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Not having personally prepared military supplies before, Fei Qian was genuinely surprised by the complexity involved.
Thankfully, Liu Biao provided the equipment for the eight hundred soldiers directly—otherwise, the preparations would have been even more extensive.
Provisions were essential—both coarse and fine grains, clean water, and extremely salty dried meat to replenish salt lost through sweat during marches...
Firewood had to be carried—not all areas had trees to fell, and freshly cut wood burned poorly...
Clothing was necessary, along with extra fabric to replace worn-out garments and repair damaged flags...
Spare weapons were crucial, including frequently broken components and even horse and cart parts—once broken on the road, replacements would be impossible...
Consumables like arrows had to be stocked—though some might be recovered, opportunities to retrieve spent arrows weren't guaranteed. Since most of Fei Qian's men were archers, they needed more arrows...
Sturdy tents were vital—without them, a single night outdoors could leave the entire force sneezing...
Then there were tools—for digging, chopping wood, pitching tents, cooking...
Horse feed—beans and hay—had to be prepared. Though they only had about twenty horses including draft animals, grazing alone would cause severe weight loss and strength depletion...
And of course, the specially commissioned items Fei Qian had requested...
Going through the lengthy checklist, Fei Qian tallied enough supplies to fill eight carts—nine including his carriage.
How had it accumulated to this much? Was all this truly necessary?
Reviewing the list again, Fei Qian found nothing that could be omitted—these were already bare minimums.
Being an envoy meant host territories would provide some provisions, lightening the load somewhat. For wartime marches, supply lines had to be considered—it was better to overpack than run short.
The fifteen private soldiers Huang Chengyang provided were all robust men, led by Huang Cheng (courtesy name Shuye—though Fei Qian avoided using it). A simple, honest man reportedly distantly related to the Huang family...
The accompanying craftsman was Huang Dou—the same carpenter who'd built Fei Qian's wooden house. Hearing the Huang family sought someone for the mission, he volunteered, citing his debt from Fei Qian's earlier guidance. His eldest son, having completed apprenticeship exams, could now take over his Xiangyang position...
Fei Qian wasn't sure if Huang Yueying knew his plans beyond the diplomatic mission. He hadn't told her, not wanting to cause unnecessary worry—though whether Huang Chengyang had informed her was another matter.
Running his hand over the helmet beside him, Fei Qian smiled, recalling how that thick lock of hair sewn into the lining created a noticeable bump against his forehead when worn...
Outside the Huang estate, supply carts stood neatly aligned. The hundred archers and fifteen Huang retainers stood ready, with Huang Dou waiting as Fei Qian's driver...
It was time to depart for the western camp rendezvous. Having just left Luoyang not long ago, returning so soon felt...
As Fei Qian bid Huang Chengyang farewell, a sudden shout interrupted: "Inspector Fei! Hold your departure!"
Turning, Fei Qian saw—to his astonishment—Huang Zhong approaching briskly, a long glaive in hand and bow on his back. Planting his weapon firmly, Huang Zhong clasped his hands: "Lord Huang, Inspector Fei—upon reflection, I've decided to join this journey!"
Huang Chengyang and Fei Qian were overjoyed, grinning broadly.
Initially, Fei Qian had copied the medical records mainly to curry favor for future use—never expecting Huang Zhong would change his mind and join the mission. This was an unexpected boon.
Not being a parent himself, Fei Qian couldn't fully grasp Huang Zhong's paternal instincts.
Huang Zhong had tossed and turned all night.
Fei Qian's proposal had rekindled hope—perhaps Luoyang held the cure—but passively waiting didn't sit right...
What if Fei Qian lost the records en route?
What if delays occurred?
What if insufficient physicians were consulted in Luoyang?
The possibilities tormented him until dawn. After discussing with his wife, they agreed his accompanying Fei Qian would be better—he knew his son's condition intimately and could answer physicians' questions more accurately.
Thus Huang Zhong had grabbed his weapons and rushed over, barely catching Fei Qian before departure...
Noticing Huang Zhong arrived on foot, Huang Chengyang immediately had a fine horse brought forth. "Hansheng, we entrust this journey to you."
Huang Zhong clasped his hands. "Set your heart at ease, Lord Huang—I'll give my all."
With Huang Zhong's protection, Fei Qian felt his survival odds skyrocket, his anxiety easing considerably...
As daylight waned, they needed to reach the western camp to join Liu Biao's eight hundred soldiers. Fei Qian bowed solemnly to Huang Chengyang in farewell.
Helping him up, Huang Chengyang said earnestly, "...Son-in-law...exercise utmost caution! Remember this!"
Fei Qian nodded gravely before bowing again and boarding his carriage.
With Huang Zhong present, command naturally fell to him.
From his carriage, Fei Qian spotted a small figure peeking over the rear courtyard wall—likely Huang Yueying—and waved...
Huang Chengyang turned, startling her into hiding. But moments later, half her face reappeared, and despite her father's resigned look, she waved back before vanishing again...
As wheels turned and hooves clattered, Fei Qian embarked on his new journey...
*****
A/N: Fei Qian begins another chapter...yet feels he's forgotten something...Hmm...Mainly the rushed timeline—had he transmigrated earlier, certain developments might have preceded the Anti-Dong Zhuo campaign