Chapter 298

Chapter 298

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 9: The Calamity of Drought and Locusts, Flying Troops to Liaodong Chapter 298: Never Forget the Roots

The book it belongs to:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 298: Never Forget the Roots

But calling it a pirate ship seems a bit off.

Along the way from Yizhou to Xuzhou, Gan Ning had picked up some clues from their conversations. These young scholars from Leping Academy would soon take up positions under Qiao Yan after completing their practical training in Xuzhou.

Even if they didn’t hold specific official titles in the court, they would still be direct subordinates of the Grand Marshal, Qiao Yan.

So, this couldn’t be called a pirate ship, but rather a quasi-official ship.

But as soon as Gan Ning thought this, he felt a bit foolish.

Whether it was a quasi-official ship or not had nothing to do with his current predicament.

Even with the Grand Marshal’s backing, you couldn’t just turn a Huai River ferry into a seafaring vessel!

Looking back, during Emperor Xiaowu’s reign, there were seven maritime expeditions, attempts to seek immortals from Donglai, and the opening of routes from Liaodong to the Bailun River estuary and the Xuwen Hepu route. More recently, during Emperor Xiaohuan’s reign, envoys from Da Qin (Rome) arrived by sea, bringing rare treasures.

Seafaring was still a mysterious and perilous endeavor.

Gan Ning was adept at navigating the treacherous rivers, but that didn’t mean he could easily adapt to the sea.

He was the “Jin Fan Thief,” not a four-masted pirate!

But since he was already here, and these young people had brought him to see the ship, he had to hold onto a sliver of unrealistic hope. Turning back now wasn’t much of an option.

So, when Lu Lingju asked him what he thought of the ship, he replied, “Are we emulating Emperor Xiaowu’s grand ships in Kunming Lake, preparing to cross the Hongze Lake with a naval fleet?”

The Hongze Lake was within the Huai River basin, the very place where the former Governor of Xuzhou, Tao Qian, met his end. Building larger ships here made some sense, as Emperor Wu of Han had done something similar.

He dug a forty-mile-wide lake southwest of Chang’an, stocked it with grand ships for training, the largest of which stood ten zhang tall, resembling a grand mansion.

It was because of this large-scale development of ships that “lou chuan” (tower ships) became synonymous with warships, and naval commanders were henceforth called “Lou Chuan Generals.”

If explained this way, Gan Ning could still make sense of it.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Tai Shici gave him a look as if he were an idiot. “If that were the case, why would we build the ship in Hailing instead of by the Hongze Lake?”

If it were just small boats, transporting them might be feasible, but for ships of this scale, they could only be launched from the nearby Yangtze River. Transporting them overland…

Not only would it be incredibly difficult, but it would also be as obvious as announcing their plans to the world.

Gan Ning, still unwilling to give up, asked, “Then are we planning to use these ships to intimidate Jiangdong from the river?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Lingju, who had climbed onto the ship, poked her head over the side and shouted down at him, “Gan Xingba! Why can’t you aim higher? If we’re going to prove that the southern navy is stronger than the north’s, of course, we have to cross the sea to show our true heroism!”

“Our target is Gongsun Du in Liaodong.”

By now, the shipyard workers from Yizhou and Chang’an, as well as those locally recruited and strictly controlled, had all been evacuated, leaving only the visitors.

As a result, when Lu Lingju spoke, her words echoed through the surrounding sheds, making Gan Ning’s teeth ache.

Gongsun Du?

What, attack Gongsun Du?

This was even more unbelievable than saying they were going to attack Ryukyu!

Setting out from Donglai to Liaodong via the Bohai Sea was already risky enough, let alone starting from Xuzhou, sailing through the East China Sea, and then entering the Bohai Sea!

Gan Ning looked at the figure eagerly exploring the ship and couldn’t help but wonder if he had been tricked by Lu Lingju and Lu Yi’s clever banter.

