Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 4: The End of Zhongping, The Turmoil of Luoyang, Chapter 123: The Proclamation Against the Bandits

The Hedong Wei Clan has maintained contact with Leping since Wei Ji requested reinforcements from Qiao Yan. Wei Ji also promised to send two members of the Wei Clan to teach at Leping Academy.

If the future head of the Wei Clan had free time, he would occasionally stay at Leping for a couple of days.

After Qiao Yan became the Prefect of Bingzhou, her relationship with the noble families of Bingzhou grew closer, which seemed to spark a sense of crisis in them. They even sent Wei Zhongdao, the younger brother of the Wei Clan, to study there.

However, the connections formed around the educational endeavors of Leping Academy, in Qiao Yan’s eyes, were merely temporary.

In the current state of Dong Zhuo’s tyrannical rule and the complete collapse of the Han Dynasty’s authority, the scene of regional warlords carving up the land is not far off. Verbal support and alliances are no longer sufficient for Qiao Yan’s needs.

It’s not wrong to say that this stems from the cold calculations of a political creature. The Hedong Wei Clan must take a clear stance!

This also serves as a bargaining chip to show Dong Zhuo.

Lu Yuan stood up and replied to Qiao Yan, “The role of Mr. Wenhe this time is to analyze the scholars and generals of Liangzhou. Fengxiao is focused on battle strategies. The task of liaising with the Hedong clans should be left to me.”

Having accompanied Qiao Yan through the years in Bingzhou, Lu Yuan naturally adopted her shrewd and capable demeanor.

Even without making any promises, Qiao Yan believed in the words Lu Yuan once said—that the confidence given by the lord would keep her upright, and that would never change.

Her goal was to have the Hedong Wei Clan show goodwill towards the Prefect of Bingzhou’s military actions, not to engage in emotional appeals or friendly exchanges.

Qiao Yan’s stern expression softened slightly at the military order, “Go ahead, Bingzhou will be your backing.”

She glanced around the room. Apart from Jia Xu, who was composed and measured, everyone seemed somewhat excited about the impending battle in Luoyang.

Lü Bu, for instance, had been tasked with guarding Suiyuan City and managing military farms. Thanks to his fame in subduing the Xianbei and the fruitful harvests, along with Jia Xu’s assistance, he had done a decent job.

But farming and border defense couldn’t compare to the thrill of battling rebels in Luoyang.

Even Guo Jia, a strategist, was young and his eyes sparkled with eagerness.

After all, it was the capital, Luoyang…

To emphasize the importance of this expedition and to demonstrate the righteousness of their cause against Dong Zhuo, Qiao Yan sent a proclamation to Luoyang before departing from Bingzhou.

This proclamation, written by Cai Yong at Qiao Yan’s request, was titled “Proclamation for Qiao, Prefect of Bingzhou, Against the Bandit Dong.”

Knowing Dong Zhuo’s temperament, Qiao Yan chose not to send the message through intermediaries to avoid giving him targets for his wrath. Instead, she tasked Lü Bu with delivering it.

“With your strength to draw a three-stone bow, you should have no problem hitting the city wall with this proclamation-tied arrow from beyond the range of Luoyang’s guards.”

Qiao Yan handed the white-feathered arrow, almost her signature, along with the silk proclamation to Lü Bu, “Take my Zhu Tan horse and make sure everyone knows that our action against Dong Zhuo is justified, and our Bingzhou troops fear not his Xiliang tigers. Can you do it?”

This high-profile task, entrusted to him by Qiao Yan, made Lü Bu’s eyes light up.

“My lord, rest assured, I will accomplish this for you!”

Lü Bu immediately set off with dozens of cavalry, naturally leaving the task of organizing the army to Zhang Liao and Zhao Yun.

But he failed to grasp Qiao Yan’s deeper intentions. For him, the fact that Qiao Yan believed only he could accomplish the task was enough!

As Qiao Yan watched Lü Bu depart, she turned to Guo Jia with another question, “Is General Du Liao still ill?”

When Qiao Yan announced her decision to fight against the bandits and began adjusting border defenses, all the prefects of Bingzhou agreed without objection, except for Han Fu, who suddenly claimed to be ill, seemingly afraid that Qiao Yan would drag him along to Luoyang.

