“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 319: The Transfer of Youzhou
Deciding military merits by drawing lots sounds pretty unreliable, but who really knows which arrow caused Gongsun Zan’s demise?
“If I must say, the injuries inflicted by these soldiers, while not as precise as some, can still bleed a lot and can be fatal. And let’s not forget, that horse played a major role too.”
A fully grown war horse trampling down on someone can definitely break ribs and cause death.
Who knows if those arrows arrived a moment too late for that horse to finish Gongsun Zan off?
Lu Lingju glanced toward the source of the voice, raising an eyebrow: “If you can’t speak properly, then just don’t.”
This young man who spoke up was Yan Rou, encountered during their crushing of the Wuhuan forces.
As he himself claimed, he had been captured by the Wuhuan in his youth.
However, through many years living among them, he had gained their trust despite being Han.
Thus, this fellow was able to quickly rally a group of people when Lu Lingju and Tai Shici launched their surprise attack, acting as capital for negotiating cooperation.
This cooperation wasn’t out of the question.
The Wuhuan weren’t just the bunch that Tàdùn gathered. The forces sent to Liaodong by Qiao Yan couldn’t wipe them out completely, just like how Qiao Yan only managed to kill the Xiu Tu and other Hu back when he personally led the troops out of Guyang Pass. So on Zhuge Liang’s advice, they brought Yan Rou along.
Liangshan’s Lufang County officer had once served as a guard to the Wuhuan, but returned to Bingzhou long ago after Liu Yu was defeated by Gongsun Zan, leaving behind an unprecedented momentum for Tàdùn among the Wuhuan. The Han had completely lost control over the Wuhuan.
To Zhuge Liang, if the entire Youzhou fell back under the Chang’an court’s control, they’d definitely need to re-establish the position of guard to the Wuhuan.
Compared to others, Yan Rou, a Han man with some respect inside the Wuhuan, was undeniably a better fit for the role.
With him assisting the lord in handling the Wuhuan, the internal pressure would ease significantly, especially with the need to confront Yuan Shao along the border with Jizhou.
As it turns out, having Yan Rou on board was quite beneficial.
Though the long-term impact was yet to be seen, he was incredibly useful at present.
Yan Rou hailed from Guangyang County, and he knew the coastal routes from both Liaodong and Liaoxi to Guangyang and Yuyang like the back of his hand, even better than Gongsun Du.
Whether planning shortcuts considering terrain or avoiding potential skirmishes in towns along the way, Yan Rou had his own ideas.
Thanks to his guidance, they managed to catch up to Gongsun Zan before the battle at Yuyang concluded, leaving him no chance to escape.
So while Lu Lingju may have spoken dismissively, she held a lot of respect for this talented individual who could be quite useful in Youzhou.
She whispered, “I, Tai Shici, and even Gan Ning don’t have to get our merits divided too clearly, but we definitely need to split with them. Why don’t you understand this? The higher our accomplishments here, the more prominent your contribution in leading us from Liaodong to Yuyang becomes.”
Lu Lingju shot him a look that clearly said: if you want an important role from Chang’an, keep your mouth shut when unnecessary.
What if one of those generals over there is her father?
When it comes time to decide on military merits, even father and daughter have to account for it.
But before Lü Bu could even mutter “rebellious daughter” while trying to claim his credit for taking out Gongsun Zan, Zhang Liao spoke up: “I think what this young man meant is that it’s not the time to delve into this matter. If we start counting, we might as well tally the horse’s contributions too.”
“Gongsun Zan is dead, but Youzhou isn’t entirely within our grasp yet; with both internal turmoil and external threats, why cause chaos over who killed Gongsun Zan? Once news of Youzhou being pacified reaches Guanzhong, the lord can decide then.”
Qiao Yan never shortchanged her people. Even someone like Lü Bu, who had some personality flaws, was given a decent assignment.
The credit for Gongsun Zan’s demise would surely be justly appraised here.
Let’s finish sweeping up first.
Furthermore, Zhang Liao figured there were plenty of opportunities for merit to be earned.
Recognized as a capable individual by Qiao Yan, Zhang Liao’s performance could be described as exemplary.
This wasn’t his first meeting with Tai Shici, but he realized that the nearly three years of solid defense at Juyong Pass didn’t waste his talents; instead, it refined him further.
