The soldier opened the door, and Yuan Shang saw the prisoner lying on the ground like mud. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, but the damp and unpleasant smell of the dungeon poured into his chest, making him feel even more depressed.
He walked forward slowly and saw several familiar faces. The owners of those faces also raised their heads, and hope suddenly shone in their eyes that were already lifeless.
One of them crawled over on hands and feet, hugged Yuan Shang's thigh, and cried: "Master, Master, help me!"
"Master, help me!"
Yuan Shang couldn't help but swallowed when he saw the mottled blood on the other person's body. He seemed to want to ask for help and turned to look at Yuan Xi.
Yuan Xi saw everything in his eyes and couldn't help but shook his head and sighed: "Third brother, you are far worse than my eldest brother."
Yuan Shang was stunned when he heard this. What does this have to do with Yuan Tan?
While he was puzzled, Yuan Xi waved his hand, and two guards immediately opened a door, dragged out the people inside like dead dogs, and threw them in front of them.
Yuan Xi said to the man: "Say."
The man was lying on the ground, making a hoarse voice. Yuan Shang carefully identified his appearance and voice, and was immediately shocked. This turned out to be Shen Rong, the city gate commander!
Seeing that Shen Rong, who usually flattered and was extremely respectful in front of him, became like this, Yuan Shang felt a surge of fear in his heart. For the first time, he discovered that he did not realize Yuan Xi's hidden side at all!
It seems that in my memory, my second brother always looks calm and nonchalant, but now he looks like a ghost seeking his life!
Then Shen Rong's next words shocked Yuan Shang even more. The other party actually framed him and wanted to provoke a fight between him and Yuan Xi?
Yuan Shang was not stupid. He immediately understood who the biggest beneficiary of this matter was. He gritted his teeth and grabbed Shen Rong's chest, "Why?"
"How am I sorry for you?"
Shen Rong said in a dying voice: "Master, I was confused for a moment, please give me a break."
Seeing that something was wrong, Yuan Shang opened Shen Rong's clothes. When he saw the disgusting situation inside, he was so frightened that he fell to the ground. He quickly stood up and ran away from Shen Rong. At the same time, he turned to Yuan Xi and said in a seductive voice: "Second brother, yes Isn’t it too cruel?”
Unknowingly, the terms of reference between the two people had completely changed. Yuan Shang's title of "second brother" not only represented his recognition of Yuan Xi's identity, but also meant that he was shocked by Yuan Xi's behavior.
Yuan Xi thought to himself that only this most direct method could give Yuan Shang the most intuitive feeling.
As the next head of the Yuan family, Yuan Shang holds great power and looks mature. With his big beard, Yuan Xi once thought that he should treat him like an adult.
But after several things, Yuan Xi finally realized that Yuan Shang was only a sixteen-year-old child at this time.
He was well protected and used to being pampered, but in fact his mind was immature and he was easily influenced by others. But on the other hand, Yuan Xi's method of dealing with children might be more effective.
So Yuan Xi used the most direct perception of fists and torture to make Yuan Shang feel Yuan Xi's power. He was like a child who was beaten by a stronger older child, and he respected Yuan Xi like never before.
Yuan Xi said coldly: "Because I am very unhappy."
"Winning or losing on the battlefield, the winner is the king and the loser is the enemy. That's it. After all, I am willing to admit defeat."
"But what I hate the most is the people down there who are sneaking around and using dishonorable means."
"If Yuan Tan is not more suspicious, just based on the small actions behind the scenes, between you and Yuan Tan, I may not support you."
Yuan Shang felt cold sweat oozing out from his back, and said, "But second brother, don't you also need my support?"
Yuan Xi shook his head and said, "No, I don't care at all who owns the Yuan family."
"Jizhou is destroyed, what does it have to do with me?"
"I'm just not happy that someone is plotting against me."
"Third brother, you should be lucky that you didn't offend me to death, otherwise you wouldn't even be able to touch the city gate."
