Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Official Appointments

Ren Hong, with her newly acquired name and identity, arrived at Jinyang, the capital of Taiyuan Commandery, with the group relocating from Luoyang.

Here, the former residents of Luoyang who had come to Bingzhou were lined up in an orderly fashion to register.

Qiao Yan couldn’t indiscriminately accept all these people into her territory, yet she needed to offer certain benefits to show Bingzhou’s commitment to accommodating the population. After consulting with Cheng Yu and Xi Zhicai, she established a systematic set of regulations.

Residents relocating from Luoyang were prioritized for settlement in Shangdang Commandery, Shang Commandery, Xihe Commandery, and the southern part of Yanmen Commandery, avoiding further burdening Taiyuan Commandery’s population.

Since they arrived in Jinyang at the beginning of July, they missed the spring planting and autumn harvest. Thus, the new residents of Bingzhou could earn food for the winter by working in various workshops and open-pit coal mines across the region.

If one person from a household enlisted in the military, the household’s annual grain tax would be exempted, and they would receive 30 dan of grain from the state government.

The state government allocated 30 mu of wasteland for each household to cultivate. If more land was needed, additional fees would be required.

Although the wasteland seemed harsh, last year’s yield in Bingzhou was 4 dan per mu, higher than the 3 dan per mu in the Sanfu region. With Bingzhou’s farming methods, they wouldn’t go hungry.

Additionally, farming tools and daily necessities would be sold at a discount by the state government in toolkits, ensuring the new residents could quickly adapt to Bingzhou’s conditions.

“Here’s this.”

Even though Ren Hong didn’t need to go through the registration process due to Ma Lun’s influence, she was still captivated by the scene until someone handed her a sheet of paper, snapping her out of her daze.

She took the paper and noticed the girl who handed it to her.

She looked to be around 11 or 13 years old.

But what caught Ren Hong’s attention wasn’t her age but the large stack of papers she was carrying!

A stack of Marquis of Leping paper!

Ren Hong vaguely remembered hearing in Luoyang that Marquis of Leping paper was expensive, which was why it hadn’t replaced other types of paper. But judging by what she saw now, it didn’t seem that expensive.

The girl in front of her quickly explained: “The paper compares the advantages and disadvantages of several commanderies in Bingzhou and lists job openings, all expressed in simple drawings. If you can’t read, that’s fine. On the back is the location of transit points in Taiyuan Commandery. The state government provides cheap meals, or you can go to Jinyang, but to avoid chaos, you need to get a number tag from the marked location first. That’s about it. There are guides for each step.”

“Zhaoji—”

She heard someone calling her from afar and quickly waved at Ren Hong, “I have to go. Remember to read the instructions.”

The girl, who seemed quite experienced, took two steps before turning back and saying, “Oh, and welcome to Bingzhou.”

Ren Hong looked in the direction the girl ran off and saw another girl who looked similar but was about seven or eight years older. She was managing the children’s errands in the area, and with the crowd growing, she needed help.

The girl called Zhaoji quickly divided the remaining papers into five stacks and handed them to five other youngsters, then took over half of the management tasks from her sister.

This scene, along with the various settlement policies in Bingzhou, was something Ren Hong had never seen before.

She also noticed the officer in charge of agriculture passing by.

From a distance, she couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it seemed he was making final adjustments to the distribution of farming tools.

This was the officer Qin, who had significantly contributed to increasing Bingzhou’s farmland yield.

The women of different ages in Bingzhou, though not as serene as Ma Lun, who had experienced many changes in the world, still left Ren Hong dazzled. She felt that coming to Bingzhou was the best decision she had ever made.

She suddenly understood why Qiao Yan often said, “The feathers of a swan do not fly low,” and why she had such high expectations for her and others like her.

Because under her rule, there were already successful examples.

As she thought this, she unfolded the paper Zhaoji had given her and saw the comparison of the four commanderies Qiao Yan had chosen to accommodate them.

But when she saw the drawings, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Ma Lun, who had finished handling their paperwork, walked over and asked.

“Teacher, look.” Ren Hong handed the paper to Ma Lun, pointing to a specific part.

The comparison of Shangdang, Xihe, Shang Commandery, and Yanmen included job openings, resource distribution, climate conditions, farmland area, and an especially important factor: safety.

