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“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 179 – New Year’s Banquet
Dong Zhuo and Han Sui have already proven that gathering a bunch of Qiang people around oneself isn’t as hard as it seems.
But this profitable tactic might win short-term support, yet it’s utterly useless for long-term stability.
So Qiao Yan must shock them with the current state of Liangzhou right when they are forced by circumstances to come to her side. Then, she’ll present her set of logic to bind the Qiang people to her, preventing another cycle of rebellion and submission.
This century-long chaos among the Qiang has led to one outcome.
Initially, the Qiang’s rebellion was due to outsiders ruling the northwest, coupled with the need to guard against the local aristocracy, preventing any mutual benefit between the provincial government and local communities.
As a weak group seeking integration, the Qiang were burdened with heavy labor and military service, while also serving as scapegoats for local elites, leading them to rebel.
But with the situation evolving, anyone who naively thinks that giving them respect and treating them well will return them to the good ole days—thinking “Qiang people are inherently good”—is simply fooling themselves.
At the very least, we need to wait until their level of enlightenment has increased enough, until they’ve built sufficient ties with Qiao Yan’s governance in Liangzhou, before discussing such issues.
Let them first hold onto their wuzhu coins and get used to the formalities of trade.
Next, let a portion of them learn Han language and join in crucial roles in constructing Liangzhou, reaping better rewards, naturally sparking a trend of learning the Han language.
Qiao Yan isn’t being harsh on those who can only speak Qiang.
However, this visible disparity in treatment led a bunch of Qiang arriving in Huang to temporarily forget their concerns about where to eat and instead rush to the foreign language office to apply for a week of language learning.
Of course, Qiao Yan isn’t running a charity.
All the living expenses for this seven-day trial must be borne by these Qiang themselves.
Luckily, thanks to the military grain production system established before the military campaign in Liangzhou, and the temporary shelters prepared in autumn, this expense remains within a very low range.
At least for these Qiang, this isn’t a sum that requires them to bite the bullet.
This led Mi Tang and her companions to find a long queue outside the language office.
But Mi Tang quickly realized that this queue was moving at a brisk pace.
When she finally stepped out of the line, she found she was holding another tag, which indicated her scheduled time for learning the Han language.
Another person had already noted down her name in the registration book to ensure the match between the person and the tag.
Before it was her turn, they could join in on the office’s expansion project.
While this job doesn’t pay, it includes meals and housing.
“Five days…” Mi Tang calculated the time then glanced at the still-lengthy line, realizing that the person who guided them was right; they really needed to make their choice quickly—it wasn’t just idle talk.
If they hesitated any longer, the time frame could easily stretch to seven or eight days.
Getting this arrangement, she promptly took the expansion job.
Winter construction work isn’t exactly comfy; it’s hard labor. Fortunately, the foreign language office is just a stone’s throw away from the library that Qiao Yan is building in Liangzhou, surrounded by tall walls which offer some protection from the wind.
In her spare moments at work, Mi Tang weighed the expanded area and felt that the total number of students the foreign language office could take would reach quite a considerable figure.
So what exactly is the Bingzhou governor thinking?
Little did she know, Qiao Yan was currently holding a scroll, looking down at the construction site from above.
Cheng Yu stood beside her when she instructed, “In a little while, let’s designate a specific area to teach three to four-year-old Qiang children.”
These kids might speak Qiang dialect but their vocabulary is limited. Immersing them in a Han-speaking environment could trigger a transformation faster than waiting for them to grow up before starting their training.
Essentially, it’s not really about teaching them the Han language; it’s about ‘immigrating’ them. But we don’t need to explicitly say that.
As more Qiang came to join, the waiting time for reading would inevitably stretch.
Whether this would stir up conflicts between different waves of arriving Qiang is currently unclear to Qiao Yan, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Cheng Yu pondered over her words and asked, “Do you intend for the working Qiang to hear more, feeling they have a better chance when it’s their turn?”
It sounds like giving them more preparation time, but the final results still depend on their abilities.
Qiao Yan chuckled, “It’s good for those learning to practice speaking more, isn’t it?”
As for how to teach the Qiang to speak Han, she won’t bother too much with other matters.
Those literati who came with Liu Yu to copy books in the library can certainly handle teaching a few Qiang people.
Collective wisdom frequently yields good solutions.
If she had to oversee such trivial matters, the mundane affairs of two regions would have long since crushed her.
