Chapter 142

…

The great hall on the right side of the Privy Council, its door long locked, slowly swung open, and Zong Ze and the others strode in behind Zhao Yu and Li Lin.

Zong Ze and the others had assumed this was merely an ordinary military briefing; they were stunned into stillness by what lay before them.

There, in the center of the hall, stood a massive sand table, meticulously rendering the terrain of the Six Roads of Shaanxi, the Western Xia, and the Qingtang Tubo region with flawless precision.

Zong Ze and the others all narrowed their eyes in shock: 'What is this?!'

They hurried forward and bent low to examine it closely.

The mountain ranges, river courses, towns, and villages on the sand table were lifelike; even the narrow footpaths through the hills and the widths of mountain streams were clearly depicted.

'Is this Tonggu County?!' Zhong Shidao murmured, his voice thick with astonishment and disbelief.

Previously, due to his ancestors' merits, Zhong Shidao had been granted a minor military post, then passed an examination to become a civil official, serving as Judicial Officer of Xizhou and Administrator of Tonggu County; possessing considerable military talent, he understood the importance of terrain in warfare, and had memorized the topography of Tonggu County and other regions he had visited.

That was why Zhong Shidao could locate Tonggu County so quickly.

Following Tonggu County and cross-referencing the labels on the sand table, Zhong Shidao easily confirmed this was a topographical map of the Six Roads of Shaanxi, Qingtang Tubo, and the Western Xia.

Meanwhile, Zong Ze and the others had also figured out what it was, each using their own methods.

Zong Ze stared wide-eyed, face filled with disbelief; he reached out as if to touch the exquisite sand table, yet feared disturbing its miniature world.

'Such exquisite craftsmanship—it's truly a marvel beyond human skill!' Zhang Shuye exclaimed, recalling every map he had ever seen; compared to this, all others paled into insignificance.

The accompanying generals and supervisors gathered around, instantly erupting into murmurs.

'Has he shrunk our entire northwest and brought it here?!' Liu Zhongwu gasped.

'With this, we'll know enemy terrain as if it were in the palm of our hand—who on earth created this?' Yang Zongmin asked.

'I've heard Ma Yuan once piled rice to form valleys and traced terrain with his fingers—but how could that compare to this? The one who made this must be a genius of cosmic proportions,' Zhan Du said.

At the same time, Zong Ze and the others realized: the court must have some sage who knew every detail of the frontlines—they could never hide anything from the Emperor or the ministers.

Zhao Yu answered the question burning in their minds: 'This sand table was made by Li Lin, to help us review and simulate battles after the fact.'

Li Lin had already begun studying the terrain of Qingtang Tubo, the Western Xia, and the Liao.

To support Li Lin, Zhao Yu specifically assigned agents from the Imperial Secretariat and the Eastern Depot, equipped with hot-air balloons and long-range telescopes, to secretly travel to the northwest and the Song-Liao border, aided by local officials, to draw the most current and detailed maps; some agents even infiltrated Qingtang Tubo, the Western Xia, and the Liao.

Li Lin used the maps sent back from the frontlines, the Imperial Secretariat, and the Eastern Depot to correct her existing mental models of these terrains, then summoned master craftsmen to reconstruct the current battlefields of the Six Roads of Shaanxi, Qingtang Tubo, and the Western Xia on this sand table.

So far, Li Lin had nearly finished making sand tables for Hebei, Hedong, and the Liao (especially the Yan-Yun region).

Next, Li Lin would make sand tables for the Zhao Song dynasty, the Western Regions, Qingtang Tubo, Goryeo, Japan, Dali, the Li dynasty, Champa, Angkor, the Queen's Kingdom, Pagan, Sanfoqi, the Abbasid Caliphate, the Indian kingdoms, and the Western nations; she even planned to make a global sand table.

Upon hearing Zhao Yu say this sand table was made by Li Lin, Zong Ze, Wang Bing, Zhang Shuye, and He Guan immediately turned to look at Li Lin, standing behind Zhao Yu.

Seeing this, Zhong Shidao and the other generals and supervisors of the Divine Machinery Army who had never met Li Lin also turned to gaze at this young 'eunuch.'

At first glance, Zhong Shidao and the others could hardly imagine how Li Lin had shrunk the Six Roads of Shaanxi, the Western Xia, and Qingtang Tubo down to this scale.

More importantly, Li Lin was far too young—'Surely he hasn't even reached the age of twenty?!'

Zhao Yu gave no explanation to Zong Ze and the others as to how Li Lin could build the sand table; the hot-air balloons were not yet ready to be revealed.

More importantly, the more mysterious she remained, the more advantageous it was for his rule.

After all, people naturally fear and revere the mysterious and unknown.

Having introduced Li Lin to Zhong Shidao and the others, Zhao Yu said succinctly: 'For the next month, Li Lin will use this sand table to guide you, the Four Auxiliary Generals, and the Four Auxiliary Supervisors through a review of past battles between our Great Song and the Western Xia, Qingtang Tubo, and the Liao, as well as historical battles tied to these regions—to summarize lessons and avoid repeating past mistakes, so you may better handle similar conflicts in the future.'

