The final days of January descended upon Gong'an with a biting, relentless chill that seemed to seep through the very stones of the administrative hall.
Generals like Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Wei Yan were already seated in perfectly straight rows, their expressions heavy with the burden of silent calculation. They looked less like men waiting for a meeting and more like statues carved from the very mountains they intended to defend.
Jiang Wan sat nearby, methodically rubbing his wrists, his expression tinged with bitterness. He had a strong premonition that today would be extraordinarily busy, one of those days when documents multiplied faster than they could be signed.
Beside him, Ma Liang was systematically arranging several bamboo-tipped styluses on the low table in front of him.
These sharpened writing instruments were a gift from his younger brother, Ma Su, during the New Year festivities, and after a few trial runs, Ma Liang had discovered that they were far superior to the traditional brush when it came to the rapid-fire transcription of spoken words.
Brother Gongyan, care to try one?" Ma Liang said with a small smile. In a sense, the two of them were true "brothers in hardship," having weathered endless administrative labor side by side. Familiarity had long since replaced formality.
"My brother calls them 'bamboo pens,' and they are remarkably efficient for those of us who no longer have the luxury of artistic flourishes."
Jiang Wan sighed and accepted one of the bamboo pens without ceremony. "The world pursues calligraphy that is elegant and flowing," he said, weighing the pen in his hand, "yet who would have thought that all the two of us seek is… speed."
"You sell yourself short, Gongyan," Ma Liang replied with a faint, appreciative smile as he watched his colleague test the bamboo pens.
"Your administration of the hydraulic workshops has already brought immense benefits to the common folk and bolstered the state's coffers. You are one of the four pillars of this administration, and your talent is undeniable."
Jiang Wan offered a small, tired smile but remained silent, his hand flying across the paper as he practiced the new writing style.
"Your brother, Youchang, has quite the mind for these things as well. He has been a tremendous help in managing the workshops under my supervision."
"And your own name is spoken with reverence, Jichang," Jiang Wan continued, referring to Ma Liang by his courtesy name as he gestured toward the notes.
"If it were not for the unfortunate chaos of this era, a man of your integrity would surely have his name preserved for a thousand years in the imperial annals."
The two men shared a brief, knowing laugh before turning their attention back to the room at large.
Nearby, Jian Yong was maintaining his usual reputation for being utterly indifferent to protocol.
He had actually brought a plush cushion with him to the hall and was currently sprawled out on it with a level of comfort that made Mi Zhu, the wealthy merchant turned official, look on with a significant amount of envy.
"Is Zifang still being a stubborn mule?" Jian Yong asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the room as he stared up at a spider weaving its web in the rafters.
Mi Zhu's expression darkened instantly at the mention of his brother, Mi Fang.
"He speaks of regret often enough, but I have eyes in my head, Xianhe. I can see that his heart is not truly in it. He regrets the consequences of being seen as a traitor, not the nature of his own soul."
Jian Yong did not look down from the ceiling, but his eyes followed the movements of the spider with predatory focus.
"In that case, perhaps you should hand him over to our Third General for a trial run.
Yide can be a bit impulsive and rough around the edges, but he has a very particular way of finding the truth in a man.
You are a genius when it comes to trade and commerce, Zizhong, which means you've probably spoiled your brother since he was a child.
He doesn't know what real suffering is. Let Yide punish his body and discipline his spirit, and we'll see what's left of him afterward."
Mi Zhu recalled Zhang Fei's earlier comment about "giving Cao Pi a slap." His lips twitched.
Perhaps… when there is an opportunity, I really should give it a try.
While the tensions simmered in Jing Province, the imperial capital of Chang'an in a much later era was enjoying a crisp, clear autumn day.
The year was the beginning of the Zhenguan reign, and the atmosphere in the palace was one of quiet luxury.
Zhangsun Wuji was currently standing behind the Son of Heaven, gently massaging the sovereign's neck to ease the tension of a long morning spent over state documents.
"Your Majesty has been suffering from the dampness of the season," Zhangsun Wuji said, his voice smooth and persuasive.
"The autumn rains in August were relentless. Why not commission the construction of a few pavilions and garden galleries to help you avoid the humidity? It would not exceed the sumptuary laws, and it is the sincere wish of the common people who were saved by your disaster relief efforts earlier this year."
Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the horizon before he turned to Du Ruhui.
"What time is it, Keming?"
Du Ruhui stepped toward the palace doors, consulted with a waiting eunuch, and returned with a precise answer.
"It is nearly the hour of the Snake, Your Majesty."
Li Shimin patted Zhangsun Wuji's hand, signaling for him to step back, and then stood up to stretch.
The sound of his joints popping echoed through the quiet hall like small firecrackers, and a wide, confident grin spread across the Emperor's face.
"The Light Screen usually descends at exactly fifteen minutes past the hour.
Xuanling, Keming, prepare yourselves. It is time for us to witness the judgments of the future."
The Emperor reached for his favorite brush, his heart pounding with competitive excitement.
To have the chance to critique the secrets of the heavens alongside the legends of the Han Dynasty was an honor that even Emperor Gaozu had never been granted.
Back in Gong'an, Liu Bei took his seat and noticed something that he had never seen before.
Kongming was actually nervous.
The young Military Advisor, who usually possessed the unflappable grace of a celestial being even in the face of certain death at Changban Slope, was currently sitting with his eyes closed, his hand gripping his feather fan so tightly that the veins were beginning to bulge on his wrist.
