Chapter 346: Lord Prime Minister, Teach Me the Art of War!
In the study of the Lin residence, Zhao Kuo once again saw Lin Beifan. At this moment, Lin Beifan was holding a brush to paint. Stroke by stroke, calm and leisurely, full of relaxed elegance.
Zhao Kuo didn’t disturb him, standing respectfully aside, watching Lin Beifan paint with his eyes flickering. Since getting to know Lin Beifan, he had noticed that Lin Beifan always had a slow and unhurried demeanor, not competing or rushing, as if nothing could trouble him or bring him down.
And indeed, it was the case. Amidst enemies all around and the song of defeat on all sides, in such a political environment, he could still rise step by step, standing above everyone’s heads, becoming the foremost figure of the current dynasty!
Amidst the rebellion of the three major vassal kings and the fragmentation of Great Wu, he led his troops to quell the chaos, allowing Great Wu to reunify! He even invented the sky-faring artifact “Great Air Balloon,” the waterborne tool “Air Cushion Boat,” and the construction artifact “Cement”.
Rumor has it that he also developed the high-yielding and bountiful “Taiping Rice,” each invention benefiting the country and the people!
Not to mention his many achievements, he was practically a living legend!
Sometimes, he doubts how someone as young as him could be so amazing.
Could he be an immortal who has descended into the mortal realm?
Lin Beifan set down the brush labeled “290” and looked at the composed Zhao Kuo. With satisfaction, he nodded and smiled, saying, “You’ve come! Initially, I estimated it would take you a few months to awaken, but it seems nearly a month has sufficed! Well done. I really have to thank that person named Sun Er, haha!”
Zhao Kuo clasped his hands and loudly replied, “The Prime Minister’s intentions are deeply appreciated, and I’m grateful beyond words!”
“It’s nothing. I simply don’t want to see a nation’s talents go to waste. If I can lend a hand, I will. If you couldn’t awaken on your own, I wouldn’t have any way to help either!”
Zhao Kuo spoke loudly again, “I still want to express my gratitude for the Prime Minister’s assistance. I’ve gained immeasurably!”
“Let’s not dwell on this. What business brings you to me?” Lin Beifan asked.
“Prime Minister, I wish to learn the art of war from you!” Zhao Kuo lifted his head, his gaze determined and unwavering.
Shaking his head, Lin Beifan smiled and said, “You were born into a military family, well-versed in military texts since childhood. With such background, you don’t need my teachings.”
“Only after engaging in warfare do you realize your own shortcomings! War is no child’s play, and I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes,” Zhao Kuo continued while bowing, “Prime Minister, you are a contemporary war deity, adept in military strategy! Therefore, I wish to learn the art of war from you, to mend my own deficiencies. I hope you’ll grant me the opportunity.”
Lin Beifan spoke loudly, “Alright! Since you want to learn the art of war from me, let me ask you, what is ‘art of war’?”
Zhao Kuo pondered for a moment, then shared his understanding, “The so-called art of war is the way of using military force, the method of marching and fighting!”
Lin Beifan shook his head slightly.
Zhao Kuo was taken aback, “Prime Minister, is what I said incorrect?”
Lin Beifan smiled, “Partly correct.”
Zhao Kuo immediately sought more guidance, “What is the other part, Prime Minister? Please teach me!”
Lin Beifan smiled, “War is a crucial matter for a nation, it’s a matter of life and death, survival and destruction, and it must be closely examined!”
Zhao Kuo shivered, feeling that these few words were as profound and insightful as the grand sound of Dao itself. They were deeper and more thorough than what he had learned about the art of war for decades.
“In simple terms, war is a matter of great importance to a country. It involves the life and death of soldiers and civilians, and the survival of the nation. It cannot be taken lightly and must be treated with utmost seriousness. The art of war is actually the method to resolve conflicts, minimize casualties among soldiers and civilians, and protect the nation. Only by realizing this can one truly understand how to apply it.”
Zhao Kuo exclaimed, “Thank you for your guidance, Prime Minister!”
Looking at Lin Beifan again, he held a sense of admiration. Truly, he was a war deity, with such a profound understanding of the art of war. This level of comprehension easily surpassed him; no wonder he was so adept at warfare!
“For the second question, what constitutes good military strategy?” Lin Beifan inquired.
Zhao Kuo fell into deep thought and didn’t answer immediately. After pondering for a while, he said, “For me, any strategy that leads to victory is good. If it allows the weak to triumph over the strong, the few to triumph over the many, and achieve the greatest victory with the least sacrifice, then it’s the best military strategy.”
“For example, in the battles you’ve fought since the start of the year, Prime Minister, I’m greatly impressed.”
“In the battle at Hulao Pass, you used fewer than 400,000 troops to resist the 800,000 strong enemy force of Great Xia. In the end, you sacrificed less than 20,000 soldiers, captured the crown prince of Great Xia, and forced their 600,000 troops to surrender.”
“In the battle of Songjiang, you used 200,000 troops to defend against the 500,000-strong army of the Southern Prince along the Songjiang River. With minimal losses, you shattered the Southern King’s forces, captured him, and took 300,000 prisoners, achieving another significant victory.”
