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Fei Qian spoke gravely, "At present, Luoyang is as precarious as a stack of eggs... Forgive my bluntness, but when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. This land of wealth and abundance will soon be reduced to scorched earth..."
Cui Hou chuckled dismissively, "Brother, surely you jest? The court's squabbles have little to do with common folk like us." He clearly believed that even if the banners atop Luoyang's walls changed hands, it wouldn't affect those like him who stayed out of the fray. After all, no matter who took the positions of the Three Excellencies or the Chancellor, they would still serve under the Han court. How could Luoyang possibly become a wasteland?
"The collapse of rites and music is irreversible... The tigers and wolves have already been unleashed. How could they sheathe their claws without drawing blood?" Fei Qian replied, pointing toward Luoyang. "Now, this city is the den of a venomous tiger, while beyond Chenggao, a pack of starving wolves gathers. What we face now is a battle between beasts fighting over prey."
He allowed Cui Hou a moment to digest his words before continuing, "In the past, the imperial relatives' power base was in Luoyang. Even if they wished to retreat, they had nowhere to go—their fate would be decided within the city walls. But now, the situation is different. The tiger lurking in Luoyang has its roots in the western passes!"
"...Now that the wolves are swarming in, the tiger, though fierce, will inevitably be stretched thin defending Luoyang. Thus, retreating westward to its stronghold would be the wisest move... But do you think the tiger would willingly surrender this rich prize to the wolves?"
Cui Hou felt a chill creeping down his spine, and he shivered involuntarily.
Fei Qian met his gaze. "The two recent 'levies' have already exposed their true intentions... Moreover, I've heard rumors of tomb-raiding in the Beimang Mountains. Such acts are tantamount to severing all ties with Luoyang's noble houses. If the tiger intended to remain here long-term, why would it commit such a universally despised deed? Therefore, when the tiger withdraws westward, it will undoubtedly order the forced relocation of all Luoyang's population. That way, even if it offends every influential family in the city, it matters little—a tree without roots, no matter how mighty, will only stand for a time... But this also spells the end for Luoyang itself..."
"R-relocation?!" Cui Hou was stunned by Fei Qian's words. Most of the Cui family's operations were centered in Luoyang. A forced move would be akin to cutting down their family tree at its trunk. Even if they survived, their strength would be crippled, possibly relegating them to obscurity. Without intervention, the Cui lineage might fade into commoner status...
Suddenly, Cui Hou looked at Fei Qian with desperate hope. "Brother, have you come here with a plan? If there's anything the Cui family can do, name it."
Undeniably, the Cui family's mercantile instincts had sharpened Cui Hou's intuition. But Fei Qian's response dashed his hopes once more—
"To be frank... the situation is already set in stone. Like an arrow nocked on a bowstring, it's only a matter of time..." Indeed, even with Fei Qian's hundred or so men and the Cui family's retainers, their combined forces would barely reach a thousand. Such a meager force, even at the cost of their lives, would only create a tiny ripple in the tide, incapable of altering the greater course.
Moreover, Cui Hou was only willing to listen and consider Fei Qian's words because of their friendship and his knowledge of Fei Qian's deeds. As for the other noble families in Luoyang, even if warned, few would believe him.
"I have close ties with several nearby families. If we join forces... and with the support of your Fei family, I could rally more clans outside the city while you coordinate within. Wouldn't such an alliance give us a fighting chance?" Cui Hou clenched his fists, his eyes pleading.
"Only if three conditions are met: First, we must have enough time. Second, all parties must act in unison, advancing and retreating as one. Third, we must withstand at least one assault from the tiger..."
Fei Qian's points were fundamental—yet they were also the hardest to achieve. Given the current circumstances, neither he nor Cui Hou could fulfill even one of these requirements.
"..." After a long silence, Cui Hou rose from his seat and bowed deeply to Fei Qian, his voice heavy. "...Brother, the Cui lineage must not end like this... If you have any counsel, I beg you to share it!"
Fei Qian steadied him. "I, too, can only take one step at a time... If you seek stability, there are two paths: First, forge closer ties with those in power and move west early to seize the advantage. Second, take the still-open route to Hedong and reunite with your elder brother in the north..."
Move west?
Cui Hou dismissed the thought immediately. The current chaos was entirely Dong Zhuo's doing—how could he kneel before the man responsible? Even if he steeled himself to endure the humiliation, there was no guarantee the rest of the Cui family would follow. Internal strife might tear them apart before the relocation even began.
Head to Xihe?
Even if the entire household migrated to Cui Jun's territory, adapting to the new environment would be a challenge. Worse, Cui Hou would likely have to relinquish all authority to his elder brother, reducing his branch to mere vassals. How could he, after years of relentless struggle, accept such a demotion?
After much deliberation, Cui Hou asked bitterly, "Brother... these two options... surely there are others?" Since Fei Qian had mentioned "stable" strategies, there must be riskier alternatives...
"Brother Yongyuan, why has the Cui family never risen to the ranks of the wealthiest merchant clans?" Fei Qian suddenly posed an unrelated question.
"Ah? Perhaps... a lack of capital?" Cui Hou ventured.
Fei Qian shook his head.
"Legacy?"
"That may play a part, but it's not the whole story," Fei Qian said. "The true difference lies in reputation! A merchant renowned in one locality is a local magnate; one famed across a province is a first-tier merchant of the Han. But those whose names echo across the land? They become the empire's wealthiest—rich enough to rival nations! Think of the Tian clan of the Spring and Autumn period or the Lü clan of Qin. All followed this path."
He continued, "If you wish for the Cui family to gain such renown, I have another plan... though it carries greater risks..."
A merchant willing to invest boldly—and persistently—may face repeated failures, but a single success could recover all losses and yield immense profit.
Moreover, many merchants coveted fame because it served as a protective aura. As wealth accumulated, so too did prying eyes. Without patronage from the powerful, they had no choice but to back political allies—or, better yet, leverage their own prestige to transition from commerce to governance...
Thus, Cui Hou's yearning for fame made him overlook Fei Qian's mention of "risk." Eagerly, he pressed for details.