“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 226: Deciding on the Hongwen
Xun Yu had definitely met Tian Feng before.
Among the Xun clan youngsters from Yingchuan, Xun Chen had served under Yuan Shao.
Xun Chen’s peers, Xun You and Xun Yu, were both his brothers.
Before Xun Yu told Guo Jia about his journey to Xuzhou, he had also made a trip to Ye City.
However, based on his lack of faith in Yuan Shao’s backing of Liu Bian in Ye City, he claimed he was only visiting his brother.
But once Xun Yu arrived, even if Yuan Shao sensed that Xun was currently avoiding official duties and didn’t extend any invitations, he still had his strategists interact with Xun Yu as part of a guest-host dynamic.
This was when Xun Yu ran into Tian Feng.
Although… Tian Feng looked a lot better now than before, having even shaved his beard, these were just changes that occurred over the course of a year and probably didn’t affect Xun Yu’s ability to recognize him just by looking.
Has Yuan Shao’s method of sending strategists to Chang’an for intelligence turned so direct and simple?
As soon as Xun Yu recognized Tian Feng, he couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.
Moreover, if his speculation was right, Tian Feng had climbed to this position, and it seemed quite difficult to extricate himself now.
What on earth was going through his mind?
Xun Yu didn’t know that Tian Feng initially just wanted to slip into a farming tools production site and blend in as a low-level worker, gather the agricultural techniques of Bingzhou, and become a trusted aide for Zhang Niujiao, even to join the Lingtai team heading to Chang’an—all of which were pure surprises.
Even Tian Feng himself was extremely helpless about these unexpected turns.
At that moment, Xun Yu couldn’t help but think of the situation he witnessed south of the city before entering Chang’an.
Lingtai stood opposite Ming Tang and Biyong, echoing each other.
Considering the Son of Heaven’s ascension rituals for heaven and earth, and since Chang’an currently has a manpower shortage, it was inevitable to borrow personnel from Lingtai.
Was there a possibility that Tian Feng was here to sabotage the ascension and ritual ceremony set for the first day of the new year?
With the news of Liu Yu’s ascension spreading, many scholars from Jing, Yi, and Yu provinces gathered, and Xun Yu became one of them, which would certainly put enormous pressure on the court in Ye City.
This could be a decision made by Tian Feng due to considerations of the interests of the Hebei gentry, or it might be a task assigned by Yuan Shao to prevent others from doing a poor job.
This all made sense!
Though Xun Yu hadn’t met Qiao Yan yet, Liu Yu, a member of the Han royal family, had more recognition here than Liu Bian, in Xun Yu’s eyes.
Realizing that Tian Feng could very well have ulterior motives, Xun Yu immediately turned to Xun You beside him and said, “Quickly warn Lord Qiao! It’s highly likely that Tian Yuanhao from Ji Province has infiltrated Lingtai!”
Xun You knew very well that Xun Yu wouldn’t joke around about such matters, nor would he make such a deduction just because someone happened to resemble another.
The probability of this being true was quite high.
And the significance behind the name Tian Yuanhao didn’t really need to be elaborated on!
After settling Xun Yu down, Xun You promptly reported this to Qiao Yan.
If Tian Feng knew the kind of suspicions Xun Yu had about him, he’d probably want to cry ‘unjust’!
How could someone who only knows a little archery and cart driving possibly become an undercover assassin in Chang’an?
Did they think he was good at math or something?
But he couldn’t help but feel anxious now.
Upon seeing Xun Yu, he imagined the combined impact of Qiao Yan’s battle achievements and Liu Yu’s virtuous reputation—it truly was astonishing.
Xun Yu’s presence here was probably not for a casual visit to his uncle Xun Shuang or cousin Xun You, but to join forces.
If things kept heading this way, Yuan Shao would be facing pressure not just from military threats, but also from the talents who might defect.
Meanwhile, Tian Feng was thinking that before Yuan Shao could feel the pressure from these defections, he might very well be the one getting captured first.
When he just left Ye City, Xu You thought Tian Feng was very meticulous, perfect for an undercover role, but now, anyone could likely replace him without having to deal with such failures.
Right now, the opportunity to escape was slim.
He was following Ren Hong in her role at Lingtai.
Although most Lingtai officials were selected from Maren’s previous female assistants, out of forty-one Lingtai officials, around ten were added later—securing an eight-person dormitory.
Tian Feng looked at his seven roommates and felt like he was observing seven prison wardens.
It was just that such similar appearances made him feel he had to act nonchalant, lest he accidentally reveal his secret under mere suspicion.
After three days of no one questioning his identity following his encounter with Xun Yu, Tian Feng thought maybe he was overthinking it.
Considering that he and Xun Yu had only crossed paths a few times, it was normal for Xun Yu not to recognize him.
But right now, his forged residency documents and the miraculous “promotions” since he arrived in Bingzhou were already on Qiao Yan’s desk.
