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“Is it not possible for a strategist to ascend the throne?”
Chapter 353: Thunder on Dry Ground…
But for Liu Bei, this was far from an ordinary day.
The city of Chang’an was originally strange to him, but by now, from the changes that occurred between August of the third year of Guangxi to March of the fourth year of Jian’an, it had transformed into something even more different from the court under Ye City.
The news of the “Leping Monthly Report, March Issue for Sale” became clearer to Liu Bei as he walked into the city under Dian Wei’s “accompaniment,” but before long, this voice was drowned out by other noises.
Liu Bei felt he ought to be grateful for his decent hearing, which allowed him to catch these dispersed voices clearly.
This part nearest to Chang’an’s city gate might be occupied by individuals of relatively lower status, only slightly better than those living in the outskirts of Chang’an.
Amidst this, discussions about price reductions in the city markets, calls for discounts at winter clothing stores as the spring plowing season approached, and announcements about enrollment at Chiyang Medical Academy and the Painting Academy mixed together.
Just then, two children brushed past Liu Bei, chatting about the content of the March issue, specifically this year’s cotton expansion plan.
“So this is what cotton looks like when it grows… I used to think it would be a tree with a bunch of fluffy stuff on it, looking like an oversized mushroom.”
Liu Bei paused sharply upon hearing this.
Wait a minute, isn’t it like that?
When the news of cotton clothing first reached Ye City, Yuan Shao intended to trade with Qiao Yan for cotton seeds, but the price they presented was far beyond what he could afford.
According to Yuan Shao, “Even if Qiao Yan’s cotton tree transplanting isn’t simple, since it’s a plant, it’s not easy for us here either. It takes dozens of sheepskins to exchange for a single seed, and growing it to the point where it can bear cotton could take years. If we’re not careful, we might end up killing it; it’s a total loss.”
Yuan Shao certainly had no intentions of making such a deal; after all, he didn’t have money to burn.
Liu Bei had heard about this and had thus developed some associations regarding cotton trees.
Now, with this new information, it clearly wasn’t the case.
He turned to Dian Wei and asked, “Could you trouble someone to fetch me a copy of the monthly report?”
Though Liu Bei was a prisoner, according to Qiao Yan in Xuzhou, he wasn’t treated all that restrictively.
Before they left, Qiao Yan had even told Dian Wei that once they reached Chang’an, all he needed to do was to keep an eye on Liu Bei without too much fuss.
If Liu Yu, the current emperor, granted Liu Bei amnesty, they wouldn’t need to impose any restrictions on him, especially regarding whom he could associate with.
Now, he simply needed a copy of the Leping Monthly Report, which would at most help him gain more insight into the place upon his arrival in Chang’an, making it feel beyond the realms of restriction.
Dian Wei waved, and immediately someone went to buy a newspaper for Liu Bei.
Liu Bei’s gaze lingered briefly on the road where travelers still paused out of curiosity, and it wasn’t long before the March issue of the Leping Monthly Report was delivered into his hands.
He opened it to find, aside from warnings about this year’s natural disasters, the pages largely featured cotton, as mentioned by the children.
One page had illustrations of cotton, its historical progression, its spread and introduction route, and the various challenges encountered during its cultivation.
Upon seeing the cotton plant’s appearance and the listed scale of cotton fields, a thought flashed in Liu Bei’s mind: if Yuan Shao saw this report, he would probably be so angry he’d spit blood.
And this article was far from just about cotton!
Since this cotton came from outside the region, the monthly report outlined the trade routes that have been reopened in the Silk Road of Liangzhou over the past few years, documenting the contributions of figures like Xu Rong and Ma Teng during this period and how they acquired cotton, horses, and other crops from outside.
These two generals, previously ignored by the central plains’ powers, had unexpectedly reappeared in the Leping Monthly Report, leading one to reflect that there truly has never been a general wrongly used by Qiao Yan, nor anyone she was afraid to utilize.
In the past, everyone thought that since Ma Teng once conspired with Han Sui in Liangzhou, after Qiao Yan forced Han Sui’s demise, she’d definitely be on guard against Ma Teng.
By choosing to deploy Ma Chao while reallocating Ma Teng to such a remote place as the Four Commanderies of Hexi, she effectively divided their powers.
Similarly, Xu Rong, once a subordinate of Dong Zhuo, though Qiao Yan managed to sway him to join her forces before attacking Luoyang, his background from Youzhou and previous service under Dong Zhuo made it difficult for others to trust him completely.