After Zhao Yu finished, Liu Zhongwu, Yang Zongmin, and the others exchanged glances; they never imagined Zhao Yu would have this young 'eunuch' lecture seasoned generals who had spent their lives studying military texts and fighting on the battlefield!

Was this not the greatest absurdity in the world?

Zhao Yu ignored the expressions of Liu Zhongwu, Yang Zongmin, and the others, and handed the stage directly to Li Lin.

In her previous life, Li Lin had often lectured, including to military officers.

But that was her previous life.

Back then, Li Lin was a Doctor of Military Science, a visiting professor at the First Army Academy, a special expert at the Center for Strategy and Security, a military affairs specialist, and a special military commentator—this was her actual profession.

Crucially, the society of that time allowed women to engage in military affairs.

But now, Li Lin had been reborn into the patriarchal Northern Song, becoming Zhao Yu's concubine, and had no business whatsoever in military matters.

One could say she had paid a heavy price to stand here in the Privy Council, disguised as a eunuch, before these famed Northern Song generals, pointing out the contours of the empire and directing the course of war.

The abrupt shift in identity, the collision of timelines, stirred within Li Lin an indescribable surge of emotion.

Li Lin took a deep breath, then spoke bluntly: 'My first lesson for you all—and the most vital lesson for our Divine Machinery Army—is post-battle analysis…'

Hearing Li Lin speak to them in a teacher's tone, some arrogant veteran generals could not help but resent it—they had studied military texts since childhood and fought on battlefields long before she was born; how could a mere child teach them how to wage war?

Yet Zhao Yu was here in person, and Li Lin was his chosen representative—who dared jeopardize their own futures?

There was no choice: everyone present, whether willing or not, had to listen to what Li Lin had to say.

'Last year, Zhong Pu and Tong Guan were ordered to lead the imperial reinforcements dispatched to Xizhou Road to rescue Yigong City…'

With the aid of the sand table, Li Lin fully reconstructed that battle.

Moreover, many details were unknown even to Zong Ze and Wang Bing, who had personally fought in that battle.

Only now did the others realize: Zhao Yu was not joking—he truly had something valuable to teach them.

The men in the room finally began to listen attentively.

Li Lin showed no fear; she comprehensively analyzed Zhong Pu and Tong Guan's strategic deployment, tactical execution, troop allocation, and the impact of terrain on the battle.

In addition, Li Lin simulated the Tibetan army's ambush, tactics, and troop deployment from the perspective of the Tibetan chieftain Lang Akazhang.

'At that time, Zhong Pu and Tong Guan led their troops from the east, intending to relieve Yigong City, unaware that the Tibetan army had already set an ambush in the eastern valley. The terrain was treacherous—if our forces had entered recklessly, we would have suffered devastating losses. Yet our army, desperate to rescue, failed to conduct proper reconnaissance, plunging our troops into peril. Had our Divine Machinery Left Army not remained calm under pressure, swiftly adjusted tactics, and achieved victory through surprise, and had Tong Guan not led our Divine Machinery Left Army's cavalry on a detour to the west, using the mountains for cover to strike the enemy's rear, our forces would have suffered catastrophic defeat…'

Li Lin's words revealed a precise grasp of battlefield dynamics; she seemed to have been there herself, bringing the heart-stopping intensity of every engagement vividly before their eyes.

'Now, consider this battle: though we ultimately won, we paid a heavy price. The reasons: first, our intelligence was lacking—we knew nothing of enemy defenses; second, we disregarded terrain, failing to factor in topographical advantage. In contrast, the Tibetan army, though outnumbered, skillfully exploited the terrain, ambushing at critical passes, resting and waiting for us. Had our forces not reacted promptly, victory would not have been certain.'

As Li Lin spoke, Zong Ze and the others nodded in agreement; their initial disdain for her gradually vanished, replaced by deep admiration.

As her analysis deepened, Li Lin pointed out that the strategies adopted by Zong Ze, Wang Bing, and Tong Guan at the time were not optimal.

As Li Lin spoke, the small flags and markers on the sand table shifted continuously, simulating various possible tactical adjustments and predicted outcomes.

Zong Ze and the others were deeply drawn in by this intuitive and vivid teaching method; their original disdain and defiance quietly vanished, replaced by heartfelt admiration and reflection...

From beginning to end, Zhao Yu did not say a single word.

There was no helping it — when it came to military matters, Zhao Yu was a man who had opened nine orifices, yet not one of them led to understanding.

Under such circumstances, if Zhao Yu were to meddle carelessly, it could be a catastrophic disaster for the soldiers on the front lines.

Therefore, Zhao Yu, who possessed considerable self-awareness in this regard, simply handed all military affairs over to Li Lin, to Seeing Zhang Dun and Ceng Bu, and to generals like Wang Hou on the front lines who had already proven themselves in history.

This, too, could be considered a wise move.

