Chapter 305

Chapter 305: Return to Luoyang

“Is it really okay for strategists not to ascend the throne?” Volume 9: The Plague of Drought and Locusts, Flying to Liaodong, Chapter 305: Return to Luoyang.

“Are you sure they won’t be too lively?” As the ship officially set sail, changing its course from eastward to northward, the young people on board went from standing still at the bow to jumping around the deck.

This “jumping around” might be Gan Ning’s unique description of Lu Lingju.

Logically, these youngsters had already inquired about everything from the ship’s structure to the crew’s backgrounds before setting sail. However, as they officially entered the sea, the vastly different experience from their trial runs on the Yangtze River gave them a unique sense of novelty.

They truly displayed a “vivid” appearance.

To say Gan Ning felt no novelty would be self-deception. However, as the leader of over three thousand people on this ship, he had to maintain some semblance of authority. He couldn’t act like a reckless youth.

Just as he asked Tai Shici this question, Lu Lingju popped her head out from the upper deck and replied, “Gan Xingba, Lord Hou said that at every age, one should do what’s appropriate. Only by experiencing everything can one avoid being easily deceived.”

“Now is the perfect time for us to adapt to this long sea voyage. In a couple of days, our enthusiasm will wane, and we’ll naturally become more composed. It won’t delay our important mission to attack Gongsun Du.”

She sighed, “Ah, this feeling that only young people have, I guess you wouldn’t understand.”

Gan Ning: “…”

This remark seemed to mock not just his age but also implied that his lack of experience in youth led him to be tricked onto this ship.

He was about to go argue with her when Tai Shici stopped him, and by then, Lu Lingju had already disappeared.

“Alright, they may be playful, but they know their limits,” Tai Shici said, smiling at the youthful energy around him.

Despite their curiosity and childlike enthusiasm, they hadn’t faltered in serious matters. For instance, they had carefully chosen 2,500 soldiers for this expedition to Liaodong, balancing the need for secrecy and logistical feasibility.

Tai Shici reassured Gan Ning, “I’ve been under Lord Hou’s command for over two years without any notable achievements. If I don’t perform well in this Liaodong campaign, I won’t deserve to lead the Divine Bow Battalion. I’m more anxious than you are about their actions. I won’t flatter them just because of their backgrounds.”

Tai Shici understood that Qiao Yan wanted Gan Ning for his naval expertise, aiming to integrate him into their ranks. This voyage was an opportunity for mutual understanding and cooperation.

As they discussed the upcoming plans, Zhuge Liang called from the upper deck, “Generals, please come up and discuss the situation of the Changshan Islands with us. Once the ship’s inspection is complete, we’ll need to focus on our main tasks.”

Lu Lingju’s seemingly random wandering was actually a way to familiarize the crew and soldiers with her presence and minor adjustments. This inspection revealed how well the crew from Hanzhong and Xuzhou, along with soldiers from Guanzhong and Bingzhou, adapted to the voyage.

Qiao Yan’s words resonated: people should do what’s appropriate for their age, and everyone has their own way of handling things.

As Lu Lingju returned to the main ship, she glanced at the fading coastline, feeling a sense of grandeur and determination. She realized she no longer thought about surpassing her father. She and Lü Bu had their own paths to glory.

Meanwhile, on the shore, Qiao Ting asked Qiao Lan, “Do you think they can live up to Lord Hou’s expectations?”

Two years ago, when Tao Qian died and Ze Rong caused chaos in Xuzhou, the sisters orchestrated a grand scheme under Qiao Yan’s orders, securing a foothold in southern Xuzhou. Their actions remained covert, and they continued to operate as merchants from Yizhou.

Now, with Jia Xu and Pang Tong guiding Zhang Yi in Xuzhou, the sisters’ presence in Hailing symbolized Qiao Yan’s strategic interests in both Xuzhou and Yang Province.

As they watched the ships depart, they felt confident in their next mission. Despite potential risks, they knew they had to proceed cautiously to avoid jeopardizing Qiao Yan’s plans.

Qiao Lan replied, “They need to face challenges. Just as we didn’t expect to achieve so much when we first came to Xuzhou, they too will surprise us.”

Qiao Yan often spoke in ways that seemed ahead of her time, yet also just a few steps ahead of others. She believed that the lands now submerged by the sea might one day rise and become habitable, just as hidden currents would eventually surface.

As Lu Lingju and others graduated, the Leping Academy quietly expanded, welcoming students from non-noble families. Someone had to take the first step to pave the way for future generations.

Qiao Yan was ready to accept whatever results Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, and Lu Yi achieved. She focused more on the present, particularly on Yu Province.

After securing Yingchuan, she needed to stabilize the region to prevent Cao Cao from dominating. She planned to appoint Yuan Huan as the prefect of Yingchuan, explaining her rationale clearly.

