“So, strategists can’t hop on the throne, huh?”
In Chapter 170, Yu Jun was still a tad skeptical about the intel Guo Jia had dropped.
After sending someone on their way, he first had some chinwags with notable folks from his commandery, then shot off a letter to the Prefect of Jiuquan, Huang Yan, seeking a bit of advice.
Now, Huang Yan came from the Huang clan of Jiuquan and was a prime example of what Qiao Yan mentioned: being all the way out there on the edge of Han territory meant he wasn’t bound by the usual rules.
Technically, he was in the same rebellious boat as Di Dao and the Prefect of Longxi, Li Xiangru, who were both responding to Han Sui’s revolt.
If you wanted to pin the blame for Fu Xie’s death on Han Sui and the already deceased Wang Guo, you couldn’t really let Huang Yan off the hook either.
When the pests were surrounding Hanyang and Jixian, he actually tried to convince Fu Xie to surrender, and after Qiao Yan made his camp in Gaoping City, he smartly realized that Han Sui was no match for her. So, he quickly decided to switch sides and support her, which meant he was off the hook once Qiao Yan dealt with Han Sui.
This change of allegiance didn’t cost Huang Yan a dime since Jiuquan wasn’t exactly next door to An Ding or Jincheng, and it was pretty much a verbal pat on the back.
But to Yu Jun, Huang Yan had made the wisest move.
The Yang clan from Jiuquan sending Yang Feng to serve under Qiao Yan might not have happened without Huang Yan’s nudge.
Whether that would lead to profit was anyone’s guess, but at least he wasn’t being dragged out as a scapegoat.
Yu Jun had no clue that Qiao Yan had once mulled over whether to deal with Huang Yan after the battle for Jincheng with Fu Gan, leading him to think that Huang Yan must have sweet-talked his way into being considered a strategist.
However, Fu Gan had actually said, “If we just stick to Wuwei Commandery, it’s just double soldiers guarding the place. Trying to take Dunhuang, Jiuquan, and Zhangye though? That’s a whole different ball game. The Han still can’t control all these borderlands. We need the help of these noble families. Plus, letting this guy go is better than taking him down.”
“Now that Han Sui’s been dealt with and Wang Guo fell to General Huangfu, and with the North Palace’s Bo Yu gone due to internal strife, my father would rest easy if he knew we didn’t stir up more trouble.”
According to Fu Gan, Huang Yan was just a jumping jack who wasn’t worth fussing over. Best to leave him running Jiuquan, or else Qiao Yan’s territory would double in size, leaving her more spread thin than she’d like.
If the riverside settlements along the Lu River in Wuwei were to be fully constructed, it would only highlight Qiao Yan’s brilliance.
None of this chatter got out, and Huang Yan felt rather clever, likely puffed up by the Huang clan’s backing. When Yu Jun poked around asking questions, he replied, “It’s odd for a person not to have personal likes or hobbies. That young Prefect of Bingzhou, his arrogance and heart are all in the right place.”
Huang Yan pondered on Yu Jun’s inquiry.
His sweet tooth was a rather luxe preference in these times.
But since Qiao Yan hailed from the prominent Qiao family of Liang, even if she hadn’t been in touch with her Yanzhou kin for years, she still had the noble background to back up such tastes.
So, it wasn’t too over-the-top of a hobby.
It just caused some hassle for those trying to win her favor.
If she were into dashing young men, there were plenty to be found in Liang Province. If she fancied rare treasures, it’s just a matter of spending some cash to avoid disaster.
But stone honey? That was a different ball game; you had to be picky since it was edible.
Everyone knew by now it was made by extracting sugarcane juice, cooking it, and then baking it dry, but the added milk powder and flavors varied by region.
The stone honey from the Western Regions was of way better quality than anywhere else.
At least it was by far sweeter than that from Yizhou.
So, he added, “Wudu’s got a way into Shu, and to keep the Wudu folks from hogging the spoils, why not send a trading caravan to the Western Regions for the decent stuff?”