She closed the scroll in her hand, setting it aside, and turned to Cheng Yu, “Speaking of which, it’s been over half a year since I arrived in Liangzhou. Have I not officially gathered the local aristocrats for a meeting?”
Before she subdued Han Sui, it wasn’t appropriate to do so, lest she become overly reliant on these northwest elites, which would complicate matters later.
After just pacifying Longxi and Jincheng, it still wasn’t the right time; otherwise, some of her connections would impede her actions.
Before she had a grasp on these newly assimilated Qiang, it was unwise to proceed. She hadn’t yet demonstrated her civil governance skills, merely showcasing her military prowess.
But now, with the arrival of the third year of Guangxi, the timing has matured.
Cheng Yu didn’t respond to whether it was feasible, merely asking, “When does the governor plan to hold it?”
Qiao Yan replied, “On the third day of the first month.”
During the chaotic years of Yongchu, Grand General Deng Zhi, much like Cui Lie a few years back, even suggested giving up Liangzhou at court, and back when Yu Xu was just a lowly bureaucrat, he had proposed a strategy to deal with the Liangzhou aristocrats.
Qiao Yan dealt with the Southern Xiongnu and the Bingzhou noble families in the same way.
It’s called—“encourage through external means, rewarding their contributions, while restraining internally to prevent their sinister plots.”
On the surface, it looks like granting scattering offices as rewards to the Liangzhou youth, repaying their fathers’ contributions, but in reality, it serves to hold them hostage, fracturing their unity to prevent any rebellious schemes.
Whether it will work to hold them as hostages remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—
To stuff the two generations of local strongmen into different promotion systems, fracturing their powers.
Just as Jia Xu suggested before going undercover, they also needed to pull a leading figure to consolidate strength.
With the arrangements for the Xipi Qu family, that’s exactly what Qiao Yan is planning to do now that the timing is ripe.
And it just so happens there’s an appropriate time to connect families.
It’s about to be the New Year.
Qiao Yan marched into Liangzhou in April of last year.
For these Liangzhou aristocrats, it’s Qiao Yan’s first New Year celebration in the area.
Yet, in this short span of less than a year, she has already achieved much: suppressing Ma Teng and Han Sui, establishing military and civil settlements, and accepting the internally submissive Qiang.
These local aristocrats clearly recognize she’s no fleeting tornado here just to wage war against Dong Zhuo; rather, she’s a towering tree taking root and growing strong in Liangzhou.
Forget those who rallied to support Han Sui; even those who had connections with Dong Zhuo are now in a panic, burning their letters from Dong Zhuo to avoid any potential pitfalls with Qiao Yan.
With her current military and Qiang numbers, erasing them from Liangzhou is a piece of cake.
Luckily, it seems Qiao Yan has shifted her focus toward assimilating the Qiang, continuously checking on the status of five “factories” even in this harsh winter, making it clear she holds no ulterior motives against them.
Rather than accepting their farmlands, Qiao Yan appears more inclined to cultivate new territories herself.
This inclination has eased their concerns.
However, at the end of December, they suddenly received a state invitation, suggesting they celebrate the New Year together with a dinner on the third day of the first month.
This caused their recently settled nerves to tense up once more.
As a result, some have even turned to Jiang Jiao, who works under Qiao Yan, to gather intelligence.
Theoretically, Jiang Jiao had escorted Gai Xun to Bingzhou before, having a familiarity there; under the official hierarchy, he also belongs to Han Yang’s governor’s subordinates. But Qiao Yan issued a recruitment from Gincheng and Wuwei due to a lack of personnel, making it easy to bring Jiang Jiao under her wing.
Still somewhat young, Jiang Jiao, out of admiration for Gai Xun, followed to Bingzhou. Naturally, he would now accept a job with Qiao Yan enthusiastically due to her various undertakings.
Since autumn, he has assisted Cheng Yu in Jincheng County, deeply understanding why he and Gai Xun witnessed such a thriving and peaceful scene when they arrived.
Suddenly pulled from official documents, he was left momentarily bewildered, feeling like he’d been dragged back to the original world.
One of the Ren family disciples, representing four surnames from Han Yang, took Jiang Jiao’s silence as confusion and asked, “You’re telling me during New Year’s, she wouldn’t stoop to pulling a stunt on us?”
Even if the idea of a bloody feast in the New Year hasn’t been fully justified, they’re still aware of the infamous Hongmen Banquet.
Just like how Liu Biao deceived the local bandits in Jing Province.
