Chapter 362
Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, the Time of Hunting, Chapter 362: Liu Biao’s Personal Expedition
He certainly didn’t want to go to Luoyang!
At least not when there were still people who could recognize him!
But Liu Xie couldn’t tell this reason to his adoptive parents.
He also obviously couldn’t say that he didn’t want to go to Luoyang just because he had some fear of the place.
If they were to seek verification due to this fear and try to protect him, that would only complicate things.
He fiddled with his rice bowl with chopsticks, trying to appear nonchalant, and replied, “I’m just a bit worried about the drought in Sili. The disaster in Hanzhong isn’t that severe, but in Luoyang, we’d have to face the northern drought directly. If it’s a situation where both drought and locusts strike, no matter how much grain and money we’ve saved up, it won’t be enough.”
“Currently, Luoyang is mainly accommodating returning and disaster-avoiding people, and the order is being rebuilt from chaos, so there probably won’t be an opportunity to establish additional educational institutions. Even if we really want to go, it’s better to wait a bit, at least until we can find a way to make a living here.”
“Father said that Luoyang is restricting the influx of people, which is why he’s in a hurry to have us go as soon as possible. I think this is the biggest problem. Even the Grand Marshal isn’t sure if the rapidly increasing population can be properly managed in Luoyang. If we go, wouldn’t we just be adding to their troubles?”
After finishing his explanation, Liu Xie carefully glanced at his adoptive father’s expression.
Seeing that his face indeed showed a thoughtful look, Liu Xie felt a bit relieved.
He quickly seized the opportunity to add, “The Henan region is vast. Even if Luoyang restricts people from entering, we can still find a place to settle nearby. There’s no need to rush. It’s better to wait until after the autumn harvest to see how things develop. Maybe in a couple of years, the Leping Academy in Bingzhou will expand its enrollment, and I can go directly to Bingzhou to study.”
This statement was quite sincere, especially the part about going to Bingzhou to study.
Liu Xie had to admit that if he were to rank the people he admired, Qiao Yan would definitely be at the top.
This wasn’t just because Qiao Yan was the first to rush into Luoyang to rescue him during the Dong Zhuo rebellion, nor was it just because she was the only one willing to lead troops to aid him after he was taken to Chang’an by Dong Zhuo. It was also because the people under her rule were living a genuinely good life.
Liu Xie knew exactly how much savings and income their family had, but even so, they had a copy of the “Emergency Edition” and a bound volume of the Leping Monthly Report. Hearing news from the Hanzhong Prefecture, there were plans to print four books on agriculture, industry, medicine, and poetry in Chang’an this year to further address livelihood and literacy issues.
This made it much easier for him to gradually reveal his literacy to his adoptive parents.
But it wasn’t just literacy that was changing; the people’s demeanor was also changing.
Even though Liu Xie didn’t interact with many people, just the residents of Hanzhong, which is separated from Chang’an by the Qinling Mountains, he could clearly feel this change.
From seeking “survival” to seeking “progress,” these were two entirely different matters.
However, Liu Xie wouldn’t realize that the selection of the next batch of printed books had a hidden agenda. Besides the content being more suitable for her to promote education and accumulate民心, printing four books at once undoubtedly showed the further improvement in printing efficiency, making it possible to release multiple books simultaneously and improve their quality.
This was still her way of balancing power.
But for Liu Xie, the most important thing was his adoptive parents’ attitude, not the attitudes of the noble families, so he didn’t need to know these details.
“If you put it that way, it seems reasonable,” his adoptive father replied thoughtfully. “I’ll inquire more about the situation in Luoyang. It’s not urgent to wait until after this year’s autumn harvest!”
Liu Xie finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he might have to fabricate another lie to get through after the autumn harvest, at least for now, he didn’t have to be on edge.
Half a year…
Not to mention whether he could think of another way out in half a year, but at the age of fifteen, his appearance and demeanor were changing rapidly. Who knew if anyone would still recognize him after some time.
Perhaps, by then, even if he appeared in front of Qiao Yan, she wouldn’t be able to recognize him!
