Liao Tingyu turned to Zhao Han and said, “We don’t need to worry about them. Where do you want to go? I’ll accompany you.”

Zhao Han tilted his head, pondering for a moment. “You’re not going back today. You didn’t want to see your wife?”

Liao Tingyu glanced at him, “He went to inspect the fields today. When I return, there will be no one at home.”

“That makes sense. One in the south and one in the north. Honestly, why choose the location for the ranch? The distance is too far,” Zhao Han expressed confusion. In the ranch, the land wasn’t fertile, and there wasn’t much grass. There were better places closer to home. Why chose the farthest one?

“You don’t understand this. The fields area is essentially my private property, but here, it’s run by me, General Zhao, and several wealthy businessmen. After these things are produced, we still rely on them. If I focus on my own sloping fields, it would give the impression that it’s my private property. Then, would I still maintain the reputation of being an upright official? Moreover, even though the land here isn’t fertile for crops, it’s suitable for a ranch development. When this area develops, it can be filled with other animals, providing additional benefits to the people. These abandoned places can be fully utilized,” Liao Tingyu explained.

So that was the reasoning. Truly, the mind of a scholar could consider things beyond the ordinary.

Choosing a location involved so much thought.

“I don’t think you need to explain it so clearly to me. I don’t really care about these things,” Zhao Han remarked. It was not his concern.

Liao Tingyu glanced at him, “Your uncle is turning thirty this year. He asked me to guide you in the past few months. I didn’t have time then, but now that I do, I should naturally help my good brother tackle the challenge!

Zhao Han blinked, “My uncle is leaving? He didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t say he was leaving; I just mentioned that it’s time for you to grow up and stand on your own,” Liao Tingyu clarified.

Zhao Han pursed his lips, as if acknowledging he might not be entirely independent but was at least intelligent.

However, he couldn’t reject his uncle’s guidance. After all, he might not be the smartest strategist.

.

“So, what are you going to teach me?” Zhao Han looked at Liao Tingyu expectantly.

“I’ll share the lessons of a hundred days, and then you’ll experience them yourself,” Liao Tingyu explained.

Zhao Han was pleased with the response, confident that Liao Tingyu wouldn’t let him down.

“Since you’re being so good to me, I’ll take you hunting for wild game. I bet you haven’t hunted before,” Zhao Han declared proudly.

He retrieved the bow he had brought, gestured, drew the arrow in a full moon motion without loading it, and then released it with a short, rapid bang.

“How’s that? My bow and arrows are impressive,” Zhao Han boasted.

“Well, they are indeed good, but what am I supposed to use? I don’t have a bow and arrows,” Liao Tingyu remarked, looking at his empty hands.

“True. I’ll have someone prepare one for you. Don’t worry; I’ll get them over quickly. Let’s wait over there. Share a story with me while we wait,” Zhao Han decided after a moment of thought.

“You seem to enjoy stories a lot. I would have thought you’d consider yourself too old for them,” Liao Tingyu remarked, looking at the intrigued Zhao Han.

“Not at all. Let me tell you, I haven’t heard any stories since I was a child. All I heard from my father was how brave he was when he killed enemies. Then my grandpa told me how many people he had killed. No one taught me anything useful, so when my uncle asked me to learn, how should I?” Zhao Han expressed with a hint of frustration.

Liao Tingyu sighed, and Zhao Han shook his head. Perhaps he didn’t recognize the value of what he had learned, but he had indeed acquired knowledge.

Choosing a soft grassland to sit down, Liao Tingyu began to narrate, “Let’s start with the thirty-six strategies. The names of people and countries involved are fictitious; focus on understanding the methods.”

“Okay!”

“The first strategy we’ll discuss today is called ‘Hiding the truth and crossing the sea.’ In the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Li Shimin led an army to attack the country of Goguryeo. He defeated General Gaesomun in Liaodong, and Gaesomun fled back to the Korean Peninsula by sea in embarrassment. Li Shimin planned to cross the sea to attack Goguryeo. However, when he reached the seaside, Li Shimin stopped his horse, gazing ahead only to see the boundless sea and sky. The vastness of the sea made Li Shimin feel dizzy, almost falling off his horse… This strategy in the art of war often exploits people’s habitual and unsuspecting opinions about certain things. By taking advantage of omissions and laxity, it allows for the concealment of military operations, seizing opportunities, and achieving surprise victories.”