“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 177: Snow in Cangyuan…
Jia Xu had no clue that the idea of marrying his daughter off to Dong Zhuo wasn’t just some whim that popped into Dong Zhuo’s head today because he wanted Dong Bai to be Liu Xie’s empress.
Nope, way before Jia Xu even set foot in Chang’an, Dong Zhuo had already shared this thought with Duan Wei, but Duan Wei shut it down with, “No need to resort to such measures unless absolutely necessary.”
Duan Wei somehow forgot to explicitly mention to Dong Zhuo, “If this plan backfires, it’s bound to turn into hatred instead of gratitude,” and that’s what made Dong Zhuo consider it again.
It’s not really surprising that Dong Zhuo would think like this.
That young officer, Yan Xing, how much use could he really provide? Dong Zhuo hadn’t seen any actual results yet.
Sure, his martial arts skills were solid—he hadn’t encountered anyone under Dong Zhuo’s command who could out-fight him yet.
But tactics and strategy reveal themselves in real combat, and leading troops isn’t all about strength; who knows if he might just be good for guarding?
But Jia Xu, he had proven results!
Let’s not forget how his three-pronged strategy forced Qiao Yan to halt her advance on Chang’an and focus on managing Liang Province instead.
And his crafty plan to take down Sun Jian alone was enough to make Dong Zhuo forget that he had a strategist currently imprisoned under Qiao Yan, named Li Ru.
All that was left in his mind was this—Jia Xu must be completely tied to his war chariot!
So what if he wanted to marry off a daughter?
According to Han culture, a woman whose husband has died carries the burden of the deceased’s fortune, so if Niu Fu passed away early, it’s Niu Fu’s problem, not his daughter’s.
Wanting to marry his daughter to Jia Xu made complete sense!
In that case, wouldn’t they practically be family?
And by tying Dong Bai to Liu Xie, it would really be a case of family ties in Chang’an.
But causes like this can lead to unexpected outcomes… If Jia Xu truly was in it for family honor, and still had feelings for his wife and kids in Bingzhou, then Dong Zhuo pulling this kind of stunt would definitely make him turn his back.
Thank goodness Jia Xu was a spy.
He just narrowed his eyes and said coolly, “I appreciate the kind intentions of the Prime Minister, but my service lies with you in hopes you will one day reclaim Liang and Bingzhou, allowing me to reunite with my wife and kids and restore the glory of the Jia family.”
“If the Prime Minister wants me to remarry, you want me locked up in Chang’an? If that’s the case, it would be better for me to die swiftly instead, otherwise, don’t even mention marrying off my daughter!”
It’s quite intimidating for someone who usually appears laid-back to suddenly show anger in an otherwise calm tone.
Dong Zhuo noticed Jia Xu’s fist clenching for a moment, seeing the veins popping on his hand.
He promptly replied, “I didn’t mean to imply that…”
Best to drop it, best to drop it.
He studied Jia Xu’s restrained angry face and quietly asked, “What about that other matter?”
Would marrying Dong Bai to Liu Xie give him a more legitimate claim to influence, blocking Qiao Yan from continuing her acclamation methods?
“That’s also not advisable.” Jia Xu shook his head. “A name of legitimacy doesn’t get established merely by producing an empress; it would only highlight the facade. The Prime Minister has managed to achieve a relatively stable development stage, no need to add extra blame on yourself.”
“It’s not that hard to counter Qiao Yan’s shameless acclamation methods.”
Using his lord’s name directly felt a bit awkward for Jia Xu.
But if an insider was hesitant in such situations, wouldn’t they have exposed their flaws already? He continued, “The Prime Minister just needs to do two things: first, have Jing Province’s governor Liu Biao nominate Huang Zu as the Prefect of Yuzhang; second, have Yizhou’s governor Liu Yan nominate Zhang Lu in Hanzhong as the Prefect of Wudu.”
This Huang Zu fellow was only kept in his position as Prefect of Jiangxia because Liu Biao wanted to win over the Jiangxia powers.
Strictly speaking, this didn’t adhere to the Han’s officer appointment traditions.
Thus, Liu Biao could totally argue that the original appointment was merely a temporary measure; now that Huang Zu had proven himself in battle, why not give him more room to grow as the Prefect of Yang Province?
As for Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, he was a prominent figure in the Five Pecks of Rice sect, and his good looks made him valued by Liu Yan.
Liu Yan intended to have him replace the existing prefect, Su Gu, in charge of Hanzhong.
But him becoming the Prefect of Wudu wouldn’t disadvantage Liu Yan either. If anything, it made more sense.
Jia Xu continued, “Once these two proclamations are issued, neither the Prime Minister nor the Son of Heaven will need to respond in any way; just keeping quiet will work.”
Dong Zhuo asked in confusion, “Why’s that?”
