Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1268: Great ambition and limited talent

But the war has already come to this point! With so many soldiers and provisions invested, and so many corpses and bullets left behind, if we were to slink away in disgrace, wouldn't we be admitting to being utterly useless?

Where is his dignity? Where is the morale of his troops? How can he stand on his own two feet in the future? This heavy price and the unpredictable future weighed on him like two invisible mountains, making it hard for him to breathe. Deep in his single eye was an indescribable restlessness and confusion.

Just as the atmosphere inside the tent was about to explode with tension, an elderly staff officer with a goatee in the corner cautiously spoke up: "Commander... I... I have something to say, but I don't know if I should..."

"Spit it out!" Liu the Blind roared irritably, but his eyes gestured for him to continue.

The old staff officer swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "The commander is troubled. This is a critical moment, a time of great danger and peril. Perhaps... perhaps he should seek guidance from a wise and virtuous man. I've heard that in Bailu Plain of Zishui County lives a Mr. Zhu, known as 'Sage Zhu.' This man is learned in both ancient and modern times, knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and especially skilled at resolving people's doubts..."

Liu the Blind rolled his one eye, full of suspicion and disdain: "What kind of skill could a pedantic scholar, who only knows how to gossip, possibly have to solve my biggest problem?"

“Commander, you may not know this,” the old staff officer said, his courage growing slightly as he saw he wasn’t immediately reprimanded, his voice becoming clearer. “This Master Zhu is no ordinary scholar! Back then, Fang Sheng, a remnant of the Qing dynasty, gathered 100,000 men, sharpening his knives to massacre Xi’an. It was this Master Zhu who, with only his upright character and clean hands, single-handedly stormed Fang Sheng’s 100,000-strong army camp! With a few words, he directly explained the advantages and disadvantages, and Fang Sheng was completely convinced, ultimately withdrawing his troops and saving hundreds of thousands of lives in Xi’an from devastation! This story is widely known and is by no means an exaggeration!”

"Oh?" The fierceness in Liu the Blind's one eye subsided slightly, revealing a hint of genuine surprise. He smacked his lips, his rough fingers tapping the table unconsciously. "Listening... he actually does have some skill?"

……

"Woo——"

The sharp, drawn-out sound of the ox horn once again echoed through the clear sky of Bailu Plain. This familiar alarm immediately put the members of the security team scattered throughout the fields and behind the village houses on high alert.

"Report! The Zhen Song Army! It's the Zhen Song Army again! A group of about twenty or thirty riders, fully armed, are rushing towards Bailuyuan from the main road to the east!" The regimental commander on guard duty rushed into the temporary command post, panting, to report.

Hearing the sound, Heiwa stood up abruptly, his thick eyebrows furrowed, and the murderous intent on his dark face almost overflowing: "You son of a bitch, you're back again?! Are you never going to stop? Which village are you planning to wreak havoc on this time?"

He grabbed the pistol from the wall, cocked it with a snap, and shouted, "Quick! Same old routine! Quickly notify Chief Li of Laowu Village and have them act like last time! Cry! Cry as pitifully as possible! Get a few of the faster brothers to come with me to the ridge over at Xiagou Village to check out the situation!"

The entire village of Laowu sprang into action as if facing a formidable enemy. Chief Li, already experienced, stood under the old locust tree at the village entrance and calmed the panicked villagers with a few words. "Don't panic! Listen to me! Do as the last group did! Drive all the chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, cattle, and sheep to the caves in the back mountains! Keep some wild vegetables and chaff at home as a show! Put on your most tattered clothes! Smear your faces with ash! Wives, get your wailing going! Today, we're going to put on a show of 'eating chaff and wild vegetables, selling our children' for those damned soldiers! Let them open their eyes wide and see that Bailu Plain has truly been robbed of everything!"

The villagers displayed astonishing efficiency and superb "acting skills," quickly "restoring" the entire old village to its previous state of utter poverty, desolation, and widespread starvation.

Heiwa led a few militiamen on a hurried march, concealing themselves on a mountain ridge beside the only road leading to Bailu Village. From their elevated position, they kept a close watch on the approaching Zhensong Army through binoculars.

However, as he watched, Heiwa's brows furrowed even more.

"Strange..." He put down his binoculars, somewhat puzzled: "These guys...something's not right!"

Tuan Yong chimed in, "Yeah, Brother Heiwa, look how fast they're riding their horses, heading straight for the heart of the plains! They didn't even turn off the side road to Laowu Village! They didn't even glance at it twice!"

“What’s even stranger is,” another observant soldier interjected, “that although they’re carrying guns and riding horses, they’re not like those lazy, slovenly soldiers who came to collect grain before. These guys are keeping their heads down and just rushing forward with all their might. Their formation is quite neat, as if they’re on a forced march… What important mission are they carrying out?”

The unusual actions of this Zhen Song army were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, bringing intense unease and confusion to the previously clear defense plan. This was inconsistent with their usual pattern of plundering and requisitioning grain! Where were they headed? What did they intend to do?

