“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 107 takes us back to the end of Zhongping and the stormy clouds hanging over Luoyang.
Leaning back, Liang Zhongning forced a smile, “What kind of ‘Leaning Commander’ is there left in this world? The title of Qiao Hou is probably misplaced.”
After the defeat of the Yellow Turban commanders at Guangzong and Quzhou, that era felt like a thing of the past. Even with a few scattered Yellow Turban remnants popping up, Liang Zhongning knew he could never take the role of a commander again.
On the contrary, his gaze fell on Qiao Yan. He previously thought her claims of ambushing the Xiu Tu tribes at Guyang Pass were the height of her abilities as the Marquis of Leping. He certainly didn’t expect her to leap to the top power role in Bingzhou.
To be honest, when he saluted Qiao Yan, a part of him braced for her to face repercussions, as if he was offering himself up as a sacrifice for the safety of the borders.
Yet look at her now, seemingly unharmed, shattering the stereotypes of age and gender that had held her back from the position of governor.
It made sense, didn’t it?
She had been bold before too, arriving in front of him with grand ambitions to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion, waving the flag of Zheng Xuan’s student and eventually becoming a trusted strategist for him after all her scheming.
Liang Zhongning couldn’t help but sigh.
Successful people have their ways, and this particular one was certainly a standout. However, some individuals who had temporarily acquired more power than they deserved should still return to their rightful places—like him.
He didn’t know why Qiao Yan sought him out now, just that she said, “I just want to remind you, those capable of being a commander must possess some skill. Even if you can’t be a commander anymore, becoming a centurion or a captain is still viable.”
Her words came off as strange, but Liang Zhongning thought back to how he had failed to see her intentions back then and figured he wouldn’t decipher them now either.
She sat at the head, radiating an aura of authority that reminded him of the time she had decisively ordered Dian Wei to execute Bu Ji and Zhang Bo, making it seem like her being a strategist was merely an illusion he had conjured up.
She continued, “Or perhaps you think I’m just reminiscing because I’m bored. So I’d like to invite you to a meal, how about it?”
Being the ruler of Bingzhou, Liang Zhongning, as a soldier stationed at Guanglu Pass, had no choice but to accept.
What he didn’t expect was how peculiar this meal would be.
The setting was in the courtyard, and the meal was incredibly simple: a large chunk of preserved pork just unwrapped from its white straw cover, two hefty marrow cakes, a plate of shrimp paste, and two jugs of wine.
His memory wasn’t that bad; this was clearly what they had enriched themselves with after breaking through the Tian stronghold—a “sumptuous” feast if you hadn’t tasted meat in ages.
For the current governor of Bingzhou, however, it felt overly meager.
He could see that Qiao Yan’s invitation, akin to calling him “Leaning Commander,” was laden with meaning.
He took the half piece of preserved pork she offered him and hesitantly asked, “What’s the intention behind Qiao Hou’s gesture?”
“Just a little reenactment of that day, with one slight difference.” Qiao Yan smiled as she responded.
Liang Zhongning thought she might mention a reversal of roles, but she pointed at Dian Wei and said, “He’s not tied up this time.”
“…You’re joking, right?” He took a moment to catch up.
Well, that was certainly a difference.
But it also sounded like a cold joke.
Because of her lighthearted quip, he relaxed a little, instinctively stuffing the preserved pork into his mouth, suddenly realizing how far superior this pork was to what he usually had.
Hearing that Qiao Yan had spent years perfecting the flavor of pork during her house arrest in Leping made the meal a clear triumph.
And the marrow cakes were freshly baked, tasting much better than he remembered.
Though serving at the borders, he hadn’t been deprived of food, yet he wouldn’t call it delicious either; this meal truly whetted his appetite.
Since he was there, he decided not to overthink things and knocked back half a jug of wine just like that.
With a casual air, Qiao Yan began to toy with the marrow cake, speaking up only after he was halfway through. “This is my first win, so it’s hard to forget.”
Liang Zhongning froze in place.
She was referring to her first victory, not hers alongside Liang Zhongning.
But if he had to nitpick, she wasn’t wrong.
He wiped the wine from his face. “Indeed, this was Qiao Hou’s first victory.”
Qiao Yan continued, “Only the victors get to indulge in meat and drink enough grain. That’s just the truth of this world.”
Back then, it was the same; today, it still was.
