Chapter 7098 People and People!

Chapter 7098 People and People!
Unlike Zhou Yu, who could talk a good game but then suddenly lose his mind and start messing around, Chen Gong was someone who had planned out what he was going to do before he arrived and would never deviate from his established persona.

For example, this time Chen Gong knew he was too late and had missed a great opportunity, so he came with a very good attitude. He was just a beggar, just here to make his face at Chen Xi's place and see if Chen Xi could help him out of respect for the Empire.

Therefore, as I made it very clear before, I will give you whatever the big shots have, anything is fine, there is no such thing as being picky.

After all, they're here to beg for food. How could they complain that the food given to them is watery and thin? Is that something a human would do? What a joke! Of course, a stinking beggar will eat whatever food is given to him!
As for why Chen Hou was so kind as to have a table set up for him, he shouldn't be arrogant. That's not his own ability. Being able to beg for food is Chen Hou's kindness. That's the right answer. So talking about whether it's dangerous or not is meaningless. To put it bluntly, even if the food is poisoned, he still has to eat it. He's a beggar, what's the point of complaining if he can sit at the table?
"Uh, you're not even offering any advice? Given your current state of overflowing wisdom, you should at least be one of the world's most brilliant minds, with a clear understanding of many things. Why don't you speak up?" Chen Xi asked somewhat curiously, seeing that Chen Gong only frowned for a moment, his mind was racing for a second, and then he completely returned to normal. What was going on?
"Any suggestions? Just take what Chen Hou gives. Even if it's a trap, I'm just a beggar, why should I be picky?" Chen Gong said with a sneer. "What's there to be picky about? Let alone whether I'm qualified, we've already missed our chance. If you can give me something, I should take it. If I keep nagging, I'll just be asking for trouble. That's it, I'll go and explain later."

After saying that, Chen Gong prepared to get up. In his opinion, what Chen Xi had given him was already quite generous. Although there was some danger, what time was it? He had already missed the opportunity. To still be given such benefits was already very generous. There was no point in pushing his luck any further. It would be better to leave now. Besides, he could find a way to deal with the danger himself. There was no need to trouble Chen Xi.

"You bastard!" Chen Xi rarely reached out and tugged at Chen Gong's sleeve, making him sit down. "If Zhou Gongjin were here, he would definitely give a performance on what it means to be a kept man and to say that even if I'm reduced to begging, I'll still stand and eat a good meal."

"I'm not that guy. He comes from a family of high-ranking officials, born into nobility, the number one talent in Jiangdong. How can a country bumpkin like me compare?" Chen Gong said nonchalantly. In Chen Gong's eyes, there weren't many people who could be considered top-tier, but Zhou Yu was undoubtedly one of the best.

Well, these days, the person in the world who can truly discredit Zhou Yu hasn't been born yet. At most, the top people in the three great empires might complain that Emperor Zhou is up to his old tricks again, or that he just died like that. In short, if we only talk about ability, background, birth, talent, and appearance, Zhou Yu is indeed the best in the world.

From a certain perspective, Zhou Yu can be considered to have fulfilled the impossible triangle, which means that family background, ability, and appearance cannot theoretically coexist. However, Zhou Yu did reach an absurd level in all three aspects, resulting in a particularly abstract manifestation, which can also be considered a punishment.

"The way you're talking makes it sound like Zhou Yu is miles ahead of you," Chen Xi said with a smile. "I think you must have understood the difficulty of this matter beforehand. I originally thought you would think about it and then try to negotiate with me, but I didn't expect you to agree so easily and leave the table directly. If I let you leave like this, it would seem like I'm being a bit heartless."

“What’s so inhumane about that? I made it clear when I came that I’m a beggar. And to be honest, the Chen family’s steps aren’t high, and the lintel hasn’t been changed, but there aren’t many people in this world who dare to come here to beg for food. I’m probably already getting a meal here today, which is a benefit that many people wouldn’t even dare to dream of. Since that’s the case, why push your luck? Wouldn’t that be an eyesore?” Chen Gong said frankly.

