In the Three Kingdoms period, the opening scene features the killing of Huang Gai, shocking Zhou Yu!

"Chief Engineer Ding said! The green belt in the Tongquecheng commercial center must be planted with evergreen trees! Who will approve the budget for these saplings?"

"Where's the franchise agreement for Shenwei Hot Pot Restaurant to open in Tongquetai Commercial Street? Where's Yang Xiu, the registrar? Come out and stamp it right now!"

Countless officials carrying blueprints, abacuses, and strange models kept running around Zhang Song.

Nobody even glanced at him.

A minor official carrying a large bundle of red bricks, annoyed that Zhang Song was blocking his way, bumped into him without even looking up, causing him to stumble, and impatiently shouted:

"Hey you shorty! Get out of the way! Can you afford to pay for the delays if you block the construction?"

Zhang Song: "!!"

I am the Yizhou Prefect!

I have come to see the Emperor of the Han Dynasty and Prime Minister Cao!

Have you petty officials gone mad?

Finally, the report was submitted.

Zhang Song was led to a side hall to wait.

No one offered him tea.

It's obvious that it's been forgotten.

This wait lasted for an hour.

Zhang Song walked into the main hall with his head held high and chest out.

He had prepared three opening remarks within that hour.

But upon seeing Cao Cao, his breath immediately deflated by half.

Cao Cao, the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty, is lying face down in front of a life-size sand table of Ye City, his sleeves tied high with a rope.

He was holding a... triangle ruler.

Standing beside him was Yang Xiu, who looked miserable, and Ding Yi, who was covered in mud and wearing a rattan hat.

"Prime Minister, the sewers need to be widened."

"My older brother said that with the rapid urbanization, once the population exceeds one million, if the sewage system is too small, the whole city will stink, and the people will start cursing again."

Cao Cao frowned and tapped the sand table with a triangle ruler:

"Wide it? That'll go over the budget again! Where's the money coming from? Ding Zhengli, are you trying to trick me into spending even my underwear on supplies?"

"Prime Minister, pre-sales! This is your brilliant idea!"

Ding Yi's eyes darted around.

"Isn't Phase II almost finished? Just raise the price by 20%, collect the money first and then hand over the house, and the funds will come in."

"That makes sense..."

Cao Cao's eyes lit up.

"Twenty percent? I don't think that'll do. How about raising it by thirty-five percent? Anyway, those powerful families have so much money hoarded with nowhere to spend it. If we don't take advantage of them, who else should we take advantage of?"

Zhang Song stood at the door, listening in a daze.

The sewers? The housing development? Price increases?

What are all these things?

Is this something the Prime Minister should be discussing?

Shouldn't we be talking about conquering the world and unifying the land?

At the very least, shouldn't we talk about land reclamation and military training?

"Ahem!"

Zhang Song couldn't hold back any longer and coughed heavily.

Cao Cao then came to his senses, raised his head, and glanced at Zhang Song.

His eyes were somewhat dazed, as if he had just woken up from a dream about a real estate tycoon.

"Who are you……?"

Clearly, they didn't remember this person.

After all, what person is more attractive than someone with money?

Zhang Song cupped his hands in greeting.

"I am Zhang Song, Prefect of Yizhou, and I have been ordered to..."

"Oh, I remember now, the one from Yizhou."

Cao Cao waved his hand, interrupting him.

"Is your lord Liu Zhang in good health? Did that charlatan Zhang Lu make him cry?"

Why does this tone sound like you're insulting the neighbor's idiot?

Zhang Songqiang suppressed his displeasure.

"Prime Minister!"

"I have come here for two reasons: first, to offer tribute; and second, having heard that the Prime Minister has unified the six kingdoms, I have come to witness the majesty of the Han Dynasty! I possess a photographic memory..."

"Photographic memory?"

Cao Cao didn't speak, but Ding Yi, who was narrating, spoke first.

He looked Zhang Song up and down.

A drawing was handed over:

"Really? Then please write down this 'Underground Pipeline Distribution Map of Tongquetai' for me."

This thing is so complicated. I always forget which intersection the main drainpipe is buried under, and I have to dig it up several times to find it.

Zhang Song looked down.

The blueprints were full of winding pipes.

Push aside the blueprints.

"How vulgar! I am a scholar who studies the classics and remembers matters of state! How could I possibly remember such... such filthy pipes?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's face darkened immediately.

In the present day, under the influence of Zhao Yu and Ding Yi, Cao Cao is most annoyed by these pedantic scholars who only know how to talk big and look down on practical work.

They shout empty slogans all day long and pop up to make a scene whenever they feel like it.

When asked to do something practical, he makes excuses and refuses.

What's wrong with draining sewage?

That's about people's livelihood! That's about the conscience of the city!

Cao Cao put down the triangular ruler in his hand, and all his previous politeness disappeared.

He picked up the second phase planning document for Tongquetai again, without even looking up:

"Prefect Zhang, I am very busy right now."

"Do you see what's on this table? This is the future of Ye City, the foundation of the Han Dynasty for centuries to come."

"As for what you mean by 'the imposing presence of a great man'..."

"If you really want to see it, go to the northern suburbs."

"Go and see those smoking chimneys, go and see those giant beasts that spew mud, go and see those truckloads of steel being transported out."

"That is my true majesty."

"As for the trick of reciting texts..."

Cao Cao sneered and said nothing, simply instructing Yang Xiu to see him off.

It's a very tactful way of saying they're being asked to leave.

Zhang Song panicked and tried to pull out the map of Xichuan.

This is his trump card!

"Prime Minister! Prime Minister! I have another picture, this picture concerns the cause of hegemony..."

But Cao Cao had already turned away, no longer looking at him, and continued to have a heated discussion with Ding Yi about the despicable invention of "shared area".

"Zhengli, could the shared area be increased? Should we include the area within two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) around the house and yard? How can we find a way to get those people to pay more?"

"The Prime Minister is wise! That's how my elder brother taught me too!"

Zhang Song was left standing there, ignored.

At that moment, he truly felt like a complete clown.

His prized talent and the map he treasured seemed so out of place and so worthless in this new world filled with "cement," "shared space," and "sewers."

Yang Xiu walked over, looking at him with sympathy.

When Ding Yi first started doing these things in Ye City, he was also shocked and his worldview was shattered. He was not much better than Zhang Song.

He made a "please" gesture:

"Prefect Zhang, please."

"The Prime Minister has been very stressed these past few days because of the second phase of the project's opening. Please bear with him."

"Come on, since we're here, I'll take you to the northern suburbs to broaden your horizons, so the trip won't be in vain."

Zhang Song walked out of the Prime Minister's residence in a daze.

Looking at the bustling city of Ye, which was so prosperous it took his breath away.

I could hear Cao Cao's hearty laughter coming from behind me (about the price increase).

Zhang Song clenched his fists tightly.

"Cao Mengde! You have no respect for anyone!"

"You'd rather look at a blueprint for urinating and defecating than glance at me!"

"You'll regret it! You'll definitely regret it! You're not the only hero in this world!"

……

Yang Xiu ignored Zhang Song's rambling and led him to a "convertible carriage" specially used for inspections, which drove out of the north gate of Ye City.

As the wheels rolled forward, the surrounding scenery began to change dramatically.