Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Can’t a strategist ascend the throne? Volume 6: Two Provinces, Tiger’s Roar, Silk Road Reopens Chapter 181: Newcomers at the Academy

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Can’t a strategist ascend the throne?

Chapter 181: Newcomers at the Academy

Whenever it comes to academies, Qiao Yan’s mind subconsciously jumps to scenes of face-slapping comebacks and “don’t bully the young and poor” tropes. It’s hard to say if this is due to some pre-transmigration influences.

Leping Academy is, after all, an academy. Lu Lingju, who was merged into Leping Kindergarten three years ago, is now officially studying in the academy’s curriculum. It’s not surprising to see such a social scene.

Thinking again, the main body of Leping Academy is from Bingzhou…

Bingzhou is in the northern frontier, while Yangzhou is in the southern barbarian lands. It’s common for them not to get along.

But when Qiao Yan’s gaze turned to Lu Yi, also known as the future Lu Xun, she suddenly realized that the scene before her might not be about academy discrimination or bullying.

Because the person standing there was Guo Huai.

Back then, Guo Huai was jokingly asked by Guo Yun if he could become Cai Yong’s disciple. Now, he’s grown from three years old to nine.

Three years ago, when Qiao Yan led her army to attack the Xianbei Royal Court and returned, she met Guo Huai in Yanmen County.

This child isn’t shy or afraid of military affairs. He’s clever and well-mannered.

Adding Qiao Yan’s stereotypes about him, he doesn’t seem like someone who would look down on Lu Yi and block his way.

And yet, Lu Lingju created this “social big sister” scene.

That’s quite interesting.

Meanwhile, from an angle Qiao Yan couldn’t see, Lu Yi’s face flashed with a hint of speechlessness.

Though young, he’s quite mature.

A few years ago, after his father passed away, he followed his uncle Lu Kang to live in Shuxian and study.

Yuan Shu’s attack on Lujiang disrupted his once peaceful life, forcing young Lu Yi to watch his uncle mobilize Shuxian’s forces to defend the city, holding on desperately.

His mind matured rapidly during those months.

But even someone as precocious as him didn’t expect that Shuxian would soon welcome Sun Ce’s reinforcements from the west, and his aunt Lu Yuan would come from Bingzhou to take part of the Lu family to Bingzhou for safety.

His uncle refused to leave but knew that with the disputes between Yangzhou’s counties and Yuan Shu, chaos was inevitable. Plus, with Liu Biao in Jingzhou to the west being a bad neighbor, he agreed to let Lu Yuan take dozens of people away.

Including Lu Yi.

After arriving in Bingzhou, Lu Yi was naturally enrolled in Leping Academy.

Everything in Leping Academy was new to Lu Yi, especially the library section for children under fifteen, which he found particularly fascinating.

But his classmates seemed overly enthusiastic.

While he was buried in books in the library, he overheard a girl named Lu Lingju directing a group of classmates, discussing how to quickly integrate him into the group. According to her:

“That new Lu Yi is too quiet. Despite his name suggesting debate, he’s like a block of wood. We need to give him a chance to show his true abilities. For example, one of us could provoke him, forcing him to show his skills. Then we can naturally say that with his abilities, he can study with us.”

“What if he doesn’t have the skills?” someone asked.

Lu Lingju replied without hesitation, “How could that be? If Lu Ji has the skills, his nephew can’t be too bad, right?”

This bandit logic, combined with Lu Lingju’s expression, made even Guo Huai, who saw the flaws, dare not protest.

Unaware that their discussion had been overheard by Lu Yi, Lu Lingju confidently continued, “Besides, even if he can only write ‘one, two, three,’ can’t we find words to praise him? He’s the first southerner to study at Leping Academy. The beginning is always hard; we can’t let him feel out of place here. Even if he recites ‘The Giant Rat,’ we should praise him for understanding people’s livelihoods. Got it?”

“…” Lu Yi, hiding in the attic, was stunned by the Bingzhou style.

Under Lu Lingju’s direction, the plan to integrate the new classmate in a special way was set.

Now, there was only one question: who would play the role of the provocateur.

In the storybooks Qiao Yan had written for them, this would be the standard villain role.

The most fitting candidate was eight-year-old Dian Man.

Like his father Dian Wei, he had a strong physique and could be quite intimidating.

However, under everyone’s gaze, Dian Man’s face turned bright red.

Lu Lingju was in a dilemma.