Begging is just begging; why resort to moral blackmail? In Chen Gong's view, it's utterly despicable to haggle after accepting someone's food.

"Besides, you've already been very generous. As for the danger, that's a matter of the Bingzhou faction's capabilities, not yours. Whether or not you can solve this problem is a test for me, a beggar. If we get killed, we deserve it!" When Chen Gong said this, he didn't think Chen Xi was trying to trick him at all; he was being completely truthful.

"Uh." Chen Xi was embarrassed to say that Chen Gong was giving her some advice. Having gotten used to Zhou Yu's behavior of giving advice first, regardless of whether it was good or bad, and then pocketing some money first, Chen Xi was not quite used to Chen Gong's frankness.

What you said put me in an awkward position. What do you mean I've been very generous? As for the danger, that's not my problem, it's a question of whether the Bingzhou faction has the ability, it's a test for you beggars. Damn, do you think I, Chen Xi, am a bit cruel?

"Don't worry, I can handle this. At worst, I'll come out from the other side of the world every now and then and have a go at Zhou Gongjin. Although our overall strength is definitely not as good as Jiangdong's, I think the people of Jiangdong are very valuable." Chen Gong told Chen Xi that there was no need to worry. Even if this matter was dangerous, the benefits were right there. He would definitely bring the Bingzhou faction with him. This job may be tough, but it won't crush our Bingzhou faction. You can rest assured!

"I haven't finished speaking yet," Chen Xi said, speechless.

That's true, but Chen Xi's opinion of Chen Gong improved again. This guy was indeed someone to be reckoned with. But thinking about his consistent actions—unwavering resolve, "So what if I die? What's there to be afraid of? I've already planned this out! You think I'll stay alive just because you tell me to? What a joke! As long as you go against my beliefs, nobody can stop me! Unwavering resolve!"

"Please speak frankly, Lord Chen." Chen Gong composed himself, regaining his previous blank and calm demeanor, but the sharp glint in his eyes showed that he was very serious. After all, he had come here to fight for interests for the Bingzhou faction, so he could not afford to make any mistakes.

"Here's the thing, I need you to stay in Chang'an until after the Grand Court Assembly. If you're not in Chang'an, even if someone relays the information to you, some of it might be manipulated by Zhou Yu. Therefore, you need to ensure fairness in this matter, so you must be present at the Grand Court Assembly." Chen Xi said to Chen Gong very seriously. Of course, he wasn't trying to fool Chen Gong; based on Chen Xi's understanding of Zhou Yu, this guy was truly capable of doing such inhuman things.

Lu Bu wasn't exactly a smart man, while Diao Chan was intelligent enough and had indeed received a traditional education from a noble family. However, when it came to playing mind games with someone like Zhou Yu, she was no match for him.

Chen Xi can guarantee that after Zhou Yu receives the message from Chen Xi that the Bingzhou faction is controlling and allocating quotas for Australian livestock, he will not doubt that this is a follow-up operation by Chen Xi, but will take it for granted that this is a part that was not explained before.

After all, as the first county magistrate to set foot in Australia, Lü Bu had a natural advantage in exploring the map, so he was qualified to take a cut into the profits of this large ranch.

Therefore, Zhou Yu would not have any doubts when faced with the official notice issued by Chen Xi at the Grand Assembly. However, the absence of doubts does not mean that Zhou Yu, a man with a knack for deception, would not look for loopholes.

Zhou Yu would never do something so undignified in front of others, but when facing Chen Xi, Zhou Yu's favorite thing to do was to exploit loopholes.

However, Chen Xi couldn't tell Zhou Yu directly that this was a replacement for the Bingzhou faction after Chen Gong arrived. He could only pretend that he had arranged everything, just like before. Under these circumstances, it would be a miracle if Zhou Yu didn't take advantage of the situation.

Can Lü Bu outmaneuver Zhou Yu in exploiting loopholes?
We absolutely cannot win. This isn't just a matter of being outmatched; it's a matter of being outmatched altogether.