This news had already traveled from the south to the north.
Given Qiao Yan’s style, others might say New Year bloodshed is ill-favored, but she likely couldn’t care less about that.
Even if roles were reversed, he might also have such suspicions, but witnessing the ownership change in Jincheng County and its subsequent development under Qiao Yan only made him find such concerns comical.
He continued, “Do you know what happened in Bingzhou a few days ago? The great scholar Zheng Xuan was summoned by the governor, accompanied by his student Cui Jigue, along with Guanyou An from Qingzhou. They all arrived at Leping Academy where the governor inquired if there are any good prospects for studying in Liangzhou, hoping to send some to listen to lectures.”
This barrage of news left the other party stunned.
In this short statement, three names appeared.
Zheng Xuan, Cai Yong, and Guan Ning.
Among the scholars of this era, they are often classified as recluses, making it quite challenging to invite them.
For Zheng Xuan, the invitation from Yuan Shao to reconstruct the Imperial Academy in Ye City held little allure.
In contrast, Qiao Yan’s offer for him to quietly write and speak in the embrace of the mountains in Leping, where paper is plentiful, is far more enticing.
The only awkward part is figuring out how to avoid Yuan Shao’s prying eyes and get Zheng Xuan, along with Cui Jigue and Guan Ning, all the way to Bingzhou.
In light of Qiao Yan’s almost predetermined hostile stance against him, Yuan Shao wouldn’t allow Zheng Xuan to easily head to Bingzhou. Even if Zheng Xuan openly signaled such intentions, he’d have to find a way to keep him tied to Ye City.
And that’s precisely why Qiao Yan sent out Guao Jia.
Fortunately, Yuan Shao clearly didn’t anticipate that while Qiao Yan was dragged down in Liangzhou, she would still find the energy to manage the court’s recruitment of Zheng Xuan.
What’s more, he never expected Guao Jia, before approaching Zheng Xuan, to send a letter to Mi Zhu, requesting a trading convoy for assistance, while also looking for Guan Hai, who had just been repelled by Yuan Shao.
Through various twists and turns, Qiao Yan was well aware of the details from the letter Guao Jia returned, while Jiang Jiao only knew the outcome.
However, these Liangzhou nobles only needed to know one conclusion:
The Ren family disciple quickly shook off his momentary stupor, his eyes lighting up, “Is this true?”
The names Zheng Xuan, Cai Yong, Guan Ning, and Cui Jigue linked together form a solid attraction—doubtful it would merely make Liangzhou’s aristocracy eager for a bit of gilding; even on a grander scale, it’s a very tangible lure!
Realizing Jiang Jiao mentioned sending Liangzhou locals to learn rather than to teach, it becomes evident that this privilege is extremely limited.
Clearly, this is… presenting them a golden opportunity!
In other words, the actions they’ve taken since last year in sending lands and people have finally matched Qiao Yan’s temperament, resulting in a significant reward on the horizon.
No wonder she chose to inform them right at the start of the new year.
Jiang Jiao replied, “Why would I lie to you? If not for the governor saying I’m not suited for deep academic pursuits and better off gaining experience in public affairs, I’d be on my way to Bingzhou right now.”
This isn’t Jiang Jiao shilling for Qiao Yan’s agenda; it’s a genuine reflection of his thoughts.
After all, we’re talking about Zheng Xuan and Cai Yong!
Even Guan Ning and Cui Jigue aren’t merely ordinary scholars.
With Lu Zhi and Xun Shuang still trapped in Chang’an, these people are practically the last remaining academic giants.
The nobles receiving Qiao Yan’s invite, forewarned of this news, weren’t worried at all; they presented smiles as they approached the government’s doors.
When they sized each other up, they quickly realized others also came with new year’s gifts for Qiao Yan, clearly seeking to deepen their relationship.
Even upon seeing Qu Yi’s cold face right at the entrance didn’t deter their spirit.
So what if that guy had an attitude problem?
The Xipi Qu family sits in Huang, long indulging in conflicts with the Qiang.
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“Well, the state of things is a bit more chaotic than I thought!”
If we’re talking about military power, it’s decent, but culturally? It’s more like delivering takeout!
Speaking of which, if we’re really picking people to go study in Bingzhou, the Qu family can forget about it.
In situations of competing interests, it’s only natural for Qu Yi to not put on a friendly face.
What they don’t know is that Qu Yi isn’t in a bad mood because of that.
This year, he spent the New Year in Liangzhou.
