“Can a strategist really not ascend to the throne?”
At this point in time, it’s not just princesses who face few restrictions; even common women can remarry without too many hoops to jump through. There’s this saying, “Many noblewomen and princesses have surpassed propriety since Dong Yan’s day.”
However, for someone like Princess Yang’an, whose father has passed away and has no brothers backing her, to say she wants to divorce Fu Wan for the sake of preserving the dignity of the Han, was a bit unexpected for Qiao Yan.
But this royal princess, maintaining her dignity, didn’t show any hesitation as she stated her intention; it was clearly a well-thought-out decision.
Before Qiao Yan could utter a word, the princess continued, “Of course, if it really comes to that, it won’t just be me and Ah Shou; Ah Shou’s birth mother and my young son Fu Ya, along with… the other princesses Ah Shou suggested to shelter in our estate.”
“So, you’ve already discussed this with Fu Shizhong?” Qiao Yan asked.
She obviously had no objections to that.
From previous conversations between Fu Shou and her, Qiao Yan could roughly piece together the princess’s character.
She had strict requirements for her children, sometimes intimidating Fu Shou, but she was aware that her status as a princess was merely courtesy from Liu Hong, who wanted to showcase his favor to the descendants of Emperor Huan, rarely engaging with other imperial nobles, thus her position on Liu Xie or Liu Bian was ambiguous.
It’s understandable that she wouldn’t want to follow Liu Bian, the newly established emperor, to Ye City.
On one hand, as she said, she knew well that this move would undermine the authority of the Han royal family, which frustrated her. On the other hand, in a court established with Liu Hong’s eldest son as the heir, her situation would become even more awkward.
Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, the dragon’s ministers, had previously burned down the Southern Palace, perhaps for them, the new Son of Heaven was merely a tool for the pursuit of power—let alone a princess like her.
Ye City in Ji Province was a place where Liu Bian could forget the turmoil he faced in Luoyang, while for Fu Wan, it was a place to seek wealth—certainly not a destination for Princess Yang’an Liu Hua.
Nor is it somewhere the daughters of Liu Hong could venture.
And now, the situation is chaotic all around; no one can predict whether this brief calm will last a year or two. If she were to voluntarily head to her fief, any drought might make it hard to protect herself.
After analyzing the various forces in Luoyang coming to support the throne, Liu Hua realized she could only choose to align with Qiao Yan.
To this end, she summoned Fu Shou again.
Since Fu Shou started interacting with Qiao Yan, she had seen the Bingzhou governor as her idol. The suggestion to shelter the princesses in her estate on the day of Liu Hong’s death made Liu Hua realize she could no longer view her merely as an ordinary child.
Indeed, she wasn’t wrong about Fu Shou; when Liu Hua asked Fu Shou if she could help introduce her to Qiao Yan, Fu Shou pondered for a moment and asked, “Since Lu Gong and the others believe there’s a chance the Emperor in Chang’an could be rescued, and the late emperor’s eldest son will be left in a difficult position, while our father wishes to rise on the coattails of this virtue, why can’t I accompany my mother to Bingzhou along with my second brother?”
So let Fu Wan take their eldest son, Fu De, to Ji Province.
If the father isn’t reliable, then she’ll take her mother and follow her stepmother to run away.
She could offer Fu Wan a respectable excuse, saying it’s about not putting all eggs in one basket. But what the truth was, who could tell once they had split paths?
After some deliberation, Liu Hua concluded that this plan might indeed work and immediately discussed it with Fu Wan.
Of course, she wouldn’t present this word game to Qiao Yan. She simply replied, “I wouldn’t want to trouble Lord Qiao with such matters. As the eldest daughter of Emperor Huan, I have brought plenty of dowry and don’t need Lord Qiao’s aid; I merely wish to ask for one favor.”
“My son Fu Ya and Ah Shou are both of the appropriate age to study. I’ve heard that the great scholar Cai Bojie is currently in Leping, and I would like to request that Lord Qiao introduce them to him. As for whether they are welcomed into the academy, I will not force the issue.”