"Keep watching! You guys, run fast along the path and tell the villages along the way in Black Stone Gully to get ready too! Hide the livestock and grain! Folks, put on some face paint! Hurry up!"

Heiwa decisively gave the order, then grabbed another boy with the fastest legs: "Maodan! You're the fastest! Take the shortcut to Bailu Village and report to Brother Hao! Tell him that a strange group of Zhensong soldiers are coming. They're not robbing or looting, they're just rushing headlong towards Bailu Village! Tell Brother Hao to be very careful!"

Mao Dan responded and dashed off like a rabbit along the narrow path in the ravine.

The news reached Bailu Village in the afternoon. Qin Hao had just returned from the temporary resettlement area for the villagers of Xiagou Village and was discussing the details of the subsequent resettlement with his father, Bai Jiaxuan.

Upon hearing Mao Dan's breathless report, both of them turned pale.

"No looting? No plundering? Heading straight for Bailu Village?" Bai Jiaxuan's hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in mid-air, filled with surprise and doubt. "Could it be... that they've located our granary? Knowing that the goods are hidden here, they're planning a direct assault?"

Qin Hao frowned: "No! It doesn't seem like it. If Liu the Blind knew the location of the granary, he would never have sent so few men!"

But whatever their purpose, we must maintain a facade! We must not let them see even the slightest sign of prosperity on the villagers' faces; that would be utterly disastrous!

"Da, there's no time to lose! Quickly take some men and inform the whole village! Hide all the good stuff! Drive the pigs and sheep to the back mountain and keep watch! Tell the villagers to quickly change into tattered clothes and smear some soot on their faces! Those who need to cry poverty, cry poverty; those who need to complain, complain! Even if you're just pretending, make it look like our Bailu Village has been skinned alive!"

At the same time, Qin Hao sent several villagers to pretend to be carrying water. Even if the Zhen Song Army soldiers on horseback didn't drink water themselves, their horses would definitely need to.

More than an hour later, the villagers ran back to report that the Zhen Song soldiers had come to deliver a message for Liu the Blind.

Inside Bailu Academy, Mr. Zhu was calmly copying calligraphy rubbings in his study. Qin Hao, without any formalities, recounted that Blind Liu was coming to visit him.

Mr. Zhu put down his brush and nodded slightly: "War is dangerous and fierce, a powerful enemy is coming, and fortune is unpredictable. Zihan, I noticed that when you came in just now, there seemed to be a slight smile on your lips? Why were you smiling?"

Qin Hao's smile widened, his eyes flashing with a sharp, insightful light: "Uncle, why do you ask such a question when you already know the answer? My laughter comes from the fact that the siege of Xi'an is finally about to be lifted! Liu the Blind's 100,000-strong army won't be able to stay for long! Isn't such a joyous occasion, relieving the people from their suffering, something to be happy about?"

"Oh?" Mr. Zhu raised an eyebrow: "You're so certain that Blind Liu will retreat? Do you have any evidence?"

"Observe his actions and examine his heart. Liu the Blind has an army of 100,000, which sounds impressive, but judging from his military tactics, he is nothing more than a brute! He has surrounded Xi'an like an iron barrel, with no way out. On the surface, he seems to be determined to take it, but in reality, he has committed a major taboo in military strategy!"

"The art of war says, 'When besieging an enemy, leave a gap.' When facing a powerful enemy and a fortified city, a true military strategist will surround three sides but leave one open, giving the defenders a way out and eroding their will to fight to the death. In this way, the people inside the city will be filled with fear and their will will waver, and the city will fall in no time. But what about Liu the Blind? He only wanted to starve Xi'an to death by trapping it on all sides. What was the result? The soldiers and civilians inside the city were driven to the brink of despair, but instead, they became united and of one mind! This alone shows that this man is ambitious but incompetent, possessing military power but lacking the qualities of a general."

"Secondly, the war is currently at a stalemate, with no progress for months, heavy losses, and depleted supplies. This is truly a critical moment of survival! A responsible commander would surely be at the forefront at this time, either to boost morale and fight to the death, or to rectify military discipline, strengthen the army, and strive to break through the stalemate. But what about Liu the Blind? After a prolonged siege at the front, he abandoned his 100,000-strong army and instead traveled dozens of miles with a small entourage to Bailuyuan to seek advice from a renowned scholar. Uncle, doesn't this show that his heart has already wavered, that he has completely lost confidence in conquering Xi'an, yet he is caught in a dilemma due to various concerns—heavy losses, loss of face, fear of retribution—making him indecisive and unable to back down! He is certainly not a capable commander!"

"Therefore, I conclude that Blind Liu's trip was not to show off his power, but rather because he wanted to retreat but had no way to back down! He needed a respectable reason, a 'divine intervention' or 'guidance from a wise man' that could convince himself, appease his subordinates, and deal with various forces. That's why he came to you, Uncle! What he wanted was nothing more than four words—peace of mind!"

After listening, Mr. Zhu's eyes revealed a knowing and approving smile, which finally turned into a hearty and unrestrained laugh: "Hahahaha! What a wonderful 'observe his actions and examine his heart'! What a wonderful 'feeling at ease'! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! He doesn't ask about the common people but about ghosts and gods, yet he doesn't know whether he sees me as a ghost or a god?"

