Chang'an.
Glancing up at the sun overhead, Du Ruhui wiped the faint sweat from his brow.
It was only the beginning of the fifth month, yet the heat already felt like the height of the seventh or eighth.
Moreover, drought had appeared in Guanzhong as early as the second month, and even now there was no sign of relief.
Deep in thought, he walked along the shaded side of the palace wall and called out to a passing attendant.
"Where is His Majesty?"
"Minister Du." The attendant hastily bowed. "His Majesty is still in the Ganlu Hall, reading."
As abnormal as the weather this year was the Son of Heaven himself.
Last year, His Majesty had been full of ambition, like an unsetting sun, constantly presiding in the Liangyi Hall and Shenlong Hall. Decisions such as relieving the great drought in Shandong by exempting taxes, and responding to frost damage in Guandong and Henan, had all been made there.
But since the beginning of this year, he had spent far more time in Ganlu Hall.
Could it be that he was still undecided regarding Xiazhou?
A foot-washing basin lay overturned at the entrance. Several attendants knelt nearby, quiet as quails.
After a glance, Du Ruhui stepped inside.
He saw Li Shimin barefoot, pacing back and forth within the hall, his brows tightly furrowed.
Picking up several books scattered across the floor, Du Ruhui noticed one placed neatly upon the desk: In Search of the Supernatural.
"Keming, if later descendants prove unworthy, what then?!"
"Your Majesty, have you encountered some troubling matter?" Ten years had been enough for Du Ruhui to understand the temperament of the Great Tang's sun.
"This book!" Li Shimin pointed at the text. "An immortal bestows guidance, Chang'an falls, the Son of Heaven flees, surviving in Shu. With such descendants, I feel only shame!"
Du Ruhui looked at his emperor, then at the open page of In Search of the Supernatural, specifically the tale of "Xianchao and the Goddess."
"'Those who comply shall prosper for five generations, those who defy shall invite calamity…' Does Your Majesty intend to select concubines?" Du Ruhui could only draw such a conclusion.
"There truly are immortals granting guidance!" Li Shimin insisted.
Du Ruhui nodded perfunctorily. "If Your Majesty intends a selection, it would require the Empress—"
"Keming!" The sun of Great Tang grew exasperated. Barefoot, he strode over, gesturing emphatically at the book. "That small Light Screen appears within these pages…"
Li Shimin felt exhausted. Du Ruhui, for his part, felt equally so.
"Enough of this matter!" Li Shimin waved it off. "When the three-month term arrives next time, I shall summon you to witness it yourself."
Even as he thought of startling Du Ruhui then, another name surfaced in his mind.
"Keming, what do you think… of the name Du Fu?"
Du Ruhui: "…? Shall I summon the imperial physician for Your Majesty?"
...
Gong'an County.
After the Light Screen ended, a flood of text surged forth.
[Server Chat Log]
[@TouristTrap_Exp: UP, are you actually a tour guide by profession?!
@Chengdu_Resident: To be honest, Liu Bei died early. As a Chengdu native, I feel more grateful toward the Chancellor
@The_L_Strategist: It's a shame the Twenty-Eight Ministers don't include Wei Yan and Fa Zheng. Wei Yan was to the Chancellor what the Chancellor was to Liu Bei—a right-hand man.
@Theory_Crafter_X: I agree. Regardless of his other traits, Fa Zheng was a "warm inner vest" for Liu Bei. If he had lived until Yiling, he might have actually persuaded the Imperial Uncle against the campaign.
@Debunked_Vibe: Oh, come on. With Fa Zheng's vengeful nature and his view of Liu Bei as his benefactor, he definitely would have supported the campaign against Sun Wu. But if he had been there, he could have advised Liu Bei. Win or lose, it wouldn't have been as disastrous.
@Hygiene_Police: The medical care in the Three Kingdoms was terrible. Drinking raw water and eating raw fish—they didn't understand that 'illness enters through the mouth.' So many talents died young; it's a tragedy.
