SWDnovel In Chapter 14, I, Shen Pei, won this game again!
In Chapter 14, I, Shen Pei, won this game again!
When Yuan Tan was explaining these things, he did not deliberately avoid mentioning Wu Yu.
Firstly, apart from Wu Yu, everyone else here is a trusted confidant who has been by his side since Qingzhou.
Secondly, Wuyu's younger brother, the future Wuhuan chieftain, has already been brought under his command.
If she were even slightly sane, she naturally wouldn't risk her life for Shen Pei anymore.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that the examiner may have other threats against Wu Yu.
Therefore, Yuan Tan's current move is also a test.
Let's see if the black jade can actually be used for our purposes.
This will also determine Lou Ban's future status in his army.
Wu Yu put down the teapot, took a deep breath, and said:
"Young master... I have not only heard of... Zhao Yun, Zhao Zilong's name, but in... among our Wuhuan tribes, especially those tribes that fought against Gongsun Zan back then, he is... he can stop children from crying at night."
"Oh?"
Yuan Tan became interested and leaned forward slightly.
Tell me in detail.
A look of awe appeared in Wu Yu's eyes as he slowly said:
"Back then, Gongsun Zan guarded the northern frontier, and his 'White Horse Cavalry' swept across the border, invincible in every way. Zhao Yun was one of the most valiant among them."
When I was young, I often heard the warriors of my tribe talk about a young general in white robes in the Youzhou army. His spear skills were divine; he could take the head of a general from among thousands of soldiers as easily as taking something out of a bag.
She paused, her tone growing increasingly serious:
"Especially in a great battle against King Qiao (one of the Wuhuan leaders), Zhao Yun charged into the enemy ranks alone, heading straight for the central army. With a single spear, he killed seven or eight of my Wuhuan warriors and nearly killed King Qiao from his horse..."
From then on, Zhao Yun's legendary reputation as "White Horse, Silver Spear" spread throughout the grasslands. The elders of the tribe all said that if you encountered the Han army on white horses, you should be especially wary of a general named Zhao Yun… He was truly incredibly brave!
Yuan Tan listened, feeling both shocked and convinced that it was all perfectly reasonable.
This is the Zhao Zilong he remembered, the one who charged in and out of Changbanpo seven times, a man of unparalleled courage!
His bravery was so renowned that it intimidated the tribes beyond the Great Wall!
He laughed and joked:
"Extremely brave?! Braver than me? How do you know?"
Wu Yu instantly understood, a blush spreading across her face. She patted Yuan Tan's chest and said:
"Oh dear! Young master, you're so annoying! You know that's not what I meant!"
"Oh?"
Yuan Tan continued to tease,
"Which aspect am I referring to? Shall we discuss it in more detail?"
"Young Master is so annoying, I'm ignoring you!"
Wu Yu pouted, turned her head away, and said angrily.
……
In the military camp of the newly allocated three thousand soldiers in the western suburbs of Ye City.
The soldiers gathered in small groups, some sunbathing with their chests and bellies exposed, others playing games.
The noise and shouts were incessant.
The generals were not like generals, and the soldiers were not like soldiers.
At first glance, the soldiers appeared undisciplined.
This was the three thousand elite troops that Shen Pei had prepared for Yuan Tan.
Guo Jia, who had just arrived at the camp, shook his head repeatedly upon seeing this.
If we were to take these people to Qingzhou to resist Lü Bu, they would probably rebel before the battle even begins.
Yuan Tan, escorted by Guo Jia, Cen Bi, and a group of personal guards, entered the camp gate.
His arrival did not cause much of a stir; only a few people glanced at him lazily, while most continued to do as they pleased.
Guo Jia said in a low voice:
"My lord, the situation is worse than we anticipated. Qu Yi's old troops are the most resentful, while the rest of the soldiers are observing the situation. If we don't establish our authority, this army will be unusable."
Yuan Tan nodded expressionlessly and walked to the temporary platform erected in the center of the training ground.
His gaze swept over the rabble below the stage, a cold smile playing on his lips, but his face remained grim as he spoke in a loud voice:
"I, Yuan Tan, have been appointed by my lord to oversee the military affairs of Qingzhou! Now that you have joined my ranks, you must strictly abide by military discipline and train diligently! Any disobedience will be met with ruthless military law!"
A burst of snickers immediately erupted from the audience.
"Pah! They're barely out of their teens, and they dare to lecture us?"
"Exactly! If General Qu Yi hadn't died unjustly, would we be putting up with your bullshit?"
"Go back to your beauty, stop acting like a big shot here!"
Amid the clamor, one voice stood out loudly, even carrying a hint of grief and indignation.
"We are not convinced! General Qu Yi rendered great service, why was he killed? And now we are forced to obey a mere child, what kind of logic is this!"
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a general standing at the back of the group.
He was not wearing armor, only a worn-out battle robe, his face was haggard, and his eyes were sunken. He was none other than Zhang He, the famous general of Hebei in the past!
He already felt humiliated by being assigned to the playboy Yuan Tan's command, and now, fueled by alcohol and his pent-up resentment, he unleashed all the pent-up emotions he had been suppressing for days.
