Chapter 89

I don't know if I can see this time...

Chen Xi wiped away something that was either sweat or rainwater, and the mental energy he had been using to shield himself from the rain had already dissipated. It seemed that the shock of realizing the truth had really startled him.

"Zichuan, why did you come? And you're not even holding an umbrella!" Liu Bei was startled to see Chen Xi standing in the rain without an umbrella or any mental energy shielding him. The slight chill in the rain could seep into his body, and with Chen Xi's physical condition, he might end up groaning and lying in bed at home.

"If I didn't come, something would have happened. Zhongkang has already captured Gan Ning. Don't let him die; he's an important figure." As Liu Bei spoke, Chen Xi felt a slight chill on his body and immediately expanded his mental energy to wrap himself up. Tomorrow, he could stay at home, groaning and wrapped in a blanket, and skip work at the government office.

"Don't worry, Governor. Such a skilled person isn't that fragile." As he spoke, he walked over, squatted down, and grabbed Gan Ning's collar, then directly sealed Gan Ning's internal energy and carried him over.

"How did Zichuan know the leader of the bandits was called Gan Ning? Wenze only found out after capturing all the bandits that the one who fought Zhongkang was called Gan Ning." Liu Bei pulled Chen Xi under the eaves and asked curiously.

"This is the mark." Chen Xi took out the golden bell and said with a wry smile, "I originally planned to recruit this guy and introduce him to Lord Xuande as a naval commander. I only knew he was a water bandit in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, but I didn't know his exact location. I didn't expect him to come to our territory. It seems there was some misunderstanding!"

"Ah?" Liu Bei was stunned. After a moment, he recovered and gestured to Yu Jin, "Wenze, go and bring the Lu family steward here and find out what happened."

Soon, Lu Jun, dressed in scholarly attire and looking slightly pale, walked over. "Lu Jun of the Jiangdong Lu family, greetings to Lord Xuande and Governor Chen."

Chen Xi nodded slightly. With Liu Bei present, he didn't need to say much, but he couldn't stare at others without restraint. So he nodded slightly to show respect and kept his expression hidden, then carefully observed Lu Jun. According to records, this guy should be Lu Xun's father, a very capable person, but he died young due to poor health.

"Please rise." Liu Bei waved his hand, indicating that Lu Jun didn't need to be so formal. "Jicai, for business matters, sending a steward would suffice. Why did you come in person, and we don't lack such items here."

Lu Jun smiled bitterly. Although he had been escorted to Taishan, he hadn't suffered any hardships on the way, so he had a good understanding of Taishan. The Chen Zichuan standing behind Liu Bei, who nodded slightly, was the planner and implementer of Taishan's reconstruction. Naturally, he understood why Liu Bei was so cautious. A dragon in the depths, ready to soar!

Fortunately, his Lu family had no designs on Taishan. Instead, what he had seen on the way made him quite hopeful about Taishan. Because his family had few descendants, there was no issue of clan migration, and they didn't have a large family to split and bet on multiple fronts.

The Lu and Mi families were peculiar. They had many assets, but the main clan was small. If provoked, they could abandon their assets, pack up, and leave without any preparation!

Therefore, Lu Jun carefully observed Taishan's situation while sitting in the carriage. Seeing Taishan's thriving state, he felt that his family should invest more in Taishan or at least try it out. Although they were few in number, having multiple safe havens was necessary. Who knew when it might come in handy? Moreover, according to Mi Zhu, Liu Xuande was a decent person.

Lu Jun slowly recounted the entire incident, purely from a third-party perspective, without favoring any side.

Liu Bei and Chen Xi exchanged glances, and Chen Xi nodded slightly. This was purely an accident, but once it happened, it became very reasonable.

"It was my mistake, Jicai, please don't blame me. I will apologize to Xingba on your behalf." Liu Bei took the blame for Gan Ning, pleased with his performance and the ideas he had revealed in their conversation. This was his man, and he couldn't let his own people be bullied by outsiders. Liu Bei took the lead and secretly gestured to Chen Xi.

"Jicai, please don't blame us. We didn't expect this to happen. Since Xingba didn't harm anyone, let's put this matter aside. As for the losses, we will take responsibility. Jicai, please don't refuse; we caused trouble for the Lu family and need to compensate. I hope you won't reject us." Chen Xi smiled and said, knowing that Lu Jun didn't intend to accept their compensation, but sometimes compensation was to build a closer relationship for the future.

He gestured for Yu Jin to come over. He knew that Yu Jin had a copy of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, which he had compiled under the pseudonym of Sun Bin. Yu Jin cherished this book and always carried it with him. Now, he wanted Yu Jin to create a partial copy of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, leaving gaps to spark endless imagination...

Gan Ning quickly recovered. These warriors, if not dead, recovered quickly. Upon opening his eyes and seeing Liu Bei, he angrily shouted, "I, Gan Xingba, was foolish to trust a scoundrel! Do what you will with me!" He then turned his head, ready to face his fate.

"..." Chen Xi looked at Gan Ning speechlessly. He was too individualistic. "Lord Xuande, I'll take care of Xingba. I'll make him understand the difference between the reality and his imagined scenario."

"Be careful, Zichuan. Zhongkang!" Liu Bei nodded and left Xu Chu behind.

"Now it's just the three of us. Xingba, why did you rob someone else? You actually robbed Lord Xuande's private property! This is like a flood washing away the Dragon King's temple! Well, you robbed, so you robbed. Why did you involve the Lu family, making us so nervous? Didn't you compare Taishan and Yuzhou on your way here? When our army wasn't fully prepared, we were a big piece of meat. The Lu family shouldn't have come to clear their name. What did you think when they came?" Chen Xi didn't try to persuade Gan Ning but said what needed to be said.

Although Gan Ning cursed, he didn't lose hope. He was still young, with a bright future ahead. He didn't want to die like this. After hearing Chen Xi's words, Gan Ning thought about it. He wasn't stupid, just arrogant. After a moment, he understood what Chen Xi meant.

"You mean you thought I was a scout sent to probe Taishan." Gan Ning stared at Chen Xi, hoping to see his true thoughts on his face.

"You know it yourself, why ask us? Fortunately, we have this; otherwise, Zhongkang would have split you in two!" Chen Xi took out the golden bell and shook it twice. "The people we sent to recruit you didn't find you, but you came to Taishan. It seems you and Taishan are destined to be together. How about joining us? You will become Lord Xuande's naval commander! I know you're not convinced by Zhongkang's victory and that you excel in naval battles. What do you think?"

PS: Fellow readers, I am Fentu Huangcao. I recommend a free novel app that supports novel downloads, audiobooks, no ads, and multiple reading modes. Please follow the WeChat official account: dazhuzaiyuedu (long press to copy). Fellow readers, follow us now!