Chapter 7078 All of it

Chapter 7078 All of it
Zhou Yu's blushing face as he ran caused Chen Xi to stumble, and the tug-of-war between them drew Liu Bei's attention.

"Zichuan, what's wrong?" Liu Bei put down his wine cup and asked Chen Xi.

"I'm sorting through some things, and I feel like there was an information gap in my previous conversation with Zhou Gongjin," Chen Xi said, somewhat embarrassed.

At this moment, Zhou Yu had the same expression as if his father had died. The immense wealth and the opportunity for hereditary succession arranged for the Jiangdong aristocratic families were about to be snatched away.

"What kind of information error is it?" Liu Bei asked curiously.

Chen Xi thought for a moment and then transmitted his voice to Liu Bei. When Liu Bei first heard it, he gasped in shock. Fortunately, Chen Xi quickly explained the reason for this, and Liu Bei gradually calmed down.

To be fair, following Chen Xi's strategy, Jiangdong made a fortune without any problem. However, while making a fortune in Jiangdong, Chen Xi did not suffer any losses. Moreover, in the process, he further consolidated the Han Dynasty's rule and gained immense popular support.

After all, eating meat can really bring happiness.

Therefore, after Chen Xi finished explaining his plan, Liu Bei naturally agreed to it.

To be honest, Chen Xi himself had absolute control over political affairs. Even if he didn't inform Liu Bei, he could have proceeded step by step and then explained things when they happened.

"In that case, it is indeed a good thing, and a win-win situation. Zichuan, you always manage to find such a win-win path even in the most impossible circumstances; it's truly incredible," Liu Bei said with emotion. Then, he glanced at Sun Ce and, noticing that the other was somewhat drunk, smiled and nodded slowly to Sun Ce, transmitting his voice, "Lord Wu, for this matter, I will bestow upon you immense wealth and honor. Zichuan has already informed Marquis Shu; you can discuss it later!"

Chen Xi looked at Liu Bei speechlessly. Liu Bei stroked his beard and smiled. "What's wrong? Can't I even show off a little? This is truly an immense fortune. It's questionable whether the twenty-four emperors of the Han Dynasty even had this much wealth. It certainly deserves the promise of a generous reward!"
Having already drunk his fill of wine with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and others, Sun Ce looked at Liu Bei with a bewildered expression, then turned to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu, sensing Sun Ce's gaze, did not send a telepathic message but simply nodded slowly, indicating that the fortune was indeed immense.

Although he didn't say anything, Sun Ce understood completely just by exchanging glances: wealth, immense wealth!

Sun Ce chuckled foolishly upon seeing this, then poured another cauldron of wine and joined Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others around him in drinking it. Whether the letter urging him to ascend the throne was effective or not was to be put aside for now; this wine was definitely effective!

Seeing Zhou Yu's somewhat mournful face, Chen Xi's lips curled up involuntarily. He then patted Zhou Yu's shoulder and said, "I'm a man of my word, especially in this kind of occasion and on such an important matter. Once I've spoken, I can't go back on my word. Even if I made a mistake or said something wrong, I will still keep my promise. That's settled then. We'll make arrangements for you as we agreed beforehand."

Hearing this, Zhou Yu's previously dejected expression brightened. Chen Xi, seeing this, didn't say much, but simply raised his wine cup and clinked it with Zhou Yu's. The misunderstanding was just that—a misunderstanding—and it didn't matter. It was good to make Zhou Yu happy.

After all, they correctly judged the stance of Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and even the entire Jiangdong region—these people didn't consider themselves feudal lords at all; they were just typical landlords who had eaten their fill and were enjoying the benefits of living on the Han Dynasty's territory. Even after receiving fiefdoms, they subconsciously still considered themselves as bureaucrats who could legally embezzle. And as long as they were bureaucrats, no matter how rampant they were, they still recognized the laws of the Han Dynasty.

Under this logic, what is a bridle to the feudal lords is a perk of being assigned to a government post.

There's a saying: "Being a dog of the Ming Dynasty is the greatest honor, unlike some dogs that run around without knowing who their master is." Now there's no Ming Dynasty, but the Han Dynasty. If we switch places, it's very suitable for some local separatists who only want to make money and get official positions!

