Chapter 44

Time flies, and two more years had passed. On this day, Liu Yao got up early, preparing to start the 184th lottery.

As for the blueprint drawn in the 183rd lottery, it was quite ordinary, but it was something Liu Yao currently needed very much: a set of farming tools. This was also the first time Liu Yao realized that the items in the lottery machine were not singular and could also come in sets.

The set contained only two items: a curved plow and a waterwheel. The curved plow was a farming tool perfected during the Tang Dynasty, more controllable in depth than the single-ox-drawn plow used at the time, and the soil it turned over naturally formed ridges, making farming easier.

While the waterwheel had a rudimentary form at the time, it was gradually perfected by Zhuge Liang in the future. Liu Yao, however, brought this waterwheel into existence ahead of time.

After obtaining these two technologies, Liu Yao immediately promoted them throughout Youzhou.

It's worth mentioning that during these two years, a great talent joined Liu Yao's Recruitment Hall. Zao Zhi, perhaps not a well-known figure in history, but when it came to one thing, his name was known to all: the Garrison System. This system reclaimed abandoned and ownerless farmland for the state, organized large numbers of displaced people into military units, provided them with land, seeds, oxen, and farming tools, and divided the harvest between the state and the farmers. This system laid a solid foundation for Cao Cao's dominance in history.

As soon as Zao Zhi arrived in Youzhou, Liu Yao appointed him as the Garrison Commander without hesitation, specifically responsible for agricultural matters. Zao Zhi quickly promoted his garrison system along with the waterwheels and curved plows ordered by Liu Yao. As a result, Youzhou's harvest this year was three times higher than the previous year. All the people in Youzhou not only had surplus grain but also changed into new clothes during festivals, and the entire region was filled with joy.

As for the land issue, it was not a problem at all. Youzhou was originally barren, and no major families were willing to come to this harsh place. Those who did were only minor families. When Liu Yao ordered the land to be nationalized, all the minor families in Youzhou immediately rebelled. Liu Yao did not waste words and directly sent a battalion of soldiers to eliminate a leading minor family. The entire world fell silent, and no one dared to say another word.

Of course, after reclaiming the land, Liu Yao did not overly oppress these minor families. He understood the principle of giving a sweet date after a beating. Liu Yao entrusted some small businesses of his Fire Cloud Trading Company to these minor families. Immediately, all the minor families turned to Liu Yao, wishing to revere him like an ancestor.

Of course, the news of Liu Yao reclaiming the land from the families was also spread by some people, turning into the rumor that Liu Yao was oppressing the families and seizing their land. For a time, all the major families harbored hostility towards Liu Yao.

Liu Yao did not pay much attention to this. After all, the land issue was something he had to solve. If he did not reclaim the land from the major families, the Han Dynasty would continue to decline, and the conflict with the major families was inevitable.

Time passed quickly, and Liu Yao was preparing to conduct this lottery. After drawing useful blueprints for two consecutive years, Liu Yao's confidence had greatly increased. Soon, the ancient book appeared in Liu Yao's hands again.

"Start... End." Liu Yao skillfully performed the process. A green light flashed, and Liu Yao eagerly opened the tenth page of the ancient book. "Pfft..." Seeing the words, Liu Yao almost spat out a mouthful of blood. "Laser gun design blueprint."

Liu Yao looked at the design blueprint helplessly and put it back into the ancient book, saying to himself, "It seems I was too greedy. How could I expect to draw useful things every time?"

At this moment, the ancient book emitted another green light. When the light disappeared, a large line of text appeared on the cover of the ancient book: "Congratulations, host. The system has been activated for ten years. As a special reward, you have received a ten-year blueprint package. Please check it."

"Ten years?!! Is there such a good thing?!!" Liu Yao exclaimed in surprise. Based on his experience, these ten-year, twenty-year packages were bound to produce high-quality items.

Liu Yao opened the ancient book with great joy, muttering, "Heaven protect me, give me some useful and powerful blueprints." Saying this, Liu Yao flipped to the eleventh page of the ancient book.

"This... This is..." Liu Yao's heart rate instantly soared to 200, and it took a long time to calm down.

"Shi A, Shi A, come in quickly." Liu Yao hurriedly called out to Shi A, who was guarding outside.

"Lord, don't worry, Shi A is here." Hearing Liu Yao's anxious shout, Shi A thought something had happened to Liu Yao and rushed in, sword in hand.

Shi A rushed in and looked around, but saw no one except Liu Yao, and asked in confusion, "Lord, where is the enemy? Where is the enemy?"

"Ah." Liu Yao realized his behavior was too agitated, causing Shi A to misunderstand. "No enemy, Shi A, quickly give me an order."

"Please, Lord, give your command." Shi A bowed respectfully.

"Transmit my order. Send all the Dark Group members still in Jixian to find the descendants of the Mohist School and the descendants of Gongshu Ban. Once there is any news of them, no matter where I am, report to me immediately." Liu Yao said solemnly.

Seeing Liu Yao's seriousness, Shi A understood the importance of the matter and quickly agreed, preparing to go out and issue Liu Yao's order.

"Wait, Shi A." Liu Yao called out to Shi A, who was puzzled. "Lord, is there anything else?"

"Shi A, issue another reward. Whoever provides information about the Mohist School or the Gongshu family, once verified, will receive a reward of a hundred gold. If someone can provide the exact location of the Mohist School or the Gongshu family, they will receive a thousand gold." Liu Yao thought for a moment and said. He was not doubting the Dark Group's capabilities, but he was too eager to find these two people. The best way to find someone was to let the whole world look for them. With a substantial reward, as long as these two people were not hiding in some remote mountain, they would surely be found.

"This..." Shi A was stunned. Just two pieces of information were worth a hundred and a thousand gold, enough to support a family for several generations. "Lord, isn't the reward too high?"

"No problem." Liu Yao waved his hand. "Do as I said." In Liu Yao's mind, as long as he could find these two people, a hundred or a thousand gold was nothing.

"Understood." Shi A bowed respectfully and left.

"Ah... Mohist School, Gongshu family." Liu Yao looked at the blueprint in his hand and muttered to himself.

In the days that followed, the news that anyone who found the descendants of the Mohist School or the Gongshu family would receive a thousand gold spread quickly, not only in Youzhou but also in the nearby Ji and Qing provinces. Everyone started searching for these two families, dreaming of the chance to become rich overnight.