After hearing this, Yuan Shang's words became even less confident, "Second brother... I don't understand, I can't understand you."
Yuan Xi shook his head, "You just need to know that I am not your enemy now."
"There is clearly a big enemy outside, but the three of us are still fighting back and forth. It is really ridiculous. In my eyes, this kind of behavior is no different from children playing house."
"But the price of this farce is very high. If we fail, our heads will be hung on the top of the city, and our families will become slaves. I don't think you want to see this kind of scene."
Yuan Shang swallowed and spat, "Then over there, brother..."
Yuan Xi said: "You are the lord of Jizhou, you have to find a way to convince Yuan Tan."
"If you fail, you will have no choice but to go to war with him. Then I will not risk the lives of my own soldiers for you."
"But this time I will follow my father's wishes and help you."
Yuan Shang was overjoyed and said hurriedly: "How can second brother help me?"
Yuan Xi said in a deep voice: "What Yuan Tan relies on is our fear of civil strife and Cao Cao taking advantage of us."
"In this case, before he comes, we have to come up with reasons that can convince him."
Yuan Shang quickly understood the meaning of Yuan Xi's words, "The second brother is saying that before the eldest brother arrives, he will give Cao Jun a decisive blow?"
Yuan Xi nodded, "That's right."
"This time we must push Cao's army back to the south of the Yellow River regardless of losses."
Yuan Shang said happily: "Then drive straight in and destroy Yanzhou?"
Yuan Xi shook his head, "No, we don't have that strength at the moment."
"Besides, after this battle, I will leave here, and then you will have to face Yuan Tan by yourself."
"But I believe that with your ability, it will not be difficult to at least defend Yecheng."
After hearing this, Yuan Shang nodded involuntarily and said, "Just follow what the second brother said!"
He suddenly woke up, why did he obey his second brother's advice before he discussed it with his adviser?
But he also had to admit that Yuan Xi had surpassed him by a lot. Not only did the other party's proposal carry unquestionable confidence, it was also his best choice at the moment!
After Yuan Shang finally interrogated the Taiping Dao witches, their confessions, as expected, pointed to Yanzhou, which showed that the Five Stone Powder in question was most likely the work of someone from Cao Ying.
Yuan Shang's face was gloomy, especially after he asked from several other prisoners that Yuan Tan learned about Yuan Shao's serious illness earlier than he did, and he became even more uneasy.
This shows that Yuan Tan has long known about Cao Ying's drugging behavior. Presumably, if Yuan Shao died of a sudden illness, Yuan Tan would be the biggest beneficiary.
Yuan Shangbu was panic-stricken and said to Yuan Xi, "If my eldest brother really knows the position of the head of the Yuan family and is ruthless enough to do such a thing, how can I possibly convince him?"
There was a trace of appreciation on Yuan Xi's face, "It's true that my father likes you. He really caught the key right away."
"But you can only think about it yourself."
After saying that, Yuan Xi walked out and said, "I'll leave these people to you."
"If you want to be more liberal, that's not impossible."
"But if those who conspired to rebel can be forgiven, I'm afraid there will be more and more such things in the future."
Yuan Shang watched blankly as Yuan Xi walked out of the room, turned to look at the prisoners on the ground, and his eyes gradually became fierce.
Yuan Xi heard the faint screams coming from the ground, and thought that she was helping Yuan Shang once in return for Yuan Shao's kindness in raising this body.
After all, the opponent was so well protected by Yuan Shao that he had no idea of the cruelty of fighting for the world. This was incomparable to the consciousness of someone like Yuan Tan, who had already gone to the battlefield to gamble his life.
Fighting for the world means risking all your wealth and life. The winner takes it all, and the loser gets nothing. Not only will you lose your life, but your wife, daughter, and family members, not to mention, will only suffer more miserable experiences.
Therefore, Yuan Xi has no way out now. He can only make those who try to spy on and frame him suffer corresponding revenge to make them afraid.
