Everyone disagreed, how was this supposed to work? This was Chen Xi’s first attempt at something big, and there had been an issue, making things more complicated because, as the first to do this, there was no precedent to set for others. As for lofty goals, do you think it would be easy to sway the likes of Jia Xu and his group?
"Smack!" Chen Xi slammed his hand on the table, "I recall I have the authority to veto your decisions, right?" Chen Xi, fuming, glared at the group before him, finally understanding why reformers in ancient times were part of the Iron Blood Sect. He was merely initiating a minor change and already, due to potential issues, everyone was persuading him to reconsider!
"Zichuan, there’s no need for this. Fenggao, even to the extent of all of Qingzhou of Mount Tai, is in an extremely favorable situation for development. There’s absolutely no need to take such risks!" Lub Su, as a stable, congenial character, was the first to stand up and speak, in an attempt to calm Chen Xi, who was visibly angry. Indeed, the situation in Qingzhou of Mount Tai was very good; there was no need for dangerous tactics that could potentially backfire.
Chen Xi was taken aback, then glared at them all, "The development of Qingzhou of Mount Tai is indeed not a problem. It is exactly because we have this advantage that we can suppress the Feudal Lords in all Four Directions. To put it bluntly, who is the strongest in the world right now? It’s us, isn’t it? We just don’t have spare hands! If we were willing to sacrifice our foundation, we could heavily damage any one of the Feudal Lords!
"Yes, indeed, we are definitely the strongest among the Feudal Lords, and we have shown our threatening power when necessary. Because of this strength, the Feudal Lords watch us develop and dare not provoke us. Can’t we just focus on developing properly?" Liu Ye said, resting his chin on his hand. Liu Bei’s current situation was very favorable. As long as he could integrate Qingzhou steadily, without any mishaps, he would certainly be in the strongest position among the Feudal Lords. Why take risks and potentially weaken our own strength unnecessarily?
"I am precisely focusing on proper development. With our current steady progress, how much further can we consolidate and progress in terms of Qingzhou’s situation by next year? Of course, I admit it will be much stronger than now, but what about Yuan Benchu? Yuan Gonglu? Cao Mengde?" Chen Xi, heated with anger, stared down the group. He was facing multiple opponents alone, and they were all against him!
"Zichuan makes a valid point. We must recognize that Cao Mengde is now consolidating his forces and fortifying Chenliu, Yingchuan, and Wancheng. A year from now, Cao Mengde will not be much weaker than us. By the time we have secured Qingzhou, they will have more or less stabilized those areas. Similarly, by this time next year, Yuan Gonglu will have likely secured the territories he recently conquered." Jia Xu took the floor, acknowledging Chen Xi’s point.
"Moreover, we all know that Cao Mengde is drilling soldiers and not really going all out against Yuan Gonglu. Thus, in terms of actual troop losses, neither Cao Mengde nor Yuan Gonglu will have suffered significant losses. In Yuzhou, the damage we caused is not substantial, and the Four Commanderies newly taken by Yuan Gonglu are all wealthy lands! By this time next year, Yuan Gonglu may not necessarily be weaker. As for Yuan Benchu, his situation is not so great," Jia Xu cited a series of examples to prove that all directions are developing, thus it’s important to solidify our own advantages, frustrating Liu Ye to the point of trembling. This wasn’t the agreement they had settled on!
Seeing Liu Ye trembling, Chen Xi wore a smug expression, but then Jia Xu changed the direction of the argument, "Exactly because all directions are developing, we must not let go of our current advantage." Hearing this, Chen Xi was taken aback, sensing something was amiss.
Sure enough, Jia Xu aligned himself with Liu Ye’s viewpoint, "At this moment, seeking stability is far more important than taking risks. We are not in such dire straits that we must resort to desperate measures. Following our current development plan, our strength will certainly surpass Cao Mengde’s, and there is no need to try such a risky proposal. If any mistake occurs, not only will we lose our current advantage, but it could also result in sudden policy changes, which would be a major blow to the credibility of a government office just stabilizing," Jia Xu argued.
Jia Xu’s reasoning was impeccable. No matter from which angle you approached it, there was no loophole, effectively blocking any chance for Chen Xi to counterargue.
"Jia Wenhe!" Chen Xi stared at Jia Xu, grinding his teeth.
"Sorry, but this matter concerns the common folks, and personal relationships have to be set aside for now," Jia Xu said righteously.
"Should I praise you for distinguishing between public and private matters?" Chen Xi asked, at a loss for words.
"Thank you for the compliment!" Jia Xu responded indifferently.
"You...!" Chen Xi was completely deflated.
"Let it be, let’s rephrase it. Our current advantage is simply not enough for us to directly dominate the Four Directions next year. To make an exaggerated point, with the current situation, after Cao Cao sharpens his sword with Yuan Shu and solidifies his base, will we be able to exert as much pressure as we do now?" Chen Xi, left with no other choice, changed the topic. There was no precedent for the transaction tax, so it was an argument he couldn’t win.
This time, no one in the room spoke. Clearly, a well-consolidated Cao Cao would also be very powerful. According to Jia Xu and Guo Jia, Cao Cao was considered a more dangerous rising star than Yuan Shao! Of course, in Cao Cao’s intelligence system, Liu Bei would also likely be seen as a more dangerous threat than Yuan Shao.
"This does not provide us with a reason to approve your risky proposal," Guo Jia said soberly, tapping his finger on the tabletop. "We cannot give up our current advantage. If your method fails, we cannot afford the backlash next year. But indeed, we do need to think of a solution. We must find a way to expand our advantage while consolidating it!"