PFC Chapter 69 Are you a Virgo?
Chapter 69 Are you a Virgo?
Many people, influenced by literary works, believe that Zhang Fei was brave but reckless.
However, the Battle of Dangqu perfectly demonstrated Zhang Fei's strategic acumen.
At that time, Zhang He moved the people to Dangqu, where he faced off against Zhang Fei's tens of thousands of elite troops for more than fifty days, with both sides experiencing victories and defeats.
Finally, after mastering the terrain, Zhang Fei led Zhang He's troops to a narrow mountain path, preventing them from supporting each other from the front and rear, thus severely damaging Zhang He's army.
Zhang Bao was very familiar with this battle, but what did it have to do with his graduation thesis?
Liu Shan looked at his bewildered expression and felt a sense of disappointment.
"Xingguo, if you had been the one to attack Dangqu back then, how would you have fought? Would you have personally led the charge to besiege the city?"
Zhang Bao shook his head.
Even the most incompetent person, upon seeing the terrain of Dangqu, would not choose to launch a direct attack.
"All important cities and passes are characterized by high walls, thick fortifications, and ample supplies, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. Attacking a city is a last resort, and as the vanguard general, how can you expect to conquer territory without siege equipment?"
Zhang Bao's ears turned red; he had never felt so ashamed.
"Your father has the same temperament as you; he's impulsive in battle, but he can be patient."
Seeing that he had his head down, Liu Shan growled, "Raise your head and look at me."
Zhang Bao's body trembled, and he looked up at Liu Shan, but dared not look him directly in the eye.
"I ask you, on the Dangyang Bridge, your father stood there alone, facing Cao Cao's five thousand elite cavalry. Did he move?"
Zhang Bao gently shook his head.
"Your father couldn't take Dangqu, so he held out against the enemy for over fifty days. Was he anxious?"
Zhang Bao shook his head again.
"At Wakou Pass, he circled around and cut off Zhang He's supply lines. Did he charge in?"
Zhang Bao fell silent.
"Your dad is like fire when he gets angry, but when he needs to be steady, he's like a mountain."
"Don't you think that a vanguard general should charge into battle? But do you even know what needs to be done before charging?"
Zhang Bao still looked at Liu Shan indifferently.
At this moment, he was in a state of utter confusion and had no idea how to answer.
"As I just said, it is important for the vanguard general to be brave in battle, but the prerequisite is to scout the enemy's situation. In the Battle of Dangqu, before your father fought Zhang He, he sent out scouts to find out Zhang He's strengths and weaknesses very well."
"Only by scouting the route can we know where to charge, how to charge, and where to retreat if we can't win. This is what a vanguard army should do."
After hearing this, Zhang Bao stood there, stunned, for a long time.
Liu Shan, his mouth dry, drank his tea and told Zhang Bao to figure it out himself.
After a long while, Zhang Bao finally spoke, "Your Majesty, I understand a little."
Liu Shan nodded and said, "Since you understand, I will not ask any further questions. Write these things down in your graduation thesis. As for whether you can graduate, that's up to you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Bao bowed deeply to Liu Shan.
"Zhang Bao thanks Your Majesty for your guidance."
After dealing with Zhang Bao, Liu Shan looked at the other three.
Zhao Tong cautiously raised his hand.
Seeing this, Zhang Bao immediately mocked, "Ziheng, you've always been cautious. Cutting off someone's supply lines requires a lone force penetrating deep into enemy territory. Your timidity will only cause you to miss a golden opportunity."
Zhao Tong neither confirmed nor denied this.
As a member of the Imperial Guard, he was responsible for the safety of the palace, which concerned the emperor's well-being. His caution and prudence were the result of years of hard work and could not be changed overnight.
Now that Liu Shan has asked him to learn how to lead troops in battle, given his calm and collected nature, the task of covering the rear is undoubtedly his.
But who would have thought that this kid liked to launch sneak attacks and cut off people's supply lines?
Liu Shan did not rush to deny it.
"Ziheng, tell me, why do you like cutting off people's supply lines?"
Zhao Tong took a deep breath and said, "If our supplies are insufficient, the enemy will retreat on their own even if our army does not engage in battle. Military strategy says, 'To subdue the enemy without fighting.'"
