Chapter 62: The Departure of Dong Han

Under Guan Yu's guidance, Zhang Fei quickly learned how to use a toothbrush and toothpaste.

After washing up, Zhang Fei felt a refreshing sensation in his mouth, which he found truly novel.

This toothpaste and toothbrush seemed much easier to use than tea water or salt water.

Following closely behind Guan Yu as they left the room, Zhang Fei looked around at his surroundings and asked the man walking ahead of him, "Second Brother, is this place we are in that very same eatery?"

"Yes. Because you were drunk yesterday and it was already late, the proprietor let us stay the night."

The proprietor of this establishment was certainly a kind person.

"Second Brother, what on earth was that wonderful thing you mentioned just now?"

"Third Brother, since you were drunk yesterday, you missed out on the magical objects the proprietor brought back after he left. One is called a telescope, and the other is a walkie-talkie."

A walkie-talkie? A telescope?

What extraordinarily strange names.

In the courtyard, Zhuge Liang and Song Yingxing were sitting on stone stools, carefully studying the instruction manuals for the walkie-talkie and the telescope.

A shout drew the attention of both men.

"Military Strategist, Changgeng."

The speaker was Zhang Fei, who had just stepped out of the room with Guan Yu.

Although Zhang Fei had always dismissed Zhuge Liang ever since the famous three visits to the thatched cottage, the Battle of Bowang Slope had completely cured him of his previous contempt. Now, he truly regarded Zhuge Liang as his military strategist.

"Yide, are you looking for our Lord? He is just outside the courtyard."

"Military Strategist, I wonder if Yunhai and I might take a pair of walkie-talkies."

"Yunchang, feel free to take them."

Watching Guan Yu hold the walkie-talkie with a look of excitement, Zhang Fei felt utterly baffled.

His gaze landed on the black brick-like object in his second brother's hand, and a question arose in his mind.

Is this the walkie-talkie Second Brother spoke of? It looks completely ordinary.

Stepping out of the agritainment guesthouse, Zhang Fei spotted Liu Bei maintaining a strange posture on a nearby raised footpath of a field.

Liu Bei's hands were clenched into fists, held right up against his eyes.

What on earth is going on?

"Second Brother, what is the meaning of Eldest Brother's posture? It looks like he is holding something with a bizarre shape in his hands."

"Third Brother, the object Eldest Brother is holding is the telescope I mentioned to you earlier. It can clearly see scenes two or three li away."

Zhang Fei's tiger-like eyes widened abruptly as he stared at Guan Yu beside him.

Two or three li away!

Could that possibly be true?

At his absolute best, his own eyesight could only reach about a hundred paces—not even half a li. Yet this object called a telescope could reportedly see four times as far as his own vision.

"Second Brother, are you saying the telescope can see scenes two or three li away?"

Zhang Fei confirmed with Guan Yu beside him.

His question alerted Liu Bei, who was not far away.

Liu Bei turned around to look behind him and saw his second and third brothers standing side by side.

"Third Brother, you're awake. Come and take a look at this item."

With that, Liu Bei handed the telescope in his hand to Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei stepped forward, took the telescope from Liu Bei's hand, and under Liu Bei's instruction, brought it up to his eyes with a heart full of curiosity.

In just an instant, Zhang Fei's mouth fell slightly open, and an expression of sheer disbelief appeared on his face.

Through the telescope, he saw that the fields which had previously been a hundred paces away now appeared as if they were right before his very eyes.

Unable to believe it, Zhang Fei lowered the telescope.

The fields remained far away in the distance.

Then, Zhang Fei brought the telescope back to his eyes and lowered it again, playing with it to his heart's content.

"Alright, Third Brother, let's go and try out the walkie-talkies now."

If the telescope was this miraculous, he could only wonder how extraordinary the walkie-talkies would be.

A trace of expectant curiosity stirred within Zhang Fei's heart.

Half an hour later, Zhang Fei returned to the guesthouse, thoroughly satisfied.

Just as he had anticipated, the walkie-talkie was equally miraculous.

Although he and his second brother had been separated by half a li, he could clearly hear every word his second brother spoke through the device.

