Chapter 222

Chapter 222

Can’t a strategist ascend the throne? Volume 7: Eight Hundred Qin Rivers, Occupying Guanzhong Chapter 222: The Choice of Ascension

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Can’t a strategist ascend the throne?

Chapter 222: The Choice of Ascension

Hearing this, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow in her heart.

If Liu Yu had been born in a time of peace, serving as a high official in a barren land, he might have been able to develop the area into a prosperous and fertile state, relying on his compassionate nature towards the people and his talent in governance.

But in these troubled times, his lack of military talent has left him struggling, inevitably leading to his current predicament due to such poor command.

Earlier, when he was appointed by Emperor Ling of Han to quell the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun, he could win favor by his attitude towards the Wuhuan people, offering rewards for the heads of the rebels, thus dismantling the rebellion in another way, so this flaw had not yet been so glaringly exposed.

But when he faced Gongsun Zan in direct military confrontation, this became a fatal point for him.

Gongsun Zan wouldn’t bother with niceties or legalities, nor would he care about moral conduct.

Nearly a decade of military life has shaped him into a commander with a highly individualistic style of warfare.

His humble background has given Gongsun Zan the flexibility to adapt when necessary, and years of leading limited numbers of troops and cavalry have made him exceptionally skilled in surprise attacks against larger forces.

This ambush on Liu Yu happened to occur in the special environment of the coastal road, at a time when Gongsun Zan had to rely on this victory to maintain his leadership over Tadun!

From this perspective, Liu Yu’s defeat is indeed not unjust.

In Qiao Yan’s view, even if they were to pursue Gongsun Zan and Tadun fleeing eastward, they should never entertain the idea of deciding the outcome in a single battle or trying to reduce casualties by intimidating with numbers.

The cohesion of these soldiers is still insufficient, and having just experienced the shock of Gongsun Zan’s camp raid, they would instead expose countless vulnerabilities in front of Gongsun Zan.

But for Liu Yu, who has just suffered the loss of his son, it’s better not to say these things.

Qiao Yan just looked seriously at Qu Yan beside her, “The military report cannot fully describe the current situation. I came here from Jinyang, and there should still be some changes in the situation in Youzhou. How is it now?”

Seeing that Qiao Yan did not intend to blame him, Qu Yan felt a bit relieved.

He had originally gone to battle with the idea of making a contribution.

When Gongsun Zan raided the camp, it only resulted in his injury and failed to kill him, which had already made Qu Yan quite frustrated.

Now that Gongsun Zan has turned the tables on them, it makes him even more worried that he might be implicated.

Fortunately, Qiao Yan doesn’t seem to have that intention.

He replied, “Before the lord arrived, Wen Yuan just sent new news. After he retreated to Juyong Pass, Guangyang County and Yuyang County could only fall into Gongsun Zan’s hands. A large number of Wuhuan troops are heading towards Yuyang, stationed there. Gongsun Zan has incorporated the prisoners from the coastal road into his own forces, dispersing them along the defense line adjacent to Ji Province. He himself is stationed in Changping with his elite troops.”

Qiao Yan pondered for a moment, “This move is intended to guard against Yuan Shao’s invasion and also to prevent Liu Youzhou’s old troops from being difficult to command under his arrangements, which would instead give Wen Yuan a chance to counterattack. Gongsun Zan indeed has the ability to fight well.”

Qu Yan added, “Moreover, according to the scouts sent by Wen Yuan, a group of Gongsun Zan’s elite troops and Wuhuan cavalry have gone south.”

South?

Qiao Yan considered the significance of Gongsun Zan and Tadun turning from enemies to friends, and the reasons Gongsun Zan might have to persuade Tadun to serve him, estimating the possibility of Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao uniting at this time.

Or perhaps this can’t even be called a union.

Gongsun Zan’s ambition and the strength he has shown have made Yuan Shao wary of him.

But Gongsun Zan can seek a title for himself and Tadun, allowing the two sides to temporarily remain in a state of non-interference.

With the victory on the coastal road, Gongsun Zan can further consolidate his power in Youzhou, but he still lacks a legitimate title.

And compared to his southward expansion, his primary conflict is still with Zhang Liao and Qiao Yan behind him.

So Yuan Shao can indeed have a temporary talk with this bad neighbor.

Moreover, it’s not just Gongsun Zan who needs to discuss terms, but also Tadun.

Qiao Yan’s mind turned, and she immediately said to Liu Yu, “If Gongsun Zan wants to ally with Yuan Shao to gain legitimacy, we now have only two choices.”

“First, I immediately mobilize the troops from Bingzhou to attack Changping. Although the crossbows are still in Guanzhong and have not been returned to Bingzhou, fighting against Youzhou’s cavalry originally cannot rely on this. In this battle, let Lü Fengxian and Ma Mengqi and others exit from Suiyuan City, bypass the Yan Mountains and head south, launching a surprise attack on Gongsun Zan’s rear, while Wen Yuan exits Juyong Pass to join the attack, which might make Gongsun Zan unable to take care of both ends.”

Before she could finish, Qu Yan’s eyes had already lit up.

