Chapter 41 Telling the Truth Behind Closed Doors

The four people present each had their own agenda, their words containing hidden barbs as they probed each other.

Zhao Yun stood guard outside the house, listening to the conversation inside, thinking that noble families were indeed full of complex individuals.

Yuan Xi had previously apologized, saying that Zhao Yun was qualified to attend this welcoming banquet, but the visitors were hostile, and Zhao Yun didn't understand the internal affairs of the Yuan family, so he had to wrong him.

Zhao Yun expressed his understanding. Listening to the conversation inside, he realized how dangerous this banquet was, and that his personality was not suited to handle it.

The three who came were the eldest son of the Yuan family, his strategist, and one of the four pillars, none of whom were simple characters.

What surprised Zhao Yun especially was that Yuan Xi also had a side he didn't know.

Facing the three, he didn't fall into a disadvantage at all, speaking eloquently, appearing confident of victory.

Where did his confidence come from?

Yuan Xi tapped the table with his finger and said, "As you all know, I was trapped in Beixin City for three years, and I lived quite repressively before."

"At first, I didn't know how to lead troops, so I led recruits to defend the city, nearly dying several times."

"Several times, when I was besieged urgently, no reinforcements ever came from Ji Province, leaving me to fend for myself."

Yuan Tan coughed and said, "Second brother is overthinking it. The ceasefire was ordered by the imperial court, and father also had his difficulties."

Yuan Xi sneered, "So I was besieged for more than half a year. At that time, let alone eating a full meal, it was good enough to have something to fill my stomach."

"I've eaten rats, rotten meat, moldy rice, and tree bark."

Yuan Tan and the others' faces stiffened, and they immediately felt that the braised pork in their mouths tasted like sawdust.

The three cursed inwardly, 'You served us a bowl of meat, with corpses and dead rats, you're deliberately trying to make us uncomfortable!'

Yuan Xi laughed and said, "So at that time, when I found out that several aristocratic families in the city had secretly hoarded a large amount of grain in their cellars, I was very angry."

"The soldiers can't even eat, what's the point of these aristocratic families hoarding grain if the city is breached?"

"Oh right, generally the aristocratic families aren't killed when a city falls, otherwise it will be criticized by the world, so they are quite safe."

"But I might die."

"Being in the city, yet secretly hoarding grain, Mr. Xun, do you think this counts as colluding with the enemy?"

Xun Chen suddenly saw Yuan Xi asking him and laughed dryly a few times, "Of course it does."

"But to just kill them like that..."

Xun Chen was in a dilemma. Yuan Xi was clinging to the idea that the aristocratic families were colluding with the enemy, which really had a just cause, and no one could say anything.

Yuan Xi chuckled, "I'm a son of a concubine, I don't understand the rules. If you piss me off, of course I'll make sure they're finished."

Xun Chen's face stiffened. Wasn't he subtly scolding his father?

He thought to himself, Yuan Xi, on the one hand, didn't avoid being ruthless and decisive, and on the other hand, vaguely revealed his dissatisfaction with Yuan Shao. What did he want to do?

He looked at Yuan Tan and found that he was also thoughtful, wanting to speak several times, but after looking at himself and Gao Lan, he held back.

Xun Chen understood and groaned, clutching his stomach, "I only rode a horse occasionally, but I was showing off, and my stomach hurts from the bumping. I can't sit still now."

Yuan Xi heard this and said, "Do you want me to find a doctor for you, sir?"

Xun Chen waved his hand and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Second Young Master. I'll go back and lie down. If someone could help this old man massage his stomach, that would be even better."

Yuan Xi heard this and thought that this Xun Chen was a wonderful person, expressing his request for a maid in such a refined way. He immediately said to the group of young women, "Come two people, help Mr. Xun back to his room to rest."

The women looked at each other, and two young women scrambled to come out, helping Xun Chen back to his room.

At this time, Gao Lan also stood up and said to Yuan Tan, "Eldest Young Master, I'll go outside the city to check on the soldiers' encampment, in case of a surprise attack."

Yuan Tan nodded in agreement. Gao Lan bowed to Yuan Xi again and left the mansion.

