Chapter 977: Sincerity

Now that Chen Xi had arrived, it was undoubtedly excellent news for Gongsun Gong. Everyone knew how important Chen Xi was within Liu Bei's faction.

"I have long admired your esteemed reputation, Lord Chen, and I am honored to finally meet you today," Gongsun Gong said respectfully, bowing deeply toward Chen Xi, showing no discomfort over their age difference, despite being older.

"I too have great respect for your father, General Gongsun. In the past, our trade relations were smooth and convenient, but unfortunately, Yuan Shao’s interference forced us to cease contact. Now that we are able to resume, it is indeed a good thing," Chen Xi said calmly. His expression had been somewhat downcast recently, and it was difficult to read what he was truly thinking from his face.

Chen Xi's words made Gongsun Gong even more humble. Regardless of whether Chen Xi was expressing forgiveness or delivering a subtle warning, Gongsun Gong dared not show any impatience. Instead, he worked even harder to appease the mood on Liu Bei’s side.

"Liaodong is remote and relies on maritime trade with the Central Plains to maintain peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, just when things were improving, the former Governor of Jizhou viewed us, the people of the border regions, as a threat, leading to unrest in Liaodong," Liang Mao interjected when he saw Gongsun Gong struggling to respond.

"You must be the Governor of Lelang, Liang Taishou," Chen Xi nodded slightly, acknowledging Liang Mao without directly debating the events of the past. The truth of those events was for Chen Xi himself to define, not for them to recount.

"It is a humble title, but I am fortunate that Lord Chen knows of me," Liang Mao replied calmly. "This time, General Gongsun and I have come, firstly, to congratulate Lord Xuande on pacifying the region. Secondly, we hope to once again coordinate our relations, as Liaodong is harsh and cold. Without the support of the Central Plains, it is indeed difficult for the Han people to survive for long."

After sitting down, Chen Xi cast a glance at Liang Mao. His words were well-put; he was indeed someone to be reckoned with.

"It’s not impossible," Chen Xi said indifferently, though his tone and expression, devoid of any emotion, left Gongsun Gong feeling uncertain.

"Then, on behalf of the people of Liaodong, I would like to first thank Lord Xuande," Liang Mao replied, bowing deeply. He took Chen Xi’s response as confirmation.

"Trade benefits both sides. Why refuse something that helps everyone? But I’m curious—if pirates reappear at sea, will our trade relations be severed again?" Chen Xi asked calmly, fiddling with a jade scepter, his expression serene but causing Gongsun Gong, who harbored guilt, to feel a chill.

"It won’t happen again. Absolutely not. My father has already taken strong measures to eliminate the pirates. The situation at sea has greatly improved, and such incidents will not happen again," Gongsun Gong quickly reassured.

What a joke. When they last used the excuse of pirates to deal with Liu Bei, there hadn’t really been any pirates at all. With Gan Ning patrolling the seas with his fleet, how could there have been pirates? It had merely been a pretext. For Gongsun Du, the Yuan-Liu war being evenly matched was in his best interest.

But now, Gongsun Du could only curse Yuan Shao for being all show and no substance. Liu Bei had barely suffered any losses before toppling Yuan Shao, leaving Gongsun Du in the awkward position of having cut ties with Liu Bei for no good reason.

"So, the pirates are gone?" Chen Xi raised an eyebrow as if he had just learned this. Before Gongsun Gong could feel relieved, Chen Xi continued, "But will they stay gone? If I remember correctly, you once said that the pirates along the coasts of Youzhou and Jizhou were innumerable and impossible to eradicate."

Cold sweat trickled down Gongsun Gong’s back. At the time, Gongsun Du had wanted to sever relations without completely offending Liu Bei, so he had come up with what he thought was a reasonable excuse. Who could have predicted that Chen Xi would bring it up now? It was clear that Chen Xi intended to hold Gongsun Du accountable.

"My father has worked hard to barely control the situation," Gongsun Gong forced himself to answer, despite feeling immense pressure.

The last thing Gongsun Gong wanted was for Liu Bei to hold their family accountable. Though they claimed the title of King of Liaodong, compared to Yuan Shao, they didn’t even measure up. And Yuan Shao had been defeated by Liu Bei, which made the Gongsun family’s position all the more precarious.

"So, you’ve only barely controlled it," Chen Xi remarked casually, "which means that the situation could return to what it was before at any time, right?"

This time, Chen Xi made no effort to conceal the coldness in his gaze, making both Gongsun Gong and Liang Mao feel an overwhelming sense of pressure.

[So, Gongsun Du has even prepared for the worst. If sending his son as an envoy was a sign of sincerity, then sending Gongsun Gong, who can’t have children, must be a message that they’re ready to risk everything,] Chen Xi thought as he calmly sipped his tea. He had already made some assessments about the two men in front of him, and his gaze toward Gongsun Gong grew somewhat pitying. As for Gongsun Du, in Chen Xi’s eyes, he was just a frog at the bottom of a well.

[Gongsun Du likely thinks that by being stationed in Liaodong, close to the Three Korean Kingdoms, in a remote wilderness, he can withstand any onslaught by Liu Bei. He believes that if he can hold out long enough, we will abandon that barren land and focus on the rich Central Plains.]

As Chen Xi set down his tea cup, he pieced together all the information in his mind. Gongsun Du was indeed a ruthless man. Outwardly, he had sent envoys to pledge allegiance, but behind the scenes, he had prepared to fight to the death.

[But what he doesn’t realize is how important that piece of land will become. It’s a prize worth fighting for—a prize for which a nation might go to war. Does he really think we’ll give it up so easily?]

"I won’t pursue past grievances, but show me your sincerity. I’m sure Gongsun Shengji gave you clear instructions before sending you here. Be honest: Gongsun Shengji is gambling on the hope that we lack the patience to abandon the Central Plains and fight over that barren land. Well, I can tell you right now…" Chen Xi said with a cold smile, his eyes sweeping over the two men before him.

"Even if it’s barren, as long as our enemies are there, it’s worth conquering. So, tell me, do you intend to stand against us, or will you remain as loyal Han subjects, governing this land for the empire?" Chen Xi’s voice was cold and stern, leaving no room for doubt—either they complied, or they would face war.

In truth, Liu Bei's forces were not quite ready for another war. It wasn’t that they lacked the resources, but rather that building up Jizhou and Yuzhou was more critical than starting a new conflict. For now, Chen Xi was just using intimidation. But who would dare guess that?

"If Lord Chen is willing to give us a chance, we will not deviate from our previous stance," Liang Mao said, suppressing his fear and responding with composure.

It was an impressive answer. What had their previous stance been, exactly? Whether they were the "Kings of Liaodong" or Han loyalists fighting the Wuhuan and Xianbei, who could say for sure?

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