The Institutions of Former Dynasties, the Gains and Losses of the Ages

"The Essentials of the Military Classics?"

As he pondered the name, Li Kun sensed something unusual. "This book is prefixed with 'Martial Canon,' could it be related to martial arts and the path of Life Cultivation?" He knew that Qiu Yan possessed Divine Abilities, and through intelligence gathering from departments such as the Imperial City Bureau, he also knew that Qiu Yan himself could be considered a master of Life Cultivation.

In reality, this meeting between the ruler and his subject was not something to be taken lightly in the eyes of the old man with the white face. Although the old man had a good impression of Qiu Yan, he was still secretly on guard and dared not let Li Kun be alone with him. The reason was that Qiu Yan had cultivation, and he could not be careless.

"That's not the case. This 'martial arts' refers to the martial arts of the dynasty, not the fists and feet of an individual. There is a difference between a contest of fists and feet and the direction of military might. The Essentials that I am compiling is intended to serve as a general guide for the Military Pavilion, making it easy for others to search and consult. Of course, it will not include the path of Life Cultivation. At most, it will discuss the bravery of generals and soldiers and explain the mysteries of Sand Battlefield formations."

"Mentioning military officers and soldiers?" Li Kun looked slightly puzzled. "Since it's the General Outline of the Military Pavilion, why would it include such trivial matters?"

Qiu Yan said, "When Military School strategists wage war, even if both sides have complete military systems, laws, and battle formations, and sufficient weapons, provisions, and supplies, in the final analysis, it is still a battle between people. Only when thousands of soldiers and generals come together can an army be formed. Therefore, the affairs of soldiers and generals cannot be ignored. Moreover, there are many battlefield records in the Military Pavilion, which contain a lot of practical information. Of course, they should also be included in them, not just for the purpose of recording events, but to gain experience and understand gains and losses."

These words were prepared by Qiu Yan while he was waiting outside the door. In fact, the book he wanted to compile was far from simple, and it was not without Divine Ability. There were mysteries within it, which will be explained later.

Once the "Essentials of the Military Classics" is completed, it will not only be a summary of the nation's military preparedness, but will also have an impact on the cultivation world. However, these matters, of course, cannot be mentioned in front of the emperor.

"Is that so..." Li Kun pondered for a moment, then asked, "Does Minister Qiu have any thoughts on the main theme of this book?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan replied, "There should be regulations and laws, local gazetteers of the border regions, a record of the systems of previous dynasties, and a record of the gains and losses of past dynasties."

"System, gains and losses?" Li Kun's eyes lit up, because Qiu Yan's words showed a lot of arrogance, but his thoughts also changed. In fact, he didn't really value Qiu Yan's claim about compiling the book. After all, Qiu Yan's qualifications and age were what they were. He was certainly talented and could cause a stir, but some things couldn't be accomplished with just talent. One also needed experience and background to do them well.

Moreover, although Qiu Yan had written articles and military strategies before, compiling books is different from writing articles. Many aspects need to be carefully considered and cannot be accomplished overnight.

So, regarding the compilation of Military School strategies, Qiu Yan certainly understood the Military School Order, but he had never experienced the Sand Battlefield, nor even set foot on the border. He relied solely on books to gather information and make judgments, which inevitably led to limitations.

However, seeing the potential in Qiu Yan's future achievements, he did not immediately refuse. Instead, he talked with him, and only now, listening to Qiu Yan talk about the "system," did he truly take it to heart.

"Since that's the case, then go back and think it over carefully. I'll send someone over. If you need manpower or force, just tell him and let him arrange it." Li Kun gave these instructions, not expecting Qiu Yan to get any results, but hoping that the other party could accumulate experience and prepare for future military system reforms.

Qiu Yan was also aware of this, but his purpose in compiling the book was not simple. The reason he brought it up in front of the emperor was to make a promise so that he could mobilize people and resources.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Li Kun displayed a courteous and respectful attitude, and then remembered the purpose of calling Qiu Yan over.

"By the way, does Qiu Qing know Duolu Baduowa of the Three Waters Tribe?"

"Duolu Baduowa?" Upon hearing this name, Qiu Yan initially felt a sense of unfamiliarity. Then, a figure flashed through his mind, and a name surfaced from the depths of his memory, "Duolu? Could it be..."

He recalled the man who accompanied Prince Yan in the Eastern Capital. His name was "Duolu," and his appearance and hairstyle were different from those in the Central Lands. At that time, Qiu Yan had guessed that the man was probably from beyond the borders.

However, after calming down, Qiu Yan still outwardly feigned doubt.

"What? You don't know this person?" Li Kun nodded inwardly, then said, "This person said he met you once, perhaps concealing his identity at the time. He is a prince of a northern Hu people. His tribe rose to power a few years ago, and in the last six months, they have conquered several tribes, unifying the Three Rivers basin in Northern Desert Mongolia. Hence, they adopted Three Rivers as their name. This time, his intentions are quite profound. I intend to use his tribe to join forces with the imperial army to launch a pincer attack from the north and south, and break through the Rouluo, but..."

This Supreme Realm of the Great Rui Dynasty so simply recounted the important affairs of the nation, which reached the ears of a Hanlin Compiler.

Beside him, the pale-faced old man's expression changed slightly, but he ultimately remained silent.

Qiu Yan, however, took the initiative to say, "I am merely a civil official, in charge of compilation; it is truly inappropriate for me to listen to such military matters."