“You thought you were the victor, so you invited me to be your strategist, helping you to avoid bloodshed, or to seize the next victory. Now that I’m the victor, I wonder if I could invite you to be my subordinate and join me in securing further wins.”
Liang Zhongning realized Qiao Yan had something to request from him, but he hadn’t anticipated her direct approach.
He paused for a moment. “I’m currently serving under the General of the Liaoning.”
Qiao Yan commanded Bingzhou, but she couldn’t simply take his general’s subordinate for herself without stirring chaos.
Yet, as soon as he said that, she shook her head. “You needn’t worry about this. I just need one person; General Han will grant me this favor.”
Liang Zhongning added, “But I was once a Yellow Turban old guard. Can Qiao Hou truly trust me?”
That was indeed the key question.
However, upon hearing this, Qiao Yan replied without hesitation, “You must remember how, after Bu Ji and Zhang Bo were dead, you became the commander of that united group, attracting their former old guard to rally under you. The second truth of this world’s rules is that anyone can switch allegiance as long as they’re fed. I can ensure the people of Bingzhou are well-fed; isn’t that enough?”
Qiao Yan understood that talking about climbing the ladder to wealth and fame to Liang Zhongning wouldn’t resonate with him. He was a man shaped more by hardship than education.
The most straightforward reasoning often proved the most effective.
He had once been willing to take the role of a commander in the rebellion for the people with no means; now he could align himself with Qiao Yan simply because she could ensure the people of Bingzhou were well-fed.
Yet, he wasn’t entirely like Chu Yan and Zhang Niujiao; he had his differences.
He stuffed the last piece of meat into his mouth, struggling to chew as thoughts churned in his mind, evident in his distant gaze.
Respecting Qiao Yan’s ambitions while also thinking of himself as her subordinate were two entirely different matters.
But as Qiao Yan pointed out, the rules of the world lay bare. If she could guarantee people wouldn’t starve and could survive, why should he cling to the past?
Even if that past included his time among the Yellow Turban captives, witnessing Zhang Jiao’s grand image shatter.
As he swallowed his last bite, he asked, “What do you need me to do, Qiao Hou?”
Qiao Yan seemed unfazed by his decision, responding, “First, help me manage a few things.”
Of course, before he did that, he needed to head back to the Liaoning camp with Qiao Yan’s handwritten letter as Bingzhou’s governor, present it to Han Fu, and deal with Han’s scrutinizing gaze, who likely wanted to see what special skills he possessed. After securing the approval for this transfer, he finally returned to Taiyuan County.
At this point, he could hardly come up with a reason for this choice, trying to say it was merely the wine from Qiao Yan’s meal that led to this outcome.
Now fully alert, he looked at the provincial office’s gates and stepped forward.
One could hardly say that when Qiao Yan called him “Leaning Commander,” he still felt aligned with the Yellow Turban commanders. At this moment, he couldn’t afford any of that, nor would he.
Qiao Yan was far too perceptive not to notice Liang Zhongning’s change.
She obviously welcomed this shift.
Since he had come on board, the staffing situation in the provincial office stabilized.
Not that it was solely thanks to that agricultural book, but the exchange indeed acted as a catalyst. Overall, Qiao Yan had already decided—
Spring would be the time to strike the Xianbei!
Strike once more and grab some wealth! And simultaneously allow Fengxiao to strategize his divisions of the Xiongnu.
But—
“We still have more than half a winter to go…” Qiao Yan gazed out at the harsh winter landscape and sighed.
It was a long wait.
How much can one accomplish in a winter?
For the commoners in Bingzhou preparing for their spring planting and autumn harvest, they definitely couldn’t afford to hibernate under the motto, “Cozy by the riverside with firewood, enjoying life while avoiding contact with others.”
Winter nestling was the perfect time to repair houses, weave, and make clothes, but in the times of the late Han, this was already considered a comfortable state.
Presently, there were many without land, reliant on wealthy landlords to take care of them, turning into laborers fulfilling the lords’ requests to repair roads and fortresses during winter.
And due to Qiao Yan’s observations traveling through Bingzhou, combined with its local customs, many towns and villages engaged in military drills to prepare for possible emergencies during the milder months.
The latter was beneficial to her, while the former—
Such dependencies couldn’t be radically transformed at this early stage of her governorship. Just as she couldn’t rapidly disseminate the production model already taking shape in Leping or introduce movable type printing at this moment, but that didn’t prevent her from surveying winter’s scene across Bingzhou and deciding on several crucial tasks to accomplish before spring.