When Yuan Shang walked out of the basement, his body and hands were stained with blood, but there was a hint of fierceness in his eyes, which made the guards next to him feel that Yuan Shang seemed different from before!
Yuan Shang learned from the guards that Yuan Xi had left, so he rode back to the mansion. When he learned that Yuan Shao was still awake, he went back to the house to wash and change clothes.
Mrs. Hong had already taken her new clothes and knelt on the ground waiting. When she saw Yuan Shang coming over, she lowered her head and said, "The hot water has been boiled. Please take a bath, husband."
Yuan Shang nodded. He entered the bathroom, got into the tub, and soaked out the bloody smell that had been stained on his body for the past few months.
Seeing Hong kneeling aside, he said casually: "What happened while I was away?"
After hearing this, Mrs. Hong remembered what Yuan Xi said to her before she left Yuan Xi's mansion, so she gritted her teeth and told everything about Mrs. Liu sending her to Yuan Xi's home.
The more Yuan Shang listened, the darker his face became. He pinched the wall of the barrel with his fingers, as if he wanted to break it off. He stared at Hong, "Isn't the second brother very perverted? He didn't fall for it?"
Hong laughed at herself: "My wife is the most beautiful in the world, how could she like someone like me?"
Yuan Shang was even more unhappy after hearing this, meaning that someone like you is a good match for me?
Hong said in a low voice: "If you don't believe me, please go to Po Wen to check my innocence."
Yuan Shang choked after hearing this, and became more and more irritable. He waved his hand and said, "You should retreat first!"
After hearing this, Mrs. Hong lowered her head and slowly retreated out. Just then, Mrs. Liu's maid came in and said to Yuan Shang, "Madam, sir, please come over in a moment."
Yuan Shang snorted coldly, "I know, get out of here!"
The maid was startled and quickly followed Hong and retreated.
Hong lowered his head and walked back slowly, secretly thinking that he was lucky, and remembered what Yuan Xi said to her last time.
If you want to save your life, you must tell everything that happened immediately after seeing Yuan Shang.
Seeing Yuan Shang's reaction, Hong couldn't help but feel happy. This was to prevent Liu from making a preemptive complaint. Now it seems that Yuan Xi had expected it!
But she had a vague feeling that when Yuan Xi asked her to do this, it seemed that she was not just considering it from her own point of view. It seemed that she had other purposes?
Si Li Huaicheng, Lu Bu strode up to the palace, raised his hands to Liu Xie who was about to take action, and said: "Your Majesty, Bu is back."
When Liu Xie saw this, he stood up and said happily: "Marquis Wen is back!"
"I was very worried when I heard that Marquis Wen's war was not going well. Now that I see Marquis Wen is fine, I am really happy!"
Lu Bu said solemnly: "It makes the Tian family worry."
"But Ma Teng and Han Sui are ambitious and relying on Xiliang's large number of soldiers and horses, they are already approaching Huaicheng!"
"I heard that Yuan Shujun was also spying on Sili. Huaicheng is no longer safe now!"
"Your Majesty, please make preparations in advance to avoid making the same mistake again!"
Liu Xie looked hesitant after hearing this, "The situation isn't so bad, is it?"
"The enemy is coming from the west and the south, and even if they are walking, where else can they go?"
Lu Bu immediately said: "If your Majesty is unwilling to go to Jizhou, you can go north to Youzhou to take refuge."
"When the time comes, Bu will find a way to persuade Xian Yi to create a county so that His Majesty can settle down."
Chen Gong on the side couldn't stop him in time, and sighed in his heart, Lu Bu was still too reckless!
Lu Bu was already related to Yuan Xi, so how could the emperor not be wary of this straightforward suggestion?
Sure enough, Liu Xie's eyes flashed with a hint of gloom and he said, "I know, let me think about it again."
Lu Bu did not notice this, and continued: "The enemy is approaching during this time, and my troops are no longer enough."
"I would like to ask your Majesty to issue an edict to mobilize Zhang Yan's guards to my command so that we can resist foreign enemies."
(End of chapter)
