Chapter 247

Chapter 247

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 7: Eight Hundred Qinchuan, Occupying Guanzhong Chapter 247: Branching Out and Opening Doors

According to her, it really wasn’t a wrongful accusation.

It’s just that the person being used as a comparison was a bit special.

With Tian Feng’s wisdom, it wasn’t hard for him to understand his current predicament when Qiao Yan scolded the Qiao clan members.

But realizing the situation he was in didn’t seem to make him any happier.

When everyone turned their gaze towards him, Tian Feng felt for a moment that even though his identity as “Tian Feng” wasn’t exposed, it didn’t stop him from feeling like a target.

His mind went blank for a moment.

Wait!

Why did this have to happen to him?

Anyone else in his position might have felt quite pleased.

As someone who originally just wanted to make a living in Bingzhou, he had somehow managed to gain the favor of the Grand Marshal, even studying under a renowned teacher, effectively stepping into the circle of the scholarly elite.

Now, not only had he received Qiao Yan’s personal promise that he would “eventually become a member of the Chang’an court,” but he also earned her praise for having “great insight,” making his future path even smoother.

But this wasn’t what Tian Feng wanted at all!

He certainly hadn’t foreseen the potential of the Chang’an court and worked hard to rise within it; he was simply pushed into this position by chance.

Using him as a positive example to lecture the Qiao clan of Yanzhou, wasn’t that a bit off?

As for how he knew these people were from the Qiao clan of Yanzhou, it was because one of the most impatient young men glared at Tian Feng for a while before turning back to Qiao Yan and saying, “Your Excellency, do you not care about our difficulties, treating us like worn-out shoes?”

He wanted to suggest a competition with the person Qiao Yan had brought forward.

But she had chosen someone too clever to mock them.

As she said, this person was promoted from a tool-making craftsman.

So, what good would it do for their reputation to win against such a person?

A noble-born youth defeating a common farmer!

If they lost, it would be even more embarrassing.

To this young man, it wasn’t impossible, especially since Qiao Yan mentioned that the person’s current teacher was Chen Ji.

They had no idea when this person had become Chen Ji’s student, how long he had been in Hongwen Hall, or how much he had learned.

Being sent to military farming by Guo Jia greatly limited their ability to gather information in Chang’an, leading to their ignorance about this “Yuan Feng.”

The fact that they themselves lacked substantial knowledge made them even less confident to challenge Tian Feng.

Tian Feng’s age and seemingly simple appearance made it hard to tell if he had any experience of studying while farming, which might have given him this opportunity to rise.

If this speculation were true, he might be a hidden master.

Then the news outside would change to this—

Apart from the Grand Marshal, the Qiao clan of Yanzhou couldn’t even match a craftsman, no wonder the Grand Marshal wants to cut ties with them.

Thinking of this, the Qiao clan member could only question Qiao Yan and do nothing else.

Qiao Yan’s gaze shifted between the speaker and Tian Feng, delivering an even more uncompromising statement: “Rather than saying I’m treating you like worn-out shoes, it’s more accurate to say I see you as venomous snakes and fierce beasts.”

In her view, the young man’s decision to avoid the challenge was laughable.

Tian Feng’s relief upon realizing the situation was another kind of amusement.

Even though she had orchestrated this scene, she found it to be a world-class comedy.

She had initially wanted to see what kind of competition would arise if these two sides clashed, but apart from confirming that the Qiao clan had no other talents, she gained nothing new.

This young man, who had been chosen to support after the Qiao clan lost Qiao Rui, might not have much ability, but his ambitions were not small.

He didn’t realize what his retreat meant; on the contrary, this firm evaluation shattered his hopes of climbing up using Qiao Yan’s connections, only fueling his anger and resentment.

At this moment, only one thought flashed through his mind—

What kind of logic is this!

Why would she rather promote her subordinates to positions like General of the Tooth Gate, Middle General of the North, Prefect of Hanzhong, or even Grand Minister of Agriculture, but be so stingy in giving high positions to her relatives?

From the perspective of a mediocre person, he thought that those subordinates might try to seize her power, gain benefits from her, and then switch allegiance to others, so only those from the same clan could truly stand with her.

By doing this, she was destroying her own Great Wall, seeking her own doom!

The young man’s face turned red, and he wanted to leave in a huff, but felt he should say something before going.

