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Chapter 715
🕑 Added 2024-10-06 04:59:39 +0000 UTCYang Rong was doing very well in Boxian. As a person capable of governing an entire prefecture, managing a small county like Boxian was not something an ordinary person could compare to—especially since it was close to Fenggao, benefiting from a wealth of policies.
The reason Yang Rong had not been promoted to a prefectural governor despite his qualifications was largely because he wanted to stay close to his younger brother Yang Dan and his wife, Cai Zhenji.
There was also the fact that he lacked a strong desire for power. Yang Rong enjoyed his leisurely lifestyle in Boxian, spending a few days or a week dealing with official matters before putting up a sign to indicate his duties were done. Then he would head back to Fenggao to spend a few days with his wife.
As for whether this would cause any trouble, if one could manage a county as well as Yang Rong, to the point that no one would come looking for trouble, then generally, no one would care if he sneaked off. "If the people don't complain, the officials won't investigate"—that was the norm. Of course, if he were caught in Fenggao by Man Chong, that would be a different story.
After dealing with the troublemaker, Yang Rong dispersed the group of scholars. He could easily tell what these young noblemen were up to, but he was not inclined to get involved.
Yang Rong was the typical "don't meddle in affairs outside your jurisdiction" type. Even though this incident had occurred in his county, he was planning to spend a week in Fenggao and decisively chose to bring the troublemaker along. In Yang Rong's view, it was best to let the higher-ups handle such matters.
It wasn't that Yang Rong was foolish. Although his abilities couldn't match those of the top-tier officials, he was still among the best in his class.
Moreover, Yang Rong had a remarkably detached disposition, often viewing things from the perspective of an observer. This allowed him to discern many subtle undercurrents in various situations, which was why he would sometimes feign ignorance when asked by Jia Xu.
"These noble families are truly a headache," Yang Rong muttered as he shielded his eyes from the sun, gazing at the sky. He suddenly felt an aversion to heading to Fenggao, but thinking of his wife, he sighed and urged his horse onward, toward the place where all conflicts were about to converge.
[So be it, I'll consider this an act of loyalty to Liu Bei. Fenggao is indeed a gathering place for storms, so I might as well go and see what tricks the noble families have up their sleeves. But as for trying to hold Liu Bei or Chen Zichuan in check, they're far from being able to do so.]
As he thought this, Yang Rong glanced at the scholar riding beside him and shook his head slightly. It wasn't that he looked down on the noble families, but if they were all like this unimpressive bunch, they really stood no chance—none at all. The gap was just too wide.
[Forget it. I'll head to Fenggao and directly request an audience with Liu Bei. At least that will show where my loyalties lie.] Yang Rong decided to stop pondering these matters. With his insight, he could already tell that what was happening was a struggle between noble families. Yet, the higher-level conflict had not even begun. These noble families were merely pawns being manipulated.
[It's rather pitiable, really. The noble families, who have always been the ones moving the pieces, now find themselves as the pawns. But perhaps it's only through such a dramatic shift that the noble families will realize the kind of era this is, and only such a formidable turn of events can curb their greed.]
Yang Rong gazed at the heavens with a sense of lament. Though he couldn't see the full picture, just glimpsing a few key moves allowed him to understand that in this grand game across the land, the noble families had no choice left but to follow. They no longer had the right to resist; long ago, they had lost control over their own destinies.
Chen Xi could not hear Yang Rong's thoughts. He simply returned to Fenggao calmly, under Xu Chu's protection. As usual, Liu Bei and his remaining civil and military officials came out to greet him, although this time, the ranks behind Liu Bei seemed noticeably thinner.
"I'm back," Chen Xi said as he opened the carriage door and stepped out. He straightened up and looked at the large "Fenggao" characters on the city gate, speaking calmly. This return signaled the final adjustments in Taishan before the imminent northern campaign against Yuan Shao.
"Welcome back," Liu Bei said with a smile, looking Chen Xi up and down. "The petty villains have finally shown themselves."
"Yes, I came back to hear what the noble families want. What are they after?" Chen Xi replied calmly, then turned to Li You, Jia Xu, and the others. "I'll leave everything in your hands now. I'll retreat and refuse visitors until you've finished. When the time comes to act, I'll reappear."
"You’ve returned at just the right time, but it has disrupted our rhythm. I’m concerned that some of these small-minded fools might be too scared to act now," Li You said, gazing at Chen Xi.
"Perhaps this is their last chance at survival. Whether they choose to act out of desperation or retreat, who can truly see into the hearts of men?" Chen Xi shook his head. "The noble families truly are a contradictory existence."
"Indeed, very contradictory," Jia Xu agreed. "But soon, they won't be. Only by subduing them with our own hands can we claim the right to command them. True, permanent submission is impossible, but at least we can make them understand who they should be following now."
"Only by personally subduing them can we make them understand that morality, benevolence, and interests are only meaningful when backed by strength. We have given them morality and benevolence, and we have granted them benefits. Now, we must demonstrate our strength so they can see the truth!" Man Chong said coldly, clearly ready to strike with deadly force.
"Truth is always cloaked in force," Chen Xi smirked. "We have given them the ability to oppose us, but now it's time to wake them up. By this point, they're already like arrows nocked on a bowstring, with no choice but to release. I wonder how many noble families will act soon."
"Zichuan, you'll see. The noble families truly are a contradictory lot," Liu Bei said, patting Chen Xi on the shoulder. "They possess morality and talent, along with corresponding virtues, but they haven't used them for the right purpose. It's a shame about so many scholars, some of whom have dedicated three years to teaching their students."
"Right and wrong seem blurred now, but time will tell who is truly in the right. Time will prove everything," Chen Xi said, shaking his head. "Their principles and ours have come into conflict, and that's reason enough to crush them."
"I can't argue with you, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that as I stand on the city walls of Fenggao and look around, I'm very satisfied. I hope that one day, when I stand beneath the steps of the imperial court and look back, I will still feel this satisfaction," Liu Bei said with a smile, not disputing Chen Xi’s words. He knew exactly what his goal was—he just felt a little regret for those people.
"We simply walk different paths. All I hope for is that one day, when you stand beneath those steps, you will see a world as prosperous as Fenggao is today," Li You murmured as he glanced at Liu Bei.
[To this day, as a ruler of the land, Liu Bei has only satisfied Li You in one respect. Everything else, he considers to be merely average, and that is Liu Bei's character.]
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