“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 215: Cotton Coat Display
Two years ago, Princess Yang’an chose to stay in Bingzhou on the advice of Fu Shou, instead of heading to Ye City to support Liu Bian.
Meanwhile, her husband Fu Wan opted for Liu Bian, and she resolutely divorced him.
After leaving her eldest son Fu De with Fu Wan, she traveled to Bingzhou with Fu Shou and her younger son Fu Ya.
Under the pretense of visiting Fu De, the trip to Ye City made perfect sense.
Liu Hua looked at the brand-new cotton coat she wore, and it all made sense when she glanced at Qiao Yan.
Bingzhou’s Liangzhou needed its own local specialties to build military resources, and cotton was a prime candidate.
The unique trait of cotton stood out remarkably; while cotton clothing might not have the drape and sheen of silk, noble families didn’t just want the best—they wanted the rarest.
In this regard, cotton fit the bill perfectly.
Not to mention, cotton was comfortable and warm.
That alone made it a hot item among the nobles.
Liu Hua asked, “Are you hoping to use me as a benchmark to promote cotton?”
Qiao Yan replied, “What do you think, Princess?”
Two years earlier, when Qiao Yan discussed how Princess Yang’an was adapting in Bingzhou, she knew that although this Han princess sought refuge here, she did not plan to just sit around and do nothing.
Big and small Qiao had speculated about the increased purchasing power of women before escaping to Bingzhou, and Liu Hua was even more aware of this being in the thick of it.
Her clothing and jewelry shop in Jinyang also sold skincare products made with royal recipes, directly targeting the upper market in Bingzhou, and it was now on the right track.
What had initially seemed like a way to increase income ended up being unexpectedly successful.
Princess Yang’an was not the type to just settle; she quickly hired numerous female workers from Taiyuan, and took over a couple of nearby shops.
The cotton coat she wore was designed by her shop’s seamstresses, adjusted under her own supervision, and then crafted to perfection.
As the first garment made from cotton, it truly lived up to its special status, while the silk accents only served as a backdrop to the cotton.
If this was for promotion, it couldn’t have been a better example.
Qiao Yan continued, “My intention is for cotton to first meet the winter needs of the people in Bingzhou, and then sell cotton clothing at a high price. Of course, if Princess takes this trip, there will be compensation.”
Liu Hua caught on that Qiao Yan probably didn’t intend for her to handle the sales, but rather she’d serve as a promotional figure.
However, she didn’t inquire further about Qiao Yan’s plans and nodded in agreement, saying, “Then let’s make it a fair deal. If you have this need, I will make it happen.”
She could guess there were probably some bragging rights hidden behind the trip to Ye City.
But she was the daughter of Emperor Huan, not of Emperor Ling, and didn’t have an overly close relationship with Liu Bian and Liu Xie.
Therefore, she had no reason to feel any inclination to support Liu Bian.
Just like she had no feelings regarding Qiao Yan’s support for Liu Yu’s rise.
After reaching an agreement with Qiao Yan about this “endorsement fee,” Liu Hua immediately prepared for her journey to Ye City.
Fu Ya had entered Leping Academy two years prior, and Fu Shou was also working under Qiao Yan.
Princess Yang’an had witnessed their progress firsthand.
Although she stated it was a fair deal, she still put in a considerable amount of her earnings from the shop in Bingzhou to enhance the “luxurious” display of the cotton coat.
After hearing her preparations, Qiao Yan generously added a few more items.
A Dawan horse for pulling her vehicle.
Milk tea made from western rock honey, highland milk, and tea leaves.
Chen Lin’s nearly completed “Records of the Eastern Observations of Han.”
The Qianxiang Calendar, calculated by Liu Hong and others.
And… a temporary coachman lent to her.
When Ma Chao received Qiao Yan’s order to escort Princess Yang’an to Ye City, he almost thought he misheard.
But judging by Qiao Yan’s expression, she clearly meant it.
