Chapter 543: Chapter 543: Feng Hui
West Plain City, Dao Camp.
In the White Tiger Hall, dozens of beef tallow candles illuminated the entire hall with meticulous clarity.
Zhang Yuan sat poised in front of the sandalwood desk, engrossed in reading the dossier spread out before him.
A burly Martial Artist stood solemnly beside him, a slight look of respect on his upright and masculine face.
After a long while, Zhang Yuan finished the last page of the dossier.
He fell into deep thought.
According to the regulations of Daqian and Upper Scenic Celestial, the prescribed number of Daoist Soldiers in the West Plain City Dao Camp is three hundred, supplemented by seven hundred auxiliary soldiers, totaling a full complement of one thousand troops.
The Dao Camp’s duty is to suppress local disturbances, expel anomalies, bandits, and rebels.
In addition, the West Plain Dao Camp has an important task of guarding against the infiltration and invasion of Western Regions outsiders.
It could be said that the responsibility is immense!
However, the West Plain Dao Camp, which Zhang Yuan had just taken over, had less than two hundred Daoist Soldiers, and just over three hundred auxiliary soldiers, adding up to only half of the official complement.
The shortage was quite severe.
Additionally, for the three hundred Daoist Soldiers, there should be thirty Squad Commanders and three Deputy Generals, but there were only seventeen Squad Commanders and one Deputy General.
This Deputy General was standing next to Zhang Yuan.
Before Zhang Yuan took office, this Deputy General named Feng Hui temporarily served as Dao General.
Now that Zhang Yuan was here, the heavy burden fell on his shoulders.
Zhang Yuan felt like he had taken on a hot potato!
According to the data provided by the Mo Family, more than half a month ago, a group of horse thieves from the Western Regions frequently harassed the West Plain trade routes, causing significant losses.
So his predecessor, the Dao General, personally led two hundred Daoist Soldiers and three hundred auxiliary soldiers to quash the bandits, resulting in a fierce battle with both sides suffering heavy losses.
This Dao General, dragging his severely injured body, led the remnants back to West Plain, and fell in the Dao Camp within a few days.
Fortunately, that group of horse thieves was thoroughly defeated; otherwise, Zhang Yuan would have seen a completely different scene upon arriving in West Plain City today.
But is this Dao City really safe?
The answer is clearly no!
Because recently, Daqian has been plagued by natural and man-made disasters. Although it hasn’t reached the point where wars are burning everywhere, there are outsiders eyeing them and frequent internal rebellions, making the situation very dire.
Even though West Plain City is a Dao City, it can’t remain untouched!
The reality is that the inside of West Plain is hollowed out, becoming a visible piece of fat.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Zhang Yuan took office in a crisis.
One must know that his predecessor was also a Tier Six formidable warrior, yet he was heavily injured by a group of horse thieves, resulting in an untimely death.
If there was nothing fishy going on, it would really be suspicious—what kind of horse thieves could be so formidable?
Zhang Yuan’s mind raced as he put away the dossier and said, "Vice General Feng, convey my orders. At dawn tomorrow, have everyone gather for a military inspection!"
Beside him, Feng Hui’s expression stiffened, and he immediately saluted, "As you command!"
Then this Deputy General quickly glanced at Zhang Yuan, lowered his voice, and said, "My lord, I have reserved a banquet at Chunjiang Building in the city to welcome you. I wonder if you would do me the honor?"
Interesting.
Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "Since it’s Vice General Feng’s kind gesture, I shouldn’t decline. Let’s go now."
Feng Hui was overjoyed, "Thank you, my lord!"
He hadn’t expected Zhang Yuan to be so agreeable. Seeing that the latter was also very young, he couldn’t help but feel a slight disdain in his heart.
In fact, Feng Hui held considerable resentment towards Zhang Yuan’s arrival.
He had fought bravely alongside the former Dao General to finally eradicate the Western Desert Horse Thieves that plagued the region. Even if there wasn’t much credit, there was effort, but due to the Dao General’s demise, his efforts were entirely disregarded as well.
Feng Hui knew that because of his status and strength, it was impossible for him to be promoted to Dao General.
But he was very dissatisfied with Zhang Yuan, who was an "air-dropped" superior.
Of course, Feng Hui didn’t show this mindset on his face. No matter how frustrated he was, he kept it to himself, treating Zhang Yuan, this new superior, with utmost respect and courtesy.
Under his guidance, Zhang Yuan arrived at what was said to be the best restaurant in West Plain City.
This Chunjiang Building stood five stories high, like a crane among chickens amidst the surrounding buildings. All the floors were brightly lit, making it extraordinarily conspicuous.
Accompanied by Feng Hui, Zhang Yuan ascended to the top fifth floor.
Unlike the bustling and lively lower floors, the top floor of Chunjiang Building was notably more elegant and quiet.
Since it wasn’t divided into multiple private rooms, it was spacious and luxurious.
Every maid serving there was strikingly attractive.
Once Zhang Yuan was seated, Feng Hui instructed the maids to serve wine and dishes.
This Deputy General apologized, "My lord, it was all arranged in haste, so it’s just me accompanying you tonight. I hope you’ll pardon any shortcomings."
Zhang Yuan laughed and said, "No problem, this is just fine."
He was never fond of socializing, and if Feng Hui had brought a crowd of people as companions, spewing insincere flattery, it would have just annoyed him.
"This is the most famous Mountain Monkey Wine of the West Plain."
Feng Hui lifted the wine pot and poured Zhang Yuan a cup of wine as green as jade, saying, "Brewed from a hundred fruits collected by monkey troops in the mountains, it’s very rare. My lord must try it!"
Zhang Yuan, smelling the wine’s fragrance, found it appealing and happily lifted the cup, "Excellent."
He drank the wine in one go and immediately exclaimed, "Great wine!"
Though the name Mountain Monkey Wine sounded a bit common, its flavor was truly superb, soft, aromatic, mellow, and sweet, with just one cup making one feel refreshed and invigorated.
Feng Hui smiled, "As long as my lord likes it."
Soon after, dish after dish of steaming delicacies was served.
Zhang Yuan and Feng Hui clinked glasses and exchanged pleasantries, their relationship significantly warming.
Feng Hui humbled himself, completely acting like a loyal subordinate.
His true thoughts were deeply hidden.
However, this Deputy General didn’t know that no matter how brilliantly he performed, he couldn’t deceive Zhang Yuan’s spiritual sense.
Zhang Yuan merely found it amusing.
A mere Tier Five Martial Artist, someone he could crush with just a finger, what use were his numerous schemes?
In this world of survival of the fittest, whoever has the bigger fist holds the truth.
Feng Hui likely stayed in a place like West Plain for too long, long losing the Martial Artist’s rigidity.
He thought he could manipulate Zhang Yuan.
Little did he know, Zhang Yuan paid him no mind.
Of course, with Feng Hui flattering him so diligently, Zhang Yuan didn’t spoil the mood but instead talked and laughed with him, learning about the current situation in West Plain City.
The data from the Mo Family, after all, might have passed through many hands, with lots of missing or outdated information.
"Second Young Master, there really are guests upstairs, please don’t..."
"Get out of the way!"
Just then, a noisy clamor came from the bottom of the staircase on the fifth floor.
There was also the sound of items crashing to the ground.
The next moment, accompanied by the chaotic "thud thud thud" of footsteps, a group of young men and women charged up aggressively.
Feng Hui’s expression instantly changed!