“What’s the situation on the Liu City front?” Zhang Liao inquired.
This was something Lu Lingju nearly forgot about, which Zhuge Liang managed to pick up on.
As Zhang Liao asked, Zhuge Liang replied: “Liu City is currently under the command of Gongsun Zan’s son, Gongsun Xu, with his long historian Guan Jing assisting. Gongsun Xu isn’t a concern, but Guan Jing can be considered a talent; he’s loyal to Gongsun Zan, making Liu City hard to breach at the moment. Therefore, we haven’t attempted a strong assault; we’ll only keep an eye on key pathways to prevent their southward movement. Now that Gongsun Zan has been beheaded, Liu City is isolated, and those who wish to survive will likely have the urge to create chaos internally. Let’s send news to incite unrest before a siege becomes necessary.”
The situations of Gongsun Zan and Liu Yan were quite different.
Liu Yan nominally remained a subordinate of the Chang’an court and hadn’t acted against it, so upon his death, aside from Liu Zhang, who usurped power and needed to be punished, his other sons would still receive kindness from the court.
Gongsun Zan, on the other hand, had been an adversary.
He had brought Liu Yu to the brink of death and held a grudge of killing Liu Yu’s son!
Given this stance, Gongsun Xu had only a dead end awaiting him.
But no matter how Gongsun Xu desperately resisted in Liu City, he’d ultimately not change the outcome, as Zhuge Liang said.
The death of Gongsun Zan and the impact of the army’s arrival from Wang Shi could not be countered by just Gongsun Xu and Guan Jing. If this internal strife could significantly drain their strength, it would surely benefit those looking to pacify Youzhou.
“Then I’ll leave this matter to Kongming and General Lv. Please assist Gongsun Taishou as needed,” Zhang Liao said.
Though he wasn’t the highest-ranking officer in the area, Qiao Yan had made it clear regarding the arrangements for Youzhou; Zhang Liao was the main general, and it was proper for him to make the arrangements.
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Du shot Zhang Liao a grateful glance.
Returning to the inner region to subdue Liu City was not a dangerous mission and was, in fact, an opportunity for him to add yet another proud feat to his list after pledging loyalty to Chang’an. With Zhuge Liang as the strategist and Lu Lingju as the swift general, he just needed to provide them with another batch of personnel from Liaodong, making it almost a guaranteed win.
No wonder Qiao Yan appointed Zhang Liao as the overall commander for Youzhou.
This young man acted cautiously, especially showing remarkable emotional intelligence.
When he referred to her as “General Lv” instead of “Little General Lv,” it left a favorable impression on Lu Lingju, prompting her to accept the task laid out by Zhang Liao.
“The responsibility on General Lv’s side isn’t small either,” he turned to Lü Bu and said, “Though our siege in Guangyang and Yuyang hasn’t drawn much attention, battles always lead to people migrating, and there may already be civilians fleeing Youzhou along the border with Jizhou, so the news is bound to reach Yuan Shao soon.”
“I know, I’ll guard Zhuo County as instructed by the lord,” Lü Bu replied without a moment’s hesitation.
If Gongsun Zan managed to escape from Yuyang County, making it impossible to pursue him, Lü Bu definitely wouldn’t want to end up on border guard duty.
But in this situation, he had a sizeable hand in Gongsun Zan’s demise, and amidst the banter with his daughter, he saw her burgeoning talents as a future general. So heading to Zhuo County was no longer a matter of just watching Yuan Shao from across the river, but instead to instill fear and make them wonder whether he would deploy his forces!
If this wasn’t the most suitable position for Lü Bu, then what was?
Zhang Liao added, “Additionally, Zhongda and General Gan should go along to assist.”
Sima Yi appeared unfazed on the surface, yet internally, he felt a tinge of helplessness.
If he thought it was tough being Gan Ning’s military adviser when they sailed from the Liao River mouth along the Bohai Bay, now having to work in tandem with Lü Bu would be incredibly challenging.
Even though he prided himself on his linguistic skills and ability to read people, facing this combination, with Yuan Shao holding Jizhou and Qingzhou to the south, he felt a sudden darkness clouding his vision.
Though this unique position could lead to heroic achievements better than those at Xuzhou…
Sima Yi couldn’t help but sigh silently.
