[Historical transmigration x strategy and technology x dynastic power struggles]
When an engineering PhD transmigrates as Liu Bei's humble advisor, science becomes the foremost productive force!
Cao Yan, a modern expert in military technology, transmigrates into the end of the Han dynasty and becomes an obscure aide in Liu Bei's service.
Facing Cao Cao's million-strong army and Sun Quan's power base in Jiangdong, he holds the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art in one hand and a gunpowder formula in the other, using science to crush his opponents with a technological edge:
The Battle of Red Cliffs? Calculate the fluid dynamics first, then launch a hot-air-balloon fire attack!
The Zhuge repeating crossbow? Upgrade it into a three-bow siege crossbow with a range of over a kilometer!
A plague besieging the city? Disinfect with alcohol and impose quarantine, then turn around and send infected rats into Cao Cao's camp!
And that's not even the best part:
Da Qiao becomes his intelligence queen, using brocade codes to persuade Eastern Wu to defect;
Huang Yueying becomes his chief engineer, installing a steam engine directly on a warship;
Only on his deathbed does Guo Jia realize that this advisor actually knows about radioactive ore?!
When Liu Bei looks at what his forces have under their command:
Gunpowder troops, biogas lighting, smallpox vaccines, movable-type printing...
He can't help asking, "Sir, is this really technology the Eastern Han should have?"
Cao Yan only smiles. His telescope is already trained on lands across the sea. "My lord, our goal is the stars and the ocean!"
