To be enfeoffed as Guandu Marquis, with a fiefdom in Guandu, and to be the foremost Marquis of Distinction!
What kind of honor was this?
Was this something that could be so easily promised to someone?
One must know… Zhang Liang's Marquis of Liu, Xiao He's Marquis of Zan, and Han Xin's Huaiyin Marquis were all merely Marquises of Distinction. Now, to say that Chen Cheng, or rather, "Xi's" Guandu Marquis, was the foremost Marquis of Distinction…
Was this not a bit too much?
Chen Cheng's heart skipped a beat, then he quickly reacted, his expression utterly sincere.
"Your Majesty, Xi's humble achievements are but trifles; how can I be the foremost Marquis of Distinction?"
"Please, Your Majesty, withdraw your command."
He spoke with great sincerity and genuine feeling: "Under Your Majesty's command, whether it be the two Chancellors, or the various strategists, or the Great General Han Xin who is currently away, their merits all far surpass mine."
"If I were to be enfeoffed as the foremost Marquis of Distinction, I fear it would not convince the masses."
Liu Bang, however, did not think so. He merely laughed heartily, then took Chen Cheng's hand and said: "Since ancient times, no merit is greater than saving the emperor. You rescued this King from the brink of death; how could you not bear the position of the foremost Marquis of Distinction?"
He said in an unrefusable tone: "It is settled then."
"From now on, you are the Guandu Marquis!"
Chen Cheng declined repeatedly, but failed to succeed, and could only accept it.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of Chen Xi": "Xi, a native of Chen, was originally a descendant of Zhongshan Fu. His ancestor was enfeoffed in Chen for his merits, hence adopting Chen as his surname. Xi was originally a low-ranking soldier under Emperor Gaozu. At that time, Emperor Gaozu was the King of Han, pursuing Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu fled, and his whereabouts were unknown, so Emperor Gaozu said: 'Whoever can find the Chu King's whereabouts shall be granted a thousand piculs of grain and enfeoffed as Marquis within the Passes.' At that time, Xi stepped forward and said: 'The King of Chu will surely flee to Wu River.'"
"Emperor Gaozu pursued him accordingly, and indeed found him."
"At that time, Huaiyin Marquis Xin attacked Qi and was separated from Emperor Gaozu."
"Emperor Gaozu pursued Yu to Yingyang, where he was trapped. Yu cornered Emperor Gaozu, intending to kill him."
"At that time, Emperor Gaozu had no great generals under his command. Seeing Xi, he was greatly pleased and said: 'Chen Qing, save me! Without Chen Qing's actions, I would surely die!'"
"Xi accepted the perilous command, leading Emperor Gaozu's troops to resist Yu for over two fortnights."
"His foresight and strategy diverted Yu's great generals, cut off Yu's grain supplies, and severely demoralized Yu's soldiers."
"Yu desired to fight to the death."
"At that time, great fires and floods erupted, as if by divine power, burying Yu's army."
"At this juncture, Xi wielded his halberd and fought Yu, saying: 'Villain, prepare to die!' Yu was greatly startled by these words, suffered eighteen blows, and fled in all directions."
"Emperor Gaozu saw this and said: 'This is a fierce general, a blessing to my command.'"
"Afterward, he saw Xi and said: 'Your ferocity as a general is praised by many as kingly. How can I only appoint you as a commandant under my command? It is all my fault.' He further said: 'Since ancient times, no merit is greater than saving the emperor. Your merit in saving the emperor should be that of the foremost Marquis of Distinction.'"
"Therefore, Xi was enfeoffed as Guandu Marquis, with a fiefdom in Guandu, and ranked as the foremost Marquis of Distinction."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The fourth year of the King of Han.
Autumn.
When Han Xin arrived at Yingyang on horseback, he did not see the scene he had imagined; the King of Han, Liu Bang, was not only not besieged, but appeared quite carefree and at ease?
What was going on?
In his confusion, Han Xin sent people to inquire everywhere and finally learned the answer. And upon learning this answer, Han Xin not only did not abandon his desire to be enfeoffed as the Acting King of Qi, but this desire grew even stronger.
Previously, he was irreplaceable, so even if Liu Bang would not enfeoff him as the Acting King of Qi, he was not worried, because there was no one under the King of Han who could replace him.
But now…
Han Xin's heart was filled with worry. With this person named "Chen Xi" present, was he still unique and indispensable? This might be a problem.
Thinking this way, Han Xin finally made up his mind.
If he could not be enfeoffed as the Acting King of Qi this time, he would accept Xiang Yu's proposal and declare himself king?!
.... ....
In the main tent
Upon hearing of Han Xin's arrival, Liu Bang's eyes showed not surprise, but rather utter astonishment.
When he was previously besieged, he naturally hoped Han Xin would come and rescue him. But now that he had already been rescued, Han Xin's arrival… what use was it now?
Moreover, he vaguely had a premonition.
Perhaps this time, Han Xin's intentions were not good.
