novelraw Chapter 566: A Small Cannon Fodder in the Three Kingdoms Era 8
Chapter 566: A Small Cannon Fodder in the Three Kingdoms Era 8
Truly worthy of being a master strategist who calculates human hearts.
Hearing the implied meaning in the other's words, An Ning was not surprised. She simply picked up a round fan and gently moved aside the curtain separating the two of them.
As their eyes met, compared to the almost imperceptible momentary daze of the person before her, An Ning appeared even more natural. She casually gestured towards the empty seat opposite the chessboard with an inviting motion.
"What's this? Just now, Brother Guo spoke so confidently about wanting to befriend me, yet now you hesitate to enter the carriage?"
Facing this pair of eyes brimming with a faint, smiling light.
Guo Jia: "..."
Hesitant? That was absolutely impossible!
It's just that he probably never expected that someone, who was often criticized for being casual and unrestrained in conduct, would now encounter someone even more unconventional than himself!
And it was a young lady, even younger than him.
Being young after all, his self-control wasn't fully honed. Carrying this subtle feeling, after climbing into the carriage, Guo Fengxiao genuinely restrained himself for a moment.Especially within this rather cramped space. Faintly, he seemed to catch a whiff of an exceptionally refreshing, subtle fragrance.
Guo Jia: "..."
Fengxiao, oh Fengxiao, this is truly... interesting!
Guo Jia inwardly scoffed.
Of course, the curiosity in his heart was really like a kitten's paw, scratching at him, making him itch constantly. Now that he finally had the chance, he naturally had to satisfy it a little.
Casually placing a piece on the board, the man soon spoke.
"Your humble servant is Guo Fengxiao from Yingchuan. May I ask the young lady's honorable surname?"
"No honorific needed, the surname is Shen. Merely a person from the mountains and wilderness."
Within the small space, An Ning replied truthfully.
Ah, so she's a disciple of a reclusive master! Guo Jia across from her subconsciously added in his mind.
No wonder she's so formidable, yet unheard of.
It seems her traveling with the Zhen family caravan today was merely a chance encounter.
Having figured this out, Guo Fengxiao didn't ask further. Instead, he focused on the chess game before him, trying to discern something from it.
No matter how unrestrained and unconventional he might be, he was ultimately born into a scholarly family. Being able to make many friends at a young age, while talent was one thing, Guo Fengxiao naturally did not lack the proper sense of propriety.
However, half an hour later...
Looking at the already decided outcome on the board, Guo Jia, unable to hide his complex emotions, put down the black piece in his hand.
Bold and sweeping, decisive in attack and elimination—this was the way of a ruler.
Moreover, unlike the young lady's slightly immature appearance, the person before him possessed profound chess skills, having already begun to show her prowess in this art. She herself was also exceptionally skilled in martial arts.
Recalling again her handling of those people earlier.
Guo Jia soon laughed and said,
"Young lady, are you aware that Ji Prefecture has an abundance of mountain bandits? Not only are they widespread, but many are fierce and brave. Several commanders have already returned defeated earlier. Subduing them is no easy task."
Yet as soon as these words landed, he heard the person before him laugh again and say, "However, I imagine since you, young lady, have taken action, you probably already have a plan by now."
"The Changshan area is merely a matter of time."
Yet as the saying goes, conquering a realm is easy, but ruling it is difficult. Moreover, this area is mostly mountainous, with not much fertile farmland. Now, after experiencing several disasters.
Local gentry families with some modest wealth have left one after another.
The population will only become increasingly strained.
After pondering repeatedly, Guo Jia still hadn't thought of a better way to break the deadlock at this moment. Seeing the unchanged expression on the face of the person opposite him, his confusion only deepened.
An Ning, however, did not say much, only smiling similarly and saying,
"I, Shen, thank you here for your auspicious words!"
Guo Jia, who had expected to be invited: "..."
Until the moment he left, Guo Fengxiao's mood remained complex.
Since the young lady has the intention to develop her own force, shouldn't she be widely inviting talented individuals? If he wasn't mistaken, this person, while visibly capable and having the desire to develop a force, probably doesn't have many followers yet!
Or was his performance just now not enough to catch this person's eye? That didn't seem to be the case either!
Thinking of her various actions just now, Guo Jia's feelings grew increasingly strange and hard to describe, as if something was gently scratching at his heart.
A faint itch kept coming and going.
Actually, the system was also feeling puzzled at this moment:
"Host, talent, talent! Weren't you acting that way just now precisely to seduce, ah no, to attract talent?!"
***
"Seduce? With what?"
Rubbing the white jade chess piece in her hand, An Ning couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Your host currently has no people, no territory. I'm not some 'Dragon Proud Heaven' protagonist whose mere aura of kingly dominance makes all talented individuals in the world willingly bow down, each one utterly loyal."
