Chapter 4, Dusk (3)

First

Du Hu had followed Wen Tianxiang for many years, and Xiao Zi could be considered a veteran with over a year of military experience. Together with Zhang Tang, the leader of the militia, the three engaged in a lively discussion, each contributing their thoughts to complete Wen Tianxiang's training outline. In areas where there was confusion, Wen Tianxiang, despite his fatigue, provided detailed explanations. Du Hu identified certain items that did not align with the current military situation, but with the combined wisdom of Zhang Tang, Xiao Zi, and Wen Tianxiang, they were able to devise appropriate strategies. Xiao Zi took out paper and pen, taking notes as he listened. After a thorough discussion among the four, they managed to formulate a complete training method by the time dawn broke. The revised training outline differed significantly from the one organized by Wen Zhong based on his memory, as it not only adhered to the essence of the original outline but also addressed the realities of the current military situation.

To understand the responsibilities of officers, the knowledge of weapon storage, military etiquette, and military law

The quality of soldiers? The physical condition of the rebel army, who subsist on meager rations, cannot be compared to that of the Mongolian warriors who engage in pillaging.

Among the responsibilities of soldiers, military duties and drill training are of utmost importance. It is preferable to forgo other subjects; these two must be mastered, as they determine the cultivation of obedience to orders. When a soldier is assigned a mission that is certain to result in death, he will not question his superior by asking, "Why don't you go yourself?"

It is a queue, covering daily subjects such as weapon knowledge, combat, and obstacle crossing

Wen Tianxiang pondered and articulated these concepts in a manner that Du Hu and others could comprehend. Occasionally lost in thought, he inadvertently caused a small cut on Zhang Tang's head with his sword. Zhang Tang remained completely unaware, and neither Du Hu nor Xiao Zi noticed; they were all astonished. The training content sounded very familiar, yet it was something they had never considered or could not organize coherently. In the Song army, some regulations were similar to this training content, but they were never explained as clearly and explicitly, nor did they reference the principles of heaven and earth or the Eight Trigrams. It merely stated how to perform the actions and explained the reasons behind them.

It is easy to defeat the bandits in the mountains, but it is difficult to conquer the bandits within the heart. In an instant, cold sweat soaked through Wen Tianxiang's back.

"Prime Minister, since the founding of our dynasty by Emperor Taizu..." Xiao Mingzhe took over the conversation and reminded in a low voice. Since the establishment of the Song Dynasty by Emperor Taizu, there has always been a preference for civil over military matters, with the status of civil officials far surpassing that of military generals. Even in Wen Tianxiang's army, generals from military backgrounds have only had the authority to execute orders, while decisions on how to fight and where to engage have always been made by officials from civil backgrounds. Particularly for someone like Xiao Mingzhe, who holds a degree, his status is even more elevated. These have been the established rules for three hundred years, and no one has deemed them incorrect. Wen Tianxiang's sudden elevation of the military's status to be on par with that of the civil service was difficult for Xiao Mingzhe to accept. Meanwhile, Liu Zijun was more concerned about whether this move would attract criticism from the ruling court and lead to unnecessary troubles.

Let us go, the Chancellor has not slept well for several days" Chen Zijing tugged at He Shi's sleeve and took his leave together with him. He did not wish to say more; Wen Tianxiang treated him with the courtesy due to a national hero, and Zijing would surely repay him with the strength of a national hero.

Zou Chao shook his head, as if awakening from a dream. He first performed a bow and apologized to everyone, then sighed and said, "Brother Zhang has misunderstood; there is nothing inappropriate here. This strategy is indeed timely. I was just reminded of what General Gong said about having generals without troops, and I momentarily lost my composure. If our army had received this document earlier, the situation in the Jiangnan West Route would not have deteriorated to such an extent"

The enthusiasm of scholars alone cannot save the Song Dynasty; the battle in southern Jiangxi has already proven this truth with blood.

