24: 24 Chapters: The Feisty Fiancée 24: 24 Chapters: The Feisty Fiancée Soon, Lanling received a letter from this unfamiliar fiancee.
Upon opening it, he found that the handwriting was beautiful yet sharp, as if it were etched by a sword.
It had only a few simple words, “Suo Lun, if you dare to associate yourself with again, if you dare say I am your woman, I’ll kill you!”
Lanling trembled, the content of this letter was indeed overwhelmingly domineering.
Suddenly, Lanling couldn’t help but be filled with curiosity and anticipation toward his so-called fiancee.
At this ti, Instructor Xiuyan said, “Alright, let’s begin the class.
Today’s task, as usual, is an essay, and the topic is: ‘What is the foundation of Rage Wave Kingdom’s strength?'”
As these words were spoken, everyone burst into a knowing smile, as this topic had been discussed to death.
Instructor Xiuyan said, “For a century, many others have either declined or even perished, or they’ve stagnated.
Why is it that only our Rage Wave Kingdom has grown stronger and stronger, without showing any signs of decline?”
Imdiately, a fair and delicate-looking young man raised his hand high.
“Zhimin, as a royal, you tell us,” said Instructor Xiuyan.
“Without a doubt, it’s our Rage Wave Kingdom’s samurai system,” Zhimin said.
“The Royal City Academy continuously provides talented individuals well-versed in both letters and martial arts, who form the kingdom’s fundantal ruling class.
When the foundation of a country is stable, it possesses great strength.”
Instructor Xiuyan made no comnt and directly pointed to the next student, “Duoluo, as a future marquis, tell us, what is the foundation of Rage Wave Kingdom’s strength?”
The portly Duoluo stood up and said, “Of course, it is due to the succession of wise kings, for the strength of a nation entirely depends on its supre leader, who forever illuminates the path ahead for us.”
Hearing this answer, many in the room laughed out loud, thinking that this person’s flattery was quite blatant.
But Lanling felt that this Duoluo, with a porcine face but a clear heart, was undeniably clever.
Following that, Instructor Xiuyan asked each student in succession.
There were all sorts of answers, but essentially, none deviated from the previous scope, mostly centered around the wisdom of the king, the superiority of the samurai system, the excellence of the noble class, and the Royal City Academy’s continuous provision of talent to the kingdom.
While Instructor Xiuyan expressed no opinion, from the slight frown on his forehead, one could discern his disappointnt.
Finally, he called out, “Suo Lun, what do you think is the foundation of Rage Wave Kingdom’s strength?
In the past century, other nations also had samurai systems, academies, and wise kings, so why is it that only Rage Wave Kingdom has grown continuously stronger and risen rapidly?”
Lanling stood up, hesitating slightly inside.
At this mont, he was supposed to keep a low profile, to hide his talents.
But since childhood, he had been soone with a gentle exterior and a sharp mind.
As he rose to his feet, all eyes fell on him, wishing to hear his perspective.
“It’s simple, because of ‘geopolitical strategy,'” Lanling uttered a completely new term.
Instructor Xiuyan’s eyes lit up and he said, “Continue.”
Lanling said, “The Rage Wave Kingdom borders the Fla Empire to the north and the expansive Barbarian Tribes to the south.
This unique location is fundantally why Rage Wave Kingdom has stayed strong.”
As these words were said, soone imdiately sneered, “That’s ridiculous.
To the north is the Fla Empire, the world’s hegemon, and to the south are the most dangerous Barbarian Tribes.
Such a perilous location you claim to be the foundation of a strong nation.”
Lanling said, “Those who are belligerent will perish, and those who forget war will face danger; born in adversity, dying in comfort.
Precisely because of the dangerous location of Rage Wave Kingdom, every generation’s rulers must remain vigilant and dare not slacken for a mont.
The Southern Barbarians are warlike, and to survive, Rage Wave Kingdom has only the choice to grow ever stronger.
Who can make you stronger, if not your enemy?
Even a beast, if it has no natural predators and food is readily available, its claws would beco dull, and its fangs would degenerate.
This applies to beasts and to nations alike.”
With these words, the room fell silent.
Instructor Xiuyan looked on with appreciation and said, “Is that all?
Anything else?”
Although he said this, he no longer expected Lanling to delve any deeper, as even seeing this perspective was quite remarkable.
Lanling said, “There’s a deeper level still.”
“Speak,” Instructor Xiuyan urged expectantly.
Lanling said, “Due to its special geographical location, Rage Wave Kingdom’s strategic direction has been consistent for over a hundred years.”
Instructor Xiuyan’s eyes sparkled as he said, “Be more specific.”
Lanling said, “To the north of Rage Wave Kingdom lies the Fla Empire, the recognized world hegemon.
Before it completely declines, or before Rage Wave Kingdom becos powerful enough, it would be impossible to challenge it.
To the east is the vast sea, and to the west is a thousand-mile desert.
Therefore, Rage Wave Kingdom only has one strategic direction left, which is to continuously push south and conquer the Southern Barbarian Tribes, plundering their lands to expand the kingdom’s territory.
For a nation, nothing is more frightening than a foolish king, except for a lack of a clear strategic direction.”
At this point, Instructor Xiuyan’s gaze was full of astonishnt and excitent as he trembled with eagerness, “Continue.”
Lanling continued, “As everyone knows, kings of various countries are replaced every decade or two.