Jia Xu explained, “It’s just riding the wave.”
“Think about it, if Qiao Yan’s method is proper, then Liu Yan and Liu Biao’s recommendations would also be valid, right?”
“If Sun Ce can be the General against Rebels and Prefect of Kuaiji, then Zhang Lu and Huang Zu can both hold the roles of Prefect of Wudu and Yuzhang. After all, these two are also Han royalty, so their position would be more stable.”
Dong Zhuo nodded in agreement.
Jia Xu continued, “If Huang Zu becomes the Prefect of Yuzhang, the conflict between Liu Yan and Liu Biao expands into Yang Province, ensuring peace in Jing Province, benefiting Liu Biao. If Zhang Lu becomes the Prefect of Wudu, it would also guard a strategic location, benefiting Liu Yan.”
Upon hearing that both could gain advantage, Dong Zhuo felt a bit dissatisfied, but then Jia Xu said, “But their profits are nothing compared to yours, Prime Minister. Huang Zu is just a support for Liu Biao, and if he gets mixed in with Sun Ce in Yang Province, he’ll exhaust his strength, giving you a chance to plot in Jing Province. If Zhang Lu enters Wudu, with Qiao Yan’s personality, he’ll clash with him sooner or later, drawing Liu Yan into the conflict too, working for your advantage—”
“Do you still think this is a benefit for the two of them?”
Dong Zhuo paused for a moment then burst out laughing, “You’re right, it’s definitely my benefit. My good sir, just as you said, with this move, for every individual Qiao Yan brings forth, two more will come up using the same method, making her lose out in numbers too!”
What a clever plan indeed!
This is what you call using their spear against their shield.
But once Jia Xu returned home, he cursed Dong Zhuo as a “fool.”
His suggestions seemed to please Liu Yan, Liu Biao, and Dong Zhuo, but in reality?
The Prefect of Wudu wasn’t even within Qiao Yan’s taxing land.
In this territory, the local power factions, under the former Prefect Gai Xun and Xu Shu sent by Qiao Yan, were already in a stalemate. If they added Zhang Lu, it would be a chaos of muddled proportions.
Xu Shu was deeply influenced by Cheng Yu, and such an environment enabled him to thrive more than ever.
And with Huang Zu being sent into Yuzhang, who would truly benefit—Dong Zhuo or someone else? Only time would tell?
If we further probe, these three proclamations that never got Liu Xie’s approval, but continued to be executed, undoubtedly trampled on the Han Dynasty’s dignity again.
The rule-breaking instigator wielded justice to abolish Dong Zhuo, so the other two were the real culprits.
More ironically, they were also Liu Xie’s nominal relatives.
The so-called “using their spear against their shield” merely served to weaken the Han royal authority.
Furthermore, you can bet Qiao Yan wouldn’t care, as the period until Dong Zhuo’s downfall was looming.
“Is this rule going to keep her from sending a second appointment request?”
Firstly, she never intended to overextend her reputation at this moment.
Secondly, this petition to appoint Sun Ce as an official, being so unique, only highlights how deep the bond is between the Bingzhou governor and the Sun father-and-son duo.
So, the biggest beneficiary is still Qiao Yan.
Jia Xu undoubtedly racked up another achievement.
But why is it so hard to be a spy…
He was just a hair away from calling Dong Zhuo his father-in-law.
Amidst this swirling undercurrent of official appointments, the coldest time of the year has descended.
Flurries of snow transformed the snow-capped mountains of Yunzhong, spreading a blanket of white down to the mountain slopes.
Even the nearby horizon seemed entirely cloaked in snow.
For the Qiang people living in the highland west of Liangzhou, it was the toughest period to endure.
As just an ordinary member of the Sanlang Qiang, according to past customs, Mi Tang would be heading with her clan to the Huangzhong region.
Simply because during the bitter winter, the raging winds and snow on the plateau made it utterly inhospitable for anyone to survive long-term.
The ongoing drop in temperature over the last decade has intensified the harshness of the environment.
Even though Mi Tang, like others in the tribe, had reached an age where she could fend for herself and prepared a warm wool garment for the winter, it was still no easy feat to survive under such harsh conditions.
The situation in Huangzhong was different.
Once captured by the Qin during the Warring States period, the legendary Wu Yi, after escaping, taught the Qiang to farm like the Han people in the Hehuang region, thereby escalating the Qiang clans from that very point.
For any Qiang person within Liangzhou, if asked about their roots, they would invariably point to Huangzhong.
The climate in Huangzhong is far more suitable for sustained living than up on the plateau.
But this year, in control of Longxi, Jincheng, and especially the command over Huangzhong, is no longer Han Sui, the rebel leader allied with the Qiang, who provided them refuge, but a Han general known as the Prefect of Bingzhou.