“I was initially considering whether to send you to Liaodong to assist Wen Yuan in battle or to join the Liangbing military defense. It seemed wiser to have you wait for future conflicts before assigning tasks.”
Upon hearing Qiao Yan mention the possibility of combat opportunities in Liaodong, Ma Chao’s eyes brightened, only to hear her say, “Unfortunately, Liu Yu is still hesitating over the throne matter; adding another force now might make him uneasy under the pressure. It would be better to take a step back, and I want you to go to Ji Province instead.”
“On the surface, you will be protecting Princess Yang’an, but in reality, I want you to assist Fu De in observing the defensive situation in Ji Province’s Wei County. I trust in the abilities of Liangzhou people to assess the northern military leaders.”
When she said “not hard,” Ma Chao felt a warning glare coming from Qiao Yan.
The implication was clear: he better not come back only saying “They can’t fight like me.”
If he dared do that, Qiao Yan wouldn’t hesitate to have him sent as a messenger for Lü Bu.
Of course, Ma Chao didn’t dare to overstep; instead, he asked, “Is Yang Shubu going as well?”
Having to work with Yang Xiu was something Ma Chao hadn’t anticipated.
But when he thought about it, having Princess Yang’an visit Ji Province to see her son and having Yang Xiu visit his father aligned perfectly with the theme of “returning in glory” and nurturing familial bonds.
With Qiao Yan taking control of Guanzhong, the Yang family in Hongnong was effectively within her grasp, and Yang Xiu naturally wanted to prove that his father’s choice to follow Liu Bian and establish a new court in Ye City was a complete mistake.
This mission was, more than Princess Yang’an’s promotional trip, an opportunity for Yang Xiu to showcase the results of talent cultivation in Bingzhou.
Since Yang Xiu arrived in Bingzhou as a scribe in the first year of Guangxi, he had adapted to the region’s expansion and work structure, and now he could apply it in special circumstances.
For instance, leveraging the Hongnong Yang clan’s identity for recruitment.
Though saying “recruitment” was a bit harsh—it should be called sending out outstanding talents.
As this impressive and powerful group headed toward Ji Province, Qiao Yan watched their departing figures with a subtle smile.
After the war in Guanzhong, Yuan Shao and his strategists would surely consider coming to inspect Bingzhou.
But how would they deal with an official mission directly into their territory?
Qiao Yan turned her gaze from the horizon back to Lu Yuan beside her, stating, “The sale of cotton cannot be handed over to the Princess; at most, she will give it publicity. This independent agency in the Central Plains can only belong to the Donghai Mi Clan.”
Lu Yuan nodded in agreement.
Knowing without being told, she recognized that cotton specimens and news of Princess Yang’an heading to Ye City would surely accompany the message.
Mi Zhu’s greatest advantage lay in his commercial network. With his assistance, the follow-up impact of the Princess’s actions could be maximized.
Handing over the exclusive agency for cotton would also help to repay his earlier investment in Qiao Yan and prevent this great merchant from shifting his focus elsewhere.
The other cooperation endeavors could wait until Mi Zhu arrived to discuss.
Additionally, as Tao Qian increasingly tightened his grasp on Xuzhou, no one could confirm whether letters sent from Bingzhou to Xuzhou would be intercepted by him first.
Considering this, Lu Yuan understood that the letters sent to Xuzhou could only discuss simple business matters.
To be clear, the choice to grant the agency to Mi Zhu rather than Liu Hua was not merely due to returning the former’s favor.
First, Liu Hua’s relation to the Han royal family was indeed a burden; Qiao Yan didn’t find her suitable for heavy-duty work.
Second, having an openly cooperating merchant convoy was a cover for another covert group.
With this duality, during their return to the provincial capital, Lu Yuan heard Qiao Yan talk about establishing a pigeon breeding point in Liangzhou and Guanzhong.
