The Beautiful CEO’s Dragon Blood Bodyguard
Chapter 1384 Future War (Part 1)

Chapter 1384: Chapter 1384 Future War (Part 1)

Prefecture Princess Mansion, after one week of recruiting Collaborative Defense Army, a total of ten thousand people applied, all set up camp in the martial arts field of the Prefecture Princess Mansion.

Initially, there were high hopes for the Prefecture Princess Mansion among the common folk, but now more and more rumors are spreading.

Especially today, as the Great Xia Army’s Left Route and Right Route Armies are set to march to the Southern Ridge to suppress the bandits.

The citizens of Wuzhou City are abuzz with discussion, emotions running high.

Everyone secretly curses the Imperial Court for losing its mind, as the water bandits have not yet been dealt with, and yet the army is being dispatched far to the Southern Ridge.

An alleged insider has claimed that this is a deliberate act of Governor Yi Zhongcheng of Wuzhou fighting against the Commandery Princess.

The Left Route General Lei Shicheng is said to be a close confidant of the Commandery Princess.

Now being dispatched to the Southern Ridge, the Commandery Princess has no troops to command, no one to employ, and can only rely on the newly recruited Collaborative Defense Army.

Some analyze that the Collaborative Defense Army is only ten thousand strong and, not to mention being newly recruited, doesn’t even amount to a fraction of the water bandits.

The key is, they lack weapons, they lack warships, suppressing the bandits is nothing but a death sentence, isn’t it?

Overall, the public opinion is pessimistic, and they hoped that the Commandery Princess would bring some new atmosphere to Wuzhou and the South Yangtze Prefecture.

Who knew that the Imperial Court had so many treacherous ministers.

While everyone was cursing Yi Zhongcheng, they couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed with the Prefecture Princess Mansion, all waiting to see how the Commandery Princess would fulfill her promise in three weeks.

In the Prefecture Princess Mansion’s hall, Lei Shicheng, wearing golden armor, was discussing the matter with the Commandery Princess.

The old man, despite being over eighty years old,

In this world, for a cultivator, living up to two hundred years is not a problem.

Though eighty is somewhat old, his voice remained loud and clear, with a face like a red jujube, his body brimming with essential qi.

He took a sip of wine and said to Ji Wanrong, letting out a pent-up breath, "Your Royal Highness The Princess, recently you brought down Yi Zhongcheng, and Uncle Lei is truly happy for you. But you must not get proud or careless, making such a promise to eliminate the water bandits in a month? The current situation is very clear; Yi Zhongcheng is obviously using your words to make a fuss, intentionally having the Imperial Court order me to leave here. Once I’m gone, what will happen to this Collaborative Defense Army of yours? How will you face the hundreds of thousands of water bandits?"

Ji Wanrong calmly toasted Lei Shicheng, gestured towards Long Fei outside the door, and said, "Uncle Lei, don’t forget, your niece now has the Imperial Son-in-law. With him here, your niece won’t worry!"

Lei Shicheng looked out, and Long Fei was introducing various matters to the newly recruited Collaborative Defense Army on the martial arts field.

Behind this youngster stood a group of people wearing colorful clothes that looked like leaves.

He listened for a long time and it seemed like he was talking about making these people the instructors?

Nonsense, nonsense!

Lei Shicheng thought to himself and asked Ji Wanrong, "No matter how capable he is, it’s still only the courage of a single man. Uncle Lei has heard of his fame; during the battle at Tianzhu Mountain, he established great fame. But suppressing bandits is not a fight of one man against a hundred; it requires collective effort. No matter how mighty a tiger is, it cannot withstand an attack from hundreds of thousands of sheep, right? Besides, cultivators generally avoid killing to avoid karmic entanglement. Are you certain he would take action against hundreds of thousands of refugees?"

Ji Wanrong smiled and said, "Dear Uncle, just trust your niece this time. Some things can’t be revealed to you just yet. Rest assured and go to the Southern Ridge to suppress the bandits, and come back to see how your niece does things. Your niece promises you’ll be shocked when the time comes."

