Sheng cleared his throat and said, "Young Marshal, although there is no solid evidence at the moment, there are many suspicious points. When Zhang Debiao first arrived in the southern suburbs, he indulged many of his troops. Those soldiers complained about the harsh environment every day, and even the most basic military rations were picky."
He suddenly lowered his voice, a trace of pain flashed in his eyes: "The other day, a soldier under my command came to report that the people of the Third Regiment often boasted behind our backs..." Sheng's fists unconsciously clenched, "They said that following the captain, they eat white flour buns every day, and can eat meat every three days. They even ridiculed us for suffering in vain in the southern suburbs."
The scene in his memory made veins pop up on Sheng's forehead: "While the soldier was talking, his eyes were full of envy. I slapped him twice on the spot." He gritted his teeth, "But later, some people couldn't resist the temptation and secretly touched the military rations... Fortunately, I discovered it in time and punished those soldiers severely. Since then, I have disdained to have too much contact with Zhang Lian's team, so I know less and less about their situation."
Xie Yun's pupils suddenly shrank when he heard this. He couldn't help but think of last month, when Xiao Shaojie suddenly became extremely wealthy and took in two concubines in succession.
"Bring Zhang Debiao to me." Xie Yun stroked the holster on his waist, "Wait--" He stopped Xiaosheng who was about to leave, "Take me to the West District Granary first. As for the missing case, you secretly send someone to investigate. Remember, you must act cautiously and never alert the enemy."
Outside the West District Granary, the night was dark and the surroundings were silent. Two soldiers from the Third Regiment were dozing around a brazier, their bodies swaying gently with their breathing, the charcoal fire in the brazier emitting a faint light, casting flickering shadows on their faces.
Sensing someone approaching, the two men suddenly woke up and raised their guns in panic to stop them. Their voices were filled with fear and sleepiness: "Stop! Captain Zhang has an order..."
Before he finished speaking, Xie Yun's personal guard captain stepped forward, his eyes wide open, and hit the other man's abdomen with the butt of his gun. The soldier let out a cry, bent down, and the gun in his hand fell to the ground.
The captain of the guards cursed: "You are blind!"
The blue veins on Xie Yun's forehead were throbbing beneath his pale skin.
Shaojie, a reckless man who was born a bandit, had no discipline after being transferred from the headquarters, and the soldiers he led had no military discipline at all, which really annoyed him for a long time. It was only because he did have some outstanding skills in actual combat that he had been tolerant until now.
Xie Yun strode towards the granary and kicked the iron door. The rusty door hinges groaned like they were dying. A turbid wave of musty smell and wheat aroma rushed towards him.
In the dimly lit granary, hundreds of sacks with "Military Supplies" printed on them were neatly stacked up to the beams. The outermost dozens of sacks had been tied into bundles, tied with thick ropes, and hung with shipping labels from Mitsui & Co.
There were also some shoulder poles and carts placed next to them, which were obviously prepared to be shipped out for sale. The scene in front of him made Xie Yun furious.
In a corner of the granary, several large vats were filled with pickled meats, emitting bursts of salty aroma.
There are also some brand new wooden boxes next to them, which are filled with various kinds of food, from white rice to golden wheat. These foods should have been distributed to refugees to save them from the disaster, but now they are being hoarded here and become a tool for some people to seek personal gain.
"Ah..." Xie Yun's mouth curled up into an icy sneer, which echoed eerily in the empty granary. "The refugees are chewing on Guanyin soil, while Shaojie's dog is eating refined rice." His military boots rolled over the scattered rice and suddenly kicked an empty wine bottle. The label of French Bordeaux was particularly dazzling in the moonlight.
Luxuries exchanged for military rations! My head is filled with foreign liquor, screw him!
Xie Yun turned around abruptly and shouted an order to the soldiers behind him: "Send troops to take over the granary immediately. Don't let them touch a single grain of food! Capture Zhang Debiao and I will hold him accountable personally!"
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