Early the next morning, Gan Ning summoned everyone over. As they ate breakfast, Gan Ning explained his plan. "The Cao Army's provisions aren't being sent from Jingzhou at all. They're all being supplied by the local gentry clans in Yizhou. So we'll strike at the root—burn every last bit of grain belonging to the major clans nearby!"
Everyone froze when they heard this, then stopped eating and looked at Gan Ning. They had never expected him to come up with a solution overnight, and it sounded highly feasible!
In their eyes, burning the clans' provisions would be a piece of cake. Breaking into estates like these was child's play to them. No matter how they looked at it, it was far easier than burning the Cao Army's granaries.
Things were just as Gan Ning had said. With Guan Yu blocking the Cao Army's routes, the Cao Army could rely only on the local gentry clans.
Pei Yuanshao set down his bowl and chopsticks and asked Gan Ning, "Where do we start?"
"We'll start with Linjiang. There's a Gan family estate fifteen li outside the city. I've already looked into it—that's where the Gan family stores its grain. We'll burn it first!" Gan Ning answered casually while slurping his porridge.
"If I didn't hear that wrong, isn't this Gan family estate your own family's, General?" Pei Yuanshao asked Gan Ning with a conflicted expression. This guy really is ruthless enough to burn even his own family.
"Ah, yes!" Gan Ning looked up at Pei Yuanshao. "What about it?"
"Wait, Young Master, you're going to burn your own family's estate first?" Yan Yu shot to his feet, his face full of reluctance. "Why?"
"To set an example!" Gan Ning said as though it were only natural. "We can't burn everyone