Chapter 7084 Highly Anthropomorphic

Chapter 7084 Highly Anthropomorphic
First, they drank two large bowls of ginseng soup and then ate some high-calorie, high-nutrient pancakes. Xie Zhongyong and Xiao Xiu felt a little better, but when they looked at each other, they saw the fear in each other's eyes. It seemed that they knew something they shouldn't have known!

There is a way to die in this world, and that is called knowing too much!
In even more distressing moments, looking at each other's faces, one knows that the other person also knows what one is trying to express, but neither dares to say the other person's name or their own speculation. They look at each other with awkwardness and solemnity.

After all, in Chang'an, the heart of the empire, if someone were to utter a name, given their embodying the will of the empire, it would be a real problem if they couldn't hear it!
Xiao and Xie held their bowls of chicken soup and remained silent. Fortunately, even so, they understood each other's unspoken message and simply looked at each other quietly.

"I dare not say? What about you!" Xie Zhongyong's mouth tasted bitter. It was just a few words, but it was clearly difficult for him to utter them.

“I dare not utter a sound while reciting it,” Xiao Xiu said with a hint of fear.

"What should we do?" Xie Zhongyong asked after a moment of silence.

This is clearly not something they should know. To them, it involves the deepest secrets in the world, the kind of things no one wants to know!

Why is Liu Bei's power so strong? Because Liu Bei himself possesses military organizational and ruling abilities that surpass all others throughout history, and Chen Xi's logistical and operational capabilities are so exaggerated that they are beyond comprehension. The combination of these two factors has created Liu Bei's power that is now completely invincible.

But what if these two invincible factors experience an internal ideological conflict?

Let alone if it actually happened, just thinking about it is terrifying.

Admittedly, their best opportunity to gain their own interests lies in when an invincible fortress is fractured from within, but...!
If the eldest and second eldest brothers had a conflict and wanted to determine who was superior, the eldest and second eldest brothers might not necessarily die, but the onlookers would definitely die, and they would die a very tragic death.

Especially when the top two are several levels stronger, even if they don't fight, just the slight transmission of their will through the organizational structure and power framework is enough to crush a large number of innocent people. That's right, at this level, the forces of Xiao Xie's level are the masses!
"I don't know anything." Xiao Xiu swallowed, trying his best to suppress his fear, and then said with a deep expression, "Zhongyong, you don't know anything either, right?"

"I don't know either," Xie Zhongyong said with a forced smile.

“Then let’s just keep this to ourselves and pretend we know nothing. Maybe everything that happened before was just my imagination, right?” Xiao Xiu also twitched his lips, but in the end he didn’t laugh. Then the two of them looked at each other and their hearts sank.

After all, the Xiao and Xie families were able to establish a country abroad because of their thousand-year-old lineage, the advantages of their local prestige, and the abilities of this generation. However, all of these factors combined could not outweigh Chen Xi's support. If things really turn out as they have in mind, many things will need to change. Minor turmoil in the upper echelons of politics will be magnified many times over in their case.

Nobody likes taking sides, but if Chen Xi really runs into Liu Bei in this matter, then everyone, including Huangfu Song, will have to choose sides.

It should even be said that being qualified to take sides is already quite good; many people probably don't even have the qualifications to take sides. As for taking advantage of this opportunity and seizing this weakness to seek greater benefits, the Xiao and Xie families don't even dare to think about it. Chen Xi and Liu Bei are so strong that they simply don't know what to do. This is no longer a matter of playing with fire; it's pure suicide!

"What if?" Xie Zhongyong suddenly asked, because the Xie family and the Xiao family's fiefdom had already taken shape and there was hope. At this time, they did not want any factors to disrupt the birth of the fiefdom. But the storm was already brewing and they could not stop it. So, should they bury their heads in the sand?

Xiao Xiu's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, but in the end he just sighed and said, "What do you think?"

“I don’t want to take sides, but I had no choice when the time came. Even if I didn’t think about myself, I had to think about the Xie family. I once had someone calculate that my Xie family would have three hundred years of wealth and honor. I didn’t quite understand it at first, but as we expanded, I realized that this three hundred years of wealth and honor should probably be attributed to Marquis Chen.” Xie Zhongyong took a deep breath and revealed their family’s secret directly.

"Three hundred years of wealth and honor?" Xiao Xiu was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized what the so-called wealth and honor was. After all, everyone had reached this level, and the only one they could call wealthy and honorable was the king, with a three-hundred-year foundation!

"Yes, a comeback is the will of Heaven." Xie Zhongyong was silent for a while before directly uttering this prophecy that should have been fulfilled two hundred years later and propelled the Xie family to its peak.

"Your prophecy sounds incredibly powerful, actually a sign of destiny." Xiao Xiu clicked his tongue in amazement, but didn't mock them. After all, at this point, their two families were in the same boat, so what was there to laugh at? Besides, their Xiao family wasn't without prophecies themselves.

