“Can strategists really not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 187 – Unexpected Outcry
Yuan Shu sure loves to let his mouth run wild!
Qiao Yan stared at the first line of the letter for ages, switching between shock and disbelief.
Considering the letter was from Shu Shao, one of Yuan Shu’s subordinates, and the handwriting was unmistakably Yuan Shu’s, she could confirm that nobody else would dare impersonate him for this kind of stunt.
This must be a moment of madness after a failed attack on Yangzhou and failing to secure the position of the Governor of Yuzhou from the court in Ye City.
But honestly, this madness was way crazier than the whispers she’d heard from the system!
Previously, he mostly thought those scholars cozying up to Yuan Shao were rotten, refusing to choose him over Yuan Shao. So, he claimed Xu You was a “wicked and lustful guy” and He Yong “evil and deserving death.”
But now? He just flat-out declared Yuan Shao wasn’t even a child of the Yuan family.
Given how much the family hierarchy plays into it, for Yuan Shu, the direct descendant of the Yuan clan, to make such an outrageous comment about Yuan Shao…
Whether the others believed him or not, it definitely spread some rather unflattering rumors about Yuan Shao.
Yet, in a way, Yuan Shu’s statement felt like a self-inflicted shot in the foot.
If Yuan Shao wasn’t truly a Yuan descendant, how could they have elevated him as a leader among the scholars and let him support the Emperor in Ye City? That’s a pretty confusing situation!
It was likely that Yuan Shu thought no one would dare to contradict his letter, so he spewed this in a fit of rage.
As Qiao Yan continued reading, it hit her why Yuan Shu wrote it this way.
Yuan Shu had an extreme personality.
In history, when he held the Imperial Seal and commanded troops, he boldly declared himself emperor, blatantly trampling over the rules, demanding, “I want it, so I must have it!”
And here we are again.
Yuan Shao believed that even though he had limited Yuan Shu, he was allowing him to keep the position of Governor of Jiujiang and still hold half of the power in Yuzhou—just a balancing act.
But Yuan Shu thought this meant Yuan Shao was getting cocky enough to completely break ties with him!
Since Yuan Shu wasn’t bothering to keep up any brotherly love, there was no need for him to save face for Yuan Shao.
Nor did he need to save face for the little Emperor in Ye City!
So, in the letter, he basically said—
Yuan Shao isn’t a true Yuan descendant, but rather a family servant who tricked his way into a legitimate title thanks to his father’s questionable family hand-off, but what’s he really worth? Yuan Shu didn’t even want to get into it.
Initially, since Yuan Shao retained the Yuan surname, he thought it was fair for him to be involved in the court.
But Yuan Shu was out there trying to keep the Han dynasty peaceful, commanding troops as the General of the Chariots and Cavalry.
What did he know? Yuan Shao was fooling the last Emperor’s offspring, grabbing power in Ji and Qing provinces, making the court in Ye City a mere facade of the Han dynasty while it truly is a bunch of false thieves.
No wonder Yuan Shao sent Liu Yu to the front lines in Liangzhou, limiting Qiao Yan’s ability to rescue the real Emperor.
“…” With her thick skin, Qiao Yan absorbed all this and was left speechless.
That sure was a grandiloquent rant!
If she had only been angered by the setbacks in her advance and was a hot-headed youth, Yuan Shu’s words could’ve easily ignited her emotions and rally her against a common enemy.
Thank goodness Qiao Yan was using her time in Liangzhou to stabilize things and gauge the chessboard of the realm, so Yuan Shao’s restrictions were actually to her benefit—not a chance she’d let Yuan Shu’s words sway her.
She just figured she might as well compliment Yuan Shu for not being completely off his rocker.
At least he still knew how to tell who might actually be a potential ally and who could help him put Yuan Shao in a tough spot.
After insisting that “as long as we all hate Yuan Shao, we are in this together,” Yuan Shu then launched into a few stories about Yuan Shao’s earlier blunders to assure Qiao Yan of his sincerity.
Like that time Yuan Shao went to steal a bride, and in the end, it was Yuan Shu who had to clean up the mess.
Whether this story was a fabrication or not, Qiao Yan thought with dark amusement that it would probably be immortalized as a little anecdote in collections like the “Shishuo Xinyu”… neat how it aligns with history.
