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Chapter 314
Can a Strategist not ascend the throne? Book Nine: The Plague of Drought and Locust, Flying General of Liaodong. Chapter 314: Whose Era?
Not only did that impostor Liu Yan freeze up, unsure of what to say at this dramatic moment of establishing the heir, but even Zhao Wei, who should be primarily responsible, was at a loss.
What was he supposed to say? Should he personally welcome the Grand Marshal as the mastermind behind all this? Even Zhao Wei, known for his audacity, looked like a deer caught in headlights, not to mention Liu Zhang, who was now locked in a cold stare from Qiao Yan.
Liu Zhang nervously asked her, “Or is it because of your supporters that Liu Yizhou thinks I, the Grand Marshal, must follow your rules here in Chengdu?”
“Isn’t Liu Yizhou going to say anything personally to me?”
The emphasis on “personally” under the watchful eyes of the surrounding soldiers infused an absurd tension in the air.
Under Qiao Yan’s piercing gaze, Liu Zhang, a mediocre man who only got into this position due to Zhao Wei’s persuasion, was scared to the point of retreating, even sitting down.
Liu Yizhou, Liu Yizhou…
At this moment, the soldiers from Liangzhou, led by Wu Yi and Zhang Lu, had completely taken control of the city, and because Wu Yi enjoyed Liu Yan’s trust, their faction had gained an advantageous position.
Yet, despite everything, Liu Yan sat there with an unsettling calmness that suggested anything but sobriety.
Could Qiao Yan not see this? Not a chance!
Yet she still posed such a question.
So when she mentioned Liu Yizhou, was she referring to the real Yizhou Governor Liu Yan or the impostor who had taken his place? Within her shifting gaze, the ambiguity was apparent, and it likely referred to the latter!
Liu Zhang stammered, unable to speak.
His mind was blank, and he couldn’t comprehend how Qiao Yan had shortened the journey from Hanzhong to Chengdu in an instant. All he could think was how deeply regrettable it was that the alarm bells had rung in the city at the worst possible moment—
Regretting why he had let Zhao Wei persuade him to take such actions!
If Qiao Yan hadn’t come, maybe they could have gone ahead with their plan to take advantage of the situation; at worst, they’d be facing an invasion from Chang’an. But now, that stage hadn’t even begun, and here the opponent was in front of him…
In the face of such a formidable Grand Marshal, was there any chance of turning the tables?
Qiao Yan shifted her gaze from the trembling Liu Zhang and internally scoffed at how the people of Yizhou had chosen such a “suitable” new Yizhou Governor. Then she spoke, “Capture Zhao Wei and Liu Zhang, seal off Chengdu. Dismiss and investigate everyone involved in this matter. Liu Yizhou and the others will be relocated to the prefectural office. General Wu, come with me.”
The relocation order clearly targeted Yao Chang, Ma Chao, and others.
Aside from Liu Yan, who was too weak to resist and had been transferred appropriately, the rest, whether victims of this swap trick or not, were directly detained by Liangzhou soldiers unfamiliar with them and sent to Liu Yan’s prefectural office.
As for the figure hiding beneath Liu Yan’s seat, no need to mention that; he was thrown straight into Chengdu’s prison.
Interestingly, before he was escorted away, he put on a performance claiming to clear his name while accusing Zhao Wei and the others. His voice being eerily similar to Liu Yan’s made it seem as though he was speaking on Liu Yan’s behalf.
Qiao Yan chuckled softly, muttering something.
Then she waved her hand, signaling the accompanying military doctor to follow the group heading to the prefectural office.
Advancing into Yizhou, a region rife with disease, Qiao Yan didn’t dare to relax at all.
Even though their route caught the people of Yizhou off guard and the path through the territory of Guanghan yielded a competent guide, illness wouldn’t be swayed by speed or the rapid capture of Chengdu.
Perhaps because the main force this time was the Liangzhou army, even the Bingzhou army couldn’t necessarily match their endurance. A good number had adapted to the climate of Yizhou over the past two years, resulting in the doctors not having to step in much but rather taking on the role of treating Liu Yan.
