Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

Cultivating them on your own takes too long!

Some techniques require a very high level of talent.

"Reporting to Young Master, Huang Chengyan has agreed, and we can depart for Mianyang at any time," Lu Yi replied respectfully.

"Excellent!" Lu Feng nodded in satisfaction. "Tomorrow, bring two hundred members of the Lu family army with me to Mianyang."

"promise!"

Lu Yi then reported, "The chili seeds you previously delivered have been harvested, and a full season's harvest has been completed... The harvest is quite bountiful. The Chamber of Commerce delivered a batch of dried chilies yesterday; please advise on how to handle them."

He had tasted that **flavor and couldn't understand why the young master would want to cultivate such a strange thing.

"Oh?" Lu Feng exclaimed with interest, "So soon? Excellent! Bring it later, and I'll personally teach the kitchen how to cook it. Then you'll witness a truly delicious spicy dish!"

As he spoke, his mouth watered, and his face was full of anticipation.

"This...it's not necessary." Lu Yi quickly declined.

【

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi's expression froze, and he hurriedly waved his hand: "This stuff can hardly be considered delicious!"

"Oh?"

Lu Feng raised an eyebrow and sized him up: "You didn't secretly try it, did you?"

Lu Yi: "..."

"Hehe..." He scratched his head awkwardly, "I only tried a small bite! Who knew it would be so spicy it burned my throat, I had to drink half a bucket of water to calm it down. This 'delicacy' should be left for the young master to enjoy!"

Lu Feng chuckled: "You'll see when you say 'It smells so good!' someday."

This fool has no idea how wonderful chili peppers can be.

"Absolutely impossible!" Lu Yi stubbornly insisted.

"We'll see," Lu Feng said, then asked, "Any news about Gan Ning, whom I asked you to investigate?"

Around Nanyang, besides the talented men of Yingchuan, only a handful of people like Huang Zhong, Chen Dao, and Gan Ning caught his eye. As for Wei Yan? That twelve-year-old boy had long been secretly taken in as his protégé.

"Reporting to Young Master, we have located their whereabouts," Lu Yi said solemnly. "Gan Ning is currently an official in Shu. Although the former Jin Fan bandits are still active in Ba County, they have become much more subdued."

"Should we recruit this person?" He flipped through the secret report from his bodyguards, secretly praising him as a truly talented individual.

"Of course." Lu Feng nodded. "This young man is a naval general, though still green, his future is limitless." After a moment's thought, he added, "Prepare paper and pen. I'll write a letter and send it to Shu by carrier pigeon, and see if he's willing to come."

(

In terms of land warfare, he already has generals such as Dian Wei, Huang Zhong, and Chen Dao under his command, but he has no one available in the naval field.

In order to realize the grand ambition of unifying the world, it is imperative to prepare a navy as early as possible.

In addition, his roots were in Wu County, and his father was the governor of Lujiang. Training an elite navy in advance would greatly benefit him.

"Yes, sir!"

Lu Yi immediately accepted the order.

Without hesitation, Lu Feng picked up his pen and wrote a letter recruiting talent, which he then sealed and handed to Lu Yi.

Lu Yi immediately rushed to the Wancheng secret guard branch and sent the letter out by carrier pigeon.

That afternoon, Lu Feng led Lu Yi and two hundred soldiers of the Lu family army away from Wancheng and sped towards Mianyang.

Dian Wei wanted to accompany him, but Lu Feng politely declined.

Lu Feng ordered him to focus on training his troops and improving his martial arts skills, and to learn more from Huang Zhong.

In addition, Dian Wei was also responsible for teaching Chen Dao and Zhou Cang to read.

It is worth mentioning that Huang Zhong also participated in the guidance work.

The personal guidance from this near-peerless master was far more effective than Dian Wei's teaching methods.

After all, Dian Wei is a straightforward person who only teaches through practical combat.

Asking him to explain the reasoning behind it would be harder than climbing to heaven.

Upon reaching a fortified village, Lu Yi pointed ahead and announced, "Young Master, we've arrived! Shall I go and inform them?"

"Go ahead." Lu Feng nodded in agreement.

When Lu Feng and his party arrived at the fortified village, they saw a middle-aged man and his family waiting for them at the gate.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: "This old man, Huang Chengyan, pays his respects to Lord Wu. I am sorry for failing to greet you from afar!"

The people behind him followed suit and bowed.

"Hahaha!"

Lu Feng chuckled, dismounted, and helped Huang Chengyan to his feet. "Patriarch Huang, you're too kind! I'm just a merchant, Lu Feng, here to purchase equipment. There's no need for such formalities. Please rise!"

