Three Kingdoms: Domination of the World

The capital of the State of Chen.

Liu Chong, the King of Chen, was a man of extraordinary courage and skill. He was an expert with the bow and crossbow, and his swordsmanship was so superb that he could hit the target with ten shots out of ten. Liu Chong managed his troops well and defended himself, so bandits dared not attack.

Two years earlier, Chen's prime minister, Shi Qian, had accused the former prime minister, Wei Yin, of having offered sacrifices to the gods together with Liu Chong, accusing him of illegal intent. Emperor Ling of Han, having just punished Liu Kui, King of Bohai, was reluctant to impose further punishment. After interrogating him, Emperor Ling discovered that the accusation was a false one. Liu Chong had merely offered sacrifices to Huang Laojun to seek eternal life and had no intention of rebellion. The accusers were all executed.

Afterwards, Liu Chong appointed Luo Jun as prime minister. At the time, famine ravaged the land, and the princes no longer enjoyed their tax revenues. Bandits were rampant, and the people were starving, with corpses of starvation everywhere. Only the State of Chen enjoyed peace, prosperity, and prosperity.

In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, false accusations by officials, land annexation, and extortion were common.

The system gifted everyone with a treasure map. Fortunately, they could dig up a lot of food. However, these items gradually became a target for taxation by the powerful. Those who dared not hand them over would be killed.

The national treasure hunt is in full swing, but not many people can truly enjoy the dividends from heaven.

"When prosperity comes, the people suffer; when decline comes, the people suffer."

Of course, this wasn't absolute. Faced with a destiny-altering item, no one would willingly hand it over. A lone man, free from worries, could keep it privately, at most walking away. On the contrary, once someone awakened powerful innate skills, the powerful would scramble to win them over. These inherent martial arts and innate skills couldn't be taken away, and so a more prestigious path to becoming an official, even more prestigious than the "Selection of Filial and Honest Persons," began to gain popularity.

Suo Chao and his companions arrived within the territory of the State of Chen. As usual, Suo Chao set up his clinic. He treated patients and occasionally offered fortune-telling. His consultation fees varied, with generous payments to the wealthy and a nominal fee to the poor. However, Suo Chao's exceptional medical skills and his honesty earned him widespread acclaim.

Fortune-telling wasn't difficult. Suo Chao had a thorough understanding of the world's trends, and it was easy for him to guide the fate of a few individuals. However, the cycle was long, and few people believed in it. Suo Chao only cast one or two fortunes randomly.

In the summer of June, 175 AD, the King of Chen and his entourage arrived on horseback. Seeing quite a crowd gathered around Suo Chao's stall, Liu Chong became curious.

"Prime Minister, go and ask what happened here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Luo Jun walked to the stall and saw the cloth banner:

"Knowing astronomy from above and geography from below"

"Miraculous healing hand that cures all diseases"

"What a crazy kid!"

Luo Jun became angry, shook his hands, and went back to report to Liu Chong.

"There's such a thing? A five-year-old kid!"

"Your Majesty! That boy is talking nonsense. Don't pay any attention to him."

Liu Chong dismounted, finding this matter quite interesting. With the Heavenly Dao Ranking now in existence and the nation's treasure hunt in full swing, it made sense for something unusual to happen. Liu Chong ordered everyone to return to the mansion until he had disguised himself and could test the little boy's background.

That afternoon, Liu Chong and Luo Jun went out incognito and walked straight to Suo Chao's stall.

"Young Master! How do you interpret this fortune?"

"Hello, sir! Just provide your name."

Liu Chong wrote his name.

"Liu! It's the surname of the emperor's nobles! Chong means hidden dragon!"

"Your Excellency is destined to great wealth and honor! One day you may rise to the rank of General Assisting the Han Dynasty, commanding an army of 100,000 men!"

"Young Master! This is true! I have always been determined to support the Han Dynasty and wipe out the banditry in the world."

"Blessings and misfortunes are intertwined!"

"Chen means to defend firmly. The dragon is hiding in Chen. I am afraid that the general's ambition will be difficult to achieve!"

"The world is in decline today, and the general's fate is closely tied to the Han Dynasty."

"If the Han Dynasty declines in the future, General, I'm afraid it will be a luxury to hold on to Chen. You may even die at the hands of a villain."

Luo Jun on the side was furious and shouted loudly.

"How dare you! How dare you, little boy, make up stories about our king like this?"

"If you believe it, it will work. If you don't believe it, forget it."

"Your Majesty, would you like me to send someone to apprehend this fellow? This boy is spreading rumors and misleading the people. His words cannot be taken seriously."

"No rudeness!"

"Young sir! How offensive!"

"I wonder what you have to teach me, young master?"

Suo Chao smiled but said nothing. He ordered Huang Gai to pack up and leave, leaving behind Liu Chong and the others, their hair disheveled in the wind. The two riders rode off along the official road, heading west towards Yingchuan Commandery.

Yingchuan County.

This place is blessed with beautiful scenery and talented people. Families like Xun, Chen, Zhao, Du, Xin, Guo, Xi, Xun, Zhong, and Sima have all produced great talents. Among the four great families, Xun, Chen, Zhong, and Yu are comparable to the Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang families of Jiangdong.