The first was to renovate the river channels in the dry season.
She commanded laborers in the name of the provincial office to undertake this task.
As Qin Yu and Jia Xu conducted inspections and recorded inventories in each district, Qiao Yan was able to confirm it would not be a heavy financial burden to renovate the waterways adjacent to improved farmland in Taiyuan County and Shangdang County.
Along with the original Dragon Bone Waterwheel, she also handed over the blueprints for tube carts mentioned in the agricultural texts to the craftsmen for production and to be installed in specific locations, ensuring that irrigation for the year’s crops wouldn’t go awry.
The second was expanding admissions at Leping Academy.
At face value, this enlargement of admissions expanded beyond just Leping to encompass all of Bingzhou.
However, in truth, those who could afford to send their children here were either wealthy or well-stocked; the impoverished families Qiao Yan truly wished to see wouldn’t experience such luxuries until they could ensure their families had enough to eat.
The provincial office couldn’t bear the costs of mandatory education either, let alone fund stipends for those who excelled to help their households.
So this was more like selective recruitment from the wealthy households of Bingzhou.
Qiao Yan didn’t find this situation surprising; in fact, during a discussion with Xi Zhicai, she mentioned this could be seen as another form of hostages.
“Leping is surrounded by mountains, providing natural protection, making it relatively easy to establish defensive lines. This place will become the future core of culture.” Qiao Yan pointed at the map and stated.
The governance of Bingzhou must still center in Taiyuan County’s Jinyang, as that is an inevitable outcome of the provincial authority radiating throughout the territory. However, whether out of nostalgia or other considerations, Qiao Yan hadn’t abandoned the notion of Leping.
So, establishing the cultural center in Leping—her safest, most controllable location—while waiting to attract more students in the future was undoubtedly her top choice.
蔡…
“With the title of the Marquis of Leping and previous promises to lend two teachers to assist her from the Hedong Wei family, along with her significance as the Governor of Bingzhou to the Leping Academy, it was worth a shot. They would definitely send some people from the powerful families within Bingzhou.”
“If anyone in the province has any funny ideas, the group under Qiao Yan’s hand won’t be easy to send back. It’s a solid backup plan,” Xi Zhicai chuckled as he said this, secretly pondering what the scene here would look like in a few years.
The categories she had previously specified were bound to change with this recruitment expansion. There was no way they could compete with the mighty Yingchuan for the reputation of extraordinary talents. But at least in two years, if they could maintain a safe environment here, it could naturally attract scholars from Liangzhou, Silu, and Jizhou.
Xi Zhicai was clearly not holding back in his worst-case scenario thoughts about the current state of affairs.
Qiao Yan responded, “Since Master Zhongde needs to focus on provincial affairs and Feng Xiao is responsible for the border issues, I’d like to entrust this critical matter to you. Leping is my fief, and it’s vital to ensure it is free from concerns. What do you think?”
Although she didn’t say that this responsibility would definitely fall to her trusted aide, Xi Zhicai could still grasp that meaning.
He randomly remembered the scene he had witnessed before he revealed his identity, where the current Marquis of Leping sat on the rooftop issuing orders.
That move had a vibe of everything being under control, and Leping still needed a guiding hand.
As she stepped outside of Leping, she was cautiously handing over this place into his care.
For anyone with talent aiming to showcase their abilities, this was an intriguing responsibility.
Xi Zhicai bowed and replied, “I won’t let Qiao Hou down.”
He would seriously filter the recruitment list for the Leping Academy.
After all, they couldn’t let Cai Yong handle this alone.
The only thing Qiao Yan expected from him right now was to quickly “persuade” Cai Zhenji to come to Leping. Since she could produce wise leaders like Yang Huiyu from the Western Jin and Yang Hu, Qiao Yan’s expectations for Cai Zhenji were no less than Qin Yu’s.
But when it came to selecting students, it would certainly take a combined effort from Lu Yuan and Xi Zhicai.
Once this task was delegated, the next major priority during the winter would be preparations for agriculture.
For this winter, part of the planning involved Jia Shu calculating how much fertilizer would need to be prepared in advance, gathering materials, and getting the fermentation pits ready.
The other part was leveraging the governor’s monopolistic control over salt and iron to produce a batch of farming tools needed for spring.
