Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 1: The Yellow Turban Rebellion, The Clear Voice of a Young Phoenix, Chapter 31: Worthy of a Marquiship

This is a blessing for the Han Dynasty, not solely the achievement of Qiao Yan.

This sentence was also written by Lu Zhi in the memorial sent to the capital.

He thought for a moment and added, “Qiao Yan is truly a pillar of talent for the Han Dynasty. I hope Your Majesty values and utilizes her.”

Seeing Qiao Yan’s success in defending the camp and witnessing her overwhelming victory in the debate with the Great Virtuous Teacher Zhang Jiao, Lu Zhi could not equate these achievements in value.

What’s even more remarkable is her ability to rely on sharp tools and coordinate from the center, yet she remains humble, upholding the Han tradition without boasting of her merits.

The more Lu Zhi observed Qiao Yan, the more he felt that adhering to gender biases would likely cause them to miss such a talent who could serve as a key minister for the Han’s revival.

Lu Zhi clearly saw the current situation: even if the Yellow Turban Rebellion was quelled, it might not change the fact that the Han Dynasty was already in a perilous state of irreversible decline.

However, if the Emperor reflected on this uprising and promoted extraordinary talents like Qiao Yan, there might still be a chance to turn the tide.

“I only hope that Your Majesty does not cling to preconceptions.”

The Empress Dowager Dou, who placed Liu Hong on the throne, might have inadvertently created obstacles for Qiao Yan’s promotion.

Lu Zhi thought for a moment and added, “This is the shared wish of myself and Huangfu Song.”

He called for his guards to first send the memorial to Huangfu Song, and after obtaining his seal, had it swiftly delivered to Luoyang.

Although he said that the Yellow Turban Rebellion was just one of the many signs of the crumbling Han Dynasty, he could not deny that quickly curbing this disorderly destruction was undoubtedly crucial.

Now, the advantage was on their side.

The displaced peasants driven by the Yellow Turbans might not understand the contradictions in the Scripture of Great Peace or the forefront of astronomical knowledge, but they understood one thing:

The cinnabar talismans had not yet caused substantial harm, but they were far from having the divine efficacy they had hoped for, and Zhang Jiao was not the spokesperson of the Yellow Heaven.

With the loss of this spiritual leader, suppressing the Yellow Turban bandits became much easier than before.

While the situation in other regions was uncertain due to the timeliness of information, at least the suppression efforts in Ji Province had become much smoother.

However, the uprisings of displaced peasants burning and looting government offices and plundering the wealthy families would have to wait for subsequent officials to investigate.

Liu Bei and his followers had temporarily returned due to the responsibility of escorting Yellow Turban prisoners after Qiao Yan’s debate with Zhang Jiao, and now they had to prepare to set out again.

But this time, some of the Guangzong Yellow Turbans they had captured earlier expressed willingness to guide the imperial army in exchange for leniency, showing a completely different attitude from before.

Just as Liu Bei breathed a sigh of relief, Zhang Fei asked, “Big brother, there’s something I still don’t understand from yesterday till today. You’re more learned than I am, could you enlighten me?”

Seeing Liu Bei’s gesture to continue, Zhang Fei said, “You said that the mercury produced from roasting cinnabar is poisonous, but I heard that past emperors also consumed it. Were they seeking their own death?”

“Be careful with your words!” Liu Bei was almost startled by Zhang Fei’s question.

Fortunately, Zhang Fei knew better than to ask such a direct question about the emperor.

Liu Bei looked around to ensure no one was paying attention to their conversation and sighed in relief.

Zhang Fei’s question was more exhausting than suppressing the Yellow Turbans.

Although the current Emperor Liu Hong did not share Emperor Wu of Han’s fondness for elixirs, the pursuit of immortality was common among the nobility.

Such topics were not to be discussed lightly.

Moreover, Qiao Yan’s revelation of cinnabar’s toxicity during the debate with Zhang Jiao only referred to Zhang Jiao’s actions, not those who sought alchemists to refine elixirs. There was still a veil of discretion.

“Enough, enough,” Zhang Fei quickly stopped when he saw the warning look on Liu Bei’s face.

But he still muttered, “Forget about the cinnabar, talking about old man Zhang Jiao should be fine… Speaking of which, before he caused all this trouble, he probably never expected to be defeated by such a child.”

