Chapter 155
“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”
The whispers of Huyuan Tuoli—a rather dubious publicity stunt—seemed to have completely bypassed Qiao Yan’s ears, maybe because she had set the bar too high.
Her sharp eyes also clearly noticed the expressions of the local Bei Valley folks transforming from eager learners to sheer panic upon hearing the definition of the bone meal.
“……” Qiao Yan felt an urge to give this idiot a good kick and toss him into Bingzhou’s fertilizer-making pit for a few months of hard labor.
Regardless of whether he was the Left Guli Wang or held some other title, she needed to turn him into a farming whiz before letting him back into the wild.
But then an idea struck her—
With the relatively primitive and brutal nature of the Qiang people in Liangzhou, could some baseless rumors actually work in consolidating her influence around here?
If the rumors were truly just hearsay, dispelling them shouldn’t be too hard.
With that thought in mind, she dropped the plan to silence Tuoli and instead continued down the mountain with Cheng Yu, discussing the progress on crafting wooden rafts in Gaoping City.
While Tuoli hushed his voice, she certainly did not.
In an instant, Tuoli’s once mystique-laden expression froze as he turned his head back, only to find Qiao Yan and Cheng Yu walking away.
Seeing that they seemed to be oblivious to his rambling explanations and were just passing by, he let out a sigh, clutching his wildly beating heart.
He complained about how Qiao Yan had stripped his assets bare, likening himself to a plucked eagle, though he never truly anticipated experiencing the full brunt of Qiao Yan’s calculations for real.
He wished he hadn’t heard any nonsense at all.
However, the next day, his anxiety returned.
After all, the first words spoken by a faction of captives from the Qiang tribe who came to pledge allegiance to Qiao Yan were: “We are willing to serve you, Your Excellency! Please do not turn us into bone meal fertilizer!”
“……” Upon hearing this, Tuoli went completely stiff.
“What’s wrong with you?” Yufuluo patted his shoulder, only to see the plump fellow leap up.
Tuoli grimaced as he looked at Yufuluo.
A few days ago, he was ridiculing Yufuluo for getting captured by a Qiang woman, practically dragging their Southern Xiongnu name through the mud.
Yet now he felt that Yufuluo’s blunder might actually lower people’s defenses towards him, serving as a kind of self-preservation strategy.
But he, Tuoli, was in a different boat!
Today, he might just end up a dead eagle.
He spent the better part of the day feeling anxious, then received a message from Qiao Yan ordering—
He was to lead the newly surrendered Qiang to visit the burial site of Qiang bones in Gaoping City, making sure to “personally” dig open the graves so everyone could see the remains clearly.
Qiao Yan could hardly be bothered to truly seal his lips.
Her focus wasn’t even on the rumors.
In light of the fifteen thousand Qiang casualties caused by her actions, even without Tuoli’s foolish babbling, odd claims would still surface.
And none of that would affect her.
Rather, she’d be better off thinking about her opponents.
Just as Qiao Yan had suspected, while she was establishing agricultural military colonies near Gaoping, simultaneously exerting bloody suppression while being gentle, the one most anxious wouldn’t be Han Sui, who had a nice defensive position to fall back on.
Given the current circumstances, Han Sui could restrict the battle area to a narrow strip of land, retreat to the safety of Jincheng if need be, or even lead a small contingent over the mountains toward the Hexi Corridor.
Besides, let’s be real, the only folks he’s seriously offended are the ones within Liangzhou.
For someone like him, who was quite thrifty even among the Qiang and had his own military flair, even if he left Liangzhou, there would still be job prospects elsewhere.
But there was one person who lacked such options.
That was the notorious Dong Zhuo, currently stuck in Luoyang.
News of Qiao Yan’s advances toward Gaoping reached him later than it did Han Sui.
By the time he caught wind of it, they were practically at the deadline for the expected meeting at Fengyi Mountain.
It was no surprise that the battle wouldn’t happen—Han Sui wouldn’t be foolish enough to pick such a location for a fight.
But Qiao Yan didn’t choose a direct advance; she executed a series of actions in Gaoping, leaving Dong Zhuo genuinely perplexed.
“Qiao Yan is skilled at employing unusual tactics to win. What do you think she’s waiting for?”
Reflecting on how Gaoping, the first city out of Chang’an towards the northwest, had quietly switched from being under the control of the Zhong Qiang to that of the Bingzhou army, Dong Zhuo found himself increasingly restless.
He quickly summoned his subordinates, Zhang Ji and Duan Wei, who were stationed at key points, for a strategy meeting.
Most of the officials in Chang’an were not wholeheartedly on his side, so he could only rely on his own men.
In a dire need of personnel, Dong Zhuo had even given the position of cavalry deputy to Hu Feng, Li Jue’s nephew.