Qiao Yan smiled, “I think the princess should wait until you arrive in Leping to make that decision.”
Leping Academy isn’t solely supported by Cai Yong, after all.
Seeing a hint of deeper meaning in Qiao Yan’s words, Liu Hua didn’t press further, only confirming their departure date before taking her leave.
After sending off Princess Yang’an, Qiao Yan quickly turned to Xun Shuang and bowed. “I’ve heard the name of the Xun family from Yingchuan through Changshe long ago, but unfortunately, Mr. Ciming was avoiding trouble at that time, and I had no opportunity to seek his guidance. Now, seeing Mr. Ciming risk himself for the greater good, you truly are an exemplary model for us.”
Xun Shuang shook his head and replied, “There’s no need for such praise. I am old now; how can I compare with Lord Qiao’s heroic charisma, crossing rivers in peril and defeating a villain? And please don’t think my journey to Chang’an is a significant endeavor; it’s merely a change of residence. When it comes to supporting the state and the people’s livelihood, it’s still up to your generation.”
Princess Yang’an spoke plainly without any hidden meanings, and Xun Shuang did the same.
He pushed Xun You, who was accompanying him, forward and said, “I’ve come here with just one matter.”
“Though there’s talk of keeping talent close to home, since Lord Qiao plans to descend from Liangzhou and advance toward Chang’an, after some thought, I still want to recommend Gongda to you. Gongda is gentle on the outside but tough on the inside, and is excellent at analyzing military situations. If Lord Qiao plans to campaign in Liangzhou, it would be appropriate for him to accompany the army. I wonder what your thoughts are?”
This statement was even more shocking to Qiao Yan than Princess Yang’an’s offer to seek refuge.
Even if she didn’t show her astonishment on her face, she felt a wave of excitement in her heart.
What was she to say? What was she to say?
This was Xun You!
The Xun You who was praised by Cao Cao for being “adaptable in his plans, overcoming enemies from all sides—all thanks to You’s strategies!”
In her original plan, the campaign against Liangzhou was supposed to be led by Jia Xu as a strategist.
Since Cheng Yu and Xi Zhicai needed to stay in Bingzhou, and Guo Jia had to keep an eye on the northern borders to prevent trouble from Budugen and Ke Biner, she could barely bring along Xu Fu.
Fortunately, with the passing of that Western Liang celebrity Yan Zhong, Ma Teng and Han Sui, who had served as mascot, lost their edge, making way for them to indulge in infighting. In this scenario, if Qiao Yan could gain the assistance of Huangfu Song, it wouldn’t be too much pressure.
But adding Xun You into the mix would be akin to adding wings to a tiger!
As soon as Xun Shuang’s words fell, Qiao Yan instinctively looked at Xun You.
Today, in this discussion hall, Xun You was merely supporting his elder, with the presence of a silent-but-solid cane. Yet when she met those eyes, it was easy to tell that this man was a true gem, possessing the depth of a thoughtful planner.
Even if Qiao Yan didn’t know that before her arrival in Luoyang, Xun You had once given her a “remains unclear” evaluation, she could still sense that Xun Shuang’s recommendation of Xun You wouldn’t stem from his desire to make sure he could seamlessly exit Chang’an to accomplish the mission of saving the emperor, but rather, this encounter in Luoyang had led Xun You to evaluate various forces and ultimately decide where his loyalty lay.
If he had no intention of doing so, judging by the assessment of the eminent Zheng Tai who had already arrived in Bingzhou, he certainly wouldn’t be pushed by Xun Shuang into a direction.
And in that exchange of glances, Qiao Yan realized another fact.
In this campaign to clear the emperor’s faction against Dong Zhuo, she had finally, officially, been placed in the investable ranks by these famous noble families of the Central Plains.
She was no longer simply rising through the ranks as Liu Hong’s loyal official!
She was now a counterpart to her peers, seniors, and even capable of competing with the heroes of the realm—she had been positioned among those worthy of investment!
Xun You, or rather the Xun family of Yingchuan, had foresight to act ahead of others.
But the influences from this trip to Luoyang were far from over.