Qiao Yan didn’t call all the people stationed in Bingzhou to Liangzhou for some work report; instead, she still followed last year’s tradition of giving out victory coins as New Year’s blessings to her subordinates.
The few who couldn’t get their victory coins right away, like Jia Xu, who’s still in Chang’an playing nice with Dong Zhuo, or Xu Rong and Ma Teng, who are out hustling on the Silk Road, or Lu Yuan, who convinced Lu Kang and was on the way back to Bingzhou, all had their victory coins temporarily kept by Qiao Yan until they returned.
For those like Qu Yi, Zhao Yun, Cheng Yu, and Xu Shu, who were nearby, they simply received their coins directly from Qiao Yan’s hands—it was a way to celebrate the New Year.
But some situations were a bit different, like Qu Yi’s.
Last year during the New Year, he was still a general under Liao, not one of Qiao Yan’s subordinates, so he missed out on those victory coins.
This year, he’s not only standing in front of the provincial governor but has also practically folded his entire clan into Qiao Yan’s territory. Looking back at last year’s achievements, he could at least say he did something for the Marquis of Qiao.
When he received this New Year’s blessing, he felt quite satisfied.
But what he didn’t expect was that this year’s victory coin was a totally different design from last year’s.
He watched as Zhao Yun pulled out last year’s coin from his fancy pouch and compared it with this year’s before putting it back. That made him enviously look the other way.
Then he turned to see Lü Bu flaunting his two coins to Ma Chao.
Qu Yi: …
Collecting things seems to be a universal obsession throughout the ages.
Little did he know, Qiao Yan whipped up this specific victory coin from the third year of Guangxi just to motivate her subordinates.
He just felt a little less than cheerful.
So when he saw those wealthy families from the northwest coming over as if trying to steal his job, it only made him more frustrated.
Yet he understood that regardless of whether the Qu family had moved here or not, he was already stamped with the label of someone from Liangzhou.
With the current state of the Han dynasty uncertain and Qiao Yan’s power growing at such an incredible rate, whether she wanted to be the Ho Guang who supports the Son of Heaven or the Wei Xian who carves out a territory in the northwest, in her advantageous position, having risen from Bingzhou—
What Qu Yi ought to do is suppress Qu Yan, this ambitious young blood, to maintain his position as the leading figure of the Qu family, while also being rather pleased about Qiao Yan’s expanding influence in Liangzhou.
So when everyone sat down at the banquet, any trace of his previous displeasure faded away.
Missing one victory coin from the second year of Guangxi is no big deal, as long as he outlives the rest!
He caught a glance at Qiao Yan at the head of the table.
Even with the charcoal fire bowl lit, the January nights in Liangzhou still carried a penetrating chill, and she had a dark cloak draped over her shoulders, underneath which she wore striking red and black attire.
The combination of those colors, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, gave off an unusually fierce vibe.
Qu Yi noticed that she wasn’t wearing the gold seal and purple sash that signified her status as the Marquis of Leping, but that hardly diminished the formality of the banquet. Rather, the blood-red jade pendant she still wore suggested the lingering aura of past battles.
Only when she raised her wine cup did this sharpness tone down a bit.
But just a bit.
Because, in her grip was a white jade cup filled with deep red wine.
She scanned the room, landing her gaze on the somewhat sheepish crowd, and said with a smile, “It’s freezing out there, just getting some food is fine, sending drinks is tough, so let’s toast with this fine wine from the Yan family of Wudu.”
Yan Jun, who was called out by her, felt a twinge of regret about this expense, but hearing his name mentioned by Qiao Yan made him hurry to respond, “Wuwei Commandery looks up to Your Excellency’s grace, and with Your Excellency’s regard, we’ve established farms here; I will certainly do my utmost, it’s just some commodities from the Silk Road, nothing to mention at all.”
He didn’t mind making an investment in Qiao Yan.
With the irrigation projects in Wuwei Commandery being rolled out, it was likely based on this lady’s intention of reciprocating for her kindness, while also considering the land owned by local nobles.
Yan Jun wasn’t a fool; he understood quite clearly that running water systems and introducing new farming tools would definitely lead to a bountiful harvest next year, which was also beneficial for them.
Not to mention he heard Qiao Yan ask, “Bai Ying, do you have any inclination to send some junior members of your clan to study under Master Zheng?”