Nonetheless, Zhang Liao’s troop allocations were faultless.
Lü Bu’s border defense was designated directly by Qiao Yan, using his credentials and achievements to threaten Jizhou and project possible aggression, which was entirely reasonable.
The Yuhua River mentioned in Qiao Yan’s secret orders was a stream usually flowing well, even in the current dry season, and still had ample flow. The surrounding Baishan Lake and Bohai Sea had plenty of water, making it a perfect venue for Gan Ning to showcase his skills.
It’s worth noting that when supplies crossed the sea to Liaodong, Gan Ning had already learned about the change in Youzhou.
He wasn’t too attached to Liu Yan and had accepted his new position under Qiao Yan instead of being a subordinate of Youzhou.
Since he still had a chance to earn military credit while facing off against the Jizhou court, Gan Ning had no reason to refuse such a fortunate opportunity.
This perhaps was the only small comfort for Sima Yi.
Both Lü Bu and Gan Ning had strong competitive spirits, far better than dealing with two slouches.
And luckily, this was just a temporary arrangement.
Once reports on the Youzhou situation reached Qiao Yan, changes in assignments would surely follow… right?
That was what Sima Yi thought, yet when casting a glance at Zhang Liao and Tai Shici, he couldn’t help but express some subtle regret in his eyes.
If only these two could cooperate, things would be so much easier.
But unfortunately, Zhang Liao was tied up with mopping up the aftermath in Yuyang and Youbeiping, eliminating the influence Gongsun Zan left behind after becoming Youzhou’s governor, making it impossible to get involved at the border so quickly.
And Tai Shici had been called upon to assist Zhang Liao.
“My elder brother Ziyi used to serve as an official in Qingzhou’s Donglai County and has also lived in Liaodong for a long time. Therefore, he should be quite capable when it comes to handling political affairs and understanding Youzhou. Please assist me, brother Ziyi.”
Receiving this request for collaboration, Tai Shici felt no reluctance at all.
“I’m honored that Wen Yuan calls me brother by virtue of justice, but you’ve pledged loyalty to the lord many years before me, so no need for such pleasantries. If there’s anything I can help with here, just let me know.”
Zhang Liao chuckled, “Just looking at someone like you, so clearly capable, yet stuck as a bureaucrat in the Grand Marshal’s office for two whole years, and you still sit there unmoving like a mountain—now that’s a rare sight. Your contribution to the deaths of Gongsun Zan and the pacification of Youzhou is surely significant, so why fuss over who did what first?”
He pointed to Tai Shici’s unit of Divine Bow archers and said, “But since you’ve already stated you’re ready to help, then I won’t hesitate. Please take some men and the news of Gongsun Zan’s death directly to the provincial government in Youbeiping. Bring back the documents from the government storehouse in that area to Yuyang. Moreover, Youbeiping is nearly adjacent to Liaoxi, with one of the closest counties being Gongsun Zan’s old home Lingzhi—”
“Most of Gongsun Zan’s family lives there, and since he had a rather casual relationship with them in the past, it would be wise to invite some talented individuals among them to stabilize the local nobility’s hearts. I’ll report this to the lord in due course.”
Tai Shici clasped his fists in respect towards Zhang Liao, fully admiring his thorough approach.
Youbeiping’s county seat isn’t too far off, and with no cavalry needed for long treks, just a bit of muscle to threaten them suffices, much like what Tai Shici and his troops are doing at this moment.
When he delivered the documents from Youbeiping to Yuyang, the order in the area had already begun its rebuilding after Gongsun Zan’s demise, thanks to the personnel Zhang Liao cultivated during his tenure as Prefect.
Just as Tai Shici returned, he saw Zhang Liao lifting a ledger and saying, “I fear I must trouble you again, brother by virtue of justice. I initially thought my task here was just to assess how many troops were lost due to our battles over these past few days, how many are left, and how many fields remain, but instead, I uncovered something unexpected.”
“I thought Gongsun Zan, known for his fierce valiance in his early days of pacification, would have scoffed at something like playing it safe and securing a backup plan. Yet, he steadfastly followed the route of constructing northern fortresses and has been sending the tax revenue of Yuyang over the past two years to Quanzhou.”
Curious, Tai Shici asked, “Not to Liucheng?”
