Chapter 68

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Chen Xi's arrogance left Lu Su stunned. He had considered all sorts of scenarios, but never imagined that Chen Xi, whom he regarded as a prodigy, would be so arrogant.

"Am I being too arrogant?" Chen Xi laughed heartily, not minding Lu Su's stunned expression. "We are both not yet twenty. If we don't act arrogantly now and maintain a mature and steady demeanor, won't it be boring to look back on this when we need to be mature and steady in the future?"

Chen Xi's words left Lu Su stunned again. Before he could speak, Chen Xi laughed loudly, "In Lord Xuande's domain, I am the only one who can be considered a civil official. The others, though holding civil positions, are mostly temporary. I need someone who can help me."

"Being smooth and meticulous is not something we should do at our age. In our youth, we should have the attitude of looking down on all the heroes of the world. But I have been the head of a powerful family for too long and forgot my current identity." Lu Su slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he exuded a sense of confidence, his eyes staring intently at Chen Xi. "I have never given up control to anyone!"

"Very well, let me hear your thoughts." Chen Xi laughed, looking at the proud Lu Su. A force needed such boldness and confidence to make rapid progress. Only under such leadership could one achieve great feats against the odds.

As for the saying that maintaining a legacy is harder than creating one, it's just that there are more emperors who maintain legacies than those who create them. Without experiencing the vast ocean, they mistake small waves in a lake for something terrifying, unaware that the waves of the ocean are far beyond their imagination.

"What does Zichuan want to do?" Lu Su asked, staring at Chen Xi.

"Unify the world and reshape the heavens and earth!" Chen Xi said calmly.

"Capture Qingzhou, annex Xuzhou, swallow Yuzhou, defeat Yuan Shao, and incorporate Bingzhou to the west, then use the strength of the Central Plains to conquer the world." Lu Su looked at Chen Xi with a hint of a sly smile, as if saying that such a plan is so obvious that even he could see it, how could it be taken seriously?

"It's not a big problem. At most, there will be an additional step of fighting alone against the world, followed by using the strength of the Central Plains to conquer the world." Chen Xi was not bothered by Lu Su's smile.

The reason Lu Su could see this was because Chen Xi deliberately acted so arrogantly in front of him. Such a wise person, who appears refined but is inwardly bold, would inevitably use the most domineering and bold strategies, even if they seem simple and crude. However, it cannot be denied that such strategies, simple and crude to the point of being unexpected, would not draw attention from others.

"Mad plans. The first three steps, given your current brilliance, are not a problem. I even suspect you are already plotting against Yuan Shu. As for the fourth and fifth steps, these are the key points." Lu Su tapped the table, frowning as he thought. Unconsciously, he had already started to consider this mad strategy, challenging the first family and the first and second most powerful warlords in the world. He felt his blood boil at the thought of how mad one must be to dare to do such things.

"No, only the fifth step is the key." Chen Xi said with a cold laugh. "As long as it's fast enough, the first four steps are almost no problem."

"That's impossible. Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao are from the same family. Even if they fall out, once a force that threatens the Yuan family's status appears, they will definitely join forces to counter it. The resistance will increase from the third step. However, given Yuan Shu's lack of talent, he might not even realize it and be destroyed by you! But once Yuan Shu falls, it will be a warning to Yuan Shao!" Lu Su shook his head, rejecting Chen Xi's plan. He did not believe in Chen Xi's strategy.

"The third step is not something we will do alone, but a group of people will do it. The jade seal is still in Sun Ce's hands, and Sun Ce is under Yuan Shu. At that time, as long as we distract Sun Ce and use prophecies to deceive Yuan Shu." Chen Xi's prescience took effect, his eyes bursting with confidence, almost saying that even if someone doesn't want these things to happen, he, Chen Xi, can still make them happen!

Lu Su's expression turned serious as he began to consider the possibility of this. Finally, he looked up at Chen Xi with difficulty, feeling pressure for the first time in front of him. Could someone really be meticulous to this extent?

"If so, the third step will truly become a situation where everyone pushes down a falling wall, and Yuan Shao can only watch helplessly." Lu Su spoke with difficulty. In strategic planning, one mistake can ruin everything. He had not considered the relationship between Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, and one oversight could drastically change the situation.

"Actually, by the fourth step, strategy is no longer important. By then, the strength of both sides will not be completely negated by a single failure. What really matters is logistics. Unfortunately, Yuan Shao has already been outmaneuvered by me." Chen Xi said with a mocking smile, showing disdain. In this world, there are more ways to defeat an enemy than on the battlefield.

Lu Su sighed, "Is Zichuan not afraid I will defect to Yuan Shao?"

"If you wanted to defect to him, you wouldn't have thought so much for Lord Xuande." Chen Xi said with a smirk. "Though I don't know why you didn't directly join Lord Xuande, your way of thinking shows that you are indeed standing on Lord Xuande's side. Even when pointing out flaws, you didn't take the enemy's perspective. You are already in the game."

"Ah! Chen Zichuan is truly a prodigy of the world." Lu Su sighed. "My hesitation was just because I felt that directly joining now would contradict my previous statement about needing more time to evaluate. Now, I am willing to join Taishan as a guest scholar, evaluating and helping Zichuan fill in the gaps."

"Very well." Chen Xi laughed. "Since you are willing to join Taishan, I finally have the chance to discuss the direction of Taishan with someone."

"Uh..." Lu Su was stunned. It seemed that the previous discussions about capturing Qingzhou, annexing Xuzhou, swallowing Yuzhou, and defeating Yuan Shao were just for fun. This couldn't be true, as Chen Xi had already started planning these things. Whether it's Yuan Shu or Yuan Shao, the two largest forces in the north and south, Chen Xi had already started his plans.

"Yes, it's different from those plans. If the previous ones were external, now they are internal. I have always wanted to discuss governance with someone. Destruction is always easier than construction, so before taking action, I think it's necessary to study governance, solidify the foundation, and deepen the roots until the day comes when we can win without fighting." Chen Xi closed his eyes, a smile appearing on his face. This was his real plan.

"I am eager to hear more." Lu Su bowed respectfully. Unlike the previous discussions, Chen Xi was clearly about to share some substantial insights.

"Zijin, do you think strategists and commanders are important in this chaotic world?" Chen Xi asked Lu Su seriously.

"Very important. An excellent strategist or commander can hold off ten thousand soldiers." Lu Su, though not understanding Chen Xi's point, shared his opinion.

"Indeed, they can hold off ten thousand soldiers. So, what if a conventional and cautious general, leading a few average strategists, commands ten thousand well-equipped and well-fed elite infantry and cavalry against a general and strategist, who, though lacking in troops and supplies, are comparable to famous generals of old, leading ten thousand infantry?" Chen Xi looked out the window into the dark night and asked.

"Probably..." Lu Su thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a clear answer. However, he seemed to grasp something.

PS: Is it so amazing that I update twice? I update two thousand words each time, but the average update recorded by the site is three thousand, so I will update twice in a few days...

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