Chapter 255 Lighting the Way Ahead

Chapter 255 Lighting the Way Ahead

Chapter 255 Lighting the Way Ahead
At one o'clock in the morning, the night was as dark as ink.

In the midst of complete silence, only a small candle flame in the military tent stubbornly penetrated the thick darkness, casting circles of warm and dim light.

Although it was not very bright, it was enough to outline the simple layout of the military tent.

The walls were rough, made of cloth, and slightly frayed around the edges.

In a corner, a simple bed lay quietly, covered with a slightly thin quilt, which was now chilled by the cold wind.

Next to the bed, a long table stood alone, the tabletop glowing with a warm luster due to years of use.

There were a few unsorted documents scattered on it, as well as an oil lamp with a flickering flame.

Lu Yunyi was frowning at the moment, leaning back on a bench, wearing an ordinary uniform with a thick cotton coat, holding the military newspaper of Dingyuan Guard in his hand.

His face looked slightly solemn under the candlelight, with his brows furrowed.

Young but mature eyes stared at the anti-rebellion military report.

Although the military report was short, what was recorded in it was like the situation being thrown down from a height, causing waves.

Rebellion, suffering, sacrifice,
In addition, the coldness caused by the temperature difference between day and night can easily make people fall into sadness and unable to let go.

After a while, the last document, which was the most recent rebellion, was read.
Lu Yunyi slowly put down the document, folded his hands lightly in front of his chest, closed his eyes and thought, everything around him seemed to be still.

The only sounds left were the occasional sound of wind outside the tent and the sound of the pages of a book gently blowing in the breeze.

Lu Yunyi felt a little annoyed.
In two years, the losses caused by ten rebellions were ignored.
The casualties alone amounted to nearly two thousand, with over ten thousand rebel casualties and countless others executed afterwards.

Today's Yunnan Provincial Administration is like a huge furnace. Even if Luchuan does not attack, it is still full of killing.

Lu Yunyi was thinking hard about how to quell the rebellion once and for all.

However, they found that even in this dusi covered with mountains and forests, communication was seriously delayed.

When the Dusi and Xipinghou Mansion received the news of the rebellion, they ordered the local guards to suppress the rebellion.

It may have taken almost a month to go back and forth, which is too slow.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Yunyi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with coldness and determination.

He took a pen and paper from the side and wrote down eight words heavily.

"Use the barbarians to control the barbarians, and use the barbarians to defeat the barbarians."

This statement comes from "Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Biography of Deng Xun". Those who discussed the issue all believed that when the Qiang and Hu people attacked each other, it would be beneficial for the county officials to use barbarians to fight against barbarians, and it would not be appropriate to prohibit or protect them.

There have been rebellions within the Dusi for years, and the tribes everywhere are restless.

If the various departments could supervise and attack each other, perhaps the current situation could be alleviated.

As for how to achieve this situation, Lu Yunyi thought about it and wrote down four big words.

"Lure it with profit."

Then he wrote six more words.

“If you want to be rich, build roads first!”

Lu Yunyi lowered his head and thought, this "road" is not just a land route, it can also be a river route.
The Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nu River flow together in Yunnan Province.
This area occupies less than half of the current Ming territory.
However, 20% of the species are higher plants and 30% of the species are plants and animals.

And the culture is diverse, with various tribes intertwined and coexisting.

In Lu Yunyi's opinion, this has great economic value.
However, due to years of war, if we want to obtain sufficient economic value, we must have sufficient investment.

Nowadays, most of the money used by the Ming Dynasty for river management is used to manage the Yellow River and the Grand Canal. How can it take care of Yunnan?

Compared with the continuous investment, arranging the soldiers of the garrison to fight against the rebellion everywhere,
Perhaps the best way is to wait for time to merge them or make them disappear.

A trace of annoyance flashed across Lu Yunyi's eyes. He let out a long sigh and then pinched his eyebrows hard.

The shackles of productivity make it impossible to implement even if there are better methods, not to mention the open and covert fighting involved.

Lu Yunyi just felt his head swollen.

He stood up suddenly, wrapped his cotton coat tightly around him, and walked out of the military tent slowly.
The curtain was opened, and the cold wind blew in, almost drowning Lu Yunyi. The straight long hair on his head began to flutter in the wind.
Lu Yunyi looked at the guards beside him. They were also wrapped in cotton clothes.

