Yu Zhen's Art of War

^{(By: Dandy)}

Overview

An ancient Xinese text that consist of an anthology of military strategies and tactics, written by the first Emperor of the Yu Dynasty, Yu Zhen.
Yu Zhen was a brilliant general and had talent in the art of warfare. He won many victories and alliances that led to the first unification of the Jieyuan Continent. Even prior his rise to the role of Emperor he was well revered within the military community, among his rivals and enemies, and his fighting wisdom inspire others to strive to be like him. In between his duty to the Court and Empire he would spend his passing times writing his own book, documenting all of his experiences, ideas, and philosophy of warfare that lead him to success. Unfortunately the book was never completed by the time he passed away and was eventually forgotten one generation after another.
That was until Princess Yu Jian discovered her ancestor's unfinished book along with his rough drafts. Inspired by his words of wisdom and the strategies he had developed, Yu Jian took it upon herself to complete the book. From the beginning of the second rebellion, Princess Yu Jian would rely on her ancestor's book to fight her war against the Yu Armies, claiming victory after another. Even after her death, the book continued to support Feng Lei and Ma Xin until their ultimate victory.
Soon after the Feng Empire was established, Feng Lei decided to properly publish the book in honor of the late princess and her ancestor Yu Zhen's. The book was officially released as "Yu Zhen's Art of War: 36 Strategies for Success and Conquest". "Art of War" had become incredibly popular among the masses, being integrated into military college and used as lessons to train the next generation of commanders and generals. Over time the book garnered so much attention it was adapted to accommodate situations outside of fighting such as government, business, management, politics, to even basic social scenarios. The book has been widely coveted and translated into all known languages, spread across the Jieyuan Continent through the hands of Josean, Seiyouin, and Huinan travelers and merchants. To the present day many people refer to the "Art of War" for guidance or to express their thoughts on a situation, being part of their daily life and teachings.
The following are the more popular stanzas of "Art of War"

• "All warfare is based - on deception."
• "Know thy enemy and know thyself, then you need not worry a thousand battles."
• "If the soldiers do not obey an order, it is the commander's fault. But, if the commander repeated his instructions clearly, then it is the soldiers' fault."
• "When travelling into foreign lands, your best guides are not your scouts - but the locals, be it farmers, fisherman, or merchants. They know the land like the back of their hand."
• "If you fight, you may win or you may lose. If you do not fight, you will always lose."
• "True victory is knowing when to fight and when not to fight."
• "The enemy of my enemy is my ally. Treat them like my kin with a shared goal."
• "In the midst of chaos, there is always an opportunity."
• "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
• "The greatest victory is that which requires no battle."
• "Time is your enemy. Quickness is your ally. Win swift, not fight long."
• "Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust."
• "If the enemy doesn't move, I shan't move."
• "The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent."
• "Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack."
• "Be where your enemy is not."
• "If his forces are united, separate them."