“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 180: Zheng Xuan Recommends Talent…
Seven years is enough time for someone to go from a midlife crisis to a wise elder, and also enough time for a ten-year-old kid to become an extraordinary young man.
When Qiao Yan stood before him, Zheng Xuan could faintly recognize her youthful visage, but her charm had certainly outshone her former self.
While the likes of Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi kept tabs on Qiao Yan’s status these years, Zheng Xuan had chosen the hermit’s path in his hometown, gathering disciples and lecturing, almost turning himself into a sage.
Meeting again, he suddenly felt how time flies.
After Qiao Yan took her seat, he nostalgically expressed his feelings about the passage of time.
Qiao Yan responded, “What’s the status of Madam Ma?”
Zheng Xuan had been in Leping for a while now and had of course met Ma Lun.
If you do the math, Ma Lun was actually a few years older than him, but during their occasional encounters on paths in Leping, she still carried the vigor of youth.
Zheng Xuan chuckled, “The Grand Historian has a heart akin to the heavens, unconcerned about age approaching; I should learn from her.”
This statement carried a hint of double meaning.
Having a heart like the heavens meant being broad-minded and also involved celestial studies, though if you looked closely, Zheng Xuan had some aptitude in that area too.
Once he arrived in Leping, he was pleasantly surprised to find Liu Hong there.
Their relationship could be described as both teacher and friend, except Liu Hong, being two years younger, was actually his teacher in calculations.
Seeing Liu Hong’s progress with calendar calculations and mathematical records, which had finally fallen into place, Zheng Xuan was now even more convinced that coming to Leping was indeed the right choice.
Neither Liu Hong nor Ma Lun felt the strain of age; they even wanted to build a world of mathematics and astronomy here. So, why should he feel aged?
Qiao Yan was right in her encouragement.
Just as he pondered this, Qiao Yan presented him with a cup of tea.
“When Zheng Gong came to Leping, I was still in Liangzhou and hadn’t had the chance to apologize. Today, I offer this tea as a make-up, and hope you don’t hold it against me.”
Zheng Xuan took the tea and replied, “What crime does Ye Shu have? On the contrary, I should be grateful for having this refuge.”
Qiao Yan countered, “That’s not right; even if Zheng Gong is in Gaomi, teaching students and earning a name in Qingzhou, the bandits passing through are more likely to avoid you due to your esteemed reputation. This time, I brought you to Leping to evade Yuan Benchu’s summons, yet you were almost captured, which indeed tarnishes your reputation.”
It wouldn’t be easy for Guo Jia to sneak Zheng Xuan out of Gaomi.
Yuan Shao was currently governing Qingzhou, and with Liu Bian’s name as the Son of Heaven, his grasp over the regions wasn’t weak.
Thus, historically, what should have besieged Beihai was instead pushed toward Xuzhou months earlier, intimidated by Yuan Shao’s military.
With bandits this cautious, other regional powers would be ten times more alert.
In such circumstances, Guo Jia had to play a game of leverage.
First, he approached Guan Hai, who was stuck between Xuzhou and Qingzhou, unsure of where to go.
And accompanying Guo Jia was none other than Liang Zhongning.
Just as it was persuasive to send Chu Yan to recruit the Bai Bo bandits, it was only logical to have Liang Zhongning persuade Guan Hai.
The timing of Guo Jia’s visit was perfect.
Had he waited even a little longer, Guan Hai would have made plans to join Zang Ba and Chang Xi.
On paper, those two were temporarily under Tao Qian, but their nature was much closer to that of bandits, which could offer Guan Hai better chances of survival.
But Guo Jia and Liang Zhongning’s visit changed Guan Hai’s plans.
Of course, relying solely on Liang Zhongning wouldn’t cut it.
The resurgence of the Yellow Turbans during the Zhongping and Guangxi years, still carrying the Yellow Turban name, wasn’t for the sake of inheriting Zhang Jiao’s legacy.
They merely lacked a reliable slogan and figured that after all these years, Qiao Yan’s debates had made Zhang Jiao’s influence nearly obsolete. So they tapped into the “Yellow Turban” moniker because they lacked originality.
Guan Hai was a smart guy; he knew to avoid using dangerous elements like Talisman Water for healing, but he still kept the land redistribution slogan alive.
In such circumstances, the Yellow Turbans weren’t necessarily the Yellow Turbans, and Guan Hai and Liang Zhongning weren’t necessarily on the same page without any emotional strings to pull.
One thing was clear to persuade Guan Hai.
Even Liang Zhongning, forced to rebel, acknowledged the wellbeing of the people in Bingzhou, and even he, once scorned by Qiao Yan and banished to guard the borders, genuinely believed Qiao Yan was a rare talent of his time, sincerely willing to serve her—
So why couldn’t he choose to cross state lines and head to Bingzhou for a brighter future?
