Mythical Three Kingdoms

From this point alone, it seems Xun Yu understands the implications better than Cao Cao.

”It seems there’s nothing more. Xun Wenruo truly is a dragon and phoenix among men. Cao Sikong’s issue has been resolved. Tomorrow, Lord Xuande, you continue to take the other party around the camp, just to provoke them.” Chen Xi said with a smile, transmitting his voice.

After Chen Xi transmitted his voice to Liu Bei, before Liu Bei could respond, Xun Yu transmitted his voice to Chen Xi.

”How many low-ranking officers can Grand Commandant Liu recognize?” Xun Yu transmitted his voice to Chen Xi.

”About eighteen thousand.” Chen Xi transmitted back to Xun Yu as if he were joking. This figure sounds terrifying, but in fact, Liu Bei probably really remembered so many people over the years.

This is also an important reason why Liu Bei has become increasingly confident; because for Liu Bei, he himself is the embodiment of military power.

”Four hundred thousand mighty soldiers?” Xun Yu transmitted his voice with a sigh, ”Both Grand Commandant Liu and Marquis Chen are truly capable. No wonder the Grand Commandant dares to completely delegate power to you. Even if you have no greed for power and are extremely talented, without this balancing act, it would be very hard for people to trust you fully!”

”Hahaha...” Chen Xi just laughed, but didn’t reply, because he didn’t know what to say. Should he say Xun Yu was right? He and Liu Bei are clearly kindred spirits after all!

”You taught the Grand Commandant to use this method to keep military power in hand, right? And in these years, there’s been no word of Liu Xuande doing anything else; it seems he only worked on this one thing! Just this one thing!” Xun Yu looked at Chen Xi with admiration.

”Hmm, at first, Lord Xuande found it very hard to remember people and often got them confused. But after seeing many, he gradually gained experience.” Chen Xi transmitted to Xun Yu, ”I probably can’t even do this. It’s completely different from remembering book content. My initial advice to Lord Xuande was to know all the garrison commanders under his command. Yet he exceeded all my expectations.”

”Indeed, eighteen thousand people...” Xun Yu clicked his tongue, it’s not a small number. For Liu Bei to remember each one accurately is already terrifying, and more importantly, low-ranking officers sometimes shift around.

Xun Yu completely understood the significance of this. As long as Liu Bei doesn’t self-destruct, given Liu Bei’s current foundation, they have no way to defeat him anymore. Fortunately, there’s no longer a need to defeat him; the Son of Heaven of Han still exists!

”Haha, I also quite admire it. Generally, people admire those who can do what they themselves cannot.” Chen Xi said with a smile. Xun Yu laughed upon hearing this, planning to go back and teach the Emperor to do the same.

[Recognizing all officials of six hundred stones rank and above isn’t easy either. The Emperor can’t easily leave the imperial palace, and those six-hundred-stone officials are spread across counties, how about those of a thousand stones...] Xun Yu was a bit worried about whether Liu Xie could recognize so many officials.

Seeing Xun Yu leave, Chen Xi also withdrew his gaze. However, if he knew what Xun Yu was thinking, he would definitely have curled his lips. The official-citizen ratio in the Han Dynasty is clearly recorded in history, less than eight thousand to one, meaning eight thousand people support one official.

Of course, this doesn’t count clerks, only officials, which means recognizing all Han Dynasty officials isn’t much more difficult than recognizing all capital chiefs. Without considering travel, it’s actually simpler because the total number of Han officials is around seven thousand...

But, speaking of which, this also left Xun Yu stunned. Civil servants aren’t as easy to deceive as soldiers with humble roots. The more they know, the more complicated their minds. In this age, even if you remember every name, it’s actually not very meaningful as the Son of Heaven.

Just as Chen Xi was flipping roast lamb, Xiahou Yuan ran over with a secret message, handing it to Cao Cao.

Seeing the envelope, Cao Cao knew it was a secret message from Cao Ang. Calculating the time, it seemed about right, so he prepared to open it to see the content. But holding the letter in his hand, he felt a bit apprehensive, so he handed the envelope to Xun Yu.

”Wen Ruo, a secret message from Chang’an, have a look.” Cao Cao laughed as he handed the letter to Xun Yu.