This method is indeed feasible!

At this time, Gongsun Zan has to fully guard against the direction of Shanggu Juyong Pass, how could he think that the place originally used by the Xianbei branch to head south would suddenly turn into an invasion point for the enemy.

With the strength of Lü Bu and Ma Chao, and the Dawan horses under Lü Bu’s command, it’s indeed not difficult to take this route outside the Great Wall.

If it weren’t for Qiao Yan and Liu Yu talking, Qu Yan would have wanted to interject and say he wanted to go too.

But what he heard was Liu Yu, in a still weak voice, saying, “No need.”

Seeing Qiao Yan’s high fighting spirit, Liu Yu’s heart was not without being swayed.

But he couldn’t help but think of the losses caused by the previous rash attack, and further thought that if they fought according to her method, Guangyang and Yuyang would inevitably be deeply embroiled in the flames of war, what would happen to the people of these two places?

Moreover, with the Wuhuan now allied with Gongsun Zan, if Qiao Yan cannot eliminate the future troubles, it could at any time trigger a Wuhuan counterattack.

At that time, it would truly be a disaster for Youzhou.

Although Liu Yu has personally seen how Qiao Yan employed the Qiang people of Liangzhou and stabilized the livelihood of the people, the shadow of the previous battle still made him subconsciously think pessimistically.

Furthermore, the situation of Guanzhong being initially stabilized with no central authority was indeed the current reality as Huang Wan had advised him to ascend the throne.

If the forces of Bingzhou and even Guanzhong were to be invested in the battle of Youzhou, no one could guarantee that these seemingly already pacified places would not stir up new popular grievances.

In the original Youzhou battle, Liu Yu, with the assistance of Qiao Yan’s subordinates, most of the troops and material supplies came from Youzhou, he didn’t have so much guilt of dragging others down.

But, what about now?

On his way from the front lines of Youzhou to Bingzhou, the first thing he thought of was not to avenge his eldest son Liu He, but—

He could no longer let Youzhou fall into such a situation.

He slowly added, “I can’t let them suffer for me anymore. Temporarily being in a truce, with Yeshu in Bingzhou ready to advance at any time, Gongsun Zan should not dare to let his soldiers plunder the civilians, but should instead govern Youzhou well.”

If Qiao Yan were to evaluate, this statement… is really naive.

Gongsun Zan’s methods in the face of crisis are indeed commendable, but he is by no means a person who can step down from his horse and turn to governance and livelihood work.

The traits he exudes from his bones are nothing more than two: expansion and attack.

Alliance with the Wuhuan is just a necessary compromise for him to achieve these two goals.

So to have him develop infrastructure in Youzhou sounds almost like a joke.








However, Qiao Yan did not refute Liu Yu’s words at all, but decisively moved to the second option.

She said, “If the first method doesn’t work, then please return to Guanzhong and ascend to the position of the Son of Heaven as soon as possible. If there is any delay, Yuan Shao will likely compromise with Gongsun Zan, and the King of Hongnong will order Gongsun Zan to be appointed as the Governor of Youzhou, with Tadu of the Wuhuan as the Wuhuan Chanyu, granting him the title of Prince.”

“He…”

Liu Yu had just started speaking when Qiao Yan interrupted him, “You want to say that Yuan Shao shouldn’t do such a rebellious thing? After all, you were appointed as the Governor of Youzhou by the late Emperor and are a trusted minister. Although Yuan Shao has established the King of Hongnong as the Son of Heaven in Ye City, he shouldn’t strip you of your title, otherwise his claim of honoring the late Emperor would be untenable.”

“But this restriction can be broken. After appointing Gongsun Zan as the Governor of Youzhou, he can do one more thing!”

She said seriously, “You have already suffered a defeat at Binhai Road. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to join forces with Gongsun Zan to tarnish your reputation. There are many things in this world where public opinion can destroy a person’s reputation. As long as you don’t reclaim Youzhou, this unclarified bad reputation will follow you, and Gongsun Zan will transform from a rebel to a legitimate Governor of Youzhou.”

“The only way to deal with this is for you to quickly ascend to the throne in Guanzhong. This way, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan’s actions will just be a normal part of the conflict between the two courts, not a matter of character.”

Liu Yu hesitated for a moment before replying, “But I am a criminal who just suffered a defeat at Binhai Road. How can I have the face to take the supreme position?”

“You are mistaken again,” Qiao Yan retorted, “When the late Emperor reviewed the troops at the Western Camp and selected the General of Du Liao, did he really need to be proficient in archery and military strategy himself?”

He did not.

Liu Hong had long been confined to the palace. He probably couldn’t even understand the command flags used in military operations, let alone lead troops into battle.

But this did not prevent him from having capable generals like Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, and Huangfu Song under his command.

Nor did it prevent Liu Hong from giving himself the title of “Supreme General.”

Qiao Yan asked again, “Let me ask you one more thing. If you were the Son of Heaven, could Chang’an and Guanzhong completely escape the influence of Dong Zhuo’s chaos under your rule?”

Although Liu Yu did not speak, he nodded.

