Chapter 156

Chapter 156: The Deadly Crossbow

At the end of the conversation, Yao Chang asked Qiao Yan, “When do you plan to move against Ayang?”

The reply she received was:

“It depends on you. When the Qiang forces under my command can secure a victory, that will be the time to act.”

By mid-May, the busy farming season across the regions had come to an end.

However, the sprouting of new crops did not bring joy to everyone, as the prospect of a bountiful harvest in a few months was not universally shared.

With summer approaching, it seemed like the perfect time for chaos to erupt.

The displaced peasants, having endured the hardships of winter and spring, were finally driven by the summer heat to a desperate resolve to fight back.

In Qingzhou and Ji Province, two groups of Yellow Turbans rose up. One, led by Guan Hai, attacked Beihai, while the other, led by Yu Du, Bai Rao, and Sui Gu, attacked Wei County.

The latter caused a significant uproar.

The administrative center of Wei County was Ye City, which was practically under the emperor’s nose!

Even if the bandits emerged from the outskirts of Wei County, it was still considered the imperial capital’s vicinity.

This was even closer than when the Liangzhou bandits had previously threatened the Sanfu region and Luoyang.

Liu Bian had thought that moving the capital to Ye City would bring peace, but he now found himself facing bandits right at his doorstep.

In a fit of rage, he immediately ordered Yuan Shao to provide an explanation.

Xi Zhicai, who remained in Bingzhou, analyzed the situation clearly in a letter to Qiao Yan.

The concentration of powerful families in Ye City had driven up grain prices, which had been uncontrollable since last year. With no significant increase in last year’s harvest, the situation worsened after this year’s spring planting, further squeezing the livelihoods of ordinary people.

The spread of these price fluctuations made it inevitable that the people on the outskirts of Wei County would struggle to survive.

If there had been capable administrators among the officials in Ye City, they might have been able to quickly pacify and absorb the displaced peasants. However, most of those Yuan Shao had appointed in Ji Province were local powerful families, making it difficult to truly understand and address the people’s concerns.

After Liu Bian urgently summoned Yuan Shao back from Qingzhou to Ji Province, the rebellion was quickly suppressed. However, the scattered displaced peasants began to flee to surrounding areas.

This was an opportunity for Bingzhou.

It was also an opportunity for two other regions.

Two individuals stood out during this exodus of displaced peasants, but more accurately, it was because those who employed them had keen insight, allowing them to shine.

To the north of Ji Province, the 22-year-old Tian Chou was appointed as an officer by Liu Yu, the Governor of Youzhou. He was tasked with drafting laws to handle killings, thefts, and lawsuits among the displaced peasants, as well as teaching knowledge, arranging marriages, and reclaiming wasteland.

Liu Yu himself was no ordinary man.

He had been overseeing the reopening of trade markets with the Wuhuan in Shanggu County since last year and had used the restored salt and iron industries in Yuyang to accumulate funds for resettling the displaced peasants.

With the dual approach of benevolent governance and strict laws, Youzhou broke free from its long-standing dependence on subsidies from Ji and Qing Provinces, achieving a grain price of only thirty coins per dan.

As Liu Yu was a descendant of Emperor Guangwu’s deposed crown prince, the Prince of Donghai, some in Youzhou began to speculate:

“If Liu Bian, the eldest son of Emperor Ling, could ascend the throne in Ye City after his younger brother was abducted by Dong Zhuo to Chang’an, why can’t our Governor Liu Yu of Youzhou become the rightful Son of Heaven instead of just a regent?”

Such treasonous talk, which might have been quickly suppressed at other times, began to spread under the current circumstances.

Meanwhile, to the south of Ji Province, Cao Cao, the Prefect of Dong Commandery, appointed Zao Zhi, a native of Yingchuan, as the Tuntian Commandant to settle the displaced peasants from the north on Dong Commandery’s land.

Zao Zhi’s skills in “encouraging agriculture and accumulating grain” were truly remarkable. In the current situation, his role might even be more significant than Chen Gong’s.

