Chapter 139: The Hidden Dangers Among the Lords

As expected, no one obstructed their journey, and Ju Shou's already dark face turned even graver.

Upon reaching the Jizhou border, Chen Xi invited Ju Shou off the carriage, "Please forgive me, Ju Gong, for the necessity of ensuring my safety. I believe Gao Yuanbo will arrive shortly, so please wait here. Yide, release General Zhang."

Ever since Zhang He was carried out under Zhang Fei's arm that day, despite knowing he couldn't defeat Zhang Fei, his gaze towards him was filled with resentment.

"Zhang Yide, remember this, one day I will repay you!" Zhang He said angrily.

"You've said that many times. Don't you feel embarrassed repeating the same line over and over?" Zhang Fei mocked while digging his ears, showing no respect for his ancestor from centuries past.

Zhang He said nothing, merely glaring at Zhang Fei. For the first time, he felt that besides commanding troops, personal martial strength was equally important. He desired to reach the level of internal energy projection, to never again feel as powerless as he did now.

Guan Yu coldly glanced at Zhang He, making him shiver. The divine blade light from that day still haunted his mind. In Zhang He's eyes, the silent Guan Yu was far more intimidating than Zhang Fei.

"Ziyi, Zilong, cover the rear!" Ignoring the looks from Ju Shou and Zhang He, Chen Xi gave orders to Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci. He didn't want to be ambushed; the soldiers of this era could collapse with just ten percent casualties, providing Chen Xi with little sense of security.

"Yes!" Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci shouted loudly, disregarding Ju Shou and Zhang He. To Ju Shou, it seemed as though the command was meant for him. It was clear that both Chen Xi and Ju Shou wanted to avoid war at this time, though the key difference was that Chen Xi, being younger, was bolder.

"Zichuan, you won this time. I won't forget this. But next time we face each other, I won't show mercy just because you spared me today." Ju Shou saluted with a stern expression.

"Heh, you won't encounter me then. I won't return to Jizhou." Chen Xi smiled and turned to leave.

Watching Taishan's forces retreat from Jizhou, Zhang He fumed, "Governor, shouldn't we pursue them?"

"No, those supplies are worth the lesson learned. This incident revealed significant hidden dangers in Jizhou. Chen Zichuan leveraged these weaknesses to achieve an incredible feat with just a thousand men. Shouldn't this make us reflect?" Ju Shou addressed Zhang He, having recognized the issues within Jizhou's military during this event. These issues were far more crucial than the lost supplies.

"The military and government of Jizhou must be reformed! We can't continue like this. We need the ability to make decisive decisions when necessary, or we'll end up as helpless as we were this time!" Ju Shou declared forcefully. Without this authority, such situations could recur. He believed Yuan Shao would agree for the sake of Jizhou's future, not personal gain.

Chen Xi, on his way back to Taishan, also pondered the problems in Jizhou, knowing Taishan likely faced similar issues. Even if these were suppressed due to their smaller territory and strong generals, they would eventually surface like in Jizhou.

Military and governmental reforms were necessary to avoid being toyed with. The thought of Taishan experiencing what happened in Jizhou was humiliating to Chen Xi. He contemplated solutions to present to Liu Bei, knowing Taishan's situation was slightly better than Jizhou's.

"Achieving balance throughout the ages is difficult!" Chen Xi sighed. Even temporary autocracy could foster significant issues, as it always nurtured ambition. Chen Xi couldn't guarantee he wouldn't be corrupted by holding absolute power indefinitely.

In this regard, Chen Xi admired Zhuge Liang. For thousands of years, only he maintained autocracy and control over military and government while remaining respectful to the emperor. Chen Xi doubted his own ability to do the same. The allure of power was undeniable, a trap that ensnared even the most resolute. Understanding this early on, Chen Xi avoided assuming control in Fenggao, passing on power to prevent giving himself any reason to fall into this trap.

Current circumstances, however, necessitated granting certain individuals the power to act decisively under specific conditions. This was the best way to foster ambition, yet avoiding this led to situations like Jizhou's monkey business.

"Forget it, let's not dwell on it now. After this incident, Liu Ziyang and Lu Zijing will surely notice the issue. I'll leave it to them to handle." Chen Xi looked up at the carriage roof, knowing he'd done his part by identifying the danger. Now, it was up to others to resolve it.

"Zizhong!" Chen Xi opened the carriage window, calling out to Mi Zhu riding beside.

"What is it?" Mi Zhu replied.

"Have your intelligence network closely monitor Ju Gong's actions and Yuan Shao's response." Chen Xi whispered.

"Zichuan, you could use Taishan's intelligence network. Why rely on the Mi family?" Mi Zhu asked, puzzled.

"Taishan's network is currently focused on investigating Yanzhou and Yuzhou. I don't want to overburden them. I only need the results for Jizhou." Chen Xi shook his head.

Reflecting on the hidden dangers and Ju Shou's intelligence, along with Yuan Shao's disposition, Chen Xi believed he understood why Yuan Shao had entrusted each of his three sons and his favorite nephew Gao Gan with a province during his prime. It wasn't that Yuan Shao was foolish, but he realized the threat posed by assigning territories to his sons and Gao Gan was far less than that posed by other commanders holding both military and governmental power.

Thinking further, by the time of Cao Wei, border territories were primarily controlled by members of the Cao and Xiahou families, with other commanders, regardless of their capabilities, sidelined. This indicated that by then, all lords understood the necessity of temporary autocracy in specific situations, but were also acutely aware of its dangers.