"Sir, do you not have confidence in this eastern campaign? I heard from my father that conscription will begin next spring, and the army will set out the year after. With such thorough preparations by the court, surely they have planned everything before taking action—how could they possibly fail to subdue a small state like Goguryeo?" Following what Master had taught him, David Thompson carefully weighed the difference in strength between the Sui and Goguryeo, yet still came to the same conclusion. "We are prepared, attacking where they are unprepared. Our army is well-equipped, with numerous and vast troops…"

"Warfare is not necessarily won by numbers alone. Timing, terrain, and unity—none can be neglected. On this journey to Liaodong, do we have the advantage of timing? On this journey to Liaodong, do we have the advantage of terrain? On this journey to Liaodong, on the surface it is our great Sui attacking Goguryeo, the many against the few. In reality, the Mohe, Khitan, Shiwei, and the hundreds of tribes in Liaodong whose names are hardly known—are they not all bound to Goguryeo by a shared fate? In this way, do we truly have the advantage of unity?" When it came to military affairs, the look of dejection vanished from Old Master Smith's face, and his beard and hair seemed to bristle with energy.

"But—but our great Sui is a heavenly empire, with more than a million men bearing halberds!" David Thompson argued stubbornly. Although he had been forced to become a deserter, deep down he still hoped the Sui dynasty could sweep through Liaodong and make a mighty name for itself. As a youth raised in the Sui, a sense of honor was innate. Even though the court had never given him any real benefit.

"Why need a million men bearing halberds? If they can be commanded as one, a hundred thousand would suffice to pacify Liaodong. The danger to the Sui does not lie in Goguryeo, but within the court itself. Should chaos arise behind the army, I fear it will be another tragedy where a million heroic souls never return home!" Old Master shook his head and slapped the table.

With parting imminent, both the old and the young knew it would not be easy to meet again. One took the rare opportunity to offer heartfelt guidance, the other seized the last chance to listen intently. After a few sighs and a few hearty laughs, before they knew it, their voices had drifted out the window.

"That old fellow, just days ago he was like frostbitten crops. How come he's perked up again today!" Outside the window, Mrs. Smith wondered aloud.

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Volume One: Ballad Beyond the Frontier

Chapter One: Flourishing Age (Part Six, Upper)

When bidding farewell to Master Brooks, it was a different scene. This Old Master who was the undisputed authority at the county school was not old, and had a plump figure. Although he did not have the distinguished military background of Old Master Smith, who had once assisted the King of Yue, he had been a renowned scholar in his youth. Having read widely, he was gentle and magnanimous, and his words naturally made people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.

"That's good. Back then, Tao Zhugong was born a merchant, yet didn't he help the King of Yue conquer Wu? It shows that heroes are not judged by their origins—when fortune comes, one can rise with the wind!" Old Master Brooks comforted with a smile, his eyes constantly glancing out the window. As for whether Tao Zhugong Fan Li first assisted the King of Yue in conquering Wu or first amassed his great fortune, those were details not worth pursuing in front of a dropout rascal.

Had it not been for Old Master Smith's earlier guidance, these words would surely have stirred great waves in David Thompson's heart. But now that David Thompson had seen through it, whether Master Brooks was sincere or just being polite, he no longer cared. He cupped his hands and smiled, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. You work tirelessly every day and must have important matters to attend to, so I won't trouble you any longer!"

"No rush, no rush, it's just some trivial matters of teaching and answering questions. As a Master, I bear the responsibility of educating the people here and dare not fail the imperial grace!" Master Brooks cupped his hands toward the capital. Though he said there was no rush, he was already escorting David Thompson out the door.

Just as he was about to step down the stairs, the Old Gentleman suddenly remembered something and called out to David Thompson, who was about to leave, "The Edward Bolton at the county school—is he a relative of yours? Are your families close?"

"I should call him Fifth Brother, we're cousins on my mother's side!" David Thompson turned back in surprise and replied. He had no bad impression of Zhang family's fifth son, but not much of a good one either. They were cousins within five degrees, but their family circumstances were worlds apart, and the blood tie had faded. When they met at school, they merely greeted each other. The fifth son of the Zhang family had his own circle of wealthy friends, and David Thompson's family was in no position to bother his cousin.

"That's right, that's right. The Zhang family of Shanggu is a local noble house. With Edward Bolton around, the family will surely continue to prosper. I've always said that child is scholarly material. Haha, you should spend more time with him. In the future, with both kinship and school ties, when he succeeds, he will surely look out for you!" Master Brooks advised with a laugh.

"Thank you, sir!" David Thompson cupped his hands again and turned to leave the The Brooks Family courtyard. Seeing his own blue-and-white mule, he suddenly remembered that he had prepared a gift for Master Brooks before coming. In the rush of parting, he had actually forgotten to bring it into the house.

'Perhaps I'll just save it—my little wolf at home is short of food.' David Thompson looked at the small bundle of beef jerky on the mule's back and smiled. He leapt onto the mule and hurried home. He had barely left Chengxian Street near the county school when he heard hoofbeats coming up behind him.

"Xu Guan, Brother Xu Guan!" The voice of Fifth Brother Edward Bolton called out from behind.

Once past Chengxian Street near the county school, it was the bustling market entrance. These two streets were famous for their crowds, and livestock could never run fast. David Thompson had no chance to pretend not to hear his cousin's call, so he reined in his mount and turned to ask, "Fifth Brother, are you calling me?"

"Of course I'm calling you! Besides you, how many Xu Guan brothers do I have?" Little Billy Bolton caught up on horseback, panting and complaining. "I saw you leave the county school and hurried after you. I didn't expect that mule of yours to be so quick!"

"How could it compare to Fifth Brother's Qingyun steed? That's a rare breed among thousands!" David Thompson cupped his hands modestly.

"What Qingyun steed? You believe what the horse dealer says? Are you really going into business? Not planning to study anymore?" Billy Bolton tapped his silver-plated saddle with his whip, grinning as he pressed for an answer.

"I'm not studying anymore. My father is getting old and needs someone to help him. Besides, I'm not cut out for studying anyway!" David Thompson nodded in reply.