He stood there like a pine or cypress, his nose red from the cold and his face a little cracked.

Lu Yunyi frowned: "No masks were distributed?"

The personal guard Feng Yunfang nodded repeatedly and sniffed:
"Yes, but it's too stuffy to carry around. We're not used to it. And this winter isn't that cold, so we won't carry it around."

"Too boring?"

Lu Yunyi took out his homemade mask from his arms with some surprise and put it on his face.
The masks are made of fine linen and cow tendon silk, and there are also linen gloves and shoes and socks.
They are all used to prevent mosquitoes when fighting in the mountains and forests, and can also be used to keep out the cold.

Although it was warm in the Yunnan Provincial Administration during the day, it was still a bit cold at night. The temperature difference between day and night was large, and if the soldiers did not take good precautions against the cold, they would easily catch a cold.

Lu Yunyi put on the mask and took a deep breath. He felt his breathing was smoother and looked at Feng Yunfang in surprise:

"Where are you bored?"

Feng Yunfang scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed:
"My Lord, it's just uncomfortable to wear."

Lu Yunyi took off his mask and looked up and down, thoughtfully:
"Okay, I got it. Next time, I'll try replacing the linen with silk."

Feng Yunfang widened his eyes in shock, thought for a moment, and advised:
"Sir, the brothers have been soldiers for many years and have always been here this way. It's better not to spend money."

"What are you talking about?" Lu Yunyi muttered, looking back and forth at his face:

"You are only twenty-three."

Feng Yunfang nodded repeatedly: "In a few days, I will be twenty-four."

"Look at you, you don't look like you're 23 years old. If you were in Yingtian, people would believe you were 30.

In the past, when marching and fighting, they never covered their faces, exposed to the wind and sun.

It’s okay if the past was bad,

Now that we have money, we still need to be careful.
Otherwise, even if you have done a great deed and received a reward, those women won't like you, so how can you take a concubine?"

As soon as these words came out, Feng Yunfang's face turned red and he lowered his head quickly.

The guards on the other side laughed secretly.
The most common thing they talked about in their daily lives was that they would become masters when they made money and then take concubines. They didn't expect that even the adults knew about it.

"Just spend more money."

Lu Yunyi laughed and patted his shoulder:

"Money can solve 90% of problems, but even if you spend a lot of money, you can't win someone's heart even if you get their body.

You should take better care of yourself on weekdays. Look at those talented men who hang out in brothels. They are all clean and fair."

Seeing their discontented faces, Lu Yunyi waved his hands impatiently:
"I won't tell you anymore. You will understand when you grow up."

As soon as these words came out, Lu Yunyi found that their expressions became even weirder.

They all lowered their heads, looking confused.

Lu Yunyi blinked and felt awkward.

He coughed lightly, said nothing more, and walked away.
"Where are you going, sir?" The guards hurriedly followed, asking as they ran.

"Patrol the camp!"

Lu Yunyi put on the head armor, then put on the mask, and started wandering around the military camp.

The tents in the military camp were arranged in an orderly manner. Originally, the tent of the front scout unit could accommodate five people.
However, because they had to travel quickly, they did not bring many tents, and there were often more than ten people living in one tent.

Now, we are in Dingyuanwei, with the help of some existing tents.
Nowadays, at most five people live in a tent, and if they are officers, each person has his own tent.

Lu Yunyi was walking in the officers' tent at this moment, and he would occasionally look inside.

Li Jinglong was lying on his back on the bed, probably because of the injury on the inner thigh, so he used the Yang-Restoring Position.
There was also a dark blue booklet on his face, which was probably the roster of the front-line scouts.

Lu Yunyi smiled and tied his curtains tightly.

Then he walked to a tent not far away and stopped.

Squat down and roll up the edge of the tent, then press it down firmly with a big stone so that it will not leak air.

Through the cracks in the tent, I saw Xu Zengshou.
His brows were furrowed at the moment, with a long knife in his hand, and he was muttering to himself, wondering what sweet dream he was having.

Lu Yunyi walked around and worked hard.
Soon he felt the mask was a bit stuffy, and with a flash of understanding in his eyes, he simply took it off.
Then he looked at Feng Yunfang who was also checking the military tents not far behind him and whispered:

"You're right, it's indeed boring." Feng Yunfang laughed after hearing this. His teeth were very white but his face was so dark that Lu Yunyi felt like a row of white teeth were swaying in the dark.