The flickering candlelight caused Wen Tianxiang's spirit to once again return to the realm of dreams. The patriotic scholar Wen Zhong joined the Eighth Route Army, training alongside a group of farmers with pale faces, engaging in activities such as haircuts, running, and practicing formations. A few months later, those farmers who had just laid down their hoes and trembled at the sound of machine guns transformed into fierce tigers descending from the mountains. He hoped that the militia under Zhang Tang could achieve the same.

Physical examination, let's just leave it at that. With this small number of personnel, once the physical examination is over, it is estimated that they will be completely eliminated.

It is unclear what Wen Tianxiang was thinking at hetushu.com. When mentioning Gong Xin, Du Hu, and others, there is a sense of melancholy. Gong Xin was the only regular officer from a military background in Wen Tianxiang's ranks. During the counterattack on Ganzhou, Wen Tianxiang once allocated five thousand militia to be led by Gong Xin, who declined with the remark, "These people are merely a burden." He only took his own one thousand troops from the Jianghuai region. At that time, Zhang Tang criticized Gong Xin for looking down on others, but in retrospect, Gong Xin's words were not entirely incorrect. Although the militia appeared formidable in number, their combat effectiveness was indeed very poor. In victory, they resembled a swarm of bees, but in defeat, they resembled a flock of sheep.

In the tent, Prime Minister Wen opened his eyes once more, gazing outside with a piercing look, as if he could see through the darkness into an infinitely bright future. Suddenly, he supported himself on the table, stood up, walked to the weapon rack made of branches, and drew his treasured sword. Resolutely, he swung it towards himself.

Xunzhou is no longer accessible. In Wenzhong's memory, after the Battle of Kongkeng, his experiences are almost a blank. Perhaps after going to Xunzhou, he never fought a proper battle again. He was pursued by the Mongols, suspected by Zhang Shijie, and ultimately met his demise at the hands of Zhang Hongfan

"This?" Du Hu and Du Guiqing hesitated for a moment, then suddenly realized, "So the Prime Minister is cutting his hair to signify his determination; we have been reckless." Filled with remorse, they stepped forward and gently cut off the remaining hair of Wen Tianxiang with a treasured sword

With morale at an all-time low, the various factions of the Song Dynasty find themselves in a dire situation. The two thousand remnants of soldiers in the Hundred Zhang Ridge are facing what is nearly a dead end.

Zou Ce held great admiration for the military training outline that Prime Minister Wen had written overnight, and everyone passed it around, going through each item one by one. The more they looked, the more they could not put it down, and the more they looked, the more astonished they became. Everyone had fought several battles against the Yuan army and understood the difficulties of military service, as well as the low combat effectiveness of the civilian army. Not only did they struggle against the Mongolian soldiers, with a ratio of one to ten, but even when facing the newly allied Mongolian Yuan troops, who were also Song people, they could only fight a retreating battle under equal numbers. There had been those who were determined to reorganize the troops, but they faced two main obstacles: a lack of time and an inability to come up with suitable methods. Wen Tianxiang's words in the military training outline resonated deeply with them. They knew that if they followed Prime Minister Wen's approach and trained the remaining soldiers in Wuyi Mountain for a few months, although they could not guarantee that every soldier would possess the combat effectiveness of the Yue Family Army under the command of the great General Wu Mu, at least they would not suffer such a disgraceful defeat against the newly allied troops.

After hearing Zhang Tang's scolding, Wen Tianxiang did not get angry but instead laughed. He pried open Xiao Zi's arm, handed the sword to Du Hu, who was staring at him intently, and found a seat to sit down with a smile. Shaking his head, which was missing a small patch of hair, he explained, "My hair is cut, not shaved for monastic life; what are you all so anxious about? Noble sir, do me a favor and shave off the other half of my hair as well. The humidity is heavy; let me cool off a bit"

"The mountains and rivers of the Great Song will never return, and I shall never grow my hair again. If the Prime Minister cuts his hair, I shall cut mine as well." The scribe Xiao Zi, his spirit initially unsettled, moved a straw mat and knelt beside Wen Tianxiang, removing his hat and extending his clean-shaven head towards Du Hu. Du Hu, who was still tidying up the remaining hair of Wen Tianxiang, smiled and quickened his pace, and in the blink of an eye, he had also shaved Xiao Zi's head into a bald dome.

