Mythical Three Kingdoms

Xuu Jing glanced at Xuu Shao and said nothing more. In his view, Xuu Shao was truly letting things go to ruin without care; releasing this Official Announcement in such a manner would surely cause trouble.

On such a bright and sunny day, the former site of the Monthly Critique in Luoyang had already become abandoned. In Chang'an, Xuu Zijiang borrowed the venue of Fragrance Pavilion to release this final volume, mentioning that almost no one now remembered what the Fragrance Pavilion was originally for.

On the contrary, many people now regard it as a place of cultured entertainment, appreciated by both refined and common tastes. Cao Cao and Sunx Ce did not prohibit the Fragrance Pavilion from entering their domains. Although they greatly increased their oversight of the Fragrance Pavilion, Chen Xi from the very beginning never intended to nurture singers.

Instead, Guo Jia and Fa Zheng were quite eager to insert some personnel into it, but were sternly refused by Chen Xi, stating that unless it was a matter of national destruction or ethnic catastrophe, war should best remain distant from women and children.

Thus, the Fragrance Pavilion has become quite a large establishment. Although many are rather makeshift, compared to the original with its elegance, beauty, and pleasant voices, the others can only be said to fall far behind.

As for the saying "a song of red silk knows no count," such situations indeed have occurred, but these things are difficult to avoid. Nonetheless, in contrast to precariously unstable lives before, marrying into a wealthy family as a concubine doesn't seem too bad.

Chen Xi has helped women as much as he could. Those who should know, already know of the backing behind the Fragrance Pavilion.

Liuu Luo's smartest decision was investing all the earnings from each Fragrance Pavilion back into its originating location under either Cao Cao's or Sunx Ce's rule. In this respect, she already displays something of the demeanor of the Five Great Merchants.

Because of this, even if Cao Cao and Sunx Ce were to suspect there were scouts in the Fragrance Pavilion, they would not oppress those defenseless women. Quite the contrary, they most likely would understand each other's position.

The last volume of the Official Announcement by Xuu Zijiang was released after a theatrical performance on that day. At the top, Chen Zichuan, without a doubt. His merits, enumerated, though some do not concede, are difficult to dispute in their effectiveness.

"Am I second?" Xun Yu smiled gently, his gaze sweeping over the scroll.

"Congratulations." Chen Qun and Fan Qin genuinely congratulated Xun Yu with a cupped-fist salute.

"But let's return to our tasks, for the realm is yet to be at peace." Xun Yu gazed towards the east as if the doors and walls of the Government Office couldn't block his sight. Being number one in the world, who wouldn't want to contend for it, especially now that he was already second best.

"My brother-in-law is not someone easily surpassed." Fan Qin chuckled, picking up a scroll and opening it, "Zhou Yu (Gongjin), I thought it would be Li Wenyou, but it's actually this person. With neither Jia Wenhe nor Lub Zijing as first, perhaps the position shone too brightly for them."

"The final scroll contains more content." Xun Youi entered at that moment, though his expression remained as even-keeled as before.

"Oh?" Chen Qun curiously reached out to take the scroll from Xun Youi's hand.

"Hua Yuanhua saves millions, Zhang Zhongjing establishes virtue and life, sweeps the pestilence in Jing-Xiang," Mao Jie, receiving the Official Announcement from Cheng Yu, slowly read it to the end, astonished by what he saw, "The nation is the people; without the people, what does the nation stand on? Amongst them…"

"Rescuing the people through the ages is no less than saving the nation from peril. Ever enduring through millennia, the benevolence of a hundred generations, thus deserving of first place!" Yang Xiu clutched the scroll, his name missing, casting a deep gloom upon his face, yet upon seeing the conclusion, his knuckles slightly pale.

"As expected, Xuu Zijiang still recognized what I said, indeed he still comprehends such a view." Chen Xi, looking at the urgently delivered scroll, couldn't help but smile broadly upon seeing the finale.

"What thoughts have you, Wen Ru? From humble beginnings, rising in the Northwest, overcoming the Central Plains, battling the world alone, supporting rebel ministers to harass the land, rampant both east and west, unmatched, and thus entering the top three." Chen Xi cheerfully eyed Li Youu munching on an apple below.

"One step ahead, step by step ahead, back then, under Lord Xuande, aside from those few lacking ruthlessness, others acting would not have been inferior to me." Li Youu replied indifferently.

"Of course, you aren't ruthless enough either, but if you had gone, I fear it would all be unified already." Li Youu admitted to Chen Xi's prowess as he spoke, acknowledging his strength.

"Impossible, if Dong Zhongying hadn't courted death, you would have unified as well. The Eighteen Feudal Lords defeating you in your swallowing-the-nation momentum would be laughable." Chen Xi retorted rolling his eyes.

Speaking of battles, once rhythm is found and madness sets in, it becomes difficult for anyone to resist—even more so if Dong Zhuo, the main commander then, hadn't been such a burden hindering their chances.

Lyu Bu led the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, neither in historical or fictional accounts nor legends did they defeat Guo Si leading the Xiliang Iron Cavalry during the counterattack battle in Chang'an. Knowing then that Guo Si's forces were on par with Lyu Bu and they still weren't victorious, signifies how fiercely capable these men were when risking their lives.

"Everyone then wanted to fight, except he didn't." After finishing his apple, Li Youu wiped his hands and turned to Chen Xi, remarking how the Eighteen Feudal Lords were rookies back then. If they could have breached Xu Rong's defense of Hulao Pass, he would have offered his head to them.

"But alas for Xu Rong, wasn't he not one of Dong Zhongying's, so why did he hand his life to Li Jue's crowd?" Chen Xi remained puzzled over Xu Rong's death—as Xu Rong, who dealt blows to Sunx Jian twice and struck Cao Cao once, was undeniably a top-notch general.

"No, you've misunderstood. Xu Rong's loyalty to the Han Dynasty was genuine, but he was also indebted to Xu Rong for recognizing his talent, so giving his life was natural." Li Youu sighed, lamenting that Xu Rong was the most capable under Dong Zhuo, yet he gave his life to Li Jue.

"His abilities were indeed strong." Chen Xi mused on the battle of Bianshui against Cao Cao and the successive blows in Liangdong against Sunx Jian, slightly regretting the loss.

"Very strong," Li Youu said with rare solemnity, "I too was prepared to die then, so I had no mind for him—such a pity."

"Jia Wenhe being fourth seems a bit low, what justifies Xun Shen being fifth, and why is Fengxiao only sixth?" Chen Xi expressed slight dissatisfaction, questioning how the Xun Family managed three positions in the top ten.

"Just glance over this list; definite judgments of us can only be made posthumously." Li Youu casually dismissed it, acknowledging the accompanying finality once his other identity became confirmed.

"There's truth in that, Xun Youi and Cheng Yu, these two aren't easy to deal with, only they haven't shown much combat success so far." Chen Xi nodded, agreeing with Li Youu's point of view.

"Zichuan, it seems Xuu Zijiang took the blame for you!" Lub Su entered the hall with a wide smile.

Though eighth place seemed somewhat low, upon seeing the final volume, Lub Su recognized the ranking was not the most crucial part but rather the implied meaning within. Chen Xi was finally beginning to accelerate the Empire's advancement.