Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 177 - 172: Difficult to Find a Famous General (Extra - for Votes 1)

Chapter 177: Chapter 172: Difficult to Find a Famous General (Extra Chapter for Votes 1)

If we were to judge by the standard answer in history, then indeed, the Emperor leading the expedition would be correct.

But when Zhao Haiping entered the Trial Illusion, the system already made it clear that the situation might not entirely align with historical events, and he would have to judge for himself.

Zhao Haiping thought for a moment and wondered if it wouldn’t be a bad idea to send a famous general to lead the battle?

With this in mind, he asked, "Given that, which general do my ministers think capable of undertaking this important task?"

The court officials considered briefly before the Minister of War stepped forward and said, "Your servant believes that Duke Qiu Yuan is well suited for this great responsibility."

Qiu Yuan?

Several question marks floated through Zhao Haiping’s mind; he had never heard this name before.

Though he had crammed some historical knowledge, he wasn’t a player specialized in history like Chuge, and he hadn’t fully memorized the deeds of those especially famous and well-recorded individuals, let alone the lesser-known figures.

Zhao Haiping asked, "What about General Gu Yuan?"

The Minister of War’s expression turned strange. "Your Majesty, Lord Kaiping passed away last year..."

The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward, but thankfully Zhao Haiping was in the role of the Emperor, so even if he misspoke, no one below would dare laugh.

The civil officials would likely assume that the Emperor was overworked and confused, or was deeply missing a beloved general, which is why such a blunder occurred.

Zhao Haiping coughed softly twice to cover his embarrassment and asked, "Do all my loyal ministers agree that Duke Qiu is suitable for this heavy responsibility?"

Several high-ranking officials quickly stepped forward in agreement.

"We believe that Duke Qiu, having emerged from the ranks and having won many battles, is well-versed in military affairs and has long defended the Northern Border. Appointing him as the Great General to lead the expedition against the barbarians, alongside Marquis Jing’an, Marquis Wuping, and Duke Dingyuan, would surely be foolproof."

Zhao Haiping fell into deep thought.

He was indeed somewhat persuaded.

The General Gu Yuan he had initially thought of was a famous general who helped Emperor Taizu of Sheng found the dynasty, ranking among the great generals of all ages.

That’s why Zhao Haiping immediately thought of him.

If such a man could lead the campaign against the Northern Barbarians, Zhao Haiping could certainly rest easy.

But the problem was, at this point in time, those top-tier generals who had fought beside Emperor Taizu either had passed away due to illness or were too old and had retired back to their hometowns, too frail to fight.

Given that the average life expectancy in ancient times was only in the thirties, and medical conditions were poor, even renowned generals could not expect to live very long. Someone like Emperor Taizu who could live into his seventies and still be spry at fifty was an anomaly.

Since these famous, top-tier generals could no longer be relied upon, the only option was to consider a lesser choice.

The officer named Qiu Yuan recommended by the officials seemed to be a good choice too.

In ancient times, those with titles usually had illustrious military achievements; take Gu Yuan for example, who was ennobled as Lord Kaiping because of his outstanding merits.

And this Qiu Yuan, recommended by the officials and ennobled as Duke Qiu, held one of the highest duke titles.

If he truly emerged from the military ranks, advancing continuously through his battle honors to reach this stage, it would indeed be enough to prove him as a famous general.

Being a famous general, he wasn’t expected to achieve any grandiose victories, but surely he would not be as totally ignorant about military affairs as some emperors and foolishly send his troops to certain doom?

Moreover, the Minister of War had said, he wouldn’t be going alone; a whole group of officers including Marquis Jing’an, Marquis Wuping, and Duke Dingyuan would be accompanying him.

From their titles alone, it was clear that these men must have experienced war and possessed genuine military merits.

With this in mind, Zhao Haiping said, "Very well, let’s follow the counsel of my ministers. I decree for Duke Qiu to be appointed as the Great General to lead the campaign against the Northern Barbarians in my stead!"

The officials exclaimed in unison, "His Majesty is wise!"

Immediately after, Zhao Haiping witnessed a transition sequence.

Duke Qiu received the imperial edict and came to the capital to see Emperor Taizu of Sheng.

And Emperor Taizu entrusted him with an important mission, offering numerous reminders before his departure.

"Military affairs must be approached with caution. Upon reaching the Northern Border, even if you do not see traces of the Northern Barbarians, you must be prepared to confront the enemy at all times. Proceed only when the time is right and do not stubbornly hold to your own views. If victory is not achieved in one battle, patiently wait for the next opportunity.

"Victory comes with caution; recklessness leads to defeat. You must maintain strict discipline among the troops and observe the soldiers’ movements and morale. Plan thoroughly and aim for a decisive victory in one battle to stabilize the Northern Border."