Therefore, Chen Gong must be present for this matter. Only after Chen Gong and Zhou Yu have finalized the overall framework and the distribution of benefits can Lü Bu be allowed to maintain the business. Otherwise, it would be perfectly normal for Zhou Yu to manipulate Lü Bu into becoming mentally challenged within the rules, or even for Lü Bu to be betrayed and still count the money for Zhou Yu.

More importantly, Zhou Yu, in doing this, didn't seem to be bullying someone mentally challenged at all. He was most likely prepared to outwit Chen Xi and was unleashing 120% of his intelligence in the fight.

In short, to avoid this situation, Chen Xi felt that Chen Gong should spend the New Year in Chang'an.

"Can I ask a question?" Chen Gong listened to Chen Xi's explanation briefly and looked at Chen Xi with some doubt.

"Go ahead and ask." Chen Xi nodded.

"What kind of image does Governor Zhou have in Marquis Chen's eyes?" Chen Gong asked Chen Xi with a somewhat strange look in his eyes.

Chen Xi remained silent for a while after hearing this, and finally slowly said, "I guess they can bring honor to the family, but they turn into brats when they get home."

Chen Gong looked at Chen Xi speechlessly upon hearing this. At this moment, Chen Gong truly felt that Chen Xi was outrageous. Even Zhou Yu could be defined as a brat, so Chen Xi was indeed quite extraordinary.

"Forget it, let's not talk about Zhou Gongjin. That guy is fine in front of others, but in front of me he's really a brat, always trying to do some unnecessary tricks." Chen Xi said with a bit of weariness, "But considering his past achievements, I have to give him as much support as possible. Well, you just need to keep this to yourself and don't tell anyone."

Chen Gong nodded expressionlessly, indicating that he understood.

"I'm going to the inner side of the world to make some arrangements for Aman, and then I'll come back to attend the meeting." Although Chen Gong felt that Zhou Yu was unlikely to be as abstract as Chen Xi described, considering that Chen Xi had already gone this far, it would indeed be inhuman for him not to attend the meeting, so he gave a definite reply.

“Actually, before you go to the inner side of the world, you should go and see Kongming.” Chen Xi said with a touch of emotion. Recalling the situation last night, Chen Xi did not expect that the Bingzhou faction had such a solution. But after Chen Gong brought it up, Chen Xi knew that at least two other people knew about such a solution, but neither of them made any move.

Chen Xi could understand why Jia Xu remained silent. After all, Jia Xu was a self-preservationist. In such a completely stable situation, Jia Xu certainly did not want any external forces to intervene. The Bingzhou faction was not large, but entering this circle would still cause some new waves. Jia Xu clearly did not want any turmoil in the near future, so it was perfectly reasonable for Jia Xu to turn a blind eye.

Since Zhuge Liang neither spoke nor informed Chen Gong, it can only mean that Chen Gong had indeed offended Zhuge Liang.

No, that's not right. It wasn't that they offended Zhuge Liang; it's more likely that Chen Gong blocked Zhuge Liang from his view.

"Uh, are we going to see Kongming?" Chen Gong looked at Chen Xi somewhat awkwardly upon hearing this.

Chen Gong and Zhuge Liang had a decent relationship initially, but after Cao Cao's throne crumbled, they gradually drifted apart. After all, Zhuge Liang was truly capable of killing Cao Cao, while Chen Gong would never want Cao Cao to die, which created a complicated situation.

This is also why, after Chen Gong disappeared with Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang kept trying to locate him, but in the end had to give up. In terms of evasion, Chen Gong, who possessed the boundary wall, clearly had an advantage.

“Kongming probably sent you a message last night, but you blocked it,” Chen Xi said with a sigh. “Theoretically speaking, there is a delay in Kongming locating you, but you should have been able to receive the information sent at the end, but you rejected the communication.”

While the boundary wall can indeed block Kongming's location, Zhuge Liang can still communicate via coded messages using Liu Tong's talent. At most, Chen Gong's boundary wall positioning mechanism is more sophisticated, which would cause a significant delay in such communication. But no matter how delayed it is, at least the message can be received.