As I expected, Wen Tianxiang smiled and, with great magnanimity, waved his hand, providing the answer he had long prepared: "Ladies and gentlemen, can you still distinguish whether you are scholars or warriors? Moreover, with so many of us here, dividing into ranks and statuses would only diminish the interest. If we are defeated, all the people of the Song Dynasty will become slaves to the Mongols. In a gathering of slaves, what significance is there in determining who is superior or inferior?"

Fifth

"It is best to shave it off; if someone is unwilling, then so be it, let him return home." Wen Tianxiang nodded and slowly explained to a few people. "Do you remember the Battle of Empty Pits? Although General Gong Xin had few soldiers, their momentum was not inferior to that of the Mongols."

The large tent gradually became empty again. Wen Tianxiang called over Chen Zijing and He Shi, assigning them respective tasks. Since the two of them could disguise themselves as monks and Taoists to escape amidst the chaos of battle, it would not take much effort to revert to their original appearances. He Shi's task was to descend the mountain and travel to various places in Jiangxi's southern region to gather soldiers who were still willing to serve the Song Dynasty. Chen Zijing's task was to cross the Wuyi Mountains to the south, to the Shaowu army, to gather intelligence on the situation there and, at the same time, prepare supplies for the righteous army.

Upon hearing these words from Zou Zuo, everyone felt a deep sense of melancholy. The Song Dynasty, in an effort to appease various heroes, conferred high official titles upon each individual. In the tent, Wen Tianxiang held the position of Prime Minister, Zou Zuo served as the Deputy Envoy for Pacification, holding the title of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, Du Hu was the Deputy Envoy for Suppression, and He Shi was the Chief Justice of Jiangxi. It could be said that high-ranking officials from several provinces were gathered near this Baizhang Ridge. However, there were no troops to command, no funds to utilize, and they were left with nothing but a fervent desire to serve their country, yet found themselves unable to exert any effort.

To achieve marching, camping, knowledge of security, basic tactics, and an introduction to hypothetical enemies

This is indeed the case, Qiuxiang swore an oath of brotherhood, what do you think? Liu Zijun nodded, believing that Wen Tianxiang's words were reasonable

"Min Zhang, it is fine to speak frankly." Wen Tianxiang followed Liu Zijun's指指 and saw that Liu Zijun was pointing to the section he had mentioned in the second part of the opening, which stated, 'Officials and soldiers are equal, civil and military are on par, and before the battle, all generals, regardless of their background, may speak openly about strategies and losses.'

Third

But what of it? If one does not kneel under the Mongolian iron hooves, even if one is shattered to pieces, what is there to fear? A faint smile appeared at the corner of Wen Tianxiang's mouth, though there may be millions, I shall go forth!

Du Hu is the youngest son of the former Prime Minister Du Fan. In his youth, he was a wandering hero who had learned some martial arts. He had wielded a three-foot sword to slay countless Tatars, yet he had never thought of using his sword skills to cut hair. After finishing with Xiao Zi's hair, he shook his head and smiled wryly at himself. The loud-voiced Zhang Tang also leaned in with his chubby head, saying, "Give me a shave too. Since the Prime Minister has shaved his head, I shall do the same. Until we drive away the Mongols, I will never grow my hair again." After finishing with Xiao Zi's hair, he shook his head and smiled wryly at himself. The loud-voiced Zhang Tang also leaned in with his chubby head, saying, "Give me a shave too. Since the Prime Minister has shaved his head, I shall do the same. Until we drive away the Mongols, I will never grow my hair again."

