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Fei Qian's entourage advanced in a winding line.
By now, Huang Zhong had grown increasingly adept at commanding the soldiers, so Fei Qian rarely intervened. Matters concerning the march were entirely left to Huang Zhong's discretion.
Fei Qian was still pondering the information he had gleaned from the official bulletins he had read earlier.
If given a choice, he would rather believe none of it was true—that Dong Zhuo was purely evil, and the coalition against him was purely righteous…
Unfortunately, after turning the matter over in his mind repeatedly during the past couple of days in the carriage, he had come to realize that the campaign against Dong Zhuo was…
Far more complicated than it appeared on the surface.
A villain appears, so heroes rise to defeat him…
What nonsense!
Fei Qian had stopped believing in such simplistic notions ever since his pocket money was stolen back in the fourth grade.
Thus, though it was emotionally difficult to accept, he had gradually arrived at a sobering conclusion.
The campaign against Dong Zhuo—who was truly behind it?
Not the common people, but the scholar-officials—and not even all of them, just a small faction. In truth, it was the old guard of the ruling elite, represented by the Yuan family, launching an attack against the emerging consort clan faction led by Dong Zhuo.
What was the definition of war again?
Fei Qian stared blankly as he tried to recall. Ah, right—war was the highest form of struggle between political factions.
Hmph. Political factions…
Huang Cheng, riding beside the carriage, overheard Fei Qian's unconscious muttering and craned his neck, straining to make out the words. Something about… chicken groups?
Hadn't they just eaten a meal of chicken and duck before setting out? Was the envoy craving meat again? But they were in the middle of nowhere—where could they possibly find any?
Huang Cheng rolled his eyes, then trotted his horse closer to Fei Qian's carriage. "Envoy Fei, Yangcui lies to the northeast up ahead. Should we detour there to rest?"
"Yangcui?" Fei Qian recalled meeting Xun Yu and Guo Jia at the Xun family's villa. Though tempted, he shook his head. "No, let's proceed directly north to Suanzao." After all, there was no guarantee those two would still be in Yangcui, and even if they were, seeking them out now wouldn't serve much purpose.
"By the way, Shuye, do you know why Suanzao is called 'Sour Jujube'?"
Huang Cheng scratched the back of his head. "I'm not sure. Maybe because there are a lot of sour jujube trees there?"
Fei Qian chuckled but said nothing more.
Suanzao—Sour Jujube. How amusing. Could this be another coincidence?
He wondered whether Yuan Shao (Yuan Benchu), Cao Cao (Cao Mengde), and Liu Bei (Liu Xuande) had arrived in Suanzao yet.
Amidst the swirling yellow dust, the rhythmic clatter of hooves, and the steady rumble of carriage wheels, Fei Qian's convoy pressed onward, gradually fading into the distance…
---
Meanwhile, in Suanzao…
The number of troops gathered in Suanzao was far fewer than Fei Qian had imagined.
At present, only two factions had arrived, both bearing the surname Zhang: Zhang Miao, the Grand Administrator of Chenliu Commandery, and his younger brother Zhang Chao, the Grand Administrator of Guangling Commandery.
Zhang Miao (Zhang Mengzhuo), the elder brother, was a native of Shouzhang in Dongping. In his youth, he had gained renown for his chivalry—generously aiding the impoverished and spending his family's wealth without hesitation. Many brave men had flocked to his banner, earning him a place among the "Eight Champions of Virtue."
(The term "champion" here did not refer to combat skill, but rather to his willingness to disperse wealth to save others.)
Zhang Chao (Zhang Menggao), the younger brother, governed Guangling Commandery, located in Xu Province. Though geographically remote, he had been among the first Grand Administrators to respond to the call to oppose Dong Zhuo. Demonstrating remarkable decisiveness, he had entrusted his official duties to Yuan Sui and personally led his officer Zang Hong and commandery troops to Chenliu.
Thus, the two brothers combined their forces and encamped at Suanzao.
At this moment, the Zhang brothers sat inside their command tent, brewing tea from the tender leaves of newly sprouted jujube trees.
Though Zhang Miao had already stationed his troops at Suanzao, a sense of unease lingered in his heart—not only for himself but also for his impulsive younger brother. After all, in the Han Dynasty, mobilizing troops beyond one's jurisdiction without cause was a grave offense. While his own forces remained within Chenliu's borders, Zhang Chao had already crossed multiple commanderies.
As for his own concerns… the matter was somewhat more complicated.
"Elder Brother, is it really appropriate to camp here? Didn't Yuan Sui suggest we move closer to Chenggao?" Zhang Chao still did not fully understand their chosen encampment location.
"Listen to him?" Zhang Miao chuckled. "It's easy to lead troops out, but bringing them back is another matter."
"But…" Zhang Chao frowned, recalling Yuan Sui's earlier words. He still couldn't grasp his brother's reasoning. In his view, since they had already taken this step, why not commit fully?
Zhang Miao shook his head. His brother, though already a Grand Administrator, remained as impetuous as ever—a trait that could prove troublesome.
"You…" Zhang Miao sighed. "Though Yuan Sui's words carry weight in such grave matters, you've acted too hastily. Don't argue—let me ask you this: before coming to you, did Yuan Sui visit Beihai? And Donghai as well?"
Zhang Chao, though quick-tempered, was no fool. His brother's words struck him like a revelation—he hadn't been Yuan Sui's first choice in Xu Province…
Zhang Miao continued, "Had you waited… well, Kong Rong of Beihai may have grievances against Dong Zhuo, but he wouldn't recklessly take up arms. If you had waited for Tao Qian to declare his stance first… though now, ironically, Tao Qian is the one watching from behind."
"That old fox!" Zhang Chao spat angrily. "No wonder he feigned illness when I passed through Donghai—I actually believed him!"
"Now you see why I chose to encamp here?"
Zhang Chao nodded silently.
By now, the tea was ready. Attendants poured the brew and presented it to the brothers.
Zhang Miao gestured toward the tea. "This region is known for its sour jujubes. Though it's not yet the season for the fruit, steeping the young leaves makes for a tea that invigorates the body. Try it."
"However…" He added meaningfully, "though the tea is good, it must be sipped slowly."
Zhang Chao seemed to understand. Wordlessly, he lifted the bowl, gently blew away the foam floating on the surface, and took a careful sip before setting it down. "It's decent… but Elder Brother, what should we do now?"
"Do?" Zhang Miao smiled faintly and raised his own bowl. "We do nothing. By being here, we've already done our part. What more could they ask of us?"
He took a sip, closing his eyes as if savoring the tea's flavor, then chuckled. "We are outsiders here. Acting too eagerly would be unwise. The ones who should be anxious now are…"
He pointed north and south. Zhang Chao nodded in comprehension…
*
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