Chương 697: Don't send yourself to your death, visit the Royal Military Academy

Let's go back a few years.

On the fifth day of the eighth month of the thirteenth year of Shenwu, the sun in Luoyang was still quite scorching.

In the imperial study, Liu Ce finished reviewing the last memorial, threw down his vermilion pen, stretched, and exuded boredom. He slumped in his chair like a dried-out salted fish.

He suddenly remembered that he also had a part-time job as the "Headmaster of the Royal Military Academy". He hadn't been there for a long time. The last time he went there was to inscribe the school motto, which read: "If you want to get promoted and make money, go elsewhere. If you are afraid of death, do not enter this gate."

Of course, there are also four big characters, "Don't send people to their deaths," which should still be hanging at the entrance of the Military Academy.

When the question was finished, the old men from the Ministry of Rites almost jumped into the moat, saying, "Your Majesty's 'Don't send people to their deaths' is too improper." Liu Ce replied, "Sending people to their deaths is improper," leaving them speechless for a long time.

The third and fourth princes have been at the royal military academy for two years now. They either submit reports on their studies or are summoned to the palace for a test of military strategy. The two boys are doing alright... The third prince, Liu Yao, excels in horsemanship, archery, and tactics, but he's too impatient and always wants to rush into things...

The fourth prince, Liu Yong, was as steady as a rock and had a clear understanding of artillery tactics. However, he was occasionally a bit stubborn and could get hung up on a single wrong number for three days.

But just looking at the folds isn't enough, is it?

Liu Ce stood up, paced a few steps, and slapped his thigh:

"Let's go! Let's go check out the Royal Military Academy! It's time for me, the nominal principal, to give the students a lesson."

Li Dequan quickly followed, thinking to himself: His Majesty is restless again. Last time, the "Don't send people to their deaths" incident had already caused the old men of the Ministry of Rites to make effigies of people for three days. This time, when he goes to the military academy, who knows what shocking things he will do next.

The Royal Military Academy was located west of Luoyang, covering a vast area where horses could run for half a day.

Guards stood at the gate, their armor gleaming. Upon seeing the emperor's entourage, they snapped to attention and saluted, their voices booming.

"Hello, Principal!"

That's right. In military academies, people don't shout "Long live the Emperor." Instead, they all say "Hello, Principal." This was a rule set by Liu Ce, who said, "We'll shout 'Long live the Emperor' on the battlefield, but in school, we'll call him Principal."

Vice Principal Zhou Hai had already received the news and came running out to greet him, his forehead covered in sweat: "Your Majesty! What brings you here? I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner!"

"It's nothing, just strolling around." Liu Ce waved his hand, as if he were walking in his own backyard.

"Don't make a scene, just accompany me. Let them do what they need to do, don't bother with those welcoming ceremonies, they're annoying."

The two walked along the school path. The sycamore trees along the path had already begun to shed yellow leaves, which rustled underfoot, like crushing coins.

Let's visit the training ground first.

The shouts of battle were deafening on the drill ground. Hundreds of cadets practiced bayonet fighting shirtless, their uniforms soaked with sweat, so much so that water could be wrung out with a single twist.

The ranks included sons of nobles and soldiers promoted from the ranks, all tanned dark by the sun. They were all quite ruthless, their wooden spears making a "thud-thud" sound as they jabbed the scarecrows, like rain pattering on banana leaves.

As they walked, Liu Ce chuckled... There was a kid in the last row of the line who walked with his left hand and left foot in unison, completely out of step with the people next to him. The instructor was so angry that he was jumping up and down, shouting until his voice was hoarse and his face turned a deep purplish-red, but the kid still hadn't corrected it. The more he tried, the better he walked, as if he were on a metronome.

"Who is that kid?" Liu Ce pointed and laughed, his eyes narrowing as he laughed.

Zhou Hai was both amused and exasperated: "Your Majesty, it is Cheng Chuliang, the second son of General Cheng. He is quite strong, but his hands and feet are uncoordinated. He has been practicing marching for half a month, and he still walks with the same steps."

