Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 3: Galloping Through Bingzhou, Troops Depart Hedong Chapter 88: White Clothes Enter Luoyang

Book:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 88: White Clothes Enter Luoyang

Guo Jia was speechless for a long time before asking, “Does Marquis Qiao really trust me so much?”

Qiao Yan’s decision to personally rush to Luoyang instead of submitting a memorial did not exceed Guo Jia’s expectations.

Because the path she was about to take was bound to be different from ordinary people, and there was no one’s promotion path she could use as a reference. Her actions this time were definitely a small bet for a big gain, with dangers at every step.

Yet she actually said she wanted to invite him to go along.

In such important matters, any interference from any party could ruin her plan, and Guo Jia knew He Yong, who could deliver a fatal blow when she was about to succeed.

This made Guo Jia even more uneasy than when she first appeared in mourning clothes.

But all he saw was Qiao Yan raising the scroll in her hand and saying, “Since you know what I think and are anxious for me, you have already prepared the Ten Thousand People’s Petition in advance, showing your willingness to push me to great heights and make the border strategy possible. Since that’s the case, why should I suspect you have other intentions?”

“Fengxiao, a young talent with the spirit of a chivalrous hero who sings wildly and acts freely, why not have the courage to join me in this dragon’s den and tiger’s lair?”

Why not have the courage? Why not have the courage?

In this question that could not be simply defined as a provocation, Guo Jia felt a surge of heroism in his heart, and even some regret for not following Qiao Yan to the frontier to witness her moment of killing the Xiongnu king, which could be called “the general drawing his bow at night.”

He bowed and replied, “Since Marquis Qiao says so, how dare I not follow with my life?”

Compared to Xi Zhicai and Cheng Li, he was indeed the most suitable to accompany Qiao Yan on this trip.

Although Guo Jia was from a collateral branch, he was still from the Yingchuan Guo clan. If he wanted to assist Qiao Yan in the capital, in this environment where people were judged by their background, it would be much easier than the other two.

Moreover, he could completely enter Luoyang separately from Qiao Yan, as not many people knew he had already pledged allegiance to her.

These two advantages were enough.

Qiao Yan knew this, and Cheng Li naturally couldn’t not know.

So when he came to see Guo Jia after he left, he did not mention the intention to follow along, but calmly explained the civilian affairs arrangements in Leping during Qiao Yan’s campaign against the White Wave Bandits and the surprise attack on the Xiongnu.

In three years, although Leping had undergone various population expansions and industrial changes, Cheng Li, as the heavily relied-upon and rear-guarding Leping Prime Minister, could still be said to be handling things with ease.

Of course, three years were enough for him to see whether his initial optimism about Qiao Yan was correct, and whether following her to Leping was the right choice.

Entrusting the position of a county prime minister to Cheng Li was somewhat overqualified, but for him, it was a three-year sharpening process and a preliminary磨合 with this superior.

Now he could draw a conclusion.

After reporting all matters, he bowed to Qiao Yan. “Marquis Qiao’s trip to Luoyang is a life-and-death struggle, not only for your own survival but also for Bingzhou’s survival. Please be careful with your words. The passion of the words ‘Ye Shu’ has already paved a path for you, but this path also needs to be taken with restraint.”

“I have this in mind.” When Qiao Yan helped him up, their eyes met, and some words were already understood without being spoken.

Qiao Yan had always handled this balance of restraint and release very well. Although she saw a glimmer of opportunity at this moment, she obviously did not lose her cool, and Cheng Li thought there was no need to worry about her.

He only thought for a moment and then said, “In the past, I once dreamed of Mount Tai holding the sun, and when I chose to follow Marquis Qiao, I vaguely saw the sun hanging high. I believe Marquis Qiao’s journey will be smooth, and if there are difficulties, there is no need to panic. Leping’s affairs will continue as usual after Marquis Qiao leaves, and there will be no mistakes.”

Cheng Li had always been less “lively” than Xi Zhicai in Leping, and he was indeed much older than Qiao Yan’s other subordinates. But this usual steadiness did not prevent him from being unusually bold at this moment, even mentioning his past dream.

This sentence… was clearly not just expressing his wishes for Qiao Yan’s journey, but also his unhesitant choice of Qiao Yan.

A choice that almost bet his life and fortune!

Qiao Yan was moved, but felt that saying any words of gratitude or promise at this moment would be too frivolous…

She replied, “Mr. Zhongde, if I am fortunate enough to return and can gallop freely through Bingzhou, may I ask you to do one thing?”

“Marquis Qiao, please speak.”

“Please add a ‘sun’ character to your name.” Qiao Yan spoke slowly, clearly not joking.