After all this, Yuan Shu finally got back to his point.
He said he could send troops from Yuzhou, while Qiao Yan could attack the Three Auxiliary Districts from Liangzhou.
With their two-pronged encirclement, Dong Zhuo wouldn’t stand a chance.
When the time came, they would rescue Liu Xie from the fiery pit of Chang’an and welcome the Emperor back to Luoyang.
At that point, Yuan Shao, the so-called “non-Yuan descendant” and the puppet Emperor Liu Bian would lose all legitimacy.
Then General Qiao Yan could team up with him, the General of the Chariots and Cavalry, to wipe out the rebel scum and restore clarity to the Han dynasty. Their names would be forever etched in history, inspiring future generations.
What a grand fantasy!
Seeing Qiao Yan’s increasingly strange expression while reading the letter, Xun You grew curious and received the letter from her, saying with a smirk, “Yuan Gonglu really has some lofty ambitions… we’ve underestimated him.”
To Xun You, that phrase seemed more like a jab at Yuan Shu than a compliment.
Upon reading the letter, even he, who usually kept his emotions under wraps, couldn’t help but look a bit awkward.
This letter… it was like a mudslide in a world where most aristocrats were overly concerned about their reputation.
And the Yuan family from Runan, raising such a character as Yuan Gonglu, it was hard not to admit that was some talent.
Qiao Yan asked, “Do you think we should ally with Yuan Gonglu?”
The implication from Yuan Shu’s letter was crystal clear.
Qiao Yan’s extended stay in Liangzhou was partly due to stabilizing the situation there and also because she could no longer rely on Sun Jian, who died by the hands of Liu Biao and Dong Zhuo’s alliance.
Yuan Shu surprisingly had a bit of cleverness to him.
He figured since Sun Jian’s death wasn’t his problem, the best way to ally with Qiao Yan was to say—
I can fill in for Sun Jian and team up with you.
When they rescued Liu Xie, it’d make for a nice redemption story.
The plans were ambitious enough to stretch from Yuzhou to Liangzhou!
“I think it’s a bad idea.” Xun You replied decisively.
And it wasn’t just because Yuan Shu’s actions made the aristocrats look bad.
He continued, “Since you’ve decided to act on righteousness after Sun Wentai’s death in Jingzhou, supporting his eldest son Sun Bofu, if you then ally with Yuan Gonglu, you’ll be caught in the middle of two factions. That’s one reason.”
“Yuan Gonglu first proposed enshrining the Crown Prince Bian as Emperor, and now, having changed his tune, if he truly had the talent, it might be worth considering as temporary support. But promising talents under his command don’t get utilized—they might create flaws when facing Dong Zhuo.”
If Yuan Shu heard this, he’d probably blow a gasket.
According to Xun You, Yuan Shu couldn’t hold a candle to Sun Jian in battle; using him as an ally could leave them exposed to Dong Zhuo, potentially restoring his confidence.
And frankly, any rational person would know they should choose between Sun Ce and Yuan Shu.
Qiao Yan thought the same.
Actually, she was planning to be a little more ruthless.
Crossing Yuan Shu wasn’t a bad thing for her; it might actually benefit her future plans!
When Jia Xu headed to Chang’an for his undercover work, they hadn’t anticipated how quickly Yuan Shu would turn on Yuan Shao and completely switch his stance on the Emperor in Ye City.
But it wasn’t too late to find out now.
Jia Xu was a tactician skilled in adaptation; he would make adjustments based on the unfolding news.
As for Qiao Yan in Liangzhou, she just needed to stir the pot.
She took two actions in response.
First, she detained Shu Shao, the messenger, in her camp.
They say you don’t kill messengers in wartime, and Qiao Yan clearly knew the rules.
But as Xun You pointed out, many good talents under Yuan Shu weren’t put to use, so it was better to put them to work in Liangzhou, where manpower was desperately needed.
Xun You didn’t expect his remark to be interpreted in such a way by Qiao Yan. Looking at her serious “robber-style” approach, he figured trying to dissuade her wouldn’t do much good.
Shu Shao, Chunzhong, was a fellow townsman of Dian Wei, hailing from Chenliu in Yanzhou.
