Chen Xi never expected that Li You would cause such a commotion. A sword was directly thrust into the table, making it impossible not to draw attention. The previously lively gathering instantly fell silent, and everyone stared at the sword embedded in the table, which continued to tremble and hum softly. No one dared to continue speaking.
At this moment, the cold and fierce aura surrounding Li You was so intense that even Zhuge Liang, seated far away, felt pressured. Zhuge Liang still remembered Li You's usual calm and emotionless demeanor. What could have made the always composed Li You so angry?
"Hmm..." Madam Zhang suddenly noticed the unusual quietness in the outer hall. She frowned, then stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "Everyone, please wait a moment. I shall go and see what has happened in the outer hall."
"May I ask why Master Li is so agitated?" Zhuge Liang stood up and respectfully inquired of Li You. He had clearly heard Li You's earlier words, "The heavens are unjust, so I shall strengthen myself. For thousands of years, mankind has conquered nature." What could Chen Xi have said to make the usually calm Li You utter such rebellious words?
At this moment, Fa Zheng also stood up and looked at Jia Xu. He was very curious about what topic could have made Li You say such things. It was such an important and infuriating topic, yet they hadn't included him.
"Heh heh heh, cursing the heavens for their injustice... The people of the Central Plains cannot fill their bellies. We struggle with all our might just to ensure the safety of one region. We work tirelessly for ten years, only to rebuild the glory of Huaxia, and yet we only now learn that there are places where crops are harvested three times a year—three times a year!" Li You directly drew his sword, his expression revealing no hint of his emotions.
"Master Li, please calm down. Lord Xuande has gone to change his clothes and will be here shortly. This matter of governance can wait." Madam Zhang bowed gracefully to Li You, her voice clear and melodious. This was the first time she had ever temporarily stood in for Liu Bei in front of others.
Without waiting for Li You to respond, Madam Zhang gestured to the servants outside. She ordered them to remove the table and replace it with a new one laden with food. Then, she instructed the singers and dancers to enter, restoring the lively atmosphere. Only after confirming that Li You would not lose his temper again did she slowly withdraw.
"Send someone to notify Lord Xuande. His clothes are not important; inform him of everything that has transpired in the main hall without missing a word." After stepping out, Madam Zhang instructed the maid beside her. By now, even Liu Bei's maids had come to recognize Madam Zhang as the matron in crucial moments, no longer hesitating as they once had.
"Literary Master, your reaction was a bit too intense. Was it necessary?" Chen Xi smiled wryly, looking at the sullen Li You beside him. He had no idea what had sparked Li You's earlier anger.
"Calm down, Literary Master. Calm down. Those lands will eventually be ours. Don't worry." Lu Su also pulled Li You aside, trying to persuade him. Jia Xu, who was nearby, had also become noticeably more serious.
"You don't understand. Neither Zijing nor Zichuan has truly witnessed human tragedies. Zichuan was born into a prestigious family, and Zijing has endless wealth. You haven't experienced it." Jia Xu spoke in a low voice. "Compared to what you encountered after you took over Mount Tai, that region wasn't even that tragic. In Xiliang, you'd see people fighting to the death for a single bite of food, only to become someone else's meal after they died!"
At this moment, Jia Xu's eyes gleamed with a cold light. Unlike Lu Su and Chen Xi, who hadn't seen much of the world, he had truly witnessed hundreds and thousands of refugees, of whom only a few survived. He had also witnessed the horrifying scenes where, due to the Han Dynasty's inability to provide aid, nine out of ten people in Yong and Liang died when they went out to forage.
Compared to the truly starving people of Yong and Liang, the Qing and Yan regions at least had wealthy families to plunder. When the number of refugees reached a certain point, they could simply rob a few wealthy families and find food. Although the casualties were heavy, it wasn't even close to the scale of suffering in Yong and Liang.
Especially after Chen Xi took over Mount Tai, the Qingzhou region was hardly considered tragic anymore. At least Chen Xi never stopped providing disaster relief to maintain the numbers of the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou. Although the Yellow Turbans were always hungry, they didn't starve to death. They were also united; none were full, but none starved to death either. The actual starvation rate was less than ten percent, which was incomparable to the desolate lands where no roosters crowed across thousands of miles in Yong and Liang.
"Uh, I indeed haven't seen truly tragic situations. The worst was Xuzhou, and beyond that, at least since I came to Mount Tai, I've managed to protect quite a few people." Chen Xi nodded in agreement. Although he didn't share Li You and Jia Xu's deep attachment to grain, he could still understand their sentiments.
"I generally don't watch human tragedies. I just do my best to prevent them, like now." Lu Su said calmly. "No matter how tragic this era is, I won't curse it. I'll use my hands and my mind to change it. I can't change past tragedies, but if the world remains the same after I die, it's because of my own incompetence!"
Jia Xu nodded. Chen Xi and Lu Su's responses were from different perspectives, but both left Jia Xu deeply moved.
Jia Xu couldn't help but reflect on whether he had ever had such resolve twenty years ago. Ten years ago, he might have just started to develop such thoughts. However, eight years ago, he had completely given up on changing the world, focusing only on survival. The shackles of the world were not something he could break, and by now, he had grown accustomed to self-preservation.
Li You glanced sideways at Jia Xu. Lu Su's words resonated with him. Unlike Jia Xu, he had never wavered in his resolve to shatter the world's rules. Whether he was beaten and bruised by counterattacks or betrayed by Dong Zhuo, even when disheartened, he never changed.
"Yes, one must not dwell solely on the past. The future is what matters most. If the world remains the same after we die, it is because of our own incompetence." Chen Xi nodded. Lu Su's words struck a chord with him. No matter how bad this era was, at least they were all striving to make it better.
"As I said before, if the heavens do not grant us what we need, then we must take it ourselves!" Li You sneered.
"Count me in." Jia Xu's eyes flickered with determination. "I've been lost for a decade. When self-preservation becomes a habit, and that habit becomes ingrained in my very being, even I have become accustomed to it. But if I can't control my own thoughts and actions, am I still myself? A man lives but once; he must leave something behind. The heavens are unjust, so I shall take what is mine. Who dares to stop me!"
At this moment, the sharpness emanating from Jia Xu made Chen Xi feel as if it was blindingly bright, a brilliance of the highest order.
In all these years, when had he ever seen such sharpness? Li You couldn't help but be slightly lost in thought. Was this the Jia Wenhe he had been waiting for? Perhaps. Gleaming with unparalleled brilliance, this was the true Jia Wenhe.
"Heh heh heh, how could I miss such an important matter?" Liu Bei, having changed his clothes, had overheard most of the conversation. When Jia Xu spoke, he finally stepped out of the inner hall.
"Lord Xuande," Chen Xi cupped his hands, and the others all stood to greet him.
"Today is a private gathering, so there's no need for formalities," Liu Bei said to everyone. He turned back to look at the four people in front of him and sighed deeply, "Zichuan, if only you had been born twenty years earlier."