"Oh, don't send that person to Yizhou just yet. We might need his strength for this mission; after all, he's a powerful fighter," Chen Xi said after some thought. There was no rush to send Guan Hai to Yizhou right now. In the eyes of the world, Guan Hai was already dead, so as long as they didn't make it too obvious, no one would suspect anything.
"A powerful fighter?" Taishi Ci and Gan Ning exchanged glances. They both guessed that the person must be at the level of an internal energy master. However, unlike Taishi Ci, Gan Ning had already figured out the identity of the person in question.
"Yes. Which ship is he on? I'll go meet him," Chen Xi nodded. "It's good to see him anyway; he's a bit of a special case."
"He's on this ship. I'll take you to him later. But, Strategist, if he doesn't want to fight anymore, please don't force him," Gan Ning said sincerely. After learning the man's identity, Gan Ning, who highly valued loyalty and righteousness, had come to deeply respect the prisoner on board, regardless of his past affiliation with the Yellow Turbans. For people like Guan Yu and Gan Ning, they respected such behavior, and thus they treated him well.
"Don't worry. If he doesn't want to, I'll send him to Yizhou. But if he agrees, he can lend us a hand first," Chen Xi replied with a smile. He wasn't surprised that Gan Ning had figured out who it was. Anyone who underestimated Gan Ning as a simple-minded warrior would likely end up dead. Gan Ning was a man trained by a noble family, with a sharp mind to match, even if he appeared more straightforward.
"Very well," Gan Ning nodded.
After lunch, before Gan Ning had the chance to take Chen Xi to see Guan Hai, Zhuge Liang arrived with his newly created cipher system. He handed the instructions and contents over to Gan Ning. "Look through the first part, and you'll understand! Do you know 'The Book of Changes'?"
"No," Gan Ning shook his head vigorously. He remembered that when he was younger, a master specializing in 'The Book of Changes' had been hired to teach him, but he never understood a word of it. It was simply too difficult.
"Hmm, in that case, just follow the instructions step by step. You don't need to understand it deeply, just go by the book," Zhuge Liang said with a frown. As a top general, not understanding the concepts of yin and yang or celestial phenomena seemed unimaginable to him. Frustrated, he pulled out a copy of 'The Book of Changes' and tossed it to Gan Ning.
Gan Ning felt a bit embarrassed, but he sat down and opened the cipher system Zhuge Liang had written. As he read through it, he remarked, "Kongming, your handwriting is impressive! Well done!"
"Thank you," Zhuge Liang replied, a little embarrassed. Though he had initially looked down on Gan Ning, he felt better after receiving the compliment.
"General Gan, you might want to read 'The Book of Changes' more often. You don't need to master it, but understanding its principles can be beneficial. For example, General Guan often reads 'The Spring and Autumn Annals,' and General Zhao reads various texts. You could also start by reading 'The Book of Changes' daily. At the very least, it gives you... um, as Zixuan would say, a sense of sophistication," Zhuge Liang suggested.
"Sophistication, huh?" Gan Ning nodded, recalling that Chen Xi had explained the concept of sophistication to him before. It was about earning respect from others through your actions or demeanor, something Gan Ning valued greatly.
After hearing Zhuge Liang's words, Gan Ning decided that whether he understood it or not, he would carry 'The Book of Changes' around with him. At the very least, it would give him a more refined image. Carrying a classic text like 'The Book of Changes' certainly had more gravitas than carrying a steamed bun.
Gan Ning wasn't slow-witted, and Zhuge Liang had written everything in great detail. After just one reading, Gan Ning felt enlightened. The way the cipher was arranged was simply unbeatable. At least, Gan Ning couldn't imagine anyone cracking it. If necessary, the code could be continuously altered, with dozens of base codes prepared in advance.
"Haha, you're really something! Why not join our navy? We need talented people like you," Gan Ning laughed as he crumbled the original cipher instructions into dust. He had already grasped the method and planned to create his own version, so only he would know how to encode the messages.
"No, I haven't finished my studies yet. There's still much to learn, so I can't join the navy," Zhuge Liang replied with a smile, pleased with Gan Ning's cautious approach. In Zhuge Liang's view, a great general should indeed be careful. The earlier carefree attitude Gan Ning had displayed didn't quite fit the image of a top commander.
Gan Ning squinted his eyes and then dropped the matter. He had already guessed where Zhuge Liang's future lay.
As he gazed at the horizon where the sea met the sky, Gan Ning realized that he harbored no envy. He was more than satisfied with his current life, and even if he wanted more, he knew he lacked the necessary intellect.
"Let's go fishing. Time to balance work with relaxation! We'll catch something and make fish soup tonight," Gan Ning said, patting Zhuge Liang on the shoulder.
"Sounds good," Zhuge Liang nodded. It was his first time out at sea, and he was slightly excited. He couldn't focus on reading, so he decided to join Gan Ning for some fishing.
Watching Gan Ning tie a giant hook to a thick rope, then impale a foot-long live fish on it before swinging it around and casting it into the water, Zhuge Liang was left speechless. Was this really fishing?
"What's the matter, Kongming?" Gan Ning chuckled as he noticed Zhuge Liang's wide-eyed expression. This was the same reaction Mi Fang had when he first saw it.
"Is this really fishing?" Zhuge Liang asked with a wry smile, gesturing as he spoke. In his mind, fishing involved a bamboo rod, a thin line, and a bent sewing needle as a hook. What was this?
"Of course, it's fishing!" Gan Ning laughed heartily. As he spoke, he suddenly staggered forward. "See? I've got a bite!"
"...," Zhuge Liang's face twitched. What kind of foolish fish would swallow such a huge hook?
"This one's pretty strong!" Gan Ning was nearly pulled overboard as he braced himself against the side of the ship. The thick rope was stretched taut. "Whoa, this is a big one! Fetch my sword—I'm going to slay it!" Gan Ning called out. He knew that, in terms of raw strength, he often wasn't a match for these giant fish.
Seeing this, Zhuge Liang quickly ran to get help. But before he could take a few steps, he heard a loud crack. The part of the ship where Gan Ning had braced himself broke, and Gan Ning was pulled into the water.