Transforming a farmer into a soldier requires undergoing the following essential training, intertwined with the memories of Wen Zhong and Wen Tianxiang, written in a frenzy, now organized into clear lines, astonishingly vivid

"I will teach you, if you believe me," Wen Tianxiang stood up and patted Zhang Tang's shoulder with all his might

Wen Tianxiang nodded slightly, took the sword from Du Hu's hand, and gently shaved off the few patches of unshorn hair on Zhang Tang's head. While shaving, he explained to everyone, "The essential element of military training is to ensure that soldiers obey orders without question. Therefore, it is crucial to cultivate their spirit of obedience. Shaving heads and maintaining military appearance is the first step..."

"No!" Du Hu and Xiao Zi shouted in unison, desperately running towards the tent, but a figure moved even faster than them, darting into the tent like lightning

"Good!" Zhang Tangteng suddenly stood up, and Du Hu barely dodged in time, almost leaving another mark on his nearly shaved bald head. "With one word from the Chancellor, my brothers, whether in the wind or in the fire, frown, they are nothing but bastards!"

Second

Can the generals really act according to my words? As the flush faded, a sense of coldness rose deep within Wen Tianxiang's heart. Many of the thoughts in Wen Zhong's mind were not in accordance with the etiquette of the Song Dynasty, and even subverted tradition. Under normal circumstances, Wen Tianxiang himself would find it hard to accept, which is why this internal struggle was so painful

The Chancellor gazed at Wen Tianxiang, whose health was just beginning to recover, and felt a slight sting in his nose. Having lost the city and territory, with soldiers scattered, not only did Lord Wen not express disdain or doubt, but he praised him for his wisdom and courage. Such gratitude for being recognized, how could it not move one deeply

Zijng, if possible, go to Baoji to take a look," Wen Tianxiang personally sent the two out of the large tent and, before parting, instructed Chen Zijng. The Baizhang Ridge beneath their feet is merely a perilous location in the Greater Wuyi Mountain area, while the location of Shaowu Army (in Fujian's Shaowu) is more suitable for implementing the guerrilla strategy derived from Wen Zhong's memories. There, Wujun Mountain, Tangshi Mountain, and Qitai Mountain, with several towering peaks, provide an excellent place to eliminate Mongolian cavalry within the dense forests of mhetushucom.com. Moreover, the iron ore in Baoji, the silver mines in Huangtu and Jiangyuan, and the gold mines in Taining, would be better utilized for military supplies rather than being given to the Mongolians.

"Sir, are you really going to abandon the Song Dynasty and disregard everyone else?" Du Hu shouted angrily. "A person's hair and skin are received from their parents; to destroy them is to be unfilial. The Song people have always valued propriety and education. Those who cut their hair usually enter the monastic life, severing all ties with the mundane world. He understood that the situation of the war was disheartening, yet he did not expect that Wen Tianxiang had already descended into such despair.

"In order to drive out the Tartars, everyone is willing to sacrifice their lives, let alone have their heads shaved." Zhang Tanghao boldly accepted the letter. The Prime Minister himself taught him military tactics, and this news would bring him a lifetime of glory. Moreover, even if the Prime Minister did not teach him, he still had to train the troops under his command, which had to be stronger than the brothers of Gong Xin in Jianghuai. The Tartars had slaughtered so many villages and towns in Jiangxi, and the responsibility for revenge now rested on the shoulders of these remaining thousand or so men.

"Will Master Wen be alright? Today seems a bit off," whispered the attentive scribe Xiao Zi, gently tugging at Du Hu's sleeve while pointing to Wen Tianxiang, who was fluctuating between joy and worry inside the tent.

Thinking of the string of monk's heads from the New Army, Wen Tianxiang smiled to himself. Emerging from Baizhang Ridge will be the first troop in Chinese history to have shaved heads. In a certain sense, starting from last night, he has already changed history, diverting fate from its original course

On that day, Gong Xin led over a thousand troops to confront the enemy's tens of thousands.

