Everyone silently turned to look at Fazheng.
Following their gaze, Liu Yan stared at Fazheng. "Oh, Fazheng, it was you who came up with this crazy idea? With Fengxiao not around, you're already causing trouble. Who's this kid anyway? Why is there another child in our government office? He's even younger than Fazheng!" Liu Yan asked curiously, noticing Zhuge Liang's youthful face.
"Stop calling him a child. Age doesn't determine one's abilities. Despite his youth, he's extraordinary," Chen Xi explained, turning to Zhuge Liang. "Kongming, don't mind him. He has a loose tongue but a good heart. If you need to find someone or something, he's your guy. His friends are everywhere."
"Liu Yan, Liu Weishuo, huh? If Zichuan speaks so highly of you, you must be very capable," Liu Yan responded with a proud smile before composing himself. "I hope you can forgive me, Brother Kongming."
Liu Yan had always been self-aware and never attempted tasks beyond his capabilities. He had a good relationship with Chen Xi and the others, and was known for being friendly and generous. As such, Chen Xi and the rest didn't mind Liu Yan's unfiltered speech— they were all close friends, so as long as it didn't create a bad impression in public, it was fine.
"Zhuge Kongming from Langya in Xu Province greets Brother Weishuo," Zhuge Liang said solemnly, bowing to Liu Yan.
Though Zhuge Liang might not have known everyone else's names, anyone who could read or write in the land knew of Liu Yan. His reputation was widespread, particularly due to his contribution to papermaking, which alone was enough to ensure his name would be remembered for generations. Furthermore, Liu Yan was known for his generosity, integrity, and self-awareness, traits that made him highly respected among scholars and the gentry.
"No need for such formality," Liu Yan laughed heartily. He then looked around the room. "So, what's everyone up to? Planning another battle?"
"No, just discussing how to easily conquer Qingzhou," Chen Xi replied casually. "Jianhe hasn't returned from the south yet, but you've come back so soon."
"Things are chaotic in the south, making it harder for Jianhe. For me, it was just a matter of visiting Yuan Benchu and Gongsun Bogui in the north, then delivering letters to various county governors while traveling to Yongzhou. I must say, there's no place like our Taishan. By the way, I'm out of money," Liu Yan said, summarizing his journey and comparing his situation to that of Jian Yong.
"Zijing," Chen Xi called to Lu Su. Lately, Lu Su and Liu Ye had been handling the year-end accounts, so Chen Xi no longer had the authority to withdraw funds from the treasury without their approval.
"Tell me how much you need, and I'll approve it. But didn't we just give you three million coins?" Lu Su asked, curious after recalling the last time they allocated funds to Liu Yan.
"Well, I encountered a lot of refugees along the way, so I gave away all the money. I also gave some to those leaving, encouraging them to come to Taishan. I don't know how many will actually make it," Liu Yan sighed, reflecting on the desolation caused by the ongoing wars among the warlords across the Han Dynasty's territories.
"You're just adding to our burden," Fazheng groaned, slamming his head onto the table. "I was wondering why there's been such an influx of refugees lately— over 17,000 according to border control reports. Luckily, with all the road construction happening, we've managed to put them to work."
"This is actually a good thing," Chen Xi nodded. "Weishuo, you did well. I'll make sure you get more funding for these activities. By the way, you seemed in a hurry just now. Is there something urgent you need to report?"
Liu Ye also looked at Liu Yan. "Did you find that important person? Zheng Hun, Chai Yu, Hua Tuo, Pu Yuan, Ma Jun?" Liu Yan, known for his elegant demeanor, usually exuded the aura of a refined gentleman. His current disheveled state suggested he had significant news.
"Who did you find?" These individuals were notoriously difficult to track down, so finding any of them would be a considerable feat.
"Hua Tuo, Hua Yuanhua— a true miracle worker," Liu Yan said with pride.
"He's in Taishan?" Chen Xi's face lit up with joy.
"Yes, he's at the inn right now!"
"Take him to the strategic reserves warehouse, specifically the medicinal storage. Tell him that if he's willing to teach medicine at the Taishan Academy, he can freely use any of the herbs stored there," Chen Xi said with excitement, finally seeing the fruits of his prior preparations.
"Tell Hua Tuo that if he agrees to train over a hundred medical students, we'll publish his medical texts for free. Moreover, if he needs any rare herbs, Taishan's government will help gather them for him, so he won't have to risk traveling to dangerous places. We can even provide him with the materials he needs for his experiments."
Lu Su, flipping through his documents, pulled out a sheet detailing the arrangements for Hua Tuo. He read aloud the key points, then motioned for Chen Xi's official seal before stamping it on the document and handing it to Liu Yan.
"Weishuo, if Hua Tuo has any other requests, let us know, and we'll do our best to accommodate him," Lu Su said, placing the document back down without noticing the admiration in Zhuge Liang's eyes. The ease and foresight with which Lu Su handled the situation resonated deeply with Zhuge Liang's own ideals.
"You guys are really something— always so well-prepared," Liu Yan said, glancing at the document before tucking it away.
"Zichuan, are you sure that doctor is that important?" Fazheng asked, puzzled by Chen Xi's enthusiasm. Zhuge Liang also looked at Chen Xi, and aside from Liu Ye, the others seemed doubtful as well. Allowing access to strategic reserves was no small matter, and such privileges weren't granted lightly.