Jia Xu's words made Chen Xi realize that the problem might not just be about the Divine Stone but also about the "Child of Destiny." Wang Mang was clearly a time traveler, yet even with his grasp on power, he was ultimately defeated by the Child of Destiny...
Cough cough, this wasn't good news. If there really was such a thing as inevitable causal correction, it would be troublesome. Although the world could still be unified, the difficulty would escalate from hard mode, skip over hell and nightmare modes, and go straight to war god level. Inevitable causal correction!
Chen Xi rubbed his temples as he thought about this.
Chen Xi was speechless as he pondered.
Chen Xi frowned and contemplated deeply.
He thought about many things, but in the end, he had to stop his thoughts. There wasn't much information on this subject, and there were few examples to draw from. Relying solely on speculation was too uncertain.
Chen Xi estimated that if he hadn't hit a nerve yet, there were still many ways to maneuver.
Chen Xi's expression improved significantly.
"Zichuan, why did you seem so uneasy just now, almost distracted?" Jia Xu asked, puzzled. "Isn't it just another Divine Stone? As the strength of the generals increases, so does ours, right?"
"It's nothing, just some thoughts," Chen Xi replied, his eyes showing a trace of helplessness. Some things could only be carried by oneself. Even if many minds were better than one, Chen Xi knew it was best not to share these matters with others. If he told Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei that all their efforts were predestined by fate, even the most resilient person might feel a sense of defeat.
"Fighting against the heavens is truly exhilarating," Chen Xi muttered with a faint, unfathomable smile. At this point, what more could be said? Liu Bei's ideals intertwined with his own—they were comrades in the truest sense. There was no turning back. This world must be unified under Liu Bei!
Jia Xu looked at Chen Xi in confusion. What was this all about? He had just made such a cryptic statement out of nowhere.
"Wenhe, don't worry about it," Chen Xi said, opening his fan to hide his expression with a light chuckle. "Just some old memories. We'll need your strength more than ever. We must unite and challenge the warlords of this land, making them submit to our overwhelming power!"
"Alright..." Jia Xu responded weakly, seeing the fervor in Chen Xi's eyes. He muttered to himself, "It seems Zichuan and the Lord enter a fervent phase every now and then..."
Jia Xu didn't know the term "chuunibyou," or he might have realized that Chen Xi was perfectly embodying the concept right now.
Chen Xi, whose hearing was quite sharp at times, heard Jia Xu's muttering word for word, which made him a bit embarrassed. Annoyed, he swung his folding fan at Jia Xu.
"Hehehe~" Jia Xu chuckled darkly, blocking Chen Xi's fan with his own, then countering with a strike of his own. The two of them ended up playfully dueling with their fans inside the carriage.
Two days after Liu Bei received the intelligence about the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans, Yuan Shao's side also received the same information.
"Those Qingzhou Yellow Turbans really go big, don't they? Another million-strong army! And under the leadership of a Yellow Turban commander!" Yuan Shao laughed heartily. He had been looking for a way to trouble Liu Bei, and now, it seemed, fate had handed him an opportunity.
"My Lord, we can use Guan Hai to stall Liu Xuande. If the million Yellow Turbans stay united and make random attacks, Liu Xuande will find it difficult to incorporate Qingzhou," Xu You immediately stepped forward, bowing to Yuan Shao.
"Zi Yuan is right," Shen Pei said, glancing at Xu You. Although their political views often clashed, the Yuan Shao faction was still united at this point, and they hadn't started sabotaging each other. "The Qingzhou Yellow Turbans lack food, but we in Jizhou do not. We can use grain to manipulate them."
"Guan Hai is not one of Liu Xuande's subordinates. He surrounded Beihai because of a lack of food. So, using grain to influence them is the wisest course of action. We can also grant the Yellow Turban commanders titles, appointing them as prefects of various counties in Qingzhou," Ju Shou added.
"Since you all agree, then let's contact the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans. Tell Guan Hai that if he can hold out until June, I, Yuan Benchu, will grant him one million shi of grain. We can give him one-tenth of that now as a gesture of good faith. Additionally, I will petition for him to be appointed Governor of Qingzhou, with full control over its affairs," Yuan Shao decided after a brief consideration. Ever since the rise of the Taishan Chamber of Commerce, the concept of a deposit had become widespread.
Yuan Shao, with his abundant resources, didn't care about giving away a hundred thousand shi of grain. To show his sincerity, he even ordered Meng Dai to lead a thousand soldiers to escort the grain to Beihai in Qingzhou.
Sometimes, a person's ambition determines their altitude. Regardless of the outcome, Yuan Shao was determined to deliver the grain to Guan Hai. After all, according to Yuan Shao's intelligence, Guan Hai was bound to clash with Liu Bei. Even if they didn't cooperate, Yuan Shao was happy to cause trouble for Liu Bei.