Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

”Zhuge Fu, checked in on November 11th...” Mi Zhu began reading from the bamboo slips. ”Sima Lang, checked in on November 12th...”

As Mi Zhu continued reading, Chen Xi found himself growing drowsy. Aside from the names Sima Lang and Sima Yi, which caused him some heartache, none of the names really registered.

”Zhuge Jin, checked in at Mi’s Inn on November 11th,” Mi Zhu read, just as Chen Xi was on the verge of falling asleep. The familiar name jolted him awake. Before he could ask, Mi Zhu continued, ”Zhuge Liang, checked in at Mi’s Inn on November 11th.”

”Stop!” Chen Xi was suddenly wide awake. He grabbed the bamboo slip, staring at the two names. After a long pause, he slammed the table, ignoring the pain in his hand, and laughed. ”Hahaha, losing one thing and gaining another! Let’s go, we must meet these two talents!”

Ignoring the shocked expressions around him, Chen Xi rushed outside. The carriage was already waiting, and he was determined not to miss this opportunity. Losing Sima Yi was a setback, but finding Zhuge Liang? Liu Xuande’s luck was truly impressive!

After a few steps, Chen Xi realized something and awkwardly turned to Mi Zhu. ”Zizhong, which inn are these two staying at?”

”Flip the bamboo slip over; the location is engraved on the back,” Mi Zhu replied quickly.

Chen Xi flipped the slip and found the engraving in the bottom right corner. ”Central Inn?” he murmured, his thoughts turning to the coincidence. Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang, staying at the same place on the same day—were they destined to meet? He wondered if there had been any sparks between them, like Sima Yi taking advantage of his age to outmatch the young Zhuge Liang.

In Chen Xi’s mind, Zhuge Liang was still young and couldn’t be too much of a prodigy just yet. Over time, the two-year age difference might even out, but for now, he doubted Zhuge Liang could overpower Sima Yi. As for their spiritual talents, Chen Xi guessed that Sima Yi might have already awakened his, possibly the one that caused everyone to be affected last time. As for Zhuge Liang, he still seemed too young.

Besides, the Sima brothers had sent a gift for his wedding, so Chen Xi felt a bit obligated to side with Sima Yi. After all, when Zhuge Liang grew up, he’d probably bully Sima Yi quite a bit. If Sima Yi didn’t take advantage now, he might never get the chance again.”Zizhong, let’s hurry over there. If we let these two slip away, we’d be fools!” Chen Xi urged, excitement evident in his voice.

”Let’s go, let’s go!” Mi Zhu responded with equal urgency. He grabbed Chen Xi and rushed towards his carriage. If Chen Xi said these two were more talented than Fazheng, they had to be worth it. Losing them would be a disaster for Liu Bei’s cause.

Once in the carriage, Mi Zhu urged the driver to go as fast as possible. Normally composed, Mi Zhu was now throwing caution to the wind, driving at breakneck speed towards Central Inn. It seemed like he wouldn’t even stop if they hit someone—he’d deal with that later, once Zhuge Liang was secured.

”Hey, be careful! If Bo Ning catches us speeding like this, we’ll be in trouble!” Chen Xi clung to the carriage window, a bit alarmed by the reckless pace.

”We’ll deal with that after we’ve met these two,” Mi Zhu replied, unfazed. ”If Bo Ning comes after us, I’ll just turn myself in later. Worst-case scenario, I’ll pay a fine. It’s worth it if we can secure these talents.”

”Don’t worry; they’re not going anywhere,” Chen Xi said, finally relaxing as he adjusted to the wild ride.

”You’ve already let two get away, and now you’re saying these two won’t run?” Mi Zhu shot back, glaring at Chen Xi. ”Tell me what happened—how did two Fazheng-level talents slip through your fingers?” He clutched his chest as if he were about to faint from the shock.

Chen Xi explained the situation as best he could, and Mi Zhu’s glare deepened. ”Zichuan, if you knew their names, you should have let me handle it! My family’s business spans the empire. Finding a scholar isn’t easy, but it’s a lot better than just sitting around waiting!”

Chen Xi could only offer a wry smile and a shake of his head. ”Once you meet these two, you’ll understand why I acted as I did.”

The carriage sped through the city, nearly getting stopped by the guards several times. However, Chen Xi’s reputation and Mi Zhu’s insignia were enough to let them pass, even at such a reckless speed.

”We’ve arrived, Master,” the driver announced as they reached Central Inn. The journey had been swift but smooth, and they were there in no time.

”Good.” Mi Zhu jumped out of the carriage, not bothering with the usual formalities. He was too eager to meet the talents Chen Xi had mentioned.

”Welcome, Master! Welcome, Sir Chen!” The innkeeper, spotting Mi Zhu and Chen Xi, rushed to greet them.

”Let’s go inside,” Chen Xi said, scanning the dining hall. None of the patrons matched Zhuge Jin or Zhuge Liang’s descriptions, so he headed towards the rooms.

Just as they were about to continue searching, a young man in fine clothing descended the stairs. His refined demeanor and bright eyes immediately caught Chen Xi’s attention. This had to be him—Zhuge Liang!