Zhang Liao shook his head, “Liucheng is deep within Liaoxi, a place only a few of our Central Plains forces can access. It was meant to shelter his wives and children and to give himself a fallback. But Gongsun Zan, who dared to seize the title of Governor of Youzhou, will not be satisfied with merely having Liucheng; he certainly covets a fortified stronghold in the south as well.”
If that place had no practical use, it was just Gongsun Zan’s stash for amassing personal wealth. However, should it need to see action, it would serve as a foothold for his southern advance into Ji Province!
Gongsun Zan’s position as Governor of Youzhou was originally acquired from Yuan Shao, but he had no awe for this “ally” of his.
“What does Wen Yuan suggest we do with this place?”
Zhang Liao replied, “Just have you take a trip to inventory its supplies. Once this list gets back to Yuyang, I bet good news from Liucheng will have arrived, and we can send it all together to the lord.”
This was originally a surprise planned by Gongsun Zan for Yuan Shao, but it now might just be a surprise for them instead!
But how they would use the seized supplies depended on the lord’s wishes.
Zhang Liao’s estimates were accurate; Quanzhou stored a considerable amount of treasures, food, and military supplies. Gongsun Zan even had a significant force stationed there. Even with the news of his death spreading in Yuyang, the soldiers didn’t abandon their posts, causing Tai Shici to take time to conquer the place.
When he returned with the accounting books, Liucheng had already wrapped things up.
Guan Jing, knowing their fate was sealed and that they were no match against their enemies, realizing they couldn’t take the chance to send Gongsun Xu away in the chaos—or even if they did, there’d be nowhere for him to go—set a great fire in Liucheng.
This loyal minister, who often advised Gongsun Zan, chose to self-immolate there, just like in history when he learned of Gongsun Zan’s death and charged into Yuan Shao’s army to die for his master.
A few others perished in the flames with him.
Alongside Gongsun Zan’s son and younger brother, there were also three of Gongsun Zan’s sworn brothers.
No doubt, sworn brothers indeed.
Gongsun Zan himself came from a modest background; his mother wasn’t of high status, so he often chose to associate with those deemed lowly by contemporary standards, like fortune tellers and merchants who weren’t well-regarded in Liaoxi.
Gongsun Zan called himself the big brother, forming brotherhood pacts with diviner Liu Weitai, merchant Li Yizi, and trader Le He Dang, even marrying off his son to their daughters.
The wealth of these individuals was one thing, but how Gongsun Zan treated them sincerely was another.
Though they knew Qiao Yan’s troops might not blame them for their success in attacking Liucheng, and were even offered numerous privileges for merchants in Guanzhong, upon hearing Guan Jing’s intention to die for Gongsun Zan, they joined the cause.
By the time Lu Lingju, with Zhuge Liang’s assistance, stormed into Liucheng, the fire consuming the government building was beyond extinguishing.
For Lu Lingju, there was no hesitation in taking the head of Tadun, nor did she frown upon wiping out Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Brotherhood. However, learning of such brotherly deaths cast a tinge of melancholy upon the young general’s face.
“Let them be buried with honor, especially that Guan Changshi; he was a true righteous man.”
“Gongsun Zan lost his life for betraying his subordinates, yet there were still those willing to die for him. Perhaps that’s the irony of a ferocious hero,” Qiao Yan said, closing the dispatch from Liaodong.
During the battle for Youzhou, she had already arranged many matters in Yizhou, and when the court received the report from Fu Gan, confirming several key positions to be conferred, she set off north.
Upon reaching the borders of Hanzhong, she received a message from Zhang Liao sent her way.
The Youzhou battle was orchestrated by her, and Gongsun Zan’s last remarks felt more like a courtesy than anything profound.
The course of this war from preparation to execution yielded both expected and surprising outcomes.
The unexpected were the growth of those young folks and Zhang Liao showing even more reliability.
She could confidently entrust the governance of Youzhou to him.
Meanwhile, after the death of Yizhou Governor Liu Yan, the position of the Yizhou governor was abolished, reverting back to the inspector category overseeing prefects.
Qiao Yan had secured the three necessary positions—Yizhou Inspector Wu Yi, Zhangqi County Prefect Zhao Ang, and the Cavalry General for Qiang tribes Yao Chang—all the appointments were in place, with the remaining matters not requiring immediate attention this year.
