ebookland Chapter 170 Guan Xing's chance encounter with Sun Luyu
Chapter 170 Guan Xing's chance encounter with Sun Luyu
Wang Fu has replaced Zhang Zhao and become the de facto second-in-command of Jiangdong, overseeing all government affairs.
Education is also a matter of government affairs, and he could make decisions and handle it on his own without even needing to consult Guan Yu. Therefore, from the moment Wang Fu decided to do it, the matter was already half successful.
Thinking of the wonderful scene of being worshipped in temples built by later generations, with incense burning continuously, Wang Fu was so excited that every pore on his body trembled. He stood up and said, "Young General, you are busy. I will go to choose a school site now, and then go back to the barracks to teach. I will try to select the first batch of middle school students within three months."
He couldn't wait three years. He planned to spend three months selecting a thousand outstanding students from tens of thousands of applicants and sending them to middle schools for careful instruction, aiming to cultivate the first batch of talents within one or two years.
In chaotic times, everything is done quickly, and many things are rushed and learned from experience. It's impossible for you to follow procedures and proceed slowly as you would in a prosperous era.
Take the campaign of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei against the Yellow Turbans as an example. When they first went to the battlefield, they knew nothing and could only rely on brute force to charge forward. But as they fought, they learned essential skills such as how to deploy troops and secure supply lines. They learned by doing.
After Wang Fu finished speaking, he couldn't wait to leave, but Guan Xing slowly scratched his nose with his finger and watched him about to cross the threshold before saying, "I also have a magical teaching tool that will guarantee you achieve twice the results with half the effort. I wonder if you, Wang Fu, would be interested?"
Wang Fu had already lifted his right foot and stepped over the threshold. Upon hearing this, he turned around smoothly and returned to Guan Xing's side with even greater speed than when he left. He clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "Please enlighten me, young general."
"Wait for me." Guan Xing got up and left from the back room. When he returned, he had a wooden box about a foot long and wide in his hand. He handed it to Wang Fu and said, "Take a look first."
Wang Fu returned to his seat and carefully opened the wooden box. His expression changed slightly when he saw that the box was lined with something as white as snow, but he didn't know what it was for.
Wang Fu carefully took it out, and was surprised to find that the thick stack in his hand was actually separated. He crumpled up a sheet with both hands, examined it closely for a moment, and then his eyes widened as he gasped, "This is actually paper! No, I've seen Cai Hou paper before. It couldn't be this white, and the feel couldn't be this good. Young General, this..."
Guan Xing teased, "This is indeed paper. I gathered the craftsmen from Wushang to improve it. You can think of it as Cai Hou Paper 2.0."
Wang Fu wasn't in the mood to listen to his nonsense. He ran over to Guan Xin, picked up a brush and ink, and casually drew a couple of lines on the paper. After observing it for a moment, he exclaimed again in surprise, "It doesn't absorb ink! What a gem! Then this..."
He wanted to ask about the paper's formula, production volume, and cost, but before he could finish, he changed his mind and said, "Oh, young general, just tell me directly, don't make me guess."
Guan Xing spread his hands and laughed, "If you don't have the skills, you can't take on the job. How could I dare to establish the Han Army Military Academy if I didn't have some confidence?"
"This bamboo paper is the foundation of my school. Let me tell you clearly, the paper is made from bamboo, it's inexpensive and easy to carry, and it can completely replace silk and bamboo slips as a new medium for writing, but..."
"We've only developed the formula so far, and we haven't reached the point of mass production yet. Give me another six months and I should be able to supply it in unlimited quantities. At the very least, it will ensure the school's normal use."
Wang Fu said excitedly, "Young General, you are truly a lucky star for our Han Dynasty! I await your good news."
After saying that, he put the paper back into the box, grabbed the box, and ran away, afraid that if he was too slow, Guan Xing would take the box back.
Guan Xing watched his retreating figure speechlessly and said, "Be careful to keep it a secret, don't let the secret agents of the School Affairs Bureau find out."
The existence of paper cannot be revealed for the time being. If it is revealed, Cao Wei, with its resources, will surely be able to gather craftsmen to quickly research and develop it.
After all, there is a big difference between the known and the unknown. For example, before nuclear weapons were developed, no country knew about their existence and they would all be like headless flies, running around aimlessly.