Liu Bei could not help but feel a surge of warmth and amusement.
He shared a silent look with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, realizing that they were all in the same boat.
To face a final verdict on one's entire life, spoken by the voices of those who would live centuries after you were gone, was a trial that would make any mortal man tremble.
Beside them, Shiyuan was clutching a book so tightly his knuckles were white.
He was staring straight ahead with glazed eyes, his mind clearly miles away as he braced himself for whatever the screen was about to reveal.
Just then, the familiar hum of celestial energy vibrated through the air, and the blue-white light of the Light Screen began to unfurl in the center of the hall.
[Lightscreen]
["Hi, hi, hi! Hello everyone! It's been seven days since our last broadcast, and your favorite illiterate content creator is back with another update!
Before we dive into the main course, let's take a quick look at our channel mascot, little Xuande the panda!"]
Liu Bei stared at the image of the fluffy black-and-white bear cub on the screen and felt his smile become somewhat strained.
A panda named Xuande?
He was not sure whether he should be honored or deeply offended.
Meanwhile, Kongming and Shiyuan both caught a very specific detail in the announcer's words.
Seven days.
In their world, months had passed since the last transmission.
The discrepancy in time was noted, but for now, they pushed it to the back of their minds as the documentary began in earnest.
The tone of the voice shifted, becoming slower and laden with deep, resonant emotion that commanded the attention of everyone in the room.
[Lightscreen]
["There is a man in the history of Chinese civilization who stands as the ultimate personification of wisdom.
He was an outstanding statesman, a brilliant military strategist, a visionary inventor, and a master of literature.
History records that he was a man of a thousand talents: a master of music, a refined painter, a calligrapher of the highest order, an innovator of technology, a pioneer of hydraulic engineering, a lawgiver, an architect, an astronomer, a tireless farmer, and a master of metallurgy."
"He stands among the ten greatest military minds in the Martial Temple, and he is revered as one of the six greatest statesmen of the ancient world.
Throughout every dynasty that followed his own, he was held up as the gold standard for ministers.
He alone made the era of the Three Kingdoms shine with a brilliance that has lasted for eternity.
He is the man known as the Prime Minister of a Thousand Years."
"His character and spirit have become a symbol of the Chinese nation itself, acting as a lighthouse and a banner to light the way for generations of his descendants.
In our modern age, the massive documentary series The General History of China devotes only three episodes to the entire Three Kingdoms period.
And out of those three, one entire episode belongs to him alone."
"Today, our protagonist is none other than Zhuge Kongming!"]
The comments section on the screen exploded into a frantic blur of text, moving so fast it was almost impossible to read.
[Server Chat Log]
[Grandmaster of the F5: Holy crap, it's finally here! Prime Minister, I've been waiting so long for this episode!
Scroll-Scouring Hermit: The UP said it all! A brilliant politician, a genius strategist, and a legendary diplomat. Truly a man who defined an era.
Tear-Stained Keyboard: Deeply distressed that he died before his mission was accomplished, leaving heroes of later ages to weep until their sleeves were soaked." Compared to the semi-mythical version in the novels, the historical Prime Minister who exhausted his life for an ideal is far more moving.
Wandering Gossip: On a side note, the cities of Nanyang and Xiangyang have been arguing for decades over which one is his true hometown. If that doesn't prove the man's eternal charm, nothing will!
Daoist of the Flunking Crane: I have another story. Back in college, a classmate of mine with the surname Zhuge failed a class, and the entire department couldn't wrap their heads around it. They were like, "How can you have the name Zhuge and still fail?" Talk about living in a shadow!
Slaying Laughing Monk: LMAO, poor guys. One man made it impossible for anyone else with that surname to ever be average again.
Smuggling Wifi: Cao Pi and Sun Quan: "Every foot of Shu brocade you buy is just another arrow the Prime Minister is going to shoot at us."
Junior of the Esc: In middle school, we seriously debated if there was anything the Prime Minister couldn't do. The final conclusion? He couldn't have a baby...
Zealous Protector of Tree: That's not true! If he were born today, he'd probably research cloning technology over his lunch break and solve that problem too. It was just the limitations of his era that held him back.
Physician of the Web Realms: The "can't have a baby" comment is too much. But I'll tell you one thing he actually didn't know how to do: he didn't know how to take care of himself.
Void Tracker: Didn't know how to take care of himself"... man, now I'm crying. He worked himself to the bone until his oil ran out. He truly didn't know when to stop.]
The hall fell into a profound, heavy silence.
Every eye turned toward Kongming, the man who in their eyes was always composed, always witty, and always two steps ahead of the world.
He was currently staring at the screen with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the light itself.
"Prime Minister... oh, I mean, Military Advisor... are you crying?" Zhang Fei blurted out, having accidentally used the title from the screen in his excitement.
Kongming reached up and touched the corner of his eye, his fingers coming away wet.
He seemed genuinely surprised by his own reaction, as if he were discovering a hidden part of himself for the first time.
Beside him, Shiyuan sat with an expression more complex than it had ever been in all the years they had known each other.
He let out a long, heavy breath and finally turned to look at his old friend and rival.
"Kongming, back in the days of Nanyang, you used to compare yourself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi.
At the time, I'll admit I was quite unconvinced.
I thought you were being arrogant."
Pang Tong paused, a small, humble smile touching his lips.
"It turns out I was right to be unconvinced.
It wasn't you who was being arrogant.
It would be more accurate to say that Guan Zhong and Yue Yi should be the ones comparing themselves to you."