In his earlier years, his elder brother, Shu Boying, had friends killed without punishment under the Han laws, so Shu Zhongying avenged him. Afterward, both brothers attempted to get away with it but ended up getting pardoned.
Such deeds were lauded as heroic tales during the late Han period.
But it was clear that the abilities of this guy went beyond mere vigilante justice, as Yuan Shao later appointed him as Prime Minister of Pei.
Qiao Yan couldn’t remember the intricate details but judged from the messenger’s demeanor and speech that he had received decent education. Wanting to annoy Yuan Shu a little, she sent him to Jincheng County to assist Cheng Yu.
Since they were both from Yanzhou, they’d probably have some common grounds to talk about.
Shu Shao wanted to protest against Qiao Yan’s actions, but with the army nearby, he figured he’d have to comply for now and look for a chance to escape later.
The second thing Qiao Yan did was send the letter from Yuan Shu to Ye City, delivering it to Yuan Ji.
Two years ago, during the Luoyang upheaval, Yuan Ji led Liu Bian away from the North Palace in Luoyang, escaping Dong Zhuo’s control. However, before they could hide in the South Palace, he was accidentally shot by an arrow and suffered because Liu Bian, scared, couldn’t find a healer quickly, so he was left with lasting injuries.
This, combined with his physical and mental strain, made it nearly impossible for Yuan Ji to engage in any serious affairs; he only held a ceremonial title as Grand Master while lacking real power.
By rites, Yuan Ji was the eldest son of the Yuan family, so formally, he sat above Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, but practically speaking, with Yuan Shao holding the territories securely, Yuan Ji couldn’t pose any real threat to him.
But Qiao Yan’s aim was simply to make sure Yuan Shao got wind of this and provoke Yuan Shu further.
However, directly handing the letter to Yuan Shao would make it all too convenient for Yuan Benchu, given the friction between her and Yuan Shao. So, she opted to deliver the letter to Yuan Ji!
The subtext was clear—
[I heard a juicy rumor from your Yuan Shu saying Yuan Shao isn’t even a real member of the Yuan family.
But don’t worry, I’m not sharing this around; just looking to gossip with you, Big Young Master Yuan. And also, a little reminder that you might want to address the family’s internal rift.]
This move was pretty devilish.
Understanding the need to keep family scandals under wraps, Yuan Ji immediately stashed the letter away and sent Qiao Yan a nice little hush money.
They called it hush money, but it was still quite a significant outlay.
After all, relations of power can’t be handled with mere gold pieces.
Then he brought Yuan Shao in for a good scolding.
However, the root of the problem didn’t quite lie with Yuan Shao, but with Yuan Shu’s shenanigans.
Once he left Yuan Ji’s dwelling, Yuan Shao’s face was dark as he pondered how to deal with Yuan Shu.
Now he understood, if Yuan Shu unleashed that petulant, reckless behavior on him, it was utterly revolting!
There was no way he would give up the position of Governor of Yuzhou—not even a thought!
But the twist was that whether he maintained the status quo or escalated restrictions against Yuan Shu, it would undoubtedly lead to more discontent from him.
Such a sticky situation!
Before he and his advisors could devise a plan, another unexpected event unfolded.
Yuan Ji, aware that he couldn’t provoke Yuan Shu further at this time, opted not to write to him in admonition after receiving Qiao Yan’s message.
But Qiao Yan’s dismissive attitude toward Yuan Shu’s correspondence and her detention of Shu Shao was undeniably another slap in the face for Yuan Shu.
Being repeatedly belittled, restricted in status, and denied an alliance, it was tough for Yuan Shu, who still had inflated views of himself.
The fire is getting bigger and bigger.
In Yuan Shu’s eyes, he never had only one potential ally to choose from.
Thus, while muttering curses about Qiao Yan and Yuan Shao being no good, Yuan Shu decided to reach out to Gongsun Zan.
However, Gongsun Zan was advancing towards Jixian, pressing on Zhuojun, making Yuan Shao particularly vigilant about the defense at the border between Youzhou and Jizhou.
This letter was no better than the last one; before it could be delivered, it was intercepted by Yuan Shao’s subordinate, Gao Lan, and presented right to Yuan Shao himself.
