On the light-screen, a massive banner bearing the single character "Han" slowly descended from the sky.
As day and night cycled in rapid succession, time seemed to accelerate.
The banner lay on the ground, weathering centuries in moments—its fabric fraying, its color fading—until at last it crumbled into dust and vanished without a trace.
The perspective pulled back.
Chengdu came into view.
This was the famed City of Brocade Officials—a land so rich it bordered on the unbelievable. Nearly every household possessed a salt well; nearly every courtyard grew orange trees heavy with fruit. Long rows of shops lined the streets, standing shoulder to shoulder, their goods dazzling and abundant, as numerous as the stars in the night sky.
Men and women in splendid attire flowed through the streets like a living tide. By the riverbank, the Jin Maidens—the brocade weavers of Shu—washed freshly woven silk in the clear water. Each bolt of Shu brocade was worth a thousand pieces of gold, and as the fabric rippled in the current, its colors reflected so vividly that the river itself seemed dyed. Thus was born the name Jin River—the Brocade River.
The images continued.
A young man, eyes bright with ambition, buckled on his sword and strode out of Shu. In the blink of an eye, he aged decades. Shackles hung from his wrists, yet his back remained straight as he calmly lifted his brush and wrote:
"Nine heavens open to reveal a Chengdu."
The pace quickened.
Scenes overlapped and blurred. Ancient streets dissolved into towering buildings. In a modest workshop, a craftsman carefully assembled a feather fan. A sudden breeze stirred. One lone feather lifted free, rising gently into the air.
The feather drifted.
Below it lay Jinli's bustling crowds, the endless stream of visitors at the Martial Temple, the statue of the Tea Ancestor standing serenely among tea fields, and an elderly man in unfamiliar clothing animatedly recounting to a group of children the ancient pact between their ancestors and Zhuge Liang.
Carried by the clear wind, the feather rose higher and higher until it vanished into the clouds.
Two lines of poetry slowly appeared on the light-screen:
"Zhuge's great name hangs across the universe;
A single feather drifts through the eternal sky."
No one spoke.
Even those long accustomed to the light-screen felt their throats tighten.
"It feels…" Pang Tong murmured at last, voice low, "as though I truly lived through more than a thousand years."
Zhang Fei leaned over, his massive head nearly blocking Pang Tong's view. "Military Advisor Pang, it's a pity you didn't see the Martial Temple earlier. Now that you've seen the Military Advisor's temple, what do you think?"
Pang Tong snorted and turned his back on him.
Zhang Fei scratched his head, utterly baffled. This Pang Tong is really difficult. If you're jealous, then be jealous—what's there to hide? Every general here wanted a temple of their own someday. Why was a military advisor acting more awkward than a maiden?
So Zhang Fei decided to encourage him in his own way. "Military Advisor Pang, you're just as famous as Military Advisor Zhuge! Even if you don't get your own temple, surely you can at least stand beside Big Brother as a subordinate deity, right?"
"Yide!" Liu Bei intervened quickly, seeing Pang Tong's face redden. He smoothly changed the subject. "If the words on that light-screen truly belong to Li Shimin, he must be furious by now."
[ Light-screen]
[What is the purpose of a life? The Chancellor once said: "I shall exhaust myself until my heart stops beating." He did not merely say it—he lived it. That is why we still remember him today.]
[The modern poet Zang Kejia, when commemorating Lu Xun, once summarized the fates of two kinds of people. His words are also perfectly suited to the Chancellor:]
"Those who live so that the many may live better—
The people will remember them forever, and lift them high."
[That concludes this episode! Don't forget to follow and like. Next preview: The Northern Expedition—Marching Out of Mount Qi!]
[Server Chat-Log]
IronFeather: "In history they speak of his integrity; in the hearts of the people stands an unseen monument."
Bladesteal_77: "In fiction he's surrounded by weaklings and wins effortlessly. In history he was humble, surrounded by giants—and still defeated them carefully."
DnD_Breaker: "Eastern front farming victories nonstop, western front cautiously facing the Martial Lord. He's not just a role model—he's pure entertainment."
Hist_Forge: "He didn't know everything. What's amazing is that even at his height, he kept learning so benefits reached ordinary people."
IronVoid: "He set up salt and metal offices to help people earn a living. Cao Cao set up tomb-raiding officials. The contrast hurts."
Ghost_Rider: "If only Jiang Wei met him earlier—learned war, missed governance."
Late_Mid: "You may think he's overrated—but everyone you admire admires him."
Guard_Arm: "When he was alive, no one noticed how rare he was. After he was gone, no one could replace him."
One_Hit: "One memorial carried his name through the ages. A thousand years later—who stands beside him?"
Triple_L: "He chased an impossible dream his whole life. Never saw the Han restored, yet gave everything for it."
BossFight: "Hurry up and drop the next episode already!"
Tang Dynasty — Ganlu Hall
"I wish I could personally slay those wretched descendants!"
Li Shimin's eyes were bloodshot. If Zhangsun Wuji had not seized him by the waist, the chessboards and tables would already have been shattered.
