“Can a strategist really not ascend the throne?”
When the Son of Heaven issued the decree of appointment, little did he realize that in General Huangfu Song’s urgent military report, the future pillar of the Han, who could inherit Qiao Gong’s place, was actually a woman— Qiao Yan.
Has there ever been a woman named a marquis in the Han?
Yes.
During the Western Han, after the founding hero Lu Hou Xi Juan died in battle, due to the absence of a son in the sixth year of Emperor Gao’s reign, his mother, Di Shi, was granted the title of Lu Hou to showcase the Han’s filial piety.
Four years after Xiao He’s death, as his son Xiao Lu also passed away, it was during Empress Lü’s rule. To legitimize her son’s inheritance, Xiao He’s wife was made a Marquise of Chan, and later, his sister Lü Jiu was made Marquise of Lingguang.
Additionally, there was the diviner Xu Fu, who, due to predicting that Emperor Gao would have a high-ranking ministerial aura, was granted the title of Marquis of Mingci Ting after Gao ascended the throne, while Gao’s brother’s wife became Marquis of Yin’an.
However, during the pacification of the Lü Clan’s rebellion, the Marquise of Lingguang was beaten to death, and later, Emperor Xiaowen ascended and stripped Xiao He’s wife of her title, instead appointing Xiao He’s younger son Xiao Yan as the Marquise of Chan. From this point on, no other woman was named a marquis throughout the generations of the Eastern and Western Han.
Of course, this was largely because the Han Emperor was young when he ascended, and the Empress Dowager ruled in his stead. But looking at the Eastern Han—
After Empress He Xi died, the He family was immediately purged, and the current Empress Dou’s approximation was met with greater overstepping, including a period of house arrest until death.
Clearly, just because the Empress Dowager held a high position and had the power to welcome the Son of Heaven, it didn’t prove the Han would produce a sixth female marquis.
Thus, the moment Zhang Rang laid eyes on Qiao Yan, he knew that this decree could never be announced!
Even if he could argue that reading the decree was simply a matter of going along with the wishes of the Son of Heaven, he absolutely could not do this!
If Liu Hong were to learn about Qiao Yan’s gender and change his mind, Zhang Rang would become a sinner!
He had already felt like he was walking on eggshells trying to gauge the Emperor’s mood, how could he take on such a responsibility?
In the midst of all this swirling thought, his gaze towards Huangfu Song couldn’t help but carry a hint of resentment.
On the way here, even when receiving news of victory, Zhang Rang thought Huangfu Song was indeed a blessing for the Han, a true savior. But now, all he could think was—
Huangfu Song, you’ve done a great disservice!
Zhang Rang was guilty for hiding the imperial edict, and he couldn’t read it either. He could only choose the lesser of two evils, but what about Huangfu Song?
No matter how you sliced it, the battles against the Yellow Turbans counted as merits, and Liu Hong could never punish him. Besides, he had merely written Qiao Gong’s granddaughter without specifying Qiao Yan’s gender, that was all.
Zhang Rang felt he had a solid grasp on Liu Hong’s mindset. He understood that this error from the highly credited general Huangfu Song had instead lent Liu Hong an opportunity for later reckoning, additionally making Liu Hong not harbor any grievances towards his action.
What Emperor would be displeased with a general who has left him a handle?
He would probably be delighted!
“Zhang Changshi has traveled a long way. Did you encounter any discomfort along the way?” Lu Zhi asked, pulling Zhang Rang back from his deep thoughts.
Suddenly, Zhang Rang realized that his behavior since entering the tent had been rather unusual.
Especially his later suppressed expressions, they seemed awfully special circumstances-like.
Fearing he might be grilled over the fire, Zhang Rang quickly plastered a smile on his face, pretending as if there were no decree for a marquis at all.
“The bandits saw the Wang Shi flag and retreated, so we did not encounter any trouble. I’m sure it’s due to the two generals’ merits, who would dare feel uncomfortable?”
With something on his mind, Zhang Rang couldn’t help but restrain some of his usual arrogance from Luoyang, which surprised the young aide Zuo Feng following him.
At that moment, the others were clearly not giving him any chance to interject.
He could only mumble a few words in his heart. If he were in Zhang Rang’s position, he would definitely want those generals to feel they gained something from this siege effort, since officials nowadays didn’t dare offend these palace guards.
Soft pillows could be deadly, and those who had a say in the Emperor’s daily life were also terrifying.
