Chapter 56: Debate, Xi Zhicai reveals his true colors
"Ah?" Jin Mao was confused: "Oh."

Then, Jin Mao asked again: "What did you say, sir?"

"A disaster is coming?"

"I'm not in any serious trouble, sir, please don't talk nonsense."

"Sir, you are scaring me, right?"

Seeing Xi Zhicai was indifferent, Jin Mao looked at Yu Fan and said, "Zhong Xiang?"

After recuperating for a while, the already strong Yu Fan looked much better. Receiving Jin Mao's gaze, he said sternly: "Why are you looking at me?"

Jin Mao knew that Yu Fan was still angry about having forcibly abducted him and taken him away before. Jin Mao was scared of being scolded along the way.

The guards couldn't help but snicker, and Xi Zhicai gave Jin Mao one point in his heart, but he didn't plan to speak up.

"Hey, sir."

In view of Xi Zhicai's previous performance, Jin Mao asked for advice with a shy face: "Please tell me clearly, sir."

"Humph!"

Before Xi Zhicai could say anything, Yu Fan on the side snorted coldly: "It's you, this evil warrior, who bewitched my master?"

"Hey, Zhong Xiang, how can you say that?" Jin Mao quickly tried to smooth things over: "Sir, you are helping me, how can you bewitch me?"

Yu Fan immediately got angry: "What are you talking about! Zhuji County almost caused a disaster, and now you actually listened to the evildoer and want to fight against the imperial army!"

"The Southern Commander of Kuaiji is a high-ranking official with a rank of 2,000 stones, and is your superior!"

"Are you going to rebel?!"

Jin Mao's face also turned cold: "Zhong Xiang, shut up! Do you want everyone to know that I'm rebelling?"

Yu Fan stiffened his neck and insisted, "You've already done it, are you still afraid of what I say?"

Jin Mao's face fell: "Zhong Xiang, let's go, let's find a place where there is no one and talk about it, okay?"

"Hmph!" Yu Fan said nothing, but followed him proudly to a place with fewer people.

Jin Mao ordered his men to impose martial law and then explained Xi Zhicai's plan step by step in detail. He thought that Yu Fan had misunderstood because he had not explained it clearly on the way here.

"Ah! Demon warrior, look at the sword!"

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Yu Fan became furious and drew his sword to kill Xi Zhicai. Fortunately, Bai Shi was sharp-eyed and blocked the attack.

Xi Zhicai was so frightened that he leaned against the wall with a pale face, gasping for breath.

“Yu Fan!” Jin Mao was completely furious and shouted, “Do you still have me as your lord in your eyes?!”

Yu Fan glared at Xi Zhicai with bloodshot eyes. After hearing this, he reluctantly threw away his sword and bowed to Jin Mao: "Yu Fan knows his mistake."

Jin Mao took a deep breath. Yu Fan didn't want to blame him too much, so he put on a smile, helped Xi Zhicai up and comforted him: "Are you okay, sir?"

Xi Zhicai also took a deep breath to adjust himself, then smiled: "I didn't expect that Jin Wushang would have such a loyal minister."

His open-minded attitude made Jin Mao feel even more guilty. However, the next sentence made Jin Mao dumbfounded.

"Yu Zhongxiang is right. The plan I gave you seems to be for your benefit, but in fact, it's just because I want to go back as soon as possible."

Xi Zhicai decisively admitted: "As your counselor, killing me is the only remedy he can take."

“Ah, this…” It was the first time that Jin Mao felt that his IQ was crushed by someone.

Xi Zhicai also wanted to see Jin Mao's reaction after knowing the truth.

Unexpectedly, Jin Mao's first action was to help Yu Fan up and apologize: "Zhong Xiang, I wronged you."

Regardless of being wronged or forced, Yu Fan was very strong. However, when he received Jin Mao's apology, he was moved to tears: "Ming Gong!"

"Hey, Zhongxiang, why are you crying?" Jin Mao was at a loss: "Men don't cry easily."

"I am just touched." This was the first time Yu Fan pledged his loyalty.

Seeing Jin Mao turn around, Xi Zhicai looked at him jokingly, anticipating the next move.

Unexpectedly, Jin Mao bowed to the ground and said, "Thank you for telling me the truth, I am grateful for your advice."

Xi Zhicai was stunned, and he could be angry or laughing; even if he was pretending to be cool, it would not be as lethal as this humility and courtesy.

"Humph! Evil warrior!" Yu Fan pointed it out on the spot: "Why are you pretending to be so hypocritical?"

