【This structure...】 Huang Yueying's mind deconstructed the Qin crossbow she had just seen, then reassembled it with several new components. 【To improve further, it seems I still need to dismantle a real one.】

The Qu family had spent enormous amounts of time and resources to reconstruct the Qin crossbow, but Huang Yueying had grasped most of it with just one glance. If other experts in mechanics knew about this, they would be astonished beyond words.

Though there were still some aspects Huang Yueying didn’t fully understand from just looking at the exterior, the fact that she could reconstruct it with such accuracy was enough to be considered extraordinary. This level of ability was no longer just a simple understanding of mechanics but had transcended to a level of mastery.

As Huang Yueying followed Zhuge Liang into the military camp, she observed various siege and defense equipment, most of which were remarkably ingenious. Some she hadn’t seen before, but with her insight and intelligence, she quickly figured out their purposes.

"People speak of Taishan's prosperity, but it's only when you see it for yourself that you truly understand what kind of prosperity it is," Huang Chengyan said suddenly as they approached the central military tent, having followed Zhuge Liang through the camp.

Jiang Wan looked at Huang Chengyan, puzzled. What did he mean by that? They hadn’t even gone to Taishan yet, so how could Huang Chengyan draw such a conclusion just from what they saw in the camp?

"Uncle, when you visit Taishan, you will understand even more. What you see in the military camp is just a glimpse of the whole picture," Zhuge Liang wasn’t surprised. He had read many books that taught how to infer the whole from a small part, so Huang Chengyan’s observation didn’t shock him.

"It seems I underestimated Chen Zichuan. This is not just a matter of material comfort; you have already started extending in other directions. I truly wonder how he managed to achieve this," Huang Chengyan said with a sigh of admiration.

Huang Chengyan had the ability to perceive the larger picture from small details, but this skill was limited to analyzing situations or conducting surveys. It wasn’t effective when it came to understanding people since human nature was unpredictable. Even Fazheng’s spiritual talent, which targeted human nature, couldn’t guarantee a complete grasp of someone’s heart.

"Yueying and I will not enter the tent. Just arrange accommodation for us. We will return in the afternoon. Women aren’t usually kept in military camps," Huang Chengyan said with a sigh.

Initially, Huang Chengyan thought that with his ability, he could offer Chen Xi some guidance and build a good relationship. But after arriving, he realized that even with his spiritual talent geared towards finding flaws, without a deep understanding of the situation in Taishan, he could only offer minor, non-critical suggestions.

Since that was the case, he decided to save the meeting for another time. Huang Chengyan planned to thoroughly understand Liu Bei’s governance before discussing the situation in Taishan. For the Huang family to achieve long-term stability, Huang Chengyan believed that in addition to flourishing family traditions, they needed a strong pillar and to demonstrate their value to the ruler.

With Taishan's prosperity and Liu Bei’s tolerance toward law-abiding aristocratic families, Huang Chengyan thought this might be the opportunity for the Huang family.

"Very well," Zhuge Liang agreed after a brief moment of thought. He knew this wasn’t the time to indulge in personal matters, even though he wanted to spend more time with Huang Yueying. However, he couldn’t be as thick-skinned as Fazheng or Chen Xi.

"Ganying, take my uncle to the rear camp to rest, and prepare a carriage," Zhuge Liang instructed Ganying. With the Tiger Guards now stationed at Linyi due to concerns that Yuan Shao might make an unconventional move, Chen Xi had assigned Ganying to take over his protection.

"Sir, may I examine your logistics?" Just as Ganying was about to lead Huang Chengyan and Huang Yueying away, Huang Yueying suddenly turned and asked Zhuge Liang.

"Here, take this," Zhuge Liang hesitated for a moment before handing his jade token to Huang Yueying. "With this, you’ll be allowed access to most areas in the rear camp. Ganying, take care of the rest."

Zhuge Liang’s commander's jade token granted Huang Yueying the freedom to move around the camp. Although Zhuge Liang’s official rank wasn’t extremely high, his authority was significant. However, he knew he couldn’t let Huang Yueying roam freely, so he instructed Ganying to keep an eye on her.

"Thank you, husband..." Huang Yueying accepted the jade token, her voice barely above a whisper, and quickly left. The matchmaker’s letter had already been delivered, and the betrothal gifts had been received. The process had advanced even further than Fazheng’s, who still hadn’t managed to send his belated betrothal gifts to Liangzhou.

While Zhuge Liang maintained a neutral expression, he was secretly delighted. Meanwhile, behind him, there was a loud crash as Fazheng tripped and pulled down the tent’s curtain with him.

Cough, cough. "Congratulations, Kongming!" Fazheng stood up as if nothing had happened and offered his congratulations to Zhuge Liang. Fazheng had been itching to sneak a peek ever since he learned that Zhuge Liang’s wife was quite beautiful.

Zhuge Liang shook his head slightly and watched as Huang Chengyan and Huang Yueying departed. He had grown accustomed to Fazheng’s antics. Though Fazheng could be quite difficult at times, Zhuge Liang knew that he harbored no ill intentions.

"Stop staring; your soul’s been hooked. She’s gone, and besides, she’s your wife. You can look all you want when you get home," Fazheng teased Zhuge Liang, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Let’s focus on finishing this battle first," Zhuge Liang replied, glancing at Fazheng.

"You... Are you even human? Sometimes I think you lack basic human nature," Fazheng rolled his eyes and then leaned toward Jian Yong. "Jianhe, you’re back! Without you, the Administration Hall has been completely taken over by workaholics like Zhuge Kongming."

"Don’t lump me in with Zichuan and you slackers! I’ve been working hard, constantly running around for years. I’ve learned to speak over a dozen dialects by now. I can even communicate with the Qiang and the Hu people!" Jian Yong said proudly.

When it came to language aptitude, no one in Taishan could compare to Jian Yong. He now spoke more than ten different regional dialects and several languages of the barbarians. Of course, he was also fluent in Xianbei and Wuhuan languages, though his proficiency varied. Jian Yong had a natural talent for diplomacy.

"How do you do it? Every time you go on a mission, you come back speaking another dialect. So, what did you learn in Jingzhou this time?" Fazheng asked in exasperation, unable to deny Jian Yong’s talent.

"I’ve learned the language of the Five Streams Barbarians. I’m now working on tracing the origins of all these languages and dialects to create a unified language, following Zichuan’s previous assignment to me. I’ve even enlisted Weishuo’s help and found several others. We’re finally making some progress," Jian Yong sighed, explaining his ongoing work.

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