“Since last year, we’ve tested the training and release of pigeons in Bingzhou, and this year it has proven effective multiple times. Given the successful implementation in Guanzhong, it’s time to expand the breeding bases.”
Lu Yuan responded, “For messaging convenience and considering the pigeons’ confidentiality, I suggest we set up the pigeon stations in Maiwu and Jincheng.”
During testing, the one-way nature of pigeon flights already guaranteed that if there were too many stations, there would probably be mix-ups along the routes. Better to set one for each state.
“Jincheng is already a vital agricultural area to solidify relations with the Qiang people, and most troops are stationed here and in the four commanderies of Hexi, making it a good transit point for information. Compared to the crowded Long’an, Maiwu has high walls left by Dong Zhuo, making it more suitable for breeding pigeons.”
Qiao Yan agreed with her assessment, replying, “There’s no dispute about placing the Guanzhong station in Maiwu; let Zilong manage that area. As for Liangzhou, you need to check with the pigeon breeders here to confirm whether it’ll be set in Jincheng or Gaoping.”
Jincheng’s elevation is higher than Gaoping, and there’s no guarantee pigeons will adapt well here; it’s wise to verify in person.
Now she also needed to digest the gains after taking Chang’an and wouldn’t mobilize troops externally in the short term.
However, during this calm period with their neighbors, it was enough to complete the adaptation processes for these pigeons settling in Liangzhou and Guanzhong.
By next year, surprises would surely come.
Once she finished the serious matters, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but tease, “Lu Qing, do you think that Fu De can debate with that Chen Kongzhang guy in Ye City?”
Sending Yang Xiu out wasn’t just because of his Hongnong Yang clan background and being the son of Yang Biao—it wasn’t merely about giving him a chance to observe what was happening in Ji Province to establish himself.
As he grew older, his quick wit and excellent oratory skills became more apparent.
So, not using those skills in a setting that required external presentation truly felt like a waste.
But Chen Lin, who was pretty crafty with assignments and rhetoric, was also good with words—if they actually had a contest, Yang Xiu, being younger, could easily be at a disadvantage.
Lu Yuan smiled, “If you’re worried, why not let Feng Xiao go along?”
Qiao Yan lightly coughed, “…If he goes, I doubt Yuan Shao would dare let him speak, and he might even risk offending me and simply detain him.”
Guo Jia had racked up quite a bit of animosity with Yuan Shao. After all, that IOU was signed when he went to Yuan Shao’s camp.
Now that the truth about that IOU was revealed, Yuan Shao would probably be haunted in his dreams thinking about that moment, and he definitely wouldn’t forget Guo Jia’s face.
If Qiao Yan was at the top of his hate list, Guo Jia would surely be second.
“Well, that settles it,” Lu Yuan replied. “Since there are no better candidates, why not trust Yang Shubu to hand in an answer that pleases you?”
That was fair, since even Zhuge Liang was still only around eleven or twelve years old—not to mention his yet-to-materialize nephew Zhuge Ke.
Looking at the world around, those who could come up with results like “Fa Zao Qiyi, Debating on the Spot, No Match” were few and far between—Qiao Yan couldn’t personally go to Ye City, so it was better to have a bit more faith in Yang Xiu.
In the competitive atmosphere of Bingzhou, with Yang Xiu’s unwillingness to lose, how could he be content seeing—
Everyone shining in their respective positions while he lagged behind due to the four years wasted in Hongnong?
However, the people of Wei County in Ji Province, while Ye City served as the capital, first saw not Yang Xiu’s performance, but the staggering carriage of Princess Liu Hua, albeit in limited quantity.
Under Yuan Shao’s command, his general Zhang He adhered to Yuan Shao’s orders to defend Wei County, safeguarding stability in this vital area.
“So much chaos today, huh?”
He was just doing his rounds near Ye City, inspecting the soldiers at the city gate, when he spotted a flashy carriage pulled by four magnificent horses on the usually quiet western road. Behind it were several supply wagons and an escort of cavalry rushing toward him.
