“Can strategists ascend the throne?”
Chapter 199: Welcoming at the Valley Entrance
The arrows on the city wall were still trembling, and the cavalry behind was hot on their heels!
These cavalry, smashing through the dusk, left the defenders on the wall little time to react, and they were already charging at the foot of the city.
A year ago, a similar scene had swept through Hanyang, marked by the “Qiao” banner representing Qiao Yan from Bingzhou.
But last time, she had first taken Ayang, before entering Jixian, signaling that the Han’s pacification forces were advancing from Anding Commandery towards Hanyang, breaking the balance in Liangzhou in one fell swoop.
Hence, for the four clans of Hanyang and the prefect of Hanyang, she might have been considered an ally.
But today was different.
The arrows streaking in from the distance into the wall made it clear that the visitors meant business.
These were clearly their enemies!
Should they shut the city gate?
The defenders glanced at each other in confusion.
But before they could make a decision, the leading cavalry had already decided for them.
The hundred arrows following the leading long arrow quickly sealed off the escape routes for the defenders on the wall.
Under the deadly pressure of the flying arrows, benefiting from the explosive power of these fine Dawan steeds, Lü Bu’s elite cavalry took action without hesitation, swiftly crossing the moat and slaying the guards who intended to shut the gate right inside the doorway.
The gleaming blades came howling in with the famed horses from the Western Regions, almost like thunder and lightning.
This ought to have been a fortified city in Liangzhou, yet just a moment of hesitation turned the supposed strong defense into an open invitation.
Lü Bu was ruthless with his men.
According to Qiao Yan, the prefect of Hanyang couldn’t take office for a time and had to rely on the four clans of Hanyang. Even if he came from the powerful Hexi region, after retaking Jixian from the rebels, it was still the private soldiers of the four clans holding this place.
Not his men. And not the local defense troops recruited from Jixian.
Thus, those guarding the city gate could only become her sacrifices to intimidate this area!
After the first Bingzhou soldier set foot on the wall, she set down her bow and slowly rode toward the city gate.
Meanwhile, the now-trained soldiers, based on their previous siege experience, quickly entered the city under her command and seized control of the other three city walls.
Though only more than three thousand cavalry had arrived first, as they entered the city, the sound of horseshoes colliding with the ground within the city echoed, creating an even more shocking rhythm than when they were still rushing down to the city.
For a moment, it resounded throughout the entire city.
“Is she crazy?” Jiang clan’s head exclaimed in shock.
If hearing the sound of an army approaching had startled him into a panic, now understanding her intentions left him even more unsettled.
This was too unexpected! Too absurd!
“Why is she attacking Jixian?”
Compared to their neglect in guarding against Dong Zhuo, the great families of Jixian had never anticipated that Qiao Yan, whom they thought would be soft-hearted due to her youth, would choose to breach the city at this time.
He hurried to mobilize the private soldiers in the mansion while also sending someone out to the nearby fortress to deliver a message.
Despite his doubts, it was painfully clear that her hostile approach left him no unrealistic hopes.
It would be one thing to handle the Qiang’s harassment; it was another to face a troop of this size—they had no chance of holding their ground.
At best, they had one advantage left—those inside had a chance to escape.
However, just as those he sent out started to act, the incoming army showed no intention of causing trouble for the civilians in the city, heading directly toward the houses belonging to their families.
He watched helplessly as one person he had dispatched walked out the door, only to collapse right after.
The soldier with the knife pushed aside the corpse before him and stood by the door, revealing Qiao Yan who had stepped inside behind him.
“I suggest you spare your breath; if anyone from Jixian manages to walk out, that would mean I’ve lost.”
Jiang Huai looked at Qiao Yan, his brow furrowed.
He could tell from the calm, deadly tone of her statement that she wasn’t joking.
But that only added to his confusion.
“What do you mean, Your Highness?” He tried to keep his tone steady to hide any sign of fear.
Yet Qiao Yan’s reckless, unconventional actions and her openly contemptuous demeanor made it hard for him not to feel a sense of impending doom.
The current situation was telling him he had seemingly made a wrong judgment.
