Spring goes and autumn comes, time flies by, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three years, Lu Li stayed in Ghost Valley, teaching the outer disciples of Ghost Valley martial arts.
Aside from occasionally giving special guidance to Jiang Wei, Deng Ai, and others in their training, he spent most of his time recuperating in Guigu Valley.
During these three years, the two men's martial arts skills improved rapidly, and they also gained a deep understanding of military strategy and battle formations.
Jiang Wei, in particular, has already become the most outstanding disciple of the Guigu School.
However, Deng Ai was naturally dull-witted and had a stutter, which led to him being ridiculed and even looked down upon by the outer disciples.
However, Jiang Wei treated him very well and often urged him to practice martial arts diligently.
Although Deng Ai was dull-witted, he was diligent and eager to learn.
Lu Li was very satisfied with Deng Ai's performance. This clumsy but stubborn child gave him many surprises.
One morning, Lu Li sat on a futon and looked down at his disciples, asking, "What are your views on military strategy?"
At this moment, Jiang Wei stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "This disciple believes that war is a matter of vital importance to the state, a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin, and must not be neglected!"
"The principle of military strategy is that when a general receives the emperor's order, from assembling the army and setting up camp to heading to the battlefield to confront the enemy, there is nothing more difficult than first securing the conditions for victory."
"The most difficult part of military competition is to achieve the goal of reaching the predetermined battlefield faster by advancing in a roundabout way, and to turn seemingly unfavorable conditions into favorable ones."
"Therefore, in the art of war, one should not launch a frontal attack against an enemy that occupies high ground and has its back to hills."
"Do not pursue or attack an enemy that is feigning defeat and retreat."
"Do not launch a direct attack on the enemy's elite troops, and do not be greedy for their bait."
"Do not intercept troops that are retreating to the mainland, and leave gaps for the surrounded enemy forces."
"Do not push an enemy into a desperate situation too hard; these are basic principles of warfare."
Lu Li nodded in satisfaction. Jiang Wei was very knowledgeable about Sun Tzu's Art of War.
It has to be said that Jiang Wei's thinking was incredibly flexible; with just a few simple words, he was able to grasp the essence of military strategy.
His gaze swept over the crowd, and he asked, "And you? What are your thoughts?"
The disciples exchanged glances, then said in unison, "We believe Senior Brother Jiang's point of view is very reasonable!"
At this moment, Deng Ai stood up and said, "Disciple...disciple has...has a different opinion."
Deng Ai's words drew disdainful glances from a group of disciples.
In their eyes, this kid was a blockhead.
"Oh? Then you tell me about it."
Deng Ai immediately replied, "Warfare is based on deception...it lies in striking unexpectedly and attacking where the enemy is unprepared."
"But...but sometimes, no matter how brilliant the military strategy is, it is difficult to withstand the crushing power of absolute strength."
"Therefore...the greatest advantage of military strategy lies in deception, surprise attack, and unexpectedness. To achieve...to achieve victory with fewer troops...to achieve...to achieve victory with the weak!"
Lu Li nodded, showing great appreciation for Deng Ai's answer.
He then asked, "What are the weaknesses of military strategy?"
After thinking for a moment, Deng Ai said, "The biggest weakness of military strategy is that it is static, while people are dynamic."
"Therefore, no matter how brilliantly a military strategy is written, it depends on how people implement it. If one blindly follows the strategy, one will become stagnant and unable to adapt!"
Upon hearing Deng Ai's words, Lu Li's eyes lit up, and he said, "You're right. Military strategy is static, but people are dynamic. We must formulate plans based on the enemy's style of operation in order to win battles and achieve final victory."
Upon hearing their understanding of military strategy, Lu Li realized that they had actually chosen different paths.
Although Jiang Wei was very familiar with military strategy, he was too cautious and inflexible, making him more suitable for defending cities; Deng Ai was more aggressive, wanting to take the initiative to find opportunities, and was unpredictable and adaptable, combining theory with practice.
It's not fair to say who was right or wrong. Jiang Wei was destined to become a legendary general, but when faced with real difficulties and wanting to turn the tide, it might have been very difficult.
People like Deng Ai often produce unexpected results in desperate situations, potentially changing the entire course of the battle.
In Deng Ai's mind, the essence of military strategy remains the same despite all changes! The core of military strategy is one word: deception!
They are cunning and difficult to guard against.
"Alright, that concludes today's debate. You can all go and rest now."
The disciples were all reluctant to part ways; Lu Li had finally given them a lesson, and it was ending so early.
But they still obeyed Lu Li's orders.
A group of people walked out of the inner courtyard, but they hadn't gone far when Jiang Wei was stopped by Deng Ai.
"Junior brother, what is it?" Jiang Wei turned around and asked in confusion.
Deng Ai walked to Jiang Wei's side, a hint of hesitation on his face, and asked, "Senior brother, I...I want to go down the mountain and travel around."
"But... but I dare not tell my master."
Deng Ai's face was flushed, her head was down, and she looked very nervous. Her hands were clasped together, and she looked awkward.
"Uh, you're traveling down the mountain? Where are you going?" Jiang Wei asked in surprise.
Deng Ai coughed lightly and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I want...I want...I want to go to Yanzhou and other places to take a look!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei was stunned for a long time. Yanzhou was Cao Cao's territory!
Jiang Wei immediately advised, "Junior brother, you mustn't be reckless!"
Deng Ai quickly shook his head and said, "Don't worry, senior brother, I... I'm just going out to broaden my horizons, I won't cause any trouble!"
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