Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1137 House Arrest
The centurion was so overwhelmed by Yuan Xi's question that he was about to answer. He then reacted and suppressed his anger and said, "Military orders are difficult to disobey. My lord, please don't embarrass me."

Yuan Xi nodded, "Okay, you are a real man."

"Whose military orders are you following?"

The centurion gritted his teeth and said, "Forgive me for not being able to tell you, but you can't afford to offend me."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Since you said so, then it is also the level of provincial governor."

"After the King of Jin was crowned king, he still retained the title of Xuzhou Mu from the Han court. You can't say that it was the order of Governor Chen, right?"

"Then I'd like to go meet him and ask him what's going on."

The centurion's expression changed several times, and he whispered, "I advise you not to go see the Lord, so as to avoid any trouble."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Oh?"

"After entering Guangling City, I cannot see the Lord of the Mansion. Why is that?"

"If you don't know, you would think Guangling has changed its owner."

The centurion's expression became even uglier. "Don't keep asking, my dear. My family is in the city. I am just following orders."

After hearing this, Yuan Xi said, "Okay, I won't embarrass you. How about this? I'll go in and see the deputy driver, tell him what the queen said, and then leave right away. What do you think?"

When the centurion heard the word "queen", he realized that he could no longer stop her. He looked at the guards of the merchant company around him and said hesitantly, "It's not impossible for a while, but only a few people can go in. I can't explain if more than that can go in."

Yuan Xi patted the soldier on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I won't make it difficult for you."

He called Sun Li and two guards, and took Lu Lingqi into the mansion. A group of soldiers made way for them, and Yuan Xi pushed the door and walked in.

Seeing the door open, the servant guarding the door was startled and quickly stood up and asked, "What do you want, sir?"

Yuan Xi saw that the boy was only fifteen or sixteen years old, with two bruises on his face, so he said, "I am an old friend of yours, coming from Qingzhou. Please lead the way."

The guard was relieved when he saw that they were not soldiers. He led the way and said, "Please come this way, sir. May I ask your name?"

Yuan Xi said: "No need, he will recognize me when he sees me."

As everyone walked in, Yuan Xi observed the surroundings and found that the house was divided into several small courtyards. He remembered that there were about 10 to 20 people from Bu Zhi's clan. They had followed Bu Zhi to Jiangdong before and later returned to Xuzhou together. Bu Zhi found a mansion to live in and settled all his clansmen there.

Yuan Xi followed behind the doorman and saw him limping, so he asked, "What are the injuries on your face and body?"

The doorman looked around timidly. Yuan Xi knew that he was afraid, so he said, "It's okay. I'm not from Xuzhou, and I don't have any relationship with the nobles here."

The man then smiled bitterly and said, "Don't mention it. I was beaten by the military commander outside."

Yuan Xi frowned, "The gang guarding the gate?"

The doorman shook his head and said, "No, they are patrolling the city. The owner's house was sealed for some reason a few days ago, and those people come to extort money every now and then."

"Later, a general fell in love with the girl from the Bu family. When he failed to get her, he beat up the villain and the owner who tried to stop him."

"I am still holding on, but my master was beaten so badly that he is still bedridden."

Yuan Xi became furious after hearing this. Considering Bu Zhi's official position as Beijia, what military officer would dare to attack him?
He asked coldly: "Do you know the name of the general who beat people?"

The man thought for a moment and said hesitantly, "My name is... I think it's Zuo?"

Yuan Xi didn't care and asked again: "How come I didn't know that the other driver had a daughter?"

The doorman said, "She is not the master's daughter, but a niece. Her parents have passed away, and she entrusted her to the master's care before she died."

After hearing this, Yuan Xi nodded slightly and thought to himself that it was no wonder that Bu Zhi wanted to protect him. There was a trend in the late Han Dynasty that scholars, in order to maintain their reputation, treated their nephews and nieces better than their own children, sometimes even to an excessive degree.

Just like Xiahou Yuan's niece who married Zhang Fei, she was also entrusted to be raised by her brothers. At that time, there was a famine and Xiahou Yuan's family was poor and had no food, so he could only feed his niece first, while Xiahou Yuan's own children starved to death.

For example, in later life, after Cai Zhenji married Yang Xin, she encountered an epidemic. She went to take care of the son of Yang Xin's deceased wife and cured his illness, but her own son died of the illness.

