NOVPUBGan Ning and Taishi Ci bought some things and disguised themselves quickly, then Gan Ning, who knew the area well, found an inn, went up to the second floor, and sat down in a private room with a view of the Prefectural Governor’s Office.
"Look, it’s just that simple. All we have to do is sit here, and we can see the Prefectural Governor’s Office clearly with our eyesight. So don’t worry, as soon as there is a big commotion inside, we’ll go in," Gan Ning said, tapping the window with a proud look on his face. This was not the first time he’d done something like this.
Taishi Ci glanced at Gan Ning and sighed. Was it necessary to have professionals even for petty thievery?
"Shop Assistant, bring some wine, lamb, and roe deer meat. Bring everything you’ve got," Gan Ning bellowed, "The wine should be warm, and the meat tender."
"Alrighty!" The Shop Assistant’s voice came from outside the door, and soon the meat and rice were brought up. After setting the dishes, he asked, "Anything else the two heroes desire? Our broth is quite good, and on a day like today, it’s perfect to drink,"
"Rice? This stuff isn’t satisfying to eat. Got any steamed buns? Bring me ten or eight to start," Gan Ning eyed the large bowl of rice and asked.
"We’re sorry, but we’ve sold out of steamed buns. We don’t have much wheat in stock, and the millet flour buns are gone," the Shop Assistant explained apologetically. Ever since Chen Xi had made steamed buns a table dish, they had swept through Jiangnan and beyond. Unfortunately, wheat wasn’t grown in abundance, and the buns made purely from millet flour were not the best.
"Oh, then bring some hot soup. It’s indeed a bit chilly here," Gan Ning said, unaccustomed to the cold.
"Alrighty." The Shop Assistant, carrying the tray, went downstairs. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
After having their fill of food and wine, Gan Ning called the Shop Assistant over again. Picking his teeth with an iron pick, he asked, "I wonder if your inn offers accommodations? The food here isn’t bad, and I prefer not to move. If you have rooms, I’ll stay here. Just make sure to reserve this spot for us during meals. If there’s no room, recommend me a hotel."
As he spoke, Gan Ning tossed a gold bead to the Shop Assistant. The instant it was caught, the Shop Assistant knew what it was. Although it wasn’t a common currency, all merchants recognized its value.
"Yes, yes, we have some nice rooms in the back," the Shop Assistant said, beaming with joy. To serve a generous customer like this, the tip alone would be substantial.
"Book two superior rooms. Which furrier around here is the best? I have a friend who’s getting married, and I plan to take back some gifts. Does any shop have a treasure of the store’s calibre?" Gan Ning asked another question.
"Well, we have quite a few furriers in this area, but the Tian Family’s furrier is the best. As for a treasure of the store, I’m not sure about that," the Shop Assistant replied after thinking.
"You may go now. Tell your manager to prepare some roast meat and strong liquor for us tonight," Gan Ning arranged like a typical food lover.
"Got it, got it," the Shop Assistant nodded and replied, then slowly made his way back.
"Look, Ziyi, it’s really that simple. With a bit of money, many things can be settled. There’s no need for you to cautiously squat somewhere and keep watch. But speaking of which, Youzhou is really cold. I reckon it’ll freeze over in another month. We’ve got to hurry," said Gan Ning with a satisfied expression. But when a cold wind blew, he suddenly felt somewhat uncomfortable.
"It all comes down to these next few days. I think even General Gongsun can’t hold out against Liu Youzhou for much longer, alas!" Taishi Ci said with some emotion, disheartened by Gongsun Zan’s behavior.
"Forget about him. We just need to do our own thing. Nothing else concerns us," Gan Ning said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He had completely lost hope in Gongsun Zan, no longer feeling the admiration he once had for Gongsun Zan’s awe-inspiring reputation in the Northern Frontier.
Liu Yu was in an extremely good mood after learning of Gongsun Zan’s crushing defeat by Yuan Shao, knowing he himself did not approve of Gongsun Zan’s strategy to battle with the Yuans, nor did he approve of Yuan Shao’s swallowing up of Han Fu. Forget Yuan Family, any clear-sighted person knew what was going on.
However, compared to Yuan Shao, a gentleman of a great family who still observed some propriety, Liu Yu was intensely dissatisfied with Gongsun Zan, whom he saw as a mere brute who responded to every situation with violence.
It’s not that Liu Yu did not permit responding to violence with violence but in his view, it was best not to eliminate the opponent if they could be intimidated into submission!
As for the so-called "heaven cherishes life," that was all nonsense! Not destroying the opponent, but allowing them to live, was to let them witness one’s own strength, to have them sing praises of one’s achievements! It’s about showcasing the spirit of a great power! Even when Zhou destroyed Chu, he did not wipe out the Shang people’s sacrifices! Why must one kill every last one of the others?
In this respect, Liu Yu didn’t harbor any good intentions towards the Foreign Clans. It was just that Gongsun Zan’s rapid effects made Liu Yu’s slow movements in integrating Foreign Clans into the Han Ethnic Group seem gentle, creating the illusion that Liu Yu was kind to the barbarians.
Liu Yu’s method definitely needed a stable and peaceful administration to assimilate the Hu People into the Han populace, to make them envy the Han living, to marry Hu women to Han men, to leave Hu men without wives—in short, this strategy required a tranquil and harmonious atmosphere. Precisely because of this, the Youzhou under Liu Yu’s rule was actually not bad.
But when Gongsun Zan appeared, one day a gathering of Hu People vanished, the next day another tribe evaporated, and the day after yet another group of Hu People was gone. Liu Yu’s attempt to educate and completely attach the Foreign Clans to the royal way collapsed. After all, under the terror of Gongsun Zan, how could the Hu People settle down peacefully and give their daughters in marriage to Han men…
This was the crux of the conflict. Later on, as Gongsun Zan fought more and more viciously, creating battle casualty ratios as staggering as one to twenty, eventually the Hu People, let alone encountering Gongsun Zan, would detour upon merely hearing his name. In places where the Han and Hu once lived together, not to speak of Hu People, even the Han were gone…
In Gongsun Zan’s eyes, there was no such thing as a gray area. Tribes where Han and Hu lived together were also considered forces that needed to be wiped out in his judgment. This led to a complete falling out between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan. There was no room for discussion! Liu Yu aimed to mix the Han and Hu together quietly subsuming the barbarians, but now even the Han living amongst them were being purged by Gongsun Zan as traitors to the Han! Could Liu Yu accept that?
Since then, Liu Yu had been undermining Gongsun Zan. If Gongsun Zan had popular support, Liu Yu was not lacking either. In terms of popularity, they were evenly matched.
After all, having been a Divine Troops in the Northern Frontier and returned from the wilds, Gongsun Zan found it somewhat difficult to restrain himself, and disturbing the people was just a matter of course. Although Liu Yu understood that such behavior was normal, once they had developed grievances, who would turn a blind eye? When opportunity arose, who wouldn’t strike with all they’ve got?
Today, you, Gongsun Zan, return from a great victory, and tomorrow it spreads that your soldiers are harassing the populace somewhere again, and all of these actions can be verified on the ground. Naturally, the feud between them only intensified, eventually reaching the point where both parties basically harbored a do or die mentality. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)