He had thought that even if Qiao Yan didn’t respect the powerful in Liangzhou, they were at least at some form of balanced coexistence—like a strong dragon with local snakes.
This kid couldn’t navigate these relationships, borrowing Zheng Xuan’s arrival to give them some advantages.
At least they could maintain their original standing.
Even if they plotted behind her back to split the loot once she left Liangzhou, it would only expose them, and she would demand some compensation thereafter.
They could easily scrape together those losses from other Liangzhou folks.
But for the defenders on the wall to kill without hesitation…
That meant something very different!
Jiang Huai’s gaze wandered over the troops who had come with Qiao Yan.
These guests from afar displayed an order that left him stunned, along with an impression of Qiao Yan’s prowess in leading her men.
In the evening light, they looked like statues, standing guard around their leader.
The sound of hooves in the distance seemed to pause for a moment, leaving only Qiao Yan’s clear voice: “I’m here to fulfill my promise.”
Promise?
What promise?
She continued, “What I said in Wuwei Commandery should have reached your ears by now.”
“I said I have only one bottom line in Liangzhou: no one is allowed to stab me in the back. Anyone attempting to contact Dong Zhuo will meet with extermination.”
“I promised those Qiang people sheltered in Huang that I would ensure their peace here, and I can’t go back on my word, right?”
At her words, Jiang Huai blurted out, “When did I stab you in the back?”
He hadn’t done such a thing!
He could at most just—and it wasn’t as if he had treated her with such respect during the festivities.
But to say that counted as stabbing her in the back was too unjust!
It wasn’t like they had taken back the land that had fallen into the hands of the Qiang within Hanyang and seized even more from elsewhere; that counted as betrayal.
They hadn’t made no investment in Qiao Yan!
In response to his question, Qiao Yan didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Then do me a favor and explain why, when I reassigned the defenders here to oversee the autumn harvest in the north, you allowed the guards at Shangui to become so lax, letting the news reach Dong Zhuo?”
“Dong Zhuo’s commanders, Li Ying and Fan Chou, commanding twenty thousand troops, are advancing from Chencang toward Shangui, and will soon arrive at Shangui.”
Jiang Huai was startled by her words.
But even more shocking was the latter part.
“The old thief is already getting old and losing his drive. If he wanted to attack Liangzhou or Bingzhou, he should have done so long ago; why wait until my forces are deeply entrenched?” Wasn’t this outcome a result of you guys deliberately leaking the information?”
“…” Jiang Huai was left dumbfounded.
When Dong Zhuo chose to march wasn’t important, but it had nothing to do with them!
Unfortunately, Qiao Yan could clear his doubts but gave him no chance to counter.
She quickly ordered, “Get everyone out!”
This “everyone” was indeed used with a decisive tone.
And what this “out” meant was more than just removing him from his residence in Jixian; it was taking them directly outside the city walls.
The sons of the four clans in Hanyang had always flaunted their power, enjoying the privileges of the powerful, never had anyone been dragged out of the city in such a manner.
Even less had they ever been treated like this, bound up and unable to move.
But Jiang Huai at least understood Qiao Yan’s actions, roughly knowing the cause of today’s upheaval; the other three families being dragged out with him were likely in much worse shape.
Of course, comparing misfortune at that moment had no significance.
Jiang Huai looked toward his “colleagues,” then back to Qiao Yan’s face.
In the space outside the city where a temporary table had been set up, she sat on the floor, flipping through bamboo slips while waiting for the people to be pulled out from the city.
Her posture was so leisurely, clearly not putting the disgruntled expressions of the families in her eyes, utterly unaware of the disrespect in her actions.
She simply found a few locals from the city to help identify those dragged out, matching them against the names in the family tree.
Should there be any matches, they’d be marked.
If there were omissions, someone would be sent to search.
This was efficiency!
However, Jixian falling under her control too quickly meant that the families hadn’t even had enough time to spread the word.
If the city could be taken down, so could the fortress.
