“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart upon hearing those words.
If Liu Yu had been born in peaceful times, serving as a high official in a barren land, he might have transformed the place into a prosperous region thanks to his benevolent nature and skill in governance.
But in these chaotic times, his lack of military talent made things tough for him, ultimately leading him to this unfortunate situation.
Initially tasked by Emperor Ling of Han to quell the rebellions of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun, he could have exploited the goodwill he earned from his approach to the Wuhuan people to deal a blow to the bandits without revealing his flaws too starkly.
However, facing Gongsun Zan directly with his forces proved to be a critical mistake for him.
Gongsun Zan wasn’t one to care about face or principles; he certainly didn’t adhere to ideas about morality.
Almost a decade of military toil had forged for him a distinct combat style.
Hailing from humble beginnings, Gongsun Zan was adaptable when necessary, and his limitations in troop numbers and cavalry training made him especially adept at surprise attacks against larger forces.
The ambush against Liu Yu unfolded in a uniquely crucial environment—taking place at Binhai Road, where Gongsun Zan desperately needed a victory to retain leadership over the Turbans!
From this perspective, Liu Yu’s defeat really wasn’t that surprising.
In Qiao Yan’s view, even if they planned to pursue the fleeing Gongsun Zan and the Turbans, they shouldn’t expect a single battle to determine the outcome or think that overwhelming their numbers would reduce casualties.
The soldiers hadn’t yet gelled together sufficiently, and after experiencing Gongsun Zan’s surprise attack, they were bound to expose many vulnerabilities before him.
But after the recent loss of his son, it was best not to say such things to Liu Yu.
Qiao Yan turned seriously toward Qu Yan, saying, “The military reports can’t fully capture the current situation. I rushed here from Jinyang, and things in Youzhou should have changed somewhat. What’s the status now?”
Seeing that Qiao Yan wasn’t blaming him, Qu Yan felt a bit relieved.
He had set out with the ambition to achieve merit.
His injury in Gongsun Zan’s surprise attack without managing to take him down had left him feeling pretty frustrated.
Now, with Gongsun Zan turning the tables on him, Qu Yan was worried about being implicated as well.
Fortunately, Qiao Yan didn’t seem to think that way.
He replied, “Before you arrived, Wen Yuan just sent new updates. After his retreat to Juyong Pass, both Guangyang County and Yuyang County have fallen into Gongsun Zan’s hands, and there’s a large contingent of Wuhuan forces heading towards Yuyang, stationed here. Gongsun Zan has absorbed the prisoners from Binhai Road into his ranks and scattered them along the garrisons near Ji Province, while he himself has stationed his elite troops at Changping.”
Qiao Yan pondered for a moment, “This move is to guard against Yuan Shao’s invasion and to prevent the former forces of Liu Youzhou from ignoring his command, which gives Wen Yuan a chance to counterattack. Gongsun Zan is indeed a capable strategist.”
Qu Yan added, “Moreover, based on the reports from scouts dispatched by Wen Yuan, a detachment of Gongsun Zan’s elite troops and Wuhuan cavalry has headed south.”
Southward?
Qiao Yan considered the implications of Gongsun Zan and the Turbans’ reconciliatory gesture, as well as Gongsun Zan’s potential to sway the Turbans to his side, estimating the likelihood of an alliance forming between Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao.
Or perhaps this couldn’t even be called an alliance.
Gongsun Zan’s ambition and his display of strength kept Yuan Shao on high alert.
But Gongsun Zan could negotiate a title for himself and the Turbans, allowing both parties to exist in a temporary state of non-interference.
With his victory on Binhai Road, Gongsun Zan could consolidate power in Youzhou even more; he just needed a legitimate title.
And compared to his ambitions to expand southward, his primary conflict remained with Zhang Liao and, behind him, Qiao Yan.
Therefore, it made sense for Yuan Shao to temporarily talk things over with this unruly neighbor.
Moreover, it wasn’t just Gongsun Zan that they needed to negotiate terms with; there was also the Turbans.
Qiao Yan had a thought and immediately said to Liu Yu, “If Gongsun Zan seeks to ally with Yuan Shao for legitimacy, we have only two options right now.”
“First, I’ll launch a strong attack with Bingzhou’s soldiers on Changping immediately. Even though the crossbows are still in Guanzhong and haven’t been returned to Bingzhou, we can’t rely on them to battle the cavalry of Youzhou. In this battle, we will deploy Lü Bu and Ma Chao to march out of Suiyuan City, going around to the southern part of the Yanshan Mountains and surprise Gongsun Zan from behind. Meanwhile, Wen Yuan can move from Juyong Pass to strike at him; this may put Gongsun Zan in a dilemma!”
Before she finished speaking, Qu Yan’s eyes lit up.
This plan was indeed feasible!
At this moment, Gongsun Zan was entirely focused on defending the directions of Shanggu and Juyong Pass; he surely wouldn’t expect that the area originally designated as an escape route for the Xianbei would suddenly turn into an invasion path.
