Chapter 227

Chapter 227

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 7: Eight Hundred Qin Rivers, Occupying Guanzhong, Chapter 227: The First Year of Jian’an

Tian Feng, having arrived in Guanzhong, would not be noticed by Yuan Shao for a while. Such talent, in Qiao Yan’s eyes, was also something not to be wasted.

What he is doing under his current alias, Yuan Feng, has nothing to do with Tian Feng of Ji Province.

Since he was discovered by Zhang Niujiao for his computational skills at the agricultural tool production site in Bingzhou, it is only natural that he could now reveal his talents by participating in the construction of Hongwen Hall and thus be promoted.

“He really has thought of all the excuses for us,” Qiao Yan said, looking at the records related to Tian Feng. “Since he claims he wants to bring his wife and children to Bingzhou and thus works hard, he naturally deserves a higher salary. Coincidentally, whether it’s materials or salaries, we are no less generous than Ji Province.”

Xun Yu’s conclusion upon entering Guanzhong was not wrong.

Qiao Yan is indeed using Liu Yu’s reputation to stabilize grain prices and eliminate the influence of Dong Zhuo’s small coins.

Previously, she had employed Liangzhou people with five-zhu coins and sold Liangzhou’s collateral in Bingzhou, establishing trust in the five-zhu coins between Liang and Bing provinces.

Now, by connecting the two provinces through Guanzhong and using Liu Yu’s name, the credibility of the five-zhu coins is further restored.

She is not in a hurry to expand her territory quickly, precisely to allow this monetary system to stabilize further.

With the territory she currently holds, connections with any faction are fraught with perilous passes, yet not completely severed.

Increased trade will further establish the people’s trust in the currency.

Interestingly, since the main copper mines are not in Guanzhong, Qiao Yan has not moved Bingzhou’s coin minting officials to Guanzhong but keeps them independent and under her control.

In case of necessity, no one can accuse her of wrongdoing.

So, in reality, the printing press is in her hands.

This makes Liu Yu, though seemingly the future Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty, still subject to Qiao Yan’s control over price regulation.

Saying “no less generous than Ji Province” is indeed an understatement.

Guo Jia joked, “But this way, Zhang Niujiao’s dream of cultivating a trusted general might not come true in the short term.”

Since Tian Feng has already caught Qiao Yan’s eye, how could he possibly be returned to Zhang Niujiao?

“Don’t say that,” Qiao Yan said innocently. “If he can catch a Tian Feng today, who’s to say he can’t catch a Ju Shou tomorrow? I’m encouraging him to search for treasures among his subordinates; maybe he’ll find a big fish.”

She even considered turning a blind eye to Zhang Niujiao’s “lack of learning,” but decided to let nature take its course and not interfere.

“Enough about that, let’s talk about Hongwen Hall.”

Before mentioning the establishment of Hongwen Hall to Xun Yu, Qiao Yan had not discussed it with her subordinates.

But after returning to Guanzhong, she informed her confidants of her intention to seek the position of Grand Marshal and her strategy of retreating to advance.

This strategy was evident in the re-planning of Chang’an, forming a ceremonial route from Weiyang Palace to the Hall of Enlightenment and Biyong, and involving Tian Chou under Liu Yu in Guanzhong’s land reclamation. Thus, mentioning Hongwen Hall did not surprise Guo Jia and Cheng Yu.

Guo Jia quickly realized that while Hongwen Hall nominally serves to fill the ranks of the Son of Heaven’s subordinates, this selection might not become a constraint for Qiao Yan.

The immediate benefits are clear.

Hongwen Hall aims to gather talents, enhancing not only Liu Yu’s reputation but also Qiao Yan’s.

Whether these selected talents will directly serve Liu Yu or become more closely tied to Qiao Yan through territorial expansions is hard to say.

Moreover, Hongwen Hall’s existence is more like an invitation to already accomplished scholars, not conflicting with Leping Academy’s cultivation model.

For those not yet confident to showcase their talents in Guanzhong, Leping, with Cai Yong, Zheng Xuan, Guan Ning, and Bing Yuan, and soon to add the “retired” Xun Shuang, remains an irreplaceable attraction for scholars.

Once Leping Academy’s students graduate, they will inevitably challenge the scholars from Hongwen Hall.

Furthermore, as Qiao Yan’s influence grows, meaning when she stabilizes three provinces or even larger territories and no longer relies on the name of the Han Dynasty, Hongwen Hall could directly become her talent acquisition channel, bypassing any intermediaries.

