Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 5: The Han Divided, Battles Settle the West Chapter 164: Upper, Middle, and Lower Strategies

Dong Zhuo couldn’t help but feel excited in his heart.

He was really in desperate need of a strategist!

If only Li Ru were still by his side, when those ministers who came to Chang’an to follow Liu Xie had any objections to his actions, he would have someone to argue back.

Even if he could recruit a few literati from the court who were genuinely loyal to him, he shouldn’t be so stuck on this fertile land of Guanzhong.

The Eastern Han court’s verbal and written attacks against him, he had no one to help him fight back.

At this moment, he began to envy He Jin.

Both were reckless men, how come He Jin could have a group of literary officials by his side, while he was in such a state.

After He Jin’s death, Chen Lin, as the chief clerk, defected to Yuan Shao’s side, and this year even helped Yuan Shao write a denunciation against Dong Zhuo for holding Liu Xie hostage, which infuriated Dong Zhuo to no end.

Now Qiao Yan swiftly took out his backup in Liangzhou, gaining the support of the Qiang people, with such efficiency that Dong Zhuo almost suspected she had Liangzhou blood.

This made him even more in need of a far-sighted strategist to plan for him, to decide how to handle the possible attacks on Chang’an.

Once Qiao Yan stabilizes Liangzhou by removing the biggest threat, there are at least three routes to attack Chang’an.

The benefits of holding the Han emperor, he hasn’t enjoyed much, but destruction is already at hand.

Whether to fight, continue to move, or find another ally, someone needs to give him advice.

Moreover, he was also in desperate need of military officers.

Relatives like Dong Min, who were connected by blood, would have firmly stood by his side.

His son-in-law Niu Fu, though sometimes not very bright, at least had some martial prowess.

Xu Rong, who could both lead troops and fight, even if not from Liangzhou and had some friction with his subordinates, could at least hold a line for him if he were here.

But now they were all gone.

So—

Whether it was Yan Xing or Jia Xu, if he could keep them as his subordinates, he would try.

Yan Xing was still young, with plenty of room to grow.

What pleased Dong Zhuo the most was that not only did he show loyalty in delivering the message over a thousand miles, but he also had a natural opposition to Qiao Yan.

Considering this, he didn’t directly tell Yan Xing that he didn’t plan to send troops to Liangzhou, to avoid giving the eastern court and Bingzhou forces an opportunity, but said, “General Han’s position as Left General was personally conferred by the Son of Heaven. Qiao Yan’s unauthorized attack and forcing him to death is an act of rebellion.”

Dong Zhuo walked a few steps towards Yan Xing.

At this closer distance, he saw a high-quality young poplar from Liangzhou, which was quite satisfying.

Perhaps because his own son died early, seeing a young man who was hostile not towards him but towards Qiao Yan, he liked him more and more.

He patted Yan Xing’s shoulder and said, “General Han’s revenge must be avenged, but we need to plan carefully, whether to lure the enemy in or directly counterattack Liangzhou. I plan to discuss with my subordinates, rearrange the troops in Guanzhong, and then make a decision.”

This was a vague answer.

Dong Zhuo felt his words were quite appropriate.

Sure enough, he saw a flash of joy in Yan Xing’s eyes, who said, “If the Prime Minister has this intention, it is not in vain for General Han to trust you. It’s better to be cautious about sending troops.”

Dong Zhuo then took the opportunity to ask, “If we really send troops, would you be willing to serve as a lieutenant general under me, to seek justice for your former master?”

Yan Xing replied without hesitation, “No need for a lieutenant general! If the Prime Minister is willing to avenge General Han, I am willing to be a vanguard and do my best.”

Dong Zhuo was satisfied.

Since being beaten by Qiao Yan to the gates of Luoyang, he felt everything was going wrong, but now he finally had something satisfactory!

To show his appreciation for this young general, upon hearing that the horse he rode from Liangzhou to Chang’an was injured and might affect his performance in battle, he immediately ordered a fine horse from his stable to be given to Yan Xing.

When he recalled the remnants from Liangzhou, they brought him a few good horses from Xiliang.

