Chapter 476: A Talk with Guan Yu.
Daniel let out a sigh; he didn't want to answer this question. He felt that even if he didn't answer it, Guan Yu would still be okay working with Cao Cao. But there was no guarantee that Guan Yu would do his best in his duties. He might think Cao Cao was behind it and potentially sabotage Cao Cao's work. Though Daniel might be paranoid, the chance was not zero.
Besides, if he didn't answer, it would be like leaving a problem for his future self. He hated surprises and wanted to avoid potential issues down the line.
"Are you sure you want me to tell you?" Daniel asked. If Guan Yu wanted to know, he would tell him the truth, without sugarcoating it.
"Yes, my lord. May I know why?" asked Guan Yu.
Daniel nodded after hearing Guan Yu's confirmation. He took a deep breath and began explaining.
"There are three main reasons why I didn't bring back Mr. Liu. First, I brought back Mr. Guo and you because Mr. Cao asked me for a favor. Second, bringing someone back from the dead, especially from such a long-past era like Mr.
Cao, Mr. Guo, and you, uses a lot of my power. This is a special kind of power that isn't mana. It's neither cheap nor common, and as far as I know, only I can access and use this power. Third, according to historical records, I don't like Mr. Liu's modus operandi," Daniel said.
"You don't like my brother's modus operandi? Why?" Guan Yu asked, skeptical of Daniel's reasoning.
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"Don't you know how your brother operated? I'll explain then. How many times did your brother enter someone else's faction, and not long after, there was division within that faction? Did those factions survive?" Daniel started. Guan Yu seemed to want to argue but then fell silent.
"Xu Province, Tao Qian, Yuan Shao's camp, Jing Province, Liu Biao, and lastly, Liu Zhang. Four times, Liu Bei went there and things turned out badly. You might argue that other than Liu Zhang, everything was just bad luck… is it really luck? Truly?
There's a saying that goes, the first time is luck, the second time is coincidence, and the third time it's a pattern. Your brother managed to make his downfall luck happen four times. If you were me, would you still think that it's due to luck? Do you still want to employ your brother?" Daniel asked.
Hearing all of this, Guan Yu wanted to defend his older brother, but he couldn't find the words to refute it. Everything Daniel said was the truth.
"Moreover, Mr. Guan, I have a personal bias against anyone who often tells themselves or others that they have higher bloodline or descent from royal blood. You see…" Daniel paused, trying to choose the right words.
"I have personally experienced a ruler reputed for great virtue and mercy, exactly like your brother. Do you know what happened?" Daniel paused, letting the fact sink in for Guan Yu.
"The people in this country still struggled with having enough to eat. Poverty, starvation, and crime ran rampant. There was corruption and injustice. Meanwhile, this so-called virtuous ruler was said to be the wealthiest monarch in the entire world, despite the country being much smaller than Russia or even the Qing Empire. Strange, isn't it?
Where did all that wealth come from?" Daniel paused, then continued.
"That ruler lived a luxurious life, adored by the people, occasionally showering charity on them and being praised as the greatest and kindest monarch on earth. Some people became skeptical and wanted to know the truth. Did the provinces the king visited truly prosper?
The result was that they did not, and those who sought the truth were punished for their curiosity," Daniel said, venting before he continued.
"What Mr. Liu did to his province… let's just say I'm not a fan. It's exactly like what I experienced. He has a great reputation for his virtue and mercy. But surprisingly, despite his province being secure and not touched by war like Mr. Cao's central plains, why is the level of his province's prosperity lower than the central plains, which were fully affected by war?"
"My lord, are you implying that my brother is corrupt? I can swear there's no such thing!" Guan Yu argued, his voice tinted with anger.
"Then that's worse than I thought, Mr. Guan, because that represents utter incompetence in a ruler. Whether by ignorance or sheer incompetence, that's not a desirable quality today. In my opinion, people responsible for governing can be corrupt, as long as it's not taken too far. As long as they properly do their job and provide for the people, they can be corrupt for all I care.
Just don't make it obvious and don't take things too far until it affects the overall picture. If that happens, it means that person is useless to keep around." Daniel explained and stopped, letting Guan Yu digest all of it.
Guan Yu was silent, digesting the facts that Daniel had laid out before him. It was grating to hear, and he felt anger, but when he thought about it carefully, he realized it was exactly as his new lord said.
"That's all the reason why I didn't bring Mr. Liu back. And maybe I won't in the future," Daniel said, waiting for Guan Yu to absorb the facts, then continued. "If you still can't accept it, you have an option to make me bring your older brother back."
Hearing this, Guan Yu immediately looked at Daniel, as if trying to discern if what he said was the truth or not.
"After this, I'll establish a mage organization. In this organization, each member will receive contribution points according to the degree of their contribution. The resurrection of loved ones will be a top-tier reward. It will be an endeavor to get enough points to redeem such a reward, but it's another way for you to bring back your brother, Mr.
Guan," Daniel explained, then waited for Guan Yu to digest all of it.
"Thank you, my lord," Guan Yu said, cupping his fist. "That's all I could ask for. I'll dedicate myself to getting that opportunity."