Zhang Fei now had a good impression of Qiao Yan.

Although she had taken over Lu Zhi’s command at the Quzhou camp and used mysterious tactics that prevented Zhang Liang from engaging in battle, thus depriving Zhang Fei of a chance to fight, the fall of Quzhou City meant his brother had earned real merit in suppressing the Yellow Turbans and deserved an official position.

Especially since he heard General Lu mention that government offices everywhere would likely face staff shortages, creating more opportunities.

Since following Liu Bei from Zhuo County, Zhang Fei deeply believed his brother was a remarkable person who deserved a position to showcase his abilities.

But speaking of which—

“Big brother, what kind of reward do you think Lady Qiao will receive?”

“That’s not for us to speculate,” Liu Bei mounted his horse and said to Zhang Fei, “Let’s go, Yide. If you want to stretch your limbs, don’t fall behind Yun Chang!”

With that, Zhang Fei dared not gossip further.

But as Zhang Fei mounted his horse and left the camp, Liu Bei instinctively glanced at the Qiao banner in the camp and pondered Zhang Fei’s question.

Huangfu Song’s praise of Qiao Yan’s talent to assist a king was only in his letter to Lu Zhi, but there was one phrase he said publicly: “One person is worth a thousand soldiers.”

Qiao Yan had proven this statement true with her actions.

Liu Bei felt that with his performance, he might secure a position in Ji or You Province after the chaos, though not as early as his classmate Gongsun Zan, who had a position through his father-in-law’s connections. But at twenty-five, it was not too late to achieve something.

As for how far Qiao Yan’s achievements would take her, Liu Bei was uncertain.

Her accomplishments were hard to evaluate.

Previously, Liu Bei had learned from Chunyu Qiong that a decree to enfeoff Qiao Yan as a marquis was with the eunuch Zhang Rang, delayed due to her gender.

But now she had added another chip to her pile, making it hard to suppress.

Or rather, if Emperor Liu Hong did not give a suitable reward, it would be difficult to satisfy the soldiers who participated in suppressing the Yellow Turbans.

If her deeds were replaceable, it would be one thing, but…

This was an astonishing resume that no one could replicate!

However, before the records of Qiao Yan’s three debates with Zhang Jiao on the Scripture of Great Peace, sent by Lu Zhi, reached Liu Hong’s desk, the news from Zhang Rang that she was a woman arrived first.

Liu Hong, who had just been thrilled by Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi’s capture of Quyang, Guangzong, and Quzhou, and the death, surrender, and capture of the Zhang brothers, received this hot potato.

Based on her military achievements in Yan and Yu Provinces alone, Liu Hong had already considered enfeoffing her as the Marquis of Leping, showing her excellence.

But in the suppression of the rebellion in Ji Province, even though the primary credit went to Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi, she undoubtedly ranked third, making it impossible to bypass her in the rewards.

However, the Han Dynasty had not seen a woman enfeoffed as a marquis for centuries.

Although Liu Hong had broken norms in speech and action before, he had no intention of making such a transgression.

“This is truly a dilemma,” he muttered, flipping through the memorial on the battles of Guangzong and Quzhou and Zhang Rang’s urgent letter, realizing he couldn’t blame Huangfu Song.

Nor could he blame the ailing Qiao Gongzu, whose two sons had predeceased him.

Liu Hong decided to throw this problem to his ministers.

Such a headache should be left to those drawing salaries.

Since the time of Emperor Gaozu, when Shusun Tong submitted a memorial to establish court rituals, the Han Dynasty’s court ceremonies had formed detailed protocols. Although Wang Mang’s usurpation disrupted them, Emperor Guangwu restored them after his revival.

Before the seventh mark of the night’s water clock, as it was already summer, the courtiers in red robes entered the hall in procession, knelt according to their ranks, and stood with their tablets lowered.

Though they followed ancient customs and showed respect to the Emperor, no one looked up, but they all heard Liu Hong’s loud yawns from above.

Minister over the Masses Yuan Wei frowned.

He was well aware of the Emperor’s eccentricities, but this was not a time for laxity. He should at least put on a show.

He exchanged a glance with Grand Commandant Yang Ci, both seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes.