"I shaved my head, not merely to express my resolve." Knowing that the first step of the plan was being implemented smoothly, Wen Tianxiang quietly breathed a sigh of relief, touched his bald head, and said to Zhang Tang, who was cutting his hair, "Shaving my head is for the purpose of training the troops."

"Everyone must shave their heads; didn't I say that? Officials and soldiers are equal. If you don't shave, how can the soldiers be convinced?" Wen Tianxiang shot a glance at Li Guidan, exuding an aura of authority without anger, which intimidated the latter into swallowing back his protest. A few disgruntled civil officials were about to argue when suddenly Zhang Tang, slapping his bald head, shouted loudly: "Everyone is willing to sacrifice their heads to drive out the Tartars; why should we care about these few strands of hair? Anyone who is unwilling to shave their head should hurry down the mountain and surrender to the Mongolian Tartars, lest they show cowardice in battle and bring shame to us all!"

I am not ... ..." Wen Tianxiang was left in a state of both laughter and tears by Du and Xiao. Just as he was about to explain, the first person to rush in and stop him was Zhang Tang, the leader of the righteous army, who angrily shouted, "Xiong, the righteous armies from various places in Jiangxi are still waiting for Lord Wen to raise troops against the Yuan again. I never expected that the Lord would be a coward who admits defeat after losing once. Is it just because we lack soldiers? We can recruit more soldiers; if we lack weapons, we can seize them from the Tatars. You have left your home like this; what does it count for? It would be better to surrender; at least you could exchange yourself for your wife and children, so they do not have to suffer."

On that day, instead of being preoccupied with conquering cities and plundering lands, if we had learned the art of military training from General Gong, we would not have suffered such a disastrous defeat. It is a pity that now, when we are willing to learn, General Gong has already become a legendary figure of the ages. Zhang Tang sighed in regret. At the time of the uprising, everyone was filled with enthusiasm. However, enthusiasm alone could not withstand the three assaults of the Yuan army without abandoning their weapons and fleeing; indeed, very few could do so. It was already a challenge for the troops under his command to be defeated yet not routed. Yet, enthusiasm alone could not withstand the three assaults of the Yuan army without abandoning their weapons and fleeing; indeed, very few could do so. It was already a challenge for the troops under his command to be defeated yet not routed.

Where is there still time? Wen Tianxiang raised his hand, and half of his gray hair fell into the morning breeze

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, as if a pair of hands had parted the mist, laying a path before Wen Tianxiang. In an instant, a layer of excitement flushed across his face

Engaging in casual conversation to ease the atmosphere, this is what is referred to in military texts as sharing food and clothing with soldiers. This is easy; the generals under my command are all capable of doing this

"There is no need for the fire and wind anymore. Tomorrow, I will give you one day. All your men must shave their heads clean," Wen Tianxiang said with a smile, turning to take a few sheets of paper from the pile, organizing them in order, and assembling them with the books. "This is the rapid training method I have deduced from the 'Comprehensive Military Essentials' over the past few days. Although it is somewhat rushed, it perfectly aligns with the current situation. The time the Tartars have left for us is indeed limited"

In military operations, one cannot proceed without eyes. Your two tasks are of great importance; whether we can emerge from the Wuyi Mountain region and return to the battlefield depends on you both. The Mongols are ruthless, and only those who possess both wisdom and courage can contend with them. Therefore, I urge you both to act with utmost caution. In summary, return alive.

Shaving the head, cultivating obedience and a spirit of collectivism

"Zijing, Liang Weng, you do not need to shave your heads for a while. Each of you go find fifty bold and meticulous brothers who are eloquent. I have an important matter to entrust to you." After observing that the discussions among everyone had nearly concluded, Wen Tianxiang called over Chen Zijing and He Shi to promptly devise the next action plan.