……

Three days later, Liu the Blind arrived at Bailu Village under the escort of many guards. The devastation he witnessed along the way made him seethe with hatred. He hadn't managed to collect a single grain of food, yet he had unjustly borne the brunt of the infamy.

In the tranquil courtyard of Bailu Academy, a gentle breeze rustled the copper bells under the eaves, producing a clear, melodious tinkling sound. This solemn atmosphere was broken by a group of soldiers in military uniforms.

After the guards conducted a search and confirmed there were no ambushes, Liu the Blind finally stepped into the courtyard.

"I have long admired Mr. Zhu's great virtue and noble character, who single-handedly stormed the camp and repelled 100,000 Qing soldiers, saving countless lives in Xi'an! I am but a rough soldier, and I have taken the liberty of visiting you today. I hope you will not take offense."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhu slowly put down the book in his hand, his gaze calm and composed: "Commander Liu is too kind. I am but a scholar. The matter of Fang Sheng back then was due to the right timing, the right place, and the right people. It was not the work of one person alone."

He turned slightly to the side, his gaze falling on the figure standing to the side: "This is my nephew, Bai Hao. He went to the Qing army camp with me back then. The rumors circulating in the streets should not be entirely believed."

Liu the Blind Man's one eye suddenly narrowed, and he noticed the tall, composed, and reserved young man beside Mr. Zhu. He had been focused on Mr. Zhu, and Qin Hao was dressed in ordinary cloth clothes, keeping a low profile, so he hadn't paid much attention to him.

"Bai Hao? Could it be the same Mr. Bai Zihan, who gave a passionate speech at Beiyang University that stirred the blood of countless students and made him famous throughout the world?"

Qin Hao calmly cupped his hands, saying neither humbly nor arrogantly, "These are just the presumptuous remarks of a scholar, unworthy of such praise."

Liu the Blind Man became even more polite: "Oh dear, my apologies! Mr. Zhu persuaded 100,000 Qing soldiers to retreat, and Mr. Bai is a young prodigy. They are truly two outstanding individuals from the same family! It is truly enviable."

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu the Blind finally couldn't resist asking Mr. Zhu for his opinion on the siege of Xi'an.

Mr. Zhu smiled faintly and asked, "Commander Liu, have you ever read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"

"To be honest, sir, my favorite book is the Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

"Oh? Does Commander Liu know that Tao Qian thrice declined Xuzhou?"

"Of course I know."

Mr. Zhu smiled and shook his head: "The story of Tao Qian thrice yielding Xuzhou is from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In fact, the Records of the Three Kingdoms states that Tao Qian was ambitious but incompetent. He misjudged the situation and killed Cao Cao's father. Cao Cao used the pretext of avenging his father to launch a campaign against Tao Qian. At the same time, Yuan Shao sent Zhu Ling to lead three battalions of troops to assist him. Tao Qian was so frightened that he fell ill and died. On his deathbed, he 'yielded' Xuzhou."

Liu the Blind Man listened with astonishment: "The differences between the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Records of the Three Kingdoms are so great?"

"Far more people know the Romance of the Three Kingdoms than the Records of the Three Kingdoms, but they don't know that it is mostly fictionalized. But for ordinary people, it's just for entertainment; who cares about the actual history?"

These words struck at Liu the Blind's weak point. Public opinion was now particularly unfavorable to him, and if he were to be defeated, he would surely be remembered with infamy for eternity.

Just as Liu the Blind was wavering, Qin Hao spoke loudly.

"Commander Liu, do you know anything about the Rebel King?"

"I have heard some folk tales."

"Li Zicheng amassed a million men, swept across the Central Plains, and commanded overwhelming support—what power he possessed! In the year of Jia Shen (1444), he finally captured Beijing, forcing Emperor Chongzhen to commit suicide at Coal Hill. This was truly a monumental achievement, and the conquest of the land seemed within his grasp! However, after entering the capital, he became impatient for quick success! He failed to restrain his subordinates, allowing them to plunder; he disregarded the suffering of the people, imposing heavy taxes and levies; and he was oblivious to the turmoil in the country and the dangers of being surrounded by powerful enemies. He thought that capturing the capital meant securing the throne, but little did he know that 'gaining power is easy, but maintaining it is difficult!'"

"And the result? The foundation was not solid, and the people's hearts were lost! The military force at Shanhaiguan turned around, and the edifice collapsed instantly. In just over a month after entering the capital, it fell from its peak into the abyss! Not only did its hegemonic ambitions come to naught, but it also died at the hands of the local militia of Jiugong Mountain and earned a reputation that will last for eternity."

Each word was like a needle piercing Liu the Blind's heart.

His current situation is remarkably similar to that of the rebel leader Li Zicheng, but even far worse. After all, Li Zicheng easily conquered Beijing, while he hasn't even reached the gates of Xi'an.

"Thank you both for your guidance. I will take my leave now." (End of Chapter)