After hurriedly jotting down a few fresh insights about science, Kongming finally saw the words he himself had written—those lines he'd scrawled on a slip of paper and tossed into the glowing curtain.
[ Server Chat Log ]
[Zhuge Liang]: Your Majesty Erfeng, the imperial examinations must be revitalized. Suppress the old recommendation system, leave a path for poor scholars without background. Let this be the model of a flourishing Tang.
[Li Shimin]: The chaos of Wei–Jin was unprecedented. Of the common people, fewer than one in ten survived. Do not nurture great-clan rats.
[Bullet Comment – @IdleHistorian]: What kind of brand‑new roleplay is this? Am I part of the roleplay too? Also—wasn't Zhuge Liang himself from a great clan?
[@FieldAndRetainers]: What defines a "Great Clan"? One, you need land; two, you need private armies. Zhuge Xuan might have qualified while alive, but by Zhuge Liang's time, what "Great Clan" member has to farm his own land?
[@QuantumDoorDreamer]: Chancellor, when you have time, read some quantum physics and build a jump gate, yeah? Then the two eras can link up. Guan Yu fighting Qin Qiong—too beautiful, I can't even imagine it.
[@ColdWeaponEnjoyer]: Guan Yu cutting down the Tibetan Zanpu in the middle of an army? Li Shimin charging the formation and tying up Cao Cao with his own hands, right?
[@GlowstickKnight]: Tang warriors—ignite your lightsabers! Charge for the Heavenly Khagan! Slay Cao the Traitor and those Jiangdong rats!
Li Shimin found Zhuge Liang's advice deeply agreeable. The titles sounded a bit strange, sure—but it proved they truly were connected, and that the other party genuinely cared about him.
That alone was already miraculous.
Wasn't Li Jing beside him already unable to sit still?
Li Shimin, ever considerate, said with a smile, "Next time, let Yaoshi hold the brush."
Li Jing was overjoyed and immediately bowed in thanks.
Still, among those other comments, one suggestion stirred Li Shimin's curiosity:
"Just what is this 'quantum physics'? Something that allows people to meet across the barrier of time itself? And why do later generations insist that the Marquis of Wu should study it?"
Almost instantly, a thought flashed through Li Shimin's mind.
If there really were a jump gate… pull Zhuge Wuhou here and appoint him Chancellor.
He, Li Erfeng, would handle the outside—leading Tang warriors to expand the realm, crushing all who refused submission.
Zhuge Liang would govern within—commanding the court, stabilizing the state, teaching the crown prince to guard the foundations.
If that were the case, who under Heaven could rival the Tang?
Once this thought arose, Li Shimin even felt a twinge of regret—if only that later-generation fellow Wen Mang were a teacher of quantum physics instead.
But after the light screen's reminder, Li Shimin found himself thinking again of Qin Qiong. This beloved general had always charged into battle at his side, never sparing his own body. Blade and spear wounds were beyond counting, and now his physique was far weaker than an ordinary man's, illnesses clinging to him constantly.
From the depths of his heart, Li Shimin sent out his most sincere call to Sun Simiao.
These matters could be set aside for now. Turning to Yan Liben, Li Shimin asked:
"The painting I entrusted to you earlier—has it been completed?"
Yan Liben paused his still-busy brushwork, picked up a mounted scroll already prepared, and respectfully presented it.
Li Shimin unfolded it, nodded in satisfaction, then carefully rolled it back up and walked toward the light screen.
Yet he hesitated. Zhuge Wuhou had only said the word 'offer'—but how exactly was one supposed to do that?
Knowing nothing, Li Shimin followed the ritual he used when sacrificing to Heaven at the Round Altar: placing the item on the ground, stepping back, and silently forming his intent.
In the blink of an eye, the ground before him was empty.
Changsun Wuji still didn't quite believe it. He stepped forward and personally touched the floor. The scroll that had been there was truly gone.
Li Shimin exhaled slowly, a rare trace of tension in his voice.
"Now… we simply wait."
---
At the Chengdu Prefectural Office, Kongming felt a quiet sense of relief.
The item prepared this time actually had some relevance to what had been discussed, sparing him the trouble of searching in advance.
As for the text on the light screen, Liu Bei couldn't help feeling envious of Li Shimin's martial prowess.
"It seems this Li Erfeng must have been laden with military merit—only then would later generations believe that, had he lived at the end of Han, he could have swept the realm."
Zhang Fei muttered, "Big Brother, the later folk already said it—even if he were reborn as Ah Dou, he could still prop Ah Dou up."
Liu Bei glared at him. I was just starting to forget that 'can't-be-propped-up Ah Dou' saying!
Pang Tong, meanwhile, was pure astonishment.
"So quantum physics can be used like this? If we had it, wouldn't we be able to visit the later ages ourselves?"
The bizarre technologies, dazzling goods, and overwhelming varieties of food from later generations rose vividly in everyone's minds.
