Chapter 245

Chapter 245: The Eastern Expedition War Letter

At that time, when the Grand Marshal led her troops away, the people of Chang’an saw her in all her glory. Upon her return, this glory was even more pronounced.

The general personally welcomed by the Son of Heaven outside Chang’an city for her triumphant return was destined to be recorded in history. Moreover, she had achievements worthy of such imperial favor.

Holding the ceremonial staff bestowed by the emperor, she flawlessly fulfilled her duties of inspecting the south and pacifying Hanzhong, bringing back another granary reserve for the Chang’an court and intimidating the restless feudal lords.

The authority of the ceremonial staff had not yet been revoked.

In response to Qiao Yan’s declaration of “serving Chang’an,” Liu Yu stated, “The chaos is not yet quelled; the emperor and the Grand Marshal must continue to strive.”

In other words, the next time Qiao Yan went on an expedition, she would still carry this staff, exercising the emperor’s authority to conquer.

If the position of Grand Marshal represented the pinnacle of official rank, then this trust from Liu Yu was the zenith of treatment.

Although some might say that those in such high positions could easily fall, requiring every step to be taken with caution to avoid a catastrophic downfall, at this time, before the legend of the new top scholar who “saw all the flowers of Chang’an in a day,” Qiao Yan, a nineteen-year-old Grand Marshal, directly established the contemporary imagination of youthful vigor.

Subsequently, Chang’an’s granaries took in this massive amount of grain.

During Qiao Yan’s expedition to Hanzhong, Cheng Yu, under her direction, had recommended Qin Yu as the capital magistrate under the Grand Minister of Agriculture. Thus, the person responsible for registering this grain was one of Qiao Yan’s own.

However, this time was special. When the grain carts carrying a million dan of military provisions entered the warehouses of Chang’an’s outer city, the officials accompanying Liu Yu to welcome Qiao Yan were all present.

The grain from Yizhou was mostly rice, mixed with some millet, distinctly different in type from the grains produced in other regions.

This difference made the astonishing amount of grain seem more like a tribute, further boosting confidence in the Chang’an court.

Lu Zhi, observing this scene, asked Qiao Yan, “Does Yizhou really have such an astonishing grain yield?”

As they walked towards the palace city, Qiao Yan replied, “This is the benefit of water conservancy projects. The Dujiangyan in Yizhou has blessed future generations, creating a network of waterways in the Land of Abundance, aided by the southern climate. Bingzhou has strived to improve through fertilizers, farming tools, methods, and seed selection, only to barely reach Yizhou’s level after several years.”

“Even so, we must guard against special circumstances like droughts. Yizhou has not faced such disasters for many years, which is why Dong Fu’s divination spoke of Yizhou having the aura of the Son of Heaven.”

Seeing Lu Zhi’s tense expression, Qiao Yan smiled, “Lord Lu, there’s no need to worry. High yield per mu is one thing, total yield is another, and whether it can develop an army capable of conquering the world is yet another matter.”

“Yizhou’s mountainous terrain is both a protection and a limitation. The difficulty of outsiders entering Shu means Yizhou’s population is far less than that of the capital region. Without enough people, there naturally isn’t enough farmland.”

“Moreover, during my trip to Yizhou, I met with Liu Yan and saw what kind of person he is.”

“This man can seize opportunities and maneuver between Yizhou and Dongzhou scholars, showing some talent. But his schemes are limited to small areas, suitable for maintaining a corner but incapable of emulating Emperor Gaozu’s northern advance into Guanzhong.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhi’s mood inexplicably calmed.

Qiao Yan continued, “Pursuing small-scale strategies will eventually lead to trouble. Liu Yan’s increasing favoritism towards Dongzhou scholars over Yizhou scholars will inevitably provoke dissatisfaction among Yizhou’s local gentry. The southern barbarians in Yizhou, like the Qiang, are hard to control. Even if they don’t get out of hand under his rule, they will cause problems for his successors.”

She joked, “But these matters don’t concern us much. With Hanzhong in hand, he can’t stir up much trouble. As for Yizhou’s fertile land, it will eventually belong to the court.”

