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Though he was too far away to clearly see Liu Dai's expression, Fei Qian was certain it must have been a sight to behold at that moment…
The banners on the left flank bore the insignia of the Governor of Dong Commandery, while those on the right belonged to Jibei. The former represented Qiao Mao, Governor of Dong Commandery, and the latter naturally signified Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei.
Behind Liu Dai's main forces, another banner fluttered—that of the Governor of Shanyang.
Fei Qian let out a faint sigh. If his mentor, Liu Hong, were still in Shanyang, given his temperament, the local troops likely wouldn't have been dragged into this mess…
What a mess indeed.
Shaking his head, Fei Qian turned to walk back, feeling a pang of melancholy. The alliance hadn't even officially begun fighting, yet they were already scheming against each other and undermining one another. How could they possibly win when they lacked a true leader?
Fei Qian decided to stop dwelling on these political machinations. Since Liu Dai had already arrived, Yuan Shao couldn't be far behind. He would wait another day or two. If Yuan Shao still hadn't appeared by then, he'd have to find a way to sneak into Luoyang. Once the eastern gentry officially clashed with Dong Zhuo, escaping would become much harder.
Fei Qian had expected Cao Cao to seek him out again today, especially since their conversation outside Zhang Miao's camp the previous day had left many questions unresolved. Yet Cao Cao never came—instead, he went to see Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei…
As the old saying goes, there is no love nor hatred without reason.
The reason Cao Cao sought out Bao Xin was simple: Bao Xin had been promoted by Grand General He Jin, and Cao Cao had also served under He Jin. Thus, the two could be considered fellow disciples of the Grand General, so their close relationship was hardly surprising.
From Cao Cao's perspective, Fei Qian reasoned, whether for self-preservation or seeking allies, Zhang Miao and Bao Xin were the two men he needed to keep close. As for Fei Qian himself—without soldiers or authority—his importance naturally ranked much lower…
Despite understanding this, Fei Qian couldn't help but smile bitterly. Perhaps he had idealized Cao Cao too much, failing to account for his own lack of influence. It seemed that if he wanted to reach Luoyang, relying on heaven, earth, or others would be futile—he could only depend on himself.
This realization left him with a sense of defeat.
Outside Zhang Miao's camp, Cao Cao's first question had been about Cai Yong, which had initially given Fei Qian a glimmer of hope. But judging by Cao Cao's actions now, that question might have just been a casual icebreaker, nothing more…
Yet Fei Qian wasn't the one feeling the most defeated—that honor belonged to Liu Dai, Inspector of Yan Province.
By evening, the warlords had gathered in Zhang Miao's grand tent for a meeting. Since Zhang Miao had arrived earliest, his camp was the most well-equipped, whereas Liu Dai and others either hadn't fully set up or lacked suitable accommodations. Thus, Zhang Miao's tent became the de facto meeting place.
Fei Qian and Yi Ji, representing Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, were granted a seat, while Cao Cao sat behind Zhang Miao…
At the head of the assembly were Kong Zhou and Liu Dai. Though Liu Dai's expression appeared calm, Fei Qian could still detect the seething resentment in his gaze whenever it landed on Zhang Miao.
If looks could kill, Zhang Miao would already be riddled with holes…
If time could be rewound, Liu Dai might not have been so arrogant earlier…
Zhang Miao likely hadn't intended to clash with Liu Dai so soon, but Liu Dai's blatant disrespect left him no choice. As a long-serving Governor of Chenliu with deep-rooted influence, how could he possibly defer to an inexperienced newcomer like Liu Dai, who had only recently taken control of Yan Province?
Since Liu Dai hadn't bothered to spare Zhang Miao's dignity, Zhang Miao saw no reason to extend him any courtesy.
Kong Zhou cleared his throat and officially opened the meeting…
In his mind, Fei Qian provided his own narration: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 190 Conference on the Campaign Against Dong Zhuo—also known as the Mutual Blame-Shifting Symposium…
It wasn't that Fei Qian was bored—he simply saw the writing on the wall. With Yuan Shao still absent, what meaningful decisions could they possibly make?
Looking around the tent, Kong Zhou, Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao, Cao Cao, and Qiao Mao (who had been the first to break ranks and humiliate Liu Dai) were likely aligned together. On the other side were Liu Dai and Yuan Yi. As for Bao Xin, due to his ties with Cao Cao, he would probably lean toward Kong Zhou and Zhang Miao's faction.
But even within Kong Zhou's faction, unity was far from guaranteed…
Liu Dai had arrived with a large force, only to find himself in the weaker position. The bitterness of this realization must have been unbearable…
Kong Zhou, too, seemed surprised by the situation. He had expected to be overshadowed by Liu Dai, yet now found his own faction holding greater sway. The satisfaction was evident in his demeanor…
With a genial smile, Kong Zhou said, "Gentlemen, we have gathered today for a noble cause—to serve the empire. Let us unite in purpose and strive to restore order."
The assembly murmured in agreement.
Kong Zhou continued, "As the saying goes, a snake cannot move without its head, nor a bird fly without wings. To vanquish the traitorous Dong Zhuo, we must first appoint a leader to command our forces. Does anyone have a candidate in mind?"
Zhang Miao shot a glance at Zhang Chao, who promptly clasped his hands and declared, "I nominate Governor Kong Zhou as our leader! His wisdom, high rank, and moral integrity make him the ideal choice!"
Kong Zhou waved his hand modestly, feigning humility, but his sidelong glance at Liu Dai betrayed his eagerness…
Setting aside Kong Zhou's ulterior motives, Fei Qian was startled upon hearing the proposal to elect a leader. What's going on? Yuan Shao hasn't even arrived yet—how can they choose a leader now?
Does this mean Yuan Shao isn't coming to Suiyang at all?
Zhang Miao had previously claimed Yuan Shao was delayed by unfinished business—but no, that wasn't quite accurate…
Fei Qian lowered his head, feeling as though a herd of alpacas had stampeded through his mind. He had once used ambiguous words to mislead others, but now he had fallen victim to the same trick. Zhang Miao's words had never explicitly stated Yuan Shao would come—Fei Qian had simply assumed it!
That scheming Zhang Miao!
Now it seemed Yuan Shao had no intention of coming to Suiyang. What is he doing instead?
Before the echoes of Zhang Chao's words had faded, Zhang Miao chimed in, "I, too, nominate Governor Kong Zhou as our leader! His reputation for fairness, humility, and selfless dedication to the public good makes him the perfect candidate!"
Fei Qian could hardly believe his ears. What in the world is happening?
Is Kong Zhou really about to become the leader of this coalition?
This is absolute chaos!