Shangdang was the safest, no doubt. The other three commanderies faced threats: Yanmen had the Xianbei to the north, Xihe had the Southern Xiongnu, and Shang Commandery had the Qiang and Hu tribes to the west. Despite the instability, the way it was depicted made it oddly amusing.

In Yanmen, a stick figure with a spear was dragging a bunch of cattle and sheep, with a tent behind it and a crying Xianbei figure outside.

In Xihe, a stick figure with a spear was stepping on a Xiongnu’s head, with a pile of circles nearby, likely representing the heads used to intimidate the Southern Xiongnu nobles.

In Shang Commandery, the same stick figure stood with a spear, but there were no enemies to fight.

If the person who drew this hadn’t so clearly depicted the spear’s features, Ren Hong might not have been sure it was their Bingzhou Governor!

Another girl who received a similar information sheet compared hers with Ren Hong’s.

Though the content was similar, the drawings and handwriting were clearly different.

“This must be homework from Leping Academy,” Ma Lun remarked, finding the flyer particularly amusing.

Regardless of where the newcomers chose to settle, Qiao Yan’s image as a capable warrior was effectively spread through these papers, which greatly helped in winning the hearts of the new residents.

Leping Academy?

Ren Hong recalled the coachman mentioning that if he could save some money, he would send his son to learn a few more characters and try to get into Leping Academy. It seemed the academy had some entry requirements.

But it was precisely these requirements that made the academy’s students Qiao Yan’s propaganda team at such critical moments.

Her eyes lit up—this was truly a brilliant strategy.

However, she didn’t know that Qiao Yan had only given general instructions and only saw the finished products upon returning to Jinyang.

Amused by the “clueless” depiction of herself in Shang Commandery, Qiao Yan turned to Cai Zhaoji, who had just finished her tasks, and asked, “Was this your idea?”

Originally, Qiao Yan had hoped Cai Yan would lead the creation of these explanations in a bulletin board format, displayed in Taiyuan Commandery’s temporary camps.

Like the road signs they had seen along the way.

But Cai Zhaoji, quick-witted, turned it into flyers and, leveraging Cai Yong’s position as the Director of Education, made the creation of these flyers a homework assignment at Leping Academy, creating a systematic propaganda process for Qiao Yan.

“I thought,” Cai Zhaoji continued, “even though people in Bingzhou would know that Marquis of Leping paper isn’t as expensive as rumored, for many households, having a sheet of paper with writing is still a luxury. So, what would the first thing these new residents learn to read be?”

The answer was obvious.

“The names of the commanderies in Bingzhou, the locations of coal, iron, and gypsum mines, and—”

“And your great achievements,” Cai Zhaoji said confidently. “This way, the only thing you need to worry about is whether you can continue to deliver victories that inspire confidence in Bingzhou.”

If this were early in Qiao Yan’s career, she might have been concerned. But now, she wasn’t.

She hadn’t let recent victories cloud her judgment, and with such a talented team, she had already made strides that defied historical expectations.

She replied, “With all of you by my side, what do I have to fear?”

As she had decided in Luoyang, the subsequent personnel appointments included Yang Xiu replacing Lu Yuan as the Chief Clerk, promoting Lu Yuan to the position of Merit Officer, appointing Zheng Tai as the Grand Arbiter, and Xun You as the Officer of Shang Commandery.

This left only a few positions vacant: Wuyuan, which had the Du Liao General’s camp; Dingxiang, which could be overseen by the Military Officer; and Shangdang.

By the time these appointments were made, it had been nearly half a month since Qiao Yan returned to Jinyang.

The Luoyang residents had been settled in their respective commanderies, the backlog of documents from Qiao Yan’s campaign against Dong Zhuo had been processed, and the first wave of newcomers to Bingzhou had arrived. With everyone in place, they could now fulfill their duties.

To her surprise, Zheng Tai approached her after accepting his appointment and said, “I’d like to recommend someone for the position of Officer of Shangdang Commandery.”

Zheng Tai’s first recommendation as the Grand Arbiter couldn’t be taken lightly, so Qiao Yan straightened up, ready to listen.

