The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

Though they said so, this was the exact argument the opposing team had just debated. Now, these three young boys had to overturn their previous stance and collaborate with the affirmative team to devise a strategy to defeat the enemy...

The challenge of this debate suddenly escalated to a deadly difficulty.

Even the usually confident Shen Yibai felt unsure: "Auntie, maybe we should practice this topic after the autumn exams? This is way too hard. The Ministry of Rites would never set such a question—I swear on my grandfather’s decades-long reputation in the Ministry." He raised three fingers solemnly.

"Pfft—" Wei Xinglu was the first to burst out laughing, exposing him, "Wrong, wrong! Your logic is flawed. Prime Minister Shen was transferred to the Ministry of Rites from another department. How could he have worked there for decades?"

Shen Yibai shot him a glare, flustered, "Why do you remember things so clearly now?"

Wei Xinglu scoffed, "Hah, serves you right for always treating others like fools, you idiot."

Shen Yibai: "!!!"

Xu Wan turned to Zong Jincheng and asked, "They all think it's too difficult. Do you want to give it a try?"

The little troublemaker also found it challenging, but he trusted Xu Wan deeply—just like when he had once misunderstood his mother for setting him a seemingly unfair debate topic, only to realize later that it was for his own growth. He and his friends had improved rapidly because of it.

"Yes!" Zong Jincheng declared boldly. "If Mother thinks we can do it, then we definitely can! I want to try!"

Xu Wan smiled warmly. If not for the ongoing discussion, she would have reached out to pat his head—the little rascal was just too endearing.

He Zheng, seeing his "big brother" take the lead, immediately followed suit, "Then I’ll join too!"

Wei Xinglu rolled his eyes at him, "You’re quick to follow, aren’t you? I was just—"

"Count me in!" Shen Yibai cut in. "Without me, this team would never come up with the perfect strategy!"

Wei Xinglu: "…………"

Zong Wenxiu pondered for a moment before adding, "Then I’ll try as well. Even if we can’t figure it out, at least we’ll have attempted it rather than retreating without trying."

Wei Xinglu felt personally called out. He sighed, "Well, now I can’t not join. The five of us in the advanced class are a team—if we’re doing this, we’re doing it together!"

With their intentions aligned and goals unified, the five boys spread blank papers and writing tools across the table, scribbling and sketching as they brainstormed ways to defeat the enemy.

Shen Yibai was the first to raise his hand. "What about firecrackers? Like when Jincheng accidentally set off firecrackers and scared three thousand chickens to death next door—that damage was massive!"

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‍little troublemaker, having his past misdeeds exposed, immediately retorted, "Those chickens died of fright, not from being blown up! Do you think people are as skittish as chickens? I could throw firecrackers at you, and you wouldn’t die from it!"

Wei Xinglu suggested, "Fire attack—the most straightforward method. Burn them all to death."

He Zheng countered, "But there was no wind that day, and the terrain wasn’t in our favor. A pure fire attack wouldn’t achieve the same effect as the Battle of Red Cliffs. It’s impractical."

"What about firecrackers combined with fire?" Zong Wenxiu proposed. "We could make firecrackers that explode and scatter sparks, igniting the enemies."

The little troublemaker frowned, "But sparks alone wouldn’t do much, right? Unless they’re doused in something flammable like oil, it wouldn’t be fatal."

Shen Yibai slapped the table excitedly. "Then let’s make sure they’re covered in oil! Like replacing their bathwater with oil!"

Everyone: "…………"

Wei Xinglu was too exhausted to argue. "Listen to yourself—does that make any sense? Wouldn’t they notice if they were bathing in oil instead of water? Are they idiots? And how would we even transport the oil to the enemy camp? How would we replace everyone’s bathwater? Do you realize how many spies that would require?"

Shen Yibai, unfazed by the criticism, kept brainstorming wildly. "Ah—I’ve got another idea! Sparrow soldiers!"

The others turned to him, puzzled.

Zong Jincheng, well-read and quick to recall, understood first. "You mean Xue Rengui’s strategy of using hungry sparrows to burn the enemy’s food supplies?"

Shen Yibai nodded eagerly. "Yes, exactly! One night when I couldn’t sleep, Teacher Jiang told me this story to help me drift off. It shocked me for ages. Who knew animals could be so terrifyingly effective? No spies sacrificed, no soldiers charging into battle—just tie small bags of sulfur and gunpowder to the sparrows’ claws, and the enemy’s entire food supply goes up in flames!"

With their food destroyed, defeat was inevitable.

The five boys looked at Xu Wan excitedly, hoping for her approval.

But Xu Wan remained unhurried, deferring judgment to the five tutors. "What do the teachers think?"

The tutors had been listening intently, especially after hearing about Jiang Yan’s bedtime story of such an obscure battle tactic. They began mentally noting similar stories to share with their own students, hoping to see them shine in future discussions.

Zhao Yin smiled and said, "Their ideas are becoming more refined. The sparrow soldiers’ tactic is indeed historical. But here’s the thing—if you know history, so does the enemy. Famous strategies from history rarely work a second time because the enemy is already prepared. The element of surprise is lost."

He Zheng murmured weakly, "But... this is our history, not You Country’s. And it’s such an obscure tactic! Their generals are all rough, uneducated types—maybe they wouldn’t think of it?"