Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Imperial Military Academy of the Yan Han Empire

The winter night in Hanzhong City was exceptionally cold and desolate. Liu Chen stood under the eaves of the Prefectural Governor’s office, gazing at the ancient locust tree in the courtyard. Moonlight filtered through the sparse branches, casting mottled shadows upon the ground. The sword he had used to execute Jiang Shu earlier that day had been returned to its scabbard and now hung quietly at his waist, yet the faint scent of blood seemed to linger in the air.

"Your Highness, the General-in-Chief has arrived," a personal guard whispered.

Liu Chen pulled his thoughts back. By the time he turned around, he was already wearing a gentle smile. "Invite him in immediately. No, I shall go to greet him myself."

Even though Jiang Wei had accepted his appointment, this man—who had served as General-in-Chief for decades—commanded immense prestige within the army. Most importantly, his loyalty to the Han dynasty was unwavering.

Jiang Wei stood at the outer gate, his armor gleaming coldly under the moonlight. Though the veteran general of Shu-Han was nearing sixty, his posture remained as straight as a spear, and the sharpness in his eyes had not dimmed with age.

"Old General."

At that moment, a clear, resonant voice reached his ears. Turning around, Jiang Wei saw Liu Chen approaching him personally, and a look of agitation immediately crossed his face.

"How could I dare to trouble Your Highness to come out and greet me?" Jiang Wei bowed hurriedly.

"The Old General has labored tirelessly and remains fiercely loyal to our Han house; it is only right that I come to meet you. Please, Old General." Liu Chen took Jiang Wei by the hand and led him into the back hall with a warm laugh.

"Boyue, I am sorry to trouble you to make this trip so late," Liu Chen said as he personally poured a cup of hot wine for Jiang Wei. "The military affairs were too pressing during the day; there were many things we could not discuss in detail."

Jiang Wei took the cup with both hands, a look of complexity flashing in his eyes. "You are too kind, Your Highness. The recovery of Hanzhong is entirely due to your brilliant strategic planning."

Liu Chen shook his head, kneeling on a mat before the low table. "If not for you fighting and bleeding on the front lines, my strategies would have been in vain. I summoned you today to discuss our next steps."

A flash of intensity appeared in Jiang Wei’s eyes. He set down his wine cup, pulled a map from his robes, and spread it across the table. "Your Highness, our army’s morale is at its peak. Within the Wei state, a rift has formed between Zhong Hui and Sima Zhao—this is the perfect opportunity for a Northern Expedition! Chencang is already in our hands; if we take Longyou and Guanzhong, then Chang'an is within our reach!"

To recover Guanzhong and return to the old capital was the lifelong dream of Zhuge Liang and his disciples. Jiang Wei had spent over thirty years striving for this, from his youth to his twilight years. Now that hope was right before him, how could he not be stirred?

***

Liu Chen listened quietly, his gaze resting on the familiar names of cities on the map. Jiang Wei’s finger traced a line from Chencang to Qishan, then pointed toward Chang'an, his eyes burning with a tenacity identical to that of Zhuge Liang.

"Boyue," Liu Chen sighed softly, "I intend to halt any large-scale Northern Expeditions for the next three years."

"What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Jiang Wei’s finger froze in mid-air, the excitement on his face gradually hardening.

Liu Chen stood up and looked out the door, offering a bitter smile. "Our Yan-Han possesses nine hundred thousand people and nearly one hundred thousand soldiers, yet our livelihoods are withered. Our strength cannot compare to Wei. Even if we occupy Guanzhong and Longyou now, how could we withstand Sima Zhao’s million-man army? If we engage in constant, year-round slaughter, the Yan-Han will surely be dragged to ruin."

Jiang Wei frowned deeply. "It is precisely for that reason that we must strike quickly! If we delay, and the Wei state recovers its vitality..."

"Boyue," Liu Chen interrupted, his voice gentle yet firm, "The Prime Minister launched six expeditions to Qishan, exhausting the reserves of Shu. Today, even with my father’s palace expenses cut in half, it is still difficult to cover military needs. We cannot walk the same old path again."

