Chapter 685 – Father “Child” Soy Sauce Group (2)
Liu Zhi leaned against the table, resting his chin on his hand with a smile, “What you mentioned is indeed a hidden danger, but who wants to stick their neck out? Each family has mobilized over four hundred thousand troops. If they unite, not only will Changshou Wang, the national traitor, tremble in fear, but even the Emperor in Chenzhou will have trouble sleeping. Moreover, everyone’s got their pride; nobody can completely bow down to the others…”
Huang Song brought Cheng Jing to find Liu Zhi, and they had only two ideas in mind.
Either ally with Liu Zhi to elect a respected “leader” who can handle the situation.
Or directly make Liu Zhi the “leader,” to rally the loyal forces and confront Changshou Wang head-on.
If it’s the former, Liu Zhi wouldn’t mind joining the fun.
If the latter, he could only lament how dark-hearted the younger generation is getting.
Even an old man is being pushed aside; don’t the younger folks have any shame?
“The Governor speaks wisely, but if we let things remain as they are, the alliance will eventually fall apart,” Cheng Jing, representing Huang Song, added his thoughts. His words conveyed Huang Song’s opinion, including parts Huang Song couldn’t say, “My lord plans to propose the election of a leader at the alliance meeting in two days. However, the leader fears that our inner circle might be underestimated, so he hopes Liu Xi can respond positively.”
Liu Zhi frowned, surprised they didn’t come just to egg him on to fight for leadership.
If it’s just to respond, he wouldn’t mind.
After all, he wouldn’t miss out on a piece of the pie; he could consider it doing a good deed.
But… he felt a bit anxious, uncertain who Huang Song’s ideal “leader” might be.
If it’s Liu Zhi himself, that puts him in a tough spot, with suspicion of self-promotion and boasting.
To avoid stumbling into a pitfall, Liu Zhi had to tread carefully.
Feigning casualness, he asked, “Does Lord B’s idea have someone in mind?”
This question was directed at Huang Song, and Cheng Jing couldn’t very well answer it.
Luckily, Huang Song was prepared; he sat calmly and replied.
“There is indeed a candidate in mind. This person is Xu Pei, the Governor of Zhejun. What does the Governor think of him?”
The territory of Dongqing is divided into six states and twenty-one counties, with each state further divided into three counties, plus three independent counties that are as large as an ordinary state.
These three counties are Hujun, Zhejun, and Hujun.
Hujun is publicly recognized as belonging to the Dongqing royalty, but secretly, it’s in Liu Zhi’s hands, a tacit understanding among others.
As for Zhejun, from the former dynasty to now, this land is essentially the base of the Xu Clan, similar to the relationship between the Meng Clan and Cangzhou.
Now the question arises; who is Xu Pei from the Xu Clan?
Mentioning this young lad might bewilder some people, yet if we mention Xu Pei’s ancestor, everyone in the Five Nations would nod in recognition.
One of the founding contributors of the Daxia Dynasty, famed for being on par with the Meng Clan’s ancestor, Meng Jing.
Posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Guannei, he is widely known as “Lord Xu.”
Due to the Xu Clan’s small numbers and low profile, and their long-standing legacy since the previous dynasty, there are few officials among them, garnering little social attention.
However, they prize quality over quantity, maintaining a well-trained, elite force. The Xu Clan may not be one of the four major noble houses in Dongqing, but their overall strength is arguably greater than theirs.
Xu Pei is the direct descendant of Lord Xu, with a noble lineage, exceptional strength, and a fitting candidate for the loyalty “leader.”
Yet… as Liu Zhi pondered, he felt hesitant.
“Electing Xu Pei?”
Huang Song blinked, questioning, “Does the Governor think he’s unsuitable?”
Liu Zhi waved his hand, chuckling softly, “No, no, no—it’s not that Xu Pei is lacking. In fact, the kid’s quite impressive: good family background, strong military forces, and ample prestige. He’s young but already gaining renown… But… Lord Huang seems to have forgotten that the Xu Clan has another direct descendant, right? If we elect Xu Pei without considering Xu Fei, I fear these brothers might get upset and cause internal chaos. That wouldn’t be good.”
Currently, the head of the Xu Clan is Xu Pei’s grandfather, an old man in his seventies but still vigorous.
He’s seen alive far longer than most, sharp of hearing and sight, with the look of a true centenarian, having survived two direct sons.
These two sons each have one son, namely Xu Pei, the eldest grandson, and Xu Fei, the second grandson.
When it comes to lineage, Xu Pei is more legitimate. Yet the trouble lies in—Xu Pei’s grandfather clearly favors the younger grandson, Xu Fei, repeatedly expressing his fondness for the latter, claiming Xu Fei possesses the youth’s vigor…
Well, well, what a situation that creates.
Thanks to the old Xu’s favoritism, the relationships between the two grandsons have become tense, with fierce competition and constant internal conflict.
Put simply, this is the price of neglect and failing to distinguish between young and old.
If the family isn’t at peace, how can the world be stable?
In Liu Zhi’s eyes, it doesn’t matter who we elect; either choice will offend the other.
Huang Song fell silent, wearing a “I’m so wronged!” expression, staring blankly at Liu Zhi.
“Then… who does the Governor think is more suitable?”
Liu Zhi fell silent.
Aside from the two young gentlemen of the Xu Clan, he was the highest-ranking and most respected among the alliance.
However, he came to watch the show this time, not to perform, and had zero desire for conflict.
In a one-on-one exchange between Huang Song and Liu Zhi, Cheng Jing had been watching Liu Zhi from the side, and with each passing moment, his brows furrowed deeper.
There was no progress this time.
Liu Zhi is a cunning old fox in politics, slippery and uncatchable, so how could he be easily trapped?
On their way back, both had solemn expressions, lost in their thoughts.
Huang Song muttered, “This Liu Xi has a heavy sense of caution.”
Cheng Jing silently agreed. When he directly spoke of Changshou Wang’s schemes, Liu Zhi’s expression didn’t show any surprise, indicating he was well aware. Liu Zhi clearly understands the potential dangers within the loyal alliance, yet he remains hidden away, reluctant to engage, always presenting an image of detachment. His mouth was tightly shut, like a gourd sawed shut, revealing Liu Zhi’s stance; he wouldn’t easily become involved.
“The position of alliance leader is like a chair of burning iron; no one is suited to sit, yet someone must. As the saying goes, it’s better to leave a friend standing than the road to ruin a monk. An old hand like Liu Xi knows these things all too well. His reluctance to be entangled is no surprise; the Lord shouldn’t feel discouraged,” Cheng Jing said without disappointment, “Let’s discuss further upon our return.”
Huang Song frowned, “If that’s the case, should we still raise the matter of electing a leader at the alliance meeting?”
Cheng Jing replied, “We should bring it up, of course. However, the Lord doesn’t need to propose a candidate; let them compete among themselves.”
According to Cheng Jing’s point of view, some people are already eager to elect a leader but are too “thin-skinned” to make the first move.
If Huang Song initiates, it could naturally garner him some goodwill. Of course, there would be others opposing the election, which would also earn him some criticism.
“Based on your observations, who do you think is likely to become the alliance leader?”