This child was fair-skinned and shy. If he lost his momentum halfway through the provocation, the handshake-and-make-up scene would become awkward.

It would be too obvious they were acting.

So, she turned to the second choice: Linghu Hua, the eldest son of Linghu Shao, the officer of Shuofang County.

But Linghu Hua was currently losing his baby teeth, and his speech was slurred. Provoking someone would be a disaster.

Finally, the role fell to Guo Huai.

The son of the Yanmen Prefect, a member of the Taiyuan Guo family, he seemed like the perfect candidate to provoke a southern noble.

Guo Huai, forced into the role, tried his best to act like a bully.

Lu Yi, standing opposite him, was naturally composed and managed not to laugh.

But he opened his mouth and no sound came out.

Facing such a classmate for the first time, Lu Yi truly didn’t know what to say to play along.

His reaction made Lu Lingju anxious.

She stared at Lu Yi’s face, her mind filled with Qiao Yan’s scathing remark about Yuan Shao: “Outwardly gold and jade, inwardly rotten.”

She wondered if her assumption about Lu Yi’s abilities, based on Lu Yuan’s recommendation, was wrong.

Logically, this kid looked scholarly. Shouldn’t he be showing off his skills now?

What Lu Lingju didn’t expect was that just as she was about to pull Lu Yi aside and have him improvise something, a small figure suddenly rushed between them, standing in front of Lu Yi.

This child, no more than three or four years old, shouted as he ran, “Don’t bully my nephew—”

Before he could finish, he tripped and fell.

The next moment, he was crying, covering his face.

Lu Lingju: “…”

Lu Yi: “…”

Lu Yuan, who had brought Lu Ji to see his nephew: “…”

Amidst the silence and Lu Ji’s wailing, a light cough was particularly noticeable.

Lu Lingju instinctively turned and saw Qiao Yan leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching the scene. It was unclear how long she had been observing.

She quickly stood straight, giving Qiao Yan an innocent look and addressing her as “Your Majesty.”

As Qiao Yan’s gaze shifted away, Lu Lingju cautiously stepped back, leaving Lu Yi and Lu Ji in the middle.

A mishap wasn’t a big deal, but being seen by Qiao Yan was problematic.

But this couldn’t be blamed on her; it was just a small hiccup in the script.

Yes, just a small hiccup!

“This academy is quite lively, isn’t it?” Qiao Yan said to Lu Yuan as they left the academy.

Thinking of the comical scene, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh.

Those kids, who entered Leping Academy a few years ago, have been there for nearly three years, but it’s still not enough for them to be fully independent.

Even Lu Yi, who remained calm and quickly comforted Lu Ji, is still far from being useful.

She had originally set a ten-year plan to cultivate talent, and there’s still more to wait.

Fortunately, she has patience.

Seeing the academy’s atmosphere also slightly relaxed Qiao Yan’s usually tense and vigilant mindset.

At least for now, no one has gone astray.

Lu Yuan replied, “Indeed, it’s lively. I think Lu Yi will get along well with them.”

After this farce, Lu Yi probably understands the personalities of his future classmates and knows these northerners mean no harm.

Lu Yuan then asked, “But don’t you think it’s too early to leave Lu Ji in the academy?”

Qiao Yan replied, “He seems quite interested in astronomy. It’s not bad for him to be influenced by Cai Yong and Zheng Xuan. I’ll have someone look after him. Though young, he bravely stood up to protect… his nephew. That’s commendable.”

The slight pause in her words made Lu Yuan smile.

It’s not uncommon for nephews to be older than their uncles, especially among cousins.

Lu Yi’s grandfather was much older than his younger brother Lu Kang, and Lu Ji was born when Lu Kang was old, hence the situation.

Xun You and Xun Yu are similar.

Qiao Yan wondered if these two had been like Lu Yi and Lu Ji when they were young, but given the dignified demeanor of Yingchuan scholars, they probably weren’t as amusing as Lu Ji.

Unfortunately, Lu Ji wouldn’t gain the reputation of “Lu Lang with the Orange” for trying to save an orange for his mother when he was six and met Yuan Shu.

But now, with Cai Yong and Zheng Xuan as his mentors, when he’s older, he can be sent to the Science Academy to work with Ma Lun and Liu Hong. Perhaps his achievements will go beyond the “Huntian Chart,” which wouldn’t be a bad thing.

