Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Xuande, if the Son of Heaven cannot be supported, what do you plan to do?” Cao Cao suddenly transmitted his voice to Liu Bei, and upon hearing this, Liu Bei immediately turned to look at Cao Cao, whose eyes were utterly sincere.

”The Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven, and the Han Dynasty is the Han Dynasty. What I strive for is the peace of the Han Dynasty,” Liu Bei looked into Cao Cao’s thoroughly sincere eyes, and after a moment of silence, transmitted his voice back to Cao Cao.

”The Son of Heaven cannot be supported,” Cao Cao said with a kind of bitterness, ”The Son of Heaven of Han cannot be supported!”

”Indeed, it cannot be supported! But the Han Dynasty can be supported. As long as one of us remains, the Han Dynasty will still be the Han Dynasty.” At that moment, Liu Bei suddenly embodied Chen Xi and spoke solemnly.

”As long as one of us remains, the Han Dynasty can be supported,” Cao Cao looked into Liu Bei’s eyes with utmost seriousness, understanding Liu Bei’s intent.

”What if we merge the two sides?” Liu Bei reached out to Cao Cao, seeing everything he desired in Cao Cao’s eyes — that Cao Cao would not betray the Han Dynasty.

Cao Cao slowly reached out, almost touching Liu Bei’s hand, but then swatted it away and bitterly smiled twice, ”Although we both strive for the Han Dynasty, we must distinguish who is superior. Behind me, just like behind you, there are countless people watching us.”

”The victors become princes and marquises; the losers become outlaws,” Liu Bei said with distress.

”If we don’t determine who is superior now, our descendants will, with even greater ferocity. At least now our will can still be enforced, but our offspring might not be able to maintain control,” Cao Cao shook his head and said.

”Wait a moment, I’ll ask Zichuan a question to see if it can be resolved.” Hearing this, Liu Bei understood Cao Cao’s intention, but then remembered Chen Xi and immediately rode towards Chen Xi.

”Zichuan, don’t sleep,” Liu Bei shouted as he rode over to the group of civil servants, who had their heads buried in the horse manes, resting.

”What’s the matter, Lord Xuande...” Chen Xi looked drowsily at Liu Bei.

”Clear your head, otherwise I won’t dare to tell you,” Liu Bei transmitted his voice to Chen Xi.

Chen Xi slowly sat up, planted his feet on the stirrups, stretched lazily, then rubbed his face vigorously with both hands.

”Alright, you can speak now,” Chen Xi, having regained most of his spirit, looked at Liu Bei and inquired.

”It’s like this...” Liu Bei recounted everything he had said to Cao Cao verbatim and added his own judgment, then asked, ”In this situation, can we relocate them to fight for the country?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xi frowned. That Cao Cao had such awareness was indeed beyond Chen Xi’s expectations, ”I’m afraid not. What Cao Sikong said is very reasonable. If they don’t have a decisive battle, even if he is willing to expand territories, how will his followers think?”

”Moreover, even if his followers fight for the country while Cao Sikong is alive, what happens after he passes away? They will inevitably rebound, and if there are no constraints, it will be even worse than now.” Chen Xi sighed and transmitted his voice to Liu Bei to explain.

”We must make both the people on Sunx Bofu’s side and Cao Sikong’s side aware that they are following our command because they lost, not because of a grand righteousness. This relates to psychological endurance,” Chen Xi patiently explained to Liu Bei.

”So, must there be a battle?” Liu Bei asked Chen Xi resignedly.

Though there was resignation in Liu Bei’s voice, it remained firm. Having chosen to surpass his ancestors and bring stability to the realm, it was inevitable that chaos and order would be established with bloodshed. How could Liu Bei not be mentally prepared for such matters?

”Don’t worry, there’s still more than a year. I’ll deliver a fairly good conclusion; if I’m quick, the final outcome might exceed expectations,” Chen Xi smiled and transmitted his voice to Liu Bei.

Chen Xi had yet to arrange a perfect ending, but the current arrangement was much improved compared to the Yuan Liu conflict.

