Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 1: The Yellow Turban Rebellion, The Clear Voice of a Young Phoenix, Chapter 34: There is a Woman Named Fu Shou

Dreaming of Mount Tai and holding the sun, in the Han Dynasty’s environment that valued prophetic and mystical texts, actually carried the implication of assisting a dragon’s rise.

This dragon couldn’t be just any ordinary dragon.

Since the First Emperor of Qin performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai, up to the reign of Liu Hong, among the more than twenty emperors, only two had the qualification to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, and Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu.

Although the Han Dynasty still centralized power, under the trigger of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the lurking crises everywhere were fully exposed.

Liu Hong established the Xiping Stone Classics to promote education, but he also indulged in political manipulation and hedonistic pleasures.

He was clearly not the emperor capable of performing the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai.

Cheng Li hadn’t yet thought as far as the situation of regional warlords dividing the empire, nor had he considered the possibility of the Han Dynasty collapsing and someone replacing it.

He merely thought that in the omen of holding the sun at Mount Tai, the sun might not necessarily point to the emperor, but perhaps to someone who could stabilize the current chaos, someone with the ability of Huo Guang, who once facilitated the Zhaoxuan Restoration.

Could Qiao Yan be that person?

Cheng Li dared not give a definitive answer at this moment.

But even among the famous generals of the realm, she did not pale in comparison. Facing the Great Virtuous Teacher, she still displayed eloquence. Although she suppressed the Yellow Turban rebels, she also showed compassion. Such a person was rare in the world.

If Qiao Yan only had some talent in reciting poetry and explaining the classics, Cheng Li might have doubted whether she could truly excel. But her ability to understand people’s hearts and strategize was already mature. This skill would only become more brilliant with more experience, not fade into mediocrity.

Moreover, her name contained the character “Yan.”

What does “Yan” mean? The color of jade shining like fire, the word “Yan” implies flame, the rising of light.

And if this jade flows with fire, isn’t it like a rising red sun?

So, does the dream of holding the sun signify Qiao Yan?

When Cheng Li saw Qiao Yan, he directly addressed her intentions, somewhat testing her.

If she played the emotional card, Cheng Li would think her unfit to be a leader, lacking the hierarchical distinction. If she retreated under pressure or showed awkwardness, Cheng Li would doubt her adaptability.

But now, with her straightforward “Zhongde understands me,” Cheng Li couldn’t help but laugh.

At forty, he realized he had only a few decades left to make an impact.

A poor family is still a family, and a commoner still has a clan!

He wasn’t even from a poor family or a commoner clan, nor did he have a local official like Zhu Jun to recommend him as a filial and incorrupt candidate. His path to advancement was extremely limited.

He was indeed picky about whom he served, but after some thought, following Qiao Yan seemed to be his best option.

Leping’s geographical location destined it to be a place where one could fully display their talents.

So why not dare to think and act, to gamble, and see if the person who could seize the position of County Marquis at the throat of the realm could truly become a rising sun?

Cheng Li’s thoughts were fleeting. To Qiao Yan, it was just a moment after she spoke that Cheng Li stood up and bowed to her, “With Lord Qiao’s regard, how could Cheng Li not comply?”

The person she least expected to follow had given a willing reply, making Qiao Yan breathe a sigh of relief.

But such certainty need not show on her face. She looked at Cheng Li and replied, “Zhongde has a deep mind, how could he not be worth regarding? But before heading to Luoyang, shouldn’t we first go to Dong’e?”

With a top strategist like Cheng Li temporarily following her, Qiao Yan naturally had to consider his interests.

Previously, due to the need to avoid exposure, they bypassed Dong’e during their march through Ji Province. But now, they couldn’t avoid going there.

Although the Xue family had received the title of Tinghou from Liu Hong, thanks to Cheng Li’s decision, they would likely announce to the people of Dong’e that they hadn’t truly joined the Yellow Turbans. But rather than letting the Xue family play the good guy, it was better to make a triumphant return on the way to Luoyang.

After Cheng Li left, the rumors in Dong’e would probably be:

Cheng Li and the Xue family pretended to join Liang Zhongning’s Yellow Turbans, assisting the imperial army in pacifying Yanzhou. The Xue family contributed greatly and were rewarded with the title of Tinghou. Cheng Li strategized and was valued by the County Marquis of Leping, becoming his deputy.

Such rumors would naturally spread further than Cheng Li’s statement that “fools cannot be worked with.”

By then, in the minds of the county’s people, Cheng Li wouldn’t be seen as someone who left because he was ashamed to associate with them, even keeping such important matters secret and eventually leaving for distant lands.