If they really thought the southern navy wasn’t that strong, why would they plan to build ships here and sail north to attack Gongsun Du?

But at this point, it was too late to back out. Considering the absurdity of this long-distance voyage, even Gan Ning, who prided himself on his recklessness, couldn’t help but turn to Jia Xu for guidance.

Among the group, Jia Xu was both a teacher and seemed relatively mature and steady. Surely, he would have the final say.

“Master Jia Xu, is this your idea? Isn’t this target a bit too ambitious for your students? The sea is unpredictable, and navigation is uncertain. How can we ensure we reach Liaodong and not just drift aimlessly at sea?”

Jia Xu calmly replied, “This isn’t my idea, but the Marquis’s.”

Just as Gan Ning was about to ask further, Zhuge Liang, standing beside Jia Xu, added, “Gongsun Du in Liaodong, relying on his distance from the Central Plains, has ambitions to declare himself king. If we don’t take action, he will eventually ally with Goguryeo, Buyeo, and the Wuhuan, carving out his own territory. Even if we pacify the rebel Yuan Shao and stabilize the Central Plains, it will be difficult to quickly reclaim Liaodong. It’s better to strike while he’s still plotting, using chariots and cavalry to intimidate him, and either subdue him or gain his assistance.”

For a moment, Gan Ning felt as if Zhuge Liang wasn’t just talking about Gongsun Du, but also Liu Yan.

But looking at the composed expression on the young strategist’s face, it didn’t seem like he was hinting at anything.

Just as Gan Ning was starting to be convinced by this reasoning, he heard Lu Lingju’s voice from above, “This must be the compass cart on the ship. If we still get lost with this, we might as well go home and retire.”

A compass cart on the ship?

Gan Ning’s eyelids twitched as he looked toward the source of the voice, where Lu Yi pointed to the path leading up the ship.

He sighed and grabbed the rope ladder thrown his way.

It wasn’t his fault for being swayed by this absurd cross-sea plan. Blame it on these cunning kids and their coordinated performance, making him believe that attacking Gongsun Du was both necessary and achievable.

Of course, he didn’t know that after he boarded the ship, Tai Shici asked Zhuge Liang, “When did Gongsun Du start building chariots and assembling cavalry to plot his rise?”

Due to geographical constraints, Qiao Yan’s spies hadn’t reached Liaodong.

Modern Liaodong is known for its fertile black soil, but back then, it was sparsely populated. If outsiders suddenly appeared, it would be hard not to arouse suspicion.

Thus, from the first year of Jian’an to now, news from Liaodong and its dependencies rarely reached the Central Plains.

Tai Shici thought back to when he and Bing Yuan left Liaodong, and it didn’t seem to match what Zhuge Liang had told Gan Ning.

Zhuge Liang replied, “Times have changed. Back then, with His Majesty still in Youzhou, Gongsun Zan had to move closer to his ancestral lands in western Liaoning, becoming neighbors with Gongsun Du. With a tiger and wolf at his side and no legitimate title, Gongsun Du had to focus on self-preservation and building his strength.”

“Now that Gongsun Zan has advanced to Yuyang and is facing off against General Zhang Liao at Juyong Pass, Gongsun Du has found breathing room. The situation has changed, and his development in Liaodong is far smoother than before.”

“I’ve heard he started as a minor official in Xuantu Commandery and, because his name matched that of the former Xuantu Prefect’s son, gained favor and the opportunity to study, eventually rising to the position of Prefect. Such a man either deeply understands the struggles of the lower classes or is easily swayed by wealth.”

“When he first became the Prefect of Liaodong, although, as you said, he brought stability and made it a haven for scholars fleeing turmoil, he also had the magistrate of Xiangping, Gongsun Zhao, publicly flogged to death over a dispute. And because the powerful Tian family showed him little favor, he wiped them out.”





Over ten families, probably the latter.

“The current situation favors him, undoubtedly fueling his greedy and cunning nature.”