Even from a distance, Zhang He, with his years of experience, could tell that the remarkable carriage was being drawn by the legendary horses of Dawan, the finest breed around—not the mixed breeds you see in the Central Plains!
As they got closer, Zhang He realized that these were the same horses depicted in ancient paintings, pure-blooded specimens no less! Such horses were practically a unicorn in these parts!
Ever since the Silk Road got cut off officially, these beauties had become a rare sight in the Central Plains.
And guess what? This convoy had more than just four of these magnificent horses.
One of the riders in the cavalry was a young scholar riding on a Dawan horse, too. He reached the city gate before the rest of the convoy and dismounted, striding over towards Zhang He.
Seeing all this, Zhang He could easily guess who this guy was.
News had just come in from the soldiers guarding Cishan County, sent at breakneck speed, saying that Princess Yang’an had crossed the Fukuok Pass from Bingzhou into Jizhou, intending to visit her family in Ye City.
This was no ordinary visit.
No matter what the relationships were between the Bingzhou governor, the emperor of Ye City, and Yuan Shao in Qingzhou, Princess Yang’an’s status remained unshakable.
As the eldest daughter of Emperor Huan of Han, her political significance was as tall as a mountain.
Her presence was a symbol of the Han court’s prestige.
So, no one could dream of stopping her from visiting.
Yuan Shao, who sensed that her visit might be more of a headache than a joy, had to grit his teeth and give orders for all officials along the way to treat the princess with utmost respect.
Besides ordering Zhang He, the general stationed at Wei County, to return to Ye City, he also had the guest house in the city prepped for her arrival.
And just like that, the princess arrived sooner than Zhang He had imagined!
Sure enough, he soon heard the young man, who had dismounted from another fine horse, say, “I’m Yang Xiu from Hongnong, escorting Princess Yang’an to Ye. Would you be so kind as to lead the way, General?”
Zhang He’s eyebrows shot up.
Yang Xiu? The son of Yang Biao!
This was a guest he hadn’t expected at all.
Dong Zhuo’s chaos had previously seen Yang Biao stripped of his title, left with only a mere honorary title.
However, with the new regime in Ye City, and thanks to the connections of his wife from the Runan Yuan clan, they had reinstated him as Grand Commandant.
Rumor had it that while Yang Biao was a man of high standing, he had a rebellious son who had thrown in his lot with Bingzhou after winning a bet with his father, taking a stand against him.
This sort of family drama was nothing unusual among noble families. It was hard to say if Yang Biao really supported his son’s actions, but publicly, he could only lament about “the rebellion of his son.”
Zhang He had heard all sorts of rumors about Yang Xiu, but this was his first time seeing him in the flesh.
The young man appeared proud, like any youth, but there was nothing about him that screamed rebellion. In fact, after exchanging names, he even asked Zhang He a couple of questions about his father, mentioning he had brought some highland medicinal herbs for Yang Biao’s health.
What Zhang He didn’t notice was that when Yang Xiu mentioned this, he seemed to take an indirect look at the spirits of the guards around the city gate.
This fleeting glance disappeared as soon as Zhang He said some of the escort could stay outside the city.
Yang Xiu replied, “The princess is just here for a family visit, and I’m only concerned for my father’s health. Our visit doesn’t involve any diplomatic exchanges, so we’ll naturally abide by Ye City’s rules and just bring a small group inside—just enough to deliver the gifts.”
Zhang He was thrilled by Yang Xiu’s keen awareness of the situation.
But he quickly realized that reducing their entry party did nothing to diminish the spectacle of the princess’s arrival.
Liu Hua retained just two Dawan horses to pull the carriage, while she rode one herself, and Ma Chao hopped on another. With them escorting, they made their way towards the guesthouse in the city.
She had actively reduced the number of guards, making it impossible for Zhang He to stop her grand entry into the city.
And honestly, this was an entrance that stole the show more than the four-horse carriage!
