Chapter 351

Chapter 351

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, the Time of the Deer Hunt Chapter 351: Yuan Shao’s Response

Even though Yuan Shao was informed shortly after waking up that the previous letter had been delayed during delivery, it did not affect his determination to invite Cao Cao to Ye City for a meeting to form an alliance.

No matter how Liu Bei’s number of civil officials and generals could not compare to his, Liu Bei was certainly not in the same state as Gongsun Zan, who only had brute strength and a lack of talented subordinates.

Yuan Shao had personally witnessed the abilities of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei during the Battle of Hulao Pass.

He had to admit, even if reluctantly, that these two were rare and formidable generals of their time.

And Liu Bei himself was no mediocrity.

He had earned his way into the officialdom through military achievements during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, secured a foothold in Pei State, Yuzhou during the campaign against Yuan Shu, and received a special “investment” during the turmoil in Xuzhou, thus gaining the title of Governor. If Yuan Shao were in his position, he might not have been able to achieve the same.

Although Liu Bei’s strategists might not be as diverse as Yuan Shao’s, from the moment Chen Deng welcomed Liu Bei into Xuzhou, Liu Bei became tied to the interests of the Xuzhou gentry, who would undoubtedly work tirelessly to ensure his position as Governor of Xuzhou.

Among these people, whether it was Zhao Yu, Wang Lang, Chen Deng, or Chen Gui, none would seem too inferior if placed among Yuan Shao’s own advisors.

Yet, such a Liu Bei, after Qiao Yan personally went to Yang Province and then marched north to Xuzhou, was directly defeated without any chance of recovery, resulting in his imprisonment and impending death.

If this outcome was due to the combined forces of Jing Province, Yang Province, and southern Xuzhou, along with the troops Qiao Yan brought from Luoyang, Yuan Shao might have felt somewhat better. But that was not the case.

Yuan Shao knew well the capabilities of Liu Biao in Jing Province. While Liu Biao might support Qiao Yan due to her strength, the Jing Province gentry would never allow Liu Biao to lend too many of their private troops, fearing trouble from the southern bandits.

In Yang Province, Sun Ce had just passed away, unable to support Qiao Yan with his exceptional military talent, and instead became a hindrance to her.

Yet, these factors did not stop Qiao Yan from completing the encirclement and killing of Liu Bei.

Even before Yuan Shao could send reinforcements, the battle had already concluded.

How could Yuan Shao accept this!

Liu Bei’s fate today could very well be his tomorrow.

An alliance was a must!

“Draft a letter to Cao Mengde for me,” Yuan Shao said, sitting up with the help of Yuan Shang, to his subordinates who had rushed back upon hearing of his awakening.

Xu You and Xin Pi exchanged a glance.

“What are you two standing there for?” Yuan Shao, noticing the exchange, angrily asked.

Xu You hesitantly spoke, “I was thinking, my lord, if you should have a backup plan.”

Seeing Yuan Shao listening, Xu You continued, “After all, Cao Mengde has a deep friendship with Qiao Yanshu. With the recent changes in Xuzhou, and you having not taken any action yet, you are already considering an alliance with him, combining the forces of four provinces to counterattack. This already weakens the momentum of the alliance.”

“But until now, we haven’t seen why Cao Mengde, while making various deals with Bingzhou and sending his son to study at Leping Academy, still stands on our side against Qiao Yanshu. His attitude is too ambiguous, which is not a good thing.”

“My lord, to put it bluntly, you cannot ensure that if we form an alliance with Cao Mengde now and are forced to make concessions due to the situation, he won’t secretly accept Qiao Yanshu’s overtures and deal you a fatal blow at a crucial moment.”

“He is not like you, without the stance of supporting the imperial heir, and can leave at any time. Over the years, Yanzhou has become his stronghold. Even if some families there once wrote to you, showing obvious discord with him, they are no match for him. The title of Governor of Yanzhou no longer relies on the imperial decree from Ye City.”

“If you cannot dominate in this alliance, you will find yourself in a disadvantageous position even before fighting Qiao Yanshu.”

By the time Xu You finished half of his speech, Yuan Shao’s expression had already turned unpleasant.

If he hadn’t been hit by more devastating news earlier, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t faint again at the possibility Xu You described.

He hesitantly asked, “Then, according to what you just said, what should I do now?”