“Yuan Feng… ha!” Qiao Yan couldn’t help but laugh upon seeing that name. She turned to Cheng Yu and said, “This really reminds you of Zhi Cai, doesn’t it? This method of creating a fake name is so straightforward.”
Upon hearing Xun You report that Tian Feng was lurking in Lingtai, presumably with ill intentions towards Liu Yu, Qiao Yan was taken aback.
Though there’s obviously back-and-forth between various factions, it hadn’t escalated to plotting assassination yet.
If they started off with this assassin in Tian Feng, who knows what kind of chaos that could lead to!
But seeing how Tian Feng ended up in Lingtai made Qiao Yan feel an involuntary twinge of sympathy for him.
That Zhang Niujiao sure had some moves!
To drag Tian Feng out of this situation and deliver him like this to Qiao Yan was quite the stroke of luck.
Anyone witnessing it would have to say luck was at play.
Cheng Yu replied, “If I remember correctly, Lord Jun back then just flipped his name around a bit too.”
From Qiao Yan to Yan Qiao, and from Tian Feng to Yuan Feng, it didn’t take a genius to see the contradiction here, right?
At least Tian Feng changed both parts of his name.
Qiao Yan cleared her throat.
Some subordinates had stuck around her long enough to know this detail all too well.
Luckily, Cheng Yu switched the topic, “What do you intend to do about this Tian Yuanhao guy?”
Tian Feng wasn’t here of his own volition but was pushed into this conspicuous position through a series of misfortunes, leading to his fortuitous encounter with Xun Yu. So, there’s no way he’d be plotting to assassinate Liu Yu.
Qiao Yan pondered for a moment, “Exposing his identity seems unnecessary. If I really did that, he’d either willingly get himself imprisoned and let Yuan Shao negotiate changing personnel with me, or I could just kill him and call it a day.”
From her perspective, unless Yuan Shao offered something that would severely impact his development, the most suitable course of action was still the latter.
No one could know how much information Tian Feng had acquired since he arrived in Bingzhou.
And whether this information would bring negative outcomes once sent to Ye City was still uncertain.
Thus, the safest course of action was to eliminate potential threats.
“But Tian Feng is a talent.”
“Since he’s a talent, there must be a place for him to shine.”
Qiao Yan said, “I have a great opportunity for him. But, this place doesn’t exist yet, so he will get to help build and plan it.”
Cheng Yu, feeling curious, thought it sounded like Qiao Yan wanted to keep Tian Feng as her assistant while maintaining his current title. He asked, “What exactly is this place you’re referring to?”
She replied, “That’s what I want to discuss with Xun Wenruo.”
The arrival of Xun Yu eased Qiao Yan’s mind.
This meant her strategy of using Liu Yu’s name had effectively masked any contradictions that clever folks might point out, making her more appealing to the talented individuals of the realm, and ensured that this top-notch administrative talent wouldn’t support her rivals.
Qiao Yan wasn’t worried about Xun Yu becoming Cao Cao’s asset as in history; she simply didn’t want to cause more losses during the conquests.
But now, she no longer had to worry about that.
Previously, Xun Yu had been wandering about, kind of in limbo without holding an official position, and Qiao Yan didn’t have the luxury of time to invite him over.
But now he was right there under her nose; if she couldn’t keep him around, that would be a reflection of her own incompetence.
While Tian Feng fidgeted, fretting about his identity being exposed, Qiao Yan was already inviting Xun Yu to her residence for a chat.
The prestigious lineage of the Xun family from Yingchuan was distinctly evident in Xun Yu.
During his two years of wanderings, it seemed that the harshness of the world had barely touched him.
When he sat down in front of Qiao Yan at her gesture, the faint scent wafting from his sleeves, like a soft fragrance, matched his inherently graceful demeanor, making it feel like he wasn’t intruding at all.
No wonder Xun Ling’s fragrance drew admiration.
But when Qiao Yan looked into Xun Yu’s eyes, she was sure that his charm and grace could not overshadow his talent, and he might not be as refined as he appeared—he had his own convictions.
In a way, the Xun family men from Yingchuan had some commonalities.
For instance, people often found it hard to picture Xun You as a cunning strategist in battle.
Of course, right now, the focus was on Xun Yu.
What surprised Xun Yu was that what lay before him wasn’t the aromatic tea from Zhou Yu, but just plain water.
The warm water in the celadon cup was clean and pristine, not the usual way of treating guests, but when Qiao Yan opened her mouth, Xun Yu felt that this cup of plain water was undoubtedly a sign that she intended to lay everything on the table with him.
Not a bad approach, really.
Qiao Yan said, “A few days ago, I happened to talk with Mr. Ciming. Earlier, when he went to Chang’an to maintain the Emperor’s dignity, his health was already failing. He suffered serious illnesses last year and this year, and it’s simply not suitable for him to stay long in such an environment.”