Although Lu Feng spoke lightly, Huang Chengyan and the others dared not take it seriously.

After rising, Lu Feng humbly stepped aside and gestured "please," saying, "Lord Wu, please come inside and rest for a while. I have prepared fragrant tea and snacks!"

"Very good, thank you for your trouble."

Lu Feng nodded slightly and strode towards the fortified village.

Just as I stepped through the door, I suddenly heard a crisp voice from the system in my head:

[Ding! Upon first arrival at the residence of the Mohist descendants, a special sign-in event has been triggered. Use it now?]

"Hmm? The Huang family really are descendants of the Mohist school? This trip was worthwhile!"

Lu Feng was secretly delighted and immediately chose to sign in.

[Ding! Special check-in at Huang Chengyan's residence successful! Rewards: Divine-level Mechanical Arts, Divine-level Woodworking Skills]

"hiss--"

Even with his calm and composed nature, Lu Feng was still shaken to his core.

He actually gained two divine skills directly?

Although it is only mechanical arts and carpentry, its value is immeasurable in this chaotic world.

He accepted without hesitation.

In an instant, a massive torrent of knowledge flooded his mind, causing his temples to throb. If it weren't for the "quick-witted" and "photographic memory" talents that had previously enhanced his brainpower, he would probably be suffering from a splitting headache right now.

After a brief examination, Lu Feng's pupils constricted sharply—these techniques contained numerous incredibly advanced mechanical diagrams; if used in weapon manufacturing...

"Lord Wu, please take a seat!"

Inside the hall, Huang Chengyan held out a wine pot to invite Lu Feng to join him. After Lu Feng took his seat in the main place, the old man raised his cup first to offer a toast.

After three rounds of drinks, Huang Chengyan stroked his beard and probed, "I wonder what the purpose of Lord Wu's actions is?"

He discreetly observed the young governor of Nanyang: his face was like jade, yet he exuded an air of authority; he was only in his early twenties, yet he already held the official rank of General Who Guards the East and the title of Marquis of Wu.

"When will the Huang family produce such a prodigy...?" The old man lowered his head to sip his wine, a look of envy flashing in his eyes.

Thinking that he had not been able to give birth to a son, but only had this strangely-looking daughter, Huang Chengyan felt a surge of bitterness and envy.

Lu Kang and his family are truly blessed by their ancestors!

"Um."

Lu Feng put down his wine cup and replied with a smile, "Firstly, I've long admired the Huang family's exceptional craftsmanship and wanted to commission some feathered arrow armor; secondly, I recently learned that the Huang family head's clan are descendants of the Mohist school from the Warring States period, and I've always been quite interested in mechanical woodworking."

"In my early years, I also collected many fragments of craftsmen's writings, gaining a superficial understanding of them."

"I presume Patriarch Huang has also seen the new tables and chairs from the Lu Clan Chamber of Commerce?"

"To my shame, those were just things I did casually when I was young."

"I have come today specifically to learn about mechanical woodworking techniques. I wonder if Master Huang would be willing to offer his guidance?"

These words were, of course, just an excuse.

Before entering the Huang mansion, he knew absolutely nothing about mechanical arts.

Those new furniture pieces were nothing more than imitations based on memories from a previous life.

But the divine mechanical arts and woodworking skills he had just acquired gave him a great deal of confidence.

The idea of ​​recruiting Huang became stronger and stronger—these skills required a large number of craftsmen to complete over a long period of time, and he could not do it himself.

Training talent is too slow, but the Huang family craftsmen in front of us are a ready-made and capable candidate.

"Oh?"

Huang Chengyan was slightly surprised.

Unexpectedly, this Marquis of Wu was so enthusiastic about the craftsmen and even knew about their connection with the Mohists.

He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your inquiry; I will certainly oblige. I just didn't expect that the esteemed Marquis of Wu would be interested in such a wondrous skill."

But on second thought, it's not surprising that this person also ventured into the business world and built the massive Lu Clan Chamber of Commerce in just a few years.

Huang Chengyan immediately began to seriously discuss mechanical arts and woodworking techniques with Lu Feng.

At first, he was just testing the waters, but as the conversation deepened, he realized that it was no longer a discussion, but rather Lu Feng was sharing his knowledge without reservation, and he had become the one seeking guidance.

"Lord Wu's mastery of mechanical arts and carpentry is beyond my comprehension! I'm afraid even if Mozi were to be resurrected, he might not be able to surpass Lord Wu." After a long while, Huang Chengyan bowed to Lu Feng with a face full of amazement.

This isn't a competition; it's clearly an opportunity to impart knowledge and skills!