At just shy of forty, Princess Yang’an looked as fresh as ever thanks to good care and the attention of physician Hua Tuo since arriving in Bingzhou. As she rode, she exuded an impressive energy.
Her followers were dashing young soldiers, as handsome as jade, and they looked like they could hold their own in a fight.
But what really caught people’s eyes was the unusual riding outfit on Princess Yang’an.
This was neither linen nor silk; it was made from a fabric no one had ever seen before!
As she rode through Ye City, the crisp autumn wind made everyone instinctively bundle up their cloaks, fearing the chill. But all eyes were on her, with her rosy complexion and not a hint of shivering; it was as if her attire was doing all the work of keeping her warm.
After settling into the guesthouse, word got out about her peculiar garment called “cotton clothing.”
In the Bingzhou area, there were two types of cotton clothing.
One was made like the regular cotton clothes, with cotton stuffing layered inside. Those were handed out to the soldiers and their families.
The other type, just like the one Princess Yang’an wore, was woven from cotton fibers, and only a handful were made in Bingzhou, reserved for the governor and his trusted friends, along with the elite families.
The news floated around that Yang Xiu had gifted one of these precious outfits to his father Yang Biao, demonstrating filial piety.
Without needing much prompting from Liu Hua or Yang Xiu, Yuan Shao and his men quickly recognized the value of such fabric.
Though he didn’t understand why Tian Feng hadn’t sent word about cotton back to Jizhou yet, Yuan Shao was already calling his subordinates together.
Currently, he had one of Yang Biao’s cotton outfits in hand.
Another piece was just your run-of-the-mill cotton garment borrowed from the guesthouse, resting on the table in front of him.
Yuan Shao had tried both outfits himself, and that hands-on experience had him feeling grim, unable to shake off his frustration.
Any sensible person could see just how superior this material was.
Forget about the idea that only noble families could wear it—this clothing’s warmth and protection from the cold were leagues ahead.
He scanned his underlings, addressing them with utmost seriousness: “If Bingzhou has the means to widely distribute these to the border soldiers and local folks, it clearly isn’t an impossible material to promote. Yang Dezu’s claim that these are heavenly plants sent to Bingzhou doesn’t hold water. Right now, we can’t reach Yuan Hao—so let’s brainstorm on how to introduce this stuff to Jizhou.”
Xu You shook his head with a sigh, “To be honest, I already visited the Grand Commandant’s residence and spoke to him. Yang Dezu was all sharp-tongued, saying this year’s batch has already been given to those in greatest need. Next year, because of Liu Youzhou, it has to go to Youzhou first.”
“He argued that historically, the North is colder than the South, and according to the Han’s rules, it’s to be given to the Emperor’s subjects first. So, regardless of the viewpoint, it’s Youzhou that comes first—never mind Liang and Bing provinces haven’t been fully supplied yet.”
“If the defenders can’t stay warm, they’ll be in trouble if the Qiang and Hu invade, and that’s a significant concern for the Han border. If Jizhou really needs this, trading with sheepskin would work; it wouldn’t be too bad.”
As Xu You finished, Yuan Shao’s face darkened with anger.
Don’t think he couldn’t tell the difference between plant fluff and wool! Using sheepskin to trade for cotton clothing? He might as well use the sheepskin to keep warm himself.
What nonsense was that?
But here’s the kicker—Yang Xiu had hit on something real after all.
Youzhou was to the north of Jizhou, so whatever Youzhou didn’t have was never going to flow down to Jizhou. Unless, of course, they paid merchants a pretty penny to bring some back from Bingzhou.
That argument put him on the moral high ground on the issue.
And since the noble fabrics hadn’t been produced in bulk, it only reinforced his case.
Xu You continued, “I asked him, if this plant hadn’t been widespread in the Central Plains, how does he know it can only be grown in Bingzhou and not in Jizhou? Wouldn’t it be less of a burden to trade seeds or plants with us for the people’s sake?”
