Chapter 57

Yuan Fang put down the military book and smiled slightly: "Aren't you all worried about the military pay? They have already delivered it to our doorstep, why don't you quickly collect it?"

Yan Liang, with his low intelligence, did not understand the implications of Yuan Fang's words and was momentarily puzzled.

Zhu Ling was stunned for a moment, but then suddenly realized and exclaimed in surprise: "Young Master, could it be that you used Mi Zhu to make the Mi family provide us with military pay?"

Yuan Fang smiled without answering, which was a tacit acknowledgment.

Zhu Ling was overjoyed and finally understood why Yuan Fang could remain calm in the face of the almost severed military pay, as he had already found a clever way to raise funds.

Overjoyed, Zhu Ling rushed out of the tent, while Yan Liang, still puzzled, followed him out.

The two generals reached the camp gate and saw carts being continuously brought in from outside, each loaded with large boxes.

This lively scene attracted the attention of the soldiers in the camp, who were all curious and guessing what was inside the boxes.

Zhu Ling stopped a cart, leaped onto it, and forcefully opened one of the boxes.

Sure enough, the box was filled with copper coins, which glinted in the sunlight, reflecting a dazzling golden light.

Zhu Ling was extremely excited and proceeded to open several more boxes, all of which were filled with yellow copper coins.

Looking around, there were nearly dozens of carts, each loaded with coins, amounting to tens of millions.

"Master is truly remarkable, solving our annual military pay without any effort. This will surely infuriate the other two sons of the elder master, hahaha—"

Overjoyed, Zhu Ling laughed heartily.

Yan Liang glanced at the carts full of copper coins and then at the laughing Zhu Ling. After a few moments of thought, he finally understood the reason.

Once he figured it out, Yan Liang slapped his thigh and exclaimed excitedly: "Master is truly amazing. No wonder you didn't kill that Mi Zhu; it turns out he is a wealthy tycoon. How could I not have thought of that?"

The two generals were overjoyed, and the surrounding soldiers of the Yuan army, seeing the carts full of copper coins, were also elated.

The military pay had been delayed for nearly twenty days, and the soldiers were already suspicious and dissatisfied, thinking their master was unable to pay them.

Now, seeing the carts of copper coins, amounting to tens of millions, their unpaid military pay was no longer a concern. The soldiers' doubts were immediately dispelled, and their morale soared to the extreme.

At this moment, Yuan Fang also came out of the main tent. Seeing the excited soldiers, he felt a sense of relief.

Under the reverent gazes of the soldiers, Yuan Fang leaped onto a cart, and all eyes turned to him.

Grabbing a handful of copper coins, Yuan Fang scanned the soldiers and shouted loudly: "I have always said that I will never treat you unfairly for serving me. Here are fifty million coins, enough for a year's military pay. Do you still have any complaints or unwillingness to serve me?"

The bright, metallic sound of the coins clinking together stirred the soldiers' blood.

At this moment, Zhu Ling raised his arm and shouted: "Willing to serve Master to the death!"

"Willing to serve Master to the death—"

"Willing to serve Master to the death—"

The surrounding soldiers of the Yuan army responded in unison, their shouts shaking the heavens and the earth.

Hearing the soldiers' pledges, the young man's handsome face showed a look of satisfaction and relief.

He nodded in satisfaction and said proudly: "You have all fought hard for me for half a year. I will take three-tenths of these fifty million coins to reward your efforts."

Before he finished speaking, Yuan Fang kicked the box in front of him, spilling the coins all over the ground. The yellow copper coins glittered, making the soldiers' blood boil.

The soldiers were overjoyed and shouted in unison, "Thank Master for the reward," their morale reaching its peak, and their gratitude and admiration for Yuan Fang reaching the extreme.

Beside him, Zhu Ling was surprised and said, "Master, we barely managed to get fifty million coins. Giving away more than a season's military pay in one reward, isn't that a bit...?"

"Soldiers risk their lives for me; how can I treat them unfairly?"

Yuan Fang waved his hand, interrupting Zhu Ling's advice, and said confidently, "As long as the soldiers are willing to fight to the death, they can secure territory for me. Do you think I will run out of money?"

Zhu Ling felt that Yuan Fang was too generous, but Yuan Fang had deeper considerations.

The siege of Douchang had been ongoing for a long time, and Tao Qian's Xu Province army was about to arrive. A major battle was imminent, and it was necessary to boost the soldiers' morale before then.

Zhu Ling was momentarily stunned but then understood Yuan Fang's intentions, secretly admiring his generosity.

