Chapter 1: The Special Identity of the Fire Brigade

The young man had a robust physique, and as he swung the shovel, the muscles on his arms formed distinct arcs, resembling mounds of earth.

Yuan Xu pondered for a long time without arriving at a clear understanding of one matter: as he was about to graduate from military academy, why did he suddenly find himself in the late Han Dynasty, and moreover, why had he traversed to the Yuan family in Hebei, becoming an illegitimate son under Yuan Shao's care

No mother wishes for her son to be anything less than successful. In a private conversation, the Zhang family earnestly requested Yuan Shao to find some work for their son. Yuan Shao, unable to refuse, then assigned Yuan Xu to his eldest son, Yuan Tan

It seemed as if heaven was playing a trick on him, causing him to traverse into the body of Yuan Shao's illegitimate son

Standing too close to the scorching iron pot, waves of heat were baking him. The young man's chest and back were soaked with beads of sweat, which flowed down to his waist, dampening the garment hanging at his waist.

The inexplicable nature of the journey left him unable to come up with a reasonable explanation

Yuan Tan appointed him as the leader of the fire brigade, and they hardly met each other.

He remembers from the historical materials he has read that Yuan Shao was the illegitimate son of Yuan Feng and was adopted by the prematurely deceased Yuan Cheng

No one can discern what he is thinking; only he himself is aware of it. This war is of utmost importance to him

However, reality struck him hard in the waist, and the remnants of memories within his body, along with many events that occurred later, confirmed that his belief was completely erroneous

The setting sun resembled blood, and beneath the remnants of the clouds, the city of Yijing was cast in a faint hue of red

Yuan Xu, who acted as the fire chief and arrived in Yijing, has been here for more than a month

In order to survive, he must make a significant contribution

Even if they meet, it will merely be a matter of walking over with an upturned face, and there will be no further conversation with him.

Shortly after the defeat of Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were about to turn against each other, and the Battle of Guandu was about to commence

Reversing fate to help the Yuan family achieve victory in the Battle of Guandu

Bearing this identity brings no tangible benefits, and he even retains the memories from before his crossing, clearly aware of the misfortunes that lie ahead!

A son of a concubine, as inconspicuous as a transparent figure, would be dismissed by Yuan Shao with a mere word, as if he were nothing more than a passing fart

Once the Yuan family is defeated, suffering injuries that affect both bones and tendons, their fate will not be much better.

Looking for a restaurant to work as a chef

Forget it!

Get a small pot for someone

Still, www.hetushu.com should find ways to secure more benefits, and try to have some capital for self-preservation after Guandu!

Traveling back to the late Han Dynasty, even if one were to seize the body of a minor soldier under Cao Cao, fully utilizing the knowledge of significant historical events, perhaps fate would not be so tragic

How to change it

Yuan Shao is not the son of Yuan Feng at all; he simply lost his father at an early age, and his attitude towards legitimate and illegitimate sons is vastly different.

Gazing at the capital city of Yijing, Yuan Xu's expression revealed a hint of complexity.

Finding a job in this era is not as simple as going to a talent market in later generations

Having just arrived in this era from the 21st century, Yuan Xu even secretly rejoiced at being a born out of wedlock child

What does the young master want the small pot for

The fire brigade, having taken up the spatula, stir-fried the dishes in the pot, and the aroma wafting through the air grew increasingly rich

Moreover, as he is still the son of Yuan Shao, if he rashly goes to pledge allegiance to Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and others, it is likely that he will not only fail to gain significant employment but may instead be regarded as a spy and executed

The soldiers in the army often praised the young master, saying that the food was well cooked... The fire brigade was still incessantly flattering Yuan Xu.

As both are born of concubine status, Yuan Shao should not have treated him too harshly.

The reason is simple; the illegitimate son has no power! His biological mother, Lady Zhang, was the daughter of a merchant before marrying Yuan Shao. Although her status was lowly, she was well-versed in the ways of the world

The flames licked the bottom of the pot, emanating a scorching heat

Yuan Xu merely smiled faintly and did not speak. With the knowledge gained from two thousand years later, he understood many cooking techniques that were absent in the late Han period, thus the dishes he prepared were undoubtedly much more delicious.

After Guandu, he will become a target pursued by Cao's army due to his insignificant blood ties

The towering city walls are stained with mottled blood, and the tattered battle flag flutters in the wind atop the city.

Flattery cannot make him happy

Shortly after Yuan Jun defeated Gongsun Zan, the Battle of Guandu would erupt, and the Yuan clan would be an undeniable loser in this war that has been celebrated throughout the ages

Having arrived in this era for quite some time, the Yuan family exercises strict control over their illegitimate sons. In the past, he had no opportunity to take any action; the only thing he could do was to strengthen his physique and prepare more for survival in the future

The weather in February and March is still quite cold, and as the wind sweeps by, those with slightly weaker constitutions may hunch their shoulders against the chilly breeze

In front of a large black pot, a bare-chested boy is wielding a spatula, stir-frying the dishes in the pot.

Moreover, in times of chaos, even if one finds a place to take refuge, how can one ensure that they will not be killed by the disorderly troops amidst the turmoil

Yuan Xu had indeed considered escaping from the Yuan family, yet where could he possibly go?

If we do not take action at this moment, we can only stretch our necks and wait for the Cao army to come and strike

Outside the city, the encampment of Yuan's army is filled with rising columns of smoke, resembling soaring dragons, dispersing in the breeze

The young lord has been working hard on military affairs, sharing meals and sleeping alongside the soldiers for several consecutive days. I would like to prepare a special dish for him!" Yuan Xu smiled faintly, his expression sincere.

Yuan Shao had two wives and five concubines. His first wife passed away early, leaving behind two sons, Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi. His second wife, Liu, bore him a son, Yuan Shang

Stir-frying an entire pot of dishes is a task that requires considerable physical effort! On his youthful yet sharply defined face, glistening beads of sweat refract a spectrum of colors under the setting sun

As for the five concubines, they collectively bore him seven sons

Gongsun Zan retreated to Yijing, where he constructed several trenches both inside and outside the city. Behind each trench, he built solid high walls, and the Yuan army besieged the city for several years without achieving any significant success.

The concubine's son, Yuan Xu, was almost an insignificant presence in the Yuan family. Not to mention leading troops like the legitimate sons such as Yuan Tan, even the household servants treated him with a facade of respect while being insincere behind his back

Since the young master took charge of the meals, the food in the army has improved significantly compared to before! The cook, while stir-frying the dishes, did not miss the opportunity to flatter Yuan Xu: "Who else but the young master could think of refining lard for cooking the dishes!"

The young master has been working hard for quite some time, it is better to take a break! The dishes in the pot exude a fragrant aroma, and a young cook approached to remind the boy.

Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan have been in conflict for many years, and the siege of Yijing has also lasted for two to three years

Yuan Tan never regarded the illegitimate son as a brother, and it was difficult to go against the arrangements made by their father. When Yuan Xu arrived in the army, he casually assigned him the position of a fire squad leader.

Don't make a fuss

He has won several combat championships in military school, yet in times of chaos, his skills are hardly worth mentioning

The young man leaned the shovel against the edge of the pot, took the burlap cloth handed to him by the fireman, wiped the sweat from his cheeks and body, and then pulled the garment hanging at his waist up onto his shoulder

Nothing else matters; what is important is that he has already arrived

A born of a concubine is just a born of a concubine! In the family, he holds no status, and in the military, he is still not regarded by the legitimate Yuan Tan, with no brotherly affection whatsoever