Guo Jia’s subsequent guidance indeed had its merits.
As Yuan Shao’s Qingzhou army prepared to crush him, under Guo Jia’s orders, Guan Hai split his forces: one set to play hide-and-seek with Yuan Shao’s troops, and the other straight into Gaomi, where they snatched up Zheng Xuan and several of his disciples, including Cui Yan and Guo Yuan.
People of the era didn’t dare harm a great scholar, so when Guan Hai sent word to Yuan Shao claiming he just wanted a safe path into Xuzhou to seek refuge under Zang Ba, Yuan Shao didn’t suspect a thing.
Previously, Yuan Shao had invited Zheng Xuan to Ye City to organize the Imperial Academy at Ju Shou’s suggestion, but Zheng Xuan had declined.
Now that Zheng Xuan was captured, Yuan Shao couldn’t help but think this might just be an opportunity to convince him.
Beihai and Donglai were prone to chaos due to their remote locations, and given Zheng Xuan’s advanced years, it would be wiser to head to Ye City for stability.
However, upon entering Xuzhou, this Yellow Turban and the dozen or so hostages vanished without a trace.
Yuan Shao intended to pursue them into Xuzhou for answers, but Zang Ba claimed he hadn’t seen Zheng Xuan or even Guan Hai, who had expressed a desire to join him.
After all, Xuzhou wasn’t Yuan Shao’s territory, and he could only stop there.
When he received word from Zheng Xuan next, the latter had quietly arrived in Bingzhou’s domain.
How did this journey take place?
Reports from Bingzhou merely stated that Guan Hai, feeling he would be coerced in Xuzhou, sought freedom and decided to usurp the Governor of Taishan, Ying Shao, who seemed inept and was hoarding power.
Thus, he merely passed through Xuzhou without making stops, headed straight to Taishan.
Nevertheless, on the road, Zheng Xuan spoke earnestly, appealing to Guan Hai’s emotions and reason, persuading him against such disruptive plans.
Even so, Guan Hai worried that returning to Qingzhou would spell his doom at Yuan Shao’s hands, and used the plight of nearby refugees to plead with Zheng Xuan for guidance. They eventually crossed over from Yanzhou to Bingzhou.
Upon reaching Bingzhou, he should have returned Zheng Xuan, but since Zheng Xuan’s old friends Cai Yong and Liu Hong were already there, and with the classics…
“Astrology and calculations, huh? Zheng Xuan decided to stick around for the time being, with no set date for leaving.”
This kind of reasoning—
Well, it just barely makes sense on the surface.
Anyway, Yuan Shao wouldn’t buy a single word of it.
After being defeated, Guan Hai’s group still numbered in the thousands. Traveling from location to location, where on earth did they get support to stay alive without starving or freezing to death on the way?
There must be something fishy going on.
If Qiao Yan were willing to answer, she would confirm that it was indeed the Donghai Mi Clan supporting them with their merchant convoy.
Under Qiao Yan’s direction, Guo Jia informed Mi Zhu in a letter about the gifts he sent to Bingzhou two years back, which allowed Qiao Yan to restart the Silk Road after securing Wuwei. From then on, anything gained on this Silk Road would belong solely to Mi Zhu within the Central Plains region.
Qiao Yan’s successful military campaign in Liangzhou also reassured Mi Zhu that his investment choice from years ago was spot on.
All that was needed now was to provide a little grain and warm clothes; for him, that was hardly a hassle.
Thanks to this support, the group that entered Lu Country from Taishan County disguised themselves as merchants, making it hard to tell they were once bandits from Qingzhou. Ultimately, they made it to Bingzhou without a hitch.
Yuan Shao was about to blow a gasket, but he couldn’t really blame Qiao Yan for tying up Zheng Xuan in Bingzhou.
Even Zheng Xuan had no complaints about it, giving Yuan Shao no grounds to say anything.
He also couldn’t scold Cao Cao when asking why no one had stopped Guan Hai and his crew passing through his Yanzhou East Commandery.
Everyone knew that East Commandery was a narrow stretch of land. Guan Hai and the others took the route through Jiyin and Chenliu, barely grazing the western border of East Commandery before entering River North County.
Instead of blaming Cao Cao, Yuan Shao should rather blame Wang Kuang, the Prefect of River North, for how many blunders he’d committed trying to solidify his position here.
Remember, Chang Lin, who was from Shangdang County, was forced into Bingzhou by Wang Kuang.
With Zheng Xuan looking to travel through River North into Shangdang, the locals would just cover for him anyway.
To make matters worse, Zheng Xuan still had disciples stuck in Gaomi writing to him, asking to travel through Qingzhou and Ji Province to follow their teacher in Bingzhou.
Yuan Shao was burning with frustration, yet he knew he had to ensure no scholar would die on the road in Ji Province.
