Upon hearing this, Lin Yang became very curious. Then, he looked up and saw the scene reflected in the water mirror in front of Su Qing'er.
Within the water mirror, there was a young scholar. In his hand, he held a command flag. Clearly, this indicated he had successfully reached the center of the maze and was now ready to emerge.
With a rustling sound, the maze kept changing, and the positions of these peach trees were also constantly shifting.
Moreover, with each step you take, the surrounding flowers, plants, and trees will undergo subtle changes. Usually, after ten steps, you will find that the original path has completely disappeared.
Logically speaking, even if there was no murderous intent, shouldn't most people be a little nervous in this situation? Even if you don't panic, you should at least be a little serious.
And what was this young man doing? He was drinking. Yes, he was drinking. And he took a step after every sip. And he was doing it with his eyes closed.
How confident do they have? Aren't they afraid of accidentally falling into a pit? Even if there's no danger to their life, it's still unpleasant to trip and fall for no reason, isn't it?
"Young Master, didn't you say that this formation was set up using the art of Qimen Dunjia? Although it's very simple, after making good use of the timing and location, it can also obscure the secrets of heaven and disrupt the five senses?" Su Qing'er asked with a curious expression.
Looking at Su Qing'er's smiling face, Lin Yang couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He then forced an explanation, "Ahem, it's like this. What I said is correct."
"Generally speaking, this formation is quite challenging and requires a high level of intelligence. Of course, if you are proficient in Qimen Dunjia or Feng Shui techniques, you may have a chance to break it."
"Then what's going on with this guy in front of us? He seems to completely ignore the formation, as if he can find the right path with his eyes closed. So far, he has changed directions six times. However, he is getting closer and closer to the exit." Su Qing'er asked curiously.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yang also began to observe carefully. If this person could really navigate this maze by relying solely on intuition and walking with their eyes closed, then it could only mean that this person was truly extraordinary.
Just based on this extremely strong judgment, or rather intuition, he is either one of the most outstanding talents or a top-tier talent.
Unfortunately, the Divine Eye of Destiny cannot be used now, as it is behind the water mirror. Otherwise, a casual glance would be enough to ascertain this person's fate and destiny.
However, the more Lin Yang looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. It was as if he had seen him somewhere before, and he still had some impression of him in his mind.
"Guo Jia!?" Lin Yang exclaimed in surprise.
Indeed, this seemingly unreliable fellow bears a striking resemblance to Guo Jia from the original owner's memories.
If the guy in front of you were a bit older, a bit more mature, and a bit more charming, wouldn't he be Guo Fengxiao from the original owner's memories?
This is a truly exceptional person; even among the many talented individuals of the Three Kingdoms period, he would rank among the top tier.
If it were him, everything would be clear. With his talent, he certainly has the ability. Even with his eyes closed, following his instincts, such a small illusion couldn't fool him.
Soon, Guo Jia arrived at the outermost edge of the maze. He only needed to take one more step to truly reach the outside of the maze. Then, Guo Jia suddenly looked up at Lin Yang and Su Qing'er, and then made a face.
"Oh, you scared me! Did he find us?" Su Qing'er said, patting her chest.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a flash of light appeared, and Guo Jia was completely out of the maze and arrived at this place!
------------
Chapter 56: Establishing the Relationship Between Ruler and Subject, Master and Servant
"This must be the Duke of Wu? I am Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao. Greetings." With that, Guo Jia rudely began to drink his wine. He neither bowed deeply nor showed any respect.
Seeing this, Lin Yang said he could completely understand. Top talents are always a bit arrogant. Besides, it's not impossible that she was doing this on purpose to test Lin Yang's magnanimity.
After all, unlike Xi Zhicai, Guo Jia is, in a sense, a member of a prominent family. Coupled with his abilities, he could easily rise to prominence under any patron. Therefore, to truly gain his allegiance, one must first prove their worth.
In the previous life, Guo Jia first joined Yuan Shao. Although Yuan Shao treated him with great courtesy at the time, he still felt that Yuan Shao had many shortcomings and was not the kind of person who could achieve great things.