Instead, he would be seen as someone who didn’t want to involve his fellow villagers in life-and-death matters, sacrificing himself for the stability of Yanzhou.

Fortunately, he eventually gained the appreciation of a great figure, obtaining fertile ground to display his talents.

Thus, Cheng Li’s story transformed from one of talent and arrogance to a tale of a man who took a bold risk in times of crisis and ultimately gained something.

Although Qiao Yan explained it simply to Cheng Li, someone of his caliber naturally understood the subtext.

He felt comforted by her thoughtfulness but only said, “Why not bear this reputation?”

“Since we’re traveling far, we should leave no regrets,” Qiao Yan replied.

Besides, who knows if they might return to Yanzhou in the future?

Now, they were just planting a seed to guide their reputation, which didn’t take much effort, but in the future… it might prove useful.

Of course, she wouldn’t say these things to anyone, especially since they were heading to Luoyang with Huangfu Song, who had been promoted from Left General to General of the Chariots and Cavalry. Some things weren’t suitable for him to hear.

Although Huangfu Song was leading the march again, it wasn’t as strict as before, and the pace was slower.

From Dong’e to Puyang, Huangfu Song even gave Qiao Yan some time to visit the county office in Puyang.

Previously, Huangfu Song’s reserve forces had advanced to reclaim Yanzhou, and the remaining Yellow Turban rebels under Liang Zhongning in Puyang had already been wiped out.

Ji Province had received direct orders from Liu Hong, but Yanzhou had to wait for the administrative officials to arrive before passing judgment on these people.

As the County Marquis of Leping, Qiao Yan wasn’t suitable to overstep her authority in this matter.

So, her visit wasn’t about settling personal scores but to retrieve something.

It was the records of her conversations with the old farmers among the Yellow Turban refugees during her time overseeing spring plowing in Puyang.

But as she had the books and records carried out and loaded onto the carriage, she was greeted by a special visitor.

It wasn’t surprising that this person came. It was Tian Tao, the head of the Tian family.

And he wasn’t alone.

Qiao Yan noticed a cart behind him, loaded with dozens of bolts of silk.

“Master Tian, what is this?” Qiao Yan asked.

Tian Tao bowed and replied, “This is the Tian family’s gift of gratitude to Lord Qiao.”

Their departure from Quzhou hadn’t been delayed long, so Tian Tao had only learned of Tian Yan’s title of Tinghou a short while ago.

Hearing from Tian Yan how he had earned the title, Tian Tao couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread.

The title of Tinghou was enough to compensate for the Tian family’s previous losses and had an irreplaceable influence.

But at the battle of Changshe, if a stray arrow had hit Tian Yan, he would never have returned.

This title was truly earned with his life!

Yet, upon returning home, the boy had forgotten how close he had come to death, only thinking of his triumphant return and bringing glory to the family.

This led to the discussion of a gift for Qiao Yan.

Of course, they had to thank her, and regardless of the Tian family’s rewards, with the Tian brothers’ social skills, upon hearing that Qiao Yan, at such a young age, had obtained the title of County Marquis, they knew she was someone they must befriend.

But this was from the perspective of the Tian family head. As a father…

Qiao Yan looked at the items on the cart and asked, “Sixty bolts of silk, twenty catties of gold. I haven’t formally apologized for the damage to the Tian family’s fortress, and now you’re giving me such a gift. Isn’t this inappropriate?”

Even though the Han Dynasty’s “catty” was different from the modern catty, being half the weight, twenty catties of gold by modern standards was only five kilograms, not much compared to the hundreds of catties of gold often seen in Han Dynasty rewards.

And sixty bolts of silk were just a cartload, a small amount for a wealthy family. The Tian family naturally had more than just the fortress.

But not mentioning purchasing power would be unfair.

Based on the grain prices Qiao Yan had seen in Yanzhou and Ji Province, and the conversion of silk and gold to Han Dynasty coins, this was roughly enough to buy 300 tons of rice by modern standards.

This was no small sum.

But Qiao Yan had to accept it.

Because the Tian family head’s gift clearly had other implications.

If it were just a gift of gratitude, the best way to thank Qiao Yan, given her upcoming journey, wouldn’t be silk but gold. Yet, Tian Tao had done this.

What did it mean?

It was redemption for death!

Since the 29th year of Emperor Guangwu’s Jianwu era, redemption for death had been recorded differently from the Western Han period. Originally, gold could redeem death, but it was replaced by silk and border service.