However, when it came down to it, he still favored Zhang Ji and Duan Wei above all.
The two men were perceptive enough to recognize that Dong Zhuo’s question had concluded, and instead of speaking, they chose to walk around the room with crossed arms, waiting for another opportunity.
Sure enough, Dong Zhuo asked, “Is it possible that while on the surface she seems to be challenging Han Sui, in reality, she’s plotting a direct attack on Guan Zhong?”
This was a hard conclusion for Dong Zhuo to avoid making.
Relatively speaking, the route from Gaoping to Chang’an is much easier than venturing from Gaoping into the heart of Liangzhou toward Jincheng.
This is a path that has often been favored by the Qiang in recent years when seeking to invade the Three Auxiliaries.
Dong Zhuo continued, “In the battle at the Yellow River crossing at Mengjin, she appeared to be building a boat to cross, but in reality, relied on sheepskin bags to get across.”
After the fall of Luoyang, this particular crossing method couldn’t possibly remain a secret; with Qiao Yan’s victory, it also became a topic of admiration in the capital.
“In the Gaoping battle, she seemed to be having the Southern Xiongnu cultivate land at Ziwuling, but in reality, she fiercely deployed her troops, storming the city.”
“With these two battles relying on deception to defeat the enemy, who’s to say she wouldn’t employ a similar tactic now?”
Dong Zhuo paused, his gaze fixed on the map in the room.
He had once prospered before with no plans from Li Ru guiding him.
But perhaps it had been too long since then, for as he strained his brain to churn out ideas, he felt as if his mind was gathering dust.
Or maybe it was simply the trouble of facing his current circumstances that caused him a dull headache.
“If Han Sui skips out on his date at Fengyi Mountain, prepares for war around Jincheng and Yuzhong, while Ma Teng stands ready to assist from Longxi, he can readily lean on the Tao River for support. But what if they sit tight while Qiao Yan pivots to directly assault the Three Auxiliaries?”
“Do you think we should weaken defenses in other areas and concentrate our efforts on guarding west of Chang’an?”
Dong Zhuo had an ambitious plan, convincing himself that with Ma Teng and Han Sui as backup in Liangzhou, even if Qiao Yan opted to attack Chang’an first, he could utilize the Qiang forces as a counterattack.
“So it’s a classic sandwich attack, huh?”
But now, amongst his reinforcements, the Qiang people had lost their nerve to launch a sneak attack on Qiao Yan thanks to her military expansion and pillaging tactics.
Ma Teng and Han Sui were stubbornly holding onto their little patch of land, and if they wanted to gather their troops for a counterattack, it would surely take time.
With this time lag, considering the strength Qiao Yan’s troops displayed in the battle at Gaoping City, could she really not breach the Three Auxiliaries?
The fortified Maiwu, no matter how hard Dong Zhuo tried to transform it into a stronghold, was still not as deep and sturdy as Gaoping’s defenses.
This line of defense might not be effective at all.
“I don’t recommend pulling back the defense at Huayin,” Duan Wei replied after hearing Dong Zhuo’s analysis.
“The Bingzhou army is targeting Chang’an, and there are three routes based on the current layout. The one through Gaoling is the narrowest, easily monitored, and easier to defend. But Huayin needs to be prepared for an internal forces advance directly through the Yellow River or North Luo River into the Guanzhong Plain. The pass here is too wide, and it must be heavily guarded.”
Dong Zhuo nodded, affirming Duan Wei’s judgement.
Duan Wei continued, “The other route is the one currently approaching from Gaoping, and it’s also tricky to guard…”
He hesitated, seemingly unsure if he should continue, but with Dong Zhuo giving him an approving look, he plowed on. “My suggestion is that while changing generals at the last moment is unwise, for the sake of a complete defense of Chang’an, we must take action.”
“Please, Chancellor, order General Zhang to station at Huayin. Our military camp here is already showing results, and future troops can follow suit. General Zhang’s cavalry is decent and can also engage at Luochuan.”
“Order General Li to move to Gaoling; this position is strategically important and prone to errors. As for me—”
“I’ll guard against the incoming forces from Liangzhou!”
As soon as Duan Wei finished, Dong Zhuo clapped his hands in laughter: “With your loyalty and clarity, I have no worries.”
Dong Zhuo absolutely would not doubt Duan Wei’s loyalty because Duan Wei, the cousin of Duan Qiang, knew better than anyone that in this situation where Liangzhou people couldn’t rise through normal ranks, only by placing Dong Zhuo from Liangzhou in a high position could he avoid the same fate as Duan Qiang.
The greatest threat was from Liangzhou, so only Duan Wei could guard that direction to keep Dong Zhuo at ease.
Having caught wind of the court’s glee over Qiao Yan’s plans to attack Chang’an, Dong Zhuo wasted no time executing this personnel adjustment.