Especially Zhang Rang, who had been scared out of his wits by the report…
But then he heard Zhang Rang say, “His Majesty sent us to reward the troops, so I simply couldn’t pretend to be sick.”
Zuo Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Reward the troops? Not an imperial decree?
He exchanged astonished glances with Chunyu Qiong and found they were both equally surprised.
Zhang Rang had come carrying the marquis decree, both of them were aware of this, and along the journey, they’d heard him bring it up repeatedly, assuming there might be a significant benefit.
Chunyu Qiong vaguely understood the decree was unusual; seeing a young girl in the military tent reminded him of what the Minister had said before leaving Luoyang, provoking some inner guesses, astonishment about Zhang Rang choosing to omit the existence of the edict altogether.
Zuo Feng thought—
Zhang Rang’s appetite seems a bit too big!
In recent years, the practice of officials paying a bribe before assuming office had led Zuo Feng to develop a certain viewpoint.
He had no clue there was an edict concerning Qiao Yan and had only heard Zhang Rang boast about Huangfu Song’s achievements along the way, so how would he know the underlying reason?
He merely thought Zhang Rang intended to demand enough benefits from Huangfu Song before revealing the edict!
Thinking this way, Zuo Feng’s eyes held a bit more respect for Zhang Rang.
While the three walked with their minds elsewhere, Lu Zhi didn’t think so much; he skeptically asked, “The Emperor sent you to reward the troops, yet you bring nothing?”
“…” Zhang Rang only then realized he’d misspoken.
He had meant to say he was here to oversee military discipline, yet upon seeing the remarkable progress of the two generals in subduing the Yellow Turbans, he instinctively didn’t dare assert himself, and the words slipped into the discussion of rewards.
But as Lu Zhi pointed out, if it was indeed rewards, how could he come empty-handed?
This was preposterous.
Still, Zhang Rang was famous for his flattery, and he managed to conceal any blunders in his face and said, “The Emperor likely didn’t expect you two to crush Zhang Jiao so quickly. He probably thought given our few chances of facing the enemy directly, sending rewards that could be taken by the Yellow Turbans would negatively affect morale.”
Zhang Rang also bowed to the two, saying, “I’ve come to convey a message from the Emperor. You two generals’ achievements in pacifying the Yellow Turbans will surely be rewarded with titles, so be sure to eliminate the Yellow Turban bandits entirely, leaving no remnants, so you don’t disappoint His Majesty.”
Huangfu Song has never been fond of eunuchs, so despite Zhang Rang’s humble demeanor, he didn’t offer much courtesy.
It was Lu Zhi who stepped in to smooth things over, saying, “The envoy has traveled from afar and has suffered greatly, why not go rest first? The matter of eliminating the Yellow Turbans I’m discussing with Yi Zhen, so there will be no oversights.”
“That would be best.” Zhang Rang found a way to squirm out and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
However, he hadn’t realized that Qiao Yan had been watching him all along since he entered, her gaze never leaving him, taking in his every shift in demeanor before she looked down in deep thought.
Once back in her tent, she told the system, “He didn’t finish his sentence.”
“I don’t know what General Huangfu’s military report contained, but judging by the rewards during the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, it’s impossible that a meritorious general would only be sent verbal praises,” the system replied.
[Are you saying he’s hiding something? But what benefit would this hold for him?] the system asked.
General Huangfu’s decisive manner couldn’t possibly mean there were still people who wished to shake him down.
“I don’t know, but I just have this strange intuition that if I don’t figure it out quickly, I might regret it,” Qiao Yan replied.
[But, you’ve already talked with Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi, and you can rely on the merit of subduing the Yellow Turbans, along with their connections to Qiao Xuan. How can you elicit any news from Zhang Rang?]
“Who said I wanted to get information from Zhang Rang?” Qiao Yan had a plan form in her mind after some pondering, “Since Zhang Rang didn’t finish his thoughts, no matter how I try to nudge him, it would be impossible to elicit the results. But that escort, maybe I can pry some information from him.”
[You mean… Chunyu Qiong?]
Qiao Yan declared with certainty, “That’s right, it’s Chunyu Qiong! Perfectly placed to be that one to ask for information.”
When Liu Bei was approached by Qiao Yan, he was genuinely taken aback.
He felt even more surprised when she mentioned dismissing the others for a private discussion.
Today, he had just received his troops, having cleared the remaining Yellow Turban remnants north of Quzhou, and it was only at night that he returned, intending to rest in camp.
