Mythic version of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 7223 Arrangements, arrange them now.
Serian meticulously explained to Liu Tong how to construct the Imperial Scepter, detailing the problems he encountered during its construction and their solutions, fearing that Liu Tong might not understand.

Liu Tong's performance also greatly shocked Serian. The other party seemed to understand everything he said and even offered some brilliant solutions from time to time, or solutions that were similar to his own thinking back then but had some oversights.

In short, at the moment he finished explaining, Serian felt completely at ease. He felt that even if he were to disappear in three days and meet his ancestors in the afterlife, he would have enough material to satisfy them. If all the princesses of the Han Dynasty were like this, Serian would completely understand his ancestors. Such people, who could understand so easily and comprehend so readily, who could infer the other three from one corner, were truly sages in the world!

“Your Highness already knows all the secrets. All that’s left is to proceed step by step. Even though what is restored is not the imperial scepter of yesteryear, it will only be stronger than before.” Serian looked at Liu Tong, his expression a mixture of complex emotions—sorrow, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment—but he finally calmed down.

Because Serian had realized that not every princess could be like that, and the Grand Princess in front of him was definitely special, so special that she was one of a kind.

"Thank you for your instruction, General." Liu Tong broke the tangled thread and answered very seriously. She could fully understand what Serian was saying and could offer constructive suggestions based on it. She could also look to the future like Serian had in the past. That wisdom did not come from Liu Tong herself, but from the thought patterns of Marquis of Huaiyin and Huangfu Song.

There are two ways to use the "Puppet Show." One is the kind that Zhuge Liang understood, where one is the center, manipulating the ministers and officials, making the officials in the court extensions of one's will. The other is the way Liu Tong is using it now, where he uses himself as a puppet and lets others extend into his own world.

This is also why Liu Tong can use Wan Zhen's spiritual talent. In fact, as long as Liu Tong does not see herself as a person, but as a vessel for other people's spiritual talents, she can indeed use other people's spiritual talents. Or to put it more directly, it is not Liu Tong using them, but other people using their spiritual talents through the channel of the Thread Play on a terminal vessel named Liu Tong.

Just now, with Liu Tong's knowledge, a simple exchange with Serian wouldn't have been too much of a problem. But this in-depth discussion about how to construct a military spirit and how to create a powerful military force has completely exceeded Liu Tong's knowledge.

What followed was less a response from Liu Tong and more a question posed by Huangfu Song through Liu Tong. Given Huangfu Song's level, even if he couldn't fully grasp the structural logic of the Imperial Scepter, as long as Serian, as a good teacher, explained it without reservation, Huangfu Song would certainly be able to understand.

This makes Liu Tong seem terrifying, but in reality, after breaking Huangfu Song's thought process, Liu Tong is now almost as good as an idiot. Of course, this is not a problem; as long as he remembers the content, that's fine. Even if an imperial scepter is to be established in Weiyang Palace later, it will be Liu Tong standing on the stage giving Huangfu Song random instructions, and then Huangfu Song will find a little brother to do the hard work.

If the Han Dynasty were to rely on Liu Tong to do the work, they would need to create a "lazy bum" ranking list. Liu Tong, if not at the top, would at least be among the top.

"Your Highness, your ability to learn this is not due to my skill, but to your wisdom. I have explained these things to countless members of the Cesi family, but those who can understand even a fraction of them are few and far between," Serian said wearily. Serian was not truly secretive about the knowledge of the Imperial Scepter. In fact, he was not secretive about the knowledge of the Self-Circulation as well. Despite Moncomb's erratic behavior, Serian still provided guidance and allowed him to inherit his position.

This person has actually lived a very enlightened life. The only pity is that he can't find a successor for what he created.

“What you’re talking about is indeed too difficult.” Liu Tong chuckled twice, feeling there was no point in deceiving Serian, so he spoke frankly, “To be honest, even for me, a person with mental talent, it sounds quite difficult. If it weren’t for my mental talent, I estimate it would take me several days to come up with a framework and understand what it’s all about.”

Mahinda and Rangarajan were listening nearby, and upon hearing this, they couldn't help but shake their heads. To be honest, those words were quite terrifying.

“Mental talent is also your ability.” Serian didn’t say anything else. In his view, no matter what method you use, as long as you learn it, that’s fine. Cheating is also a kind of ability. Military strategists fully recognize your victory, no matter how you won.

Liu Tong nodded. She didn't realize that it was actually quite absurd to try to organize the content that Serian had said into a framework within a few days.

All I can say is that he spends all his time watching Bai Qi and Han Xin play war games, and when he can't understand them, he associates himself with Bai Qi and Han Xin. He thinks that the Four Sages are just too unethical, so he associates himself with Huangfu Song. After a few years, he may not be able to compete in actual combat, but his knowledge base is definitely not a problem.

"I just looked into it, and they say you only have three days left?" Liu Tong naturally changed the subject. As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding," and Liu Tong had just made a big profit from Serian. It was basically only a matter of time before the Imperial Scepter was revived in Shanglin Garden.