Xu You replied, “During your illness, news from Yang Province confirmed that Sun Bofu’s death was not fabricated by Liu Xuande’s intercepted messenger, but indeed true.”

Yuan Shao said, “So what? I already knew that.”

Xu You: “This shows that Yang Province has indeed become fragmented due to Sun Ce’s death. To secure a worry-free advance north, Qiao Yanshu personally led a risky expedition against Zu Lang, defeating the Shanyue in Danyang, and then detained the four major families of Wu County related to Sun Bofu’s death. These actions, while temporarily winning the support of Sun Bofu’s subordinates, also planted many hidden dangers, especially the latter.”

Hearing this, Yuan Shao’s expression eased a bit.

Xu You continued, “If Yang Province’s advantage could be lost overnight due to conflicts between the Shanyue and the gentry, Xuzhou could be our opportunity because of Liu Xuande.”

“Think about it, since Liu Xuande became the Governor of northern Xuzhou, what have you heard about his reputation there over the years?”

Yuan Shao thought and replied, “A benevolent and capable official?”

“Exactly,” Xu You said, “So, with Liu Bei’s defeat, a sudden one, and his execution by Qiao Yanshu, wouldn’t the people of Xuzhou resent her? If you march into Xuzhou under the banner of avenging Liu Xuande, the counties along the way in northern Xuzhou will surely welcome your army. If we take advantage of the turmoil in Yang Province, we can at least reclaim northern Xuzhou.”

“With such a military achievement, wouldn’t we have more initiative in negotiating an alliance with Cao Mengde?”

Yuan Shao was unwilling to admit that he, a noble from a family of four generations of high officials, also holding the support of the Son of Heaven, could fail so much compared to Qiao Yanshu, who rose from almost nothing. He couldn’t accept that Cao Cao, whom he considered a descendant of eunuchs, could now stand on equal footing with him. Hearing Xu You’s words, he felt a renewed sense of confidence.

The suffocating feeling that had caused him to collapse earlier had mostly dissipated with Xu You’s words, leaving Yuan Shang somewhat dumbfounded.

Yuan Shao asked, “So, should I delay writing to Cao Mengde?”

“No, write now,” Xu You replied, “Say that although he is the Governor of one province and holds power over another, he should still return to the court for reporting. This year’s weather is still poor, and if the Son of Heaven intends to grant amnesty and promote court officials, he should return.”

“Moreover, his eldest son is not young anymore. Staying in the provinces for experience is not ideal. It’s better for him to come to the central government for promotion and then be sent out as a Prefect, with his father seeing him off.”

Mentioning Cao Ang, Yuan Shao’s mind stirred.

Having Cao Cao send Cao Ang to Ye City for an official position could do more than just secure a hostage. Cao Ang, raised by Cao Cao’s wife Lady Ding, whose birth mother died early, was Cao Cao’s legitimate son and heir apparent. Marrying him to a daughter of the Yuan clan would surely strengthen the alliance between the two families.

Indeed, he should come.

But like Xu You, who didn’t state such family matters so bluntly, there was no need to spell it out in the letter inviting Cao Cao to Ye City for discussions.

“Write the letter immediately, as you suggested!” Yuan Shao looked at Xu You with appreciation.

Although Xu You and his family had a greedy streak, and Xu You occasionally spoke bluntly after drinking, given his practical abilities, these flaws were entirely tolerable.

“If we can reclaim Xuzhou this time, I will surely credit you with a great achievement!”

Xu You shook his head, “This is not my achievement alone, but the result of our collective discussion.”

As he spoke, a subtle thought crossed his mind.

The terrifying thing about Qiao Yanshu was that under such pressure, Yuan Shao’s strategists, despite their various factions from Yingchuan, Hebei, Nanyang, and previous overt or covert disputes, had to unite as one. But what about Qiao Yanshu?

From Youzhou in the north to Yangzhou in the south, northwest to the Four Commanderies of Hexi in Liangzhou, southwest to the Nanman territories of Yizhou, her vast territory spanned the ends of the earth. Yet, it was only heard that talents from all over gathered and displayed their abilities, with little heard of power struggles or climbing the ranks.

This could only prove one thing: the Grand Marshal, who could suppress everyone, was truly fearsome and admirable!

To achieve this at the mere age of twenty-two, there was no other explanation than being a prodigy.

