Chapter 7 of 100

Chapter 7

14 min read3,608 words

Zhang Fei returned to the front camp in disappointment, having completely forgotten his original purpose. Chen Xi’s chaotic punches almost knocked Zhang Fei out.

In the following days, Zhang Fei did not appear again. Chen Xi continued to ponder his future direction. Honestly, during Liu Bei’s prime, if it weren’t for the confusion of the Second Lord, it was uncertain who would have the upper hand among the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu.

The war potential of the Shu Kingdom at that time was not to be underestimated, especially in this abnormal history. After seeing Zhang Fei, Chen Xi roughly understood the level of the Five Tiger Generals. They were not just boasting; these five people could match an army of fifty thousand as if it were a game.

Thinking about this, it seemed he should indeed follow Liu Bei, but then again, it seemed that only Liu Bei had lost important advisors, which was not a good sign. If he accidentally got into trouble, wouldn’t that be a tragedy?

After much deliberation, Chen Xi still had no clear plan and could only take things one step at a time.

With this thought, Chen Xi began to consider how to get into the camp of the eighteen warlords. However, Liu Bei couldn’t help much in this regard, as he was not one of the warlords. Although he eventually got a seat, it was clear he did not have the same qualifications as the others. If he wanted to bring people in, only Gongsun Zan could do it, but the problem was that he and Gongsun Zan had no significant connection.

Just as Chen Xi was thinking about how to get in, Zhang Fei came again, staring at him with his bull-like eyes without saying a word until Chen Xi felt uncomfortable.

"Yide, we’re so familiar, there’s no need to play this game. Just tell me what’s on your mind, and I’ll do my best to help you," Chen Xi said, feeling uneasy.

"My elder brother wants to see you."

"Sure, I was just thinking about how to get into the main camp. This will save me some trouble," Chen Xi said, smirking. He knew that Zhang Fei’s gloomy expression over the past few days had been noticed by Liu Bei, who had then coaxed out what he had said, wanting to win him over.

Chen Xi was dragged to the main tent by Zhang Fei. Guan Yu sat at the first seat on the left, and after Zhang Fei brought him in, he sat at the second seat on the left. Liu Bei sat at the main seat, while the right side was completely empty.

"Meeting Lord Xuande," Chen Xi bowed.

"Sit down, there’s no need for such formalities between us. How is Zichuan? We are about to reach Xuancheng, and now more than a dozen armies have gathered there, stretching for a hundred miles," Liu Bei said with a smile, explaining the situation to Chen Xi. "We will enter Xuancheng soon, and after that, Zichuan must be careful. I heard you want to meet the various righteous men. I think you should consider this carefully, given the chaotic times."

Chen Xi felt a bit helpless. Adding one or two more people to a group of two thousand would not be noticeable, let alone in a group of hundreds of thousands. However, Liu Bei’s words were indeed something to consider, and the implications were clear.

"Please, Lord Xuande, give me your advice," Chen Xi said helplessly. He knew the method, and Liu Bei knew it too, but it was better for Liu Bei to say it. If he said it, he would have no way out.

"General Gongsun happens to be in need of a chief clerk. I believe Zichuan’s talents would be well-suited for this role," Liu Bei said with a smile.

"Ah, thank you, Lord Xuande, for your kindness. I am deeply grateful and am willing to serve as a chief clerk in the army," Chen Xi sighed. He thought that the two remaining people in his group would also be taken care of. Although women were not allowed in the army, many of the eighteen warlords brought courtesans, so as long as they were careful, it wouldn’t be a big issue.

Thus, Chen Xi became a chief clerk under Liu Bei. Honestly, he had never even met Gongsun Zan, just hanging a name. He spent his days chatting with Liu Bei, and there was nothing else to do. However, Liu Bei’s gaze towards him became increasingly warm, and he even felt himself entering the small circle of Liu, Guan, and Zhang. After all, at this time, Liu Bei did not even have Jian Yong.

If Chen Xi were to explain the future events based on his knowledge of the Three Kingdoms era, it would not be an estimate but a solid certainty. Knowing the outcome and the characters’ personalities, he could easily convince Liu Bei, and even if it were Zhuge Liang, he would likely be impressed by Chen Xi’s analysis of the grand trends.

Clearly, Liu Bei was in a state of confusion, shocked by Chen Xi’s analysis of the future. The well-reasoned and evidence-based analysis left Liu Bei no choice but to believe it. What a genius!

The details were important, but a long-term vision was even more crucial. With Chen Xi’s analysis of the grand trends, Liu Bei increasingly understood the importance of a strategist. With the future developments Chen Xi had imparted to him, though he did not explain how to operate, having a direction naturally provided opportunities for action. Even Liu Bei now knew what he needed to do next.

However, what disappointed Liu Bei was that Chen Xi never seemed to understand his hints. In Liu Bei’s view, Chen Xi’s intentional or unintentional imparting of this information was probably a thank-you for bringing him to Xuancheng. The outline of the future situation, if handled properly, could make him a warlord within a few years, which was indeed a good deal. The question was, how could a strategy compare to the person who devised it?

For the current Liu Bei, Chen Xi, who was good at grand trends, was very important, extremely important. With his guidance, the path to restoring the Han Dynasty was no longer a mirage but a clear road ahead. However, every time Liu Bei hinted that Chen Xi could join him, Chen Xi would act foolishly.

Really didn’t understand? What a joke, Liu Bei didn’t believe it. He was so smart, how could he not understand?

On Chen Xi’s side, he genuinely didn’t understand Liu Bei’s intentions. He still thought of it as just bullshitting with Liu Bei. As long as Liu Bei led him to discuss the future situation, Chen Xi didn’t mind using the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or Records of the Three Kingdoms to convince him.

As for recruitment, Chen Xi really didn’t notice. Perhaps it was too subtle. When discussing the future situation, someone like Chen Xi would definitely not notice the hints, or perhaps most people wouldn’t notice.

Gongsun Zan was one of the later warlords to arrive. Within five days of Liu Bei and the others arriving, all eighteen warlords had gathered.

It must be said that Gongsun Zan was a good brother. Though he was straightforward, he treated Liu Bei well. First, he brought Liu Bei to the warlords’ alliance to show his face. Then, fearing that Liu Bei, who had no troops or generals, would feel embarrassed at the alliance, he generously gave him the original two thousand infantry and cavalry, including more than three hundred cavalry. Only a wealthy man from Liaoxi like Gongsun Zan would not value these horses, as horses were always a very valuable strategic resource in this era.

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