Logically speaking, Qu Yi did not take care of Zhang He; in fact, he even looked down on him.
However, Zhang He's willingness to stand up for Qu Yi clearly carries a sense of shared sorrow.
We risked our lives on the front lines, but as soon as the battle was over, we were all put away like birds that had flown away and good bows that had been put away!
How can the brothers feel safe to risk their lives under such circumstances?
Yuan Tan looked at Zhang He, and a thought struck him.
He recognized the face; it was Zhang Junyi, whom he had previously tried to secretly recruit but failed!
Unexpectedly, Shen Pei put him together with this group of arrogant soldiers; it seems he just wanted to see them make a fool of themselves.
Zhang He pushed through the crowd, walked down to the stage, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yuan Tan, and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Young Master! This humble general Zhang He did not mean to offend you! I just have a lot on my mind that I have to express!"
The death of General Qu Yi has chilled the hearts of the entire army! This humble general humbly requests that you, my lord, write to our lord to clear General Qu Yi's name!
Otherwise, this humble general... this humble general is truly unable to accept this and wishes to retire from the military and return to his hometown!
His words, seemingly a plea for his life, were actually a threat to force Yuan Tan to resign, representing the sentiments of all Qu Yi's former subordinates, instantly cornering Yuan Tan.
To agree to him would be to slap my father Yuan Shao in the face;
If they don't agree, these three thousand people are very likely to riot.
All eyes were on Yuan Tan, waiting to see how this "foolish young master" would make a fool of himself.
Yuan Tan quickly calculated in his mind.
You can't just agree or refuse directly.
He needs to break the deadlock, both stabilizing the army and protecting Zhang He, a crucial piece in the game.
However, his every move was now under the surveillance of Shen Pei and others.
If Zhang He is truly entrusted with an important task, it could very well lead to his utter ruin.
But we can't distance ourselves from him either.
It's a real pity to miss out on such a fine general.
He must be kept in the army...
Directly arranging it definitely won't work...
What should we do?
While he was still pondering, Guo Jia spoke up:
"Zhang He! Stop spouting nonsense and inciting the army! The matter of Qu Yi is for our lord to decide; how dare you interfere! You say you're not convinced? Fine! Then show everyone what you're capable of using to incite the crowd!"
Guo Jia's loud shout actually helped Yuan Tan a lot.
After all, there were some things he himself couldn't say, but when Guo Jia spoke on his behalf, the soldiers in the army turned their anger towards Guo Jia.
Even if he said something even more outrageous afterward, the soldiers would think that he had listened to some slander.
Zhang He, enraged by Guo Jia's distorted and contradictory accusations, felt his blood boil and roared:
"Whether this humble general is capable or not, you will know at a glance, young master!"
Having said that, he suddenly grabbed a long spear from the weapon rack next to him and began to wield it in the center of the training ground! In an instant, the shadows of spears blurred and the cold light flashed!
Although Zhang He was down on his luck, he had not abandoned his martial arts skills. Now, in a fit of rage, he unleashed his family's spear technique to its fullest extent. Sometimes it was like a dragon emerging from the sea, and sometimes it was like a whirlwind sweeping away leaves. The strong wind howled, causing the surrounding soldiers to retreat in surprise.
"Great marksmanship!"
"General Zhang is indeed formidable!"
Cheers and applause rose and fell.
After Zhang He finished practicing his spear technique, his face was neither red nor out of breath. He slammed his spear on the ground, raised his head, and looked at Yuan Tan, awaiting his evaluation.
He was confident that as long as Yuan Tan had any discernment, he would be able to see his value.
However, this performance clearly fell into the eyes of Shen Pei's spies.
Zhang He is quite capable!
We need to have a serious talk with the deputy chief examiner about this.
Yuan Tan was speechless.
Well! With him training like this, I can't keep him by my side anymore.
We need to find a way to keep it hidden from others.
Thinking of this,
Instead of praising him, Yuan Tan snorted coldly, his face showing extreme "contempt," as if he had watched a clumsy performance.
"Hmph! All show and no substance! With such paltry skills, you dare to flaunt them in front of me? Utterly absurd!"
He abruptly waved his hand and gave an order to his personal guards:
"This man is disrupting military discussions and trying to please the crowd! Throw him out!"
"what?"
Not only was Zhang He stunned, but all the soldiers were dumbfounded.
Zhang He's spear skills were among the best in the Hebei army, but in the eyes of the eldest son, they were nothing more than "showy but ineffective moves"?
Although Cen Bi was puzzled, he obeyed orders and immediately led his men forward, grabbed the still bewildered Zhang He, and dragged him outside.
Zhang He finally realized what was happening, trembling with rage, his eyes bloodshot. He tried to struggle, but was held down firmly, and could only roar in a hoarse voice:
"Yuan Xiansi! You...you're senile! You..."
Yuan Tan didn't even glance at him again, turning instead to the silent soldiers below the platform, his tone icy:
"Anyone else who disagrees? Step forward and try! Let's see if their backbone is tougher, or if my military law is tougher!"
There was a deathly silence in the audience.
