Chapter 980: Thoughts of All

Gongsun Gong naturally didn’t know what Chen Xi was thinking. To be precise, it was only after meeting Gongsun Gong that Chen Xi considered the idea that he might be a useful pawn.

"Brother Gongsun, take some time to enjoy the prosperity of the Central Plains. Whether you’ll have such opportunities after returning to the north is uncertain," Chen Xi said in a calm tone, which carried a slight chill in the ears of Liang Mao and Gongsun Gong.

"Lord Chen jests. General Gongsun would never do anything to disappoint Lord Xuande," Liang Mao bowed and replied respectfully. He couldn’t tell if Chen Xi’s words were a joke or a hint, but he felt that Chen Xi was testing something.

"Let’s hope so. Since the matter is resolved, I won’t linger. There are still many unsettled issues in Ye City that I need to deal with," Chen Xi said as he saw that Liang Mao had already made up his mind.

"Matters in Ye City are indeed important. Now that we’ve reached an agreement, I’ll take the opportunity to travel through Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Mount Tai, and then meet with Lord Xuande to formalize the agreement," Liang Mao didn’t delay Chen Xi, recognizing that it was better for both sides to part on good terms.

Chen Xi didn’t say much more. With a nod, he turned and left. There wasn’t much else to discuss. Liang Mao wanted to witness the true strength of a hegemon, not just their battlefield capabilities.

While battlefield strength is indeed crucial and can be decisive, it doesn't always guarantee the sustainability of a power. Losing one battle could shift the tide of history, as has happened before.

For instance, Cao Cao had been strong, powerful enough to stand on equal footing with Yuan Shao and Liu Bei at his peak. Yet, one decisive battle nearly led to his total collapse.

Looking back at Yuan Shao, he had built his strength steadily, never experiencing any dramatic surges. Had he not died in the war with Liu Bei, and had the Zhen family not betrayed him, the conflict would have dragged on for years. Even now, with Yuan Shao dead and Yuan Tan holding the family together, Chen Xi knew it wouldn’t be easy to defeat them completely.

What Liang Mao wanted to see was whether Liu Bei, who had risen so quickly, was sustaining his strength by "fighting war with war," like Cao Cao once did. If so, he would have to reconsider his position. As long as they kept winning, there would be no issue. But the moment they lost, the entire foundation could crumble.

Chen Xi didn’t particularly care about Liang Mao’s concerns. The more someone saw and understood, the more cautious they became, and cautious people rarely made reckless decisions. With someone like Liang Mao overseeing things, Gongsun Du’s future choices were practically set in stone. Even though the Gongsun family had started from nothing, their foundation was now the strongest among all the warlords.

Chen Xi didn’t give any special instructions upon leaving, showing no emotion as he departed. Thus, Liang Mao and Gongsun Gong were both surprised the next day when they received a gift from Chen Xi before setting off for Mount Tai. They would be even more astonished by what they found when they arrived there.

"Phew, it seems things went well," Gongsun Gong said, exhaling deeply as he watched Chen Xi leave. "He’s younger than me, yet in that moment, I didn’t even dare look him in the eye."

"That’s because he’s Lord Chen, after all. At such a young age, he has already reached the pinnacle of power—how could someone like you, a mere playboy, compare?" Liang Mao remarked, casting a glance at Gongsun Gong.

"It was terrifying... Is he really younger than me?" Gongsun Gong returned to his usual demeanor as a noble scion once Chen Xi left, but his face was filled with fear. The pressure from Chen Xi’s aura had been overwhelming.

"Yes, I’d like to know that too," Liang Mao replied with a wry smile. They both knew how old Chen Xi was, but meeting him in person felt like a world of difference. Chen Xi didn’t have the arrogance of youth—in fact, his demeanor already rivaled that of the most cunning and experienced old foxes.

After leaving, Chen Xi felt somewhat aimless. His primary task that day had been to warn the Gongsun family, but since Liang Mao had proven to be sensible, there was no need to press too hard. While it wasn’t exactly good news, it did earn Chen Xi half a day off.

"Chen Ning, report to Zijing that I’ve resolved the issue with Liaodong and have him prepare gifts for the delegation. Let them go wherever they wish," Chen Xi instructed calmly. "Tell Zijing to open all doors for them and have no reservations."

By this time, it was already late autumn, entering the second September. Naturally, Lu Su wouldn’t be in the government office but would instead be at home, wrapped in blankets and tending to official duties by the fire.

"Yes, sir!" A guard quickly emerged from the distance, responding to Chen Xi before hurrying off.

Upon receiving the report, Lu Su quickly wrote a formal letter and sent his own guard to deliver it to Li You, after which he stamped the document with his official seal, thus preparing the "open doors" Chen Xi had requested.

"It seems we’ll need to assign them a couple of guides," Li You said after meeting with Chen Xi to confirm the details.

"That’s your job," Chen Xi replied, clearly uninterested in getting involved.

"You brought this on yourself," Li You remarked indifferently.

"I’m happy to," Chen Xi retorted with a cold snort.

"Heh." And with that, the conversation ended without further dispute.

Li You’s expression made Chen Xi bristle with annoyance, but before he could argue, Li You turned and walked away, his voice trailing behind him, "I’ll handle the rest. Just settle things with the noble families. If necessary, a marriage alliance wouldn’t diminish your status. Don’t make things difficult for yourself; the rest of us are suffering along with you, and others are starting to take notice."

Li You had always supported the idea of Chen Xi marrying Zhen Mi. After all, with Liu Bei set to marry the Zhang family, Chen Xi’s marriage to Zhen Mi would benefit everyone. Now, however, things had taken a turn for the worse. Were it not for the fact that everyone knew of Chen Xi’s close relationship with Liu Bei, some might suspect a falling out between the two.

Chen Xi stood silently for a long while after Li You’s departure, eventually shaking his head and walking away without a word. There was nothing to say and no desire to say it.

As Chen Xi walked down the road, his mood low, he didn’t notice that someone was watching him from a nearby restaurant.

"Sister Zhen, you could go to him," Xin Xianying suggested, tugging at Zhen Mi’s sleeve.

"What would I even do? We both need time. He’s in a bad mood, and so am I. Going over now wouldn’t help either of us," Zhen Mi replied, glancing at the young Xin Xianying. She tapped Xin’s forehead playfully before rubbing her cheeks. "You really are a clever little girl."

"If you don’t need my help, I’ll go visit my father then," Xin Xianying said, breaking free from Zhen Mi’s grip and jumping back with a mischievous grin before running off.

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