Watching the two separate groups vanish from her sight, Qiao Yan also stepped forward in one direction.
Because of her earlier statement, “General Wu, come with me,” Wu Yi followed in her footsteps, responding to her query, “Can you secure the permissions for the military camps near Chengdu?”
He’d initially felt a twinge of sympathy upon seeing Liu Yan’s submissive state, but as Qiao Yan spoke, he quickly replied, “Absolutely.”
“Just make sure to spread the word around Chengdu that Zhao Wei and Liu Zhang have detained my lord.”
While Liu Yan indeed favored the factions of Yizhou and Dongzhou differently, resulting in discontent among Zhao Wei and others, the time since he first took the position of Yizhou Governor was ample for him to establish authority in the area. Quite a few people from Yizhou viewed him, in comparison with Qie Jian, as someone worthy of support.
If she was to gather the hearts of the Yizhou people, it was undoubtedly necessary to act under the banner of quelling internal strife for Liu Yan’s sake.
Seeing Qiao Yan nod, Wu Yi continued, “Also, it would be best if you could quickly get General Pang and the few sons of the lord to appear in public as well…”
“Let’s not rush that matter; just say they are being controlled by Zhao Wei and others using vile Southern toxins, and they aren’t quite awake yet.”
Upon hearing this, a look of bewilderment crossed Wu Yi’s face, but he suddenly recalled what Qiao Yan had mentioned before when she visited the county he was guarding in Fuxian. Rather than banking on her marrying Liu Yan’s son and rising through familial connections, why not have both siblings fight for a position under her command, striving for something more within their own grasp? He simply asked, “So, my lord, what do you need from me now?”
“After gaining control over Chengdu’s military camps under the pretext of assisting Liu Yizhou to quell the rebellion, I’ll assign Ma Mengqi and his troops to you and march north together with the Prefect of Hanzhong——”
“To ambush Yan Yan, who is currently in Ba County!”
Long prior, after securing Zhang Lu’s collaboration to sneak across Yinping Road, they had sent word to Hanzhong, ordering Xu Shu to lead a southern expedition ten days later, crossing the mountain passes of Micang and Daba towards Chengdu.
With the soldiers Xu Shu had gathered in Hanzhong and the forces led by Chu Yan also en route to Chengdu, it was critical to form a reserve support for Qiao Yan; otherwise, her contingent wouldn’t be enough to simultaneously restrain Wu Yi and Zhang Lu, and subsequently deal with Pang Xi’s forces, which would indeed be challenging.
The main army could only advance through Ba County, and currently, Yan Yan was the one stationed there, having replaced Pang Xi, who had been ousted by Zhao Wei’s assistance to Liu Zhang.
This man had true skills, so to minimize casualties while breaking through Ba County’s defenses, a sudden two-pronged attack would be optimal.
However, after Wu Yi took his orders and left, Fu Gan, who still led a portion of the cavalry, asked, “Is it to prevent the Chengdu soldiers from gathering excessively and causing any rebellion that’s detrimental to our control?”
Qiao Yan smiled, “Why can’t I want to give him a chance to achieve merit?”
When her squad arrived at Fuxian, they swayed them to surrender, and then charging into Chengdu territory could be considered a feat.
Coordinating with Xu Shu and Chu Yan to sandwich Yan Yan would equal removing the rebel forces of Yizhou, and naturally, it should be acknowledged as an accomplishment.
These two merits intended to be reported “truthfully” back to the court in Chang’an.
The upheaval in Yizhou, happening alongside Liu Yan’s impending departure, conveniently provided her with a chance to eliminate the Liu family from the governor’s seat, so she absolutely couldn’t allow Liu Yan’s offspring to continue holding the position of Yizhou Governor. She needed someone with a certain reputation in Yizhou who wasn’t originally from Yizhou.
But to be precise, Wu Yi wouldn’t be Yizhou Governor; given how easily Yizhou could act independently, it was unsuitable to centralize military and political power in a single person.