After realizing this, Guo Jia found the only troublesome issue to be the selection of Hongwen Hall’s director.

Xun Yu cannot be the only one.

But as Qiao Yan told Xun Yu, the person overseeing Hongwen Hall needs both the ability to discern practical talents and the integrity to avoid forming cliques, raising the bar significantly.

He then raised this question.

“As you said, this person needs to meet these two criteria, but some who meet them might not be suitable for this position. A director with too high a status and seniority, even if not intending to form alliances, would naturally attract those he selects due to his reputation.”

People like Xun Yu, with limited experience, high ability, and integrity, are rare.

Qiao Yan replied, “I have a few candidates, but I’m hesitating whether to appoint them simultaneously or in rotation.”

Cheng Yu asked, “If I’m not mistaken, one of the candidates should be Wang Zishi?”

“Correct,” Qiao Yan clapped her hands. “Wang Zishi is from Bingzhou, but most talents from Bingzhou don’t need to go through Hongwen Hall.”

The Three Mutual Laws don’t apply to lower-level officials, meaning talents in Bingzhou are either already under the command of various prefects, still studying at Leping Academy, or—

They are more aware of Bingzhou’s true strength than those from other provinces and would prefer to recommend themselves directly to Qiao Yan rather than through Hongwen Hall.

This means Wang Yun would have few fellow provincials to discuss hometown sentiments with.

Additionally, don’t forget, Wang Yun bears the blame for losing the Son of Heaven.

To outsiders, it was Wang Yun’s cooperation that allowed Li Jue to create a fake Son of Heaven and mobilize a force, leading to the Son of Heaven’s capture.

This crime hasn’t been openly discussed, but Wang Yun is indeed responsible.

Thus, those he recommends might not dare to have too close a relationship with him.

Considering the above points, Wang Yun is a very suitable candidate.

Cheng Yu then asked, “Who are the other candidates you have in mind?”

Qiao Yan replied, “Chen Yuanfang and Cui Zhiping.”

Chen Ji, also known as Chen Yuanfang, is already here, so Qiao Yan doesn’t need to catch him.

Previously, when Dong Zhuo wreaked havoc in Luoyang, Chen Ji, like Xun Shuang, was a victim conscripted and came to Chang’an due to his close friendship with Xun Shuang.

Chen Ji has little official experience, but having followed his father Chen Shi since childhood, he understands the intricacies of officialdom.

In terms of character, he is beyond reproach.

Interestingly, he has high personal integrity but despises hypocritical actions devoid of genuine emotion.

Specifically, the formalism in filial piety displayed to meet the criteria for Recommendation for Filial Piety and Integrity.

Qiao Yan thought, given his age, handling court affairs might be too taxing, so placing him in Hongwen Hall as a moral beacon is ideal.

Moreover, with Chen Ji in a suitable position, someone else is almost certain to fall into her hands.

That is Chen Ji’s son, Chen Qun.

Historically, he was the main creator of Cao Wei’s legal code, “Wei Lu,” and proposed the Nine-rank system.

The latter is irrelevant, but the former is extremely useful to Qiao Yan.

He is indeed of age to enter officialdom.

As for Cui Zhiping, he can also be placed here.

As early as last August, while Qiao Yan was in Liangzhou dealing with the powerful families of Wuwei, Xi Zhicai and Guo Jia were already discussing summoning Cui Jun to Bingzhou.

Cui Lie is getting old, and rather than idling in Anping, observing the situation, Cui Jun might as well come to Bingzhou to assist his father with official duties.

So, in October last year, under Xi Zhicai’s suggestion, Cui Lie sent him a letter about this.

Although Cui Jun had some “conflict” with his father over buying an official position, their relationship is generally good, and he came immediately.

In the past year, most of the administrative affairs in Xihe Commandery have been handled by him, proving his capability.

Qiao Yan said, “Appointing Cui Zhiping as one of Hongwen Hall’s directors can demonstrate our effort to win over Hebei scholars.”

Cui Zhiping is from Ji Province, and his father Cui Lie is a renowned scholar from Hebei, directly competing with Yuan Shao.

Whether Tian Feng will encounter another person who might discover his identity is another matter.

“On the other hand, if I advocate for the establishment of Hongwen Hall without placing one of my own, others might suspect ulterior motives.”

She revealed a hint of cunning, and Guo Jia and Cheng Yu inwardly applauded her choice.

This small display of self-interest is just right.

Thus, according to her arrangement, the four directors of Hongwen Hall would be Xun Yu, Wang Yun, Chen Ji, and Cui Jun.