"If you hear talk of the Northern Barbarians being easy to defeat, do not be fooled, believe in it and you will surely fail! Tying up a rabbit should be done with as much care as one would use to bind a tiger, to ensure absolute safety!"

"The Northern Barbarians are exceedingly cunning. When embarking on a campaign thousands of miles away, one must be extremely cautious. If the Northern Barbarians alter their tactics on the fly, you must adapt accordingly. Never be obstinate."

All that said, it boils down to just four words: be ever so cautious!

The reason is simple. Emperor Taizu of Sheng was the preeminent military genius of his age, so he was well aware of the key to warfare on the Northern Border.

And that key lay in being cautious.

The Northern Barbarian Cavalry move swift as the wind, and the barbarians are not brainless brutes—they understand tactics.

When the Sheng Army reaches the Northern Border, they are strangers in a strange land, unfamiliar with the terrain, and their supply lines aren’t necessarily reliable, nor is their morale guaranteed to be high.

In such circumstances, to be reckless and advance rashly is tantamount to delivering oneself to the enemy; therefore, caution is of the foremost importance.

General Qiu Yuan agreed wholeheartedly, assuring with words like "Your servant will certainly bear it in mind and not fail Your Majesty’s high expectations."

And so, the troops set out.

However, what came before Zhao Haiping next was a military report of defeat.

The urgent report dispatched over eight hundred miles clearly detailed the causes and consequences of Qiu Yuan’s failure.

After leading troops into the Northern Border, Qiu Yuan won a series of battles, with the Northern Barbarians feigning defeat and retreating each time. Consequently, Qiu Yuan left behind the main force and advanced with a thousand Cavalry to defeat the Northern Barbarian skirmishers and took the opportunity to cross the river. During the pursuit, he captured a high-ranking Northern Barbarian officer, who revealed that the Northern Barbarian leader had heard of the Sheng Army’s northward movement and was fleeing in panic, only thirty miles from their location.

Thus, Qiu Yuan believed without a doubt and decided to pursue the victory. Marquis Jing’an advised caution, warning not to trust the words of the captive and to remember the Emperor’s instructions before departure. But Qiu Yuan refused to listen, hastened his army forward, and ultimately fell into an ambush, leading to the total annihilation of the several thousand men he commanded.

Zhao Haiping’s portrayal, naturally, also ended in failure.

Back to square one, he went.

Zhao Haiping couldn’t help but be speechless: "This is bullshit!"

One could imagine what Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s reaction would’ve been upon seeing this military report.

He probably even thought of disinterring and whipping the corpse.

As an observer, Zhao Haiping saw things clearly. Before the expedition, Emperor Taizu had repeatedly instructed Qiu Yuan not to be rash or overconfident, to be prudent; as long as they were steady and methodical, there was no way they could lose this war.

Yet, once Qiu Yuan arrived there, he did not listen and seemed to think he was on the verge of capturing the Northern Barbarian leader. Falling into an ambush, he doomed not only himself but also his Deputy General and the elite Cavalry accompanying him.

The only good news was that he was, after all, knowledgeable in military affairs. Although his reckless advance cost thousands of elite Cavalry, he did not lead the entire army to their doom.

Nonetheless, such a defeat was still unacceptable.

"As expected, I knew this Trial Illusion wouldn’t be so simple."

"If merely sending a General to campaign against the Northern Barbarians could complete the objective, that would be far too easy, and there would be no need for me to do anything."

"Could it be that Emperor Taizu of Sheng faced the same situation back then?"

"When the proposal for the Emperor to lead the campaign personally was raised, there must have been many voices of dissent in the court."

"Sending a General to subdue the Northern Barbarians would hardly inspire confidence."

"That was because at the time, all the generals completely trusted by Emperor Taizu of Sheng were advanced in years and no longer fit to campaign. Amongst those who were capable of leading a campaign, their military cultivation was insufficient."

"There was no especially suitable candidate."

"This Qiu Yuan was Duke Qii, and by all accounts, he should have been one of the Great Sheng Dynasty’s top generals; he should not have made such a rudimentary mistake, yet this catastrophe still occurred.

"To trust other Generals would be even more difficult."

"After all, during that period, Emperor Taizu of Sheng himself possessed the highest level of military prowess in the entire Great Sheng Dynasty, and the campaign to attack the Northern Barbarians was absolutely critical—a war that could not be lost, as it would directly determine the fate of the Great Sheng Dynasty for the next few decades."

"Whether or not the General tasked with subduing the Northern Barbarians would rise to a position of great power and threaten the Crown Prince’s status ... that became a secondary concern."

"Looking at it this way, it seems that leading the campaign personally was the only option."

Zhao Haiping felt somewhat helpless and had no choice but to start again.

This time, he could not rely on anyone else; he had to lead the campaign himself.

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