Thus, Wu Yi at most would only become a Governor of Yizhou.
It was the governors of the various Yizhou counties that she aimed to manipulate.
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“Now, that’s the real show.”
She skillfully shifted the discussion away from Wu Yi’s arrangements and turned to Jiang Jiao, saying, “Uncle Ming, you once helped Zhongde manage military supplies in Jincheng, so what’s the situation here in Chengdu now?”
Jiang Jiao initially thought he was merely following along, but it seemed that the Junhou wanted to see how the four noble families of Hanyang reacted after the earlier purges. Little did he know, Qiao Yan was carefully considering his position while leading this group from Liangzhou.
Qiao Yan continued, “Before Yuan Zhi and the others arrive from Bajun and before I release Liu Junlang’s sons and subordinates, we need to get a clear inventory of the grain stored in the Yizhou government storehouse and the supplies confiscated from Zhao Wei and his crew. Once we have enough manpower, we don’t need to consult Chang’an; we can send the grain directly from the Yangtze waterways to Hailing.”
This was going to be leverage for Gongsun Du in Liaodong and would help cover the costs of their troops.
Realizing this trip to Yizhou could trigger a series of reforms and that he might have a greater opportunity to shine within it, Jiang Jiao’s face lit up with a hint of joy as he replied, “Don’t worry, Junhou. I’ll make sure this gets done.”
As for the negotiations regarding the confiscation of Zhao Wei’s resources, Jiang Jiao had already found a reference point in Qiao Yan’s attitude towards the various families of Liangzhou when it came to the hidden rules among Yizhou’s nobles.
Once Wu Yi took the soldiers out of Chengdu, the city would entirely be under their command.
“We can leave now,” Qiao Yan finally said to Fu Gan. “Years ago, a massive fire in Chengdu burned down the thousands of carriages built by Liu Yan, and another fire destroyed the former residence of Mianzhu Dong Fu. But I suspect the grip that the Yizhou Governor has on us isn’t just about the burned things.”
Whether his wife and children were just as careful as he had been after being intimidated by Qiao Yan’s campaign to Hanzhong remained to be seen.
There would always be something problematic once one carved out their piece of territory.
Even if there wasn’t, in order to strip Liu Yan of his governorship in Yizhou and change how the locals accepted governance, something had to happen.
Therefore, such confiscations could only be entrusted to someone close to her.
Fu Gan understood Qiao Yan’s subtle hint and followed without further words.
With this arrangement, everyone was playing their part.
For the people in Chengdu, the sudden change in the guards felt like it had no impact on their lives, which left them both anxious about whether they’d be caught up in this power shift and curious about the series of events happening in the city.
People are naturally curious, especially when the gossip involves inheritance struggles.
Plus, the day Liu Yan declared Liu Zhang as his successor and even had a high platform for everyone to see just added fuel to the discussion fire.
As Qiao Yan was reviewing the documents left by Liu Yan, she heard Yao Chang, who was on patrol in the city, report, “I overheard people on the street today saying, ‘Even though Yizhou is a thousand miles from Chang’an, if you do something bad, the Junhou will come down from the heavens and punish you.'”
“Last time, when Liu Yizhou’s contraband carriages were exposed, the Junhou rushed to Hanzhong despite the coronation ceremony in Chang’an. This time, Liu Zhang hasn’t even settled into the power he usurped from his father, and the Junhou already arrived again. Although the Junhou might not concern herself with such trivialities, it doesn’t stop these folks from using it to threaten their kids.”
The more Yao Chang thought about it, the funnier she found it.
She mimicked the adults’ tones, saying, “Pretty much like this: ‘If you disrespect the king and your parents, tomorrow the Grand Marshal is comin’ over to your doorstep, bringing some of those Liangzhou soldiers along!'”
Qiao Yan replied, “Aren’t you also included in that group?”
Yao Chang chuckled, “Not gonna lie, this experience is quite novel.”
But Zhao Wei, Liu Zhang, and the others who had been locked up probably didn’t think their circumstances could be considered novel at all.