After getting Huang Yan’s response, Yu Jun was resolute.
With the current situation, the noble families in the Four Commanderies of Hexi had become wary after the Qiang uprising, and respect for the Han royal family was probably dwindling.
That’s why when rebellion sprang up in the fourth year of Zhongping, Huang Yan had said, “The world is no longer under the Han’s control.”
However, with Qiao Yan wielding local military power and posing a threat, they couldn’t afford to offend her due to her profitable pursuits.
It was just about getting some sugar, after all.
But…
Hold on a second, this wasn’t going to be easy!
That trading caravan from Wuwei had a lot of Dingling folks, Wusun folks, Dayuan folks, and even some Guishuang folks, so language wasn’t the main hiccup in this trade.
The real issue was that the area still tied to the Western Regions’ Protectorate and stretches further west were pretty much in turmoil, so snagging top-quality stone honey from Guishuang was risky business.
Inside Han territory, there were powerful ruffians like Dong Zhuo who could make life hard for the central powers, causing a split in imperial authority.
The areas beyond the Central Plains were tangled up in conflict as well.
In the Guishuang Empire, the second Hu Pi Se Jia had taken the throne around the time of Emperor Xiaohuan, right before the upheaval.
The shift of power to the south over the years allowed places like Kangju and Dayuan to break free from chains. A few years back, traders returning had news that the Parthians had thrown off Guishuang’s rule.
And to the west of Guishuang was the Parthian Empire, ruling under King Volagases IV.
Over twenty years ago he had invaded the West and got smacked down by Roman forces, even losing his royal palace to the flames of that army.
Since last year, Persian rebel forces have stirred, looking to rise while the Parthian Empire was weak.
In the past, the noble families in the Four Commanderies of Hexi might’ve enjoyed the scene in Han territory while gossiping about big nations far away, thinking it all was a hoot.
But now… now they were the punchline in Qiao Yan’s act, ready to be cut up at any moment.
“So, you mean you want to offer high-quality stone honey to the Duke, but with things outside all stirred up, you need to gather a larger trading caravan and hire some strong guards to keep the goods safe?” Guo Jia, once again approached by Yu Jun, asked as he listened to his proposal.
Yu Jun nodded, replying, “Guo, think about it, the Western Liang rebels have only just been quelled, and if we haphazardly pull together a big group, it might give Duke Qiao the wrong idea, thinking we want to revolt ourselves, which would lead to a military sweep. That’d be a real mess! I’d love to surprise him directly, but the situation just doesn’t allow for it.”
This Wuwei noble lad surely thought of Guo Jia as some military advisor.
What else could he do? Guo Jia was young and had jumped right into this without any caution, spilling out a way to please Qiao Yan, making it clear he was quite happy with the incentives being offered.
But little did he know, Guo Jia’s friendly vibes at the moment stemmed entirely from this new intel.
Guo Jia mused that the situation seemed far more favorable than he thought.
Concerning the situation outside the Han, Guo Jia was far from as in the know as Yu Jun!
The bulk of the scholarly folks in the Central Plains were only aware of the Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Xiongnu; who wouldn’t know what lay beyond the Protectorate of the Western Regions?
So originally, he had thought about pointing out Qiao Yan’s “flaws” first, before slowly working their way into presenting treasures, letting that trend build until Qiao Yan had the reins on things.
But this trade route was already out of Han’s grasp for decades, riddled with unpredictability that needed constant plan adjustments.
No, it should be Qiao Yan making those adjustments.
Since Yu Jun said he needed to recruit brave guards, nothing compared to Qiao Yan’s troops.
This provided her a perfect excuse to discreetly arrange personnel for the team.
Though it wouldn’t do to place the importance of outside supplies over managing lands they already held like Bingzhou and Liangzhou; it was all about timing for team structuring.
And it was up to Qiao Yan to make that call.
After hearing Guo Jia relay Yu Jun’s words, Qiao Yan raised her eyebrow.
