Chapter 6: The Cunning Guo Tu

  "Fantastic, it's really fantastic!"

  Yuan Fangyan can't help but feel excited, now he is about to lead his troops onto the battlefield, where swords and knives have no eyes, and it's hard to avoid unexpected events.

  Now Yuan Fang has obtained this rebirth repair ability, which is equivalent to getting a life-saving artifact. As long as it's not a fatal blow like beheading, he can withstand it.

  What an unexpected surprise!

  After his wild joy, Yuan Fang quickly calmed down and re-bandaged his hand.

  After all, this ability was obtained by relying on the technology of later generations. In this era, if someone saw him being cut with a knife and his wound healed in an instant, they would inevitably regard him as a demon.

  Before having great power, it is still necessary to have some concealment.

  Wrapping his palms again, Yuan Fang soon thought of another thing, which was martial arts practice.

  To be honest, he was able to defeat Yuan Xi in the hall today mainly because of Yuan Xi's underestimation of him. His actual martial arts level is still below Yuan Xi's.

  Yuan Xi's martial arts skills, in this era of strong people emerging one after another, can't even be considered third-rate.

  "I must seize the time and quickly improve my martial arts skills, otherwise relying solely on this regenerative ability, if I were to encounter a master, I wouldn't be able to withstand it and would get my head chopped off."

  Yuan Fang secretly made up his mind.

  It's not possible to become a skilled martial artist overnight, and this body has been neglected for too long. With Yuan Fang about to go on an expedition soon, there is no time to invite a famous master, so he can only take his men and leave Ye City first, while heading towards Qingzhou, and practicing his martial skills along the way.

  ……

  Three days later, the dispatch order was formally issued.

  Yuan Shao stationed 2,000 troops east of Ye City in Pingyang Commandery under Yuan's command and ordered him to head towards Qinghe Commandery which borders Qing Province. He was to join forces with the defending general Zhu Ling's 3,000 troops and attack Qing Province.

  "With only 2,000 soldiers and horses, even if I add Zhu Ling's troops, it will be no more than 5,000 people. You want me to take so few soldiers to capture Qingzhou? Yuan Shao, you are really capable."

  He took the military symbol and documents, and Yuan Fang looked at the number of soldiers and horses on the document, secretly ridiculing in his heart.

  However, Yuan Shao's stinginess was within expectations.

  Yuan Fang immediately took the documents and went to the Dongfang Warehouse in Ye City to collect the money and grain.

  According to Yuan Jun's system, grain and fodder were issued by the warehouse department to various armies every month, while military salaries were taken by the main general of the army himself from the warehouse department.

  Guo Tu was in charge of the granary and armory, and was also the chief clerk of the warehouse for Yuan Shu's army.

  After entering the government office, Yuan Fang waited for half an hour before Guo Tu slowly came to meet him.

  "Ah, I'm so busy with miscellaneous tasks, making the second young master wait for so long. Please forgive me, Second Young Master." As soon as they met, Guo Tu cupped his hands in apology, but his tone was light and casual, without a hint of self-reproach.

  Yuan Fang was aware that Guo Tu was a trusted aide of Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi, so he deliberately made himself wait for half a day.

  Yuan Fang did not flare up, and said calmly: "Since Secretary Guo is busy with official duties, how can I blame him? This is the document for my father to dispatch troops. Please, Secretary Guo, quickly issue me the military salary, so that I can lead the troops out as soon as possible."

  Guo Tu took the document, pretended to be serious and read it for half a day before slowly writing down his response, sealed it with his stamp, and handed it over to Yuan Fang with both hands in a show of great respect.

  Yuan Fang took a look and his eyebrows furrowed, asking: "As far as I know, the military expenses are not just this amount. The military salary you gave me, Guo Zhuzhang, is less than half."

  "This is also unavoidable, my lord. As you are leading the army northward to confront Gongsun Zan head-on, we need to concentrate our resources on supplying the northern front lines. Therefore, the salaries of all other troops must be halved. I am just following the rules." Guo Tu explained with a bitter face.

  What money is deducted by half, what goes according to the rules, everyone can see that this is Guo Tu deliberately withholding wages and making things difficult for himself.

  Yuan Fang's eyes gleamed like a blade, with a hint of anger flashing in his pupils.

  Guo Tu smiled slyly and said: "If Second Master doesn't believe it, he can go ask Master himself."