For Chen Xi, even if the unified Central Plains’ conclusion couldn’t be arranged by spring the year after next, the chess pieces already set could still lead to a quite favorable conclusion.

”Then I’ll rely on Zichuan,” Liu Bei said joyously upon hearing this.

”Lord Xuande, don’t be too happy too soon; interact well with Cao Sikong,” Chen Xi laughed, acknowledging the necessity of experiencing a decisive battle to uphold righteousness.

After Liu Bei rode away, Zhou Yu slowly approached on horseback and said to Chen Xi, ”After reaching Chang’an this time, next time we meet, we may no longer be allies.”

”Hahaha, fighting alongside you was quite pleasant,” Chen Xi remarked, ”As for the next time being friends or foes, that’s up for the future to decide.”

”Marquis Chen is indeed generous,” Zhou Yu laughed and said.

”Well, this time when I return, I’ll probably become the actual Marquis Chen,” Chen Xi laughed, saying that with his years of meritorious deeds, he’d already secured the title of Marquis without any concern about rank limitations.

”Let me congratulate Marquis Chen in advance, then,” Zhou Yu, without any concern, still laughed and said.

”I wonder what title they’ll confer upon you?” Chen Xi curiously asked.

”Marquis of Anyang Township, Marquis of Shu, Marquis of Pinglu, are the most likely,” Zhou Yu answered without any hesitation, clearly having considered this.

”Marquis of Shu is the most prestigious. Although Marquis of Anyang Township is your ancestral title, if it’s Marquis of Pinglu, that’s somewhat belittling. For others, it’s an honorary title; with your achievements this time, if they give you the Marquis of Pinglu, what would they give General Huang?” Chen Xi rolled his eyes and said.

From Chen Xi’s perspective, since Huang Zhong had taken out the Northern Huns Chanyu Huyan Chu with one arrow, unless something unforeseen happened, the position of Marquis of Pinglu was secured for him. Although it’s just a Pavilion Marquis, before this, Huang Zhong was largely undistinguished, and one arrow had elevated him to the pinnacle of rank.

”That’s why I estimate it’s eight or nine out of ten that it’ll be the Marquis of Anyang Township,” Zhou Yu laughed and said, ”The chance of Marquis of Shu is small, but not impossible. If I can be granted the Marquis of Shu, I’d consider it a profit.”

”Hah, if you can be given Marquis of Shu, then I could be granted King Chen!” Chen Xi said irritably, then recalled Zhou Yu’s achievements, ”However, as Commander-in-chief who annihilated the Northern Huns, being granted Marquis of Shu isn’t entirely impossible.”

”Not very likely, because Bofu cannot be made Marquis of Wu. Even if it’s proposed to grant me Marquis of Shu, they would adjust it,” Zhou Yu said, somewhat regretful, given that his deeds merited more than a township marquis, yet less than a county marquis.

According to the habit of the Han Dynasty, if it were bestowed upon an elder minister, it would naturally be generous. But for someone like Zhou Yu at the tender age of twenty-two or twenty-three, the rank might be modest, but the rewards would be rich. Yet to Zhou Yu, rewards were trivial.

”True enough,” Chen Xi nodded, acknowledging that this single aspect blocked Zhou Yu’s chance for Marquis of Shu. Though Sun Ce wouldn’t mind such trifles, Zhou Yu wouldn’t overreach.

”Quite a few will be enfeoffed this time; at this rate, Kongming could break the record for Champion Marquis,” Chen Xi said with a smile, ”Lord Xuande will likely propose him as Marquis of Yangdu Pavilion. A sixteen-year-old marquis—imagine, at sixteen, I was still struggling for a meal at Hulao Pass.”

”I was still at home at sixteen,” Zhou Yu said, disgruntled, and then unconsciously looked at Zhuge Liang with a tinge of envy, ”A truly youthful ennoblement; this record might never be surpassed.”

Indeed, during this period, many have congratulated Zhuge Liang. After the northern campaign, most participating generals could predict whether they’d be a Pavilion Marquis or Marquis within the Pass, whereas Zhuge Liang’s accomplishments undeniably placed him steadily in the position of Pavilion Marquis.