Yet today’s recognition of their merits through such a medium, as thousands of copies of the Leping Monthly Report spread to every household, delivered a crushing blow to all sorts of rumors and misconceptions.
Liu Bei couldn’t help but silently commend her.
Even at this moment, he had not fully shifted his stance from being an adversary to Qiao Yan, yet he had to acknowledge that after this endeavor, her allure to generals would undoubtedly rise significantly.
Didn’t he notice this line as well…
This year, they had also plundered back two hundred prized horses from the western regions, some being rewards for subordinate generals, while some continued to be used for breeding excellent horses in Liang and Bing provinces.
This undoubtedly posed yet another pressure on Yuan Shao.
The strategy to advance into Liangzhou that once sounded like a madman’s ramblings has now demonstrated its terrifying influence after six years.
But what was even more troubling than the profits from expanding into Liangzhou?
Liu Bei turned the page and noticed it stated that due to the cotton cultivation industry having completely gotten on track, there were now effective disaster mitigation channels for various diseases and pests associated with cotton, allowing for much larger scale cultivation to commence.
The appearance of cotton spinning wheels, already completed under Huang Yueying’s leadership, implied that the cotton fabric that had previously only supplied the nobility was about to emerge in large quantities under her guidance.
The profits from this would support the construction of an engineering academy in Guanzhong and the expansion of the Leping Academy in Bingzhou by the end of this year.
Clearly, while her influence from the battles in Xuzhou and Yangzhou was still fermenting, she had already laid out her ambitions in other areas through the Leping Monthly Report!
This meticulous approach, where she marched step by step, only made one feel a sense of apprehension.
Was making her an enemy truly the right choice?
Harboring these thoughts, when Liu Bei was brought into the main hall of the palace to meet Liu Yu, he still felt a touch of dazedness.
As a native of Youzhou, Liu Bei understood better than most what this place looked like before Liu Yu took charge as the governor.
To achieve trade and mutual friendship here, balancing between the Wuhu people and Han people, and even maintaining grain prices at relatively low levels during chaotic years, Liu Yu’s skill must be considerable.
In fact, Liu Bei even felt that winning Qiao Yan’s recognition was no small feat for Liu Yu, implying his tactics in managing subordinates were competent; it just so happened he previously encountered that unreasonable fellow Gongsun Zan.
But the moment he faced Liu Yu, Liu Bei suddenly sensed a strange sense of incongruity.
After bowing and greeting, he turned to look at Liu Yu, only to be taken aback to find the emperor’s temples already showing signs of graying far beyond what his age should reflect.
This was not how someone in a privileged position, who presumably heard good news often, should appear.
Yet considering he hailed from the frigid lands of Youzhou and was accustomed to simple attire, aging faster than expected wasn’t entirely unexplainable.
Moreover, this composed and mature demeanor offered a certain reassurance one could feel from the wear of years.
However, when Liu Bei kept his attention focused on Liu Yu’s actions, he realized this sense of incongruity wasn’t merely his illusion.
Liu Yu took the memorial sent by Qiao Yan along with this team that arrived in Chang’an, and his hand movement somehow revealed a hint of fatigue.
After just hastily flipping through a few pages, he folded it up and showed no signs of having any issues with its content.
In the next moment, Liu Bei heard Liu Yu say, “Qiao Yan suggested I assign you to the Department of Imperial Ancestry; however, placing you directly among the Nine Ministers might provoke some criticism. It stands to reason. Xuande has a good reputation, and the citizens of Xuzhou asked for your deployment, so let’s start you off as the head official of the Department of Imperial Ancestry, shall we?”
Liu Bei paused a moment in silence, then replied, “I will follow Your Majesty’s orders; it is already a great fortune for a sinner to receive amnesty, and I dare not aspire for more.”
“Then it shall be so,” Liu Yu said. “Does Qiao Yan have anyone in mind to arrange your accommodations?”
Liu Bei replied, “I have already secured lodging, no need for Your Majesty to worry further.”
Liu Yu: “That’s good to hear. Xuande has come a long way; you must be tired. Please go and rest for now.”
Liu Bei: “…”
If Liu Yu were a normal emperor, at this moment, he should have asked not just about where Liu Bei was staying, whether there were guards arranged by Qiao Yan watching over him, but rather inquired about the situation in the territories of Xuzhou and the present conditions of the court in Ye City from Liu Bei’s perspective. Yet, Liu Yu didn’t show any interest in either of these matters.
