Chapter 1007: Ultimately, Class Determines Thought

Chen Xi believed in the mercy of the strong. Of course, this mercy wasn’t something granted to himself, but rather something he bestowed upon others. The same action, performed by different people, can have vastly different effects.

For instance, if the current Chen Xi were to serve tea to an ordinary person, they would feel a sense of humility from him. But if he had done the same thing five years ago, no one would have felt anything significant.

Chen Xi remained the same person, but the change lay in others' perceptions. The phrase "you’ve changed" often reveals more about a shift in one’s own mindset.

The same action taken at different times conveys entirely different levels of sincerity. Even if you haven’t changed, others' mentalities have, and that’s the core reason.

Currently, Liu Bei was strong, and the aristocratic families were weak. However, these families still retained the power to incite chaos, giving them the foundation for the mindset of "better to shatter like jade than survive like pottery." But in the future, when they become nothing more than fish on the chopping board, if they are spared and given a clear path forward, they will likely have no doubts about it.

When someone has nothing left, nothing to lose, they either descend into hysterical madness or cling desperately to the last straw. By then, the aristocrats will have far fewer reservations. They will either live and thrive or perish completely.

With nothing left to be taken from them, the aristocrats would hardly choose to die with nothing. That was Chen Xi's goal: to show them the sweet cake while hiding the poison within. It wasn’t that the aristocrats were shortsighted, but they simply couldn’t foresee this.

The importance of land blinded them. The development of the northeastern plains also provided them with an opportunity to band together. In such an era, where Liu Bei’s power was overwhelming, it seemed that grouping together was their best option for survival, and Chen Xi had given them that chance.

Xun Shuang could see this. He could also see the risks posed by relocating private slaves, private soldiers, and aristocratic supporters to the north, leaving hidden dangers behind in Zhongyuan. However, he didn’t take this to heart.

This was a trade-off. The private slaves and soldiers moving north would offer a form of protection for all the aristocrats in Zhongyuan. Just like many aristocratic families in Guanzhong, whose foundations weren’t rooted in the region, as long as their family’s power remained, their resurgence was only a matter of time.

Moreover, now that the aristocrats sensed a looming threat, consolidating their strength seemed like the best option. Previously, no family had the power or resources to lead such an effort, nor was there a place for them to gather.

Consider this: the total land held by all the aristocratic families in the empire amounted to about three million qing. Meanwhile, the Han dynasty had only about 4.8 million qing of arable land. Where could they possibly unite?

Now, Chen Xi had provided them with five million qing of land—more than enough for all the aristocrats to relocate and join forces. And with a place of their own, along with Chen Xi's eternal agreement, the aristocrats believed they had secured the foundation for their lasting survival.

As for Liu Bei’s threat, they had time. A hundred years from now, they doubted that Liu Bei’s descendants would be as powerful. Given the long span of time, they believed they could turn that land into a fortress. Even if it was remote, its prosperity would make it the perfect haven—something the aristocrats needed most.

With that place, they wouldn’t need to worry. As long as they managed it well, within a century, it could become a country within a country. Then, they would never again be beholden to anyone, and over time, their power would rival that of the state, operating from the shadows, just as the menfa once did.

This would be the aristocrats’ final refuge, their ultimate safeguard. That was why Xun Shuang agreed. He had long recognized the potential for the aristocrats to be weakened and defeated one by one due to geographic and familial ties. Because of the scattered distribution of land, the aristocrats could never fully unite. The best they could do was form alliances within provinces, which, while formidable, were still vulnerable to a powerful monarch.

But now, Chen Xi had given them a single place where they could gather as a collective. As long as they continued to hold over 70% of the official posts in the empire, their aristocratic union would be invincible. Not even imperial authority would stand against them.

When Xun Shuang saw the land listed in Chen Xi’s book, his first thought wasn’t about conspiracy but understanding why Chen Xi said their previous strategies were foolish and naïve. The aristocrats had been too focused on minor issues without uniting their class, and that would inevitably lead to disaster.

"You aristocrats cannot refuse this gift, nor can you reject this favor. My own identity as a member of the aristocracy, along with my actions, will mislead you too greatly. The intentions of emperors throughout history have convinced you of your own judgments." Chen Xi mused quietly.

From the very beginning—whether it was the blood oath, the carving of the Xuanyuan Cauldron, or the leniency shown—they were all carefully designed for this moment. Every action up to this point was a show of sincerity. The aristocrats had no way of rejecting such a generous offer.

"Lord Xuande, don’t let me down. This is the best chance to deal with the aristocrats. I trust you, but secretly, I hope you won’t turn into an emperor. I cannot bear such a thought. If it ever comes to that, I will have to stop you." Chen Xi turned to look at Zhen Mi, his thoughts heavy. Everything had a double safeguard—that was a reflection of Chen Xi’s deep-rooted sense of insecurity.

"Five years?" Xun Shuang muttered, furrowing his brow. He looked at the calm young man seated in the main chair, already forming his own conclusions about the timeframe.

"Yes, five years. I’ll tell you plainly. The reason for setting this period is because I’m confident that within five years, we will have extended our reach to every aristocratic territory. So, prepare yourselves," Chen Xi said calmly. "As for the families in Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, and most of Yuzhou, you can start preparing for your relocation. It will begin soon."

"This is my first step. I believe you all understand. For those who agree, don’t disappoint me. And don’t share the information you’ve seen with the other families who did not attend this meeting. As for the oath and inscription, that will take some time. The blood oath will also need a bit more time to prepare," Chen Xi said, scanning the room.

"Very well. We also need time to plan our distribution and to think through how to handle this matter. It’s indeed time to take things slowly. As for this," Xun Shuang raised the book Chen Xi had given him, "Lord Chen, please provide a copy to each family, so we can conduct our investigations more easily."

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