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“So, when are we going to stage a little action at Ayang?”
Yao Chang turned to Qiao Yan at the end of their conversation, tossing the question out there.
Qiao Yan’s answer? Well, it was pretty much: “That’s up to you. When do you figure your Qiang team can snag a win under my banner? That’s when we strike.”
By mid-May, the farming season was wrapping up everywhere.
But fresh seedlings didn’t mean everyone was feeling the joy of a harvest just months away.
With summer arriving, it also seemed like the perfect recipe for chaos.
The land-hungry refugees, having suffered through the winter and spring, were finally fired up by the summer heat, ready to fight back.
In Qingzhou and Jizhou, two branches of the Yellow Turbans rallied; one led by Guan Hai, attacking Beihai, and the other with Yu Du, Bai Rao, and Sui Gu leading the charge on Wei County.
The first group? Not worth mentioning. But the latter? That was shaking things up.
Wei County had its capital in Ye City, right under the emperor’s nose!
Even if these bandits popped up in the far corners of Wei County, it still counted as the capital region.
And it was much closer than the original incursions from Liangzhou to Luoyang!
Liu Bian thought relocating to Ye City would mean peace, but now he had to deal with these bandits lurking around.
In a state of shock and anger, he immediately ordered Yuan Shao to give him some answers.
Meanwhile, Xi Zhicai, holding down the fort in Bingzhou, broke it down for Qiao Yan in a letter.
Ye City had turned into a hub for the powerful, jacking up grain prices uncontrollably, since last year’s harvest didn’t add anything special, and this year’s spring plowing had only squeezed the common folk’s survival even further.
The grain price fluctuation led to people struggling to survive on the outskirts of Wei County; it was just typical.
If there were any officials in Ye City skilled in administration, they might quickly win over the refugees. But it’s important to remember that most of Yuan Shao’s appointees in Jizhou were local bullies. Grabbing the hearts of the people wasn’t that easy.
After Liu Bian urgently summoned Yuan Shao back from Qingzhou to Jizhou, the chaos did settle down quickly. But the scattered refugees kept drifting into the surrounding areas.
This was a chance for Bingzhou.
And for two other places, too.
Among the fleeing refugees, two guys really stole the show, but honestly, it was because the one who hired them had an eye for talent that they got their chance to shine.
To the north of Jizhou, 22-year-old Tian Chou was appointed by Liu Yu, the Youzhou Governor, to take care of things and carve out laws regarding the treatment of refugees, addressing murder, theft, and lawsuits, while also teaching skills, wedding customs, and opening up wasteland.
Liu Yu wasn’t some slouch either.
He had already been working on trade with Wuhuan since last year, and after restoring order in Yuyang, he had raked in funds from the salt and iron industry, freeing Youzhou from having to rely on Jizhou and Qingzhou for aid.
With policies promoting benevolence and fair laws, Youzhou flipped the script and achieved a “grain price of thirty” — a stone of rice only costing thirty coins.
Since Liu Yu was from Liu Bian’s uncle’s lineage, it wasn’t unusual for folks in Youzhou to wonder — if Liu Bian could ascend to the throne in Ye City while he was still a hostage in Chang’an, why couldn’t their Youzhou Governor Liu Yu be the rightful emperor?
This kind of heretical talk might silently dissolve at other times, but now, it buzzed through the air.
Meanwhile, to the south of Jizhou, the current Dong Commandery Prefect Cao Cao appointed Zao Zhi from Yingchuan to be responsible for settling the incoming refugees on Dong Commandery’s lands.
Zao Zhi had mad skills in “encouraging agriculture and stockpiling crops,” and in this chaotic time, his impact might be bigger than Chen Gong’s.
He had turned down an invitation from Yuan Shao before jumping ship to Cao Cao, which made Cao Cao value him even more.
Earlier, Qiao Yan had mentioned him in passing.
