Chapter 143: Displaying Slight Skill Before an Expert

Inside the inn, Fang Xu sat in a chair, quietly listening to Gu Bei’s report.

Hearing that Gu Bei had taken the liberty of leaving several guards behind, Fang Xu nodded in tacit approval.

After all, this was precisely what Fang Xu had intended. It had to be said that Gu Bei often understood things without the need for detailed explanations.

This was something that consistently satisfied Fang Xu, yet Gu Bei now looked at him with a hesitant expression, as if he had more to say.

"Old Gu, is there something you want to tell me? Just speak your mind," Fang Xu asked, taking a small sip from his cup while looking at Gu Bei.

For some reason, Fang Xu had recently come to feel that warmed wine was quite a fine beverage.

"Young Master, this subordinate believes that Magistrate Zhang is not suited to be your future partner," Gu Bei said seriously, looking straight at Fang Xu. Upon hearing this, Fang Xu looked back with a curious gaze, prompting him to elaborate.

Since Gu Bei felt this way, he surely had his own reasons behind it.

Gu Bei's reasoning was that Zhang He was far too soft-hearted, which, in his view, made him unfit to be a candidate for major undertakings.

To Gu Bei’s perspective, Fang Xu neither expressed opposition nor explicit support.

Indeed, what Zhang He had displayed thus far was undeniably soft-hearted, and perhaps even overly irresolute.

However, in Fang Xu’s eyes, this was not necessarily a bad thing.

What Fang Xu hoped for was simply that when faced with matters of great principle, Zhang He would still be capable of making his own judgment.

Just then, seeing the returning guards entering the room, a faint smile touched the corner of Fang Xu's lips, and he glanced briefly at Gu Bei.

Gu Bei naturally noticed the bloodstains, scattered more or less visibly, on the garments of these guards, and he fell into a momentary daze.

The guards then faithfully recounted the events that had transpired earlier to Fang Xu and Gu Bei, before asking how they should dispose of the spoils and rewards bestowed upon them by Zhang He.

Although these guards undoubtedly had their own thoughts, they had not forgotten their proper place.

Since Fang Xu was their leader, it meant that all matters had to be referred back to him for his opinion.

This was a point that greatly pleased Fang Xu, and he readily allowed the guards to keep the rewards.

In Fang Xu's view, these were simply the rightful compensation and earnings due to the guards.

Furthermore, how could such petty gains ever satisfy Fang Xu's appetite?

"Old Gu, what do you think of this now?" Fang Xu asked with a smile, looking at Gu Bei seated beside him. Gu Bei could only respond with a bitter, helpless smile and a shake of his head.

It could only be said that Gu Bei had truly underestimated Zhang He. Yet, a trace of lingering coldness still flickered in the depths of Fang Xu's eyes.

Realization dawned upon Gu Bei a moment later, and he clicked his tongue involuntarily, genuinely astonished that Zhang He had actually dared to play tricks right under Fang Xu's nose.

One might wonder, what exactly had Zhang He done?

Naturally, it was that Zhang He had directed these guards to execute the family members of the fallen, among whom were several concubines of no ordinary background.

Zhang He understood that if he were to kill them with his own hands, there would be no turning back.

Clearly, Zhang He intended to leave himself a retreat route, choosing to display a petty cleverness of his own.

He had chosen to let the remaining guards carry out the deeds, while the guards themselves had not anticipated the hidden implications behind it.

"This subordinate deserves death, Young Master, please forgive me!" Gu Bei said in a panic, dropping to one knee with his head bowed. But Fang Xu suddenly laughed out loud.

"Old Gu, what are you doing?" Fang Xu gave a subtle gesture to Old Wu standing nearby, and Old Wu stepped forward to help Gu Bei back to his feet.

"It was simply this subordinate's foolishness! I failed to foresee these possibilities and let the Young Master down!" Gu Bei said, filled with self-reproach, having fully grasped the hidden complexities of the matter.

"This is not your fault. My original intention was indeed along these lines; you were merely acting in accordance with my wishes," Fang Xu said, lifting the cup of warmed wine and holding it out toward Gu Bei with a smile.

"But..." Gu Bei looked with a complex expression at Fang Xu, who was smiling at him, clearly at a loss for words.

"Is it just that some people truly believe themselves to be clever? Daring to display their minor skills before an expert?" A mocking curve touched the corner of Fang Xu's mouth. Old Wu nodded in acknowledgment and quietly slipped out of the inn.

How could Gu Bei not know what Old Wu was going to do now? Gu Bei was consumed by self-blame over his oversight.

After all, it had been Gu Bei's decision to leave these guards behind. Although Fang Xu shared the same thought, Fang Xu had never explicitly voiced it.

That being the case, Gu Bei naturally regarded this as his own lapse in judgment.

How could Gu Bei fail to realize that Zhang He was securing a safe retreat for himself?

If Murong Bai succeeded in replacing Murong Fu, Zhang He would naturally continue to obey orders obediently and smoothly.

However, if Murong Bai failed, Zhang He would still be able to extricate himself completely untainted.

As for the deaths of his own concubines, and even the deaths of the collateral wives of the Murong family, they could all be framed upon Fang Xu.

And strictly speaking, it would not even be a frame-up, since the ones who actually disposed of these people were indeed Fang Xu's guards—and being Fang Xu's guards, their actions implied Fang Xu's sanction.

It had to be said that when it came to petty cleverness, this Magistrate Zhang really knew how to play the game well.

Yet, he had chosen the wrong person to play against, which displeased Fang Xu. At that moment, Old Wu was leading a small squad through the driving rain toward the Danyang Commandery Governor's Yamen.

This was not to do away with Zhang He, for Zhang He still retained some utility.

It was merely to deliver a message to Zhang He, and to warn him that it would be best not to try and show off his clever tricks in the future.

After all, Fang Xu's patience was limited; he only hoped that people would not continually challenge his bottom line and the limits of his endurance.

Otherwise, the consequences would be something Zhang He could never bear.

Even the powers standing behind Zhang He would not be able to afford such an offense. For now, Fang Xu instructed Gu Bei to go and rest, and told the guards to clean the bloodstains from their outer garments.

Once these matters were settled tonight, Fang Xu intended to continue his journey southward toward Nanyang Commandery.

After all, Nanyang Commandery was only a few dozen miles away from Danyang County, and traveling by carriage, they should arrive in about a day.

Qin Suwen had stated clearly in her letter that upon reaching Nanyang Commandery, the Commandery Governor Bai Qi would become an asset and ally to Fang Xu.

Fang Xu was actually quite intrigued by this God of Death, Bai Qi, and naturally held a favorable impression of him—who else could it be, given that Bai Qi was on Qin Suwen's side?

As far as Fang Xu was concerned, anyone standing on Qin Suwen's side was a friend rather than an enemy.

Of course, if possible, Fang Xu wished that everyone could be his friend, sparing him the necessity of turning against his own people.