Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Xun Yu was a scholar, and he drank with refined manners. After taking a sip, his eyes lit up:

"This wine...is mellow and smooth, with an unforgettable aftertaste! A fine wine!"

Tian Feng was straightforward; he downed his drink in one gulp, then choked and coughed.

"Cough cough... This liquor is really strong! But... it's potent!"

Military generals preferred it.

Lü Bu nodded and said, "Indeed, fine wine! This humble general has never tasted such exquisite wine!"

Yan Liang downed his drink in one gulp and exclaimed, "Excellent! This is real wine! Much better than those bland junks!"

Wen Chou chimed in, "That's right! My lord, is there any more wine? Bring us some more!"

Guo Jia's eyes lit up as he stared at the wine pot like it was a treasure. He slowly took a sip, closed his eyes, and only opened them after a long while:

"Excellent wine! Truly excellent wine! Worth every penny! Just for this wine alone, this trip was worthwhile! My lord, could you teach me the method of brewing this wine?"

Liu Ce chuckled inwardly: Teach you? Where are you going to learn how to make modern Moutai?

But he said, "If Fengxiao likes it, I'll make sure he has enough. However, the brewing method is complicated and can't be explained in a short time."

Guo Jia wasn't bothered by it; as long as he could drink, that was enough.

For a time, the banquet was filled with toasts and lively conversation.

Liu Ce took the opportunity to observe the crowd.

Xun Yu, Tian Feng, and Ju Shou were sitting at a table discussing governance strategies;

Xi Zhicai and Guo Jia huddled together, whispering something to each other, their smiles sly and mischievous.

Jia Xu sat alone in the corner, slowly drinking his wine, but his eyes were constantly observing the others.

The military officers, on the other hand, were quite uninhibited; Yan Liang and Wen Chou had already started playing rock-paper-scissors.

Lu Bu sat to Liu Ce's left, very excited, and kept talking to Liu Ce:

"My lord, I heard of your exploits in Bingzhou! Burning down Changshe, beheading Bo Cai in battle, and dueling Zhang Bao—each one of these feats fills me with admiration!"

Liu Ce smiled and replied, "You flatter me, Fengxian. I've heard you're skilled in archery and horsemanship; I'll have to rely on you a lot when we get to Youzhou."

"Rest assured, my lord!" Lü Bu patted his chest. "As long as there is a battle to fight, this humble general will never back down!"

Huang Zhong sat at another table, taking care of his son, Huang Xu.

Huang Xu was in poor health and could not drink alcohol, so he only drank some soup.

Zhang Zhongjing, however, was not interested in the food and wine, and instead pulled Zhao Yun aside to ask about the climate and common illnesses in Youzhou.

Looking at the lively scene, Liu Ce thought to himself: This is my team.

Historically, these people were scattered among various warlords, but now I have gathered them all under my control.

This feels... pretty good.

The banquet lasted until late at night.

When they left, Guo Jia was still clutching half a flask of Maotai and wouldn't let go, but Xun Yu forcibly pulled him away.

"Fengxiao, mind your manners!" Xun Yu scolded in a low voice.

Guo Jia grinned and said, "Brother Wenruo, this wine is truly excellent. I'll take it back and savor it slowly..."

Liu Ce smiled and shook his head: Guo Fengxiao, Guo Fengxiao, you truly live up to your reputation.

The next day, Liu Ce began to have individual conversations with Liu Ce.

The first person summoned was Huang Zhong.

Huang Zhong had a resolute face, but there was a worry between his brows. His son, Huang Xu, was seriously ill, which had been a constant worry for him.

He was very nervous and bowed as he entered, saying, "My Lordship."

"Hansheng, please have a seat." Liu Ce cut to the chase, "I heard your son is unwell?"

Huang Zhong was taken aback, then said sadly, "Yes... my son has been weak since childhood, and despite seeking medical help from many sources, his condition has not improved."

"I've examined your son's illness," Liu Ce said earnestly. "It's tuberculosis, isn't it?"

