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The news of the so-called "Yellow Turban Bandit" rebellion at Hangu Pass finally spread, causing an immediate uproar across all levels of society.
The common folk were simply bewildered that even the Sili Province could see the emergence of Yellow Turban Bandits. Was there any place left in the world that was truly peaceful? They gathered together, grumbling and complaining about how they were supposed to carry on with their lives.
Those in the middle echelons, who had some degree of understanding, showed off the information they had gathered from their various sources to one another. They boasted and spouted nonsense over wine tables, using it to demonstrate their own powerful connections and capabilities, flaunting their access to such insider knowledge.
Meanwhile, the highest echelons collectively fell silent, offering no comment.
However, the name Fei Qian, Fei Ziyuan, began to enter a certain person's field of vision.
As for Zhang Liao, he was merely a military officer. At best, he could rise to the level of a Siping or Sizhen General—what of it? Unless Zhang Liao had an exceptionally beautiful younger sister or some peerless beauty within his clan, giving him a slim chance to tread the old path of imperial kinship through the maternal line. Moreover, with the cautionary example of Dong Zhuo fresh in everyone's mind, all the civil officials shared the same sentiment: they absolutely would not allow a second Dong Zhuo to emerge...
In contrast, someone like Fei Qian, who seemed to have suddenly emerged from the depths, attracted more attention from these fellow members of the scholar-official class. Especially at the residence of the Fei family head, Fei Min—these past couple of days, the threshold of his home was nearly worn down a few inches from all the visitors.
Some came in person, others sent family members, and still others dispatched their proteges or former subordinates. Almost every stratum of the scholar-official class focused their attention on Fei Qian.
Because Fei Qian was a party involved, a third party from within the scholar-official class.
Although Zhang Liao was also involved, firstly, he was a military officer belonging to Dong Zhuo's faction, and secondly, he lacked the qualifications to appear in the court. Although the position of Colonel of Cavalry (Duji Duwei) held a rank of Bi Two Thousand Bushels, it was a military post under the Chamberlain for the Imperial Insignia (Guangluxun). Unless it was a grand court assembly, normally, to see the Emperor or the Three Excellencies, one first had to go through the Chamberlain for the Imperial Insignia, which was not an easy task.
Fei Qian was different. As a Gentleman of the Left (Zuoshulang), although his official salary was a mere Bi Four Hundred Bushels, his master was Cai Yong, the General of the Household of the Left, a figure who could undoubtedly enter the court, possessing the right to have an audience with the Emperor and submit memorials. Moreover, according to reports, he had achieved a victory against overwhelming odds in this instance, narrowly escaping death—an extremely difficult feat. Although Cai Yong had always remained aloof from factions and cliques, this was, after all, his disciple. Who could guarantee that Old Man Cai wouldn't lose his temper over this?
Fei Min, the head of the Fei family, had just smilingly seen off one visitor. Turning around, his face immediately darkened like water.
This Fei Qian, Fei Ziyuan!
Did he have even the slightest sense of being a member of the Fei family?!
Such a major event, and upon returning, he didn't immediately come to the Fei family to report and explain himself!
Last time was the same. Even after assuming the post of Gentleman of the Left, he didn't notify us in advance. I actually had to learn from others that another member of the Fei family had entered official service!
Fei Min called over a servant and instructed, "Go and summon Fei Qian, Fei Ziyuan... cough... go and invite him here..."
The servant looked somewhat bewildered, hesitating for a long moment before saying, "Reporting to the family head, this... where should I go to invite him? Last time we went to his old residence, it was already uninhabited."
"Uh... go wait in front of Imperial Counselor Cai's residence!" Fei Min suddenly realized that his control over Fei Qian was now almost zero, reduced to nothing more than the shared surname Fei...
When had this youngster changed to such an extent?
Originally, the emergence of an outstanding disciple among the Fei family's younger generation should have been a cause for joy, but Fei Min couldn't feel the slightest bit happy.
Fei Min's guess was correct. Fei Qian had just emerged from Cai Manor when he was promptly intercepted.
