Dawn broke faintly. Zhuge Liang laboriously stood up from behind his desk, slowly walked to the window, and frowned, looking towards the east where the sky was pale. The sun had not yet revealed its silhouette.
He had been busy all night again.
"Prime Minister." Wei Yan entered the Shanshang Tai and bowed.
Zhuge Liang's tired face regained some color. "Why so long? Is your lady well?"
"Your lady has been observing the cannons all night. This humble subordinate dared not disturb her," Wei Yan continued. "Prime Minister, you know your lady dislikes soldiers getting too close. This humble subordinate could only set up defenses on the perimeter, but Prime Minister, rest assured, the defenses around your mansion are foolproof; even a nightingale could not fly in!"
Wei Yan was lying with his eyes open.
He had not set up any defenses at all. In fact, he knew very well that the guards outside the Prime Minister's mansion had likely switched allegiances.
"Oh." Zhuge Liang nodded slightly. He didn't know this, but hearing that his lady was well and the mansion was secure did make him feel a little better.
He looked at Wei Yan and sighed, "It's difficult for her, and difficult for you!"
"The Prime Minister speaks truly."
"Send word for Jiang Wan to come."
"The Prime Minister seems not to have slept all night, and now you're summoning Jiang Wan. What is it?" Wei Yan asked.
"To see His Majesty," Zhuge Liang said wearily. "The battle at Peishui Pass is imminent. Chengdu cannot be delayed. Inform His Majesty that it is time for us to depart."
Just then.
Before any message was sent, Jiang Wan had already arrived, his expression hurried.
"Gongyan, why such alarm?"
Zhuge Liang felt an ominous premonition.
"It's... it's His Majesty last night..."
Jiang Wan suddenly found it difficult to speak. After all, Liu Chan was so young now!
Of course, he didn't know that Liu Chan and Zhen Rong had simply spent the night in the study playing with crickets, purely playing with crickets!
...
...
Zhuge Liang met him. Liu Chan summoned Zhuge Liang to the palace.
Zhuge Liang intended to perform the ritual of ruler and subject, but Liu Chan hurriedly raised his hand to stop him. "Prime Minister, there's no need for such formality."
Zhuge Liang raised his head but did not get up. He prostrated himself and said, "After the late Emperor's passing, I was occupied with the Emperor's ascension and neglected to confess my fault. I have the crime of misjudging people; Litchi Road has completely collapsed, Lingmeng Pass and Zhaotong Commandery have fallen. The blame lies with me. I have failed His Majesty and the late Emperor."
How could Liu Chan not know that this confession by Zhuge Liang was for the serious offense of over-reliance on Ma Su, which led to the total collapse?
He smiled and comforted him, "Prime Minister, did you not teach me that victory and defeat are common in warfare? How powerful is Great Wei? Even Father Emperor was not its match. It is already difficult for the Prime Minister to resist Cao Yu with such meager forces. The complete defeat is Ma Su's fault; the Prime Minister should not be too harsh on himself!"
Zhuge Liang shook his head and sighed, "I uphold the late Emperor's will and His Majesty's trust, yet I have failed to enforce discipline and laws, leading to Ma Su's violation of orders. This is all due to my poor judgment of people. As the Spring and Autumn Annals hold the commander responsible, my duties were improper. I request to be demoted by three ranks to uphold the national law. I am deeply ashamed!"
Liu Chan, moved, personally helped Zhuge Liang up. "If Prime Minister insists, I cannot stop you. Then be demoted by three ranks, but still continue to act as Prime Minister, overseeing military affairs as before. With Prime Minister here, I feel at ease!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhuge Liang kowtowed.
Liu Chan, however, broke into a wide smile. "Prime Minister, you don't need to be too worried. We still have the forces of Ba Commandery and Chengdu, and Nan Commandery, totaling seventy to eighty thousand men. Coupled with the mountainous terrain, advancing may be insufficient, but for self-preservation, with Prime Minister here, it is more than enough."
Saying this, Liu Chan happily picked up a large stack of documents and said gleefully, "Prime Minister, look, these are the records I've made while studying these past few days. Prime Minister, take a look and be happy!"
Hearing this, Zhuge Liang looked at Liu Chan with a profound gaze.
He casually flipped through a few pages and then raised his head with concern, "Your Majesty, I heard that Your Majesty was laughing and talking with a woman surnamed Zhen in the study last night?"
Ah...
Suddenly asked about Zhen Rong, Liu Chan was stunned and didn't know how to answer.
Zhuge Liang's words continued, "Now that the Wei army is invading, Ba and Shu are depleted. This is truly a critical moment for survival.
Your Majesty should be diligent and thrifty, maintain tranquility and pursue distant goals, and prioritize studies. Moreover, Your Majesty has not yet reached the age of adulthood and should not be involved in matters of men and women so early. Does Your Majesty not know that it was precisely because King You of Zhou played with beacons that the prosperity of the Zhou Dynasty for eight hundred years was ruined?"
