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Yuan Shu had seen Fei Qian once or twice before, so he vaguely remembered him.
Though they'd never formally met, Fei Qian had been impossible to overlook during the Imperial Academy's opening ceremony when Yuan Shu went to find Cao Cao. Back then, Fei Qian had appeared somewhat frail, but now, after a few months, he seemed noticeably more robust.
"Ziyuan, it's been a while! How have you been?"
Seeing someone from Luoyang clearly lifted Yuan Shu's spirits. Before Fei Qian could finish his formal greetings, Yuan Shu took his arm, inviting him and Yi Ji to sit while ordering servants to prepare a banquet.
"The General remains as distinguished as ever!" Fei Qian said with a smile.
Yuan Shu looked almost unchanged from his Luoyang days—handsome features paired with lavish attire, every bit the refined nobleman.
In Fei Qian's residual memories from his past life, Yuan Shu was practically draped in negative labels: "Desiccated bones in a tomb," "Extravagant and debauched," "Arrogant and foolish," "Inherently haughty." Even in games, Yuan Shu's stats were pitifully low...
But the longer Fei Qian spent in the Han Dynasty, the more he realized how unreliable these so-called "historical impressions" were. Take Yuan Shu before him, for example.
Yes, Yuan Shu was extravagant—his clothing and accessories were undeniably opulent. But this wasn't excessive by his standards. Even back in the Yuan family, he'd been this way, and relocating to Nanyang hadn't changed that. Besides, not all rulers in history were frugal. Some emperors lived lavishly without dooming their dynasties—the real question was whether state resources could sustain it and whether personal indulgence disrupted broader governance.
This was the real Yuan Shu—a living, thinking person, not some low-stat, trash-skilled card from a game.
Had Yuan Shu truly been as depraved as history claimed?
'So vile that both gods and men despised him?'
Fei Qian didn't know the answer, but he did know one thing—to survive the Three Kingdoms era, you couldn't afford to underestimate anyone.
Yuan Shu broke the wax seal, skimmed Fei Qian's diplomatic missive, then set it aside disinterestedly. Standardized documents had never appealed to him.
Far more intriguing was Fei Qian himself—a man who'd transformed from a minor branch-family scholar into a rising star through marriage into Jingxiang's gentry. Though Nanyang was some distance from Xiangyang, Yuan Shu still gathered intelligence on the region. Fei Qian stood out: young, appointed as Deputy Inspector, and wed into the influential Huang family of Miannan. In short, he'd climbed from third-tier obscurity to second-tier gentry status...
Of course, Yuan Shu didn't consider Fei Qian his equal. In his mind, he—Yuan Shu, Yuan Gonglu—represented the pinnacle of aristocracy. Even his half-brother Yuan Shao ranked half a step below.
"Ziyuan, do you remember the glass bead from the Imperial Academy's master-disciple ceremony?" Yuan Shu suddenly asked, smiling cryptically.
Fei Qian's eyes widened in realization. 'So that inexplicable glass bead during his apprenticeship ceremonies—the one that seemed oddly familiar, almost like something he'd once handled—hadn't come from Cao Cao after all. It was from Yuan Shu!' That "noble patron" Cui Hou mentioned must have been Yuan Shu.
No wonder the Cui family survived the Ten Regular Attendants' purge—Yuan family protection must have played a role.
"That glass treasure was from you, General? I... failed to express gratitude at the time. My deepest apologies."
Yang Hong and Yi Ji, seated nearby, looked puzzled. Fei Qian briefly explained the incident, adding, "Back then, I was presenting my apprenticeship gifts and didn't realize the General had graced the occasion. Missing the chance to pay respects remains a regret..." A little flattery never hurt.
Yuan Shu waved it off. "Just happened to be passing by. Think nothing of it."
Though Yuan Shu disliked Cao Cao, he bore no grudge against Fei Qian for being Cao's junior fellow disciple.
The root cause lay in childhood—Cao Cao's cleverness had often outmaneuvered Yuan Shu, breeding lasting resentment. Worse, Cao Cao came from a eunuch-affiliated family, making him unworthy of Yuan Shu's regard in Yuan Shu's eyes. Add Cao's consistent alignment with Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shu's disdain solidified.
But this hatred was Cao Cao-specific. Yuan Shu had no intention of extending it—would that mean hating Cai Yong too, just for being Cao's teacher?
"Ziyuan, mastering multiple scholarly traditions while rising to Deputy Inspector—your future shines bright." Yuan Shu's praise held genuine admiration. As aristocracy himself, he knew how hard upward mobility was.
Fei Qian smiled. "You overpraise me, General. Besides, I'm no longer Deputy Inspector."
"Oh? How so?" Yuan Shu's interest piqued. A Deputy Inspector position didn't just vanish—what happened?
Fei Qian explained resigning to check on his Luoyang-based masters' safety. In Confucian culture prioritizing loyalty and filial piety, this was perfectly justified. With war looming between Dong Zhuo and the eastern gentry, a disciple abandoning rank and comfort to return to his teachers' side wasn't just reasonable—it commanded respect.
Yuan Shu applauded. "A disciple serving his teacher honors him as a father! Ziyuan, your actions are most commendable!" His estimation of Fei Qian rose several notches. This also meant Fei Qian was no longer under Liu Biao's command—a realization that sparked ideas in Yuan Shu's mind.
Since establishing his Rear General headquarters in Nanyang, Yuan Shu had acutely felt the talent shortage. Despite Yang Hong and Yan Xiang's assistance, affairs remained overwhelming.
As Yuan Shu nodded approvingly, he glanced subtly at Yang Hong, signaling with his eyes.
Following Yuan Shu's gaze to Fei Qian, then to the dried fruit platter on the table, Yang Hong grasped the hint. With a nod, he excused himself to oversee tea service.
*
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