Jia Xu stood cheerfully at the entrance of the Zhuge family home. At this moment, he cast aside all his worries and fears about Cao Cao, his heart and eyes filled only with thoughts of Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang—this was his savior!
If this cat retrieval went smoothly, he would be able to overcome this crisis!
When Cao Cao attacked, their Nanyang Commandery would be well-prepared, minimizing losses. Even if Zhuge Liang was unwilling to submit to Cao Cao later, he would let him go find Liu Bei.
As long as he could endure this!
Jia Xu remembered that historically, Jia Xu had followed Cao Cao and survived intact, outliving Cao Cao!
This meant that “Cao Cao attacking Zhang Xiu” was the biggest hurdle in Jia Xu’s life journey!
Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang, savior, savior!
When Zhuge Jun opened the courtyard gate himself, what he saw was a handsome young man with a mysterious smile and sparkling eyes. He didn’t look like someone visiting a sick friend’s bedside but rather like someone carrying two strings of firecrackers to dance on an enemy’s grave.
Yes, a handsome young man.
Jia Xu had transmigrated into this world using his own body. He shared the same name as “Jia Xu” but was a completely different person.
Historically, Jia Xu had accumulated experience over time and only gained fame in middle age. By the time he followed Dong Zhuo, he was already over forty. In the first year of Jian’an, Jia Xu should have been forty-nine, but Jia Xu himself had just turned eighteen.
However, Zhang Xiu had met the eighteen-year-old Jia Xu from the start, and no one else had raised any objections about Jia Xu’s youth or good looks.
Jia Xu was currently quite confident about his identity issue. The figures from Dong Zhuo’s faction should have, after Dong Zhuo’s death, been mobilized by Jia Xu’s schemes—Li Jue and Guo Si had turned from fleeing Chang’an back to Xiliang into killing their way back to Chang’an, after which Jia Xu was honored as a distinguished guest.
He had asked Zhang Xiu, who said that after offering his plan, he had left Chang’an and never returned to Xiliang. This differed significantly from history.
But this also ensured that most of the important figures who had previously met Jia Xu, aside from Lu Bu, were likely dead!
As for Lu Bu…
Jia Xu remembered that he would be killed by Cao Cao, so there was no rush. They wouldn’t have a chance to meet, and his identity was secure.
Sure enough, the “Zhuge Liang” before him showed no suspicion about his identity.
“Are you my uncle’s colleague, Jia Xu, Jia Wenhe?” The young man spoke with a voice still in the cracking stage of puberty.
Hearing this voice, Jia Xu momentarily felt a bit disoriented. He pondered that Liu Bei probably hadn’t come looking for Zhuge Liang at this time. Otherwise, this voice, this height, and the baby fat on his face had nothing to do with the descriptions of “eight feet tall” and “having an ethereal, immortal-like demeanor.”
“You must be the prodigy of the Zhuge family!” Jia Xu spoke enthusiastically. “I was entrusted by your uncle to take care of your family. Is your uncle bedridden? I brought medicine. Actually, I also brought a carriage. The medical standards here probably can’t compare to where I’m from. Come with me—I’ll take good care of your family!”
Yes, Jia Xu was here to pick up the cat—not just one kitten, but he planned to take them all, big and small!
Prodigy? Me? Not really…
Upon hearing these words, Zhuge Jun couldn’t help but smile. He had initially thought it was odd for this person to be smiling while visiting his sick uncle, but now he realized there was nothing odd about it!
He was just someone who loved to smile, and people who love to smile have good personalities!
Zhuge Jun had come with tasks assigned by his uncle and elder brother. The two of them needed to tidy their attire, as did his younger sisters, but he was the exception—he was sent to delay the sudden arrival of Jia Xu.
However, after being praised by Jia Xu, he couldn’t help but smile and ended up being led inside in a daze.
It wasn’t until Jia Xu took his seat that Zhuge Jun snapped back to reality.
Wait—this wasn’t right!
He hadn’t completed his task properly!
Now that his uncle and brother were still changing clothes, Zhuge Jun couldn’t very well lead Jia Xu back outside. He steeled himself to engage in conversation with this man instead.
Jia Xu had been in Nanyang Commandery for about as long as they had, and Zhuge Jun had heard his elder brother Zhuge Liang analyze this man before.
Zhuge Liang said Jia Xu was an exceptionally clever man, much like his nickname, the “Poisonous Strategist.” He had a knack for identifying the root of a problem and solving it efficiently, saving both time and effort.
When he first rose to prominence in Chang’an, he was somewhat different from how he appeared now.
Back in Chang’an, Jia Xu had once devised a plan to temporarily protect the soldiers under Li Jue and Guo Si, but it ended up bringing disaster to the city. After Dong Zhuo’s sudden death, Wang Yun and Lu Bu took control of Chang’an. If they had hastily retreated to Xiliang at that time, Wang Yun would have surely purged the region. Instead, Jia Xu turned the tables by launching a “counterattack on Chang’an,” catching Lu Bu off guard and forcing the legendary warrior—comparable to Xiang Yu of old—to flee in defeat.
