Mythical Three Kingdoms

After Ju Shou left, Li You couldn’t help but give Liu Bei a thumbs up, ”Lord Xuande, I can guarantee that this time Ju Gongyu was thoroughly deceived into confusion!”

”My good reputation is ruined, and I can’t escape being branded as a philanderer,” Liu Bei said dejectedly, ”How can I attract distinguished ministers without fame!”

”Lord Xuande, rest assured, when Guanzi once spoke of Duke Huan of Qi, he said that a hegemony has nothing to do with fondness for beauty or pleasure,” Li You said with a smile, not treating the matter of the world speaking of Liu Bei’s philandering as an issue at all.

Seeing Liu Bei still looking dejected, Li You’s expression became serious, ”Hearing is false, seeing is believing. A sage would not comment on matters they are not skilled in, neither would they judge without certainty of the truth. If one believes in rumors passed from person to person, such a person will not and cannot cause us any trouble.”

”But the reputation I’ve built up before is completely gone, and I’m afraid no more members of the aristocratic families will join me. Every one of these families is cautious about their reputation. Now, I fear no family will hold Liu Xuande in high regard,” Liu Bei said with a bitter smile. It wasn’t the lack of renown he feared, but the absence of talent.

”You speak as if aristocratic families have been joining us all along,” Li You muttered under his breath, then straightened up and said to Liu Bei, ”Lord Xuande, allow me to ask, since our establishment at Mount Tai, how many aristocratic family members have joined us?”

”There have been a few,” Liu Bei said somewhat awkwardly.

”How many of them can hold their own?” Li You pressed on.

”That, I’m afraid, is none,” Liu Bei hesitated before confessing.

”If that is so, what is there to regret? While the top-tier sages can’t be nurtured, those who fall just short can be manufactured in batches with some effort. As for the aristocratic families, those who truly have vision will not care about the private morals of their lord,” Li You said earnestly as he looked into Liu Bei’s eyes.

Liu Bei remained expressionless. His power had already grown immensely, yet not a single renowned aristocratic family had sought to join him. This made Liu Bei begin to doubt if there was something wrong on his part. Born in the lower echelons, Liu Bei had always longed for recognition from the noble families he had once looked up to. Even though he had now surpassed those he once admired, he still lacked such realization and continued to await their recognition!

”Lord Xuande, the aristocratic families are but reeds that sway with every wall’s collapse. Defeat Yuan Shao, establish your capital in the north, eye the Central Plains, and control the northern regions’ two major horse-producing areas and three major grain-producing areas. With our strength, we’ll be more than capable of overlooking the entire world. Then, neither talent nor virtue will matter. With enough power, all the aristocratic families will kneel at your feet! Reputation, virtue, all that will be written for you by someone else,” Li You advised loudly.

”Establish a capital in the north, eye the Central Plains, overlook the world, aristocratic families kneeling...” Liu Bei’s eyes, which had lacked any spirit, looked at Li You and then gradually firmed up, ”These were the strategies set out by Zichuan from the very beginning, weren’t they!”

”Yes, the original strategy!” Li You nodded and said, ”While the plan beneath Hulao Pass might have been mere wishful thinking, we now have the opportunity to implement it. Zichuan takes one step but plans three ahead, pressing forward with the world’s momentum to this point. We are getting closer and closer to the final strategy, which leaves us no choice but to be cautious!”

”Can we defeat Yuan Shao? We haven’t really recovered Qingzhou yet, and Eastern Qingzhou is still desolate. I’m afraid Gongsun Bogui will not last two more years. Can we have the strength to fight Yuan Shao in such a short time?” Liu Bei wasn’t foolish, with the previously ongoing plans, he was now starting to understand Chen Xi’s strategies.

”We can! And we’ll definitely succeed,” Li You said with a solemn expression. ”Our group has always been preparing for this moment. This is why Chen Xi needed to subdue the Zhen Family, and why he had to feed Jizhou’s entire commerce to the Zhen Family—because as long as we can take down Jizhou, the Zhen Family will have enough power to suppress the rebound within!”

”The Zhen Family and the Yuan Family cannot reconcile; there is already a huge chasm between the Zhen Family and the clans of Jizhou. With the prospect of becoming the top clan in Jizhou with an overwhelming counter-attack and the possibility of longevity from serving a rising master, the Zhen Family will definitely not give up. Internal factors, external issues, and the entanglement of grudges have pushed the Zhen Family to a point where they have no choice but to make a move,” said Li You, sighing. Chen Xi had been thinking from the start to side with some while fighting others.

”So that’s how it is.” Liu Bei instantly understood everything and guessed Yuan Shao’s troop distribution when the time came—Youzhou, Jizhou, Bingzhou. Once Jizhou was seized, cutting off the passageway from Youzhou to Bingzhou, Yuan Benchu would be just like meat on a chopping board!

The important aspect was that there would be no need to commit troops to the occupied areas, and even taxes could be collected as usual. The actions of the Zhen Family would completely stabilize Jizhou. Even more importantly, the Zhang Clan was female...

Liu Bei completely understood the sequence of Chen Xi’s arrangements. Given their importance, no wonder Chen Xi had always aimed to subdue the Zhen Family, frequently asking if he was interested in Miss Zhang, while also suggesting her honorable status made her a suitable legal wife. The root of it all lay there.

”Not to mention, Miss Zhang is indeed beautiful and possesses an elegant and noble air. Just considering what she’ll have to do in the future, even if she were less attractive, I’d still have to marry her, right?” Liu Bei said with a wry smile. Only by marrying Miss Zhang would he truly secure Jizhou, and only with such a marriage could all the aristocratic families of the north truly submit to him.

”Exactly. At that time, Zichuan will re-establish the Chen Family, intimidating the aristocracy as the head of one of the top five families, determining the main and branch families based on strength. Your identity alone will be strong enough to usurp the position of the head family. Thus, the families will hesitate less in your presence, seeing their future in the alliances you offer,” Li You said, now indifferent to the concept of noble families. After all, if everything followed Chen Xi’s steps, these families would ultimately return to dust, so why hurry in the moment.

For the first time, Liu Bei heard Chen Xi’s full strategy, and even he could sense its feasibility. He sighed, rose, and with respect, addressed Li You, ”All this time, your efforts have been taxing. Indeed, I have been ignorant. I will need Wen Ru’s guidance in the future. Zichuan does not wish to be bound, and yet for my sake, he’s accepted all the trouble from the aristocratic families.”

”Your Excellency frightens me,” murmured Li You, astounded as Liu Bei bowed to him, speaking with a slightly emotional tone, ”Lord Xuande, I am but your chief strategist, tasked with finding and filling any gaps. I will continue to serve as always.”

”Thank you,” Liu Bei said as he settled back in his seat, ”A monarch’s private virtue won’t affect his ambition. From this day on, I, Liu Xuande, will follow in the footsteps of my ancestors, enjoying the zither during the day and appreciating the beauty of song and dance by night, until the aristocratic families bow down!” (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it at Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)