The Yuan Clan of Runan and the Yang Clan of Hongnong held similar statuses, both being families of four generations of Three Excellencies, but no matter how deep their roots, their authority paled in comparison to the Emperor’s.

When the Yellow Turban Rebellion began, Yang Ci had nearly lost his position as one of the Three Excellencies for bluntly advising Liu Hong, so he had to be cautious in his counsel now.

But in this exchange of glances, Yuan Wei could see that with the Yang family’s straightforwardness, even if he held back today, it was likely he would bring it up again in a few days.

Thinking this, he lowered his gaze, feeling some concern for Yang Ci.

Fortunately, the focus of today’s court meeting was not on admonishment.

With chaos everywhere, the two-thousand-rank officials eligible to attend the court all had matters to report, from Luoyang’s affairs to the defense of the eight passes around the capital, and now the situation of the Yellow Turbans in Jing Province south of Luoyang.

“The Yellow Turbans in Jing Province have gathered hundreds of thousands under Zhang Mancheng, holding Wancheng. The Right General of the Household led a surprise attack, with his Protector Army Commander first scaling the city walls and killing Zhang Mancheng. The newly appointed Prefect of Nanyang, Qin Jie, ambushed at the pass and succeeded again. Only the remnants of Zhang Mancheng’s forces attempted to escape by water but were ambushed by the Right General’s forces stationed along the river.”

“The Yellow Turban remnants intended to appoint Zhao Hong as their leader, but the Right General anticipated this and had the Governor of Jing Province, Xu Qiu, lead a force to drive Zhao Hong into Yicheng. Yicheng is not as difficult to attack as Wancheng, and the Right General’s report states that Zhao Hong will be defeated within ten days.”

“Good, good!” Although Liu Hong had received this news yesterday, he still praised it.

He did not hide his satisfaction with the results in Nanyang. “The Right General has not disappointed my expectations.”

The news of Zhu Jun’s imminent suppression of the Yellow Turbans in Jing Province, though not as impactful as Huangfu Song and Qiao Yan’s direct strike against Zhang Jiao, still represented a substantial victory.

Liu Hong, spoiled by Huangfu Song’s urgent reports, could not ignore a victory that pacified an entire province.

Moreover, the phrase “Protector Army Commander first scaling the city walls” in the report made Liu Hong keenly aware that this person must be extraordinary.

Even if not a match for ten thousand, he must be a brave and skilled general.

Without this act of scaling the walls first, even with the rapid suppression of the rebellion in Yu Province and the surprise attack in the south, it might not have been so easy to kill Zhang Mancheng.

After all, Wancheng was easy to defend and hard to attack, something even Liu Hong, long confined to the palace, knew.

What was his name in the urgent report sent to him yesterday?

Liu Hong lazily propped his chin, vaguely recalling it was—

Sun Jian, Sun Wentai?

He should be given some official position.

At least this wasn’t as headache-inducing as Qiao Yan’s situation…

Just as he thought this, he saw Grand Commandant Yang Ci step out of the ranks, bow, and say, “Your subject has a matter to report.”

Seeing Yang Ci’s face, Liu Hong couldn’t help but rub his temples. “Speak.”

Yang Ci stepped forward, and Liu Hong instinctively felt he was about to say something troublesome. Sure enough, he said:

“The imminent suppression of the Yellow Turbans in Jing Province is indeed joyous, but the region is rife with bandits, and the people are not united. While the Right General’s suppression of the Yellow Turbans is the right remedy, dealing with the bandit problem is not his forte, and Qin Chuqi and Xu Mengyu are not adept at it either. I suggest Your Majesty send someone to reward the troops and another to assist in suppressing the bandits.”

What are bandits? Armed organizations based on clans in the southern hills, somewhat similar to the northern magnates.

But traditionally, northern magnates, especially bureaucratic ones, viewed southern bandits as far worse than their own kind.

Moreover, with the Yellow Turban Rebellion, bandits ran rampant in southern Jing Province, causing more havoc than the Yellow Turbans, making them even more despised.

For example, a bandit leader named Su Dai was entrenched in Changsha.

Was Yang Ci’s suggestion correct? Perhaps.

If they could use the suppression of the Yellow Turbans to further pacify the bandits, it might be achievable.

But did Liu Hong want to hear this? No!