What he was doing wasn’t just farm work; he proposed a pretty comprehensive land reclamation system that allowed Cao Cao to recruit refugees effectively — finally something solid!
“At a time like this, you could say the Taihang Mountains are both an advantage and a disadvantage for Bingzhou,” Qiao Yan said, after reading Xi Zhicai’s letter twice, turning to Xun You.
She was definitely saying it, but her tone showed little regret.
She had more talented officials and generals than any other warlord, so she had no reason to envy what others were gathering.
In fact, given the current climate, she’d even rather have a combo of Tian Chou and Liu Yu, or Zao Zhi and Cao Cao because at least in their domains, it looked like the folks could enjoy a semblance of stability.
But what comes next? No one could make a guess.
Just like no one expected Gongsun Zan from Youzhou, while subduing the Yuyang rebellion, to grow an ambition to challenge Liu Yu as his force swelled.
Xun You asked, “Are you lamenting that the Taihang Mountains are blocking the way, making it hard for the people to cross to Yanzhou and Youzhou, or are you regretting that such talents are stuck in the chaos within the Taihang range, unable to serve you?”
Qiao Yan didn’t directly answer but gazed at the Qingshui River in front of her.
In the upstream waters flowing through the mountainous fields, the lilacs were blooming from Liupan Mountain, creating a mix of delicate petals. But if you looked closely, you’d spot a hint of red in the otherwise clear water.
She looked upstream, catching sight of the morning light rising over the mountain ridges.
“Let’s not talk about anything east of Taihang now; it’s high time we made our move.”
Xun You could hear it in her tone, still gentle when she spoke of Bingzhou’s disadvantage, but there was a clear sense of urgency dripping from her voice.
The Qiang were already making moves at Ayang; it was their turn to act.
Even though she had come clean with Yao Chang that under the guise of attacking Han Sui and Dong Zhuo, her first strike was against Ma Teng, it didn’t mean this was just a simple march toward Han Yang.
“Gaoping City is our base, and also the crucial hub for transporting grain from Bingzhou into Liangzhou; we can’t afford to lose it.”
Qiao Yan stood at the head and looked down at everyone.
“Zhongde!”
Cheng Yu, already at her left flank, bowed respectfully.
“I’ll leave General Zhao in your care; make sure to defend Gaoping!”
Qiao Yan didn’t need to say much more; Cheng Yu understood perfectly.
He had to protect more than just Gaoping; he needed to safeguard Qiao Yan’s Fire Stone Stronghold built from her growing reputation. After she left with her troops, he couldn’t let the local Liangzhou Han and Qiang stir up any trouble.
If possible, they might even expand outward from Gaoping, gathering more manpower.
Stabilizing the rear while planning the next military maneuver was something she felt good about with Cheng Yu and Zhao Yun.
“Wenhe!”
Jia Xu stepped forward at the call.
“In and around Gaoping City, from mid-last month to now, over five hundred boats and bamboo rafts have been built. You are to lead five thousand soldiers with Generals Chu and Qu northward, making your way up the Yellow River toward Kuiyuan Gorge. Hold off on engaging Han Sui for now; secure the city of Ao Wei ahead while you wait for military orders.”
Ao Wei was north of the Yellow River, northeast of Kuiyuan Gorge, and there was no need to elaborate on why Chu Yan would be accompanying him.
With the rugged cliffs on either side of Kuiyuan Gorge, this entry was tough to crack, but if they could switch up their strategy, things would look way better.
Ao Wei was in Wuwei Commandery, which was Jia Xu’s hometown.
Jincheng Commandery, about to be attacked, was where Qu Yi was born.
The choice of people for this operation may not be the most aggressive, but they sure were the best fit.
Jia Xu and Chu Yan, along with Qu Yi, acknowledged with a “Yes.”
Qiao Yan continued, “Gong Da will be our army strategist for this operation, and the rest of you generals — follow my lead!”