He dared not think further, lest he dampen his own side’s morale. Seeing Yuan Shao now looking towards the others behind him, he asked, “Who among you is willing to go to Yangzhou to incite the Wu County gentry and Sun Bofu’s brothers to cause trouble, and who is willing to go to Qingzhou to lead troops south and plot against Xuzhou?”

Guo Tu, anxious about not having made many contributions to Yuan Shao, quickly replied upon hearing the question, thinking of Ju Shou and Xin Pi being away, Tian Feng having defected, and Shen Pei having prior arrangements, “I will go to Yangzhou.”

He knew his limits well. Understanding Yuan Shao’s thoughts and making suggestions that made him feel supported was something Guo Tu was good at, but leading Qingzhou’s troops to assist Yuan Tan and Jiang Qi in taking Xuzhou was beyond him.

It was better to stick to what he was good at.

Inciting the Wu County gentry and Sun’s reckless brothers in Yangzhou seemed much easier to Guo Tu.

If he could thrive under Yuan Shao, how could he fail in Yangzhou?

Thinking of Tian Feng as a negative example, Guo Tu added, “My lord, there’s no need to worry about failure in Yangzhou. Yangzhou is not Bingzhou; it’s not yet Qiao Yanshu’s territory.”

Yuan Shao pondered and felt it made sense, deciding, “Alright, you go then. As for Qingzhou, let Zhongzhi handle it.”

Shen Pei could be dispatched to the northern battlefield to assist or to march into Henei to threaten Luoyang, assisting Zhang He, making him unsuitable for Qingzhou.

Xu You, who often provided the most advice and could communicate best with him, was also needed to handle the alliance with Cao Cao, making him unsuitable for dispatch at this time.

Thus, the most suitable person left was Xin Pi.

Yuan Shao had some reservations about Xin Pi, but Xin Pi and Xin Ping were still his aides, and it was not advisable to suppress them too much. Since he needed to use Xin Pi cautiously, he should make a high-profile appointment for Xin Ping.

Surely, to clear his brother’s previous record, Xin Ping would have to deliver a satisfactory answer.

He indeed saw Xin Ping bow and reply, “I will not disappoint you, my lord.”

Having reached a unified plan and considering the urgency of the military situation, Yuan Shao decided not to send this appointment to the north for discussion with Ju Shou and others, nor to announce it in the Ye City court before achieving any results. Instead, he quickly had someone draft the letter to Cao Cao and sent it out.

Guo Tu, heading south to Yangzhou, and Xin Ping, east to Qingzhou, left Ye City without delay.

Yuan Shao was filled with thoughts of Xin Ping and Yuan Tan joining forces, with Xuzhou’s counties…





Surrendering at the sight of the wind, they will quickly gather a force to oppose Qiao Yan. Guo Tu will surely persuade the noble families of Yang Province to rise up, expel Qiao Yan’s forces, and even pin the blame for Sun Ce’s death on her. Cao Cao will also arrive in Ye City to form a marriage alliance with him—

His body recovered at an astonishing speed.

But just two days later, when he could barely drag his sick body to move, another urgent military report arrived in Yuan Shao’s hands, still from Xuzhou.

The messenger looked up and met Yuan Shao’s almost predatory gaze, instinctively shivering.

Yuan Shao tightly clenched the cup in front of him, sensing that the news wasn’t good—like Liu Bei being rescued and turning the tables. But no matter how bad the news, he couldn’t just ignore it…

“Speak.”

The messenger began, “The people of Xuzhou pleaded for Liu Xuande, surrounding the prefectural office in Tan County, hoping Qiao Yeshu would not kill him. Cai Bojie, having received news of Qiao Yeshu’s actions in Yang Province, also came to Xuzhou to plead for Gu Yuantan of the Wu Commandery’s four great families, arriving barefoot and disheveled.”

“And then?” Yuan Shao’s eyes lit up at this unexpected news.

Previously, Xu You had said that Liu Bei’s high reputation in Xuzhou would surely cause trouble for Qiao Yan, and it seemed to be unfolding right before his eyes!

Such a massive plea for mercy, if launched when his Qingzhou army marched south, would indeed be his opportunity.

However, the messenger’s next words dashed Yuan Shao’s newfound hope.

“Subsequently, she released Chen Yuanlong from prison due to the pleas of the Xuzhou commoners. Based on Chen Yuanlong’s account of Liu Bei’s deeds in Xuzhou, she decided to spare his life and send him to Chang’an for a nominal position.”

