Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

As soon as Yan Xiang entered Yangzhou, he anxiously dispatched his soldiers to report the grain shipment to Yuan Shu. He knew that this grain was hard-won and crucial to Yuan Shu's army's continued survival, and he was constantly worried that Sun Ce would plunder it en route.

Almost immediately, as Sun Ce received the news of the food shortage, soldiers dispatched by Yan Xiang arrived exhausted at Yuzhang City. Inside, Yuan Shu sat with generals like Yang Hong and Ji Ling, scowling over the dwindling food supply. Beneath their tent, Li Feng and Lei Bo knelt trembling on the ground, heads bowed, daring not to breathe, as Yuan Shu's angry roars echoed through the tent.

"What are you all doing? The noble families in Yuzhang City have been plundered, but there is still not enough food and grass! If this continues, how can we fight Sun Ce?" Yuan Shu's face was full of anger, his eyes were wide open, and he stared at the two people kneeling on the ground, spitting.

During this period, the atmosphere in Yuzhang City was suffocatingly oppressive. Military discipline was completely absent, and the soldiers were like wild horses unbridled, acting recklessly. Several egregious incidents had already occurred in the city, with soldiers looting supplies. Some soldiers, distorted by long-suppressed emotions, even resorted to murdering women in the city, seeking to vent their desires. Upon learning of this, Yuan Shu was furious and immediately ordered Ji Ling to behead five of the troublemakers, barely managing to curb the chaos. These offending soldiers were, in fact, Lei Bo's men. Lei Bo had been in trouble repeatedly recently, and his soldiers were even more depressed than those in other units. Feeling their future was bleak and hopeless, they committed such unforgivable crimes.

Just as Lei Bo and Li Feng lowered their heads, silently enduring Yuan Shu's scolding, a sudden rush of footsteps could be heard outside the tent. Then, a soldier sent by Yan Xiang rushed into the tent, knelt on one knee, and eagerly reported, "My lord! Mr. Yan Xiang has sent me to report that the large amount of grain and fodder he is escorting has reached the border of Yangzhou and will arrive in Yuzhang City soon!"

Yuan Shu abruptly stopped, his entire body frozen in place, as if under a spell. Then, his eyes widened, bloodshot, revealing a look of disbelief. He took a large step forward and shouted urgently, "What did you say? Say it again!" Confirming the news, Yuan Shu's tense nerves instantly relaxed, the gloom on his face vanishing. He suddenly raised his head and burst into a hearty laugh: "Hahahaha, God will not abandon me! Now that I have this batch of food and fodder, what can Sun Ce do to me!"

As Yuan Shu laughed, he seemed to have instantly forgotten all the unpleasantness he had with Yan Xiang. He rushed to Ji Ling's side, grabbed Ji Ling's arm, and shook it vigorously with excitement. His face was full of smiles, and he praised loudly: "This Mr. Yan Xiang is truly my right-hand man! In this time of crisis, he was able to transport such a large amount of food and fodder to alleviate my urgent needs. His courage and wisdom are truly rare!"

Ji Ling struggled to stand, struggling despite his still-wounded body. A flicker of pain crossed his face, but he quickly concealed it. He clasped his hands together, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "My lord, you are absolutely right. Mr. Yan Xiang has always been loyal and resourceful, and he has taken on such tireless efforts in this particular transport of grain. I believe the previous misunderstanding was due to some reason." As he spoke, Ji Ling secretly glanced up to observe Yuan Shu's expression. Seeing that Yuan Shu showed no signs of anger, he felt slightly relieved and continued his persuasion cautiously, "I hope my lord will not take it to heart. Our army will still rely on your advice from now on."

Yuan Shu listened and nodded repeatedly, his face full of regret. He slapped his thigh and said, "You are right. I was too narrow-minded. This time, it is all thanks to Yan Xiang. When he returns, I will definitely reward him handsomely!"

However, Yang Hong, watching this scene from the side, looked increasingly grim. He clenched his teeth, his cheeks puffed slightly, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. Previously, he had gone to great lengths to sow discord between Yan Xiang and Yuan Shu.

But now, with Yan Xiang returning from his grain transport, having performed a remarkable feat, Yuan Shu's attitude towards him had instantly returned to normal, rendering all of Yang Hong's previous efforts in vain. He was secretly furious, but he dared not show it too obviously. He could only force a smile, his eyes hidden in the shadows gleaming with resentment.

Yuan Shu said to the messenger in front of him, "Go on. Let's see if Mr. Yan Xiang has any further instructions."

The messenger quickly clasped his fists in salute and replied respectfully, "Before leaving, Mr. Yan Xiang gave us many instructions, specifically instructing us to send a large army to collect the food and fodder. He was concerned about the huge quantity and the importance of this shipment, and he was afraid that something might go wrong."

Yuan Shu sat in the main seat, his brows furrowed slightly. After listening to the messenger's report, before he could speak, Yang Hong's lips curled up slightly, with a hint of undisguised disdain. He sneered softly and said, "Hmph, Yan Xiang is overthinking. This entire transportation of food and fodder is all within the lord's territory. What could possibly go wrong? He's really too cautious."

Ji Ling stood aside, watching Yang Hong's nonchalant expression, and secretly thought to himself that something was wrong. He knew Yang Hong's gossipy nature too well, and was afraid that these remarks would affect his lord's judgment on the matter of food and grass. So, Ji Ling hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his fists in salute, and with a serious expression, he advised earnestly: "My lord, you must not listen to Yang Hong's words and take this matter lightly! Our army is currently short of food and grass, and the situation is severe. The supply of the army has reached a critical moment. Mr. Yan Xiang went to Jingzhou this time and went through so much trouble to negotiate this batch of food and grass, and its importance is self-evident. Even in our own territory, many accidents are difficult to predict. If we lose them, our army will be in dire straits."

