Chapter 474: Discussing sending troops, everyone is so smart!
The army has now split into three distinct factions. Among them, the young generation of generals led by Han Xin are in their prime and full of vigor and vitality. They have repeatedly made military achievements on the battlefield with their extraordinary military talents and fearless courage; while the older generation of generals headed by Cao Shen are experienced, calm and sophisticated. They have experienced many hardships and witnessed the baptism of countless wars. Unexpectedly, a new faction headed by Ying Bu and Zhang Liang has emerged at this time.
Looking at the veteran faction led by Cao Cao, most of its members were recruited when Gao Yao first arrived in the southern border and followed him all the way through his hard work. These generals were loyal to Gao Yao, unswerving in their determination, and had been following him for a long time. They would never easily betray or be fickle. However, their shortcomings should not be ignored.
Since most of them enlisted in the army when Gaoyao was neglected in the southern border and was suppressed by Zhao Tuo at that time, they generally performed mediocrely in terms of ability and could not handle important tasks. Moreover, because they had been together for a long time, they often relied on their qualifications to show off, and it was often difficult for them to obey the orders of truly talented people. This phenomenon was also a common drawback among many generals.
The reformist generals, led by Han Xin, followed Zhao Tuo without hesitation after he stepped down and Gao Yao successfully took control of the southern border. Among them, a considerable number of them were capable generals cultivated and promoted by Gao Yao himself. Even General Duosi had a very close relationship with Han Xin.
These new generals are full of vigor and vitality, and have great potential for development. They are brave and energetic. However, as everything has two sides, they also have some obvious shortcomings. First, they are relatively inexperienced. After all, they are still young and have not experienced too much baptism of war. Secondly, they are arrogant and often overconfident in their abilities, and find it difficult to listen to others' opinions with an open mind.
The most critical point is that they tend to stick together. This kind of sticking together behavior may not be a big deal at present, but if they continue to be like this as their military positions continue to rise in the future, and even develop to the point where they refuse to send troops if their demands are not met, then for Gao Yao, this is undoubtedly an absolutely intolerable situation. Therefore, appropriate suppression is imperative, and there is no room for carelessness. Only in this way can the stability and unified command of the army be ensured, and internal divisions and chaos can be avoided.
Finally, there is the new faction headed by Ying Bu and Zhang Liang. Most of them are those who have just joined the Southern Border Army. Following them are many generals who were previously affiliated with the imperial army. The advantages and disadvantages of these people are quite obvious. In terms of experience and ability, they are undoubtedly at a superior level. After all, they are all surrendered generals, so they are easily rejected by other generals.
Let's not talk about whether Gao Yao can really practice the so-called "meritocracy" principle. In fact, it is not just Gao Yao, but any ruler with great power who can hardly realize the principle of meritocracy in the full sense. This is an unavoidable problem, whether it has lasted for thousands of years or in the present era. After all, the original intention of people to follow the people in power and fight to the death is nothing more than the hope of gaining a better future. If a very talented person appears, he is immediately placed in a high position and those with slightly mediocre abilities are alienated, then the final result must be that no one is willing to serve you at the cost of their lives.
The generals of three completely different factions represent their own power and glory. On weekdays, everyone always behaves harmoniously in public, but secretly competes with each other, and no one is willing to submit to the other easily.
This expedition was a rare opportunity for everyone to make meritorious contributions, and it was a great opportunity to go down in history and be promoted to a higher position! Therefore, no one was willing to give it up. However, as Han Xin was a general, he had a prominent position and attracted much attention. When Gao Yao directed the topic to him, he knew that if he rashly recommended his confidant at this moment, it would not only seem too deliberate, but it would also most likely cause Gao Yao's displeasure or even suspicion.
So, after some careful consideration, Han Xin was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Mr. Prime Minister, in my opinion, General Ying Bu should be appointed as the commander-in-chief. After all, considering the current terrain factors and many other factors, it is more appropriate for General Ying Bu to lead the army. In addition, we can send our elite cavalry division and special forces division to cooperate with each other. In this way, our army will surely be able to successfully solve the various difficult problems brought by the Maurya Kingdom."
This answer seems to be quite conventional, but it actually contains a lot of secrets. Han Xin first took the initiative to push the important task of conquering the Maurya Kingdom to others in order to test Gao Yao's true thoughts. At the same time, he cleverly put forward reasonable military deployment suggestions, which not only demonstrated his excellent strategic vision, but also avoided being accused of arguing for credit.
"Hehe..." Gao Yao smiled slightly after listening to Han Xin's words. How could he not understand Han Xin's thoughts? Gao Yao was not as good as him in marching and fighting, but when it came to talking about people's hearts, Gao Yao was definitely a master. Han Xin's little idea was far from enough to fool Gao Yao.
"Cao Shen, do you have a different opinion on this matter?" Gao Yao slowly turned his gaze towards Cao Shen, his eyes as sharp as a knife. Cao Shen felt a sudden shock in his heart, as if he was hit by an invisible force. Just now, Gao Yao's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a smile that made many people present feel cold and tremble involuntarily.
Those who could be in the Prime Minister's Mansion were either those who had followed Gao Yao for a long time and were loyal to him, or those who had made great military achievements. Gao Yao had sneered like this only a few times, but each time meant that at least thousands of lives had been lost.
"Prime Minister, I have no objection to the general's strategy. Everything he said makes sense!" Cao Shen thought to himself, and decided not to be the first to take the blame. Someone has to take the responsibility anyway, so let Han Xin be the scapegoat. Han Xin, who was standing by, heard this and his face suddenly darkened. Obviously, he did not expect things to develop to this point, which was very different from the plan they had discussed in advance.
"Xiao He, what do you think? Tell me about it." Gao Yao's gaze then turned to Xiao He again. His tone seemed calm, but it contained a mystery.
After a brief hesitation, Xiao He quickly bowed and said, "Mr. Prime Minister, I am not very proficient in matters of marching and fighting. Therefore, the opinions of the general and General Cao Shen should be taken seriously. I dare not make any comments here!"