"When building the granary, I had a geomancer inspect the site. I built the entire granary underground, and each section of the granary is separated by rammed earth fireproof layers. Even if one area catches fire, it can be sealed off immediately," Fa Zheng said with extreme pride, habitually lifting his eyes to glance at Zhuge Liang.
"You've truly taken everything into account," Chen Xi couldn't help but give Fa Zheng a thumbs up. "You've thoroughly absorbed everything I taught you before."
"Of course. I've studied everything carefully. Recently, Kong Chenggong brought a young man from his family here. You haven't met him, but he's a genius. Not only is he skilled in literature, but he's also extremely talented in craftsmanship. The fireproof seals were his idea, and he even helped build them," Fa Zheng said with a smile, recommending the man to Chen Xi.
"Zheng Hun, Zheng Wengong, right?" Chen Xi raised an eyebrow. In today's world, the only person with the surname Zheng who could earn Fa Zheng's high regard for both literary talent and craftsmanship was Zheng Hun.
"Oh? You know him?" Fa Zheng asked in surprise.
"I've been asking Wei Shuo to find people like him for a while, but at the time, it seems he and his brother were in trouble, so we couldn't track them down," Chen Xi sighed.
Chen Xi knew that after 191, Zheng Hun should have been in Chang'an, but by the time he went looking, Zheng Hun had already disappeared. Additionally, Zheng Hun's brother, Zheng Tai, had been tricked by Xun You into confronting Dong Zhuo, resulting in his imprisonment. To avoid being caught himself, Zheng Hun had to hide, which was unavoidable.
"I sometimes think you know too much," Fa Zheng said with some displeasure, but he didn't provoke Chen Xi as he did with Zhuge Liang. He had enough sense to know when to hold back.
"Alright, let's continue inside. Standing here isn't helping," Chen Xi said, not bothering to explain himself further. He patted Fa Zheng on the shoulder and led the group inside. As for Elder Lu and Lady Lu, they had already gone in. Only Fa Zheng and Chen Xi, who were less concerned with formalities, had lingered at the entrance.
"Come on, let's get something to eat. The food here is exquisite. I'll treat you to Qi's most famous stuffed fish belly and fish sashimi. By the way, I've also made those kitchen tools you mentioned before. They work wonderfully," Fa Zheng said as he waved for the group to follow him to the dining hall inside the inn.
The inn didn't originally have these amenities, but when Fa Zheng was overseeing the construction of the new city and had nowhere to stay, he moved into the inn. Naturally, the kitchen and other essentials followed.
"Oh, exquisite food, huh? Although I'm not a fan of raw fish, I do enjoy cooked food. I don't want to end up like that unfortunate Chen Yuanlong," Chen Xi yawned. "Let's see your kitchen. After these past few days of rough travel, I could use a good meal. We'll discuss the important matters later."
"Speaking of Chen Yuanlong..." Fa Zheng recalled what Hua Tuo had told him, which had frightened him. For a long time, he avoided eating raw fish. Now, hearing Chen Xi mention it again, Fa Zheng decided it was better to stay away from such risky food.
"Let's stick to cooked food," Fa Zheng said, exhaling deeply. "I don't want to end up like Chen Yuanlong, who found all those little worms in his stomach. Just thinking about it gives me chills. Hua Tuo said if he'd waited a couple more years, Chen Yuanlong would have been picking out his coffin. I should probably visit Hua Tuo again—I've eaten quite a bit of that stuff recently."
"Stay away from raw food, especially anything alive," Chen Xi advised as he patted Fa Zheng's shoulder. He had been feeling a bit tired lately and suspected that another natural disaster might be brewing in Liu Bei's territory, though they could still manage.
Fa Zheng noticed Chen Xi's tired demeanor and leaned back slightly before glancing around. "You didn't bring any beauties with you, just Kongming and this guy. Why are you so worn out?"
"Shut up," Chen Xi snapped irritably. "You're too young to be talking like that. Seriously."
"I'm just curious. As for age, it's not like you're much older. Anyway, this guy must be the Lu Boyan you mentioned before. His eyes are sharp and full of life," Fa Zheng said, adopting a more authoritative tone, now that he had the status and experience to back it up.
"Lu Xun of the Lu family in Lujiang greets the Prime Minister of Qi," Lu Xun quickly stepped forward and respectfully saluted Fa Zheng.
"He seems promising," Fa Zheng stroked the few strands of beard he had managed to grow. "How about I take you to the pleasure quarters tonight?" Fa Zheng said brazenly to the courteous Lu Xun.
Chen Xi and Zhuge Liang's faces twitched involuntarily, while Lu Xun was completely stunned. His family's rules were strict, and there was no way he'd be allowed to visit such places. Besides, as a high-ranking family, the Lu family had plenty of singers and entertainers at home.
"He seems a bit naive. Looks like he's never been to such places before. Alright, I'll take you tonight. I'm sure you're curious!" Fa Zheng continued without hesitation. "But don't be shy—you'll go there sooner or later."
"Whack!" A cane struck Fa Zheng's back. "You unfilial son!"
Fa Zheng's father, Fa Yan, furiously hit Fa Zheng with his cane, causing him to stumble. Fa Zheng didn't even need to look back to know it was his father, and he quickly made a run for it.
Watching his son's recent accomplishments in building the new Linzi city had filled Fa Yan with pride. Seeing the heartfelt gratitude of the people made him feel that his son had finally matured. But then, Fa Zheng had to go and say something so shameless in public, which infuriated Fa Yan.
"How dare you run!" Despite using a cane, Fa Yan was still quite agile. He mainly carried the cane to show that he was old and that his son was now in charge. But hearing his son's disgraceful words made him lose his temper, and he chased after Fa Zheng, intending to give him a good beating.
"You unfilial son!" After chasing Fa Zheng around a pillar several times, Fa Yan realized he couldn't catch him, so he stopped and angrily scolded him. "Do we not have maidservants at home?"
"Yes," Fa Zheng replied softly.
"And what about female entertainers?" Fa Yan continued.
"We do," Fa Zheng quickly answered.
"How many of them are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?" Fa Yan's beard quivered with anger.
"At least a dozen," Fa Zheng replied cautiously.
"Then why would you go to the pleasure quarters!" Fa Yan demanded furiously. "Do you even think about your status and theirs? That kind of place is beneath you. If you want something, don't we have it at home?"
"I was just going to watch a play. Really! You see, Boyan just arrived, and I thought I'd show him the best entertainment in Taishan. It's a cultural experience!" Fa Zheng quickly concocted an excuse, carefully explaining it to Fa Yan.