The repeated blows from Guo Jia and Qiao Yan, and Qiao Yan’s blocking of his path, left his mind anything but clear.

He thought that since his path here was blocked, he would have to head towards Ye City.

In this situation, whether or not to offend Qiao Yan to the extreme was no longer a concern.

So, instead of challenging Tian Feng to see who would achieve more in the future, he directed his words at Qiao Yan.

“You are just as heartless as your grandfather! If he hadn’t been so ruthless, your uncle wouldn’t have died at the hands of bandits, and your father wouldn’t have struggled for years just to become the Prefect of Rencheng, leading to his fate during the Yellow Turban Rebellion…”

In a flash, a sword was placed against his neck, cutting off his unfinished sentence.

The unsheathed sword, like Qiao Yan’s calm tone, didn’t emit a cold gleam but still made one’s breath catch.

At this moment, her years of high authority made her imposing, with a storm brewing in her expression.

She said word by word, “My grandfather sacrificed his family for the greater good, stood firm in times of crisis, and struck down evil like thunder. How could you, who live off your ancestors’ legacy, ever hope to compare?”

“In these troubled times, the state is paramount. Even Bojie, in his inscription for my grandfather, said that his actions surpassed those of the common people. How dare you criticize him?”

The sword remained sheathed, so she naturally had no intention of killing him on the spot.

But as the word “criticize” fell, Tian Feng wished he were deaf, so he could pretend he hadn’t heard anything.

He just wanted to sneak in and learn something…

Why was he now witnessing the Grand Marshal and the Qiao clan of Yanzhou turning against each other?

But if Tian Feng were to objectively evaluate, the Qiao clan of Yanzhou was truly not smart.

Even if they wanted to use their opposition to Qiao Yan to switch sides to Ye City, they shouldn’t have brought up how Qiao Yan resembled Qiao Xuan.

This wasn’t an accusation against Qiao Yan.

It was more like a compliment!

When the late emperor approved the use of a funeral carriage to transport Qiao Xuan’s body and had the Northern Army Five Divisions escort the funeral, it was a final judgment on Qiao Xuan’s life achievements.

Thus, they could no longer make reckless remarks, or it would be disrespectful to the late emperor.

Moreover, Qiao Xuan had never done anything controversial like Cui Lie, so even though Yuan Shao and Qiao Yan were enemies, he dared not slander the reputation of the late Grand Commandant.

This young man had quite the nerve!

But the younger ones might not understand, while the older ones knew better. Before Qiao Yan could finish her sentence, one of them rushed forward to cover the young man’s mouth, fearing he might say something he shouldn’t.

He repeatedly apologized to Qiao Yan, “Grand Marshal, he spoke out of turn. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Qiao Yan replied indifferently, “It’s fine, it’s good to have it all out in the open.”

But those who heard this didn’t sense any “fine” in her tone, especially since the sword was still at the young man’s neck, and outside, the sound of armored soldiers moving about suggested they were ready to act on Qiao Yan’s behalf to deal with these insolent individuals.

She raised an eyebrow, “My original stance remains. If there are truly talented individuals in the clan, they can prove they have no ties to the Ye court and seek their own future through the current recruitment channels. But if they only want to rise using my name, then forget it.”

Her icy gaze swept over the young man’s now fearful face, “And you all not only harbor such thoughts but are also unclear in your stance, greedy as ghosts, and driven by profit, making you unworthy of association!”

She suddenly sheathed her sword and returned to her seat.

If these people weren’t related to her, Tian Feng had no doubt she would have executed them on the spot.

But even this was enough to show what her wrath looked like.

Qiao Yan raised her hand and commanded, “See them out!”

This was no ordinary farewell.

At Qiao Yan’s signal, people quickly restrained these individuals, also gagging them in the process.








She finally glanced at these people and added, “Take everything they obtained in Chang’an and escort them all the way out of Tong Pass.”

This sentence completely shattered their hopes of waiting for her anger to subside before trying to explain themselves.

This was indeed a face-slapping statement.

Strictly speaking, what these people gained in Chang’an City even included the clothes they were wearing at that moment.

Those were issued to them at the military farming site.

Now, naturally, those too became things to be taken away.

Once outside Tong Pass, how would they find suitable clothes, and what would they rely on to return to Yanzhou?