However, if one country develops it first, other countries will call on their scientists to focus their efforts on developing nuclear weapons, even without any technical support. The time required to develop it will definitely be shorter than that required by the first country to develop nuclear weapons.
This is the difference between having direction and not having direction. When Cao Wei was unaware of the existence of bamboo paper, they might not have made any effort or even thought about it. But once bamboo paper appeared on the market and Cao Wei became aware of its existence, given Cao Wei's talent pool, it was only a matter of time before they developed it.
Without turning his head, Wang Fu shouted, "Young General, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Guan Xing smiled and got up to go back to his room for a midday rest. He planned to go to the Zhou residence for the banquet after he woke up. Although he didn't know what Zhou Xun wanted to see him about, he still needed to conserve his energy and give it his all.
Just as the hour of You (5-7 PM) arrived, Guan Xing, accompanied by his two personal guards Zhu Chao and Zhou Shan, rushed to the Zhou residence.
Meanwhile, Sun Luban had already made all the preparations to host a banquet for Guan Xing, and had sent people to stake out the corner of the mansion, ready to send a message as soon as they saw Guan Xing.
The Zhou residence occupied a vast area, and there was a long distance from the corner of the wall to the gate, which was enough to give advance warning. A servant climbed a ladder and waited patiently on the top of the wall. When he saw Guan Xing's figure, he immediately lowered his head and shouted, "He's here."
The companion below the ladder turned around quickly and sprinted to the backyard to report to Zhou Xunsun Lubanfu.
In the bedroom in the backyard, Sun Luban was sitting in front of the dressing table, doing Sun Luyu's makeup. While doing so, she teased, "Husband, look, our sister is indeed naturally beautiful. If she went out, she would surely seduce Guan Xing to death."
Sun Luyu blushed and said, "Sister, maybe you shouldn't, I'm afraid..."
Sun Luban comforted her, "There's nothing to be afraid of. What are you afraid of when you meet your future husband? I've been through this before, so listen to me, you won't go wrong."
Before Sun Luyu could say anything more, he suddenly heard someone outside the door shout, "Young master, madam, General Guan has arrived."
The three of them were startled at the same time. Sun Luban said urgently, "Husband, go and greet them quickly. We will be there soon."
Zhou Xun opened the door and left. Sun Luban quickly fetched a long dress and draped it over Sun Luyu's shoulders. Then she pulled her out of the room and headed straight for the front hall.
Meanwhile, Guan Xing arrived at the mansion, dismounted, and followed the gatekeeper straight to the main hall. Before he even crossed the front yard, he saw Zhou Xun walking briskly towards him, who greeted him warmly with a smile: "Anguo has arrived. The food and wine are ready. Please come in."
Guan Xing smiled modestly and said, "Please, elder brother."
"you first."
"you please."
After a few moments of feigned politeness, Guan Xing took the lead and walked towards the hall, with Zhou Xun following half a step behind.
Unexpectedly, just as they stepped onto the steps in front of the hall, the Sun sisters, Sun Luban and Sun Luyu, suddenly walked over from around the corner.
The two sisters seemed unaware of Guan Xing's appearance, their faces showing a momentary panic. They were about to retreat but then felt it was inappropriate. After a slight hesitation, they forced themselves to come forward and bow, saying, "Greetings, General Guan."
As he bowed, a fragrant breeze wafted into Guan Xing's nostrils, causing him to feel momentarily dazed.
Since Sun Luban was now considered his sister-in-law, Guan Xing didn't dare to stare at her and naturally turned his gaze to Sun Luyu.
Visually, it was discovered that Sun Luyu's height is around 168 cm, much taller than Sun Luban, and he doesn't look like a small southern potato at all.
Moreover, wearing a purple dress, Sun Luban's deliberate styling revealed a hint of mature woman's charm, instantly captivating Guan Xing.
Guan Xing hadn't seen a woman for half a year, so it was impossible for him not to be moved when he suddenly saw such a beautiful woman.
As Sun Luban bowed, she secretly observed Guan Xing's expression. Seeing that he seemed dazed, she felt relieved, but she bowed again with a normal expression and said, "This concubine will take her leave now. You two chat."
After saying that, she pulled Sun Luyu away, and as she turned around, her skirt lifted up a captivatingly fragrant breeze.