Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1410: Chapter 1360: Jia Xu’s Unresolved Issues

Perhaps until now, in the eyes of the upper echelon, the people under their command were still just livestock that could be regenerated at will. Only this can explain what mindset initiated the frequent massacres in history.

”You went south because you didn’t want to see the devastation in the North?” Jia Xu looked at Chen Xi and asked, never understanding Chen Xi’s mindset.

”Yes, that’s part of the reason.” Chen Xi did not conceal this.

”You are still too kind-hearted.” Jia Xu frowned and said, knowing that this would be the answer, yet still a bit dissatisfied upon hearing it from Chen Xi.

”If it weren’t for you truly possessing a superior intellect, and that Lord Xuande is also benevolent, willing to tread this difficult path, you would probably lose terribly.” Jia Xu looked at Chen Xi very earnestly.

”Indeed, that’s true. However, how to put this? I have the capital to be benevolent, and so does Lord Xuande.” Chen Xi wore a faint smile, ”I did so much to make the world move to my rhythm as much as possible.”

”So you think yourself highly skilled,” Jia Xu sighed. ”I shall leave first; I need to prepare for the expedition. By now, Kongming and the others in the Northern Frontier should have already started taking action.”

”Go ahead. I also need to go south. As for Kongming, don’t worry, with his caliber, he is absolutely the steadiest. With adequate strength assured, Kongming is undoubtedly the toughest to deal with.” Chen Xi waved to Jia Xu, who was already on horseback.

Jia Xu urged his horse forward, but after a few steps, he reined it in and stopped. ”Zichuan, there’s something I’ve never mentioned. I’ve always doubted Shen Pei, but I have no evidence.”

”Doubts about what?” Chen Xi asked in return.

”Did Shen Pei really reach a point of no return?” Jia Xu frowned and asked, ”Letting the Xianbei in is the biggest doubt I’ve found.”

”Couldn’t it be that he was breaking things and giving up?” Chen Xi asked, puzzled.

”Do you think someone as steadfast as Shen Pei would just break things and give up? From the intelligence I gathered from the Yuan Liu battle, Shen Pei would hold firm even when cornered, not just give up.” Jia Xu said with a solemn expression.

”Oh, then what do you mean?” Chen Xi thought for a moment, truly, in history, even when things turned so dire, Shen Pei did not collapse.

”I just have doubts but cannot find the crux.” Jia Xu frowned and said, ”Seven thousand men guarding Jundu Mountain, though they can’t stop all the Xianbei, at least the Xianbei Major Tribe’s damage to Youzhou would halt at the Northern Frontier, preserving the Essence Zone of Youzhou.”

”Letting Xianbei in, a flat and open Youzhou, even with Shen Pei’s capability, cannot entirely block the Xianbei. Once the Xianbei start roaming, the Essence Zone of Youzhou is finished. Shen Pei cannot be unaware of this.” Jia Xu looked at Chen Xi, clearly hoping for some corroboration from him.

”That does indeed make sense,” Chen Xi pressed his index finger to his temple, acknowledging that Jia Xu made sense.

”Then what do you think Shen Pei’s actions mean for us?” Chen Xi asked in return.

”It only makes restoring Youzhou more difficult, a post-war issue with no impact on Yuan Tan’s current survival environment,” Jia Xu replied without hesitation.

”We’re back to that point again,” Chen Xi sighed, ”so it ends up being about breaking things and giving up again, which is indeed a problem.”

Jia Xu also frowned, not solving Yuan Tan’s survival environment but making it difficult to restore Youzhou; this is unimaginable for Shen Pei. Given Shen Pei’s character, he would not do such a thing; Shen Pei is the type to seize any slim chance of survival.

”Zichuan, I’m heading to report to our Lord first. The situation in Youzhou will naturally have results once further developments arise.” Jia Xu paused before saying, given the scant information, nothing could be analyzed.

”You go ahead. I’m also preparing to leave Ye City,” Chen Xi waved to Jia Xu. Then he remembered something and hurriedly grabbed Jia Xu, ”Wen He, do you know Lady Tang?”

At the moment Chen Xi grabbed Jia Xu to question him, he noticed a flash in Jia Xu’s eyes, immediately realizing Jia Xu knew Lady Tang.

”I do,” Jia Xu said flatly.

”You really do know her?” Chen Xi said in surprise, thinking Jia Xu would dodge the question, yet he answered honestly.

”If I didn’t know her, how could she have left the palace with a child during the Luoyang coup?” Jia Xu rolled his eyes and said.

”Pfft, I knew it. With Wen He’s Black Hand, she could remain unscathed and return safely to Yingchuan during the Luoyang coup,” Chen Xi quickly deduced, ”What’s your relationship with her? I don’t remember you helping strangers for no reason.”

”Did Cai Yan ask you to see Tang Consort?” Jia Xu asked in return.

”Yes, Cai Zhaoji asked me to check on her and take care of her,” Chen Xi nodded, ”But you seem to know a lot.”

”She’s one of the few old acquaintances I have,” Jia Xu thought for a moment and said, honestly not wanting to talk about such dusty old stories.

”How do you two have such a connection? If I remember correctly, you were a Filial and Incorrupt, in your thirties in Luoyang, and at that time Tang Consort was only...” Chen Xi gestured, finally gesturing to Jia Xu’s waist height.

”Didn’t you leave just a few years later?” Chen Xi gazed skyward, recalling Jia Yun’s birth date and Jia Xu’s wife’s passing, feeling somewhat awkward.

”I don’t know what you’re imagining, but I feel restless. When Jia Yun was young, Tang Consort often visited, so I helped once I recognized who she was. If I had known sooner that Tang Consort was her, the Young Emperor could have been saved too,” Jia Xu said expressionlessly.

This was no exaggeration. Li Ru killed the Young Emperor merely to divert attention. If Jia Xu had asked, Li Ru could have changed his approach without much issue, as Jia Xu’s face was not one Li Ru could ignore.

”What a dull story,” Chen Xi remarked to Jia Xu, who considered it merely a minor effort and thus lent a hand.

[Eh, wait, if it were really that simple, given Jia Xu’s character, helping once would suffice. In historical records, Jia Xu aided Lady Tang more than three times, and ultimately placed her not in Yingchuan but in the Hongnong Royal Cemetery, originally outside Zhao Zhong’s grave.]

This was awkward. Placing her in a cemetery was illogical, and since Jia Xu spoke up, only to have such a result, could they really think Jia Xu was a deadman, unless...]