In terms of age, they cover the old, middle-aged, and young generations, and geographically, they span Hebei, Bingzhou, and Yu Province.

The only slight issue is that both Xun Yu and Chen Ji are from Yingchuan.

But one is a “Talent to Assist a King,” and the other is one of the “Three Lords,” making it hard to find more suitable candidates.

Guo Jia thought about Qiao Yan’s earlier question of whether to have the four go together or rotate and said, “Have you heard the story of Chen Taiqiu visiting Xun Langling? Due to his frugality and lack of servants, he had Chen Yuanfang pull the cart, Chen Jifang hold the staff behind, and the young Chen Changwen ride in the cart. People called this scene ‘The True Man Travels East,’ a beautiful tale. Although it’s not the Chen family’s three generations, it’s still four talented individuals working together. Why not have these four go to Hongwen Hall together?”

Guo Jia’s story refers to Chen Shi visiting Xun Shu, father of the Eight Dragons of the Xun family.

Due to Chen Shi’s frugality and lack of servants, he had his eldest son Chen Ji pull the cart, his second son Chen Chen behind, and the young Chen Qun ride in the cart. Chen Shi and his two sons were renowned, collectively called the Three Lords, hence the term “The True Man Travels East.”

Thus, having the four directors of Hongwen Hall go together would be fitting, and those with urgent tasks could leave early.

In short, they should leverage the beautiful tale’s reputation to quickly spread the news of these four overseeing Hongwen Hall.

But as soon as he finished, Qiao Yan teased, “Who’s the young one riding in the cart?”

Guo Jia was both amused and exasperated.

He was just making an analogy! He didn’t mean to recreate the Chen family’s famous scene!

But he couldn’t help but think… if they were to strictly follow this scene, the youngest among the four would be Xun Yu, right?








    郭嘉 felt no guilt about his friend being in a somewhat strange arrangement.


    


    He had already planned to invite Wenruo for a drink tomorrow and give him a proper welcome.


    


    If Qiao Yan really wanted to arrange it this way, then he might as well apologize in advance.


    


    Fortunately, he heard Qiao Yan say, “Just kidding. With this, the selection of civil officials in Chang’an is settled. But—”


    


    At this point, her expression turned serious, “We can compromise on civil officials, but not on military officials.”


    


    “No matter the considerations, military power, the most practical thing, must remain in our hands!”


    


    Even if Liu Yu is used as a facade, this bottom line will never change.


    


    This is why she wanted to secure the position of Grand Marshal or Grand General for herself.


    


    “Actually, my lord, you don’t need to worry too much about this,” Cheng Yu said.


    


    His tone was calm, and perhaps it could even be said that he was proud of her growth.


    


    “From the Yellow Turban Rebellion to now, my lord has never been defeated. The military power in Liang and Bing provinces will never fall into others’ hands. With Zilong guarding Guanzhong, anyone who wants to join will surely come directly to my lord’s side, rather than seeking positions in the Jinwu Guards.”


    


    Cheng Yu didn’t say much more, but everyone present understood his underlying meaning.


    


    In contrast to Qiao Yan was Liu Yu.


    


    Although Liu Yu excelled in handling administrative affairs, the principle that ‘kindness does not command troops’ was fully demonstrated in his case.


    


    Even with sufficient troops, without proper training and decision-making, defeat was the only outcome.


    


    Most people came to Chang’an because of Liu Yu’s reputation for virtue, but certainly not for his military prowess.


    


    Liu Yu’s personality also made him deeply ashamed of a recent defeat, and he would not easily interfere in military matters.


    


    In a sense, this was good for Qiao Yan.


    


    At most, she needed to be wary of people gathering around Liu Yu, hoping to rise through the ranks, thinking that with the Emperor’s support, they could also take control of military power.


    


    But before such people could emerge, Cheng Yu would detect the隐患 for Qiao Yan.


    


    His usually stern face flashed a smile: “I should congratulate you, my lord. Didn’t you bring back another general from your inspection of Youzhou?”


    


    Cheng Yu was referring to Tai Shici from Donglai.


    


    After seeing the state of Qiao Yan’s generals and witnessing her firing an arrow at Gongsun Zan as a declaration of war, Tai Shici, being a man of passion, immediately decided to join her.


    


    Upon hearing her inquire about his family, he sent people to bring his mother to Bingzhou without hesitation, increasing his respect for Qiao Yan.


    


    After receiving Qiao Yan’s orders, he immediately took charge of training a group of soldiers in the Divine Bow camp.