Guo Jia replied, “My lord, your control over Bingzhou is beyond his imagination. He truly believes his correspondence with Yuan Shao went unnoticed. The Yuan brothers fled Luoyang, seemingly intending to raise an army to fight Dong Zhuo, so Han Fu naturally couldn’t support your anti-rebellion efforts.”

“But my lord, there’s a silver lining. The proclamation against Dong Zhuo has spread across Bingzhou, and many are willing to enlist. Even Qu Yi under Han Fu has voiced dissatisfaction with his feigned illness.”

A loose corner of the wall is easier to dig out later.

Qu Yi, like Lü Bu, is a talented but unruly individual who can be a strong ally in critical moments, but he needs a stage to perform.

In this regard, Han Fu pales in comparison to Qiao Yan.

Guo Jia added, “If my lord can recruit Qu Yi, it would be perfect to pit two cavalry forces against each other, as using him under Han Fu is a waste.”

“Let’s not rush,” Qiao Yan shook her head, “Let’s see how Lü Bu performs.”

In fact, Lü Bu’s performance exceeded Qiao Yan’s expectations.

Having grown up in Bingzhou, Lü Bu developed unparalleled martial skills and a knack for professional provocation.

Since entering Luoyang, Dong Zhuo, though increasingly arrogant and tyrannical, had not neglected the city’s defenses.

Especially the Xiliang soldiers patrolling outside, who also served as a form of surveillance.

But today, a team heading towards Henei for plunder was ambushed halfway.

These Xiliang soldiers were accustomed to wielding their blades against the weak, so their formation was somewhat chaotic.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but the attackers were none other than the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry.

Though Lü Bu knew little about battle formations, he knew one thing: none of these men would leave his hands alive!

It was an almost instinctive way of fighting.

They rode horses provided by Qiao Yan, wielded sharp weapons forged from Bingzhou’s iron, and had rested overnight before targeting these Xiliang bandits. If they let them escape, it would be a disaster!

So, instead of their plundering comrades returning to the north of Luoyang, the guards on the city walls saw dozens of cavalry charging towards them.

From a distance, it was clear they were not allies.

What made it even clearer that they were enemies was that the cavalry stopped just outside the range of their arrows, and each rider quickly threw two or three heads in front of them, creating a shocking display.

Before the guards on the wall could react, a white-feathered arrow shot through the air, severing the Dong banner on the wall and embedding itself in the watchtower.

A second arrow followed almost immediately, landing less than three inches from the first, with a piece of silk tied to it.

The Xiliang soldiers on the wall gasped in shock.

The leader below had incredible archery skills and an astonishing range!

Seeing him draw his bow and scan the wall for targets, their initial impulse to chase after him was halted.

This reaction didn’t escape the leader’s notice, and the young general on the red horse laughed heartily.

Amidst his laughter, the fifty cavalry behind him shouted in unison, “By the order of Qiao, Prefect of Bingzhou, we present this gift to Dong Zhuo and deliver the proclamation against the bandit. We take our leave!”

Lü Bu led his men in killing the bandits like the wind, shot two arrows swiftly, and withdrew with astonishing speed, showing no intention of lingering.

By the time the Xiliang soldiers descended the wall and realized the heads belonged to their comrades who had gone north that day, it was too late to chase the Bingzhou cavalry, who had already left.

They could only report the incident and deliver the silk proclamation that came with the arrow to Dong Zhuo.

When Li Ru entered the study of the Grand Commandant’s residence, he found a scene of chaos and a furious Dong Zhuo sitting behind the desk.

This was a stark contrast to his confident demeanor a few days ago.

“My lord, why such anger?” Li Ru asked as he approached Dong Zhuo, “I’ve heard about the incident at the northern outskirts of Luoyang today. The Bingzhou army defeated a hundred of our cavalry with just fifty riders. With careful planning, victory isn’t difficult. If it were a full-scale battle, they wouldn’t have been able to come and go so easily.”

“Do you think that’s what I’m angry about?” Dong Zhuo replied coldly.








Small-scale cavalry skirmishes, he had experienced many times when he was in Liangzhou.

Even with Lü Bu’s provocation, he had already sent people to inspect the remains of their own corpses, roughly understanding how the enemy managed to succeed.

With the presence of a sharpshooter among the enemy, this victory is even more understandable.

He pointed at the silk scroll spread out on the table in front of him, “What I’m angry about is this thing! Look at what she had someone write!”

What a Qiao Yeshu!

And what a proclamation against the bandits!