At that time, there would be no need for Liu Xie to exist in this world.
However, Liu Xie intentionally delayed his adoptive parents, and since they still had a way to survive in Hanzhong, they didn’t go to Luoyang at this time. But for most people who were wary of the unusual drought disaster, rushing to Qiao Yan’s jurisdiction before Luoyang stopped accepting refugees was their best chance for survival.
“I think I’ve been outmaneuvered by Yueshu again!”
Cao Cao, who had returned to Yanzhou after the Hulao Pass meeting, couldn’t help but sigh.
He originally thought that Qiao Yan’s restriction on the number of people Luoyang could accommodate and her return to Chang’an to meet the Emperor were her responses and corrections to his questioning.
But when news from Chang’an reached him, his political sensitivity made him suddenly realize that this wasn’t a correction or adherence to the rules of a subject; it was a preemptive strike!
The accusations she mentioned weren’t what Cao Cao had said to her at Hulao Pass; she had fabricated them to achieve her own goals. Because only Qiao Yan and Cao Cao knew the content of their conversation at Hulao Pass, and they were in a hostile state, no one could expose her lies except Cao Cao, but even if he did, no one would believe him!
She really used everything she could to her advantage.
And the increased migration quota she gave Cao Cao, seemingly a concession, actually only benefited her in the short term!
“Quotas” were indeed an effective propaganda tool, especially when she had proven with last year’s construction that the quality justified the “quota.”
When the regulation limiting the population of Luoyang was announced, some people who were still hesitating chose to head to Luoyang at an astonishing speed, quickly reaching the number Qiao Yan had set.
Then she decisively closed the eight passes of Luoyang, achieving the condition of governing behind closed doors.
By the time Cao Cao received this series of news, Qiao Yan had already returned to Luoyang from Chang’an, citing the numerous affairs in Luoyang, and brought along important governance talents like Wei Ji and Chen Qun.
The population pressure in Luoyang was indeed a problem, but if it were to become a problem that worsened during the disaster, it wouldn’t take two months for Luoyang’s prisons to be overcrowded.
Rather than that, it was better to reach the population limit they could handle before the large-scale spring planting and solve all the problems at the beginning.
Did she break her promise to Cao Cao? Obviously not.
After the eight passes of Luoyang were officially closed, only merchants and scholars seeking official positions could pass through these gates.
The rest naturally had to choose places like Yanzhou and Yu Province.
This controlled outflow of people was obviously what Cao Cao wanted to see.
After all, everyone was short on population now.
Did she rebel against Liu Yu? Obviously not.
After the population inflow was blocked, the number of people in Luoyang was significantly limited, at least not exceeding that of Chang’an, which was a strong response to her claim of wanting to rebuild a capital in Luoyang.
But the current situation of Luoyang governing behind closed doors might not benefit others, but it was the most beneficial for Qiao Yan.
She had given prior notice, but the rapid migration of people forced her to close the passes in a short time, which was already considerate to the people.
The people who arrived in Luoyang were sent to suitable places by the officials, given distributed supplies, and began to adapt to life in Guanzhong.
Now, she had a legitimate reason to leave Chang’an, allowing her to leave behind the potential turmoil after her court apology.
“I heard there was an episode in Chang’an. Yu Zhongxiang, who accompanied Lu Jining to Chang’an, brazenly said before Qiao Yueshu left Chang’an that her departure was to avoid his prophecy, saying that if she stayed in the capital for long, her life would be in danger.” Cao Cao looked at the report he received, feeling it was somewhat absurd.
“If I were Qiao Yueshu, I would have dealt with this Yu Zhongxiang first…”
“So she is Qiao Yeshu, and you are Cao Zilian,” Cao Cao looked at Cao Hong with a mix of amusement and frustration, replying, “If we kill someone for such a ridiculous reason, what kind of logic is that? Yu Zhongxiang, after all, is an old minister of Sun Bofu, and it’s inevitable that he harbors some resentment towards the lord’s passing. Just ignore him.”