He intended to keep the bandits to balance the southern magnates, as neither side had caused any major disturbances, so why send Zhu Jun and his troops further south now?

This would increase expenses, and if they achieved more merits, it would require more rewards.

Rewards for military officials were harder to fudge than those for civil officials.

But he couldn’t say this outright. Liu Hong’s expression remained unreadable as he asked, “Who do you recommend?”

Yang Ci replied, “I recommend Huang Wan of Jiangxia.”

Huang Wan, Huang Ziyan…

Liu Hong repeated the name in his mind.

It was not unfamiliar to him.

Huang Wan’s grandfather, Huang Qiong, was the son of a Minister of Works, serving as Minister over the Masses, Grand Commandant, and Minister of Works during Emperor Huan’s reign, and was posthumously awarded the title of General of the Chariots and Cavalry upon his death in the seventh year of Yanxi. Huang Wan could be considered the descendant of a famous minister.

This man had become a General of the Household at a young age due to his intelligence and eloquence, indeed a promising talent.

But unfortunately, he was also involved in the Prohibition of Factionalists.

Due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Hong had to lift the prohibition to gain the support of scholars, but this did not mean he had no reservations about recommending and appointing those involved.

In Yang Ci’s humble bow, he could not see the slight displeasure in Liu Hong’s gaze from above, only hearing Liu Hong reply, “Huang Wan has been confined to Jiangxia for many years. Although recommended by the Grand Commandant, I know he has no ties to the bandits, but there will inevitably be gossip.”

He paused, yawned again, and continued, “But I also deeply value Huang Wan’s talent. Leaving him idle is a waste. Let him first come to the capital and start as a Consultant, and we’ll discuss his assignment later.”

With Liu Hong’s decision, who else could object?

Yang Ci bowed in gratitude, and Liu Hong added, “However, the Grand Commandant’s concern about the bandits in Jing Province is not without merit—”

“Does the Grand General have any suitable candidates to recommend?”








He Jin was suddenly called out by Liu Hong and was momentarily stunned, but he quickly realized that this could indeed be considered a sign of the Emperor’s reliance on him.

Since his sister entered the palace and gained favor, his rise through the ranks had been smooth sailing. Due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he was exceptionally promoted to the position of Grand General and even received the title of Marquis of Shen.

Once he became the Grand General, he could establish his own mansion. It had only been three months since the execution of Ma Yuanyi, a disciple of the Yellow Turbans, and yet He Jin’s Grand General’s Mansion was already fully staffed.

Now, Liu Hong was asking him for recommendations, and He Jin’s mind immediately flooded with names.

For example, his secretary Chen Lin, who was an excellent writer. Although the term “Seven Scholars of Jian’an” didn’t exist yet, and the famous denunciation of Cao Cao that supposedly cured his headaches hadn’t been written, Chen Lin’s literary skills had already won He Jin’s favor.

However, scholars weren’t suited for dealing with the chaos caused by bandits.

This narrowed down the options considerably.

He Jin preferred some of his close subordinates.

Who were these subordinates?

Kuai Yue, a leading figure of the Kuai family, a prominent clan in Nan Commandery of Jing Province.

Yuan Shao, who had previously gone into hiding due to the Prohibition of Factionalists but had now accepted He Jin’s invitation to serve.

Liu Biao, one of the “Eight Talents,” a member of the Han imperial family, who had been implicated in the Prohibition of Factionalists due to the Imperial Academy student movement and had been forced to flee until He Jin brought him back last month.

There were also Han Zhuo, Wang Kuang, Xu You, Wu Fu, and others…

To He Jin, these people were all much more eloquent and capable than he, a butcher, and they all spoke well of him.

Since Liu Hong asked, it seemed appropriate to recommend one of them as a reward.

However, perhaps because he took too long to think, before he could even name Liu Biao, Liu Hong spoke first: “Forget it. Your Grand General’s Mansion has only just been established, and your subordinates haven’t yet had the chance to prove themselves. If you recommend someone with a false reputation, it might tarnish your own name.”

Liu Hong’s words sounded like genuine concern for He Jin, so much so that when He Jin returned to his position in the line, he didn’t even realize he hadn’t gotten a word in.

Yuan Wei glanced suspiciously at He Jin, seeing only joy and pride on his face, and thought he might have overthought things.