He had thought that her silence for twenty days after returning to Bingzhou meant she had accepted the changes in Luoyang during her absence. Little did he know, she was brewing a big move!

Seeing Dong Zhuo half-dead with anger from the proclamation, Li Ru took the scroll from the table and immediately noticed the beautiful calligraphy.

Thinking it best to consider Dong Zhuo’s feelings, Li Ru kept his praise to himself.

After some thought, he concluded that this was likely the work of the great scholar Cai Yong.

Previously, he had listed Cai Yong in the roster for Dong Zhuo, but since Cai Yong was the educational officer in Bingzhou, he had dismissed the idea of recruiting him. He never expected Qiao Yan to use him in this manner.

Cai Yong’s Feibai Script is indeed recognizable.

However, after examining the style of the proclamation, Li Ru felt it didn’t match Cai Yong’s usual inscriptions and essays, but rather resembled the practical approach of Qiao Yeshu from Bingzhou.

The opening reads:

“In the early years of the Han, power was monopolized by the Lü family, decisions were made arbitrarily, subordinates oppressed superiors, leading to the rise of Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, who eradicated the tyrants and restored the kingly way. At the end of the Former Han, Wang Mang usurped the throne, defied heaven and earth, poisoned Emperor Ping, and committed countless crimes, leading to the rise of Emperor Guangwu, who brought peace and prosperity to the land.”

“Reviewing historical records, those who are tyrannical and disloyal rarely last long. Grand Commandant Dong Zhuo, claiming to be loyal, upon closer examination, does not follow this principle.”

Li Ru glanced at Dong Zhuo’s face after reading this.

Qiao Yan immediately compared Dong Zhuo to Lü Chan, Lü Lu, and Wang Mang, leaving no face for him.

He called Qiao Yan’s proclamation pragmatic because of these lines.

The troubles of Lü Chan and Lü Lu were quelled by Grand Commandant Zhou Bo and Chancellor Chen Ping, Wang Mang’s usurpation was rectified by Emperor Guangwu, so Dong Zhuo, who claims to be loyal but is actually a traitor, will surely meet the same fate.

This sets the tone for morale!

Reading further, he understood why Dong Zhuo was so angry.

Because Qiao Yan then launched a barrage of personal attacks on Dong Zhuo, listing his disloyalty and crimes.

Compared to her previous “Discourse on Feudalism,” her skill in insulting has greatly improved.

Li Ru’s recent advice to Dong Zhuo to be more restrained was often ignored, so he mused that being the first to be so directly insulted by Qiao Yan, his general was quite uniquely treated.

Though being the one insulted, it probably wasn’t very pleasant.

“Dong Zhuo, who appointed himself Chancellor, has the heart of a viper and the nature of a wolf. He was favored by the late Emperor and appointed as the former general to quell Liangzhou. Yet, the rebellions of Ma Teng and Han Sui persist, his collusion with the powerful is evident, his tyranny and cruelty are rampant, harming the people and culture, even going as far as looting imperial tombs and killing the Empress Dowager.”

“If Dong Zhuo’s actions are left unchecked, today he loots imperial tombs for personal gain, kills the Empress Dowager, tomorrow he will desecrate the tombs of our ancestors. The decline of the Han is imminent, his ambition to usurp the throne and destroy the pillars of the state is clear, the capital is filled with lament, and even the borders can hear the grievances. How tragic! How tragic!”

“…” Li Ru silently glanced at Dong Zhuo again.

In a way, Qiao Yan’s insults are different from the usual; she didn’t exaggerate.

For example, her claims about Dong Zhuo’s failure to quell the Liangzhou rebellion, his collusion with the powerful, his excesses, looting imperial tombs, killing the Empress Dowager, and extorting wealth from the people are all true.

And it’s precisely because of these reasons that she could conclude with such a passionate statement:

“Dong Zhuo’s crimes are such that he is unfit for the role of a regent. How can we not raise our weapons, prepare our bows and crossbows, muster our troops, and restore the state, achieving extraordinary feats!”

“With this proclamation, we announce to the world the plight of our sacred dynasty, and it is not just Qiao of Bingzhou who can save the nation from peril. When the provinces unite, the brave soldiers from all directions will march to Luoyang, raising our banners and might—”

“Then we shall see Dong Zhuo as nothing but a commoner from Xiliang! As decreed!”

“Finished reading?” Dong Zhuo, still not calmed down, looked at Li Ru with eyes sharp as knives.

