Early in the morning, after finishing breakfast, Zhuge Liang came over with a few books in his hands, only to find Chen Xi groggily using a spoon to sip porridge.
"Oh, Kongming, come join me for breakfast," Chen Xi said, motioning for a maid to bring Zhuge Liang a bowl as well. The food in this household was pretty much the same for everyone.
"Did you write this book?" Zhuge Liang asked, not touching the food, and instead placing the handwritten manuscripts on the table.
"Success and Diligence? Talent and Hard Work?" Chen Xi yawned and scratched his unkempt hair. Recently, Fan Jian and Chen Lan hadn't been staying at the Chen residence, and technically, during the day, they weren't supposed to be here either. The custom was to live separately before marriage, and since no one was around to manage him, Chen Xi had become quite lax with his hair grooming.
As for the maid who was supposed to help Chen Xi with his grooming, she was completely at a loss with him. Although the master was easygoing, what he said went. If he didn't want you to comb his hair, even if you begged, he wouldn't let you.
"Yes, I wrote it," Chen Xi replied honestly. He had indeed written it, borrowing from his knowledge and jotting it down during moments of boredom.
"Can you tell me if these theories are correct?" Zhuge Liang asked, clearly struggling with the conflicting ideas in the books.
"They're all correct," Chen Xi replied casually as he continued sipping his porridge. He wasn't fully awake yet, and he was missing the routine of being woken up and having his hair done for him.
"But the content of these books is contradictory!" Zhuge Liang was clearly frustrated. It was already late in the morning, and Chen Xi still seemed half-asleep, showing no sign of getting to work.
"Chen Yue, go to Jian'er's room and fetch the book titled Contradiction: Opposition and Unity," Chen Xi instructed one of the nearby maids, not in the mood to explain further.
"What is that?" Zhuge Liang asked, intrigued.
"It's a book that will help you understand," Chen Xi replied nonchalantly, then picked up his bowl and started shoveling porridge into his mouth. Normally, by this time, Fan Jian or Chen Lan would have arrived.
"Here it is," the maid handed the book to Chen Xi, who then passed it to Zhuge Liang.
"This book, despite its many revisions and contradictions, is called Contradiction: Opposition and Unity. Some concepts in it can only be understood through reflection," Chen Xi explained as he handed over the book. Meanwhile, he started tying up his hair, realizing that he would have to manage without someone to do it for him until the wedding.
"Master, let me handle that," the maid, Chen Yue, offered, noticing Chen Xi struggling with his hair.
"Alright, alright, it's become a hassle lately," Chen Xi sighed, giving up on doing it himself.
The book wasn't very thick, and by the time Chen Yue had finished tying Chen Xi's hair, Zhuge Liang had already read through it.
"Any questions?" Chen Xi asked.
"No more questions. Right and wrong are relative, depending on the person," Zhuge Liang replied, looking somewhat conflicted. Though the new book was riddled with errors, he could still sense the underlying correct theories. This left him unsure of what to think.
"Just treat those books as a way to pass the time," Chen Xi said casually. However, Zhuge Liang, ever the cautious one, couldn't bring himself to take such a relaxed attitude toward knowledge.
"Do you want to join me at the government office or head to the library to read?" Chen Xi asked offhandedly.
"I'll go and learn how to handle governmental affairs," Zhuge Liang decided after a moment's thought. He could always study books later; gaining experience in governance seemed more pressing.
As Chen Xi led Zhuge Liang to the government office, Dian Wei was already heading out with his large halberd, while Xu Chu was gearing up with his large blade. Both were eager to give the other a good thrashing.
By the time Chen Xi and Zhuge Liang actually reached the government office, it was nearly midday, much to Zhuge Liang's frustration. In his mind, a diligent official should wake up early and work tirelessly to maintain order, sleeping later than a dog and rising earlier than a rooster. The leisurely pace at which Chen Xi approached his duties was almost unbearable for him.
Chen Xi, noticing Zhuge Liang's dark expression, couldn't help but chuckle internally. He knew that Zhuge Liang's biggest flaw was his over-diligence, a trait that Chen Xi believed would eventually lead to his downfall. Therefore, Chen Xi's primary goal in reforming Zhuge Liang was to get him to abandon his tireless work ethic and learn to enjoy life more.
"Morning, everyone!" Chen Xi greeted as he entered. The usual crowd was already present, grabbing a bite to eat to start the day. Everyone had adopted Chen Xi's more relaxed approach to governance.
"You're early today, Zichuan," Fazheng, yawning and with his hair still messy, remarked. "So this is Kongming? Why not let him study under me?"
Chen Xi could tell at a glance what Fazheng was thinking. After being tormented by others for so long, Fazheng finally had a "junior" to take under his wing, and he couldn't wait to inflict some payback.
"Forget it. You haven't even finished your own training," Chen Xi replied casually. "Kongming, take a seat here. Help yourself to anything you like."
"Things have gotten interesting recently," Jia Xu remarked, glancing at Zhuge Liang. Unlike Fazheng's mischievous demeanor, Zhuge Liang exuded a calmness that made Jia Xu take him seriously. "Chen Yuanlong sent us word that Tao Gongzu recently hosted a feast for Cao Mengde's father, and the two drank and made merry together."
"What did you say?" Chen Xi froze.
"Nothing much, just that it seems Tao Gongzu is losing faith in the alliance and is looking for a new backer," Liu Ye responded nonchalantly.
"Which general escorted Cao Ju'gao out of Xuzhou?" Chen Xi asked.
Fazheng paused, recalling the unusual behavior of Chen Deng, and said with a twitch in his eye, "You don't mean to suggest that there's a faction within Xuzhou plotting against Tao Qianzhi, do you?"
"Zhang Kai, a former Yellow Turban general! We won't be able to intervene in time," Jia Xu said, frowning. "However, this does present us with an opportunity. Cao Mengde is no weakling, and although Tao Gongzu still commands elite troops from Danyang, he's old and frail. If internal forces pressure him, there's a high chance he'll turn to us for support."
The strategists in the room all considered the situation thoughtfully. A clash with Cao Cao seemed inevitable, but they were confident. Liu Bei had the endurance, and Cao Cao couldn't outlast him. Chen Xi's ongoing strategic preparations were no joke.
"Prepare yourselves. We'll know the outcome within twenty days at most. The main issue with Xuzhou is its distance from Yanzhou. If not for Cao Cao's scorched earth tactics, Zichuan's wedding might have been jeopardized," Jia Xu said with a smile.
Chen Xi could only smile bitterly. Though Tao Qianzhi, with his Danyang elite troops, seemed unlikely to fall easily, the actions of someone like Cao Bao had taught everyone a hard lesson about the dangers of incompetent leadership.
Back at the inn, Xizhi Cai suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto his bed.