As for Lu Yi, Qiao Yan holds him in particularly high regard.

But such high expectations need not be explicitly stated to Lu Yi, who is still a child, nor to Lu Yuan, to avoid any undue pressure.

Compared to Lu Yi, who still needs years of polishing to be useful, Lu Yuan is more important to her.

When Qiao Yan led the expedition to Liangzhou, Lu Yuan took on the responsibility of staying behind. During the Jing-Yang upheaval, Lu Yuan went south, befriending Sun Ce to ensure he wouldn’t suspect Qiao Yan of Sun Jian’s death, while also bringing the Lu family to Bingzhou.

Looking at Lu Yuan now, Qiao Yan felt her calm and approachable demeanor was a stark contrast to when she had requested to go on the mission.

Such a demeanor is undoubtedly best suited for coordination and diplomatic roles.

At least, Sun Ce didn’t detect any… ulterior motives in her mission.

Qiao Yan shifted the topic, “Tell me about your experiences in the south.”

Lu Yuan understood that Qiao Yan wasn’t interested in what she already knew from the reports sent to Bingzhou, such as the impending conflict between Sun Ce and Yan Baihu in Wu Commandery, or Sun Ce’s temperament.

She wanted to hear Lu Yuan’s other thoughts.

Lu Yuan replied, “If I had to say, there’s only one thing: there are many famous scholars in Wu and Kuaiji, but few can be of use to you. You’ll have to make choices.”

Qiao Yan smiled, “You’re from Yangzhou yourself. Don’t you find this assessment problematic?”

“There’s no conflict,” Lu Yuan said. “Since I arrived in Yangzhou, Sun Ce, who has taken Lujiang and Danyang, has been trying to stabilize his position in these two commanderies, planning to take Yuzhang and Kuaiji to have the strength to resist Yuan Shu in the north and attack Liu Biao in the west. He’s had many dealings with Yangzhou’s gentry.”

“Ignoring your and Wenhe’s schemes for the southern situation, Sun Ce is a young prodigy with the strength and courage to fight. Even if they don’t support him as their lord, they should at least show goodwill. Yet, by the time I left, only one person had pledged allegiance to Sun Ce.”

“This person is Yu Fan, the son of Yu Xin, the Prefect of Rinan. Of course, Zhou Yu in Shuxian also counts, but he’s still young and not well-known, hardly a famous scholar.”

“The other two who joined Sun Ce are from Xuzhou: Zhang Zhao from Pengcheng and Zhang Hong from Guangling, both of whom came to Jiangdong years ago to escape trouble. Even Xuzhou natives, risking backlash, quickly made their choice. But the famous scholars of Wu and Kuaiji—”

“They mostly focus on their small plots of land, thinking they can live in peace behind the natural barrier of the Yangtze. Even if you were in Sun Ce’s position, they wouldn’t show much respect. Few would leave Jiangdong to join you. If you personally invited them, it would seem suspicious. It’s better to let it go for now.”

Lu Yuan didn’t think her assessment was wrong.

After this conclusion, she added, “Let Sun Ce’s swift blade shake these so-called famous scholars out of their comfort zones, and see if any are worth catching.”

Seeing Qiao Yan still listening, Lu Yuan continued, “There’s also an interesting tidbit: Xu Shao, who once praised you as ‘a young phoenix with a clear voice,’ has a cousin, Xu Jing, who co-hosted the Monthly Appraisal. He’s now in Wu Commandery with the Commandant Xu Gong.”

Hearing Xu Gong’s name, Qiao Yan’s eyes flickered slightly.

But the fleeting expression was too quick, and the night was too dark for Lu Yuan to notice.

She simply said, “Xu Jing and Xu Shao don’t get along. When Xu Shao was in power, he suppressed Xu Jing. Now, with the world in turmoil, Xu Jing’s choice to seek refuge in Yangzhou isn’t wrong, but Yangzhou is hardly a peaceful place.”

Lu Yuan smiled, “Exactly. He really doesn’t know how to pick a place or… judge people.”

“If someone else were in Xu Jing’s position, if he could use his reputation for evaluating scholars to label Sun Ce as a hero of the chaotic times, Sun Ce would immediately honor him as a guest. But Xu Gong, who provides him shelter, has spoken ill of Sun Ce, and Xu Jing hasn’t dissuaded him. I think he either needs to find a new refuge or will no longer be able to evaluate people.”

Such arrogance is of no use in the current environment.








