Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 340 Six-Character Policy

Inside the imperial study, the candlelight flickered, casting the emperor's shadow long and short.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face solemn, clutching a battle report tightly in his hand.

When he saw the Crown Prince and the others enter, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, including worry, anger, and an undeniable weariness.

"Urgent report from the border: The Northern Barbarians have suddenly amassed a large army and are invading our border. The soldiers guarding the pass are fighting desperately, but the enemy's advance is overwhelming, and the situation is extremely critical!"

The emperor's voice was deep and majestic, echoing in the empty hall and making everyone's mood even heavier.

Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Father, I am willing to lead the army to fight against the Northern Barbarians and protect the people of our dynasty!"

The emperor shook his head slightly and sighed: "Yichen, as the crown prince, your position concerns the foundation of the nation, and you must not take risks lightly."

"I have decided to send General Shen Yanchu, the General Who Guards the North, to the border to fight."

Shen Yuxi frowned, his gaze fixed intently on Shi Wanxia, ​​the atmosphere inside the tent heavy and almost suffocating.

Urgent reports from the front lines poured in like snowflakes; the sudden invasion of the Northern Barbarians had caught them completely off guard.

Food, weapons, and winter clothing—these crucial supplies had not yet reached the front lines, while the Northern Barbarians were advancing aggressively, harassing the garrisoned soldiers day and night. The situation on the border was extremely precarious.

“Miss Shi, the Northern Di’s attack this time is due to a sudden famine in their country. Their winter food reserves are almost exhausted, which is why they have invaded our border.”

Shen Yuxi's voice was low and urgent.

"I wonder if Miss Shi has any good suggestions?"

His eyes were full of expectation; in this critical moment, he was eager to know how Shi Wanxia's country dealt with similar predicaments.

Shi Wanxia gently pursed her lips, her gaze calm and serene, her thoughts drifting back to her distant hometown.

She slowly began, “In my hometown, in this situation, the first priority is to quickly clear the grain supply route.”

"The most urgent task is to open up the supply line. We can select elite light cavalry to avoid the main enemy force and send the urgently needed food and weapons to the front line along hidden paths."

"Light cavalry is agile and small, making it difficult for the enemy to detect, which can solve an urgent problem."

Shen Yuxi nodded slightly, his expression solemn, signaling her to continue.

"As for warm clothing, cotton, fur and other materials can be urgently requisitioned from surrounding towns."

Shi Wanxia continued, "Mobilize the people in the city, especially women skilled in needlework, to rush to make cotton clothes and quilts."

"At the same time, workshops were set up, and tailors were gathered to work day and night."

“Providing the people with reasonable compensation can not only motivate them, but also help them gather a large amount of warm clothing in a short period of time.”

Shen Yuxi pondered for a moment, then asked, "The Northern Di are constantly harassing us, and our soldiers are exhausted and their morale is low. What should we do?"

"Is my Cangling Kingdom truly doomed to be helpless against the invasion of the Northern Barbarians?"

Shen Yuxi's voice was low and suppressed, filled with resentment and anger.

He turned around abruptly, looked at Shi Wanxia standing to the side, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes. "Minister Shi, the situation is critical. Do you have any good ideas?"

Shi Wanxia wore a light blue dress, her posture was upright, and her expression was calm.

She slightly raised her head, her eyes flashing with intelligence and decisiveness: "Your Majesty, use disturbance to control disturbance."

“A great man in my country once said a 16-character strategy for guerrilla warfare. Your Majesty can send a message to Prince Xiang. Prince Xiang has been leading troops in battle for many years and will naturally be familiar with its application.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuxi's eyes lit up. He looked at Shi Wanxia with eager anticipation, secretly marveling to himself, "This girl is truly a national treasure of Cangling!"

"Minister Shi, tell me quickly!" he urged impatiently.

Shi Wanxia slowly rose from the ground, head held high, chest puffed out, full of confidence.

"The sixteen-character strategy is: When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy is exhausted, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we advance!"