For this lesson, Li Lin kept teaching Zong Ze and the others until nightfall.

After finishing the analysis of the Divine Engine Left Army's final battle in the Qingtang region, Li Lin emphasized: "From now on, after every battle of our Divine Engine Army, all officers from squad leaders and low-ranking supervisors upward must take part in a post-battle review. Supervisors at every level must write up the review process and send it to me for approval. This will become one of the important bases for your promotions and rewards."

If this had been before, and Li Lin had spoken such words, assigning them such "useless tasks," some of them — even if they wouldn't outright refuse — would inevitably have paid lip service while quietly resisting.

But after experiencing this post-battle review, every one of them felt they had greatly benefited.

The key is: war is the great affair of a state, the ground of life and death, the way of survival and ruin — it must not be taken lightly.

So Li Lin's demand was not excessive.

Besides, how many battles can an army fight in a year? Even if one did post-battle reviews properly, how much time could it really take?

Stepping back further, if they couldn't even handle such a small matter well, then they wouldn't deserve to be officers or supervisors.

So everyone answered: "Yes!"

On the road back to the rear palace with Zhao Yu after leaving the Bureau of Military Affairs, Li Lin said sincerely: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Lin was very clear that in this age of male supremacy, without Zhao Yu firmly backing her and giving her opportunities, she would never have been able to come into contact with military affairs — let alone have these famous generals listen to her lectures.

Afterwards, Li Lin even took the initiative to give Zhao Yu a kiss.

Zhao Yu was slightly startled by Li Lin's sudden intimate gesture, and then the corners of his mouth curved into a gentle smile.

Zhao Yu gently held Li Lin's hand and said softly: "Between you and me, what need is there for thanks? To be able to help my beloved consort display her talents is my wish."

Under the moonlight, the two figures stretched long, as if their hearts too were tightly joined together.

Li Lin gazed into Zhao Yu's deep eyes, and an indescribable wave of emotion welled up within her.

Before transmigrating, Li Lin had never felt she was a woman. At one point she even suspected something was wrong with her — over thirty years old, not seeking men, not interested in men, only loving military warfare, spending every day strengthening her military skills, analyzing all manner of battles and military affairs, as if she had been born for war.

Yet, as fate would have it, Li Lin was born in a relatively peaceful era, and in a peaceful country.

This often made Li Lin lament that she had been born in the wrong time.

It was only after transmigrating to the late Northern Song, where wars were frequent, that Li Lin felt her chance had come — heaven had not let her live with regret forever.

Only, the situation at the time was that Li Lin had no opportunity whatsoever to come into contact with the army.

To realize the dream she had always held, and even if she could not realize it herself, to have her son help her realize it, Li Lin had no choice but to attach herself to Zhao Yu.

From this it was not hard to see that, at that time, Li Lin had not willingly become Zhao Yu's woman.

Later on, she didn't know whether she had been conquered by Zhao Yu, or whether it was simply a case of affection growing over time.

Gradually, Li Lin truly came to regard Zhao Yu as her man.

Li Lin would dress up and adorn herself for Zhao Yu, even wearing some ornaments she had previously disliked to add a touch of flair.

Slowly, Li Lin realized there was nothing wrong with her — she was a perfectly normal woman, who would also dress up for one who pleased her; in her previous life, she simply had never met a man who made her willing to be a woman.

Because of this, when Li Lin threw herself into military matters so desperately, it was no longer entirely for herself — it was also to help Zhao Yu strengthen his army, so that Zhao Yu could become an emperor for the ages like Qin Shi Huang, Han Wu, Tang Zong, or the Ming Ancestor.

At this point, Li Lin had already awakened to the resolve of being the woman behind a successful man.

Yet Zhao Yu did not let Li Lin down — he had been steadily overcoming difficulties, creating opportunities for Li Lin to engage with military affairs.

Nowadays, Zhao Yu and Li Lin had quite the air of husband leading and wife following.

Li Lin had come to know deeply that, in this unfamiliar era, Zhao Yu was not only her reliance, but also the solid backing for realizing her ambitions — and her lover.

Today, Li Lin had taken another great step forward on the path she wished to walk.

This made Li Lin very happy, and made her even more grateful to Zhao Yu.

'What a pity I'm pregnant!'

But Li Lin thought again, 'Just because I'm pregnant, does that mean I can't reward Zhao Yu?'

Thinking of this, Li Lin leaned close to Zhao Yu's ear and whispered: "They've had a tiring day too — why not let them rest here for a while, and let your consort accompany Your Majesty to the garden to relax? How does that sound?"

This was Li Lin — bold in love and hate, daring to think and daring to act, caring nothing for others' opinions.

Earlier, at the Bureau of Military Affairs, the knowledge and capability Li Lin had displayed, as well as the side of an outstanding female soldier, had already fascinated Zhao Yu greatly.

Now, Li Lin was proposing something this thrilling.

How could Zhao Yu not be tempted?

And so, Zhao Yu and Li Lin slipped into the grove...

(End of chapter)