“Your Excellency, you’re probably too busy to notice, but among those who arrived at the registration point outside Jinyang yesterday was a clan originally from Henei Commandery, surnamed Chang. The Chang family isn’t prominent, but they have produced many talented individuals.”

“But with such a background, why would they need to come to Bingzhou?” Qiao Yan asked, puzzled.

“No, they really needed to come,” Zheng Tai shook his head and continued. “Formerly, Wang Kuang, the Grand General He Jin’s advisor, if I recall correctly, had some interaction with you.”

“You could say it was a battle and… a critique.” The former referred to Wang Kuang’s encounter with Qiao Yan during the selection of the Du Liao General, while the latter was from Xu Zijiang’s Monthly Appraisal five years ago, where Wang Kuang was also present.

But that wasn’t what Zheng Tai wanted to discuss.

He said, “This news might not have reached Bingzhou yet, but the refugees have already arrived. Wang Kuang, due to his connection with Grand General He Jin, naturally sided with the eldest son of the late emperor. He immediately submitted a petition, congratulating him on his ascension and requesting the position of Prefect of Henei.”

“Given his experience and reputation, the appointment came quickly. But Wang Kuang, who is good at idle talk, would find governing a commandery too challenging. He sent his men to spy on the counties, arresting anyone with even minor offenses, regardless of the circumstances, and demanding ransom in grain or money. Those who hesitated were executed, along with their families. This was to assert his authority and quickly fill the government coffers to start raising troops in the current situation.”

Wang Kuang’s actions were outrageous. If every newly appointed prefect acted like this, how would they be any different from Dong Zhuo?

Zheng Tai, disdainful of such behavior, referred to this “renowned scholar” by his full name and said, “The Chang family of Henei has a member who once fought…”








His retainers, for reasons unknown, were also detained by Wang Kuang, causing panic among the clan. They were unsure how much ransom Wang Kuang would demand or if the young man named Chang Lin would directly seek out Wang Kuang’s fellow villager, Hu Mubiao, to speak on their behalf.

He said that Wang Kuang, with his exceptional civil and military talents, had come to the fertile and populous River North County. At a time when the young emperor was on the throne and treacherous officials were rampant, it was essential to select the virtuous and capable to eliminate the bandits and aid the distressed.

As the saying goes, “The wise anticipate the wind and respond like an echo. To quell chaos, harmony is key. What battle cannot be won? Without virtue and benevolence, appointing the wrong person will lead to imminent downfall. How can one then assist the court?”

After he finished speaking, Hu Mubiao relayed his words to Wang Kuang, resulting in the release of the detained clan member, Chang Lin’s uncle. However, Chang Lin couldn’t be sure if their explanation to Wang Kuang would hold the next day, so he fled with his clan to Bingzhou overnight.

“I’ve heard of Chang Lin before. He is studious and talented, with a strong sense of justice. As one of the outstanding figures among the relocated families, why doesn’t Lord Qiao appoint him as an officer in Shangdang County?” Zheng Tai suggested, bowing to her. “This would be a case of ‘buying bones with gold.'”

After some thought, Qiao Yan agreed to his suggestion.

However, after seeing Zheng Tai off, Qiao Yan pondered over Chang Lin and Shangdang County, feeling she might have forgotten something.

She vaguely remembered that Chang Lin had a friend he met while seeking refuge in Shangdang County. But with so many tasks at hand, she couldn’t recall who it was.

But since the person was already in her territory, if there was someone important, they would come to her attention, just as Zheng Tai had recommended Chang Lin today.

The vacant position of Wuyuan County officer was soon filled.

This time, it wasn’t a new figure but Xu Fu, who came to her and said, “My lord, if you wish to conquer Liangzhou, you must first secure the interior before dealing with external threats. The General of Crossing the Liao stationed in Wuyuan should assist you in quelling the border chaos. Even if the central government changes, he should not abandon his post but stand united with you. However, his actions have only connected with external enemies and offered no assistance to you.”

He bowed to Qiao Yan and said, “Though I am not talented, I wish to serve as the officer of Wuyuan County and help you eliminate this internal threat.”

In his words, Qiao Yan sensed a lingering chivalrous spirit from his past as a wandering knight.

