Chapter 41 The Initial Wish

Engaging in an economic battle with a group of renowned ministers from the Han Dynasty who understood nothing of economic circulation, Chen Xi was confident he could turn them all into his stepping stones. In this era, virtually no one understood the absolute necessity and destructive potential of commerce.

Therefore, Chen Xi was confident that as long as nothing unexpected happened, with his help in gathering famous generals and ministers, followed by the gradual infiltration of his own ideology, economic development, and patient accumulation of strength, he might accumulate enough power to squeeze all the other warlords to death before they even rose to prominence.

From the very beginning, Chen Xi had positioned himself clearly. He would not go to the battlefield; his strategic planning was purely armchair theorizing. Relying on historical knowledge to act as a mediocre staff officer might be fine, but if he were actually sent to the battlefield, he might not even be as capable as Zhao Kuo.

Chen Xi positioned himself as logistical support, willing to be a harmless strategist like Zhang Liang. Unfortunately, lacking the ability to secure victory from a thousand miles away, he could only gaze respectfully at Xiao He from afar, hoping to align himself with such a logistical master.

Meeting Chen Xi's sincere gaze, Liu Bei hesitated. In his view, this was a test from Chen Xi. Since ancient times, lords chose their ministers, and ministers also chose their lords. Didn't Li Si travel from the state of Chu to the state of Qin precisely because he favored the King of Qin over the King of Chu?

Naturally, Liu Bei considered this question of utmost importance. After Chen Xi appeared, his life had become much easier, and many things had changed. The Coalition against Dong卓, which was originally supposed to be just a minor background event for him, was forcefully turned by Chen Xi into a main stage. Coupled with the strategic foresight Chen Xi had previously displayed, Liu Bei knew that if he missed this opportunity, he might never find its like again.

[Did he intentionally explain his plans to me bit by bit beforehand just to make me consider this carefully? Is my ambition to restore the Han Dynasty? I have told Chen Xi that many times, so why is he asking again? Is he dissatisfied with this ambition? Why am I starting to doubt my own ambition as well?] Liu Bei thought silently, saying nothing aloud. He was pondering his original aspiration. Having repeated a certain phrase too many times, he had almost forgotten what his initial dream truly was.

[When I become the Son of Heaven, I shall ride in such a canopy chariot.] Liu Bei remembered his earliest, most primal desire. Pointing into the distance at that towering tree, the words he had spoken back then—his initial wish was simply to be the Son of Heaven!

Liu Bei laughed aloud, laughing unrestrainedly without regard for his status, paying no heed to Chen Xi standing right beside him. He laughed wildly until finally stopping, looking at Chen Xi, and saying, "I, Liu Bei, am loyal to the Han Dynasty, and I am resolved to restore the Han Dynasty. However, if the Han House can be aided, aid it; if not, replace it! I am of the imperial bloodline of Han, and possessing this lineage, I must lead by example. The glory of the Han Dynasty allows for no defilement, and anyone who dares to lay hands upon it is my mortal enemy!"

Chen Xi was momentarily stunned. Liu Bei had unexpectedly spoken not merely of restoring the Han Dynasty, but of loyalty to the Han, yet without concealing his own imperial ambition. Indeed, possessing that bloodline meant bearing that responsibility. For the first time, Chen Xi felt in Liu Bei that flickering, elusive royal aura of dominance that he had once sensed in Yuan Shao.

Liu Bei's gaze made Chen Xi feel somewhat overwhelmed. Scratching his forehead helplessly, Chen Xi said, "I suppose I'll just follow your lead for now, Xuanande. At least for the present, I see no one more suitable than you."

Liu Bei felt a trace of disappointment, which was quickly replaced by a profound sense of relief. At least Chen Xi hadn't left, right? Furthermore, Chen Xi had explicitly stated there was no other suitable candidate—only Liu Bei fit the bill. One had to remember that this was an alliance of warlords, and virtually every famous and influential figure in the world was gathered here, all save for the members of the imperial clan. Among so many people, the fact that he, Liu Bei, was deemed the most suitable was proof enough of his own capability.