Yuan Huan, though initially reluctant, understood Qiao Yan’s strategic considerations. Supporting the Chenjun Yuan clan over the Runan Yuan clan made sense, given the political landscape.

Qiao Yan’s directness reassured Yuan Huan of her sincerity and commitment to Yu Province’s stability. She needed him to maintain relations with Yingchuan’s noble families, leveraging his reputation to navigate the intricate social dynamics.

As they prepared to return to Luoyang, Qiao Yan’s focus remained on consolidating her power and preparing for the challenges ahead.








A general stationed here can have a better effect.

Moreover, there is a very special node right now.

Qiao Yan explained to Yuan Huan: “I wonder if Yaoqing remembers that the two-year alcohol ban will end at the end of this month. However, due to the current natural disasters, I want to extend it for another year.”

“Earlier, Yuan Gonglu’s enforcement of this matter was something we both knew well. There are some things in Yuzhou that I can’t easily intervene in, so in Yingchuan…”

Here, some people who serve the families in Chang’an have made some deals with her, but under the premise that Yingchuan still largely follows the rules set by Yuan Shu, her alcohol ban hasn’t actually extended here.

Now it’s different.

She needs Yuzhou to gradually adapt. This place will gradually come under the command of the Chang’an court and can no longer follow Yuan Shu’s loose order. There must be a Yingchuan Prefect who can clearly convey her ideas and ensure these people follow orders.

Whether others can do this is uncertain, but Yuan Huan clearly can.

Yuan Huan understood Qiao Yan’s intention and replied, “It should be so.”

If Yuan Shu hadn’t just wanted to get the title of Yuzhou Governor from the Chang’an court, taking advantage of the court’s weakened control over the provinces to engage in superficial compliance, the disaster situation in Yuzhou wouldn’t have gradually become uncontrollable, nor would there have been the military mutiny that became a laughingstock for the world.

Seeing that Chang’an’s policies are more likely to stabilize the situation, enforcing their actions also has persuasive power.

The alcohol ban is indeed still necessary now.

At most, as Chang’an accumulates resources, it will gradually relax the restrictions, but it’s not suitable to return to the original state all at once.

After all, with the current disaster, there really isn’t enough grain to waste on alcohol.

“There’s one more thing that makes me think Yaoqing is more suitable for the position of Yingchuan Prefect.”

Qiao Yan continued, “I wonder if Yaoqing has noticed the general sent from Nanyang to support this place. Although this general is nearing the end of his prime years, I observe his demeanor and the way he manages his troops, both are extraordinary.”

Qiao Yan’s own military strength is unquestionable, and Yuan Huan is far inferior to her in this regard, so how could he doubt her judgment?

What Yuan Huan doesn’t know is that Qiao Yan’s evaluation of Huang Zhong’s strength also considers his historical achievements as one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu Han.

He just couldn’t help but ask curiously, “If the Grand Marshal thinks this person is promising, why not personally recruit him instead of seemingly wanting me to contact him?”

Qiao Yan smiled, “I think Liu Jingsheng sending him to Yuzhou isn’t exactly giving him a good assignment, and it’s not necessarily a sign of重用. But since General Huang was promoted by Liu Jingsheng, he is quite loyal to him. If I contact him, it’s uncertain if I can recruit him, but he would likely report back, making Liu Jingsheng think I’m up to something.”

“Earlier, when I took Hanzhong and brought it under Chang’an’s control, Liu Jingsheng was already uneasy. Given that my relationship with Sun Wentai and Sun Bofu is much better than with him, he probably feels the same fear.”

“If I directly take away the general he sent to Yuzhou, I think he would start planning a way out.”

There’s a bit of teasing in her words, but strangely, Yuan Huan didn’t sense any arrogance in Qiao Yan’s tone. Instead, it felt like she was stating a fact in a very ordinary manner.

This is similar to the sense of security he felt when she suddenly came to support Linying.

Qiao Yan said, “Let’s not give him too much pressure. Yaoqing can slowly contact General Huang. With the current drought, there’s no need for large-scale military actions. Recruiting generals now would be a waste.”

To say Qiao Yan isn’t surprised and delighted by the appearance of Huang Zhong, a fierce general, would be a lie, but indeed, things can’t be rushed.

Yuan Huan nodded, indicating he understood Qiao Yan’s meaning.

With these four reasons, it’s clear why she insists on Yuan Huan becoming the Yingchuan Prefect.

Yuan Huan isn’t someone who can’t handle responsibility.

If he were, he wouldn’t have considered not following Yuan Shu’s battle plan when tasked with facing Liu Bei’s forces.

Although he served as a strategist under Yuan Shu, could he really not handle being the Yingchuan Prefect?

