Chapter 283

Chapter 283

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 8: Chang’an Discusses Wine, Golden Autumn Brings Change Chapter 283: Ze Rong’s Head Presented

Of course, after eight years of磨合 with her host, Strategist System 068 has matured.

Although it feels speechless that the host only thinks of it when asking for rewards, it didn’t ask questions like “Do you still remember my existence?” or “Why do Qiao Lan and Qiao Ting do all the work while Qiao Yan also applies for achievement rewards?” At most, after a long pause, it replied: [You’re not Liu Bei’s strategist.]

Since she’s not Liu Bei’s strategist, why should she claim rewards for helping Liu Bei become the Governor of Xuzhou?

But facts proved that it underestimated its host’s ability to argue.

She seriously replied, “If you say that, it makes your system seem inflexible. Can’t you let someone observe and provide a path to power as an outsider, then see how they perform in that position?”

[…Nonsense! This is nonsense!] The system jumped.

“Of course, we’ve already discussed whether I really want to be a strategist. This is just a reason for you to submit feedback when automatic evaluations go wrong, right?” Qiao Yan had no intention of withdrawing her idea and added another point.

The system muttered softly before saying, [Fine, I’ll request a re-evaluation.]

But as it spoke, it pondered whether letting her get rewards this way would lead to more such incidents in the future.

Although historical events like Yuan Shu declaring himself emperor are unlikely, if Qiao Yan causes Yuan Shao to become Grand General as in history, wouldn’t she ask for rewards again?

To prevent such situations, it submitted this possibility as well.

It thought that was the end, but then Qiao Yan said, “By the way, it’s been a while since I traded with other systems.”

The spear technique obtained from trading with the martial arts system is rarely used now that Qiao Yan holds high positions, mostly just for preventing assassination attempts.

The farming methods from trading with the farming system and the animal training manual from the beast-taming system have been applied to agriculture and animal husbandry in three provinces.

The jade seal traded away will take seven years to return, and the military drills owed from the beast-taming system are not troublesome.

With her current position and talent pool, she should have the capital for another trade.

Having such a useful trading platform, not maximizing its potential would be a waste.

The system asked, [What system are you looking for?]

Qiao Yan tentatively asked, “A navigation system?”

The system replied without hesitation, [I can’t connect to such a thing.]

Although theoretically, a navigation system might exist, its significance is limited in most eras due to numerous prerequisites.

After multiple host bindings without practical opportunities, this system was reworked.

Qiao Yan muttered and then asked, “What about a tour guide or navigation system?”

The system paused before asking, [Do these systems sound reasonable? Can’t be training hosts to become top tour guides…]

“Professional discrimination is unacceptable,” Qiao Yan retorted.

Despite two rejections, Qiao Yan’s enthusiasm wasn’t dampened. She clapped her hands and laughed, “I know, help me ask about a palace intrigue system.”

[What?] The system was surprised.

Given Qiao Yan’s previous focus on strategy and infrastructure, her sudden interest in palace intrigue was unexpected.

But Qiao Yan continued, “Remember when you first bound me, I unpacked something called [Character Locator] to find Liang Zhongning?”

The system remembered.

It thought Qiao Yan would use it to find Cao Cao or Liu Bei, but she used it to locate a Yellow Turban Commander.

Though her choice proved correct, her radical approach tested the system’s core.

“I once asked why this item never appeared in the system’s functions. You said it was a basic item from other systems, randomly included in the starter pack. Could it be from a palace intrigue system? Without locating targets, perfect coincidental encounters can’t happen, right?”

[Wait, what are you planning?]

Qiao Yan replied, “Locate Gongsun Du across the sea. I want an accurate voyage.”

Gongsun Du would probably cry if he knew.

Not from感动.

How Qiao Yan would deliver the locator to her fleet wasn’t the system’s concern.

It asked a practical question: [If the palace intrigue system has this, what’s your trade offer?]

“A professional fashion design team, money for上下打点, or if she wants to turn palace intrigue into rebellion, I can provide technical support…”

“System?”

The sudden disconnection made Qiao Yan realize the system, traumatized, had fled to negotiate.

Before leaving, the system wondered why someone studying archaeology was so adept at such plots.

But no matter how much the system was exasperated by Qiao Yan’s unconventional methods, it couldn’t change the fact that it was successful.

Meanwhile, those in Xuzhou were utterly confused.

Chen Deng in the north thought welcoming Liu Bei back was Xuzhou’s turning point after Tao Qian’s death.

As Liu Bei sent Jian Yong to Ye City to seek Yuan Shao’s endorsement while orderly handling Pei State’s military affairs to prevent Yuan Shu’s retaliation, Chen Deng was convinced Liu Bei could inherit Tao Qian’s legacy and was the best candidate for Xuzhou’s governor.