But considering Qiao Yan’s previous steady actions, even in this situation…
“So, what’s this about this Zuo Feng guy?”
When Liu Bei temporarily took over Lu Zhi’s duties, he wasn’t showboating or doing anything reckless. He just held down the fort until the two generals returned victorious from Guangzong. Still, he thought, Qiao Yan wouldn’t make any foolish moves, right?
He decided he should probably hear what Qiao Yan had on her mind.
“What business do you have, my lady?” Liu Bei asked, while having Guan Yu and Zhang Fei guard the entrance.
“Has the military supervisor noticed Zuo Feng among the Emperor’s envoys?”
Upon hearing the name, Liu Bei paused. He honestly hadn’t noticed that guy at all.
After all, Zhang Rang and his crew hadn’t brought any decrees or military rewards, and since Guangzong and Quzhou had fallen, there was no need for a military supervisor. They were practically just three lucky charms; he didn’t care about them.
But looking at Qiao Yan’s serious expression, it seemed Zuo Feng was someone significant.
“I really haven’t paid attention to him. Why do you bring him up?”
“Well, today when I asked Zhongde to return a chess set to Lu Zhi, I got some news.” Qiao Yan had to admit, it was a classic case of someone delivering a pillow when you were drowsy, “Turns out he went to Lu Zhi asking for a bribe and got kicked out with a scolding.”
“…He really has that kind of guts?” Liu Bei was a mix of surprise and anger.
Zuo Feng really dared to do that.
In history, it wasn’t Zhang Rang who came here, but that little yellow door Zuo Feng.
When he arrived at Lu Zhi’s camp, he boldly asked for a bribe, only to be harshly denounced by Lu Zhi. After going back, he told Liu Hong that Guangzong was easy to conquer, but Lu Zhi was holed up waiting for the heavens to wipe out the Yellow Turbans.
Upon hearing this, Liu Hong was furious, had Lu Zhi arrested, and sent him to the capital in a prisoner cart, where, due to everyone’s pleas, his death sentence was reduced.
That kind of boldness made it clear that Zuo Feng was not your average character.
Now, he mistakenly thought Zhang Rang was planning to pocket the imperial edict and was waiting for Huangfu Song to offer a nice incentive before pulling it out, and suddenly his mind started racing.
Huangfu Song’s share was likely already sealed off by Zhang Rang, making Lu Zhi a prime target for Zuo Feng.
It was unfortunate that Lu Zhi had left Zhang Rang some face during their earlier chat, but he certainly wasn’t going to give some extortionist any mercy. He directly tossed him out.
Leaving aside how Zuo Feng held a grudge against Lu Zhi, Qiao Yan treated this situation as a conversation starter.
She continued, “For the standoff at Quzhou, we owe it to Lu Zhi for valuing our talents and giving us this heavy responsibility. Saying Lu Zhi has been a benefactor to me wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Now that the eunuchs can’t extort him, they might seek revenge, which could blow up into something serious. Especially since rewards for defeating the Yellow Turbans are around the corner, we really need to consider the worst possible outcomes.”
“You’re right, what you say is very true,” Liu Bei replied.
Was Qiao Yan just talking about Lu Zhi? Not entirely.
Her words were also about him.
Lu Zhi had been a benefactor to her, and Liu Bei had allied interests defending against their enemies.
If Zuo Feng said something nasty about Lu Zhi when the accolades were being handed out, it would not bode well for Liu Bei, being Lu Zhi’s subordinate and disciple. Any impact would be unavoidable.
Having lost his father young, he had a past selling mats and shoes to survive. After apprenticing under Lu Zhi, he had finally moved up in social status. He believed himself to be both a Han royal and quite capable, really needing military honors to facilitate his rise further.
But now, there was this unknown factor; even the still-young Liu Bei was showing a bit of chaos in his demeanor.
Then Qiao Yan said, “I don’t want to see Lu Zhi harmed by a petty thief, so I’d like to ask the military supervisor to do something.”
Seeing Liu Bei’s odd expression, Qiao Yan quickly added, “But don’t worry, I’m not asking you to kill Zuo Feng to eliminate future troubles. I just want you to casually chat with Chunyu Qiong and see if you can dig up some dirt on Zuo Feng and Zhang Rang for an opportunity to counter them.”
After contemplating a bit, Liu Bei agreed.