Having initially declined Yuan Shao’s invitation before joining Cao Cao, Zao Zhi earned Cao Cao’s deep respect.

Qiao Yan had previously mentioned him when deceiving the system.

What Zao Zhi did was not merely farming; he proposed a relatively complete tuntian system, allowing Cao Cao to legally absorb displaced peasants for his own use.

“At times like this, one must say that the Taihang Mountains are both an advantage and a disadvantage for Bingzhou,” Qiao Yan remarked after reading Xi Zhicai’s letter twice, speaking to Xun You beside her.

Though she said this, her tone lacked much regret.

She already had more capable officials and generals than any other warlord, so she had no reason to envy others for their recent acquisitions.

In fact, under the current circumstances, she was glad to see combinations like Tian Chou and Liu Yu, Zao Zhi and Cao Cao, as their regions seemed to offer some stability for the people.

But what the future held, no one could predict.

Just as no one could have foreseen that Gongsun Zan, while quelling the rebellion in Yuyang, would grow ambitious with the increase in his troops and even develop a desire to compete with Liu Yu.

Xun You asked, “Is the lord regretting that the Taihang Mountains block the path, making it difficult for people to cross, causing them to flee to Yanzhou and Youzhou? Or is she lamenting that Bingzhou’s prosperity is confined within the Taihang Mountains, preventing talented individuals from emerging in these troubled times to serve the lord?”

Qiao Yan did not answer directly, instead looking at the Qingshui River before her.

In the river flowing from the mountain fields, mixed with the blooming lilac flowers from the Liupan Mountains, there were also traces of blood in the otherwise clear water.

Qiao Yan looked upstream, where a ray of morning light was rising from the edge of the mountains.

She said, “Let’s not talk about the east of Taihang anymore. It’s time for us to move.”

Xun You could tell that her tone, though still gentle and calm as when she mentioned Bingzhou’s disadvantages, now carried a hint of readiness for battle.

The Qiang people had already made their move in Ayang, and it was indeed time for them to act.

Even though she had confessed to Yao Chang that, under the guise of attacking Han Sui and Dong Zhuo, her first target was actually Ma Teng, this was not just a simple westward march to Hanyang.

“Gaoping City is our base and the hub for transporting military supplies from Bingzhou to Liangzhou. It must not be lost.”

Qiao Yan stood at the front, looking at the people below.

“Zhongde.”

Cheng Yu, standing at the front left below her, bowed in response.

“I will leave General Zhao with you. Ensure Gaoping remains secure.”

What Qiao Yan did not say, Cheng Yu understood.

He was not just to protect Gaoping City but also the military farms at Huo Shizhai, which Qiao Yan had established with her authority. After she led the army away, he must ensure that the Han and Qiang people recruited in Liangzhou did not cause trouble in the rear.

If possible, he could also expand from Gaoping to recruit more people.

Such tasks of stabilizing the rear while managing military affairs were something she trusted Cheng Yu and Zhao Yun to handle.

“Wenhe.”

Jia Xu stepped forward.

“From last month to now, over five hundred boats and rafts have been built in and around Gaoping City. You will lead five thousand soldiers, along with Generals Chu and Qu, to transport the boats northward, up the Yellow River, and take Kuiyuan Gorge. Do not engage Han Sui immediately; instead, land and occupy Weicheng City, awaiting further orders.”

Weicheng City was located north of the Yellow River, northeast of Kuiyuan Gorge. The reason for sending Chu Yan with him was self-evident.

The rugged terrain on both sides of Kuiyuan Gorge made the Yellow River pass difficult to breach, but a different approach could change the situation.

Weicheng City was in Wuwei Commandery, Jia Xu’s hometown.

The target, Jincheng Commandery, was where Qu Yi was born.

This group might not be the most aggressive, but they were certainly the most suitable.

Jia Xu, Chu Yan, and Qu Yi responded with “Yes.”

