Luoyang City, the School Affairs Bureau.
Finally, Guo Jia's health had recovered considerably, and he was able to come to the School Affairs Bureau as usual, which greatly pleased Lu Yu.
However, as a precaution, Lu Yu specifically instructed that Guo Jia was forbidden to drink alcohol, nor was he allowed to be intimate with women, at least not for the next two years.
It seemed...
Having narrowly escaped death and with a small intestine missing, Guo Jia had also gained some enlightenment.
He realized he still had some value, and it would be a pity to die. Since his recovery, he had not actively mentioned wine or women again!
Of course, without wine and women, the only things left in his life were poetry and distant horizons!
This surprised Lu Yu...
Indeed, experiencing life and death often elevated one's realm!
At this moment, several leaders of the School Affairs Bureau were lining up outside the gate, reporting their findings one by one.
The School Affairs Bureau had now reached its full potential. Cheng Yu, Guo Jia, Xu Shu, and Ju Shou were the four formidable pillars, with Sima Yi assisting from the side, occasionally offering insightful suggestions. All of this filled Lu Yu with immense satisfaction.
At this moment...
A school official was reporting on the actions of the 'Intelligence Corps'.
"Reporting to Censor Lu, Administrator Yang has sent word that Gan Ning, Gan Xingba, has been successfully recruited. Currently... Gan Ning and his pirate brethren are en route to Luoyang at full speed in batches."
Upon hearing this report...
Xu Shu immediately proposed, "Since Zi Yu thinks so highly of Gan Xingba, there is no need for him to come to Luoyang City. He should go directly to the East Sea. The training of the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy there is currently at a standstill! A reliable naval commander is desperately needed!"
"Yuan Zhi speaks wisely," Lu Yu nodded. "Then immediately send a letter to them, appointing Gan Ning as the Deputy Commander of the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy, and task him with overseeing the training of the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy! He should proceed directly to Donghai, Xuzhou!"
Deputy? Commander?
The word "Deputy" caused all the strategists in the School Affairs Bureau to pause for a moment...
If he was so highly regarded, why not give him the position of Commander directly? Why the "Deputy"?
Could it be that Lu Yu had other candidates in mind for the Commander of the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy?
A hint of doubt arose in everyone's minds.
Of course, they would not ask this question specifically.
However... Lu Yu did indeed have a more suitable person in mind for the Commander position than Gan Ning!
After all, Gan Ning was from a pirate background, a wild card... he was acceptable for surprise attacks and training a navy, but when it came to coordinating naval forces within the Yangtze River between two armies, he would surely be inferior to the more upright individual Lu Yu had in mind!
Just then...
Lu Yu's voice followed, "Have Chicken Ribs and Zhulong reported any news regarding the 'Nanping Plan'?"
The Nanping Plan was Lu Yu's proposed strategy to conquer Jingzhou...
The first step was to win over the Cai clan, and the most crucial element in winning them over was Lady Cai!
"No reports! The progress is still the same as last time."
The school official replied truthfully.
Lu Yu smacked his lips, calculating the time. It had been nearly four months since the 'Nanping Plan' began. With Lady Cai's frequent 'group activities'... there should have been some results by now?
Could she have a sterile constitution?
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Lu Yu shook his head. Impossible... If she were sterile, would Liu Cong have emerged from a stone?
Immediately, Lu Yu instructed, "Send a detailed letter to the Intelligence Corps. The 'Nanping Plan' can proceed to the next stage of operations!"
"Yes!" The school official nodded.
Guo Jia, however, narrowed his eyes slightly. He had only just heard of this so-called 'Nanping Plan'. Of course, it wasn't that it was bad, but rather..."
"Fengxiao, your expression seems displeased?" Ju Shou, noticing Guo Jia's expression, asked.
At his question, everyone's gaze turned towards them.
Guo Jia shook his head. "It's not displeasure, but rather that the final winner of this 'Nanping Plan' will still be our Prime Minister Cao. He doesn't have to do anything, and he gains another wife and a healthy son! A joyous occasion!"