With the combined strengths of Lü Bu and Ma Chao, along with the precious Dunhuang horses under Lü Bu’s command, traversing this route was hardly a challenge.
If it weren’t for the fact that Qiao Yan was in discussion with Liu Yu, Qu Yan would have been tempted to jump in and say he wanted to join.
But to his dismay, he heard Liu Yu, still sounding weak, say, “No need.”
Seeing Qiao Yan’s fighting spirit high, Liu Yu was swayed as well.
However, he couldn’t shake the thoughts of previous reckless attacks that had led to losses, and considering Qiao Yan’s plan would mean both Guangyang and Yuyang would undoubtedly be engulfed in flames of war, he had to think about the people there.
Moreover, with the Wuhuan now allied with Gongsun Zan, if Qiao Yan couldn’t eliminate future threats, they might well provoke a counterattack from the Wuhuan at any moment.
When that happened, Youzhou would be truly in trouble.
Though Liu Yu had witnessed how Qiao Yan had successfully utilized the Qiang people from Liangzhou and stabilized the lives of the populace, the shadow of that previous battle still made him instinctively lean toward pessimism.
Besides, the unresolved situation in Guanzhong was something Huang Wan had mentioned when persuading him to ascend to power, and it truly mirrored the current reality.
If they poured the military resources of Bingzhou and Guanzhong into the war in Youzhou, who could guarantee that places that seemed pacified wouldn’t stir up new grievances?
In the original battle in Youzhou, Liu Yu had the collaboration of Qiao Yan’s troops, and the majority of his manpower and supplies came from Youzhou itself; he didn’t feel too guilty about dragging others down.
But now?
While being escorted from the front lines in Youzhou to Bingzhou in a daze, his first thought wasn’t revenge for his eldest son Liu He, but—
He couldn’t let Youzhou fall into such a predicament again.
He slowly added, “We can’t let them suffer for me any longer. Currently, in a state of ceasefire, with Ye Shu ready to move troops from the Bingzhou direction at any time, Gongsun Zan should be too scared to let his soldiers plunder the common folk—he should instead focus on managing Youzhou properly.”
If Qiao Yan were to comment, she’d say that statement… was incredibly naïve.
Gongsun Zan’s tactics in the face of crisis were definitely commendable, but he was not the kind of guy who could dismount from the horse to transition into civilian governance.
At his core, he was characterized by expansion and aggression.
His alliance with the Wuhuan was merely a necessary compromise to achieve those two goals.
So asking him to build infrastructure in Youzhou sounded like a complete joke.
“However, Qiao Yan didn’t refute Liu Yu’s words at all. Instead, she decisively transitioned to the second option.”
She said, “If the first method doesn’t work, then please hurry back to Guanzhong to assume the throne. If there’s any delay, Yuan Shao will definitely compel Gongsun Zan to compromise, ordering him to take up the post of Youzhou Governor and making the Chief of the Wuhuan become the Wuhuan Chanyu, elevating him to the status of a noble.”
“He…”
Liu Yu barely started speaking when Qiao Yan interrupted him, “You wanted to say that Yuan Shao shouldn’t do such rebellious things? After all, you are the appointed Youzhou Governor by the former emperor and also a guardian of the royal family. Even though Yuan Shao installed the Hongnong King as the emperor in Ye City, he shouldn’t strip you of your titles. Otherwise, his claims of revering the late emperor would be utterly baseless.”
“But such restrictions can be broken. He can still do something else after appointing Gongsun Zan as Youzhou Governor!”
She said sternly, “You’ve already suffered a defeat at Binhai. If he teams up with Gongsun Zan to drag your name through the mud, it’s not hard for him to do. There are plenty of voices in the world that can ruin reputations, so as long as you haven’t reclaimed Youzhou, this unresolved slander will stick with you, turning Gongsun Zan from a traitor into a credible Youzhou Governor.”
“The only way to deal with this is for you to quickly ascend to the throne. This way, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan’s actions would be just normal competition between the two courts, not a matter of morality.”
Liu Yu paused for a moment before replying, “But I’m a sinner fresh from the defeat at Binhai. How can I take on the supreme position?”
“You’re mistaken there,” Qiao Yan countered. “In the past, when the former emperor showcased his army at Xijiao, did he really expect to be a master of archery and military command himself?”
No, he certainly didn’t.
Liu Hong had spent years in the palace and likely couldn’t even understand the signal flags used for military commands, let alone lead an army into battle.
But that didn’t hinder him from having capable generals like Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, and Huangfu Song under his command.
It also didn’t stop Liu Hong at that time from proudly claiming the title of “Supreme General.”
Qiao Yan asked again, “Let me pose another question: if you were the emperor, could you eliminate the influence of Dong Zhuo’s chaos over Chang’an and Guanzhong?”
Though Liu Yu didn’t speak, he nodded.
Given the stabilization of grain prices he had achieved in Youzhou, he indeed had the capability.
Qiao Yan: “If you became the emperor, could you guarantee that you wouldn’t repeat the former emperor’s mistakes of selling positions and titles, allowing the court to be cleansed and orders to be clear?”
