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Liu Pan had originally served under Liu Dai, but due to his close familial ties with Liu Biao—being Liu Biao's nephew—he chose to stay in Jingxiang when Liu Biao extended the invitation.
Before this diplomatic mission, Liu Biao had specifically instructed Liu Pan that Fei Qian was merely a front, while the truly important letter—just like last time—was hidden inside Liu Pan's armor. Though he didn't know the contents of the letter, Liu Pan understood that Liu Biao's solemn instructions indicated the gravity of the matter.
With such an important task entrusted to him, Liu Pan immediately felt his status in Liu Biao's eyes had risen, marking his entry into the inner circle. Moreover, before departure, Liu Biao had casually mentioned that Fei Qian already resign from his position…
Liu Biao's intention had been to prevent Liu Pan from being overly deferential to Fei Qian due to his former rank, fearing it might hinder the mission. However, Liu Pan misinterpreted this as a sign that Fei Qian had fallen out of favor and was no longer someone to be feared.
Thus, Liu Pan held little respect for Fei Qian, who now only bore the hollow title of chief envoy. In his eyes, Liu Biao was the supreme authority in Jingxiang—what did it matter if Fei Qian had connections with the local gentry? If Liu Biao didn't want him in office, he wouldn't be.
Adding to his irritation, Fei Qian had immediately assigned Liu Pan to lead the vanguard, forcing him to clear the path ahead. This left Liu Pan fuming, but in front of the troops, he couldn't openly defy Fei Qian's authority as chief envoy.
Once camp was set up, Liu Pan considered finding an excuse to negotiate with Fei Qian—perhaps shifting the vanguard duties to that middle-aged man or the young fellow by Fei Qian's side, freeing himself to rest in a carriage…
After all, being the vanguard wasn't just about marching ahead. As the saying went, "Cut paths through mountains, build bridges across rivers." The vanguard was responsible for scouting, deploying reconnaissance, and even ensuring the road was clear for the main force—filling potholes or smoothing rough terrain when necessary.
Unlike the baggage train, which simply followed, the vanguard had no time to rest.
Just as Liu Pan was waiting for his meal, he heard murmurs outside. Stepping out, he saw that all the soldiers Fei Qian had brought were cooking porridge with dried meat, while his own men from the city's western barracks had nothing but wild greens.
The difference in aroma between meat porridge and vegetable gruel was undeniable…
This ignited Liu Pan's already simmering anger. How could Fei Qian lead troops like this? Such blatant favoritism would breed discord. If things spiraled out of control, how could he fulfill Liu Biao's critical mission?
Without further thought, Liu Pan stormed into Fei Qian's tent, believing he had caught Fei Qian red-handed—only to learn that the meat had been privately purchased, not taken from military supplies.
The young man's innocent expression and pointed words—"Would you rather our brothers eat wild greens than treat them to a proper meal?"—made Liu Pan seem like a miser who begrudged his men even the simplest comforts.
There was no fault to pin on Fei Qian. If others envied the meat, they could buy some from the relay station themselves. Besides, this wasn't wartime—there was no need to enforce strict prohibitions on trade.
Just as Liu Pan prepared to laugh it off and slip away, Fei Qian turned the tables, bombarding him with accusations that left him unable to argue yet equally unable to stay silent.
Technically, these charges had some basis—but they weren't nearly as severe as Fei Qian made them sound!
Liu Pan's face cycled between pale and flushed, torn between fury and fear. He considered resisting, but the middle-aged man behind Fei Qian stood ready. Yet if he didn't resist, Fei Qian might actually have him executed on the spot—leaving him no chance to plead his case.
His grip on his sword tightened and loosened repeatedly before he finally settled on neither drawing nor sheathing it. Instead, he glared at Fei Qian and demanded, "What do you want?!"
This outburst earned a cold snort from Huang Zhong behind Fei Qian. Regardless of the circumstances, Liu Pan's reckless accusations and refusal to admit fault—even asking "What do you want?" instead of apologizing—showed a complete lack of respect and integrity. Huang Zhong despised such behavior.
"By military law," Fei Qian said impassively, his icy tone making Liu Pan shiver, "the penalty ranges from flogging to—execution. However…"
He continued, "This isn't wartime, and Zhongjian acted out of concern for the troops… This puts me in a difficult position. Here's what we'll do: I'll write a detailed report to Governor Liu and let him decide. Does that suit you?"
Relieved, Liu Pan immediately agreed. "That's perfect!"
Fei Qian smiled faintly, wrote the letter, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Liu Pan. "In that case, Zhongjian, take this letter and return to Xiangyang at once."
"W-what?!" Liu Pan stammered, bewildered. "Why me? Can't you send someone else?"
Fei Qian's expression hardened. "You caused this. Why should someone else clean up your mess? Unless you'd prefer to face military justice?"
Liu Pan hesitated, torn between taking the letter or refusing, his mind in chaos.
Unfazed, Fei Qian handed the letter to Huang Zhong instead. "Hansheng, please escort Zhongjian out."
Huang Zhong clasped his hands in acknowledgment, took the letter, and gripped Liu Pan's shoulder—his grasp like an iron vise, leaving no room for resistance. Realizing escape was impossible, Liu Pan gave up, scowling as he stormed out of the tent…