Upon hearing this...
"Hahaha."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Those who could be in the School Affairs Bureau were all intelligent people... Many things did not need to be said explicitly; everything was understood implicitly.
Just then...
"Censor Lu, esteemed officials..." Another commandant walked in, someone unfamiliar.
Ju Shu recognized him. He was responsible for intelligence in the 'Southern Xiongnu' region.
But...
Since Zhang Xiu and He Yan went to the Southern Xiongnu, there had been little news. This time... the appearance of this official was quite unexpected for Ju Shu.
"There is a letter sent from the Southern Xiongnu. Young Master He specifically instructed that it be reported to Censor Lu immediately. I did not dare to delay and have brought it here right away."
Lu Yu's spirits lifted upon hearing this.
Not to mention, it had been quite some time since the beautiful young man He Yan went to the Southern Xiongnu to be a royal consort, and Lu Yu had rather missed him.
The winds and sand were harsh there; he wondered if the delicate He Yan could adapt.
As he spoke, Lu Yu took the letter.
Upon opening the letter, it was indeed a personal letter from He Yan, a thick stack. His handwriting, like his appearance, was delicate and easily recognizable.
As for the content, the first page described how he and Zhang Xiu had discovered vast mineral deposits in the Hexi Corridor.
There were two locations with rivers and lakes of gold sand, and not only that, but also three copper mines, one iron mine, and one silver mine...
Speaking of silver mines, although silver was not a form of currency during the Three Kingdoms period, various artifacts carved from silver were still extremely popular!
Lu Yu's eyes narrowed as he continued to the following pages.
It was a map, roughly marking the locations of several mining areas, along with detailed exploration results. In short... these were all exceptionally rich mines with high quality and ample reserves.
The era was too early, and no one had discovered these mineral deposits.
According to the locations marked on the map, Lu Yu could roughly identify them as the future "Baiyin City" and "Ordos." It was no exaggeration to say that this place, which was previously unremarkable, had become extremely prosperous due to its mineral resources, leading to the establishment of a metropolis and, more importantly, driving employment and urban prosperity.
Hoo...
Seeing this, Lu Yu let out a long sigh, his eyes gleaming.
Gold, silver, copper... these were all currencies!
Even other resources had immense utility.
Moreover... Lu Yu did not attach much importance to mere money; what he valued was the foreign lands, the Hexi Corridor, and the revitalization of the Silk Road!
This was the most direct way to assimilate the "barbarians" and expand the territory of Great Wei!
Seeing Lu Yu's expression...
Guo Jia proactively asked, "Zi Yu? What has happened?"
This voice pulled Lu Yu's thoughts back from the heavens.
"Something good!" Lu Yu smacked his lips and said, "We might be able to accomplish something great!"
"Something great?" Guo Jia, Xu Shu, Cheng Yu, and Ju Shu echoed in unison.
Lu Yu nodded. "To reconnect with the Protectorate of the Western Regions, bring the entire Western Regions into the territory of Great Wei, and restart the Silk Road!"
As he spoke, his eyes flashed with brilliance.
Clearly...
He was immensely looking forward to this!
Just then, Cheng Yu's expression turned cold, as if he had something on his mind.
Lu Yu turned his gaze to him. "Commander Cheng? Do you have any insights?"
Cheng Yu paused, then after a brief hesitation, he finally spoke, "Young Master Lu, I am not worried about the issue of the Silk Road. I am precisely worried about Gan Xingba's journey to Xuzhou just now."
"Gan Xingba's journey to Xuzhou?" Lu Yu retorted.
"Indeed..." Cheng Yu lowered his eyes. "Donghai Commandery in Xuzhou... The troops there are the renowned Dragon Soaring Camp. The commander there is the peerless God of War, Lu Bu, Fengxian. Even if you, Young Master Lu, have granted Gan Xingba the military rank of Deputy Commander of the Navy, yet... how proud are Lu Bu and the Dragon Soaring Camp? Will they obey the command of a pirate?"
