Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

The day after New Year's Day.

The entire city of Luoyang remained immersed in a joyful atmosphere.

After the city gates opened at dawn, countless people from outside the city poured into the city.

The carriages and horses moved slowly forward outside Pingcheng Gate, forming a continuous line.

On New Year's Day, the emperor would offer sacrifices, officials would pay homage to the emperor, family elders would receive homage from younger generations, and families would gather together.

The day after New Year's Day is for the congratulatory ceremony.

A visit is a greeting from a subordinate or junior to a senior or superior.

He, on the other hand, was a mutual visit between peers.

Therefore, there are an unusually large number of people on the main streets of Luoyang today.

People were congratulating each other and visiting each other's homes with gifts in hand.

At dawn, Yuan Ji, dressed in a brand-new robe and wearing a tall mountain-shaped crown, walked out of the mansion and boarded the carriage that had been prepared in front of the gate.

Two wooden gift boxes were placed on the carriage.

"Is everything ready?"

After Yuan Ji boarded the carriage, he asked the attendant standing outside the carriage.

The attendant quickly bowed and nodded, "Reporting to you, sir, everything has been prepared according to your instructions."

"One box contains ten kinds of dried meat, and the other box contains five kinds of pungent vegetables. There are two boxes in total."

Yuan Ji glanced at the two vermilion-lacquered wooden boxes inside the carriage, then nodded slightly.

The attendant then closed the carriage door, and the carriage headed towards Yonghe Lane.

Shi dao fu is what is known as dried meat.

There are ten kinds of meat, including venison, rabbit, and beef.

The Five Spicy Dishes, also known as the Spring Offering Dishes or New Year Dishes, consists of five spicy vegetables: garlic, shallots, chives, seaweed, and coriander. The word "spicy" is a homophone for "new," so it symbolizes bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.

For an official of the rank of one of the Nine Ministers, such as Yuan Ji, it was naturally unnecessary to offer gifts such as money, silk, clothing, or other utensils when visiting friends.

Today, Yuan Ji is going to pay his respects to Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng may lack many things, but he will never lack money or such things.

Zhang Rang, as one of the Ten Ministers and one of Liu Hong's most trusted men, would collect a large amount of money every New Year's Day.

The person who wanted to give Zhang Rang a gift was the one who could block the alley in front of Zhang Rang's house.

............

Zhang Feng's residence.

Since yesterday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, carriages have been arriving at the mansion gate in an endless stream to deliver gifts.

However, Zhang Feng was already used to this.

The gatekeeper, steward, and servants carried the gifts into the treasury.

In less than a day, the treasury was filled.

Even the courtyard in front of the government office was piled high with gifts.

The names of the gift-givers alone filled an entire book.

But Zhang Feng was not interested in any of these things.

The rear courtyard of the mansion.

The gate to that secluded little courtyard was locked from the inside.

This situation is extremely rare.

This courtyard is usually only open at night, and rarely during the day.

Moreover, the courtyard gate was closed from the inside.

There was no one around the courtyard, and the courtyard itself was the same.

The courtyard was tidy, and even the blue bricks on the ground were washed very clean.

Only a solitary, withered tree stands in the courtyard.

But screams of agony kept coming from the house inside the courtyard.

inside the house.

Two bloodied bodies were bound to the rack.

Even in the areas untouched by the bloodstains, one can still see fair and pink skin.

The faces of the two figures, with their long hair disheveled, heads bowed, and blood constantly flowing from the corners of their mouths, were obscured.

However, the clothes on her body that had been whipped and torn seemed to be similar to what He Lingman usually wore.

With bloodshot eyes and bare torso covered in large patches of blood, Zhang Feng was cleaning the blood off his body with a rag.

The clear water in the wooden basin had been stained red with blood.

Zhang Feng's face was contorted in a ferocious expression, his features twisted beyond recognition.

However, as the bloodstains on his body were gradually cleaned away, his ferocious and twisted expression gradually returned to calm.

Only when he changed into a brand-new white robe and became the gentle and refined imperial physician he usually was did Zhang Feng's expression completely return to normal.

Before stepping out of the room, Zhang Feng put away the notebook he had been recording, glanced back at the maidservant dressed in He Lingman's robes who seemed oblivious to his fate, and then slowly closed the door.

As the door closed, the light that had been shining through it gradually disappeared as well.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Just as Zhang Feng reached the courtyard gate, he heard a knocking sound from outside the other courtyard.

Zhang Feng frowned the moment he heard the knock on the door.

"My lord, Grand Master of the Palace, Yuan Ji, has come to visit."

Yuan Ji.

Upon hearing the sounds outside, Zhang Feng's brows finally relaxed.

