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“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”
In the late period of Zhongping, the winds of Luoyang were swirling. Lü Bu didn’t even think before he replied, “Of course not!”
Even without a Red Hare, Qiao Yan could still enter Luoyang City, and to Lü Bu’s ears, her confidence was something ordinary people could hardly match.
When such conviction was voiced, it was nothing short of spirited.
Considering that they had previously defeated the vanguard troops sent by Dong Zhuo, who was now wreaking havoc in Luoyang, Lü Bu’s heart swelled with a sense of grand ambition.
Indeed!
A contemporary hero like Qiao Yan did not need to rely on the Red Hare to achieve her fame; even if she rode a nag, it wouldn’t diminish her position as the foremost leader of this team, responsible for purging corrupt officials.
It was only such a hero that could make Lü Fengxian willing to serve under her banner.
For the sake of the Red Hare’s ownership, he ought to perform even better, especially aiming to take Dong Zhuo’s head the day they storm Luoyang!
The thought of riding such a steed to battle and gain fame left Lü Bu feeling exhilarated.
However, during the military meeting the next day, he realized that simply issuing a command for the army to march south wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
The map of Sili was laid out before them like a curtain, and Qiao Yan pointed to Luoyang with the connecting point of a half-gun barrel.
“We declare to the outside world that we have thirty thousand men, but in reality, we have thirty thousand cavalry and eight thousand infantry. Given the iron ore mining situation in Bingzhou, all cavalry are armored, and among the infantry, two thousand wear iron armor while the rest are in leather gear. Additionally, more than ten thousand are engaged in logistics and other military duties.”
“Dong Zhuo’s troops in Liangzhou are partially restrained by General Huangpu, and the true reinforcements amount to at most four to five thousand. However, with the Northern Army Five Divisions now under his control, he has about twenty thousand men. If he gathers the old Liangzhou troops tirelessly and recruits more in the capital, he might assemble around fifty thousand. This outlines the manpower gap between us.”
Previously, Dong Zhuo hoped to achieve a small win with a big operation but failed, and it was impossible for him to allow Qiao Yan to continue taking such advantage; a proper battle was inevitable.
Luoyang, being a great capital, wouldn’t have too few stockpiled armors. Qiao Yan’s reliance on the border’s reserves, along with the governor’s privileges for iron mining, merely ensures that she doesn’t suffer too much disadvantage, but it doesn’t give her a significant edge.
The only real advantage she had was that she could use the granary of Bingzhou as support, strengthened by the cooperation with the noble families from River East County, ensuring her grain transport faced little pressure.
On the contrary, Dong Zhuo—
He probably didn’t consider that since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, various disasters like locust plagues had caused crop failures, making it challenging for him to keep five thousand men fully prepared for war amidst such constraints.
Therefore, in a protracted battle, Qiao Yan had the upper hand.
She continued, “As for the geographical advantages of the enemy, since Niu Fu and Guo Si retreated, Dong Zhang must have stationed troops outside Luoyang, blocking our advances. The most heavily fortified state would be to shut all eight passes tight like during the Yellow Turban Rebellion to guard against us—”
“From the current situation at our troops in Jiguan, we need to defend three points only.”
She pointed towards the west of Luoyang, “Guard Hangu Pass to prevent our forces from descending from Mangshan with the assistance of the River East families to cross at Mianchi and approach from the west.”
Of course, Qiao Yan never intended to take that route.
Making the families within River East act like they were welcoming the Bingzhou army was merely to lead Dong Zhuo to a false impression that she might opt for a flanking maneuver.
But that route was too long.
Mangshan stretched from present-day Sanmenxia, and if they were to start directly from Jiguan to that point, the military grain transport would undoubtedly lag behind; by the time they reached Hangu Pass, they would already be exhausted!
Thus, if Dong Zhuo wanted to guard against her rapid attack, he ought to tightly secure another two passes.
“The two other points are to guard Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, to prevent us from crossing the river and marching straight into Luoyang from that route.”
Lü Bu had previously taken this stretch to send a message to Luoyang; at that time, his numbers were low, making it relatively easy to cross the river. But thinking back then, seeing the river mouth passes and considering his own troop strength, he felt they had no clear advantage.
Even though Xiaopingjin had river islands to serve as a transit point, both river passages were relatively narrow, making them prime targets for an attack, yet the Yellow River naturally served as a military barrier!
Even he, who relied mainly on instinct in battles, clearly understood this point.
He spoke up, “You first mentioned our forces versus Dong Zhuo’s differences, and now you say we can only move through these defensively beneficial positions. Isn’t that boosting their morale while dampening our own?”