"This is the biggest problem!"
Heh...
Indeed, Cheng Yu's question was very insightful.
Lu Yu's eyes darted back and forth. For a moment, he also harbored some doubts, but his composure quickly returned.
Back then, when Liu Bang built the command platform and appointed Han Xin as the supreme commander of the three armies, did he consider how Han Xin would command the three armies and how he would gain their respect?
No!
The answer was definitely no!
-- If you use them, then trust them!
If Gan Ning couldn't even manage the soldiers of the Dragon Soaring Camp, was he still the锦帆贼 (Jin Fan Zei - brocade sail pirate)? Was he the future Sea Thunderbolt?
...
...
Outside Luoyang City, a hot air balloon successfully took flight.
As Ma Jun suggested, the entire balloon was coated with a thick layer of paint, and miraculously, the air leakage problem was largely resolved.
Although there was still some leakage.
However... this was sufficient to support the hot air balloon in flight, marking a significant step towards its practical application!
"Finally... it's flying!"
Watching the balloon soar high above, Liu Ye felt like crying.
Master Lu, you did not deceive me...
Indeed, the principle of using mugwort to make chickens fly was correct; hot air balloons could truly take off!
Only Ma Jun...
This young fellow, with his head hanging low, clearly saw something that others had not.
"Something is wrong... this hot air balloon is not right!"
"What's wrong?"
The sudden exclamation startled Zhuge Jun and Cao Mu. Cao Mu quickly asked.
"While it's true that the hot air balloon has successfully contained the heat, the oil in the fuel tank is not sufficient... it's not enough to support the balloon's flight for too long!"
"How... how did you see that?" Cao Mu asked in surprise.
Ma Jun pointed to the hot air balloon and said, "After the balloon ascended to a certain height, it stopped rising any further. Moreover... the fuel tank consumes oil too quickly, which indicates that the oil we prepared is not long-burning!"
This...
After Ma Jun's reminder.
Zhuge Jun and Liu Ye also noticed this problem...
When the hot air balloon reached a certain altitude, it could no longer ascend. This was due to the weakening flame in the fuel tank. In the high altitudes, the airflow was strong, undoubtedly requiring a larger flame, and most importantly, a more sustained and long-burning flame!
This point was crucial.
"Indeed..." Liu Ye sighed, "If it's just like this, then even if the fuel tank is filled with oil, the flight time will not exceed half an hour, and the flight altitude will not reach the clouds! The advantage of the 'flying corps' conceived by Marquis Baima for a surprise victory will also vanish into thin air!"
Speaking of which...
Liu Ye's brow furrowed once more.
Besides looking at the young Ma Jun before him in astonishment, his eyes narrowed, clearly... his heart was filled with a renewed sense of melancholy.
This problem was difficult to solve!
"What should we do then?"
Cao Mu asked.
Zhuge Jun paused. "We must find oil that burns longer... find a substitute for the current oil!"
"Oil that burns longer?" Cao Mu retorted...
It sounded easy, but was it that simple to achieve?
One had to consider that even brewing vegetable oil or fish oil required considerable effort from the oil mills at this time. Besides vegetable oil and fish oil, where else could one find better-performing oil?
How could it be brewed?
"Ma Jun? Do you have any ideas?" Cao Mu looked at Ma Jun again, as if Ma Jun had now become the sole hope of their "research" team, the hope of the entire village!
However...
Shaking his head, Ma Jun shook his head.
Indeed, he was a genius among craftsmen. If history followed its course, he would become the most famous inventor in Cao Wei as he grew older.
He recreated the compass, improved the cumbersome silk looms, invented a dragon-bone waterwheel that drew water from low to high ground, and also improved the trebuchet, creating a rotary stone launcher capable of launching stones continuously for hundreds of paces.
Even for such a future inventor...
He was still a skilled cook who couldn't cook without rice. If the oil wasn't long-burning, everything would be in vain!
"This..."
Cao Mu lowered his head...