After that, he returned to his hometown and lived in seclusion for six years. It wasn't until six years later, when he met Cao Cao, that he truly displayed the brilliance of a top strategist, thanks to the harmonious relationship between the ruler and his minister.
Therefore, given Guo Jia's temperament, if he disliked himself or felt that he had many shortcomings, he might actually resign.
"Haha, Fengxiao is right, I am indeed the Duke of Wu. However, my title of Duke is merely nominal, and I have no subjects under my command. I wonder if Fengxiao would be interested in developing the South with me?" Lin Yang said with a smile.
At the same time, the Divine Eye of Fortune activated, instantly revealing Guo Jia's current situation clearly. His Destiny was at the sixth rank, and his Fortune was at the third rank, yellow.
This kind of guy, given an opportunity and enough luck, can soar to great heights. For a concrete example, look to Liu Bang in history. Simply put, if you could really win him over today, you'd be hitting the jackpot.
Upon hearing Lin Yang's words, Guo Jia immediately became serious. His previous slovenly, lazy, tired, and roguish demeanor vanished instantly. He became alert, and a sharp glint even appeared in his eyes.
If Su Qing'er hadn't been standing there the whole time, she really wouldn't have believed that a person could change so much in such a short time.
"May I ask, Duke Wu, where exactly does your confidence in developing Jiangnan come from? You must know that throughout history, there have been those who were optimistic about the market in the south and wanted to make large-scale investments, but none of them have succeeded in the end." After saying this, Guo Jia looked at Lin Yang very seriously.
"Haha, Fengxiao, don't worry. In my eyes, developing the South is really not difficult. Whether it's the Yue people, the various Mao gods, or ghosts and spirits, they are not big problems. These problems all boil down to money. As long as you have money and are willing to invest, they can all be easily solved," Lin Yang said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Guo Jia nodded. These problems could indeed be solved by simply throwing more money at them. With enough money, hiring more skilled warriors and cutting down mountains and ruining temples along the way, no matter how powerful a deity was, it would be no problem.
Back then, the entire Sichuan region was known as the land of ghosts. But then they encountered a super killer, Zhang Daoling, who single-handedly slaughtered his way through the entire Sichuan region, leaving all the remaining evil spirits in submission.
Therefore, Mao Shen is not a problem. And once Mao Shen is dealt with, those Yue tribes will be even less of a problem. Let alone a regular army, even a group of veterans could easily handle them.
“That’s right, as long as you have money, these problems are not problems. Then, what about illness?” Guo Jia suddenly asked. After saying that, he widened his eyes and looked at Lin Yang seriously.
That's right, the disease problem is the most important. It's not that no one has tried to develop the area before, but after the Maoshen and Shanyue tribes were dealt with, what happened to the common people who couldn't survive?
Although the people of this world are generally in excellent physical condition, diseases are also more prevalent here. Some diseases are so severe that even those who practice martial arts and internal energy cultivation cannot resist them, let alone ordinary people.
"So far, I have two solutions, both of which can resolve the illness. However, is Fengxiao sure you want to know?" As he spoke, Lin Yang's tone became more serious than ever before.
Guo Jia wasn't stupid; he understood the meaning behind those words. If Lin Yang's method truly worked, he would have no choice but to sell himself to him. Otherwise, having learned such a crucial secret, how could he possibly leave...?
"Very well, if the method really works, I will certainly do my utmost to help." Guo Jia said in a serious tone.
"Although there are two strategies, one of them has not yet been verified, and even if I tell you, you may not believe me. But with your wisdom, you should be able to determine the truth of the other strategy."
"This strategy is actually very simple. What is my identity?" Lin Yang suddenly asked.
Upon hearing this, Guo Jia seemed to realize something immediately, and the pupils between his eyes shrank slightly in an instant.
"Duke of Wu? No, that identity is meaningless. It seems that he is the ancestor of the gods. In the past, the incense offerings of the common people have never been so chaotic."