“Just listen to it and don’t take it to heart. We don’t really know how it will come true, but as it stands, this prophecy is very likely to be true.” Xie Zhongyong said after a moment of silence. “So you should understand my thoughts. If I had a choice, I would definitely want to avoid the storm, but if those two have a conflict, there will be no peace in the world.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Xiao Xiu’s expression even showed a hint of bitterness, but Xie Zhongyong’s words at least gave him some peace of mind. At least his teammates who had signed a blood oath with him were still on the same boat. That way, even if things really went badly, they could still travel together to the underworld.

"Very well." Xie Zhongyong looked at Xiao Xiu's expression and knew that the other party, like himself, did not want to make a choice. But things had come to this point, and they had to make plans as soon as possible. The Xie and Xiao families were able to have their fiefdoms today, and even with their efforts and the support of the times, they could not get around Chen Xi.

Moreover, the aristocratic families have said countless times that they have Chen Zichuan behind them. Now that the other party needs people, do they still need to think about whose back they should stand on?

"Sigh, to be honest, I didn't want things to come to this. Just yesterday, everything was so wonderful. I was still thinking about what kind of wife to arrange for Empress Xiao so that I could bring her to our Lanling Xiao clan. I was also dreaming of the day when I could build up the fiefdom and face my ancestors in the afterlife with confidence." Xiao Xiu sighed and said.

"Life is unpredictable. We never have the chance to decide our own destiny. We can only go with the flow of fate. The only advantage we have over ordinary people is that we know about it earlier, have greater resilience, and better coping strategies," Xie Zhongyong replied softly. No matter how vibrant life is, we must be mentally prepared for the coming cold wind.

“I’ve been staying at the house next to yours recently. If there’s anything we need to decide together, feel free to come to me anytime. I also need to think about how to prepare for the future,” Xiao Xiu said in a deep voice. Since both families have made the same choice, and at least in the same general direction, their alliance must continue and become even closer.

“Alright, I will discuss it with you as soon as there is any news.” Xie Zhongyong nodded. Although this matter was extremely terrifying, their two families had experienced more than just this kind of turmoil. They had weathered every ups and downs over the past thousand years. Although this time was dangerous, it might also be an opportunity. After all, every upheaval was the best chance to break the existing pattern.

After leaving the Xie family, Xiao Xiu immediately wrote a secret letter in special code and had it sent back to Central Asia as soon as possible. Even though the key members of the Xiao family there were still under a rationing system and their living conditions were very poor, that was the true foundation of the Xiao family.

Therefore, after only a brief moment of thought, Xiao Xiu knew that he had to inform the key figures in his family about this important matter. Only by pooling everyone's wisdom could they make the right choice. Otherwise, relying solely on himself, he would likely only find himself in a predicament.

The Xie family is in the same boat. They are all cunning and shrewd. Shouldn't they take some precautions? This is a major event that could affect countless people if it happens!

As for the claim that the two were extremely discreet, that's meaningless. After all, Xiao Xiu's move to the Xie family's residence was no small matter. Even if no one knew today, some prominent families would find out tomorrow.

Even if Xiao Xiu has a set of words to cover it up, other aristocratic families can still easily find out who visited the Xiao family today.

Once you investigate something and see the results, you'll naturally make some speculations.

As for how accurate the Xiao and Xie families' judgments were, to be honest, Xiao Xiu didn't think his judgments were absolutely correct. He didn't even think his judgments were more than 50% accurate. But is this something you can gamble on?

This kind of thing is something that, once the possibility arises, a contingency plan must be made. It's the kind of thing that, if it really happens, you have to immediately pull out the plan and execute it to avoid the complete annihilation of your family. The reason why aristocratic families can survive for so long is because they are bold, meticulous, cautious, and prudent.

After a night of snowfall, the warmth of Zhaoyang Palace lasted until morning, when Liu Bei and his entourage finally calmed down. Liu Bei then helped the almost asleep Chen Xi onto the carriage and ordered someone to send Chen Xi back to the Chen family.

As for what happened between the Xiao and Xie families last night, it's not really a big deal how many people know about it and how many don't. After all, at this point in time, any little thing will attract the attention of countless people. Logically, those who should know will know, but as for those who don't know, whether they're pretending to be ignorant or genuinely unaware, it's hard to say.

At the very least, the scene of Liu Bei helping the completely drunk Chen Xi into the carriage was watched by countless people and interpreted in countless ways. In short, this was no small matter and there were many interpretations, but everyone kept them to themselves and could not communicate with each other. They could only make the judgment that was most beneficial to their own side according to their own rank.

"Alas, this is truly a time of great turmoil," Chen Ji said with a wry smile. At this moment, he finally understood what Yan Fotiao meant when he mocked him earlier: that Buddhists continue to save people in hell, while butchers continue to kill in the realm of gods.

Environment is just environment; one's true nature is what matters most. Today, all the prominent families will probably be stirred by the events of last night. Perhaps only Yan Fodiao remains unchanged. It's not that he's indifferent, but rather that Yan Fodiao has always followed the righteous path.

