Despite everything, Fa Zheng's passionate words reignited the resolve of those present. They were all determined not to let the lofty ambitions of the noble families crush their own pursuits.
"For the sake of our descendants, for the common people, let us nail them to the pillar of shame!" Liu Ye stood up and shouted.
"Let's nail them to the pillar of shame!" Everyone present stood up and echoed his words. The fervor of youth is not easily extinguished, especially when surrounded by like-minded friends.
"I really want to go head-to-head with those top strategists from the ancient noble families. Let's see how much their thousand years of heritage surpasses mine!" Jia Xu opened his intricately carved black fan with a chilling smile as he looked at everyone. "Our lord's path is aligned with Wenru's oath, and he shares the same purpose as all of us!"
Chen Xi had been most concerned that Jia Xu might be reluctant to confront the top noble families, but he hadn't expected Jia Xu to express his opinion so resolutely.
Perhaps because everyone was watching him, Jia Xu smiled and said, "I am best at preserving myself, but I'm living well here. Leaving would mean finding a new lord, and that's not easy. If I can't integrate into the noble families' circle, I'll never gain their recognition. So why should I humble myself? We may not lose!"
"Oh, Wenhe is very confident! We definitely won't lose to those people!" Chen Xi stood up solemnly. "Everyone, no matter what happens, trust that I will provide you with a stable rear base! Qingzhou will be the starting point of Lord Xuande's grand enterprise!"
"I'm also quite adept at military strategy," Lu Su said with a smile. "I want to see how these so-called noble strategists measure up against me. The road ahead is tough, but I'll endure it with you!"
"The road to kingship is never smooth!" Fa Zheng said excitedly. "I'll take care of my peers!"
Everyone present had their eyes burning with determination. Each of them had their pride, and once they spoke up, they would push forward with all their might.
On the other side, Li You didn't care about what had happened today. After the Battle of Hulao Pass, he understood that as long as the lord remains unwavering, the final contest will be one of strength. Liu Bei's resilience gave him confidence—if he's not afraid of death, why not fight for his ideals? Besides, they might not lose. Who's afraid of whom?
"Lord Xuande, three emissaries from Cao Cao—Xi Zhicai, Chen Changwen, and Sima Boda—have entered Fenggao. Among them, Xi Zhicai and Chen Changwen are renowned strategists. As for Sima Boda, he is the eldest son of the Sima family from Henei," Li You briefed Liu Bei on the unusual situation.
"I can understand why Chen Changwen is here, but Xi Zhicai is one of Cao Mengde's earliest and most important strategists. Why is he here…?" Liu Bei pondered for a moment before speaking. He had heard of the Sima family but wasn't familiar with them.
"I've already sent people to keep an eye on Xi Zhicai, but it's unlikely we'll gather much intelligence. Based on the information we have, that burly man is most likely Cao Cao's personal bodyguard, Dian Wei. This high-profile move could be both an attempt to spy on our military and a way to conceal their true strategic intentions," Li You calmly explained the situation to Liu Bei.
"No way to gather relevant intelligence?" Liu Bei frowned. "Have our spies in Yanzhou obtained any information?"
"No, most of our spies are too low-level to access such information. Even if we had higher-level spies, they wouldn't have the qualifications to get close to this kind of intelligence," Li You shook his head.
"I suggest we stick to our original plan and try to extract information from Xi Zhicai. He's already met with Ju Gongyu, and while they are still allies, they might exchange some information. If so, Xi Zhicai might form a biased opinion, which could work in our favor for deeper interactions," Li You continued, persuading Liu Bei to put on an act.
After pondering for a moment, Liu Bei agreed to Li You's suggestion. He remained wary of Cao Cao, and understanding his strategic intentions was crucial. Among all the warlords, only Cao Cao and Yuan Shao posed a significant threat. Between them, Liu Bei found Cao Cao even more dangerous due to his unpredictability.
Liu Bei had become more composed over time, treating these acts as a way to break the monotony. Occasionally playing a role didn't bother him. He even wondered if anyone really believed that he could switch between being a wise leader and a man driven by lust.
Meanwhile, Xi Zhicai and Ju Shou were casually chatting. Xi Zhicai knew Ju Shou's talent well—it was formidable if used correctly, but it could lead to his downfall if mishandled.
Ju Shou's talent allowed him to discern the course of grand strategies and amplify his side's advantages, but it also magnified weaknesses. This amplification was irreversible. Once Ju Shou started using his talent to understand the broader picture, the effects would manifest. Xi Zhicai also knew that Ju Shou always thought his talent was just about discerning the grand strategy...
This talent was a double-edged sword. If used well, it made the strong even stronger. If mishandled, it could give the enemy a chance to turn the tables.
The most challenging aspect of this talent was that it was difficult to control. Unforeseen circumstances could cause unexpected advantages or weaknesses to emerge. As someone like Xi Zhicai, who avoided using abilities that could lead to his downfall, he would only use such a risky talent as a last resort.
"If that's the case, we could benefit from this," Xi Zhicai said with a sinister smile to Ju Shou.
"Exactly!" Ju Shou laughed heartily as he stroked his beard. Although he had already assessed Liu Bei's situation, his cautious nature required another person to test the waters.
"It seems Liu Xuande has some similarities with Dong Zhuo after all. Is it really a matter of one's background?" Xi Zhicai remarked with a smile, his face showing that he noted Ju Shou's words, though his true thoughts were unclear.
"There is indeed a resemblance," Ju Shou laughed. "Won't you also pay him a visit?"
"Of course, but as they say, 'Seeing is believing,'" Xi Zhicai replied with a smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Ju Shou's assessment.
"Then I'll look forward to your insights," Ju Shou ignored the mockery in Xi Zhicai's words, remaining calm as he looked at his counterpart.
"Sure, sure," Xi Zhicai responded lightly. His true thoughts remained hidden, but it was clear that if he got the chance, he wouldn't hesitate to sabotage Ju Shou. After all, Yuan Shao, who controlled Jizhou and Bingzhou with ample supplies of food, horses, and soldiers, was a far greater threat than Liu Bei.