He has the family background, reputation, and ability to hold this position. He also believes that with the support of laws and timely measures from Chang’an, he can truly shoulder the responsibility of supporting the local people’s livelihood.

Qiao Yan added, “I originally intended to appoint Zilong as the Governor of the Capital, to facilitate his military exercises in the capital. But now I plan to adjust this slightly, appointing him as the General Who Establishes Might to station in Luoyang.”

“This way, he can cooperate with Xun Wenruo and Sima Jiangong in rebuilding the capital area in Hongnong and Henan, while also being ready to support Yingchuan by sending troops through the Huan Pass. What do you think?”

With this last point, Yuan Huan’s final concern was resolved.

He replied, “With General Zilong in Luoyang, Yanzhou probably won’t dare to invest too much manpower in Yuzhou without restraint. Perhaps we might even have a chance to counterattack Runan in the future.”

But saying this is easier than doing it. Crossing boundaries isn’t that simple, so this is just Yuan Huan’s way of expressing loyalty to Qiao Yan.

What made it easier for Yuan Huan to take over as Yingchuan Prefect was that Yuan Yao had no objections to Qiao Yan’s decision to bring him to Chang’an to accompany Liu Qi. In fact, he seemed eager to leave Yuzhou.

“If Yuan Yao were a capable young master, I might have to worry a bit. But now it seems unnecessary,” Qiao Yan remarked to Dian Wei after sending someone to help Yuan Yao pack.

With Dian Wei’s relatively simple thinking, he wouldn’t consider the multiple layers of meaning in Qiao Yan’s “worry a bit.”

At this moment, he felt that Zhao Yun, who had also followed Qiao Yan for a long time, getting a general’s title now was something to be celebrated. At the same time, he thought that if the title Qiao Yan decided for Zhao Yun was General Who Establishes Might, it sounded much more impressive than his own title of General of the Teeth. He wondered if he could apply for a change.

Thinking this way, he knew this was already an honor Qiao Yan had bestowed. Hearing Qiao Yan’s感慨, he just replied, “This kid probably already yearned for Chang’an when he came last time to admire the new road’s scenery, wishing he could go there every day to enjoy it.”

Seeing Qiao Yan glance at him, signaling him not to speak carelessly, he changed his tone, “Being sensible is always good. It’s also possible that he was scared by the rapid fall of Pingyu, thinking it’s better to take a stable job than to bear such risks.”

Yuan Yao really thought this way.

He was taken out from another side, narrowly avoiding death. After the relief of surviving, he no longer wanted to endure such frights.

He had such luck last time, but next time might not be the same!

Who knows if he would follow his father’s footsteps.

He indeed doesn’t have the ability to stabilize and defend a place. So rather than being seen as a breakthrough point, it’s better to take advantage of the Chang’an court’s possible guilt for not saving his father and quickly become a wealthy idler.

Qiao Yan said she wanted Yuan Huan to stabilize Yingchuan?

Yuan Huan was already here assisting in disaster relief, so what’s there to say? Let him continue!

When Qiao Yan announced the departure from Yingchuan, if Yuan Yao didn’t have to escort Yuan Shu’s coffin, he might have left even faster than Qiao Yan’s vanguard.

But what Yuan Yao didn’t expect was that he thought he would be personally escorted by the Grand Marshal to Chang’an, meet the Emperor, bury his father in a good spot in Chang’an, and receive some care from the court as the orphan of the former Yuzhou Governor, with corresponding appointments.

The actual situation was—

Qiao Yan didn’t directly return to Chang’an with the team. Instead, she decided to stay temporarily to discuss Luoyang’s reconstruction with Sima Fang and accommodate the Luoyang residents planning to flee due to the disaster, with Dian Wei escorting Yuan Yao to Chang’an.

This was completely different from what he expected.

But Qiao Yan’s reasoning was quite justified. According to her, accompanying him through Tong Pass would also be a report on the Yuzhou war situation, so he wouldn’t have to explain it himself.

It was indeed necessary to stay here, saving the need to report back to Chang’an.

“Is the Marquis only doing this for this reason?”

Guo Jia, after reporting back to Chang’an and requesting the Emperor’s order to send troops, although slower than Zhao Yun, had already returned.

Although he missed the good show of Qiao Yan meeting Cao Cao, participating in these follow-up actions wasn’t too late, so he said to Qiao Yan now.

Qiao Yan didn’t immediately answer Guo Jia’s question.

She was walking on Luoyang’s streets, thinking of her previous visits, each with some special purpose. This slow-paced state was quite rare.

It also made her feel a sense of change over time.

After a moment of silence, she asked Guo Jia, “What do you think I’m thinking?”

Guo Jia replied, “Three purposes.”