Qiao Yan continued, “Gongda will be the strategist for my army. The rest of the generals—follow me!”

After assigning the forces to remain in Gaoping City and those to take the northern route along the Yellow River, her group included Dian Wei, Lü Bu, Fu Gan, Gai Xun, Jiang Jiao, and Huangfu Song.

Yao Chang’s claim that Qiao Yan could move freely within Hanyang was no exaggeration.

Fu Gan was the son of the former Prefect Fu Xie.

Gai Xun had once been the Prefect of Hanyang, renowned for his governance.

Jiang Jiao was not only an officer under the current Prefect of Hanyang but also a member of one of Hanyang’s four major clans.

Even though there were still many Qiang rebels scattered throughout Hanyang, making it impossible for the current Prefect to openly take office, Qiao Yan could quickly lead her troops through Hanyang with considerable support.

As long as—

They removed the obstacle of Ayang.

Yao Chang wiped the blood from her face.

Perhaps what dripped from her temples was not just the enemy’s blood but also her own sweat.

But she tightened her grip on her long sword and adjusted her leather armor, her eyes still clear and cold.

Ayang was not an easy county to attack.

When Han Sui and Bian Zhang were coerced into banditry by Beigong Bolu and others, this place had once been defended by Gai Xun. The Liangzhou bandits had failed to capture it, but after the rebellion grew stronger and Gai Xun was transferred, the county fell into enemy hands, occupied by the nearby Shen Qiang.

After Gaoping City changed hands, the Qiang people stationed in Ayang County would not make the same mistake of letting the city fall due to lax defenses.

Thus, the only option was a direct assault.

The casualties would undoubtedly be heavy.

But Yao Chang did not think that Qiao Yan entrusting her with such a heavy responsibility was a sign of dissatisfaction.

As Tuoli and Yufuluo had said, the Qiang people took pride in dying in battle!

Even though the Shaodang Qiang had undergone Sinicization and learned to farm like the Han people, their fighting spirit was still ingrained in their bones.

Qiao Yan had provided them with sturdier leather armor, sharper weapons, and better climbing tools, but she had not given Yao Chang any specific instructions on how to breach the city. Yet, Yao Chang felt no disappointment or dissatisfaction!

This was enough!








To gain enough status before the commander of the royal army who is conquering the Liangzhou region, a battle paid with blood is necessary.

In this night battle, Yao Chang led the Qiang people, skillfully avoiding the eyes and ears of the Shen Di Qiang in the mountains. By the time the city guards sounded the alarm, the Qiang had already surrounded them from three sides.

These Qiang, adept at mountain warfare, employed a particularly unique method of attack while scaling the walls.

They worked in pairs; while the first quickly climbed, the second maintained a steady ascent speed, using spears as weapons to strike the defenders on the battlements.

The throwing distance of these spears wasn’t too far, but it was sufficient for the height of Ayang County’s city walls!

Coincidentally, Gai Xun had previously defended Ayang, depleting most of the city’s defensive equipment.

Especially the wolf-tooth beaters that could be placed on the battlements!

This information, relayed to Yao Chang in advance, boosted her confidence in breaching the county city.

As the Qiang soldiers scaling the walls reached a level with the defenders, Yao Chang swung her rope hook and climbed the wall.

On their side, archers who had previously been inactive and roaming around had already left several arrow marks on Ayang’s rammed earth walls.

These arrows were merely covering for another group.

They wielded weapons called four-stone crossbows.

These crossbows had, within half an hour, left arrows deeply embedded in the city walls.

Yao Chang’s vision and limb coordination were top-notch among her people, allowing her to steadily step on the arrows embedded in the walls, turning them into a makeshift ladder.

She was among the first to reach the top of the wall!

Upon landing, her instinctive alertness to danger made her swiftly dodge a spear thrust towards her, simultaneously throwing her own spear.

Meanwhile, her companions who had also scaled the wall quickly seized the spear from its now-deceased holder and thrust it at another enemy soldier.