@Isekai_Dreamer: If someone took a Barefoot Doctor's Manual to the Three Kingdoms, wouldn't they dominate?
@Reality_Check_99: Dominate? Cao Cao would dominate your head more like. Stop dreaming and get offline.
@Han_Forever: With one Zhuge, the Three Kingdoms can shine through history just like the Han dynasties.
@Panda_Watch: Did the UP run out of time? No panda sightings? I thought you liked them.
@Literati_Stan: Why only mention Du Fu? I'm not convinced! Su Shi also wrote: "Zhuge came to the Western land, a thousand years of love never fading."
@Poetry_Nerd_Alpha: I think it's because Du Fu wrote it best. For centuries, which literati hasn't loved the Chancellor? Du Fu just stands out.
@Yiling_Grudge: Cause of the Chancellor's death: doing everything personally. Why do everything personally? Because the talents were all burned away at Yiling. Conclusion: Imperial Uncle, you must take responsibility.
@Angst_Lover_2026: Looking at it this way, the Chancellor is probably the greatest tragic figure of the Three Kingdoms.
@Doom_Scroller: This episode fits the later lines of "Heroes lose their freedom when luck departs": "A thousand miles of rivers and mountains dismissed for a child; two dynasties of officials and swords regret Qiao Zhou!"
@Void_Trekker: The Chancellor's greatest mistake was not bringing Liu Shan along during the Northern Campaigns. These veteran ministers shed blood for the state, yet in the end Liu Shan casually abandoned the land bought with their blood.
@Nerdy_Grass: Sigh. After watching this, I feel like saying something, but in the end, only three words remain: it cannot be accepted.]
Without needing any reminder, Ma Liang and Jiang Wan had already recovered from the shock of witnessing the wars of later generations and were diligently copying everything down.
Yet as they reached the end, a question arose in their minds.
Where was that Li Shimin who always appeared to comment and provoke?
Everyone was already familiar with the process of giving a like.
Then came the question placed before them: what should they send?
Liu Bei and Kongming exchanged a glance. Both felt they could not yield.
After all, this Light Screen had mainly spoken of their fates after death. No matter what, gratitude must be expressed.
While lord and minister silently contended, Zhang Fei had already rushed out. In no time, he returned carrying a silk scroll.
"Big brother! This time, we'll send this! Let those later generations know I am not that ugly!"
He unfurled the silk. Upon it was a majestic full-body portrait of Zhang Yide.
"My wife is skilled in fine brushwork," Zhang Fei said with some pride. "She painted this for me before. Keeping it at home is useless; better to let those in the future see that I am no monster!"
"In that case…" Kongming pondered for a moment. "Yide, why not send a set?"
Before long, following Kongming's instructions, Zhang Fei finished preparing several scrolls. Placing them beneath the Light Screen, he offered a sincere prayer. Watching the items disappear, everyone finally let out a breath of relief.
"Very well, we shall wait," Liu Bei exhaled.
"First, we must compile a list," he continued, his thoughts clear in the face of the detailed information provided by the Light Screen.
"The twenty-eight civil and military officials, as well as the names mentioned in Kongming's Former and Later Memorials. Copy them down and investigate accordingly."
"On the other hand, Kongming…" Liu Bei turned to him. "From what the Light Screen says, not only have scholars and generals admired you for a thousand years, but even the Han descendants over a thousand years later hold you in special regard."
Kongming's face flushed with embarrassment.
Yet Liu Bei grasped his hands firmly and spoke with solemn sincerity.
"I have said it before, but I will say it again. To have obtained Kongming is the greatest fortune of my life."
"My lord…" Kongming returned the grip. "Your aspiration is also mine."
"Enough, enough. Big brother, if you wish, you can share a bed with the strategist tonight and speak at length," Zhang Fei interrupted, stuffing the freshly copied texts from Ma Liang and Jiang Wan into everyone's hands.
"For now, we should look at this. What does it mean… illness enters by the mouth? And what is this Barefoot Doctor's Manual?"
His son Zhang Bao had not died in battle. The hope of preventing an early death might lie within these simple words.