li's easy victory. But reading from a book is easy, applying it in real life is incredibly difficult.
He searched for a long time but couldn't find any basis, so he had to give up.
These various military books suddenly appeared in his mind when he was ten years old. He regarded them as treasures and studied them with great concentration. He used the various strategies in the military books to help the new emperor seize the throne.
Therefore, his father loved him very much.
He originally thought that he was the son of God chosen by God, possessing extraordinary wisdom and talent, and would surely achieve great things and hold a high position in the future. However, he did not expect that Zhuang Li would break his confidence with just a slight raise of his hand.
Could it be that even with all these profound military books, I still couldn't defeat Zhuang Li? Is he really that smart? Zhuang Xu was extremely unwilling to give up, but suddenly found that a book called "Firearms Encyclopedia" appeared in his mind.
He flipped through a few pages hastily, and his breathing became very rapid. When he opened his eyes, the frustration in his pupils had been replaced by complete excitement.
He adjusted his mood and said in a slow and proud tone, "Your Highness, it seems that my good brother really has some real skills. In this case, I have no choice but to take real action."
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