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Huang Cheng's bold act of chewing and swallowing even the bird eggshell had initially left Fei Qian deeply impressed. However, it wasn't long before Fei Qian began to regret his own hesitation. If only he had followed Huang Cheng's example and swallowed the eggshell as well…
Though the eggshell was indigestible and provided no nutritional value, it would have at least lingered in his stomach a little longer, preventing the unbearable sensation of his empty stomach walls grinding against each other!
The feeling was as if countless tiny hands were tugging at his internal organs. No matter what he was doing—even mechanically putting one foot in front of the other—his body incessantly reminded him: Hungry… so hungry…
Since his transmigration into this world, this was by far Fei Qian's most miserable experience.
Being covered in dust and sustaining various injuries was nothing compared to the gnawing hunger.
Fortunately, by noon, they had finally exited the mountain paths of Hangu Pass. Using clothing to filter the river water, they managed to drink some, staving off dehydration. Fei Qian knew full well that drinking untreated water would have consequences, but he had no choice—without it, dehydration would have claimed him sooner. At least this way, he could hold on a little longer.
The aftermath, however, was like Xiangzi the Camel—his stomach gurgled loudly for a while before settling, leaving him even hungrier. From the previous evening's meager meal to now, nearly twenty hours had passed. Aside from that tiny bird egg, he had eaten nothing.
Back in Luoyang, even during the chaos in the markets, there had always been beans to stave off hunger if millet was unavailable. But now, Fei Qian would have gladly stuffed anything edible into his mouth, even if it meant enduring the embarrassment of flatulence while eating!
Just as they rounded a mountain bend, Huang Cheng, who was leading the way, suddenly halted. He crouched low, hiding behind a bush, and whispered urgently, "Stop! Take cover! Cavalry ahead!"
What?
Fei Qian was startled. Where had cavalry come from?
Given the current murky situation, even encountering Han cavalry wasn't necessarily a good thing. If they were troops sent by the Hongnong gentry to rendezvous with Zheng Ze, they'd be in serious trouble…
The cavalry, arranged in two columns of four riders each, advanced along the road. The leader seemed to have already spotted Fei Qian's group and immediately raised his bow, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation. Two riders broke off, drawing their ring-pommel sabers as they spurred their horses forward!
Fei Qian squinted at the commanding cavalryman—his face looked familiar. Upon closer inspection, his heart leaped with joy. Still, he dared not stand and shout, instead calling out while remaining low: "Squad Leader Zhang! Squad Leader Zhang! It's me, Fei Qian, Fei Ziyuan!"
Zhang Zhao paused, ordering his men to lower their bows. As he approached cautiously, his eyes widened in shock. "Are you a man or a ghost? Ah… I mean… cough… Young Master Fei, how did you end up in such a state?"
"It's a long story… Um, Squad Leader Zhang, do you have any food?"
××××××××××××
Zhang Liao's Camp.
Inside the central command tent, having eaten his fill, bathed, and changed into fresh clothes, Fei Qian finally felt like a living person again.
Earlier, his mind had been in a state of high tension, and aside from the unbearable hunger, he hadn't noticed much physical discomfort. Now that he had relaxed, his body ached all over, and drowsiness weighed heavily on him.
Zhang Liao observed Fei Qian with an amused smile. Seeing his exhaustion, he said, "Ziyuan, perhaps you should rest first? We can discuss the details tomorrow."
Fei Qian shook his head, rubbing his face to stay alert. "No, I'd rather clarify everything now. Only then can I truly rest easy…"
He organized his thoughts and recounted everything from the moment he entered the pass to being besieged by Zheng Jian at the courier station and his narrow escape.
Then he added, "It's clear now—these people intend to block the western route at Hangu Pass…"
After listening, Zhang Liao didn't respond immediately. Instead, he called for an attendant to brew strong tea and fell into silence.
