Chapter 1209: Calm After the Hot Blooded Rush

Sometimes, people can be incredibly irrational. However, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the pride of the Han dynasty as a great nation played a role too. In that era, people of the Han dynasty never thought themselves inferior to anyone.

This mindset persisted well into the Qing dynasty, though unlike the stagnation of the Qing, the Han dynasty had the actual foundation to justify such confidence.

While the attitude may seem similar—both holding a sense of arrogance—the difference lies in the person who says it. For some, it’s arrogance without merit; for others, it’s the grandeur of a mighty nation. In simpler terms, it comes down to either face or strength.

Liu Bei, after looking at the world map, felt a chill in his heart. If the goal was truly to make the entire world submit under one ruler, then it would certainly be a daunting task. But this thought occurred when he wasn’t under any external pressure.

However, Li Jue's letter deeply stirred him. While an ordinary person might not grasp the power behind the conversation between Gannasis and Li Jue, Liu Bei could clearly sense the sharpness within. To see a great empire like Anxi (Parthia) being dismissed with just a few words was deeply unsettling!

This type of domineering attitude wasn’t faked; it was naturally exuded. Their disdain wasn’t something they needed to hide. They could say it right to your face, and even if you didn’t like it, you had no choice but to endure it. An empire doesn’t adjust its course because of ants!

While Liu Bei couldn’t fully understand this feeling, he knew that when a duke could speak this way to another country, that country must be immensely powerful—powerful enough that its people could feel the might of their nation behind them!

It was a sense of pride, an honor, an inherent arrogance. A ruler of such an empire would undoubtedly declare, "Under heaven, there is no one but me; in all the world, I alone reign supreme."

The will of such people was not something that could be blocked by distant lands or vast oceans. As long as they had the desire, and their empire had not yet collapsed, they would pursue their goals, and no one could stop their determination!

Even though the world was no longer as Liu Bei once understood it, he still believed that the Central Plains were the center of the world, with the four directions being mere barbaric lands. However, if even barbarians could give birth to figures who aimed to conquer the world, how could they, the center of the world, retreat?

With his blood boiling, Liu Bei had no hesitation and immediately chose to fight back. After all, if even Li Jue could show such boldness, how could he, as a member of the Han royal family, be inferior to a mere rebel?

If even a rebel knew how to defend the empire's honor and fight for it, how could he, as a member of the imperial family, stand by and watch? Let the barbarians know the strength of the world's center!

However, after Chen Xi left, and Liu Bei calmed down, he looked at the world map again and suddenly felt a cold sweat. He wondered, What kind of trap did I just jump into?

As Liu Bei gazed at the map, sweat streamed down his body. The Central Plains was merely a tiny square inch on this massive map, which stretched over several feet. It had taken the Huaxia people thousands of years to conquer just this tiny piece of land, and now he was supposed to conquer the entire world? Could this be achieved in just one generation?

Feeling a deep chill, Liu Bei stood up. He needed to get some sunlight to warm himself up, as the coldness had seeped into his very bones. The words he had spoken, though uttered in a moment of passion, would have to be fulfilled—whether through blood, sweat, or tears.

With a melancholic expression, Liu Bei walked out of the front hall. The more he thought about it, the more dangerous it seemed. He was up against a complete empire, one equal to the Han empire, and he had rashly declared his intent to defeat it. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a suicidal endeavor!

Looks like I’ll need to consult Wenru about this later. Zichuan can be too impulsive at times—this feels like poking a hornet’s nest, Liu Bei thought frantically.

Sometimes, people act without thinking when they’re swept up in the heat of the moment. History is full of instances where decisions were made in a split second, and those moments either led to miraculous outcomes or complete disaster.

Once people calm down, they start to hesitate and overthink things. Reflecting on their rash actions during moments of hot-bloodedness, many are left feeling cold with regret.

"Xuande, what's wrong?" Lady Zhang asked as she stepped out of the back courtyard, having just finished freshening up and hearing that Chen Xi had already left.

"Just now, something Zichuan said left me feeling quite shaken," Liu Bei replied with a bitter smile. What kind of madness did I get involved in?

"Chen Zichuan is considered the foremost scholar in the world, and you’ll need his help to restore the Han dynasty. If he has offended you in any way, perhaps you should think of our child," Lady Zhang said with a gentle smile, offering a few kind words on Chen Xi’s behalf, though she clearly hadn’t grasped the true issue.

"It’s not quite what you think," Liu Bei waved his hand, looking helpless. "Sometimes Zichuan does things that leave people utterly dumbfounded. In fact, some of the things he does are beyond comprehension, with no regard for our ability to handle them."

"Oh?" Lady Zhang noticed Liu Bei’s expression and saw that he wasn’t actually angry, which confirmed her suspicions. She smiled and asked, "Xuande, how many people in the world do you think are more capable than Chen Xi when it comes to governance?"

"I don't think there are any," Liu Bei replied without hesitation, staring at the white clouds in the sky. This question had been answered time and time again.

"Then, Xuande, do you believe you are smarter than Chen Zichuan?" Lady Zhang smiled softly and continued her questioning.

"Of course not. I doubt anyone in the world is smarter than Zichuan, though he does have a tendency to be overly lazy," Liu Bei said with a bitter smile. "In terms of intelligence, how could I compare? If I had to compare, it would be against Wenru and that group…"

Lady Zhang chuckled. Though she hadn’t met Jia Xu often, she had encountered Li You many times, and she could tell that Li You was an incredibly shrewd man. But even with his brilliance, there was still a gap between him and Chen Xi.

"Since you understand that, then why worry? With Chen Zichuan's wisdom, has there ever been something he undertook without careful preparation? How many things that seemed impossible to other strategists has he accomplished? What are you so concerned about?" Lady Zhang asked gently, smiling as she looked at Liu Bei.

"Chen Zichuan is always prepared for the worst. Has he ever miscalculated?" Seeing Liu Bei deep in thought, Lady Zhang pressed further.

"I didn’t expect you to see things so clearly, while I couldn’t," Liu Bei laughed bitterly, feeling much more at ease.

"It’s just that those observing from the outside have a clearer view, while you, Xuande, are too deeply involved to see the bigger picture," Lady Zhang said with a light smile, without any hint of pride.

"I’ve been focusing too much on other things. Go to my study and bring me the map. Zhongkang, inform all the generals to gather," Liu Bei stood up with a stern expression, issuing orders. He then turned to Xu Chu, signaling him to act. It was time for all the generals to understand just how vast the world truly was.

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