With the Roman Empire, Parthian Empire, Guishuang Empire, and the Han all being the four largest empires on the Eurasian continent, laid out from west to east, they all coincidentally faced serious crises at this moment.
But she couldn’t spill this broader assessment.
Unless something major happened to her, she wouldn’t have eyeballs popping out, peering over the Western Regions Protectorate into what was happening on the other side.
Such intel could only filter through merchants along the Silk Road to reach the Four Commanderies of Hexi and finally land in her ears.
And given the distance, there could be some mix-ups in what was conveyed.
Luckily, most of what she got from Guo Jia was accurate.
It was indeed the frequent wars along land routes that led to Emperor Xiaohuan’s time where the Roman emperor sent ivory, rhino horns, and tortoise shells through the maritime Silk Road into Han territory in the ninth year of Yanxi.
“So, who do you think would be suitable to dispatch?” Qiao Yan asked.
Guo Jia smiled at her, “I reckon you already have an answer in mind, lady. Initially, you might have hesitated about a certain person’s involvement, but now it seems there’s a better fit.”
“A certain person?” Qiao Yan pondered, “No, it’s not just one person.”
She raised her hand and scribbled two names on a piece of paper before passing it to Guo Jia. “What do you think of these two?”
Guo Jia took the parchment and noted the names written:—
Ma Teng, Xu Rong.
The former was exactly who he meant, while the latter… was indeed quite a suitable choice!
He clasped his hands and said, “You’re incredibly sharp, lady.”
Ma Teng had already surrendered, but given how Qiao Yan had him under the watchful eye of Huangfu Song during the march to overthrow Kuaiyuan Gorge, it was clear she still had some reservations about his leading.
Perhaps Cao Cao’s arrangement of Ma Teng was spot on.
Giving him a high-ranking title but no real power would keep him content, aligning with his desire for a safe position to ride out the storm.
“But Qiao Yan’s situation isn’t the same as Cao Cao’s.”
She can’t yet issue any orders on behalf of the Son of Heaven, Liu Xie, and must bide her time in the territories of Liangzhou and Bingzhou.
This makes Ma Teng’s presence a bit awkward.
So, she can send Ma Chao as a vanguard to assist in pacifying Wudu Commandery, but she can’t dare to let Ma Teng lead a separate army into action.
However, sending him to the Silk Road is quite appropriate.
Ma Teng is somewhat skilled in both literature and martial arts, plus he has long-term experience living in Liangzhou, so just his personal authority is enough to suppress the merchant caravans of Liangzhou’s local gentry.
Once Ma Teng leaves Liangzhou, he won’t be able to replace Ma Chao as the core leader of the next generation, giving Qiao Yan the perfect opportunity to digest Ma Teng’s troops while he’s away.
That’s definitely not exile.
Because there are figures like Ban Chao, who once held the title of Protector General in the Western Regions!
Ma Teng mustn’t think that being compared to Ban Chao is humiliating, right?
The other person Qiao Yan favors for this task, Xu Rong, isn’t due to her mistrust.
It’s just that she feels that, as long as Dong Zhuo hasn’t been eliminated, even if Xu Rong has shown a complete willingness to surrender, it’s quite different from Zhang Xiu’s situation. Sending him and a troop to strike against Dong Zhuo would easily attract criticism.
Moreover, attacking Dong Zhuo should be a slow process for her right now. If she redeploys Xu Rong to join the troops marching toward Chang’an, it could jeopardize the mission led by Jia Xu.
So it’s better to use Xu Rong in the north, especially on the battlefield towards Liaodong.
But clearly, that’s not something that’ll happen in the short term.
Qiao Yan thinks it’s a waste of his potential if Xu Rong is merely placed as a commander in Shuofang Commandery with little opportunity for combat.
Why not send him on an overseas trip instead!
After transferring Xu Rong from Shuofang to Wuwei Commandery, she specifically called him over to say, “This trade on the Silk Road will officially be about stone honey, but I need you to keep a keen eye on any goods that could benefit the construction in Bing and Liang provinces along the way. Especially war horses and crops.”