Tai Shici listened intently, thinking about the situation with the local strongmen in Liaodong, and felt that it really seemed to be as Zhuge Liang had said. However, he noticed that the young man’s tone had become more relaxed, different from his earlier serious demeanor: “Of course, all of the above are just speculations without having seen Gongsun Kang. As long as it can convince Gan Xingba, it’s fine.”

Zhuge Liang’s calm demeanor translated to: even if the inference is wrong, it doesn’t matter, as it won’t change their goal of following Qiao Yan’s instructions to intimidate Gongsun Du.

“…” Tai Shici was silent for a while, then said, “I’ll also go on board to take a look at that south-pointing chariot.”

Thank goodness, he wasn’t like Gan Ning, who was tricked into coming.

But if one had to say, Zhuge Liang’s speculation wasn’t just a wild guess.

Since the end of the Guangxi era, after the battle between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan, which ended with Liu Yu retreating from Youzhou to Chang’an to ascend the throne, Gongsun Du realized that this might be his opportunity.

The power he had developed in Liaodong over the years finally had the possibility to soar after shaking off strong enemies.

Although the position of Marquis of Liaodong was granted to Wuhuan Tadun by the Ye City court, after suffering heavy losses in Yuyang, his power was far from what it used to be.

Thus, relying on the strict laws and harsh punishments Gongsun Du implemented in Liaodong to gather followers, and the talents attracted to Liaodong as a refuge, Gongsun Du first launched a campaign against Fuyu, then married a daughter of his clan to Fuyu’s ruler, Wei Qutai, forming an alliance.

Given the current disparity in strength between the foreign tribes and the Han Dynasty, along with Gongsun Du’s strategy of using force before diplomacy, the dominance in this alliance naturally lay with Gongsun Du.

This happened in the first year of Jian’an.

Then, in the second year of Jian’an, Gongsun Du, allied with Wei Qutai, continued to expand eastward, attacking Goguryeo.

In this war to display might, since Gongsun Du was from Xuantu and had once served as a subordinate official in Xuantu Commandery, he knew Goguryeo inside out.

Even though Goguryeo people were described in Han records as “fierce, strong, skilled in combat, and fond of plundering,” Goguryeo’s ruler, King Bogo, still fled in disarray and was forced to submit to Liaodong.

In the autumn of the second year of Jian’an, when Gongsun Du campaigned against the Fushan bandits, King Bogo was forced to send troops to assist him.

Due to these expansionist actions, what Gongsun Du gained was not just increased power, but also his growing ambition!

It’s worth noting that in the same year, Qiao Yan was busy with internal affairs due to various celestial phenomena in Chang’an, while Yuan Shao was launching a public opinion campaign and learning from the knowledge brought back from Chang’an.

The closest to him, Gongsun Zan, and Zhang Liao occasionally launched probing attacks in Yuyang and Shanggu, looking for each other’s weaknesses.

Neither side had the extra energy to pay attention to him.

How comfortable he was.

Abroad, the ruler of Fuyu became his nephew-in-law, and the ruler of Goguryeo sent his subordinates to show submission. Domestically, after the deaths of Gongsun Zhao and Tian Shao, no one dared to question his origins or his current leadership position.

Although Liaodong was a harsh and cold land, without the luxurious conditions of Yizhou’s Liu Yan, who could create a grand procession for himself, due to the collapse of Han court order, Gongsun Du in Liaodong was like a feudal lord, and he didn’t hesitate to create a grand procession with nine banners and feathered cavalry.

This year, while the Central Plains were on edge due to drought, the climate in Liaodong wasn’t much different from earlier years, making Gongsun Du feel quite comfortable.

Therefore, around the time Zhuge Liang made his inferences about Gongsun Du to Tai Shici, Gongsun Du and his subordinates stood before a huge rock.

This was in Yanli Village, Xiangping County, Liaodong Commandery.

The former magistrate of Xiangping County, Gongsun Zhao, was killed by Gongsun Du, and now his son, Gongsun Kang, temporarily held the position.

