Chapter 217

"Guoshi... personally visiting my humble abode, Liang, is terrified."

Zhang Liang bowed, his heart full of suspicion.

Is he here to catch me?

Gu Shanhe walked into the thatched cottage as if returning to his own home, sat down on the mat very naturally, took a book from his bosom, and placed it on the desk.

"Mr. Zifang, no need to be nervous, I am not here to take you, but to invite you."

"Invite me?"

Zhang Liang looked at the book, on the cover of which were written a few strange characters: "On Modern Warfare."

The content was some strategic and tactical principles he combined with later military thoughts, summarized in classical Chinese, especially regarding the characteristics of war in the era of firearms, logistics, intelligence, psychological warfare, etc.

Far beyond this era.

"Look at this." Gu Shanhe signaled.

Zhang Liang was skeptical, picked up the book, and opened it.

After reading only a few pages, his face changed.

His breathing became more and more rapid, his eyes brighter and brighter, and the hand holding the book actually trembled slightly.

Many things mentioned in it, such as "total war," "air superiority (although there are no planes now, the thought is forward-looking)," "intelligence network," "public opinion warfare"...

Although some terms were strange, the depth of the connotation and the scale of the pattern completely subverted his previous cognition of "strategy" and "art of war."

In comparison, the assassinations and strange strategies he had pondered before were too small in scale.

He read the whole book for a whole night.

Gu Shanhe didn't urge him, just closed his eyes and rested in the side.

At dawn,

Zhang Liang closed the book, let out a long breath, and had an indescribably complex expression on his face.

There was shock, there was sudden enlightenment, and there was also a trace of... loneliness.

"This book... who wrote it?" his voice was dry.

"I wrote it."

Gu Shanhe opened his eyes, "Or rather, it is the crystallization of wisdom from another world, what do you think?"

Zhang Liang was silent for a long time, stood up, walked to Gu Shanhe, tidied his clothes, and then knelt down solemnly,

"Zhang Liang... a frog at the bottom of a well, trapped in a besieged city. Today, seeing the Heavenly Book, I finally know the vastness of heaven and earth and the depth of strategy."

"Guoshi... no, Teacher is above, please accept the student's bow!"

"Liang, willing to follow Teacher back to Xianyang, serve His Majesty, and in my lifetime, study this path, and do my best!"

He was completely convinced.

Not convinced by force, but by this wisdom that transcended the era.

Following someone who could write such a book, assisting an emperor who could accept such thoughts, perhaps, was the only way for him to realize his own value and peek into a higher realm.

Restore Han? In the face of such a general trend and wisdom, how ridiculous it seemed.

"Get up."

Gu Shanhe helped him up, "His Majesty is thirsty for talent, Zifang has great talent, and will definitely be reused."

"However, there is someone you might need to see."

Xianyang, temporary military camp outside Tiangong Workshop.

A young man in ragged clothes, but with a straight waist and eyes sharp as knives, was brought to Meng Tian and Gu Shanhe.

His name is Han Xin, from Huaiyin, born in poverty, fond of military books, and has strange ambitions.

He had mixed in Xiang Yu's army, served as a halberd-wielding official, and was frustrated.

When Xiang Yu was defeated and killed, he was not far away, witnessing that "slaughter" with his own eyes.

Others were scared out of their wits, but he was trembling all over—with excitement.

He had never seen such an efficient, cold, and crushing way of fighting.

He fled the Chu camp overnight, begged all the way to Xianyang, wanted to join the army, and specifically asked to see the person who "made that kind of divine weapon."

Meng Tian looked at him: "You are Han Xin? Heard you understand military strategy?"

Han Xin was neither humble nor arrogant: "Know a little."

"But watching the battle the day before yesterday, I realized that what I learned in the past is not worth mentioning."

"May I ask the General, that fire gun formation, the method of circular shooting, does it have a name?"

"If combined with cavalry flanking, infantry holding shields to cover, can it be better?"

Meng Tian and Gu Shanhe exchanged a look.

This kid, a bit interesting.

Just watching one battle, can he think of the prototype of infantry, cavalry, and fire coordination?

Gu Shanhe silently ordered the system: "Detect this person's loyalty."

【Ding! Detection target: Han Xin. Current loyalty (to Great Qin): 60%.】

【Potential for improvement: High.】

【Note: This person is extremely obsessed with military affairs and eager to display his talent. Provide a suitable platform, and loyalty can increase rapidly.】

60%, not high, but not low, especially for someone who just came to join and hasn't made any achievements.

High potential is the key.

Gu Shanhe said: "What you said is exactly one of the development directions of future armies."

"Since you have this insight, are you willing to join the Divine Machine Camp, start as an instructor, and explore this new fire gun tactic with the soldiers?"

Amazing brilliance burst out in Han Xin's eyes, and he immediately knelt on one knee,

"Han Xin, willing to die for His Majesty, for the Guoshi, and for the General!"

"Must do my best to study tactics, train strong soldiers, and sweep away the disobedient!"

"Good."

Gu Shanhe nodded to Meng Tian.

Meng Tian understood: "From today on, you join the Divine Machine Camp, serve as 'Tactical Instructor', and be granted the rank of Hundred-General. Do a good job!"

"Yes!" Han Xin's voice was loud.

Peixian, County Government Office.

A middle-aged minor official named Xiao He, with a kind face and short beard, was overwhelmed by the grain, tax, and criminal documents of the county.

He was extremely capable, managing the small affairs of Peixian in an orderly manner, but that was as far as he could go, seeing no room for promotion, and was often depressed.

At this time, a fast horse galloped into the county government office, sending a transfer order stamped with the dual seals of the Prime Minister's Office and the Guoshi's Office.

"Peixian Chief Official Xiao He, skilled in calculation, clear in law, is ordered to go to Xianyang today, enter the Zhisu Neishi Office for use, assist in coordinating national grain, material transport, and household registration statistics, and must not be mistaken."

Xiao He held the transfer order, his hands shaking so much he almost couldn't hold it.

Zhisu Neishi Office! That was the central key department in charge of the world's money and grain!

He, a minor official from a remote county, what virtue and ability did he have?

The messenger added a sentence: "The Guoshi personally named you."

"The Guoshi said that Peixian's accounts over the years are clear, population changes, farmland output, tax collection, all have laws, which shows you are a capable official who does real things."

"Xianyang needs people like you."

Xiao He's tears gushed out all at once.

Thousand-mile horses are common, but Bole are not common!

He knelt down toward Xianyang, kowtowing three times heavily:

"The Guoshi's kindness of knowing me, Xiao He... Xiao He will definitely die to repay even a ten-thousandth!"

On the other side, Liu Bang and his brothers, Fan Kuai, Zhou Bo, Xiahou Ying, and others, were all "invited" to Xianyang by a transfer order.

Not imprisoned, nor given high official positions.

Ying Zheng listened to Gu Shanhe's suggestion,

Threw Liu Bang into the "Wensi Academy" as a seventh-rank proofreader, responsible for organizing and copying the classics of the hundred schools collected from all over the country.

(Liu Bang was idle when he was young, but he could be considered literate).