He did not persuade further and instead directed the soldiers to line up to receive their rewards.

Seeing the soldiers holding their rewards, happy and excited, Yuan Fang smiled, his confidence growing.

Not far away, a girl in a blue robe quietly observed the scene, her thin red lips slightly upturned, and a look of admiration appeared on her beautiful face.

"No wonder this Yuan Fang can defeat Dan Jing, kill Tian Kai, and sweep through Qing Province. He truly has extraordinary and remarkable qualities..."

Murmuring to herself, the girl in the blue robe stepped forward gracefully and bowed, saying, "This humble woman, Mi Huan, pays respects to General Yuan."

Yuan Fang, who was still immersed in excitement, suddenly heard a silver bell-like voice, bright and clear, soft and gentle, which made his heart involuntarily tremble.

Turning back, he saw a young girl in a blue robe.

The girl was slender and graceful, supple and elegant, with a slender waist that could barely be held in one hand.

Her skin was as white as snow, like white jade, her eyes clear and bright, and her large, black eyes were intelligent and lively, looking at him with a smile.

She was undoubtedly a stunningly beautiful woman, whose beauty was unmatched and captivating.

Yuan Fang thought that Zhen Mi was the most beautiful woman in the world, but the beauty of this girl was no less than that of Zhen Mi.

The soldiers around them all turned their gazes to her, and the rough soldiers were immediately captivated by her beauty, staring at her in a daze.

In the presence of so many people, this girl named Mi Huan remained calm and composed, showing no sign of discomfort.

Yuan Fang's heart wavered for a moment but quickly became as calm as an ice lake. He asked calmly, "Who are you in the Mi family?"

"I am Mi Zhu's younger sister. I received a letter from my brother and have come to Douchang to reward General Yuan's soldiers."

Mi Huan spoke calmly, showing no nervousness, clearly having seen the world even at a young age.

"Mi Zhu's younger sister? Could she be the Lady Mi of Liu Bei in history?"

Yuan Fang glanced at Mi Huan, his thoughts racing, and quickly guessed her identity.

In history, when Liu Bei was at his lowest point, Mi Zhu provided him with all his wealth and even married his much older sister to him.

This Mi Huan must be that Mi Shi.

Yuan Fang's gaze was sharp like a blade. Most people would feel a chill under his stare, but Mi Huan remained calm, her beautiful face showing no ripples.

"Let's talk inside the tent." Yuan Fang reined in his gaze and rode back to the main tent.

Inside the tent, Yuan Fang had Mi Zhu summoned and offered a seat to Mi Huan, treating her with courtesy.

Looking at the calm and composed Mi Huan, Yuan Fang said, "Miss Mi, for a woman to dare bring tens of millions of coins to this chaotic Beihai to exchange for your brother, your courage is truly admirable."

Yuan Fang did not beat around the bush and directly mentioned the fact of using money to ransom a person.

Mi Huan smiled faintly and said softly, "General Yuan flatters me. What courage do I have? General Yuan, with only a few thousand troops, dared to attack Qing Province, kill Dan Jing, and besiege Beihai, showing unmatched bravery. This is what truly commands my admiration."

Her voice was clear, sweet, and pleasant to the ear, making people feel very comfortable.

Yuan Fang laughed heartily and said frankly, "Miss Mi's praise, I, Yuan Fang, deserve. Now that you have brought fifty million coins to support my military expenses, I will certainly visit your family in Xu Province when the opportunity arises."

The underlying meaning of Yuan Fang's bold words was a hint of his ambition to also take control of Xu Province.

Mi Huan smiled slightly, "General Yuan's ambition is truly admirable. However, Governor Tao has been in charge of Xu Province for many years, with a strong army. It won't be easy for you to take control of Xu Province."

"Governor Tao is a self-preserving bandit, not a concern. In a chaotic world, it's like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you will retreat. He thinks he can hold onto Xu Province, which is just a dream."

A single phrase "self-preserving bandit" revealed Yuan Fang's evaluation of Tao Qian.

Mi Huan's delicate body trembled slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in her intelligent eyes at Yuan Fang's boldness.

After a pause, Mi Huan smiled and said, "General, don't underestimate Governor Tao. To be honest, I have also brought a piece of news besides the fifty million coins."

"What news?"

"As I left Xu Province, I heard that Governor Tao has already issued an order, commanding Zang Ba to lead twenty thousand troops north to lift the siege of Beihai." Mi Huan said with a smile.

Yuan Fang's heart trembled slightly.

Tao Qian had finally made his move.