Chapter 354

Chapter 354

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, the Time of the Deer Hunt Chapter 354: The Reason for the Appointment

The book it belongs to:


Can a strategist not ascend the throne?

Chapter 354: The Reason for the Appointment

As soon as Liu Yang spoke these words, the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

He had originally been thinking that if he wanted to make any rebellious moves against Qiao Yan in Chang’an City, relying solely on the meager manpower he had would definitely not be enough.

Even with Yuan Yao, who had been sent out to be the Prefect of Nanyang, providing external support by mobilizing Nanyang’s soldiers into Chang’an territory, and internally having someone like Xianyu Yin, who had a portion of the retinue army, to assist him—

It would still be too difficult to confront Qiao Yan, who had risen to power through military might.

In this regard, Liu Yang even looked down on Wang Yun a bit, as the other party had a failed experience in leading troops, which paled in comparison to Qiao Yan’s military achievements.

In this light, Liu Bei’s appearance was like a beacon of hope.

After all, he was the one who had once defeated Yuan Shu and had been in a standoff with Qiao Yan’s forces along the Huai River boundary for several years!

Liu Yang wouldn’t consider that Yuan Shu, the Governor of Yu Province after four generations of three dukes, had significant issues in his ability to lead troops, nor would he consider that in the north-south confrontation in Xuzhou, not much manpower had been invested earlier. He only felt that with Liu Bei’s performance, if he were to rise again in Chang’an City and regain control of a military force in the Guanzhong region, he could rival Qiao Yan.

If he could also bring back that subordinate of his who had killed Hua Xiong to his command and give him a chance to perform, perhaps he could deliver a fatal blow to Qiao Yan!

But just as he was enthusiastically proposing this suggestion with high hopes, he was first stopped by Chunyu Jia in front of him.

With a serious expression, Chunyu Jia clearly disapproved, “Your Highness, forgive my bluntness, but you must not make such a move to win over others at this time.”

Liu Yang’s attempt to win over Yuan Yao was already a very dangerous move.

But the good thing was that Yuan Yao’s father, Yuan Shu, still stood on the side of the Chang’an court, and Yuan Yao himself did not have much power. Liu Yang’s contact with him could be completely explained as sympathy for a peer, with absolutely no other intentions.

But who was Liu Bei?

A rebel who had once stood on the side of the Ye City court!

Chunyu Jia could tell with his feet that regardless of whether Liu Bei had been stripped of his military power before being sent to Chang’an, or whether Guan Yu was still being held by Qiao Yan in Yang Province, there would definitely be no shortage of Qiao Yan’s spies around him.

“At least within half a year, Liu Bei will not lack Qiao Yan’s ‘care’.”

Chunyu Jia emphasized the word “care” heavily, intending to make Liu Yang understand the meaning, “If you approach him, not to mention whether our current preparations can persuade him to join us, it will only attract Qiao Yan’s vigilance. Is this what you want to see?”

Liu Yang shook his head.

Chunyu Jia continued, “Moreover, Liu Bei has already experienced one failure. If we rashly make such a move to win him over without a set of effective methods for seizing power in his eyes, he will never choose to join us.”

Liu Yang couldn’t help but interject, “If I already knew how to seize power, why would I still need to win him over?”

Isn’t it because the people under me are not capable enough? Although they now hold official positions, they still have no chance of winning against Qiao Yan, which is why I thought of bringing in Liu Bei as an ally…

For Liu Yang to admit this so frankly, Chunyu Jia’s temple twitched, and he was somewhat hesitant about whether he had boarded a pirate ship. But since things had come to this, he had no other choice but to continue.

He said, “I’m not saying that Your Highness must wait until everything is ready before winning him over, but if we don’t have a convincing basis, a possible opportunity to overturn Qiao Yan’s constraints, and the confidence to calm the crisis after removing Qiao Yan, the possibility of Liu Bei agreeing to this win-over is minimal.”

Liu Yang asked, “Isn’t the reason that our great Han dynasty might be usurped by Qiao Yan enough?”

“…” Chunyu Jia dared to swear that if Liu Yang tried to win over Liu Bei with such a performance, not only would he not be able to successfully recruit him, but he might also be reported to Qiao Yan.

Liu Bei had not yet reached the point of seeking his own death.

“Your Highness, forgive my bluntness, if the conclusion that the Grand Marshal has rebellious intentions was said by His Majesty, Liu Bei might still believe it, but if it were said by you…”

“I’m not saying that your words might be considered lies, but the Grand Marshal’s various actions so far have not shown any signs of overstepping his authority. Even the conferment of these official positions to his subordinates has been approved by His Majesty, and no one in the streets of Chang’an would respond to it.”