Though Lü Bu was frustrated that his newly armed elite cavalry was only being used against the likes of the fortress, he reminded himself that Qiao Yan had said to deal with this matter before heading out to take down the city outside Shangui.
As torches flickered around them, the number of tied-up people outside had doubled.
Prefect Zhang couldn’t help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow.
He had been summoned as soon as she dragged the first people out.
Though technically invited, he hadn’t felt even a sliver of respect from Qiao Yan’s actions toward him.
He’d tried to intercede for the four families several times, but each time Qiao Yan’s sharp gaze stopped him dead.
Worried he might end up tossed in with Jiang Huai and the others, he didn’t dare to continue speaking.
However, hearing rumors that this fortress was being breached by her forces, now, with nightfall, the battle-worn chariots and leisurely-moving cavalry were arriving one after another, making Qiao Yan’s power look increasingly impressive. The more Zhang thought about it, the more he felt he had to squeeze out a few words before missing his chance to intervene.
“Qiao from Bingzhou…” he said cautiously, “It was indeed a surprise that Dong thieving scoundrel launched an attack; it must be that Chang’an has fully recovered from its earlier defeat in Luoyang, which allowed them to invade at this moment. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a mole among the sons of the four clans.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Qiao Yan gesture to Zhao Yun, who then tossed several silk papers at him.
As he flipped through two sheets, he realized these were collected letters exchanged with Dong Zhuo.
The banquet invitation from January this year, along with Qiao Yan’s prior behaviors in Liangzhou, had indeed led some who previously had ties with Dong Zhuo to burn their letters to avoid being caught by Qiao Yan.
But most of these were from people close to Qiao Yan.
The situation in Hanyang didn’t fall under Qiao Yan’s direct control.
The four clans included many notorious hotheads who thought that with Jiang Jiao working under Qiao Yan, they’d have access to insights and directions, and they might even feel smug about possessing correspondence with Chang’an, unaware that it put them in a precarious position.
However, these letters had now become their death warrants.
Qiao Yan handed Zhang more than just this, though.
Among them were multiple land purchase documents clearly violating the laws of the Han, and the state treasury’s records also contained confiscated funds from the four clans’ coffers, along with letter exchanges where they suppressed talented individuals to promote their own children—this was a staggering abundance of evidence.
“….”
“What else do you wish to say, Prefect Zhang?” Qiao Yan arched an eyebrow.
Indeed, there wasn’t direct evidence to prove their discussions with Dong Zhuo concerning the invasion, but she wielded the initiative, and the distinction between right and wrong was only hers to call!
When Zhang finally opened his mouth, the volume was notably lower: “Some things I am aware of, of course.”
The powerful factions were indeed a characteristic of Liangzhou, and he was one of them.
Only some kept to the rules a bit more while others did not.
In the diminished context of the prefect’s authority, the sons of the four clans seemed to lean more towards the latter.
“What I mean to say is, with Dong scoundrel attacking, more help would still be better. There’s no need to create such a rift among us. If Dong Zhuo sees this, wouldn’t it be a terrible joke on us?”
The private soldiers raised by these four families surely weren’t a match for Qiao Yan’s troops, but they were still capable laborers.
There was no need to solve issues regarding an uncertain rumor by eliminating everyone involved.
After all, the sparse collection of provinces could easily fall into chaos afterward.
Not beneficial for her pacification efforts.
Qiao Yan chuckled coldly, “Zhang Taishou, what you just said is a bit hard for me to grasp. May I ask if you’ve ever heard the phrase, ‘to subdue the external, one must first pacify the internal’?”
People who can be Prefects usually have some knowledge, so it’s unlikely he hasn’t heard this.
But as soon as those words about ‘pacification’ left her lips, Zhang Taishou sensed the deeper meaning behind ‘pacify.’
Considering Qiao Yan’s performance today, this couldn’t possibly be a genuine pacification scheme.
As he glanced around, he realized that the flickering torchlight illuminated not just her entourage but also the sharp weapons.
There was a certain subtext: if all these people were gone, wouldn’t that be another form of ‘internal pacification’?
