A fun story about a small jail official named He Zhi lol 😆

时诸葛亮用法峻密，阴闻祗游戏放纵，不勤所职，尝奄往录狱。众人咸为祗惧。祗密闻之，夜张灯火见囚，读诸解状。诸葛晨往，祗悉已闇诵，答对解释，无所凝滞，亮甚异之

"At that time, Zhuge Liang was strict in enforcing the law. He secretly heard that Zhi was indulging in play and neglecting his duties, so he once secretly went to inspect the prisons. Everyone was terrified for Zhi. Zhi secretly overheard this, and at night, he lit lamps and met with the prisoners, reading their accusations. Zhuge went the next morning, and Zhi had already recited everything from memory, answering and explaining without hesitation. Liang was greatly surprised."

出补成都令，时郫县令缺，以祗兼二县。二县户口猥多，切近都治，饶诸奸秽，每比人，常眠睡，值其觉寤，辄得奸诈，众咸畏祗之发摘，或以为有术，无敢欺者。使人投算，祗听其读而心计之，不差升合，其精如此。

"Zhi was later appointed magistrate of Chengdu. At that time, the magistrate of Pi County was vacant, so Zhi was appointed to govern both counties. These two counties had a large population and were close to the capital, rife with corruption. He often fell asleep when interrogate people, but when he woke up, their deceit would be discovered. Everyone feared Zhi's ability to expose them, and some even thought he had a special skill, so no one dared to cheat. When someone was given a calculation, Zhi would listen to it read and calculate it in his mind, never making a mistake. Such was his precision."

Just found another nice story about how Zhuge Liang recruit and persuade people to work for him.

杜微字國輔... 及先主定蜀，微常稱聾，閉門不出。

建興二年，丞相亮領益州牧。選迎皆妙簡舊德，以秦宓為別駕，五梁為功曹，微為主簿。微固辭，舉而致之。既致，亮引見微，微自陳謝。亮以微不聞人語，於坐上與書曰：

服聞德行，飢渴歷時，清濁異流，無緣諮覯。王元泰、李伯仁、王文儀、楊季休、丁君乾、李永南兄弟、文仲寶等，每歎高志，未見如舊。猥以空虛，統領貴州，德薄任重，慘慘憂慮、朝廷主公今年始十八，天姿仁敏，愛德下士。天下之人思慕漢室，欲與君因天順民，輔此明主，以隆季興之功，著勳於竹帛也。以謂賢愚下相為謀，故自割絕，守勞而已，不圖自屈也。

微自乞老病求歸，亮又與書答曰：

曹丕篡弒，自立為帝，是猶土龍芻狗之有名也。欲與羣賢因其邪偽，以正道滅之。怪君未有相誨，便欲求還於山野。丕又大興勞役，以向吳、楚。今因丕多務，且以閉境勤農，育養民物，並治甲兵，以待其挫，然後伐之，可使兵不戰民不勞而天下定也。君但當以德輔時耳，不責君軍事，何為汲汲欲求去乎！

Summary: About Du Wei, a secluded deaf (maybe?) scholar. When Zhuge Liang select officials (based on their past virtues and merits), he offered him a position, but Wei refused many times because of old age. Liang welcomed and introduced him to the court, and knowing Wei couldn't hear, Liang wrote and handed him two letters to persuade him to work.

(not serious at all) translation of what he wrote:

"Many people praised you, I feel as if you were an old friend. My ability and virtue is not that great but the responsibility is heavy, and I am filled with deep anxiety. Liu Adou is a good emperor though. People still yearn for the Han, so please assist me on this 🥺"

"That Cao Pi guy is treacherous, it is strange that you already desire to return to the mountains and fields. Now he is busy with affairs, please help me with domestic affairs before launching a final attack. You won't have to do military stuff, why are you so eager to leave?"

"oh this chair is cool i gotta sit here"

"Hey this chair is great LOL im king now 😆"

We all know this 100 intellect moment in rotk:

But where was this originated?

亮集曰：是歲，魏司徒華歆、司空王朗、尚書令陳群、太史令許芝、謁者僕射諸葛璋各有書與亮，陳天命人事，欲使舉國稱籓。亮遂不報書，作正議曰：「昔在項羽，起不由德，雖處華夏，秉帝者之勢，卒就湯鑊，為後永戒。魏不審鑒，今次之矣；免身為幸，戒在子孫。而二三子各以耆艾之齒，承偽指而進書，有若崇、竦稱莽之功，亦將偪於元禍苟免者邪！昔世祖之創跡舊基，奮羸卒數千，摧莽彊旅四十餘萬於昆陽之郊。夫據道討淫，不在眾寡。及至孟德，以其譎勝之力，舉數十萬之師，救張郃於陽平，勢窮慮悔，僅能自脫，辱其鋒銳之眾，遂喪漢中之地，深知神器不可妄獲，旋還未至，感毒而死。子桓淫逸，繼之以篡。縱使二三子多逞蘇、張詭靡之說，奉進驩兜滔天之辭，欲以誣毀唐帝，諷解禹、稷，所謂徒喪文藻煩勞翰墨者矣。夫大人君子之所不為也。又軍誡曰：『萬人必死，橫行天下。』昔軒轅氏整卒數萬，制四方，定海內，況以數十萬之眾，據正道而臨有罪，可得干擬者哉！」

Short summary: There were 5 Wei officers, including the real Wang Lang, that privately sent Liang letters (they wanted to persuade him to surrender). Liang just wrote a loooooooong (and hard to understand, typical nerd stuff heh) argument stating his opinions and he would NOT surrender (also secretly mocking those disloyal officers lol 😂).

Disclaimer: No one was harmed in the process.

And the rotk really makes this part easier to understand to us by putting Zhuge Liang bashing Wang Lang to death.

An interesting finding here about how much Kongmeow respects his friends and subordinates. Most people don't talk much about this but I really like this part about him.

「昔初交州平，屢聞得失，後交元直，勤見啟誨，前參事於幼宰，每言則盡，後從事於偉度，數有諫止；雖姿性鄙暗，不能悉納，然與此四子終始好合，亦足以明其不疑於直言也。」

Quick translation: "When I befriend Zhouping, I frequently learnt about gains and losses. Later, I met Yuanzhi, who diligently offered guidance. Before, there was Youzai, he always spoke cautiously and frankly. Later, there was Weidu, he often offered honest advice. Although I am of humble and dull nature and cannot always accept everything they said, my good relationship with these four men throughout the years is enough to show that I do not doubt honest advice."

The interesting part here is that his name literally means "vast brightness" but he said that his mind is still not great and he wants others to give him advices (like what his old friends did for him).

"Zhuge Liang, surname Zhuge, name Liang"

Another midnight sanguozhi finding again and I find this to be too funny... even though this is a Liangliang's letter to Liu Shan when Liu Bei just passed away.

亮上言於後主曰：伏惟大行皇帝邁仁樹德，覆燾無疆，昊天不弔，寢疾彌留，今月二十四日奄忽升遐，臣妾號咷，若喪考妣...

Really??? 臣妾???

Is this referring to Lady Wu or.... Is it...

Oh I swear this is YOU. It has to be YOU, Zhuge Liang. I'm sure this one is for mourning for your husband late emperor. I do not accept any other explanations about this. 😆