Being a feudal lord certainly grants one bargaining power, but as a local official, do I need that bargaining power to oppose the central government? Am I out of my mind? The mighty Han Dynasty is so powerful, Chang'an is the center of the world, the shining sun and moon in my heart! I only regret that I can't sharpen my brains and climb a few more steps in the officialdom to get a better official position!

So, to be honest, the bargaining power is meaningless to Jiangdong, where the leaders are either in a state of stagnation or have been subdued by Chen Xi, and the subordinates are so busy dividing up the pie that they're practically bursting. On the contrary, the bridle that the bargaining power represents is very meaningful to them, because it's part of the official system!
Chen Xi understood this and didn't bother to say anything more, but he felt he still needed to give some instructions to avoid the people of Jiangdong thinking that he, Chen Xi, had deliberately plotted against them.

"How about this, we'll review the shipment volume and price every five or ten years," Chen Xi said after thinking for a moment. As he said this, Chen Xi remembered when he asked Zhou Yu to sell fruit. He jokingly said it was 1,200 wen per ton and was waiting for Zhou Yu to give him a price quote. But Zhou Yu agreed without even acknowledging it, which made Chen Xi give Zhou Yu a price list later.

"Whatever you want, it's not important, as long as we can collect it all." Zhou Yu said nonchalantly. In Zhou Yu's opinion, Chen Xi was at most trying to lower the price, but these were three kinds of sacrificial animals. No matter how much Chen Xi tried to lower the price, there would be a lower limit. So, whether it was a few coins less or a few coins more, it was just the cost of buying the woven fabric.

Of course, the most important thing is that whether it's a few more or a few less coins, it's not like Zhou Yu is paying for it. I am the dignified Marquis Shu, a literary master in disguise. If Chen Xi bets me three coins, I can bet Jiangdong double that amount. I'm not worried.

"Alright, you know what I mean, so I won't comment further on this." Chen Xi was somewhat speechless, but in the end, he didn't say anything. He had already realized what Zhou Yu was thinking, and considering Zhou Yu's skin-dealing nature, there was really nothing he could do if the other party really did it.

As for the nonsense that the Jiangdong aristocratic families are living in dire straits, that's utter rubbish. How could the Jiangdong aristocratic families possibly live in dire straits? How many families would want to live like the Jiangdong aristocratic families?

"In that case, which families are involved in this scheme?" Seeing that Chen Xi was so generous in changing the subject and seemed too lazy to care, Zhou Yu knew that Chen Xi was a man of his word and would not lie to him about such a matter. So he drank it all in one gulp and asked very seriously.

Chen Xi remained silent for a while after hearing this. At this moment, he had completely understood Zhou Yu's thought process and also understood the significance of this operation. Essentially, this was to bring the Jiangdong aristocratic families into the game. Once they were in this circle, it meant that they still had a place on the map of the Han Dynasty.

After all, this represents not only interests, but also status.

It's the same logic as China purchasing goods from one country but not the same goods from another. This is actually based on huge interests, and involves taking sides and having a certain identity.

Zhou Yu probably realized that he had obtained immense wealth and honor, and it would be excessive not to let Chen Xi choose among the candidates. Therefore, letting Chen Xi first appoint which noble families could enter this circle was also a way of showing loyalty.

It's true that felines are unruly, but they can also be quite terrifying when they get sensible.

In Zhou Yu's view, the aristocratic families personally selected by Chen Xi to participate in this project were essentially granted a portion of the official positions in this massive livestock industry. This also meant that their positions would be hereditary and secure, giving them the right to share in the profits. This immense wealth was tantamount to a form of enfeoffment.

The difference is that the previous enfeoffment was a land enfeoffment, while Chen Xi's version of enfeoffment is an enfeoffment of interests and resources. But in any case, it is also a symbol of capital and status, and a talisman!

"I'll give you thirteen spots. You can choose. Just reserve one for the Ji family. The rest are up to you. I won't make any demands. It was said to be a reward for you, so it is a reward for you. How you arrange and divide them is your own business." Chen Xi thought for a moment and realized that not choosing any would not be good either, so he thought for a moment and gave Lu Su face.

