Chen Xi didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about eating Fa Zheng's food. Whether it was music, dance, or banquets, Chen Xi accepted everything without hesitation. However, he had to admit that Fa Zheng's chefs were quite good at cooking.
"This is for you as well." Chen Xi passed a small dish from his table to Lu Xun, who was sitting beside him, happily wielding his chopsticks. It was clear that Lu Xun, who was used to eating stewed dishes every day, was very pleased with the novelty of stir-fried dishes.
"Oh, thank you, Master," Lu Xun said respectfully, putting down his chopsticks.
"Don't mention it. If you like it, Fa Zheng, bring him another serving," Chen Xi said, pointing at the table. "Give him some fried rice instead of steamed buns. He might not be used to the buns. Bring a variety of dishes; Bo Yan seems to enjoy this kind of meal."
Fa Zheng waved to a servant, who quickly replaced Lu Xun's small table with another one and laid out a variety of small dishes and bowls.
"Um..." Lu Xun hesitated, unsure whether he should finish the meal here.
"Relax and enjoy your meal. My father is already hosting a banquet for your parents and grandfather, and the performances have also been arranged," Fa Zheng said with a smile, easily seeing through Lu Xun's hesitation.
Originally, by status, Fa Zheng and Chen Xi should have hosted the entire Lu family, but Fa Zheng felt that he was too young for such a responsibility, so he had his father entertain the Lu family while he hosted Zhuge Liang and the others.
Naturally, with Fa Yan presiding over the main banquet, it would have been inappropriate for Chen Xi to attend as a mere companion, so they split into two groups. The main banquet took place in the main hall, while their group dined in an inner chamber of the hall, allowing them to relax without concern.
"Thank you," Lu Xun said, bowing respectfully to Fa Zheng. The etiquette he had been taught from a young age was displayed to perfection.
"No need to be so formal. Soon enough, you'll realize that eating like this every day isn't that special anymore," Fa Zheng said with a smile. "Many things subtly change your habits over time. Even the best things, once they become routine, will eventually be overlooked. You'll soon get used to this lifestyle."
"Wow, Fa Zheng, you can say such things now?" Chen Xi chuckled. "It's true, though. The most terrifying changes are those that happen gradually, altering your mindset little by little until you become accustomed to what once seemed impossible."
"I learned that from our lord," Fa Zheng said with a smile. "In the past, even when our lord held high positions, there was still a bit of pettiness in his bones. But now, he's gradually becoming more magnanimous, no longer caring about short-term gains and losses."
"That's how it should be. Occupying such a position nurtures such a temperament—it's always been that way. By the way, has Yuan Benchu sent over the beauties and fine horses yet?" Chen Xi nodded, then asked curiously.
"They've arrived. The women are quite beautiful, but the horses... well, not so much," Fa Zheng said with a dismissive wave. Yuan Benchu wasn't a fool—he was one of the few true leaders in the world. He knew exactly what could be given and what couldn't. Sending women wouldn't enhance Liu Bei's military strength, but sending top-quality horses would. As a result, while the horses he sent were good, they were far from suitable mounts for top warriors.
"Yuan Benchu isn't so easily fooled. What about those clever gadgets and tricks?" Chen Xi asked with interest. "Like rare items from the Han Dynasty?"
"There were quite a few, including the seismoscope and armillary sphere made by Minister Zhang during the reign of Emperor He. There were also some self-propelling boats and flying machines from the previous Han Dynasty, along with a bunch of gold and jade trinkets," Fa Zheng said, shaking his head. "Aside from the seismoscope and armillary sphere, which are somewhat useful, the rest are just distractions that dull the mind. Are you sure these won't cause any problems?"
"What about the waterwheel, the drum cart, and that so-called flying machine?" Chen Xi asked curiously. If they sent over the armillary sphere, they surely wouldn't have skipped these. They might seem useless, but they contained a lot of technological value.
"The flying machine's wings are missing, but the drum cart and waterwheel are here. You really want them? Be careful not to get too absorbed in them," Fa Zheng said with a bit of curiosity. Becoming obsessed with such things was no joke. Although Fa Zheng admired Zheng Hun, he also saw him as someone who had wasted his talents on trivial pursuits.
"Some things are only misunderstood because they were developed in the wrong direction," Chen Xi said, unable to resist criticizing Zhang Heng.
Take the waterwheel, for example. It was said to have operated without error for decades. Zhang Heng's creations were renowned for their precision. His hydraulic-powered armillary sphere was said to match the accuracy of the celestial bodies. In other words, as long as it remained intact, its timekeeping was flawless.
But why use such precise machinery to keep a calendar? Why not turn it into a clock? The difficulty level would have been almost zero.
And then there were the wooden automaton horses—an example of how Zhang Heng's technological path had veered off course. The mechanical ingenuity involved was astounding, yet it was used to make a toy. If that effort had been directed toward making large equipment like ships, it would have been far more beneficial.
Then there was the south-pointing chariot. Precision aside, the automatic gear mechanism alone represented a significant technological breakthrough. With such innovations, many agricultural tools could have been developed, but instead, Zhang Heng focused on recreating ancient curiosities, proving he could match the ingenuity of sages from the past—and then he simply discarded them.
"Well, do as you please. When you return to Taishan, just ask Zijing. He's stored away anything that might not be suitable," Fa Zheng said. Although he didn't fully understand Chen Xi's intentions, he trusted that Chen Xi knew how to handle things.
In fact, Chen Xi had long anticipated that the gifts Yuan Shao sent would likely include not only women but also materials meant to corrupt Liu Bei. However, in ancient times, many such things were actually advanced technology with significant research value. For example, studying Zhang Heng's gear mechanisms could lead to improvements in many existing tools. Unfortunately, few people recognized their importance.
After all, while Chen Xi knew about many of these things, the current state of society and technology limited their development. Even if Chen Xi provided guidance, the resources and skills needed to create them were often lacking. As a result, finding ancient methods that closely resembled modern concepts was often the most efficient approach. After all, many technologies in ancient China had simply disappeared over time...
Take salt drying, for example. The technique originated during the time of the legendary Emperor Shennong and had become incredibly advanced by the early Western Han Dynasty. However, when a certain prince used this method to build his power and rebel, the technique was suppressed by the government and eventually lost after more than a hundred years of prohibition.
Another example was glass. A mature glassmaking technique existed in the early Spring and Autumn period, but it was suppressed because it threatened the interests of Chu State's semi-porcelain industry. The technology vanished, leaving behind only a few artifacts as collectibles for the nobility of that era.