Don’t you see that the ancients burned mercury and turned it into dust on Beimang Mountain?
The lotus root silk hangs in the void, and if you want to fall, you will kill someone.
The hero of Suishui has many bloody blades, and the palace of Jianzhang has been reduced to ashes.
The king of Huai died and the osmanthus tree fell. When Xu Fu left, the music and writings disappeared.
The journey is difficult, the journey is difficult, life and death are determined by heaven.
The Emperor of Qin and the Han Dynasty were inextricably linked to the martial arts. Who among you can imitate the immortals?
——"Traveling is Difficult" Gu Kuang [Tang Dynasty]
…
After paying homage to the grandson of the military sage, Bai Fu once again thanked Wang Zhongsi. He sat upright and waited for the famous general to explain his teachings. He was happy and proud to think that he could obtain the true biography of the world's best military master.
Wang Zhongsi did not speak immediately. After being silent for a long time, he sighed: "Don't thank me for joining the army. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, we don't know.
Since ancient times, the endings of military disciples have not been perfect. Wu Qi, Bai Qi, Wu Zixu, Sun Bin, Pang Juan, Han Xin, Zhou Yafu, etc. almost all did not end well.
Why?
It's all because the art of war is the art of slaying dragons. Once you become famous and have the power of life and death in one hand, you will achieve great success, be hated by traitors, make the king jealous, and misfortune will follow.
"When the birds are gone, good bows are hidden; when the enemy's country is destroyed, the advisers are destroyed." This is the fate of military disciples.
Only Fan Li, Zhang Liang and others can succeed and end well, but they can only be regarded as first-rate figures.
Sun Tzu, Gui Guzi, Ji Ranzi and other masters are like dragons that see the beginning but not the end. They have unparalleled knowledge, possess the extraordinary technique of rushing and moving, and have the ability to move the sky and move the earth. They regard the world as a chess game. They hold black and white in their hands, turn the world around, and maneuver vertically and horizontally.
, this is a super first-class person.”
Bai Fu was fascinated by hearing this.
Wang Zhongsi said: "Of course, the art of war is not only the art of slaying dragons. Learning the art of war reveals the character of one's heart, but the common people do not know it for daily use. The military sage has an insight into human nature and can change the clouds and rains. He can conquer the battlefield at the top, and capture the hearts of the people at the bottom.
When my master taught me the art of war, it was just as the Tang Dynasty was opening up its territory. I was eager to join the army and make a name for myself, so I said goodbye to my master.
When I came down the mountain, my master once warned me: I am still one step away from mastering the art of war. Only by imprinting the art of war into my bones, being vigilant and cautious in daily actions, can I turn danger into good, and have a beginning and an end.
But I fought on the battlefield and was invincible in every battle and conquered every attack. I conquered the four towns in Jiedong, and my glory and majesty could not be greater. Gradually I became self-proclaimed arrogant and ignored my master's warnings. I didn't know how to hide one's strength and bide one's strength, and just worked hard.
From then on, the art of war never improved, and it never broke through to the last level.
It wasn't until he was framed by Li Linfu and others and imprisoned that, like you, he understood the true meaning of the art of war.
After several years in prison, I felt grateful for my teacher's kindness every day, and I felt ashamed and regretted it too late."
Speaking of this, Wang Zhongsi was full of emotions and said: "Before I formally teach you the art of war, the reason why I have been nagging for a long time is that I hope you will start with a solid foundation, be calm and wise, and understand the true meaning of the art of war as soon as possible."
Don't be like us, who may dominate the world but die at the hands of petty officials and treacherous villains.
As a disciple of a military strategist, you are inherently guilty of killing, and your sins are serious. If you don’t have supreme wisdom, you will definitely not end well. Remember this!"
Bai Fu is awe-inspiring and remembers it with all his heart.
Wang Zhongsi said: "Xunzi said: 'Human beings are born with desires. If you don't get what you want, you can't stop asking for it; if you ask for something without measurement and demarcation, you have to fight for it.'
