Dreams are expensive. Waterwheels are worse.
"These will cost unimaginable sums," Huang Yueying said calmly.
"And waterwheels only work where the current is strong. Across the Nine Provinces—how many places actually qualify?"
Zhuge Liang fell silent.
His wife was absolutely right.
Jing Province sat upstream along the great river, with Public Security County hugging the water. North of the city lay the Yangtze itself; southward ran the Hudu Crossing. Filling this region with waterwheels was feasible—for now.
But the north?
Huang Yueying didn't press the point. She took his hand, extinguished the lamp, and led him back into the room where the brazier still glowed warmly.
Zhuge Liang sat there, still lost in thought.
She moved behind him and gently kneaded his shoulders, her voice soft.
"Looks like the lord's decision was correct after all."
"…Hm?"
Zhuge Liang snapped out of his thoughts and met the worry in her eyes.
"Even without official documents to handle," she said quietly,
"you exhaust yourself like this. How could you not die early?"
She paused, then added:
"If you've already decided to hand the Ministry of Ingenuity to me, why not withdraw completely? Let the craftsmen work. Wait for results."
Zhuge Liang smiled faintly.
To have a wife like this…
He finally set aside his thoughts.
The night was long. Comfort was timely.
The next morning marked the first day Zhuge Liang officially reported for duty—
and for the first time, he arrived at the county office with his wife beside him.
"You want to move the Ministry of Ingenuity to the Hudu River?"
Sun Qian was genuinely surprised.
He knew that river well—a southern tributary of the Yangtze, close enough to matter.
There was even an old story attached to it.
Long ago, tigers had plagued the area. The Administrator of Nan Commandery personally investigated and ordered all tiger traps removed. The beasts, sensing no threat, swam across the river and left. Peace returned, and the river earned its name: Tiger Crossing.
That administrator was Fa Xiong.
His great-grandson?
Fa Zheng—the future colleague mentioned by the light-screen.
"At Lady Huang's recommendation," Zhuge Liang said simply, approving the order.
Sun Qian had no objection—but glanced at the half-demolished buildings behind him.
"Then what about this area?"
"Use it for the Medical Works Department," Zhuge Liang replied.
"Simple."
"If the lord can't persuade Zhang Zhongjing himself, he'll surely bring back a disciple. New buildings here will serve as clinics."
"Public Security County keeps growing. A medical hall will help prevent epidemics."
Just then, Ma Su returned from the logging expedition, breathless.
"Strategist!" he blurted.
"The lord has returned—with fifty thousand troops!"
"…Fifty thousand?"
Zhuge Liang stared at Ma Su.
Are we serving the same lord?
Or did Cao Cao just march south with an army?
Thankfully, Zhuge Liang's nightmare didn't come true.
When Liu Bei entered the county office—dusty and weary—he was accompanied by a middle-aged general whose face carried exhaustion carved deep into the bone.
"Zhuge Liang," Liu Bei said, barely able to hide his excitement,
"this is Lei Xu of Lujiang, styled Zibo. Persecuted by Xiahou Yuan of the Cao bandits, he has come to join us in opposing Cao."
Lei Xu bowed, barely holding himself upright.
Zhuge Liang immediately understood.
Lei Xu hadn't come alone.
Five entire tens of thousands followed him.
You didn't reject that.
Fortunately, Lei Xu was easy to deal with—or rather, too exhausted to be difficult. He requested nothing more than a quiet, soft bed.
The moment he lay down, he fell asleep.
Only then did Liu Bei sit and recount his journey.
"A-Dou and I asked around for the divine physician Zhang Zhongjing," Liu Bei said.
"We rode straight there—and met him."
Recalling Zhang Zhongjing, Liu Bei sighed in awe.
Nearly sixty years old, yet clear-eyed and vigorous—he looked younger than Liu Bei himself. Only then did Liu Bei realize the light-screen's praise had been no exaggeration.
"Zhang Zhongjing refused official appointment," Liu Bei said regretfully.
"We lack civil officials as it is."
"But he agreed to stay in Public Security County."
"That is enough," Zhuge Liang nodded.
"And Lei Xu—you encountered him on the way back?"
Zhuge Liang knew Lei Xu well enough.
A native of Lujiang. Once served Yuan Shu.
After Yuan Shu's self-proclaimed emperorship, Lei Xu had been appointed General of the Gentlemen. When Yuan Shu collapsed and fled to Huainan—where he later died—Lei Xu led his followers roaming the Jiang–Huai region.
This year, likely to ease pressure on Cao Ren in Nan Commandery, Cao Cao launched another southern campaign against Sun Quan.
The Jiang–Huai warbands panicked and rose in resistance.
Cao Cao responded brutally.
Zhang Liao. Zhang He. Zang Ba. Xiahou Yuan. Yu Jin.
A full sweep.
Lei Xu's forces were shattered.
Zhuge Liang had heard no further news and assumed total annihilation.
Turns out—
Strategic relocation.
Crossing the Tianzhu Mountains with tens of thousands in tow was not bravery.
It was desperation.
"The Jiang–Huai lands are soaked in suffering," Liu Bei sighed.
Zhuge Liang sighed as well.
After suppressing the warbands, Cao Cao inexplicably attempted to forcibly relocate Huainan's population.
The result?
The people ran.
Hundreds of thousands fled south—choosing Jiangdong over the north.
Cao's soldiers rode them down, looting as they fled.
Another man-made disaster.
"How does my lord intend to settle Lei Xu's people?" Zhuge Liang asked.
"I've thought it through," Liu Bei said.
"Lei Xu will retain command of his personal troops."
"As for the civilians—we'll disperse them west of Public Security County and assign them to garrison farming."
Zhuge Liang nodded.
Guards camps of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei lay west of the county.
If anything went wrong—it could be suppressed instantly.
"Cao Cao campaigns in Jiang–Huai," Zhuge Liang said slowly,
"and my lord gains fifty thousand people."
"Sun Quan gains a hundred thousand."
"This expedition… cannot be called profitable."
Liu Bei sighed.
Lei Xu's ability to bring five full ten-thousands over the Tianzhu Mountains alone said everything about Cao Cao's discipline.
Nominally bandits—but what bandits travel with families?
Lei Xu was nothing more than a broken minor lord with nowhere left to go.
Neither Cao Cao nor Sun Quan had ever bothered recruiting him. So he survived in the margins—until Cao Cao needed an excuse to plunder Jiang–Huai.
If Lei Xu were truly just fifty thousand bandits, he would have turned and fought.
He wouldn't have gambled everything on crossing those mountains.
After their shared sigh, work resumed.
Zhuge Liang demonstrated Huang Yueying's linked waterwheel mechanism.
Liu Bei watched, astonished.
"With talent like Lady Huang's," he said sincerely,
"those 'technology progress points' must come easily."
Zhuge Liang smiled, proud.
Then he spoke his request.
"Garrison farming, medical works, waterwheel construction, Zuo Bo paper—"
"These matters I can decide myself."
"But one matter," he said seriously,
"requires my lord's personal presence."
"What is it?" Liu Bei asked.
"Travel to Jiangdong," Zhuge Liang said firmly.
"Negotiate the ownership of Nan Commandery."
"Wait—Big Brother's going to marry another wife?"
That was Zhang Fei, suddenly appearing at the doorway.
History bends. Zhang Fei does not.