Three Kingdoms, Myth

...

Among the three families, each had its pros and cons. The Sun family had the most internal conflicts, but if you just wanted to get by, they were a good choice due to their somewhat chaotic strategy, making them the best option for an easy life with high safety.

Cao Cao was a capable leader but was plagued by paranoia. However, before he reached his peak, as long as you had talent, he would tolerate you no matter how arrogant you were. If not for his paranoia, he would be the best choice.

Importantly, none of Cao Cao's strategists were ever captured or killed, aside from those who died of illness or were forced to commit suicide. While it seemed dangerous, in reality, Cao Cao was quite protective of his subordinates. Even after the disastrous Battle of Red Cliffs, none of his strategists were captured.

However, Chen Xi wasn't confident that his behavior wouldn't arouse Cao Cao's suspicion. No matter how he tried to fit in, his mannerisms were still a bit different from ancient people, and he might inadvertently offend someone.

Ultimately, he could either end up like Xun Yu, forced to commit suicide over an empty box, or like Guo Jia, whom Cao Cao completely trusted despite everything. It was a gamble.

As for Liu Bei, he was still an enigma. Some said he was pretending, but if someone could pretend their entire life, it might as well be genuine. According to a saying, if you start pretending, you might feel awkward at first, but once you get used to it, you become what you pretend to be.

In short, whether Liu Bei was genuine or pretending, it made no difference. The problem with following Liu Bei was that there was no guarantee of safety, and the early years were filled with hardships.

Xuzhou was a good place but hard to defend. Jingzhou was also good but was under Liu Biao's control. By the time Liu Bei had the strength to defend these places, he had already lost Jingzhou, and the fertile land of Shu was devastated by a single battle, leaving him perpetually unlucky.

Thinking about this, Chen Xi felt speechless. Following Liu Bei was risky unless he had the combat power of Guan, Zhang, and Zhao. Otherwise, trouble was inevitable. Zhang Fei's leap of over ten meters and the crater he created with one stomp meant he could easily defeat a whole platoon.

"Sigh," Chen Xi sighed. None of this seemed promising.

"What's wrong, young master?" Chen Lan, who had been reading, curiously looked at her master.

"I was just thinking about who to join," Chen Xi smiled. He had no reason to hide anything from his maid, who was more trustworthy than many subordinates.

"Join my elder brother!" Before Chen Lan could respond, Zhang Fei's loud voice interrupted.

"... Can you stop appearing out of nowhere? A big guy like you walking silently, what are you trying to do?" Chen Xi rolled his eyes. Of all the people, he was most familiar with Zhang Yide now.

"For us martial artists, walking silently at this level is normal. Making noise deliberately would be pointless," Zhang Fei laughed. "If you're thinking about who to join, why not join my elder brother? He's a member of the Han royal family."

Despite his rough appearance, Zhang Fei had a subtle side. He didn't give Chen Xi a chance to change the topic and brought out Liu Bei's biggest card, which would be emphasized repeatedly in the future.

"Lord Xuande is one of my considerations," Chen Xi said hesitantly. Fortunately, Zhang Fei wasn't as proud as Guan Yu. If it had been Guan Yu, Chen Xi wouldn't have dared to speak this way, not wanting to leave a thorn in his heart.

"What's there to consider!" Zhang Fei placed his large hand on Chen Xi's shoulder. "My elder brother is a great man, dedicated to restoring the Han dynasty. Since you have some thoughts, why not join us and work towards that goal?"

"You've said everything," Chen Xi rolled his eyes. "Let me put it this way. Lord Xuande currently has no men, no territory. Restoring the Han dynasty isn't just talk. First, you need people, meaning the populace under your rule. Then you need to turn them into soldiers, select officers from them, and once you have a solid foundation, you need to create momentum to attract talents. Only then can you compete with other heroes."

After speaking, Chen Xi realized Zhang Fei might not understand, so he gestured, "See, this is roughly the level of a prominent family. They have money, food, and people. Given a chance, they can quickly legitimize their power. Lord Xuande is at this level—having nothing. The only title he has as a member of the Han royal family isn't even recognized by the Royal Clan Court, making it extremely difficult."

Zhang Fei's face darkened, but he didn't refute Chen Xi's words. He wasn't stupid, just hot-tempered.

"Tell me about the others," Zhang Fei said, curious.

"Alright, let's start with Cao Mengde, who issued the proclamation. I have high hopes for him. Failing to assassinate Dong Zhuo, he issued the proclamation to unite the righteous against Dong. Whether they win or lose, he will be famous throughout the land. After that, if he seizes the opportunity, the world will be shaken."

"The campaign against Dong Zhuo might fail?" Zhang Fei's attention shifted to that phrase.

"What is the goal of the campaign against Dong Zhuo?" Chen Xi asked instead of explaining.

"To rescue the Emperor and restore peace to the land," Zhang Fei replied righteously.

"What if Dong Zhuo, when defeated, flees with the Emperor..."

"He wouldn't dare!" Zhang Fei roared.

"Ask him if he dares. My ears are ringing. Your voice is too loud," Chen Xi said, rubbing his temples.

Zhang Fei laughed awkwardly but had a shadow of doubt in his heart. His instincts told him Chen Xi's prediction was likely.

"Moreover, an army without a leader is doomed. Who will command these many righteous warriors? Who will handle supplies and logistics? How will orders be unified?" Chen Xi raised several questions. "Most importantly, if they capture Luoyang and Dong Zhuo escapes with the Emperor to Chang'an, what then? Should they pursue or not? Can their supplies support it? If pursuing causes harm to the Emperor, who will take responsibility? And remember, everyone has their own interests."

Zhang Fei fell silent. He hadn't considered these issues, but when Chen Xi brought them up, he realized they were crucial.

"So, rescuing the Emperor is impossible," Zhang Fei said, disheartened.

"Absolutely impossible. To rescue the Emperor, there must be an imperial force in Luoyang to protect the Emperor. Second, the rescuing force must completely overpower Dong Zhuo's army to prevent them from acting desperately. We can do neither of these things," Chen Xi shrugged. Rescuing the Emperor at this point was a pipe dream.