She spoke each word clearly and forcefully, her voice echoing in the spacious imperial study.

Shen Yuxi frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. After a moment, he raised his head, his eyes full of doubt: "These sixteen characters seem simple, but I hope you, Minister Shi, will explain their profound meaning in detail."

Shi Wanxia smiled slightly and patiently explained, "Your Majesty, the Northern Di cavalry are highly mobile and are coming with great force."

"When they attack, we should not confront them head-on, but avoid their sharp edge, retreat proactively, and preserve our strength. This is the principle of 'when the enemy advances, we retreat'."

“Once the Northern Di army has settled in, we will send out small groups of troops to harass them constantly, destroy their camps, and attack their supplies and provisions, so that they will not have peace. This is called ‘harassing the enemy when they are stationed.’”

“When the Northern Barbarian army is exhausted from our harassment, that will be the best time for us to strike. We will concentrate our superior forces and defeat them in one fell swoop. This is the principle of ‘strike when the enemy is tired.’”

"When the Northern Di army retreats, we must not let this opportunity pass. We must press our advantage and pursue them to expand our gains. This is what is meant by 'when the enemy retreats, we advance'."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuxi's eyes flashed with a look of sudden realization. He nodded repeatedly, a gratified smile appearing on his face: "Brilliant! Brilliant indeed! Minister Shi, this plan is truly ingenious!"

“The Northern Barbarians are skilled in guerrilla harassment, and we can follow suit,” Shi Wanxia continued. “Select a small elite force to launch a night raid on the Northern Barbarian camp, disrupt their deployment, and keep them busy with their own affairs, so they won’t have time to harass our army frequently.”

"At the same time, traps, deer antlers and other defensive fortifications were set up around the camp to strengthen vigilance and prevent the Northern Di from approaching easily."

"In this way, our army can turn the tide of the battle from a passive to an active position."

Shen Yuxi became more and more excited as he listened. He paced back and forth in the study, repeatedly saying, "Good! Good! We'll do as you say, Minister Shi!"

He immediately ordered someone to send a message to Prince Xiang, informing him in detail of the sixteen-character policy and Shi Wanxia's plan.

Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou's eyes lit up, and he quickly exclaimed in praise: "Father, although Lady Shi is a woman, she is so familiar with both the policies of governing the country and the principles of military strategy."

He bowed slightly to Shen Yuxi on the dragon throne, his words full of respect.

"Father is wise enough to have discovered Lord Shi's talent, which has made Cangling flourish and become more prosperous."

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is right, Lord Shi is indeed..."

Minister of Revenue Fan Peng echoed this sentiment, his face full of approval. However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a discordant snort.

"Hmph, just empty talk!"

The one who spoke was Zhao Xun, the Minister of War, who stood with his arms crossed and a look of disdain on his face.

"These sixteen characters sound easy, but how easy is it to actually implement them?"

"Lord Shi, you have never been to the battlefield and are merely speaking off the cuff. If this delays our chances of victory, can you bear the responsibility?"

Shi Wanxia remained expressionless, her gaze calm as she looked at Cui Zhihao, and said slowly, "Lord Zhao, although I have never been on the battlefield, the essence of military strategy lies in its flexible application and in assessing the situation."

“The Northern Barbarians’ tactics now fit the situation I described. Why not give it a try? If we simply stick to the old ways and are timid and hesitant, we will only be delaying the opportunity to win the battle.”

"You..." Minister of War Zhao Xun was speechless, his face flushed red, but he couldn't find a reason to refute.

At this moment, Prime Minister Cui Zhe, who had been silent all along, stepped forward. He stroked his beard, his eyes filled with admiration: "Your Majesty, this old minister believes that what Minister Shi said is reasonable."

"The situation is critical now, and we can no longer proceed according to the established procedures. We might as well adopt Lord Shi's plan."

"If this strategy is extended to the military, the generals, who are experienced in battles, will surely achieve remarkable results."