At the very least, those making investment decisions wouldn’t be just the Xun family, but other intricately-networked noble families.
Even if Qiao Yan understood that to rebuild order, she couldn’t overly rely on the nobles and fully depend on their support to stand firm.
But the subtle nuances of engagement she had mastered were known to her.
Someone like Xun You, a strategic asset, certainly couldn’t be rejected at her door.
Her thoughts didn’t make her hesitate long in front of Xun Shuang and Xun You; she responded immediately, “Offering talents without avoiding enemies and family, this is the wisdom of Qi Huangyang. In these perilous times for our state, that which Mr. Ciming recommends must be someone I truly need.”
She pondered for a moment and continued, “If I’m not mistaken, Gongda was previously recommended by the Grand General, appointed as the Shilang of the Yellow Gate. Unfortunately, we don’t have a corresponding position of that level within Bingzhou. But if I’m to campaign against Liangzhou, I must depart from Shangjun; I wonder if Gongda would be willing to take a position as an officer in Shangjun, and accompany us in the campaign?”
Xun Shuang’s recommendation of Xun You, even though he spoke of her gallant crossing of rivers and defeating villains, wouldn’t wish to hear anything from her about whether Xun You could become a military strategist now—that was still unknown, and they’d have to wait for the results to see.
Offering the position of officer in Shangjun, which was currently vacant, was merely her way of showing her positive regard for the Xun family.
Xun You, upon hearing this, bowed deeply to her: “The position of officer is already sufficient; I shall do everything I can for you, Lord!”
His promise was spoken with conviction, and he completely transformed from his previous gentle demeanor. But for Qiao Yan, with the saying “mercy can’t control the army” being a fundamental principle of warfare, if Xun You wanted to excel in this military advisor role, he would need to show this attitude in the campaign against Liangzhou, competing with Jia Xu.
After helping him to his feet, she replied, “Then please take Mr. Ciming back, and come report back to our camp stationed north of Luoyang.”
The troops under her command were temporarily utilizing parts of the Northern Army Five Divisions’ encampments.
The Luyang Allied Forces were stationed in the south of the city, while the Suanzao Allied Forces were stationed in the east, avoiding mutual disturbances.
That way, Xun You certainly wouldn’t get lost on the way.
He replied, “As you command, Lord Qiao,” before heading back to the Minister of Works’ residence with Xun Shuang.
What kind of further exchanges or messages they might have after finalizing this allegiance was beyond Qiao Yan; all she knew was that Yang Xiu, who had exchanged greetings with her just across the street, had now nearly lost his temper.
He approached her, clearly musing that, after four years, Qiao Yan’s authoritative demeanor had become even more prominent, far beyond the days he could simply dismiss her charm. At the same time, he couldn’t help but grumble that he was the one who had recognized her potential so early—how come…
“Does your Bingzhou governor’s office have any extra positions available?”
Qiao Yan replied, “I thought with your temperament, Yang Dezu, you would ask which position you’ve set your sights on, wanting to compete with someone?”
“…” Well, not quite.
He couldn’t let one earlier provocation from his pride get him stuck with that label, just because of their earlier wager to visit Dingzhong Temple for a Monthly Appraisal.
Yang Xiu mumbled, “Rewards for contributions and honors for efforts—that’s a well-established rule. I never planned to leverage the name of the Yang family from Hongnong to seek favor here. Besides, with my absence from Bingzhou in recent years, I know little about your governing methods. If I rashly sought a high position, I’d just embarrass myself.”
He’d learned a lesson after being slapped once.
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but chuckle, “That doesn’t sound like something you, Yang Dezu, would say.”
“You’re mistaken,” Yang Xiu shook his head and replied, “It’s precisely because I consider myself clever, that I first seek a place to land. Future promotions will naturally rely on capability.”
“Does your father have any objections to your choice?” Qiao Yan asked again.
After all, Yang Biao had chosen to support the Yuan family, with whom he had familial ties, and was about to follow them to Ye City.