Last year’s edict set the price for redeeming death with silk at twenty bolts per person.

The three members of the Tian family’s main line made exactly sixty bolts.

In Tian Tao’s pleading gaze after bowing to her, there was a clear message: she had done the Tian family a great favor, but please don’t involve them in such life-and-death matters again.

Qiao Yan was almost amused by Tian Tao’s roundabout way of saying, “Don’t play with our child.”

But clearly, Tian Yan hadn’t understood his father’s good intentions.

He even thoughtfully exchanged the silk for more portable gold for Qiao Yan, saying, “If Lord Qiao returns to Yanzhou, any command, even at the cost of my life, I will obey.” This completely undermined the deal his father had worked so hard to achieve.

After leaving the father and son’s sight, Qiao Yan and Cheng Li exchanged a smile. “The difference in their cunning really doesn’t seem like father and son.”

“So, Lord Qiao, do you prefer the cunning or the pure-hearted?” Cheng Li asked.

“I prefer those who give money,” Qiao Yan replied after some thought.

No matter how fertile the land of Leping County was, it couldn’t escape the drought that had struck indiscriminately last year.

The unique terrain of two mountains enclosing a basin, plus the river’s path, couldn’t fully cover irrigation without the invention of the waterwheel. Local harvests had sharply declined.

As the newly enfeoffed County Marquis, Qiao Yan naturally couldn’t drain the pond to catch all the fish.

No matter how much she wanted to make a mark on her territory, she had to follow some basic rules. So, Tian Tao’s gift could be considered her startup capital.

Thus, she didn’t care if they were trying to sever some karmic ties; as long as they gave money, it was fine.

Cheng Li shook his head with a smile, but his opinion of Qiao Yan rose another level.

Someone who considered practicality more than being swayed by emotions was more suited to be a leader.

And so, the matter was settled.

On their westward journey, they didn’t discuss it further.

After passing Yan County from Puyang, Xu Fu, as he had mentioned when they left Quzhou, headed south to Yingchuan to see his mother, inform her of his decision, and after arranging everything, meet up with Qiao Yan.

Not knowing how long Qiao Yan’s stay in Luoyang would be or how long Xu Fu’s trip to Yingchuan would take, they agreed that he needn’t come to Luoyang but could go directly to Leping.

After all, Leping wasn’t going anywhere.

After seeing off Xu Fu, the group continued along the north bank of the Yellow River, passing Yuanwu and Juan County, crossing the Yellow River by boat to reach Aocang.

From there, they headed to Chenggao.

After the Sui Dynasty renamed Chenggao to Sishui, it became known as Sishui Pass, but now it was still called Hulao Pass due to King Mu of Zhou capturing a tiger there.

Although Hulao Pass wasn’t one of the Eight Passes of Luoyang, its status was no less than any of them.

With its strategic location connecting Song Mountain to the south, the Yellow River to the north, and mountain passes, it was a crucial military stronghold.

The famous “Three Heroes Fight Lü Bu” in “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” took place here.








When Qiao Yan arrived at the pass with Huangfu Song, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of nearing the capital as she gazed up at the imposing gate.

Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the defenses here had been tightened to prevent rebels from breaking through and causing irreversible damage. Fortunately, the Yellow Turban threat had been kept outside the pass, and the increased defenses had not been needed.

Of course, the level of defense didn’t concern them much, as the guards at the pass would surely recognize those approaching.

After all, Bi Lan and others had taken this route when they left Luoyang to deliver imperial decrees, and Huangfu Song could be considered something of an idol to the guards.

Seeing Bi Lan and his party return, along with Huangfu Song leading his troops back, it was clear they brought good news of victory.

They promptly opened the Hulao Pass.

The heavy gates slowly opened before Qiao Yan, and after they entered, the gates closed behind them with a resonant echo through the mountains.

Qiao Yan glanced back at Hulao Pass, her expression thoughtful, though no one could guess her thoughts.

At least Bi Lan, who had been conversing with her before entering, didn’t know—it was likely a sense of nostalgia.

Qiao Yan’s momentary distraction didn’t stop her from continuing to discuss the historical battles of Hulao Pass with Bi Lan.

For example, when the Han state entered through Hulao to conquer Zheng, or when during the reign of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, Meng Ao attacked Han, forcing them to cede Hulao, allowing Qin to station troops there against the six states.

Her voice wasn’t loud, so from Yuan Shao’s perspective, it seemed Qiao Yan had said something to the eunuch that captivated him.

