The Heavenly Screen began moving forward.
[Now, after Li Yan and Fa Zheng of Yizhou's two great clans were won over by Yang Feng's poem, they arranged to meet him.]
[They also wanted to test just what sort of talents Yang Feng possessed.]
[And so, the three met.]
The images shifted. The setting was no longer the provincial governor's residence, but what looked like an elegant hall.
In the image, Fa Zheng and Li Yan wore respectful expressions as they bowed to a young man dressed in plain cloth robes.
That man was none other than the Heavenly Screen's protagonist, Yang Feng.
[At this meeting, Yang Feng's words once again won over Li Yan and Fa Zheng.]
[History books called this event the "Yizhou Plan."]
Fa Zheng bowed deeply to Yang Feng in the image and asked a question.
["With all the realm in chaos, how should we bring peace to this troubled age?"]
Upon hearing this, Yang Feng merely smiled faintly on the Heavenly Screen, yet his eyes held a depth and confidence beyond his years.
He spoke slowly, his voice quiet, yet reaching the ears of everyone beneath the Heavenly Screen with perfect clarity.
["Ever since the Ten Regular Attendants sowed disorder, heroes have risen together, carving up the realm."]
["Compared to Yuan Shao, Cao Cao has little renown and insufficient troops, but Cao Cao will certainly defeat Yuan Shao in the end. If you don't believe me, just wait and see."]
Everyone present was stunned by these words.
["Cao Cao has Emperor Xian of Han in his hands, holding the Son of Heaven hostage to command the feudal lords. Once he defeats Yuan Shao, we must not contend with him."]
["As for Sun Ce of Jiangdong, his family has held Jiangdong for three generations. Its terrain is defensible, and all the great clans are willing to serve him. He can be an outside ally in the future, but we must not covet his territory."]
At this point, Yang Feng paused on the Heavenly Screen, sweeping his gaze over the two men. His tone abruptly shifted, becoming incomparably sharp.
["As for Han Sui and Ma Teng of Western Liang, Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, Zhang Xiu, Liu Zhang here in Yizhou, Liu Biao of Jing Province, and Lü Bu of Xu Province, they are all nothing but wine sacks and rice bags."]
Wine sacks and rice bags.
Those words exploded like a thunderclap in the main hall of the Yizhou governor's residence.
Liu Zhang's expression, which had only just eased, instantly turned livid again. His lips trembled as he stared fixedly at the Heavenly Screen, as though he wanted to swallow Yang Feng alive and skin him for saying those words.
The civil and military officials beside him all turned ashen, lowering their heads even further for fear of being caught in their lord's fury.
["They will certainly be destroyed in the future."]
On the Heavenly Screen, Yang Feng continued speaking, calm and cruel, as though reading out a fate long since decreed.
["If we can occupy Yizhou, this land of heavenly abundance-Emperor Gaozu of Han relied on it to establish his imperial dominion."]
["Then we can use Yizhou to take Jing Province, a place connected in every direction."]
["Once we hold both Jing Province and Yizhou, we can ally with Sun Ce of Jiangdong abroad, while reforming governance at home and devoting ourselves to building a strong state."]
["To the west and south, we will befriend the various southern barbarian tribes and choose an opportunity to bring them all into submission."]
["When the situation under heaven changes, we can lead a great army out of Jing Province and march north. Then the realm can be ours!"]
When he finished speaking, the entire world beneath the Heavenly Screen seemed to fall into deathly silence.
In the image, Fa Zheng and Li Yan stood utterly rooted to the spot, their mouths open, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
They were dumbfounded.
They had never imagined that a seemingly frail young scholar could harbor such a magnificent blueprint and such precise strategic vision.
Those words were like a key, instantly unlocking every doubt in their hearts.
They finally understood why their future selves would make such a choice.
This was no longer merely an appreciation of talent.
This was following an enlightened lord capable of founding a mighty dominion.
[This event was also described as "The world knew nothing of Yang Feng, yet the realm was already divided into three."]
Golden words slowly appeared on the Heavenly Screen, bringing this world-shaking conversation to a close.
And what came next was the true main event.
The image changed again, golden light blazing.
[Yang Feng, draped in the yellow robe.]
A line of enormous gilded words froze in the center of the Heavenly Screen, radiating boundless majesty.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace at Shouchun.
Yang Feng stared at the frozen image on the Heavenly Screen, utterly dumbfounded.
Wait, dude?
Why did this "Yizhou Plan" sound so familiar?
Wasn't this just a copy of the "Longzhong Plan"?
And why were my words so much like those of someone named Zhuge Liang?
Could it be that Zhuge Liang didn't exist in this world?
Or did I steal the old gentleman's idea before he could use it?
Yang Feng's mind raced, storm-tossed waves surging in his heart.
That was not even the most important part.
The most important part was that this Heavenly Screen had absolutely no tact. It had gone and offended Liu Zhang of Yizhou, Liu Biao of Jing Province, Lü Bu of Xu Province, Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, Han Sui and Ma Teng of Western Liang, and the rest, all in one go.
And it had even used "wine sacks and rice bags," the sort of insult you hurled while pointing right at someone's nose.
My heavens.
I haven't even warmed the dragon throne beneath my backside yet.
I've only just ascended the throne.
My foundations aren't secure, and countless things need rebuilding. What I need right now is a peaceful environment where I can turtle up and develop.
But you, Heavenly Screen, just had to fire off an indiscriminate map-wide attack and drag every feudal lord in the realm onto the opposing side.
You're way too much of a troll, Heavenly Screen.
Yang Feng was utterly speechless. He really had to hand it to this Heavenly Screen-was there anything it would not dare say?
Are you afraid I won't die fast enough?
You're practically the fighter jet of pig teammates.
While he wanted to cry but had no tears, below the steps, the civil and military officials led by Yan Xiang and Ji Ling were all flushed with excitement, trembling as they watched the Heavenly Screen.
It was not fear, but extreme excitement.
"Brilliant."
Yan Xiang stepped forward and bowed, his voice even changing pitch with excitement.
"Your Majesty's vision reaches far into the future, discerning the great trends of the realm. We prostrate ourselves in admiration."
"Truly worthy of being Yang Feng, the 'greatest emperor of all time.'"
Ji Ling went even further, shouting at the top of his lungs, his face full of adoration.
"To think you are so confident in your grasp of the situation."
"Despite Yuan Shao's lineage, with Three Excellencies across four generations, Your Majesty sees his defeat as certain."
"Such boldness, such vision-who throughout the ages could compare?"
The two took turns speaking, relentlessly flattering Yang Feng, pouring out extravagant praise as though it cost nothing.
Their flattery made Yang Feng uncomfortable all over, leaving him sitting on pins and needles.
As he looked at the fanatical admirers below him, only one complaint filled his mind.
Are you really not panicking?
The great powers of the realm already have us roasting over a fire.
We've already offended so many people. Are you really not scared?
And you're still here kissing ass.
Shouldn't our top priority right now be to hurry up and discuss how to handle the impending attack from all directions?
What do these people have inside their heads?
And just as Yang Feng was being worn down in body and mind by his own band of pig teammates.
Far away in Yan Province.
Cao Cao was also watching the Heavenly Screen.
Unlike Liu Zhang's fury and Liu Biao's gloom, he first froze briefly, then burst into deafening laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"What a declaration-Cao Cao will certainly defeat Yuan Shao in the end!"
"Good!"
"Well said!"
"This lad is interesting. Very interesting."
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
His laughter echoed throughout the hall, filled with indescribable delight and appreciation.