However, Li Jue and Guo Si were no better men, sharing Dong Zhuo’s wickedness. They followed in his footsteps and once again brought bloodshed to Chang’an.
At that time, Jia Xu disappeared without a trace, only to resurface later by joining Zhang Xiu. Over the past few months, he had been diligently managing Nanyang Commandery under Zhang Xiu’s command, working efficiently and with great dedication.
From this, Zhuge Jun formed an initial impression of Jia Xu: clever, experienced, and meticulous.
When he mentioned “meticulous,” his elder brother had playfully tapped him on the head. But Zhuge Jun felt he wasn’t wrong. “Using the least effort doesn’t necessarily mean he relies on his cleverness to achieve great things with little input. It might simply be that he only has so much energy to spare, so he conserves it.”
Now, seeing Jia Xu in person, Zhuge Jun felt even more convinced he was right. This man was all about conservation!
Zhang Xiu had inherited assets from his uncle and enjoyed support from Liu Biao. Jia Xu was also highly regarded by Zhang Xiu, as evidenced by the fact that when he left Zhang Xiu’s side, he could bring three carriages with him, not to mention the twenty guards accompanying him.
The guards stood as straight as pine trees. Even now, with Jia Xu inside with him, Zhuge Jun glanced through the open window and saw no one slacking off.
These were undoubtedly elites!
Despite being the de facto second-in-command in Nanyang Commandery, Jia Xu’s clothing showed no signs of extravagance. He wore a simple robe, without even the subtle embroidery that aristocratic families often favored.
How thrifty Jia Xu was!
Little did Zhuge Jun know that Jia Xu had brought twenty guards—half seasoned, half new—to make the most of his time, pairing them up so the newcomers could learn from the veterans, adopting their discipline and obedience. This arrangement had been mistaken for an elite team.
He also had no idea that his clothing was perceived as plain.
Heaven knows! Jia Xu had his own sense of style when it came to attire, though he wasn’t sure where it came from.
The older Jia Xu tended to dress in “black, white, and gray”—not literally, but in a very low-key manner.
However, the eighteen-year-old Jia Xu couldn’t live like the fifty-year-old version. Besides, he personally preferred brighter colors, unless he was going somewhere dirty. For instance, he was currently wearing a fresh, vibrant shade of water-blue!
Though the two had some misconceptions about each other, their conversation somehow managed to proceed, albeit in a strangely mismatched way.
“I came here with sincerity this time. There might have been some misunderstanding with your uncle before. I initially thought that Zhang Xiu only had me as his strategist, which seemed too few. I wanted to bring in more people so we could brainstorm together. Perhaps I was too desperate and sought help from the wrong places, which led to Yinyi misunderstanding that I was trying to abduct a child.”
Jia Xu was also very candid. Seeing how young “Zhuge Liang” was, he understood why Zhuge Xuan hadn’t told him and why his own people could never find him. He had been looking for someone around his own age, not this childlike figure before him.
Sigh…
Who knew if the young Zhuge Liang would grow into the brilliant strategist he was destined to become? But it didn’t matter—Zhuge Xuan likely wouldn’t die anytime soon!
Jia Xu was determined to take the entire Zhuge family with him. With so many clever minds in one household, even if each only contributed one step of a plan, they could surely keep Cao Cao in check!
Little did Cao Cao know that someone was already plotting to use the “Zhuge” family to gang up on him. He was genuinely busy mustering his troops, preparing to attack Zhang Xiu.
However, Guo Jia was trying to dissuade him. “The timing isn’t right. It’s harvest season. If we attack now, we won’t disrupt Zhang Xiu’s harvest, and he’ll have ample supplies for a defensive siege. And then there’s Jia Xu—something’s off. In the few months he’s been with Zhang Xiu, he’s been handling logistics, and doing it exceptionally well.”
Strategists come in many types. Take Liu Bang’s advisors, for example: Zhang Liang was a battlefield strategist, with an almost supernatural ability to command wars, as if he could foresee a hundred steps ahead after seeing just one. Xiao He, on the other hand, specialized in logistics, supporting half of Liu Bang’s early resources. While each could handle the other’s tasks, it wasn’t the optimal arrangement.
Guo Jia himself was a battlefield strategist and knew Jia Xu was too. Among Cao Cao’s advisors, the only one who excelled in both battlefield strategy and logistics was Xun Yu. Yet lately, Jia Xu seemed to be shifting toward logistics—and doing it remarkably well. Something was definitely off!
“Perhaps if we attack now, we’d be playing right into Jia Xu’s hands.” Guo Jia was a clever man, adept at analyzing both situations and human nature.
