Those few short lines on the light screen were like red-hot irons pressed straight onto Zhang Fei's nerves, searing him until he could barely endure it.
Violent and without grace.
Harsh to his soldiers.
Petty men taking his head for merit.
A death without a whole corpse.
"AAAAAAAH!"
His muscles bulged, veins standing out like cords. Even with several burly men pinning him down, Zhang Fei still forced himself upright. Yet, contrary to Liu Bei's fear, he did not lash out at anyone, nor did he swing at the light screen.
He simply stood there and let out a long, drawn howl.
The sound carried a suffocating weight of pent-up frustration, like something that had been buried for years suddenly bursting free.
Huang Yueying frowned and covered her ears. At such close range, she felt like she might actually go deaf. Ma Liang and Jiang Wan were not faring any better, staggering and swaying under the sonic assault.
Chen Dao, hand on his sword, pushed the door open and stepped in, only to freeze at the scene before him.
"Shuzhi… it's nothing over here…" Liu Bei tried to explain, though even he did not know how to begin.
Chen Dao, as always, said nothing. He gave a respectful bow and quietly closed the door again.
After that long howl, Zhang Fei gradually calmed down. His breathing steadied, and the wild fury in his eyes receded.
"Second Brother… let go of me…" he said in a low voice.
There was no longer any killing intent in his tone. Guan Yu released him at once.
Without looking at anyone, Zhang Fei lowered his head and walked slowly out of the side hall. Just before stepping out, he muttered,
"I'll go rest… Elder Brother, don't worry. If Second Brother doesn't kill Shi Ren and Mi Fang… then I won't go kill Fan Jiang and Zhang Da."
The door closed behind him.
Almost immediately, Guan Yu rose to his feet. "I'll go talk to Yide."
After Guan Yu left, Liu Bei let out a long sigh. He had already lost count of how many times he had sighed that day.
"I have said it before… Yide governs the army with harsh punishments and gives no kindness to those below him. And yet he keeps resentful men close at hand as attendants. Is that not inviting disaster?"
The remaining people exchanged glances. What could they even say at this point? The Third General was clearly overwhelmed with shame and unable to bear it.
"My lord… I noticed something else," Huang Yueying said, rubbing her ears as she raised the drafts in her hand.
While everyone else had been shaken by the hellish battlefield shown on the light screen, she had quietly copied two items from the corner of the display.
The script used by the people of the future resembled theirs in both form and spirit. Zhuge Liang studied it carefully and soon identified them.
"Leg bindings… and fried flour?"
Looking at the explanations attached to them, Liu Bei suddenly recalled something from his earlier years.
"When I was still selling mats and sandals, I once heard traveling merchants say that when walking long distances, one should tie the trouser legs tightly to prevent snakes and insects from crawling up the legs. I never imagined that wrapping them flat with hemp cloth could have such an effect."
It required almost no skill to make, and the benefits were obvious.
Liu Bei waved his hand decisively.
"Copy it!"
Zhuge Liang, ever attentive to logistics, turned to the second item and read aloud:
"During the War to Resist America and Aid Korea, volunteer soldiers relied on 'a mouthful of fried flour and a mouthful of snow' to help the Korean people repel invaders who ate canned meat and drank coffee. The fried flour was made by grinding wheat, soybeans, sorghum, and corn into powder, mixing them with a little salt, and stir-frying them. It was the main ration of the volunteers."
Huang Zhong frowned, clearly puzzled.
"They defeated an enemy that lacked nothing in meat… with just this?"
He had spent most of his life commanding troops in Jingzhou. Even in times of relative peace, soldiers would grumble over lack of vegetables or meat, drink excessively, or cause disturbances among the people.
If he gave his old troops nothing but this fried flour…
Huang Zhong was absolutely certain that by nightfall, those very soldiers would tie him up and deliver him to the enemy camp in exchange for those so-called canned meats.
Zhuge Liang silently rose and pulled out a sheet of paper from behind him. It bore the words "Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention."
Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun both shook their heads.
They were not ignorant men. Precisely because those eleven rules were written so plainly, they understood just how impossibly difficult they were to follow.
Do not take from the people. Do not disturb them.
Care for comrades. Do not abuse prisoners.
Obey orders strictly. Keep no private spoils.
If a man could do all that, why would he bother becoming a soldier?
Zhao Yun and Guan Yu, both well-read, had once privately reviewed generals of past dynasties. Their conclusion had been simple.
Let alone all eleven rules. Even half of them. Not a single commander in history could achieve it.
Thus, they had secretly theorized: Does the army of the future move only for immense profit?
But the rations displayed before them now completely overturned that theory in Zhao Zilong's heart.
What kind of army driven by profit would eat like this?
Then what were these soldiers of the future fighting for?
No one in the hall could answer.
Only Zhuge Liang, deep in thought, formed a faint hypothesis in his heart.
The many civil and military officials of Shu Han who died for their country, was it because they couldn't surrender and enjoy riches? No, it was because they were truly unwilling.
"With such rations, we may take them as reference," Zhuge Liang said at last, letting out a long breath and setting aside deeper questions for now. "This fried flour resembles the Hu cakes used as military provisions during Emperor Shizong's time. In fact, it is even simpler to produce."
Liu Bei nodded firmly.
"Copy it!"
As the light screen displayed the notice that the [Next video will play in three months], the assembly dispersed to fulfill their orders.
…
Jiang Wan was soon dragged by his own strategist into a room behind the county office.
"Military Advisor… what is this?" he asked, staring at the delicate model placed on the table.
"This is a model of the Hu Du River wheel, crafted by my wife," Zhuge Liang explained. "It connects a waterwheel to a stone mill and a pestle. All ingenious ideas of hers."
Zhuge Liang poured a bucket of water, and the miniature mechanism immediately began to turn.
Even Jiang Wan could not help but marvel.
At the same time, he noticed another, smaller model placed nearby.
"This one is my own design," Zhuge Liang said, picking up a sheet of paper and handing it over.
Jiang Wan glanced at it and immediately recognized the contents. It was his own report on coal, written after speaking with the old blacksmith.
Several words had been circled.
"Powdered form burns more easily."
"This device," Zhuge Liang said, gesturing to the model, "can grind large chunks of coal into fine powder."
On another table sat samples of coal powder and charcoal.
"If used for military supply, one dou of charcoal burns for less than a quarter of an hour. But one dou of coal mixed with coal powder burns for a full three quarters of an hour."
He concluded calmly, "This has great use."
Jiang Wan nodded, understanding immediately.
"The waterways around Jiangling are abundant. Using waterwheels would save a great deal of labor."
Zhuge Liang smiled faintly.
"You will oversee the construction of such wheels in Gong'an, Chanling, and Jiangling, modeled after the Hu Du River. The mills and pestles powered by these wheels will charge fees as done there. As for the name… not wheel. Let us call it water-powered."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"The water-powered crushing mills must produce coal powder as quickly as possible. The campaign for Yi Province is not far off."
At the mention of such a major undertaking, Jiang Wan straightened at once and bowed in acknowledgment.
"Oh, and one more thing," Zhuge Liang added casually. "Organize the discussions on illness entering by the mouth into a booklet and submit it to me."
Jiang Wan twitched internally, but still bowed.
"And also, the leg bindings require hemp cloth. Calculate the total cost to equip our army and compile a report."
Jiang Wan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and bowed again.
"And finally, copy the list of Shu-Han officials and generals from the light screen. Two copies. One for me, one for the lord."
Jiang Wan turned and slammed the door as he left.
No more words. Enough was enough.