Huang Zhong was surprised: "Does Your Excellency know medicine?"

"I know a little bit," Liu Ce replied vaguely. He had studied medicine in his previous life.

"This illness is curable," Liu Ce said confidently.

"But I need time to prepare the medicine. Once we arrive in Youzhou and settle down, I will treat your son. I can't say for sure, but I'm about 70-80% confident."

Huang Zhong knelt down with a thud, his voice choked with emotion:

"My lord... My lord's kindness is beyond repayment! From this day forward, my life belongs to you!"

Liu Ce quickly helped him up: "Hansheng, you flatter me. Treating the sick and saving lives is the proper thing to do. Besides, you are one of my generals, and your family is my family."

These were beautifully said, and Huang Zhong was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears.

The second is Zhang Zhongjing.

Zhang Zhongjing asked with some doubt, "Lord Marquis, are you seeking me out because you are unwell?"

"No." Liu Ce pulled a modern medical book from his pocket—of course, the cover had been changed to an ancient style, and the contents were handwritten by Liu Ce, with the overly modern parts removed.

"This is a medical book I came across by chance. It contains some rather novel diagnostic and treatment methods. I would like to ask you to take a look at it."

Zhang Zhongjing took it, opened it, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

The book describes the concepts of bacteria and viruses, as well as modern medical techniques such as disinfection and suturing.

Although it was written in a brief style, it was like opening the door to a new world for Zhang Zhongjing.

"This...this..." He was so excited his hands were trembling. "This diagram of internal organs is so detailed! And this pharmacology, my lord, where did this book come from?"

"I bought it from a merchant from the Western Regions during my travels. It's said to have been written by a reclusive divine physician," Liu Ce lied without batting an eye.

"I am also interested in medicine and have studied it to some extent. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me anytime."

Zhang Zhongjing bowed deeply: "Your Excellency is truly talented! I admire you greatly! With this book, I wonder how many lives it could save!"

Liu Ce chuckled to himself: In my past life, I was a medical student. Although I wasn't very good at it, I still understood the basic theories.

Liu Ce was secretly pleased: trading a modern medical book for the loyalty of the Sage of Medicine was a worthwhile deal!

The third is Jia Xu.

When Jia Xu arrived, he was very calm. He bowed, sat down, and waited for Liu Ce to speak.

Liu Ce didn't beat around the bush:

"Mr. Wenhe, I know you are cautious by nature and unwilling to take risks. But I can assure you that I will not ask you to do anything against your conscience while you are with me. I only hope that you can use your wisdom to bring peace to the people of Youzhou."

Jia Xu looked at Liu Ce for a long time before slowly saying:

"My lord, I have a question."

"Speaking."

"Your Excellency has summoned so many talented individuals; your ambitions extend far beyond Youzhou. If the world were to change in the future, how would Your Excellency prepare for this?"

This question is similar to the one asked by Xun Yu and Guo Jia, but it is more direct.

Liu Ce thought for a moment and answered seriously:

"Mr. Wenhe, I am a pragmatic man. I will only do what I am capable of. Right now, my ability is only enough to govern Youzhou, so I will focus on governing Youzhou well first. As for the future..."

Jia Xu nodded and asked no further questions.

"Xu understands and is willing to serve the Marquis."

The conversation was brief, but Liu Ce knew that Jia Xu was the kind of person who only needed to say what he meant and didn't need to make too many promises.

As for Jia Xu, Liu Bei thought to himself, "It's better to keep him around than to hand him over to the enemy. Using him would be unethical, not using him would be a waste, and I can't kill him!"

Over the next few days, Liu Ce spoke with several other people. Each person had different needs, and Liu Ce tried his best to meet them.

For example, Yan Liang and Wen Chou wanted to fight and make meritorious contributions, and Liu Ce agreed to let them lead troops when they arrived in Youzhou; Zhang Liao and Gao Shun wanted to train elite troops, and Liu Ce also agreed; Yu Jin was good at military administration, so Liu Ce put him in charge of military discipline...

In short, everyone got what they deserved.