Although there was nothing comparable to Red Hare in the short term, it was much better than Yan Xing’s injured horse.

After seeing Yan Xing off, he turned to Duan Wei and asked about Jia Xu’s situation.

To Dong Zhuo, military officers were easier to win over than civil officials, like Yan Xing who smiled when he heard about the good horse for battle.

But civil officials… at least Dong Zhuo couldn’t understand the thoughts of people like Wang Yun and Huang Wan.

So he could only consult Duan Wei, who was more of a scholar-general.

“Relying solely on the connection from Liangzhou to persuade him to serve us might not be easy,” Duan Wei analyzed, “On the way to Chang’an, I got closer to him by reminiscing about old times in Wuwei Commandery. After reporting to the Prime Minister yesterday, I talked to him again. He said that since letting him go back, the Prime Minister wouldn’t be satisfied, it’s better to kill him early.”

Dong Zhuo felt a bit heartbroken and asked, “Why so decisive? Qiao Yan only gave him the title of a temporary assistant. There are more than twenty temporary assistants in a province, how can that match his talent.”

It couldn’t be that with such treatment, his loyalty to Qiao Yan could compare to Yan Xing’s loyalty to Han Sui.

If that were the case, Dong Zhuo would be depressed.

Duan Wei shook his head, “It’s not just about loyalty. Jia Xu said his wife and children are in Bingzhou, his eldest son is serving under the Governor of Bingzhou, he can’t switch sides due to geographical relations, as it would mean endangering his family. So since he was unlucky to be taken hostage by Yan Xing to Chang’an, it’s better to die, which is good for everyone. It also saves the Prime Minister some effort.”

Duan Wei didn’t mention that Jia Xu added, “Your eloquence isn’t great, better use your brains on thinking, at least don’t come up with ideas like privately minting coins.”

But telling this to Dong Zhuo might really make him kill Jia Xu.

After all, killing scholars wasn’t something Dong Zhuo hadn’t done before.

It’s better to be a bit more restrained.

Duan Wei’s decision was clearly right. Hearing this, Dong Zhuo sighed and said, “It’s a helpless situation that he can’t serve me because of his family. This can’t be blamed on Jia Xu.”

Perhaps because he repeatedly failed to recruit civil officials, it stirred a bit of rebellion in him, giving him extraordinary patience with this seemingly most promising strategist.

If they just passed by like this, it would be really unwilling.

Jia Xu’s appearance of not being able to serve him made him not suspect any human influence in the appearance of Jia Xu and Yan Xing.

He asked Duan Wei, “Is there really no way to make him strategize for me? If he is willing to serve me, I can at least give him the position of Secretary. If I remember correctly, you told me yesterday that Jia Xu’s ancestors included Jia Yi, he should want to fulfill his ancestors’ unfulfilled wishes.”

Jia Yi was sidelined, despite his excellent political theories, he only got the position of Tutor to the Prince of Changsha.

But Jia Xu’s situation is different!

As long as he is willing to strategize for Dong Zhuo, in this situation holding Liu Xie, he would be the top strategist replacing Li Ru, standing high in the court.

Duan Wei understood Dong Zhuo’s urgency and replied, “I’ll try to persuade him again.”

To Duan Wei, not only was Jia Xu not valued by Qiao Yan, but his son Jia Mu’s position in Bingzhou was also somewhat of a joke.

Having both father and son as temporary assistants, was it to belittle the father or mock the son?

This is the real situation of Liangzhou people under non-Liangzhou officials.

Perhaps it’s not hard to make Jia Xu understand this! The hard part is protecting his family.

Of course, some ideas shouldn’t be tried.

He heard Dong Zhuo then say, “You said Jia Xu is worried about his family? My daughter recently lost her husband, she can marry him, and naturally have other sons, which could be a solution.”

Duan Wei was stunned.

Prime Minister! If you really do this, it’s not a favor, but making an enemy!

He quickly replied, “Let me try again, no need for such means unless absolutely necessary.”

Hearing this, Dong Zhuo gave up.

Three or four days later, new news came from Liangzhou.