“That’s so humiliating…” Cao Hong still felt that such a slight couldn’t be easily swallowed.
Cao Cao shook his head, saying, “If Qiao Yeshu can tolerate someone like Yu Zhongxiang, who can’t she tolerate? With the prevalence of printing technology, I see that she not only wants to pacify the world but also wishes to see a hundred schools of thought contend. Naturally, there must first be voices of dissent before a grand gathering from all directions can occur.”
In this regard, Ye City falls far short.
It was also heard that in Shanyang County of Yanzhou, there was a young man named Zhong Changtong, who brought his writings from the past few years to visit Qiao Yan when “Ji Jiu Pian” was being promoted. He claimed to want to write a book more in line with the world’s circumstances and, with Qiao Yan’s permission, traveled through the various provinces under her rule to perfect his words.
Even though Cao Cao didn’t think such a young man could produce anything significant, at most something like Wang Can’s “Ode to the Goddess Sending Off the Expedition,” in the face of Qiao Yan’s respectful attitude towards talents, whatever he wrote had already become less important.
“Enough, let’s not talk about this anymore, pack up and get ready to go!”
Cao Hong was still somewhat confused when he heard Cao Cao continue, “What are you dawdling for? Don’t forget we still have to make a trip to Ye City.”
Long before the meeting between Cao Cao and Qiao Yan at Hulao Pass, he should have accepted Yuan Shao’s invitation in the name of the Son of Heaven to go to Ye City.
But first, Cao Cao had Chen Gong go north, using a couple of seemingly legitimate reasons to temporarily put it off, and then delayed further by waiting to see Qiao Yan’s actions upon her return to Chang’an. Now, however, it was time to make the trip to Ye City.
Qiao Yan’s response, which seemed to answer but actually revealed no information, forced Cao Cao to make the most advantageous decision at the moment—
First, ally with Yuan Shao.
Whether it was to survive the still poor year under the alliance or to wait for a change in the situation, this was clearly the best choice.
Yuan Shao, of course, was pleased with Cao Cao’s arrival.
Whether this alliance was sincere or a temporary choice under current constraints, at least Yuan Shao wouldn’t be directly forced into a corner due to the loss of Yanzhou and Yuzhou.
As long as Cao Cao was willing to show submission to the Ye City court, he still had a chance for a comeback!
But what Yuan Shao probably didn’t expect was that he would have an ally separated by the north and south without even being informed.
Zhang Jin in Jiaozhou was completely unaware of the subtle and complex maneuvers in the Central Plains.
Zuo Ci’s advice on the timing of his military action and the display of Taoist skills made him have no doubt that he could defeat Liu Biao in Jing Province, leaving him only with a determined resolve.
In Zhang Jin’s view, his situation was quite different from Liu Biao’s.
In his nearly six years in Jiaozhou, he hadn’t been able to bring Jiuzhen and Rinan counties under his control, leaving the governor of Zhuya County in a standoff with him across the sea. This wasn’t due to a lack of capability but because the people in these areas, after centuries of education, still chose barbaric ways, preferring to associate with snakes and insects.
How can humans communicate normally with beasts?
But Jing Province was clearly not as backward and uncivilized, so the failure to fully submit to the governor’s jurisdiction was due to Liu Biao’s lack of ability.
Fight! Of course, we can fight!
In his ideal blueprint, the middle of the fourth year of Jian’an was the time for him to show his might!
After Shi Wu and Shi Yi informed Shi Xie about the troop movements in Nanhai and Hepu counties, they didn’t receive any objections from him. From Shi Xie’s perspective, he was waiting for an opportunity, but from Zhang Jin’s view, his years of management in Jiaozhou had made the most prominent Shi family submit to him.
Now, everything was truly ready.
He had a just cause—the Ye City court was in a critical situation, urgently needing him to make a change.
He had the advantages of timing, geography, and human support—the soldiers in Jiaozhou, under Taoist rule, had the determination to fight. His missionary work had attracted Zuo Ci and Yu Ji to his territory, and Jiaozhou, being in the south, had already completed spring plowing, making his soldiers more available than those in Jing Province.
