NOVPUB"Can you understand this?" Chen Xi turned to look at Lu Xun sitting beside him and asked, "If you can, help me decrypt this. Fengxiao really has too much idle time, writing a letter to me in code, and with so many layers too."
"Ah, yes, I should be able to unlock it." Lu Xun nodded, took the envelope from Chen Xi, and said that Chen Xi had only skimmed through the letter before realizing that it did not contain any translation information. It was just a matter of turning plain code into cipher code and then encrypting the cipher code, without any reference table at all. Although it was not directly translated, the final output was definitely numerical.
Lu Xun wasn’t fast at deciphering, not like Chen Xi who relied on experience to forcefully deduce that the results were pure numbers. On the contrary, it took him a long time to deduce everything, but it was clear that Lu Xun was puzzled by that bunch of numbers, and he couldn’t help but lift his head to look at Zhuge Liang, who was resting with his eyes closed.
"Hmm, you have deciphered it all, eh?" Chen Xi saw Lu Xun lift his head and nod at the numbers on the surface, and it seemed that Zhuge Liang really taught him well.
"I can’t go on." Lu Xun scratched the tips of his hair and said somewhat helplessly, "How to break it from here, I feel like a key reference table is missing. These should be the raw data, as long as we have the table, we should be able to decrypt it."
"Well done, this is good enough. This cipher does not come with a reference table. Fengxiao seems careless, but he rarely leaves anything to chance." Chen Xi said with a smile, "If we go back to Fengxiao’s house at Mount Tai, we should be able to find the corresponding reference table."
In fact, Chen Xi had already guessed the range of books that Guo Jia specified for the reference table. After all, despite having readily available straw paper, bamboo paper, and rice paper, this guy insisted on using silk paper, which is no longer very common nowadays. All you need to do is go back to his house and look for silk manuscripts or books about silk. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
At this time, Zhuge Liang lifted his head and looked at the somewhat happy Lu Xun, "You still need to learn more; Military Advisor Guo has given a hint about the reference table."
Lu Xun incredulously looked at Zhuge Liang, then at Chen Xi, and saw Chen Xi nodding. Lu Xun immediately lowered his head and started to ponder what he had missed out on, but he just couldn’t figure it out from beginning to end.
"Kongming, do you want to take a look?" Chen Xi shook the improved version of the silk paper in his hand.
"I have seen the letter, and I could probably translate the entire envelope. I already know what the reference table is. When you were not around, I also had access to Fengxiao’s collection at his house, so I know what the reference table is," Zhuge Liang calmly said, as he had an eidetic memory and naturally remembered what the full text written on the silk manuscript Guo Jia got from Liu Ye was.
"Translate it then. After all, you wouldn’t blab," Chen Xi casually handed the whole letter to Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang shook his head; in his view, Chen Xi was probably too lazy to go back and look for that volume of silk manuscript, so he took the letter and quickly started translating it. As the translation rapidly appeared, a clear look of surprise and doubt emerged on Zhuge Liang’s face.
"How is it?" Chen Xi asked curiously.
"The letter is a complete mess, with a few lines about Gongsun Bogui, a few about the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans, and a few about the Zhen and Cui families of Hebei. Oh right, it also said to prepare early." Zhuge Liang said with a wry smile, his expression showing that he found the contents to be a jumble of nonsense without any substantive content.
[Prepare early? What preparations should Gongsun Bogui, the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans, and the Zhen family of Hebei make? The Cui Family of Qinghe doesn’t have much to do with us, right?] Chen Xi couldn’t help but think to himself.
Without saying anything more, Zhuge Liang was also pondering the meaning of Guo Jia’s letter. Although the content was messy, he didn’t believe Guo Jia would send such a thing to Chen Xi without any purpose.
[I think I understand now, it starts with Gongsun Bogui, followed by the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans, and then the Zhen Clan. Does it mean Yuan Shao’s progression and ours? If we follow the order, the Zhen family implies that something hasn’t happened yet, Gongsun Bogui naturally means something has occurred, which would mean the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans are currently in play.] Chen Xi couldn’t help but rub the center of his forehead.
[The matter with Gongsun Bogui signifies something in the past, which means Fengxiao has received some secret intelligence. It better not be that the White Horse General has met with a defeat and lost his life.] Chen Xi thought silently, [But probably it’s not that easy; perhaps it’s a defeat that allowed Yuan Shao to fully secure the occupied territory.]
[The Black Mountain Yellow Turbans... If this is happening now, it means that the situation we predicted has come to pass, and Zhang Yan has taken the position of Great Leader.] Chen Xi quickly grasped the possible scenario, [In that case, Fengxiao’s message is that we need to prepare for support. The early preparations seem to be for conflict with Yuan Shao.]
[The Zhen and Cui families, though it seems inconceivable, the fact that Fengxiao mentioned these two together probably means the Cui family is also a hidden piece. The current Yuan Shao is valiant, decisive, and bold, completely different from the historically suspicious and cowardly Yuan Shao. Fengxiao wants to trigger the most complex aspects of human nature.] Considering step by step, when it came to the Zhen and Cui families, Chen Xi instantly understood the meaning and also guessed Guo Jia’s intent.
[Yuan Shao’s temperament is the most daunting aspect right now. Probably, Guo Jia and the others understand that even if we defeat the current Yuan Shao, we will not be able to pacify the realm quickly. Only if Yuan Shao makes a blunder will we have the strength to conquer the realm following his defeat. The most prosperous region in the north, with the densest population and the most affluent on average, a strategic base for grain and horses—Jizhou must be taken intact!]
A chill crested Chen Xi’s face. Compared to Cao Cao, the current Yuan Shao was the greatest obstacle. Once the war starts, it would mean that Liu Bei was ready to face Yuan Shao, Lyu Bu, and Sunx Ce all at once!
[We must restrain ourselves, we can’t touch Lyu Bu for now, but when the time comes to clear the field, Lyu Bu must be the first to go. It seems he’s unlikely to side with us.] Chen Xi silently calculated the comparative situations, [We must be swift to deal with him; Chen Gongtai is competent, but it’s uncertain if he can be swayed.]
Having thought everything through, Chen Xi glanced at Lul Xun, only to see him still frowning in contemplation of anything he might have overlooked, which made Chen Xi chuckle. He patted Lul Xun’s shoulder, "All right, don’t overthink it. You will understand once we reach Mount Tai. Sometimes the simplest things are the easiest to overlook."
"Are we prepared?" Zhuge Liang looked up at Chen Xi and asked.
"We’ve always been preparing, and yet never fully prepared, but when it’s time to act we must show no mercy. Even if we’re not fully ready, failing to achieve perfection, we still hold an absolute advantage," Chen Xi said with a smile, "Besides, heaven doesn’t wait for you to be ready."(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