Without the seed of the previous imperial scepter, it might have taken Liu Tong several years to create an imperial scepter. But with the seed of the previous imperial scepter, Liu Tong felt that the Han dynasty's scepter should be able to be produced before the decisive battle between the Han and noble dynasties.

In other words, Liu Tong felt that he had indeed taken advantage of Serian, so he could fulfill Serian's wishes within his capabilities.

"These three days were originally meant to be used to fight the one who defeated me, but I never imagined that I would have the honor of meeting the princess. It was truly worth all the effort I put in back then." Serian felt no sadness or distress about the fact that the three days would be over. He had already enjoyed his seventy years of life, and this was just a glimpse into the past. To be able to realize his dreams in these last three days was already a dreamlike ending.

"My life ended before this, and this is just an extra chapter. To be able to fulfill my life's greatest dreams in this extra chapter, which is a continuation of the main story, is already a dreamlike ending." Forty-year-old Serian exuded the heroic spirit of a king and a hero.

"Uh, is that so? I was just saying I'd try to find a way to extend your stay for a few more days." Liu Tong glanced at the Emperor's Seal she had already taken out. She did have a low-cost way to extend Serian's stay for a while, but judging from the current situation, Serian didn't seem to care much. So Liu Tong thought it was better to go along with his wishes. A hero should die a hero's death.

"Huh?" Serian was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly. What he said earlier was indeed eloquent, but he still wanted to survive for as long as possible. You know, it wasn't that he didn't want to cut off half a year of his life back then. The problem is, even if Gumara is Superman, being able to cut off someone of Serian's level for three days is already a testament to Gumara's strength.

Seeing Serian's expression, Liu Tong smiled and didn't make things difficult for her. In front of the Han Dynasty ministers who knew her well, Liu Tong behaved no differently than a salted fish, but in front of the Yuezhi, Liu Tong still had some idol image to maintain.

After all, Liu Tong was well aware of what an abstract concept the Han princess was, but was the white moonlight in the dreams of the Yuezhi the abstract princess recorded in historical books? No, it was an almost perfect image formed after the Yuezhi had beautified themselves countless times.

However, when all the Yuezhi subjects came to the Han court and met Liu Tong, they all felt that Liu Tong was the princess they knew. Although Liu Tong knew very well that she was actually acting, her talent for playing the puppet show was definitely no less than Chen Yun's life was like a play.

Therefore, Liu Tong truly displayed the demeanor they had dreamed of in front of the Yuezhi people. Even Vasudeva I, Oswin, and others on the other side of the screen—no, to be precise, even the Brahmins like Zhuhelai and Bangim had to admit that it conformed to their perceptions.

Although the two youngest daughters had a charming and frivolous demeanor, the spirit, mind, beliefs, and wisdom they displayed at crucial moments perfectly matched their fantasies.

So, seeing Serian's hesitant expression, Liu Tong simply smiled and asked Xin Xianying to prepare pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. He then quickly wrote the edict and affixed the imperial seal. The special feature of this seal was that it was used to enfeoff foreign monarchs. Liu Tong's edict recognized Serian's identity and acknowledged that he was a descendant of the Marquis of Wuxi and a bulwark of the Han Dynasty, thus granting him protection.

"Here you go. It won't be for too long, because your way of existing is too demanding. Even I can't prolong it for too long. After all, the self, memories, and knowledge are not the same thing. It would be meaningless to just preserve the latter." Liu Tong had Xin Xianying hand the edict to Serian. When Serian received the edict, he clearly felt that he, who was like water without roots, had gained some vitality. It couldn't last long, but he could indeed exist for a few more days.

"Princess, I trouble you!" Serian bowed sincerely to Liu Tong.

“During this extended period, you can travel around Chang’an and the Central Plains, see the Han Dynasty’s land and its people. If you were a part of it, or if the Yuezhi were a part of it, what would you think?” Liu Tong stood up and said with a hint of confidence.

The Han Dynasty was determined to subdue the Yuezhi, even if it meant taking some risks. However, Selian had never mentioned the Yuezhi since entering Weiyang Palace. But Liu Tong didn't believe that Selian hadn't considered it; he was just worried and didn't want to say it. Since that was the case, why not let Selian go and see for himself? That would be the best way to explain everything.

“Very well.” Serian looked at Jian Zhao and remained silent for a while before speaking. As a Yuezhi person, he liked to linger around the Han princess, but as a member of the Yuezhi royal family, he also bore the heavy responsibility of carving out a path for survival for the Yuezhi people. He hadn’t spoken of it before because he only had three days left, but now he should have about half a year left, so it would be good to go and see the various places in the Han Dynasty.