Staring at the letter that bore the phrase “Shao is not a Yuan” in bold letters, Yuan Shao exploded in rage.
Though he had some doubts that the letter sent to Yuan Ji might have been fabricated by Qiao Yan, he still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that no matter how reckless Yuan Shu was, he wouldn’t completely ruin his family’s reputation.
But this letter came along with the messenger himself being caught, leaving no room for Yuan Shao to question its authenticity.
He slammed his fist on the table, “I can’t let him go on like this any longer!”
Who knows what kind of mess Yuan Shu will stir up next if he isn’t dealt with!
If it weren’t for Gongsun Zan needing to be handled in the north right now, Yuan Shao would have thought about leading his troops straight into Yuzhou himself.
Xu You, standing by, suggested, “Cao Cao just got his title as the Governor of Yanzhou. He should lend a hand to you, my lord.”
Yuan Shao paused at that, furrowing his brow as he replied, “He can use the fact that he hasn’t fully taken over Yanzhou yet to avoid acting rashly.”
Xu You shook his head, “No! That’s precisely what we need. It doesn’t matter if he can’t act, he can at least provide some supplies for the troops, right? Have you forgotten that during the battle of Hulao Pass against Dong Zhuo, Hu Zhan and Hua Xiong weren’t just killed by Cao Cao’s men?”
The battle aimed at suppressing Dong Zhuo wasn’t exactly a glorious event for Yuan Shao.
Especially after he arrived in Luoyang, where he had been scolded by Qiao Yan right to his face.
But thinking back on that scene, Yuan Shao started to grasp Xu You’s point, “Are you saying—Liu Bei?”
Hu Zhan was taken out by Cao Ren, but Hua Xiong fell to Guan Yu’s blade.
Such fierce generals made Yuan Shao feel a mix of excitement and remembrance that he wouldn’t easily forget.
This also explains why, when considering who to appoint to the position of Governor of Yanzhou, he had thought of Liu Bei and Zhang Miao, identifying them as potential troublemakers within Yanzhou.
But he hadn’t anticipated that just a month later, he would find himself trying to support Liu Bei against Yuan Shu.
No, wait!
According to Xu You’s advice, it was about having Cao Cao consolidate his power in Yanzhou while aiding Liu Bei to counter Yuan Shu.
And the charges against Yuan Shu were already glaringly obvious.
Disrespecting the emperor and colluding with the rebellious Gongsun Zan from Youzhou—either one would be enough to brand Yuan Shu as a target for censure.
Xu You added, “What you might have to offer in return is just a title like General of Pacification, but you could immediately secure a force to tackle Yuan Shu. If you win, it removes a major threat, but even if you lose, it would still slow Yuan Shu down and diminish Cao Cao’s resources. Why not go for it?”
“I see Liu Bei as ambitious, not one to simply be beneath Cao Cao. This back-and-forth makes total sense.”
Yuan Shao was moved by this idea, yet he asked, “What if Liu Bei takes over Yuzhou from Yuan Shu, and he and Cao Cao each control a province?”
Xu You smiled and countered, “My lord, have you forgotten Liu Bei’s origins?”
Origins?
Right!
Liu Bei claims to be a descendant of the Han royal family, so if he truly breaks free, he just needs to return to Ye City in the name of the emperor.
Qiao Yan might ignore the emperor of Ye City thanks to her possession of the edict from the late emperor to clear the usurpers.
But Liu Bei got his position as the governor of Jinan from the Ye City emperor. If he also gained a title to deal with bandits, he would have to play by the rules even more closely.
So even if he beats Yuan Shu and takes Yuzhou, Yuan Shao would still have enough leverage to keep him in check.
Liu Bei is no cause for alarm!
Having figured this out, Yuan Shao promptly made his decision.
This really shows the gap between the brothers Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shu wielded Yuan Shao’s origins as ammunition against him, leaving him with some dirt to gossip about at dinner, but essentially it didn’t deal any real damage to Yuan Shao.
Yet Yuan Shao’s moves are of grand consequence.
First, he got Chen Lin, who had previously written vehement critiques against Dong Zhuo, to turn his pen against Yuan Shu.
