Chapter 100

“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”

Chapter 100: Northbound and Southbound

The middle-aged scholar standing in front of Qiao Yan looked pretty unremarkable. At around forty, he hadn’t really made a name for himself in Luoyang.

Since they were at the Grand Commandant’s office for recruitment, even Cao Cao couldn’t help but wonder why Qiao Yan was lingering in front of Jia Xu, making him ask, “Are you the famous Jia Wenhe from Liangzhou?”

Jia Xu was equally puzzled as to why Qiao Yan had taken a shine to him.

He had always been good at keeping his head down, working as a secretary in the Grand Commandant’s office for seven or eight years, serving multiple Grand Commandants.

Logically speaking, he shouldn’t have caught the eye of this young regional governor and city celebrity.

But Qiao Yan had not only called out his name but also showed a glimmer of hidden interest in her eyes, suggesting this wasn’t just a casual search.

Despite a slight nagging feeling in his gut, Jia Xu calmly replied, “I am indeed Jia Xu.”

“Then you are the one I’m looking for,” Qiao Yan turned to Cao Cao and asked, “Mengde, do you know why I seek him?”

Cao Cao replied, “You often act in unexpected ways but always with reason, so there must be something special about this person.”

He didn’t realize he was digging his own grave for the future and even started to appreciate Jia Xu’s composure, thinking he indeed had a knack for staying calm.

Qiao Yan said, “I once heard an interesting story about Mr. Wenhe. He was highly regarded by the distinguished Yan Zhong of Hanyang and was nominated as a filial and upright official. Unfortunately, he fell ill and returned home, where he just happened to encounter rebel troops from the Di. While everyone else was panicking, he said boldly that he was the grandson of the Grand Commandant. At that time, the Grand Commandant was the formidable Duan Ji Ming from Liangzhou, a long-time border general, whose name terrified the Qiang and Di, and they let him go.”

“As officials in Bingzhou often need to deal with barbarian foes, what I need is this kind of courage to remain composed in chaos. Even if counterattacking isn’t possible, he should at least know how to survive and bring me news. Do you think he should be my first choice?”

Cao Cao pondered Qiao Yan’s words and thought if it was truly as she described, then Jia Wenhe must be a talent— the weird kind of talent.

“Furthermore,” Qiao Yan continued, “Mr. Zhongde has been traveling with me since the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yanzhou, and after I was made Marquis of Leping, he followed me to Bingzhou for the position of Leping Prefect. Now that I’m the regional governor, I must appoint Mr. Zhongde as my Deputy. Since he is of a similar age to Jia Wenhe, they should work well together.”

This reason actually made sense.

What Qiao Yan needed was someone knowledgeable about laws and regulations, and given Jia Xu’s age and experience in Luoyang, he could likely handle that.

She then turned her attention back to Jia Xu and asked, “Wenhe, would you like to come with me to Bingzhou? I also have someone from Liangzhou who could use your guidance.”

This Liangzhou individual she referred to was Fu Gan. He hailed from the northern region of Liangzhou and was presently driven by the obsession of avenging his father, making it crucial for Jia Xu to keep him in check.

This was the third reason Qiao Yan needed to choose him.

She framed it as a request to join her in Bingzhou, but her tone clearly indicated that she was determined to have him.

Jia Xu knew about Qiao Yan’s notorious feats and felt that even if he attempted to ditch his position and run, he would likely be dragged back.

Thus, it would be better to just agree.

Moreover—

If he wasn’t mistaken, something big was bound to happen in the capital over the next few years, and if he found himself caught in it, there was no telling whether he could escape. As for Liangzhou, it was currently in turmoil, and even if he returned home, survival was not guaranteed. It made more sense to head to Bingzhou with Qiao Yan.

At least right now, the Xiutu Tribes were suffering heavy losses, and the Southern Xiongnu wouldn’t dare act recklessly. The internal strife among the Xianbei over their khan’s position was escalating, and with Qiao Yan’s methods in Bingzhou, there was hope for some stability.

Then there were the hints she had dropped about the upcoming appointment.

The top position under the regional governor was called the Deputy, who helped manage affairs, and they could ride in a separate carriage when the governor traveled.

Qiao Yan was giving this role to someone who had been with her for years. Although this person might have an eye for talent, it also showed a bit of nostalgia.

So it was settled.

It was certainly better than just sitting in Luoyang.

Jia Xu bowed and replied, “I would not dare refuse your order.”

With Jia Xu onboard, Qiao Yan simply asked a few more questions about the other officials from the Grand Commandant’s office, picked two more people, and called it a day for her recruitment task.

Most of those serving in the Grand Commandant’s office were already settled down, like Jia Xu, who had three sons: Jia Mu, Jia Fang, and Jia Ji, all living together in Luoyang. With plans to head to Bingzhou, they naturally had to go along.

Qiao Yan allowed the three selected individuals some time to pack their bags and set a departure date before moving outside with Cao Cao.