Yuan Shu felt a flicker of embarrassment when he heard Ji Ling's words, but then he chuckled and feigned composure, saying, "Hey, Ji Ling, what are you saying? How could I not take Mr. Yan Xiang's teachings to heart? I understand, but I think you and Yan Xiang are both overly worried. There's no need to be so nervous."

Yuan Shu fell into deep thought. After a moment, he slammed the table and shouted an order, "Lei Bo and Li Feng, listen up! You two muster your troops immediately and go to support Yan Xiang. Make sure the food and fodder are safe. No mistakes!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Ling's heart tightened. He hurriedly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and said, "My lord, this is absolutely unacceptable! Lei Bo and Li Feng may be brave and capable, but this matter is of grave importance. Food and fodder are the lifeblood of our army. Any misstep will lead to our demise. In my opinion, it would be safer for me to lead the main force to provide support."

Yuan Shu looked at Ji Ling, his brow furrowed, his face showing reluctance. "Ji Ling, you're still seriously injured and haven't fully recovered yet. You should rest and recuperate. This task of retrieving food and fodder is quite risky. I simply can't bear to let you take any risks."

Ji Ling's face was determined. He straightened his back and said earnestly, "My lord, I am deeply grateful for your concern. But right now, the issue of food and fodder is of paramount importance, a matter of life and death for our army. I have worked with Mr. Yan Xiang for a long time, and we have a tacit understanding, which makes things go more smoothly. I promise to do my utmost to bring the food and fodder back safely. I hope my lord will grant me permission!"

Yuan Shu looked at Ji Ling's resolute gaze, his heart filled with both emotion and conflict. He knew Ji Ling's loyalty and ability, and he understood the difficulty of this mission. After weighing the pros and cons, he finally nodded slowly, "Alright, Ji Ling, this important mission is yours. You must proceed with caution. We all long for your safe return with the provisions."

Ji Ling was overjoyed and kowtowed deeply: "Thank you for your trust, my lord! I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

The atmosphere in the tent was tense. At Yuan Shu's command, Lei Bo and Li Feng, kneeling below, were startled at first, then quickly exchanged a glance. A flicker of unconcealable dissatisfaction flashed across their eyes.

Lei Bo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists unconsciously, his knuckles turning white from the force. He thought to himself, "We two have waited so long for this opportunity to redeem ourselves from our crimes, thinking that we could use it to regain our lord's trust, but Ji Ling got in the way!" Li Feng lowered his head, his eyes filled with resentment, his lips trembling slightly, as if there were many unwilling words stuck in his throat, but he didn't dare to speak rashly.

They all knew that Yuan Shu had long been dissatisfied with them. Having made numerous mistakes in the past, earning their lord's displeasure, they finally had a chance to atone for their mistakes, hoping to regain their lord's trust. Unexpectedly, Ji Ling, with a simple act of self-recommendation, easily snatched up this opportunity.

Lei Bo raised his head slightly, stole a glance at Yuan Shu, and saw that his master was busy discussing follow-up matters with Ji Ling, completely oblivious to his feelings. He nudged Li Feng with his elbow, and the two of them understood each other. Although neither spoke, the resentment and helplessness of having their credit taken away grew stronger in this silent interaction. They could only swallow their anger and wait for the next opportunity, which would come at an unknown time.

Yang Hong stood aside, observing every subtle reaction from Lei Bo and Li Feng. A subtle sly glint flashed in his eyes. He pondered to himself that Ji Ling and Yan Xiang had always been close friends, their bond as strong as a rock, a fact he had always found puzzling. Now, looking at the situation, Lei Bo and Li Feng had repeatedly failed to perform their duties, and now, facing Ji Ling's almost slapping retort, their hearts must be filled with resentment.

"This is a good opportunity that cannot be missed." Yang Hong's mouth curled up slightly, and he thought in his heart, "If I can win over these two generals and let them stand on the same camp with me, won't things go more smoothly in the future?" Thinking of this, his eyes became more determined, as if he had already seen the bright prospect of his growing power in Yuan Shu's camp.

Yang Hong raised his eyes and looked at everyone in the tent inconspicuously, secretly thinking about his own thoughts.

Yuan Shu's ambitions haven't yet been realized, but his civil and military officials are already harboring their own agendas, creating a myriad of factions. Yuan Shu himself is narrow-minded, easily influenced by others' words, and easily swayed by them. If this continues, his hopes of achieving a monumental undertaking will likely remain illusory and unattainable.

Ji Ling was completely unaware of Yang Hong's calculations. To him, everything was pure and simple. For him, the trust of his lord, Yuan Shu, was the driving force behind his unwavering dedication. Ever since he joined Yuan Shu's army, he had followed him wholeheartedly. A man of loyalty and integrity, he disdained the intrigues and deceptions of his subjects.

At this moment, Ji Ling's mind was preoccupied with the task of securing food and fodder. Receiving the order, he strode out of the tent without delay. Outside the camp gate, he mounted his horse, his posture erect as a pine tree, and shouted to his men, "Brothers, this mission is a matter of life and death for our army. We must give it our all!" The soldiers responded in unison, their voices resonating throughout the field, their morale high.

At Ji Ling's command, the military flags rang loudly, and the army marched towards Yan Xiang. He had only one thought in mind: to bring Yan Xiang and the provisions back safely, and to live up to his lord's trust. As for the undercurrents of thought and factional disputes within the camp, he had long since cast them aside, focusing solely on the mission ahead.