Lu Yunyi quickly walked to the last officer's tent, gently pulled open the curtain, and intended to see who was inside.

But soon, he heard a low shout.
"who!"

Lu Yunyi looked surprised, "Me."

Then he stuck his head in and saw that Liu Heiying had half stood up and the long sword in his hand was half unsheathed.

Seeing that it was him, Liu Heiying fell to the ground as if he was deflated, muttering to himself:
"Didn't Brother Yun'er just come over for patrol? Why is he here again?"

"It's been two hours. It's not just patrol. Go to sleep."

Lu Yunyi retracted his head and tied the curtain tightly.
Then he walked to the ventilation area on one side to check, and felt a stream of hot air coming out, so he left with peace of mind.

Lu Yunyi continued to walk forward, walked to the soldier's tent, and repeated the same action.
After walking past several tents, he took out the mask and put it on silently.

Soon, he saw a huge tent in front of him.
There were still candles lit there at this moment, and the soldiers patrolling the camp would frequently cast their eyes over there as they passed by.

Lu Yunyi had a strange look on his face and walked over slowly. Before he got close, he heard a familiar sound of reading.

“Thus, a good warrior seeks knowledge from the situation and does not blame others, so he can choose his opponent and endure the situation.

Those who follow the trend of the times are like turning wood and stone when fighting.

The nature of wood and stone is to be quiet when at peace and to move when in danger; to stop when square and to move when round.

Therefore, the momentum of a good warrior is like rolling a round stone on a mountain thousands of feet high. It is momentum. "

Lu Yunyi looked a little confused. Isn't this what was mentioned in Sun Tzu's Art of War about 'biased momentum'?

If I remember correctly, when I first came to inspect the camp, I learned the Three Character Classic and the Rules for Disciples. How come I am learning the Art of War now?
Because the front army scouts need elite troops for combat and the transmission of military orders,
Therefore, Lu Yunyi required that at least one person in each flag team must be literate.
The ones who taught them to read were several clerks in the army, and the lessons took about an hour after dinner at night.

Of course, if the clerk is willing to teach for a longer period of time, he will naturally have no objection.

Lu Yunyi stretched out his hand and slightly opened the curtain.

At first glance, he saw the clerk Yao Tongchen who was at the front.

He was from Peking. He failed to pass the imperial examination and his family was in financial difficulty, so he joined the army.

But he is also a person who has read many books of sages.

Below it, nearly thirty people were sitting in a slightly crowded manner.
Each of them has a stout body and a dark complexion.
At this moment, he was scratching his head while looking at the words on the blackboard in front of him, and reading in a low voice, as if he wanted to remember them in his heart.

Feng Yunfang, a personal guard at the side, also came over. When he heard the voice inside, his eyes widened suddenly. He ignored Lu Yunyi's presence and muttered:

"These damn bastards actually secretly learned the art of war, how come I didn't know about it."

Lu Yunyi glanced at him sideways, a little surprised, then suddenly laughed, finding this matter very interesting.

He did not go in, but stood at the door and listened quietly to Yao Tongchen's interpretation.
"A person who is good at commanding a battle seeks to create a favorable situation for his side, rather than being harsh on his soldiers.
Therefore, a good warrior can choose the right talents to utilize the "momentum" that has been formed to help himself win.

Those generals who are good at using "momentum" to command their troops in battle are like turning wood and stone.
When on flat ground, it stays still.

When it is on a sloping or steep terrain, it will roll.
Square objects tend to stay still, while round objects tend to roll.

Therefore, the "momentum" created by those who are good at commanding battles is
It is like a boulder rolling down from a very high mountain, unstoppable and invincible.

Hearing this, Lu Yunyi's eyes flashed with surprise, and he began to understand why the general wanted to find scholars to fight.
At least if the military books are interpreted correctly, one can better understand the generals' intentions and thus better implement the established strategies.

Lu Yunyi looked around and soon saw more than 30 confused faces.

Obviously, the soldiers who could not read these characters could not understand the true meaning.

Lu Yunyi turned around and looked at Feng Yunfang: "Do you understand?"

Feng Yun was bewildered and shook his head repeatedly: "I know the words, but I don't understand."