The villagers of Yanli Village discovered a large rock, several zhang long, with three smaller rocks at its base, resembling a crown.

The village chief informed Gongsun Kang that this rock looked like the crown stone of Emperor Xuan of Han, and the name Yanli coincidentally matched Gongsun Du’s father, Gongsun Yan, clearly an auspicious sign.

Gongsun Kang thought it really seemed to be the case and immediately reported it to his father.

Gongsun Du wouldn’t think that this was a trick by the villagers of Xiangping County to deceive him due to their fear of his wrath over the former magistrate. He touched the rock and said to his close followers, “If the Han dynasty is about to fall, it’s time for us to plot for the throne!”

If the Han royal family is to perish due to continuous natural disasters and internal strife, it’s time for him and his subordinates to plot for the throne!

These words were spoken with utmost confidence.

“Sometimes I envy the temperature in Liaodong,” Qiao Yan, who was discussing with Guo Jia and Xun You whether the plan to advance into Liaodong was sound, suddenly changed the topic, probably because she had been busy with well irrigation in Guanzhong and the construction of settlements for refugees proposed by Xun Yu.

Although it’s cold in winter, it’s not without its advantages. At least during the transition between April and May, influenced by the Little Ice Age, the temperature in Liaodong is far from suitable for locust eggs to hatch.

Although Liangzhou is the same, Liangzhou is only part of her jurisdiction and has its own troubles, while Liaodong, where Gongsun Du is entrenched, is almost his entire territory.

A territory with no possibility of a locust plague.

Sounds quite blissful.

In the reports Qiao Yan received, traces of locust nymphs had already appeared in the fields of various places in Guanzhong, entering the stage of extermination.

Guo Jia coughed, “My lord, your words sound…”

Quite provoking.

She envies the temperature in Liaodong, while other places envy the orderly disaster response in Guanzhong.

Yuan Shao was more grateful than ever that his instinctive wariness of Qiao Yan, his great enemy, led him to believe in the speculation about this disaster early and make preparations accordingly.

Even if he wasn’t as prepared as Qiao Yan, with everything from food to well-digging tools ready, at least he wasn’t caught off guard.

At most, he was just too busy to pay attention. His good strategist Tian Feng, who had brought him much intelligence, after Qiao Yan’s感慨, was led to Qiao Yan and at this time accepted a position in the Shangshu Tai of Chang’an.

Counting this way, in less than three years, Tian Feng’s position in the Chang’an court was already higher than when he was under Yuan Shao.

Tian Feng showed no expression on his face, but in his heart, he grumbled again, there might be no more absurd thing in the world than this.

What kind of place is the Shangshu Tai?

It’s the core of the court’s internal affairs!

To promote him from a worker in an agricultural tool factory to this position, does no one see any problem with it, and even regard him as a role model for workers?

“Previously, I promised Zigu that if you could contribute in this Hongwen Hall assessment, I would seek an official position for you in the court, so you could bring your family to enjoy family happiness. Now that Liu Zichu and Fa Xiaozhi have been selected as outstanding talents of the time, it’s natural to fulfill this promise.”

Qiao Yan paused, then added, “Moreover, with actual achievements, there should also be monetary rewards. But considering the current special situation, I think it would be more appropriate to give you this reward in a different way.”

Hearing Qiao Yan’s confident tone, for some reason, Tian Feng had a very bad premonition.

He followed Qiao Yan to the courtyard, where he saw a familiar object on the ground—a fan-shaped chisel used for well digging.

This chisel was slightly different from others, with several characters engraved on the handle, reading “Yuanfeng’s gift for the village’s well digging.”

Qiao Yan pointed to the object and said, “I intend to send this along with the news of Zigu’s promotion to Ji Province. When Zigu’s family arrives, this chisel can still benefit the village, expressing the intention of not forgetting one’s roots—”

“What do you think?”

A thousand catties of iron, in these times, is truly a heavy gift!