Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

After understanding these dynamics, Chen Xi’s respect for the thousand-year-old noble families greatly diminished. It turned out that every family had its own troubles. At first glance, the generations of outstanding talents within these families seemed strong and prosperous, but after learning about Xun Yu’s situation, all Chen Xi could do was sigh deeply.

A strong family naturally produces strong members, and thus, any internal opposition also becomes formidable. Even Xun Yu and Xun You had conflicting views, let alone other family members. You may be unmatched in talent, but those who continue to challenge you must also be rare geniuses; otherwise, they would have perished long ago. Such is the harsh reality...

What Chen Qun prided himself on most was that under his management, the Chen family had avoided large-scale internal strife. Although Chen Xi might represent a separate branch of thought, it was merely a reasonable strategy, and it did not equate to the internal resource squandering and mutual antagonism that plagued other families. As for who would ultimately win, the surviving party would still be a part of the Chen family. Though Chen Qun was displeased by internal competition, compared to the bloody battles within other families, he found Chen Xi’s upright approach far more acceptable.

This was also why some of the elders within the Chen family began to support Chen Xi. For those elders who had grown old and seen through worldly affairs, with no interest in power but a strong desire for the family’s continuation, Chen Xi, who was now famous throughout the land, and the brilliant Chen Qun were both equally favored. For them, the Chen family needed such figures, so when the family split its resources, they deliberately provided Chen Xi with many of the things he needed.

Every time Chen Xi thought about the 4,000 people who were transferred to his side when the Chen family divided its resources, he couldn’t help but be impressed. The thousand-year-old families truly had a deep foundation. Although they might not be as wealthy as the Mi family, possessing only a tenth of their riches, their heritage was no joke!

Out of the 4,000 people, nearly 3,000 were various craftsmen that Chen Xi had requested. Although many were apprentices or low-skilled workers, several were already master craftsmen. Some had even been granted the Chen surname, indicating they were long-term retainers of the Chen family rather than short-term hires. This was a staggering realization!

Considering this, the various noble families likely concealed a significant portion of the Han Empire’s population within their private households. However, what intrigued Chen Xi even more was the source of the Chen family’s doctrines.

From what Chen Xi could tell, the Chen family’s teachings seemed to include elements of Daoism, Legalism, Confucianism, Mohism, Yin-Yang, and even the School of Names and Diplomacy. Each contained some core essence. Calling it eclectic would be an understatement, as the miscellaneous school (Zajia) had produced few significant figures and left behind little written work.

When Chen Xi tried to look into the origins of the Chen family’s teachings, there seemed to be no records. While other families’ origins were well documented, the Chen family’s was mysteriously absent. Perhaps it was a case of ”family shame must not be publicized”?

With this in mind, Chen Xi couldn’t help but ask, ”Kongming, are you still awake? I want to ask you something.””I’m not asleep yet. What do you want to ask, Zichuan?” came Zhuge Liang’s drowsy response.

”Which of the Hundred Schools does the Chen family’s doctrine come from?” Chen Xi inquired.

”The Chen family’s teachings? You’re a descendant of the Qi royal family. The Hundred Schools of Thought flourished in the Jixia Academy, where they reached their peak through intense debates and were refined to perfection. The Jixia Academy was established by your ancestors, so why would you need to borrow from others?” Zhuge Liang mumbled sleepily.

The philosophy of the Hundred Schools of Thought was perfected through debates at the Jixia Academy. After winning or losing debates, the schools would put their theories into practice, then refine their ideas further and debate again, eventually reaching their zenith. As the host of these debates, the state of Qi might not have placed much value on these philosophies, but it certainly recorded much of their essence. The Chen family’s doctrine stems from this legacy.

”Jixia Academy...” Chen Xi murmured to himself. It was indeed a case of not seeing what was right in front of him.

Suddenly, Chen Xi felt a burst of clarity. No wonder the Chen family had been so generous!

Chen Xi felt a brief pang of irritation. The Chen family had made such a bold move without informing him first. That was quite ruthless.

However, Chen Xi quickly calmed down. The Chen family’s actions were logical and justified. After all, they hadn’t broken any laws. Their method was within the rules and didn’t deserve punishment.

As he lay staring up at the tent ceiling, Chen Xi reflected on everything. In the end, what truly bothered him was the Chen family’s lack of confidence in his success.

Chen Xi raised his left hand and studied the lines on his palm. Then, he let his hand fall back onto his forehead. He resolved that once he returned, he would deal with those in the Chen family who lacked faith in him.

As Chen Xi mulled over his thoughts, he found himself increasingly frustrated by the complexities of dealing with noble families. By now, the major families had likely realized that Chen Xi’s attitude toward them wasn’t as hostile as the rumors suggested. He wasn’t trying to uproot them all at once, nor did he harbor any clear intent to resist them outright.

If he had been intent on destroying them, the noble families would have seen no choice but a fight to the death. But with the current situation, it seemed more like Chen Xi was initiating an internal purification of the noble families.

Chen Xi himself was a prominent figure within the Chen family, and although his thinking might differ from the mainstream, that wasn’t unusual. Many figures within noble families had unconventional ideas. After all, even Confucius’ ideas weren’t accepted by the ruling class at first, yet Confucianism eventually became dominant. Who could say what the future would hold? As long as Chen Xi wasn’t openly hostile to the noble families, they saw no reason to go to war with such a powerful figure.

As for following Chen Xi’s rules, that wasn’t a big deal. It was just a game of power dynamics, and right now, Chen Xi had the upper hand. If they didn’t play, others would step in.

What the noble families couldn’t understand was Chen Xi’s ultimate goal. One moment he seemed intent on universal education, which threatened their status, but the next, he was offering them significant benefits. Then, he allowed them access to local education systems. Was his thinking chaotic? That couldn’t be it!

By now, the noble families had acknowledged Chen Xi’s capabilities and were far more cautious in dealing with him. The seemingly contradictory actions had led them to speculate that Chen Xi was using tactics similar to those employed by the noble families during the Warring States period when they had wiped out rival schools of thought.