“But the four great families of Wu Commandery, having committed numerous evils in her earlier investigations in Xuzhou, were only spared due to Cai Gong’s plea. They were sent to the overseas island of Yizhou, to be released only after reforming.”

Yuan Shao struggled to keep his voice steady, asking, “With this turn of events, how did the people of Xuzhou react?”

The messenger replied honestly, “They said Grand Marshal Qiao listens to the people’s voices and has long been renowned. Now that she has taken over Xuzhou, they are willing to follow her arrangements. Chen Yuanlong, the agricultural officer of Xuzhou, followed her to Luoyang to govern. With Liu Bei safely under the Emperor’s care, their wishes were fulfilled, and they dispersed.”

As if fearing Yuan Shao wasn’t sufficiently shocked, he added, “Before I returned to Ji Province, Xuzhou had already begun setting up defenses against Qingzhou under the coordination of Lu Zijing and Jia Wenhe, with no opposition from the people.”

The detailed report from Xuzhou, along with the messenger’s account, was presented to Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao didn’t smash the cup or flip the table. He just felt that every word on the paper was familiar, but together, they formed something utterly alien to him.

For instance, he couldn’t understand how Qiao Yan seemed to predict Liu Bei’s escape route and intercept him at sea. Or why Zang Ba and Sun Guan, long stationed in Langya Commandery, suddenly switched sides to support her. Or why a plea for mercy turned into a situation where Xuzhou willingly submitted to her rule!

“What a cunning mind!” Xu You, who had been confident earlier, now looked grim. “She’s clearly using Liu Bei’s reputation in Xuzhou to her advantage.”

The detailed account of the plea in the letter made Xu You certain—even without witnessing the scene—that Qiao Yan had no real intention of killing Liu Bei. If she had, Xu You would send his own head to Xuzhou!

Absolutely not!

This whole act of one wanting to kill and many pleading for mercy was clearly a performance for outsiders, not some heartfelt redemption.

With this, the idea of Xuzhou’s people opening the city gates to welcome someone seeking revenge for Liu Bei is almost impossible.

Liu Bei, now in Chang’an with a nominal position, has the best outcome for a defeated man. If Xuzhou were to revolt again because of him, no matter how virtuous he is, he would not survive.

The people who benefited from his kindness wouldn’t risk harming him.

And the situation in Yang Province isn’t much better.

If the plea in Xuzhou was fake, was Cai Yong’s plea for the four great families of Wu Commandery genuine?

The outcome of this plea still favors Qiao Yan and disadvantages Yuan Shao!

Exiling the four great families of Wu Commandery overseas is far better than executing them, as it causes less backlash in Yang Province. If she now promotes talents like Zhou Yu from other Yang families to high positions, she might even gain support from Yang’s factions.

The idea of Yang Province being unstable was just their baseless speculation.

And if she has considered the handling of Liu Bei and the Wu families so meticulously, would she really neglect Sun Ce’s former subordinates and relatives?

Yuan Shao and Xu You exchanged glances, both seeing the answer in each other’s eyes.

Absolutely not!

“This is bad!” Xu You exclaimed. “If Guo Gongze arrives in Yang Province and learns of this, won’t it be troublesome?”

Xin Ping’s situation is manageable. Once he learns Liu Bei is alive, he’ll realize they’ve missed the best opportunity to attack and will wait for Yuan Shao’s next move. But what about Guo Tu?

If he arrives in Yang Province unaware of its stability and directly approaches Sun Hao and others, he might be reported to Qiao Yan, leading him down the same path as Xin Pi or Tian Feng!

Yuan Shao quickly ordered, “Send someone south immediately to intercept Guo Gongze and bring him back.”

He can’t go to Yang Province. Whether he falls into Qiao Yan’s hands or is killed for failing to persuade, Yuan Shao’s face would be lost!

But if Qiao Yan knew Yuan Shao’s thoughts, she might think he’s worrying too much.

Guo Tu and Tian Feng are different.

The latter is a talent, while the former is a fool in a talent’s disguise.

Qiao Yan doesn’t covet Guo Tu’s family’s legal texts or his prestigious background—Chang’an’s legal team is already far beyond what Yuan Shao can imagine.

She also doesn’t need his flattery—her recorded achievements in the “Shanhe Lu” have been printed and spread far and wide, far more useful than Guo Tu’s words.

Though both share the surname Guo, this Guo and that Guo are worlds apart.