Liu Chan suppressed his immense impatience and quickly said, "I understand, Prime Minister. I have noted all of Prime Minister's words. Why are Prime Minister's eyes so tired? Did you not sleep well last night? Nan Commandery has presented a pair of jade pillows; I shall bestow them upon Prime Minister. These jade pillows are very comfortable to rest one's head upon."
Hoo... Hearing this, Zhuge Liang sighed with both worry and affection, "When will Your Majesty ever mature! Consider the monarch of Great Wei, Cao Yu; at Your Majesty's age, he could already write works as strategic as 'The Thirty-Six Stratagems'..."
Liu Chan casually hugged Zhuge Liang's arm, "No matter how capable Cao Yu is, it's because he has to rely on himself. But I have Prime Minister; what do I have to fear?"
Sigh...
With a long sigh, Zhuge Liang's gaze was distant. "This afternoon, I will depart for Peishui Pass. Your Majesty, please remember my words: be diligent and thrifty, maintain tranquility and pursue distant goals, and prioritize studies!"
He walked out of the palace.
Zhuge Liang anxiously instructed Jiang Wan, "Regarding His Majesty, you must keep a close eye on him. Also, that woman surnamed Zhen, investigate her secretly and see if her identity is pure!"
Jiang Wan cupped his hands, "Prime Minister, rest assured!"
Rest assured?
Could Zhuge Liang be at ease?
...
...
One plants a tree, and another enjoys the shade.
Because of the great success of the special operations unit's crossing of Yinping, more and more legions have successively entered the Yinping Road.
Their goal was not to traverse Motian Ridge, but to completely open up the secret passage of Yinping that led directly to Chengdu.
Currently, along the routes of Motian Ridge and Yinping Road, there are supply points set up by Great Wei. These Wei soldiers, disguised as villagers, secretly provide supplies to the advancing Wei soldiers.
Huang Yueying... was sent to Zitong through this route.
What she didn't expect was that as soon as she arrived in Zitong, her eyes lit up, as if she had entered a new world.
"This is..."
In the military camp, Huang Yueying saw a deep well. The outside of the deep well was equipped with some kind of object, which could automatically draw water.
The Wei soldiers did not need to throw a wooden bucket into the well to scoop water. Instead, with this device, they could easily draw water up.
Smoke was rising from the top of this device...
All of this made Huang Yueying gasp in surprise. She couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, How is this done?
"This is a steam water-lifting machine."
A voice suddenly came from behind Huang Yueying. Huang Yueying quickly turned her head and saw a gentle and refined scholar bowing to her.
"Zhuge Jun pays respects to Second Sister-in-law. Second Sister-in-law, are you well!"
Second Sister-in-law...
From this title, Huang Yueying could infer that this gentle and refined scholar was likely her husband's brother who was skilled in all crafts—Zhuge Jun!
Huang Yueying's eyes fixed.
She secretly sighed—Brother Jun, I have long heard of your great name!
"Aren't you going to untie Second Sister-in-law quickly?" Zhuge Jun commanded...
Immediately, a guard from the Zhou Kingdom untied the ropes binding Huang Yueying. Wen Qin of the Special Operations Unit cupped his fists, "It is my duty, Miss Huang. I apologize for the offense earlier!"
Yes, all the way from Yinping Road, they had escorted her...
It was by carriage, by sacks, and over bumpy roads. It was indeed an offense.
Huang Yueying ignored Wen Qin and looked at Zhuge Jun, "Are you the third brother?"
"Yes!" Zhuge Jun said, "Eldest Brother is also here. A family banquet has been prepared to welcome Second Sister-in-law."
Zhuge Jun's tone was very gentle...
It was truly like a family chatting, and Huang Yueying pursed her lips slightly, "I never imagined that I, a weak woman, would cause the ruler of Great Wei so much trouble!"
"How can Second Sister-in-law be called a weak woman?" Zhuge Jun smiled. "Our teacher greatly admires Sister-in-law!"
This was not something Zhuge Jun fabricated...
Lu Yu truly admired Huang Yueying. It was known that Great Wei's ability to develop hot air balloons, cannons, and firearms relied on Lu Yu's theories, coupled with the unceasing attempts of countless people.
But what did Huang Yueying have?
She managed to replicate a hot air balloon without any blueprints.
Such craftsmanship, in this era, could be considered miraculous and divine.
"Second Sister-in-law, let's eat something first. Eldest Brother is waiting inside."
Zhuge Jun made a gesture of invitation.
Huang Yueying remained motionless, her eyes still fixed on the large device above the deep well. Huang Yueying was thinking about how it could draw water automatically without human labor. This... this was too incredible, more incredible than the dragon bone waterwheel, more incredible than any invention.
"Brother Jun, what did you call this just now?"
"Steam water-lifting machine." Zhuge Jun realized that unless he explained this meticulously to his sister-in-law, she would not give up.
"Second Sister-in-law, the principle behind this is actually very simple. Open the inlet valve, and the water at the bottom of the mine, subjected to atmospheric pressure, is drawn into the container through the inlet pipe. Close the inlet valve, reopen the steam valve, and the steam pressure can expel the water from the container through the outlet valve. When the water in the container is emptied and filled with steam, close the steam inlet valve and outlet valve, and re-spray water to condense the steam. This cycle, with these two egg-shaped containers working alternately, can achieve continuous drainage. No matter how deep the well water is, it can be easily drawn."
