Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others watching the spectacle all looked dumbfounded. The Flying Yellow Horse had been tormented by Sun Ce for nearly two days and nights, and just like Sun Ce, it was exhausted, unable to fly, and had knelt down – but the horse had its head directed towards Chen Xi...

"Congratulations, Zichuan, congratulations! The Flying Yellow falls from the sky to recognize you as its master," Fa Zheng said without any bottom line, congratulating immediately and completely ignoring Sun Ce who, with a disheveled look, hung onto the horse’s neck, nearly rolling his eyes but refusing to let go.

Then, a large group of people came to congratulate Chen Xi until Zhou Yu came over, placed a hand on Chen Xi’s shoulder, and said nothing.

"Cough, cough, cough, all right, as you wish." Chen Xi helplessly glanced at Zhou Yu. He couldn’t act with such shamelessness and lack of principles; Fa Zheng, Guo Jia, and the others were merely paying lip service. Didn’t they see that not a single military general had come to congratulate yet?

After all, everyone had status and position, and such matters required some decorum. Speaking lightly was one thing, but to truly act on such matters like this was unacceptable.

Didn’t everyone wait for Sun Ce to fail when he initially caught the Flying Yellow, instead of seizing it outright?

One might say if Sun Ce failed and others acted then, it was deemed rightful for the virtuous to obtain. But if someone disrupted while Sun Ce was still striving, they would surely be attacked by the masses, as this was an unspoken rule.

Similarly, if Sun Ce succeeded, then everyone could only watch, no matter how envious they might be. Future battlefield contests would be another matter, but for now, they absolutely couldn’t seize it, and they had to congratulate instead.

But now Sun Ce was kneeling, and the Flying Yellow was as well, creating an awkward situation. Fortunately, Zhou Yu came to clean up the mess, or who knows what disastrous situation might have ensued.

Zhou Yu forcibly pulled Sun Ce off the Flying Yellow’s neck. After being pulled off, Sun Ce shakily stood in front of Flying Yellow with a proud look as if he had much to say. Zhou Yu couldn’t bear to watch anymore, knocked Sun Ce down with a hand blade, and had someone carry him away to avoid further embarrassment.

Zhou Yu ordered someone to send Sun Ce back to the camp, while the Flying Yellow, limping and swaying, also stood up next to Sun Ce. Zhou Yu thought for a moment and had a basket of fine fodder fed to the Flying Yellow.

"Generals, help me keep an eye on it, don’t let Flying Yellow run off after it’s full, I’m going to check on Bofu." Zhou Yu said to a group of generals watching the Flying Yellow.

"If it runs, I’ll catch it and cook it," Dian Wei said with a silly grin.

A group of people glared at Dian Wei, while Zhou Yu just nodded, turned around, and left without saying much more.

Chen Xi looked at the Flying Yellow, nearly like a starved ghost, surrounded by people but still busily gobbling up the feed, and shook his head.

"I’m leaving now, you guys just keep an eye on it." Chen Xi waved his hand and left; the Flying Yellow was definitely not going to belong to him.

"It seems that the great aristocratic families have chosen the path you mentioned." As Chen Xi was about to enter the tent, Xun Yu suddenly appeared and said.

"Hmm, I gave them enough face, they shouldn’t overstep their bounds." Chen Xi said calmly, "Brother Wen Ruo, why don’t you stop me?"

"Not to say I might not stop you, but why should I?" Xun Yu asked, looking at Chen Xi.

"After all, the Xun Family is also an aristocratic family. With what I’ve done, hasn’t the Xun Family suffered significant losses?" Chen Xi said with a light laugh, "The Xun Family has 7,700 qing of fields, approximately 770,000 mu, yet taxable fields account for less than 700 qing, that’s quite a loss."

"The Chen Family has 7,500 qing of fields, roughly 750,000 mu, and excluding the house, taxable fields are also probably just 700 qing. Marquis Chen, would you not suffer the same loss with your actions?" Xun Yu smiled, completely unconcerned, as everyone knew the truth, no one could fool the others.

"Hahaha, it’s all the same, so they’re equally shady," Chen Xi said spreading his hands.