"If we had later generations' 'Dongfeng Express,' wouldn't we be able to kill Cao the Traitor on the spot?" Wei Yan fantasized.
All eyes immediately turned to Kongming.
Which only made him awkward.
"I merely have a superficial understanding of physics—let alone quantum physics."
Fortunately, the light screen unfurled again in midair, rescuing him from the moment.
[Uploader – @WenMang_Studio]: Hello, hello! It's already September now—everyone take care, add some layers, don't catch a cold. This time the big shot was as efficient as ever. Nothing much to say—just that we have to put our heart into making the video, to repay such generosity!
A few short lines—then a set of images.
Both the Chengdu office and the Ganlu Hall watched intently as the pictures appeared one by one.
First came a length of silk, patterned with scattered flower petals.
Then an unfurled painting, lavishly mounted with gold and silver.
On it was an emperor standing atop a city gate tower with civil and military officials. Below, a disheveled foreign chieftain knelt on the ground, flanked by two imposing generals. Soldiers displayed their might, commoners cheered, shops called out to customers—and from the tower, young women boldly tossed flowers down.
"Between these gifts," Li Shimin asked those around him, "surely mine is superior?"
"The Captives Presentation displays Your Majesty's might, the Tang's prosperity, and the people's abundance. How could a single bolt of flowered silk compare?"
Zhangsun Wuji spoke with confidence. The Tang was already striding toward a golden age—how could a chaotic era compare?
But when the comments below appeared, Changsun Wuji stopped smiling.
[@KneelingKeyboard]: Kneeling to the Big Boss again. I don't know paintings, but this replica of 'Scattered Flower Brocade' is so detailed! Only downside is it looks too new; needs some 'patina' of age. 1 star review.
[@WeavingLore]: Did some research—the 'Wife of Chen Baoguang' I mentioned before improved the loom specifically to produce this brocade. It's a civilizational relay. In the Tang, nameless craftsmen improved it into the 'Multi-harness Loom' (Hualou Ji). It's a shame none of them left their names.
[@MountingSnob]: I don't know silk, but look at that mounting. Gold and jade? That's some 'Coal Boss' nouveau-riche aesthetic. Definitely an 'Yiwu' fake.
[@ScrollArchivist]: Reminds me of Liang Wudi—the guy didn't do much right, but pushing painting mounting was one of them. Otherwise we'd have lost even more ancient originals.
[@NitpickAssassin]: Fake needs effort, okay? Erfeng capturing Jieli was early Zhenguan four, but this inscription says year three. Lying to ghosts?
[@SeriousForgery]: Actually, look at the paper—it's bark paper, not Xuan paper (Xuan paper is a Song invention). And the technique is 'Gongbi' without 'Baimiao' (a Song technique). This replica was made with a lot of historical heart.
[@ArtHistoryNerd]: Seeing Yan Liben's signature hits hard. Called a divine painter, yet felt painting was a menial trade and warned his sons against it. Looking back, only Wu Daozi matched him. Irony of history.
[@PalaceGossip]: Didn't someone blame Li Chengqian's 'barbarization' on Jieli? Dude danced in the palace and insisted on living in a tent—Chengqian must've seen plenty. Still, that pot's too heavy for Jieli alone.
Li Shimin's expression stiffened.
His first thought: after court dismisses, summon Divine Physician Sun immediately.
His second: When did I ever bark orders at Yan Liben like that?
After reflecting twice with no answer, Li Shimin turned to Yan Liben—only to meet the painter's anxious eyes.
"Your Majesty…"
Yan Liben didn't know what to say. He had wanted office, but now that both brothers would be remembered through painting—and crowned the greatest of Tang—his ambition for rank had faded. Those newly mentioned techniques fascinated him even more. He even wanted to attempt making xuan paper himself.
If he succeeded—new techniques, new paper—he wouldn't just be a divine painter. He'd become a legend.
So now he was anxious. Would His Majesty take offense?
Li Shimin waved it off.
"Liben, you have divine skill with the brush. I have the reputation of a sage emperor."
"I honor your art; you record the grandeur of the Tang. Is that not a perfect match?"
Yan Liben was overjoyed. Then a thought struck him—those sketches of His Majesty laughing until his stomach hurt… perhaps I should secretly destroy them?
After calming Yan Liben, Li Shimin stared for a long time at the comments mentioning Li Chengqian.
A crown prince with complex problems.
And another son, still in swaddling clothes, yet seemingly destined to be an excellent emperor.
How to choose?
Especially when Grand Tutor Li Gang, hampered by leg illness, could barely walk—yet Chengqian went daily outside the palace to welcome and support him.
If Li Shimin knew nothing, he would praise such humility.
But now…
He sighed heavily, then noticed Empress Zhangsun watching him with concern.
Suddenly it dawned on him—soon, a girl not yet ten, a future empress in her own right, would also enter the palace to accompany Guanyinbi.
The Emperor of Great Tang found himself suddenly longing to leave the palace and walk among the people.