Uh...
Zhuge Jun's words stunned Huang Yueying.
She wanted to say, is this simple?
What does "the principle is very simple" mean?
Brother Jun, do you have a misunderstanding of the word "simple"?
At this moment, Huang Yueying blinked her eyes continuously. She felt like she was going mad...
"Second Sister-in-law, this is really nothing in Great Wei," Zhuge Jun's words were like a jab to the heart. "Two years ago, Great Wei began to experiment with introducing the principle of steam in various industries. It's like the ascent of a hot air balloon relies on hot air. Steam is the same. In textiles, mining, smelting, and even military equipment manufacturing, steam has been repeatedly tested. Recently, His Majesty has allocated a large amount of money to begin attempting to manufacture a cargo train that can run on steam."
Huang Yueying felt that her entire being was not right.
She had been very confident in her craftsmanship since childhood. Although she always covered half of her face, she possessed a competitive spirit that even men could not match. Even before her father, Huang Chengyan, Huang Yueying displayed a rare unyielding nature for a woman.
Her most frequently spoken words were, "I can do this kind of ingenuity," "In ingenuity and strategy, I am not inferior to you," and "Who says women are inferior to men?"
But this time...
No matter how Huang Yueying looked, no matter how she observed, even with Zhuge Jun explaining the principle to her, she still could not grasp its mystery!
Steam?
What is steam?
Huang Yueying began to doubt herself...
She never expected that after five years in a corner of Ba and Shu, she would ultimately become like a frog in a well, unaware that the world outside had already changed drastically.
"Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law..."
Sensing Huang Yueying's astonishment, Zhuge Jun quickly called out to her.
"I won't go to Eldest Brother's place for now." Huang Yueying came back to her senses. "Brother Jun? Could you take me now, take me to see the Emperor of Great Wei!"
Because of a steam engine, Huang Yueying had too many questions she wanted to ask Lu Yu, to ask this man whom her husband dreamed of defeating.
Although she didn't want to admit it, Huang Yueying had also begun to be curious about this man!
...
...
"Contribution?"
"Does Your Majesty mean that even the principle of the steam-powered cargo train is due to the work generated by steam expansion? Is it no different from its application in smelting, textiles, and water conservancy?"
Liu Ye was speaking eloquently.
Lu Yu was discussing matters concerning the steam-powered cargo train in the workshop with Liu Ye, Ma Jun, Hao Zhao, and others.
Just then, Xiahou Dun burst in.
"Zi Yu, how can you send Sima Yi to command the three armies in the battle of Peishui Pass? How old is he? What qualifications does he have?"
Xiahou Dun was furious...
His implication was that in this final and most important battle to unify the realm, whether by military achievements, seniority, prestige, ability, or ranking, he, Xiahou Dun, the Great General of Great Wei's forces, should be the one to lead!
He was still alive, and in his prime. Why should he cede it to a junior?
If this were to spread, how could he continue to be the Great General?
Uh...
Lu Yu had not expected Xiahou Dun to react so strongly to sending Sima Yi to command.
Of course, Lu Yu did not believe Sima Yi was Zhuge Liang's match in commanding troops or deploying formations, but he had two most precious qualities: being cautious and adept at feigning defeat!
In the current situation, Lu Yu did not need to capture Peishui Pass, but he needed to hold on, to continue to put pressure on the Shu Han, and on this Prime Minister Zhuge Liang!
Could Zhuge Liang withstand this pressure, but could others?
However...
Looking at Xiahou Dun's eagerly hopeful eyes, Lu Yu found it difficult.
Xiahou Dun continued, "Zi Yu, you are the Emperor now. I was your elder brother before, and now I am your uncle. If you dislike me, your uncle, then strip me of my title as Great General. I, Xiahou Dun, if I utter a word that is not right, I am unworthy of being a descendant of the Cao and Xiahou families. It would also save the soldiers of the three armies from laughing at me."
This...
Lu Yu let out a long sigh. He waved his hand helplessly. "Very well, since General Xiahou insists, then the Wei army before Peishui Pass will be commanded by the Great General. Let Sima Zhongda assist the Great General. However, the Great General must guarantee me that you will not force a victory, not be eager for quick success, and patiently await changes in the situation!"
"That's easy to say!" Xiahou Dun immediately said, "I promise you!"
With that, he walked out of the large tent with a smile.
Liu Ye showed a hint of worry. "With the Great General's temperament, if His Majesty tells him not to force a victory, not to be eager for quick success, and to patiently wait, can he..."
"No need to fear!" As if anticipating Liu Ye's next words, Lu Yu said softly, "Isn't there still Sima Yi? Even if Xiahou Dun is Ma Su, Sima Yi is by no means comparable to Wang Ping!"
As soon as he finished speaking...
"Your Majesty..." Dian Wei entered the hall and reported with cupped hands, "Zhuge Jun has brought Zhuge Liang's wife, Huang Yueying, to seek an audience with Your Majesty!"
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...