The reason they did this was not because they disliked their own children, but because the gentry in the Han Dynasty were under extremely harsh moral pressure. Not only did they not dare to favor their own children over their nephews and nieces, they did not even dare to treat them equally. This was because if they were seen as partial, they would be criticized by the world and the entire family might even ruin their reputation.

Similar rules include observing mourning for three years, during which time one has to sleep on the floor next to the grave, not have children, and not even have contact with wives and concubines. Such strict moral requirements are difficult for normal people to meet, so a large number of people who deceive the world and steal fame were born. Yuan Xi actually understood this to some extent, because it was really too inhumane.

Those who can meet these requirements are all ruthless people selected from thousands. Yuan Shao observed mourning for his step-parents for six consecutive years, living next to their graves during that time. He did not have any children until the mourning period was over, so the three sons of the Yuan family were all relatively young.

Moreover, all this was watched by the people of the world, and no one could find any fault with it.

It was precisely because Yuan Shao was so cruel to him that he became famous, far surpassing his brother Yuan Shu, so the scholars of the world sincerely admired him and gathered under his command.

Because the scholars knew that it was too difficult to do this, and following such a ruthless person would naturally give them a greater chance of success in fighting for the world.

But no one had ever thought that after Yuan Shao defeated Gongsun Zun and suppressed Yuan Shu, he would encounter Cao Cao and finally had to exit the stage in disgrace. It can be said that things in life are unpredictable.

Yuan Xi was lost in thought, and couldn't help but feel touched. He sighed, "The affection between clan members is sometimes really an attachment that is hard to let go."

As they were talking, the doorman and a few others came to Bu Zhi's yard, and they heard a creaking sound and the friction between stones and stone wheels.

When Yuan Xi looked, he saw a girl kneeling in the yard with her back to the crowd, crushing herbs with a stone wheel.

The doorman said, "Girl, there is a guest who wants to see the master, so I brought him here."

The girl quickly put down the stone wheel in her hand, came over, bowed her head and said, "I will go and tell you, may I know the guest's name?"

Lu Lingqi exclaimed, jumped forward, and reached out to lift the girl's chin. The girl was so scared that she took two steps back and fell down.

Yuan Xi blamed, "What are you thinking about?" Lu Lingqi touched her head and said with a chuckle, "I was anxious. I always felt that this girl's eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar, so I wanted to show it to my husband... my master, but I ended up being rude."

At this time, the girl raised her head in panic, looking at Lu Lingqi with a bit of shame and anger. When Yuan Xi saw this, he was also a little surprised and said to Lu Lingqi: "It's true."

He bowed and said to the girl, "My dear wife, I am sorry for being rude."

Lu Lingqi also apologized awkwardly. It was no wonder that she did so, because the girl in front of her was also about 28 years old, but her eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to those of Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, her face and nose were like Madam Du, and her figure was the same as Madam Feng. All of these combined made her have a very unique charm and beauty.

The doorman came up and explained with an apologetic smile: "A few days ago, General Zuo took a fancy to the girl and wanted to rob her, so he injured the master."

Yuan Xi suddenly realized what was going on and said to the girl, "I am an old friend of yours. Please open the door and see me."

At first, the girl thought that the scholar in front of her, who was wearing makeup and dressed like a dandy, was no different from the scholars in the city, not to mention that his concubine was touching her. But when she saw him apologize, she couldn't help but feel more favorable towards him, so she whispered, "Please wait a moment, sir."

She came to the door, knocked gently a few times, and said, "Father, a guest who claims to be an old friend is here to visit."

Soon, a weak voice sounded, "Dear guest, I am sorry that I am not in good health and cannot greet you. Please come in."

After hearing this, the girl pushed the door open sideways and stared at Yuan Xi vigilantly. Yuan Xi smiled slightly and stepped in.

As soon as he entered, he saw Bu Zhi lying on the bed, struggling to stand up. His face was pale and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. He could not help but get angry and asked, "How did Zishan become like this?"

Yuan Xi had his back to the sun. Bu Zhi blinked a few times, listened to the voice, and finally saw Yuan Xi's face. He was immediately surprised and said, "Master..."

Seeing Yuan Xi shaking his head slightly, he quickly changed the subject and asked, "Why did the distinguished guest come to my humble abode?"

"This place is dangerous, let's get out of the city quickly!"

Yuan Xi sat down beside the bed and said, "Let me tell you what happened first."

"How is your health? Are you still holding up?"

