The Zhen family was a powerful clan in Ji Province. Although Liu Xie had now taken Zhen Mi as a Noble Lady, he had not won over the Zhen Clan.
Great Aristocratic Clans would not place their bets lightly before seeing something to gain.
All the more so when he was a Son of Heaven in name only, under Yuan Shao's control.
He had neither the resources nor anything of value to make the Zhen Clan side with him.
One could even say that investing in Yuan Shao was a safer proposition than investing in Liu Xie.
But Guo Jia had never expected to help Liu Xie successfully win over Zhen Mi in the first place. Arranging for Zhen Mi, who had originally been meant to marry Yuan Xi, to enter the imperial harem was merely a way to establish a bond with the Zhen family first;
Only once he truly broke free of Yuan Shao's grip would that bond come into play.
If I could win over the Zhen Clan ahead of time, it would help my current situation, surely?
Liu Xie pondered this as he ordered someone to fetch cloth and charcoal.
Zhen Mi was the bond between him and the Zhen Clan, and she could play a crucial role.
Through their interactions over this period, he had discovered that while this Luo Shen was certainly intelligent, she had little guile at all, perhaps because she was still young and had been well protected by her family.
Perhaps he could use her as the opening through which to win over the Zhen Clan.
But what bargaining chip could he offer to make the Zhen Clan willingly side with him?
The crown prince?
Liu Xie glanced at Zhen Mi's belly, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.
A line