But upon returning to Xuzhou with Liu Bei, he received shocking news:

Former Guangling Prefect Zhang Yi had obtained the Xuzhou governor position from Chang’an, entered Gaoyou County from Sheyang, seized Ze Rong’s granary, and with Jiujiang reinforcements, blocked Ze Rong’s troops.

This meant Zhang Yi, once ousted, had regained a foothold in Guangling.

Without Liu Bei, Xuzhou’s elites might have chosen Zhang Yi.

But with Liu Bei already agreed upon, Zhang Yi’s presence became redundant.

And due to differing stances, Zhang Yi was now their enemy!

What a mess!

No one expected Zhang Yi, an average prefect, to reconcile with Qiao Yan and receive Chang’an’s敕封 as efficiently as they did.

With Zhou Yu’s support, he had a force.

He boldly declared he would personally eliminate the scoundrel Ze Rong.

“This doesn’t seem like Zhang Zitai’s doing,” Chen Deng said grimly. “We underestimated Zhou Gongjin.”

Zhou Yu helped Sun Ce expel Yuan Shu from Yang Province and establish himself despite local elites’ dislike, proving his capability.

These actions were more likely Zhou Yu’s plan than Zhang Yi’s.

Liu Bei didn’t interrupt Chen Deng or suggest retreating due to Zhang Yi’s presence.

Having accepted Ye City’s appointment, he had to act as Xuzhou’s governor without hesitation.

Seeing Liu Bei’s composure, Chen Deng felt slightly better.

At least he hadn’t brought a liability into Xuzhou.

Noticing Chen Deng’s improved mood, Liu Bei asked, “What should we do now, Yuanlong?”

Chen Deng replied, “Please lend me General Guan temporarily. With Xuzhou having a new master, we need to make an example!”

Zhang Yi in Guangling was too far to deal with immediately, despite being Liu Bei’s biggest obstacle.

The only direct opponent now was Ze Rong!

Ze Rong was furious.

Twenty days ago, he gained followers through a浴佛节 in Guangling.








The common folk truly believed he was the spokesperson of Buddha, leading to a frenzy of support.

After decisively eliminating Tao Qian and shifting the blame onto others, he managed to recruit a group willing to attack the Xuzhou government for him.

It seemed as if heaven itself was aiding him. When he led his troops across the Huai River at Huaiyin, his opponent Wang Lang, skilled in governance but not in military affairs, was no match.

Taking advantage of Zang Ba and Sun Guan’s inaction in the north, seemingly content to watch him and the Xuzhou gentry exhaust each other, Ze Rong decisively broke through Wang Lang’s defenses north of Huaiyin three times with relentless river crossings.

If not for Chen Gui returning to Xia Pi and persuading the garrisons of Xia Xiang, Xia Pi, and Huaipu to resist fiercely, Ze Rong might have already crossed the Huai River with his forces.

Though temporarily repelled, his morale remained high.

Previous small victories had made Ze Rong acutely aware of the division between civil and military officials in Xuzhou.

The grain reserves from the three counties he controlled, aside from expenses for building large Buddha statues and temples, were sufficient to feed his troops.

Thus, his victory was only a matter of time.

Ze Rong felt even more fortunate that Zu Lang, convinced of his ability to help defeat Sun Ce, was now fully motivated to cooperate in battle.

This made Zu Lang a particularly useful blade in his hands!

But Ze Rong’s luck ended here.

When Chen Deng and Liu Bei entered Xuzhou, with Liu Bei’s persuasion, Tao Shang finally stepped forward, declaring to all that regardless of who killed Tao Qian, it was neither Chen Gui nor Chen Deng.

Liu Bei, invited back by Chen Deng, diligently managed agriculture and adjudicated lawsuits in Pei State. Now, appointed by the court to take over Tao Qian’s position as Governor of Xuzhou, Liu Bei was more suitable than Ze Rong, who only had his own claims.

The position of Governor was not hereditary; it required someone capable of bringing stability and development to Xuzhou, not just military prowess.

This was a direct counter to Ze Rong’s recruitment efforts!

Though Ze Rong told his followers that Tao Shang’s late emergence might be due to coercion, they remained skeptical.

Ze Rong realized it was nearly impossible to keep these people loyal to him.

In the short term, he could only rely on his Buddhist followers.

But soon, another bad news struck from behind—Gaoyou had changed hands!

This news was a more fatal blow to Ze Rong than Tao Shang’s declaration.

As any military leader knows, soldiers must be well-fed to fight to the death.

Ze Rong’s troops, who had adopted his lavish lifestyle, couldn’t sit still upon hearing of the food shortage.

When they learned that Zhou Yu of Yang Province had supported Zhang Yi in taking the city and had repelled Ze Rong’s returning forces, even Zu Lang became restless.

In just two days…

Ze Rong listened to the rumors in the camp, cursing Chen Deng, Liu Bei, Tao Shang, Zhang Yi, and Zhou Yu countless times in his heart.