"It's alright," Li Kun waved his hand and laughed. "If you're going to compile Martial Canon, there are some things you'll naturally need to know. The northern Hu people often fight among their tribes. In recent years, however, a tribe has come to rule over most of the people. Its Khan is named Rouluo, and the tribe takes that name from him. Three years ago, Rouluo's youngest son was appointed as the Left Wise King, commanding an army that raids the border almost every month."

"The Left Wise King? Isn't he the successor to the Khanate?" This was the first time Qiu Yan had heard about such details on the frontier. These military matters sounded simple, and in Qiu Yan's previous life, even ordinary people could learn about them through the internet. However, in this world, they were not easily disseminated. Even officials in the capital would find it difficult to know without a source of information.

However, now that he is serving in the Hanlin Academy and in charge of the Military Pavilion, even if he cannot obtain timely battle reports, he can still understand the situation through old historical materials. Therefore, he knows that the Left Wise King is actually a noble title, which is usually granted to the heir to the Khan's throne, equivalent to the crown prince of the Central Plains dynasty.

Li Kun nodded and said, "That's right. This Hu king is extremely ambitious and has his eyes on the Central Plains. In the past, when he led his army alone, he often invaded our Great Rui. After he inherits the Khanate, the situation will become even more complicated, and he may launch a large-scale southward invasion..."

"Inherit the Khanate? Could it be..." Qiu Yan caught the key point in the words.

Li Kun glanced at him. "That Rouluo Khan has been unconscious for a month. I heard he was seriously injured, and there are also rumors that he has a serious illness."

Hearing this, Qiu Yan had a general idea. "So that's how it is. According to the records of the Military Pavilion, eight out of ten changes of Hu people would cause war and division. Of the remaining two, one would be a strong rise to power. In order to consolidate their Khan's position, many newly enthroned people would wage wars abroad, plundering grain and people as military achievements to solidify their position."

Looking at Qiu Yan's expression, Li Kun said, "It seems you understand the key point. However, this is also an opportunity. I intend to use this opportunity to launch a pincer attack on Rouluo. But without changing the military system, our combat strength is limited. Therefore, we need to contact the Three-River Hu. And the request made by the Three Rivers prince is..."

"You want me to be an envoy to the Three-River Hu?"

Upon returning to the Hanlin Academy, Qiu Yan was still recalling the emperor's words.

"This may seem like a troublesome matter, but it has intangible benefits. Being able to get close to the battlefield is an important reference for compiling the 'Essentials of the Military Classics.' On the other hand, the emperor also wants to use this opportunity to send me out of the capital so that he can appoint Tian Youqing. After all, in the past six months, the implementation of New Law such as the Market Exchange and Equal Transport has caused widespread opposition in the court and among the people. Even the emperor can no longer protect Prime Minister Wang. Moreover, due to the reform of the military system, Prime Minister Wang has gradually lost the emperor's favor, and a new leader will emerge for the New Party."

Lost in thought, Qiu Yan returned to the Military Pavilion.

Zheng Yun, who was reading in the pavilion, immediately came over to pay his respects. He had brought the message earlier, and not long after, someone from the palace came to summon him. Qiu Yan had left in a hurry, so he told Zheng Yun to stay here and read for the time being.

"Teacher is back." Zheng Yun greeted him, glanced at the sky, and then left. As he walked out of the Book Repository, he ran into Meng Sanyi, who immediately stopped, raised his arms in a salute, and did not care at all that Zheng Yun was younger than him.

Zheng Yun returned the greeting without hesitation. He already knew that his teacher treated this servant differently, and vaguely realized that the servant had the potential to become his junior brother.

Inside the Military Pavilion, Qiu Yan sat motionless, organizing his thoughts.

After about a cup of tea, he spread out the book he had written on before, dipped some ink on it, pondered for a moment, and the beautiful ideas in his heart surged up. He followed the tip of the pen, filled the ink, and wrote the word "made" on the front page.

The moment this character is written on paper, a vibrant array of concepts immediately bursts forth!

These concepts, belonging to the East Flower Continent, are guided by the Military School Order and imprinted on paper, while those belonging to Zhou Rao are in constant chaos, struggling to break free from the paper!

"One of the purposes of compiling this book is to tame this foreign concept, to use the events of Donghua to explain the principles of Zhou Rao, and thus to control it. How could we allow you to run rampant?" Qiu Yan shook his head, raised his hand, and the surrounding bookshelves trembled, various illusory shadows rising up—

The training of troops, weapons and equipment, fire and naval warfare, selection of generals and troop assessment, military instruction, marching and encampment, site selection for camp, scouting and reconnaissance...

The scene was ethereal, like soaring clouds and mist, and was inhaled by Qiu Yan. It entered his chest and abdomen, turned around in his heart, followed the pen and fell on the paper, and finally condensed on the word "Zhi"!

The rampant concept of the Zhou Rao Continent was about to burst out of the paper, but it was forcibly suppressed. Then, as if it were being restrained, it twisted and changed, but could not break free!

Boom!

The Military Pavilion shook violently, and the bookshelf bounced off the ground before falling back down.

Outside the Book Repository, everyone was startled and looked in the direction of the sound, each displaying their own reaction.

In the center of the Library Pavilion, Yang She sat with a furrowed brow and muttered something under his breath.

"We can't delay any longer. If we keep putting it off, who knows when we'll find the right opportunity? By then, it won't be easy to add the bookmark to its Fortune."

After saying that, he picked up a bamboo skewer from beside him and flicked it lightly with his finger.

"However, to write a book now? Isn't that a bit too hasty..." (To be continued...)

ps: Thanks to "Wang Xiucai", "orisun", "Step Down Dead Man", and "Adventurer * Tianyun" for their monthly votes!