This sentence was nothing short of a direct condemnation of Emperor Ling of Han.
But it was truly something Qiao Yan could say given her standing.
Her grandfather, Qiao Xuan, held the title of Grand Commandant when the custom of buying official positions in Xiyuan hadn’t even begun.
And she herself had become the Prefect of Bingzhou through her own capability and achievements.
Exactly because neither she nor her ancestors had done such things, she could straightforwardly criticize them.
As Liu Yu looked into Qiao Yan’s eyes, he sensed a determination to uphold this principle.
He replied, “Of course I can.”
He answered with complete confidence.
Had he had any intentions of amassing wealth in his position as Youzhou Governor, he could have saved a considerable fortune long ago. Why would he allow himself to be without funds when the former emperor entrusted him with the position of Grand Commandant before his death, eventually recommending other talents to the central court and asking the former emperor to select another?
If the power of decision truly lay in his hands, he would surely try to cleanse the atmosphere and change the perceptions of the court.
Hearing his resolute answer, a smile appeared on Qiao Yan’s face: “In that case, why do you have to refuse under the name of a sinner? If losing to treasonous subjects makes one a sinner, then weren’t General Huangfu and others unable to handle the bandits in Liangzhou also considered sinners?”
Qiao Yan bowed to him, “Liu Gong, your lofty righteousness sets an example for the royal family and leads the world. With you as our foundation, why label a hero based on a moment’s victory or defeat?”
Guo Yun, the Prefect of Yanmen, who hurriedly came upon hearing Qiao Yan’s arrival, missed the earlier analysis of the situation but caught her words urging Liu Yu to take the throne.
Back then, when she shot arrows to hit the prefect, Guo Yun skillfully engaged in “colluding,” and today, he instantly grasped the significance of this matter for Qiao Yan, Bingzhou, and even the entire realm.
No need for Qiao Yan to provide him instructions, he immediately affirmed loudly: “Please have Liu Youzhou ascend to the throne!”
Qu Yan, who was a bit slow to react, added his voice, trying to add to the moment.
When Huang Wan, who was accompanying Liu Yu back to Bingzhou, heard the news and arrived, he found Qiao Yan informing him that Liu Yu was now willing to head to Guanzhong.
However, Liu Yu did make a point that assuming the title of emperor was a last resort under the current circumstances. If Liu Xie could be found, he would promptly step down and return the throne to Liu Xie without a second thought.
“…” Huang Wan was unsure whether he should feel happy that the objective had finally been achieved or if he should feel it was a bit awkward.
So what was the point of his efforts to persuade Liu Yu? It seemed he hadn’t really made any impact.
But what was urgent now was the upcoming ascension to the throne and restoring order in the capital, not pondering whether he made a wasted trip.
Qiao Yan said to him, “Please send Liu Gong back to Chang’an first. I will head to Juyong Pass to ensure the defenses here are secure before entering Guanzhong. Before that, please discuss matters of rites and protocols with Lu Gong and Xun Gong.”
“Luoyang is too close to Ye City to serve as the capital in the short term. It seems the national capital still needs to be in Chang’an. Fortunately, Liu Gong has always lived a simple life, so the necessary repairs in the Chang’an palace should not be too many.”
As the matter of endorsing the emperor temporarily reached a pause, Huang Wan couldn’t help but joke, “Is this also why Yeshu previously supported Liu Gong as emperor?”
Qiao Yan smiled but didn’t reply.
Given the current economic difficulties across the regions, having an emperor who values simplicity would ensure this practice is adopted by others, wouldn’t it?
Now that a decision was made, it was time to get things moving swiftly.
Though Liu Yu was still unwell, his illness was more of a mental burden and didn’t affect the bumpy journey as they traveled south towards Chang’an.
Huang Wan accompanied him.
Qiao Yan claimed she needed to make a stop at Juyong Pass first, but she really aimed to complete the preparations for the emperor’s entourage, ensuring that these Bingzhou cavalry would properly escort Liu Yu into the pass.
Watching the line of retreating figures, she finally turned to Xi Zhicai beside her.
She had brought him along to Yanmen, just in case Liu Yu wasn’t persuaded by her words; he could offer her some ideas.
Fortunately, Liu Yu had been swayed by her convincing arguments, saving them further effort. So now Qiao Yan’s question was of a different matter. “From your perspective, Zhicai, would there be a chance for me to obtain the position of Grand General if Liu Boan assumes the throne?”
Before, both the Chang’an and Ye City courts had offered her the title of General of the Cavalry, but because the former was under Dong Zhuo’s control, and the latter was a false court established by Yuan Shao, she realistically couldn’t accept either appointment.
But now that Liu Yu was becoming emperor, as the one who initiated this, she could logically gain a promotion.
The Grand General wields command over the military forces of the realm, and with such a title, she could lead campaigns without constantly seeking opinions from the court, making it a natural first choice for Qiao Yan.
However, Xi Zhicai replied, “I actually think you should try for a different position.”
As Qiao Yan turned to meet his gaze, Xi Zhicai calmly provided his answer—
“Grand Marshal.”