It was as if assigning Liu Bei to the “head official of the Department of Imperial Ancestry” was already all that Liu Yu needed to do.
This was wrong, this was very wrong!
As Liu Bei was led out of the palace, he turned back to glance at the palace shrouded in dusk, finally realizing where the source of his alienation lay.
In Qiao Yan and…
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“It’s so much worse than I thought!”
That Grand Marshal, who seemed to have everything in his clutch, radiated an aura that could rival even the Son of Heaven.
Yet Liu Yu… despite being at the peak of his political game, looked like he had one foot in the grave.
Just like this palace right in front of him.
This wasn’t Liu Bei just rattling off exaggerated fears due to his biases against Qiao Yan!
When you compared Yuan Shao and Liu Bian in Ye City with Qiao Yan and Liu Yu on this side, the web of control may be subtle, but it was way stronger.
At that moment, he wasn’t really thinking about his new starting point in the bureaucratic pyramid, but rather—
Oh no, arriving in Chang’an wasn’t a cozy spot to wait for both factions to duke it out; he might just have stumbled into a den of dragons and tigers!
A den of dragons and tigers involved in an even more complicated struggle!
“Are you serious, My Lord?” Jian Yong was practically startled by Liu Bei’s suggestion.
Throughout history, it’s always been the case where a young emperor was manipulated by power-hungry ministers—never had he heard of someone like Liu Yu, who once held the position of Youzhou Governor and had supporters, being turned into a puppet.
But Jian Yong believed in Liu Bei’s instinct.
Even though that instinct hadn’t saved them from Qiao Yan’s traps, it had definitely helped them navigate various dangers on their journey.
And now, with their manpower stretched thin, Liu Bei certainly had no reason to joke with Jian Yong.
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this,” Liu Bei replied gravely. “I never imagined the former Youzhou Governor would end up like this now.”
“It might relate to him losing his eldest son back in the day, but it surely has to do with the fact that he hasn’t had to think for years about making decisions, strategizing, staffing, or dealing with disasters,” he continued.
Qiao Yan had taken care of everything for him!
“He might not even realize he’s become a mere symbol of the Chang’an court. Those who’ve been in Chang’an long-term might have gotten used to these subtle changes, but…”
Jian Yong jumped in, “But we came from outside, and we know exactly what someone capable of Liu Yu’s past achievements looks like.”
Perhaps not in the way Liu Bei presented himself, maybe more like the aging Tao Qian in a slightly less heated version, but certainly not like the Liu Yu he was seeing now.
Just because someone doesn’t ask about certain things doesn’t mean they trust their subordinates; it could also mean they’re so used to delegating authority that they don’t even realize they should be doing it.
Liu Bei murmured, “Sometimes I wonder if we should detach gender from this discussion. If… I mean if I were of a similar age and gender as Qiao Yan, and I executed a series of actions since taking over as Bingzhou Governor back in the fourth year of Zhong Ping, what do you think my intentions would be?”
He added, “And let’s not even talk about how our defeat at the Battle of Xuzhou is partly her fault.”
After a long pause, Jian Yong replied, “I wouldn’t think she just wants to be a power-hungry minister like Huo Guang; I believe—”
This conclusion was hard to voice, especially when he thought about the “savior of Han” label that everyone had etched on her over the years, leaving Jian Yong somewhat unsure when he finally said, “What she might be aiming for is to emulate Wang Mang.”
The March edition of the Leping Monthly Report was still pushing a certain signal.
Only under Qiao Yan can generals truly unleash their potential.
Institutions like Leping Academy were still established in Bingzhou, showing no sign of moving toward Chang’an.
The populace under Qiao Yan had already moved from merely scraping by to striving for development.
The last three of the four social classes—scholars, farmers, and merchants—had all found unexpectedly elevated social standing under her rule.
In summary, the soul of the Chang’an court wasn’t Liu Yu; it was Qiao Yan!
But this speculation was far more terrifying for the Han than the opposition between the two courts!
Even during such a divide, one side could still overpower the other—so even without Qiao Yan, this wouldn’t happen with such rapid succession; there would inevitably be issues in one faction’s power succession, leading to a collapse at some point, leaving only one side standing.
But once the world was united and no longer named Liu… how could they flip the situation back?
As Liu Bei and Jian Yong looked into each other’s eyes, they both saw the fear lurking there.
Currently, they were defeated captives, and even discovering the ominous shadow cloaking Chang’an now couldn’t help them dispel it.