Even a renowned general like Zhang He, displaying such martial arts skills, was dismissed by the eldest son as "showy but ineffective" and punished on the spot. What are these people in the eldest son's eyes?
If this continues, it might not just be a beating, but a direct beheading!
Didn't Lord Shen Pei say that the eldest son was weak and incompetent?
This guy looks like an unreasonable and tyrannical ruler!
There's no reasoning with a foolish ruler.
The once restless and arrogant soldiers were now as if they had been doused with a bucket of ice water. Their desire to resist was completely suppressed by Yuan Tan's "tyrannical" actions.
Everyone fell silent, too terrified to utter another word.
Yuan Tan glanced at Guo Jia almost imperceptibly out of the corner of his eye.
Guo Jia, being extremely intelligent, immediately understood and nodded slightly.
Seeing that the crowd had stopped making trouble, Yuan Tan continued:
"Following me, you will certainly reap the rewards. Once we arrive in Qingzhou, as long as you achieve great military merit, I will ensure your meteoric rise to prominence."
This wasn't Yuan Tan making empty promises; rather, he learned it from the original owner's memories.
During the years the original owner spent in Qingzhou, he amassed a considerable amount of gold, silver, and valuables.
Now it's actually benefiting me.
Everyone sang in unison, and although there were still many who were not convinced, their arrogance was temporarily suppressed.
Once the first battle is won and the rewards are in place,
These elite troops under Qu Yi's command can once again become a powerful army!
……
Ye City, the study of Shen Pei's residence.
Shen Pei leaned back on the soft couch, listening to his confidant give a detailed report on everything that had happened at the western suburban camp.
When he heard Yuan Tan dismiss Zhang He's brilliant spear skills as "showy but ineffective,"
And when he was publicly dragged out and beaten with military rods,
He finally couldn't help himself and burst into laughter, clapping his hands.
"Hahahaha! Good! Well done, Yuan Xiansi! He's truly hopeless! He's capable of such a self-destructive and foolish thing!"
Shen Rong, who was standing to the side, was somewhat puzzled and asked in confusion:
"Uncle, according to our spies, Zhang He's martial arts are indeed superb, as all the soldiers in the camp have witnessed. If Yuan Tan could accept him and win him over, he might very well serve us. Why are you so happy, Uncle?"
Shen Pei stopped laughing, glanced at his nephew with a "you're still too green" look, picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then leisurely explained:
"Rong'er, you only see the surface of things. Zhang He is indeed a promising talent, but have you considered what the most crucial step is to make the best use of him?"
Shen Rong shook his head blankly.
"It's the human heart!"
Shen Pei put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
"Why did Zhang He publicly challenge them? He represented Qu Yi's former subordinates! What is their grievance? It's their indignation at the death of their commander Qu Yi! If Yuan Tan truly wants to win over Zhang He and those arrogant soldiers, he must first resolve this issue!"
He paused, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes:
"How do we resolve this? Does it mean Yuan Tan should write to the lord, admitting that killing Qu Yi was a mistake and requesting that he be exonerated?"
Haha, Qu Yi was executed by order of the lord himself. If Yuan Tan dares to do so, he is slapping his father in the face and questioning the lord's authority!
Given our lord's temperament, how could he tolerate him? This would be tantamount to cutting himself off from the core of the Yuan clan!
Shen Rong suddenly realized:
Therefore, Yuan Tan could never agree to Zhang He's conditions!
"That's right!"
Shen Pei stroked his beard smugly.
"Not only could he not agree, but he also had to appear to dislike Qu Yi even more than his lord and to defend his father's decision more resolutely! Therefore, he could only suppress Zhang He and insult Zhang He's martial arts skills, using this brutal method to forcefully subdue everyone."
But what's the use? The harder you suppress it, the bigger the rebound!
After such humiliation, Zhang He must have been disheartened and even harbored resentment.
Those former subordinates of Qu Yi, seeing their last hope, General Zhang, meet such an end, will only harbor deeper resentment towards Yuan Tan!
He stood up, walked to the window, and seemed to be talking to himself:
"The reason I also gave Zhang He, this 'hot potato,' was to make this fire burn even brighter! Yuan Tan's current actions are adding fuel to the fire!"
He may seem to have temporarily suppressed the situation with his power, but the morale of the troops has been lost, and the seeds of future problems have been sown.
Once he arrives in Qingzhou, facing Lü Bu's iron cavalry and pressure from both within and outside the region, this undisciplined and resentful army will instantly become his gravedigger!
After listening, Shen Rong finally understood completely, and a look of admiration appeared on his face:
"Uncle, your strategy is brilliant! In this way, Yuan Tan seems to have gained three thousand soldiers, but in reality, he's just adding fuel to the fire! Zhang He is not only not an ally, but has become the fuse that ignites the conflict! Brilliant, truly brilliant!"
Shen Pei nodded in satisfaction, a sinister smile reappearing on his face:
"Give the order to have our men keep an eye on things, but don't try to stir things up anymore."
Yuan Tan is digging his own grave; we just need to wait and see how he buries himself in it.
We made the right move this time!
Furthermore, I will personally visit Yuan Tan tomorrow to see if he is truly as dissolute as the secret report describes!