"You little girl."

Lei Shicheng shook his head, genuinely unable to trust these young people.

In terms of war, he still believed that students from the military strategist schools like them were more effective.

He sighed and said, "If that’s the case, Uncle Lei won’t say more. Uncle Lei knows that Yi Zhongcheng is deliberately causing trouble, making things difficult for your logistic camp, not even ordering a single blade for you. Uncle Lei has some reserves, so I’ll give you ten thousand great blades and long spears first. Also, since my ships won’t be needed to suppress bandits in the Southern Ridge, I’ll give you one hundred warships, hoping they can be of some use to you!"

"Then your niece thanks Uncle Lei."

Ji Wanrong smiled and nodded, rising to see Lei Shicheng off.

Lei Shicheng looked at the martial arts field, at the newly recruited group of raw recruits, and left with a furrowed brow and another shake of his head.

As the army set off, he mounted a Dragon Blood Steed covered in scales and headed south.

Before leaving, he had already made arrangements.

Should anything happen in the city, he would immediately return with the army.

Even if he couldn’t help Ji Wanrong suppress the bandits, he could at least ensure her safety.

In the martial arts field, a group of newly recruited young people struggled to line up as the instructors indicated.

A military strategist disciple from the Southern Capital Academy couldn’t help but raise his hand in protest.

Long Fei pointed at him, signaling him to step forward to speak.

This young man stepped out of the line and reported loudly, "General, I have something to say!"

"Speak!"

Long Fei nodded.

This military strategist disciple shouted, "My name is Lei Baiyuan, a collateral member of the Lei Family, currently a third-term disciple of the military strategist school at the Southern Capital Academy. According to what is taught in military books, when facing an enemy, there should be methods and formations. Forgive my frankness, but I don’t understand what this formation of yours is supposed to be. A group of three and a squad of nine, each with a squad leader. Are you really going to rely on such a formation to confront the enemy? Relying on so few to fight hundreds?"

"Yes, yes, I also find it wrong."

"Our military strategist school has never taught such methods."

"General, at least let’s set up an Eight Trigrams Array or something, right?"

"..."

A chorus of agreement came from the military strategist disciples.

Long Fei smiled as he looked at them and asked, "How many military family disciples are present? All of you step forward so I can have a look."

The group of military disciples exchanged glances; as top students of the empire, they could have easily been appointed positions in the Great Xia Army upon leaving.

But now they had come to the Collaborative Defense Army, akin to a militia outfit in the outside world.

There was no other reason, some came because of their connection with Lei Shicheng, others because Ji Wanrong saved their classmates on the city walls.

Out of a sense of camaraderie, they found themselves here.

Little did they know, the training methods here were far from what they imagined, completely deviant from the orthodoxy.

Long Fei glanced around; among the ten thousand troops, these military students accounted for a tenth.

He looked at these freshly graduated students with satisfaction and said, "Very well, daring to voice your opinions shows that your minds are not yet constrained by conventional ideas. But your minds are still bound by the times and textbooks. I hope you understand that there is no constant in warfare, just as water has no consistent shape. All military training methods must adhere to actual circumstances, and should not be rigidly applied."

Lei Baiyuan discontentedly said, "General, we understand what you’re saying. But in our current situation, with few soldiers and officers, and yet you want to deploy them so sparsely in battle; how can we win against the enemy?"

Long Fei gestured, signaling to the instructor in camouflage behind him, and addressed all the new recruits, "Very well, then let this General demonstrate to you the combat mode of future warfare. This will be your benchmark for continuously broadening your minds. The leaders I want must keep pace with the times. Remember, you are the first batch of soldiers in the Collaborative Defense Army. In the not-so-distant future, as the army expands, each of you may have the opportunity to become a leader. I urge you to seize this opportunity—anyone who’s here just to pass the time without ambition, this General advises you to depart early and not waste this General’s provisions!"

Everyone chuckled, eyes filled with anticipation, and quickly moved aside under the instructor’s guidance.