Fei Qian studied Zhang Liao's expression and realized that even he might not support Dong Zhuo's westward relocation. But such thoughts couldn't be spoken aloud, leaving only silence.
The real question was: Could Hangu Pass hold?
Or, more accurately—how long could Hangu Pass hold?
Though Fei Qian didn't know the specifics of Guo Pu's defeat, what were 800 lost cavalry to Dong Zhuo's forces?
The entire Guanzhong region was Dong Zhuo's stronghold. His pyramid-structured Liang Province army included vast numbers of allied Qiang and Hu cavalry, with countless commanders beneath him—Li Jue, Guo Si, Li Meng, Hu Zhen, Hua Xiong, Niu Fu, Dong Yue, Duan Wei, Zhang Ji, Fan Chou, Wang Fang, Yang Ding, Dong Min, Dong Cheng, Dong Huang…
And that wasn't even counting the surrendered troops of He Jin in Luoyang or the Bingzhou Corps led by Lü Bu.
Thus, Fei Qian was certain: under a pincer attack, Hangu Pass, despite being a formidable stronghold, was now an isolated city—it could not hold.
The crux of the matter was whether the Shandong gentry could reach Luoyang before Dong Zhuo broke through Hangu Pass.
It wasn't impossible, but…
It would be difficult.
Extremely difficult.
At present, Dong Zhuo and Yuan Wei were in eerily similar positions—both leaders were far from their power bases, and their main forces were also distant. The contest now hinged on whose troops could arrive first…
But where Yuan Wei paled in comparison was that his coalition was hastily assembled, whereas Dong Zhuo's subordinates had fought alongside him for years in Liang Province.
The outcome was already evident…
Fei Qian asked, "Wenyuan, do you know who is leading the Shandong coalition at Suanzao?"
"Isn't it the Marquis of Kangxiang?" Zhang Liao replied without hesitation. After all, Yuan Shao's role as coalition leader was common knowledge among Luoyang's officials.
Fei Qian chuckled. "The Marquis of Kangxiang is likely still in Ye County…"
Zhang Liao leaned forward slightly. "Then… the Rear General?"
"The Rear General remains in Wan County…" Fei Qian shook his head again.
Zhang Liao's eyes widened slightly, as if unable to believe it. "…Then who is commanding at Suanzao?"
"Each leader commands their own forces. In terms of official rank, the Inspector of Yan Province holds the highest position…"
"Each commands their own…" Zhang Liao murmured, then asked, "What kind of man is Inspector Liu?"
Indeed, Zhang Liao was Zhang Liao—he grasped the heart of the matter instantly. Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were the undisputed leaders of the Shandong gentry besides Yuan Wei. If either had been at Suanzao, the situation wouldn't be the disorganized mess it was now!
But with neither present, the highest-ranking officer—if capable—could still unite the forces.
Unfortunately, Liu Dai was not that man.
Had Fei Qian not personally visited Suanzao and witnessed the farcical infighting among the Shandong gentry even as their enemy loomed…
He might have shared Zhang Liao's lingering hope for them.
Fei Qian lowered his head. "When they sought someone to take the oath in place of the coalition leader, Inspector Liu was the first asked. But he insisted I do it on behalf of Governor Liu of Jing Province. In the end, it was Zang Hong, a mere Merit Officer from Guangling, who took the oath…"
"A… Guangling Merit Officer…" Zhang Liao's lips twisted into an expression caught between laughter and despair.
Fei Qian said nothing. This was also why he had ultimately accepted Li Ru's appointment as Left Office Assistant Secretary—the Shandong gentry's chances of short-term victory were far too slim.
Even if they now held Hangu Pass, what then?
What did their numbers matter?
The Yellow Turbans had been numerous too, yet they were still defeated by the smaller Han forces.
Without unity, defeating Dong Zhuo in Luoyang was nearly an impossible mission.
As for the long term…
That could wait. For now, there was another task—the books from Cai Yong's estate were still inside the pass, and Fei Qian intended to retrieve them…