Zhang Taishou couldn’t help but inwardly grumble that this Qiao Bingzhou was indeed ruthless, just like always, using iron-fisted methods even now.
“You’ve said one thing wrong; I don’t need these people to fight Dong Zhuo for me.”
As Qiao Yan said this, she slammed the bamboo slips in her hand onto the table.
Though they were scared stiff and dared not sleep, those who were troubled by drowsiness were jolted awake by the sudden noise.
Those close enough to hear her next words were taken aback: “I have the assurance of victory in battle. Since I won’t lose, why do I need them to pretend loyalty to my face while plotting against me behind my back?”
“Bring them in!”
With that, whether Zhang Taishou, who was temporarily safe, or the Chaotic Four Surnames from Hanyang, felt a tightness in their chests.
“Bring out those who have correspondence with Chang’an.”
Hanyang’s Ji County was such a small place, finding people with letters was a piece of cake.
Some of these people had forgotten about such things long ago, and some had even displayed them just a few days prior.
But regardless of the differences among them, they all had one result.
Qiao Yan decisively stated, leaving no room for negotiation, “Kill them and hang their heads on the city wall.”
“Qiao…”
Before he could finish, Qiao Yan interrupted him on the spot. “Zhang Taishou, I advise you to think carefully before you speak, or I might consider sending someone to Jiuquan.”
Recalling how Qiao Yan let the Qiang people raid horses under Xu Rong and Ma Teng’s leadership in Dawan, Zhang Taishou quickly closed his mouth.
If her statement about marginalizing Xu Rong and Ma Teng was false, then her claim of being unable to control the other three commanderies of Hexi might also just be deceit.
If by then the lives of the Chaotic Four Surnames were not saved, but it led to a disaster for his own family, he’d have no place to cry.
Thinking about Dong Zhuo’s military advance, it was Zhang Taishou, the Hanyang Prefect who hadn’t received any word, while Qiao Yan in Jincheng had received the news first and even swiftly organized her troops, he felt he had no room to speak.
This reaction speed…
Who knows if she has set up a spy with Dong Zhuo?
Completely unaware he had revealed his own thoughts, Zhang Taishou wished he could sink into the ground as he watched those “confirmed guilty” members of the four surnames dragged from the crowd.
The knowledge that death was inevitable stirred desperate pleas from these people, almost instantly filling the air outside the city. Yet, there was no hint of emotion to move Qiao Yan’s gaze.
Watching this scene, Zhang Taishou felt that some people truly deserved to become favored ministers and young regional governors.
Under the low-hanging night sky, those wails transformed into curses directed at her, only to end with the sound of blades claiming lives.
The soldiers executing this beheading order, just as Qiao Yan had directed, carried the heads toward the Ji County’s city wall.
Though the night obscured the shock of these scenes, it undeniably amplified the fear, as people imagined what lay hidden in the dark.
Among the crowd, a young man surnamed Zhao was originally sitting back-to-back with his wife so they could hold hands while bound, but facing the threat of execution, he unconsciously tightened his grip.
Realizing his reaction was a bit over the top, he quickly apologized to his wife, saying, “I’m sorry for getting you into this.”
His wife wasn’t from the Chaotic Four Surnames. She had just been brought along to avoid any stray captures.
Qiao Yan understood the necessity of rooting out all connections here in Liangzhou.
Just one case from Jiuquan two years ago was enough to prove this point.
That case involved Zhao Jun’an and the local powerful figure Li Shou, where Zhao was killed. Zhao’s three sons subsequently succumbed to illness, leaving only a daughter, who amidst the celebration of Zhao’s family’s desolation, boldly killed Li Shou in the street and then calmly went to the prefectural office to accept her punishment.
This doesn’t mean Qiao Yan considered herself comparable to that lawless Li Shou, but based on the fighting capability of Liangzhou people, one couldn’t dismiss the possibility that someone would seek revenge for their husband.
In that case, no mercy would be spared.
When she had just executed those linked with Dong Zhuo, their kin weren’t spared either.
This kind of collective punishment left Zhao Ang tormented.
He himself might not mind dying, but his recently married wife was pregnant, and he feared she wouldn’t survive either.