Lu Zhi responded, “Speaking of which, I want to ask, how did you achieve victory in the Hanzhong campaign in just six days?”

Qiao Yan pointed behind her.

Lu Zhi turned to see Huangfu Song approaching.

However, it wasn’t just Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song who were curious.

Only Huangfu Song had quietly appeared behind them, wanting to eavesdrop on the answer, simply because Qiao Yan’s rank was too high for others to dare ask.

She said, “Let’s wait to explain it formally at the court meeting.”

Perhaps because Liu Yu himself was intrigued by the messenger’s vague account, or to show his regard for Qiao Yan, the usual five-day court meeting rule was temporarily adjusted to every two days.

It was at this court meeting that the curious officials got their answers.

Qiao Yan’s choice of the Luo Valley path over the Xie Valley and Ziwu Valley routes, bypassing Zhang Lu’s first line of defense, wasn’t too surprising.

After all, Chang’an knew her approximate location in the Qinling Mountains.

Even if her actions in the Luo Valley were unusually smooth, it could be explained by her years of experience fighting in Liangzhou and Bingzhou.

For example, during her early campaigns against the Xianbei, crossing the Bai Pass in the Yinshan Mountains wasn’t an easy path either.

But when they heard about the subsequent series of traps, their expressions grew increasingly astonished.

The messenger’s simple summary of dividing forces was far from the whole story.

According to Qiao Yan, she intercepted messages from Hanzhong to Yizhou, swiftly captured Longting, and then sent deceptive signals to Zhang Lu from Longting.

This series of actions, if they were in Zhang Lu’s position, would have likely deceived them as well.

She then launched three ambushes, scattering Zhang Lu’s forces with minimal losses, and misleadingly conveyed the news of the Grand Marshal and Grand General hunting in Hanzhong to Zhang Lu. Upon hearing of simultaneous advances from Wudu and Ba commanderies, Zhang Lu chose to abandon the city and flee.

Of course, even if he hadn’t fled, he likely wouldn’t have escaped Qiao Yan’s grasp, merely prolonging the siege of Nanzheng. But his successful deception allowed Qiao Yan to take Hanzhong almost bloodlessly, further intimidating Liu Yan.

Qiao Yan’s subsequent handling of Hanzhong was equally astonishing.

The Taishi Path followers originally under Zhang Xiu and Zhang Lu, except for those Zhang Lu took with him in his escape to Guanghan, were controlled by Qiao Yan through Lady Lu, the widow of the second Taishi Path master. She used religious rules to repair the Hanzhong plank roads.

Anyone hearing this would think her ability to make the most of resources was unparalleled.

And Liu Yan’s so-called reward for the army, actually a plea for surrender, was made more complete under Qiao Yan’s new conditions.

This was a clear bite out of Yizhou’s fat, with the bitten still grateful for her mercy.

Before this explanation, the officials in the Chang’an court wondered, how did she do it?

After this explanation, their thoughts remained, how did she do it?

Or rather, how did she come up with such methods?

Although in Qiao Yan’s eloquent account, the ideas of first capturing Longting and advancing from the south towards Nanzheng came from Xun You’s advice, the same plan in different hands would not yield the same results.

During Li Jue’s chaotic rule, Huang Wan and Wang Yun had brief military experience, but they could swear that executing this plan themselves might have failed at the first step of attacking Longting County.

Yet Qiao Yan, executing each step with textbook precision, calmly dissected the Hanzhong campaign before them, her composure terrifying.

She clearly knew that Zhang Lu was not a formidable enemy but at most a tool to ease relations with the Hanzhong people, even a pawn to pre-construct Guanghan and link it with Wudu.

Her real opponent was still the court in Ye City to the east.

So now was not the time for complacency.

To the court officials, only such a steady pillar could bear the position of Grand Marshal.

This Grand Marshal not only brought confidence to the Chang’an court but was also destined to be a nightmare for her opponents.

Qiao Yan’s conquest of Hanzhong from Guanzhong, bringing back a million dan of grain, was made even more significant by the emperor’s grand reception and the surrounding of Chang’an.








The sheer number of onlookers spread the news within two days.