All of this without affecting the military’s weaponry, of course.
Particularly, they needed to ramp up production of rakes.
This rake, used for breaking up hard soil in the fields, wasn’t your standard nine-tooth rake. While it could work manually, with the advent of the curved plow, allowing for some oxen to do the labor, the rake being dragged by the oxen is known as the iron-toothed rake, resembling a wooden frame with iron teeth.
The responsibility for this part was thrown to Liang Zhongning and Zhang Niujiao.
Qiao Yan would never admit that she thought pairing these two might lead to some good conversation, so she made that decision.
Anyway, it’s still winter, and Zhang Niujiao would rather supervise production than request to attack the Xiongnu.
“I suspect Qiao Hou is settling personal scores,” Zhang Niujiao grumbled, fiddling with a sample of the rake frame to complain to Liang Zhongning.
It made sense since he hadn’t passed his exam, which ended up in Qiao Yan’s hands.
Thinking about it, he looked at the Yellow Turban Commander who had been “gotten” by Qiao Hou and felt he found some psychological comfort.
Liang Zhongning was rather calm at this moment. He guessed that Qiao Yan sending him here wasn’t out of suspicion but was actually showcasing her stance.
Starting with the farming tools to ensure the people of Bingzhou could eat well was precisely what Qiao Hou referred to as practical steps.
Only by truly recognizing her intentions could resentment melt away, allowing them to interact without barriers in their superior-subordinate relationship.
He calmly placed the samples back onto the cart, signaling Zhang Niujiao to join him in testing with the ox, while replying, “If Qiao Hou truly wanted to settle scores, she could easily give you another task. Jia Ji has two formulas for fertilizer you’ve seen; wouldn’t it be better for you to go collect those?”
The soil ammonia and soil sulfuric acid, aside from gypsum that Jia Mu was supervising, required cow dung for the former and human urine for the latter. That’s why they needed to make those fermentation pits using the earth method.
Compared to the animal bone meal fertilizer they were going to experiment with in Yangqu’s Guo family’s fields, these two were certainly a hassle and more tedious.
On hearing this, Zhang Niujiao fell silent.
Only when he had outfitted the rake onto the ox did he say, “You’re right. It seems Qiao Hou really values me. After all, people live by food, and getting these preparations right in winter means spring’s ready for us to go fight the Hu people.”
He couldn’t think of Qiao Hou in a way that was unjustly biased.
Exactly.
The duo that Qiao Yan privately dubbed the “Dum-Dum and Grumpy” pairing had now gained some understanding of each other’s situations through this exchange and cooperation.
After that, aside from the production of the rake frame and teeth, those who had previously specialized in agriculture at the Leping Academy had gradually been reassigned to Taiyuan, where further improvements on the curved plow from the agricultural texts would also commence production, overseen by these two.
Zhang Niujiao now understood why Qiao Yan put him here.
On the “assembly line” for creating wooden farming tools, a significant portion involved the Black Mountain Bandits Qiao Yan had previously guided into the handicraft industry. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, making task communication easier.
Of course, these people now had their household registrations in Leping and could be considered the first batch of troops following Qiao Hou.
With him as their now happily content leader, this team working busily during the twelfth month felt rather reminiscent of planting yams back in the hills.
Liang Zhongning looked at the bustling scene in front of him and couldn’t help but sigh, yet a barely noticeable smile crept onto his face.
This is Bingzhou under Qiao Hou’s rule…
It truly was something to long for.
Meanwhile, amidst this synchronized initiative, there were other happenings.
The villagers were practicing martial arts to prepare for battle, and those responsible for defending the border weren’t idle either.
At the end of January, Qiao Yan officially assigned Xu Huang to the Yanshan defense line, using the second batch of materials that had been built up after completing the fermentation pits for the defense at Guyang Road.
With the consideration of not overdoing it and lacking excess manpower, Qiao Yan didn’t intend to have Xu Huang pay attention to the coal mine at Daqingshan and the iron mine in Baiyun Ebo.
After all, if she could effectively utilize the mineral resources in Yanmen and Xihe, that would already be an impressive advancement.
Simultaneously, at the Yanmen border, with the attack on the Xiongnu planned for spring firmly set within Bingzhou, whether it was Zhang Liao or Zhang Yang, veterans of the border defenses, or the recently appointed Lü Bu, they were continuing to train the troops.