    


    The thoughts of military generals are much simpler than those of civil officials.


    


    Whoever can lead them to victory will earn their support.


    


    And Qiao Yan not only has the commanding presence but also the personal strength to earn the trust of these generals.


    


    With just one more legitimate title to command the world’s military, there would be no need to worry about losing military power.


    


    When the next campaign begins, this military power will only become more firmly in her hands with her next victory.


    


    As for whether she can win the next battle?


    


    Isn’t that exactly what her strategists and generals are striving to consider?


    


    Before this campaign begins, their strength will surely be even greater than before.


    


    In addition to the accumulated resources of Guanzhong and Liang and Bing provinces, there are also gains from trading with other provinces.


    


    Liu Biao of Jing Province is a given.


    


    The proximity of the missing Wuguan to Jing Province forced Liu Biao to make sacrifices to clear his name.


    


    While sending his eldest son Liu Qi to Chang’an to assist in ancestral temple rituals, he also relinquished control of Nanyang in Jing Province, making Wuguan a free passage area.


    


    The resulting trade flow has become a major export sustaining Guanzhong’s trade recently.


    


    Liu Yan of Yizhou wasn’t as proactive, but he didn’t hinder exchanges between Yizhou and Chang’an.


    


    This allowed Qiao Yan’s procurement team for Shu brocade to bring the first batch of goods to Guanzhong.


    


    To avoid detection of her connection with this team, Qiao Yan only instructed them to follow the planned itinerary.


    


    Another trade came from Yang Province.


    


    Zhou Yu, who coincidentally met Xun Yu at Wuguan, also had a meeting with her.


    


    However, this wasn’t a trade that could immediately exchange goods.


    


    The batch of Jiangdong goods and rare books from the government storehouse he sent via merchant channels were not part of the trade but gifts to congratulate Qiao Yan on her advance into Guanzhong.


    


    The real trade was about farming techniques.


    


    “The principle that ‘oranges grown south of the Huai River are oranges, but north of the Huai River they become trifoliate oranges’ is something Zhou Yu couldn’t be unaware of.”


    


    While Cao Cao in Yanzhou could use the farming techniques summarized by Qiao Yan, the situation in Jiangdong was different.


    


    But with the noble families in Jiangdong not fully supporting Sun Ce and the frequent disturbances by the Shanyue tribes, ensuring that the recruited soldiers were well-fed would significantly reduce Sun Ce’s pressure.


    


    The flexible operation of the curved plow made it particularly suitable for southern farmland, and Sun Ce and his generals had already benefited from it.


    


    Zhou Yu couldn’t help but think that Qiao Yan must have other tools that could be similarly applied.


    


    Of course, he also clearly knew that while Qiao Yan could use the excuse of supporting the son of an old friend to gift the curved plow, Sun Ce couldn’t rely on this favor to get closer.


    


    As he was about to become the Governor of Yang Province, regardless of whether he was an adult or had a father named Sun Jian, he was now a completely independent individual, and some favors no longer applied at this level of interaction.


    


    So Zhou Yu came with sincerity.


    


    He said that if Qiao Yan’s experience could lead to increased grain production, one-third of the increased yield from Jiangdong’s counties would be sent to Guanzhong.


    


    This grain, sent in the name of tribute to the Emperor, was something Liu Biao would never dare to seize.


    


    As for any additional conditions, they could be proposed by Qiao Yan.


    


    “So what condition did you finally propose, my lord?” Guo Jia asked when discussing this with her.


    


    He had a hunch that Qiao Yan’s additional condition was anything but simple.


    


    Qiao Yan replied, “I told him I needed skilled shipbuilders from coastal towns in Jiangdong to send a team of two hundred people to me. That was my condition.”


    


    Guo Jia said, “This condition isn’t difficult for Yang Province, but Liangzhou, Bingzhou, and Guanzhong have no need for maritime transport. Didn’t he find it strange?”


    


    Qiao Yan: “Of course he found it strange, but I hinted that it was for dealing with Yuan Shao.”


    


    Guo Jia, upon hearing her words, understood how she had deceived Zhou Yu.


    


    Dealing with Yuan Shao might indeed require ships.


    


    According to most people’s speculation about Qiao Yan, after stabilizing Guanzhong, she would first choose to recover Youzhou, then march south to confront Yuan Shao.


    


    Gongsun Zan was a wolf, and Yuan Shao was no pushover. These two battles would not be as easily won as the battles in Liangzhou and Guanzhong.