Yao Chang grabbed a nearby wolf-tooth beater and decisively threw it at another group of defenders attempting to climb the wall.

But as the commander, she couldn’t be limited to just melee combat.

So, upon reaching the top, her gaze began to scan the opposing forces.

Even though the night reduced visibility, being Qiang herself meant she could more easily discern the enemy commander’s presence through their formation!

Her eyes suddenly lit up.

Found him!

When Qiao Yan led her troops over the mountains and arrived outside Ayang County, the battle there was nearing its end.

In this Qiang versus Qiang battle, the mixed Qiang forces that had breached the walls and gained the upper hand had shifted the battlefield from inside the city to outside.

Yao Chang truly lived up to her self-proclaimed style as a commanding general, leading from the front even in close combat after shooting the opposing Qiang leader with her bow.

Fortunately, she remembered to find a loud-voiced messenger; otherwise, standing before Qiao Yan, her trembling hand holding a knife might have been more noticeable.

But after this battle, her eyes shone as if ignited.

She reported to Qiao Yan: “Our Qiang forces totaled four thousand, with a thousand dead, three thousand enemies killed, and over a thousand captured. Thanks to the weapons provided by the lord, Chang… has not failed in her mission!”

If a city cannot be breached, the death toll difference between attackers and defenders is often sixfold.

Fortunately, Yao Chang’s forces successfully entered Ayang County, turning the tide.

Qiao Yan praised, “Well done, gather the troops and join the ranks.”

As Yao Chang took a few steps, she heard Qiao Yan add, “Tell your victorious soldiers, according to our Bingzhou army’s rules, beheading one enemy or capturing one yields thirty stones of grain. Decide how to distribute it, how much for the dead and the living, and have the Qiang elders report to Strategist Xun.”

This was heard not just by Yao Chang but also by the other Qiang returning with her.

Thus, when Xun You ordered a rapid march after integrating the troops outside Ayang County, these Qiang soldiers’ speed in preparing for departure showed no signs of having just survived a fierce battle.

However, Qiao Yan still assigned them to the rear guard, not intending to further deplete them.

Choosing Qiang over Han soldiers for the attack on Ayang County was to minimize our losses and to give these Qiang a legitimate reason to integrate into the ranks. But in the upcoming march—

She intended to showcase the Bingzhou army’s might!

South of Ayang County lies Jiyuan, the capital of Hanyang Commandery.

Under the threat of over ten thousand troops, the previously reclusive Prefect Zhang immediately straightened up and took office.

With the early assistance of Gai Xun, Fu Gan, and Jiang Jiao, who arrived with light cavalry, he mobilized the scattered Jiyuan defenders with his official seal.

When Qiao Yan and Huangfu Song arrived, the rebellious Qiang in Hanyang Commandery had already fled, fearing the fate of the Shen Di Qiang and Zhong Qiang.

Prefect Zhang, from the Zhang family of Jiuquan, initially thought Gai Xun’s choice to go to Bingzhou was a desperate move.

But seeing the troops accompanying Qiao Yan, he had to admit that those with long-standing reputations indeed had their unique strengths.

He hadn’t yet realized the Bingzhou army had equipped their warhorses with horseshoes, only noticing their spirited demeanor and the louder-than-usual hoofbeats.

Thus, Gai Xun had chosen the right collaborator.

However, upon hearing Qiao Yan’s plan to bypass Jiyuan and head straight to Zhang County to advance into Longxi, even knowing her unexpected strategies in Bingzhou, Prefect Zhang cautioned, “Ma Teng might not be prepared for Bingzhou’s attack, but his former general’s chief secretary Pang De is stationed in Zhang County. Proceed with caution.”

Qiao Yan replied, “Precisely because I know Ma Teng has stationed his trusted aide in Zhang County, I must move quickly.”

She pointed westward, saying, “Prefect Zhang might not know, but the defending Qiang and scattered tribes we’ve defeated along the way, knowing our army has entered Hanyang, dare not flee towards Ma Teng’s Longxi. Now is the time for swift action.”

