Zhuge Liang sighed, set his brush aside, and rose from his desk.
Outside the window, a thin rain drifted down like loose silk threads. In the courtyard beyond, his Lord—wearing a bamboo hat—was shouting cheerfully as he worked among the fields, sleeves rolled up, mud splattered all the way to his calves.
Kongming understood better than anyone what an increase in agricultural yield truly meant.
And yet, over the past few months, during countless quiet nights, he had repeatedly reviewed the notes he had taken from the light screen. The thoughts piling up in his mind had grown too heavy.
Even if one ignored those impossible metal behemoths that sailed the seas, the lightning-fast iron roads, and the frightening technologies described in The Exploitation of the Works of Nature…
A deeper question lingered.
Did the descendants of the future truly know the full size of the world?
Had the Han people finally achieved the great harmony of enlightened rule?
Kongming shook his head gently, as if casting off a distraction that came too early.
Step by step, he reminded himself.
He returned to his seat, straightened the documents before him, and dipped his brush again.
Everything still began at the same place.
First—Cao the Traitor must be destroyed.
This was the Liu Bei that Bu Zhi now saw.
Mud smeared across his robes.
A bamboo hat shading his face.
Surrounded by commoners who eagerly pressed flatbreads and bowls of hot soup into his hands—just for a smile, just for a word of praise.
"Big Brother——!"
Zhang Fei's thunderous voice rolled across the fields.
Liu Bei laughed, waved farewell to the people, and squeezed through the crowd. Bu Zhi subtly stepped back, doing his best to avoid the muddy water splashing from the Governor of Jing Province's boots.
After a brief exchange of whispers with Zhang Fei, Liu Bei turned back with a gentle smile.
"Zishan, you've come!" Liu Bei said warmly. "Please forgive the lack of ceremony. Lady Sun has been hunting in Chanling these past days—your timing is unfortunate."
"In that case," Bu Zhi quickly cupped his hands, seizing the chance, "I shall take my leave—"
But Liu Bei stepped forward and clasped both his hands firmly.
"Since you're already here, Zishan, why not stay in Gong'an a while and renew family ties?" Liu Bei said kindly. "When Lady Sun returns, she will surely be delighted!"
As expected… Bu Zhi sighed inwardly.
Refusing again would only be insulting. "Then I shall trouble you," he replied stiffly.
Standing behind them, Zhang Fei watched in silence, feeling he still had much to learn from his elder brother.
Some things Liu Bei said sounded so convincing that you almost believed them.
When had Lady Sun ever hunted near Gong'an lately?
After Bu Zhi was settled—under discreet but unmistakable guard—Zhang Fei went straight to report everything to Kongming.
After hearing the details, Kongming finally allowed himself a small breath of relief.
"Thus, Jiaozhou is temporarily secure."
"What if Jiangdong sends ships directly to pressure Shi Xie?" Zhang Fei asked. He had considered this possibility all the way back.
"Unlikely," Kongming replied, shaking his head. "Shi Xie is exceptionally skilled at reading the situation. He has governed Jiaozhou for twenty-three years."
"If Marquis Sun uses force, it will only push Shi Xie away."
Kongming continued calmly, laying out the logic.
"Bu Zhi's original plan was to exploit the vacancy in Cangwu—using the friction between Lai Gong and Wu Ju as justification to eliminate Wu Ju. Once Cangwu was seized, Jiaozhou would be linked directly to Jiangdong before my Lord could react."
"At that point, Shi Xie would have had no choice but to surrender."
"But now Wu Ju lives. As long as Lai Gong returns, Jiaozhou will remain stable."
"And even if Marquis Sun attempts this again," Kongming concluded, "Shi Xie will send troops to resist. In this unsettled age, he has no desire to gamble everything on one side."
"Then I'll go to Lingling again," Zhang Fei offered without hesitation.
