Three Kingdoms, Myth

Liu Bei was puzzled by the look Chen Xi gave him. In his view, everything was going smoothly, so why did Chen Xi suddenly appear so resentful?

Fortunately, Chen Xi understood that this wasn't the right time to discuss the matter. The military structure was something Chen Xi had devised, and only Liu Bei was aware of the details; the others had not been informed. Therefore, he couldn't say much and decided to explain it to Liu Bei in private later. What an unlucky situation.

"Since everyone agrees with the retirement system, please ensure that the retired soldiers are sent to Fenggao by the end of the first November, before the Jingling Temple ceremony," Chen Xi's resentment quickly vanished as he resumed his composed demeanor in front of Liu Bei, ensuring no one noticed his brief lapse.

"Understood!" The generals stood up and responded. This decision was ultimately beneficial for them. Although they would lose some veteran soldiers in the short term, in the long run, it would expand their strength.

"Bo Ning, the retired soldiers will be handed over to you for reorganization. Additionally, you'll be responsible for selecting the city's management and patrol teams," Liu Bei instructed Man Chong, knowing that Chen Xi had already briefed him on these matters. Otherwise, Liu Bei would have likely overlooked many details.

"Understood!" Man Chong stood up and responded.

"Gong You, the road construction in the Qingzhou and Taishan areas will be your responsibility. You must complete the roads leading to Fenggao by mid-November, before Zichuan's wedding. Additionally, the patrol teams composed mainly of retired soldiers need to be operational by then," Liu Bei said sternly to Sun Qian.

"Understood!" Sun Qian rose and respectfully bowed.

"Zijing, start recruiting students in our territories immediately to establish the education system. Ensure that the academies in the main counties are set up before Zichuan's wedding. As for the curriculum, Zichuan has already prepared it. Also, handle the relocation of any unreasonable areas in Fenggao," Liu Bei continued, turning his attention to Lu Su.

"I won't disappoint," Lu Su replied calmly.

"Wenru, the household registration matters will be entirely your responsibility. The classification of craftsmen and the grading of household registrations are also up to you. Although it doesn't have to be fully implemented before Zichuan's wedding, at least have a plan ready by then," Liu Bei ordered Li You.

Chen Xi slightly shook his head. Liu Bei still didn't fully understand the people under his command. Before Liu Bei even gave these orders, they had already planned everything and were merely waiting for the go-ahead.

"Rest assured, Lord Liu. I will have a plan ready before Zichuan's wedding," Li You replied with a seemingly determined expression. In reality, those who knew him were aware that he had started working on this nearly two months ago. By now, it was more than a mere plan, but Li You wanted everything to be flawless before it was finalized.

"Wenhe, keep an eye on the wars on all fronts. Ensure no other warlords take advantage of us during our military restructuring," Liu Bei instructed Jia Xu, adding, "With Fengxiao absent, you'll need to shoulder more responsibility."

"Understood!" Jia Xu stood up and saluted. This time, the intelligence network was officially under Jia Xu's control, without Guo Jia's subtle influence or Fazheng's playful disruptions. The entire intelligence organization of Taishan was now in Jia Xu's hands.

"Zizhong, the commercial regulations must be submitted to me in the form of contracts before Zichuan's wedding. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to make Zichuan write them out on the spot," Liu Bei said, turning to Mi Zhu. "Remember your position. You have the authority to regulate every merchant operating in Fenggao!"

"I will not fail you, my lord!" Mi Zhu replied respectfully.

"Ziyang, handle all government affairs templates and conduct year-end evaluations of the Qingzhou and Taishan officials. Submit the results to me. Zilong will assist you in assessing the officials, and I trust he'll handle the agricultural matters as well," Liu Bei originally planned to give Liu Ye full authority over the official assessments but recalled Chen Xi's advice that rewards and punishments should be centralized under his own authority.

"Understood!" Zhao Yun and Liu Ye responded in unison. Over the past two years, Zhao Yun hadn't been on the battlefield much but had focused extensively on agriculture and gathering public sentiment. His influence in the region was substantial.

"Yide, Zijian, you two will temporarily assist Zilong in recruiting soldiers and training them during the winter. Do not fail in this task," Liu Bei assigned Zhang Fei and Hua Xiong to manage military recruitment and training, knowing Zhao Yun had too many responsibilities to handle everything alone.

"Understood!" Hua Xiong and Zhang Fei exchanged glances and stood up together.

"Zhongkang, help Zilong with the soldier recruitment," Liu Bei added, still concerned about Zhang Fei and Hua Xiong. He turned to the silent pillar in the room, Xu Chu, and assigned him the task.

"Understood!" Xu Chu responded without hesitation.

"Xianhe, Weishuo, formally invite the various lords to the wedding. Since they're bound to come anyway, let's give them an invitation so everyone can save face. It would be rude for them to come uninvited," Liu Bei addressed Jian Yong and Liu Yan, publicly announcing Chen Xi's wedding plans. It was better to invite the lords than let them show up uninvited, as Chen Xi had suggested.

"Understood." Jian Yong and Liu Yan stood up and replied. Jian Yong excelled in diplomacy, and Liu Yan was known for his flattery, making them a fitting pair.

Liu Bei surveyed the room, his gaze landing on Fazheng before quickly moving on without assigning him any tasks.

"May I ask, my lord, why everyone else has been given duties while I have not? Is it because I am too young?" Fazheng had noticed Liu Bei's glance but was perplexed by the lack of assignments. As a young man eager to prove himself, he couldn't hold back and directly asked the question.

"There is a matter that should be handled by Zichuan, but with his upcoming wedding and other responsibilities, I wasn't sure if you had enough experience to manage it," Liu Bei hesitated before explaining. He didn't mind Fazheng's eagerness, understanding that the young man was still in a state of excitement and couldn't contain his ambition.

"I am willing to try. Since I have been seated here among everyone, it means my abilities have been recognized. I hope you will give me the opportunity to prove myself. Otherwise, I will feel uneasy sitting in this position!" Fazheng replied confidently. He understood that with great power came great responsibility, and he believed he was ready to handle whatever task Liu Bei assigned.

Liu Bei glanced at Chen Xi, still unsure about Fazheng. One concern was that Fazheng held grudges, and Liu Bei wasn't entirely convinced that Chen Xi's recommendation would work out well. He feared Fazheng might clash with others.

Chen Xi, however, gave a firm nod, signaling that he had other matters to attend to.

"Since you are so confident, then I will assign you the education and welfare duties, as well as managing the pensions and stipends for the retired soldiers. If you have any doubts, consult Zichuan," Liu Bei sighed, ultimately entrusting Fazheng with the responsibilities while reminding him to seek guidance if needed.