He originally intended to surrender to Wei, so why did he end up restoring Han?

It wasn't that Lu Wan didn't know that science and technology were the primary productive forces, but rather that science and technology were backward in all aspects during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and there was still a long way to go if they wanted to advance in science and technology.

Lu Wan's first improvement was to replace single salt ponds with stepped, multi-level salt ponds, gradually increasing the concentration of the brine. The salt ponds were divided into three levels in total.

The primary pool is used to introduce seawater for initial sedimentation, removing silt and sand from the water.

The secondary tank continues evaporation, with the addition of wood ash or lime to remove other soluble salt impurities.

The final evaporation is completed in the three-stage pool, yielding crystalline salt.

Because of the difference in elevation, each pool required a waterwheel to remove the brine, so Lu Wan also included the manual waterwheel in the diagram.

As for the weather, the salt fields are close to the sea, and the surrounding land is mostly saline-alkali soil. Although normal crops cannot be grown, some salt-tolerant plants, such as reeds, can be grown. The roots stabilize the soil and prevent the salt fields from silting up, and the grown reeds can be woven into straw mats to cover the salt ponds and protect them from rain.

When collecting salt, the salt on the top layer is whiter in color and has fewer impurities, which is intended for high-income groups; the lower-quality product is used as daily salt for ordinary people.

For now, Lu Wan only wants to get these measures; any further problems can only be solved gradually in practice.

Lu Wan offered Liu Bei a vision for the future: "Conservatively speaking, using this method to produce salt could more than double the output, while also ensuring the quality."

"The production increase is quite considerable. By the way, what are Wen Yuan's thoughts on the saltworks location?"

Lu Wan had already decided that the most powerful place in the Mi family's territory was Qu County, which was also the Mi family's hometown.

The Mi family has a stake in this deal, so there's no need to worry about them causing any problems.

"Oh, right, Wen Yuan, you're here. Take a look at this letter. Xian He sent it back." Liu Bei suddenly remembered something, took out a copy from a pile of bamboo slips, and handed it to Lu Wan.

Lu Wan opened the bamboo slip and slowly began to read it...

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Linzi County, Qingzhou

Yuan Tan was processing official documents under the guidance of Wang Xiu, the Prefect. For Qingzhou, which had just been stabilized, necessary paperwork was indispensable.

Yuan Tan knew this would greatly benefit the future, but he just couldn't calm down today.

Several months ago, Yuan Tan was appointed as the governor of Qingzhou. Everyone thought that Yuan Shao appointed him as the governor of Qingzhou because he liked him and was paving the way for him to succeed him in the future. In fact, Yuan Tan initially thought so too, thinking that his father finally treated him like a human being.

As a result, it was only after his advisors reminded him that Yuan Tan realized Yuan Shao had almost given up on him.

Although Qingzhou was strategically located, serving as a hub connecting Jizhou and Yanzhou, it effectively removed Yuan Tan from the political center of Yecheng. This prevented Yuan Tan from directly participating in core decision-making and from cultivating confidants and exerting influence around Yuan Shao.

Sending Yuan Tan to a post outside the capital also removed obstacles to the development of Yuan Shao's youngest son, Yuan Shang, in Ye City, allowing him to spread his influence in Ye City without restraint.

For a time, Yuan Tan was filled with anger and fear. He relentlessly attacked Kong Rong and others in Qingzhou, trying to prove his ability and value to his father, but these efforts were destined to be in vain.

When victory reports arrived in Ye City, they would be intercepted by those with ulterior motives. They would then mix them in with victory reports from other places. In this way, the joy of victory would be diluted by the sheer volume of good news.

Originally, Yuan Shao did not intend to overthrow his eldest son in one fell swoop. Sending him out to a remote area was partly a test, but later the boy's abilities seemed mediocre, so Yuan Shao gave up the idea of ​​bringing him back.

A few months later, Yuan Tan truly realized that he would have a very difficult time succeeding his father in taking the throne. Then he began to give up on himself: Going on duty? No way! Inspecting soldiers? No way!

I'm in this state, what's the point of going to work?

Fate was sealed in the dark room, and all he did was cry all day long. After several days of living in a daze, the arrival of someone finally woke Yuan Tan up.

This person was Wang Xiu, who originally served as a clerk under Kong Rong, and was later recruited by Yuan Tan as an administrator after Kong Rong's defeat and escape.

He wore a faded blue official robe, his brows furrowed. When he saw the mess of cups and plates in the room, his heart tightened. At that moment, Yuan Tan was lying drunk and slumped on the mat.

Seeing Yuan Tan's dejected state, Wang Xiu said with great distress, "My lord, why do you debase yourself like this?"

"Wang Zhizhong? What brings you here? Have you finished your business in the prefecture?"

Wang Xiu pressed on, asking, "My lord! How long are you going to destroy yourself here?"

Yuan Tan raised his head, glaring at Wang Xiu with bloodshot eyes: "What does my self-destruction have to do with you? The world is so vast, yet there's nowhere for me to find refuge. What else can I do but destroy myself?"

"Why do you say that, my lord? Isn't Qingzhou a place where you can find refuge?"

"No! This is my father's land, Yuan Shang's land, but it's definitely not mine!"

Wang Xiu took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as he looked directly at Yuan Tan's tear-streaked face, and said, word by word, with unwavering conviction, "My lord, you are wrong! Utterly wrong! You still have tens of thousands of soldiers! You still have civil and military officials!"

He suddenly pointed out the window, his voice rising abruptly with a surge of power: "Look at Qingzhou! Though not as wealthy as Jizhou, it was once the foundation upon which Duke Huan of Qi built his hegemony! My lord! Can you bear to hand over such a foundation to someone else?"

Yuan Tan was momentarily stunned by Wang Xiu's imposing manner, and his emotions seemed to soften slightly, but the despair in his eyes remained: "So what? Duke Huan of Qi was wise throughout his life, but in the end, didn't he also starve to death?"

"That's precisely why you, my lord, must pull yourself together, otherwise the day the Third Prince ascends the throne will be the day you perish!" Wang Xiu's voice was resolute and unwavering. "And doesn't our lord know that Shen Sheng died within the palace while Chong'er lived in peace outside? Now, although you have left Ye City and arrived in Qingzhou, you have also escaped that den of dragons and tigers!"

Wang Xiu became more and more agitated as he spoke. He lifted his shirt and knelt down with a thud:

"If we remain in Ye City, who knows what despicable acts those treacherous people will commit to harm you, my lord. But now it's different. There's a vast world to explore, and much more to achieve! With this advantage, do you really intend to follow in the footsteps of Fusu of the Former Qin Dynasty and end up committing suicide?"

"The vast world... offers great opportunities..." Wang Xiu's words resounded in Yuan Tan's mind like thunder. Even if he returned to Ye City now, he would not be able to compete with Yuan Shang. It would be better to settle down in Qingzhou, bide his time, cultivate his inner strength, and wait for the world to change before coming out again.

Yuan Tan swayed as he stood up, placed his slightly trembling hand on Wang Xiu's shoulder, and said in a dry, hoarse voice, but without the hysteria of before: "Uncle Gong, please stand up and speak."

"You're right, I, Yuan Tan, will never sit idly by and wait for my doom!"