    


    Thus, how to break through Yuan Shao’s defense line at the border of Ji and Qing provinces seemed to be Qiao Yan’s biggest problem.


    


    In her ambiguous words, Zhou Yu must have thought that after occupying Youzhou, Qiao Yan could use a developed shipbuilding force, with Liaoxi Commandery or the Liaodong Peninsula as a shipbuilding base, to quickly build ships within three months, cross the Bohai Sea to Qing Province, forming a pincer attack and saving resources on the confrontation line.


    


    But was she really going to use these people for this purpose?


    


    And… was she really going to take Youzhou first?


    


    Not only Zhou Yu, who was tricked into agreeing to this condition, but even Guo Jia might not be able to guess Qiao Yan’s exact thoughts.


    


    He only knew that the current top priority was to have Liu Yu ascend the throne and secure the promotion Qiao Yan deserved.


    


    November and December seemed to pass especially quickly.


    


    The Hall of Enlightenment, Biyong, and Lingtai in the southern suburbs of Chang’an were all completed by the end of December. From this day on, the southern gate of Chang’an, seen from the direction of Wuguan, presented a dignified and majestic appearance.


    


    Simultaneously completed was the Hongwen Hall, located north of Guigong in Chang’an.


    


    As Xun You had previously explained to Xun Yu, Guigong was where the Emperor held court, so looking south from the Hongwen Hall, one could see the flying eaves and palace halls within the palace city walls, creating an illusion of entering the Hongwen Hall in the morning and becoming an official of the Emperor by evening.


    


    On the day of the Hongwen Hall’s completion, Qiao Yan came to observe.


    


    To everyone’s surprise, the three characters “Hongwen Hall” on the main gate’s plaque were not written by Liu Yu or Qiao Yan but by the sage of cursive script, Zhang Zhi.


    


    After Qiao Yan had Wei Ji invite him, Zhang Zhi, though he did not choose to serve in office, went to teach at Leping Academy.


    


    As he could be considered both a Guanzhong and Liangzhou native, this completed plaque undoubtedly silenced some质疑的声音—some felt that the absence of Liangzhou and Guanzhong natives among the Hongwen Hall’s leaders was discriminatory.


    


    “The power balance during territorial expansion is really troublesome,” Qiao Yan said while adjusting her court attire, speaking to Lu Yuan.


    


    Lu Yuan had gone to Liangzhou to confirm whether the carrier pigeons should be raised in Gaoping or Jincheng Commandery and ultimately decided on Jincheng.


    


    After inspecting Liangzhou on Qiao Yan’s behalf, she returned.


    


    But not to Bingzhou, but to Guanzhong.


    


    According to Qiao Yan’s intention, Lu Yuan, as her trusted minister, should also attend Liu Yu’s coronation ceremony.


    


    Hence, she was here now.


    


    Hearing Qiao Yan’s小声抱怨, Lu Yuan replied, “If my lord says so, I should also ask why there’s no Yang Province representative in the Hongwen Hall.”


    


    Seeing Qiao Yan glance at her with amusement, Lu Yuan then seriously said, “The distinction between closeness and distance, the difference in interests, my lord has seen it clearly and handled it appropriately. We are all willing to sacrifice ourselves for you, not because you are flawless in every aspect.”


    


    This was well said.


    


    A leader can make mistakes, just like when Guo Jia corrected her misunderstanding about the merit system, these are inevitable in decision-making.


    


    But when she is in Chang’an, planning for the next ten or even a hundred years, she has no room for error.


    


    However, hearing from her subordinates that she is allowed to make mistakes still brought a clear smile to Qiao Yan’s face.


    


    It is these interpersonal connections that increasingly tie her to this era and support her to keep moving forward.


    


    Until she wins this life-or-death war!


    


    At that moment, a drumbeat signaling the hour came from the direction of Weiyang Palace in Chang’an.


    


    This drumbeat, marking the hour of Chen, also reminded the city’s officials that the Emperor’s coronation ceremony was approaching, and they should prepare.


    


    Qiao Yan looked outside; the sky was still dark, but the city was already stirring, bringing Chang’an to life.


    


    “Ruqing, it’s time for us to go.”


    


    As she was about to step out, Qiao Yan took one last look at the mirror by the door.


    


    Reflected in the mirror was a face younger than anyone else among the officials.


    


    Even with a long road ahead, she still had plenty of time to take each step.


    


    It was the first day of the first month of the year 192.


    


    By today’s calculation, she was nineteen years old.