Fourth

Du Hu shook his head and gestured with his eyes for Xiao Zi to continue observing. He had seen all the disappointment on Wen Tianxiang's face just now; at this critical moment, it was imperative that nothing happened to Lord Wen. Suddenly, Du Hu felt a chill in his palms, and sweat had unknowingly soaked his hands.

What should I do? Wen Tianxiang thought with melancholy

Through provocation, guidance, and persuasion, Wen Tianxiang gradually led the three individuals into the narrative he had crafted. Du Hu was his lifelong friend, Xiao Zi was his close aide, and Zhang Tang was a passionate hero. Once he had convinced these three, the work with the other generals could be carried out gradually, expanding influence bit by bit

During the training, Du Hu's hand trembled slightly, nearly making a small cut on Zhang Tang's scalp. Before he could express his apology, Zhang Tang, with his large eyes resembling cowbells, asked in a deep voice, "How is this training done? Does it mean we all have to shave our heads?"

Zou Ce looked up in surprise, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. Ever since Prime Minister Wen awoke last night, his style of conduct has felt markedly different from before. As for whether this change is good or bad, Zou Ce could not say. In any case, it seems that Prime Minister Wen has become much more amiable than he was before, and his speech no longer carries the same tone, each sentence imbued with melancholy. He also recalled his fierce general, Lü Wu, a man so valiant in battle, yet he was not killed by the Yuan army for his disrespect towards the gentry, but was instead executed by his own men. If Prime Minister Wen had proposed the idea of military and civil officials being on equal footing earlier, Lü Wu would not have met such a tragic end, and the disastrous defeat a few days ago might have been avoided.

Hearing the exuberant laughter of Wen Tianxiang, generals Liu Zijun, Chen Longfu, Xiao Mingzhe, Zou Chuan, and others all rushed over. Everyone was concerned about the condition of Prime Minister Wen, and they had slept fitfully that night. Upon entering the tent, they were startled to see four monks. Drawing from the experience of the previous night, Wen Tianxiang knew that everyone would misunderstand again, so he quickly reiterated the purpose of his hair cutting. Zou Chuan, the Deputy Envoy of Jiangxi, was skeptical. He snatched the still-damp training outline from Xiao Zi's hands and flipped through it roughly. After a while, he fell silent. Drawing from the experience of the previous night, Wen Tianxiang knew that everyone would misunderstand again, so he quickly reiterated the purpose of his hair cutting. Zou Chuan, the Deputy Envoy of Jiangxi, was skeptical. He snatched the still-damp training outline from Xiao Zi's hands and flipped through it roughly. After a while, he fell silent.

With advanced weapons? The weapons that can be produced in Huangyadong are unlikely to be manufactured by their own army in the near future. Even if they are produced, it would be difficult to prevent these weapons from falling into the hands of the Northern Yuan.

Since Heaven has bestowed upon me the memories of Wen Zhong regarding the events in Huangya Cave, I must take a gamble, for the sake of these people on Baizhang Ridge today, and for the fate of the Song Dynasty

"Sir, what do you mean by this?" Xiao Zi tightly clutched Wen Tianxiang's arm, tears streaming down her face. Just moments ago, she thought Wen Tianxiang was going to take his own life, and six of her seven souls had been frightened away, leaving the remaining fragment of her attention entirely focused on holding onto Wen Tianxiang's arms.

Upon hearing his loud voice, several discontented generals fell silent. Indeed, if one could sacrifice their head, why worry about a few strands of troublesome hair? Moreover, the humidity on this mountain is heavy, and bathing is inconvenient. Shaving their heads would actually be refreshing. With such gloomy thoughts, each took the orders from Wen Tianxiang and went down to arrange for their subordinates to shave their heads and reorganize as appropriate.