In life, should we fight? If we fight, how should we fight? To what extent should we fight? This is the crux of the art of war.
Military strategists come from Taoism and are in the same line as Taoism. Many military strategists' Taoist methods are exactly the same as Taoism.
"The military is a major event for the country. It is the place of life and death and the path to survival. We must pay attention to it."
From the perspective of military strategists, the purpose of war is not to defeat the opponent, but to make yourself invincible and maximize your own profits. War is not about killing, but about preservation.
Today in our Tang Dynasty, all the generals seek victory on the battlefield, but the famous generals in ancient times seek victory outside the battlefield. This is the difference between a fierce general and a military strategist.
To learn the art of war, one must first learn it from Sun Tzu, the sage of war. Sun Tzu is the ancestor of military literature for hundreds of generations. Emperor Taizong said: ‘I have looked at all the military books, and none of them can be compared with Sun Tzu’.
The essence of "Sun Tzu" lies in the six words: "to understand benevolence and righteousness, to use power and authority".
…
In the days that followed, Wang Zhongsi taught everything he had learned in his daily life. He scattered beans to make soldiers and cut grass to make horses. He analyzed the ancient and modern battles one by one, used battles to explain and reveal the mysteries.
Not only that, Wang Zhongsi also described the mountains, rivers, geography, climate, customs and customs of the world, so that Bai Fu could keep them in mind.
Prison is no longer a restraint. Bai Fu has benefited a lot from the sun and moon in a pot.
…
"Therefore, those who are good at fighting can stand in an invincible position without losing the enemy. Therefore, the victorious soldier wins first and then seeks battle, and the defeated soldier fights first and then seeks victory."
On this day, it was mentioned in the "Question between Emperor Taizong and Li Wei Gong": "Victory and defeat in ancient and modern times are just a matter of one mistake. For example, in playing chess, if one mistake is made, the whole game will be lost."
Wang Zhongsi said: "'The invincible lies with oneself, but the victorious lies with the enemy'!"
When two armies confront each other, you must first set up camp, gather your troops and horses, and be in an invincible position, waiting for the other side to make mistakes. If the other side does not make mistakes, just keep going to see who has more food and fodder. Once the other side loses control and reveals its flaws,
If there is an opportunity to take advantage of it, we must concentrate our troops and horses, win with one blow, and encircle and destroy it.
When the enemy makes a mistake, don't miss it. What if the enemy doesn't make a mistake? Use multiple ways to make mistakes and find ways to induce him to make mistakes."
Bai Fu nodded in approval and said, "Yes, soldiers never tire of deceit. Deception should be the core of the art of war, right?"
Wang Zhongsi shook his head and said: "Sun Tzu said: 'Therefore, those who are good at fighting can stand in an invincible position without losing the enemy's defeat. Therefore, the victorious army wins first and then seeks battle, and the defeated army fights first and then seeks victory.'
Victory first and then fighting is the core of the art of war!"
Those who are good at fighting will learn from the five things of "Tao, Heaven, Earth, Generals, and Law" and "Who has the Tao? Who is the general? Who is capable? Who has heaven and earth? Who can carry out the laws? Which of the soldiers is strong? How well trained the soldiers are? Who knows the rewards and punishments?"
?" The precise calculation of these seven strategies will determine whether to go to war.
After careful deployment, gaining a dominant position, and obtaining advantageous conditions, those who are good at fighting will go into battle, so that they have a greater chance of winning.
However, many generals are reckless and rude. When they see their opponents, they rush forward and fight, trying to seize opportunities in the battle and win by chance. This way, they often have a greater chance of losing.
Victory first and then fighting, careful deployment, fighting under the premise of gaining an overwhelming advantage, never taking any chances, this is the way of the sage of war.
The cruelty of war is far beyond people's imagination. "You can't raise troops because of anger, and you can't be angry and go to war." A true commander will not start a war out of anger, a war for interests, or a war for feelings.
Not even waging war for justice.
He started the war for only one reason: he would definitely win!