After distributing the defenders for Gaoping City and the troops heading north along the Yellow River, she still had Dian Wei, Lü Bu, Fu Gan, Gai Xun, Jiang Jiao, and Huangfu Song left with her.
Yao Chang had claimed Qiao Yan operated in Han Yang like a breeze, and she wasn’t joking.
Fu Gan was the son of former Prefect Fu Xie.
Gai Xun had once served as the Prefect of Han Yang and was renowned for his achievements.
Jiang Jiao was not only an officer under the current Han Yang Prefect but also one of the four main families of Han Yang.
Even if Han Yang was still packed with a fair amount of Qiang rebels, making the current Prefect reluctant to take office publicly, if she wanted to rush in with her troops through Han Yang County, plenty of folks would come to assist her.
As long as —
They could get rid of that pesky obstacle at Ayang.
Yao Chang wiped the blood off her face.
Maybe at this moment, what trickled down her temples wasn’t just enemy blood, but sweat too.
But she tightened her grip on the long knife and fidgeted with her leather armor, her eyes still sharp and bright.
Ayang was no easy nut to crack.
When Han Sui and Bian Zhang were coerced into becoming bandits by Beigong Boyu and his crew, this place had been garrisoned by Gai Xun, who had successfully held them back. They couldn’t manage to seize it, and following Gai Xun’s troop movements, it fell completely under the control of enemy hands, occupied by nearby Shen Di Qiang.
And after the loss of Gaoping City, the Qiang stationed in Ayang would certainly not make the same mistake, allowing this place to slip because of negligence in their defense.
Hence, a direct assault was their only way forward.
There would be plenty of injuries.
Yet Yao Chang didn’t feel that Qiao Yan’s entrustment of such a heavy responsibility to her showed any dissatisfaction.
Just like Tuoli and Yufuluo had remarked — Qiang warriors honored dying in battle!
Even if the Shudang Qiang learned farming like the Han people after the Han-ization process, that instinct for combat still flowed deep in their veins.
Qiao Yan had only provided her with reinforced leather armor, sharper weapons, and better climbing tools, without offering any strategies for breaking a city, which left Yao Chang feeling totally satisfied!
That was more than enough!
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“To make a name for yourself in front of the commander leading the charge into Liangzhou, you’ll need a bloodsoaked battle.”
In this nighttime skirmish, Yao Chang led her Qiang troops, nimbly avoiding detection from Shen Di Qiang as they surrounded the city from three sides while the defenders were sounding the alarm.
These mountain-fighting Qiang, upon reaching the city, unleashed a particularly special attack method.
They paired up: one climbing quickly while the other, maintaining a steady ascent, hurled javelins at the defenders on the city wall.
The range of these javelins wasn’t too far, but it was more than enough to reach the height of Ayang County!
By chance, Gai Xun, during his past defense of Ayang, had used up most of the city’s defensive equipment.
Especially the wolf tooth blades that could be set on the city walls!
This advance notice made Yao Chang even more confident in her assault on the county seat.
As her troops scaled the wall, Yao Chang swung her grappling hook and deftly climbed up.
Meanwhile, the archers who had been waiting and watching unengaged had already left several arrows lodged in the rammed earth of Ayang’s walls.
These arrows were merely a cover for the main assault force.
Their weapon was the four-stone crossbow.
In just half an hour, these crossbows had already embedded arrows halfway into the city wall.
Yao Chang’s agility and eye-foot coordination made her one of the best among the Qiang, allowing her to step nimbly on these embedded arrows and use them like a makeshift ladder.
She was one of the first to reach the top!
The moment she landed on the wall, her instincts kicked in, and she swiftly dodged a thrusting spear aimed at her while throwing her javelin.
Simultaneously, a comrade following her quickly seized the now-dead defender’s spear, stabbing it into another enemy.
Yao Chang then grabbed a nearby wolf tooth blade and decisively hurled it at the soldiers trying to scale the wall from the other side.