Compared to Yuan Shu’s slanderous tactics, Chen Lin’s rapid-fire denouncement would truly… if Cao Cao were on the other end, he’d be so furious he’d catch a cold.
Yuan Shu could only impotently rage and hurl insults about Yuan Shao being just a Yuan family servant.
Then, Yuan Shao followed Xu You’s advice and appointed Liu Bei, the Governor of Jinan, as General of Pacification to take on the rebellious Yuan Shu, with supplies coming from Cao Cao, the Governor of Yanzhou.
This arrangement…
Even if Yuan Shu learned from these lessons and had to tone down his arrogance, carefully utilizing his own generals like Ji Ling and Qiao Rui while consulting with Yan Xiang, Yuan Huan, and Zhang Cheng; even if Yuan Shu relied on his base in Runan, he wouldn’t let Liu Bei wrap things up that quickly—
At the very least, one thing is for sure.
In the short term, Yuan Shu won’t have the luxury to bother Yuan Shao.
Meanwhile, in Liangzhou, Qiao Yan was sending off Liu Yu, who was in a rush to leave.
Gongsun Zan’s sudden mobilization wasn’t just making Yuan Shao, who was sitting pretty in Qingzhou and Jizhou, anxious, it made Liu Yu, upon hearing the news, restless.
Earlier, Qiao Yan had advised him not to act rashly without understanding the situation to avoid falling into Gongsun Zan’s trap, which Liu Yu had managed to endure.
But as specific battle news made its way from Dai Commandery to the neighboring Bingzhou and then to Liangzhou, Liu Yu felt he must return.
“Ye Shu, you don’t need to try and convince me! Right now, it seems like Gongsun Zan has control over six commanderies, but the two—Yelang and Xuantu—are isolated and vulnerable, easily taken. The fact that Zhuojun hasn’t fallen is simply to maintain a buffer between him and Yuan Benchu among the bigger picture. The only territories truly remaining under the Han are Shanggu and Dai, and my son stands no chance to hold them.”
Upon reaching this conclusion, a flash of regret crossed Liu Yu’s face.
His remorse wasn’t about coming to Liangzhou to dissuade Qiao Yan from marching.
Having witnessed the rare harmony between the Qiang and Han here, he thought perhaps he could take some credit for it—satisfying enough for him.
His regret stemmed from not exiting towards Youzhou sooner, powered by enough caution regarding Gongsun Zan’s intentions.
If only he had returned sooner, would Gongsun Zan even have had a chance to stir up trouble?
“I’m not suggesting Liu Youzhou should dodge danger; I’m simply pondering whether to send someone to assist you,” Qiao Yan said, “You should know Wang Jidao, the Prefect of Dai Commandery, is the brother of my subordinate, Protector-General of the Southern Xiongnu, Wang Shuyou. The Hu people’s Colonel in Youzhou is the father of my officer, Lihu Kongshu from Shangjun. Youzhou and Bingzhou, being border regions, should naturally help each other.”
Therefore, Liu Yu needed to go, and she had to extend a helping hand.
Liu Yu recognized that now wasn’t the time for pleasantries with Qiao Yan.
Even though Yuan Shao was currently raising forces in response to Gongsun Zan’s sudden expansion, the unique geography surrounding Youzhou compelled Yuan Shao not to pursue beyond a surface level, likely only looking to secure Jizhou’s borders.
To reclaim Youzhou from Gongsun Zan, it was still up to Liu Yu himself.
But after working together with Gongsun Zan for so long, Liu Yu was well aware of his military capabilities.
With just two commanderies left and his subordinates fleeing from Gongsun Zan, his odds of defeating him were nearly nonexistent.
He really would have to rely on aid from Bingzhou’s troops.
However, he couldn’t resist asking quietly, “Will sending Ye Shu’s forces truly not disrupt life for the people of Bingzhou?”
Qiao Yan chuckled reluctantly, “There will undoubtedly be some stress, but it’s better than Youzhou falling to bandits.”
“One of my generals is from Xuantu Commandery, but alas, he was sent back to retrace the Silk Road as a subordinate of Dong Zhuo. Luckily the generals from Bingzhou and Liangzhou are hardy and can endure hardships, so they won’t drag us down.”