He slowly sighed, looked at Zhang Liang, Chen Ping, and his newly beloved general Chen Xi beside him, and said with some worry: "Zifang, Le Zhi, I fear this time, Han Xin's intentions are not good."
Zhang Liang looked at Liu Bang, doing his best to comfort this king, but his tone also carried some worry.
Now that Xiang Yu had been utterly defeated by their hands, and Han Xin's army was growing stronger day by day, if they could not appease Han Xin in this situation, problems might arise.
The world was about to be unified; no one wanted trouble at this time!
Chen Cheng, meanwhile, lowered his head, pondering the purpose of Han Xin's visit this time.
Should he take a gamble?
In Liu Bang's mind, he was probably a brave but reckless person; otherwise, he wouldn't have seemingly asked this question to three people just now, but in reality, sought the opinions of Zhang Liang and Chen Ping.
But would such a person still be useful after the founding of the dynasty?
Just as the saying goes, "Peace is made by generals, but generals are not allowed to enjoy peace."
He did not want to become the "dog" that was cooked or the "bow" that was hidden away after peace was achieved. To achieve this, he had to complete a transformation of his identity before Liu Bang consolidated his rule.
From a brave but reckless general, he needed to become an all-rounder with both courage and strategy, capable of killing enemies on horseback and bringing peace to the nation off horseback. Only such a person could truly be heavily relied upon.
After this deliberation, Chen Cheng merely raised his head, smiled, and looked at Liu Bang, saying: "Your Majesty need not worry. In my opinion, the Great General's visit this time likely has three purposes."
Three purposes?
Chen Cheng's opening words immediately piqued the curiosity of Liu Bang, Zhang Liang, and Chen Ping. They looked at this fierce man who had previously fought Xiang Yu back and forth on the battlefield.
Did this man also possess such wisdom?
Liu Bang felt a surge of curiosity, then asked: "Three purposes? Le Zhi, what do you think Han Xin's purpose is in coming this time?"
Seeing that he had attracted the attention of the three, Chen Cheng immediately let out a hearty laugh.
"In Xi's opinion, the Great General's purposes should be three."
"Firstly, to rescue Your Majesty from peril. This is also the most important reason, and only this reason could make the Great General travel a thousand li."
Chen Cheng's words were very firm. He first affirmed Han Xin's purpose in coming, to appease Liu Bang's inner feelings.
Then he said: "Secondly, it is to test Your Majesty."
Chen Cheng sighed, directly revealing what no one had dared to mention before, and then spoke.
"Previously, during the great battle with the King of Chu, the King of Chu once said that he was willing to divide the land with me along the river and share the world. I imagine that if he could say this to me, he would certainly tempt the Great General in the same way."
He looked at Liu Bang and said: "I refused at the time and was greatly angered, which is why I later engaged in battle with Xiang Yu again."
Chen Cheng did not conceal this matter, because Liu Bang must have seen it. At most, he just didn't know the specific details of what Xiang Yu and he discussed, but he must have guessed about the temptation. In this situation, Liu Bang should not be allowed to continue guessing; instead, he should be told the truth.
Because, if Liu Bang were allowed to continue guessing in his mind without knowing the truth, he would undoubtedly grow increasingly suspicious of "Xi," eventually leading to murderous intent towards "Xi" in the future.
Chen Cheng could not be sure how long he could "descend" as Xi, so naturally, he could not leave such a huge hidden bomb for Xi.
Therefore, at this moment, before the event occurred and suspicion arose, the suspicion should be nipped in the bud!
Being careful and cautious leads to no major mistakes; this saying is definitely not wrong.
Indeed, after Liu Bang heard Chen Cheng's explanation, the tension and worry that had lingered in his eyes for many days slowly disappeared, and he said with a smile: "That Xiang Yu is indeed capable of such things."
He said as if casually: "That day, he made a pact with everyone that whoever entered Xianyang first would be king, but in the end, he enfeoffed me in Bashu and other places."
Liu Bang shook his head and sighed: "It shows that Xiang Yu is always untrustworthy!"
His words did not say anything else, but they conveyed all the meaning.
Chen Cheng merely smiled and met Liu Bang's gaze, his eyes clear and pure: "I also believe that Xiang Yu is untrustworthy, and his words cannot be believed at all."
"So I refused him at the time."
"And the Great General must also think the same way."
"But he is also concerned about his own safety, so he wants to test Your Majesty."
"Therefore, the Great General will surely propose to be enfeoffed as the 'Acting King of Qi'!"
Chen Cheng's words were decisive and full of confidence, leaving Han Xin, Chen Ping, and Liu Bang greatly perplexed.
Liu Bang was even more astonished: "Enfeoffed as the Acting King of Qi? How can there be an 'acting' king? Is Han Xin truly going to divide the land and declare himself king?"
Chen Cheng, however, comforted Liu Bang, saying: "Your Majesty need not worry; the Great General most likely has no such intention."
"This is related to his third purpose."
"After the state of Qi was conquered, its people need governance, but the Great General lacks sufficient legitimacy to govern. Coupled with his desire to test Your Majesty, he will express such an idea."