But being the commander, she couldn’t just limit herself to hand-to-hand combat.
So as soon as she ascended the wall, her gaze began to scan the enemy ranks.
Even though the night reduced visibility, being a Qiang allowed her to easily identify the presence of the enemy commander through their formations!
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
Found her!
When Qiao Yan’s troops arrived, the clash had already entered its final stages.
In this battle of Qiang against Qiang, the mixed Qiang forces that had breached the city wall had established dominance over Shen Di Qiang, pushing the fight from inside the city to the outside.
This girl, Yao Chang, really lived up to her self-proclaimed title of commander, as she shot down the enemy Qiang leader with her bow and led the melee headfirst into the fray.
Good thing she remembered to have a loud-mouthed messenger with her, or else facing Qiao Yan might have left her hand trembling around her knife!
But after this battle, Yao Chang’s eyes sparkled as if ignited.
She reported to Qiao Yan, “Our Qiang troops total four thousand, with a thousand dead, three thousand killed, and over a thousand captured. Thanks to the weapons provided by Your Excellency, Chang… I have not let you down!”
If the city couldn’t be breached, the death toll between attackers and defenders would typically be six to one.
Fortunately, Yao Chang’s troops successfully entered Ayang County, turning the tide.
Qiao Yan praised, “Well done! Gather your troops and formalize your ranks.”
As Yao Chang took a couple of steps, Qiao Yan added, “Tell your victorious team that according to our Bingzhou military regulations, they will receive thirty stones of grain for each killed enemy and captured person. Figure out how to distribute it: how much for the fallen, how much for the living, and let the elders from each Qiang clan report back to Xun You.”
This wasn’t just for Yao Chang; the others accompanying her heard it too.
So when Xun You ordered a rapid march to reorganize the troops outside Ayang, these Qiang, despite just surviving a hair-raising battle, didn’t show any signs of fatigue as they grabbed their supplies.
Yet, Qiao Yan still put them all in the rear guard, not planning to wear them out further.
The choice of Qiang rather than Han troops to assault Ayang was meant to reduce our losses while giving these Qiang a legitimate reason to integrate into the ranks, but during the march ahead—
She had to showcase the might of the Bingzhou army!
From Ayang, they headed towards the administrative center of Hanyang, Jixian.
In this march of over ten thousand into their territory, the once-cowering Zhang Taishou of Hanyang immediately straightened up and took action with the early-arriving Gai Xun, Fu Gan, and Jiang Jiao’s help, commandeering the scattered garrison troops.
When Qiao Yan and Huangfu Song arrived shortly after, the rebellious Qiang in Hanyang had fled, terrified of meeting the same fate as Shen Di Qiang and Zhong Qiang.
Originally, Zhang Taishou thought Gai Xun’s choice to march into Bingzhou was just a desperate attempt.
But when his gaze fell upon Qiao Yan’s accompanying forces, he had to admit that a person of great renown must have their unique qualities.
At that moment, he failed to realize that the Bingzhou army had outfitted their war horses with horseshoes; it just felt like even their hooves sounded stronger than the usual horses!
That said, Gai Xun really picked the right partner.
Still, upon hearing that Qiao Yan didn’t intend to rest in Jixian but would press on to Zhang County to advance into Longxi, even though he knew Qiao Yan’s army movements in Bingzhou were beyond belief, Zhang Taishou still cautioned, “Ma Teng might not be prepared for your advance, but his former general Pang De is stationed at Zhang County; it’s wiser to be cautious.”
Qiao Yan replied, “It’s precisely because I know Ma Teng has sent his trusted lieutenant to Zhang County that I must enter swiftly.”
She pointed west and said, “Zhang Taishou might not realize, but the Qiang and scattered tribes we’ve broken along the way have recognized our large army entering Hanyang territory; they’re too scared to flee towards Longxi where Ma Teng is. This is the perfect time for a rapid advance.”
