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Fei Qian knew full well that going out now to mingle and build relationships would likely earn him nothing but disdain. After all, his single remark in the main tent, though not explicitly naming Yuan Shao, had effectively signaled his support for him. As a result, apart from Yuan Yi, he doubted anyone would be particularly welcoming. So, after the meeting concluded, he simply stayed holed up in the camp to avoid attracting any more scornful glances.
Even Yuan Yi probably wouldn't feel any particular gratitude toward him. In the eyes of the Yuan family, such things were merely par for the course. The only person in the world who could compete with Yuan Shao for the top position among the next generation of noble families was Yuan Shu. Everyone else was just a supporting character.
Given this, Fei Qian decisively gave up on trying to win anyone else over. But as often happens, even if you don't go looking for trouble, trouble comes looking for you—Cao Cao arrived, pulling Bao Xin along for a visit.
Upon seeing Fei Qian, Cao Cao clasped his hands together and bowed deeply. "If not for Ziyuan today, I might have made a grave mistake! I must thank you for that."
"Senior Brother has gotten what he wanted, but now I'm like a frightened stray dog…" Fei Qian still felt a pang of regret over his impulsiveness. If only he had followed Bao Xin's example—kept silent and abstained from voting.
Bao Xin attempted to smooth things over. "Ziyuan's words were prudent and forthright, striking right at the heart of the matter. Such is the demeanor of a true gentleman. I am deeply impressed."
Well, Fei Qian couldn't exactly hold a grudge against Cao Cao. At most, he could only express a bit of dissatisfaction…
Once the three of them were seated, Fei Qian asked Cao Cao why he had come to see him. Cao Cao glanced at Bao Xin and said, "Yesterday, I discussed the war in Heluo with Yuncheng, but we still have some doubts. So, we've come to seek your advice."
Fei Qian eyed Cao Cao and chuckled. "I'm just a mere scholar—what do I know of warfare? Senior Brother must be joking…" I spoke openly with you because you're Cao Cao, a disciple of Master Cai Yong. But now you've dragged Bao Xin into this—what's the meaning of that?
Truth be told, Fei Qian hadn't yet realized how much he had changed since first arriving in the Han Dynasty. Back then, even getting an audience with Cao Cao had been difficult. Now, he could openly play word games right in front of him.
"Ziyuan's talents have been praised by Mengde. Though this visit may seem abrupt, we come for matters of great importance. I hope you won't withhold your wisdom!" Bao Xin clasped his hands sincerely.
Fei Qian didn't know much about Bao Xin and had little impression of him in his mind. But seeing how serious Cao Cao was, he inwardly sighed. This is truly troublesome…
Every person has their own rigid way of thinking—their own set of views on things. Conquering a city isn't the hardest feat; conquering a person's mind is the real challenge.
Moreover, human nature is often baffling. If I say one thing, you insist on the opposite. Even if there's no real disagreement, people will nitpick, take things out of context, and stir up trouble just for the sake of argument.
Take this situation, for example. If I say Dong Zhuo has a scheme, you insist he's just a brute and an idiot who wouldn't know a scheme if it hit him. How can we even have a productive conversation?
Looking at Bao Xin now, even Cao Cao couldn't convince him. Did Cao Cao really think I could change his mind?
Fei Qian studied Bao Xin, then Cao Cao, before finally saying after a long pause, "Very well, let's pretend I'm speaking drunken nonsense—don't take it too seriously. Lord of Jibei, what are your doubts? Feel free to speak plainly." I'll say this much. I'm just rambling after a few drinks. If it makes sense to you, great. If not, there's nothing more I can do.
For Cao Cao's sake, he'd give it a try.
Bao Xin said, "Now that we've raised a righteous army, Dong Zhuo is already terrified, holed up in Luoyang. Once our forces assemble, he'll surely lose his head. What scheme could he possibly have?"
Another overconfident fellow…
"Dong Zhuo has fought countless battles against the Qiang and Hu tribes. Has he ever shown fear before? Would a man who knows he's doomed simply stretch out his neck for the blade? When the armies of Jin and Chu met on the plains, did the Jin forces retreat thirty li out of fear?"
What a joke. Dong Zhuo rose to power through war after war. Did anyone really think he'd be cowed by a bunch of eastern militia? Moreover, most of Dong Zhuo's troops were battle-hardened frontier soldiers who had fought the Xiongnu and Xianbei for years. The allied forces of the east, on the other hand, consisted mostly of hastily recruited commandery troops who had only seen action during the Yellow Turban Rebellion—and even then, some were fresh recruits, like Cao Cao's own forces. How could such troops stand against the seasoned frontier armies?
Most crucially, was Dong Zhuo the kind of man who would just wait for death with his neck bared? Even a rabbit kicks back when cornered by a hawk. Dong Zhuo commanded the frontier armies and held the reins of the imperial court. Did anyone really believe he'd just sit there and wait to die?
If all of this was so obvious, then why was Dong Zhuo now holed up in Luoyang without moving? Did people truly think he was just some fat, stupid coward? If he were that kind of man, how could he have risen from a lowly county constable to the position of Imperial Chancellor, wielding supreme power?
It was fine to despise the enemy in strategy, but in tactics, one had to take them seriously. Those who assumed things lightly were often the first to die on the battlefield…
Bao Xin pondered this. Cao Cao had made similar arguments the day before, but Bao Xin still clung to the belief that Dong Zhuo was nothing special. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to persuade Yuan Shao to lead the Yuan family in rebellion against Dong Zhuo with just a couple thousand newly recruited soldiers.
Though Bao Xin was still emotionally reluctant to accept Fei Qian's words, they did shake his confidence somewhat. After all, as someone who had led troops before, he knew full well the gap between his own forces and the frontier armies.
After a moment, Bao Xin asked another question. "As for the capital's relocation—even if Dong Zhuo dares to commit such an act of defiance, he'd only be isolating himself in a corner, cutting himself off from the Central Plains. What danger would that pose to the eastern provinces?"
Fei Qian glanced at Cao Cao, who responded with a helpless smile. Clearly, he had already tried explaining this to Bao Xin, but Bao Xin remained unconvinced.
Sigh. Fei Qian inwardly lamented. No wonder Bao Xin left no significant mark in history. This man's mind is truly inflexible!
"Do you know why the Xianbei and Xiongnu raid in autumn, Lord of Jibei?"
"Simple. The grass withers, the sheep grow thin, and the harvest is ripe." As a military man, Bao Xin was well-versed in such matters.
"Exactly." Fei Qian smiled, though his words sent a chill down both Bao Xin's and Cao Cao's spines. "What if Dong Zhuo marched out of Tong Pass and launched a spring raid?"
"A… spring raid?!"
"Exiting Tong Pass, he could head north into Hedong, break through Anyi and Shanyang, and threaten Jizhou. Taking the central route, he could pass Chenggao and invade Chenliu, ravaging Yanzhou. Moving south, he could leave Liang County, cross Xiangcheng, and devastate Yuzhou. The Bing and Liang cavalry could cover a hundred li a day, avoiding sieges and focusing solely on destroying crops. Tell me, Lord of Jibei—do you have a strategy to counter that?"
The color drained from Bao Xin's face. His brow furrowed, but no words came.