On the other hand, Zhuge Jun loosened his clenched teeth and softly murmured, "This time, I must seek advice from Master Lu!"
Before... when the hot air balloon took off, he felt it wasn't necessary to consult Lu Yu!
But this time, he had truly encountered a major obstacle!
...
...
Xuzhou, Donghai Commandery.
Gan Ning had brought his pirate brigade here some time ago, but the training of the navy had still encountered major problems.
"Pat..."
In a courtyard, Gan Ning threw a pile of colorful military flags onto the ground.
He knelt furiously on a chair, seething with anger, unable to contain his frustration.
"General Gan is the Deputy Commander of our Dragon Soaring Camp's navy? What's wrong?"
Huang Zhong was dining with his son. Today, they were eating yellow croaker. Although it was a bit greasy, it was nutritious. After eating fish for a period, Huang Xu had grown much sturdier.
"Hmph..." Gan Ning snorted coldly and sat opposite Huang Zhong, saying nothing.
Speaking of which, he and Huang Zhong were old acquaintances. One had once been renowned in Southern Jing, while the other had operated as a pirate in the waters from Yizhou to Jingzhou. They had interacted frequently!
Over time, a sense of mutual admiration developed between them.
This time, when Gan Ning arrived at Donghai and found Huang Zhong there, he felt an immediate sense of meeting an old friend in a foreign land.
Unfortunately...
Just as he experienced a touch of warmth, immediately afterward... the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy gave him a show of force. No one obeyed his orders!
Huang Zhong seemed to grasp the situation...
He proactively asked, "Who has offended our General Gan?"
"Who else?" Gan Ning's brow furrowed. "Naturally, it's those scoundrels in the Dragon Soaring Camp! In their eyes, I am just a pirate! Not worthy of commanding them! When I say move forward, they insist on moving backward. When I say move east, they insist on moving west. Do I owe them anything?"
"Then..." Huang Zhong suggested, "Why doesn't Commander Gan punish them according to military law? The Dragon Soaring Camp has always been known for its strict military discipline!"
Hah!
Hahaha!
Gan Ning sneered. "Am I a pirate? They are soldiers of the Dragon Soaring Camp, each with countless battle merits to their names! Can I kill them?"
As Gan Ning yelled, he slammed his fist onto the table with a "bang." He was truly furious, startling Huang Xu.
This...
Huang Zhong wanted to offer advice, but he found... he didn't know what to do either!
The Dragon Soaring Camp was too special; they couldn't just kill them. But without killing them, how could he establish his authority? Moreover, given Gan Ning's unusual background... it was no wonder the Dragon Soaring Camp looked down on him!
In fact... it wasn't just the Dragon Soaring Camp; there was a hierarchy even within the Cao Wei army. Cavalry looked down on infantry, infantry looked down on surrendered soldiers, surrendered soldiers looked down on bandit soldiers, and the Dragon Soaring Camp looked down on everything...
This was truly a difficult matter!
"Cough cough..."
Just then, Huang Xu coughed.
"General Gan... I do have an idea."
He said in a low voice.
Gan Ning glanced at him, thinking, a civilian in charge of internal affairs? And a young lad who hadn't even lost his baby teeth? What did he know about commanding troops?
He didn't take it seriously.
But Huang Xu's voice continued.
"General Gan... in the end, it's that the Dragon Soaring Camp doesn't respect you? It's not surprising, General Gan hasn't achieved any merits, nor has he displayed his skills. It's difficult for them to respect you... But what if General Gan showed them a trick?"
"Show a trick?" Gan Ning retorted.
Instantly, he felt that what Huang Xu said made some sense.
Huang Zhong's eyes flickered. He remembered something...
Indeed, Huang Xu's next words completely matched his guess.
"If General Gan wants the Dragon Soaring Camp's navy to respect you, then you must accomplish one thing that they cannot do!"
"What is it?" Gan Ning's interest was fully piqued.
"That is..." Huang Xu paused, and then uttered a sentence that struck like "five thunderbolts."
...
...