“Yancai—”
Upon hearing Qiao Yan’s call, Fu Gan hurried forward on horseback.
“Go grab two jars of strong liquor; I’d like to toast your father along with General Huangfu before we set off again.”
Fu Gan’s eyes slightly flickered, but he suppressed the emotions welling up inside him and responded loudly, “Yes!”
In the fourth year of Zhongping, the governor of Liangzhou, Geng Bi, recklessly gathered troops to eliminate bandits, leading to a mutiny and resulting in rebel forces turning against Jixian.
This was where Fu Xie met his end.
Three years later, a young governor clad in armor and renowned generals arrived here, each with a jar of strong liquor. Though only two stood before Jixian’s city, it felt like a thousand troops were lined up.
Qiao Yan uncorked the liquor jar and poured it on the yellow earth before the city, hearing Huangfu Song say, “Nán Róng is honored to be commemorated by you, seeing you train Yancai into the leader she is today. He can die without regret.”
She replied, “Then I wish for his soul to linger a few more years, to witness me take Han Sui’s head and thoroughly cleanse Liangzhou!”
Huangfu Song paused for a moment.
Thoroughly cleanse Liangzhou?
Now, that sounds like an ambitious goal!
The Eastern Han dynasties had spent billions without accomplishing this in a true sense; it wasn’t something that could be completed just by killing Han Sui.
But for some reason, upon hearing this from Qiao Yan, Huangfu Song felt a significant conviction in her words.
He smiled, “Alright, let’s toast with strong liquor for the fallen, witness this wish, and if I can see this vision come to life, I won’t have lived this life in vain!”
“Let’s go! Enter Longxi!”
After the two returned to the ranks, Qiao Yan signaled the whole army to advance.
It wasn’t too far from Jixian to Zhang County on the Longxi border, and part of it followed the Weishui River.
Longxi County was indeed the source of the Weishui.
The area of the birds and mice entangled in the mountains north of Zhang County.
According to Fu Gan, the harsh winter in Liangzhou drove birds to seek shelter in mountain holes. The birds couldn’t dig the holes themselves, so they had to occupy the burrows made by mice, thus creating the phenomenon of birds and mice sharing holes, which became the mountain’s name.
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Is it mutual support, or are they just taking over each other’s nests?”
This seemed to epitomize the current state of Liangzhou.
But for now, they had to strike at Ma Teng’s lair!
There were indeed benefits to moving quickly.
When the Bingzhou army reached within three miles of Zhang County, Pang De finally received word.
In shock, he immediately gathered his men to defend against the incoming forces.
Keep in mind, Longxi County isn’t like Jincheng County! Entering Longxi isn’t limited to passing through Zhang County alone.
When Qiao Yan led the Bingzhou army into the area, what he should be doing wasn’t fortifying the city but making use of the cavalry’s mobility to disrupt the advancing enemy forces forcefully.
Before exiting the city, he ordered another team to send news to Ma Teng stationed in Lintao.
But no matter how quickly he organized his troops, three miles was only a blink away for a well-fed army.
Pang De gathered his armored cavalry, seeing the ranks of black-armored soldiers on the opposing side gradually forming a battle line just over a thousand paces away.
From such a distance, he couldn’t clearly see the entire force, but he could feel the bubbling bloodlust emanating from their neatly arranged formation.
And it was easy to spot the enemy commander emerging from the now-spreading ranks.
The infamous governor of Bingzhou since entering Liangzhou was now sizing up the early-engaged troops and the distant Zhang County fortified city.
Then, in Pang De’s view, she raised her hand.
This wasn’t a signal to advance.
In the next moment, a heavy quarrel suddenly pierced through Pang De’s chest!
This was a quarrel shot from a heavy crossbow on the opposing side, catching the Zhang County defender’s life off guard!
As he fell from his horse, Pang’s mind raced with countless questions.
The biggest one being—
How could that quarrel be so precise while maintaining its range!
