Chapter 52: Losing in the East, Gaining in the West

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"Lord Xuande is quite open-minded. You must realize that Xun Yu is a talent capable of assisting a king, comparable to Marquis Zhang Liang, and Xun You is a strategist rarely seen in this age," Chen Xi said with a playful smile.

"So what? No matter how good something is, it is never as good as what one already holds in hand. Zichuan, wouldn't you agree?" Liu Bei turned back to look at Chen Xi with a solemn expression.

Chen Xi fell silent for a long time before speaking, "I will not let you down. At the very least, I do not believe I will be inferior to them. Let us go. Since the great clans do not welcome us, then we shall demonstrate a strength that will make the world's aristocratic families stare in awe. We will make this world tremble beneath our hands and make them regret the choices they have made today."

Liu Bei looked at Chen Xi. He could feel the intense confidence radiating from him—a confidence that looked down upon the world, an unrestrained pride that spread and colored the atmosphere around them.

"Fine! Let us show them a strength that will make the world's clans stare in awe, make the world tremble beneath our hands, and make them regret their choices today!" Liu Bei spoke with grand heroism, stretching out his hand. Guan, Zhang, Zhao, Hua, and Xiong all shared his fervent expression.

Chen Xi knew very well that the words spoken at this moment would undoubtedly reach the ears of every aristocratic family in Yingchuan. However, this was exactly the effect he wanted. Since they had refused his courtesy—Liu Bei had come to visit them personally, and even if they did not intend to serve, they should have at least met with him—since they had rejected his grace, then he would tear that grace to shreds!

Originally, Chen Xi had intended to shoulder this declaration himself, but he hadn't expected Liu Bei to repeat it and then reach out his hand to him.

"Let us go, Lord Xuande. There is no room left for us to extend our reach in Yingchuan. Since we have said these words, the great families will be waiting to see us become a laughingstock. Believe me, in three years at most, we will set foot here again, but next time, everyone will bow to you." A smile played on Chen Xi's face, yet it could not hide a trace of coldness. *The pride of a transmigrator—you people will never understand.*

"Fine, let us go!" Without further ado, Liu Bei mounted his horse and spurred it forward toward the eastern gate of Yingchuan. Since there was no longer any room for him to seek patronage in Yingchuan, he would not waste any more effort.

Liu Bei did not even attend a farewell banquet; he left Yingchuan directly, taking his army and his profound memories with him.

"Lord Xuande, this was my fault. Although the great clans possess sufficient talent, we can currently only recruit from the commoner class. To them, we are not of sufficient status!" Chen Xi said with a cold laugh. He then thought of how Liu Bei had recruited some scholars in Yingchuan; it was better than nothing.

"Oh, speaking of which, something amusing occurred to me. A wandering knight came to seek my patronage, claiming he wanted to be my Registrar. I tested him and found he knew nothing at all. After asking the local elders, I discovered that this fellow dressed as a scholar was actually a wandering knight—and a famous one in the local area. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, but I told him, 'Read more books. Once you have mastered the *Spring and Autumn Annals* and the *Art of War of Sun Wu*, come find me. At that time, I will certainly recruit you.'" After speaking, Liu Bei laughed loudly. "Zichuan, do you know how that fellow reacted?"

Chen Xi raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, *Could it be that coincidental?* But he played along, "He must have said that he would definitely master the *Spring and Autumn Annals* and thoroughly understand the *Art of War*, and asked you to save the position for him, saying he would surely come—in three to five years at most, or perhaps one to two years, right, Lord Xuande?"

Liu Bei froze, looking at Chen Xi with a strange expression. "Zichuan, were you by my side at the time? How did you know so clearly?"

"Was that fellow named Shan Fu or Xu Shu?" Chen Xi said, rubbing his forehead.

"Xu Shu?" Liu Bei asked, puzzled. "You weren't there?"

"It really was him." Chen Xi rolled his eyes. This was a case of losing something in the east only to gain it in the west. Xu Shu was exactly Liu Bei's type. How could someone like Xun Yu, Xun You, or Chen Qun, as sons of the great clans, ever look down on Liu Bei?

"What is it? Is there something wrong with him?" Liu Bei asked curiously.

"Lord Xuande, you should still reserve a Registrar position for him. He has finally abandoned the martial path for the literary path and has determined to walk a different road. This man possesses a resolute character; once he makes up his mind, he will not change it. Since he has abandoned the sword for the brush, in a few years, he will inevitably be one of the most renowned strategists of the age," Chen Xi said solemnly. He did not want Liu Bei to treat Xu Shu as a joke; if he did, and Xu Shu had a sudden change of heart and gave the "Crouching Dragon" and "Fledgling Phoenix" to someone else, things would truly become unpleasant.

"Hmm? Zichuan, are you very familiar with this man?" Liu Bei nodded in agreement first, then asked curiously.

Chen Xi felt a surge of emotion in his heart. Liu Bei didn't ask anything else, nor did he even mention what would happen if Xu Shu failed to succeed; he simply agreed to Chen Xi's suggestion.

"I wouldn't say 'familiar.' He was originally a wandering knight from Changshe. He once killed a man for a friend and walked through the streets with a sword. After he was captured, everyone feared his aura so much that no one dared tell the officials his identity. He was later rescued, and the matter was dropped. However, since he said he would abandon the martial path for the literary path, he will absolutely do so. Speaking of which, this man is famous for being a man of his word," Chen Xi said with extreme gravity.

Chen Xi found it hard to say that Xu Shu was actually a "monster" in the making. Having abandoned the sword for the brush just a few days ago, after a maximum of five years of intensive study, his temperament would undergo a massive transformation. First, his original violent and aggressive nature would be completely eroded, and he would become refined and elegant. Most importantly, this man would be able to compete with the world's top strategists in just five years; his talent was so heaven-defying it was maddening.

As a swordsman who spent his days wielding weapons, to reach the level of a top-tier strategist in just a few years after a sudden realization—one only had to think about how long it took Guo Jia or Xun You to reach such levels to understand. Xu Shu's talent was truly terrifying; it was just a pity his realization came so late.

It had to be said that being a "monster" was always a shortcut. To truly thrive, one had to be able to do it all: to stabilize the world with a pen and settle the heavens with a sword. That way, one could call black white and white black, and whatever one said would be law. Who would dare to disobey? It was likely that Xu Shu's decision to abandon the martial path for the literary one was driven by this grand dream.

"Oh, I see." Liu Bei nodded. "In that case, I shall reserve a Registrar position for him. However, when he arrives, I must test him thoroughly."

"Yes. When that time comes, you should bring all your capable civil and military officials to test him together; that fellow will definitely be able to hold his own," Chen Xi said with a smile. Since they had picked up a treasure like Xu Shu, there was nothing else to worry about. Although Xu Shu was still an unripe fruit, as long as he was still hanging on the tree, he would eventually ripen. When that time came, he would surely belong to them, and he would even bring his two comrades along.

(End of Chapter)