Why did they react so swiftly, giving his followers reasons to lose their fighting spirit?

Regardless of whether the northern and southern governors were also unhappy, Ze Rong, caught in the middle, was more miserable than anyone.

He soon received another message: Zhang Yi declared he would expose Ze Rong’s deceptions in Xuzhou one by one.

The first was the spectacle of a thousand lanterns rising into the sky.

Ze Rong’s eyelid twitched.

This scene was a significant turning point for him, but he didn’t know how it was created.

Though he wished it was divine intervention, he suspected it was man-made.

However, he didn’t know who was behind it.

Since it indirectly gave him the opportunity to kill Tao Qian, he had hoped the mastermind was supporting him.

Now… it had become a sharp blade turned against him.

Zhang Yi chose the north shore of Baima Lake between Gaoyou and Huaiyin as the location to reveal the truth.

This was close enough to Huaiyin that even if Ze Rong tried to restrict his soldiers’ movements with military orders, they wouldn’t comply, seeing it as a sign of his guilt.

Driven by curiosity, Ze Rong, after arranging camp defenses, hurried to Baima Lake with heavy steps.

Zhang Yi, of course, wouldn’t appear in person, giving Ze Rong a chance, as Tao Qian’s fate served as a cautionary tale.

But his subordinates, under his arrangement, appeared with paper lanterns.

Producing so many bamboo-framed paper lanterns quickly wasn’t easy, but the effort paid off.

As hundreds of lanterns were placed by Baima Lake and gradually rose into the sky, Ze Rong’s face turned pale.

Though these lanterns differed slightly from the ones at the Buddhist temple, they were undeniably flying.

Indeed, they were in the air!

Ze Rong looked up at the rising lanterns, unable to appreciate the magical and magnificent scene.

The hundreds of lanterns in the sky and their reflections in the lake were like a miracle in the night, but also like a heavy hammer smashing into him.

For a moment, he wondered if the spectacle during the Buddha Bathing Festival was also orchestrated by Zhang Yi, but he couldn’t say it.

After enjoying the benefits of being Buddha’s spokesperson, such words would only be seen as excuses after being exposed.

Since he had already tacitly accepted and even encouraged the belief in Buddha’s miracles, Zhang Yi’s actions were indeed exposing his true face.

Ze Rong had never felt his hearing was so sharp.

He heard people around him saying that if this seemingly miraculous event was fake, then the Buddhist teachings Ze Rong promoted must also be a fraud.

He also heard someone say that if he truly had Buddha’s protection, he wouldn’t be in such a predicament, and the position of Governor of Xuzhou wouldn’t be his.

There were more voices…

These chaotic sounds made the thousands of lights before him seem like a fire burning towards him, forcing him to flee immediately, mounting his horse and galloping away.

Ze Rong’s flight was disastrous. His followers, who had invested too much in their belief, were reluctant to accept they had been deceived.

But his escape exposed his lack of confidence completely.

If not for his excellent horse, the disillusioned crowd would have held him accountable on the spot.

Even after returning to the Huaiyin camp, he couldn’t lead his soldiers elsewhere.

Before reaching the camp, two miles away, he saw another fire in his sight.

Unlike the lanterns at Baima Lake, this was a fire burning within the camp, rapidly spreading with the wind.

In the flames, enemy forces were attacking the camp!

Ze Rong had no time to think whether the attackers were from the Xuzhou gentry across the Huai River or Zhang Yi’s forces who had just dealt him a blow at Baima Lake. His only option was to flee.

He needed to escape for his life!

Considering the poor relations between Xuzhou and Jing Province, and the enmity between Yang Province and Jing Province, Ze Rong chose his destination—Jing Province.

Few had witnessed the Baima Lake event. If Liu Biao supported him, he could make a comeback!

But before Ze Rong could get far, he felt a sharp pain in his neck.

As he reached for his neck, he heard the sound of approaching hooves.

The numbness he had heard described before spread through his mouth and tongue. Though he couldn’t see the attacker in the dark, he guessed their identity.

It was an arrow from Zu Lang!

The same arrow Zu Lang had used to kill Tao Qian!

Now, this arrow was aimed at Ze Rong, becoming the weapon that ended his life.

Ze Rong fell from his horse, hitting the ground hard. When Zu Lang and his men approached, he could no longer speak. In his final moments, he heard Zu Lang say, “Don’t worry, I won’t use you as a bargaining chip.”

He simply disliked being used.

Thus, he wouldn’t hand Ze Rong’s head to Zhou Yu in exchange for leniency towards the Shanyue.

That wasn’t his style.

Zu Lang looked up at the sky. Tonight was moonless, the beginning of August.

It was also the time of harvest.

When Qiao Yan in Chang’an opened her window in the morning, the scent of ripe millet and wheat wafted in with the breeze.