“In the battle at Phoenix Fortress, you defeated the combined forces of Wuxi and Dayue, numbering in the millions, with clever tactics, stunning the world.”
“But the most remarkable was the defense of the capital. You didn’t even need to mobilize your troops, only using your words to defeat the Jibei army and shatter the ambitions of the Northern Prince.”
“All of these are classic battles where you achieved victory with the weaker force, triumphing over the stronger, and minimizing sacrifices. The strategies you employed in these battles are the best military strategies.”
Lin Beifan laughed and scolded, “Don’t butter me up! Your praises don’t mean much. For me, these four battles aren’t worth boasting about. The strategies used in them aren’t really that good.”
Zhao Kuo was taken aback, “Prime Minister, why aren’t these four battles worth boasting about? Why can’t strategies that lead to victory against stronger opponents and with fewer resources be considered good strategies?”
Lin Beifan calmly smiled, “In warfare, the supreme act is to subdue the enemy’s strategy without fighting, then to break their alliances, and lastly to crush their armies. The lowest form of warfare is siege warfare.”
Zhao Kuo pondered upon hearing this.
Lin Beifan continued, “The meaning of this statement is that the highest form of strategy is to outthink and outmaneuver the enemy, nullifying their intentions and actions. This way, there are no losses in terms of troops, provisions, and the foundation of the nation.”
“Next, it’s using diplomacy to defeat the enemy, isolating them and causing their downfall without actual combat. This method also doesn’t result in losses of troops and provisions, and similarly preserves the foundation of the nation. It’s a good strategy!”
“Furthermore, it’s using military force to defeat the enemy. However, any military action requires enormous human and material resources, even the whole nation’s strength. It can destabilize the nation’s foundation and lead to suffering of the people. Even if the sacrifices are minimal, sacrifices are still sacrifices, and it’s highly undesirable. This is a lower approach.”
“The lowest strategy is attacking the enemy’s cities with troops, which leads to the highest casualties and most sacrifices. It’s the last resort and should be avoided if possible.”
“Therefore, those four battles of mine aren’t praiseworthy! Although they all ended in victory, each was a case of using the weaker force to win over the stronger. Yet there were sacrifices involved, causing significant losses to Great Wu!”
Lin Beifan sighed, “War is a matter of great importance to a nation, a matter of life and death, survival and destruction! Therefore, the best strategy is to avoid fighting if possible. If there’s a method outside of warfare to solve conflicts, then use it. To bend others’ armies without fighting, to bend the enemy’s ruler without using force, to bend the enemy’s nation without war, this is the highest form of strategy!”
Zhao Kuo’s heart trembled at this realization. The best strategy is to avoid fighting if possible! To use methods outside of warfare to solve conflicts! To achieve victory without fighting, to bend others’ armies without fighting, to bend the enemy’s ruler without using force, to bend the enemy’s nation without war, this is the highest form of strategy!
Each of these sentences overturned all his previous understanding, creating an unprecedented mental storm in his mind. Upon careful reflection, however, they were deeply thought-provoking, enlightening him.
To achieve victory without fighting is truly the best strategy. All the military strategies he had pursued and been proud of before now seemed to pale in comparison.
Zhao Kuo bowed with sincere admiration, “Prime Minister, I’ve learned.”
“I’ll ask you again, what kind of general can be considered a good general?” Lin Beifan posed the third question…
Zhao Kuo quickly replied, “One who is adept in the art of war can be called a good general!”
Lin Beifan shook his head slightly, “Not quite! A general who frequently wins battles with few losses can be called a general of consistent victories. Although they lose infrequently, if they lose in a critical battle, it could lead to complete defeat and even the downfall of the nation. So, they can’t be considered good generals.”
Zhao Kuo tried again, “A general who wins every battle can be called a good general!”
Once again, Lin Beifan shook his head, “That’s not it either. Even though they win every battle, their victories are often achieved at great cost. While they achieve victory, the nation suffers in return.”
Zhao Kuo’s puzzlement grew, “Then… what kind of general can be considered good, if not one who frequently wins battles and not one who wins every battle?”
With a humble bow, Zhao Kuo asked, “Please, Prime Minister, enlighten me.”
“I’ve actually already told you before,” Lin Beifan smiled.
“I’ve been told?” Zhao Kuo was puzzled, realizing that it didn’t seem that way.
“I indeed have,” Lin Beifan declared, “To bend others’ armies without fighting, to bend the enemy’s ruler without using force, to bend the enemy’s nation without war, this is the highest form of strategy. The one who can employ this strategy is the best general.”
“Therefore, the best general is one who can make the enemy yield without resorting to combat. They can make the enemy open their gates without besieging, achieving comprehensive victory without expending a single soldier.”
“So, the more formidable a general is, the less they’ll have spectacular records, and the less they’ll have commendable achievements, as everything will happen naturally.”
Zhao Kuo was profoundly shaken, realizing that he wasn’t at all surprised by his victory. He understood that the best general is one who achieves victory without fighting. His previous pursuits and proud strategies all paled in comparison to this revelation.
Lin Beifan summed it up with a smile, “In short, those skilled in war have no grand accomplishments.”
Zhao Kuo’s mind was greatly shaken, “Thank you for your guidance!”