“The meeting between the Marquis and Cao Mengde, although to quickly stabilize Yuzhou and reduce casualties from fighting during the drought, still has a bit of overstepping by deciding a province’s fate without reporting. If you directly return to Chang’an, you’ll inevitably hear some唠叨.”

“Additionally, the young master Yuan going to Chang’an in this way, the treatment he receives is clearly to weaken the Yuan clan’s influence, preventing the descendants of this four-generation three-duke family from occupying any position in Chang’an. But to some, it looks like the Marquis is排挤 him, and this can also be used to see who in Chang’an are蠢蛋.”

“Thirdly, Sima Jiangong is capable and discerning, but always seems somewhat detached. Now that his second son has followed the Marquis’s fleet to Liaodong, he should have more contact with the Marquis. Taking advantage of his assistance in sending troops to support Yingchuan, it’s a good time to talk.”

Qiao Yan’s lips curved slightly, “Good, these three purposes are all valid, but Fengxiao missed one thing.”

She stopped in front of the long-abandoned Southern Palace of Luoyang, pushed open the small door she once used to search for the Imperial Seal, Liu Bian, and Yuan Ji, and walked along the overgrown path to the Lantai and Yutang Hall area.

When she came to Luoyang after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, she had a crucial meeting with Liu Hong here. Now, it feels quite distant.

She is no longer the Marquis of Leping who needed to韬光养晦 and win the Emperor’s trust with孤臣肝胆之心, but a翻云覆雨之人 in this era’s浪潮.

In the midst of war and disaster, it’s precisely the time for her to take another step forward.

This isn’t about setting up a small court in Luoyang to rival Chang’an with Liu Yu stationed there.

Nor is it about using Luoyang to further威慑 Yanzhou and Ye City, but…

It’s about the previously decided plan to mass-print “Jijiu Pian” as the first major text, with the execution time approaching.

Even though this is something she has already discussed with everyone, there will inevitably be some who, when it’s officially executed, raise不满, even feeling it harms their interests.

“We can use the larger population around Luoyang to restore local民生, making it a special试点 for推行 Jijiu Pian. At the same time, inform Chang’an that if anyone has不满 with my decisions, they can come to Luoyang to discuss with me.”

Guo Jia replied, “Then they only have two choices: either know not to disturb the Marquis’s大事 and suppress their thoughts, or…”

Qiao Yan suddenly gestured for Guo Jia to be quiet, “These matters, let’s keep them between heaven, earth, you, and me. No need to say more here.”

These conditions we’ve created, who knows when they might be triggered, causing internal裂变.

From the establishment of the Chang’an court to now, over two years have passed.

Perhaps initially, they knew to rely on her ability to stabilize the situation, first seizing the正统权柄 from the Ye court.

But people inevitably have私欲.

Qiao Yan’s power has long surpassed that of the Three Dukes, so how could she not be忌惮?

This裂变 is an inevitable development, only a matter of time.

In that case, let it develop in the direction she needs!

When she throws one催化诱饵 after another into the Chang’an培养容器, who reacts异样 can be observed in分批激发, much more有利 than sudden发作.

Hearing this, Guo Jia also closed his mouth, not planning to discuss further.

Looking at their location, he suddenly thought of something and asked, “Speaking of which, during Dong Zhuo’s rebellion in Luoyang and the changes in the Southern and Northern Palaces before his arrival, the Han’s Imperial Seal disappeared. After so many years, no one has brought it to light. I wonder where it is.”

“Zhang Rang, favored by Emperor Xiaoling, did one thing truly worthy of him. After Emperor Xiaoling’s death, the Imperial Seal seemed to be buried with him.”

Qiao Yan replied, “Perhaps it will appear one day, but as long as it doesn’t appear in Ye City, it’s good news for us.”

She couldn’t tell Guo Jia that she had hidden it long ago in exchange for farming techniques.

Whether it can reappear in Luoyang is also uncertain, so let’s treat it as a secret known only to heaven and earth.

Moreover, in the current situation, our硬实力 is more important. If the Imperial Seal appears now, although having Liu Yu as a幌子 would reduce some弊端, it might also make people think the Han’s国祚 can continue.

Why bother with such吃力不讨好的 actions!

Now she also feels that Cao Cao has done her a great favor.

Yuan Shu’s death and the loss of most of Yuzhou mean that the name of the Chang’an court isn’t a reliable护身符, while her three provinces under Qiao Yan’s rule are still稳定发展.

This is indeed a case of此消彼长.

She looked up at the Yutang Hall’s牌匾, still bearing火烧痕迹 and no longer clear, and said, “Let’s keep this place sealed. Rebuild a落脚地 for us to work here at the original site of Luoyang’s Imperial Academy.”

“In the past, the Imperial Academy had carriages and horses coming and going. Now, I hope those running here are Luoyang’s millions of people.”