This news wasn’t blocked by the mountains, but successfully reached Chang’an, because another person defected to Dong Zhuo.

But when Dong Zhuo saw him, he was almost dying, with only a little breath left.

“Yang family from Hanyang?” He frowned hearing the man introduce himself.

According to this man, after Qiao Yan pacified Huangzhong with the Qu family, completely erasing Han Sui’s influence from Jincheng, she intended to completely eliminate the threats in Liangzhou.

The first to suffer were those who had correspondence with Han Sui.

With Ma Teng and Ma Chao serving her, Qu Yi and Qu Yan working for her, Gai Xun back in charge of Hanyang, and Gaoping City holding the center, she had no pressure to launch multi-front attacks!

This was undoubtedly a show of deterrence!





She plans to point her sword at Chang’an after eliminating Han Sui, leaving no room for any future troubles in her rear.

The situation of other powerful clans remains unknown, but the Yang family in Long County immediately faced a purge.

Yang Qiu narrowly escaped under the protection of his servants, but with the current medical conditions, he has almost no chance of survival.

If anything, he is merely hoping that the Son of Heaven is in Chang’an, where there might be a renowned physician who could save him.

Unfortunately, the imperial medical office that once existed in Luoyang has already moved to Ye City with Liu Bian, and Dong Zhuo can do nothing about his situation.

At best, Dong Zhuo can only choose a good burial site for him in Chang’an.

Duan Wei, who was planning to return to Mei County to guard it, was grabbed by Dong Zhuo and asked, “Do you think Qiao Yan isn’t afraid of killing too many powerful clans and causing a backlash?”

Duan Wei replied with a bitter smile, “You, as the Prime Minister, are from Liangzhou yourself. How could you not understand this? She wants stability in her rear while advancing on Chang’an. As long as she co-opts some and suppresses others, she can ensure that no one in Liangzhou dares to interfere with her actions for a year.”

If she can bring sufficient benefits to those who stand on her side during this period, the deterrent effect could last even longer.

Moreover, even within the “Yang” clan in Liangzhou, there are the Hanyang Yangs and the Jiuquan Yangs. By killing the former due to Han Sui, she actually gains the support of the latter.

This is the law of the jungle in Liangzhou.

But regardless of whether this move is short-sighted or not, Qiao Yan is the Prefect of Bingzhou, not Liangzhou. Why should she care about these things?

However, what Dong Zhuo never expected was that he initially thought Qiao Yan’s ruthless actions were a disaster for him, as they demonstrated that his opponent was a capable politician. Yet, just when he was most anxious, he suddenly received news that Jia Xu requested an audience.

This strategist from Liangzhou bowed to him and said, “I wonder if the Prime Minister would be willing to hear my advice?”

Dong Zhuo, surprised and delighted, stood up and asked, “Sir, what made you change your mind?”

Jia Xu’s gaze was heavy, “The fame of my ancestors lasted for three generations, but now it has faded. Fortunately, a descendant of Jia Changsha served as the Prefect of Wuwei, establishing the Wuwei Jia clan. However, by my generation, several more generations have passed, and the clan’s glory has not been restored. As a man of ambition, I wish to serve the country and also revive my family. I initially thought Qiao Yan was the one destined to carry the imperial mandate, hence I advised her. But now, it seems otherwise!”

“If those in power kill powerful clans like slaughtering pigs and dogs, cutting off relatives for minor mistakes, even those who are cautious and meticulous will eventually face great calamity. Even if I die in Chang’an, and my son serves under her, inheriting my loyalty and righteousness, what use is it? It’s better to seek a way out with the Prime Minister!”

His seemingly calm tone hid a barely concealed fury.

Especially the condemning tone in the words “what use is it,” which made it clear to anyone listening that it was his suggestion for Qiao Yan to use Han Sui’s letter as a pretext to eliminate some powerful clan leaders.

And now, his words only made Dong Zhuo overjoyed.

It was true that Jia Xu refused to serve him because his son was still in Bingzhou.

It was equally true that he chose to defect because of Qiao Yan’s harsh treatment of the Liangzhou clans!