Given his success in stabilizing grain prices in Youzhou, he indeed had this capability.

Qiao Yan said, “If you were the Son of Heaven, could you guarantee that you would never repeat the late Emperor’s mistakes of selling official positions, and ensure that the court is clean and government orders are carried out smoothly?”

This statement was a direct condemnation of Emperor Ling of Han.

But it was indeed something Qiao Yan could say.

When her grandfather Qiao Xuan held the position of Grand Commandant, the practice of buying official positions in the Western Garden had not yet begun.

And she herself had risen to the position of Governor of Bingzhou based on her own abilities and achievements.

Because neither she nor her elders had done such things, she could rightfully criticize them.

When Liu Yu looked into Qiao Yan’s eyes, he saw a determination to uphold this principle.

He replied, “Of course I can.”

He answered this very frankly.

If he had wanted to amass wealth while serving as the Governor of Youzhou, he could have accumulated a considerable fortune. Why would he have had to recommend other talents to the central government when the late Emperor wanted to appoint him as Grand Commandant before his death, because he lacked the funds to take up the position?

If the power of decision truly fell into his hands, he would definitely try to clean up the atmosphere and bring about a change in the court.

Hearing his decisive answer, Qiao Yan smiled, “In that case, why should you shy away from the title of a criminal? If losing to a rebellious minister makes one a criminal, then General Huangfu, who once couldn’t handle the rebels in Liangzhou, should also be considered a criminal, right?”

Qiao Yan bowed to him, “Lord Liu, your righteousness sets an example for the imperial family and leads the world. Why should you judge a hero by temporary success or failure?”

When Guo Yun, the Prefect of Yanmen, who had hurried over upon hearing the news of Qiao Yan’s arrival, didn’t hear the earlier analysis of the situation, he did hear Qiao Yan’s words urging Liu Yu to ascend the throne.

Back when she shot the Governor with an arrow, Guo Yun had wisely chosen to “go along with it.” Today, he quickly judged the pros and cons of this matter for Qiao Yan, Bingzhou, and even the world.

Without needing any instructions from Qiao Yan, he loudly echoed, “Please, Governor Liu, ascend to the position of the Son of Heaven!”

Qu Yan, a bit late to the party, also added a line to bolster the momentum.

When Huang Wan, who had retreated to Bingzhou with Liu Yu, arrived upon hearing the news, he was informed by Qiao Yan that Liu Yu was willing to go to Guanzhong.

However, Liu Yu added that his ascension to the throne was a necessary move under the current circumstances. If Liu Xie could be found, he would immediately step down and return the throne to Liu Xie.

“…” Huang Wan didn’t know whether to be happy that the goal had finally been achieved or to feel a bit微妙.

So what was the point of him coming to persuade Liu Yu? It seemed like he hadn’t played any role at all.

But now the important thing was the upcoming ascension of the Son of Heaven and the restoration of order in the capital, not whether he had made a wasted trip.

Qiao Yan said to him, “Please, Ziyan, escort Lord Liu back to Chang’an first. I will go to Juyong Pass to ensure the defense is secure before entering Guanzhong. Before that, please discuss the rituals and other matters with Lord Lu, Lord Xun, and others.”

“Luoyang is too close to Ye City and is not suitable as the capital in the short term. The capital will likely have to be Chang’an. Fortunately, Lord Liu has always practiced frugality, so the palaces in Chang’an won’t need much renovation.”

With the matter of recommending the Son of Heaven temporarily concluded, Huang Wan couldn’t help but tease, “Is this also the reason why Yeshu previously recommended Lord Liu as the Son of Heaven?”

Qiao Yan smiled but did not answer.

Now that finances are tight everywhere, having a frugal Son of Heaven in power will set a good example, won’t it?

With the decision made, things should be done as quickly as possible.

Although Liu Yu was still ill, his illness was a mental one and would not affect the bumpy journey south to Chang’an.

Huang Wan accompanied him on the journey.

Qiao Yan said she would first go to Juyong Pass, but she first completed the selection of the imperial guard, ordering these Bingzhou cavalry to escort Liu Yu safely to Guanzhong.

Watching the retreating figures, she finally spoke to Xi Zhicai beside her.

She had brought him to Yanmen in case Liu Yu was not convinced by her arguments, so he could give her some advice.

Fortunately, Liu Yu was persuaded, saving them further effort. So now Qiao Yan asked another question. “In your opinion, after Liu Bo’an ascends to the throne, will I have a chance to take the position of Grand General?”

Earlier, both the Chang’an court and the Ye City court had offered her the title of General of Agile Cavalry, but since the former was under Dong Zhuo’s control and the latter was a usurper court established by Yuan Shao, she could not accept either appointment.

But now that Liu Yu is ascending the throne, as the first to advocate for this, she can naturally expect a promotion.

The Grand General holds the authority over the world’s military forces. With this title, she would not need to constantly seek the court’s approval in her campaigns, making it theoretically her first choice.

However, Xi Zhicai replied, “I think you should try for another position.”

Meeting Qiao Yan’s gaze, Xi Zhicai calmly gave his answer—

“Grand Marshal.”