Three Kingdoms, Myth

As Chen Xi spoke, it was as if a golden light appeared behind him, radiating the glory of a sage. Liu Bei stood beside him, nodding continuously.

"Lord Liu, the ancient sages pursued nothing more than ensuring the people's basic needs were met. But should we be satisfied with just that?" Chen Xi asked calmly. He had already succeeded in convincing Liu Bei; all he needed to do was continue along this line of reasoning, and success was inevitable. Liu Bei was already beginning to agree with him.

"Do you remember your oath?" Chen Xi's eyes gleamed as he looked at Liu Bei. This was the most important part. "Meeting the people's basic needs may be difficult, but allow me to boast a little—if that were all we aimed for, I could barely manage it. But should we stop there? Shouldn't we aim higher? We may not be able to provide every person with a mansion like that, but we should strive to fulfill their aspirations. We need to broaden their horizons and give them greater ambitions!"

Liu Bei nodded repeatedly. He had seen the suffering of the people during his years wandering the borders, traveling through various regions, and witnessing the famine and devastation. He had believed that ensuring basic needs were met was already a monumental task. But after meeting Chen Xi and coming to Fenggao, Liu Bei now dared to claim that he could ensure his people were fed.

This was why Chen Xi wasn't worried when Xu Chu followed him around and Liu Bei was left without a bodyguard—because this was Tai Shan, the capital of Fenggao. As long as Liu Bei revealed his identity in this land of honor and filial piety, many people would be willing to die for him.

Anyone who even dared to suggest assassinating Liu Bei would immediately find themselves swarmed by citizens ready to fight to the death. Liu Bei was known as "Ren De" (the Benevolent) not just because of Liu Yan's praise, but because he had indeed done real deeds that the people acknowledged. Benevolence couldn't be earned through empty words alone.

Liu Bei had saved people on the brink of starvation, provided them with homes, and ensured they had money in their pockets. This kind of kindness was enough to be remembered for generations. Well, maybe not generations, but certainly within five.

"Lord Liu, the common people's horizons are very limited. They can only see their own small plot of land and are blind to the broader picture. You have already given them a life that surpasses their wildest dreams. But for you, is that enough?" Chen Xi asked.

Liu Bei thought about how he was now a lord compared to when he was making straw sandals to make ends meet. He shook his head. Back then, he had to count his coins before buying a drink, but now he cooked meat in bronze cauldrons. The difference was too vast to compare.

"What was your wish in those days?" Chen Xi asked, noticing Liu Bei shaking his head.

"To be free from worry, to have wine and meat," Liu Bei laughed. Now that he had achieved that goal, looking back at his past dreams seemed rather endearing, but also insignificant.

"Zi Chuan, I understand. What you're saying is that we shouldn't be content with just providing for the people's immediate needs. Now that we've achieved that, if we have the means, we should aim even higher. Just like the mansion you built for me—it's not just a residence, but a goal, a vision of the life that all people could one day enjoy!" Liu Bei's face shone with understanding, and he didn't need Chen Xi to say more—he had already filled in the rest.

Li You struggled to swallow a piece of meat as Liu Bei's glowing enthusiasm struck him as both amusing and awe-inspiring. He glanced at Chen Xi and realized that Liu Bei had been thoroughly convinced, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Liu Bei, "Chen Xi is just playing you."

Li You raised his cup and toasted Liu Bei, then downed his drink. He finally understood why Liu Bei's charisma was so compelling. Liu Bei's sincerity was almost naïve, but it was incredibly genuine.

"Exactly!" Chen Xi said, pretending to be moved by Liu Bei's passion. What he was really thinking, though, was anyone's guess. Chen Xi wasn't one to be easily swayed by emotion.

"From now on, I'll call my residence the Hall of Self-Discipline! I, Liu Xuande, am not yet worthy to live there, but since I do, I will strive to become worthy!" Liu Bei declared fervently, entering another phase of kingly grandeur. Unfortunately, neither of the two men beside him seemed to share in his enthusiasm.

"Yes, Lord Liu, work hard. I, too, will continue striving in that direction. Our goals are indeed lofty!" Chen Xi replied with a solemn expression. Now that Liu Bei was fully on board, it was crucial to keep him immersed in his vision and not let him realize what had really happened.

Liu Bei stood by the window, holding his cup as he gazed down at the bustling crowd below. Turning back to the others, he said, "We are still far from achieving our goals. Even in this prosperous Fenggao, there are still too many vagrants and beggars. Zi Chuan, let's start with the smallest tasks—let's ensure that the people have their basic needs met first!"

"No problem. I've already started addressing those issues. It seems Lord Liu has been paying attention to the problems in our territory. In fact, if you have the time, you should ask the common people about their experiences during your visits, rather than relying on your own observations. Their feelings are what we need to understand because, from our perspective, it's hard to grasp the details that matter to them."

Chen Xi smiled as he spoke. The fact that Liu Bei had noticed these problems meant that Li You had indeed been subtly guiding him in matters of governance.

"That makes sense. When I think about it, the way I view things now is very different from when I was a commoner in Zhuo County," Liu Bei nodded in agreement. "I will make sure to keep that in mind. But what do you mean by saying you've already started addressing these issues?"

"I've already begun working on these problems. Everything progresses step by step. Now it's time to start finding homes for these people. The issues we've discussed, like the academy, child education, military retirement, and welfare, have all been added to the agenda," Chen Xi explained, half-explaining and half-boasting. Liu Bei seemed to realize that even his seemingly prosperous and peaceful domain had plenty of issues.

"...Why was I unaware that there were so many problems in my domain?" Liu Bei was stunned. In his memory, his domain was among the best governed of all the lords. When did so many problems arise?

"These problems have always existed, but it's a matter of priorities. While they don't need immediate attention, they could lead to issues later on, so I'm systematically removing those hidden dangers," Chen Xi replied, completely unfazed by Liu Bei's bewilderment. He knew that Liu Bei would quickly forget about such issues if they weren't brought to his attention directly.