If Wen Zhong were faced with such a situation, what would he do

Sixth

"Do not speak further; those who can suffer defeat yet refuse to give up are all loyal and righteous individuals," Wen Tianxiang said with a smile, his eyes filled with trust and anticipation

Before Chen Zijing and He Shi could respond, the generals were thrown into disarray. The body and hair are received from one's parents, and to destroy them is to be unfilial. The Song people traditionally valued these trivial matters, and the generals initially thought that the order to shave heads applied only to soldiers, not to officers and civil servants. At this moment, seeing that Wen Tianxiang had left He Shi and Chen Zijing out of the shaving order, they realized that they would soon be forced to become bald. The impact of this order on them far exceeded that of the earlier statement, 'Officials and soldiers are equal, civil and military are on par.' The deputy commissioner Zhao Da protested in astonishment, 'Prime Minister, are we all to have our hair cut off?'

If one truly acts according to Wen Zhong's mindset, the enemies one faces may not be limited to the Northern Yuan. If things go awry, one could end up opposing the entire secular world, leading to a complete loss of reputation and standing

What methods can be employed to ensure that the generals do not resist, what approaches can be taken to gain the acceptance of the soldiers, and what strategies can be implemented to win the approval of the scholars and the common people across the land

As for the ending, why look so far ahead? Du Hu said it well: for one day, be a butterfly, and enjoy the power of soaring freely for that day. Yes, freedom. Wen Tianxiang suddenly felt that he understood the meaning of these two characters in Wen Zhong's memory, written with passionate blood, heavy and profound.

"Prime Minister, I believe this section seems somewhat inappropriate," he remarked after a moment of discussion. Liu Zijun secretly glanced at Wen Tianxiang's expression, pointing to a passage at the beginning and raising his doubts. He was a well-known meticulous person; after the defeat of the empty pit troops, it was thanks to him that Wen Tianxiang's life was saved. Moreover, it was due to his efforts in gathering the troops that they were able to find such a refuge in the Wuyi Mountains.

While stationed in Nanjian Prefecture (the areas of Nanping and Sanming in Fujian), Wen Tianxiang had entertained this thought. However, at that time, he still held an optimistic view of uniting the nation to swiftly expel the Mongols. Now that he has gained some understanding of the historical trajectory, it would be better to proceed steadily, leveraging the geographical advantages of the mountainous region to establish a new type of army.

In his dreams, he had seen how the commanders of the Eighth Route Army led their troops in battle and how they survived in adversity. It was then that Wen Tianxiang realized how foolish his previous methods of warfare had been. While he might not fully grasp the essence of commanding troops, he still knew how to apply the prescribed methods. Moreover, after this profound dream, his understanding of military strategy had already surpassed that of before his unconsciousness.

Wen Tianxiang seemed to see the scholars of the world, collectively condemning a rebel through their writings. This rebel was once an idol in the hearts of scholars, a representative of the ideal person in Neo-Confucianism

"Indeed, cutting off one's hair signifies determination; I shall not grow my hair again until the Han family regains its mountains and rivers." Wen Tianxiang smiled, thinking that Du Hu's interpretation was the best. Regardless of whether it was understood or not, whether through deception or the pressure of the chancellor's official position, within three days, he must ensure that all the men in the army shave their heads. This was the first step for this unit to survive in the Hundred Zhang Ridge.

Zou Suo is known for being straightforward. Ever since he and Wen Tianxiang joined forces, he has never held back his thoughts. At this moment, seeing him silent, the other generals felt something was amiss. Zhang Tang, feeling frustrated, pushed Zou Suo and loudly asked, "Lord Zou, do you think there is something wrong with this military training outline? If so, please speak up. We can discuss it from the beginning; there is no need to keep it to yourself, like some woman would."

Once the outline was completed, Du Hu's myriad worries were effortlessly cut away by Zhang Tang, and the four monks laughed heartily at each other, completely disregarding the current disadvantage of having few troops. Wen Tianxiang clearly stated in the preface of "The Essentials of Military Training" that this method not only trains soldiers but also cultivates generals. The more than two thousand remnants in the mountains will eventually become two thousand battle-ready generals. As long as the opportunity arises to emerge from the Wuyi Mountains, there is no reason to worry about not turning Jiangnan upside down.