Sima Lang found himself at a loss for words. Such a simple problem, yet Li Jue couldn't resolve it. It really made him question Li Jue's intelligence. However, given his own position, Sima Lang decided it was best not to voice his thoughts.
"Ah, Berda, don't worry too much," Li Jue said, patting Sima Lang on the shoulder as they sat across from each other. "We may be struggling, but Ma Teng isn't faring any better. So, don't fret."
"General, while I may not have a solution, there is someone here in Chang'an who definitely does," Sima Lang said with a thoughtful smile. He had just remembered someone who could be of great help.
"Oh? There's such a person in Chang'an? I wasn't aware. Tell me more, Berda," Li Jue said with interest. Although the Xiliang soldiers still had some grain left, they were concerned about the future. Li Jue understood the importance of planning ahead, and with people like Zhang Ji asking for supplies, he couldn't help but worry.
"Yingchuan's Zhong Yuanchang is a man of exceptional talent, with countless strategies at his disposal," Sima Lang said with a smile, echoing the high praise given to Zhong Yao by Xun Yu.
"Oh, you mean Zhong Yuanchang?" Li Jue's initial enthusiasm faded quickly. "That guy always looks like he hasn't slept enough. He barely shows up to court and spends his days doing who knows what. He's technically part of our faction from Dong Zhuo's time, but he just coasts through life."
Despite this, Li Jue and his group still respected their old connections from the days of Dong Zhuo. After retaking Chang'an, they took care of anyone who had been part of Dong Zhuo's circle, whether they knew them personally or not. This loyalty was what kept the Xiliang forces together, but Li Jue knew that if this loyalty ever wore thin, the Xiliang cavalry would eventually fall apart.
"General, you mustn't underestimate Zhong Yuanchang. If you truly have no other solutions, why not give him a chance? You may find that his methods are unexpectedly effective," Sima Lang said with a smile.
Sima Lang's calm demeanor reassured Li Jue, and after some thought, he agreed. If nothing else, it was worth trying. Success or failure, it didn't matter at this point.
"Hmm, you have a point. Very well, no time like the present. I'll go see him today, bearing gifts," Li Jue said, quickly reverting to his more uncultured manner. "Someone, prepare the finest paper, ink, jade, and precious stones. And bring the best carriages and beautiful women."
"General, there's no need for all that," Sima Lang interjected quickly. He knew that these things wouldn't impress Zhong Yao. They wouldn't serve any purpose in this case.
"And why not?" Li Jue asked, puzzled by Sima Lang's objection.
"General, Zhong Yuanchang has little interest in wealth or beauty. His true passion is calligraphy, especially that of Cai Bojie. If you bring him something related to that, he'll be more than willing to help, even if it's a difficult task," Sima Lang explained, pointing out Zhong Yao's weakness.
Zhong Yao was a die-hard fan of Cai Yong's calligraphy. He hadn't come to Chang'an for power but for the opportunity to study Cai Yong's works. As someone who had once dug up a friend's grave for a chance at Cai Yong's calligraphy, Zhong Yao would do anything for it.
"Cai Bojie's calligraphy?" Li Jue mused. "When we entered Chang'an, Cai Bojie was already dead, and his daughter was gone too. When I went through his home, I found several of his handwritten books. What if I gave those to Zhong Yuanchang?"
To Li Jue, Cai Yong's handwritten books were worthless—he never read them anyway.
"Hahaha, General, if you have those in your possession, why not take one to Zhong Yuanchang and see what happens?" Sima Lang suggested with a smile.
"Alright, let's go now," Li Jue said, abandoning his initial plan and instead grabbing the books to bring to Zhong Yao.
"Master, Cheqi General is here to see you," Zhong Yao's old servant said, bowing as he approached his master.
"Not now, not now. I'm studying Cai Dajia's calligraphy," Zhong Yao said without even looking up. "Tell him I'm not here."
"Zhong Shangshu, what a grand display of authority! You won't even see me?" Li Jue grumbled. At this point, he was one of the most powerful men in the land—at least within the confines of Sili.
Zhong Yao didn't even bother to raise his head. He simply gave a half-hearted bow in the direction of the voice before resuming his study of Cai Yong's calligraphy. It was clear he didn't care much about Li Jue's presence, nearly driving Li Jue to storm out.
Seeing the situation, Sima Lang quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Master Zhong, General Li has brought a gift for you. Look, it's a manuscript by Cai Bojie himself. The General knew of your passion for such works and went to great lengths to find it for you..."
Before Sima Lang could finish, the manuscript was already in Zhong Yao's hands. His eyes lit up with fervor as he exclaimed, "A genuine manuscript by Cai Dajia! Wonderful, wonderful! General, please sit—take the seat of honor. Quickly, prepare tea, bring in the musicians, and set up a banquet!"
Despite his newfound enthusiasm, Zhong Yao's gaze remained fixed on the manuscript. He didn't even glance up to acknowledge his guests, leaving Li Jue feeling even more irritated. If not for Sima Lang's intervention, Li Jue would have stormed out in anger.
"Master Zhong, my lord has a pressing matter and would greatly appreciate your advice..." Sima Lang said, placing a hand over the manuscript. Zhong Yao finally looked up, his face darkening as he realized who was before him.
"Ah, it's General Piaoji," Zhong Yao said, finally noticing Li Jue. He quickly offered a formal bow, realizing his mistake.
Li Jue, his face still dark with displeasure, returned the gesture. If not for Sima Lang's insistence, he would have left by now.
Sima Lang quickly recounted the situation, ending with, "Master Zhong, do you have a strategy to resolve this? If you succeed, the General has more of Cai Dajia's manuscripts to offer."
"More?" Zhong Yao gasped. Recently, he had scoured Chang'an for any remaining works by Cai Yong and had come up empty-handed. Now, hearing that there were more, his eyes lit up with an intense fervor that made Li Jue feel uneasy.
"Yes, if you can resolve this matter, all the manuscripts I have will be yours," Li Jue said, irritated by Zhong Yao's intense gaze.
Suddenly, Zhong Yao's mind kicked into high gear. His intelligence surged, his mental abilities activated, and countless strategies flashed through his mind in mere seconds. He looked up, glanced at Sima Lang, and confidently declared, "This matter is simple!"