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After a glass of wine, the atmosphere immediately warmed up. Lul Jun and Gan Ning exchanged toasts to reconcile, instantly drawing their relationship closer. One praised the other for being unflappable in the face of trouble, while the other humbly claimed to be merely timid; one said the other was skilled in martial arts, to which the other gave face by saying he still needed a few more years of practice.
Lul Jun was no fool; he could sense Liu Bei’s sincerity and naturally wished to get closer to him, nor would he offend Liu Bei at this juncture. The greatest barrier between the two had been Gan Ning’s recent actions, which Lul Jun tactfully glossed over, greatly pleasing Liu Bei. Gan Ning himself already had a favorable impression of this calm young man he had taken hostage, and now, with the deliberate flattery, the host and guest were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Soon, Yu Jin, who had forged the manuscript parts, came with the ancient book and handed it to Chen Xi. Chen Xi then smiled, took out the manuscripts, and handed them to Lul Jun, "Although Jir Cai, you and Xingba have cleared up past misunderstandings, the words previously spoken by Lord Xuande still hold true. This item is presented to Jir Cai."
"There’s no need, Zichuan, as you said, I and Xingba have cleared up past misunderstandings. There’s no need for a thank-you gift, please take this item back," Lul Jun said, refusing Chen Xi’s offer without even looking at the item in his hand.
"Hahaha, a gift once given cannot be taken back. Besides, Jir Cai hasn’t yet seen the true form of this item," said Chen Xi as he handed the whole book to Lul Jun. "Take a look first. I believe the gift chosen by Lord Xuande will surely suit Jir Cai."
Lul Jun accepted the book and upon opening it, he was first surprised and then engrossed in the stories within. The more he read, the more enthralled he became, quickly finishing the eighteen short stories. Frowning, he looked at Chen Xi, "It would be disrespectful to refuse such an item. I will accept it, but please, Zichuan, keep an eye out for the sequel to this wonderful book. It’s a shame half of it is missing!"
"Indeed, indeed," Chen Xi said with a laugh. "I’ve always said the gift chosen by Lord Xuande must be suitable for Jir Cai."
"Ah, what a fine book, ’The Thirty-Six Strategies’, with the stories written about the author’s life. It’s a pity it’s only half-complete," Lul Jun said with regret, but he quickly wrapped the book in silk and tucked it securely into his chest, fearful that his earlier comments might make Chen Xi retract his offer.
"Haha…" Chen Xi laughed, not saying much. He was joking; the TV series he had seen was about the life of Sunx Bin, whose life was turned into thirty-six strategies. He couldn’t remember other versions, but this one was clear to him, so he wrote it accordingly.
However, it must be said that this way of writing a book summarizing one’s life makes it pretty obvious to others that it is an autobiography without even looking at the author.
The banquet was a success with both the host and guests satisfied. Leftover dishes were of course taken care of by the maids. Chen Xi shivered and ran home; it was clearly Lub Su who had summoned the rain with a spell. The drizzle had been constant and there was a trend of it getting heavier, threatening to turn the crisp autumn air into autumnal chill.
Gan Ning naturally pledged himself to Liu Bei as his lord, and Liu Bei appointed him as a Supervisor of Bandit Affairs due to the limited number of official positions available to him. Initially, as General Anton’s rank was full, Gan Ning was placed under the nominal authority of Chen Xi, the Prefectural Governor.
When Chen Xi was about to allocate military duties to Gan Ning, Lub Su gave him a bamboo slip with a wry smile, leaving Chen Xi somewhat dumbfounded. Gan Ning was actually still a Shu Commandery Deputy with a stipend of six hundred dan, ranking higher than Lub Su.
"You’ve got to be kidding me!" Chen Xi turned to ask Lub Su, but by then his mind was already clear on everything, and he understood why, although the Three Kingdoms Era did not place much emphasis on the origins of military generals, and Gan Ning was an excellent choice for bravery and valor, he was left without a patron. 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝔭𝔲𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
"It’s true," said Lub Su with a wry smile, "Xingba has been out of office for two years and nine months, yet Shu Commandery still reserves his position as Deputy."
"Oh, I see," Chen Xi nodded in understanding.
"How should we deal with this? Currently, a conflict with Yizhou is not desirable. Even if they can’t reach Mount Tai due to the distance, with his capabilities, he would definitely not make things easy for us. Moreover, he was once the Minister of Ceremonies. If he mobilizes the power of the imperial clan, it would be difficult for us to withstand," Lub Su said.
"It’s no big deal, just have Xingba come over, this matter is easy to handle," Chen Xi said without even raising his head. Since the situation had changed, the original navy training would need to be reorganized. Thankfully, Liu Yan’s days were numbered; otherwise, the entire plan would need to be scrapped and started over. Now things are much better.
"Oh, alright, there’s no other way," Lub Su nodded and said. Compared to the current situation at Mount Tai, Gan Ning’s importance had lowered. After all, Mount Tai was neither by the Yellow River nor the Yangtze River, and since Yang Guang’s Grand Canal hadn’t been constructed yet, organizing a navy was quite troublesome.
"Just call him here," Chen Xi raised his eyebrow, "No need for extra words. Gan Ning is one of Lord Xuande’s important military generals, especially for the future, so don’t bother mentioning anything about giving up."
Lub Su sighed. How could he not see the importance of Gan Ning? After all, Mount Tai had cavalry, infantry, drilling soldiers, and a commander-in-chief. The complete puzzle was only missing a navy, which was essential for a southern expedition.
Soon, an excited Gan Ning arrived, "I’ve come to see the Prefectural Governor. May I ask why you have summoned Xingba?"
"I have two tasks for you." Chen Xi looked up at Gan Ning, "First of all, this matter is very dangerous and requires a military general who is both intelligent and brave. You need to be proficient in water-based martial arts and also capable of leading troops..."
Before Chen Xi could finish, Gan Ning slapped his chest and said, "Prefectural Governor, just tell me what it is. You can be assured of Xingba’s abilities."
"Alright, as you know, there are no large rivers or lakes near Mount Tai, making naval training difficult. So, I plan to send you to train offshore Qingzhou. As for ships, don’t worry, the Lul Family has sea ships, and the Mi Family has money," Chen Xi spoke quickly.
Ignoring Gan Ning’s excitement, Chen Xi continued, "Since we are short on manpower, I won’t assign you any; take your own men to offshore Qingzhou. There, you will be the Naval Chief, and your men will be the core. You can do whatever is necessary; I’m allotting you twenty million cash! In one year, I want a decent navy."
"Zichuan, one year is a bit short. The people in Qingzhou are all landlubbers..." In his excitement, Gan Ning forgot to call him Prefectural Governor and used Chen Xi’s courtesy name directly. However, despite his excitement, he knew that failing to complete an official military order meant courting death, and he wasn’t that foolish.
"I didn’t say you couldn’t whitewash Yangtze River Pirates, Yellow River Water Bandits, or sea pirates. Listen clearly, once there, you will be the Chief. You can even attack other provinces and counties if you wish. I grant you the utmost authority! Train me the navy I require!" Chen Xi roared, his tone nearly saying, Are you an idiot? Do I need to tell you to redeem the bandits?