“Let’s eat first.” Liu Bei could only wrap up the conversation with that.
Their quarters in Chang’an were arranged by Qiao Yan via Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu was always meticulous in his work, and this was no exception.
The courtyard Liu Bei was put into was slightly larger than what was expected for his title as the Director of the Interior, but it was smaller than when he held the position of Xuzhou Governor. It had just the right amount of comfort without being excessive, making him feel somewhat at home.
Cheng Yu even thought ahead about Liu Bei coming without his entourage, so eating a hot meal by himself wouldn’t be too practical. He had their neighbor, Cui Jun, prepare an extra portion from his own home, so that tomorrow, Liu Bei could hire a proper servant once he found someone agreeable.
But Liu Bei knew all too well that this comfort had its limits; for instance, the area surrounding this residence was filled with Qiao Yan’s loyal subordinates, giving him no chance of escape.
What could he do? Now, all he could do was settle for whatever came his way unless some twist of fate appeared.
Seeing Jian Yong also agreed with his decision to fill their stomachs first, Liu Bei reached for the barely warm dish with his chopsticks, yet before he could grasp a piece of meat from the plate—
CRACK!
The sudden thunder shook him to his core.
His reflex kicked in as he glanced out toward the window, but there was absolutely no hint of rain in the wind outside; it definitely wasn’t looking like a storm was brewing.
“Thunder in a drought…”
That wasn’t a good sign.
Especially not in a dry season.
In this moment of dry thunder, it wasn’t just Liu Bei feeling agitated.
At least within Chang’an, there were many people not feeling any relief from Qiao Yan’s spoils from Xuzhou and Yang Province, and upon hearing that thunder, one man crumpled his newspaper into a ball and hurled it away.
“She said she’d release Lu Kang, and the Emperor just cleared him of charges, only stripping him of his Lujiang Governor title; she said to release Liu Bei, and the Emperor arranged for him to be the Director of the Interior, just waiting for him to redeem himself to be promoted directly to Nine Ministers—what if one day she says she wants to take the throne to feel that kind of glory, would the Emperor hand that over to her too?”
“Your Highness, be cautious with your words.” A voice from the lower seat warned.
“Cautious? If even we need to tread carefully, there’ll be no one left to contain her actions. Chunyu, we can both see how the current situation sits.”
The candlelight illuminated the speaker clearly; it was none other than Liu Yang and Chunyu Jia.
Thinking back to the official appointment Qiao Yan had sent to Chang’an just days ago, in which Liu Yu merely asked a few questions before dropping it, Liu Yang’s anger was boiling over, “What, does even this dry thunder have to accompany her prediction of drought in the Leping Monthly Report?”
“If there’s another year of disasters, thanks to her digging deep wells and underground channels, she’ll solidify her position as the savior in the eyes of the Chang’an people!”
Nearly four years passed, and even the people of Youzhou might have forgotten Liu Yu’s contributions; for the folks in Guanzhong, they knew who their benefactor was, and they likely wouldn’t have a second answer!
This “everyone rising” scene, spread by that appointment letter, was lifting more and more people and young ones alike, making Liu Yang, who thought he was destined to be the second-in-command of the Chang’an court, wish he could just rip the letter apart and stake his claim.
But in such a vast Chang’an, how many would actually heed his call?
Looking around, there were hardly a handful!
Liu Yang wouldn’t pin this problem on his own capabilities; he even felt he had the ability to recommend Yuan Yao to the position of Nanyang Governor.
Clearly, it was Qiao Yan being overbearing, pushing teens into lofty positions just to flaunt Leping Academy’s excellence, making his recommendations go largely unnoticed!
Now that her confidence just kept swelling, he worried that one day, no voice but hers would remain in the Chang’an court.
The thought sent Liu Yang into a frenzy.
He rushed up to Chunyu Jia, asking, “Chunyu, can I ask you something?”
“Your Highness, go ahead.”
Liu Yang queried, “Do you think that Liu Bei, captured and brought to Chang’an, could be useful for us?”
Everybody knew Liu Bei and Zhang Fei were closer than brothers; could grievances between brothers just be so easily overlooked?
He had transformed from a Governor to a subordinate of the Nine Ministers overnight, with the “Director of the Interior” title merely sounding fancy but not in rank above “Director of the Interior”; didn’t he feel at least a hint of discontent?
So, in this light—
Could Liu Bei possibly become Liu Yang’s best ally?
