Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1689: Chapter 1619: Debts That Can Never Be Repaid (Part 2)

Simply put, although the aristocratic families under Cao Cao and Sun Ce are growing slowly, the proportion of their total strength relative to Cao Cao’s and Sun Ce’s total strength is gradually increasing.

On Liu Bei’s side, although the aristocratic families are growing much faster than those under Cao Cao and Sun Ce, the proportion of their total strength relative to Liu Bei’s total strength is visibly decreasing. Simply put, Chen Xi’s wealth accumulation is becoming increasingly astonishing.

This has led the aristocratic families to the realization that the influence they desire is unattainable; the highest position they can achieve is Xun Yue’s current position. Unobserved, they have come to understand that they have encountered the unseen ceiling that the Humble Family once faced.

Beyond this point, every position is occupied, and Liu Bei’s ministers are extremely young—young enough to outlast two or even three generations of aristocratic family heads. The aristocratic families simply don’t have the qualification to compete with Liu Bei.

In the past, Duke Mu of Qin endured, outlasting five generations of the Duke of Jin, eventually triumphing and emerging from Guanzhong. This shows how terrifying a wise figure can be when endowed with sufficient longevity.

The Jin Kingdom had such an apparent advantage, but ultimately could not ensure wise leaders in every generation. And now the situation has completely reversed: Liu Bei, as powerful as the Jin Kingdom once was, possesses strategic thinkers capable of outlasting two or three generations of aristocratic family heads.

It wouldn’t be an issue if each generation of major aristocratic families produced monsters like Zhuge Liang, Xun Shuang, and Xun Yu; one could just sit back and watch the clouds unfold. But how could that happen?

Having someone of Chen Qun’s caliber in every few generations is already a miraculous occurrence, and given the current situation, unless miracles happen consecutively, aristocratic families will be inevitably bound by ropes set by people like Chen Xi. Thus, understanding the circumstances, they are left with only two choices.

One is to rebel, but the major aristocratic families supporting Chen Xi, and endorsing him as the banner-bearer, understand that Chen Xi may lead them to create a prosperous era!

Although the proportion of their power in this prosperous era is less than before, the actual strength they might possess could reach a peak. If they rebel now, they may never have the chance to witness such prosperity.

Many aristocratic families yearn to glimpse such a summit, perhaps harboring various grievances, but they truly want to see to what extent aristocratic families, once grown and expanded to a certain limit, can thrive under Chen Xi’s guidance.

At least to have the honor of following that banner-bearer to some extreme; even if ultimately fading away, they can leave their clan members a path to strength. Whether they can preserve any legacy and rise again decades later, these aristocratic families are still confident.

After all, ultimately bowing down doesn’t mean total ruin. Since that’s the case, why not try leaving a path to greatness for posterity, especially considering that for this generation of aristocratic families the path has been exhausted.

Otherwise, the Nine-Rank System, solidifying class divisions and absorbing outside ideological supplements wouldn’t have emerged. Since things have come to this point, why not follow the broad path that someone else has already paved ahead?

As for potential risks, even if defeated then, those we bow to won’t be the Humble Family or the common people; if we fail in the end, we’ll still bow to someone among us, just like three thousand years ago under the Gui Family’s feet.

Losing to figures of the same level is far more acceptable than losing to nouveau riches. Families capable of becoming heads of aristocratic families have all etched their names into history; they have sufficient confidence that even if powerless to resist in the end, they’ll have a dignified conclusion. Therefore, aristocratic families are willing to continue trading with Chen Xi according to the rules.

This is the so-called second choice, also known as doing everything to realize their goals. If in the end failure is unavoidable, then let the descendants remember today’s experiences, so that when another opportunity comes, they can use today’s failures to achieve success.

This is also the so-called dormancy; since there’s no eternal dynasty, how about ten generations of dormancy, one day they’ll return, using the failures accumulated by their predecessors, and stride toward success. A millennial dynasty is unseen, but millennial aristocratic families are nearly ubiquitous in this era, with enough experience to withstand any catastrophic era.

However, that’s essentially a mental preparation; if they can even reach an equilibrium with Chen Xi, aristocratic families certainly wouldn’t admit defeat, allowing Chen Xi to bind ropes around them.

One must admit, though, that the luck of the aristocratic families across the land appears quite favorable. If aristocratic families can earn enough merit from the Han and Huns battle, perhaps not clearing all obligations but at least leaving sufficient obligations to be settled through interest exchanges without risking life or enduring centuries of dormancy.

As for pushing Chen Xi to the limit, overturning the table and disregarding rules, if things really do reach that step, even if aristocratic families win, historians will record such events truthfully and Chen Xi would consequently lose control over aristocratic families.

Rule-breakers face collective resistance, and frankly, Chen Xi doesn’t need to destroy his own amulet; although it’s not the most vital amulet, Chen Xi generally keeps promises unless major reasons arise to break them.

Hence, if aristocratic families follow the rules, they can genuinely offset Chen Xi’s obligations. Chen Xi certainly wouldn’t backtrack; however, realistically speaking, aristocratic families have little chance of fully settling obligations while adhering to rules.

Because Chen Xi previously experimented with fief distribution during canal construction, although it was merely a seventy-li fief north of Hetao, aristocratic families still quickly calculated the entire canal construction, excavation methods, labor consumption, and time spent within months to secure that area.

As evident, fief distribution still holds absolute allure for aristocratic families. Likewise, Chen Xi possesses absolute confidence in managing the fertile lands and pastures of Central Asia and Parthia.

This ensures obligations can’t be settled completely; aristocratic families must continue under Chen Xi’s established rules. Judicial and governance rights are destined, once given the opportunity, aristocratic families won’t relinquish them while maintaining family traditions.

Right now, when Northern Huns march southward, aristocratic families actually believe the Mandate of Heaven lies behind them. As long as merit is gained in this battle, they might settle most obligations. Under such circumstances, Yuan Tan took away half of the aristocratic families’ hopes under heaven!

Don’t mention the current Yuan Family isn’t the Yuan Family once vying for the throne, even if they still were, then reliant on aristocratic families, any such move would stir intense upheaval, and now, doing so, Yuan Family cannot endure the backlash.

Standing against half the aristocratic families of heaven, the crucial point is the remaining half not supporting them. This situation constitutes a deadlock for the Yuan Family.

Yet, the move has reached this point, Jia Xu has already prepaid, and if Yuan Tan doesn’t continue according to plan, and instead reverses to grant merit to aristocratic families enabling them to return Chen Xi’s obligations, they’d indeed earn aristocratic families’ goodwill.

But what significance do other aristocratic families’ goodwill hold for the Yuan Family? Moreover, undertaking such an act essentially means Yuan Family severing themselves from Liu Bei. Fighting against Northern Huns to prevent Liu Bei’s offense against Yuan Family under Jicheng, yet now attempting to win over the aristocratic families across heaven—isn’t it a death wish?

Thus, at this stage, Yuan Tan is left with only one path—to follow Jia Xu’s plan, severing the hope of aristocratic families under heaven, the Yuan Family ultimately divorcing themselves from aristocratic families, becoming an ordinary Aristocratic Family, losing past vitality that once commanded heaven’s response.

As for other paths, they all lead to seeking death, and the alleged self-divorce from aristocratic families, while resulting in numerous troubles for Yuan Tan, is already insignificant.

Placed before Xun Shen and Xu You, as Jia Xu laid out the world stage, their eyes filled with radiance, blood boiling hearing Jia Xu’s descriptions, sealing their fate in awakening, they couldn’t turn back.