"Since that is the case, Zichuan, you must not slack off!" Liu Bei said with a smile, a radiant and unbridled arrogance emanating from him. A massive transformation had occurred—a difference as vast as heaven and earth compared to the Liu Bei Chen Xi had first encountered in Gongsun Zan's camp.

"Even if I were to slack off, no one in this world would ever notice," Chen Xi laughed heartily. The confidence radiating from him astonished Liu Bei immensely; he had always thought of Chen Xi as modest and steady, never expecting him to show such a flamboyant side.

"With Zichuan's words, I can finally rest easy!" Liu Bei said with a smile. "Come, let's go take command of our Xiliang elites!"

Meanwhile, Cao Cao was fleeing for his life. First, his troops were ambushed by Lü Bu while stopping to cook meals, nearly causing his entire army to collapse. Had Cao Cao not possessed formidable capability, his forces would likely have been completely shattered by Lü Bu's Xiliang iron cavalry. Even so, Lü Bu pursued them relentlessly, biting at their heels. Ultimately, the Xiahou brothers had no choice but to fight to the death to stall Lü Bu, buying Cao Cao a sliver of breathing room.

Fighting and retreating, the Xiahou brothers managed to hold off Lü Bu for mere minutes before being beaten half to death. They finally understood just how monstrous Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and that fellow named Zhao Yun truly were—facing Lü Bu was simply not a task for ordinary mortals!

Cao Hong led a hundred or so surviving soldiers to escort Cao Cao as they fled toward Xingyang. There was no other choice; they had run out of paths and could only run wherever their feet took them!

"Eldest Brother, flee quickly!" Seeing Lü Bu's distinctive feathered helmet appear on the horizon, Cao Hong hesitated no longer. He wheeled his horse around and charged back into the fray. He could afford to die, but Cao Cao could not—that was his unwavering conviction!

Watching Cao Hong get unhorsed after barely twenty exchanges of blows, Cao Cao felt a wave of despair. "To die before one's grand enterprise has even begun" was precisely the phrase for such a plight.

However, Lü Bu was currently preoccupied with the contents of that letter. After all, everything predicted in it had proven correct so far, and the letter had warned that the coalition might launch multiple waves of pursuit. The mere thought of this made Lü Bu shudder; normally, after beating back the first wave of pursuit, all soldiers would naturally let down their guard. If another wave of pursuit struck then, total annihilation was a distinct possibility. Thus, Lü Bu remained extremely cautious.

Seeing only a lone Cao Cao fleeing ahead, Lü Bu pursued him relentlessly, eager to claim a major military achievement, completely failing to notice that he had become detached from his main army.

[Kill Cao Cao, and regardless of whether an ambush comes, turn back immediately! That letter cannot be ignored!] Lü Bu felt that his fellow townsman was quite reliable after all, and moreover, the advice was undeniably meant for his own good.

"Rebel Cao, prepare to meet your end!" Lü Bu laughed wildly, digging his heels into Red Hare's flanks and surging toward Cao Cao, intent on finishing him off in a single stroke.

At that very moment, a distant shout rang out: "Lü Bu, prepare to die!"

Lü Bu squinted through the dust and saw Guan Yu. Glancing back at Cao Cao, he realized he could catch him in at most a minute.

"Lü Bu, prepare to die!" Another shout echoed. Lü Bu looked again and spotted Zhang Fei. He hesitated briefly, choosing to continue his pursuit of Cao Cao. He reckoned that killing Cao Cao would take only a single clash; once Cao Cao was dead, he could simply wheel Red Hare around and leave these two fellows eating dust. Yet, why did a faint prickle of danger begin to whisper in the back of his mind?

Lü Bu glanced sideways toward the flank and immediately let out a furious curse. Zhao Yun was already closing in fast. Most outrageously, this fellow hadn't shouted a warning at all, but was moving directly to cut off his retreat.

He hesitated no longer. The letter given to him by his townsman had made it crystal clear: if he became bogged down here, he might very well lose his life. Guan, Zhang, and Zhao might have some difficulty slaying him while he was still recovering from his previous injuries, but stalling him—stalling him until the coalition's powerhouses arrived—was absolute child's play!