Du Ruhui glanced at the light-screen, then at the emperor, and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty… when you previously spoke of unworthy descendants, was it because of this?"
At those words, Li Shimin's eyes burned even redder. "Xuanzong fled—Chang'an fell! Xizong fled—Huang Chao rose—and the Great Tang was destroyed!"
"Chang'an fell twice. The emperor fled twice!" He laughed harshly. "Sitting upon the Dragon Throne—how could they face the people of the realm?"
With a sharp clang, he drew the precious sword from the wall and slashed it into the couch, finally venting his fury.
"The Tang… fell."
Even Fang Xuanling, famed for composure, widened his eyes.
Zhangsun Wuji quickly asked, "Your Majesty—when did this Huang Chao appear?"
"I do not know," Li Shimin replied heavily. "The screen mentioned it only in passing. I know only that it came after Xuanzong."
Fang Xuanling was already calculating, brush flying. "From the fall of Shu-Han to now—three hundred sixty-five years. The An–Shi Rebellion occurred four hundred ninety years after Shu-Han fell."
He looked up slowly. "That means… we are one hundred twenty-five years away from it."
Zhangsun Wuji's breathing grew ragged. "Your Majesty is called the Emperor of a Thousand Ages… yet our Tang's prosperity lasts barely a century more?"
"Why panic, Wuji?"
At that moment, Li Shimin had calmed completely. A commander to the bone, he never allowed rage to rule him for long.
"First, we create a golden age," he said firmly. "Then, we find a way to break the dead end a century from now."
He carefully lifted the map Fang Xuanling had just drawn from the light-screen's images, holding it as though it were a priceless treasure.
"Today, I finally understand how vast the world truly is. The An–Shi Rebellion and unworthy descendants are future concerns."
"For now—" his eyes gleamed, "—I shall wipe away the shame of the Wei River and build sea-going ships!"
To Li Shimin, the world had suddenly become astonishingly clear.
If ten thousand miles of territory granted a century of fortune, then what of twenty thousand? Thirty thousand?
And compared to the later calamities of being surrounded by foreign wolves, how great was the An–Shi Rebellion, truly?
With this immortal mechanism, he would plan an unrivaled Great Tang.
Shu-Han — Gongan County Office
Liu Bei returned carrying a wooden box, his expression faintly pained. Every time the light-screen spoke, they prepared offerings in advance—yet almost always felt afterward that the gifts were inappropriate.
This time was no exception.
He quietly pushed the prepared landscape painting back under the table and brought out the box instead. With a look of genuine reluctance, he placed it at the usual offering spot. When the box vanished, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
At least this matter was settled.
Ma Liang stretched his wrists. This was usually rest time. He praised the bamboo-stylus hard pen once more, then looked up—only to meet Kongming's gaze.
"Jichang," Kongming asked calmly, "how is life among the Wuximan tribes of Wuling?"
Ma Liang considered before answering. "Little production. Short on salt and iron. Skilled with small boats. The people are sincere and straightforward."
Fragmented, but sufficient.
Kongming nodded. "If affairs in Wuling are settled, would you be willing to travel to Jiangdong and contact the Shanyue tribes?"
Ma Liang's heart skipped. After only a brief pause, he nodded firmly. "I am willing."
Liu Bei immediately understood and laughed. "Sun Quan treats the Shanyue as slaves for his powerful clans. It's only right that we lend them some support—so they aren't bullied endlessly."
After all, he thought, Sun Quan meddled in my southern affairs. Reciprocity is only fair.
Kongming sighed softly. "Seeing the word 'the people' spoken so often by the future… I have many reflections."
"My lord's name will be remembered not because of Shu-Han alone, but because of your benevolence."
He quoted quietly, "Ban Gu said: 'Sincerity and kindness move the people's hearts, and thus the Mandate of Heaven is gained.' My lord, are you not already winning the people's hearts—and the Heaven of the future?"
Liu Bei nodded slowly. "Xunzi said: 'If the people fear the government, the ruler cannot stand secure.'"
"Cao Cao's realm suffered endless rebellions. Was it not because brute force crushed the people until they could no longer endure it?"
He leaned back, smiling. "I once thought the future spoke of me because I was Emperor Zhaolie. Now I see—it speaks of me because I am the elder brother of Yunchang, and the lord of Kongming."
"Brother, why say such things?" Guan Yu called out. "If not for you, I would rather return to Hedong and sell green beans!"
Kongming laughed softly. "If not for my lord, I would have remained in Nanyang, farming until the end of my days."
"Me too!" Zhang Fei shouted.
At that moment, the light-screen flickered to life once more. Seeing the familiar glow, Liu Bei felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
[Ding! Thanks to the Big Boss for the generous gift—a bolt of Shu brocade!]
[I can't even tailor clothes with this—hahaha!]
[But honestly, this stuff is perfect for raising military funds. If I traveled back in time with it, I'd never worry about food again!]
The hall echoed with quiet laughter as the light-screen dimmed once more.