Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Master, is it true that mine was also prearranged like this?” Lul Xun looked at Chen Xi with a face full of resentment and asked.

”Uh, Zizhong, remember to convey this message to your sister and tell her that Boyan has other ideas or something.” Chen Xi decisively turned his head and spoke to Mi Zhu, and Lul Xun immediately shrank back.

”Sigh, you really don’t understand my good intentions. Think back, is there anyone else who treats you like she does?” Chen Xi curled his lip and said. Mi Zhen seemed to be in a rebellious phase for some time and wasn’t very obedient, but after that period her character greatly improved.

Lul Xun raised his head and realized it was indeed true, nodding silently. After all, this era is one of parental orders and matchmaking arrangements, where one has no power to refuse.

”This year’s highlight is Zhongda, a prodigy with spiritual talent. If any of you have unmarried daughters, hurry and try your luck. Maybe you’ll win.” Chen Xi shouted to the crowd without any shame.

”...” Lul Xun suddenly felt that he had completely overthought things before. The fact that Mi Zhen drew him instead of someone else was truly fate.

”I think handing this matter over to Zichuan will really lead to problems.” Sima Lang glanced at Chen Xi speechlessly. ”You’re setting up Zhongda, you know.”

”Instead, how about the men draw lots? Last year it was all women, this year let’s have the men. The grand prize will still be Zhongda.” Chen Xi thoughtlessly proposed another idea, and this time Sima Lang didn’t even want to respond.

”I don’t know why, but I have a feeling, Marquis Chen, that you’re trying to set me up.” Zhuge Liang asked Chen Xi with a solemn expression.

”Oh, I was just preparing to invite you to draw lots.” Chen Xi laughed heartily.

”I absolutely won’t play such dangerous games.” Zhuge Liang decisively refused.

”Sigh, it’s just a joke. Everybody organize something, and later we can have some fun. I think it’s very interesting.” Chen Xi enthusiastically tried to persuade the crowd, but everyone already understood the essence of this activity and no one wanted to engage with him.

”How do you plan to spend the New Year? Surely, we can’t just pay respects to ancestors and go around visiting each other, eating at one house today and another tomorrow until we’ve finished all the houses. Then after the New Year, we all return home.” Seeing that the crowd was ignoring him, Chen Xi tried hard to explain.

Xun Yu covered his face, realizing how unreliable Chen Xi had become, leaving one somewhat in despair. He didn’t believe Chen Xi was unaware of what would happen in Chang’an when the time came, likely with no thoughts of celebrating the New Year. In all likelihood, the whole New Year would be spent squabbling.

”Sigh, you are really too boring.” Chen Xi looked at the group who couldn’t be bothered to engage with him, feeling unsatisfied. ”Forget it, it seems you’re not suited for this kind of thing, I’ll find others to draw lots myself.”

Xun Yu and the others shook their heads repeatedly, even those like Zheng Du who hadn’t initially reacted now understood. No one could be sure what would happen in Chang’an, but definitely there wouldn’t be time for Chen Xi’s lottery game.

”You people, it seems you lack even a tiny bit of fun-seeking cells. Even Fengxiao only possesses charming cells, completely unaware of how to find amusement; you’re all workaholics.” Chen Xi began to rant, and the others sighed. If it weren’t Chen Xi speaking, others would have been beaten up long ago.

Seeing that others seemed genuinely uninterested, Chen Xi settled down for a moment, yet his calm lasted less than three minutes before he started looking for trouble again.

”Tell me, after the Confucian School’s middle level was dismantled, how many years will it take for them to recover?” Chen Xi tugged at Xun Yu beside him and asked, causing the expressions of the others to darken.

Among those present, they claim to study Confucianism, but each knows their own affairs. If Xun Yu counts as a Confucian, then everyone else could be considered Confucian...

However, Xun Yu generally won’t claim to be a Confucian unless asked, considering himself more of a moderate Legalist, so the situation was well understood. These people were just wearing the robes of Confucianism.

”It will probably take about twenty years for them to truly recover, but during those twenty years they won’t just sit idle.” Xun Yu squinted slightly and said, ”I estimate we’ll witness a debate in Chang’an this time, but Confucianism will definitely win.”

”They can’t avoid that debate upon returning to Chang’an, because it’s indeed an opportunity. Confucianism’s victory is assured, though the Hundred Schools took the chance to overthrow Confucianism, they actually did a favor to Confucianism by purging the dross and preserving the essence.” Jia Xu said solemnly.

”Meanwhile, the Hundred Schools are currently in a mix of good and bad. This time they are sure to lose, but with Great Confucian Scholars gathering in Chang’an, and the heads of major aristocratic families who had previously resorted to underhanded tactics are sure to attend too. Sometimes even knowing they will lose, they must face the challenge.” Guo Jia shrugged, acknowledging that these matters were unavoidable.

With the Northern Huns destroyed, the aristocratic families under heaven aren’t foolish; they know that next will be reporting to the Ancestral Temple and honoring ancestors. Along with timing coinciding with the Grand Assembly, it’s inevitable that the nation’s noted scholars will come to Chang’an.

”Once each family replenishes their vital energy in twenty years, there will be something to see. For now, though, the Confucian School’s victory is assured, even if the Legalist School has the capability to contend, they can only avoid this opportunity.” Xun Youi said calmly.

”Twenty years from now, indeed.” Chen Xi rarely showed a solemn expression. It seemed Xun Yu and the others hadn’t deduced that Chen Xi’s aim was to send the major aristocratic families and academic schools out for practice, yet they guessed that Chen Xi was likely aiming to harvest the essence of the various schools of thought.

Though this approach was similar to the Hundred Schools tearing each other apart at Jixia Academy, while Qi State copied the assignments of various academic schools, absorbing their essence, it had to be admitted that only schools engaged in mutual critique and conflict truly possessed vitality. The result of a single dominating family was everyone collectively heading toward ruin.

”There’s not much to watch in this battle, basically it’s just about recognizing faces.” Chen Xi thought and understood that the current situation offered no real spectacle. The Hundred Schools lacked time to fight the Confucian School, while the Confucian School was equally busy establishing a more complete ideology.

”That’s about it, if there were to be a real battle, it would still need some time until they grow to a certain extent.” Jia Xu showed a shadowy smile on his face.

”Though I don’t consider myself a Confucian, in terms of governance, the Confucian School’s way of dominating while incorporating other schools is quite good.” Chen Qun suddenly interjected.

”This approach is indeed good for now, but that doesn’t mean it will always be good. If the foundation accumulated since the Pre-Qin period is exhausted, a single dominating Confucian School will struggle to catch up with the pace of the times. The Hundred Schools are difficult to control, but you must admit, during the era of the Hundred Schools, it was not the schools chasing the times, but the times chasing the schools to develop.” Chen Xi curled his lip and said.