Chapter 1221: "I'm Not Working for Your Own Good"

At this moment, beads of cold sweat appeared on Zhuge Liang's forehead. He had realized the terrifying consequence of handling everything by himself—those below him wouldn’t grow at all, leaving no one capable of taking his place in the future.

"Honestly, even under Lord Xuande’s governance, I could find many faults if I wanted to, but I’d rather turn a blind eye to those that aren't severe. Unless it's a critical mistake, I’d prefer to tolerate them," Chen Xi sighed.

Zhuge Liang stared at Chen Xi in shock, sensing the sincerity behind his words. To Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei's current reign seemed like a golden age, yet to Chen Xi, there were still numerous flaws.

"Are you hoping for us to find and fix the problems ourselves?" Zhuge Liang asked after a moment of silence.

"Exactly. It's only through making mistakes that we grow. One person cannot sustain the entire world alone. Ruling a vast land requires multiple generations. As the one leading the way, I need to leave room for others to grow," Chen Xi nodded.

"One shouldn’t stifle others for the sake of their own accomplishments, especially when it comes to the affairs of the state," Chen Xi said with a sigh. "So, I only set the broad framework, ensuring the general direction is correct. Even if there are mistakes, they won’t be disastrous, and there's always room for adjustments."

"Not to sound arrogant, but when it comes to laying out the framework for governance, there's no one better than me. However, once we step outside this door, I won't admit to saying this," Chen Xi said, looking at Zhuge Liang with a serious expression, something he rarely admitted publicly.

"This..." Zhuge Liang hesitated for a moment before responding, "We all already know that."

"The gap between first and second place is significant. Even between Zijing and me, there's a difference. But if I keep doing everything, Zijing will never surpass me in his lifetime," Chen Xi said, feeling a bit regretful. In fact, he believed that even if Lu Su did everything, he still wouldn’t surpass him.

"I can sense another meaning behind your words," Zhuge Liang remarked, being a master at reading people’s expressions. After observing Chen Xi closely, he could tell there was more to what Chen Xi was saying.

"Let's skip over that. Just remember this: if you don't cultivate the people below you, they’ll never become like you. You have to give them the chance to make mistakes and tolerate those mistakes. Don’t try to do everything by yourself," Chen Xi said, feeling slightly embarrassed before quickly changing the topic.

"I'll be mindful of that," Zhuge Liang replied, understanding why Chen Xi had said all of this to him today.

"For a perfectionist, tolerating mistakes can be painful. But when you see those under you stop making mistakes and grow stronger, you'll feel gratified. After all, an empire's great cause cannot rest on one person," Chen Xi said as he poured Zhuge Liang a cup of tea, feeling a bit parched after all the talking.

"Actually, this relates to my long-term strategy. Preserving the vitality of the Han Dynasty involves not just the common people but also talented individuals like you. And more importantly, it’s about fostering the next generation of extraordinary talents," Chen Xi explained, pointing to the map on the wall. "This is why I delegate most of the governmental duties," he said solemnly, spinning his narrative to Zhuge Liang.

With his expansive vision, Chen Xi felt a heavy responsibility. If not for his goal of making China stand unrivaled during this era, he might have long initiated full-scale warfare.

By stifling the pace at which Cao Cao and Sun Ce attracted talent, Chen Xi sought to deprive them of key middle- and upper-tier personnel, striving to keep most of the talent on his side.

He aimed to spare every capable civil and military official, even if they refused to surrender, holding back from executing anyone. He envisioned a time when, after unifying the empire, the nation would expand with an even grander spirit and a broader heart.

To this day, Liu Bei’s forces had never executed any captured generals or officials, even when figures like Li Tong and Xin Pi had tried to escape. Chen Xi viewed all mid- to high-level individuals as potential key players in the empire’s future conquests.

As Zhuge Liang left, Chen Xi reflected on what he had taught him. If Zhuge Liang still insisted on doing everything by himself, then as long as Chen Xi was alive, Zhuge Liang would never become the prime minister; at most, he’d make it to the role of Chief of the Secretariat.

Moreover, Chen Xi doubted that if Zhuge Liang maintained his current work habits, he would outlive him. Though reaching fifty-four years old was already considered a long life in ancient times, it would be a miracle if Zhuge Liang didn't die from exhaustion.

[But I still need a backup plan,] Chen Xi thought to himself. [If Kongming doesn’t change his habits, I’ll need to find someone else suitable for the role of prime minister. Neither Wenru nor I can take up the position again, and Zijing has his own health issues...]

As he watched Zhuge Liang leave, Chen Xi began pondering deeply. After Lu Su, there truly was no ideal candidate for prime minister, apart from Zhuge Liang. If they chose Lu Xun, it would be a waste of his extraordinary military skills. As for Lu Yu, while he could hold the position, his best efforts would only prevent things from getting worse.

But for the future imperial struggles, maintaining the status quo wasn’t enough. It wasn’t yet the time to settle for mediocrity.

"I hope Kongming doesn’t disappoint me. Gongyan is talented, but he isn’t an extraordinary genius. He may be a late bloomer, but the gap between him and Kongming is still significant," Chen Xi sighed. Throughout history, only a few could match Zhuge Liang’s brilliance.

To Chen Xi, the empire was like a complex machine, and he was the one assembling it. His officials were the parts, many of which were interchangeable. What he truly wanted was to assemble a machine that was even more powerful than himself.

There was an old joke: the Germans proudly assembled a divine set of equipment, while the Soviets, using inferior parts, managed to cobble together something just as strong. In the end, the sheer quantity of parts overwhelmed the German masterpiece.

For officials, it was the same: it came down to organization and utilizing talent. Unfortunately, Zhuge Liang was more of a disruptor when it came to organizational structure.

At this point, Chen Xi felt there was little more he could do. If Zhuge Liang didn’t change, Chen Xi would simply keep him in check, ensuring that he never became prime minister. After all, in the end, politics was a game of endurance, and Chen Xi wasn’t afraid of it.

Whoever lived the longest would have the final say. After all, the reason Zhang He was considered unbeatable in the world was simply because everyone stronger than him had died. Besides, Chen Xi already had the upper hand—he just needed to wait it out. He wasn't worried at all.

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