"I have my ideals, so I can be ruthless, but what about you, Brother Wen Ruo?" Chen Xi curiously sized up Xun Yu.

"The reason why Zhou Yu doesn’t stop this matter, even assisting it, is that there are too many aristocratic families in the south, too conservative, and abolishing the Zhou Family’s fields, dragging all the Southern Noble Families down is greatly beneficial to Sun Ce. And you, Brother Wen Ruo, why do you act this way?" At this moment, Zhou Yu happened to appear, and Chen Xi turned and brought Zhou Yu into the conversation, causing Zhou Yu, who was stepping forward, to halt.

"You two argue it out, don’t involve me; our Zhou Family doesn’t have the luxury of your two families, so if it’s gone, it’s gone, the loss isn’t big." Zhou Yu looked at Chen Xi and Xun Yu, estimated for a moment, waved his hand, and left, really not wanting to get involved.

"Marquis Chen is driven by ideals." Xun Yu slowly began, as if only now realizing, "Then, does Marquis Chen think the nobles from a thousand years ago lived better than we do now?"

"Certainly, we do now." Such a question required no thought, and Chen Xi answered immediately, but upon answering, Chen Xi instantly grasped Xun Yu’s implication.

"Let me sort it out." Chen Xi pressed his temples; he understood Xun Yu’s meaning.

"Are you saying that only when the nation is strong can the aristocratic families be more robust, and this robustness isn’t about a single surname or family, but a collective strengthening, all families becoming stronger together?" Chen Xi said, looking at Xun Yu, "So even if I don’t do it, you will curb the aristocratic families?"

"Yes, I’m from an aristocratic family, but I will still restrain aristocratic families, including the Xun Family, because if aristocratic families continue to grow, they will harm the country’s foundation. Where will the hairs attach if the skin is gone?" Xun Yu said slowly, looking at Chen Xi, who immediately understood.

At this moment, the way Chen Xi looked at Xun Yu was somewhat peculiar; if these words were said by people of later generations, it would be understandable, but those uttered by people of this era involved a question of primacy.

This era could be considered the era of aristocratic families, with families placed before the nation, with family interests at the core. Yet Xun Yu had stepped beyond this scope; he still valued family, but he was already significantly different from the aristocratic family members of the past.

"Have you already started peering along the river of history, observing the pattern between empires and upper rulers? Have you seen the ultimate state of aristocratic families?" Chen Xi said, observing Xun Yu, and speaking without the previous hint of arrogance.

"Family and nation, although reluctantly admitted, when a tool becomes larger and stronger, the manipulator can gain more benefits, and the manipulator shouldn’t destroy the tool for temporary gain." Xun Yu sighed and said without minding the change in Chen Xi’s tone.

"..." Chen Xi felt a headache; he realized Xun Yu’s concept of the nation differed significantly from his own. However, speaking reasonably, from their perspective, Xun Yu’s concept of the nation was indeed correct — positioning determines mindset!

"So your approach is to deplete the upper manipulators, build a stronger nation, and then in turn subsidize the upper layers?" Chen Xi was indeed convinced; Xun Yu was indeed remarkable, though in a skewed way!

"Aren’t you?" Xun Yu countered.

"Did you steal my prohibited books?" Chen Xi said with annoyance, "Cai Zhaoji manages the restricted books; if your old man had no scruples, he would surely get them."

"Don’t you think what those books say makes a lot of sense? If the common people at the bottom get them and understand the thoughts within, they would be subversive books, but when we acquire them, they are just perfect for state governance, aren’t they?" Xun Yu raised an eyebrow and asked immediately.

"In the future, your old man should be categorized as unwelcome." Chen Xi didn’t respond directly but criticized Xun Shuang without scruples.

"Uncle isn’t as you think; he only opened a window. I completed the rest myself, but it’s a pity not having seen the original book, regrettably so." Xun Yu replied calmly, though his eyes concealed no envy.

Chen Xi had nothing to say after hearing this. With Xun Yu’s capability, he could piece together some content from Xun Shuang’s few words, trace it back to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and various masters, unravel the relationships among the nation, ruling class, and those ruled — Chen Xi believed it.