NO_NAME

Chapter 73: Eating with a Clear Conscience

As Chen Xi mentioned, the next day at noon, Zhao Yun and Jian Yong rushed back, covered in dust but in high spirits. After all, seeing fields full of bountiful harvests would make anyone happy.

"Xianhe, Zilong, have you already verified the tax revenues of each county?" Chen Xi poured tea for the two and asked.

"It's a bumper harvest. Apart from some late-planted crops, the people everywhere are already harvesting. Next year, we won't have to live so tightly," Jian Yong s...

Chapter 72: The Unfortunate Zhen Family

The Lu family of Jiangdong, later largely exterminated by Sun Ce, is also the family that produced Lu Xun, one of the Four Great Generals. This family is famous for shipbuilding and is one of the four major families of Jiangdong. Although not as wealthy as the five great merchant families, they are stronger than major merchants like Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping.

"The Lu family, huh?" Chen Xi pondered the pros and cons. Since the four families of Jiangdong intermarried and...

Chapter 71: The Lu Family of Jiangdong

...

With this powerful tool, Chen Xi was ready to lure those famous scholars from Yingchuan who had abandoned Yuan Shao and were planning to return home via Taishan. His goal was to capture them all in one go!

Lu Su and Chen Xi talked throughout the night, and the next day, Lu Su, with dark circles under his eyes, went to the administration hall. Liu Bei, with a joyful expression, handed the seal of the Governor of Taishan to Chen Xi, and then gave the seal of the Taishan...

Chapter 70: Life is Nothing More Than Fame and Fortune

...

"Wow," Lu Su gasped as he saw the identical handwriting on the two books and the meticulously crafted text spanning tens of thousands of characters. "How much did this cost?"

"The more you make, the cheaper it gets. If it's just those two in your hand, the price won't be much less than a hand-copied manuscript," Chen Xi rolled his eyes.

"Then it can't be widely promoted," Lu Su sighed.

"But if you produce thousands of copies, it becomes much cheaper than b...

Chapter 69: Victory Without Battle

...

"Since ancient times, the military classics are filled with examples of winning with fewer troops against larger forces. However, with our knowledge, we wouldn’t blindly believe everything written," Chen Xi's smile held a hint of sarcasm. Thinking of the battles recorded in the military classics, every victory described as outnumbered hardly ever depicted both sides having equal skills, let alone superior forces losing.

Lu Su was surprised by Chen Xi’s statement b...

Chapter 68: The Madman’s Method

...

Chen Xi’s arrogance left Lu Su momentarily stunned. He had considered various scenarios but never thought this prodigious talent he admired could be so audacious.

"Do you think I'm arrogant?" Chen Xi laughed heartily, completely unconcerned with Lu Su's dazed expression. "We are both under twenty. If we aren't arrogant now and instead act all prudent and mature, wouldn't it be dull when we need to be prudent and mature in the future?"

Chen Xi's words made Lu S...

Chapter 67: Not Arrogance, but Confidence

...

Before the meal, Chen Xi curiously observed Lu Su. With his insight, he could easily see Mi Zhu frequently signaling Lu Su. However, Lu Su neither expressed any intention to refuse nor to join. What was going on? Was this guy here just to visit and tour?

Chen Xi was confused, and so was Lu Su himself. Though Lu Su didn't have much experience, he could tell that Liu Bei's actions were genuine and not just for show. This made Liu Bei a more suitable choice for a lord co...

Chapter 66: Mi Zizhong and Lu Zijing

...

Mi Zhu and Lu Su didn’t have much of a relationship. Although both were powerful figures, their paths had never crossed until now. This joint visit was purely coincidental, meeting by chance. Both men were refined and carried the demeanor of gentlemen.

Mi Zhu didn’t feel inferior due to his status as a merchant, and Lu Su didn’t look down on Mi Zhu with the worldly views that often belittle merchants. Their conversation was pleasant, but it ended there. Lu Su di...

Chapter 65: Each Person’s Thoughts

...

Liu Bei was taken aback. Great scholars? He had never successfully recruited any of them before. The aristocrats never took him seriously, and up to now, all his attempts at recruitment had failed. Naturally, when he heard this news, he was stunned.

"Xuande Gong," Chen Xi called again, snapping Liu Bei out of his thoughts. Since he couldn’t sleep anymore, there was no reason to let someone else daydream in front of him.

"Alright, alright," Liu Bei replied, com...

Chapter 64: Turning of Fortunes

...

Facing the aristocracy has been an inevitable task for every emperor in history, but truly subduing the aristocracy is something only a handful of emperors have accomplished. Chen Xi didn't believe that the still-growing Liu Bei could subdue these families, even with a time traveler’s ability to avoid danger and a vision beyond his era. Directly confronting the aristocracy at this time went against the instincts of a prudent time traveler.

Adopting a dual strategy o...