If Yang Xiu also followed, the treatment he could expect would certainly differ from simply coming to Bingzhou; he’d only be able to pick from the scraps.
Yang Xiu replied, “Before your entourage came to Luoyang, I made a bet with my father, saying—”
“If it were you, Lord, to rush ahead and enter Luoyang, my father wouldn’t be able to stop me from choosing Bingzhou.”
He clasped his hands towards Qiao Yan, “I have to thank you, my lord, for not letting me lose this bet.”
However, it was clear that he wasn’t the only one with a keen eye after surviving this emergency battle.
Yang Xiu, though proud, couldn’t help but feel a bit dim as he remembered his concurrent competition with Xun You.
“There are still positions remaining in Bingzhou…” Qiao Yan walked towards the northern military camp, signaling for Yang Xiu to follow while mentally calculating which position suited him best.
Being from the Yong family of Hongnong wasn’t helping him, rather it was limiting Yang Xiu.
For instance, she always felt that the urgently needed position of Zhongzheng within Bingzhou could never be given to Yang Xiu. That role was much better suited for Zheng Tai.
Looking at it this way—
“I intend to promote the current main scribe to the Gongcao position and have you serve as the main scribe. What do you think?” Qiao Yan asked.
If Yang Xiu were to take on a role like a mere clerk or assistant, it would inevitably raise suspicions of mistreating sons from prominent families.
The position of Duyou wasn’t suitable for Yang Xiu’s emotional intelligence either.
On the other hand, serving as a main scribe would fit his qualifications in Bingzhou as well as his own capabilities.
This would also conveniently allow Qiao Yan to elevate Lu Yuan from the main scribe position to Gongcao.
This importance rivaled that of the positions of Biji and Zhizhong, which Qiao Yan had originally reserved for her; now, with merit and qualifications in question, she could place her there.
Ironically, when Yang Xiu served as the main scribe under Cao Cao, it was during Cao Cao’s tenure as Chancellor.
This was bound to create a peculiar sensation for Qiao Yan upon meeting Cao Cao himself.
But when it comes to poaching talents, how should one say it, the more the merrier—there’s no guilt in taking more.
Moreover, the point of this meeting wasn’t to discuss how many walls she’d dug under the others, nor was it about whether she should present some overdue gift for a certain big nephew, including those for Cao Cao’s not-yet-two-years-old second son Cao Pi, and the one just born, Cao Zhang; it was to see off Lu Gong.
Or rather, it was for Lu Gong and others.
Lu Zhi, Huang Wan, Wang Yun, Yang Zan, Shi Sun Rui, and Xun Shuang were merely representatives among the officials heading to Chang’an this time.
Situated at the famous send-off site of Xiyang Pavilion on the western outskirts of Luoyang, ahead lay Zhangfang Gou, marking the western boundary of the city. Cross the bridge westward, and you’d be out of Luoyang’s scope; looking around, today this place was bustling with so many people that it hardly felt like the western suburbs but rather a thriving part of the capital.
These officials heading to Chang’an, though not bringing families, had packed quite a bit, aiming to convince Dong Zhuo.
This made Qiao Yan clearly sense that the nearly four-hundred-year-long unified reign of the Eastern and Western Han had established a loyalty so deeply rooted that even now, under such upheaval, it had divided into two factions.
Even though the decay of the late dynasty had unveiled numerous irreversible signs, and neither Liu Xie nor Liu Bian could be called capable rulers, they still regarded themselves as Han subjects, willing to fight and die for it.
She wanted to break this deadlock and establish a new norm from this already broken situation; relying solely on the current troops lacking a sense of belonging to the Han was far from enough.
Far from enough…
She gazed at the scene, feeling both moved by the somber atmosphere akin to the wind swirling amid the cold waters of the Yi, and sorrowful within for the state of affairs.
This is what we mean when we say heavy responsibilities lie ahead.
“Earlier, you promised Lu Gong that you would prevent General Huangfu from being manipulated by Dong Zhuo and that you wouldn’t leave Lu Gong waiting here too long, lost in thought. How could the usually strategic Qiao Yan ever find herself at a loss?” Cao Cao interrupted her reflection, inquiring aloud.