Cheng Li froze for a moment in the position of being helped up by Qiao Yan, then suddenly laughed heartily, “Very good! Changing this character is very good!”

For people of that time, being asked by a superior to change their name, especially not for the purpose of避讳, was a good thing rather than an offense, especially since the character ‘昱’ (Yu) was bright and glorious, a truly good intention.

The dream of holding the sun was placed in this character, and the meaning of Qiao Yan’s style name ‘Ye Shu’ undoubtedly resonated with this character ‘昱’.

This was a harmonious relationship between ruler and minister!

Because of this sentence, Cheng Li had to try hard to suppress the surging emotions in his heart, appearing no different from his usual self, and then walked out of Qiao Yan’s residence.

He thought to himself that Marquis Qiao’s trip could not be completed in just a few days, and during this time, he had to continue to protect the places in Leping that should not be seen by others.

Of course, Qiao Yan did not plan to leave so quickly; at least some preparations had to be made first.

For example, Mi Zhu, who happened to arrive in Bingzhou with Guo Jia, became more determined to make this deal with Qiao Yan after she cleared the White Wave Bandits and ensured the passage through the Taihang Mountains.

After experiencing the Yellow Turban Rebellion, a leader like Qiao Yan with such strong执行力 would probably receive high praise from Mi Zhu.

However, when he heard that Qiao Yan only wanted to exchange the exclusive sales of soap for the low-price purchase rights of a crystal mine in Donghai County, Mi Zhu was quite surprised.

Crystal, or white quartz, was indeed transparent and beautiful, but most nobles still preferred jade and gold ornaments. Moreover, with Marquis Qiao’s obviously pragmatic style, she probably wasn’t just thinking of making some ornaments for herself.

Unlike the state monopoly on salt and iron, jade, or more accurately, crystals like white quartz that were not appreciated by mainstream upper-class aesthetics, could indeed be occupied by powerful families like theirs.

This was equivalent to their assets.

Thus, exchanging this limited-sale asset for a more promising product, how could Mi Zhu not feel that he had taken advantage?

If Qiao Yan hadn’t immediately added a few more chips after noticing Mi Zhu’s expression, this Donghai Mi clan member might have thought she was setting some trap in this deal.

But how could he know that in the battles against the White Wave Bandits and the Xiongnu, Qiao Yan had become more convinced that in the short term, it was unlikely to make significant improvements in weapon development, and the effect of the telescope was truly astonishing. It was necessary to expand production and not just…





