Chương 699: Classes Continue

"What does 10, 000 people mean? In a remote town in Luoyang, the entire population is only a little over 10, 000. If you take 10, 000 people on an expedition, it's like packing up and moving the whole town."

Eating, drinking, relieving oneself, provisions, weapons, medical care, marching and setting up camp—everything needs to be kept under close watch. Before the railways, grain was transported entirely by people and horses. For every shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain transported to the front lines, the laborers along the way would eat half of it.

This is assuming the supply lines are safe and secure, and no one is intercepting them. If the supply lines were actually cut off, an army of 10, 000 could descend into chaos within three days, and cannibalism might even occur.

With so many people, you can't manage them all by yourself, so you have to set up a hierarchy of officials: squad leader, company commander, captain, general, and so on. You have to be good at recognizing people, knowing who can train soldiers, who can manage logistics, who can fight on the front lines, and who can only coast along.

If the people you assign are incompetent, they might embezzle military pay and exploit soldiers, or they might lack the ability to give orders blindly, or even harbor rebellious intentions and lead people to defect to the enemy. Any mishap could lead to a huge disaster.

"Insufficient food leads to mutiny; unfair rewards and punishments lead to mutiny; even a damp campsite causing soldiers to collectively suffer from stomach upset can cause trouble."

The classroom was so quiet you could hear someone breathing, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window was exceptionally clear.

The young trainees were filled with shock... They used to think that generals were just powerful figures who could ride their horses, wave their hands, and have their armies charge forward and win.

Who would have thought there were so many messy things going on behind the scenes, so much to worry about, even setting up camp in the rain is an art.

"We finally managed to get things organized internally and get 10, 000 men to settle down peacefully. But there's more to come." Liu Ce tapped his temple with his fingertip.

"You still have to guess. Guess how many people are on the other side, what kind of temperament their commander has, what tactics they will use, whether they will launch a surprise attack, and whether they will cut off your supply lines."

The intelligence was a mix of truth and falsehood; some were deliberate smokescreens planted by the enemy, some were misread by scouts, and some were even false information spread by traitors.

You have to sift through a tangled mess to find the truth. If you guess right, you can give the right order; if you guess wrong, the whole army could be wiped out.

This is not finished.

In war, there are always unexpected events. The scouts report enemy troops spotted on the left, smoke and dust on the right, supplies burned in the rear, and bridges destroyed in front. All sorts of news come rushing in at once, a mix of truth and falsehood.

As the commander-in-chief, you must make a decision immediately... whether to advance or retreat, whether to divide or combine forces. A moment's delay could lead to annihilation.

Hesitation? Hesitation leads to defeat.

He paused, looked at the silent students below, and his tone softened:

"Do you think being a general is just about drinking and playing chess in the command tent, waiting for your subordinates to report victories? When you're on the battlefield, you're making choices every moment. One wrong choice can mean tens of thousands of lives and the risk of national subjugation."

"With this kind of pressure, if you were in this position, forget about giving orders; just not having your legs buckle would be a sign of great courage. You really can't do this job without a strong heart."

The military academy was quiet for a long time; no one spoke, and even their breathing became soft.

After a moment, someone let out a long breath, as if they had just returned from the battlefield, with sweat on their forehead.

"When it comes to leading troops, one cannot avoid discussing military administration," Liu Ce changed the subject.

"I see many of you believe that military discipline boils down to one word: strictness. If they disobey, you beat them; if they lose a battle, you kill them; kill them until everyone fears you and obeys, right?"

Several people nodded subconsciously, then quickly lowered their heads, like thieves.

"It's not that simple," Liu Ce shook his head.

"Simply killing will kill off the morale of the army. The soldiers may hate you in their hearts and act terrified on the surface, but when they actually go to the battlefield, who will fight for them? They might just turn around and tie you up and hand you over to the enemy to save their own lives. In history, how many of those who established their authority through killing had a good ending?"

"Let me tell you a true story. Back in the Warring States period, Wu Qi, a famous general, once had a soldier under his command who developed a festering sore on his back. When Wu Qi saw it, he simply used his mouth to suck the pus out of the sore.

A commotion erupted below. Some people frowned, some looked incredulous, and others unconsciously covered their mouths.

"Later, when the news reached the soldier's hometown, his mother burst into tears. The neighbors were puzzled and asked, 'The general treated your son so well, why are you crying?' The old woman said, 'You don't know, back then, the child's father also served under Wu Qi and had the same boil. It was General Wu who personally sucked the pus from it.'"

As a result, his father charged forward desperately in battle and died on the battlefield. Now that it's my son's turn, he'll definitely be grateful and fight recklessly. I don't think he'll survive either.

Liu Ce shrugged: "You see, this is human nature. Only when you truly treat your soldiers as brothers and genuinely care for them will they be willing to risk their lives for you."

Military law must be strict, but human kindness must be even more important. When it is time to be strict, military regulations are as solid as a mountain and cannot be relaxed in the slightest. Violations of discipline should be punished as severe as necessary. When it is time to care for people, you must truly care for them in a practical way. If a soldier is sick, you should visit him; if a soldier's family is in trouble, you should help them. Only then will they be willing to risk their lives for you.

Strictness without compassion makes one a cruel official, producing soldiers without spirit; compassion without strictness makes one a coward, producing soldiers who are like scattered sand. The balance in this matter cannot be written in military texts; it must be understood through personal experience.

Many people below nodded in agreement, especially the junior officers who had led troops. They felt the same way most deeply, and some were already silently comparing their own actions to the situation.

The topic then shifted to marching.

"Many people think, what's so difficult about leading troops on foot? Just walk, right?" Liu Ce laughed.

"Completely wrong. Leading 10, 000 men on a march, being able to safely cover hundreds of miles without manpower shortages, mutiny, or the army breaking up, would make one a renowned general even in peacetime."

How far to walk each day, when to rest, when to set up camp, whether to take the main road or the side road, whether it will rain, whether there will be flash floods, whether the soldiers will get tired and become emotional—all of these things need to be taken into account.

Throughout history, countless armies have collapsed halfway through their journeys, before even encountering the enemy... Many succumbed to disease due to unfamiliar climate, others became separated from their units, and still others deserted.

"That's why I hate it when people read history books, slap their thighs, and say that this famous general was stupid, that commander was incompetent, and couldn't even see such a simple strategy." Liu Ce chuckled, his tone tinged with disdain.

"That's all just talking without understanding the situation. It's easy to say when you have a God's-eye view. If you're sitting in the room, you know everything about the cause and effect, the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, so of course you'll think the other side's schemes are crystal clear."

If you were really thrown onto the battlefield, you'd be surrounded by information from all sides, some true, some false—smokescreens from the enemy, reports from your subordinates that were wrong, and even people close to you deliberately lying to you. You'd have to sift through this mess to find the truth and make a decision in an instant.

"It's not that easy. Throughout history, there have been very few who could command ten thousand men with perfect skill. Those who could lead a hundred thousand men into battle without chaos were truly god-like figures."