The night wind swept through the hall, causing the candlelight to flicker. Jiang Wei remained silent for a long time before finally sighing heavily. "Your Highness speaks with reason. However... to see the Central Plains within our grasp and yet remain idle is truly..."

Liu Chen walked to Jiang Wei’s side and patted his shoulder. "It is not remaining idle. Small-scale raids can continue, and Chencang must be held firmly. But a large-scale Northern Expedition must wait at least three years."

If history held true, within three years, Sima Zhao would die, Sima Yan would usurp the throne of Wei, and the north would descend into chaos—the perfect time to mobilize. But only Liu Chen knew of these things.

A light gradually returned to Jiang Wei’s eyes, though he hesitated. "Your Highness’s foresight is beyond my reach. But I fear there will be those in the court who criticize this."

Liu Chen sneered, "They are merely the likes of Huang Hao and Qiao Zhou. When we return to Chengdu, I will surely execute them."

Jiang Wei hesitated upon hearing this, but he quickly realized that Liu Chen was not joking. The man before him was incredibly bold—capable of forging imperial edicts and bestowing ranks upon generals on his own authority.

It was said that the ambition of Sima Zhao was known to everyone in the streets. The man before him possessed methods no less ruthless than Sima Zhao’s; the only difference was that he carried the surname Liu and was a prince of the Shu-Han.

"Within these three years, while you annex Hanzhong and train the troops, I intend to establish the Yan-Han Military Command Academy. You, along with Generals Deng Ai and Liao Hua, will serve as instructors. Every general and colonel of the Han must study there." Liu Chen laughed suddenly. "You have inherited the true teachings of the Prime Minister; you must not hide your wisdom. You must cultivate more commanders and talents for our Great Han!"

***

In the late Three Kingdoms era, fierce warriors were rare, and true commanders were even scarcer. One could count the likes of Deng Ai, Jiang Wei, Du Yu, and Yang Hu on two hands.

It was impossible for Liu Chen to conquer the world alone. Furthermore, the reason for Zhuge Liang’s premature death—aside from his tendency to micromanage—was the lack of capable subordinates, which eventually led him to work himself to death.

Upon hearing this, a trace of surprise flickered in Jiang Wei’s eyes, which soon turned into deep contemplation. He stroked his graying beard and said slowly, "Your Highness’s proposal is unprecedented. However... the art of war is often learned through battlefield experience; how can it be taught in a school?"

Liu Chen smiled slightly, took a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve, and handed it to Jiang Wei. "This is the draft curriculum for the Military Academy. In addition to military strategy, it includes courses on sand table simulations and tactical drills. More importantly, it will systematically pass down the Prime Minister’s methods of troop management and your own experience from the Northern Expeditions to the younger officers."

Jiang Wei took the bamboo slips and read them carefully by the candlelight. His brow smoothed and furrowed in turn, and finally, he let out a long sigh. "Your Highness’s vision is beyond me. But I fear some in the court will claim this is a move to seize military power."

Liu Chen laughed heartily. "Boyue, you worry too much. If I wanted to seize military power, why would I ask you to take charge of the teaching? Besides, do I care about such talk?"

With military power in his hands, why should he care about the opinions of those corrupt scholars at court? If truly pushed to the brink, he could always imitate Li Shimin and stage a coup at the Xuanwu Gate; it was not as if he couldn't do it.

Jiang Wei pondered for a long time, then suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly. "Your Highness possesses profound foresight; I am willing to serve you with all my strength."

"To have your assistance, Old General, is like the Founding Emperor gaining the Marquis of Liu, or my grandfather gaining Kongming!" Liu Chen was overjoyed, unhesitatingly elevating Jiang Wei’s status.

"Your Highness is too generous with your praise!"

Outside the window, a cold wind swept by, causing the branches of the old locust tree to creak. Watching this young Prince of Beidi, Jiang Wei felt a surge of excitement. He suddenly realized that perhaps this young man could truly fulfill the lifelong wish that the Prime Minister had failed to achieve.