Liu Yang seemed to have been hit by a club, standing stiffly in place for a while before asking, “Then according to Doctor Chunyu, what should I do?”

Qiao Yan’s strength is indeed not about holding a knife to Liu Yu’s neck, forcing him to act according to her orders, but when the trend of the great Han’s unification must be achieved under her manipulation, she has already firmly grasped too much power.

Just like this time, Yang Province and Xuzhou were suddenly taken by her. Could Liu Yu, sitting in the position of the Son of Heaven, really have the possibility to refuse the official positions she proposed?

Probably not.

This is really not Liu Yang’s biased view of her.

Chunyu Jia said, “First, treat Liu Bei as if he is not in Chang’an City. No matter what he does here or what he discovers, let him see for himself.”

If Liu Bei still had the great Han in his heart, he would definitely not fail to notice any clues.

“Your Highness should also start striving for more say and show more concern for His Majesty. Perhaps one day His Majesty will also realize that if things continue to develop like this, by the time even Yuan Shao and Cao Mengde are defeated by Qiao Yan, the result will not be peace across the land and the promotion of our great Han’s might, but Qiao Yan replacing the Han.”

If Liu Yu could speak out against Qiao Yan, the people they could mobilize would be more than just the few they have now.

There would definitely be more patriots joining the ranks!

“Moreover, you should have more patience.” Chunyu Jia’s tone was gentle due to his age, which made the nearly explosive Liu Yang suppress his temper again.

He squeezed out a sentence through his teeth, “They all say to have patience, but if her momentum is already formed, no matter how much patience we have, it’s just empty talk.”

“You can’t say that.” Perhaps because he had been publicly scolded by Ni Heng once before, Chunyu Jia’s mind had really improved a lot.

He explained to Liu Yang, “Think about it, Qiao Yan, in order to show that she has no selfish intentions, decisively severed ties with her clan and directly established herself as the Qiao clan of Leping. This not only reduced the interference from her elders but also added a layer of cover for her. But isn’t it also putting her in an extremely dangerous position?”

“Jing Ke had to worry about whether the descendants of the Qin King would take over his foundation and retaliate against Yan after the assassination was successful, but Qiao Yan is alone, with only a few women from the Qiao clan of Leping who are younger than her.”

“Your Highness, once Qiao Yan is executed, the situation can be completely reversed. Even if the garrisons in Liang Province and Bing Province really have the intention to avenge her, with the Son of Heaven in the center, they will definitely be suppressed. With such a guarantee, as long as you can hold your breath and wait, the final success will definitely not be the usurping traitor.”

“Yes… that’s right.” A flash of excitement appeared on Liu Yang’s face as Chunyu Jia spoke these words.

Qiao Yan has a disadvantage, one that is often considered when subordinates follow a lord.

At this time, she can rely on her youth to make this disadvantage seem less obvious, even temporarily ignored by her supporters. But when she is to be listed among the rebellious ministers, this is a great thing for the orthodox forces!

With Qiao Yan’s style of doing things, whether it’s the drought that may continue this year or Yuan Shao in Ye City, they will definitely tie her hands and feet, preventing her from preparing a successor at this time, and this is the biggest advantage Liu Yang and his group have now!

So, in other words, it’s just temporarily not talking to Liu Bei?

He can wait!

He can even treat Qiao Lan and Qiao Ting, who were sent to Chang’an by Qiao Yan, as if they were invisible, turning a blind eye to their studies at the Tingwei’s office.

As Chunyu Jia said, in order to achieve their goals, these necessary waits are necessary.

After all, they are indeed short on manpower.

“Thank you.”








“Sir, could you enlighten me on what I should do next?” Liu Yang asked.

Seeing Liu Yang’s demeanor, Chunyu Jia finally breathed a sigh of relief, replying, “The Leping Monthly Report mentioned that this year’s drought might persist. The thunder after the Awakening of Insects without any rain is indeed a bad omen…”

Recalling last year’s public scolding for not believing Qiao Yan’s weather predictions, Chunyu Jia still felt a bit of lingering fear.

This year, he would definitely not make such a mistake again.

He suggested, “If Your Highness is willing, why not apply to His Majesty to work under the Field Officer?”

Field Officer Tian Chou, though under the Grand Minister of Agriculture, was essentially Liu Yu’s man. Placing Liu Yang under him would not only be reasonable but also help Liu Yang build connections and experience.