Lu Feng smiled calmly: "Patriarch Huang, you flatter me! How could I dare to compare myself to the sage Mozi? My meager skills are far from sufficient."

"Lord Wu is too modest!" Huang Chengyan shook his head, and after a moment's thought, solemnly asked, "With Lord Wu's skill and level, there's no need for you to discuss matters with someone as mediocre as me. May I ask what brings you here today? If you don't explain, I truly cannot feel at ease."

He had already benefited greatly from Lu Feng's interaction just now and owed him a huge favor.

It should be understood that knowledge transmission was extremely precious in this era and was never easily passed on to outsiders.

"Master Huang is so straightforward!" Lu Feng smiled slightly. "It's actually very simple—I want to recruit Master Huang and all the craftsmen under his command."

Seeing Huang Chengyan's expression change drastically, Lu Feng continued without waiting for his response, "You must also know that, given my status, I simply don't have the time to delve into these mechanical arts and woodworking techniques."

"But I possess a vast amount of unheard-of top-tier mechanical and woodworking skills."

"What we just discussed is but a drop in the ocean, less than one ten-thousandth."

"It would be such a waste if these skills remained solely in my possession."

"so......"

Lu Feng rose and bowed to Huang Chengyan, saying, "I would like to request your assistance, sir, to put these skills into practice. What is your opinion?"

Huang Chengyan was speechless for a moment.

This is such a wonderful surprise!

This is not a mirage, but a real opportunity.

After a moment of distraction, he looked at Lu Feng and said self-deprecatingly, "Lord Wu, you flatter this old man! Your skill in woodworking far surpasses mine."

"Moreover, the terms you've offered are so generous that it's truly difficult to refuse."

He had already benefited greatly from the previous discussion.

Hearing that Lu Feng possesses countless skills, who wouldn't be tempted?

For generations, they pursued the true essence of Mohist mechanical arts, but due to the decline of their lineage, they could not find the way.

Now, we see a glimmer of hope in Lu Feng—

No, it's a future within reach!

If he were to receive Lu Feng's true teachings, he would even be confident of surpassing the Mohist school's former glory.

"Then what are you hesitating for?"

Lu Feng calmly replied, "As long as you agree, sir, you can use any funds and techniques you desire, and we will surely restore the glory of the Mohist school—"

"Perhaps future historical records will show that you, sir, were the Mozi of our time!"

The chance to be remembered in history is just around the corner.

"Young Master's methods of recruiting people are becoming increasingly direct," Lu Yi, observing from the sidelines, mused to himself. "But when did Young Master become so proficient in these mechanical and secret arts?"

Every time I see my son recruiting talent, I find it fascinating.

"This... phew—"

Huang Chengyan's breathing became slightly disordered, and the Huang family disciples who were studying woodworking beside him were so anxious that they wished they could answer for him.

Huang Chengyan steadied his breathing, suppressing his excitement, and solemnly bowed to Lu Feng: "Lord Wu values ​​me so highly, how could I, Huang, be ungrateful? If Lord Wu is willing to impart his skills in mechanical arts and carpentry, I, Huang Chengyan, am willing to lead all the artisans of my clan to serve Lord Wu loyally, following him for generations!"

In his pursuit of mastering his skills, Huang Chengyan has spared no effort in becoming a contemporary master of Mozi and Gongshu Ban.

This is for personal ambition, and even more so for the future of the family.

That was a wise move!

"Good! Excellent!" Lu Feng laughed heartily, stepping forward to help Huang Chengyan up: "I have granted your request! I will keep my promise. If I break my promise, you may lead your people away at any time."

"Thank you, my lord!" Huang Chengyan felt relieved after receiving the promise.

The matter was thus settled.

When Huang Chengyan gathered his clansmen to announce his decision, everyone was still in a daze.

The change came too quickly.

However, Huang Chengyan had a very high reputation in the clan, and several clan elders not only did not oppose him, but were even more enthusiastic than Huang Chengyan himself.

In old age, the only thing people care about is the continuation of their family line.

"I wonder how our lord will arrange things for us?" Huang Chengyan asked Lu Feng after everything was settled.

Lu Feng immediately replied, "If Elder Huang doesn't mind, you can lead your clansmen to relocate to Wancheng with me. I will be stationed here during my term of office, and we can discuss any changes later. This will also make it easier for me to pass on new skills."

"If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime."

Now that he had successfully subdued the Huang family, he naturally wanted to take them all with him.

At present, the local gentry and governors of Jingzhou are unaware of the news that the Huang family has pledged allegiance to him.

If word gets out, the consequences are unpredictable.

The best course of action is to quickly relocate the entire Huang clan while the outside world is still unaware of the situation.