As for why the Xu family wasn't chosen, the Xu family had been quite ruthless when they framed Lu Su back then. When Xu Ning found out about it later, he was so angry that he turned against his own family when he got back.

So let's choose the Ji family. As for the Ji family's problems, it doesn't matter. At Chen Xi's level, why would he care about the Ji family's problems? Let them do whatever they want. Anyway, it's a benefit divided up from Jiangdong. Considering that the Ji family hasn't caused trouble for everyone over the years and didn't do anything during the Situ case, and for Lu Su's sake, it's only right to give them a piece of candy.

“Thirteen positions? Not counting me and Bo Fu.” Zhou Yu frowned slightly, but he could understand.

"What are you doing, vassal kings eating noodles?" Chen Xi said irritably, then pulled up a cushion and sat down. Then, as if remembering something, she said, "Wait, Gongjin, you're not going to skin those people alive, are you?!"

"This is the petition I submitted, the petition I begged for. How could I not take it?" Zhou Yu said this with such righteous indignation that Chen Xi was somewhat speechless. But recalling what she had seen before, she felt that it was better for her to stay out of the situation in Jiangdong.

That's not a place for normal people to live. What separatist forces? They've never been a unified entity. Who knows why they've been able to survive for so long!
"Twelve are permanent staff, the rest are temporary workers, that's enough." Zhou Yu indicated that he already had a plan, then perhaps as if he remembered something, he sighed and asked, "Initially, could you let Bo Fu and me manage them on a full-fledged basis?"

Chen Xi was practically speechless. He saw Zhou Yu as no longer just a ruthless landlord, but a cruel landlord. How could he possibly treat the Jiangdong aristocratic families like human beings? Where did this bizarre idea come from? Is the environment there really that tough?
"Fine, fine, fine, I won't say anything more. I already said it's a reward for submitting your petition to the throne, so what am I doing interfering? Arranging for the Ji family is already my task. The rest is up to you to do whatever you want." Chen Xi looked bewildered by Zhou Yu's crazy ideas, and after thinking it over, he felt that this was just how Jiangdong was, so he decided to give up.

“Alright, I will naturally handle all of this and deliver a satisfactory result to the Central Plains.” Zhou Yu said very seriously, even with a certain respect on his face, in an extremely formal manner.

"I'll say it again: you're in charge, that's Jiangdong's business, but morally speaking, you'd better act like a decent human being." Chen Xi felt that he was right to criticize Zhou Yu for being morally corrupt back then in the government office. How could this guy be so bad?
"Don't worry, I'll only manage things for the next twenty years of Yuanfeng. It's impossible and unsuitable to release everyone at the beginning. Delaying it is good for the Han Dynasty, good for us, and good for managing the Jiangdong aristocratic families," Zhou Yu explained with a light laugh. He added that this wasn't a matter of moral depravity, but rather a correct choice made after considering the realities of Jiangdong. Therefore, Chen Xi shouldn't talk nonsense about morality.

Of course, Zhou Yu was very happy when he said this, which was completely different from his expression when Chen Xi scolded him for being morally corrupt last time. He even had the mind to smile at Chen Xi.

"Fine, I'll assume you understand Jiangdong, you understand Jiangdong best, so I won't say anything more." Chen Xi was also exasperated by Zhou Yu's sullen face. How could he have become like this? Was Zhou Yu always this shameless? Wasn't he famously unruly? What happened to him now?

"Should I inform the Yuan family and the Marquis of Shangxiang?" Zhou Yu saw Chen Xi's expression but didn't care. What principles? They are important, but when the interests are this great, talking about them is an insult to those interests. Chen Zichuan, you can't look down on money just because you have it! It's not dirt!
"Alright, go and inform those two to come over. After all, they've already submitted their petitions for the throne. It's just a matter of sooner or later. Since they're here, they'll still receive the rewards they deserve," Chen Xi said calmly.