“I mean to have him go to Leping, keeping company with Mr. Bojie and Zheng Gong, since Mr. Yuanhua is also in Leping, perhaps he can recuperate some.”
From Xun Yu’s perspective, this was indeed the most suitable arrangement for Xun Shuang.
Xun Ciming wasn’t fit for the court environment; he was more suited for writing and philosophical discussions, and he had been forcefully recruited by Dong Zhuo to gain the support of scholars, after which he couldn’t return.
Now he could potentially return to where he belonged.
“However, there’s a problem with that. Ever since Dong Zhuo caused chaos in Luoyang, most officials have moved to Ye City, especially since the new emperor is about to be established and needs support. Xun Gong has reputation and connections; his rightful place is as Minister of the Documents, and when Liu Youzhou rises to emperor from Youzhou, he has to show himself. If things go wrong, Xun Gong can advise him.”
Currently, the Minister of the Documents was Lu Zhi.
But Xun Yu understood that Lu Zhi was in that position because Liu Hong felt threatened by Lu Zhi’s military achievements, and the same applied when Dong Zhuo was in power, as he wanted to keep Lu Zhi from commanding troops.
Placing him in that role wasn’t exactly the best fit.
In a scenario where the three dukes held ministerial affairs, the power of the Minister of the Documents paled compared to theirs; during Liu Hong’s reign, his authority in internal affairs was also significantly curtailed.
Compared to the Minister of the Documents, Lu Zhi was actually better suited for the Grand Commandant position.
Xun Yu asked, “What do you mean, Your Grace?”
Clearly, Qiao Yan didn’t want Xun Yu to directly replace Xun Shuang but said, “Among the Xun family youths, Gongda has remarkable achievements in military strategy, and in future campaigns, he will definitely be by my side in battle. If we directly move Xun Gong to Bingzhou, he would inevitably worry about the lack of close advisers for the Emperor.”
“So, I have an idea I want to discuss with Wenruo.”
She paused for a moment, her gaze sharp, seemingly demanding an answer, “But before this, I want to ask, is Wenruo willing to serve in Chang’an?”
If Qiao Yan asked if he was willing to be recruited, Xun Yu might hesitate, but since she asked about serving in Chang’an, it was truly unnecessary to refuse.
If he didn’t have this intention, he wouldn’t be there.
Thus, he replied, “Serving the Han court is precisely what scholars like us seek.”
Qiao Yan smiled.
Xun Yu’s words made the Chang’an court sound like the Han court, making the Ye City court a false court.
With such a definitive statement, it was enough given the current situation.
Her expression brightened, “With this statement from Wenruo, the next steps will be easier to discuss. In my view, Xun Gong’s concern lies in the disorder of the court and the numerous vacant positions, while my concern is the lack of close advisers for the Emperor, whose authority is insufficient to command respect from all corners. If this issue remains unresolved, we won’t be able to confront the Ye City court, and Xun Gong cannot relax in Bingzhou for his recovery.”
“Fortunately, since Liu Gong arrived in Chang’an, many ambitious and benevolent people have come here, and common folks have been moving here continually. Among them are hesitant decision-makers, some self-recommending, and some talented in the arts but poor at communication. If we let them pass through without engagement, it would be a pity. Therefore—”
“I want to ask the future Emperor to establish Hongwen Hall in Chang’an to gather and select talented individuals. Half of it will be a repository for books, and the other half will be a place for scholars to converse, debate and laugh. Then, a few talented people adept in public affairs will take turns sitting there, observing the actions and words of the scholars, selecting the best to recommend to the central government and gradually filling the vacant official positions.”
“Unfortunately, the people stationed there need to have the talent for judging others but must not have the heart for personal gain, making it quite difficult to select.”
Qiao Yan fixed her gaze on Xun Yu and said, “I wish to recommend Wenruo as an adviser, also as one of the heads of Hongwen Hall. What do you think, Wenruo?”
This was quite a special invitation.
But viewed in light of its implications for Chang’an, this was indeed a necessary move.
Yet when Xun Yu accepted the role and stepped out of Qiao Yan’s office, he couldn’t help but feel a complex mix of emotions.
If, as Qiao Yan said, Hongwen Hall were established, it would bolster power close to the Emperor, and sooner or later, it would elevate to a point where she could stand against her.
If she had any intention of seizing power, this choice seemed out of character.
Maybe he had overthought it.
He truly shouldn’t suspect this loyal minister of the Han dynasty!
Meanwhile, after sending Xun Yu off, Qiao Yan began to consider issuing another command.
Once she informed Liu Yu about Hongwen Hall and gained his approval, she planned to give the order.
The directive outlined that due to a shortage of manpower, she would draw fifteen individuals from the Lingtai watch to assist in the construction planning of Hongwen Hall, including—Tian Feng.
No, it should be called Yuanfeng.