The kind of punishment for someone exposed for usurping power was entirely up to Qiao Yan.
All they knew was, Qiao Yan had devilishly decided to lock them up in adjacent cells, giving them a chance to push responsibility onto each other and maybe spill some juicy secrets. Meanwhile, all their property and government storehouse assets got seized clean, even those hidden away in some secluded manor.
After all, Jiang Jiao’s methods against Zhao Wei’s faction were pretty much the same as how Qiao Yan dealt with the Jiang family of Hanyang back in the day.
And in this torturous wait, they caught wind of some good news from the guards—
Liu Yan was awake.
But it wasn’t thanks to the medical officer under Qiao Yan’s command performing some miraculous revival; when Qiao Yan reached his bedside after hearing the news, the report she got from the doctor indicated that this might just be Liu Yan’s last burst of strength.
End-of-life care wasn’t Qiao Yan’s style, and the most she could manage was a slightly gentler expression compared to how she had petrified Liu Zhang on the floor.
But for Liu Yan, no matter how soft and smiling Qiao Yan appeared, when he opened his eyes and saw her instead of his son, all he felt was shock and horror.
When Qiao Yan sent the others away and sat beside him, recounting all the events that had transpired, the mix of astonishment and suspicion on Liu Yan’s face became even more pronounced.
He struggled to rise, saying, “I want to see my son…”
However, that brief revival couldn’t give him the strength to get out of bed. Qiao Yan’s next words locked him in place: “Are you hoping to see a son who’s still in prison, unrepentant and thinking he’s just been manipulated by others, or would you rather see three sons who haven’t even regained consciousness yet and can’t even compare to that foolish brother of theirs?”
“I don’t need to make up some lies to fool you; if there weren’t truths to this, why would I abandon my expansion plans in Luoyang and rush all the way to this dead-end in Yizhou?”
A glimmer of contemplation passed over Liu Yan’s face.
Over these months, the wounds had wrecked both his body and spirit, but his mind hadn’t deteriorated along with it. When he recalled Liu Zhang’s odd behavior during his last awakening, a few judgments began to form in his heart.
What Qiao Yan said was likely true.
And the calm way she spoke made Liu Yan realize she wasn’t planning to lie to someone on their deathbed.
“Besides, I should thank you; why would I need to deceive you?”
“If it weren’t for your suggestion to restart the Provincial Governor System back then, I couldn’t have used your words to refute others, earning my reputation in the capital, receiving Xu Zijiang’s praise, and gaining the trust of the Xiaoling Emperor.”
“Had it not been for your insistence, the Provincial Governor System wouldn’t have come to be, and I wouldn’t have had a legitimate way to sit in the position of Bingzhou’s governor, a role no one ever thought I had fought for.”
“And if it weren’t for your overreach in Yizhou, I wouldn’t know how long I’d need to plan to achieve my goal of climbing to the Grand Marshal position.”
“This time, it was again your failure to properly raise your son, allowing one to become a puppet aimed at controlling all of Yizhou, giving me a valid reason to reclaim that territory!”
All of this relied heavily on Liu Yan’s generous support, so how could one not say a word of gratitude?
“Thus, for this gratitude, I will undoubtedly treat the three sons you left behind well.”
Why three sons? No need to elaborate.
Liu Zhang had to pay for his actions, as an explanation for Qiao Yan towards the Chang’an court!
At this moment, Liu Yan looked into the eyes of the young Grand Marshal, barely in her twenties, and saw a player in a ruthless game of politics, which sent a chilling wave through him.
This wasn’t gratitude; it was clear that he was being led to his own demise, with the only remnant being the hollow promise of “good treatment” as a last bit of pity.
And the one comforting thought was… in the final moments of his life, he wasn’t completely in the dark.
How could Yuan Shao, still locked in a tug-of-war with her, possibly be her match?
Was Liu Yu truly fortunate to have such a minister lording over Chang’an?
In the fog of his hazy consciousness, he distantly heard Qiao Yan’s final words to him, “This is no longer your Liu Junlang’s era.”