This made Chunyu Qiong’s earlier judgment of her stance seem less of a misunderstanding.

To act this way after being granted the title of County Marquis was truly… outrageous!

In terms of status among those present, Yuan Shao, though a bastard son, was considered half-legitimate after being adopted by Yuan Cheng’s family. His impressive appearance also earned him the favor of Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei, making him the highest-ranking person there.

Yet Qiao Yan chose to converse with the eunuch, ignoring him entirely, which naturally made Yuan Shao take mental note.

He then saw Qiao Yan accept Bi Lan’s suggestion to switch from land to water travel after passing Hulao, following the Luo River downstream to avoid the hardships of mountain roads.

But Yuan Shao didn’t know that Qiao Yan’s actions weren’t meant to deceive; she simply found Bi Lan more necessary to engage with than Zhang Rang or Yuan Shao.

Chunyu Qiong looked down on Bi Lan for his promotion through clever tricks, but two years later, in the third year of Zhongping, Bi Lan would be ordered by Liu Hong to oversee the construction of a waterwheel.

At the time, the waterwheel was for Liu Hong’s amusement, but its impact on future agriculture made it more than just a frivolous invention.

Building a relationship with Bi Lan, who was more inventor than eunuch, was beneficial for Qiao Yan.

She knew of the waterwheel but couldn’t sketch its design like she could with maps.

As for Yuan Shao…

If Qiao Yan were a man, she would need to maintain good relations with him.

Leveraging the Yuan clan’s prestige or Yuan Shao’s social circle to connect with talented individuals would be easier than going it alone.

But as a woman who became a County Marquis through Liu Hong’s decision, not the Yuan clan’s support, she had to carefully manage her distance from noble families.

To Liu Hong, eunuchs without heirs who relied on him were undoubtedly loyal, even potential scapegoats in extreme cases.

This was why, during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, when accusations were made against the Ten Attendants, Liu Hong only extracted wealth from them and why—

Qiao Yan could show them appropriate kindness now.

Bi Lan had no idea of Qiao Yan’s intricate thoughts. To him, the newly appointed Marquis Qiao was much easier to get along with than the noble families, relatives, or officials.

Earlier, she spoke knowledgeably about Hulao’s history, and now, on the boat on the Luo River, she admitted her limited knowledge of Luoyang, having only visited as a child and lived in Liang since. She even asked Bi Lan for guidance.

Feeling valued, Bi Lan became more talkative.

In this harmonious conversation, the boat passed Gong County and Yanshi, nearing the junction of the Luo and Yi Rivers, where Qiao Yan could see the outskirts of Luoyang.

The outskirts were mostly for farming and rituals, with most residences within the city walls.

Han Luoyang was unique compared to later capitals.

Or rather, Qin and Han capitals shared this trait.

The city’s outer areas lacked walls, relying on rivers, canals, and mountains as natural barriers.

Beyond these were the suburbs and further out, the wilderness.

As the boat approached the Luo River floating bridge, Bi Lan, seeing Qiao Yan looking north, had the boat stop to explain.

“Luoyang’s southern boundary is the Luo River. If defense is needed, it’s set up on the floating bridge,” Bi Lan gestured to the guards on the bridge, then continued, “South of the bridge is Luoyang’s southern suburbs, where the altar to the Red Emperor is. North of the bridge—”

Qiao Yan followed Bi Lan’s pointing to see a prominent square platform on the north bank. Bi Lan explained, “That’s Lingtai, where the Grand Historian observes and records the stars.”

Earlier on the boat, Bi Lan mentioned that besides their rewards for quelling the rebellion in Ji Province, the Emperor had made a special move.

He appointed Ma Lun, wife of Minister over the Masses Yuan Wei and from the Fufeng Ma clan, as Grand Historian.

Thus, Lingtai would be her workplace.

This deviation from history didn’t alarm Qiao Yan; instead, she felt it was a sign of her influence.

If her interference in the Yellow Turban Rebellion didn’t cause changes, she’d feel insignificant.

Ma Lun becoming Grand Historian was something Qiao Yan found amusing.

Bi Lan added, “Opposite Lingtai are the Hall of Enlightenment and Biyong.”

“These are for rituals; my father mentioned them,” Qiao Yan replied.

“Exactly, for rituals, imperial inspections, and ceremonies,” Bi Lan said. “Behind Biyong is the Imperial Academy.”

Despite Liu Hong’s support for Hongdu Gate Academy, it couldn’t overshadow the Imperial Academy, the most desired place for scholars.

Thus, the southern part of Luoyang, within the city walls, held significant importance.