Guo Jia’s reasoning was sound, and his analysis was spot-on, but Cao Cao had his own plans.
“Sun Ce in the south is gaining momentum like a rising tide. If we clash head-on with him, we’d stand no chance.”
“As for Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu, Liu Biao currently harbors resentment toward Zhang Xiu. If we launch an attack, we might just be able to recruit both Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu into our ranks.”
Cao Cao was aiming for a direct recruitment approach—boss-style!
Guo Jia, too, found Jia Xu quite intriguing at the moment. He imagined that by fighting a battle and showcasing his superior skills, he could provoke Jia Xu into a frenzy, forcing him to concede defeat in the end.
Hmm…
Let’s do it!
“It’s not like we’re without a chance…”
Jia Xu had no idea that someone had initially intended to spare him his first beating, nor did he know that he hadn’t yet succeeded in dissuading Cao Cao.
If you told Jia Xu that Guo Jia couldn’t persuade Cao Cao, he wouldn’t believe it anyway!
Guo Jia was definitely doing this on purpose! He probably just wanted to fight Jia Xu! Or maybe his real intention was to join the ranks of those beating Jia Xu. After all, Cao Cao’s strategist team was quite large, and originally, the strategists weren’t including him.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. At this moment, Jia Xu was already happily securing “Zhuge Liang’s” promise and had even started calling him “brother”!
“Little brother, do you really promise to help your big brother?” Jia Xu was ecstatic inside, barely maintaining his composure. He resisted the urge to transform into a monkey from Mount Emei and let out a few long, triumphant howls to express his joy. If he actually did that, he was afraid he’d scare away the top-tier strategist he was so close to securing!
“Of course!” Zhuge Jun, who was also often mistaken for his brother Zhuge Liang by people from the past, was so flattered by Jia Xu’s praise that he had already decided—regardless of whether his uncle and brother wanted to stay under Jia Xu’s command, he was definitely staying!
Jia Xu was indeed too busy to handle everything alone. Jia Xu was such a good person, with a discerning eye that recognized talent, able to see the potential in his young self. He absolutely had to help him!
After chatting for a few minutes, the two were almost ready to take the “Oath of the Peach Garden”!
Suddenly, the door behind them swung open.
“Ah Jun, have you seen where we put the iron? This clothing isn’t very smooth.” Zhuge Liang, head lowered as he tried to smooth out the fabric with his hands, spoke to Zhuge Jun, assuming he had taken Jia Xu to the neighboring Huang family.
They had agreed earlier: the neighbor was Huang Chengyan’s home, Huang Yueying’s father, who had a good relationship with the Zhuge family. Zhuge Liang and Huang Yueying were also close, and Huang Chengyan had plans to marry off his daughter. It was a reasonable excuse to delay things, and then they could visit the Huang family—perfectly logical.
He never expected that when he looked up, he would see his embarrassed younger brother and a stunned Jia Xu.
Jia Xu was still sharing his little ironing trick, “Sprinkle some water and smooth it out, and it’ll flatten…”
Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun looked so much alike!
The only difference was that Zhuge Liang appeared a bit older!
This was Zhuge Liang? Then who had I been talking to just now?
The real and fake Zhuge Liang?
Jia Xu was utterly shocked!
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Jia Xu: The real and fake Zhuge Liang?! Wait, aren’t I in the Three Kingdoms? How did I end up in Journey to the West? No way!
Our protagonist: Jia Xu, 18 years old, male, a freshman in college. After military training ended in October, he time-traveled to the Three Kingdoms.
Original: Jia Xu, 42 years old, male. After Dong Zhuo’s death, he offered a strategy. In the original history, he should have been kept in Chang’an by Li Jue and Guo Si, declined the positions of Left Fengyi and Imperial Secretary, served as a Secretary, resigned after his mother passed away, was reinstated as Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, and during the internal conflict between Li and Guo, was appointed General of Propagating Righteousness. Later, when Cao Cao welcomed the emperor and Emperor Xian of Han left Chang’an, Jia Xu resigned, first sought refuge with his fellow general Duan Wei, and then joined Zhang Xiu.
In our setting, Jia Xu, at 42, offered his strategy (the counterattack on Chang’an, Jia Xu’s famous first stratagem in history, the foundation of the Poisonous Strategist) and then left—also time-traveling (with his mother) [dog head]. What happened afterward is unknown, and then the protagonist took over as Jia Xu [star eyes]. The protagonist has some “original host” memories but not many, some “original host” abilities but not many, and plenty of real-world skills.
You could think of it as: the world lacked Jia Xu, but still needed Jia Xu’s role, so our protagonist came.
An extra chapter might feature the protagonist time-traveling back to his own world as a college student [dog head]. After being a Corporate Slave and then a college student again, he’d graduate with actual years of work experience [melon eating].