He had put down the proclamation for a while, but the last line “Then we shall see Dong Zhuo as nothing but a commoner from Xiliang” kept flashing before his eyes. Thinking that Qiao Yan, who had Cai Yong transcribe the proclamation, was only sixteen, he wanted to lead troops straight to Bingzhou to confront her.

But Dong Zhuo’s day of anger wasn’t over.

Three days later, he received news that Qiao Yan had spread the proclamation in Bingzhou and Hedong, mobilizing thirty thousand troops who marched out from the Zhi Pass, along the Fen River, entering Hedong from Taiyuan.

Exactly as stated in the proclamation, she intended to use strong bows, crossbows, and mighty troops to achieve extraordinary feats!

“Bingzhou still has border defenses, how can that brat Qiao Yan have thirty thousand soldiers!” Dong Zhuo gritted his teeth.

But considering Qiao Yan had absorbed the Black Mountain Bandits and the White Wave Bandits, if including logistics, the number was about right.

Comparing this to his meager three thousand troops when he first arrived in Luoyang, he felt his years had been wasted.

“What the General should worry about is not the troops under Qiao of Bingzhou,” Li Ru said seriously, “As soon as Qiao’s vanguard exited the pass, the Wei family of Anyi, the Pei family of Wenxi, and the Jia family of Xiangli welcomed the Bingzhou army with food and drink. Despite being in Bingzhou, she has gained the support of the noble families in Hedong, which is truly remarkable.”

This indeed worried Dong Zhuo.

The noble families of Hedong had never shown him any respect during his stay, yet they treated Qiao Yan’s army with such stark contrast. Thinking about how he had to rely on a bunch of scholars who only knew how to give advice and had to distribute numerous official positions, his anger flared.

Without waiting for Li Ru to propose any strategies, he slammed the table and stood up.

The phrases “heart of a viper, nature of a wolf” and “a mere commoner from Xiliang” kept flashing before his eyes, and now with Qiao Yan’s grand entrance into Hedong, if he remained passive, it would truly be a disgrace to his self-proclaimed title of Chancellor!

“Who dares to launch a surprise attack on Qiao Yan’s camp while her troops are not yet settled, to repel this army?”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone replied, “I volunteer!”

Dong Zhuo looked over and saw it was none other than Niu Fu.

Niu Fu… not exactly a top general, but he was in his current position largely because he was one of his own.

Seeing it was him who volunteered, Dong Zhuo hesitated, thinking of Qiao Yan’s military achievements.

But then he remembered Qiao Yan’s accusation that he, as the former general, failed to quell the rebellions of Ma Teng and Han Sui.

Since Niu Fu was his son-in-law, leading the charge now would also prove that Dong Zhuo was not incapable in battle.

“General—”

Dong Zhuo interrupted Li Ru, “Wenyou, no need to say more, my decision is made. My son-in-law shall lead the charge, with Aduo as deputy, to strike at the Bingzhou army before they are fully settled in Hedong!”

“No,” Li Ru shook his head, “I wasn’t saying we shouldn’t use General Niu to attack Qiao of Bingzhou. I was thinking, given her fiery words in the proclamation, showing the vigor of youth, why don’t we first inflate her ego, adopting a strategy of courtesy before force.”

Dong Zhuo asked, “What do you mean, Wenyou?”

Li Ru: “I heard there’s a man from Bingzhou under your command named Li Su. Please send him as an envoy with a generous gift to Qiao of Bingzhou.”

“This is the strategy of showing weakness to the enemy.”

Hearing that Li Su from Dong Zhuo’s camp had come to visit, Qiao Yan was indeed somewhat surprised.

After inviting him into the tent, she saw him bow deeply and say, “Since Chancellor Dong entered Luoyang, he first maneuvered among the traitorous Yuan family, then took charge of military affairs, promoting the capable. If there were any actions that caused misunderstandings, it was not the Chancellor’s intention. Hearing of your march, leading brave soldiers who pacified the Xianbei into Hedong, intending to attack Luoyang, the Chancellor is anxious and wishes to discuss governance with you.”

“Heard that you favor riding red horses, the Chancellor, during his campaign in Xiliang, obtained a fine steed named Red Hare, and wishes to gift it to you as a token of goodwill. What do you think?”

Qiao Yan raised an eyebrow.

Red Hare?

What, am I playing Lü Bu’s role now?