If the situation were different, he might have said, “I will bring Han Fu’s head to you.”

But his demeanor reassured Qiao Yan.

He was truly her trusted subordinate, and now that he had completed his training, he could take on significant responsibilities, such as planning to eliminate Han Fu, the hidden threat.

After a moment of eye contact, Qiao Yan confirmed his determination as the blade to cut out the rot and replied, “As you wish, I will send the appointment letter to you later.”

Seeing that Xu Fu didn’t leave immediately, Qiao Yan asked curiously, “Is there something else?”

She wasn’t surprised that Xu Fu had more to say, as her subordinates often had unconventional ideas. But his somewhat awkward expression contrasted sharply with his earlier resolve to eliminate Han Fu.

After some hesitation, Xu Fu said, “Earlier, my lord gave Zhongde a new name, changing it to Yu. The new disciple of Lady Ma, who recently arrived in Bingzhou, received the character ‘Hong’ from you…”

He looked at her expectantly, “Would my lord be willing to bestow a new name upon me as well?”

To be honest, Qiao Yan had wanted to do this for a while. But seeing Xu Fu’s attitude, as if receiving a new name from her was a mark of recognition and a way to show superiority over others, she couldn’t help but find it amusing.

She took a piece of paper, wrote the character “Shu” on it, and handed it to Xu Fu.

“May you excel in all matters, never forget the common people, and achieve great accomplishments. How about this name?”

This also brought the name back to its historical trajectory.

Xu Fu, or rather Xu Shu, didn’t know what Qiao Yan was thinking. He only felt that receiving such a blessing while actively seeking a position from her was most fitting.

From now on, he would be called Xu Shu!

He carefully folded the paper with the character “Shu” and tucked it into his sleeve. Seeing Qiao Yan still looking at him, he straightened his posture, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Alright, you may go. By the way, go with Zilong to sound out Zhang Xiu, who was captured. See if he is willing to take up the position of Dingxiang County officer, so he doesn’t have to face his uncle.”

If this works out, another vacant position can be filled.

After handling these matters, Qiao Yan finally had the chance to meet Li Ru.

After capturing Li Ru during Dong Zhuo’s escape from Luoyang, Qiao Yan had not mistreated him.

First, she had his injuries from falling off his horse treated. Then, while restricting his movement, she ensured he lacked nothing in terms of food and drink.

Even when he wanted to read to pass the time, Qiao Yan had books sent to him.

However, unlike Zhang Yi, who had been previously confined by her and had the audacity to eat more to build strength, Li Ru was not so carefree.

In Qiao Yan’s view, Li Ru’s current state could be described as fully aware of his predicament, eating and sleeping as usual, even taking walks, but still looking slightly thinner.

This signaled that he wouldn’t easily switch sides just because he had been captured.

“I know that you, Master Li, cannot be as loyal to me as Wen Xian.”

Hearing Qiao Yan’s voice from behind, Li Ru didn’t stop what he was doing.

In the courtyard where he was confined, he had requested a plot of land to grow vegetables and flowers.

While Qiao Yan’s farming in Luoyang was to appear less ambitious, Li Ru’s farming seemed more like a way to pass the time.

He swung the hoe again, but with his arm still injured and his leg limping, the sight was both comical and pitiful.

He replied, “Since you know this, why have you come specifically to see me?”

Li Ru understood Qiao Yan’s intentions in keeping him here. She had explained it when she captured him.

Did Qiao Yan really lack strategists? Not necessarily.

On his way to Bingzhou, Li Ru had calculated the expansion of her strategist roster after her victory over Dong Zhuo, feeling deeply concerned for Dong Zhuo’s future.

Unfortunately, confined here, even if Dong Zhuo, as Qiao Yan suggested, would change his autocratic ways after this defeat and heed his plans, Li Ru couldn’t deliver the message.

Thinking of this, Li Ru couldn’t help but sigh.

Even without the help of these strategists, Qiao Yan, as a fellow ambitious figure, clearly surpassed Dong Zhuo in intelligence.

The march from Luoyang to Jinyang, along with the relocation of the people, made Li Ru admire Qiao Yan’s steady actions.

Hearing Qiao Yan’s calm response despite his refusal to cooperate, Li Ru replied indifferently, “You should know that a life-saving grace must be repaid with a spring of water.”