Lu Yunyi curled his lips and retracted his raised finger.

The curtains of the military tent closed tightly, and the noisy and low sounds inside suddenly became smaller.

Lu Yunyi walked forward and spoke:
"Yun Fang, do you know what kind of people are most likely to be promoted?"

Feng Yunfang nodded repeatedly.

"You know?" Lu Yunyi turned his head and looked over, a look of surprise on his face.

"People like you, sir." Feng Yunfang replied quickly.

Lu Yunyi rolled his eyes:

“You are one of those people, too.”

"Generally speaking, the personal guards of a general are most likely to be promoted.
Lord Changxing was once your Majesty’s personal guard, and now his family has been prosperous for generations.

Since you said that it would be easy for me to get promoted, I might become a high-ranking official in a few years.
By that time, the people around you will have become more powerful, and it will be possible for you to be sent out to lead troops.

But the prerequisite is that you must read the Art of War thoroughly and know how to fight and manage military affairs.
It is not enough to just stand guard and protect your superiors."

Feng Yunfang nodded thoughtfully and said:
"Sir, we are coming to the southwest this time.
Some young masters in the capital did not follow, and they used to be the guards. Did they get promoted faster? "

This question stumped Lu Yunyi a little. He smoothed his hair in the cold wind:

"You are quite smart. It would be a good idea for you to learn more about marching and fighting."

Feng Yunfang nodded repeatedly:
"Thank you for your teachings, sir. I will go ask Yao Tongchen tomorrow what he taught me and I will learn from him."

Lu Yunyi laughed and continued patrolling the camp.

Half an hour later, Lu Yunyi returned to the military tent with his personal guards.

It is already Yin time, around three o'clock in the evening.

After entering the military tent, Lu Yunyi took off his head armor and cotton coat and felt a wave of fatigue coming over him.

He walked to the basin and washed his face with cold water. He felt that every crack in his face was being attacked by the cold.

I looked at the back of my hands which were a little dry and cracked, and felt my cheeks which were a little dry.
Lu Yunyi walked to his luggage and took out the facial cream.

Scoop out a large piece and rub it back and forth on your palm, then apply it on your face one by one and spread it evenly.

Feeling some stinging in his hands and face, Lu Yunyi sat back at the long table with satisfaction.
Pick up the military newspaper you just read and read it again to consolidate your memory.

The stars faded, the dawn appeared in the east, the night quietly retreated, and the sky was dyed with a gentle blue-gray color.

The light penetrated the clouds like a thin thread, brushing across the earth, replacing the originally quiet atmosphere of the military camp with a vitality.

The soldiers opened their eyes one by one, quickly dressed themselves, the curtain of the tent was opened, and the soldiers walked out one by one.

After a night's rest, the soldiers were full of energy and began to work.

The air was filled with the faint smell of cooking smoke and morning mist.

In the military tent, Lu Yunyi sat beside a simple desk with a serious expression.
The original military report on the rebellion had long been put aside.
Instead, he wrote rapidly, pausing from time to time with a thoughtful look on his face.

When the first ray of sunlight penetrated the gap in the tent and shone directly on the document,
The solemnity in Lu Yunyi's eyes quickly faded, replaced by astonishment.

The big words in front of me are now shining.
"The Ming Dynasty's Firearms Innovation: Reshaping the Military System and Impacting the Old System"

After a night of thinking, Lu Yunyi finally understood.
If you want to extend the empire's tentacles to every corner, you need strong military power.

The inherent military system makes the training period of a soldier particularly long.
It may take more than five years to train an elite soldier, which is far from enough to support the defense of all directions.

It would be different if there were enough firearms.

It may only take three months of training for the empire's military gap with foreign powers to become particularly obvious.
In the eyes of the chieftains of the southwest, firearms are like gods descending from heaven.

Lu Yunyi looked at the words and the densely packed ideas above, and his eyes gradually brightened.

The fog in my heart was dispelled little by little, and at least I could see a slightly brighter path.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi stood up, feeling a little impatient.

He raised his head and walked out of the tent.

The noises around me continued.

Listening to the soldiers whispering and the horses neighing,
Looking at the rising smoke, my heart is filled with infinite emotion.

An hour later, the sky was already bright.
The gates of Dingyuanwei City were wide open, and five thousand scouts of the vanguard army rushed out and headed west.

(End of this chapter)