“A few days ago, the great Confucian Zheng Kangcheng arrived in Bingzhou and is currently residing at Leping Academy. I was thinking, during the political purges of the past, Master Zheng taught thousands of students in Beihai, so with him now in Bingzhou, we shouldn’t be outdone by Beihai in seeking knowledge; we ought to send some more students.”
Yan Jun jumped a little.
The noble families with interconnected relationships in Liangzhou, in the face of the disdain from the families of the east, typically stick together, but that doesn’t mean news travels fast.
The news about the four noble families of Hanyang came from Jiang Jiao and spread around, yet Yan Jun was still left in the dark.
He looked around at the other faces seated, knowing those who were informed showed expressions of understanding while those who were not mirrored his shock; regardless of either, they were showing vast envy toward his first invitation.
Yan Jun realized he was losing out on fine wine but gaining recognition from Qiao Yan.
Wouldn’t this Silk Road procurement also translate to greater benefits for him?
Though at that moment, he didn’t have the time to ponder over it, he quickly replied to Qiao Yan, “I wouldn’t mind serving tea and water for Master Zheng, let alone studying under him.”
“No need for that,” Qiao Yan waved her hand. “Master Zheng accepts many disciples but lives a humble life, when the filial Xie brought him back, he clearly expressed that he doesn’t need someone to serve him, just having a couple of disciples to copy texts for him will do. But…”
“Master Zheng is already advanced in age, and if he’s made to exhaust himself teaching disciples, I can’t feel right about it. Just select three from your clan to send over, that’ll suffice.”
Three?
The noble families of the northwest, formed amid turmoil, are often complex, with many juniors of study age numbering in the several dozens.
Only three spots wouldn’t cut it.
Yan Jun wanted to argue that they could send a few more; it would be like Lu Zhi had set up teaching courses in Zhuo County, letting some of them sit at the edges just to get a semblance of participation, after all, it was just a matter of gliding through the motions.
Moreover, if Master Zheng couldn’t take in numerous disciples, that doesn’t mean Master Guan, who was only in his thirties, and Cai Yong, who was still quite vibrant, couldn’t teach a few more.
Yet now, the controlling authority rested in Qiao Yan’s hands. As she built Leping Academy, he knew he could only seek to grow the number of attendees later, not negotiate for numbers while all families converged here.
If he did that, it would definitely put a frown on Qiao Yan’s face.
Fortunately, he soon heard that the quotas she left for the other families varied between two and three.
Those who helped quell unrest or offered land and goods received three spots; the others, only two.
While not a huge difference, it did imply some hierarchy.
A grin spread across his face he couldn’t suppress.
This was good news for him, and naturally for everyone else seated there.
At this annual banquet, which originally was supposed to be more relaxed, Qiao Yan talked about last year’s support in a casual manner. One couldn’t help but think, has her recent incorporation of the Qiang people’s benevolent governance dulled her own aggressive stance a bit?
So there was a somewhat cozy atmosphere among the crowd.
Only the dishes were a bit of a hurdle.
Since the wine was managed by the Yan family of Wuwei, the food was naturally theirs too.
With the logic of pleasing others being inferior to pleasing Qiao Yan, Yan Jun had no hesitation in skewing the menu towards sweeter flavors.
But this is Liangzhou in the northwest…
These nobles, no matter how lofty they regarded themselves over commoners, stick to the tradition of strong liquor and rich meat!
Suddenly switching up the menu was a bit hard to adjust to.
However, everyone present knew the importance of food at such a gathering was secondary to the political talks; no one was really going to nitpick about the menu.
They just listened to Qiao Yan go over various arrangements for the families, as they simultaneously thought about selecting their own members, while Qiao Yan declared, “That’s about it; please select suitable candidates from your clans quickly, and in ten days, we’ll head to Leping together. No latecomers!”
As soon as she said that, someone piped up, “Your Excellency is leaving Liangzhou?”
Qiao Yan raised her cup in response, “Just for a little while. I’ve been on the road for eight months since I left Bingzhou, and while there are capable folks holding down the fort here, the late emperor entrusted me with governing Bingzhou to ensure everything remains steady. No matter how large or small, caution is necessary.”
Her words made perfect sense.
In today’s world where respect for teachers is in vogue, the connection between Qiao Yan and Zheng Xuan could not change simply because she held the title of Bingzhou governor.
Having benefited, she also had to show due respect as a junior, or she’d be subjected to ridicule.