Considering Guo Tu’s performances in Yuan Shao’s camp, which often seemed like he was a spy for the enemy, she might not even bother making Yuan Shao pay a price like she did with Xin Pi and Gao Lan.

Simply sending him back might bring her greater benefits.

In this light, Yuan Shao needn’t worry about Guo Tu’s safety. At most, he should worry about how Guo Tu’s return with news of Yang Province’s stability might further provoke him.

What Qiao Yan is more concerned about is Chang’an’s reaction.

To prevent further turmoil in Xuzhou and Yang Province, and to adjust her plans after receiving the Emperor’s orders, she decided not to return to Chang’an immediately. After Sun Ce’s funeral, she sent those heading to Leping Academy on their way and planned the return journey to Chang’an.

Chen Deng, heading to Luoyang, would naturally accompany the Chang’an-bound group for part of the journey.

Former Xuzhou Governor Zhang Yi, returning to Chang’an for his report, had to be included.

Yu Fan, who claimed to be well-suited for the luxurious life in Chang’an, was also added to the group.

Liu Bei, the crucial captive, after being brought to Yang Province, was to be sent to Chang’an.

But to prevent Guan Yu and Guan Ping from pulling off some miraculous escape, Qiao Yan decided to keep them under close guard until Liu Bei was safely delivered to Chang’an.

She then assigned Zhou Tai and Dian Wei to the escort team, feeling somewhat reassured.

Since they were returning to Chang’an, they would take the same route through Jing Province. Qiao Yan also ordered Zhang Yun’s Jing naval forces and Wen Ping’s Jing army to return, keeping a few Jing ships for travel between Xuzhou and Yang Province.

As for Liu Biao, whether he would quickly return these “bodyguards” to her or let his imagination run wild, Qiao Yan didn’t care.

She then removed Lu Kang, the dismissed Lujiang Prefect, from the soon-to-depart overseas group and added him to the Chang’an-bound team.

Lu Kang, having fathered Lu Ji late in life, was now quite old. If he encountered storms or diseases on the voyage to Yizhou, he likely wouldn’t survive.

She couldn’t face the Lu family if that happened.

Besides, sending him to Chang’an was justifiable. As a Han-appointed prefect, exiling him to Yizhou without proper legal grounds was beyond her authority as Grand Marshal.

Thus, she would send this “criminal” to Chang’an for Liu Yu to decide his fate.

Zhou Yu watched as Qiao Yan wrote a letter, casually mentioning that if Lu Kang were to be exiled, sending him to Liangzhou would suffice, as the Qiang rebellions there had subsided, reducing the risk of him colluding with them.

Zhou Yu: “…”

Exiling Lu Kang to Liangzhou—what’s the difference from reuniting him with his daughter?

To speak of such differential treatment so nonchalantly, Qiao Yan’s mindset is truly unique.

He then saw her fold the letter and hand it to Dian Wei.

“Ensure these prisoners are safely delivered to Chang’an. No mistakes. Liu Bei carries the hopes of Xuzhou’s people. If anything happens, Gongjin’s governance in Xuzhou will face difficulties.”

Dian Wei nodded solemnly, then asked, “But if I go to escort the Chang’an-bound group, what about your safety?”

Zhou Yu glanced at Dian Wei, surprised by his genuine concern for Qiao Yan. Considering her entourage and the ever-present Three-Section Spear, he wasn’t sure how to react.

He simply thought that Qiao Yan would never face the same fate as Sun Ce, who was caught off guard while incognito.

Qiao Yan waved her hand, “No need to worry. Go ahead. I have enough guards here.”

She had more than just human guards…

After Dian Wei and Zhou Yu left, she heard the system muttering in her mind: [Even if those attendants are unreliable, you still have me, the alert system.]

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but laugh, “Yes, yes, you’ve improved.”

From an alarm clock to a guard—isn’t that progress?

Though it still doesn’t have much to do with the Strategist System.

The system, unaware of Qiao Yan’s inner teasing—since it lacked mind-reading capabilities—simply accepted the somewhat perfunctory praise and asked: [Are you still not planning to spend your accumulated points on luck?]

“No,” Qiao Yan glanced out the window, as if looking toward distant Chang’an. “I’m afraid if I boost it too high, they won’t even have a chance to act.”

She didn’t want a repeat of the snake-in-the-pot incident.

That would be too boring.

After all, she had already sent all the favorable winds to Chang’an…