Come to think of it, nearly three months had passed since Liu Cheng had last asserted his authority by roaring at Yuan Hong in public upon taking office in February. Even counting his display of authority in the hall after the spring plowing, it had been two months, and he had yet to take action against any of the lesser military chiefs below him.
So when he heard that someone really had broken the rules, he was delighted rather than alarmed.
To put it bluntly, even if this general were some General Who Pacifies the West, he could still deal with him... because Xie Shang, in his current wretched condition, certainly would not have personally issued specific orders to go summon several hundred refugees from west of the city, repair that camp gate, and then expressly refuse to feed them.
At most, one of Xie Shang's trusted men had done it. That would be a perfect chance to let Xie Xuan get his first taste of blood.
So what did he have to fear?
Why had he kept Xie Xuan in Shouchun instead of sending him out to work with Fan Ning, when the boy was so mature and capable? Wasn't this precisely the reason? He wanted Xie Shang to see clearly: he understood the political arrangements at the top, knew the Western Command belonged to the Xie Family, and had no intention of laying a finger on it.
Never mind whether such things were reasonable. This was how things worked for now. Since you, Liu Acheng, had no chance to take a seat at the table yet, you had to keep your ambitions safely hidden, work conscientiously for the greater good, and strive to create an opportunity to join the table.
The future could wait. For now, there would