But as Lu Yuan said, this news was just a trivial anecdote for Qiao Yan.

She had long passed the time when she needed a Monthly Appraisal to boost her reputation. Even if Xu Jing was killed by Sun Ce due to misjudgment, dragging Xu Shao’s reputation down with him, it had little to do with Qiao Yan.

As for the affairs in the southern regions, she could at most give a push in the general direction, but she couldn’t possibly micromanage everything.

However, she pondered that she should still have someone keep an eye on the Xu Jing and Xu Gong situation.

After all, Sun Ce was killed by Xu Gong’s retainers.

And Sun Ce, at least in Qiao Yan’s plans, couldn’t die just yet.

After all, it wasn’t hard to conclude who was more controllable between Sun Ce and Sun Quan.

But perhaps there was one thing she could intervene in.

According to Lu Yuan, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, who had moved from Xuzhou to Jiangdong years ago, were now under Sun Ce’s command. With these two and Zhou Yu, a versatile supporter, Sun Ce shouldn’t have much trouble establishing himself in Yang Province and competing with Liu Biao and Yuan Shu.

In this situation, it would be best if Sun Ce didn’t get his hands on a strategist from Xuzhou.

That would be Lu Su.

But upon further thought, since Sun Ce had taken over Jiangdong early, neither he nor Zhou Yu had gone through the process of serving under Yuan Shu, so it was unlikely they would encounter Lu Su anytime soon.

Lu Su, who would later become the Grand Commander of Eastern Wu, was still a major landowner in Donghai County, Xuzhou, and wouldn’t easily leave the region. Even Qiao Yan couldn’t persuade him to come to Bingzhou at this point.

And due to geographical reasons—

Before Liu Yao from Donglai was appointed as the Governor of Yang Province, Tai Shici from Donglai wouldn’t naturally head to Yang Province due to conflicts between Liu Yao and Sun Ce, nor would he become Sun Ce’s general through their rivalry.

Starting his territorial expansion in Jiangdong early was Sun Ce’s luck.

Losing Lu Su and Tai Shici as potential allies was his misfortune.

But as they say, gains come with losses. Who knows how things will turn out in the end?

Although she controlled almost two provinces, she still didn’t dare underestimate the heroes of the world, nor did she dare underestimate some people’s luck.

It was better to be safe than sorry.

After some consideration, she decided to write a letter to Mi Zhu, asking him to recommend Lu Su to Tao Qian.

Tao Qian was currently in an ambitious phase, even daring to employ dangerous figures like Zang Ba, Sun Guan, and Ze Rong, let alone Lu Su!

Though young, Lu Su had already shown a chivalrous and generous demeanor, along with a visionary outlook on the world, making him a perfect aid for Tao Qian.

With Lu Su around, Tao Qian would have more confidence in defending against Yuan Shu, preventing him from invading Xuzhou when pushed to desperation by Sun Ce.

More importantly, the goodwill and support the Donghai Mi Clan showed toward Bingzhou might exceed what Tao Qian could tolerate. To ensure the Mi Clan’s safety, Mi Zhu should add an extra layer of protection.

Recommending a talented individual to Tao Qian was the best way to show goodwill.

After that, Qiao Yan carefully wrote a second letter.

This one was to Cao Cao.

In her view, the narrowness of Dong Commandery was no excuse for Cao Cao not noticing Zheng Xuan and others passing through.

Cao Cao’s governance skills had already been proven during his tenure as the Chancellor of Jinan, so Dong Commandery, being just one commandery, shouldn’t be a problem.

Rather than it being an oversight, Qiao Yan thought it more likely that Cao Cao turned a blind eye and let them pass.

In that case, it would be good to send a letter of thanks.

In the letter, she also mentioned that she still owed Cao Ang, Cao Pi, and Cao Zhang gifts from their previous meeting. Now, as an elder, she took the opportunity to ask if any of them needed to be sent to Leping Academy for studies.

Cao Ang, who needed to assist his father, could be exempt, but Cao Pi was already five, and Cao Zhang was four. Perhaps one of them could be sent to keep Lu Ji company.

By today’s standards, this was indeed a significant gift.

After all, studying under Zheng Xuan or Cai Yong was not something just anyone could experience.

They certainly wouldn’t be treated like the northwestern warlords Qiao Yan used as tools, merely as external disciples.

And the deluxe edition of the *Simin Yueling* sent with the letter was also a substantial gift.