This did come as a surprise to Fei Qian.
Last time he personally visited Fei Min's residence, Fei Min had still been putting on airs. Afterward, there hadn't been much contact either. Why had he suddenly sent someone to find him today?
However, since the family head had invited him, it wouldn't be good not to go. Unless he was prepared to break with the Fei family, he at least had to maintain appearances on the surface.
Unexpectedly, this time, Fei Min, the head of the Fei family, actually came out personally to welcome him at the entrance to the manor!
Regardless of Fei Qian's personal thoughts about Fei Min, he couldn't neglect the formalities and etiquette on such an occasion. Otherwise, he would be criticized and ridiculed by others.
Fei Qian immediately stepped forward, bowed deeply with a long salute, and paid his respects to Fei Min.
Fei Min smiled genially, stepped forward to help Fei Qian up, and said, "We are all family here; there's no need for such formality." Having said that, he took Fei Qian's hand and invited him into the main hall to be seated.
Fei Qian felt somewhat inwardly amused. 'People,' he thought, really seemed to embody the progression of 'sit, please sit, please take the honored seat; tea, serve tea, serve the finest tea'.
Initially, when Fei Qian was nothing more than a member of a collateral branch with no status, he had to first present his name card and request an audience. He waited at the Fei Manor for half a day before Fei Min finally made a belated appearance...
Later, after Fei Qian became Cai Yong's disciple and married into a scholarly family from Jingxiang, Fei Min would wait to receive him at the front of the hall...
And this time, he had come personally to the entrance of the manor, welcoming him all the way into the hall...
Moreover, the words spoken at the door carried an even deeper meaning—"We are all family here." Heh.
After host and guest were seated, Fei Min even called out his own sons to meet Fei Qian.
Fei Min originally had three sons, but the eldest had unfortunately passed away in his youth some years ago. The two remaining children were the older one, named Fei He, courtesy name Zicheng, who was about the same age as Fei Qian, and the younger one, Fei Yu, who was only eleven or twelve and hadn't yet formally received a courtesy name.
Fei Min chuckled cheerfully as he watched Fei He and Fei Yu pay their respects to Fei Qian, saying, "You two must seek advice from Ziyuan and interact with him more often..."
Fei Qian listened with a smile on his face, silently returning the greetings to Fei He and Fei Yu without saying much. He never expected that even in the Han Dynasty, he would become the so-called "The neighbor child" that people compare themselves to...
However, Fei Min's actions were indeed somewhat beyond Fei Qian's expectations. Coming out to welcome him not only showed the importance Fei Min placed on Fei Qian but also displayed a relatively humble posture, not simply maintaining the aloof demeanor of the family head as he had before.
Moreover, bringing out his two sons to meet Fei Qian carried an even more obvious implication than the words spoken at the entrance earlier.
In the etiquette of the Han Dynasty, family members were not casually presented to just anyone, nor could they be seen by anyone. By having Fei He and Fei Yu come out and pay their respects using the etiquette due to an elder brother, Fei Min was not only superficially showing closeness, echoing his earlier statement of "we are all family," but also conveying another, deeper layer of meaning hidden within.
Through this action, Fei Min was hinting that he acknowledged Fei Qian's leading status among the younger generation!
Fei Qian's mind raced. Family Head Fei Min's move was truly one that allowed for both advance and retreat. On one hand, it was an acknowledgment of Fei Qian's current status. On the other hand, through this action, he was also reminding Fei Qian not to forget that, no matter what, he was still a member of the Fei clan, still part of the next generation of the Fei family...
Using familial affection to win him over while simultaneously reminding and subtly pressuring him—Family Head Fei Min was playing this game beautifully!
The scholar-official class of the Han Dynasty was a vast collective. Within this collective, there might be radical and conservative factions, but both factions still operated within this circle... Reform was possible, but one couldn't simply chop it down... Initially, no prominent families were willing to side with Cao Cao, who employed men of humble origins. But in the end, even he had to compromise with the great families...