Chapter 790: The Veterans' Hidden Troubles

Xu Shu's arrival did not attract much attention. Liu Bei simply hosted a private banquet in his home to welcome him.

Given Liu Bei’s current status and reputation, it was no longer appropriate to make a grand gesture for newcomers, as it could place undue pressure on them, along with signifying high expectations.

As for Xu Shu’s abilities, Chen Xi was confident. The fact that Xu Shu claimed he was finally qualified to meet Liu Bei indicated that he had become capable of handling all situations. With Xu Shu's past as a former street thug, he wouldn’t make such bold statements without certainty.

Liu Bei’s special banquet moved Xu Shu greatly. With Chen Xi also at the table, after a few cups of wine, Xu Shu relaxed, as his experience gave him more confidence to speak freely.

"How have things been in Jingzhou these past years?" Liu Bei asked with a smile, curious about Xu Shu's life in Jingzhou and how someone like Xu Shu, once a small-time thug, had undergone such a transformation.

"At first, I met Master Pang De. It was a great fortune to find a kindred spirit. With his guidance, I’ve become who I am today," Xu Shu recalled, thinking back to the cold reception he received when he first arrived in Jingzhou. But when he met Pang De, his luck changed, and a smile appeared on his face as he slowly recounted his experiences over the past few years.

"It seems that Master Pang De is indeed a great talent. It’s a shame I’ve never had the opportunity to meet him," Liu Bei said with a slight sigh. He could sense the reserved and collected aura surrounding Xu Shu, much like when Chen Xi had first entered public life. Xu Shu was knowledgeable and confident but still a bit inexperienced in dealing with people.

"Indeed, he is a remarkable man," Xu Shu nodded, his head slightly swaying with the effects of the wine. "But Master Pang has resided in Jingzhou for a long time and is attached to his homeland. It's unlikely he could be persuaded to leave. If my lord wishes, I could still send him a letter."

Xu Shu’s words were more out of politeness than sincerity. He knew that Pang De would never leave Jingzhou, but out of respect for Liu Bei’s admiration of talent, he made the offer.

"There’s no need," Chen Xi smiled. "After all, Jingzhou is still part of Han lands. There’s no real distance between us. One day, we will be united; no need to rush." With that, Chen Xi raised his cup and offered a toast to Xu Shu. It had been quite some time since Chen Xi had taken the initiative to toast someone.

"That’s true," Xu Shu nodded again, his expression calm. He wasn't surprised by Chen Xi's words. In his mind, given Liu Bei's current position, once the Central Plains were pacified, uniting the land would follow naturally. At that point, Jingzhou wouldn't be an independent entity under Liu Biao’s control.

Chen Xi was pleased with Xu Shu. During the banquet, Xu Shu’s strategic insights and views on the northern expedition were logical and well-founded. Though there were some minor errors due to his unfamiliarity with Mount Tai, there was no denying that both in this life and the previous, Xu Shu had reached his peak the moment he stepped into the political arena.

"My lord, Adviser Jia has something to report," a guard entered to inform Liu Bei at that moment, reminding him that it was time for Jia Xu’s daily briefing on military preparations.

"Invite him in," Liu Bei said to the guard.

"My lord," Jia Xu greeted Liu Bei with a slight bow, noticing Xu Shu sitting beside him. Though Jia Xu hadn’t met Xu Shu before, with a single glance, he could tell who this man must be, given that both Chen Xi and Liu Bei were hosting him together.

"Sit down, Wenhe. How are the preparations going?" Liu Bei asked, not avoiding Xu Shu’s presence, and Xu Shu also made no effort to leave. After ordering the servants to bring an extra set of dishes and cutlery for Jia Xu, Liu Bei continued the conversation with a smile.

"Within the past three days, we’ve gathered over 44,000 men, including more than 13,000 experienced veterans. Of those, around 7,000 are veterans who have fought in at least ten battles, and 4,000 are veterans who have fought in more than 15 battles, including some who were not selected for the City Management Corps," Jia Xu reported as he casually took his seat.

"Those veterans with over 15 battles, weren’t they supposed to return home to farm? They’re all around forty years old, aren’t they?" Chen Xi asked with some frustration. "Didn’t we agree not to recruit anyone over thirty-two?"

Xu Shu was slightly taken aback. The number of battles mentioned didn’t refer to skirmishes between scout teams but to full-scale military engagements. For a veteran to have survived even ten large-scale battles was already a feat. A veteran with experience from over a dozen battles was practically a legend.

"They did go home to farm for about a month, but they couldn’t adjust to that lifestyle. From the information I’ve gathered, they were fine at first, but after a month, they became irritable over trivial matters," Jia Xu replied matter-of-factly, cutting off any further thoughts of the veterans.

Before Chen Xi could start lamenting about veterans suffering from what we might call post-military adjustment syndrome, Jia Xu continued, "Moreover, these veterans were elite soldiers in the army, with a lot of pent-up energy. They’ve been trained to fight, not farm."

"So what you're saying is I need to set up a vocational training academy for retired soldiers to give them new skills?" Chen Xi sighed in frustration.

"That’s more or less the idea. And let me add that compared to their lives in the army, their post-military lives aren’t going so well," Jia Xu continued without concern for Chen Xi’s expression. This issue was now within Chen Xi’s administrative duties after Lu Su stepped down.

"In the army, they didn’t have to worry about food or shelter. As long as they could fight, the food supply was steady—buns were always available, and they had two meat meals a month. Add to that their military pay, which was 20% higher than what they can earn now. And most of them never learned how to manage their finances. They live by the motto ‘live for today, drink for today!’" Jia Xu spoke without expression, leaving Chen Xi feeling a headache coming on.

Back when Chen Xi had arranged for these veterans to retire, he had ensured that they would receive 80% of their military pay to support them as they transitioned to civilian life, giving them time to learn a new trade. The plan was for them to have enough money to live on and train for new jobs, with their pay only decreasing after three years.

"Moreover, after three years, their pay will drop to 50%, and eventually, it will reduce to only about 20% of their original military pay as a pension," Jia Xu added with a sly smile, the implications clear.

"In other words, these guys don’t know how to live normal lives. In the army, they had no chance to spend their money, so they just sent it home. Life was good for them and their families. Now that they’ve returned, they’re keeping the money for themselves, and they don’t know how to handle it. I’m so done with this!" Chen Xi groaned, feeling overwhelmed.

"That’s basically it," Jia Xu replied with a laugh. "So, when they heard about the northern expedition, they showed up. And they’ve already beaten an entire regiment of Qingzhou soldiers."

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