"I'll take you out of town to find a healer later."

Bu Zhi shook his head and said, "It's okay, just a minor injury."

He waved his hand to let the girl go away, then lowered his voice and said: "My lord, there is a change in the city. Although it is not a rebellion, if you don't bring many soldiers, it is inevitable that someone will have ideas. Please leave the city quickly!"

After he said a few simple words, Yuan Xi finally understood what had happened in the city.

Chen Deng had a large army and wanted to follow Yuan Xi's arrangement and let Bu Zhi temporarily take over the post of governor, but this caused dissatisfaction among the Xuzhou gentry.

Bu Zhi came from a poor family and had almost no family power. How could the great aristocratic families in Xuzhou allow a peasant like Bu Zhi, whom they looked down upon, to get ahead of them? So they fabricated charges against Bu Zhi and temporarily placed him under house arrest.

As for why the Xuzhou gentry did not dare to take direct action, Yuan Xi guessed based on Bu Zhi's words that it was because the Xuzhou gentry knew that if they had no justification, Yuan Xi would definitely investigate afterwards, so if they wanted to kill Bu Zhi, they would need an excuse.

Now it seems that robbing the girl from the Bu family was a trap set for Bu Zhi.

After Bu Zhi finished speaking, he said with embarrassment: "I am an incompetent official. I have failed the trust of my lord. Please forgive me."

Yuan Xi waved his hand and said, "Zishan, what are you talking about? You are my right hand. Leave the rest to me."

Bu Zhi was very anxious when he heard this, "My lord, don't be careless. The one who injured me, Zuo He, has an extraordinary background."

After Bu Zhi's explanation, Yuan Xi finally understood that Zuo He was actually Zuo Rong's cousin!
Yuan Xi frowned, "Zao Rong has done so many things in Xuzhou that angered the heavens and the people, why do the Xuzhou nobles still want to protect the Zuo family?"

Bu Zhi sighed: "Zao Rong has offended many people, but he has also made many friends."

"When he was in Xuzhou, Buddhism and Taoism were secretly led by him. Not only the money donated by the people, but also the women used for cultivation, Zuo Rong accepted them all with a smile, and used them to make friends with the Xuzhou gentry, so some families were very grateful to him."

"When Zuo Rong fled to Jiangdong, he took most of the Zuo family with him, but some of them stayed behind and lived in the homes of the gentry in Xuzhou to make a living. Zuo He was one of them."

"Over the years, he slowly climbed to the position of city patrol commander, and became even more arrogant and domineering."

"I have also advised Yuanlong about this matter. Yuanlong wanted to take action against him several times, but was protected by the Xuzhou nobles."

"Most of these families used to believe in Buddhism and worship Buddha. It is rumored that the master has a Taoist background, so they often pretend to obey but secretly disobey."

After hearing this, Yuan Xi's face darkened. It seemed that the last time Yang Feng came to Xuzhou to resolve the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism, he did not kill them cleanly enough.

Bu Zhi added: "This is also because Yuanlong's health has been deteriorating in recent years, and the Xuzhou nobles have become suspicious and no longer buy into his ideas."

"Now I guess Yuanlong is seriously ill and has been controlled by the Xuzhou nobles. My lord, please quickly mobilize the army to rescue Yuanlong."

Yuan Xi nodded and said, "Don't worry, I have my own plans."

His anger had reached its peak. He was fighting for his life on the front line, but the people in Xuzhou were only responsible for logistics, and yet such a weird thing happened!

No wonder even with Liu Bei's kindness, he couldn't subdue the Xuzhou gentry. They were truly a group of wolves that could never be fed!

However, Yuan Xi admitted that he had made a mistake. Most of the members of the former Xuzhou powerful families, the Chen and Mi families, either followed Yuan Xi to Youzhou or followed Liu Bei to Jingzhou. The families that remained did not truly support Yuan Xi's direct lineage.

Dividing the cake is very troublesome. Any slight deviation will easily cause dissatisfaction. For example, the officials headed by Chen Deng in recent years have probably blocked the way of making money for many people. The hidden dangers have been buried long ago, but they have only erupted now.

The girl from the Bu family was standing at the door. She saw the maid who followed the young man and kept staring at her. She felt uneasy and turned her head away subconsciously.

At this moment, the door of the mansion was violently knocked and smashed, and a voice shouted: "Who dares to enter the criminal's house without permission?"

"Get out here and die!"

(End of this chapter)