But just as Qiao Yan dared to give the curved plow to Sun Ce, the *Simin Yueling* was the lightest of her three agricultural guides. Giving it to Cao Cao as a New Year’s gift was, at most, a way to slightly improve the lives of the people in Dong Commandery.

Why wouldn’t she do such a thing?

The *Simin Yueling* eventually ended up in Zao Zhi’s hands.

Zao Zhi, serving as the Tuntian Commandant under Cao Cao, had shown exceptional agricultural management skills when refugees from Ji Province’s Wei County flooded into Dong Commandery, earning Cao Cao’s trust.

That was between May and June of the previous year.

The autumn harvest in Dong Commandery, completed between August and October, successfully absorbed the influx of refugees. With the population growth, the jurisdiction naturally extended into parts of Jiyin and Dongping.

But starting next year, the pressure to cultivate more farmland would increase. Receiving a guidebook before spring plowing was no less than gaining an extra advantage.

When he flipped back to the cover, he saw Cui Shi’s name written on it.

This renowned scholar from Qinghe, who had passed away twenty years ago, had his agricultural writings resurface in such a manner, leaving Zao Zhi somewhat amazed.

As the materials for Leping Marquis paper became more widely available, some had managed to decipher its composition.

But paper, before reaching its optimal formula, required not only large-scale production but also a sufficient number of skilled professionals.

Those who could afford to allocate manpower like Qiao Yan were few and far between.

And if you factored in having enough raw materials, she was the only one left.

This deluxe edition of the *Simin Yueling* was a unique product of Leping.

When this book reached Cao Cao, he couldn’t help but feel that, rather than aiding agricultural production in Dong Commandery, it seemed more like Qiao Yan was showcasing her strength.

But then he laughed to himself. If the New Year’s gift wasn’t meticulously packaged, it wouldn’t be Qiao Yan.

Though she had been tied up by the Liangzhou war last year and only had some leisure to return to Bingzhou by the end of the first month, she didn’t skimp on making up for the delayed gifts.

However, this year she didn’t send furniture to Liu Xie or annotated books to Liu Bian.

Back in late December of the previous year, she had sent a batch of dark purple fritillaria from the Hehuang region west of Liangzhou to Liu Xie.

This gift made sense for Liu Xie, as it treated spleen and stomach coldness, implying—

“Your Majesty, take care of your health. I, Qiao Yan, will come to your rescue as soon as possible.”

But the one in power in Chang’an wasn’t Liu Xie but Dong Zhuo, so the gift would likely end up in his hands.

Which made it a bit of a mockery.

Dark purple fritillaria had heat-clearing and lung-moistening effects, which would be quite fitting for Dong Zhuo, who was growing increasingly anxious as Liangzhou stabilized.

Though it might just stoke new fires before the old ones died down.

When Cao Cao learned of this gift from Qiao Yan’s correspondence, he couldn’t help but wonder if it carried on her tradition of playful sarcasm.

After returning to Bingzhou, she also sent her New Year’s gift to the “Prince Bian” she mentioned.

She specifically had someone go to Luoyang to sweep the tomb of Emperor Ling of Han at Mang Mountain, offering sacrifices and then sending a box of yellow earth from the grave to Liu Bian.

It was hard to tell if this was a dig at Liu Bian for moving from Luoyang to Ye City or for ascending to the throne through improper means, implying unfilial piety.

But Qiao Yan’s official explanation was that it was to ease Liu Bian’s longing for his late father and hometown.

In comparison, both Sun Ce and Cao Cao felt their gifts were exceptionally reliable.

With this psychological comfort, Cao Cao asked Zao Zhi, “Can you expand more farmland this year?”

Zao Zhi敏锐地意识到，曹操这个拓展，只怕并不是在问他，能不能在东郡的范围内再增加出一些田地，而是在问他，如果曹操能从东郡将地盘扩张出去，他能不能将屯田的范围也随之扩张出去。

But it was no wonder Cao Cao had such thoughts. While Yanzhou wasn’t embroiled in the same conflicts as Jing or Yang Provinces, nor the chaos of Qiang and warlords in Liangzhou, or the Yellow Turban rebellions in Qing and Ji Provinces, the current issue was the incompetence of the local prefects, leading to widespread hardship.

Guo Jia’s ability to escort Zheng Xuan through Jiyin and Chenliu without issue was proof enough.

