Mythical Three Kingdoms

Afterward, Chen Xi distributed the items to those who drew them, considering the matter settled. Those willing to stay for a meal were invited to dine with Chen Xi, while those who weren't could leave as they wished.

Zhen Mi naturally stayed behind, while Wu Yuan left with Gan Ning, considering Gan Ning had claimed her as a distant cousin, which naturally obligated him to watch over her.

Wang Yi intended to say a few more words since the item she obtained was indeed quite profitable, but unfortunately, Chen Xi wasn't in the mood, so Wang Yi and Jiangg Ying returned to the Legalists.

In the end, only a few people remained from the initial group – Li Yuan, Jia Yun, Chen Shuang, Zhen Mi; as for Cai Yan, she departed with the last batch of people as calmly as before after a courteous gesture.

After having a quiet meal, Li Youu's carriage appeared at the entrance of Chen Xi's home, consistently punctual as always.

"Zichuan, I heard you distributed items indiscriminately again this morning." Li You sat in the carriage, speaking with a divine-like air, "I've already dispatched someone to escort the labor force supplies to the camp on the west side of the city."

"I wouldn't call it indiscriminate," Chen Xi shook his head and said, "Those things aren't important. What's important is that it helped Zizhong solve a problem. Thank you for handling the materials."

"The Mi Family's young daughter seems playful, but her mind is actually clear. Aren't you afraid of any trouble?" Li You laughed lightly, "Those who can control a business empire like one of the Five Great Merchants' estates are not ordinary people."

"I'm not afraid of any trouble; at worst, my disciple will be toyed with for a while," Chen Xi was indifferent, not expecting that not long before, Lul Xun was dragged to Mi Zhen's house, thrown into the bathtub, and thoroughly prepared.

Li You sneered coldly, Chen Xi might not pay attention to minor details, but he could guarantee that Mi Zhen definitely had the face to do something unforgettable for Lul Xun, and since the Lul Family, Mi Family, and Lul Xun's master all approved, the marriage was only a matter of time.

"Your disciple's personality has a soft side, and it's very possible he'll be utterly subdued, especially since Mi Zhen now far exceeds your disciple in age, intelligence, and experience. You know girls mature sooner than boys…" Li You felt it necessary to explain to Chen Xi lest Chen Xi finds himself crying without a place to cry over it later.

"Don't worry, don't worry, Boyan is very clever." Chen Xi had great confidence in his disciple.

Li You chuckled but said no more, knowing if Lul Xun harbored any intention, he'd absolutely be subdued; unfortunately, Lul Xun was too smart to have no intentions.

Chen Xi and Li You rode to the military camp on the west side of the city, only to be stopped by the patrolling Xiliang Soldiers before even getting close. There were only Xiliang Soldiers left in this camp now; although it was a festive season, many Xiliang Soldiers were unwilling to stay with families that had migrated to Ye City and would return home only to hand over some money before coming back.

"Halt, who goes there?" A knight on a tall horse came up and blocked the carriage, "This is a military area, please keep away!"

Both Li You and Chen Xi poked their heads out to look at the knight, who immediately recognized Li You, cupping his hands, "I see the Strategist, I kindly ask the Strategist to dismount."

"Who are you?" Li You frowned, finding the Xiliang Soldiers to be a bit troublesome — he had formed this unit himself but wasn't sure how many among them could recognize him.

"I am Wang Liang!" The armored knight immediately saluted Li You in a very formal manner, which was impressive given how rough-hewn a man he was.

"Wang Liang who broke through the cold Qiang and captured flags in Sanfu?" Li You asked while frowning, and Wang Liang was immediately overwhelmingly excited, "Indeed, that's me." That's the clear advantage of being recognized, loyalty increases!

"Lead the way ahead!" Li You returned inside the carriage and ordered.

"I think the Xiliang Soldiers are a big problem waiting to happen. They'll eventually reveal your identity," Chen Xi remarked helplessly, feeling a bit wary that many among the Xiliang Soldiers might recognize Li You.

"Some will indeed recognize me, but not too many — mainly the officers, and they won't disclose it to others." Li You replied indifferently, as by now, it really didn't matter much; maintaining appearances was all that was needed. Moreover, quite a few within Liu Bei's ranks who frequently interacted had already guessed his identity.

"They're tight-lipped, but their respect for you is genuine." Chen Xi shook his head, "It might even be that Xuande Guild notices it."

"And what if they do?" Li You glanced at Chen Xi and said, "By this point, the more the Lord wants, the more talent he needs. I may be less than talented, but I count as a gem in this world. Eliminating me serves little purpose, not to mention I recently earned a layer of protective veneer."

Li You sneered, as by now, it was pointless for Liu Bei to kill him. With his skills, making amends was feasible, and he had recently just gained a sage-like visage, enough to show that past blemishes were due to misguided allegiance.

If Liu Bei discovered, Li You could at worst openly admit to being Li Ru, relying on the lord for ambition was typical for strategists, acting much differently from his ruthless behavior in Luoyang, he now appeared as a virtuous and talented strategist, his past black history merely a product of serving the wrong master.

In fact, in his downtime, Li You had analyzed how Liu Bei might react upon uncovering his past. Factoring in Liu Bei's character, ideals, and the abilities he now showcased, he essentially concluded he'd be safe, at worst shelved for a while.

The greatest likelihood was Liu Bei pretending not to know anything, only asking upon Li You's death or his own; the ambition to unify the world and the resolve to transcend the ancestors can endure such minor details.

"Indeed, that's true." Chen Xi nodded, though the Fortune Manifestation put Li You in a tough spot, it did overlay him with a protective veneer, making blame easier to deflect.

Chen Xi and Li You were briefly stopped and checked at the camp gate before being allowed to enter the military camp. Even before going inside, shouts and sounds of battle emanated continuously from within the camp.

"You're quite adept at military administration." Chen Xi turned his head to look at Li You.

"This kind of thing…" Li You sneered, "To put it bluntly, it's about strictly following military commands; everything else is superficial. Just like your custom of collecting items with private seals and pasting them on the government office walls to gain public trust. As long as the soldiers recognize and follow commands, that's enough!"

"Easier said than done," Chen Xi rolled his eyes.

"It's actually quite simple; at the start of drilling soldiers, you teach them life-saving strategies on the battlefield as military commands. Then, regardless of whether they learn it or not, send them to the battlefield. When a tenth die, they'll pay attention when discussing commands next time," Li You explained with an air of divine insight, "After that, it gets much easier."

Chen Xi was speechless; the old Li You was indeed ruthless — such life-costing strategies were employed. Even a well-intentioned Humble Scholar like Li You seemed indifferent toward the common folk, perhaps viewing it as necessary sacrifice. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)