The person Suo Chao most wanted to meet at this moment was Xun Yu, the son of Xun Gun. However, Xun Gun was the Prime Minister of Jinan, so Suo Chao was unsure whether he would ever meet Xun Yu, a talented and capable person who could assist the emperor.

The eight Xun clan members were renowned throughout the land. Among them, Xun Shuang was undoubtedly the most famous. However, after the Second Party Persecution, Xun Shuang took refuge at sea and was no longer in Yingchuan County.

In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, there was no such thing as the "Yingchuan Academy." Emperors Huan and Ling implemented a crackdown on factions, forbidding scholars from holding official positions. Consequently, they sought refuge at the "Yingchuan Academy." Over time, more and more outstanding individuals emerged, and the Academy became a gathering place for talented individuals.

Legend has it that the first president of Yingchuan Academy was Xun Shu, and the current president is Sima Hui.

Yingchuan Academy. Noon.

Suo Chao and his companions, after asking around, finally found Yingchuan Academy. They arrived at a quiet and elegant academy, adorned with ancient charm. Suo Chao walked to the main gate. The wind had been strong last night, leaving many leaves scattered on the steps. A young boy was sweeping the front gate. Suo Chao approached and bowed.

"Excuse me, is Dean Sima here? We would like to pay a visit to the outstanding people in the academy."

"Do you have a visiting card?"

"I am the adopted son of Xuyi County Magistrate Sun Jian. I have heard that Yingchuan is home to many talented people and I admire them greatly. This time, I will donate two thousand gold coins for the renovation of the academy!"

"Oh! Young Master, please follow me. This way please."

Suo Chao had been treating patients and saving lives over the past few years, and the Suo Clinic had made a good profit. It wasn't difficult for him to casually take out two thousand gold.

The boy led Suo Chao to the teaching hall and quickly went forward to report to Mr. Sima and told him the purpose of Suo Chao's visit.

"Mr. Sima, a visitor is coming!"

"Oh! A distinguished guest has arrived, and several gentlemen are here with us. Let's meet him together."

A middle-aged man stood in the classroom, flanked by two men in their twenties. On either side were students seeking to learn. Sima Hui stood nine feet tall. Thin but energetic, he clutched a bamboo slip, exuding a scholarly air. Sima Hui placed the slips on the desk, signaling for the students to engage in free discussion.

Suo Chao walked into the school, his peripheral vision scanning the scholars on both sides. The scholars also looked at this little kid in confusion. Suo Chao bowed and said respectfully.

"Suo Chao greets Mr. Shui Jing."

"I've heard that Yingchuan is full of talented people. Could you recommend a few to me?"

"Oh! You are so polite, young master! You are a guest from afar, so I might as well introduce you."

"These two."

"Xun Yu and Xun Wenruo"

"Xun You and Xun Gongda"

"I have long admired the Eight Dragons of the Xun Clan, whose fame is far-reaching. I deeply admire them. I believe Brother Wen Ruogongda is also a true brilliance."

The two bowed in return.

"My dear friend, you are too kind! It is all thanks to the kindness left by our ancestors."

"Chen Qun and Chen Changwen"

"I've long admired you. Brother Changwen, every move he makes is extraordinary. He will surely be a capable official in governing the country in the future!"

"Zhong Yao, Zhong Yuanchang, this is one of our college teachers!"

"Greetings, Mr. Zhong. I have long admired your exceptional calligraphy. If I have the opportunity, I would love to see your masterpiece."

"Xi Zhicai, Mr. Xi. Greetings, Mr. Xi. I have heard that Mr. Xi is a man of great skill and wisdom, both in literature and in martial arts, and unparalleled in intelligence and strategy. I admire him immensely."

"Zhao Yan and Zhao Boren"

"Du Xi Du Zixu"

"Xinpixin Saji"

"Guo Jia Guo Fengxiao"

......

Suo Chao was almost stunned by these talented individuals. If he could recruit a few of these talented individuals ahead of time, wouldn't his grand plans and achievements be easy to accomplish? It was harder to recruit members of prominent families, as they all had shared interests, but it was much easier to recruit talent from smaller families.

"But Guo Fengxiao and Xun Wenruo. Ahem, I have to take advantage of their youth to trick them."

One was five, the other twelve. First, befriend Mr. Shuijing, a master of chess. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Sima's students were prolific and widespread. A few years later, he traveled to Jingzhou to study. His students, including Xu Shu, Cui Jun, Pang Tong, and Kong Ming, were all exceptionally talented. Then, try to woo Xun Wenruo, the Three Kingdoms mentor, whose connections were immense and who had recommended many talented individuals to Boss Cao.

"Doesn't he claim to be supporting the Han Dynasty? Then I'll use this moral blackmail to hold him accountable. Hehe!"

As for little Guo Jia, he's not from a prominent family and is still young, so he can be fooled. But this kid is addicted to wine and women, so I have to start from childhood and instill this kind of scourge and beast mentality into him. Otherwise, another premature death would be disastrous.

Everyone looked at Suo Chao, who had a silly smile on his face, in shock.

"My dear, my dear, are you okay?"

"Oh, Mr. Shuijing, I'm fine! What do you all think of the world situation?"

......