For this first land Silk Road trade, Qiao Yan wouldn’t choose to disrupt the balance with Liangzhou’s local gentry.
Because she needs her own translators, her own procurement channels, her own merchant caravans, and she needs to use this time to complete the first round of land reclamation in Wuwei Commandery.
So what Xu Rong needs to do is, one—
Observe—
Understand the travel conditions along this route, the circumstances of the Western Regions, and the goods being traded!
What he gathers might have inaccuracies in later historical records; only firsthand information is most relevant to the times.
And two—
Bring in—
Although large-scale trade isn’t feasible yet, buying a few horses, a handful of horse breeders, or acquiring some cotton from the Kushan Empire brought in from India should be doable.
Qiao Yan continued, “Additionally, I need you to keep an eye on Ma Teng. As he goes, some might think I’m trying to push aside this former rebel leader, and if there’s anything awkward, tell me when he returns.”
“Got it?”
Xu Rong paused for a moment before asking, “Don’t you worry that I might not come back and start rallying a force on the frontier?”
Ma Teng hasn’t cost Qiao Yan much manpower for his subjugation, and he already chose to surrender after Pang De’s death and Ma Chao’s capture. Meanwhile, Xu Rong once faced off against Qiao Yan at the Yellow River and has an active threat in the form of the still-living Dong Zhuo.
Comparatively, he’s way more dangerous than Ma Teng.
But upon asking, Qiao Yan just shook her head: “You’ve got it wrong. I don’t actually doubt you or Ma Teng; my concern isn’t about Ma Teng’s actions, but about those who are traveling with you. Do you understand what I mean?”
Xu Rong started to get a hint of her intention.
Qiao Yan wants to create a reason to hold the local gentry of Liangzhou accountable instead of just searching for a reason to blame Ma Teng.
As for why she wouldn’t inform Ma Teng about this?
If he knows someone might be trying to use him, he might become overly cautious.
At that point, he might avoid everyone, leaving no room for anyone to work with him.
Seeing the eager look on Qiao Yan’s face, Xu Rong felt a weight lifted: “If that’s the case, I know what I should do.”
Qiao Yan then added, “I’ll give you a few specific things to note, and I’ll provide you with a book of references, also sharing it with Ma Teng to show trust. On this journey, you can say you have no familiar people nor accents, so please ensure mutual support.”
Xu Rong solemnly agreed.
After receiving Qiao Yan’s special assignment, Ma Teng was momentarily stunned but swiftly agreed.
This clearly isn’t Qiao Yan’s way of forcing him into exile; rather, it’s a transition from a local warlord into a regular general role.
For someone like Ma Teng, who’s been looking for assurance since surrendering, this is practically a lifesaver.
He even proactively requested to send his two sons, Ma Xiu and Ma Tie, with his new wife to study in Bingzhou.
Whether they learn anything at Leping Academy isn’t important.
What matters is that it’s a gesture to Qiao Yan.
Qiao Yan made no attempts to stop him, casually mentioning to Ma Teng that she intended to split his army.
One part would continue under Ma Chao, one part would become her direct Liangzhou army, and the remaining troops that were forcibly requisitioned would be sent back. Those willing to stay could initially join the civilian population in Wuwei with the chance to later transition into Jincheng’s military reserve before entering the ranks.
Ma Teng responded: “This matter is for you to decide. I needn’t consider it. Instead of pondering that, I should focus on learning a few common phrases of the official language.”
To try and rebuild diplomatic relationships with the Western Regions and deter rebellious figures like Ban Chao feels like a tall order for Ma Teng.
But the plan offers him a more stable escape, allowing him to momentarily avoid the suffocating atmosphere of war. Grateful, he feels he should do something for Qiao Yan.
Of course, compared to his eagerness, Yan Jun is much more terrified.