Chen Gong was stunned for a moment, then quickly released the barrier that blocked Zhuge Liang, and a lot of junk information and location information were transmitted over.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang, who was working in the government office, was stunned. Chen Gong was in Chang'an.
Does that mean Cao Cao was also in Chang'an?

No, even if Cao Cao is not in Chang'an, Chen Gong is in Chang'an now and is still receiving messages, which means that the two must have separated. Even if there is an excessive delay in the boundary, it is enough to prove that the two have indeed separated. And without Chen Gong's blockade and cover, does that mean...?

"Kongming, what's wrong?" Li You asked Zhuge Liang with some curiosity.

"I need a few veterans with positioning capabilities," Zhuge Liang said thoughtfully. Li You didn't say much after hearing this and immediately sent someone to summon Yin Zhi and others.

"Is it Cao Cao who has arrived?" Guo Jia asked with some curiosity.

"I don't know, and I can't be sure, but the platform has lifted its block on me, which means that it should be possible to lock me down at this stage," Zhuge Liang said, shaking his head.

"Boundary walls are truly fascinating things," Guo Jia said with a smile. "I wish you success in achieving your goal this time, Kongming."

Zhuge Liang was taken aback. Although they would run into each other all the time, Zhuge Liang and Guo Jia were not very close because of their differing values. After all, one was a stickler for rules and the other was unrestrained and dissolute. It was already difficult enough for the two of them to not interfere with each other, let alone become good friends.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Guo Jia would actually take the initiative to wish him success.

"Alright, my work is almost done. I'll be going now." Guo Jia waved to Zhuge Liang and Li You, then left with his wine jug.

"Did yesterday's events actually bring Cao Cao to Chang'an?" Li You asked with a strange expression. He felt this was very unrealistic. Given Cao Cao's situation, there was absolutely no way he would come to kowtow to Liu Bei. Based on Li You's understanding of Cao Cao, that guy could accept others kneeling to Liu Bei, but he would never kneel to him himself. So why would he come to Chang'an at this time? It just didn't make sense no matter how you looked at it.

"Perhaps it was the last message I sent yesterday that was recognized by the public platform, which is why I'm only coming to Chang'an now," Zhuge Liang said with a hint of speculation. Last night, he also realized another way of solving the problem for the Bingzhou faction, so he used his talent of "Puppet Show" to connect with Chen Gong's mental talent in an unknown location and sent him a message.

Although such a code composed of fluctuations requires a codebook to decode, based on Zhuge Liang's understanding of Chen Gong, the other party must have specifically looked at the codebook before leaving, so simpler information should still be able to be decoded.

"You sent a message to Chen Gongtai? That's rare. He actually answered your message." Li You looked at Zhuge Liang with a complicated expression. In his opinion, it was really quite absurd that Chen Gongtai would answer Zhuge Liang's message, after all, this person had really drifted further and further away because of Cao Cao.

"Last night's opportunity could change the situation of the Bingzhou faction. The message I sent to Gongtai was that the Grand Commandant has stepped onto the Jade Steps, and the Bingzhou faction still has a chance. Come quickly," Zhuge Liang said calmly.

Chen Gong received the order and would definitely come. After all, Chen Gong was a reasonable man and would never abandon the Bingzhou faction, just as he would never abandon Cao Cao.

Compared to the contingency plans Chen Gong left for the Bingzhou faction when he left, Chen Gong would not miss this unexpected opportunity that could completely change the landscape of the Bingzhou faction, once he learned of it.

Conversely, this is an opportunity for the people of Xuzhou. As long as Chen Gong deals with the affairs of the Bingzhou faction, the opportunity for the people of Xuzhou will come. The information blockade of the border is an unsolvable problem for Zhuge Liang, and even more so for veterans.

But if Chen Gong were brought out, and Zhuge Liang were given his final position, then the old soldiers of Xuzhou would eventually be able to dig up Cao Cao sooner or later.

Unfortunately, Chen Gong did not respond. Zhuge Liang waited until Zhou Yu appeared before finally confirming that his message had been blocked.

I saw something cool, it's quite interesting.