However, their curses were stuck in their throats, and then they were dragged out like baggage.

But if Qiao Yan were to say it, this wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

After leaving this place, if they chose to serve in Ye City, they could at least have some common ground when trying to cozy up to Xu You.

But this common ground might not be enough for Xu You to treat them with any special regard.

Xu You, greedy as he is, still has skills and would never compromise on matters of selection.

And after this ordeal, their faces were thoroughly lost.

To strictly enforce her order of “escorting them all the way out of Tong Pass,” Dian Wei, who had just become the Yamen General, personally led a team to handle the escort.

Qiao Yan could even guess that if there weren’t more than two Qiao clansmen coming to Chang’an, and if they didn’t have to consider the dignity of being a general, Dian Wei would have wanted to carry them himself, echoing his past feat of carrying both Liang Zhongning and Bo Cai at the same time.

She couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly, though it didn’t show on her face. At this moment, she called out to “Yuan Feng.”

Tian Feng seemed to take a moment to shift his gaze from those departing figures, responding half a beat late.

Realizing he shouldn’t be distracted, he quickly gathered his thoughts.

While watching these people leave, if their departure hadn’t been so undignified, Tian Feng might have even felt a bit of envy for these fools.

After all, he also wanted to be escorted out of Tong Pass, so he could legitimately head to Ye City.

But Tian Feng felt that he could never abandon his brain and say something as outrageous as that Qiao youth.

This made his plan to be “invited” to leave in this manner a bit too difficult to execute.

After all, he wasn’t a relative of Qiao Yan. If he didn’t grasp the right measure, he might end up with more than just being thrown out of Guanzhong.

The thought that if he really did this, he might not be executed as a traitor for exposing his identity, but beheaded for saying the wrong thing, made Tian Feng immediately dismiss the idea.

When he looked back at Qiao Yan, he saw that the anger that had been on the verge of erupting had been suppressed, leaving only a trace of lingering gloom.

But this wasn’t the end of the matter.

Qiao Yan didn’t intend to stop at just sending them away.

Encountering Qiao clansmen who spoke so recklessly in front of her was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Not to seize the moment, cut off some people’s hopes, and secure a safer position for herself would be a waste of their “gift delivery”!

She glanced down at the sword in her hand, then said to Tian Feng, “Sorry for dragging you into this.”

Given her status, she didn’t need to apologize to Tian Feng, who quickly waved his hand, indicating he didn’t mind being used as a cover.

Without pausing, she continued, “But now I need to trouble you again. Please accompany me to see the Son of Heaven and act as a witness.”

From Tian Feng’s perspective, Qiao Yan’s eyes flickered slightly, showing a hint of melancholy before quickly turning into decisive determination.

The implication was clear.

Rather than letting people come to her door and cause trouble, it was better to shut them out directly!

What kind of witness did she need? Naturally, a witness to her severing ties with the Qiao clan of Yanzhou.

This was naturally acceptable to Tian Feng.

In his view, completely cutting off the Qiao clan of Yanzhou’s hopes of joining Qiao Yan might also influence other noble families in Yanzhou.

This would give Ming Gong some additional manpower.

The only thing that made him hesitate was whether sending some less capable, low-EQ helpers to Yuan Shao might have a negative effect.

But perhaps he didn’t need to worry, as Qiao Yan didn’t give him room to refuse.

In the short time Tian Feng was weighing his options, Qiao Yan had already sent someone ahead with her seal to the Son of Heaven’s location.

Liu Yu didn’t have much to do in Chang’an and would never refuse Qiao Yan’s request for an audience.

So, as the seal was being delivered, Qiao Yan had already straightened her robes and walked out the door.

Behind her, Guo Jia, while pulling Tian Feng along, asked Qiao Yan, “My Lord, are you really going to restrict me from drinking for three months? This isn’t a punishment, it’s a death sentence!”

Not getting a response from Qiao Yan, Guo Jia added, “By the way, Clerk Cai asked you the other day if there was any new material for the Leping Monthly Report, especially for the anecdotes section. I think this could be written in, saying that a certain Yuan from Ji Province, who came to work here, performed outstandingly and was promoted by his superiors, studied under a famous teacher, mingled with scholars, and even got the chance to see the Son of Heaven.”

“This way, it shows that My Lord doesn’t discriminate based on region, and it also gives aspiring scholars a role model. What do you think, My Lord?”