Each new generation of kings has its own thoughts.
If one generation wants to expand westward, the next may want to go east.
This confusion in direction leads to a trendous waste of strategic resources, and the efforts of the previous generation go to waste.
The Rage Wave Kingdom has only one direction, and every generation of kings has worked hard for this strategic goal.
Although the Barbarian Tribes are the most dangerous enemies, and conquering the Barbaric Wilderness is the most difficult thod of expansion, the consistent effort over more than a hundred years has been enough to make a difference.
More than a hundred years ago, the Rage Wave Kingdom had only two provinces, but now it has six, and all the additional territory was gained from conquering the Barbarian Tribes.
This is sufficient to prove my theory,”
This is not only true in this other world, but also on Earth—the thing a country fears most is a mistaken or confused course.
At this mont, Instructor Xiuyan was filled with imnse admiration.
He had not expected that Suo Lun, this absurd prodigal, would have such profound insight.
It was completely unexpected.
Thus, he continued, “Then, in your opinion, what is the next strategic direction for the Rage Wave Kingdom?”
Lanling’s heart turned bitter and he said, “My position is no longer suitable for discussing what cos next.”
This statent struck Instructor Xiuyan at his core.
Could it be that this prodigal, Suo Lun, possessed such wisdom?
Few in the room understood what Lanling had implied, but Instructor Xiuyan, a master of strategy, instantly grasped the aning.
The Rage Wave Kingdom’s advance southward to subdue the Southern Barbarians had been halted for over a decade.
Why?
Because the campaign into the Barbaric Wilderness had reached a bottleneck; the vast mountains lying ahead ford a barrier as insurmountable as the heavens, making it exceedingly difficult for the kingdom’s armies to advance.
Without overcoming these mountains, further southward conquest and expansion were impossible.
Now, these mountains served as a divine barrier laid by the heavens between the Rage Wave Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribes.
The only passage through this mountainous barrier was a valley so tens of miles wide.
This valley, known as Barbaric Gorge, allowed a large army to travel through and enter the Barbaric Wilderness Plains.
However, the territory to the north of this gorge did not belong to the royal family, but to the Suo Family.
Tianshui City, belonging to the Suo Family, was positioned precisely between the Rage Wave Kingdom and the Barbaric Gorge.
To continue the conquest of the Barbaric Wilderness, it was necessary to take the Barbaric Gorge.
And before taking the Barbaric Gorge, it was essential to conquer Tianshui City first.
That’s why Prince Zili had been scheming with such diligence to seize Tianshui City because his strategic direction was to use the Barbaric Gorge as a breakthrough point to enter the Barbaric Wilderness Plains and continue expanding southward.
Instructor Xiuyan was astounded that Suo Lun, this prodigal, could see so far and so clearly.
Instructor Xiuyan said, “Suo Lun, what do you think should be the new strategic breakthrough for the kingdom?
Keep in mind, the kingdom’s expansion to the south has already encountered a bottleneck.
If your idea for a strategic breakthrough is correct, then I can convey it to His Majesty the King.”
Lanling’s heart surged with excitent and he was filled with respect for Instructor Xiuyan.
Prince Zili aid to use Tianshui City as a springboard to enter the Barbaric Wilderness, and King Quo Bian had not yet stated his position.
If Lanling suggested a new direction, the two differing strategic viewpoints could provoke debate within the royal court and the cabinet, potentially allowing the Suo to retain Tianshui City.
Drawing a deep breath, he said, “Firstly, I believe we should not use Tianshui City or any other lord’s domain as a breakthrough point.
After all, the nobles and lords system is still the dostic policy of the Rage Wave Kingdom.
Moving against our Tianshui City would undoubtedly cause significant turmoil within the kingdom.”
Xiuyan agreed, “That’s true, but the kingdom needs a breakthrough to continue its southern expansion.”
Lanling replied, “Develop the navy and directly attack the heart of the Barbaric Wilderness by sea.
Moreover, with a strong navy, we’ll be able to do more than just directly attack the lands of the Barbaric Wilderness.”
At that mont, the classroom fell completely silent.
The topic was too advanced for many to interject.
This idea, unheard of until then, struck everyone with a revelation.
Instructor Xiuyan’s heart shuddered.
He had thought Suo Lun would propose a strategic breakthrough across the desert, attacking the Xiliang Kingdom.
Instead, he had suggested developing a navy to bypass the imnse mountains by sea, attacking the heartland of the Barbaric Wilderness Continent.
While it was uncertain if this strategy could work, it was undeniably an innovative and significant proposal.
Xiuyan remarked, “Appearances can indeed be deceiving.
Although I cannot give any evaluation of your idea, I can pass it on to His Majesty the King and the cabinet.
I believe, Duke Zhi Ting will greatly appreciate your perspective.”
From these words, Lanling discerned much.
After receiving a bribe, Duke Zhi Ting was indeed working tirelessly for the Suo Family, directly opposing Prince Zili.
However, after Prince Zili had proposed his strategic direction, Duke Zhi Ting lacked an equivalent strategic view to counter it—it wasn’t feasible for the Rage Wave Kingdom to halt its expansion, so for the mont, Duke Zhi Ting was at a disadvantage.
With Lanling’s proposal, whether right or wrong, at least Duke Zhi Ting had a direction for debate.
“Thank you, Instructor Xiuyan,” said Lanling, bowing deeply to him with gratitude.
At that mont, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class.
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