After all, the imperial will has chosen the Brahmins, so the Yuezhi have reached a point where they must make a choice!
Serian doesn't ask for anything else. As a member of the royal family, whether he is high above others or arbitrarily exploits his subjects to satisfy his own desires, these are not wrong. The only real mistake is leading his subjects into a dead end. Now that the Han Dynasty and the Kushan Empire have launched a full-scale war, and the imperial will does not belong to the Yuezhi, then this is not a dead end. What is a dead end?
“Use your eyes to see clearly. The Han Dynasty is not a paradise either. It has all sorts of problems. It’s just that the Han people who were born and raised here have long been used to it. After all, there’s a saying that goes, ‘This is how we are born,’ so it’s taken for granted. We may not be able to see these things, but as a member of the Yuezhi royal family, you should be able to see something different.” Liu Tong naturally assigned a task to Serian, as if the other party was her subject.

“I will see with my own eyes and understand,” Serian said in a deep voice. “I will give the princess a definite answer then.”

"Go ahead." Liu Tong waved to Serian, then turned to look at Mahinda and Langarajan. These two were almost done with their holiday and it was time to get back to work!

Ma Xinde and his companion exchanged a glance, their faces showing a hint of regret. They had wanted to stay in Chang'an a little longer, indulging in food and drink, but now they had to go back to work. Since Liu Tong had spoken, they could only stand up, bow to Liu Tong, and then take their leave with Serian.

"You actually let Serian go and do research too." After Serian and his group left, Liu Tong, who had been kneeling, pulled his legs out, leaned back, supported himself with his hands, and looked at the empty space in front of the Weiyang Palace.

“If Serian stays in Chang’an, Gongjin will definitely fight him. In that case, no matter whether Gongjin wins or loses, I will be the one who suffers the most,” Chen Xi said irritably. “So it’s better to get rid of Serian. At least it will benefit everyone.”

"Why is it that you always suffer huge losses, whether you win or lose?" Liu Tong asked with some curiosity. "I know Zhou Gongjin too. He will definitely jump around for a while after winning, but that's normal. Which general who can win battles doesn't do that?"

In the Han Dynasty, generals who could win great battles but were not arrogant were actually feared. For example, Huangfu Song was clearly not arrogant enough and was considered a dog that bites but doesn't bark, so he had to be treated with caution.

Zhou Yu, who was always jumping around, was, well, a typical example of a normal officer, even one that the entire court took for granted. Damn, with such great achievements, if I didn't jump around, would I even be alive?
Don't you understand that one should enjoy life to the fullest when things are going well? Don't you understand that every young person is a bit reckless?

Only those who lack ability and achievements are obsequious. Those who are truly capable are all troublemakers and arrogant.
Therefore, Liu Tong completely understands Zhou Yu. If he wins again, he will definitely be even more arrogant, trying to gain some benefits from Chen Xi, or even make Chen Xi bleed a little. But why is he still so arrogant after losing? Shouldn't he be depressed for a while after losing?

"Losing the battle only proves that if Serian were to regain his youth, he would still be fighting naval battles right now," Chen Xi said irritably. "If Zhou Yu still can't defeat Serian in a direct naval confrontation, it means that the naval strategy I gave Gongjin was wrong from the beginning. Although I don't think there's anything wrong with it, if Zhou Yu stalls for time until last year, when the true seventh-generation ships arrive, he will win. But under extreme circumstances, it's really hard to say."

"Oh, right. The governor is going all out. If he loses now, he will definitely be blamed." Liu Tong thought about it and understood the logic.

"So don't let Gongjin and Serian fight for now. Let it wait a while. I won't be in Chang'an for a while. Whether they win or lose, Gongjin will at most write to me asking for some benefits. It's not a big problem." Chen Xi said irritably. From the moment Serian appeared, he realized that once Serian prepared to fight Zhou Yu, no matter who won, he would be the one who lost. So he decisively wrote a note to Serian to go find Liu Tong.

After all, there are three days. Given the state of the Yuezhi, spending some time visiting the princess first is no problem. As long as they don't fight Zhou Yu, they can manage.

"How's things going on your end?" Chen Xi asked with a hint of curiosity after complaining. "I've already sent an urgent message to the Ganges front through special channels. As for other things, to be honest, there's not much I can do. I can only wait for now."

“The Imperial Scepter is a good thing. Currently, it doesn’t seem too difficult to revive it. Serian has provided a stable solution. If all else fails, we can use the Oath Seal and the Law Seal to force a revival. However, my idea is not to make any so-called optimizations or modifications, but to directly revive the original version of the Imperial Scepter following Serian’s route.” Liu Tong explained briefly.

"Should we just follow the original route for revival? That works too. After all, the original version was quite successful." Chen Xi thought for a moment, too lazy to consider Liu Tong's little schemes. To him, this was no big deal.

“Selyan is still very powerful. He is somewhat limited by the environment of the Yuezhi. Even though he broke through the constraints of the environment, the internal friction within the environment was also greater.” Liu Tong said with a touch of emotion, but it also seemed like he was pointing out Chen Xi.

"There's nothing we can do about the Kushan situation." Chen Xi seemed oblivious to what he was saying and continued to say what he wanted to say, "The Imperial Scepter is a good thing. With this, the advantage of the Shield Guards is greatly increased."

Continuing to work is so difficult, it's tough.