Once they launched their expedition, although they would definitely be executing a surprise blitz, they still had to prepare the logistics.
As for logistics preparation —
Well, aside from the specifically authorized roles in the governor’s subordinate positions, Qiao Yan didn’t hesitate to hand this responsibility to Jia Xu.
“Does Wenhe have anything to say about this?” Qiao Yan asked, wearing a look that demanded completion. Jia Xu, accustomed to a calm demeanor from his experiences brushing against life and d*ath lines, maintained a businesslike attitude.
Previously, Qiao Yan had pulled a fast one when she assigned Jia Mu to the position of assistant within the province, which had caught Jia Xu off guard. It let him realize that while the reason remained unclear, Qiao Hou’s regard for him was indeed exceptional.
Now, he not only had to deal with the awkwardness of being a subordinate alongside the eldest son but was also being rushed into action.
Jia Xu clasped his hands and replied, “It’s not that I deliberately disobey Qiao Hou’s orders, but if I remember correctly, your intention in bringing my family to Bingzhou was for legal matters?”
Hearing this, Qiao Yan maintained her composure and replied, “It’s the dead of winter, with few people moving about. No thief would dare take the risk to commit a crime. With the province’s control of the military, no bandits would even think of causing trouble. The results of the government storehouse inspection are in: under Lord Cui’s rule, there are no corrupt officials profiting from fund misappropriation within Bingzhou. That leaves just the matter of military action. Military orders are legislative orders, so Wenhe, you just start executing it.”
She managed to say that with absolute nonchalance.
A momentary surge of disbelief flickered through Jia Xu, but he quickly realized he had little room to refuse.
He immediately responded, “I will obey Qiao Hou’s orders.”
If he wanted to handle a task expertly, it was practically no challenge — from calculations to logistical arrangements, everything progressed smoothly. Even when he had to coordinate supplies with Lü Bu, as he relayed Qiao Yan’s instructions, the rapport was quite harmonious.
But his performance ended there; after finishing the handover, he returned to his original position without any desire to stand out.
Compared to those pushing for a higher profile, Jia Xu left Qiao Yan unsure how to rate him.
Let’s just say some people reaching old age did have their reasons; after all, he was seventy-six and still kicking.
“It seems this push into action could use a bit more force…” Qiao Yan mumbled as she peered at the sand table.
Upon hearing her whining, Xi Zhicai found the exchange between Qiao Yan and Jia Xu amusing.
To him, it looked like a child with a mischievous streak flipping a turtle on its back, waiting for it to extend its limbs and flop back.
Unfortunately for the turtle, it wasn’t being held over a fire but was in a stable position.
But Xi Zhicai agreed there was no rush, considering the turtle wasn’t going anywhere out of Bingzhou’s territory.
His gaze, along with Qiao Yan’s, settled on the sand table model before them.
Previously, the three-dimensional map on the sand table only represented the Leping area, showing resource distributions on surrounding mountains and tillage zones.
Now, it had been replaced with an overview of Bingzhou’s terrain and the distribution of its counties and towns.
Between the Lüliang Mountains, Taihang Mountains, Wutai Mountains, and the northern Yanshan mountain range, miniature clay models representing towns were scattered across the map, with fortresses marked by clay blocks holding flags.
Yet the most prominent features were the mineral resource indicators.
Currently, the iron, coal, and gypsum mines, which were the most useful to Qiao Yan, were brightly colored and prominently marked, with the coal and iron mines in Yanmen even indicating the distance to the Xianbei tribe’s activity zones.
This three-dimensional map of Bingzhou before her was far from the actual majesty of the mountains but held a distinct feeling of having the world in her grasp.
Especially after these task deployments, it felt like moving pieces on an invisible chessboard, just waiting for the game to finish, ready for her pieces to wipe out the others.
As Xi Zhicai thought this, he suddenly heard Qiao Yan say, “Could you write me another letter?”
When Qiao Yan turned around, she noticed Xi Zhicai had a cautious expression and added, “Don’t worry, I don’t mean for you to write any letters of apology; it’s just a regular report, all you need to do is—”
“Just report the preparation status of Bingzhou honestly.”
Xi Zhicai understood clearly. Qiao Yan had emphasized the word “honestly,” signaling that this was no ordinary correspondence.
Thus he knew how to write it.
In the second month of the fifth year of Zhongping, Liu Hong in Luoyang received a reported letter from the governor sent from Bingzhou.