Kongming nodded. "That would be best. Ask the Lord to write to Lai Gong. I will write as well—explaining the broader stakes. I'll also include a reprimand for Wu Ju."
The round trip by fast horse took only five days.
Zhang Fei returned with good news.
"Governor Lai says state affairs come first!" Zhang Fei gulped down water and wiped his mouth. "He said his anger nearly caused catastrophe. He's written a letter to Big Brother—I brought it back."
Only then did everyone truly relax.
By the time Zhang Fei returned, it was late July. The date of the light screen's next appearance was approaching, and Liu Bei faced his familiar dilemma:
Who should see it this time?
Jian Yong was still traveling.
Sun Qian was overseeing construction in Jiangling.
Mi Zhu had gone downriver to Jiangdong to sell paper.
Liu Bei quietly made a list, crossed out several names, hesitated—
Then circled one.
You
Between Cangwu and Jiangling, Zhang Fei felt he had shed an entire layer of weight.
At this rate, my armor won't even fit, he worried as he stepped into the side hall.
Inside, a young man stood quietly beside Guan Yu.
"Good nephew!" Zhang Fei slapped Guan Ping's shoulder with enough force to make him stumble.
"Third Uncle." Guan Ping bowed stiffly, a flicker of emotion passing before his face hardened again.
"Do you know why you were called here?" Zhang Fei asked.
"I do not," Guan Ping replied honestly. "My father summoned me. I dared not question it."
Nearby, Guan Yu rested with eyes closed.
Zhang Fei flashed a thumbs-up toward his elder brother at the head of the room—a gesture he had learned from the light screen.
"Then just wait and see!" Zhang Fei laughed, slapping Guan Ping into another stumble as he sat down.
The boy was outstanding in every way—but perhaps because Second Brother's reputation loomed too large, Guan Ping copied him in everything.
At thirty, he carried the air of an old man.
Zhang Fei really wanted to see that expression crack.
Judging by the silence, his Big Brother felt the same.
As more people arrived, Guan Ping's confusion deepened. His uncles kept glancing at him with strange, knowing looks.
Less than fifteen minutes later—
The air shimmered.
The light screen appeared.
Guan Ping's stoic expression shattered instantly.
Excellent, Zhang Fei thought. Mission accomplished.
Then—
A wave of gasps filled the hall.
"Is this… the power of the celestials?"
Outside, Chen Dao frowned slightly. Urgent intelligence?
[Hello everyone! I haven't changed my name or surname—I'm Wen Mang!]
[As promised last episode, today we're looking at Chengdu's "Three Kingdoms Memories." Let's keep it light—no war today.]
[Because the Three Kingdoms aren't remembered only for battle.]
[They are remembered for "The Han and the traitors cannot both exist; the Royal Cause cannot remain confined to one corner."]
[For giving everything, even when defeat was inevitable.]
[For the Prime Minister's devotion unto death.]
[For the peerless benevolence and loyalty of the Peach Garden brothers.]
[The people passed on. The cause remained unfinished. But the flame never went out.]
[Today, let's begin with a drone's wide-angle view of this "Land of Abundance."]
The image stabilized.
They didn't recognize the buildings—but they understood instinctively: this was a view from very high above.
Before anyone could judge the height—
The scene lifted.
The city shrank. Roads thinned to threads. Towers became dots.
Wind seemed to howl from the screen itself.
Liu Bei and Kongming felt their hearts tremble.
And yet—
As far as the eye could see—
Buildings.
Endless buildings.
The view tilted toward the horizon. Rivers like jade belts cut through the land. Green mountains rested beyond the city, graceful and vast.
Then—
Night fell.
Lights erupted.
The earth shone brighter than day, colors flashing in endless brilliance.
For the first time, everyone felt their eyes were not enough.
Jiang Wan and Ma Liang stood frozen.
How could this ever be painted?
Liu Bei stood abruptly, eyes shining, voice trembling with awe.
"This… this is Chengdu?"
"This is… Chengdu?"