Qiao Yan had inadvertently helped him by pushing this strategist, whom he wanted to recruit, into his arms!

Dong Zhuo quickly replied, “If you have any advice for me, I will listen attentively.”

Jia Xu sat down at Dong Zhuo’s gesture, calmed his emotions, and then said, “What the Prime Minister is most worried about now is Qiao Yan’s imminent advance on Chang’an. She has already refused the position of General of Agile Cavalry, making reconciliation impossible. The Prime Minister probably also doesn’t want to die with the Son of Heaven—this move would not only render the opponent’s campaign futile but also make the eastern lord laugh in his dreams.”

Dong Zhuo nodded.

If one can live, who would want to die?

He is even more reluctant to give up the emperor as a bargaining chip.

Even though his situation in Chang’an is somewhat awkward and embarrassing, it is still infinitely better than when he was campaigning in Xiliang and constantly being constrained by others.

“Please elaborate, sir.”

Jia Xu said, “I have three strategies to offer the Prime Minister: upper, middle, and lower.”

Seeing Dong Zhuo’s attentive expression, Jia Xu continued, “The lower strategy is to use the pretext of uniting with Liu Yan, the Governor of Yizhou, to protect the Son of Heaven, and seize Hanzhong. On one hand, guard Longyou and the three passes to attack the strategic points of Yizhou; on the other hand, use the Son of Heaven’s name to annex Liu Yan’s forces until you control all of Yizhou. Yizhou is a land of natural barriers and fertile soil. Although the Qiang people are considered barbarians, they are as skilled in battle as the Qiang people of Liangzhou. If the Prime Minister wants to win them over, it should be easy for you. Once you have strong troops and ample supplies, you can plan a counterattack.”

“Qiao Yan’s foundation is in Bingzhou. With her current strength, she cannot fully control Guanzhong, giving the Prime Minister a chance to return.”

After digesting this, Dong Zhuo hesitantly asked, “If it’s as you say, this doesn’t seem like a lower strategy?”

It sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it?

Jia Xu firmly replied, “No, this is indeed the lower strategy! In Yizhou, it’s difficult to send troops out, let alone the Son of Heaven’s decrees! If the Son of Heaven’s edicts cannot spread across the land, and the imperial grace is limited to one province, the Prime Minister’s act of following the Son of Heaven’s orders while not submitting to him would be a joke.”

Dong Zhuo was stunned for a moment, “You’re right, this cannot be done lightly.”

Jia Xu continued, “The middle strategy is to ally with Liu Biao, the Governor of Jing Province, repel Sun Jian and Zhu Jun, and use Jing Province as a passage to directly attack Yang Province. Yuan Shu and the Prefect of Lujiang are locked in a fierce battle. Lu Kang, who respects the western Son of Heaven, could be the Prime Minister’s ally. Yuan Shu has been unable to take Lujiang for a long time, and his troops are exhausted. If the Prime Minister and Liu Biao join forces to defeat Yuan Shu and seize Yang Province, establishing the capital in Moling, it could be a path to survival.”

“In the past, when the First Emperor of Qin toured east to Moling, a Taoist said that Jinling had the aura of a royal capital. Thus, he dug through the ridges and chiseled the northern mountains, renaming Jinling to Moling, indicating that this place is indeed a land where royal fortunes rise in the east.”

Dong Zhuo’s eyes lit up.

This suggestion sounds very tempting…

But just as he was about to ask why this was only a middle strategy, Jia Xu added, “However, Liu Biao of Jing Province, who once entered Jing Province alone, is not an ordinary man. Having such a person by your side is no different from having Qiao Yan nearby. Moreover, while the natural barrier of the Yangtze River protects Moling, it also blocks the northern route. The populations of Yang and Jiao Provinces are insufficient, and the future struggle between north and south will inevitably reach a dead end. Hence, this is the middle strategy.”

Dong Zhuo couldn’t help but lean forward, “May I ask, sir, what is the upper strategy?”

The lower and middle strategies, as Jia Xu eloquently explained, had already captivated Dong Zhuo.

