Three Kingdoms, Myth

Lady Zhen nodded in acknowledgment of Chen Xi's words. While other merchants were still debating whether Liu Bei's side was trying to drive up the price, Lady Zhen had already obtained a startling piece of intelligence from Fenggao's strategists: North First Street was not in the hands of the government.

The moment Lady Zhen heard that, her first thought was of Chen Xi. Unlike others who needed to think things through, she trusted her instincts more. Ever since she had witnessed Chen Xi's almost supernatural ability, she couldn't help but attribute any unsolvable mystery to him.

"It's all right here," Chen Xi said with a smile, pointing to the wooden box. "The properties on North First Street were acquired back when Fenggao was first being built. Lord Xuande, do you remember what you said back then?"

It was highly unlikely that Liu Bei would remember something he had said offhandedly. He chuckled awkwardly, glancing at Chen Xi. How could he possibly recall something he said a year and a half ago when Fenggao hadn't even been constructed? He signaled to Chen Xi to handle it however he saw fit—Liu Bei trusted that Chen Xi wouldn't mislead him.

Lady Zhen's eyes sparkled as she realized the value of the box of deeds before her. The box was practically worth an entire Zhen family fortune. As expected, it was in Chen Xi's hands. "Since you've brought it out, Zichuan, it seems you plan to sell these properties. In that case, could you let our Zhen family pick one or two first? You know, we're currently occupying a spot without the deed. If someone else claims it later, it could be problematic."

Chen Xi rolled his eyes. Women often have their advantages in situations like this. If this were Mi Zhu, there's no way he'd ask to pick first—it just wouldn't be proper. But with Lady Zhen, there was no helping it. Women naturally have certain privileges—being unreasonable and bending the rules is practically in their nature.

"Madam, please wait a moment. After all, these deeds are still ownerless. I prepared them a long time ago, just waiting for this day. Lord Xuande, please," Chen Xi said with a smile as he pushed the box towards Liu Bei. These deeds were something he had carefully set aside while building Fenggao, all under the guise of promoting Liu Bei's benevolence while secretly acquiring the properties. Even though they were unsigned, they were effectively spoken for.

Liu Bei smiled as he opened the box. Inside were sheets of slightly yellowed, rough-textured paper, the earliest of Chen Xi's creations. The technique had improved significantly since then.

As Liu Bei looked through the deeds, he realized they were indeed for the areas where property values had skyrocketed recently. Even though Chen Xi had hinted at what was inside, seeing it in person was still quite shocking. Chen Xi had planned all this so far in advance.

Holding one of the deeds, Liu Bei sighed inwardly.

Seeing the blank space where the owner's name should be, Liu Bei set the deed down. He knew that once Chen Xi brought these out, they were meant to stay with him. These were clearly prepared for Liu Bei's use.

"Zichuan, I'll keep these. However, I'll need you to handle the follow-up. When it comes to commerce, there's no one more capable than you. Or rather, there's no one better at managing state affairs than you," Liu Bei said, placing the deeds back in the box and speaking earnestly.

"Even though it feels a bit much, I'm happy to accept," Chen Xi replied with a broad smile, shedding his earlier cold demeanor. Sometimes he felt that a hands-off leader like Liu Bei was truly a good person.

Lady Zhen silently turned away, having seen enough. The deeds in Liu Bei's hands were blank, which meant Chen Xi had long planned to use them as rewards for Liu Bei's ministers and generals—a thoughtful end-of-year bonus, so to speak.

It's better to share joy with others than to keep it to oneself. If Chen Xi were to keep North First Street all to himself, he would surely be resented. Even if Liu Bei were to keep it, it wouldn't look much better, as such behavior could be seen as greedy.

However, with Chen Xi keeping just what he needed as a personal reward and handing over the rest as a planned reward from Liu Bei, everyone would be pleased.

No matter how Liu Bei chooses to distribute it—as a bonus, a reward, or something else—it's a substantial reward that would instantly strengthen the bond between Liu Bei and his people.

This money didn't come from the state but directly from Liu Bei's personal coffers, showing sincerity. How the money was earned isn't as important as the fact that it was legitimate and used with a clear conscience. In Liu Bei's hands, it became a powerful tool for winning loyalty.

Lady Zhen understood this well, so she didn't press further. She knew Liu Bei needed to play his part in this transaction. Chen Xi and Liu Bei had shown her this as a sign that she wasn't considered an outsider. Once the deeds were handed out as rewards to ministers and generals, they would likely return to Chen Xi's hands, as it would be the logical thing for them to do. Essentially, everything would end up back in Chen Xi's control, but everyone involved would be content.

When it comes to dividing the money, Lady Zhen was certain that Chen Xi wouldn't mind. He had plenty of means at his disposal and didn't need to worry about it. As for Liu Bei, the money was like a windfall, and winning loyalty was far more important than wealth. So for both of them, this was no big deal.

"Zichuan, you're truly unmatched in planning ahead. Lord Xuande doesn't need to worry about these matters at all," Lady Zhen sighed. In this relationship of mutual understanding between ruler and minister, there was no point in others trying to curry favor with Liu Bei; he simply wasn't interested.

"Hahaha, having Zichuan by my side is a blessing from heaven, proof that the Han dynasty isn't destined to fall," Liu Bei said proudly. He was genuinely proud of having picked up such a top-tier strategist along the way. Back then, who could have imagined that the man trailing behind various warlords would possess such great abilities? Only Liu Bei, with his discerning eye, had seen Chen Xi's potential and brought him into the fold.

Chen Xi, uncomfortable with the praise, turned away. He always felt that Liu Bei got overly excited whenever he mentioned Chen Xi in front of others. Sometimes, when there was no one else around, Liu Bei would reminisce about the time he caught Chen Xi spying on the military camp and, instead of punishing him, decided to bring him along—like it was a predestined moment.