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After leaving Wen County and enduring a long journey, Fei Qian and his party crossed the Mengjin Ferry and finally arrived at the Cui Family Manor in the northern outskirts of Luoyang just before sunset.
Fortunately, Fei Qian had brought only a little over a hundred soldiers with him. Otherwise, crossing the Mengjin Ferry would have been difficult. Due to the widespread anti-Dong Zhuo uprisings across the Guandong region, tensions were high even in Luoyang. Soldiers were inspecting travelers at the northern ferry crossing of the capital.
However, Fei Qian's group faced no major issues for three reasons: first, their numbers were small; second, they used silver to smooth their passage; and third—most importantly—the Guandong gentry and Dong Zhuo's forces had not yet officially gone to war. Thus, they arrived at the northern outskirts of Luoyang without serious incident.
A hundred men were nothing compared to the garrisons of Liangzhou and Bingzhou troops stationed in Luoyang. Moreover, the capital was home to many powerful local clans and gentry families, so Fei Qian's arrival did not cause much commotion.
By the time they reached the Cui Family Manor, dusk had fallen. Spring days were already short, and after sunset, darkness quickly descended.
While a hundred soldiers were insignificant to Luoyang's defenders, they were a considerable force for a local stronghold like the Cui Family Manor. When Fei Qian's group approached the manor's gate, the commotion alerted those inside. Torches flickered, voices clamored, and chaos erupted atop the walls—clearly, the defenders were alarmed.
Fei Qian stepped forward, positioning himself just beyond the range of arrows from the walls but still visible in the torchlight. He announced himself as an old friend and ordered one of his soldiers to deliver a letter to the edge of the manor's moat before withdrawing his men a safe distance.
Though the defenders saw no immediate threat, they dared not open the gates. Instead, they lowered a man by rope, who used a long bamboo pole with a basket to retrieve the letter from across the moat before being hauled back up.
A short while later, Cui Hou's voice called from the wall, "Brother Ziyuan, is that you?"
Fei Qian moved closer, allowing Cui Hou to see his face clearly, and cupped his hands in greeting. "Brother Yongyuan, it has been too long! Forgive my sudden visit at such an hour—I hope I haven't caused too much trouble."
Cui Hou glanced warily at the soldiers behind Fei Qian. "Whose troops are these?"
"They are my personal retinue, no one else's. If you're uneasy, Brother Yongyuan, you may assign us a spot outside the manor to camp." Given the chaotic mix of Liangzhou, Bingzhou, and Luoyang garrison troops in the capital, Cui Hou's caution was understandable.
On the wall, Cui Hou's face flickered in the torchlight as he weighed his options. However, he did not deliberate long before ordering the gates opened to admit Fei Qian and his men.
Huang Zhong, standing beside Fei Qian, chuckled approvingly. "Ziyuan, your friend has some courage."
Fei Qian smiled but said nothing.
He could have camped outside first, sent a formal notice, and visited in daylight to put the Cui family at ease. But by arriving with troops at night, he had deliberately tested Cui Hou's resolve.
It seemed Cui Hou still remembered his past promises and had not wavered with time.
This meant Fei Qian could now discuss his plans with Cui Hou in earnest. Had Cui Hou refused him out of caution, it would have been understandable—but it would also have shown he was too risk-averse for Fei Qian's purposes.
When Fei Qian first left Jingxiang, he had prepared several plans. The worst-case scenario was trailing behind the Guandong coalition, entering Luoyang only after Dong Zhuo's retreat and ambush shattered Cao Cao's (or someone else's) pursuit.
That path would have been safe but slow, leaving him far behind. Unless absolutely necessary, Fei Qian wanted to avoid it.
His current plan was to reach Luoyang before Dong Zhuo's withdrawal and use the Cui family's connections to advance his goals.
This, however, required Cui Hou's cooperation—which was why Fei Qian had timed his arrival at the Cui Manor's gates so carefully.
Inside the manor, Huang Cheng led the soldiers to their quarters while Fei Qian and Huang Zhong met Cui Hou, who hurried forward to greet them.
The last time Fei Qian had seen that round face with its narrow eyes was outside Luoyang. Back then, Cui Hou had been a commoner, and with figures like Lü Bu present, there had been little chance for private conversation. It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Brother Yongyuan, it has been too long," Fei Qian repeated his greeting.
Cui Hou clasped Fei Qian's hands, patting them warmly. "Brother, your achievements in Jingxiang are remarkable! I can't help but envy you."
Ah, his old habits hadn't changed.
Fei Qian subtly withdrew his hands. "What do you mean, Brother Yongyuan?"
It turned out Cui Hou's cousin, Cui Jun, had written from his post as Governor of Xihe, mentioning Fei Qian's exploits in Jingxiang—how he had built a cabin at the foot of Deer Mountain to study under the famed scholar Pang Degong and even became the Inspector of Jingzhou's Biejia (Chief Aide).
For most, receiving even brief guidance from Pang Degong would be a dream come true. Yet Fei Qian had studied under him daily—a privilege that would make any scholar green with envy.
Cui Hou, ever the merchant, had also gathered intelligence on Fei Qian's activities through his trade networks. He soon realized Fei Qian's accomplishments far exceeded what Cui Jun had described.
For instance, Fei Qian's marriage into the prestigious Huang family of Jingxiang had elevated him from a minor branch of the Luoyang Fei clan to a contender for its leadership. With a higher official rank, even the current Fei family head would have to treat him with deference.
Thus, when Cui Hou saw Fei Qian arriving with troops at night, his merchant instincts kicked in. Recognizing Fei Qian's rising influence and recalling his father's advice to maintain ties with him, Cui Hou decided to trust that Fei Qian meant no harm.