But before he could ponder further, Liu Hong spoke again: “Earlier, the Grand Commandant mentioned Huang Wan, which reminded me of someone I’d like to discuss with all of you. This person’s name shares a character with Huang Wan’s courtesy name—the character ‘Yan.'”

“Qiao Yan, the granddaughter of Qiao Gongzu.”

Hearing this name, Yuan Wei’s eyelids twitched.

Earlier, Liu Hong had sent Zhang Rang and Zuo Feng to Ji Province to deliver an imperial decree. With his information network, Yuan Wei couldn’t have missed this, which was why he had Chunyu Qiong accompany them.

And just yesterday, Chunyu Qiong’s brief but informative letter had arrived.

Now, hearing Liu Hong mention Qiao Yan, others might not know the significance, but Yuan Wei certainly did.

He had thought that Liu Hong’s granting of the title of Marquis of Leping to Qiao Yan before the Ji Province campaign had even concluded was already a special favor, but he never expected Liu Hong to bring it up in such a formal court setting.

Was he trying to solidify her position as a marquis, or…?

Yuan Wei cursed Chunyu Qiong in his heart.

If he had any sense, he should have written more about Qiao Yan in his letter, so Yuan Wei could have a better understanding of this young woman from the Qiao family, who wasn’t well-known in Luoyang.

Instead, his letter only vaguely mentioned her contact with Zhang Rang, which inevitably put Yuan Wei at a disadvantage.

But Yuan Wei also knew that it was precisely because someone as unreliable as Chunyu Qiong was sent that Liu Hong agreed to the decision.

Liu Hong’s eccentricity was built on intelligence, and he wasn’t an easy man to fool.

But there was no use dwelling on that now.

Yuan Wei suppressed his frustration and heard Liu Hong say: “I haven’t had the chance to mention this to all of you before, but Qiao Gongzu’s granddaughter assisted the Left and Right Middle Generals in suppressing the Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou and Yu Province. To avenge her father, she infiltrated the enemy camp, manipulated the two factions of the Yellow Turbans into fighting each other, and gave the Left Middle General the opportunity to defeat the bandits. She is truly a filial and loyal individual. While you all only know that the Right Middle General rushed to Wancheng after the victory at Changshe, you don’t know that the Left Middle General and Qiao Yan launched a surprise attack on Xiaquyang, and after their victory, they joined forces with the North Middle General.”

Hearing about the reunion with Lu Zhi, the court officials perked up, already forming some guesses in their minds.

“The two Middle Generals delayed sending military reports to avoid alerting any remaining Yellow Turban remnants in the capital. Now that the delayed reports have arrived, Qiao Yan has been holding the Quzhou camp on behalf of Lu Zhi, confronting Zhang Liang, while Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song used Zhang Bao as bait to lure open the gates of Guangzong City, captured Zhang Jiao, and then returned to Quzhou to capture Zhang Liang. Although the Moth Bandits’ rebellion isn’t completely quelled, it’s not far off.”

Hearing this, everyone quickly congratulated the Emperor.

But perhaps, in their joyful tones, they weren’t just congratulating Liu Hong, but themselves as well.

The Yellow Turban bandits had been causing trouble right under their noses, and while everyone knew a little about it, no one thought Zhang Jiao could achieve much. No one expected him to cause such a stir.

If he had continued to wreak havoc in Julu, who knows how far things could have gone.

Now, they could blame the roots of the Yellow Turban Rebellion on the Ten Attendants, but what would happen next was still unknown.

But now that Zhang Jiao had been captured, mopping up the remnants would be easier than quelling the rebellion, and everyone could sleep soundly.

Liu Hong continued: “In this campaign, the Left Middle General secured two provinces and then launched a long-distance raid, deserving the highest merit. The North Middle General maneuvered between Zhang Liang and Zhang Jiao, accumulating advantages and stabilizing the situation. Qiao Yan deserves to be ranked just below these two. What do you all think?”

Yang Ci, known for his straightforwardness, spoke up: “If this child truly has the abilities Your Majesty mentioned, then even granting her a marquis title and a general position would not be excessive. It would demonstrate Your Majesty’s appreciation for meritorious officials.”

Yang Ci didn’t know much about Qiao Yan and was speaking based on what he understood.

Qiao Yan had no prior reputation, and the Emperor directly referred to her by name, suggesting she was still young.