Chapter 63: A String of Unfortunate Events

...

The work-for-relief approach completely eased the worries of the refugees. In Taishan, wages were paid daily and never delayed. Chen Xi had already mastered this strategy. As long as the money kept circulating within Taishan, he could continue indefinitely.

For now, Chen Xi was not short of money or food. The spoils from defeating the bandits were sold to Xuzhou and converted into grain, which was then transported back. Xuzhou had an abundance of grain, and Tao Qian w...

Chapter 62: Moving Money from the Left Pocket to the Right Pocket

As Zang Ba fell from his horse, a fleeting thought crossed his mind—this must be Zhang Fei, who dared to challenge Lu Bu at Hulao Pass. Before he could ponder further, darkness overtook him.

Zhang Fei casually picked up the fallen Zang Ba to prevent him from being trampled by the following cavalry. He had realized that Zang Ba's defeat wasn't due to weakness but because his opponents had reached a superhuman level.

"Zang Ba has been captured by me! Surrender now or face...

Chapter 61: First Battle in Taishan

...

"Report!" A lean, slightly sallow man walked in from outside, saluted Liu Bei and Chen Xi, and interrupted Chen Xi's attempt to instill some new ideas in Liu Bei.

"Wen Ze, has the grain shipment been delivered to the storehouse?" Liu Bei asked seriously when he saw Yu Jin coming in.

"All eighty thousand bushels of grain have been delivered to the storehouse. However, the Zhen family wishes to express their gratitude to you, Xuande Gong, for your assistance," Yu ...

Chapter 60: Instilling in Liu Bei...

Zhang Fei left with an excited look on his face. Chen Xi knew that this guy would most likely have a big fight in Mount Tai before coming back.

The next day, Liu Bei came again. Seeing Chen Xi leisurely drinking tea in the government hall, Liu Bei felt somewhat helpless. After all this time, Liu Bei no longer worried that Chen Xi would exhaust himself to death. He had come to understand that no matter how troublesome the task, Chen Xi would only frown momentarily before solving...

Chapter 59: The Strategy Against the Bandits of Mount Tai

Hua Xiong beheaded Chang Xi with a single strike and then turned around, slashing down all of Chang Xi’s so-called trusted aides. Chen Xi had told him that some of these bandit leaders in Mount Tai were local tyrants or forced to become bandits, but Chang Xi, who bore the title of a Mount Tai bandit leader, was actually the governor of Donghai in Xuzhou.

Hua Xiong didn't give Chang Xi a chance to reveal his identity. Being close to an expert at the level of an inner energy re...

Chapter 58: Preparing for the Future

After Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping left, Chen Xi resumed his tea-drinking routine. At this time, even if all the administrative work was done, he still had to wait until the end of the official hours before leaving. What he did during this waiting period didn’t matter as long as it was within the bounds of propriety.

Chen Xi continued his habit of taking afternoon naps, dozing off in the administrative hall until he was finally shaken awake by Jian Yong, who had just finished ...

Chapter 57: Generous Terms

"That formula has indeed been verified by the two of us. It's truly a technology that benefits the entire world. Although we, Su Shuang and I, are horse merchants from Zhongshan and not experts in the salt industry, commerce has its commonalities. We plan to purchase land in Qingzhou to operate the salt business," Su Shuang laughed heartily, making no attempt to hide his excitement. After all, this was an immensely profitable venture, providing a commodity essential to everyone. Whil...

Chapter 56: The Wealthy Have Finally Arrived

In the morning, Chen Xi looked at the city walls before him, observing the few officials from Fenggao who had come out to greet them. He sighed deeply. This place was too poor. Not a single fat person could be seen anywhere, a testament to the thorough plundering by the bandits of Mount Tai. They didn’t even understand the basic principle of raising sheep before shearing them. What good is there in robbing the poor?

Standing in the government office of Fenggao, a gust of wind...

Chapter 55: The Affairs of the Han Dynasty

After half an hour, Zhang Fei had eaten and drank his fill, and sat with his snake spear at the edge of the crater, waiting for Xu Chu to come out.

“Hey, big guy, how about we fight on foot? Weapons are dangerous, let's see who's better at hand-to-hand combat,” Xu Chu suggested as he emerged, not riding a horse this time and speaking less aggressively, though still not wanting to back down. Since he couldn’t find a suitable weapon in the village, he had to think of a diff...

Chapter 54: Inhuman Strength

Some people said this chapter was swallowed by the website. I can see it on my computer, but I noticed more than one person said it was swallowed, so I'm posting it again. For those who have read it, please forgive me...

Zhao Yun paused in his weapon-cleaning movements, Guan Yu also stopped stroking his beard, his hand frozen mid-motion, and Hua Xiong felt as though his eyes were almost blinded by the high-speed flying boulder. This was truly inhuman strength.

From the mo...