Yuan Xi watched Gao Lan's back, lost in thought. This Gao Lan was not simple!

Using the excuse of patrolling the camp, he seamlessly blocked his attempt to send out maids as a test. Obviously, this person's ambition was not small, and he was likely here with a purpose.

Yuan Tan watched Xun Chen and Gao Lan leave and smiled, "Now we two brothers can close the door and talk."

Yuan Xi nodded and said to the young women, "You guys go out first and close the door."

Before long, only the two of them were left in the room. Yuan Tan immediately said directly, "Second brother, I won't beat around the bush."

"Do you have any agreement with Gongsun Zan?"

Yuan Xi smiled, "Does elder brother think it's possible?"

"I and that Gongsun Zan are now in an irreconcilable situation. I killed so many of his soldiers, what can he talk to me about?"

Yuan Tan said, "Father is implementing benevolent governance in Ji Province, befriending the aristocratic families to stabilize the local situation. After a few years, Ye City is prosperous and rich."

"You learned from father to govern Beixin City with benevolence and righteousness, distributing grain and helping the people, which is very good."

"But I don't quite understand why you are doing things so absolutely."

"Wanton killing of aristocratic families, tomb robbing, and even the Southern Xiongnu, who could have been allies, are also killed without exception. Isn't the killing too heavy?"

Yuan Tan also said, "One is bloodthirsty and ruthless, and the other is widely benevolent. Which one is the real you?"

Yuan Xi listened and smiled, "The two are not contradictory, they are both me."

"I have my own purpose in doing this."

Yuan Tan was stunned, "What purpose?"

Yuan Xi sighed, "I'm doing this for you, elder brother."

Yuan Tan was taken aback, "For me?"

Yuan Xi leaned forward slightly, "Elder brother, these past two years haven't been easy for you either, right?"

Yuan Tan was stunned for a while before slowly saying, "What do you know?"

Yuan Xi smiled slightly, "Elder brother is a smart man. Father let me guard You Province and let you attack Qing Province. It's already arranged very clearly, right?"

"Who is Ji Province being left to?"

Yuan Tan's fist clenched in his sleeve, "Third brother is still young and can't lead troops. It's normal for him to stay in Ji Province."

Yuan Xi laughed, "Elder brother, don't deceive yourself. I'll just ask you, if the thing you least want to see happens, do you have a way to deal with it?"

Yuan Tan snorted coldly, "I am the eldest son of the legitimate wife. Abolishing the eldest and establishing the youngest is not allowed by the Han system. Who can do anything to me!"

"As long as I make military achievements, am cautious, and don't make mistakes, who can do anything to me?"

Yuan Xi saw the complex look on Yuan Tan's face and thought, could it be that he had already heard something?

Let's test him!

Yuan Xi said, "I remember, our father was originally a son of a concubine of Yuan Pang's branch, right?"

"Above him, there was also a son of the legitimate wife, Yuan Ji, who was the Grand Master of the Palace, the Marquis of Anguo. During the Rebellion in Luoyang, he and more than fifty members of the Yuan family were all killed by Dong Zhuo."

"The Yuan family will definitely not give up this marquisate, and they may have to find someone to adopt it."

"Elder brother, guess who this person will be?"

Yuan Tan's face was ashen, "You've been gone for three years, how are you so familiar with the affairs of Ye City?"

"Second brother is not simple. You still have spies in Ye City!"

As soon as Yuan Xi saw this, he knew that he had guessed correctly. Many aristocratic families had joined Yuan Tan, so he could not possibly be completely unaware of this adoption rumor.

The things that happened in the later generations had indeed appeared early in this world.

Yuan Xi sighed, "Elder brother, you've narrowed your path."

Yuan Tan could no longer bear it and slammed his fist on the table, "Damn it, just because he has imperial blood and is the third son, he dares to bully me!"

Seeing that the time was ripe, Yuan Xi said, "Elder brother, on this matter, the two of us have no conflict."

"On the contrary, I can help you solve this matter!"

Yuan Tan finally understood, "You have a way?"