“I’ll temporarily borrow Zhang Wenyuan from the guards at Yanmen to stay with you, while leaving Zhi Shu to defend here. Qiu Jichang will escort you back to Youzhou. How does that sound?”
Qiao Yan was a bit curious about how Zhao Yun and Gongsun Zan would face each other or how Qu Yi, with just eight hundred cavalry, would fare against the White Horse Yisong, but after considering it, she decided on Zhang Liao and Qu Yan.
Zhao Yun had too many duties in Wuwei and couldn’t be reassigned yet, so the more loyal and sharp-minded Zhang Liao was a better fit to hold down the fort in Youzhou.
As for Qu Yan…
He should have already sensed from Qiao Yan’s disposition that she wouldn’t favor him over Qu Yi if they fought on the same side. Thus, he had to seek another avenue for himself.
Going to Youzhou would be a fine choice.
He would surely fight hard for a say in how things developed.
His aspiration was evident from how fiercely he pursued Han Sui and opened the gates.
If this unit directly moved from Yanmen Commandery into Dai Commandery, the supply line would be relatively short, and with the Wang Clan of Taiyuan keen to preserve their Prefect, support would be forthcoming, making Qiao Yan’s influence minimal.
What’s more, she had already noticed Liu Yu’s attitude was supportive.
Once he returned to Youzhou, everything Qiao Yan needed for the forces he dispatched would fall under his jurisdiction, to ensure Bingzhou wouldn’t be overly burdened.
This was practically a task with little risk involved.
Yet what Qiao Yan didn’t expect was that before Liu Yu left Liangzhou, someone else sought her out, expressing a desire to join the battle.
“I remember during the Zhang Ju Rebellion in Yuyang, you also dispatched troops to assist,” Qiao Yan said, casting a glance at Yufuluo.
Since the last time he was caught by Yao Chang, Yufuluo had felt a bit shamed, desperately searching for an opportunity to redeem himself.
What pushed Yufuluo to take the leap and request to fight was witnessing the growing number of assimilated Qiang people under Qiao Yan. It was likely they might transition from Liangzhou’s farming fields towards the South Xiongnu’s base in Bingzhou.
At that point, they would hold no competitive edge, risking complete replacement—wasn’t that life-threatening?
If he didn’t seize this chance to contribute, when would he?
“Indeed, I’m fairly familiar with the environment of Youzhou. I believe I can make a contribution,” Yufuluo replied eagerly.
As soon as he expressed this, seeing how Qiao Yan promptly approved his self-nomination without hesitation, ordering him to join Zhang Liao’s troops, listening to his commands, he sighed in relief.
Yet as he left Qiao Yan’s study, he couldn’t help but ponder that during the last campaign in Youzhou, there had been quite a bit of grumbling within the Southern Xiongnu clan.
Take Huhuan Tuoli, the Left Guli Wang, for example, he even developed a grudging sentiment against the Han.
So why was he now jumping into this pit willingly?
As Yufuluo left Liangzhou, he was deep in thought about this very question but ended up without any clear conclusion, only seeing Qiao Yan on top of Gaoping City sending them off, her figure slowly fading into the distance.
By now, it was already May in Liangzhou.
In May, the air in Liangzhou faintly carried the fragrance of Malan flowers.
Walking from Gaoping City towards the nearby Huo Shizhai, Qiao Yan was greeted by a wide expanse of purple flowers spread out between the local Danxia rock formations.
This vibrant scene under the sunny sky was hard not to bring some cheer.
Perhaps the reason she still found time to appreciate the flowers and the view was that the latest messages from the Central Plains, despite their surprises, broadly followed predicted paths.
The surprises included—
Liu Bei surprisingly seizing the opportunity and gaining a military expansion along with the title of General of Pacification.
As far as Qiao Yan understood Liu Bei, he certainly wouldn’t miss this chance to build up his resources.
Whether or not he could hold onto it was another matter entirely.
But what didn’t alter was—
It seemed everyone had forgotten or maybe didn’t truly understand one thing.
The impending Battle of Chang’an this year had never been under Dong Zhuo’s control; it rested firmly in her hands.
So she certainly needed to concoct a few surprises to stir the pot.
And… it was bound to affect places well beyond Sili!