Chapter 53: Striving Towards the Goal

Chen Xi had made up his mind. Since the aristocratic families looked down on them, he would make sure they had to look up in awe. He began revising and refining the plans he had already laid out.

A determined person can be terrifying, especially if that person has a long-term vision, a precise plan, clear goals, and a final objective, all while having a team of helpers. Such a combination is not just terrifying but an awe-inspiring force.

"It's still not working!" Chen Xi...

Chapter 52: Loss in the East, Gain in the West

"Lord Xuande, you are truly broad-minded. You must know that Xun Yu is a statesman comparable to Zhang Liang, and Xun You is an exceptional strategist," Chen Xi said with a playful smile.

"So what? No matter how good they are, if I can't get them, they're not as valuable as the ones I have. Don't you agree, Zichuan?" Liu Bei turned and looked at Chen Xi solemnly.

Chen Xi was silent for a long time before he spoke, "I won't let you down. At least, I don't think I'm weaker ...

Chapter 51: The Aristocratic Family (2)

Chen Xi was somewhat frustrated now. He had miscalculated Chen Qun's reaction. Generally, during chaotic times, aristocratic families would compete for positions, and those from branch families or illegitimate lines would all try their luck.

Typically, when a family patriarch detected such undercurrents, they would handle it by either letting them go out on their own or, if the situation was unclear, by setting up a separate branch. In more severe cases, they would expel the pe...

Chapter 50: The Aristocratic Family

Chen Xi smiled and didn't respond because he knew exactly what Fan Liang meant. He was also acutely aware of another point: the Chen family had now pinned all its hopes on Chen Qun. Even if they saw him, they would only regard him as a pawn, or worse, as an expendable.

Chen Qun's excellence could not be denied. After Xun Yu's death, it was this man who took over the internal affairs of Wei. He was one of the few politicians in the history of the Three Kingdoms who stood out. Hi...

Chapter 49: The Old Hometown of Yingchuan

The army was stationed outside the county seat of Yingchuan. To be honest, Liu Bei's arrival almost scared the county governor of Yangzhai, Chen Liang, to death. Although this was the seat of Yingchuan, having over ten thousand elite troops stationed outside the city would terrify anyone, especially in these chaotic times when the situation was unclear.

Chen Liang immediately locked the city gates and mobilized all defensive forces within the city to guard against Liu Bei's pot...

Chapter 48: Detour to Yuzhou

The army had already been on the march for more than half a month. If not for the infantry slowing them down, they would have already reached Taishan by now. Along the way, Chen Xi had indulged in all sorts of daydreams and was now left with nothing but boredom.

"Lord Xuande, we’re only at Chenliu. At this rate, it will take another half month to reach Taishan's county seat," Chen Xi said, sprawled lazily over his horse, completely disregarding his demeanor. After all,...

Chapter 47: Outlook for the Coming Years

Coming from another time and space, Chen Xi naturally knew what industries in this era could quickly accumulate wealth. However, these industries required sufficient military strength to sustain, otherwise, it would be akin to inviting trouble.

Papermaking, in this book-hungry era, was equivalent to printing money. The same applied to printing technology, glass, and lime. These basic inventions were foolproof ways to make money. Don’t be deceived by the poverty-stricken appea...

Chapter 46: Sun Jian is Doomed and Resources

Sun Jian left, and nearly everyone knew he had the Imperial Seal. Many began to target Sun Jian, including Yuan Shao.

"Sigh, what a pity. Sun Jian will die under a hail of arrows. Such a waste of a figure," Chen Xi said with a hint of melancholy after returning to Liu Bei's camp from the main tent.

"Zichuan, what are you talking about?" Liu Bei asked, puzzled. Why was Chen Xi so certain that Sun Jian would die, and specifically under a hail of arrows? Liu Bei, despite his...

Chapter 45: Sun Jian, Oh Sun Jian

Liu Bei remained silent, while Guan Yu and Zhang Fei said nothing either. When they first heard about the Imperial Seal, they immediately came to inform Liu Bei, hoping he could secure it. But now, Chen Xi claimed the Seal was just bait. If not for the series of strategies that had already earned their respect, Guan and Zhang might have slapped him by now.

Liu Bei took a deep breath, his eyes slightly red, and said to Chen Xi, “I placed too much importance on the Seal. As you...

Chapter 44: The Imperial Seal

Liu Bei led Chen Xi and the others back, looking satisfied, only to encounter a furious Cao Cao.

“Lord Cao, how are you?” Liu Bei dismounted and greeted Cao Cao. Liu Bei had a good impression of Cao Cao, who risked his life to pursue Dong Zhuo, as he still held loyalty to the Han Dynasty.

“Lord Xuande, sigh, I, Cao Mengde, have dedicated myself to the public good, only to end up in such a state.” Cao Cao lamented, “Inside the camp, there is revelry and merriment...