She paused before adding, “You can be at ease; my determination to deal with Dong Zhuo hasn’t changed. I’ll be back within a month. By then, it won’t delay any major matters, especially the spring sowing. Or should I say—”
“Do you all hope I’ll be gone longer, so someone amongst you could partner up with that Dong rogue to mess with Liangzhou?”
As she said this, her tone remained gentle, but there was an almost imperceptible thud as she set her wine cup down on the table, making a light sound.
That sound instantly silenced the gathering, reminiscent of the hush that accompanied their initial seating.
Yet with Qiao Yan appearing unbothered, it seemed she wasn’t interested in reopening old wounds, allowing them all to release a breath of relief. After a brief silence, voices of denial erupted.
“Your Excellency, where is this coming from?” the head of the Jiang family remarked, gesturing subtly. “We’re just worried that with your departure, Liangzhou might fall into chaos again. We were hoping to follow the Yan family’s lead and alleviate your worries. If we old folks could contribute somehow, receiving guidance from a master would be icing on the cake; why would we want to align with that Dong Zhuo?”
This was obviously a joke.
Sending out the most promising younger generation of one’s clan to Bingzhou essentially reveals one’s weaknesses to Qiao Yan.
However, the lack of opportunities for promotion among the nobles of Liangzhou over the years led to some of them clinging to the hope that associating with a prestigious teacher could change their fortunes, so they bit the bait without hesitation.
But they needn’t worry.
Qiao Yan currently maintained amicable relations with them, yet no one could be certain she wouldn’t flip the script someday. While they courted her favor, they still had to hold onto the forces they could rely on, ready to resist any unexpected turns from her.
She wasn’t shy about laying her hands on the nobility!
The Yang family of Hanyang was a prime example!
Upon exiting their courtesy venue, the cold wind outside hit them, and they saw the armed retainers of the Bingzhou governor.
Even though these retainers stood slightly apart, it didn’t hide the sharp air they carried from following Qiao Yan into battle. It abruptly brought them back to their senses, jolted from the effects of the wine.
But just as they were processing it, someone delivered a tray of victory coins to their table.
“What’s this?” the head of the Jiang family was the first to ask.
The courier replied, “Your Excellency said, with the New Year just starting, let’s start with something auspicious.”
Yan Jun picked one up from the tray and noticed it was engraved with clouds, pine branches, and a deer; it genuinely seemed to bring good fortune.
The coin looked well-made, all the designs distinctly detailed, a far cry from Dong Zhuo’s shabby counterfeits.
In the face of such an act, they could only convince themselves that in this world, those who held power inevitably looked down on others. So, each took a victory coin for themselves.
Qiao Yan smiled as she watched them bid farewell, her face radiating warmth.
In this delicate power dynamic, even if someone dared create chaos while she was away, these noble families would act instinctively to squash any trouble.
Of course, the scholars and generals she left behind would keep an eye on things too.
It was simply due to the region’s unique landscape that required more eyes to keep watch in every nook and cranny.
On the thirteenth day of the new year, after inspecting the water project planned by Bi Lan in Wuwei Commandery and greeting the chosen youths from each family, she prepared to march back to Bingzhou, escorted by her entourage.
As she thought of returning to Bingzhou after an eight-month absence, she felt a tinge of homesickness.
However, she didn’t let any of this show on her face, only galloping through the still snowy Liangzhou river valley, passing through the Ziwuling Mountain and reaching Taiyuan, directly heading for Leping.
The scenery in Bingzhou lay beneath a wintry chill, but she could faintly perceive some differences from last year.
Some pedestrians recognized the commanding figure in her procession and nodded at her.
Although it wasn’t the excitement she felt when she returned from the state capital of Bingzhou after the locust plague, it had a comforting and familiar vibe, akin to greeting family.
Arriving at Leping Academy, it was just sunset.
She brought her horse to a stop, handed over her steed to the academy’s attendant, and stepped inside.
Today the sky was clear, without rain or snow, only a cold wind whisking through and the slanting sun reflecting in the windows. However, with two pear trees planted in the courtyard, it still seemed lively despite the winter air.
She unconsciously slowed her pace, strolling through the tree-lined avenues of the academy until she stood before Zheng Xuan’s study and knocked on the door.
Inside, amid the scent of books, the still vital old man was at play with Cai Yong, engaged in a game of chess.
Upon hearing the knock, he turned in surprise and saw the youth governor entering, saluting, “Seven years without a meeting, how has Master Zheng been?”
He paused, holding a chess piece in hand, momentarily lost in thought.
Had it really been seven years since their last meeting?