This explained the origin of his master-servant relationship with Dong Zhuo.

Perhaps, in the beginning, the two had indeed enjoyed a harmonious relationship. Dong Zhuo’s rise in Xiliang and his ability to befriend Qiang nobles at least justified his title of Former General.

Qiao Yan thought for a moment and asked, “If Dong Zhuo were dead, would you seek revenge or surrender to me?”

Li Ru didn’t answer directly but instead asked, “With your cautious steps and your desire to build a reputation as a loyal subject of the Han, aren’t you afraid that using someone like me would damage your prestige?”

Hearing this, Qiao Yan laughed, “Since you ask this, I’ll take it as a positive answer to my previous question.”

Li Ru’s loyalty was only to Dong Zhuo’s downfall. He wouldn’t stand on the opposing side and exacerbate the situation.

But if Dong Zhuo died, all grievances would vanish, and he would no longer identify as Dong Zhuo’s strategist. After all, he had done his utmost for Dong Zhuo.

This was clearly good news for Qiao Yan.

She continued, “How much territory do you think I will have by the time Dong Zhuo falls? Won’t there be a place for you? If you feel that the name Li Ru is too tied to your relationship with Dong Zhuo and want to change it to something like Li Meng, I have no objections. With Bingzhou’s capabilities, obtaining a new identity is not difficult.”

Before leaving, Qiao Yan said, “Please consider this carefully.”

Li Ru couldn’t help but shake his head. Qiao Yan’s suggestion that he could change his name to Li Meng showed a youthful side to this governor.

But as she said, the world was vast, and there were places where his past actions wouldn’t matter, and he could be of use.

Holding the hoe, he pondered for a moment, deciding not to think about such distant problems.

Qiao Yan’s plan to march through Liangzhou to attack Dong Zhuo in Chang’an was no secret within her Bingzhou army.

But conquering Liangzhou was no simple task.

Even if she could quickly familiarize herself with Liangzhou’s terrain and avoid the discord that plagued Dong Zhuo and Huangfu Song, defeating the Qiang people, who had recovered from Duan Jiong’s extermination policies, and dealing with the united forces of Ma Teng and Han Sui, was not something that could be done with mere words.

Even with Bingzhou as a rear base, they would need to wait until after the autumn harvest, when Bingzhou had surplus grain, before launching an attack.

To further advance on Chang’an would take even more time.

We’ll see then.

In this era of divided rule, with each side claiming an emperor—

Liu Xie, held captive by Dong Zhuo in Chang’an, adopted the era name Guangxi.

Liu Bian, who declared himself the legitimate emperor in Ye City, with Yuan Shao’s assistance, announced the era name Zhaoning to the world.

This created a situation where using whose era name as a time marker signified recognition of that emperor’s legitimacy.

Regions along the north-south divide faced difficult choices, possibly even having officials appointed by both sides.

Fortunately, Qiao Yan didn’t face such dilemmas.

Before Liu Bian ascended the throne, she had already proposed that since she intended to march through Liangzhou to rescue Liu Xie in Chang’an, following Liu Hong’s edict, she naturally recognized Liu Xie as emperor.

Thus, for Bingzhou, it was the seventh month of the first year of Guangxi.

Qiao Yan reclined on the soft couch in her study, listening to the wind through the bamboo and the cicadas’ chirping, as she opened her character panel.

[Name: Qiao Yan]

[Faction: ?]

[Occupation: Strategist (?)]

[Age: 15 (full years)]

[Physique: 95 (100), Martial Power: 80 (100), Intelligence: 82 (100), Luck: 75 (?)]

[Remaining Attribute Points: 11]

[Skills: History Lv7, Eloquence Lv9, Incitement Lv10, Artifact Appraisal Lv4, Archery Lv12, Horseback Riding Lv11, Painting Lv3, Calligraphy Lv7, Field Archaeology Lv5, Numismatics Lv3…]

[Remaining Skill Points: 0]

[Strategist Points: 350] (Every 10 Strategist Points automatically grants 3 Attribute Points and 1 Skill Point)

She stared at the panel for a while, then allocated all 11 remaining Attribute Points to Luck.