After giving his instructions, Zhu Ping’an left to train the soldiers, while Zhu Shouren, Hu Wei, and Xia Qiang remained in the commander’s tent.
“With the battle imminent, it sounds like we only have a few days. To think that we can significantly boost the combat effectiveness of the Zhejiang Army in such a short time feels like a fantasy. How is this even possible?” Zhu Shouren sighed, his confident demeanor crumbling into a bitter expression after Zhu Ping’an left.
“Exactly. We know nothing about military affairs. How can we possibly enhance the army’s combat strength in just a few days?” Xia Qiang paced anxiously around the tent, like an ant on a hot pan, sighing repeatedly.
“Brothers Zhu and Xia, why the sighs? As the saying goes, ‘Three cobblers with their wits combined surpass Zhuge Liang.’ And we are three well-read scholars. If we put our heads together, we can surely come up with something,” Hu Wei said calmly, standing up and patting Xia Qiang and Zhu Shouren on the shoulders.
“Do you already have a plan, Brother Hu?” Zhu Shouren’s eyes lit up as he looked at Hu Wei with excitement.
Xia Qiang also turned to Hu Wei with hope.
“Unfortunately, no,” Hu Wei replied slowly, shaking his head under their expectant gazes.
“Then why are you so calm? I thought you already had a strategy,” Zhu Shouren said, disappointed.
Xia Qiang also couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“Although I don’t have a plan yet, I do have an idea. I just need your help, Brothers Zhu and Xia,” Hu Wei said with a smile, like a strategist with a brilliant scheme up his sleeve.
“Of course, Brother Hu. Please tell us. We’ll do our best,” Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang said in unison.
“Shh…” Hu Wei put a finger to his lips, signaling them to be quiet. He then walked to the tent’s window and peeked outside cautiously.
After ensuring no one was listening, he returned to the center of the tent and motioned for Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang to come closer. He began whispering to them.
“Brothers Zhu and Hu, how do you think our intelligence compares to Lord Zhu’s?” Hu Wei asked in a low voice.
“Why do you ask, Brother Hu? Although I hate to admit it, we are far inferior to Lord Zhu. We can’t even hold a candle to him,” Xia Qiang replied honestly, not understanding Hu Wei’s point.
“Ahem, my nephew is indeed a bit more talented than me,” Zhu Shouren coughed awkwardly, reluctantly admitting.
“So, we all have to admit that Lord Zhu is far more knowledgeable than us. He has experience leading troops and has achieved many military victories… While we are well-read in the classics, we know almost nothing about military strategy,” Hu Wei said, his arms around their shoulders, speaking in a hushed tone.
“Brother Hu, what exactly are you trying to say?” Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang interrupted, confused.
“What I’m saying is that to quickly enhance the combat effectiveness of the Zhejiang Army, we need to seek Lord Zhu’s advice,” Hu Wei said meaningfully.
“Brother Hu, what are you thinking? This is the task Lord Zhu assigned to us. If we go back to ask him for advice, isn’t that like admitting defeat?” Xia Qiang shook his head in disbelief, strongly opposing Hu Wei’s suggestion.
Zhu Shouren also shook his head in disappointment. He had thought Hu Wei had some brilliant plan, but this was it!
As the two were about to leave, Hu Wei firmly pulled them back, whispering, “Listen, the battle is imminent. Lord Zhu is the commander of the Zhejiang Army. Besides assigning tasks to us, he must be constantly thinking about how to quickly improve the army’s combat effectiveness… His thoughts are undoubtedly far superior to ours. And more importantly, if we can align our answers with his thoughts, like a kindred spirit, wouldn’t that be the perfect response?”
“That’s true! But Brother Hu, have you considered how we can possibly know what Lord Zhu is thinking?” Xia Qiang shook his head again.
“Exactly, Brother Hu. Are we supposed to crack open my nephew’s skull? Even if we did, we wouldn’t be able to extract his thoughts. Your idea is good, but it’s just too unrealistic,” Zhu Shouren said regretfully, shaking his head. Hu Wei’s idea was excellent, but unfortunately, it was unfeasible.
Hu Wei looked at them and chuckled.
What’s there to laugh about at a time like this? Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang glared at Hu Wei with dissatisfaction. “Brother Hu, what are you laughing about? Do you know some Miao疆 mind-reading witchcraft or something?”
“Haha, although I don’t know the barbaric mind-reading witchcraft of Miao疆, I can still figure out Lord Zhu’s thoughts,” Hu Wei chuckled, deliberately keeping them in suspense. He enjoyed moments like this, where he was the only one who seemed to understand the situation.
This was how things should be between them. Hu Wei was the brains of their group, the natural leader.
“Brother Hu, if you don’t know mind-reading witchcraft, how can you possibly know what my nephew is thinking?” Zhu Shouren shook his head, unconvinced.
“Haha, I certainly can,” Hu Wei smiled.
“Alright, Brother Hu, stop playing games. Just tell us already,” Xia Qiang couldn’t hold back any longer and urged impatiently.
“Yes, Brother Hu, if you have an idea, just tell us,” Zhu Shouren also urged.
“Fine, fine. It’s actually quite simple. As the saying goes, ‘The wild goose leaves a trace, the wind leaves a sound.’ If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it. Lord Zhu’s thoughts are the same—they will leave traces. And these traces are the key to understanding his thoughts,” Hu Wei said with a smile, slowly revealing his plan.
“How do thoughts leave traces?” Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang were still confused.
Seeing their expressions, Hu Wei felt even more satisfied. This was why he enjoyed being friends with them.
“When faced with a difficult problem, how do we find the answer? We either seek advice from those with experience, consult books for knowledge, or think it through ourselves. Lord Zhu must be doing the same. In the camp, there are no experienced generals to consult, so he must be turning to books. He must be reading and perhaps even jotting down his thoughts…”
Hu Wei looked at Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang with a smug expression, slowly revealing the answer.
“I see. If we can find the books my nephew/Lord Zhu has been reading and the notes he’s taken, we can deduce his thoughts…” Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang suddenly understood.
“Shh, keep it down,” Hu Wei reminded them.
“Right, right. Keep it quiet. Don’t let the guards hear,” Zhu Shouren and Xia Qiang nodded vigorously, their faces filled with excitement.
