The candidate to replace the garrison commander at Xinyu Pass had yet to be decided when an urgent eight-hundred-li report arrived from Yinshan Pass in the north: northern nomadic tribes were invading the border with overwhelming force. Fortunately, the defending general Wu Yong had prepared in advance and managed to hold the line.
Shortly after, dire news came from the west: Yueshan Pass had fallen, its defending general Pan Hong was missing, and the enemy had advanced unopposed, capturing two cities in succession.
No one had expected Yueshan Pass to be the first to fall.
"The western front must be stabilized," the Crown Prince declared, looking at the assembled military officers. "I wonder who is willing to shoulder this burden on my behalf."
The Duke of An stepped forward. "Your subject is willing to go."
The Crown Prince clenched his fist inside his sleeve. The Duke of An was already fifty-seven and hadn't wielded weapons for many years. What difference was there between sending him now and sending him to his death?
"Has our Daqing truly no one else?"
Finally, a military officer stepped forward. "Your subject is willing to go."
His hair and beard were half-white, but his eyes were resolute. Hua Zhi recognized him as General Lin, who had retired from service years ago. This was the Lin family from Hualin Lane - though civil and military officials had little interaction, their families had been neighbors for years without any discord.
Her heart stirred as she glanced toward the military officials' side. She saw that most of the officers, who made up half the court, were already advanced in years. Daqing truly had no capable generals left.
In the Qingxin Hall, the Crown Prince found it impossible to calm himself. He paced back and forth, his brows so furrowed that his entire face seemed knotted together.
Despite his grand ambitions, he was still young and hadn't been raised with a crown prince's education. Hua Zhi didn't blame him for his lack of composure at this moment, instead turning her thoughts to strategy.
The western front had already fallen - they needed to send someone truly capable to stop this decline. If they kept sending people to their deaths and lost a few more cities, morale would be irrecoverable. The southern front also needed a commander dispatched quickly. If the south fell too, Daqing would be completely passive. If the Chao Li Tribe members hidden within Daqing then spread rumors, public order would collapse. Moreover, she felt the southern situation... wasn't that simple.
But what they lacked now were commanders.
As for the northern front, Hua Zhi bit the tip of her tongue. That should currently be the most stable. Wu Yong excelled at offense, her grandfather was well-versed in military strategy, and with her fourth uncle's assistance, defending the city shouldn't be problematic. With their coordination, they should be able to hold for some time - provided the Chao Li Tribe didn't concentrate their forces there.
"Does the Grand Tutor have any strategy to break this deadlock?"
Hearing this, Hua Zhi looked up. "Even if I had strategies against the enemy, I cannot conjure capable people out of thin air."
Indeed, strategies could be devised, but people couldn't be created from nothing. The Crown Prince wanted to sigh to the heavens - what a mess his father had left him.
"The more critical the situation, the more Your Highness must maintain composure and avoid disarray," she said. "The war has just begun. If we panic now, what will we do later?"
The Crown Prince took the handkerchief offered by Lai Fu and pressed it to his face for a moment. When he removed it, the emotion had faded from his expression. "If there's truly no other way, we can only send the Duke of An and General Lin to each front, accompanied by some young generals. They'll learn faster under veteran leadership."
"Your Highness speaks wisely."
Just then, Lai Fu came to report, "Your Highness, Grand Tutor, the sand table is ready."
The Crown Prince immediately stood up. "Let's go take a look."
The sand table, made according to Hua Zhi's specifications, was enormous, occupying nearly half the side hall. The Crown Prince approached it delightedly, touching it with evident nostalgia. "This is much larger than the Hua family's."Hua Zhi picked up the long pointer and began sketching on the sand table. The topographic map had long been imprinted in her mind, and her strokes never faltered from the start. The Crown Prince softly gave an instruction, then silently stood beside the Grand Tutor to observe her movements.
Outsiders widely praised the Grand Tutor as profoundly knowledgeable, yet they had no idea that such descriptions failed to capture even a fraction of her true capabilities. In terms of scholarly knowledge, she might not match renowned Confucian scholars, but when it came to practical application of learning, no one could surpass her.
From the capital at the center to the nine provinces, then to the appearances of the four border passes in the southeast, northwest, and finally to the Flame Country in the south, the northern nomadic tribes, the Li Country in the west, and the Chao Li Tribe in the east—each was depicted with just a few strokes yet remained instantly recognizable.
Rubbing her sore arm, Hua Zhi looked up intending to speak when she noticed the hall had unknowingly filled with many people. She swallowed her words and allowed them to observe her.
The Crown Prince personally handed her a cup of tea. "Grand Tutor, you've worked hard."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Hua Zhi received it with both hands, turned away, and drank it in several gulps. She hadn't had a single sip of water since entering the palace today and was truly parched.
Lai Fu perceptively immediately took away the empty cup.
Duke Dingguo cleared his throat and was the first to speak. "Grand Tutor has made such grand preparations—might there be some significance to this?"
"I dare not claim significance. It's merely that His Highness urgently wished to understand the current situation, and I felt words alone couldn't clarify it clearly, so I created this sand table. This way, everything becomes apparent at a glance."
Was it really just for teaching? Duke Dingguo gave her a deep look before letting his gaze fall upon the massive sand table. He was naturally familiar with such objects—he had one displayed in his own home—but being no military commander, he hadn't studied it extensively. He never realized it could be used in this manner.
"Might we be permitted to listen in?"
Hua Zhi indifferently glanced toward the Crown Prince. Since His Highness had summoned them with precisely this intention, there was naturally no reason to refuse.
Present were both civil officials and military commanders—veteran ministers like Duke Dingguo, as well as young officials favored by the Crown Prince such as Shen Qi and Yu Xiasheng. All now quietly watched the only woman in the room.
Hua Zhi showed no trace of timidity. After briefly organizing her thoughts, she stated: "The simultaneous aggression from four countries is certainly no coincidence. Their intention is quite clear—to jointly devour Daqing. While the Flame Country, Li Country, and nomadic tribes have already drawn their swords openly, the Chao Li Tribe has taken no further action after suddenly attacking General Sun. Their current whereabouts and next moves remain completely unknown."
Hua Zhi's pointer landed on the Li Country's current position, then shifted southward. "The western front may appear unstoppable, but I believe the southern front poses greater danger. The south is closer to the capital with flat, open terrain, while the west not only has mountain barriers but also suffers population disadvantages. If battle lines extend, they'll have no defensive reserves. Therefore, I believe although they charge fiercely westward, the true threat lies in the south."
The Crown Prince pondered thoughtfully. "Are you suggesting this is their strategy? To make us believe the west is dangerous, drawing our forces there while leaving the south vulnerable?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out. The Flame Country alone wouldn't dare contemplate marching on the capital. I suspect Chao Li tribesmen are among the Flame Country's forces—otherwise General Zheng wouldn't have been defeated so quickly."
"Indeed. Does the Grand Tutor have a strategy in mind?""It can hardly be called a strategy—it's merely throwing our weight around." Hua Zhi gazed at the small territory of Flame Country. "Our Great Qing happens to need a granary to ensure supplies for our frontline troops. Why don't we cut the ground from under their feet and conquer Flame Country?"
PS: Once again condensed three chapters into two and a half. Kongkong continues writing—there may or may not be an update today, so no need to wait.
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