He was very eager to hear what Jia Xu’s upper strategy would be.

But all he heard were four words, “Stay put and do nothing.”

If he had heard these four words directly without the lower and middle strategies, Dong Zhuo would have suspected that Jia Xu was a spy sent by Qiao Yan and would have angrily kicked him out.

Stay put and do nothing?

Is this something that can be done so casually?

Jia Xu’s expression remained calm and composed, as if he didn’t notice the doubt in Dong Zhuo’s eyes, and explained, “Prime Minister, what do you think Yuan Shao’s reaction would be if he were told that Qiao Yan, within half a month, launched a surprise attack and defeated Ma Teng and Han Sui? And if he were also told that on the second day after Han Sui’s Jincheng was besieged, Han Sui’s head was cut off by his own men and sent to Qiao Yan, what would his reaction be?”

A thoughtful look flashed across Dong Zhuo’s face as Jia Xu’s voice echoed in the hall, “Yuan Shao might have originally thought that Qiao Yan, leading the troops of Bingzhou, would be unfamiliar with Liangzhou and thus her advance would be slow. Even with Gaoping as a base, it would take at least a year or two to defeat Ma Teng and Han Sui. By then, he would have already strengthened himself under the Son of Heaven’s orders.”

Han Sui thought the same, so he didn’t expect Qiao Yan to have the time to first take Ma Teng and then enter Jincheng.

But the facts have proven that one should never underestimate the capabilities of this Prefect of Bingzhou.

Even though she is not yet twenty years old!

“Now that Liangzhou is pacified, Yuan Shao would not want to see such a person, both civil and military, successfully rescue the emperor. With Han Sui’s death as a precedent, who’s to say the next head to be delivered won’t be yours, Prime Minister Dong? By then, Qiao Yan would effortlessly enter Chang’an, advance east under the Son of Heaven’s orders, and Yuan Shao would be in grave danger!”

Dong Zhuo couldn’t help but think that his situation was even more dangerous than Han Sui’s.

Han Sui was first crippled and trapped in Jincheng, and his subordinates, not wanting to die with him, delivered his head.

In the city of Chang’an that Dong Zhuo controls, there are even more people who oppose him.

Fortunately, as Jia Xu said, he and Yuan Shao are in a relationship where if one falls, the other is in danger.

If Yuan Shao doesn’t want Qiao Yan to further threaten his situation, in the changing times, Yuan Shao would indeed have to consider Dong Zhuo’s position!

Jia Xu added, “Yuan Shao, from a family of four generations of high officials, with the court in Ye City as his backing, would find it much easier to cause trouble for Qiao Yan than you, Prime Minister, wouldn’t he?”

This wasn’t meant to belittle Dong Zhuo, but it was the truth.

Dong Zhuo immediately decided, “I will follow your advice, defend the three passes, and inform Yuan Shao of the situation in Liangzhou, letting him be our blade.”

Of course, this information couldn’t be sent directly by Dong Zhuo in the form of a plea for help. It had to be someone within the Chang’an court who was sympathetic to the Ye City faction, making it a voluntary report, which would be more secure.

However, as Dong Zhuo arranged for this, he couldn’t help but consider one question—

If he remembered correctly, Yuan Shao had suffered defeats at Qiao Yan’s hands more than once. What if he developed a psychological shadow and didn’t dare to act?

Or, even with his illustrious family background and now holding the Son of Heaven, what if his actions still allowed Qiao Yan to easily counter them?

But thinking that he still had the fallback of the middle and lower strategies, he didn’t change his decision.

What Dong Zhuo didn’t know was that Qiao Yan was also quite worried about the first issue.

So after much deliberation, she decided to add another blow.

When Yuan Shao received the news from Liangzhou, just as his strategist Shen Pei advised him not to rush into causing trouble for Qiao Yan, as it could leave room for criticism and allow Dong Zhuo to profit, he was informed that Qiao Yan had sent him a letter.

Upon opening it, he saw only one sentence—

[“A year has passed, where is the military grain? I am about to rescue the emperor in Chang’an, return it quickly.”]