Cao Cao said, “Earlier, Yeshu hid in the Minister’s residence and turned down a heap of visitors, so being sought out like this is a bit of an honor.”

After that jest, he added, “But I haven’t formally congratulated Yeshu on becoming the regional governor of Bingzhou.”

Cao Cao looked at Qiao Yan with a touch of sentimentality.

He had long known that the person who wrote, “Would one sacrifice the life of a son to indulge a national thief?” in a letter to Huangfu Song wouldn’t be a simpleton, but what she had done was undoubtedly more remarkable than he had imagined. She was already a step ahead in the regional governor position, showing more potential than the former Qiao Xuan.

Who would have thought…

Yet this break from convention undoubtedly gave him a glimmer of hope amid the chaos.

Still, some things didn’t need to be said aloud.

Although he had never seen what Qiao Yan’s Leping was like or witnessed her commanding presence in Bingzhou, he could very well imagine what her army looked like in the skirmishes against the Diao Liao General.

He reckoned she must have given considerable thought to her methods and future.

While pondering, he heard Qiao Yan say, “If that’s the case, I should also congratulate Mengde on being among the eight generals of the Western Garden’s central battalion. However, I heard the Son of Heaven’s decree that soldiers in all eight battalions must independently enlist since they are under direct command, so Mengde will need some effort and must act cautiously.”

“You don’t need to worry about that, Yeshu,” Cao Cao replied, “My cousin’s style of handling things is quite similar to mine, always a bit of a roguish approach, and he’s managed to recruit quite a few capable people. There will surely be some who can serve as soldiers under him, and we can expand the recruitment later.”

While Cao Cao couldn’t shake the feeling that the Son of Heaven’s direct enlistment might lead to a mix of both good and bad, he convinced himself that if they personally filtered these people out and formed a well-trained and cohesive army, they could be a great asset should the Son of Heaven aim to march west, north, south, or east.

Qiao Yan contemplated the historical context of Cao Cao’s enlistment and said, “Mengde’s recruitment likely heads towards the Qiao and Pei regions. I’ve heard that Qiao County has a powerful clan with the surname Qiao, and since Mengde is from the same hometown, why not check if we can recruit a few strong warriors to keep those troops in line?”

Just then, Cao Hong, who had come looking for Cao Cao, wasn’t too happy with this remark, “Does Lord Qiao think I can’t keep those soldiers in check?”

Qiao Yan touched her own face but didn’t say a word.

However, the spot she touched corresponded to…

There were clearly injuries on Cao Hong’s face, a reminder of the earlier clash with Qiao Yan, where she had left her mark. The swelling hadn’t entirely gone down yet, so some things were left unsaid.

Cao Cao, seeing Cao Hong at a loss for words, couldn’t help but chuckle, “Zilian, you might as well forget about getting the upper hand over Yeshun in a war of words.”

“Mengde has got me wrong here. I haven’t said a word,” Qiao Yan replied, already at the door, bowing slightly to Cao Cao. “No need to see me off; my stay in the capital won’t be long, and I still have to pay a visit to the Grand Historian. So, it’s goodbye for now. I hope that by the time I see you again, your soldiers are all ready.”

That was genuinely a heartfelt sentiment from Qiao Yan.

Given how much she had influenced the situation, no one could guarantee whether Cao Cao’s recruitment efforts would actually change the outcome or if he would find himself unable to escape the chaos.

Qiao Yan didn’t want to see that happen.

When you think about it, Cao Cao, at this moment, seemed to be a more fitting example of the loyal subjects of the Han than she, who was merely putting on a show of being a loyal minister.

It was this very thought that led her to suggest he reach out to the Xu family in Qiao County, informing him about a strong warrior named Xu Chu. If he needed someone for protection, this guy was an excellent choice.

After leaving the Grand Commandant’s residence, she headed straight to Lingtai.

She had intended to visit Ma Lun before, but her encounter with Cao Cao earlier had temporarily halted her plans.

Now that the position of Bingzhou Governor was secured, with the Yuan Clan’s eyes on Jing Province, it turned out they had no direct conflict with her, making this the perfect opportunity for her to visit Ma Lun.

The last time she had set foot in Lingtai was for Qiao Xuan’s funeral, and over three years had passed, yet the place remained unchanged, still exuding a somber atmosphere due to its unique high platform layout.

The Bingzhou Governor was, after all, a legitimate official position, and the place of her visit wasn’t a private home, but the Grand Historian’s office. Thus, Ma Lun received her in an official capacity.

To Qiao Yan, this formal meeting felt more meaningful than meeting in a typical back residence.

Similar to how she looked three years ago, Ma Lun still had her hair impeccably arranged, and there was a calm aura about her, shaped by her extensive knowledge and talents.

Of course, there were some differences.

The three years in the bureaucratic trenches had clearly given her more confidence and made her appear even younger than before.