Especially those southern barbarians in southern Yizhou, finding the right people would not be an easy task, let alone bringing them under control.
However, whether to swiftly subdue them was less critical, as the greatest gain in advancing into Yizhou was securing the fertile plains of Chengdu and controlling the waterways upstream of the Yangtze River, allowing for potential military engagements in Jing Province, Xuzhou, and Yang Province—everything else could be taken slowly.
Thus, when she headed north, her directive left to Yao Chang was to prioritize stability above all, especially being cautious of diseases in the southern environment. Any real action should wait until the subsequent medical troops from Chiyang Medical Academy arrived.
At this moment, as Qiao Yan thought along these lines, Xu Shu’s voice broke her thoughts, “Are you pondering how to determine the merits of Gongsun Zan’s death in battle?”
In the report on the Youzhou battle sent by Zhang Liao, details about Gongsun Zan being struck by four arrows emerged, asking her to judge the merit of the achievement.
In those days, coroners were still known as Ling Shi, lacking the professional autopsy methods of the Tang and Song periods, and their status was low. Determining the exact cause of death for Gongsun Zan would be nearly impossible.
Zhang Liao said they treated Gongsun Zan’s corpse with lime before sending it to Chang’an, but if it were up to Qiao Yan, she would prefer a burial on-site instead.
The memories of the events in Youzhou made her unable to stifle a chuckle.
She replied, “There’s really no need to worry about this. After all, I’ve made assignments on using animals for formations, so when it comes to a creature getting shot with four arrows and then stepping in something, it’s not that odd, is it?”
“……” Okay, still a bit strange.
“Just a joke,” Qiao Yan shifted from her light tone to serious. “Yuan Zhi, why must we fuss over who gets the credit for this battle?”
“If I still can’t dare to claim a title for my subordinates amid all this, then how could I have the guts to stand up against the heroes of the world!”
Xu Shu listened to her every word, feeling a surge of enthusiasm that exceeded even the thrill of capturing Yizhou!
She spoke of “I already wield,” not “the Son of Heaven in Chang’an claims this land!”
When Qiao Yan returned from Hanzhong to Guanzhong, the accomplishment of the surprise attack on Chengdu impressed the officials in Chang’an even more than her past triumphs hunting in Hanzhong.
Bingzhou, Liangzhou, Silizhou, Yizhou…
Which former power broker before her could piece things together to such a degree amid the disarray of the Han Dynasty?
Probably none!
So when she stood before the court, it felt painfully strange, even though only a few months had passed since she departed from Chang’an.
Strangely suffocating.
And it fortified Wang Yun’s belief that the upheaval in Yizhou was indeed something planned by Qiao Yan, indicating she was likely no longer content with being just a power broker pushing for the enthronement of the Son of Heaven!
After adjusting his mindset, Wang Yun cautiously approached her, “General, may I inquire about the incident in Yizhou?”
“You may, but…” Qiao Yan replied in a calm tone, shifting her gaze toward him, “Wang Minister, before you pose that question, or before we discuss the Yizhou matter in court, I have something to tell you all.”
Wang Yun froze.
He felt undeniably correct; Qiao Yan’s gaze turned cold and mocking when it landed on him, clearly revealing she had seen through his intentions.
But even if she understood, what then?
Power was in her hands, and whether she harbored any treacherous thoughts was not something Wang Yun could conclude.
Moreover, even if she did harbor such thoughts, what could Wang Yun possibly do?
Qiao Yan reverently bowed to Liu Yu, “Your Majesty, Gongsun Du of Liaodong has already submitted under the threat of warships from Xuzhou and, with the cooperation of the students from Leping Academy, quelled the Uhuan Rebellion in Liaodong, killing the Uhuan chieftain Tadun.”
If that alone would shake the court, then Qiao Yan’s following words struck like thunder in that location.
“Zhang Wenyuan from Shanggu County also mobilized troops from Juyong Pass to jointly seize Guangyang and Yuyang cities with the Northern Cavalry General Lu Fengxian. East and West armies converged; Gongsun Zan has been executed, and his relatives captured in Liucheng.”
“Congratulations, Your Majesty, Youzhou has been pacified.”