Then the door to the courtyard was unlocked.

Outside the courtyard, an old servant dressed in a black robe stood bowing.

Zhang Feng glanced at the old servant, then looked at the closed door behind him.

"Clean it up inside."

Zhang Feng, holding a notebook in one hand, walked towards the front yard.

The old servant bowed and replied with a single word: "Yes."

Inside the main hall of the front residence.

Yuan Ji was sitting behind a small table, gently sipping tea from a teacup.

Upon seeing Zhang Feng enter from outside the hall, Yuan Ji immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang Feng, and said, "Brother Zhang, Yuan Ji has come to offer his congratulations."

As always, Zhang Feng was very polite and returned Yuan Ji's bow, saying, "Thank you, Brother Yuan. I will go and pay my respects to you soon."

Although Zhang Feng appeared the same as always, there was something different about the look in his eyes.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Feng sat down, and the two began to drink tea and chat.

As luck would have it, just as the two were talking, He Lingman, dressed in a bright red robe with a white gauze over it, her black hair adorned with a golden hairpin, her figure becoming increasingly charming and alluring, like a ripe peach, happened to walk by.

"lady."

Zhang Feng called out to He Lingman after seeing her.

He Lingman, who was passing by the door, stopped and saw Zhang Feng and Yuan Ji inside the hall.

The moment He Lingman saw Zhang Feng, her joyful expression vanished, replaced by disgust in her eyes.

“Madam, Brother Yuan has come to offer his congratulations. Please come and have a cup of tea with me,” Zhang Feng said with a smile.

Yuan Ji.

He Lingman's eyebrows were furrowed.

The conflict and struggle between the Yuan family and Duan Yu had been going on for a long time, and this was common knowledge throughout Luoyang.

This is not the first time Yuan Wei has been dismissed from his position as one of the Three Dukes because of Duan Yu.

And Zhang Feng...

"I do not have time."

After leaving a single sentence, He Lingman turned and left without looking back.

Zhang Feng's pupils suddenly contracted, and the fingers gripping the teacup tightened their grip.

“It’s alright, Brother Zhang,” Yuan Ji said with a smile. “I’ve heard that Governor Duan Yu of Liangzhou has partnered with the General on the trade of white paper and snow salt, and it is currently Brother Zhang’s wife who is in charge of this business.”

"Brother Zhang's wife is fortunate to have the General and..." Yuan Ji's eyes were fixed on Zhang Feng's expression.

Sure enough, halfway through his sentence, a look of anger flashed in Zhang Feng's eyes.

"Brother Yuan, are you doing this on purpose?" Zhang Feng squinted at Yuan Ji.

Yuan Ji immediately shook his head: "Brother Zhang, you've misunderstood."

"To be honest, I'm not afraid that Brother Zhang will be effective. The Yuan family has long since put aside their prejudices against Duan Yu."

"Duan Yu has now established his dominance, and no one can deal with him anymore."

"Brother Zhang may also know how much His Majesty trusts Duan Yu now."

"Since Duan Yu took office as the governor of Liangzhou, he has managed Liangzhou very well. The state pays tribute every year and taxes continuously. He remains a key minister in His Majesty's court. Anyone who dares to oppose Duan Yu is going against His Majesty."

"Brother Zhang has also seen the fate of those ten clans and eight families in Liangzhou."

"Brother Zhang..."

After seemingly considering it for a moment, Yuan Ji said in a low voice, "Duan Yu is not someone you can defeat by force. If you ask me, Brother Zhang... there are some things you should just let go of."

"Brother Zhang's wife is the sister of the Great General and also the sister of the Empress."

"And with His Majesty's trust in Duan Yu, who can possibly harm him?"

"Brother Zhang has no shortage of women..."

“Sigh…” Yuan Ji shook his head and sighed, “Actually, I also regret telling Brother Zhang about this matter back then, causing him such trouble.”

Zhang Feng kept his head down without saying a word, but his eyes were filled with resentment.

After staying at Zhang Feng's residence for a while, Yuan Ji took his leave.

Inside the carriage, Yuan Ji closed his eyes, as if he were an old monk in deep meditation.

In the story of "using someone else's knife to kill," the knife is merely a tool. As a tool, it cannot have its own thoughts, nor can it let the tool know who is wielding the knife.

The highest level of skill in using someone else to do the deed is to do it silently, even when you strike.

The familiar voice echoed in Yuan Ji's ears.

Sitting in the car, Yuan Ji, who looked as if he were in deep meditation, revealed a smile.

"Duan Yu, everyone says you're good at strategizing. This time, I, Yuan Ji, will see how you respond."