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Chen Xi ultimately still disclosed his overall strategy to Lub Su. After all, two heads are better than one, and Lub Su was himself a master of strategy, capable of helping Chen Xi identify and fill any gaps.
"I see, at first glance this strategy appears difficult to implement, but after careful consideration, it actually aligns with many aspects, and once it is achieved, there will be a tremendous shift in your identity. That’s when you will officially join Lord Xuande’s forces, and all the Northern Aristocratic Families will probably need to place their bets anew," Lub Su, after listening to Chen Xi’s strategy, stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before he endorsed Chen Xi’s ideas.
"This is also why I must compel the Zhen Family. Aside from a moment of impulse, only the Zhen Family’s status is sufficient. In fact, the Zhang Family of Qinghe and the Cui Family of Jizhou are also options, but it’s not easy to make a move without a reason, and the Zhen Family is relatively easier to control compared to those two," Chen Xi nodded and said. It wasn’t that he was intent on destroying the Zhen Family, but suppressing them was indispensable for his entire strategy.
For a mere trifle and atop the leader of the Five Great Merchants, Chen Xi wasn’t so idle. One must know that the grudge between Mount Tai and the Zhen Family was merely over some goods, and Mi Zhu had even mentioned investing about a hundred million coins in Mount Tai. For Chen Xi, was such an amount worth the effort to scheme over?
Mount Tai wasn’t lacking that bit of money, whether from the salt industry, papermaking, or wool textiles—any one of these profits exceeded what the Zhen Family could offer as a meager advantage. If he truly wanted money, plucking a single hair from Chen Xi would be more than enough.
What Chen Xi needed was the Zhen Family’s connections. The centuries-old Zhen Family had networks in Jizhou that Chen Xi required. If he wasn’t planning for the overall situation of the entire world, Chen Xi would never stubbornly cling to the Zhen Family for such a trivial matter. As a stable Feudal Lord, any wealth he possessed was greater than that of the Zhen Family.
When the war between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan reached a critical point, and Mi Zhu threw out his weight, for the sake of the overall battle situation, Yuan Shao would definitely give up the Zhen Family. The stark contrast between this abandonment and Liu Bei’s eventual mercy was precisely the scenario Chen Xi needed. He required a family to throw a wrench in the works, and the higher their status, the better!
"Your calculation wouldn’t have been planned when you were returning to Yingchuan, right? And the Zhen Family actually... you drove them to that step!" Lub Su’s face showed a hint of bitterness. If the scenario had been anticipated so early, then Chen Xi must have selected the necessary talent for each phase. Compared with such a person who could see through the grand situation in one glance, what role was he playing?
"The Zhen Family was an accident, but this accident has shown me other opportunities. However, at that time, without the Mi Family, I couldn’t operate well. As for the grand scheme, I began to plot it when Tao Gongzu and Kong Wenju recommended Xuande to be the Governor of Mount Tai Commandery. Of course, I had also selected the talents I would need at that time," Chen Xi said with a smile and then recalled Liu Bei’s expression when he didn’t want to come to Mount Tai under Hulao Pass, his smile grew even wider, then he added, "Hmm, I chose several lineups at that time."
"Among these lineups are me and Xingba..." Lub Su said tremblingly.
"Indeed, you are part of the puzzle I’ve plotted all along. Once my two friends arrive, even if this lineup isn’t the best, it will be strong enough to withstand the most dangerous times. As long as we survive the toughest period, then we—!" Chen Xi looked up, his eyes sparkling with a keen light.
"The world will be within reach. Once it reaches that stage, it can be said that the trend is already set. Your strategy is so audacious, I doubt anyone else has thought of doing something like this. Even Xun Wenruo’s strategies are not as shocking as yours. You have always claimed to be inferior to Xun Wenruo, but I see it might not be the case!" Lub Su said with a wry face, trembling slightly as he suppressed the quiver in his heart and sighed, then he sized up the chips in his hand, the feasibility of Chen Xi’s strategy was very high.
"Xun Wenruo’s strength lies in being all-around. I can assue you that my overall situation surpasses his and in governance, I can also outperform him, but he can unify all the strengths under his command, which I can’t do. I know what to do, but I can’t do it myself, I need others to help me. Even in terms of governance, I simply write up the plans and hand them over to you, if I personally get involved..." Chen Xi turned his head and glanced at Lub Su as he spoke.
"This..." Lub Su was struck by a thought, realizing that Chen Xi really hadn’t personally taken action. Either he would write things down and let him handle them, or he would leave them to Xianhe to deal with. Apart from making tea and enjoying pastries, he had rarely seen him take action.
"I’m not good at hands-on work, but I know what needs to be done. My habit is to leave tasks to those who excel at them," Chen Xi said nonchalantly. After all, he was not a man of this era; many of his knowledges were superficial. His superior foresight, unique thinking, and two thousand years of accumulated experience were enough for Chen Xi to solve most problems, but hands-on execution was beyond what experiences and foresight, his way of thinking, could achieve.
"Let’s not discuss this anymore, all you need to know is that a family’s young master should not do anything himself, only engage in plotting," Chen Xi said as he waved his hand, seeing that Lub Su was about to ask, indicating that he didn’t want to dwell on these matters, as they reminded him of unpleasant things.
"Heh, I’d forgotten that you are of the Gui Chen lineage, tracing back hundreds of years you are actually of royal blood, and if we go even further back, you rightly descend from Emperor Shun’s line through Yao Chonghua." Lub Su looked somewhat uncomfortable but did not ask further, this was also why, although Chen Xi was from a side branch, he was still referred to as a young master.
"All that is unimportant. What matters is the issue with my current identity. In my plans, my identity definitely needs to be cleared, and once successful, whether I like it or not, my own lineage will strip away the title of the current Chen Family Head—and integrate the Chen Family to become the new head," Chen Xi said, shaking his head, knowing full well that the legacy carried by his body was not to be taken lightly.
Aristocratic families value lineage, and this is why they require equal status in marriage—to preserve their bloodlines! One could say that during the Late Eastern Han Dynasty, lineage was the foundation of these families. The reason Yuan Shu could proclaim the Zhongy emperor was also to revere his ancestors. Among the things that the aristocratic families competed for during this era, aside from official positions, power, and wealth, were also ancestors!
Once the plot succeeds and the position of the family head becomes his, and Chen Xi swears allegiance to Liu Bei, it will be akin to a thorough reshuffling of the "Aristocratic Families Under Heaven." All previous bets would need to be repositioned because by then Chen Xi’s identity would be either as the head or even the patriarch of the Chen Family—one of the top aristocratic families. No matter which identity it is, it would signal the Chen Family’s complete alliance with Liu Bei!
This step is the most crucial. The moment it is taken, the world’s direction will change. All aristocratic families will need to think twice before acting and the biggest obstacle before— the problem with aristocratic families—will also be solved! At least, it won’t be a problem in the short term, and all Chen Xi needs is a short period of recuperation. Once past this period, many troubles will no longer be troubles!