"You are just testing my master's tolerance!" "Do you still want to join my master's army?"

"Hey, Zhongxiang, don't say that." Jin Mao was very ignorant: "I already knew that you wanted to join me."

Fortunately, neither of the people present considered Jin Mao as an opponent.

Xi Zhicai frankly admitted: "I do have this intention. As the saying goes, a king chooses his subjects, and subjects also choose their king. I understand Jin Wushang's intention to recruit me, but I have not yet approved of him!"

Jin Mao was overjoyed and wished the two would start arguing soon so he could show off his charm again.

Unfortunately, he was disappointed.

The irritable Yu Fan invited him politely, and came into the room first, swept the couch and knelt down. Xi Zhicai followed closely behind him and sat opposite him.

The two of them started with a debate on scriptures, then moved on to the national situation and then to Jin Mao, arguing and explaining their respective views.

The scene was a bit like a debate, with Yu Fan taking the positive view and Xi Zhicai taking the negative view, and vice versa.

Yu Fan believed that the Han Dynasty was not doomed yet and someone would come out to turn the tide.

Xi Zhicai retorted that the chaos in the northwest had already appeared, and even sending famous generals could not quell it, and the country was unstable.

Yu Fan had the upper hand in the debate on the Book of Changes.

Xi Zhicai then used all his military strategies and tactics to completely defeat the opponent.

Finally, Yu Fan believed that Jin Mao would become a general or a prime minister in the future, and would become the pillar of the Han Dynasty.

Xi Zhicai retorted: "Now the Golden Crow can do no more than the dry bones in the tomb. They will be reduced to ashes at any time. Without the present, how can there be a future?"

In this regard, Xi Zhicai is just being dishonest because there is information asymmetry between the two of them.

There was no way. After one round, Xi Zhi realized that the two people's family training was not at the same level. If he wanted to gain the initiative, he had to use some unconventional methods.

Yu Fan took out counting sticks and began to divine according to the Book of Changes, and he actually figured it out.

"The danger comes from the court?" Yu Fan frowned: "Why does the hexagram show that fortune and disaster are interdependent?"

Xi Zhicai almost fell to his knees. Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you are so awesome?
Fortunately, he had been with Xun Yu for many years and had learned a lot of skills in cultivating qi, so no one noticed anything unusual.

However, Yu Fan lacked key information and could not figure out the details, so he simply bowed his head and admitted defeat: "Sir, you are very talented, Yu Fan admires you."

Xi Zhicai breathed a sigh of relief and said sincerely, "Sir, I admire your erudition."

Yu Fan, however, did not play by the rules and launched a desperate counterattack: "How does he compare to Xun Yu and Xun Wenruo?"

Xi Zhicai couldn't hold it together, and finally revealed his flaws, and asked back: "When did you find out?"

Yu Fan pointed at the abacus on the ground. Xi Zhicai smiled bitterly and felt sincere admiration.

However, Yu Fan and Xun Yu are still incomparable. Whether in terms of family background, quick wit or other aspects, Xun Yu is better than them.

Just talking about this game, Xi Zhicai was slightly inferior, so he said: "Sir, you know that Jinwu is in danger, do you have any countermeasures?"

When Yu Fan saw that Xi Zhicai did not point out to his face who was superior between him and Xun Yu, he understood the difference.

Yu Fan bowed his head once again and admitted defeat: "Please enlighten me, sir."

Xi Zhicai won the final victory, and he did not hide anything, and directly revealed his cards: "As the saying goes, knowing yourself and knowing your enemy, you will win every battle."

“The best plans are useless if no one executes them.”

"The key to this matter is not you and me, but Jinwushang himself!"

Suddenly, Yu Fan felt as if he had seen the light of day after the clouds had parted. He bowed sincerely, "Sir, you are so talented!"

Xi Zhicai quickly returned the greeting: "Sir, you are extremely talented and learned. Zhicai admires you!"

The two of them exchanged business praises and suddenly felt a sense of mutual appreciation.

Jin Mao, who had been listening, was originally very happy, because Xun Yu did not fail to respond after receiving the letter, and now he sent Xi Zhicai!

Then, he was confused.

"If there is danger, just give me some advice. It doesn't make sense for the master to take risks. Zhongxiang, don't you think so?"

"Sir, your suggestion last time was very good. Think about it again. There must be other ways."

In the end, no matter how reluctant Jinmao was, he was persuaded by the two.

(End of this chapter)