“Fengxian, that’s where you’re mistaken.” Jia Xu, having collaborated with him in Suiyuan City for a year and expressing more on their encounter with Qiao Yan on Wufeng Mountain, was keen to answer his confusion.
“Earlier, you mentioned our ten thousand elite soldiers, while Dong Zhuo’s forces not only are complex in numbers but also have at least three strategic points to defend, plus they need to maintain enough manpower to counter any insurgents within the capital. Thus, the troops stationed at either Xiaopingjin or Mengjin could only, at best, be equal to our numbers.”
Lü Bu scratched his head, realizing this made things clearer for him.
In terms of equal numbers, Qiao Yan had never lost.
So under adequate armor and troops, they weren’t at a disadvantage.
“That’s one point, and the second is, you ordered General Zilong to let Niu Fu go last night. This guy has always been a person who picks a fight where he gets knocked down. And he happens to be Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law. Since we’re likely to attack from Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, he’ll surely be present on one side.”
Jia Xu could see Dong Zhuo’s Liangzhou forces like no other.
If Niu Fu aimed to occupy the Yellow River crossing to hold that ground against Qiao Yan, regardless of any opposing suggestions from Li Ru, he could surely achieve his aims.
At most, Dong Zhuo would just assign him a more reliable deputy.
Lü Bu recollected the scene he witnessed last night when Qiao Yan met Niu Fu, who was dragged behind Guo Si’s horse and barely escaped; it definitely left an impression.
Therefore, if they truly appointed Niu Fu as the main commander, that would count as an advantage on their side.
Because he was certainly not an accomplished general.
“The third point…” Jia Xu stroked his beard and glanced at Qiao Yan.
This third point should not be stated by him.
Qiao Yan smiled, “The third point is we currently don’t need to cross the river. We just need to make Dong Zhuo split his forces to guard Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, watching us from across the river. Dong Zhuo’s opponents were never just us, and they would never miss the opportunity for a counterattack.”
If she were to reveal all her cards and recklessly cross the river to attack without consideration for losses, why would she choose to march only a month after Dong Zhuo took Luoyang?
So the rolling Yellow River at Mengjin was not, up to that moment, her disadvantage.
Dong Zhuo, who was in Luoyang, had just received word that his son-in-law Niu Fu had been defeated, escaping back with only ten percent of his men, and before he even had time to mourn the loss of his precious Red Hare, he received two other messages.
The first was that Qiao Yan’s rear army seemingly hadn’t fully stationed at Jiguan and was now missing.
Combined with her relationship with the River East families, it made Dong Zhuo worry about potential threats from his rear.
The second news was—
Qiao Yan’s main force was preparing to break camp and steadily push southward.
Though they numbered in the thousands, their marching speed was slow; it would only take a day for the entire army to reach the Yellow River.
Since Dong Zhuo heard of Qiao Yan’s movement from River East, he dispatched defending forces to the Mengjin crossing.
But he had to admit that he had initially hoped for good news from his decent son-in-law. Now, without forming a complete defensive line at the river, he had to quickly increase his stationed troops.
Only with a sufficient number of troops stationed there could he assure that he could leverage the crossing of the Bingzhou army mid-river to prevent the enemy from easily attempting to cross and attack.
Yet this meant that the northern defense near the Yellow River had to produce a main commander.
His gaze just landed on Duan Wei when Niu Fu stepped forward, injuries still visible on his face and leg.
“General, let me go!” Niu Fu insisted, neck high and determined. “I was defeated by that Qiao Yan girl’s subordinates simply due to underestimating her strength, caught off-guard by her calculated tactics. If the great river serves as a natural barrier and with enough manpower, I assure you they won’t succeed again.”
Hearing this, Dong Zhuo hesitated for a moment.
Rationally, he felt he shouldn’t agree to Niu Fu’s request to fight.
But emotionally, he had a certain idea that if one succeeded, their relatives would thrive too.
Thus, just as he’d established himself in Luoyang, he hurriedly dispatched messages to Liangzhou.
Trying to engage the Liangzhou forces back to central authority, he asked for his family to be brought to Luoyang, already moving from the direction of Youfu Feng.
Although he hadn’t reached Luoyang yet, he had drafted a reward decree to be reported to the central government, intending to elevate his mother to Lady of Chiyang, while his granddaughter Dong Bai was also appointed Lady of Weiyang.
Niu Fu was his son-in-law, so naturally, he had to treat him well.
