"Each of you is a pillar of Great Shang."
"But... your strategies for commanding troops are still too immature. You need more training."
"Today, I, Cangwu, acting under the Order of the Human Sovereign, will establish the Great Shang Professional Military Academy here. You will be the academy's first class of students."
The rear mountains of Chaoge.
Within an artificially opened secret realm, Great Shang's garrison commanders and young generals had all gathered.
On a vast plaza paved with enormous Green Stone slabs, a figure wearing a bronze mask stood atop a high platform, looking down at the garrison commanders, young generals, and deputy commanders below.
Li Jing of Chentang Pass.
Yin Shiniang had remained home to care for their two children and guard Chentang Pass, so she had not come.
Huang Gun of Jiepai Pass.
This veteran general's eldest son, Huang Feihu, had only recently been born.
Dou Rong and Madam Che Di of Azure Dragon Pass.
Zhang Guifang of Azure Dragon Pass.
The Mo Family Four Generals of Jiameng Pass.
Han Rong and Yu Hua of Sishui Pass.
And so on.
Li Jing, Deng Jiugong, Huang Gun, Han Rong, and the other garrison commanders exchanged glances. Then they clasped their fists, bowed, and called out, "Greetings, Master Cangwu."
"Good."
Cangwu nodded in satisfaction. "As the saying goes, warfare is the way of deception..."
The first class of the Great Shang Professional Military Academy all sat cross-legged on the ground, listening to Master Cangwu, clad in a bronze mask, lecture on the art of war from the platform.
At first, some seasoned garrison commanders who had led troops for many years did not think much of it.
Huang Gun was one such person.
At his age, he had fought countless battles. Could he possibly not understand how to wage