“What are you panicking for?” A voice came from behind, though the speaker’s face was not visible, the tone conveyed steadiness that unexpectedly calmed Zhao Ang. Then his wife Wang Yi asked, “Did you write a letter to Dong Zhuo?”
“…No, I didn’t.” Zhao Ang, though somewhat talented among his peers, was still very young. At most, he had garnered a few resources from his family; there was no way he could have connections with Dong Zhuo.
Wang Yi continued, “Have you ever done anything to seize farmland or bully the weak?”
Zhao Ang quickly shook his head: “You know I haven’t done anything like that.”
He had always been self-disciplined and honorable, eager to be recognized for his filial piety, so how could he commit such evil deeds?
Wang Yi said, “Then that’s good. If the Bingzhou Mu doesn’t take care of someone like you, she won’t have any chance to recruit talented people in Liangzhou again. Killing collaborators is for loyalty to the country; killing bullies is for the sake of the people, even if it involves your relatives, seeking revenge would be unwarranted. But she can’t kill you.”
“The only thing you need to worry about is that from today onwards, the Chaotic Four Surnames will surely fall apart. From Qiao Bingzhou’s tone, she shows no fear in facing Dong Zhuo; she might even directly advance towards Chang’an, yet the Chaotic Four Surnames still have ties with Dong Zhuo, dying would be in vain.”
“Today… the grudge held by those killed won’t dissipate with their death; they might still be pursued by old enemies. Are you afraid of this?”
Before Zhao Ang could respond, he heard a command from up ahead.
Qiao Yan ordered that those who had seized land be dragged out and killed.
This was technically not enough to justify execution, but once she issued the death penalty command, no one dared to oppose it nor had the means to intervene.
This aligned with what his wife had said.
A flurry of thoughts flashed through his mind, and in the end, he responded, “Not afraid.”
“If the Zhao clan collapses, I still have my talent to rely on. If truly there’s nowhere to go, I’d rather be the first of the Zhao clan to ally with Qiao Bingzhou in hopes of giving my family a chance to revive.”
“Even if it means spending all our wealth and living a hard life, seeing the lessons learned from the Chaotic Four Surnames, we’ll surely manage to have a few acres of land, not let ourselves be invaded.”
The more he spoke, the calmer he grew. “We won’t reach the point of being cornered.”
Wang Yi didn’t reply to his statement but held her husband’s hand tightly.
In such life-and-death peril, she was also feeling panic, but fortunately, she hadn’t misjudged her spouse.
He was also a reasonable man.
The two reached a mutual understanding, and just as the second wave of killings passed, Qiao Yan sent people into Ji County, banging gongs and drums asking if anyone wanted to accuse any surviving members of the four surnames.
If no one came forward before dawn, they could live.
Upon hearing this decision, Zhao Ang and Wang Yi both breathed a sigh of relief.
With this, their lives were basically secured.
Back with Qiao Yan, Guo Jia and Xun You had just arrived with the slow-moving cavalry when they were ordered to become the labor force—
For judgment.
Guo Jia practically protested, “My lord, you really are…”
Quite good at grabbing people for labor.
Qiao Yan glanced at the carts loaded with heavy crossbows and armor, along with a few war chariots.
Reading between the lines, don’t think I don’t know you two have been snoozing nicely on the way here, or else you wouldn’t look so energetic now.
They would have to put in some hard work.
“Fengxiao and Gongda both understand people’s sentiments well; how about you help me keep an eye on these petitioners? Are they coming to accuse out of previous fear or are they seizing the opportunity to strike?”
“And if they are striking a blow?” Guo Jia asked.
“Then check if the informants have a record; people who do such things aren’t likely to have clean hands,” Qiao Yan replied, standing up. “I’ll leave this place to you. I’m going to catch some sleep. After we finish resting tomorrow, we head for Shanggui, gearing up for battle!”
Her assertion that she wouldn’t lose didn’t mean she intended to let her weary troops face Li Ying and Fan Chou’s steadily advancing troops.
She required a foolproof and overwhelming offensive against Chang’an!