Yuan Shao asked, “And what did he say?”
Xu You chuckled wryly: “He asked us if Jizhou wanted to receive gifts, borrow them, or buy seeds.”
Yuan Shao asked back, “What’s the difference between receiving gifts, borrowing, or buying?”
Seeing Xu You sink into silence, Chen Lin, who accompanied him, chimed in, “He said that gifts were out of the question; we don’t have that kind of friendship yet. Jizhou is supporting a puppet emperor, and in the current scenario with the central emperor undecided, any gift from Bingzhou wouldn’t sit well with the Bingzhou governor, and may lead to uneasy rumors. As for borrowing—”
“His Excellency doesn’t have much credit with them in Bingzhou.”
Chen Lin watched Yuan Shao’s expression carefully. Not seeing him erupt with rage, he continued, “As for buying… he said that Bingzhou’s resources only included this batch, and maybe another batch could be sown next year, which would take years to grow. By that time, these cotton garments might only be good for a handful of people. So, if Jizhou wanted to purchase, they’d need to trade dozens of sheepskins for a single seed!”
With cotton trees in the South, neither Xu You nor Chen Lin had ever considered that cotton was actually a kind of herbaceous plant. Yang Xiu picked up on their confusion, bouncing back with a seemingly reasonable high price.
But Yuan Shao sure wasn’t about to fork out that kind of cash for something so unpredictable in yield, or even whether it would grow at all!
What really ticked him off was when Chen Lin added, “Yang Dezu also said, if you’re looking for a way to get it for free, there is a method. If any of his cousins are gifted, they might as well go to Bingzhou with him. Who knows, they might return with a cotton garment for their uncle next year.”
Yuan Shao nearly flipped the table.
That rascal Yang Dezu still remembered that he should be calling him uncle?
He was really great at chatting up his own family, and yet you couldn’t see an ounce of the Runan Yuan blood in him!
Down in Jizhou, Qiao Yan didn’t worry too much about Yang Xiu’s crafty vocabulary since she had already entrusted this matter to him.
She couldn’t return to Guanzhong just yet.
Yesterday, she got a letter from the Wei family in Hedong asking for a meeting. Mi Zhu in the Eastern Sea hadn’t received her letter yet, and Liu Yu in Youzhou hadn’t agreed to ascend to the throne.
With nothing major scheduled for today, she planned to swing by Leping Academy.
After all, it had been three months since the Qiao sisters, whom she had high hopes for taking over the intelligence organization, arrived at Leping.
Originally, she thought of giving them half a year to adjust before asking if they wanted to make a decision, but with Jia Xu and Li Ru both lounging about and the carrier pigeons on the move towards Liangzhou and Guanzhong, both open and shadowy trading routes also coming together, it wouldn’t hurt to inquire about the situation earlier.
In this current climate, some things needed to get on the right track sooner rather than later.
But before meeting the Qiao sisters, she decided to stop by Cai Yong and Zheng Xuan first.
Even though she held a high position, she should still carry herself with humility toward the esteemed scholars of the time.
Once she returned to Guanzhong, she intended to send Xun Shuang over to rest at Leping as well.
Had it not been for the emperor’s indecision, Xun Shuang’s rather frail health shouldn’t be left in Guanzhong any longer.
With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she knocked on the door.
When she got permission to enter, she found Cai Yong and Zheng Xuan sitting around the table with Cao Pi and Lu Ji, four of them happily organizing bamboo slips of ancient texts—a delightful scene.
But—
If she wasn’t mistaken, there was still some ice cream residue on Lu Ji’s cheek.
And peeking beneath the table, she spotted four bowls hidden away, filled with some ancient-style ice cream.
Qiao Yan: “…….”
This scene felt strangely familiar, didn’t it?
If memory served, back when she was still the Marquis of Leping, Cai Yong trying to snatch some mulberry tree catkins from a bunch of kids looked just like this… didn’t it?