Qiao Yan gathered her thoughts and replied, “How can one be human without worries? I’m concerned about Lu Gong and the others heading to Chang’an, fearing they’d fall under Dong Zhuo’s sword, while also pondering, with the former Emperor’s son now in the east with Liu Bian, what will become of the residents of Luoyang?”
“I’ve heard Yuan Benchu has plans to issue an edict to relieve the residents around Ye City from taxes, allowing some to migrate out, but those willing to do so are hardly the majority.”
Just being under the Son of Heaven doesn’t guarantee peace; just look at Luoyang, where the populace suffered first when Dong Zhuo arrived.
Cao Cao thought for a moment and replied, “These people won’t all stay in Luoyang.”
Luoyang is valuable, and it’s crowded; it only became this bustling because it was the capital.
Now, gathering in such a way wouldn’t be what the people, having learned to seek advantage in chaotic times, would choose.
As the Northern Army Five Divisions withdraw, Luoyang’s population could easily diminish by half.
And those people would likely migrate to nearby states.
Cao Cao continued, “I initially thought to discuss with you about your expedition to Liangzhou, realizing the western ambitions ahead of me might grant me an opportunity to march. But since you purposely brought up the issue of Luoyang’s residents, I have another thought.”
He spoke with conviction, “I request the position of Taishou of Dong Commandery. If I achieve some results, I’ll then seek the position of Yanzhou Mu.”
The former East Commandery Taishou, Qiao Zhao, had died at the hands of Hu Zhen and Hua Xiong during the attack on Xuanmen Pass, leaving the position vacant.
Having East Commandery linked with Sili, if residents of Luoyang were to migrate out, they would likely choose this place.
“Whom does Meng De plan to request this position from?” Qiao Yan looked toward the departing team, still preparing the baggage in the sunset; despite Lu Zhi standing tall, a picture of steadfastness, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy.
She then heard Cao Cao reply, “It doesn’t make much difference from whom. As long as the goal is achieved, that’s good enough.”
Qiao Yan withdrew her gaze from Lu Zhi and turned to look at Cao Cao.
She sensed that after the unreliable army campaign during the Xuanzao Alliance, some of his thoughts had clearly changed.
But this more practical mindset seemed more suited for the current era.
As for more emotions, a man as seasoned as Cao Cao wouldn’t reveal them openly, leaving Qiao Yan entirely guessing.
She casually asked, “Speaking of which, since Xuande has taken the same route to Luoyang as you, you must know him quite well. Have you asked how he intends to proceed?”
Cao Cao replied, “Xuande originally intended to enter Chang’an with Lu Gong and planned to assist his disciples, but was sent back after Lu Gong scolded him.”
Qiao Yan continued, “Lu Gong must have said that Xuande is in his prime and has the likes of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei helping him; even if he doesn’t know what to do, it’s good for him to lend a hand in places like Qingxu and the land of the Yellow Turbans.”
Cao Cao clapped and laughed: “Yeshu is indeed well acquainted with Lu Gong’s temper from his time beside him. I suggested that if that’s the case, perhaps Xuande should accept the invitation of Taishou Ying Zhongyuan from Mount Tai to seek a nearby position of two thousand stones, where they can mutually support each other.”
“Right near Mount Tai, given we also need to guard against the Yellow Turbans in Qingxu…” Qiao Yan found Cao Cao’s approach to be rather morbidly amusing, “Isn’t that the Jinan State you once served?”
Cao Cao replied openly, “From the position of Qinghe County Magistrate to Jinan’s higher office, I’d say that’s an upward move.”
And that would be Liu Bei’s future direction.
For Cao Cao, even without Qiao Yan’s reminder, he would have chosen a county in Yanzhou as a base.
With the locations of these two places, they must ensure to recognize Liu Bian’s position as Emperor.
This seemed somewhat contrary to Cao Cao’s earlier cooperation with Lu Zhi aimed at ensuring Liu Xie’s ascension, but as he said—
As long as the goal is achieved, that’s good enough.