Those who walk the righteous path attain profound enlightenment and are even prepared to die for their cause!
"Elder, what should we do?" The old steward of the Chen family, who had already returned from Kandahar, said with some caution. After all, if even Xiao Xiu could analyze it, how could the Chen family not be able to? In this world, the only one who can stop Liu Bei is Chen Zichuan!
"Let's ignore it for now. It's no big deal if it gets blocked this time." Chen Ji shook his head, his expression calm. "Let's not even talk about the probability of this happening. Even if it is true, the head of the Chen family only blocked it a second time. In this world, if there is a second time, there will be a third time, but not a fourth time."

Chen Ji's mind remained perfectly clear. He didn't even consider whether Chen Xi had prevented Liu Bei from ascending the throne, because it was pointless. Not to mention the issue of evidence, even if he had analyzed it, there was no way to verify it. It was better to simply accept it as a fact.

So what if it's true?

It has no impact, because that's Chen Xi, the one who stopped him once, so it's understandable that he stopped him a second time.

Just like the three invitations and three refusals for the throne, Chen Xi's behavior of obstructing the process because he felt his prestige was insufficient is not a problem. Given Chen Xi's status and position, it is understandable.

If Liu Bei takes the step down, that would be a good thing. If he doesn't, the matter won't escalate much, and someone will naturally smooth things over. After all, all the tyrannical rulers who acted arbitrarily have been overthrown, and the emperor's power is contributed by the people. That's the logic behind the emperor's title!

Therefore, Chen Ji was not flustered, because things had not yet reached that point.

However, after this thwart, there was no next time. Admittedly, Chen Ji knew that Chen Xi did not really want Liu Bei to ascend the throne now, but Chen Ji also knew that Chen Xi actually had deep feelings for Liu Bei. There were only a handful of people in the world worthy of Chen Xi's attention, and Liu Bei was arguably the most worthy hero among them.

Therefore, if this attempt fails, there will absolutely be no next time.

Chen Ji had to assess what changes Chen Xi's complete alignment with Liu Bei would bring. After all, countless people in the world believed that Chen Xi was a powerful backer of the aristocratic families. But Chen Ji, a senior who had once been very close to Chen Xi, knew very well that Chen Xi had never stood behind the aristocratic families.

To put it bluntly, everything that the aristocratic families possess now is something they obtained from Chen Xi through their own resources and foundation.

While Chen Xi was proactive in pushing these things with the attitude that cooperation would benefit both sides, the essence of it all was simply because the Han aristocratic family had enough value to be exploited.

Or to put it more directly, Chen Xi, whose core thinking is practicality, could not find a better tool than the Han family in this era.

Only by making the best use of resources and talents can the world develop better and we get closer to our ideals. That's why Chen Xi would take the initiative to provide support to the Han family, because only in this way can we make better use of these tools.

For Chen Xi, the Han family is like a car. You use it once, maintain it a couple of times, and if you maintain it too often, or if you need to repair it occasionally, over time, the value of these things will be higher than the value of the car itself. But does that mean you should stop using it?

On the contrary, we have to use it, even to the point of exhaustion. Only by using it to the extreme and thoroughly can we justify the money we've invested in maintenance and repairs.

If you drive 7,000 kilometers in three years, you'll need to have your car serviced six times. So why not drive 50,000 kilometers a year? Since the number of maintenance sessions is the same, the latter is clearly more profitable than the former, right?

Chen Ji couldn't quite understand Chen Xi's way of thinking before. After all, they hadn't been ruled and exploited in this more advanced way in their time, so they were more motivated to work as slaves when they received more money and resources. They even felt that Chen Xi was indeed their support.

But after ten years, Chen Ji, whose core competency was managing interpersonal relationships, should have been able to understand Chen Xi's thinking.

Chen Xi did indeed bring them a better life, a more magnificent hope and possibility, and a future that had never been written in the annals of history for thousands of years, making all the noble families' eyes red with envy.

However, Chen Xi did increase the efficiency of exploiting the human resources of the Han family. This exploitation was implicit and could not be noticed by anyone except a very few wise men. Or, some wise men, represented by Zhou Yu, believed that this was not exploitation, but a more efficient development of human resources!
Some even consider this a sign of progress!
Well, some wise men, represented by Zhou Yu, were actually thinking, "I can peel off the skin even more efficiently, and I can peel it off even more thoroughly. They have even greater potential to be explored!"
To be honest, if everyone had followed Chen Xi's pace completely, Chen Xi would probably have realized by now that his exploitation was a bit too heavy.

But since this era is full of anthropomorphic monsters, Chen Xi still hasn't realized that there's something wrong with the degree of his exploitation. It's because he occasionally compares himself to others who want to combine the core advantages of slavery, feudalism, and capitalism to create a system based on personal possession, the solidification of feudal resources, efficient economic allocation, and the great liberation of productive forces.

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　　(End of this chapter)