But Qiao Yan was not like the opponents they had faced previously in Liangzhou; Niu Fu had already suffered once against her, and if he let her exploit any gaps in their defenses, dragging the entire front down to the gates of Luoyang, he would be utterly passive.
He signaled Li Ru not to speak, and after consideration, he asked Niu Fu, “As a result of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the great river crossing, like Xiaopingjin, was newly established. I intend to send two to guard this place. You’re undaunted after your encounter with Qiao Yan and still dare to fight; that’s commendable, but I can’t let you go alone.”
“Now among my several Middle Generals, choose one to jointly guard the two locations.”
Niu Fu beamed and without a second thought replied, “Then I ask that General Xu accompanies me!”
Xu Zhonglang refers to Xu Rong.
Among Dong Zhuo’s current Middle Generals, he didn’t include Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, or Zhang Ji.
Those were all Captain-level officers acting as deputies in marching.
The first Middle Generals appointed by Dong Zhuo were Niu Fu, Dong Yue, Duan Wei, Xu Rong, and Hu Zhan.
Niu Fu claimed he wanted revenge, yet he never intended to charge in headfirst. After all, he still needed a reliable ally.
This ally had best not be too opinionated.
Hu Zhan had a very brave warrior named Huyan, who recently had quite the fiery temper.
Duan Wei was a cousin of the former Grand Commandant Duan Jiong, reputed for his age and morals.
Dong Yue showed moderate strength and had historical conflicts with him.
So it turned out, the only reliable choice left was Xu Rong.
Being designated by Niu Fu, Xu Rong looked somewhat speechless. He didn’t know if it was due to their last defeat alongside Dong Min against Qiao Yan, but he sensed a potential issue charging against that Qiao Yan with such an unreliable teammate again.
However, these arrangements clearly left him no room to refuse.
Dong Zhuo immediately ordered him to guard Xiaopingjin while Niu Fu would lead troops to Mengjin.
Afterward, Duan Wei would be stationed at Hangu Pass while Hu Zhan—
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The main general was stationed at Chenggao, appointing Dong Yue as the general to guard Tai Gu Pass, while Li Jue and Guo Si stood watch at Yique Pass, and Fan Chou and Zhang Ji were camped at Huan Yuan Pass. With these arrangements, apart from Guangcheng Pass, all key positions were covered.
Now, with Yique, Tai Gu, and Huan Yuan Pass lined up just north of Guangcheng, extra manpower wasn’t necessarily required.
After setting this in motion, Dong Zhuo finally felt a sense of unprecedented security, much like Liu Hong did back when he was facing the Yellow Turban Rebellion and had people stationed at eight passes.
This newfound security was likely also because, just after he made these arrangements, the court official Zhaolongzong paid him a visit. Dong Zhuo noticed that the guy had probably forgotten the sword he’d been gifted a long time ago and coldly ordered his men to drag him out and beat him to death.
Then he had the already deceased He Miao’s body dug up from the grave, dismembered, and tossed by the roadside. Not stopping there, he also killed He Miao and Empress He’s mother, the Lady of Wuyang.
In Luoyang, those whispers from the recent edicts he received had nearly subsided now, quelled by such outrageously bloody acts.
To prevent officials’ family members from sneaking into Luoyang under the pretense of visiting the court while he tightened security around the eight passes, he even abducted Zhou Hui, the son of Grand Minister of Agriculture Zhou Zhong, who was coming from Lujiang.
Suddenly, the court was filled with unease.
This was clearly a sign that Dong Zhuo was no longer satisfied with merely targeting those with military power; now, he was extending his elimination spree to civilian officials.
And this shift wasn’t merely a reaction to Bingzhou’s forces moving south and gathering troops across the Yellow River.
In fact, rather than blaming Qiao Yan for mobilizing troops, the people in Luoyang now hoped she could fend off Dong Zhuo and eradicate this wolfish ambitious man.
What could they do? After all, once Dong Zhuo elevated himself to the position of Prime Minister, he had already shown a style of governance characterized by a desire for singular supremacy. It was clear: his fondness for talented scholars was nothing but a cover for his treasonous intentions.
The renowned scholar from Yingchuan, Xun Shuang, had been placed in the position of Minister of Works after Huang Wan was promoted from Minister to Grand Commandant and Yang Biao moved from Minister of Works to Minister.
Watching Xun You, who had been forced into staying at his mansion after being conscripted into Luoyang, he felt a deep sorrow.
“Dong Zhuo is ruthless, like a wolf or tiger. I’ve secluded myself by the Han River for over a decade, and now I’m reduced to such a disgraceful state. How tragic!”
