Chapter 817: Governing a Great Nation Is Like Cooking a Small Fish, Passing the Imperial Exam Is as Hard as Reaching the Heavens

Lu Su smiled and said, "Indeed. If Yuan Shao moves through Baima and Yanjin, the battlefield will inevitably shift to Jiyin. If that happens, Xiaozhi and his forces returning to Yanzhou would severely damage Yuan Shao."

"Don't get too optimistic. If Yuan Shao is ruthless enough, moving through Jiyin might actually be a brilliant strategy!" Jia Xu suddenly raised his head, offering a more cautious view.

"I bet that Xun Wenruo can knock Yuan Benchu's teeth out," Guo Jia interjected before Chen Xi could respond, raising his hand confidently, showing his deep understanding of Xun Yu.

"Now that you mention it, I'm starting to worry about Cao Cao’s situation," Chen Xi rubbed his temples, clearly showing some concern.

"Xun Yu, in my impression, is incredibly dangerous. Though I’ve never met him, I’d love to one day. I've recently met the heroes of Hebei and wasn’t particularly impressed. Many of them are from Yuzhou," Chen Xi added, clearly curious about Xun Yu.

"That’s why it’s a miracle Yuan Shu managed to survive this long," Guo Jia said helplessly. After all, many of the top civil ministers under Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei hailed from Yuzhou, yet Yuan Shu, occupying Yuzhou itself, had no talents to employ. It was indeed a tragic irony.

"Let’s strengthen the patrols tonight. Even with the Yellow River separating us, we should remain cautious," Liu Bei commanded his subordinates.

"Understood!" Guan Yu stood and responded. Most of these tasks fell to him, and with the recent military promotions, many officers had been elevated. Even Liao Hua, a talented former Yellow Turban, had been promoted to deputy general, though Guan Hai still remained stationed in Yizhou.

After issuing orders for the soldiers to be served extra rations that evening, Liu Bei instructed everyone to attend to their respective duties. Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and the others led their troops to patrol the camp, while Liu Bei himself, accompanied by Wu Anguo, also inspected the rear camp. Xu Chu, meanwhile, had gone to the medics to have his wounds stitched up.

"Zichuan, come drink with me," called out Guo Jia, who, among all of them, lived the most carefree life. While others might hesitate to drink in the camp, Guo Jia would indulge whenever he determined that the situation wasn’t too dire, and no one questioned him for it.

"Alright," Chen Xi shook his head but didn’t say much else, following Guo Jia to his tent.

After three cups of wine, Guo Jia sighed as he bit into a strip of meat, "I haven’t been back to Mount Tai in so long. How are things there now?"

"Not bad," Chen Xi replied casually. "Why bring this up now? Is there something you want to say?"

"Nothing in particular, just feeling a bit sentimental. I’ve heard about all you’ve done in Mount Tai. I don’t have much to say about your handling of political affairs—you’re definitely more capable than I am. But sometimes, you’re too soft. Being ruthless is often more effective," Guo Jia said, massaging his temples. Though he didn’t specify, both of them understood what he meant.

"I think those people can still be redeemed. Besides, my reluctance to be ruthless is because I have plans in place to ensure they won’t have the courage to act against us," Chen Xi sighed. "I aim to minimize bloodshed. In the Central Plains, I’ve been trying to restrain violence as much as possible, using various methods to reduce the damage to the population from all the warring factions."

"Do as you wish. I’ve said before that I won’t interfere with political affairs, but I’m just reminding you that while killing can lead to backlash, it’s also the fastest way to solve problems. We’ve developed so quickly, going from nothing to where we are now in just over four or five years. That’s unprecedented," Guo Jia remarked, glancing at Chen Xi but refraining from further elaboration.

"Alright, I understand," Chen Xi nodded, though he knew himself well enough to recognize that he might not be as resolute when the time came.

"By the way, don’t assume our attempt to force the crossing of the Yellow River will succeed. In my view, Yuan Shao’s determination to cross the river is much stronger than ours," Guo Jia said, raising his wine cup and shaking it slightly as he looked at Chen Xi. "Based on what you and Gongyou said, there’s a strong chance he’ll act out of anger. After all, Jizhou is the foremost of the Nine Provinces."

Chen Xi blinked, unsure of what Guo Jia was getting at.

"Yesterday’s conversation with Gongyou, combined with something I read today, reminded me of an ancient text. Does this line sound familiar: 'They prepared the signs, met him at the Wei River, and built a bridge of boats to cross it'?" Guo Jia looked out at the setting sun with a serious expression.

"Huh?" Chen Xi was caught off guard. He hated it when people quoted classics, and though he had crammed to maintain his scholarly image, he’d forgotten most of what he’d learned.

"Oh, that’s from the Book of Songs? The Greater Odes? The Great Brilliance?" Chen Xi wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved it was from the Book of Songs. He had crammed poetry, and luckily, it hadn’t slipped his mind.

"I’m asking what it means, not where it’s from," Guo Jia said with a look of exasperation. He never considered that Chen Xi might not be particularly well-versed in the classics. After all, in ancient times, even the children of noble families were expected to know such things.

"Oh." After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Chen Xi’s expression turned serious.

"Exactly. Given the capabilities of both sides, this should be an easy task. In fact, based on our level of ability, they could likely complete it by tonight," Guo Jia said with a proud glance at Chen Xi.

"Turns out I overlooked something," Chen Xi sighed. He had forgotten that a floating bridge was something people had been using since the time of King Wen of Zhou. Though not often mentioned in history, it was clearly feasible, and as Guo Jia pointed out, their materials and capabilities were more than sufficient to pull it off overnight.

"Damn it, this world’s materials are really something," Chen Xi cursed silently to himself. He immediately prepared to leave, intending to ensure the army was ready for night patrols to prevent a sneak attack from Yuan Shao’s forces.

"No need to rush," Guo Jia waved his hand. "I’m not sure they’ll even think of it. After all, without you reminding me, I wouldn’t have remembered this floating bridge idea. It was only because I came across that line in the Book of Songs today that I even thought of it. So, just focus on strengthening the defenses."

Chen Xi felt a bit embarrassed. For someone like Guo Jia, poetry and the classics were a part of everyday life, something he read for pleasure. But for Chen Xi, it was quite different.

At that moment, Chen Xi recalled a sarcastic remark he had heard before: Is governing a nation easier than passing the imperial exam? The conclusion was that governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish, but passing the imperial exam is as hard as ascending to heaven.

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