But according to Han customs, if her parents had passed away, she would need to observe a three-year mourning period, by which time “he” would be of age. Granting “him” an official position in advance wouldn’t be a problem.

Special circumstances call for special measures.

However, Liu Hong didn’t seem to care that this old man might be shocked by such unexpected news and immediately dropped a bombshell: “But Grand Commandant, did you know that Qiao Yan is not the ‘he’ you mentioned, but the granddaughter of Qiao Gong? Do you still think she should be rewarded accordingly?”

“…” Yang Ci was stunned, slowly looking up at Liu Hong, only to find the Emperor’s expression serious, clearly not joking.

“A girl…”

Perhaps it wouldn’t be appropriate to reward her so simply.

Liu Hong wouldn’t fabricate Qiao Yan’s contributions in such a formal court setting to elevate her status. Therefore, infiltrating the enemy camp, inciting the Yellow Turbans, launching a surprise attack on Xiaquyang with Huangfu Song, and playing a crucial role in the battles of Guangzong and Quzhou must indeed be her achievements.

“And she’s only ten years old.”

Liu Hong’s additional remark made even Yang Ci, who prided himself on recommending Huang Wan as a talented individual of the Han, feel that Huang Wan paled in comparison to Qiao Yan.

No wonder Liu Hong had temporarily set aside his recommendation upon hearing it and immediately thought of her due to the shared character “Yan.”

But if she were a boy, there would be no hesitation in rewarding her.

For achievements like quelling the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the three main generals would undoubtedly be granted marquis titles and promoted beyond their Middle General positions. Since Qiao Yan was still a commoner, it wouldn’t hurt to grant her a marquis title first and discuss other rewards later.

But since she’s a girl…

“Since Emperor Wen of Han, there has been no precedent for women entering the court or being granted marquis titles. It might not be appropriate to reward her as previously suggested…”

Yang Ci, usually eloquent, hesitated when faced with this issue.

But before he could finish, Yuan Wei stepped forward and said: “Since she has rendered great service to the Han, she must be rewarded, or it will be difficult to satisfy the people. However, in my opinion, the reward should be adjusted.”

Yuan Wei wasn’t entirely sure what Liu Hong’s attitude was regarding Qiao Yan’s reward, but after hearing the conversation between Liu Hong and Yang Ci, he had a rough idea.

He was still hesitating.

But he seemed more inclined toward granting her a marquis title.

In this short time, Yuan Wei couldn’t determine whether this inclination was due to personal preference or the conspiracy mentioned by Chunyu Qiong in his letter. But regardless, Yuan Wei could at least confirm that Liu Hong was still somewhat hesitant, meaning there was room for maneuver.

Yuan Wei did not support granting a woman a marquis title!

He would definitely try to stop it.

But he was more tactful than Yang Ci and wouldn’t pour cold water on the Emperor’s joy over the victory.

He needed to approach this indirectly.

Thinking of He Jin’s favor since becoming Grand General and his earlier performance, Yuan Wei replied when Liu Hong signaled him to continue: “The Han governs with filial piety. Since Your Majesty has stated that Qiao Yan assisted in quelling the Yellow Turbans to avenge her father and has personally acknowledged her as both loyal and filial, she should indeed be held up as a model for reward.”

“Correct.”

“This girl was able to find weaknesses amidst the chaos, showing her intelligence, and she temporarily took command in place of Lu Zhi, demonstrating her ability to coordinate and manage,” Yuan Wei added.

Seeing that Liu Hong still showed no signs of disapproval, he continued: “Prince Bian is eleven years old, and Qiao Yan is ten. Why not reward her loyalty and filial piety by making her Prince Bian’s consort? Once the three-year mourning period is over, they can marry. With her talents, she will surely assist Prince Bian in his studies and help Your Majesty with governance.”

“Qiao Yan’s grandfather also served the Han with utmost dedication and loyalty. This would be a fitting reward for him as well. After all, with both of Qiao Gongzu’s sons deceased, who else but Your Majesty can raise his orphaned granddaughter?”

“Since she cannot be granted a marquis title, why not consider this win-win solution?”

After Yuan Wei finished speaking, there were murmurs of agreement in the court, but Liu Hong remained silent.