At aged sixty-two, he recognized that his time was limited and, sadly, feared he wouldn’t see just how much damage Dong Zhuo would inflict on the Han.
Though he had dedicated his life to studying ancient texts, he still harbored aspirations of serving the nation in its time of need. The promising talents from the Xun family here before him were certainly at risk of attracting Dong Zhuo’s malice if they stayed in Luoyang.
But, Dong Zhuo had tightened his grip, allowing no one in or out.
What he held in the Ministry of Works was a mere titular position with no opportunity to send Xun You away.
Xun You replied, “Don’t worry, my esteemed ancestor. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Dong Zhuo might be rash, believing he has the scholar’s support to elevate himself, but he’s already troubled by the appearance of various heroes, forces arrayed against him. With Qiao Yan opposing him at the Yellow River, if someone with enough vision in Chenggao were to act, they’d certainly put themselves on the front line.”
Continuing gently, he added, “It’s difficult enough for Dong Zhuo to contain his generals, but to manage the Northern Army’s Five Divisions is even tougher. The more ruthless he becomes, the more he reveals he’s mismanaging things. If the troops from Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jizhou, and Xuzhou can unite and swiftly attack Xuanmen Pass, then not only can we save the Son of Heaven, but we can also revive the court.”
“Don’t worry about your reputation; you hold a high position. Why not try your best to protect the scholars and the texts in the capital? That’s what really matters!”
Xun Shuang was stunned, pondering for a while before he murmured, “A swift attack on Xuanmen Pass… that’s true. Although it has the dangers of Tiger Trap Pass, it’s only guarded by a Middle General. If someone were to muster the courage like Qiao Yan and rally troops to rescue the emperor, Dong Zhuo would merely be a self-important simpleton without the support of many. Why should we fear him?”
With a bit of effort, he stood up from his frail frame and looked at the exceptionally clear but surprisingly chilly spring sky. He asked, “Who among us do you think has the courage to seize this opportunity and strike first?”
Xun You’s voice chimed in from behind him, “On the day the late emperor died, he left an edict for Lu Zhi to assist in government. He’s capable of commanding troops and has connections with Qiao Yan; if he can muster forces, he might very well head to Luoyang.”
“Cao Mengde, who previously faced Dong Zhuo and retreated in defeat, is now hiding in Qiao and Pei. His wealth and brothers are numerous, with many wanderers and warriors among them. He has a chance to gather forces.”
“Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, though head of the chaos in Luoyang…” Seeing Xun Shuang turning to look at him, Xun You added slowly, “the second one.”
They concluded, “These two, one is currently in Nanyang coordinating with the current governor Zhang, and the other is enlisting troops in Jizhou under the Yuan name to strike northwards.”
“If we continue to discuss heroes with guts across the realm now serving east of Luoyang, the prefects of Chenliu, Guangling, Dong Commandery, North Sea, and today’s Xuzhou Governor all have the potential to raise troops. If someone could rally the forces in the Central Plains, there could be a dozen or so allies ready to converge on the eight passes outside Luoyang.”
“Do you think, old ancestor, that there is a glimmer of hope for our realm?”
Xun Shuang suddenly felt a surge of clarity and sighed, “That’s right! How could Dong Zhuo wield authority without winning the hearts of the people? His violent acts will only drive more talents to rise against him. If, as you suggested, multiple factions converge on Xuanmen, then there may be a chance for a brighter sky for the Han! I’d risk my life!”
“Prepare the carriage! I’m heading to Lantai!”
On the day Liu Hong passed away, the fire incited by Yuan Shu didn’t reach Lantai, preserving the texts inside, a small mercy amidst the tragedy.
If Dong Zhuo were to be defeated at Xuanmen, this ravenous beast might still ignite one last catastrophe, and Lantai would likely not survive it.
Now forcibly promoted to Minister of Works, he might not have the ability to save the situation, yet he had some hope of preserving the texts in the capital.
As Xun You assisted him into the carriage, he caught a glimpse of the seemingly gentle but strong-minded gaze of the one beside him.
After a moment, he asked, “In your opinion, can Qiao Yan break through from Mengjin and enter?”
Xun You replied, “She’s always full of surprises; I find it hard to gauge her.”
Meanwhile, the very Qiao Yan, who had earned unexpected victories, was busy penning letters from her camp across the Yellow River.
Niufu, stationed at Mengjin, felt a mix of relief and anxiety as he could just make out the vague outline of Qiao Yan’s camp across the river, yet he couldn’t help but feel uneasy at their lack of offensive action.