Since these people couldn’t get things done and only made life harder for the people, it was better to bring them under his control and then request the position of Governor of Yanzhou from the court.

As for what other thoughts Cao Cao had while watching the two Han courts oppose each other and the appointment of officials becoming almost a joke, only he knew.

Zao Zhi was a competent Tuntian Commandant, not a strategist skilled at reading his lord’s mind, so he didn’t notice the complex emotions in Cao Cao’s contemplative silence. He simply gave a firm answer—

Yes!

He had the confidence to keep up with Cao Cao’s pace.

Similarly, Chen Gong had the ability to handle the court in Ye City after Cao Cao’s actions.

Satisfied with these answers, Cao Cao walked home, thinking about this year’s expansion plans.

His eldest son, Cao Ang, had been sent to Dong’e for inspection and wasn’t in Puyang. At home were only Cao Pi and Cao Zhang, sons of Lady Bian.

As he entered the courtyard, he saw the little “Yellow-Bearded Boy,” Cao Zhang, running toward him on short legs, followed by Cao Pi, who leisurely bowed to him.

Cao Cao looked at his two sons and couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the active and the calm.

Thinking about sending a son to study, he certainly didn’t want to send someone who would cause trouble at Qiao Yan’s Leping Academy.

So he made a decision.

Send Cao Pi to Leping!

Almost simultaneously, another New Year’s gift reached its recipient.

But this wasn’t a gift from Qiao Yan—it was from Guo Jia.

The recipient was Xun Yu, who was currently staying in Langye Commandery.

Though Guo Jia had passed through Langye on his way back from Qingzhou after escorting Zheng Xuan, he kept his official and personal matters strictly separate, not even sending a message to Xun Yu, his close friend.

Now that his duties were done, he could send a greeting.

Recalling what Xun Yu had mentioned in his letter last August, Guo Jia bundled up the Leping Monthly Reports from September to January, along with a few handwritten copies of children’s books from Leping Academy, and sent them to Xun Yu.

He certainly wouldn’t admit that he only thought of sending “warmth” to Xun Yu after seeing Qiao Yan’s gifts to Cao Cao and Liu Bian, instead claiming he wanted to wait for the New Year’s issue of the Leping Monthly Report to send everything together.

When Xun Yu received the gift, he could almost see Guo Jia’s half-hearted excuses through the letter and shook his head in amusement.

After skimming through the five issues of the monthly report, he was somewhat astonished by Leping’s comprehensive progress, though he didn’t show it. Instead, he passed them to Zhuge Liang, who was beside him.

In Xun Yu’s view, Zhuge Liang’s decision to travel through various provinces, starting with Xuzhou, might have been the best choice he could make.

Zhuge Liang’s talent far exceeded what Xun Yu had praised in his letters to friends.

Though young, he had his own criteria for evaluating knowledge and possessed remarkable analytical and organizational skills.

Such a person, when placed in an environment suitable for absorbing knowledge, would undoubtedly grow into a pillar of the state.

Xun Yu also noticed that when he handed over the monthly reports and books to Zhuge Liang, the boy, though particularly interested in a book on woodworking machinery, set it aside to first read about the current state of Bingzhou as revealed in the reports.

For a child, being able to restrain his interests was a skill in itself.

Xun Yu asked gently, “What do you see?”

Zhuge Liang’s gaze lingered on a page detailing the simultaneous water conservancy projects in Bingzhou and Liangzhou. He replied, “This Governor Qiao is far ahead of others. Water conservancy isn’t a useless effort but a means to combat natural disasters. Yet elsewhere, people are still struggling for basic sustenance. The disparity is striking.”

In times of drought, even a place like Xuzhou wouldn’t be spared.

In regions like Liangzhou and Bingzhou, such diligent efforts were even more commendable.

“You’re right, but what I find more intriguing is this line.” Xun Yu pointed to a small note on the next page. “The expansion of the academy after Zheng Xuan’s arrival in Leping has far-reaching implications.”

Yet other regions couldn’t defend against such cultural plundering.

Her ability to bring Zheng Xuan here was a feat in itself.

A feat unmatched by any other provincial governor!

Zhuge Liang suddenly heard Xun Yu sigh and say, “Before I leave Xuzhou for my next destination, I’ll persuade your uncle to take you to Leping.”

“Regardless of what the future holds or whether you’ll serve the Governor of Bingzhou… with your talent, you shouldn’t lose out at the starting line.”