When General Cheng Yaojin came to see him off, he said, "My son is definitely going to be a good soldier." But... General Cheng came to see him a few days ago and was so angry that he stomped his feet, saying that he would have been better off practicing axe fighting with him at home.

"It's alright, walking with the same steps won't hinder the battle." Liu Ce shook his head with a smile.

"Back then, Zhang Fei was still sleeping with his eyes open, and he was still a warrior capable of taking on ten thousand men. This kid looks simple-minded, but he might amount to something great in the future."

Let's visit the cafeteria again.

It was mealtime, and the aroma of food filled the canteen; you could smell it from afar.

The large iron basin is filled with stewed meat and braised vegetables, and you can have as much as you want. You can also take as much brown rice as you like, and there is free vegetable soup on the side.

The trainees sat neatly and ate their meal in silence, shoveling their food down their throats like little tigers, their chopsticks flying across the table.

"Is the food alright?" Liu Ce asked.

"Your Majesty, according to your standards, there is meat at every meal, every day, and everyone is full. The training is intense, so they can't go hungry. Ten pigs were slaughtered a week ago, and the entire school ate braised pork for three days straight," Zhou Chang said.

"Some of the sons of nobles complained about the food when they first arrived and secretly brought snacks. When they were caught, they were punished by running ten laps. Now they've all behaved themselves and are eating with more relish than anyone else."

Liu Ce nodded and said, "That's right. We come to military school to learn how to fight, not to enjoy life. When we get to the battlefield, we'll be lucky to have a meal of coarse food. Sometimes we won't even have coarse food, and we'll have to eat tree bark. If those pampered young masters don't get rid of their spoiled nature, they'll just be sitting ducks for the enemy on the battlefield."

After touring the armory, the training hall, and the students' dormitories, Liu Ce was quite satisfied.

The military academy didn't have any fancy formalities; it focused on practical skills training. The textbooks were all compiled by him, covering everything from tactics and physics to artillery and logistics. It wasn't just about wielding swords and guns. There was even a slogan on the wall that read, "Those who talk about war on paper will be sent to the cooking squad."

"I have nothing to do this afternoon," Liu Ce glanced at the sun.

"Go to the Military Academy. I'll give a lesson to the students of the Command Academy."

Zhou Chang's eyes lit up: "I'll make the arrangements right away!"

..................

In August, Luoyang is blessed with clear skies and crisp air. A few yellow leaves drift down from the sycamore trees along the roadside, swirling and landing on the windowsill of the Military Academy.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor and adding a touch of warmth to the solemn atmosphere of the room.

The military academy was packed with students, ranging from sixteen or seventeen-year-old sons of nobles to junior officers in their early twenties. They were all dressed in brand-new uniforms, their backs straighter than javelins, and the epaulets on their shoulders gleamed in the sunlight.

But their eyes held a hint of curiosity, and a hint of undisguised disdain... After all, many of those present were scions of prominent families, accustomed to the praise of "a tiger cub comes from a general's family," and believed they were born to lead troops.

Today's lecture is given by His Majesty, the Commandant of the Royal Military Academy.

Who here doesn't know that His Majesty started his rebellion in Youzhou... and conquered this vast empire? He was an emperor forged in the crucible of war...

Moreover, most of the textbooks in the military academy were compiled by His Majesty himself, such as "New Interpretation of Military Strategy", "Complete Collection of Battle Formations", "Reconnaissance and Counter-Reconnaissance", "Infantry Drill Manual", "Introduction to Artillery", "Logistics Coordination"... I had never heard of them before, but after reading them, I was amazed. They were a hundred times more practical than those classical military books.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

A voice called out from the doorway, and Liu Ce appeared.

"Whoosh..."

Everyone in the room stood up in unison, cupped their hands in greeting, and shouted in a voice so loud it shook the dust off the roof: "Greetings, Principal!!!"

Liu Ce walked up to the podium with a smile and pressed his hands down: "Hello, students."

"Good morning, Principal!" A hundred people responded in unison, their imposing manner causing even the dust on the windowsill to shake off.