Qiao Yan had heard about Ma Lun’s works at the Grand Historian.

On May 13, in the third year of the Zhongping era, a solar eclipse occurred.

If she followed the traditional methods employed by the Astronomical Bureau, they would usually twist historical events into bad omens.

But not Ma Lun.

She seized the opportunity to recommend Liu Hong, known for proposing the Qianxiang calendar, to be transferred back from Kuaiji County to improve the assessment of solar and lunar eclipses while also preparing for calendar reforms.

Even though she had arrived in this position due to an unexpected balance of power within the court, be it the funeral she attended for Qiao Xuan or now embarking on calendar reforms, she had done exceptionally well, asserting her presence with genuine purpose.

Seeing Qiao Yan’s interest in an abacus on her desk, Ma Lun picked it up and explained, “This gadget is an invention of Mr. Yuanzhuo, used as a calculating tool for addition and subtraction. It reduces the errors of manual calculations significantly and speeds things up quite a bit.”

“For us astronomers and calendar theorists, it’s really a remarkable invention.”

Clearly, Ma Lun was thrilled to have Liu Hong back in the capital, which she expressed with a hint of enthusiasm contrasting with her calm demeanor, “Deheng contributed quite a bit to improving this abacus, so you’re seeing the fruits of that work now.”

“In the past few years, I invited some of my father’s former students to the capital to help improve the legal system. Unfortunately, many talented individuals perished in the chaos of war and disease. Thankfully, with the abacus, we’ve lowered the bar for calculations, making it easier for those with less education to assist.”

Pointing outside the open window, Qiao Yan followed her gesture and saw a few young women passing by, each clutching an abacus. Ma Lun continued, “I’ve invited some women with basic skills in bookkeeping to help. Since calculations take time and effort, they’re quite suitable for this work. It’s likely—”

“It’s likely that by the time Qiao Hou comes to the capital for official business, the calendar framework will be established.”

The advancements in basic calculations and astronomical observations created the groundwork for calendar reform.

Now, with a little push behind the scenes, a talented woman who couldn’t fully express her ambitions in this position helped the wheels of history roll forward.

Although Qiao Yan didn’t interject much, seeing Ma Lun so animated in her speech reminded her of the vibrant days in their youth, sparking a sense of joy within her.

And the Deheng that Ma Lun spoke of was none other than the mechanical genius Ma Jun.

He was currently learning while assisting with the abacus’s completion, close to Ma Lun and Liu Hong, diligently studying mathematics, laying a strong foundation for future mechanical designs. Perhaps by the next time they met, he would no longer be confined to improving the Dragon Bone Waterwheel.

As Liu Hong’s rule approached its twilight, it seemed a seed of hope was sprouting on the land of Luoyang.

As she returned to the capital with the governor’s escort, she glanced back at Luoyang City and couldn’t help but think that, according to historical discussions, during the Han Dynasty, astronomy and calendars represented the legitimacy of the dynasty, and this shift felt like a peculiar omen.

What this omen truly meant—

Well, only time could tell.

Before leaving Luoyang, the allegiance of the Liangzhou Governor was still undecided, but the Jing Province Governor had already begun.

Liu Hong ranked Liu Biao’s proposals as the highest, and even amidst doubts about the feasibility of his single-handed approach into Jing Province, he promptly appointed Liu Biao as the Jing Province Governor, sending him off with a royal steed and the governor’s seal.

By giving Liu Biao the position of Jing Province Governor instead of the higher officer role, Liu Hong made his stance clear.

If Liu Biao performed well, he would quickly be promoted from governor to the higher office. If he failed to fulfill his promises, he would be dismissed, with someone else appointed to take over as Jing Province Governor.

Liu Biao headed south, while Qiao Yan went north. That’s how the two currents flowed through Luoyang City today.

Whether the one heading south could prove his worth was still uncertain.

As for the one going north?

Among the banners and ceremonies representing the governor of a province, the carriage appeared particularly distinct from atop the city wall of Luoyang, only fading from sight as it disappeared into the remote Northern Maoshan roads.

He Jin, under the guise of patrol duty, stepped up onto the city wall to witness this scene clearly.

He was, hands down, the biggest loser in this round!

The position of the General of Liaodong was not his, and right now, Han Fu, alongside Qu Yi and other subordinates, trailed behind the governor’s escort.

The Eight Schools of the Western Garden stood independently from his influence, and none of his associates held office within that unique group, which was led by Jian Shuo, making him feel utterly nauseated.

He failed to obstruct the Bingzhou Governor’s appointment, and he was now bound to make enemies due to the opposition raised in the court.

Handing the position of Jing Province Governor to a member of the royal family was clearly Liu Hong’s way of curtailing the expansion of external family influence.

All these circumstances served as reminders that he could no longer remain passive. Otherwise, he might end up like Dou Wu.

He must urgently support his nephew Liu Bian into power!

---