NOVPUBChen Xi’s words once again baffled Liu Bei. However, one good trait about Liu Bei was his acceptance of not understanding things he didn’t understand; he never pretended to comprehend what was beyond him. As long as it was someone he trusted, he would be completely at ease entrusting the entire matter to them for resolution. After all, as long as it was resolved in the end, that’s all that mattered.
"Lord Xuande, you should eat something first. I’ll explain later, after all, this is quite troublesome," Chen Xi said, pointing to the dishes on the table, "Better eat now before it gets cold."
"Click." The door was opened once again, and the shop assistant brought in a large platter of mutton. It seemed they knew when not to disturb and when to serve the dishes. As for overhearing something they shouldn’t, these people, being Mi Zhu’s servants, knew to keep certain things buried in their hearts.
"Let’s eat, let’s eat." Liu Bei laughed and cut some food for his plate with a hand halberd, then started to eat with chopsticks.
After the shop assistant had come and gone seven or eight times, he didn’t appear again. Liu Bei, Li Youu, and Chen Xi talked about old times and then compared them to the present, couldn’t help but sigh at the unpredictability of life.
"Dong dong dong!" Just when they were enjoying their drinks, someone knocked on the door.
"Oh, there’s more food? We haven’t even finished these dishes. Although the soybean oil fried dishes are indeed good, this is too extravagant," Liu Bei casually remarked as he glanced at Chen Xi, who in turn looked at Li Youu. With no choice, Li Youu had to go open the door; he was, unfortunately, the one sitting closest to it. Indeed, next time he would remember to sit further from the door when dining.
"Ah, Zhongkang." Chen Xi smiled and waved at Xuu Chu, holding up his wine glass to greet him, "I was wondering how we could have so many dishes coming. Where’s that little rascal you were supposed to bring? He didn’t slip away from you, did he?"
"How could I, Xu, let him slip away?" Xuu Chu said, reaching behind him to drag the kid out, "How could this little rascal possibly escape!"
"Cough, cough, cough, cough!" Chen Xi nearly sprayed out his drink, but after forcing it down, he ended up choking, "Cough, cough, cough, are you sure this is the same brat? There’s no mistake, right?"
Chen Xi looked at the young man dressed in plain robes, his face fair as jade, lips red and teeth white, sporting a golden crown on his head, a jade pendant hanging around his waist, and holding one of the now-popular wooden folding fans from the Great Han Dynasty. The previously dingy little beggar must have had an error in his transformation sequence! Or should he say it’s like a total style makeover!
"You’re the little thief?" Chen Xi asked in shock. With that look, even if someone claimed he was a thief, who would believe it! And what’s the deal here? For a beggar, you’re way too clean—are you trying to play the part of a tragically fallen noble?
"You’re the thief!" the little brat retorted angrily, instantly losing the elegant demeanor he had before.
"Oh, I believe you now," the kid was startled, but before he could show any smugness, Chen Xi delivered a heavy blow, "Even though you’ve changed into a decent outfit, you still look like a human. In the end, the core hasn’t changed; you’re still a little thief."
"Alright, Zichuan, stop fussing with the kid. Come, come, come, which family’s young master are you? Come sit here." Liu Bei still hadn’t figured out what the deal with this child was, daring to talk back to Chen Xi and so boldly at that, and also quite handsome, with an aura almost at the level of Qi Refining to Gang, clearly a noble’s son.
"That’s a thief, and his attire proves one thing—it’s the clothes that make the man!" Chen Xi said discontentedly. If he hadn’t known this little guy was a thief, he surely would have taken a liking to him. The kid was good-looking, and able to beat three to five grown men at such a young age; definitely promising material.
"It’s just taking a pack of gold beads from you, isn’t it? I’ll pay you back when I have money." The brat muttered discontentedly, then sat down next to Liu Bei, "The lad Ma Zhong pays his respects to the General of the East."
"Not bad, not bad at all." Liu Bei pinched Ma Zhong’s body a couple of times, "Great physique, good material, just a shame that he hasn’t received proper guidance."
Chen Xi was a bit dumbfounded by the side. The brat’s name was Ma Zhong, this age and already with some martial skills, it could probably only be that divine general assassin Ma Zhong. Thinking about how this fellow came from humble origins, it wouldn’t be impossible for his luck to be so poor that he’d end up a beggar. After all, the peak of his career was only as a Military Marshal, yet ironically, he was recorded in the history books as a Wu State Military Marshal!
Ma Zhong sat in his seat, somewhat uncomfortable, squirming around and ogling the food on the table, swallowing saliva. Liu Bei smiled, filled a plate with meat for him, without any disdain, and then passed the hand halberd, indicating Ma Zhong should help himself to whatever he liked.
"Zichuan, tell me, what’s the deal with this kid? It’s just a pack of gold beads; it can’t be that you’re so fixated on him for that alone." Liu Bei watched Ma Zhong chewing the meat in his dish and smiled, patting his back, signaling for him not to rush. Ma Zhong, with a piece of meat in his mouth, chewed while turning his head, looking at Liu Bei in confusion, not understanding what he meant.
"It’s just that I find it rather unpleasant to the eye, and besides, the street children reform plan is part of my agenda. I plan to give them a chance, a chance to learn some skills, knowledge, or martial arts. And this kid, who stole from me and I ran into a second time, just happens to be a good test subject. Also, give me back my wallet." Chen Xi said with annoyance, watching Ma Zhong who was eagerly chowing down on the meat, then proceeded to lay out his entire plan bit by bit.
"So that’s the case. Every young person should be given a chance; it’s indeed proper. And these wandering street children should be granted an opportunity even more so." Liu Bei nodded in agreement with Chen Xi’s statement, speaking tenderly about the still voraciously eating Ma Zhong.
"When the time comes, we will mobilize the common people throughout the jurisdiction to find all these street children, provide them with three meals and lodgings. The younger ones will be taken care of by someone specifically appointed for the task. After they grow a bit older, then they will receive an education." Chen Xi said, staring at Ma Zhong with some discontent, "Of course, the first thing after entering will be to break their habit of petty thievery, like this guy here, should be sent to the military camp to drill for a while first."
"Zichuan, you seem to have quite a grudge against Ma Zhong, eh? He’s just a kid, be a bit more lenient." Liu Bei consoled, looking sympathetically at Ma Zhong who was still strenuously gnawing on a pork knuckle. Liu Bei couldn’t help but feel pity—such a good kid, starved to this extent. He wondered how many more people like this there were under his rule, and in the Great Han State?
"Forget it, I won’t hold it against him." Chen Xi waved his hand and said, "To be honest, sometimes I think about gathering all the children for education, like instilling loyalty and patriotism, military-national education, or Great Power education. After all, to me, these children, whether beggars or officials’ children, they’re all the hope for the future. That’s why they must be looked after carefully; many of my ideals rest upon them."
Chen Xi wouldn’t tell Liu Bei that he was doing this to shape the spirit he wanted to pass onto the next generation. After all, his family controlled printing and papermaking; what to teach was his to decide, and what to instill was just a matter of his word! (To be continued. If you enjoyed this piece, you are welcome to come to Qidian [qidian.com] to cast your recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to continue reading.)