He had his men disguise as fishermen and cross the river from a further downstream position to gather intelligence, and the news returned was that Qiao Yan was busy having her entire army collaborate to construct ships.
“Ships?”
Now that definitely suggested an offensive, but it wasn’t applicable to Mengjin!
If they intended to cross by boat, there were countless vessels already available at the docks capable of navigating the Yellow River, especially the larger warboats. How could they hope to match this with hasty construction?
Besides, attacking upstream would be the most advantageous condition for battle.
Using ships to raise a floating bridge would be ludicrous!
Since the Shang and Zhou dynasties, ships had been built to serve as bridges, but this type of construction was only suitable for smaller rivers like the Wei, and no one had ever managed it on a mighty river like the Yellow River.
Niufu looked at the Bingzhou military camp across the river and couldn’t help but snicker, “To be fair, if it takes her seven months just to build some boats, that’s fine, but by November, with the weather we’ve seen over the years, the river’s bound to freeze! Then she can finally cross!”
As he finished, he was quite pleased to see his troops break into appreciative laughter around him.
But after touching his face, he grimaced.
That time when Guo Si had directly carried him back on a horse, during their journey home, he had gotten so frustrated crossing the river that he snapped a paddle, accidentally smacking himself in the face and knocking out half a tooth.
This only fueled his desire to get revenge on Qiao Yan.
Yet, she wasn’t easily crossing the river to attack, and he wasn’t keen on crossing over to ambush her either, which made him particularly uncomfortable.
Worse still, as long as she remained camped on the northern bank of the Yellow River, he was obligated to keep the forces assigned to him stationed here to thwart any sneak attacks on Luoyang.
In contrast to his restless state, Qiao Yan was much more composed.
Just as Xun You had speculated, after tying up Dong Zhuo’s two armies here, she sent a letter to Lu Zhi and Cao Cao.
The letter detailed the brutality Dong Zhuo had executed in Luoyang, a cover for his deeply rooted insecurities and the rapid corruption brought upon him by power. Even after the edict she had written, he made such blatant moves.
Now that the scholarly community was agitated and aware of his true nature, even those few whom he previously promoted were now bound to consider the people’s livelihood and rescuing the empire as their duty instead of clinging to their old roles as Dong Zhuo’s lackeys.
Dong Zhuo’s divisions were spread thin, making this a perfect time to raise troops.
If all went according to plan, once they mobilized from Xuanmen Pass, she would promptly cross the river, enter from Beiman, and directly target northern Luoyang, blocking any escape route for Dong Zhuo.
As for how she planned to cross, they didn’t need to worry about that.
“In the years of the Former Han, in Bingzhou, there have long been special methods for crossing rivers. They say Northern folks aren’t good at naval warfare, but we Bingzhou folks are different. Just wait and see!”
Qiao Yan set down her pen and had these two letters dispatched.
Then, she made her way to the bustling shipbuilding efforts just north of the camp, casually directing her men to set the finished small ships out for display by the riverbank, providing a little spectacle for Niufu across the river, before turning towards a covered spot in her camp.
Inside were several opened boxes clearly filled not with rations for the army but a collection of fresh sheepskins.
Just from the sheep they had captured from the Xianbei didn’t amount to enough, though.
In fact, before Qiao Yan’s last campaign against the Xianbei, Guo Jia had already executed a scheme of deception and intimidation against the Left Guli Wang, and this year’s hunting season had been successful—this left the Southern Xiongnu’s Left Guli Wang scared enough to surrender.
Moreover, since the chaos in Youzhou, the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu Qiang Qu’s son Yufuluo had returned to the Xihe Commandery, further intimidating the Southern Xiongnu nobility.
The Left Guli Wang was already under the Xiongnu’s influence; under such fear, he couldn’t even run away, opting instead to negotiate with the rest of the nobility to offer wealth to ensure their survival.
This is how Qiao Yan ended up with over four thousand nearly intact sheepskins.
And they were high-quality lambskins.
She picked up one of the sheepskins that had been air-dried and stripped of hair.
To facilitate transport, these sheepskins, which ought to be inflated, were currently deflated.
Apart from the soldiers working on the boats, the rest of the crew was here surrounded.
They were busy inflating the sheepskins, sealing them with hemp rope, applying water and oil for curing, and then hanging them up to dry.
These inflated sheepskins would form pouches, serving as the air-filled underbelly of their makeshift rafts.
Qiao Yan watched the several dozens of test pouches now inflated with satisfaction, revealing a smile.
This would be her means of crossing the river!
