Chapter 723: Prioritizing the Greater Good

"That's because you’ve acted too dangerously in the past, so we had no choice but to be cautious with you. The stronger the power, the greater the potential for destruction—that’s something you should understand. If your interests align with those of the state, your growth also means the state’s growth, so no one will stop you," Chen Xi said, leaving the rest for them to grasp on their own.

The reason Chen Xi was willing to say this much was that, despite their many faults in another timeline, the noble families had not yet had the opportunity to implement the nine-rank system in this one. He wouldn’t dismiss them entirely because they still served a purpose.

In Chen Xi’s vision of the future Han Dynasty, the moral principles of the noble families would still be necessary, though those principles would need to align with the interests of the state.

These were all matters Chen Xi had to consider carefully. Compared to the Confucian scholars who emerged after the Song Dynasty, Chen Xi valued the morality of the noble families more. Moreover, the ethical standards of the Confucian scholars of the late Han period were still commendable, at least for this era.

After further conversation with Chen Shang, who left deep in thought, Chen Xi was left to ponder. Chen Shang had achieved his objective but had also been presented with more questions.

"Let’s hope the noble families continue on this path and don’t repeat the past by blocking the upward mobility of the vast majority of the population. Their moral integrity is indeed intact, but when sharp class divisions arise, even the most flawless morality becomes a tragedy for other classes," Chen Xi muttered to himself after seeing Chen Shang off, watching as his carriage disappeared into the distance.

Afterward, Chen Xi went to his study and recorded the day’s events, noting down all the key points.

"Chen Bo, please deliver this letter to Lord Xuande. If he asks about my intentions, tell him to let Jia Wenhe and Li Wenru handle it," Chen Xi instructed his steward after folding the letter and handing it over.

"Rest assured, Master," the steward replied, accepting the letter with a respectful bow before leaving swiftly.

Meanwhile, Jia Xu and Li You were ready to close the net. They had discovered the most critical piece of information: Yuan Shao's army had already reached Fenggao. Although several noble families had tried to cover it up, Li You had easily detected the discrepancies through the household registration system, leading him to the truth.

"These noble families are truly audacious, daring to use their caravans to conceal Yuan Shao's elite troops," Li You said with a slight shake of his head, his eyes flashing with coldness. His opinion of the noble families was far from positive, especially considering their role in abandoning Liangzhou, which had descended into chaos partly due to their actions.

"This likely isn’t the first time they’ve done this. They seem quite familiar with these tactics, suggesting they’ve made similar preparations before," Jia Xu remarked calmly. He had suspected Yuan Shao would make a move, and now his suspicions were confirmed.

"The household registration system has some loopholes—or rather, we’ve been too lenient in our management of migration between provinces. We’ve been lax in our inspections due to our efforts to increase the population, relying too much on the local noble families' assurances. But this time, we can root them out completely," Li You's voice carried a hint of killing intent as he spoke.

"It seems Yuan Benchu has indeed planted spies among us. If that’s the case, these noble families are the true enemy. We can follow the clues and eliminate all of these spies," Jia Xu sensed Li You’s murderous intent, but at this stage, more aggressive measures were necessary.

Just as Li You and Jia Xu were discussing when to send the signal, Liu Bei arrived, holding the letter from Chen Xi. Without saying much, he handed the letter to Jia Xu. A single glance was enough for Jia Xu to understand the critical points.

"This is good news for us. As for the promises Zichuan made to the noble families, they align perfectly with our next steps," Jia Xu said, passing the letter to Li You. "As we suspected, there’s internal conflict within the noble families."

"My lord, when shall we proceed with the plan?" Li You asked after reading the letter, showing no objection to the promises Chen Xi had made.

"The plan must commence as soon as possible. We can’t delay the unification of the northern provinces any longer. His Majesty is still waiting for us to rescue him. The recent reports from Ziyang are not encouraging—Yuan Benchu's subordinates, Xun Chen and Chunyu Qiong, have already engaged them," Liu Bei said, his expression resolute.

"Ziyang has encountered Xun Chen?" Jia Xu frowned, then looked at Liu Bei. "With Ziyang's capabilities, dealing with Xun Chen shouldn’t be too difficult, especially with Zijian and Wenze supporting him. There shouldn’t be any major problems."

"The situation isn’t ideal. According to Ziyang, Chunyu Qiong is merely a minor threat; Xun Chen, however, is a formidable opponent. Ziyang mentioned that many of his strategies have been countered, and he suspects that Xun Chen’s spiritual abilities are putting him at a growing disadvantage," Liu Bei explained, recalling the private letter he had received from Liu Ye.

Jia Xu and Li You exchanged glances, understanding the implications.

"Did Ziyang suggest any solutions or request reinforcements?" Li You asked, bowing slightly.

"He didn’t request reinforcements. He said he would do his best to stall them but lacks the strength to rescue the Emperor on his own. He’s considering whether to enlist the help of Cao Mengde, leaving it to His Majesty to decide who will protect him—Ziyang or Cao Mengde," Liu Bei replied, summarizing Liu Ye's letter.

Jia Xu and Li You exchanged another look, both understanding the underlying message.

"I don’t trust Cao Cao. His actions in Xu Province, where he took revenge on the common people, make me doubt his intentions. Even if he claims to be loyal to the Han, I suspect his motives are far from pure," Li You responded immediately.

"You can’t judge him so harshly. While Cao Mengde was wrong in Xu Province, he was avenging his father. Moreover, he later admitted his mistake publicly. During the incident in Luoyang, he was the first to pursue Dong Zhuo, proving himself a loyal servant of the Han," Jia Xu interjected, maintaining a neutral expression. He understood Liu Ye’s intentions all too well.

"Ziyang made a similar argument, but I’m still uneasy," Liu Bei admitted, his expression troubled.

"There’s no need to worry, my lord. Yuan Shao is the true enemy of the Han Dynasty. If he seizes the Emperor, our efforts to restore the Han will lose their legitimacy, and we’ll be at a severe disadvantage," Jia Xu urged, reminding Liu Bei of his oath. "My lord, do you remember your vow?"

"..." Liu Bei hesitated, then gradually regained his composure. "I understand. First, we deal with Yuan Shao and secure the Han Dynasty. If Cao Mengde shows any disrespect to His Majesty, I will not forgive him!"

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