Yuan Wei cautiously glanced at him, seeing no signs of displeasure, and thought his suggestion might be well-received.

But little did he know that while Liu Hong’s expression remained unchanged, his mind was in turmoil.

Yuan Wei! That scoundrel had managed to hit three of his taboos with one suggestion.

Making Qiao Yan Prince Bian’s consort sounded like a good idea.

But if it had been a few years ago, Liu Hong might have considered it. Now, he wouldn’t.

Prince Bian was eleven, and Liu Hong had initially placed high hopes on him, but he found him weak and indecisive, unlike his own child. In contrast, Liu Xie had won his favor. But Yuan Wei’s suggestion clearly misread his preferences, assuming he favored Prince Bian.

Although the Han tradition was to not pass over the elder for the younger, Liu Hong had rebelled against conventions before and wouldn’t care about this.

If Qiao Yan became Prince Bian’s consort, her demonstrated abilities during the Yellow Turban Rebellion could solidify Prince Bian’s position as Crown Prince, which was contrary to Liu Hong’s preferences.

This was the first taboo.

In fact, even if Qiao Yan were to become Prince Xie’s consort, Liu Hong would never agree.

Several generations ago, Empress Dowager Deng Sui, though nominally the Empress Dowager, had effectively ruled the court, twice deposing and installing emperors. While her rule was clear and just, it was under her influence that Empress Dowager Dou later sought to seize power, and Liu Hong himself had nearly fallen victim to such schemes. He wouldn’t let his descendants face such a situation.

Qiao Yan had manipulated the Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou and outmaneuvered the Zhang brothers in Ji Province. Such cunning, even under the guise of loyalty, made Liu Hong wary.

He especially couldn’t let her become the future Empress.

And third…

His gaze, seemingly casual, swept between Yuan Wei and He Jin below.

Since he had lost some favor for Prince Bian, he naturally also resented Empress He and He Jin. But he still needed to rely on the in-laws to balance the court, hence his appointment of He Jin as Grand General and Marquis of Shen.

But clearly, the “Shen” (caution) in his title hadn’t made He Jin cautious in wielding power!

Instead, since establishing his mansion, He Jin had acted as if he were the most powerful man in Luoyang!

Liu Hong, while not openly criticizing him, had noticed this and had been rewarding him accordingly.

He also knew very well that Yuan Wei’s nephew Yuan Shao had pledged allegiance to He Jin.

Now, hearing Yuan Wei’s seemingly excellent suggestion, he felt it was a gesture of goodwill from the Yuan family of Runan toward He Jin.

This was something he couldn’t tolerate!

Of course, Yuan Wei’s guess wasn’t entirely wrong.

Liu Hong hadn’t decided on Qiao Yan’s reward and was indeed hesitating whether to break ancestral precedent and grant her the title of Marquis of Leping.

But Yuan Wei’s suggestion didn’t make him reconsider the marquis title; instead, it pushed him in another direction.

Why couldn’t she be granted a marquis title? Why not?

He had worked hard to balance the power between the noble families, in-laws, and eunuchs, only to find two of them colluding under his nose. It would be better to make Qiao Yan a marquis and use her loyalty and filial piety to serve him!

But before he could speak, a eunuch hurried in with an urgent military report from Ji Province.

Liu Hong suppressed his rising thoughts and quickly took the sealed report, reading through the letter written by Lu Zhi word by word.

He had been worried the report might contain bad news, but as he read, his eyes gradually lit up.

He had always disliked Lu Zhi’s pedantic and preachy nature, but now he felt the letter had arrived at just the right time!

He had barely finished reading when he slammed the table and stood up.

The sound was sharp, matching the resolute determination in his heart!

“Lu Zhi reports that Qiao Yan debated the Yellow Turban leader Zhang Jiao three times and won all three, exposing the flaws and shortcomings in the Way of Great Peace’s doctrines. Now, the Yellow Turbans in Ji Province—no, the refugees in Ji Province—all view Zhang Jiao as a bandit and villain. This is truly a masterstroke that cuts the problem at its root!”

“Grand Minister over the Masses, your earlier suggestion was utterly wrong! How can such a phoenix be confined to the deep palace?”

Liu Hong spoke each word deliberately, his gaze firm as he looked at the court officials: “I intend to reward her with the title of County Marquis for her achievements.”