Mi Tang had never met him, but she had heard several rumors about this person from scattered Qiang refugees.
This Bingzhou Prefect had slayed Gao Ping, subdued Ayang, conquered Jincheng, and camped in Wuwei—it all seemed very fearsome.
These rumors were enough to conjure in her mind an image of someone… even more imposing than the vast majority of Qiang leaders.
As she drove the sheep towards Huangzhong, Mi Tang couldn’t help but feel anxious, questioning whether this inward migration for the winter was the right choice.
A companion joked that Mi Tang should have more courage since her name coincided with that of a legendary Qiang leader.
But such things cannot be said.
Besides the exceptional case of Yao Chang, a member of the Shaodang Qiang who adapted her name under Han influence, the Qiang did not have surnames, only clan names.
Names were created by taking a character from either the father’s or mother’s name and adding another character. This method is also known as the “father-son linking name system.”
Mi Tang’s “Mi” came from her mother, and “Tang” was an additional character added, just coincidentally matching a leader’s name, not an uncommon occurrence at all.
But the harsh winter on the plateau was deadly, and perhaps entering Huangzhong might provide a chance for survival, so Mi Tang and her clan had no choice but to brave the fear and head towards La Ji Mountain.
La Ji Mountain separates Huangzhong from the territory of the Sanlang Qiang.
In Qiang language, this mountain should be called “Eagle Cannot Cross,” with only the rivers originating from the plateau carving out a few gaps in it.
The gap connecting to Huangzhong was also known as “Riyue Mountain Pass.”
Fatigued from the journey and with the biting cold snowstorm hitting them hard, they were almost ready to shout in joy at the sight of the changing landscape ahead.
However, just before reaching the Riyue Mountain Pass, they heard the sounds of a convoy approaching from the west.
Following the sound, they saw a procession of about thirty to forty large carts.
This wasn’t a convoy you’d typically encounter.
As the convoy drew closer, the cavalry in the ranks became clear in their view.
Mi Tang clearly noted that the armor worn by the riders was unmistakably that of a regular army, not a typical Qiang cavalry or the local hired mercenaries!
They originally intended to take advantage of the snow-covered defenses for a stealthy infiltration into Huangzhong, but before even entering Liangzhou, they encountered an army.
With Qiao Yan nearly controlling all of Liangzhou, it was almost needless to say to whom this army belonged.
But before they could turn back, the opposing side had evidently spotted them too. A squad from the convoy was already galloping forth to surround them.
Mi Tang instinctively tightened her grip on the short knife at her side, watching the approaching group with caution.
Just by comparing their strengths, they had no hope of resisting against this ironclad force.
However, she pondered that if the other side decided to act forcefully, she wouldn’t go down without taking someone with her.
But before that thought could settle in her mind, the cavalry formed a gap, and a woman dressed in leather armor rode forth, stopping directly in front of them, clearly the leader.
She surveyed the situation before her and asked, “Sanlang?”
Snow swirled around the two groups, yet it didn’t prevent Mi Tang and her companions from clearly seeing that the woman who spoke bore Qiang features.
Mi Tang let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
This wasn’t a Han person who spoke Qiang; she was one of their own!
There seemed to be no hostility in that inquiry from the clanswoman.
After accepting her invitation and moving with the convoy towards the Riyue Mountain Pass, they learned that the one who had inquired was Yao Chang, the first of the Shaodang Qiang to align with Qiao Yan.
As a guard officer for the Qiang, she had recently been stationed in Huangzhong.
In the past half month, many Qiang, like them, had come to the interior seeking shelter from the cold.
Some had little aggression, and hearing there was a Qiang camp in Huangzhong, decided to settle there under guidance.
But others, upon realizing there were troops stationed at the pass, chose to linger nearby, waiting for the right moment to act.
To prevent the salt being delivered from the Western Palace Salt Pits from being seized, Yao Chang had teamed up with Qu Yan for this journey, coincidentally intersecting with the team heading to Huangzhong.
“Looks like our luck isn’t too bad?” Mi Tang remarked to her companion.
“…Maybe? But how can you be sure they’re not trying to trick us into Huangzhong just to kill us?”
Her companion hesitated for a moment, raising a very valid concern.
At that question, Mi Tang instinctively glanced over at Yao Chang.
In that fleeting storm, the commanding presence of the Qiang woman was very noticeable as she instructed the troops; only then did they realize that the large carts carrying the salt were actually pieced together from smaller carts.
These vehicles were quickly being disassembled and converted into single-wheel carts to maintain their earlier pace through the narrow mountain pass before the snow intensified.
After Yao Chang pointed east, issuing the order for the vanguard to lead the way, the convoy began to move again.
Mi Tang wiped the snow off her eyelashes and replied while following the team, “Maybe… Qiang people don’t deceive Qiang people?”