  Yuan Fang knew that Yuan Shao had led his army north yesterday, so what could he ask about now?

  Moreover, Yuan Shao might have indeed given this order, and if he himself went to inquire about it, he would be suspected of questioning his own military orders, which would fall into Guo Tu's trap.

  However, even if Yuan Shao really had such an order, the Yuan side believed that Guo Tu would never cut in half the grain and salary of the army under Yuan Xi's command.

  Anyway, Guo Tu is in charge of the warehouse, just a few strokes of money and food, casually doing accounts can cover it up, who can detect it.

  Kuo Tu smiled at Yuan Fang with a smirk, as if waiting for him to fly into a rage, just so he could mock him.

  "Hmph, you're so bent on causing me trouble, setting obstacles for me, it's really hard on you. Thinking of seeing me get anxious and flustered? Forget about it!"

  A cold smile in his heart, Yuan Fang turned his eyes back to normal and said calmly: "Since that's the case, then this young master has nothing more to say, farewell."

  Having said that, Yuan Fang calmly turned around and left without any haste or anger.

  Unable to infuriate Yuan's side, Guo Tu felt somewhat disappointed, but the corner of his mouth hooked up with a hint of coldness as he muttered: "Cutting off half of the allowance, I'd like to see what you'll use to feed those soldiers and make them risk their lives for you. Ha ha, I, Guo Tu, will be waiting to see your joke."

  Yuan Fang could imagine how gloating and mocking Guo Tu's face was behind his back.

  One day, Yuan Fang will make him cry before he can even react.

  On his way back to the government office, Yuan Fang couldn't help but think about how to solve the difficulty of reducing the money allowance by half.

  Yuan Fang deeply knew that wanting soldiers to be loyal was not something that could be achieved with just a military order, and that using both kindness and authority was the key.

  He was different from those generals who had prestige in the army and could suppress the dissatisfaction of the soldiers even if their pay was halved.

  Yuan Fang is taking command for the first time, and according to convention, he should reward his soldiers with a sum of money to win their hearts.

  Yuan Fang had no savings and was penniless, so he couldn't even reward them with money. Now if the allowance is also cut in half, it would be strange if those soldiers listened to him.

  Just then, as he was pacing back and forth in his room, worried, Xiao Cha brought in a letter wrapped in silk and said: "When the young master wasn't here, someone delivered this letter, but didn't see anyone around. They just stuffed it into the door crack and left."

  Letter?

  Yuan Fang's heart was filled with doubts, and he opened up the silk book, on which there were only a few lines of words:

  Zhen's family privately gave Yuan Xi one million coins, tomorrow evening before the sun sets, they will enter from the north of Ye City and deliver them to Yuan Xi's hands, you can take it.

  "What does this mean?" Yuan Fang was deeply perplexed.

  According to the meaning of this letter, Zhen Yi wanted Yuan Xi to take over Pingzhou smoothly, so he secretly subsidized 1 million yuan, but someone deliberately revealed this message to him, wanting him to rob this wealth.

  Yuan Fang repeatedly checked the letter but found no signature. The only clue was that the handwriting was elegant and should have come from a woman's hand.

  "Could it be that someone in the Zhen family dislikes Yuan Xi, so they're secretly helping me? Or perhaps this is another conspiracy, a trap set by them on purpose."

  Yuan Fang's mind was racing with all sorts of possibilities.

  It can be confirmed that if this matter is true, Yuan Xi has received funding of one million yuan, and his strength will inevitably increase greatly, which is extremely unfavorable to himself.

  After a long silence, Yuan Fang's mouth corners rose with a cold smile.

  He already has a foolproof plan.

  "Where is Yuan Gui?" Yuan Fang shouted.

  "Is the young master calling me?" The eunuch Yuan Gui hastily came in from outside the door.

  Yuan Fang had already put away the letter and asked: "Yuan Gui, how many reliable men do you have under your command that can be mobilized?"

  "There are seven or eight of them, all small tribesmen, absolutely reliable."

  Yuan Fang nodded and waved his hand: "Get them all together, bring their weapons."

  "Bring weapons?" Yuan Gui's expression changed, "I don't know why you want us to bring all the weapons, what are we going to do?"

  "Take revenge." Yuan Fang's tone was cold and murderous as he uttered the four words.

  PS: Thanks to Yu Shi and Wu Zong Shi for the rewards. The new book is not easy, please collect it and vote for recommendations, Yan Zi is grateful.