The act had to be played out completely, so it couldn't stop now. Chen Xi believed that Zhou Yu was already stunned by the overwhelming wealth, and even if he had any other thoughts, they wouldn't arise at this point. But why not go all the way and completely dispel Zhou Yu's suspicions?

Zhou Yu got up and went to inform Xun Chen and Kou Feng. Unlike before, when he had a palace maid go to inform them, this time Zhou Yu went to inform the two himself.

"Everyone here came to submit their petitions to the Grand Commandant urging him to ascend the throne. Now that the petitions are submitted, the Grand Commandant is very satisfied. Chen Zichuan has promised a generous reward. We in Jiangdong have received our reward, so you can go and collect your celebratory money." Zhou Yu had a beaming expression on his face. All his displeasure had vanished at this moment. He was extremely pleased. Coming to this event today was definitely the right decision.

"Hmm?" Xun Chen tried his best to keep a calm expression, but the misery in his eyes could not be hidden. He felt a little uncomfortable when he saw Zhou Yu's smiling expression. But after hearing what Zhou Yu said, his eyes lit up. That's right, the Prince of Jin and the Marquis of Chen are respectable people. If the two of them are happy, they will definitely let some things slip through their fingers to make others happy too.

So Xun Chen got up and came over to Chen Xi. He had already toasted Chen Xi before, but unlike before when he looked somewhat bitter, he was much calmer this time, though he was still a little cautious in his movements.

"It seems you learned all this from Gongjin, right?" Chen Xi glanced at Xun Chen and Kou Feng, then his gaze naturally fell on Kou Feng. "You should go to the East China Sea Fisheries Bureau later. Ceylon is now in our Han Dynasty's hands, and the fishery resources in the Bay of Bengal can be developed. Go to the East China Sea Fisheries Bureau, and someone will teach you the complete set of techniques. The shipbuilding technology for the new fleet at the Donglai Shipyard will also be arranged for you."

"Thank you, Lord Chen!" Kou Fu said in surprise, then overjoyed.

At the same time, Zhou Yu's eyes lit up. Here it is! Although we didn't get it from Chen Xi, getting it from Kou Feng is the same as getting it.

As for the timeframe, none of that matters. As long as the future is bright, that's all that matters!
“There’s no need for that. When we march to the Ganges, we’ll still need the Marquis of Shangxiang’s support.” Chen Xi nodded to Kou Feng. “How is the Grand Princess of Yiyang doing now?”

“Grandmother’s health has improved significantly recently,” Kou Feng said calmly. “It’s probably because she saw Auntie and her mood has improved.”

"We agreed to transfer some technology to you back then, but it has been delayed until now. Marquis Shangxiang, just don't forget about it when the time comes." Chen Xi nodded upon hearing this. It would be beneficial for everyone if the Grand Princess of Yiyang could hold out for these next few years. At the very least, the Han Dynasty would support Kunwu without needing to find any excuses.

"What we have achieved today has exceeded our expectations," Kou Feng said excitedly.

"Drink this cup of wine and go offer a toast to the Grand Commandant," Chen Xi said to Kou Feng with a smile. Kou Feng nodded repeatedly. To be honest, even someone of Kou Feng's rank felt somewhat uncomfortable in front of Chen Xi. That was the instinctive reaction of a normal person when encountering someone too imposing.

Kou Feng picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. Then he stood up to return the greeting and went to toast Liu Bei with the good news. At this time, Liu Bei had already come down from the steps and was clinking glasses with Huangfu Song, Guan Yu, and Sun Ce.

"Chief Clerk Xun," Chen Xi said with a sigh after Kou Feng left, looking at Xun Chen. This man, once their adversary, was now so weak. Time truly was the greatest miracle. "What is the current state of mind of the Yuan family?"

“Some Slavic tribes naturally gravitated towards Rome, but most maintained their normal ways and worked with our Yuan family to develop Eastern Europe.” Xun Chen had already anticipated Chen Xi’s questions before Chen Xi even asked them.

For Yuewen's 10th anniversary event, Chen Xi, the "Big Fox," has made it into the top 100. Next up is the so-called "Peak Ranking." If you have time, check out the event center and cast your votes—you might even be able to pull off some fun!