Though Qiao Yan had gained the upper hand against Yuan Shao in this human resource tug-of-war, what Zheng Xuan witnessed in Bingzhou made it worth the trip, and Qiao Yan definitely owed him an apology.
Seeing Qiao Yan’s genuine expression, Zheng Xuan waved his hand, “It’s just an extraordinary time calling for extraordinary measures.”
If it weren’t for Qiao Yan improving paper technology, books would still be using bamboo slips instead of paper.
But seeing various texts converted to well-bound paper records in Leping, Zheng Xuan felt this place genuinely suited focused scholarly pursuits and wasn’t just idle talk.
She viewed Liu Bian, the puppet emperor supported by Yuan Shao, as a false emperor, not wanting to allow him to set up an academic center that could draw scholars and confuse legitimacy. Hence, getting him brought here made perfect sense from her perspective.
As for the process, no need to elaborate as the results were looking good.
“As long as Zheng Gong has this to say, that’s enough,” Qiao Yan said, visibly relieved, “With Zheng Gong here, the academic thriving in Leping is just around the corner.”
Zheng Xuan’s situation was quite different from Lu Zhi’s.
While Lu Zhi taught in Zhuo County, his selection of disciples was merely a choice during a period of being sidelined in his official career, favoring those from his hometown.
But Zheng Xuan had been teaching and gathering students for over a decade or two, shaping his disciples into future great scholars.
In this long stretch of imparting wisdom, most of his students inherited his character.
During a subsequent conversation with Qiao Yan, Zheng Xuan mentioned two individuals.
One was Cui Yan, who had been talked about during discussions between Jiang Jiao and the influential figures of Hanyang.
“Cui Jigui is young and simple, not good with words, but after joining my ranks, it became clear he had learned a lot from the Analects and Korean poetry,” Zheng Xuan said with a hint of pride, “He’s straightforward and capable of honest counsel. If the nation were to revive, he’d surely be a candidate for minister.”
“Guozi Ni is the same. Interestingly, this kid has some connection with Ye Shu. The farming issues in Bingzhou have been handled well, and Guozi Ni has had relevant insights. Observing his talent, he’s truly a national treasure, not limited to scholarly learning. If Ye Shu sees him as useful, why not assign him to a civilian duty?”
Guo Yuan’s historical role was indeed tied to farming work.
Under Zheng Xuan’s guidance, he stood out due to his good character and broad vision, especially being skilled in calculations, allowing him to clearly determine the arrangements for distributing land to the people, particularly the number of officials and inspectors suitable for a region.
Even if Qiao Yan wasn’t itching for administrative talent, she had to keep him around.
Especially in these trying times.
Thanks to years of building stability in Bingzhou, Liangzhou was still in dire need of development.
With Qiao Yan unable to abandon Bingzhou and transfer too many agricultural officials to Liangzhou, she absolutely couldn’t miss out on Guo Yuan now that Zheng Xuan brought him right to her doorstep.
And it wasn’t just Guo Yuan.
Zheng Xuan’s group of disciples always remained quite a sizable number, many of whom might not have spoken much with Zheng Xuan but were all hardly ordinary folks.
Some hadn’t displayed political talents yet, but that was mostly because they hadn’t had the chance before.
Now that both Bingzhou and Liangzhou had a platform to showcase their skills, it was only a matter of time before some stepped into the spotlight.
Once Bingzhou had figures like Cai Yong, Zheng Xuan, and Guan Ning, it gained the appeal of a cultural hub. She could also leverage the noble families’ offspring as hostages and entice them to study in Leping, thereby moving to the next stage.
She couldn’t rely on noble families forever to staff her administration with officials; she needed a system for cultivating talented commoners.
With reputation enough, it was time to start planning.
Her mind raced, but she merely replied to Zheng Xuan, “I’m not sure if Guozi Ni would prefer a position in Bingzhou or to plunge into the challenge of reviving Liangzhou?”
Zheng Xuan replied, “No need to ask me about that. I’m just responsible for recommending talent and establishing connections, not for figuring out all the positions.”
In other words, she should discuss with Guo Yuan herself while he would continue his research on the local academic scene.
But that was enough!
With talent at her doorstep, it was time for her to spark the final fire.
Qiao Yan bowed to Zheng Xuan and stepped back, planning to converse with Guo Yuan and Cui Yan the next day.
As dusk fell, she decided to head back to her residence in Leping first to rest.
However, she hadn’t walked too far when she spotted a group of little kids dressed in Leping Academy uniforms huddled together up ahead.
Before Qiao Yan could get closer, one girl who acted like the leader suddenly grabbed the sleeve of a nearby boy, declaring loudly, “Lu Yi here is under my protection from Lü Lingju! Don’t think you can bully him just because he’s from Lujiang!”
“Lu Yi, recite what you’ve learned to them so they don’t feel superior!”
Qiao Yan facepalmed and came to a halt.
Is Leping Academy already at this level?