In this area, six li wide and four li long, were places for rituals, astronomy, and education. The southern market was known for music, with residents skilled in instruments and singing, making it Luoyang’s cultural hub.

Only a few residences were scattered along the Luo River.

But these were unsafe, as rising waters could flood and destroy them.

What about the eastern part?

The eastern boundary, marked by the Yang Canal, had the Xuanping Gate for officials and a protective barrier, with the rest being residential areas.

The eastern market, known for commerce, housed many merchants, connecting to the horse market outside the Shangdong Gate and the Shangli area at the foot of Mang Mountain in the northern part.

Naturally, those closer to the palace had higher status.

But Qiao Xuan didn’t live there.

He lived in the western part.

According to Bi Lan, outside Guangyang Gate was Luoyang’s grand market. From Zhangfang Canal east, south to the Luo River, north to Mang Mountain, an area two li wide and fifteen li long, was where the imperial relatives lived, colloquially called Prince’s Lane.

West of Prince’s Lane was where high-ranking officials resided.

Though Qiao Xuan was a clean-handed official who had served the Han loyally, when he retired years ago, Liu Hong, citing the noisy eastern market as unsuitable for recuperation, had him moved to the western part.

However, the residence’s setup exceeded Liu Hong’s expectations, standing out amidst the surrounding wealth.

Luoyang’s markets followed the city’s layout; the eastern part connected to the horse market, while the western part linked to the inner gold market, inaccessible to commoners.

Bi Lan’s tone revealed a hint of pride as he spoke.

Thanks to Liu Hong’s favor, his residence was also in this area. Though rarely used, being near Prince’s Lane was a great honor to him.

Qiao Yan didn’t interrupt his boasting. As they disembarked at Hutaogong, she listened to Bi Lan’s descriptions while observing the historical site, now just a foundation.

Past Hutaogong, they entered a neighborhood of walled residences.

Some stood out, like the Princess Terrace built by Liang Ji, a powerful minister during the reigns of Emperor Shun and Emperor Zhi of Han. Legend had it that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the terrace was over five zhang high. Now, Qiao Yan saw it was at least seven or eight zhang, an anomaly in the city.

Twenty-five years had passed since Emperor Huan removed this influential relative, but Liang Ji’s impact on the western part remained, such as the Xianyang Garden north of Prince’s Lane, once his garden.

Despite poisoning Emperor Zhi and, during Emperor Huan’s reign, wearing swords and not bowing to the Emperor, Liu Hong still heavily relied on and empowered relatives.

Just as Qiao Yan thought this, Bi Lan’s tone turned serious. “Since you’re new to Luoyang, you must follow its rules. Unlike elsewhere, the neighborhoods are walled, with no street-facing doors. At night, the gates are locked, and you must not go out.”

Jian Shuo’s uncle, Jian Tu, was beaten to death by Cao Cao, then Commandant of the Northern District, for violating curfew and wandering the streets at night.

This was quite different from later dynasties with bustling night markets.

But Bi Lan was right; she had to follow the rules here.

In the Emperor’s city, even a random stone could hit two imperial relatives. Being a County Marquis wasn’t a free pass.

Bi Lan’s advice showed his regard for her, and Qiao Yan accepted it graciously.

“As long as you understand, follow me,” Bi Lan said, knowing his neighbors well and thus the location of Qiao Xuan’s residence.

He led Qiao Yan through several streets.

Familiar with the area, Bi Lan navigated without hesitation, eventually entering the Yanxi Lane.

The gatekeeper was surprised to see Dian Wei following Qiao Yan.

Yanxi Lane was for high-ranking officials and nobles; even guards were well-dressed and dignified, not resembling butchers from outside the city.

But he recognized Bi Lan. If the eunuch saw no issue bringing this man in, he had nothing to say.

Yanxi Lane had nine residences, with Qiao Xuan’s being the smallest.

As Bi Lan knocked, Qiao Yan noticed the peeling red lacquer on the door. When opened, the courtyard inside seemed desolate.

Despite it being summer, a large tree leaned against the wall, its leaves showing signs of ill health.

The elderly gatekeeper stood silently, letting them announce themselves before heading inward.

Suddenly, Qiao Yan heard a noise and looked up to see a young girl, about four or five, peeking over the wall. Upon being noticed, she smiled and disappeared.

“Who’s that?” Qiao Yan pointed and asked.

After a moment, Bi Lan replied, “That’s the daughter of Fu Shou, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, named Shou.”

Fu Shou’s daughter… Shou?

Fu Shou?