It’s just one or two scattered, so naturally, this item should be prioritized for trade. If this item is not available, the grain production of Xuzhou is also something she is quite eager for, and she should exchange for that. Fortunately, this is only the first transaction, and the stakes can be adjusted later. Having received Qiao Yan’s approval, Mi Zhu no longer needed to stay in Bingzhou and immediately set off back to Xuzhou with the first batch of soap. Thinking that sending off Mi Zhu had temporarily settled a few matters for herself, and Xi Zhicai also had one less task of being a companion, Qiao Yan found him another job. “Marquis Qiao, oh Marquis Qiao,” Xi Zhicai shook his head and smiled after hearing Qiao Yan’s words, “May I ask if I need to prepare a few more letters of apology for you to use at any time?” Xi Zhicai was both amused and exasperated; his new assigned task by Qiao Yan was to write another letter of apology before she left Leping for Luoyang. Could it be because she was really satisfied with his last letter of apology? If so, he would have to consider this a new business under Qiao Yan’s command. After pondering for a moment, Qiao Yan replied, “At most, one more time.” Hearing her firm tone, Xi Zhicai thought about it and accepted the task, as it was just a matter of literary skill and didn’t require the caution needed when chatting with Mi Zhu, being careful not to leak information that had become commonplace in Leping. Seeing that he had accepted the task, Qiao Yan began to handle the implementation of the previous merit system. This wasn’t just about distributing grain. Cheng Li had already allocated the grain needed for distribution, and since it wasn’t farming season, Qin Yu, who had less on her plate, was entrusted with this task. With registered inventory, the previous manpower of 35 stones didn’t need to calculate military merits deliberately, making distribution easier. However, the previous battle against the Xiongnu was slightly more troublesome. Apart from the Hu people killed by the cavalry, most of the rest were killed by the surrendered White Wave Bandits in the front lines. But according to the merit system’s calculation standards, due to the difference in contribution between the front and rear lines, the merits were divided among individuals, with some ending up with half, some close to one, and some meeting the standard. Looking at the merit ledger in her hand, Qiao Yan felt a bit dizzy. Those who met the standard were easy to handle; apart from completing their redemption from death, the rewards were given accordingly, along with distributing grain to the Black Mountain Army that had achieved merits in this battle. With this reward distributed, the atmosphere in Leping County, especially in the army controlled by Qiao Yan, became much more lively. Her verbal promises were naturally not as good as tangible rewards in hand. As the temperature dropped, the soldiers who had gradually settled in Leping County could also explain the rice they brought back to their families. Then there were the White Wave Bandits who hadn’t yet achieved a single kill. “I don’t plan to be lenient with the White Wave Bandits who participated in killing the Xiongnu,” Qiao Yan said when gathering people for discussion, “even those who are just a little short of turning over a new leaf are no exception. Rules are rules and should be implemented impartially, so no precedent should be set.” Qiao Yan paced the room with her hands behind her back, her expression making it clear that she wouldn’t easily change her mind. She then said, “What do you think about having them repair roads in late autumn in exchange for winter survival supplies, waiting for the next battle opportunity?” This road repair suggestion had been proposed by Xi Zhicai before, but it was to use the Black Mountain Bandits to intimidate the surrounding prefects. Now it was actual road repair. The connection between Bingzhou and the Taihang Mountains could remain as it is, with such natural protection, Qiao Yan would feel much more at ease. But the connections within Bingzhou would inevitably increase, so it’s better to make some changes first. For example, widening the roads to allow carriages and horses to travel side by side. Having them repair roads in late autumn and early winter wouldn’t force the White Wave Bandits to work in harsh conditions, reducing the desire to run away. However, the labor compensation still needed Cheng Li’s attention. Cheng Li accepted Qiao Yan’s delegation without hesitation. After handling this matter, she could finally prepare for her audience in Luoyang. However, perhaps due to the tense atmosphere in Leping and the previous battle against the Xiongnu, Zhao Yun and Zhang Yang, who couldn’t determine who killed the Xiongnu king, both unusually approached Qiao Yan, expressing their desire to accompany her. Qiao Yan refused the former on the grounds that Zhao Yun, as the County Captain, couldn’t leave his post without permission, and refused the latter because the horses extorted from the Southern Xiongnu still needed to be organized into cavalry. Moreover, her trip was best kept simple, so she even refused Lu Yuan and Xu Fu, who also requested to accompany her. In the end, apart from the coachman, she only brought Dian Wei and Guo Jia. As the lucky companion, Dian Wei didn’t understand why Qiao Yan specifically wanted the carriage to go slower after leaving Leping. It was obviously not to make the carriage more stable so she and Guo Jia could play a game of chess inside. Nor could it be that she had some reluctance to leave Leping. But since coming to Marquis Qiao’s side, his savings had gradually accumulated, and now seeing Leping’s development, he could also benefit a bit. So apart from the compulsory literacy arranged by Marquis Qiao, he tried not to use his brain at other times. In his opinion, he might as well focus on building strength and studying martial arts! Fortunately, with Guo Jia around, someone could chat and discuss matters with Marquis Qiao, so she wouldn’t grab him as a student out of boredom on the road. Dian Wei was quite skilled at slacking off in certain aspects. Qiao Yan lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the daydreaming “bodyguard,” finding it amusing. She then heard Guo Jia say, “In late autumn, although there’s no leisure to enjoy the flowers, listening to the rustling autumn wind and seeing the sky and returning geese is also a kind of pleasure.” Qiao Yan withdrew her gaze and asked Guo Jia, “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m not rushing to the capital, showing the urgency of Bingzhou’s situation?” Guo Jia placed a chess piece and replied, “Although I don’t know what Marquis Qiao is waiting for, it must be for an opportunity. Shooting an arrow also requires time to build momentum and aim. This trip to Luoyang, doing something unprecedented, requires patience. Marquis Qiao’s talent for adapting is extraordinary; if speed were needed, it wouldn’t be like this now.” Qiao Yan smiled and replied, “Fengxiao understands me.” Timing… She was indeed waiting for an opportunity. After all, this is the worst era of the Han Dynasty. In the ninth month of the fourth year of Zhongping, the rebellion in Liangzhou was unresolved, and Ma Teng and Han Sui jointly supported Wang Guo as their leader, plundering the three regions again. In the tenth month of the fourth year of Zhongping, Lingling Guan Hu proclaimed himself “General Pingtian,” invading Guiyang, with urgent reports reaching the capital. In the same month, the chaos in Youji was not quelled despite troop deployments from all sides. It was also in this tenth month that the Marquis of Leping from Bingzhou entered the capital in plain clothes, requesting the promotion of capable individuals to serve as the General of Crossing Liao.