Xun Yu had no doubts. Earlier he was strategizing for the Emperor, and he didn’t expect a secret message from Chang’an would come so soon. Naturally, in Xun Yu’s mind, everything was proceeding according to his plan, and the Emperor was finally showing his heroic side.

Thus, upon receiving the secret message from Cao Cao, Xun Yu smiled as he opened it. As he opened it, he said to Liu Bei and Chen Xi, ”Grand Commandant, Marquis Chen, news from Chang’an has arrived. We won’t hide it from you; recently, we’ve been cooperating quite well, and perhaps we’ll have to continue cooperating. Only by joining forces can the Han Dynasty remain as the Han Dynasty.”

Liu Bei looked at Xun Yu with confusion while Chen Xi scratched his head, slightly guessing. As for Guo Jia, Jia Xu, Zhou Yu, and Liu Ye, these true sages had already sat up straight, waiting for the final result.

These men knew that this letter would largely influence the strategic approach ahead. Even if Jia Xu had many strategies for Chang’an, if this letter took the direction Xun Yu anticipated, they would have to hold off first.

However, just as Xun Yu was smilingly opening the envelope and then unfolding the secret letter, sweeping a glance over it, his smiling expression instantly froze, all color drained from his face, and his knuckles turned pale as he clutched the letter.

”This is impossible!” Xun Yu slammed the secret message onto the table, his adam’s apple bobbing as he visibly forced down a surge of blood, not wanting to reveal his obvious rage to everyone. Yet, at that moment, everyone’s attention was on him, impossible not to notice.

”...” Chen Xi watched Xun Yu with a blank expression. Though unaware of the contents, combining Xun Yu’s expression with Li Youu’s previous hints, he understood what had occurred in Chang’an. Just seeing Xun Yu forcibly suppress a mouthful of blood, eyes going dim, he realized Xun Yu’s faith might have collapsed this time.

”Spit it out, spit it out quickly!” Cao Cao, though not knowing what happened, immediately rushed forward upon seeing this, delivering a strike to Xun Yu’s back.

Xun Yu, who had swallowed the blood, under Cao Cao’s strike, instantly spit out a large mouthful of blood onto the table, soaking the secret letter in blood.

”The Emperor... ah...” At this moment, Xun Yu’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit diminished by more than half, and Cao Cao, in panic, didn’t know what to do.

”Quickly notify Physician Hua and Dr. Zhang.” Chen Xi sighed and said, ”Everyone, prepare for a return. It seems something has happened in Chang’an.”

Meanwhile, supporting Xun Yu and not knowing what to do, Cao Cao finally saw the secret letter on the table and let out a bleak laugh, ”Such an Emperor, such an Emperor, unfortunate for the Han Dynasty!”

Chen Xi got up and walked over slowly, raised the letter now stained with Xun Yu’s blood, glanced at it, and sighed, ”The Emperor, huh? Lord Xuande, do you want to see?”

”What has he done again?” Liu Bei asked with a cold and emotionless voice as he looked at Chen Xi. Just by watching Xun Yu spit out a mouthful of blood and hearing that voice filled with hatred and anger, Liu Bei knew Liu Xie had erred again.

”Lord Cao led the Yongliang soldiers north to return power to the Emperor. At this time, the Imperial Guard could travel through Yongliang, regaining the Emperor’s authority. Unfortunately, the Emperor chose to invite the Southern Huns south, using the Hu People to fill the Northern Army and West Garden.” Chen Xi explained with helplessness.

”Now, the Southern Huns have moved southward, plundering Bingzhou. Before this letter arrived, they already neared Sili, and Cao Zixiu led all Cao Family descendants over sixteen and the remaining 20,000 elderly, weak, sick, and disabled in Chang’an to the Sili border to block the Southern Huns’ advance.” Chen Xi sighed, acknowledging Cao Ang’s remarkable demeanor.

”Outrageous!” Liu Bei’s face turned increasingly grim as he listened to Chen Xi’s narrative, finally slapping the table in a rage and standing up, ”Has he gone mad?”

”Lord Xuande, watch your words.” Chen Xi’s eyelids twitched; Liu Bei, normally even-tempered and respectful toward the Emperor, now shouted such words before everyone, clearly incensed.