Chapter 1015: Ruthlessness

"So, my evaluation of Cao Cao is that he's only tough in his own backyard," Chen Xi said with a look of contempt, revealing more than enough about his opinion.

"We've been far too lenient with the northern regions. Even if we don't need the vast grasslands, or the areas unsuitable for farming, they must still be our backyard. We can allow the nomads to tend to the garden, trimming and pruning as needed, but if they start causing destruction, or worse, attacking our people, then their fate will be nothing but fertilizer for the land!" Chen Xi's words no longer hid his killing intent.

"Why did we defeat the Xiongnu? To make room for the Xianbei? So they can grow stronger and continue to create problems for us?" Chen Xi sneered, "Driving the enemy beyond our borders is one of the most fundamental strategies in warfare. Do you not understand even the basics of military tactics?"

"These external tribes, with only one-fourth or one-fifth of Parthia's war potential, have you all so cautious. So what about Parthia itself, right on our flank?" Chen Xi scoffed, noticing that his words seemed to have scared the group.

"If we were to compare our current situation to a powerful family, our best course of action is to quietly rebuild our strength, eliminate the families that hindered us during internal strife and sought to take advantage, develop steadily, and then, when the time is right, rise to prominence," Li You said calmly, his past experiences evident in his words.

"So, you're saying that what we need to do now is to first unify Zhongyuan," Li You added, no longer using the term '天下' (all under heaven), having realized just how vast the world truly was. "We not only need to deal with the forces that oppose us but also integrate all the regional powers completely."

Li You's meaning was clear. This time, he wanted to bring all recoverable forces back under state control, including distant vassal states. Anyone who dared to hold differing opinions would need to be brought back into line.

"After that, we should sweep away all neighboring powers," Li You continued, pointing to the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions, as well as the northern Xianbei, Wuhuan, Qiang, Xiongnu, and the Three Hans. "We must bring these forces to heel. If any harbor thoughts of rebellion, we should destroy their nations and massacre their bloodlines!"

Chen Xi smiled inwardly. As expected of Li You, once he saw the situation clearly, he would not hesitate to strike with deadly precision.

"Before that, we need to make them understand our resolve," Li You said as he pointed towards the region near the Three Hans. "Slaughter one of the Three Hans or the Wuhuan as a show of force. That way, the number of casualties won't be too high."

This time, Chen Xi felt a chill run down his spine. The sheer ruthlessness of Li You’s suggestion shocked him.

"That's too extreme. It might backfire," Chen Xi voiced his concerns, but as soon as he spoke, he realized that Li You's goal was never submission—it was annihilation.

The strength of the enemies they would face had made Li You understand that there could be no mistakes. To ensure that, Li You was prepared to go to any lengths to eliminate the possibility of failure, even at great cost.

"In wars of this scale, things are different from our smaller conflicts. Frankly, I'd rather rely solely on the strength of one nation than form any alliance that could fall apart at the seams. By swallowing an alliance to strengthen ourselves, we may not appear as powerful on the surface, but we would have stability," Li You said coldly.

Li You was now seriously considering how to deal with this level of warfare, which would have a profound impact on all aspects of the nation. Even the pressure on food supplies alone could overwhelm Liu Bei’s current forces.

One had to admit that Chen Xi’s 'lie' was too realistic and too terrifying. It was so convincing that it left the others with no choice but to be cautious.

"I think we should begin by minimizing our local conflicts with Cao Cao and Sun Ce. We should make every effort to preserve their full civil and military administrative systems," Jia Xu, always the schemer, quickly identified the strongest potential allies.

Jia Xu's suggestion made everyone frown, but Chen Xi was inwardly overjoyed. He had finally pushed them to realize what he wanted them to—that Cao Cao and Sun Ce were their greatest allies. Together, the three forces could combine their civil and military resources into two complete systems!

"No matter what you all think, from my perspective, our war potential, especially in terms of population, is not weak. However, if we are to truly face imperial-level opponents, our administrative system must be strong enough," Jia Xu explained without caring about the reactions of the others.

"In my view, whether it's strategic masterminds like Xun Yu, Xun You, Cheng Yu, Zhou Yu, or Pang Tong, or military commanders like Lü Bu, Zhang Liao, Sun Ce, Jiang Qin, Xiahou Yuan, and Zhang Xiu, they are all treasures of Zhongyuan," Jia Xu compared these figures to treasures, and everyone understood the meaning behind his words.

"To be precise, all of you present are also treasures of Zhongyuan. We may not have encountered imperial wars before, but the sheer logistical and supply challenges of such wars ensure that the final outcome will inevitably depend on these treasures," Jia Xu continued, his wisdom sharpening as his vision expanded.

This shift in perspective had already placed Jia Xu on a level far beyond the strategists under Cao Cao in Zhongyuan. The difference in their respective levels was becoming increasingly apparent.

"If the clash between empires is a battle between such treasures, how could we, for our own selfish reasons, destroy them?" Jia Xu's voice was tinged with bitterness, yet a flicker of passion also emerged.

"In the past, we couldn’t convince them, but now their ambitions are far too small. A mere bird would never reject the gift of a phoenix," Jia Xu’s voice grew sharper, his once-wearied spirit now brimming with newfound energy. Given the vastness of the world, how could one hold back in their pursuit?

At this moment, Jia Xu’s entire demeanor transformed, radiating a spirit of renewed vigor. The fluctuations in his mental energy clearly reflected the changes within him.

"Our enemies are this powerful, and with strong neighbors at our side, can we rest easy? Even if we don’t provoke them, they might still seize the opportunity presented by our internal struggles to claim a piece of the pie. For now, they may not have noticed due to geographic reasons, but what happens when they do? Are we to beg for their mercy?" Liu Ye sighed deeply.

It was clear that Liu Ye supported action, no matter the reasons. In matters of state, there was no such thing as disgrace!

"Every capable civil and military official under Cao Cao and Sun Ce is strength we need. We should crush them and then show them the vastness of the world. Like us, they are far too small," Guo Jia nodded in agreement. On the road ahead, even current enemies could become trusted allies.

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