Such a magical phenomenon once again refreshed Zhang Fei's understanding of the world.

Combining the telescope and the walkie-talkie, Zhang Fei quickly realized what immense potential these two items held on the battlefield.

Inside the house, Zhang Po was dividing the gold beans brought by Liu Bei into several portions. Hearing Liu Bei calling out to him, he put the gold beans away and stepped out of the room.

"Proprietor, thank you for your hospitality yesterday. Now that Yide has woken up, we must take our leave."

"Very well, Lord Xuande. Do not forget the date we agreed upon; by then, I should have purchased the next batch of supplies."

Early this morning, Zhang Po had discussed and finalized the list of goods to purchase with the ministers and ruler of the Eastern Han, along with Song Yingxing.

Without a doubt, if one wanted to make money, one had to target the upper class.

After all, with the common people of both the Eastern Han and the late Ming dynasty on the verge of starvation, how could they possibly have spare money to buy these modern trinkets?

As for what to sell, Zhang Po had already made up his mind.

Salt without the slightest impurity, sugar as white and smooth as a mirror, flawless mirrors, lighters, and glass cups—all of these were cheap goods in modern times, yet possessed immense value in antiquity.

Perhaps he could even bring along some items to boost combat effectiveness and stamina; yes, those would surely have a massive market.

Watching the Eastern Han quartet depart alongside Song Yingxing, Zhang Po turned around and drove his elderly mobility scooter out of the garage.

Next on the agenda: sell the gold, then procure the supplies.

After spending the better part of the day running around to various places, Zhang Po finally returned to the agritainment guesthouse by the afternoon.

Although selling the gold had been troublesome and required visiting multiple locations, the rewards gained in return were correspondingly massive.

Not only had a large sum of digital currency appeared on his phone, but the fact that his mobility scooter was crammed to full capacity also demonstrated that this trip had been exceptionally fruitful.

Parking the scooter in the garage, Zhang Po set to work unloading the cargo.

After unloading for about five minutes, Zhang Po heard human voices drifting in from outside the garage.

"Proprietor, I called out for quite a while with no answer. So this is where you are."

Zhang Po turned his head and saw Crown Prince Zhu Biao standing at the entrance of the garage.

At that moment, Zhu Biao's gaze was fixed upon the mobility scooter nearby, his eyes shimmering with curiosity.

Inwardly, Zhang Po thought: Brother Zhu, I was busy unloading things, so I suppose I didn't hear you.

"Then let me lend a hand as well."

"Thank you, Brother Zhu."

With Zhu Biao's assistance, the unloading speed increased significantly.

"Proprietor, may I ask what kind of goods all of these are?"

"They are just some little trinkets. I wouldn't mind giving some to you, Brother Zhu."

"Proprietor, I cannot accept that. I have already received many favors. Let my Imperial Father bring the rewards to the proprietor when he returns from this trip, and only then shall I accept your kind intentions."

Right, where was Old Zhu?

Zhang Po turned his head to look behind Zhu Biao, but he did not see Old Zhu anywhere.

"Brother Zhu, where is His Majesty?"

"My Imperial Father is resting by the stone table in the courtyard."

"Brother Zhu, was this trip to the Western Han smooth?"

"Thank you for your concern, Proprietor; everything went smoothly. In my Imperial Father's own words, he and Emperor Wu of Han share many similarities, so they conversed very agreeably."

Hearing this, Zhang Po couldn't help a silent internal scoff: Emperor Wu's extermination of three clans and Old Zhu's extermination of nine clans certainly had strikingly similar craftsmanship.

"I wonder what Emperor Wu and His Majesty talked about?"

"That I do not know. At the time, both Little Ju and I remained outside the room."

Weren't Emperor Wu and Old Zhu being a bit too standoffish? How could they not let anyone else listen in?

"However, judging by my Imperial Father's demeanor, he seemed extremely satisfied with this trip."

Extremely satisfied?

Could it be that the Han and Ming dynasties had signed some sort of pact?

"Brother Zhu, did His Majesty gain anything from the Western Han?"

"Gain is hardly the word, but my Imperial Father mentioned that he caught sight of the legendary Heirloom Seal of the Realm."