Qiao Yan, still seemingly weighed down by the Qiao clansmen’s behavior, only showed a hint of a smile upon hearing this suggestion, replying, “This is feasible.”

Tian Feng: “…”

If he weren’t still in a position where he couldn’t expose his identity, he would have scolded Guo Jia.

You want to cheer up the unhappy Lord and get your drinking restriction lifted, but why drag me into it?

He struggled to keep his expression neutral, even feigning a bit of surprise, and then, upon entering the palace walls, acted like a country bumpkin visiting the palace for the first time.

Fortunately, when he met Liu Yu, no one paid attention to his attitude as a witness, nor did anyone comment on his acting skills.

The protagonist here was Qiao Yan.

She was the center of this storm.

Perhaps when she ordered the Qiao clansmen to be thrown out of Tong Pass, she had already made up her mind. But standing in front of Liu Yu, she hesitated for a moment before bowing and saying, “I beg Your Majesty to allow me to establish a separate branch of the Qiao family in Taiyuan, with my grandfather Qiao Gongzu’s shrine in Leping as the ancestral temple, distinct from the Qiao family of Yanzhou.”

Hearing this suddenly, even though Liu Yu knew Qiao Yan wouldn’t seek an audience without reason, and bringing witnesses outside of court sessions was no small matter, he was still shocked and asked, “Why is this?”

Family branch matters could be big or small, but even small ones were not usually handled casually.

Especially not a branch spanning provinces.

This sudden proposal from Qiao Yan made Liu Yu think of one thing.

Before Qiao Yan’s triumphant return, when he asked Xianyu Fu if he should reward and enfeoff Qiao Yan’s relatives, Xianyu Fu told him that Qiao Yan seemed to have a微妙 relationship with her family.

In fact, according to Xianyu Fu, if he really did enfeoff them, it would be more like making an enemy of Qiao Yan than granting her the title of Marquis.

But Liu Yu didn’t expect this矛盾 to erupt so quickly.

The hesitation in Qiao Yan’s expression shattered completely as she looked up at Liu Yu, though the slow clenching of her fists at her sides showed she wasn’t as calm as she appeared.

She declared, “At the end of the Guanghe era, I spoke with my grandfather the night before he passed away in his old residence in Yanxi Lane. His earnest teachings and instructions, I dare not forget to this day.”

Of course, Qiao Yan wasn’t going to say that if the Han didn’t betray her, she wouldn’t betray the Han.

Saying that would sound too rebellious.

What she said was—

“My grandfather said that he never regretted having few descendants or not holding high positions. What he wished for was only these eight words: ‘May all achievements be glorious, and the people live in harmony.’ I have upheld his will, engraved military merits on my weapons, matched sacrificial rites at his shrine, adhered to the path of self-cultivation and peace, and thus have reached this day.”

“Now, I am fortunate to have Your Majesty entrust me with the heavy responsibility of Grand Marshal, and I dare not overstep. However, as the Qiao family of Yanzhou is descended from a renowned lineage, it is said that the Yellow Emperor was buried on Qiao Mountain, and among his descendants were those who took Qiao Mountain as their surname, passing down the traditions of礼乐 to this day. They should sincerely serve, aiming to restore the royal cause.”

She paused before continuing:

“However, worms can grow even in peaches and plums, and it is hard to avoid. Among the Qiao family’s descendants, there are those who have achieved nothing yet seek to climb high and reach the heavens. As a junior, I should not be harsh and heartless, nor should I recklessly discuss this matter. But with the Han Dynasty on the brink of collapse, I dare not prioritize my family over the state, nor let familial ties disrupt my concern for the people.”

At this point, she suddenly knelt and performed a deep bow to Liu Yu before looking up again.

Liu Yu didn’t misread the pain in her eyes, which was hard to completely hide due to this severance. The witnesses she brought couldn’t help but show emotion at this moment.

But if one only listened to her words without looking at her expression, each word was firm and resolute, as solid as a rock.

“I beg Your Majesty to allow me to establish my own household. If there are rumors that I have forgotten my roots due to my high position, I am willing to resign as Grand Marshal and only serve as the General Who Conquers the East—”

“To recover You and Ji, to awe Qing and Xu, and to restore the might of our great Han Dynasty!”