The Chaotic Four Surnames were left in shambles by her actions; now was the time for rest.
When she woke, there were no traces of the four surnames outside Ji County.
Only the residual blood and the heads hung on the city wall served as proof that the events of the previous night were not merely the dreams of Hanyang’s populace.
Among the Chaotic Four Surnames, the good and bad mixed; after the accusations against collaborators, only a handful remained.
When these survivors were released, they almost bewilderedly heard Qiao Yan’s directive forbidding anyone from seizing their possessions.
During the nighttime trial presided over by Guo Jia and Xun You, some indeed took the opportunity to settle grudges against members of the four surnames, only to find their heads joining Jiang Huai on the city wall.
Moreover, Guo Jia had unearthed an historical case that had been buried here.
It must be said, with armed forces intimidating the situation, there were no lengthy arguments for the innocent.
Qiao Yan teased Guo Jia, “I think this experience deserves a plaque for you from the people of Ji County—Iron-Hard Judgments.”
“Let’s skip that. We should focus on the big matters,” Guo Jia yawned, looking clear-headed. “This morning, a second letter from Yuan Zhi came from Sanguan. It seems people are becoming bolder with you as a model—”
“He actually took a trip to Chencang, making clear Li Ying, Fan Chou, and the counts of their troops and cavalry numbers, plus mentioned their advance time. I calculated, given the rest time, they set out almost simultaneously with you.”
After pondering, Qiao Yan replied, “If I remember correctly, the distance from Chencang to Shanggui is nearly the same as from Dingxi to Shanggui, or even closer for us. This means we have more leeway than we imagined.”
In other words, she wouldn’t have to rely solely on cavalry and siege equipment to intercept Li Ying and Fan Chou and could wait for the infantry to arrive.
After all, while she made her moves against the Chaotic Four Surnames in Ji County, her infantry was still on their way.
They could arrive in time and give Li Ying and his entourage a “surprise!”
Completely unaware of the disturbances in Liangzhou, Li Ying and Fan Chou still pressed on.
When they received reports from the scouts that they were not far from Shanggui and the defenses on the other side remained unchanged, they exchanged relieved glances.
Had it not been for the faction’s opportunity cut off by Qiao Yan in Liangzhou, after retreating to Chang’an without access to war horses, this siege should not have been so arduous.
As a result, these twenty thousand soldiers advancing into Liangzhou were slogging through this mountainous area along the Wei River, making their progress slow and long.
Fortunately, their food supply was sufficiently ample, and luckily, their opponents were presumably still preoccupied with the autumn harvest of a measly plot of land.
They promptly issued orders to quicken their last stretch of the journey, aiming to enter Shanggui’s city for dinner tonight!
Eating someone else’s rations!
They truly did not wish to see this tedious and repetitive scenery any longer.
Li Ying initially thought this was a sweet deal and cursed Li Jue countless times in his mind.
Now it seemed, the suffering was finally nearing its end.
As he saw the nearby mountains lowering, approaching the exit, he even urged his horse to speed up, desperate to reach the city.
However, just as his spirits soared the most, he turned a corner in the valley and beheld a sight that should not have been in his line of vision.
A dense array of troops unfolded before him, in stark ranks at the valley’s mouth, where heavily armored infantry wielding shields assumed a defensive stance; archers perched on the mountain flanks had their arrows pointed right at him.
But that wasn’t all.
Most eye-catching were the cavalry lining up behind the heavy infantry, with that familiar figure at the front.
Li Ying had seen Qiao Yan before—back when she attacked Luoyang.
Even after two years, he wouldn’t remember that figure!
That still-fuzzy outline waved a whip at him, seemingly offering a welcoming gesture, while also serving as a very clear signal of advance.
In the next moment, the soldier holding the heavy shield stepped forward.
With that synchronized step, the earth and surrounding mountains appeared to tremor like a muffled thunderclap.
Startled by the sound, Li Ying almost fell from his horse.
At this moment, only one thought remained in his mind—
I’ve seen a ghost!
Why on earth is Qiao Yan guarding this place!
