Chapter 979: It's a Trap, Watch You Jump In

The conditions that Chen Xi offered were too lenient. Aside from demanding the attack on Youzhou as proof of sincerity, there were no other requirements. As for gaining temporary use of Youzhou after conquering it, it would be more than enough for Gongsun Du to replenish his resources from Youzhou.

"Are you suspicious that I have ulterior motives?" Chen Xi casually asked as he glanced at Liang Mao. Sometimes being too merciful can backfire.

"Liang does not dare," Liang Mao lowered his head in response.

"‘Does not dare,’ but not ‘does not,’" Chen Xi remarked indifferently, without dwelling on Liang Mao's words. "To be precise, letting him conquer Youzhou and hold onto it would only foster his ambition. I’m curious if General Gongsun, who can’t even stabilize Liaodong, might get carried away after acquiring Youzhou."

Chen Xi's words made Liang Mao break out in a cold sweat. He believed Chen Xi was telling the truth. Without his five thousand veteran troops, Gongsun Du might actually start thinking that his power had surged after conquering Youzhou. If Gongsun Du then defied Liu Bei, it would be tantamount to handing the knife to his opponent.

"So, Bo Fang, make sure to convey this message: I’m not one to hold grudges unnecessarily. If I say I’ll let you go, I won’t make things difficult for you. But if you seek death..." A glint of killing intent flashed through Chen Xi's eyes. After all, he was a man who had been on the battlefield, with countless lives taken by his hands—how could he not exude a deadly aura?

Chen Xi's chilling words left a deep impression on Liang Mao. Without this reminder, Gongsun Du might indeed have gone to Youzhou after conquering it. It was almost impossible for him not to develop other ideas after gaining control of an entire province—this would only lead to his demise.

Even worse, with only new recruits left and without his veteran troops, Gongsun Du would be easily crushed. With no environmental advantage to retreat into, he wouldn’t even have a chance to escape—his death would be certain.

"I’ve said all that I needed to say. I believe, Bo Fang, you’ve made your own plans by now. So don’t disappoint me, although even if you do, it won’t cause me any problems." Chen Xi's calm and emotionless gaze sent a chill down Liang Mao’s spine.

"Thank you for your advice, Lord Chen. I will give you a satisfactory reply soon. I assure you, you will be pleased with our response," Liang Mao exhaled deeply, suppressing the emotions swirling within him.

This was an open conspiracy. Everything depended on the Gongsun clan of Liaodong. The real question was: to what extent would they go to meet expectations? How much effort would they exert in attacking Youzhou? How would they behave when holding Youzhou? And when Liu Bei eventually reclaimed it, how would the Gongsun clan react? Every step required delicate handling.

It just so happened that the head of the Gongsun clan was Gongsun Du. The only question was whether he could navigate this situation correctly.

"I hope so," Chen Xi replied calmly.

As for what Gongsun Du would do, Chen Xi didn’t care. If he understood the situation, then the past events could be ignored, and Gongsun Du would tread cautiously in the future.

But if Gongsun Du failed to see the writing on the wall, as Liang Mao feared, Liu Bei would naturally take care of him. While Liu Bei had a ceasefire agreement with Yuan Tan, there was no such deal with Gongsun Du. By then, Gongsun Du, already weakened, would be far easier to handle than retaking Youzhou from Yuan Tan.

Youzhou, offered to Gongsun Du, was itself a test. If Gongsun Du failed, it would prove that he still hadn’t adjusted his mindset. And if that remained the case, he would inevitably become a problem.

By this point, the two sides had essentially reached an agreement. The only thing left was to sign some paperwork, though even that might not be necessary, depending on Liang Mao’s choice.

"Lord Chen, I don’t think we need to sign any formal documents. I believe your intentions are clear enough, and nothing will be overlooked. Once I return to Liaodong, the Gongsun clan will naturally send troops," Liang Mao said, now completely composed after thoroughly thinking things through.

"If you don’t want to sign, then there’s no need. If something happens later, we won’t hesitate," Chen Xi replied indifferently, leaving Liang Mao with a sense of helplessness.

"Since we’re already choosing to align ourselves with Lord Xuande, being overly cautious would only hinder us. It’s better to open up and allow ourselves to breathe more freely," Liang Mao said, his calm demeanor returning. He had already decided to fully align with Liu Bei. "I trust Lord Chen won’t mind if I take the opportunity to travel around Lord Xuande’s territories."

"See it with your own eyes. The conclusion you draw will make you more confident," Chen Xi replied, not directly answering but understanding what Liang Mao wanted to see. He wouldn’t bother with any facade; if they wanted to look, they could look.

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Chen," Liang Mao said solemnly. Since they were now fully aligning with Liu Bei, he needed to gain a clear understanding of Liu Bei’s actual strength. While their information on the situation mostly came from Liu Bei’s side, the likelihood of exaggeration was low in this matter.

"Understanding or not, it makes no difference. In fact, I need an outside perspective to evaluate Lord Xuande’s territories. It’s hard for us to objectively assess ourselves anymore," Chen Xi said calmly, unaware of the glint of insight that flashed in Liang Mao’s eyes when he mentioned Lord Xuande.

Liang Mao opened his mouth but quickly closed it again, adopting a meditative, composed posture.

"I’m young and curious. There’s no need to act reserved. If there’s anything you want to know, just ask. As long as it’s not too sensitive, I’ll tell you," Chen Xi said casually, glancing at Liang Mao’s expression.

"I’d like to know, if I hadn’t come today, or if we had chosen to ally with Yuan Tan, what would have happened?" Liang Mao asked, posing a rather odd question.

"First, you came. Second, we won—swiftly and decisively. No one here, nor anyone behind you, wants to die," Chen Xi explained slowly, holding up two fingers.

"I suppose that was a pointless question. Still, thank you for clarifying, Lord Chen," Liang Mao replied respectfully, realizing the futility of his query.

"Heh," Chen Xi chuckled coldly, perhaps feeling bored, before casting a glance at Gongsun Gong. "I wonder, will Brother Gongsun also accompany Governor Liang on his tour of Lord Xuande’s territories?"

In truth, Gongsun Gong was slightly older than Chen Xi, but in front of Chen Xi, he remained extremely humble and deferential. As Fa Zheng had once said, Chen Xi stood at the pinnacle of his generation, even able to compete on par with older, more experienced individuals.

Gongsun Gong was momentarily stunned, unsure why Chen Xi, who had previously ignored him, was now directing attention his way.

"Of course, wherever Bo Fang goes, I will follow," Gongsun Gong replied after a brief hesitation. He stole a glance at Liang Mao for guidance, but Liang Mao offered no hints, leaving Gongsun Gong to respond vaguely.

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