Since shipping from Wuwei to Shuofang is downstream and incredibly fast, when Xu Rong received Qiao Yan’s message and hurried over, only seven days had passed since Yan Jun last consulted Guo Jia about this issue.
But what totally blew his mind was that the travel permit was indeed granted. It seems that due to his proactive approach, he got on Qiao Yan’s good side. Yet, now he’s got to take Ma Teng and Xu Rong, along with their entourage, which is quite a complicated situation!
Yan Jun didn’t dare to ask Guo Jia if Qiao Yan’s actions counted as eliminating rivals; he could only grumble about it to his own followers.
But just as he spoke, he suddenly realized that this could be good news for him!
Because it hinted that aside from her sweet tooth, Qiao Yan has some typical youthful traits.
By sending Ma Teng and Xu Rong on a long journey instead of simply getting rid of them or just paying lip service—
This clearly feels like an impulsive move by someone who hasn’t deeply considered the implications.
It’s a pity the strength of her troops is right there, and no matter how much he might underestimate her decisions, he must continue to play nice.
Fortunately, this event further cements his belief that her qualities make Bingzhou’s governor not someone to fear so much.
This means her agricultural efforts in Wuwei Commandery probably won’t yield much.
Let her fuss about it.
But since he hadn’t expected Ma Teng and Xu Rong to accompany him, he never would have imagined that after Jia Mu, that Gugang person, and Bi Lan, the mastermind behind the Dragon Bone Waterwheel, and the agricultural officials from Bingzhou all arrived, they would start working on delineating irrigation projects within the farming areas she set out.
They showed no signs of being complacent.
Water projects weren’t uncommon during the Han era.
Take Cao Wei, for instance; the Shao Pond irrigation area spans over a hundred miles and cultivates forty thousand acres; Zheng Pond was developed in a winter and increased the harvest the following year; Li Ling Weir irrigates ten thousand acres; even larger projects like “drawing the Yellow River to Luoyang to facilitate transport” weren’t unheard of; military campaigns like repairing the Suiyang Canal for expeditions to Guandu, or fixing the Baigou for attacks on Ye City, were also common.
In comparison, communication of irrigation in the Lushui Basin and the Qilian Mountain’s Liu River basin is considered a minor project.
However, compared to previously just digging existing canals in Bingzhou or using the waterwheel for irrigation in mountainous areas, the challenges in Wuwei’s basin require consideration of cross-regional irrigation and unequal water supply, involving both water transport and storage, which isn’t trivial.
Bi Lan walked alongside Qiao Yan along the Lushui, and hearing Qiao Yan’s aspirations made him feel an extra weight on his shoulders.
Yet for some reason, what occupied his mind more was—
Thank goodness he managed to escape the chaos in Luoyang last year and opted to flee to Bingzhou.
Constructing ponds and canals surely offers more chance for him to be remembered in history than the Dragon Bone Waterwheel!
What a fortunate turn of events!
He also heard Qiao Yan remark, “So-called water conservancy projects are about managing water flow and irrigating fields for the people’s livelihood. There should be matching official titles. Unfortunately, with the political environment collapsing now, adding new positions is hard to make resonate. If Bi Changshi is willing, how about I appoint you as a water conservancy envoy privately?”
Upon hearing this, Bi Lan wasn’t concerned about whether this sort of private appointment was exceeding limits.
Water conservancy envoy?
This title means so much more than ‘Changshi’ to him!
This is… this is vital for the people’s future!
How could he, a former eunuch of Han Palace, come to receive such an assignment.
The exhilaration in his eyes, even without verbalizing, was clear as day to Qiao Yan.
He exclaimed, “If you dare to entrust me with this waterway, I, Bi Lan, would plunge myself into the canal to make sure the ponds and canals here are built for you!”
“There’s no need for you to sacrifice yourself like that.” Qiao Yan waved her hand with a smile.
She pointed to the rushing river flowing northwestward, her face filled with hope, “Let’s plant all sorts of grains here next year and see what this place will transform into!”
