Chapter 7: Chen Zichuan, Who Thrives Amidst the Great Trend

Chapter Seven

Zhang Fei returned to the forward camp in a state of dejection. He had completely forgotten his original purpose; Chen Xi’s flurry of chaotic punches had nearly knocked him unconscious.

Zhang Fei did not appear again for the next few days. Chen Xi continued to contemplate his future direction. To be honest, during Liu Bei's peak, if it weren't for the fact that the man was somewhat clueless, it was anyone's guess which of the three kingdoms—Wei, Shu, or Wu—would have dominated the others.

Shu's wartime potential at that time was no joke. Especially in this highly abnormal historical timeline, after seeing Zhang Fei, Chen Xi had a pretty good idea of the caliber of the Five Tiger Generals. The claim that they were "matchless against ten thousand men" was no exaggeration; these five men, even without any other support, could handle an army of fifty thousand as if it were child's play.

Thinking this way, it seemed perfectly logical for Liu Bei to have such men. But on second thought, it seemed Liu Bei had lost far too many important strategists in the past, which was not a good sign. If he accidentally "won the lottery" and met a similar fate, wouldn't that be a tragedy?

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

With this mindset, Chen Xi began thinking about how to worm his way into the main camp of the eighteen coalition lords. However, Liu Bei couldn't help much in this regard, as he didn't quite count as one of the coalition lords himself. Although he would eventually have a seat, he clearly lacked the standing of the others. If he wanted to bring someone in, only Gongsun Zan could do it, but the problem was that Chen Xi had no connection to Gongsun Zan.

Just as Chen Xi was pondering how to sneak in, Zhang Fei arrived again. He stared at Chen Xi with his bulging eyes without saying a word, until Chen Xi began to feel uneasy.

"Yide, look, we're well acquainted. Don't play these games. Just say what's on your mind, and I'll help you as much as I can," Chen Xi said somewhat awkwardly.

"My big brother wants to see you."

"Fine. I was just wondering how to get into the main camp; that would save me some trouble," Chen Xi said with a pout. He knew immediately that Liu Bei must have seen Zhang Fei's frustrated expression over the past few days and used it to fish for information, intending to recruit him.

Chen Xi was dragged by Zhang Fei into the main tent. Guan Yu sat in the first seat on the left, and after bringing him in, Zhang Fei took the second seat on the left. Liu Bei sat in the primary seat, while the position on the right remained completely empty.

"Greetings, Lord Xuande," Chen Xi said, cupping his hands in a respectful salute.

"Sit. There is no need for such formality in private. How have you been lately, Zichuan? We are about to reach Suanzao. Currently, over a dozen armies have arrived at Suanzao for the alliance; it is a massive, sprawling procession stretching for hundreds of miles," Liu Bei said with a smile, briefing Chen Xi on the situation. "We will enter Suanzao in a few days. You must be careful then. I heard you wanted to witness the various righteous warriors; I think you should consider that carefully, as it is a time of chaos and war."

Chen Xi felt somewhat helpless. If one or two more people were added to a group of two thousand, no one would notice, let alone among hundreds of thousands. However, Liu Bei's words were indeed worth considering, and the implication was quite obvious.

"I ask for Lord Xuande's guidance," Chen Xi said helplessly. He knew the way, and Liu Bei knew the way too, but it was better to let Liu Bei say it. If Chen Xi said it himself, he wouldn't have a way to back down.

"General Gongsun happens to be lacking an administrative officer. I imagine with your talent, Zichuan, you would be well-suited for the role," Liu Bei said with a beaming smile.

"Sigh, I am deeply grateful for Lord Xuande's kindness. I would be honored to serve as the military's administrative officer," Chen Xi sighed. He figured the other two people from his group already had their arrangements. Although women were not allowed in the army, the singers and dancers brought by the eighteen lords during the campaign against Dong Zhuo were not few; as long as he was careful, it wouldn't be a serious issue.

Thus, Chen Xi became a glorious administrative officer under Liu Bei. To be honest, he hadn't even met Gongsun Zan; he merely held the title. He spent his days chatting with Liu Bei and had nothing else to do. However, it was obvious that Liu Xuande's gaze toward him was becoming increasingly fervent. He could even feel himself entering the inner circle of Liu, Guan, and Zhang—after all, at this time, Liu Bei didn't even have Jian Yong.

If Chen Xi were to explain future events based on his knowledge of the Three Kingdoms era, it wouldn't be a prediction, but a certainty. Knowing the outcomes and the personalities of the figures, he could fool Liu Bei with any narrative. Even if it weren't Liu Bei, but Zhuge Liang himself, he would likely be stunned by Chen Xi's analysis of the grand trends.

Clearly, Liu Bei was currently in a state of bewilderment, shocked by the future Chen Xi described. Moreover, the structured and evidence-based nature of the analysis left Liu Bei with no choice but to believe: *What a genius!*

Details are important, but long-term vision is even more vital. With the grand trends analyzed by Chen Xi, Liu Bei increasingly understood the importance of a strategist. With the future developments Chen Xi had been instilling in him, even though the specific maneuvers hadn't been detailed, the direction was clear, providing opportunities for action. Even Liu Bei had now found what he needed to do next.

However, to Liu Bei's disappointment, Chen Xi, for some reason, never seemed to grasp his hints. In Liu Bei's view, Chen Xi's intentional or unintentional feeding of this information was likely a way to thank him for bringing him to Suanzao. This roadmap of future trends, if handled correctly, could allow him to become a regional lord within a few years—it was indeed a great bargain. The problem was, compared to the strategist himself, how could a single strategy ever compare?

For the current Liu Bei, Chen Xi, with his grasp of the grand trends, was important—extremely important. With his guidance, the path to restoring the Han Dynasty was no longer a blur; a wide, smooth road lay before him. But the problem was that every time Liu Bei hinted that Chen Xi could join him, Chen Xi would act like a fool.

*Does he really not understand?* Liu Bei didn't believe it for a second. Someone so smart couldn't possibly be that oblivious.

On the other hand, Chen Xi truly did not understand Liu Bei's intentions. He still held the mindset of just chatting and boasting with Liu Bei. As long as Liu Bei steered the conversation toward future trends, Chen Xi didn't mind using *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* or the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* to bluff his way through.

As for recruitment, Chen Xi really hadn't noticed. It was likely because the suggestions were too subtle. Furthermore, when discussing the grand trends of the future, a person like Chen Xi would certainly not notice someone else's hints—or perhaps, most people wouldn't.

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

It must be said that Gongsun Zan was a good brother. Although he was a bit blunt, he treated Liu Bei well. First, he brought Liu Bei to the coalition meeting to show his face, and then, fearing that Liu Bei—lacking troops and generals—would feel embarrassed at the meeting, he waved his hand and decided not to withdraw his original two thousand infantry and cavalry to his own camp, instead giving them to Liu Bei to bolster his presence. One must realize that this included over three hundred cavalrymen.

Only a local tycoon born in Liaoxi like Gongsun Zan would not value these horses highly. Any other lord would have surely haggled over them, as horses remained a very precious strategic resource in this era.

(End of Chapter)