Chapter 1008: The End of the Previous Era

"That won’t be a problem," Chen Xi nodded and said, "I will send copies of the book to each of the aristocratic families’ residences."

Chen Xi only mentioned the first step, not the second. Nobody else asked either—not because they weren’t curious, but because they knew they couldn’t force him to answer if he didn’t want to. After all, Chen Xi came from an aristocratic family himself, and even if he seemed radical at times, he was still aware of his origins. Weakening the aristocracy meant weakening himself, and that’s never a good thing.

Sima Fang was also a clever man. After receiving the book from Xun Shuang, he quickly connected the dots. People's perspectives are always influenced by their class, and sometimes they can’t avoid class biases, just like the current heads of the aristocratic families.

As for looking beyond one's class and considering matters from an outsider's perspective, that was a rare skill. Unfortunately, the one person capable of doing so, Kuai Yue of the Kuai family, had already perished in the mighty waters of the Yangtze. Chen Xi was confident that no one else could discern his true intentions.

"I wish I could use my spiritual talent to glimpse the future once more, but alas, I’ve already used my last chance," Xun Shuang thought quietly as he observed Chen Xi seated in the main position.

Xun Shuang’s spiritual ability was now completely lost. Two years ago, when he thought he was nearing death, he used his last chance to glimpse the future to leave a protective charm for the Xun family.

Based on what he saw, as long as Xun Yu followed his intended path, the Xun family would remain one of the most prominent families for the next hundred years.

Unfortunately, Xun Shuang didn’t die, but he lost his most valuable safeguard. Over the years, he had used his spiritual ability five times, each time reversing dire situations and leading the Xun family either to withdraw from danger or rise to new heights, earning him great renown.

When he was left with just one last chance, he knew its value and kept it in reserve.

With such a powerful ability as his fallback, Xun Shuang had always displayed calmness, no matter the situation. Nothing could make him lose his composure because he knew he had an ace up his sleeve to overturn any crisis.

This absolute confidence gave other wise men a sense of unpredictability when dealing with Xun Shuang. It also allowed him to push his abilities beyond their limits, surpassing all other intellectuals of his era.

Anyone possessing such a trump card would have far fewer concerns. With his natural intellect and exceptional performance throughout his life, Xun Shuang had elevated the Xun family to greater heights.

Naturally, when he grew older and felt close to death, he chose to use his final chance. After all, what was the point of taking it to the grave?

But now that Xun Shuang hadn’t died, he felt it was a wasted opportunity. If only he still had that ability, he wouldn’t need to worry about this current situation. That said, if he did still have it, he probably wouldn’t use it—he’d likely wait until he was truly about to die.

"Since it seems no one else has any further questions, I’ll distribute the related information to each family head shortly. However, I must remind you not to share this information with anyone who shouldn’t have it, as that region is still occupied by the enemy," Chen Xi said, noticing no one else was speaking up. He couldn’t help but admire the restraint and discipline of these aristocrats.

"You can rest assured, Lord Chen. We are not in the habit of handing over what’s ours to others," Wei Ji responded.

"That’s good to hear," Chen Xi glanced at the current head of the Wei family from Hedong and responded nonchalantly. He could tell there was an underlying message in Wei Ji’s words, but he didn’t feel the need to dwell on it—some things were best ignored.

"Aside from our family’s scholarly texts, Lord Chen, is there anything else you might need? Now is the time to speak up. The aristocratic families of the world gathered here can resolve many issues," Wu Yuan, who had been quietly listening the whole time, finally spoke with a graceful voice, offering Chen Xi a favor.

Chen Xi looked at Wu Yuan, who had a demeanor similar to Mi Zhen—gentle and elegant but with a hint of aloofness. Despite the subtle distance in her demeanor, her words were clearly in support of Chen Xi.

"Hmm, that’s true. Since you’re all here, there’s probably much I need from you that your families possess. Let’s have our representatives discuss this later. We can exchange what we have for what we need," Chen Xi nodded, realizing he had almost overlooked the fact that the aristocrats possessed more than just scholarly knowledge.

"My elder brother asked me to deliver this to you," Wu Yuan said as she pulled out a silk scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Chen Xi. Frowning slightly, Chen Xi accepted it. In such a formal aristocratic gathering, it was unusual to pass along items like this.

"What is this...?" Chen Xi unfolded the silk scroll and realized it was a map, though he couldn’t quite make out which region it depicted.

Now wasn’t the time to ask, and Wu Yuan had already taken her leave after delivering the item. What intrigued Chen Xi was that Wu Yuan had shown no trace of awe when handing it to him. It wasn’t that Chen Xi sought such a reaction, but it was unusual for someone meeting him for the first time to remain so composed.

"A map of Sichuan and Shu? No, it can’t be. And even if it were, this map doesn’t show any military strongholds or defenses. If Wu Yi wanted to give me something, it wouldn’t be this random map." Chen Xi pondered for a moment, deciding to ask Wu Yuan about it later.

After that, Chen Xi spent some time answering the aristocrats’ questions. He then hosted a meal, serving them dishes prepared by a true master chef, along with high-quality distilled liquor. Naturally, many of them loved the new type of liquor, while others found it hard to adapt. Still, most were satisfied.

After all, the wine of this era was more akin to a beverage, often sour due to various production issues. It couldn’t compare to the distilled grain liquor Chen Xi had introduced.

This feast left many of the aristocratic family heads, who were reputed to enjoy lavish food, realizing that what they had been eating before was no better than pig slop. Some of those unfamiliar with stir-fried dishes were moved to the brink of tears, realizing just how poor their material conditions had been.

The other family heads in attendance couldn’t help but glance between Chen Xi and the quietly dining head of the Chen family, finding the situation bizarre. It must have been quite a challenge for the Chen family to raise such a man.

The meal ended in a strange yet peaceful atmosphere, with Chen Xi pretending not to notice anything unusual and continuing to eat silently. The material life of this era, he thought, was so poor that eating even puffed snacks would be a luxury.

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