This was possibly related to the interest of this young genius, but it also affected Lu Zhi and Liu Bei’s development.
She didn’t spell it out, keeping a bit of leeway in their conversation, which was rather tactful.
Liu Bei had no need to lay everything bare; he needed to safeguard his own benefits too.
Even if he wanted to protect the nation and save the people, he needed some authority to make that work.
Moreover, Qiao Yan’s first step solution wasn’t beyond his capability.
Making small talk with Chunyu Qiong to sniff around for news? He was quite familiar with that.
In his studies, with his local community ties and military camp experience, Liu Bei found Chunyu Qiong, a disciple of the Yuan Clan in Runan, right within his regular social circle.
As for how to kick off the conversation? He could just mention his admiration for the officials in the capital and express interest in the customs and duties of the garrison in Luoyang.
As it turned out, Qiao Yan’s choice to let Liu Bei fish for information was proving to be a solid decision.
It seemed Liu Bei inherited some diplomatic prowess from the Han bloodline, catching Chunyu Qiong off guard, who thought Liu Bei was just a charming guy and perhaps another disciple of Lu Zhi aligned with the same camp as the Minister over the Masses.
Initially, Chunyu Qiong was worried about having to escort Zhang Rang and Zuo Feng here, and with the frontlines in Ji Province still tangled with the Yellow Turbans, he was a bit anxious about the possibility of seeing action.
But now, not only was he not going into battle, but he also found himself in a talk with a completely charming Liu Bei.
Chunyu Qiong was completely unguarded, venting his grievances about the two eunuchs in Luoyang.
Meanwhile, Liu Bei somehow produced a small jug of wine. He didn’t drink, but Chunyu Qiong ended up downing it all, becoming progressively less cautious.
“Brother Xuande, I have something to tell you, but you must promise not to let anyone else know.” Chunyu Qiong said intensely.
Liu Bei hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Chunyu Qiong continued, “The Minister over the Masses mentioned that half a month ago, the Emperor visited Qiao Gong’s residence with intentions to confer a marquis title to Qiao Gong’s grandson. Now Zhang Rang is holding the decree but falsely claims there’s nothing. This is likely connected to that.”
He patted Liu Bei on the shoulder, “But this matter doesn’t really concern us, you can just hear it and forget it.”
A marquis title?
Liu Bei’s heart skipped a beat.
After weighing things out, he relayed everything Chunyu Qiong had accidentally revealed back to Qiao Yan.
Qiao Yan hadn’t expected such news.
“A marquis…” she muttered, her heart churning.
This was a piece of information that, if she hadn’t caught it in time, could lead to significant regrets due to unpreparedness!
Previously, all she wanted was to position herself safely while taking on the name of filial duty, allowing her to have leverage even with the world in flux.
But if she had the chance to rise to a marquis through achievements during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it would be far superior to merely having the hollow title of “Qiao Yan avenged her father at ten years old.”
Regardless of whether it was due to Huangfu Song’s oversight or intentional, resulting in the Emperor Liu Hong issuing such a decree, and now being temporarily held back due to her gender, at least it provided a possibility.
A possibility that could actually come true.
Just like Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and Lu Zhi never would have expected someone like her to emerge as a variable during the pacification of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, discovering such a breakthrough in the battle plans—
Then the marquis title thing? Who’s to say it can’t become a reality!
Seeing Qiao Yan after Liu Bei had delivered the news,
She sat at her desk in deep thought for quite some time before asking: “Is the marquis title really that important? After all, in a few years, there’s going to be the Dong Zhuo Rebellion, so this marquis title wouldn’t mean much, right?”
Qiao Yan laughed at the naivety of this beginner system in her heart.
A marquis and a commoner are two totally different things.
But she couldn’t reveal her entire thought process to it, instead saying, “Do you remember when I mentioned that the world’s greatest strategist, if they could help the Lord ensure that those refugees wouldn’t go hungry, wouldn’t there be fewer tricky situations?”
“Of course, I remember.”
“If I have a marquis title, I can gain a territory, enjoying tax revenue and controlling the farmers’ produce. Do you know what that means?”
“From the first year of Zhongping until the sixth year during the Dong Zhuo Rebellion, during those five years, I would have enough time to experiment and discover feasible methods in this chaotic world.”
Before the system could voice an opinion, it witnessed its host springing up suddenly. Although still a child and lacking some authority, her eyes gleamed brightly in the camp’s candlelight.
“So this position, I absolutely must contend for!”
