As Gongsun Zan headed north, he was fortunate not to encounter any of Yuan Shao's pursuers. Although he felt groggy on the way, he safely returned to Youzhou. However, perhaps due to the long duration of his fever or the severity of his defeat, Gongsun Zan showed signs of irritability and his thinking had become somewhat irrational.
"Report to the lord, Taishi Ziyi and Gan Xingba have arrived," a messenger rushed in and loudly reported.
Ever since parting ways with Gan Ning, Gan Lan had traveled north along the river. Taishi Ci, who didn't have the same concerns as Gongsun Zan, continued along the route he had previously agreed upon with Gan Ning along the Zhang River, planning to rescue Gongsun Zan once he was safe. After all, Gongsun Zan's sudden departure left Taishi Ci somewhat hurt, though he didn't want to dwell on it. Since he was an ally, not a subordinate, Taishi Ci wasn't inclined to play nanny for Gongsun Zan anymore. Besides, he had already been seriously injured while protecting Gongsun Zan, so he felt he had done his duty to the fullest.
Gan Lan continued along the river, and by the next evening, he encountered Taishi Ci. Although Taishi Ci was curious about why only a few small, broken ships had come to meet him, he didn't ask any unnecessary questions and boarded the ship immediately. After all, in Jizhou, where there was no naval force to speak of, being on the water meant they were completely safe.
Even though Taishi Ci didn't ask, Gan Lan knew what he was thinking. With a bitter smile, he recounted everything that had happened during that time. Taishi Ci was deeply stirred upon hearing that 300 men had burned down the granary in Handan and retreated unscathed, forcing Yuan Shao to turn back due to a lack of provisions.
"And where is Xingba now?" Taishi Ci asked curiously.
"He led a hundred men to raid Yuan Shao's camp," Gan Lan replied helplessly. Upon hearing this, Taishi Ci spat out his drink in disbelief. Was this something a person could do?
Just as Taishi Ci was about to inquire further, a navy soldier approached. "Commander, some of the brothers have spotted the leader's ship heading this way. There are no pursuers in sight, so the leader must have succeeded."
"General Taishi, please rest. I will go welcome our general," Gan Lan glanced sideways at the soldier, noting that the habits of these river bandits hadn't changed.
"I'll go with you to see Xingba," Taishi Ci said, putting down his wine bowl, eager to witness firsthand what made this seemingly unruly Gan Ning perform so impressively on the battlefield.
"Very well!" Gan Lan bowed and then led the way for Taishi Ci.
"Everyone, your commander has returned! Welcome me!" Gan Ning's arrogant voice echoed over the river even before he arrived.
Gan Lan sighed helplessly. His young master was truly embarrassing, far from the demeanor of a great general. He had just reprimanded his subordinates for their bandit-like behavior, yet he himself showed none of the grace of a military leader.
"Xingba, come over and let me see what changes the man who burned down Handan's granary has undergone!" Taishi Ci called out loudly.
"Hahaha, Ziyi is here too!" Gan Ning laughed heartily as he flipped off his boat and, with a few leaps, landed on the same boat as Taishi Ci.
"I didn't just burn down Handan's granary. If Yan Liang hadn't blocked me, I would have killed Yuan Shao! But even so, I cut down his command flag. I'm the man who can take on ten thousand soldiers with just a hundred riders!" Gan Ning boasted arrogantly. Having returned safely after raiding the camp, he was already thinking about how to regale his brothers with tales of his exploits. This was a real achievement—how could he not brag a little?
"Impressive!" Taishi Ci gave Gan Ning a thumbs-up. After all, if he had been in Gan Ning's position, he doubted he could have pulled off such a daring feat.
"You're too kind," Gan Ning said smugly, waving his hand dismissively. He was the type who thrived on praise, especially when it came from someone like Taishi Ci, who wasn't tainted by jealousy. After all, Taishi Ci was a master in his own right!
As Taishi Ci watched Gan Ning's uninhibited and flamboyant demeanor, he thought about himself and came to understand why Gan Ning was the commander while he was merely an excellent general. Taishi Ci had led more men and accomplished less than Gan Ning—this was the difference between them!
"Hmm? Where is General Gongsun?" Gan Ning asked after boasting for a while, finally realizing that the other main character was missing.
Taishi Ci recounted everything that had happened during that time, and Gan Ning immediately frowned. Gan Ning wasn't foolish—he just didn't like to think too much. Naturally, he realized something was off about Gongsun Zan's behavior.
"Forget it. We'll search along the river for a few days, and if we can't find him within ten days, we'll return to Youzhou. After all, the White Horse General is blessed with great fortune," Gan Ning said with a look of displeasure. He had never been satisfied with Gongsun Zan, and now his dissatisfaction had only grown.
Over the next ten days, Gan Ning searched carefully and eventually confirmed that Gongsun Zan hadn't taken Taishi Ci's words seriously. When they found some of the defeated soldiers and escapees, they all said that Gongsun Zan had headed north. Where could he go if not Youzhou?
Gan Ning, being the type who clearly distinguished between love and hate, decided that since Gongsun Zan didn't care about them, he wouldn't bother with Gongsun Zan anymore. Without another word, he set sail back to Youzhou to wait for news. Whether Gongsun Zan lived or died, they just wanted an explanation.
"Let them in," Gongsun Zan said coldly.
"General Gan Xingba, General Taishi Ziyi, meet General Gongsun," the two entered and greeted Gongsun Zan with a bow.
"So it's the two generals. What business do you have with me?" Gongsun Zan asked sarcastically, his tone particularly hostile toward Gan Xingba. If you were on the battlefield, why didn't you burn down Handan's granary earlier? Why wait until after my defeat to take action?
Gan Ning naturally sensed the hostility from the Youzhou generals. He looked up and sneered, "Setting aside our loyalty in coming to your aid from a thousand miles away, Ziyi saved you from danger, and I risked my life to burn down Handan's granary, giving you a chance to escape. Yet you left without a word, and now you want to deal with us?"
Gan Ning, being a straightforward person, wasn't one to mince words. In his view, merits were merits, and faults were faults. Those who achieved merit should be rewarded, and those at fault should be punished. How could he tolerate injustice against those who had done their duty?
"How dare you! Soldiers, arrest this madman!" Gongsun Zan, caught off guard and embarrassed, grew furious. His face turned ashen as he roared in anger.
"Hmph! Who dares to make a move!" Gan Ning's powerful internal energy exploded, instantly overwhelming everyone present. "Gongsun Bogui, I was ordered by Lord Xuande to save your life, and Ziyi was as well. Don't overestimate yourself. Now that we've completed our military duties, we plan to leave. Do you intend to stop us?" Gan Ning sneered, "Let me show you our power!"
Before Taishi Ci could stop him, Gan Ning waved his hand toward the roof, causing it to shatter. The ripple-like shockwave that followed destroyed the entire building. Gan Ning then grabbed Taishi Ci and leaped outside, burying Gongsun Zan and his men under the rubble.