When he parted with Qiao Yan, he asked another question: “Yeshu, you advised me to shelter the residents migrating from Luoyang in Yanzhou and provide for their comfort. What about you? Don’t you plan to do anything?”
Qiao Yan raised an eyebrow: “When did I say I was this kind who just hands over benefits?”
She was after far more than just that.
Right after failing to pursue Dong Zhuo’s army and returning to Luoyang, aside from the soldiers nominally stationed at the Northern Army camp, she had Zhang Liao take some men back to the Yellow River’s banks.
The residents of Luoyang might not consider Bingzhou their first choice for migration, but since she was the first to invade Luoyang without harming the inhabitants, being placed near the top of the list was certainly no problem.
What stopped them from choosing to migrate to Bingzhou was that big river.
At this moment, she ought to feel lucky; to confuse the stationed Niu Fu at Mengjin, she had crafted enough boats.
These boats, besides ferrying her troops after they seized the riverbank, now served another purpose.
In late June, the rainy season’s floods on the Yellow River had passed, and the water flow at Mengjin was now quieted.
These boats, with four long poles raised on either side, were anchored on the river surface. Then, between every pair of vessels, long wooden planks were laid within the boundaries set by the poles.
This connected the Mengjin ferry to the northern riverbank.
This formed a floating bridge stretching between the two banks.
When Ma Lun came across with her assistants carrying the remaining books, what she saw were many Luoyang residents pushing carts across this floating bridge.
Ren Hongchang, arranged by her to assist in rescuing people, was also among the crossing team, witnessing for himself the bridge built on the Yellow River for the first time, astonished at the sight.
When Ma Lun reunited with her two sons, she pondered over what kind of reward she wanted. After some deliberation, she expressed her wish to become someone capable in the world, thus becoming Ma Lun’s apprentice, naturally needing to come to Bingzhou.
She wasn’t sure if this choice, abandoning her position managing palace hats as a “Diao Chan” lady officer, was the right one, but at least this path to Bingzhou paired with constructing a bridge over the great river to gather immigrants from Luoyang has shown her that the esteemed Qiao Yan was definitely not limited to outstanding battlefield talent; she bore an unmatched resolve.
What then would Bingzhou look like, separated by the Taihang Mountains, under the governance of this Bingzhou Mu?
This thought wasn’t hers alone.
The residents of Luoyang migrating to Bingzhou had such queries, and Yang Xiu, who had not seen Bingzhou in four years, shared this curiosity, as did the newly turned supporter, Xun You, who had the same wonder.
As he crossed the river with Qiao Yan, he spotted a remarkable young marquis at the other bank, responding to Qiao Yan’s words calling him aside; the newcomer was Wei Ji of the Weishi family from Hedong.
Wei Ji, not yet twenty-five, had always shown a knack for decision-making, undeniably excelling in the scholarly Weishi family; thus, before Qiao Yan stormed into Luoyang, he was already the head of the Wei family.
As Qiao Yan achieved victory, he too came as a symbolic welcome.
As he walked along the river with Qiao Yan, he couldn’t resist glancing at the floating bridge stretching south and north.
Calling it a seasonal blessing or crediting the efforts of Bingzhou’s army, there’s no denying it was a grand project.
“Your bold mindset and actions, Lord Qiao, sometimes make me feel I can never match up,” he couldn’t help but express.
And even if he hadn’t gone to the south bank of the Yellow River, it wasn’t hard to see the longing in the expressions of the Luoyang migrants crossing over, thanks to Qiao Yan.
This made it all the more apparent that this Bingzhou Mu was indeed a miracle-maker.
Qiao Yan responded, “Boshi, this isn’t solely my doing; it’s just—life is hard, and it’s not easy in Luoyang. The people wish for peace in Leping.”
Wei Ji paused.
What did “Leping” signify? Was it a craving for peace, or was it a representation of this Marquis of Leping for Bingzhou? Or perhaps both? At that moment, he couldn’t tell.
But in the eyes of this victorious young regional governor—
He saw a fierce flame ready to sweep the world clean.