Liu Shan nodded and said, "The general direction is correct. You can write about this topic. Feel free to write boldly."
Although Liu Shan affirmed his idea, Zhao Tong still hesitated.
"Your Majesty, Xingguo just said that I am used to being cautious and prudent. Could I really be capable of carrying out a sneak attack?"
Liu Shan found it strange and asked, "Then who do you think is capable?"
"He must be a bold yet meticulous person," Zhao Tong said after thinking for a moment.
Liu Shan sighed and said, "Ziheng, you've fallen into a misconception. Caution and boldness are not opposites. While it's true that boldness and carefulness are necessary for a sneak attack, the source of confidence and assurance comes from caution."
These words surprised Zhao Tongyi.
Liu Shan thought for a moment and tried to use the simplest example to illustrate the relationship between the two.
Suddenly, he thought of a perfect case.
"Zhao Tong, back then, your father and I charged in and out of Changban Slope several times, killing more than fifty of Cao Cao's soldiers. Do you think that was a lot of courage?"
Zhao Tong nodded with considerable pride.
"During the Battle of Hanzhong, General Huang Zhong saw Cao Cao's army transporting supplies and suggested leading troops to seize them. However, Zhao Shu, being cautious, made an agreement with General Huang Zhong that if he did not return by the deadline, he would lead a light cavalry to meet him. Was this considered being cautious?"
Zhao Tong seemed to understand and nodded.
"If you believe that two opposing personality traits exist in one person, would you still consider them to be opposing forces?"
"In my opinion, the most brilliant sneak attacks are carried out by the most cautious and prudent people."
"Because they are careful and meticulous, they thoroughly understand their opponents' strengths and weaknesses before launching a surprise attack, so their opponents think they are bold—because being extremely meticulous is seen as boldness by outsiders."
Zhao Tong suddenly understood after hearing this.
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."
Both Zhang Bao and Zhao Tong have found directions for their papers, which makes the usually calm Zhuge Qiao a little itchy.
Before he came, he already knew the direction of his thesis and had already started writing it.
But as I write, there's always a part where I don't know how to begin.
"Your Majesty, I have a question, and I humbly request Your Majesty's guidance."
Tell me about it.
Liu Shan believed that with Zhuge Qiao's talent and wisdom, he must have encountered an extremely difficult problem.
"My graduation thesis topic is grain transport. Starting from Hanzhong, I need to calculate the loss of grain and fodder for each northward route."
Liu Shan asked, "How long have you been calculating?"
"Three months," Zhuge Qiao said sadly. "I've been calculating for three months, and the more I calculate, the more I realize that I can't finish calculating it."
Liu Shan was somewhat surprised and almost spat out the tea in his mouth.
Three months ago?
Did he start preparing his graduation thesis from the beginning, or did he know that the imperial court would launch a northern expedition and would have to send troops from Hanzhong?
"In the middle section of Chencang Road, there is a place called 'Ghost's Sorrow.' I asked three people who had passed through there, and they all gave different numbers of days. One said two days, one said three days, and one said two and a half days."
"Your Majesty, whose opinion should I believe?"
Liu Shan did not answer, but instead asked him a question.
"Whom do you think we should believe?"
Zhuge Qiao thought for a moment.
"I think... we should believe the one who said it would take two and a half days."
Why?
"Because that person's name appeared twice," Zhuge Qiao said. "I asked seven people, and three of them mentioned him, saying that he had been walking this path for twenty years. I think his assessment is the most accurate."
Are you doing source cross-validation?
Liu Shan was both amused and exasperated.
"Go on, what else is there that can't be finished?"
Zhuge Qiao continued, "I calculated that the attrition rate is 30% when traveling on mountain roads and 10% when traveling on flat roads. But later I discovered that the attrition rate is higher in winter than in summer, higher in rainy weather than in sunny weather, and higher among new recruits than among veterans on the same roads."
He looked up, his expression somewhat dejected.
"I have calculated and calculated, and found that not a single number is correct. What is correct today is incorrect tomorrow. What is correct tomorrow is incorrect the day after tomorrow."
Seeing Zhuge Qiao's somewhat conflicted expression, Liu Shan understood a little.
This guy is definitely a Virgo.