Chapter 744: The King's Resolve

Chen Xi's intuition was sharp. Upon learning that Cao Cao had entered Sili, he had a feeling that Cao Cao would obtain control over the Emperor. However, what intrigued Chen Xi was how Cao Cao would manage to achieve this, especially considering his current weak position.

As for the trouble Cao Cao would cause Liu Bei by gaining control of the Emperor, Chen Xi could only say that unless Cao Cao and the Emperor formed a relationship as close as that of Emperor Ai and Dong Xian, a plot like the Edict in the Belt would surely surface eventually. Throughout history, no powerful minister has ever had a good ending; either the emperor is merciful, or the minister is exceptionally capable of retiring with honor.

Chen Xi silently withdrew his gaze from Liu Bei, reflecting on these thoughts.

It could be said that both Liu Biao and Cao Mengde were considered heroes of their time, but in this life, neither had fared well. Cao Mengde had lost due to the decimation of his veteran soldiers, while Liu Biao’s downfall came from a lack of people in his territory. Despite their grand ambitions and having powerful generals and brilliant strategists, they could only watch helplessly as mediocre individuals took control of the Central Plains.

Sometimes, Chen Xi thought of the phrase Cao Cao often repeated: "A thousand troops are easy to find, but a good general is hard to come by." Yet now, Cao Cao had no shortage of strategists or generals; what he truly lacked was the soldiers he had long dismissed as unimportant.

"Zichuan, what are you mumbling about?" Liu Bei asked curiously, noticing Chen Xi's lips moving without making any sound.

"I was thinking about Cao Mengde and that old saying—'A thousand troops are easy to find, but a good general is hard to come by,'" Chen Xi replied calmly.

"An army without experienced veterans is like a dish with no flavor. Even if Yun Chang were to lead raw recruits, it wouldn’t make a difference. But soldiers like the Danyang Troops or our city management forces, who have honed their skills in life-and-death battles, instinctively know how to fight, even without a great general leading them," Liu Bei said with a hint of a smile. "Such troops, however, are rare."

"Veterans must make up at least half of a top-tier unit. Speaking of which, I regret not being able to make better use of the tens of thousands of veterans we captured from Cao Cao. After two years without seeing combat, they've likely been reduced to second-line troops," Chen Xi said with a sense of loss. Those soldiers could neither be killed nor released, and their potential was wasted.

"Cao Mengde truly made a mistake back then. The Han dynasty is governed by filial piety, but he used filial piety as an excuse to unjustly implicate others. Although he realized his mistake and corrected it, I hope he doesn’t make such grievous errors again," Liu Bei said with a sigh. "Cao Mengde can be too extreme and stubborn at times."

"Realized his mistake?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled. "He admitted to being wrong? Why haven’t I heard about this?"

"You didn’t know?" Liu Bei was about to tease Chen Xi for being slow, but seeing his genuinely confused expression, he explained what had happened the previous year when Cao Cao admitted his mistake. Chen Xi was taken aback.

"This really happened?" Chen Xi frowned deeply. "That doesn’t seem right. I haven’t heard any rumors, and something as significant as this should have caused more reaction. Did Cao Mengde send private letters to various governors or submit a memorial to the Emperor?"

"Cao Cao issued a public proclamation," Liu Bei said, leaving Chen Xi utterly shocked.

"How could such an opportune moment pass without us capitalizing on it? At the very least, we should have rallied the people of Xuzhou to unite with us, strengthening our hold on the territory. Moreover, how did the Yuan brothers and the Liu clans not react?" Chen Xi was in disbelief.

As he processed this revelation, his face shifted from pale to flushed before he finally understood what had happened.

"Zichuan, have you figured it out?" Liu Bei asked, noticing that Chen Xi’s expression had returned to normal.

"Xi Zhicai..." Chen Xi uttered the name, sighing. "Forget it. There’s no point holding a grudge against a dead man. I was outplayed by him—he handed me a trap in the form of a jade disk! His grasp of human nature was truly impeccable!"

"What? You were outwitted by Xi Zhicai?" Liu Bei recalled the sickly yet sharp-eyed man who had once visited Taishan.

Chen Xi shared parts of his analysis with Liu Bei, then chuckled bitterly. "That man was indeed astute. His schemes, likely even unknown to Xun Wenruo and the others, ensured that Cao Mengde would not repeat such egregious mistakes in the future."

Liu Bei nodded repeatedly, full of admiration for such a loyal minister who would go to such lengths to assist his lord, even in death.

Chen Xi, however, reflected quietly.

Staring at the sky, he realized that Liu Bei’s ambitions were too great for him to achieve alone. He would need external forces to help him, and that proclamation from Cao Cao, with the passage of time, would become one such external force—an immensely powerful one.

Chen Xi smiled ruefully. What an enormous temptation. If he had encountered that proclamation earlier, he might not have fully understood its significance. But now, he did.

"Lord Xuande, may I ask: if there were a person of great talent who could help you fulfill your oath to the Han, would you dare to seek them out?" Chen Xi asked, clasping his hands and bowing to Liu Bei.

"What’s there to fear? Of course, I’d go to them, once, twice, or even three times. If they truly have the ability, I should seek them out, not for my own sake, but for the Han dynasty," Liu Bei responded, glancing at Chen Xi. His tone was full of resolve, as if to say, "Isn't that an obvious question?"

"Oh? That’s good to know. But what if this person is your enemy?" Chen Xi asked, looking at Liu Bei.

"A mere personal grudge? Surely you understand the difference between public duty and personal vendettas. If they can truly benefit the Han and the people of the world, they must be sought out. I cannot let my personal enmities stand in the way of the Han's prosperity. Even Duke Huan of Qi could tolerate Guan Zhong, who nearly killed him. What enmity could I possibly have that would surpass that?" Liu Bei said with a hint of pride, clearly showing that he had reached a high level of enlightenment in this regard.

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