Along with the news of official appointments in Chang’an, it reached the ears of those who needed to know.

Undoubtedly, Yuan Shao had the strongest reaction to this.

He knew very well that he shouldn’t let himself be swayed by news from Chang’an, nor should he be led by the nose.

The resulting feelings of rivalry and resentment would inevitably lead to impulsive decision-making.

It would be better to stabilize first, quickly mobilize internal advantages, and establish a suitable development pace.

But when Yuan Shao received the news, his face still darkened.

The rumors spread by Yuan Shu following Yuan Ji’s death had already put him in a difficult position.

Admittedly, if the Yuan family had to choose between him and Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu would never receive more support.

But the problem they faced wasn’t about choosing between Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, but between Liu Yu and Liu Bian.

That was the more fundamental issue.

Yuan Shu’s unreasonable rumors actually gave some people a reason to back down.

This made Yuan Shao realize more clearly than ever that the conflict between him and Yuan Shu had reached a point where it urgently needed resolution, and there was no need to involve others.

So, after consulting with his strategists, he issued an order in early March in Liu Bian’s name, instructing General Liu Bei to join forces with Wen Chou, who was leading troops from Ye City, to attack Yuan Shu.

According to Yuan Shao’s plan, this was the most opportune time to move against Yuan Shu.

His greatest enemy had sent troops to Hanzhong, and as he expected, they would be tied up for months.

During this time, the Chang’an court would be too busy to move east and wouldn’t have the time to ally with Yuan Shu.

Although Cao Cao had a good relationship with Qiao Yan, there was no chance of him switching sides in the short term.

If they could quickly defeat Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao believed he could take Yuzhou and then move into Luoyang, pushing the front line forward.

The best outcome would be to invade Hedong County to prevent the enemy from advancing from the Hedong-Henei line and directly attacking Ye City.

But what Yuan Shao didn’t expect was that while it would take a few days to mobilize his troops, shortly after Ji Province’s forces passed through Yanzhou and entered Yuzhou, he received news that Qiao Yan had already returned.

Whether Wen Chou and Yuan Shu had engaged in their first battle was still unknown, but Qiao Yan had already returned from Hanzhong!

That was too fast!

If she had returned from a failed “hunt,” it would be one thing, but not only had she taken Hanzhong, she had also brought back a visible one million dan of grain.

While Chang’an officials had Qiao Yan to explain things in court, Yuan Shao had no such luxury.

He didn’t want to react like he did when he heard she had taken the position of Grand Marshal, exclaiming, “How did she do it?” or “What right does she have?”

Such a loss of composure would only make him appear more defeated.

Amidst internal and external troubles, Yuan Shao steadied his temper and expression, asking his subordinates, “What are your thoughts on this news?”

As soon as Yuan Shao finished speaking, Guo Tu said, “Hanzhong is too far from us, and the Qinling Mountains block the way. It’s possible that Qiao Yan and Liu Yan made some deal to unsettle us with this unexpected news.”

Ju Shou glanced at Guo Tu, seemingly about to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Regardless of whether Guo Tu’s words were meant to flatter Yuan Shao, they weren’t that important at the moment.

The atmosphere in Ye City couldn’t remain depressed, nor could they remain at a disadvantage without even seeing Qiao Yan.

So, Guo Tu’s downplaying of the opponent’s shocking achievements was somewhat necessary.

However, such talk was only useful for lightening the mood; they couldn’t actually believe it and had to remain vigilant and respectful of Qiao Yan.

Despite her quick trip to Hanzhong, no one could deny that this single journey had greatly increased her strength.

This strength wasn’t just reflected in the one million dan of grain.

Xu You and Ju Shou shared the same view.

Xu You continued Guo Tu’s line of thought, saying, “Rather than focusing on the details of the Hanzhong campaign, I think you should pay more attention to the official positions Qiao Yan’s subordinates have received.”

“First, two positions stand out,” Xu You gestured for the report to be handed back to him, and after scanning it to confirm he hadn’t misread, he said, “Yao Chang and Bi Lan.”