He wore a composed smile: "Your Majesty can rest assured."
Liu Bang, listening to Chen Cheng's words, sighed somewhat, his face filled with helplessness and sorrow.
He looked at the three and said: "Then… what should be done?"
"Are we really to enfeoff him as an Acting King of Qi?"
Zhang Liang and Chen Ping frowned in thought, while Chen Cheng, at this moment, had no need to think, for he already possessed the correct answer verified by history.
So he looked at Liu Bang and said: "Your Majesty, at this moment, you should not agree to his words, but rather, before he speaks, you should enfeoff him as the King of Qi!"
He looked at Liu Bang, who was greatly astonished but remained rational and still listening to him, and smiled mysteriously.
"If you enfeoff him as the King of Qi, it is your grace towards him. But if he speaks first, and then you enfeoff him as the King of Qi, then this is no longer grace, but him using his merits to defy his superior!"
Chen Cheng looked at Liu Bang and said meaningfully: "The implications contained within are completely different!"
Liu Bang looked at Chen Cheng and asked again: "Then why enfeoff him as the King of Qi? And not as the Acting King of Qi, as he previously anticipated?"
Chen Cheng shook his head slightly: "Your Majesty, if you enfeoff him as the Acting King of Qi, will you grant him the authority to govern the land of Qi?"
Liu Bang nodded: "Naturally, I will."
After saying this, Liu Bang suddenly understood: "So, rather than giving him a nominal Acting King of Qi but granting him the power of a true King of Qi, it's better to just give him the title as well."
"This way, his ambition will be greatly satisfied."
Chen Cheng nodded: "His original expectation was only to be enfeoffed as the Acting King of Qi, and he was already trembling with fear. But you, without waiting for his plea, not only gave him a noble title but also the position of a true King of Qi. His heart will naturally be overwhelmed by this heaven-sent fortune."
"This will appease the Great General."
He said with a slight smile in his brows: "The Great General's loyalty to you will naturally grow even stronger."
Liu Bang was overjoyed upon hearing this, then took Chen Cheng's hands, and said with emotion in his voice: "Having Le Zhi is like Duke Huan of Qi having Guan Zhong in those days!"
He even held Chen Cheng with one hand and Zhang Liang with the other: "With Zifang and Le Zhi here, how can a great undertaking not be accomplished?"
.... .....
The fourth year of the King of Han, autumn.
Han Xin entered the grand tent with trepidation. Before he could even greet or speak, he saw the King of Han walk over with a hearty laugh, taking his hand and speaking affectionately.
"Chongyan! You are finally here!"
"If it weren't for you, this lonely one truly wouldn't know what to do!"
Liu Bang held Han Xin's hand, as if he hadn't been the one worried earlier, and spoke directly, his words astonishing Han Xin.
"Chongyan's merit in saving the emperor, combined with conquering the land of Qi, is truly a monumental achievement."
"Just now, Le Zhi and Zifang also advised me that I must enfeoff Chongyan."
Liu Bang had a trusting smile in his brows. He looked into Han Xin's eyes and said, word by word: "This lonely one intends to enfeoff Chongyan as the King of Qi! The fiefdom will be in Qi, which will be convenient for your governance."
"What does Chongyan think?"
Enfeoffed as the King of Qi?!
Han Xin was instantly stunned by this news. He sat there, dazed and speechless, not knowing what to say.
He had previously mustered his courage, and with the potential merit of saving the emperor, he had only thought of asking for an Acting King of Qi. But… now that he hadn't even saved the emperor, why was the King of Han promising him the position of King of Qi?
His mind was in a complete mess.
Chen Cheng, Zhang Liang, and the others exchanged glances, then all saw the smile in each other's eyes.
The two stepped forward and said with a smile: "The Great General is astonished by this immense good news; why do you not quickly thank His Majesty for his grace?"
Han Xin immediately bowed and saluted: "I… Xin, thank Your Majesty for his grace!"
.... .....
"Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of Huaiyin Marquis": "In the fourth year of the King of Han, Emperor Gaozu was trapped in Yingyang. Xin rushed to his aid. Upon arrival, the peril had already been resolved. Nevertheless, Emperor Gaozu was greatly pleased to see Xin and said: 'Your merit, my lord, is great, and you shall be enfeoffed as the King of Qi!' Xin was astonished upon hearing this, and bowed in thanks."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
When he felt the softness beneath him again and opened his eyes, Chen Cheng had already grown accustomed to this "body" switching. He simply sat up and rubbed his eyes.
Then he immediately opened his phone and searched for the name "Chen Xi."
Sure enough, what popped up was precisely the name "Guandu Marquis" Chen Xi!
A smile spread across his lips.
The history he had changed had indeed become real!
Only…
He frowned slightly. The merits written in the material were not many, and after the founding of the dynasty, the person Chen Xi no longer existed, let alone establishing a large family.
Chen Cheng stroked his chin: "It must be that the time of descent was too short, so after I left, the ancestor didn't even realize the need to establish a family."
"It seems that next time, I need to be prepared and strive to simulate until the ancestor's death!"