Wishful thinking.
In this world, how could there be such good things, especially when dealing with intelligent people. Without corresponding bargaining chips, why would they offer their loyalty?
No matter what, it always has to be done step by step.
"That's true too!"
The system nodded silently. "It's just that I didn't expect, given your personality, host, that you would actually choose this path!"
After all, building something from nothing is truly not easy.
Given its host's personality, it thought she would choose a faction to serve as a strategist, or simply be an observer, an outsider.
"Because those two options are actually not easy either!"
As if seeing its thoughts, leaning sideways in the carriage, An Ning soon laughed.
A strategist? Just take the three famous future factions. Cao Cao is suspicious and fond of beauties. Setting aside the complex mix of internal factions in the future, during this period, the major scholarly families hold immense power. For those of humble origins, or without a certain background, wanting to rise, grasp power, and gain freedom is extremely difficult, let alone as a woman.
Unless one reveals extraordinary abilities, but the latter means being easily coveted.
With that much effort and thought, might as well do it myself!
The same goes for Eastern Wu. Scholarly families are entrenched, local factions are already strong enough. The pie is only so big, divided among their own people. How much can an outsider get?
Relatively speaking, Imperial Uncle Liu's Shu Kingdom is somewhat better. The ruler's character is sufficiently "benevolent and values sentiment!" At least on the surface, he does it well. But his rise to power is rather late.
Of course, all three also have a fatal problem. At any time, wanting to obtain a woman's full abilities, taking her into one's household is undoubtedly the quickest route.
The risks involved go without saying.
Toiling mind and body, occupying a subordinate position, only to possibly be discarded after the millstone is ground, gaining no benefit.
Neutral? Even more impossible.
"If not for my use, then must be for my kill. Unless your host remains obscure and unknown, never revealing formidable skills. Otherwise, being alone carries an excessively high risk index!"
Even if she were more formidable, one person can fight a hundred, but could she fight a thousand? Besides, people always have moments of carelessness.
Of course, if not for the original host's wish, this path might not be undesirable.
In chaotic times, without a certain level of strength, simply protecting oneself is relatively easy; anything else is difficult.
In any case, in An Ning's view, whether to contend for hegemony in the future can be set aside for now. But in this world, one must have a force that belongs solely to oneself, difficult to shake.
The system decisively shut up.
For the next two days, the group continued their journey as usual. Apart from the inwardly conflicted Guo Jia, Xun Yu also came to converse.
Regarding this, An Ning could only say, truly worthy of being praised by later generations as the "Orchid Fragrance Beauty." Nearing thirty, his graceful demeanor remained, becoming more fragrant with proximity. Compared to the obviously casual and unrestrained Guo Jia beside him, who was younger, he clearly possessed more of the qualities of a gentleman like jade—elegant, refined, and cultured. His knowledge and strategic insight were also top-notch.
Ah, Boss Cao truly has good fortune.
Unfortunately, such a beauty can only be admired from afar!
Playing with the jade-white chess piece in her hand, An Ning couldn't help but sigh softly.
Unlike with Guo Jia beside her, whom she could intentionally or unintentionally "attract" a little. As for this Xun Beauty before her, born of a proper, renowned, and powerful family, with complex forces behind him, and his conduct not as unconventional as Guo Jia's.
Moreover, this person has ambitions of his own.
Don't say now, even in the coming years, the possibility of him being used by her isn't great.
And according to the timeline, probably within a year or two, this person should smoothly throw himself into Boss Cao's embrace.
After her thoughts stirred briefly, An Ning soon set them aside. In the carriage behind, recalling the brief conversation just now, Xun Yu also felt regret in his heart at this moment:
"I wonder what kind of astonishingly talented sect the Shen family young lady belongs to, that it could cultivate such a great talent."
Not to mention her martial arts and movement skills being rare in the current age, she also effortlessly discussed astronomy and astrology. Moreover, during these days traveling together, she always accurately avoided bad weather, finding lodging stations before heavy rain fell.
It was no coincidence; he certainly didn't think these were merely coincidences.
As for Guo Jia beside him, although An Ning seemed to treat the two of them no differently these days, Guo Fengxiao was an extremely perceptive person. Added to his unwillingness to accept it, he couldn't help but constantly dwell on and ponder it in his heart, naturally noticing some distinction.
Now, like a fish stranded on a shallow beach suddenly finding water, his entire being instantly perked up.
Mulling over the interactions between the two of them these past two days, lying sprawled inelegantly in the carriage, Guo Jia smiled silently:
Heh, the young lady has no interest in me? That might not necessarily be true!