The local powerful families also didn’t hinder his actions.
So, what was he waiting for?
Deploy the troops!
The people of Luoyang were steadily engaged in the construction of the fourth year of Jian’an. Xun Yu, while complaining that Qiao Yan hadn’t lightened his workload but instead increased it, also grabbed Chen Qun to help with trivial matters after finalizing the legal details among the refugees.
In Yanzhou, Chen Gong, after Cao Cao went north to Ye City, supervised the situation in Yanzhou and Yuzhou, striving to avoid public resentment due to the harsh weather with the help of Zao Zhi and others.
Xuzhou was adapting from a divided state to a unified situation.
The borders of Ji Province and Youzhou also seemed to temporarily shift from a tense standoff to focusing on internal matters first.
In this April, it seemed no one had the heart to launch an invasion against the enemy.
Yet, it was also in this April that an unexpected message came from the southern direction of Jing Province!
Zhang Jin, the Governor of Jiaozhou, led over ten thousand troops north from Jiaozhou to launch a surprise attack on Guiyang.
Due to some connections between the southern Jing Province bandits and Jiaozhou, and the suddenness of Zhang Jin’s attack, the officials in Guiyang County couldn’t quickly intercept.
“In just a few days, we lost Zhenyang, Qujiang, and Linwu counties in Guiyang, allowing the enemy to station troops at Keling Mountain. What were the Guiyang defenders doing!”
Liu Biao slammed the report on the table, his face filled with anger.
He had shown weakness to Qiao Yan, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate someone like Zhang Jin bullying him.
What kind of person is he!
North of Guiyang County is Changsha County. Earlier, due to Zhu Jun, Liu Biao couldn’t promptly develop his influence in Guiyang. But after Zhu Jun was removed, Liu Biao had someone take over Changsha County again. Just as he was about to push his troops south from Changsha to Guiyang after spring plowing and deal with the Guiyang bandits using the strategy proposed by the Kuai brothers, before he could act, Zhang Jin, this troublemaker, appeared.
Liu Biao looked up and saw Cai Mao’s somewhat helpless expression, quickly waving his hand and saying, “I know this can’t be blamed on you.”
The lost counties in Guiyang County were all in the southernmost part adjacent to Jiaozhou, not even reaching the central boundary.
Although Cai Mao had taken over Changsha County under Liu Biao’s orders, the recovery wasn’t just about sending troops in; it indeed required time and compromises with local clans.
The mutiny in Guiyang obviously wasn’t because Zhang Jin’s Jing Province background caused the people in Jing Province to defect.
It could only be said that he chose the best time to strike!
If he had been slightly later, Liu Biao could have quickly stopped him.
But now, the opponent had the first move.
However, Liu Biao, who once calmly had Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang kill over fifty bandit leaders to consolidate his private troops in Jing Province beyond the support of noble families, was certainly not a coward waiting for the enemy to attack.
He immediately issued orders.
“Send a message to Luoyang, asking the Grand Marshal to keep an eye on Cao Cao to prevent him from launching a pincer attack from Yuzhou through northern Jing Province.”
“Have Kuai Yidu guard Xiangyang, and De Gui, follow me to lead the troops south. I want to see what kind of person this Zhang Ziyun is, daring to challenge me like this!”
Kuai Yue guarded, Cai Mao followed Liu Biao south!
With this command, Xiangyang City immediately entered a state of intense military preparation.
Liu Biao now somewhat regretted lending out Huang Zhong and Wen Pin, but fortunately, he still had capable people under his command.
After arranging all matters in Xiangyang, he immediately mounted his horse and, along with Cai Mao, Zhang Yun, Huo Du, and Huo Jun, headed to Guiyang County.
At the same time, a small boat sailed out from the upper reaches of the Ming River in Zangke County, Yizhou, heading towards Jiaozhi County in Jiaozhou.
On the boat sat Fa Zheng, who was going to visit Shi Xie.
Looking at the clear waves on the river, he showed a confident smile.
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