He had fled from Luoyang to Chang’an once and had no intention of doing it again, so he had to fortify this place!
To the west of Chang’an, Duan Wei.
To the north of Chang’an, Li Jue.
To the east of Chang’an, Zhang Ji.
This was the layout after the adjustments.
Dong Zhuo’s proactive war preparations were clearly passed down to his generals, and this troop movement was executed incredibly swiftly, with perhaps only Li Jue being somewhat dissatisfied.
He complained to his wife, “What does the Chancellor mean by this? Gaoling is easier to defend than Maiwu and Huayin! Even with two eyes, it’s obvious. Isn’t it just to rank us on a scale?”
Li Jue knew full well he was no match for Duan Wei, but he still considered himself on par with Zhang Ji. Why should Zhang Ji get to take over Duan Wei’s duties while he was stuck in Gaoling?
The Chancellor’s implication was clear: he was weaker than the other two!
How rude of him!
Li Jue’s frustration was palpable.
But then he heard his wife say, “What’s the big deal? Didn’t the Chancellor also say you need to split some troops to guard the old Ganquan Palace location, forming two lines of defense? You have an outside nephew you can send; that’s why you got this mission.”
“Gaoling is the mouth of the Jing River, an important position, while Chunhua is the end of a straight road, also a key site, even the former Han’s secondary capital. If it were up to me, I’d much rather be stationed there. If not for Xiao’s youth, I wouldn’t let that little kid have such a nice assignment.”
Li Jue thought about it and realized there was some truth in what she said, temporarily suppressing his dissatisfaction.
But whether he was genuinely letting it go or just putting on a show, only he knew for sure.
Dong Zhuo’s adjustments for the defense of Chang’an, under the influence of several internal supporters, were not difficult to transmit to Qiao Yan’s ears.
However, this adjustment did not impact her plans for mobilization.
From the beginning, she had no intention of directly attacking Chang’an.
In late April and early May of the second year of Guangxi, Gaoping was busy receiving grain and supplies sent from Bingzhou, completing the stockpiling within the city. The military camp at Huo Shizhai also wrapped up with both the seeding of fields and the construction of cottages.
This allowed the Qiang people embedded within Liangzhou to solidify into a base of operations that couldn’t be ignored.
Most importantly, she was pleasantly surprised by Yao Chang’s performance.
She indeed showcased sharper judgment compared to other Qiang tribes; after receiving some military management authority from Qiao Yan, she swiftly organized a fighting force of Qiang people willing to battle for Qiao Yan while still managing the land.
“I’d rather you choose me than those South Xiongnu like Yufuluo,” she said, not just making exaggerated claims for the survival of her tribe.
After reporting on the sources, familial ties, and strengths of these Qiang individuals, Qiao Yan could see the energetic determination in her eyes, confirming something else—
These individuals were indeed poised to stand with Qiao Yan, and it wasn’t just a random guess.
She was currently seeking an opportunity to prove she could play a larger role.
Qiao Yan beckoned her closer.
Yao Chang saw Qiao Yan point at the map before her and asked, “If I need you to take down Ayang for me, how confident are you?”
Ayang?
Yao Chang, being local, was naturally familiar with Ayang.
This was precisely where the Qingshui River originated, used by the military camp at Huo Shizhai.
In the fourth year of Yanxi, the Shen Di Qiang and Lao Jie Qiang, who originally lived in the Upper Commandery, teamed up to attack Bingzhou, Liangzhou, and the Three Auxiliaries, but after being defeated, fled to Ayang.
Ayang could be considered the other end of the Liupan Mountains; with mountains to the east providing a natural barrier and Lu Jiao Kou to the west leading to the Han Yang commandery, it was a vital stronghold.
Thus, even with all the noise Qiao Yan was making around Gaoping, the Shen Di Qiang in Ayang didn’t make any moves.
They had their reasons to hold their ground.
However, Yao Chang felt intuitively that given Qiao Yan’s assertiveness, she likely had other motives beyond simply punishing disobedience.
She tentatively asked, “Are you planning to take Ma Teng first?”
Qiao Yan replied, “Isn’t that possible?”
Yao Chang quickly responded, “No, of course it is!”
With Qiao Yan preparing to engage Han Sui, seemingly intent on attacking and holding a vital route, it was easy to overlook that she also had a third option—
Finding internal support in Han Yang presented an easy path for her. Therefore, entering Han Yang from Anding Commandery and directly taking Longxi, first tackling Ma Teng, was completely feasible!
And on that route, the only nuisance was Ayang.
So, she just needed to eliminate that thorn!
This wasn’t a task that needed to be assigned to the Qiang. Quite the opposite; the Qiang needed to prove their worth under Qiao Yan’s command through this battle.
This was their true allegiance!
