That night, all the civil and military officials who attended the banquet learned about the northern lands and knew that Qu Qi had a way to resolve the issue of long-term settlement there. As for the matter of triple annual harvests, those who heard it could only pretend they knew nothing.
"Five million qing of land?" Mi Zhu didn't know how to describe his feelings. His desire for land had long diminished, as the Mi family already possessed vast wealth. However, the sheer scale of that number still left Mi Zhu shaken.
"Today's events, I ask that everyone keep them to yourselves. If Yuan Benchu were to find out, we would be in trouble," Chen Xi said as he rose after the banquet. If this matter were to leak, Yuan Shao would surely attempt to seize the opportunity. Compared to the difficulty of attacking Liu Bei, Yuan Shao fighting the Hu people would be as easy as disciplining a child.
As for the issue of long-term settlement in the northern lands, while challenging, it was not without solutions. Chen Xi had initiated the wool-spinning plan, which, although slow, provided a path forward. Once the authenticity of the information was confirmed, Yuan Shao would not hesitate to occupy the area and begin land development, given his current formidable capabilities.
"I also ask that you do not send people to investigate. In time, all will be revealed, so there is no need to rush," Madam Zhang also stepped forward and said. The Zhen family had fully sided with Liu Bei, having realized that with Yuan Shao in charge, their fate was sealed. However, if Liu Bei rose to power, the Zhen family would still be related to the ruling family, at least as relatives by marriage.
The gathered officials all nodded in agreement. Now was not the time to alert the enemy. The Hu people were not the problem; Yuan Shao was. Even among Liu Bei's civil and military ranks, not everyone was as confident in Liu Bei as Chen Xi, who dared to declare certain victory.
After everyone had left, Chen Xi bowed to Madam Zhang. "Madam, please refrain from acting on your own. While the Zhen family has great influence in Jizhou, Yuan Shao is no ordinary figure. I ask that you do not let this matter leak."
Madam Zhang felt a bit embarrassed. She had indeed been considering sending someone to investigate. After all, the Zhen family's position in their homeland was quite advantageous, and any excuse could be used to visit the Xianbei lands. However, after Chen Xi's reminder, she quickly agreed to hold back.
After Liu Bei escorted Chen Xi out, Chen Xi followed a group of city guards on his way home. He wasn't worried about being assassinated, as there was likely a top-tier expert shadowing him. Moreover, Zuo Ci was also present.
"Strategist." Just as Chen Xi was turning corners and contemplating whether to buy something for Chen Lan and the others, Zhao Yun suddenly appeared in front of him.
At that moment, Chen Xi suddenly felt a disturbance behind him. Almost simultaneously, Zhao Yun lunged at the source of the disturbance with his spear. Chen Xi's keen spiritual sense clearly observed how Zhao Yun's spear seemingly vanished without a trace before striking the disturbance.
"Thud!" The sound of sand hitting the ground brought Chen Xi back to his senses. When he turned around, he saw that a large section of the stone-paved road had been shattered into gravel. At the same moment, the sky suddenly darkened, and a silvery-gray cloud quickly enveloped the center of Fenggao.
"Kill!" Simultaneously, a squad of city guards surrounded the black shadow that had dodged Zhao Yun's strike and transformed into a shadowy figure.
Without any orders, sixteen soldiers raised their crossbows and fired at the still-airborne figure. Without waiting to see the results, they raised their large shields, readied their weapons, and attacked from different directions. Meanwhile, nine other soldiers quickly raised their shields and moved to protect Chen Xi.
Just before the crossbow bolts struck the shadow, it flickered under the pressure of the cloud and regained its balance, deflecting several bolts with its spear. As it tried to retreat, more bolts came from behind. After deflecting them, the shadow heard the sound of armor clanking as soldiers closed in.
In no time, over five hundred city guards, clad in silver armor, wielding large shields and weapons, and radiating a silvery-gray glow, had completely sealed off the area. Their speed left Chen Xi at a loss for words.
"Surrender immediately, assassin!" "All units, ready your weapons, raise shields, prepare for close combat!" Two deputy commanders of the city guards shouted simultaneously, and the soldiers moved in perfect unison, unaffected by the dark, windy night.
Chen Xi held his head in his hands, unsure of what to say. He needed to diffuse the situation before Liu Bei arrived, or it would be too embarrassing.
"This is a misunderstanding..." Han Qiong said with a bitter smile. He had only sensed Zhao Yun's emotional fluctuation, and now, in an instant, things had escalated to this point. It was truly a tragedy.
"Stop!" Chen Xi quickly ordered.
The city guards halted after Chen Xi's command. Although they remained in formation, they did not launch an attack.
"This is Elder Han, who is here to protect me. This was an accident," Chen Xi explained with a wry smile. Han Qiong also lowered his spear, no longer ready to fight. He had been startled by the speed of the soldiers' response—about twenty squads had arrived almost instantly.
"Master Han..." Zhao Yun said with a bitter smile. He had found the opponent's defensive moves familiar, and now he realized it was his senior uncle.
With Zhao Yun's words and Chen Xi's explanation, the city guards quickly dispersed. The twenty-five soldiers who had originally been patrolling the area lined up and continued their patrol as if nothing had happened, though the silvery-gray cloud in the sky still lingered, subtly suppressing everyone's inner energy.
"Cough, cough, cough. Zilong, your strength has grown. That strike just now was powerful. Even if an ordinary general managed to block it, they would likely suffer internal injuries," Han Qiong said with a cough, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Zhao Yun's spear strike had indeed been blocked, but the force transmitted through it had forced Han Qiong into a defensive stance, leaving him slightly injured. The fact that the stone-paved street had been shattered into sand was a testament to that power.
"You flatter me, Uncle," Zhao Yun replied modestly. "I still need to continue building my inner energy. No matter how advanced my techniques, a solid foundation is irreplaceable."
"Alright, it seems you have matters to discuss. I won't disturb you." With that, the light around Han Qiong twisted, and he disappeared. Among the masters of secret techniques, Han Qiong, Tong Yuan, and Wang Yue were the most skilled.
Zhao Yun shook his head. Although he had heard from his master that someone was protecting Chen Xi, he hadn't expected it to be his senior uncle. This discovery made Zhao Yun feel much more at ease about Chen Xi's safety.