Chapter 8: The Maiden (Seeking Collection and Recommendation)

  There are many people and prying eyes, with numerous ears and eyes watching, a sum of one million is not a small amount, it can't be hidden.

  Yuan Fang, although without status in the Yuan family, had managed to save up some money over the years. Several months prior, he had instructed Yuan Gui to purchase a secluded villa on the outskirts of town.

  He then placed this wealth of one million in this private villa, preparing to take it with him when he left Ye City and head to Qinghe Commandery.

  Having arrived at the village, everything was arranged properly, and it was already noon.

  When he returned to the main hall, Zhao's steward immediately knelt down and begged: "The young master's orders have all been carried out by me, your humble servant. I implore you, young master, to spare my life."

  "Let you go?"

  Yuan Fang sneered and asked in return: "If I let you go, won't you just go and inform on me? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"

  "Second Master, rest assured that I, an old slave, will never dare to speak out of turn and guarantee that not a single word will be revealed to anyone." Zhao the housekeeper vowed solemnly.

  In Yuan Fang's eyes, a cold and ruthless killing intent shot out, staring at Zhao Guan Jia: "I, Yuan Fang, have sworn an oath. You people who oppressed me, looked down on me, I will repay you tenfold in the same color. Surname Zhao, do you really think I'll let you off?"

  A fierce killing intent emanated from Yuan Fang's body, and even Yuan Gui felt a chill.

  Zhao the housekeeper was even more intimidated by Yuan's strong killing intent, almost unable to breathe, his entire body enveloped in a fierce and piercing aura.

  Until now, he could hardly imagine how that good-for-nothing illegitimate son would suddenly have such means and momentum.

  "Second Master, I...I..." Zhao's steward stuttered, unsure of what to say.

  Yuan Fang's eyebrows furrowed, and he waved his hand, shouting: "Yuan Gui, take care of him, do it cleanly."

  Yuan Guide gave an order and shouted at his attendants, then they dragged Zhao out.

  It wasn't until then that Zhao realized that Yuan had been planning to kill him from the very beginning.

  In vain entreaty, Zhao's housekeeper, Estelle, wailed: "Yuan Fang, you dare to kill me. The eldest young master and the third young master will not let you off, they won't..."

  Yuan Fang was as calm as water, he had already turned around and played with the tens of thousands of copper coins in those large boxes.

  The sound of clinking coins flowed through his hands, and outside the hall, in the courtyard, Yuan Gui had already ordered his men to dig a pit and bury Zhao Guan alive.

  Looking at the shiny copper coins, Yuan Fang's mood was greatly pleased, and he muttered to himself: "The problem of money has been solved, it's time to leave this place of right and wrong as soon as possible, take my soldiers and horses, and open up a world that belongs to me, Yuan Fang..."

  ……

  Two days later, at the Yuan manor.

  In a magnificent hall, Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi, two brothers, were present.

  Yuan Xi paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in concern, his face filled with anxiety.

  A trusted house servant came in and bowed his hands, saying: "Report to the young master, we have searched all the places Zhao Guanjia usually goes to, but there is no sign of Zhao Guanjia."

  "Hmm, it seems that this Zhao fellow has indeed absconded with the money and run away on his own." Yuan Tan sighed thoughtfully.

  Yuan Xi was furious, gritting his teeth and cursing loudly: "This dog surnamed Zhao, we treated him as a trusted confidant, but he dared to embezzle my money, it's really outrageous! I must find this dog and tear him to pieces!"

  The Yuan brothers didn't know the inside story and thought it was Zhao's steward who had swallowed the one million dollars and escaped.

  Zhao was their trusted aide for many years, and had always been deeply trusted by them. Now, however, at the critical moment before Yuan Xi's troops were about to set out, he had swallowed up such a large sum of military funds, which was like a slap in the face to Yuan Xi. How could it not make him both heartbroken and furious?

  Yuan Xi scolded for half a day, scolding until his mouth was dry and his tongue was parched, before finally sitting down with a thud, panting heavily.

  "Xian Yi, don't be too angry, it's just a million dollars, at worst you can use your private savings this time. Your foundation is still much better than that cheap kind, don't lose your composure over this trivial matter."

  Yuan Tan's words of persuasion finally calmed Yuan Xi's furious and resentful emotions.

  He nodded heavily and said: "Big brother is right, one million yuan can't bring me down, I'll send troops tomorrow, I must take down Pingzhou before that bastard."

  "What's the rush? Everything is ready, and it won't be late to deploy troops. I've already secretly set up obstacles for that scoundrel, ensuring he can't even deploy his troops."

  Yuan Tan smiled coldly, and a few hints of sinister mystery leaked out from the deep eye sockets.

  ……

  A hundred miles away, Qu Liang City.

  In the main hall of the Zhen Mansion, Master Zhen Yi sat upright and listened to the various stewards as they reported on the Zhen family's business dealings.

  Zhen's family was originally from Zhongshan State, but since Zhongshan State is very close to Youzhou, and Zhen's family had decided to rely on Yuan Shao, Zhen Yi had already moved his whole clan to Quiliang City, which belongs to Wei Commandery. Only a batch of trusted servants were left in the old house in Zhongshan State to manage the local property of the Zhen family.

  The war in Hebei has intensified, with Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan locked in a fierce battle. The Zhen family, however, has unexpectedly profited from the war, their income more than doubling compared to previous years.

  Listening to the sound of money pouring in, Zhen Yi smiled slightly, with a pleased expression.

  Just then, the eldest son Zhen Yao rushed in and said solemnly: "Father, something's happened. The one million dollars we gave to Yuan San Gongzi was embezzled by their butler Zhao."

  Zhen Yi was shocked, his face suddenly changed, and he hastily ordered the servants to withdraw, then asked Zhen Yao in detail.

  Zhen Yao then took out Yuan Xi's secret letter and presented it to his father.

  Zhen Yi looked at it and slapped the letter on the case, saying: "This Yuan San Gongzi is so lacking in discernment, actually using such a treacherous person as his confidant, causing me to lose 1 million yuan for nothing."

  "Yuan San Gongzi is still better than that cheap kind, anyway our gift has been sent, the money was lost by Yuan San Gongzi, he should take responsibility for this." Zhen Yao comforted.

  Zhen Yi sighed for a long time before calming down, nodding and saying: "You're right. Even without our million dollars, with Yuan San's abilities, he would definitely be able to win against that despicable Yuan Fang. A million dollars is nothing, it's gone if it's gone."

  Zhen Yi Tuo's downfall wasn't just self-consolation, the Zhen family's annual business income was in the tens of millions, a loss of mere millions was indeed a drop in the bucket for them.

  "I hope Young Master Yuan can win this competition, and soon defeat his opponent, so that Father can marry my sister to him as soon as possible. Our Zhen family will then climb up the big tree of the Yuan family and be at ease from now on." Zhen Yi sighed.

  Zhen Yao smiled and said, "Don't worry, Father. How could Young Master Yuan possibly lose to that despicable creature? Just wait anxiously for the good news of Young Master Yuan pacifying Pingzhou."

  The father and son looked at each other and smiled, full of confidence in Yuan Xi.

  The two of them didn't know that outside the window, there was a girl who was secretly listening in on their conversation.

  "This million dollars must have been secretly taken by that second young master, I didn't think he had the guts to do it...it seems my judgment was indeed correct..."

  A faint smile of relief quietly appeared on the girl's exquisite face.