“If I recall correctly, the former’s Protector of the Qiang and the latter’s Director of Waterways were both directly appointed by her when Dong Zhuo held Emperor Xian hostage in Chang’an.”

This wasn’t a normal method of appointment.

It was similar to when she petitioned the central government to appoint Sun Ce as the Prefect of Kuaiji.

This method could be explained as a last resort due to the central government’s obstruction of the Emperor’s authority, but it could also be seen as an overreach.

But now, with the Chang’an court appointing Sun Ce as Governor of Yang Province and General Who Conquers the East, and Yao Chang’s and Bi Lan’s positions being officially recognized, it meant that Liu Yu, using his own prestige, had smoothed over the potential fallout from Qiao Yan’s previous actions.

Xu You commented, “This relationship between ruler and subject is either due to Qiao Yan’s overwhelming power forcing Liu Yu to act, or it’s a genuine mutual understanding. Regardless of the Hanzhong campaign, this is a terrifying situation.”

He flipped through the report and added, “Moreover, among these appointments are several women: the Assistant Inspector of Liangzhou, the Director of the Capital under the Grand Minister of Agriculture, and the Deputy Director of the Astronomical Observatory as a reserve for the Grand Historian. These are all women. Because Qiao Yan holds a high position, Liu Yu has also agreed to this, showing their cooperation.”

In the face of Qiao Yan’s achievements, Yuan Shao swallowed the word “ridiculous” he had been about to say and simply said, “Go on.”

“Then there are the three powerful prefects: Zhang Liao, Prefect of Shanggu Commandery; Zhao Yun, Governor of the Capital; and Xu Shu, Prefect of Hanzhong,” Xu You stroked his beard, a hint of admiration in his expression. “These three are around twenty-five years old, some favoring civil affairs, others military, some stationed in the capital, others defending against external enemies, but they all convey the same message—”

“Qiao Yan not only has the capacity to gather talented young people under her command but also the ability to elevate them to high positions. This is also bad news for you.”

“I…” Yuan Shao was about to say that he could also appoint people regardless of age.

But he suddenly realized that even if he could trust and promote young talents, he couldn’t possibly elevate them to prefect positions like Qiao Yan.

He hadn’t even secured the position of Grand General for himself due to Yuan Shu’s interference, let alone plan for these prefect positions.

Xu You was right; the impact of these three prefect positions was terrifying.

Whether Liu Yu realized it or not, this would inevitably lead to a diversion of talent from the Hongwen Hall.

And the military officers who were already inclined to seek appointments from Qiao Yan would now have even less reason to hesitate.

“Then there’s Qiao Yan’s attitude towards various factions,” Xu You continued. “Pingbei Middle General Lü Bu, Annan Middle General Chu Yan, Pingliang Middle General Fu Gan, and Zhengdong Middle General Qu Yi—what do you think of these four positions?”

In the current military hierarchy, since general titles are rarely granted, Middle General is often the highest rank most military officers can achieve. To rise from Colonel to Middle General is akin to a class leap, especially with titles like Pingbei, Annan, Pingliang, and Zhengdong.

Even without Xu You pointing it out, Yuan Shao could see that these were the core members of the four-directional campaigns.

The directional prefixes indeed reflected Qiao Yan’s attitude towards various regions.

Pingbei and Pingliang—pacifying the northern Xianbei and the Qiang and powerful families in Liangzhou.

While maintaining military deterrence and cooperation, this “pacification” seemed more about maintaining stability.

Annan—stabilizing the south, including Liu Yan in Yizhou, Liu Biao in Jing Province, and even the southern barbarians and Shanyue, or Sun Ce in Yang Province.

These were people she currently needed to both warn and ally with, directly reflected in Chu Yan’s position.

Zhengdong—conquering the east, targeting those opposing her and the Chang’an court.

Gongsun Zan’s Youzhou was east to her.

And Yuan Shao’s Ji Province was also east to her!

Yuan Shao slammed the table and stood up, “Zhengdong… what a Zhengdong!”

Regardless of whether appointing Qu Yi as Zhengdong Middle General also represented her attempt to win over the Xiping Qu family.

The title of Zhengdong Middle General was clearly a declaration of war against Yuan Shao!