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Chapter 716: The Noble Families, Oh the Noble Families
🕑 Added 2024-10-06 04:59:44 +0000 UTCWhether when he was first rising to power or now as a ruler of the land, Liu Bei's only changes were in his appearance and demeanor. His heart remained bound by his oath, unwavering in his commitment to fulfill his dream: food and clothing for all, homes and fields for every family, education and care for everyone!
A simple and straightforward dream, but only Liu Bei dared to proclaim it and work relentlessly to achieve it. No matter the difficulties, even to this day, Liu Bei remained steadfast on this path, his heart resolute and unwavering.
Despite how discreetly Chen Xi tried to return, it was impossible to completely conceal his arrival from the noble families in Taishan. Realizing this, Chen Xi abandoned any attempt at secrecy. Though he maintained a low profile, he returned to Taishan openly and without pretense.
"He's back," said the members of the Qing and Xu noble families, watching from the windows of a teahouse as Chen Xi's carriage passed along the main street.
"He's back..." muttered the heads of various powerful families gathered in the northern part of Fenggao. Their expressions varied as they reviewed the intelligence reports brought to them, but any internal struggle they had felt began to dissipate.
If Chen Zichuan didn't return, even if they managed to win, what would be the point? In just a few short years, Chen Xi had helped raise Liu Bei from nothing to the brink of becoming a supreme ruler. If they couldn't gain Chen Xi's approval, if they couldn't earn his respect, then what meaning would their efforts have?
"Xu Ziyuan indeed lost, and it seems he lost quite thoroughly," sighed Bai Yue, the head of the Bai family. "But then again, it's only to be expected. Even though many of us here have gathered because of Xu Ziyuan's actions, none of us truly believed he could defeat that man."
"Losing was inevitable," said Wei He, head of the Wei family, with the same resigned expression. To him, the defeat of Xu You, who had once fought on the same side, was a foregone conclusion.
"Did anyone here really place their hopes on Xu Ziyuan to defeat that man? That was just a pretext," said Li He, head of the Li family, with a bitter smile. "If we were to hear now that Xu Ziyuan had won, I'd be more worried that things would be even more complicated for us."
"Although he returned quietly, he made no effort to conceal it, even taking the time to visit the Bao family. Such actions are typical of that man," said Zhang Hao, head of the Zhang family, with a look of helplessness. "The situation is clear—he's given us a way out. If we give up now, he'll let the past be forgotten. If we're going to back out, we better do it quickly."
"Giving up is unrealistic at this point. We've come too far, and there's no turning back now. It's a relief that he's returned; it means our families can be preserved. I truly hope we don't have to confront him. It's no joke—just the thought of facing him makes me tremble," said Shi Wen, head of the Shi family, with a wry smile.
His words prompted bitter smiles from the other noble scions present. Having seen Chen Xi's terrifying capabilities firsthand, who would want to go up against such a monster? But sometimes, there's no choice.
"For the sake of our families..." A noble scion stood up, extending his hand with a calm expression.
"For the sake of our families..." The others also stood, extending their hands in unison. Though they knew they were marching toward certain defeat, and that they didn't truly need to take this path, they still rose to face their fates.
"But what if, by some slim chance, he doesn't understand the demands of the noble families?" In moments like these, when everyone seems ready to march to their deaths, there's always one person who disrupts the consensus.
"Do you think he's like you?" scoffed Qian Lin, head of the Qian family, casting a disdainful glance at the young scion of the Su family.
"But what if he pretends not to see us?" Zhao Bin of the Zhao family said with a bitter smile. Just as you can't wake someone who pretends to be asleep, if Chen Xi chose to ignore them, there would be nothing they could do.
"Should we give up, then?" came a hesitant question from within the group, causing the others to pause.
"Let's do it. I trust him!" Shi Wen declared, and the others responded in agreement. In the end, their eyes burned with determination. Though they might not have been comfortable with Chen Xi's methods, and he had not always fought in the same trenches as they had, they were willing to place their faith in his integrity.
At another gathering of the Qing and Xu noble families, the atmosphere was entirely different. Unlike the resolute group earlier, this one had turned into a chaotic marketplace. Some wanted to retreat, others were prepared to fight to the death, still others had given in to despair, and some were arrogantly confident. Their discussions yielded no consensus; each was more interested in what they might gain from the situation.
After returning home, Chen Xi immediately shut his doors to visitors. At this time, his wife, Chen Lan, was six months pregnant, so Chen Xi spent most of his time with her and Fan Jian. As for Mi Zhen, Zhen Mi, and the others, they were all under Cai Yan's watchful eye, restricted from leaving the house. Even if Cai Yan didn't fully understand the situation, Li You would have warned her of the dangers.
The sun was already becoming slightly warm in the April sky. Since his return, no one had disturbed Chen Xi, and he was content to spend his time at home, resting with his wife. But on this day, as Chen Xi was basking in the sun with Chen Lan and Fan Jian, a maid reported that someone from the Chen family had come to see him.
"Ugh..." Chen Xi frowned, uncertain whether he should meet with Chen Shang. He had some idea of why the Chen family was visiting, but what troubled him was whether or not he should see them.
"Husband, you should meet with the family elder. Since the Chen family moved to Taishan, they haven't caused you any trouble and have faithfully followed your orders. Now, knowing that you're refusing visitors, they still come to see you—there must be something important," Fan Jian said hesitantly, noticing Chen Xi's thoughtful expression.
"Alright," Chen Xi agreed after a brief moment of reflection. Although he had a good sense of why they had come, he still needed to show them some respect.
When Chen Xi stepped into the central hall, he saw the family elder, Chen Shang, pacing back and forth, looking visibly agitated.
"It's been a long time, Uncle," Chen Xi said calmly, bowing slightly to Chen Shang.
"Zichuan, it's good to finally see you. To be honest, I came here fully prepared for you to refuse to see me," Chen Shang said, his tone carrying a hint of resentment, though his expression soon calmed.
"You're too kind, Uncle. I've been away from home for so long that only my two wives have been here. Under these circumstances, it's only natural that I refuse visitors. But since I'm back now, I wouldn't be so rude as to turn you away. Please, take a seat," Chen Xi replied, not taking Chen Shang's resentment to heart. Though his attitude toward the Chen family had been somewhat distant, he still adhered to the proper courtesies.
"I imagine you can guess why I'm here. But I want to know, Zichuan, how do you view the noble families of the land?" Chen Shang asked directly after taking a sip of tea, getting straight to the point.
"I come from a noble family," Chen Xi responded calmly.
"..." Chen Shang remained silent, clearly waiting for Chen Xi to continue.
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