Mythical Three Kingdoms-Chapter 1646 - 1587: Rearguard Miscellany

During the intense battle of the Northern Expedition Against Huns, the Roman envoys who arrived in the Central Plains truly felt the prosperity of the region.

Though when they arrived at Ye City, the Roman Delegation, who had witnessed the grandeur of Fenggao, was somewhat surprised by the ordinariness of Ye City. After all, they had encountered cities of Ye City’s level elsewhere, but Fenggao was truly unique.

However, the massive crack on Ye City’s walls left Salivi utterly shocked. Similar to an Inner Qi Manifestation, he could clearly sense an oppressive aura emanating from the slash mark on the city, a divine suppression that made Salivi realize that the military general who wielded this blade had reached a higher realm.

Just like Sakara Lilai, who presided over the Senate of the Empire, he was a nearly invincible strongman, and it was clear that the Han Empire had such formidable individuals as well.

While Ye City might not be as prosperous as Fenggao, it leaned more towards politics. Compared to the commercially concentrated Fenggao, at least on the surface, it couldn’t compare, but as the core city of Liu Bei’s Faction, most of what Fenggao offered could also be found in Ye City.

"Zijing, I’ve heard that the Roman Delegation is about to head back," Li Youu said to Lub Su while handling political affairs.

To be fair, with Liu Bei and Chen Xi absent, Lub Su had full control over military and political affairs. However, Lub Su was a good person and generally didn’t attract much attention, so no one would typically see him as the leader.

"Leaving?" Lub Su said without raising his head. He had previously been interested in that group of green-eyed, fair-skinned people, but after a while, his interest waned. After all, he couldn’t neglect his political duties just to observe some otherwise useless individuals.

"It seems so. Zizhong negotiated with them; we’ll send silk to Parthia, and they’ll transport it themselves for only eight times the price," Li Youu nodded in agreement. "But that’s not the point. The important thing is that we’ve gained a basic understanding of the situation there."

"It’s still a bit early to discuss these matters," Lub Su nodded, then said with a tone of helplessness, "From your experience, how long will it take us to unify?"

"Zijia, handle this for me," Li Youu frowned at Lub Su, uninterested in answering such foolish questions. He casually pulled out a document from a pile of scrolls and handed it to Lu Yu, since Lul Xun had gone north to learn military tactics from Jia Xu, leaving Li Youu in charge of political matters.

"You want me to organize this?" Lu Yu’s mouth twitched as he read the large letters on the scroll, "Assistance in the relocation and integration of private troops among the Great Aristocratic Families." Is this really something I can handle?

"How about this one then," Li Youu pulled out another scroll, "This is regarding the relocation of martyrs from the Jingling Palace to various regions. Due to the significant sacrifices of our soldiers in recent years, we’ll need the cooperation of officials from all provinces and counties when the time comes."

Lu Yu didn’t even have the energy to speak this time. This task was even more challenging than the last one. Out of helplessness, he said, "Master Li, I think you overestimate me."

"It’s nothing; if anything happens, I’ll help you solve it," Li Youu said with a warmth that showed he had mellowed over time. In the past, he wouldn’t have bothered with Lu Yu.

"Really?" Lu Yu felt a glimmer of joy but, recalling Li Youu’s past actions, asked with concern.

"Rest assured, if you mess up, we’ll all vouch for you. But no matter which task, if you fail, history books will mark you harshly," Lub Su said irritably. "Wen Ru, you’re really bullying the youngsters for no reason. If you’re bored, you can handle this task."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu’s heart sank. So, this was Li Youu’s plan all along—to simply help him collect the aftermath?

"Is it the canal?" Li Youu looked at the scroll and remembered the situation. The Confucian School had been severely undermined before, finally returning from the depths of Mount Tai. But only a few scattered figures remained on the scene, with no middle-level presence.

Thus, after quietly completing the dictionary, origin of words, and the Hundred Schools of Thought Return to the Origin, the Confucian School seemed to vanish into obscurity, biding their time. Everyone knew the Confucian School would eventually return to settle matters, possibly even with Chen Xi, but that was for another time.

During the Confucian School’s retreat, the Hundred Schools quickly pursued grassroots reforms in calendrical corrections. And this scroll discusses the misalignments that arose during the Hundred Schools’ adjustments.

Calendar studies demand a study of astronomy, alignment with the four seasons, and geographical synthesis. Simply put, as the Hundred Schools referenced various materials, they veered off in the geographical aspect. But in such multidisciplinary studies, deviations were common, and ending up at the Grand Canal was fortuitous.

"You want me to oversee this?" Li Youu frowned, knowing the workload was immense. From deploying laborers, setting work periods, allocating materials, coordinating local officials, to relocating residents—all were complex tasks.

"I think it’s time to start," Lub Su nodded affirmatively. "From my perspective, we have many excellent plans, with some being so flawless that even experienced water management officials wouldn’t find much fault."

"Zijia, choose one of these three," Li Youu casually handed the scrolls to Lu Yu.

Lu Yu, holding the three scrolls, looked as if he were about to cry. None of these tasks seemed achievable by him at the moment, fearing any mishandling would lead to historical disgrace.

"Can I not choose?" Lu Yu asked after a long pause, his face flushed.

"You cannot," Li Youu shook his head. "These tasks are challenging for you now, but I believe if you grasp the essentials, you can succeed."

"What are the essentials?" Lu Yu inquired.

"Coordinating everyone effectively. Of course, if you can find people to assist you, that’s a plus," Li Youu replied, looking at Lu Yu.

Ultimately, with a mournful face, Lu Yu chose the scroll about the integration of aristocratic families and troops. Comparatively, this task seemed more manageable, while the others truly intimidated him.

As Li Youu watched Lu Yu leave the Political Office, Chen Lan, Fan Jian, and others finally returned to Ye City. Contrary to Chen Xi’s expectations, Chen Lan and Fan Jian didn’t stay long in their old home in Yingchuan. Returning there was merely a trip down memory lane, but one could not live in the past.

"I didn’t expect to be here again," Lady Tang sighed as she jumped off the carriage, while Liu Min looked at his mother with a puzzled expression.