“Yancai—”

Hearing Qiao Yan’s call, Fu Gan quickly rode forward.

“Fetch two jars of strong wine. I and General Huangfu will toast your father, then we depart.”

Fu Gan’s eyes flickered, suppressing his emotions as he loudly replied, “Yes!”

In the fourth year of Zhongping, Geng Bi, the Governor of Liangzhou, disregarding his military capabilities, rashly gathered troops to quell bandits, leading to a mutiny and rebel attacks on Jiyuan.

This was also where Fu Xie met his end.

Three years later, the young armored governor and the renowned Liangzhou veteran each held a jar of strong wine at this site. Though only two stood before Jiyuan’s city gates, it felt as if a thousand troops were arrayed.

Qiao Yan opened the wine jar, pouring the strong wine onto the yellow earth before the city, as Huangfu Song said, “Nanrong would be content to see you honor him and raise Yancai to what he is today, dying without regrets.”

She replied, “Then I wish his spirit lingers a few more years, to see me take Han Sui’s head and fully pacify Liangzhou!”

Huangfu Song paused.

Fully pacify Liangzhou?

That sounded like an astonishingly grand ambition!

The Eastern Han dynasty had spent billions without truly achieving this, and it wasn’t a goal that could be accomplished merely by killing Han Sui.

Yet, hearing this from Qiao Yan, Huangfu Song felt a surprising sense of conviction.

He laughed, “Good! Today, strong wine honors the martyrs, witnessing this vow. If I can see this vision come true, my life would be fulfilled!”

“Let’s go! Into Longxi!”

After returning to the ranks, Qiao Yan signaled the entire army to advance.

From Jiyuan to the border of Longxi at Zhang County wasn’t far, with a significant portion following the Wei River.

Longxi Commandery is also the source of the Wei River.

At the Bird and Rat Shared Burrow Mountain north of Zhang County.

According to Fu Gan, winters in Liangzhou are bitterly cold, and birds would burrow into mountains to hide, but birds can’t dig holes themselves, so they occupy rat burrows, leading to the unique phenomenon of birds and rats sharing burrows, hence the mountain’s name.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Is the bird and rat sharing a burrow mutual reliance or usurpation?”

This seemed to reflect the current state of Liangzhou.

But for now, the priority was to take down Ma Teng’s stronghold!

Rapid marching indeed had its advantages.

When the Bingzhou army arrived three miles outside Zhang County, Pang De, stationed there, had just received the news.

Shocked, he immediately gathered his men to observe the approaching forces.

Longxi Commandery wasn’t like Jincheng Commandery! Entering Longxi wasn’t limited to passing through Zhang County.

As the Bingzhou army, led by Qiao Yan, arrived as if descending from heaven, his best move wasn’t to defend the city but to utilize the cavalry’s mobility to scatter and attack the weary incoming troops, dampening their morale.

He also sent another team to inform Ma Teng stationed in Lintao.

But no matter how fast he mobilized, three miles was but a short distance for a well-fed army.

Pang De reined in his horse, seeing the black-armored soldiers gradually forming ranks over a thousand paces ahead.

At this distance, he couldn’t clearly see the entire force but could feel the boiling killing intent conveyed through their orderly ranks.

More notably, the enemy commander emerged from the dispersed and then converging ranks.

The Governor of Bingzhou, who had been the subject of various rumors since entering Liangzhou, seemed to be scrutinizing the prematurely deployed troops and the fortified city of Zhang County in the distance.

Then, in Pang De’s view, she made a lifting motion.

This wasn’t a signal to advance.

Because the next moment, a heavy crossbow bolt suddenly pierced Pang De’s chest!

It was a bolt from the opposing side’s ballista, unexpectedly taking the life of Zhang County’s defending general.

As he fell from his horse, countless questions flashed through Pang De’s mind.

The biggest one being—

How could that bolt be so accurate while maintaining its range!