Gaining public favor during a disaster year would be beneficial for Liu Yang.

He couldn’t just rely on his royal status to become the next Son of Heaven.

In terms of building a reputation, Liu Yang had much to learn from Liu Bei and Qiao Yan, as he was still far behind.

Though somewhat reluctant, feeling that this would put him two ranks below Cheng Yu, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, Liu Yang accepted Chunyu Jia’s suggestion.

Liu Yu was surprised by this sudden application. When he looked at Liu Yang, he couldn’t see much sincerity in his claim of wanting to learn.

But Liu Yu, exhausted and struggling with his own emotions, didn’t have the energy to discern whether his unaccomplished son was doing this out of novelty or some other reason.

“You can work under Tian Zitai, but you must not throw any tantrums or put on airs. If I hear of such behavior, I will have you brought back immediately,” Liu Yu said. “Additionally, the pressure of this year’s spring plowing is significant, and you must not hinder it.”

Liu Yang almost swore to the heavens, feeling that he had reached the age to take responsibility, hence this decision.

He explained, as taught by Chunyu Jia, that he knew his own capabilities and thus chose this position.

A subordinate officer under the Grand Minister of Agriculture!

See, what a modest self-assessment.

With such a statement, Liu Yu had no reason to refuse him.

Liu Yang, oblivious to his father’s exhaustion and the hidden implications, immediately left to connect with Field Officer Tian Chou.

According to Chunyu Jia and Wang Yun, who also supported this, if Liu Yang could win over Tian Chou, it would mean that if the sky were to change, with Qiao Yan stepping down, Cheng Yu’s position would have a successor aligned with Liu Yang.

As long as a trustworthy person held a position that could feed the people, the region wouldn’t easily fall into chaos.

This prospect of winning public favor made Liu Yang’s steps lighter as he left.

Liu Yu watched his back, feeling that Liu Yang had not grown at all in the four years in Chang’an.

He shook his head, murmuring, “The people’s livelihood is so hard…”

Unfortunately, Liu Yang was not the one to shoulder such a responsibility.

But as for Ye Shu…

Liu Yu sighed deeply.

He could only hope there was still room for redemption.

But whether this “hope” was an unrealistic wish, even Liu Yu, who had weathered many storms, couldn’t determine.

Perhaps he should invite Lu Zhi, who had retired to Leping Academy due to old age, back for advice, or perhaps the best choice was to do nothing.

He suppressed a petition urging him to restrain Qiao Yan and sat in the empty, silent hall for a long time before issuing a single order:

“This year’s situation is volatile. Let the Grand Minister of Agriculture calculate the amount of tax reduction and report it. Decide whether to reduce the poll tax or land tax, and implement it under the guise of imperial grace due to the newly acquired northern Xuzhou.”

He might not be a qualified Son of Heaven, but he had to do a bit more.

Meanwhile, in Yanzhou, Cao Cao also had the Leping Monthly Report predicting the weather on his desk.

Cao Cao still trusted the messages conveyed by Qiao Yan through the report.

The pressure he faced this year was undoubtedly greater than last year.

The second year of drought would not be the same as the first, and his territory was larger. More importantly, his opponents had become more aggressive.

Xuzhou had changed hands!

Yang Province had changed hands!

These two pieces of news were like spring thunder striking the Central Plains, leaving no room for reaction.

Last year’s changes in Yizhou and Youzhou were seen as Qiao Yan’s response to Cao Cao’s surprise attack on Yuzhou, which was already terrifying.

This year, she not only invited him but also took control of Yang Province and Xuzhou, showing a more aggressive and seasoned approach.

Even though she temporarily couldn’t break the agreement on the Yingchuan-Runan border and attack Yuzhou without regard for losses, Cao Cao had to be on full alert in the face of these irreversible outcomes.

Who could predict her next target?

Would it be Yuan Shao, who had been threatened by her troops since last winter, or him, the Governor of Yanzhou, who could face her attack from Sili at any moment?

In the face of her unpredictable actions, Cao Cao couldn’t give a clear answer.

Even the usually steady Chen Gong hadn’t slept well in the days following the news from the east.

He spent two days thoroughly analyzing the battles in Xuzhou and Yang Province, creating a clear model of Liu Bei’s responses and Qiao Yan’s strategies.

But this didn’t bring them peace; instead, it increased the pressure from Qiao Yan’s steady victories in multiple fronts.

However, they weren’t the only ones feeling anxious.

Compared to Cao Cao, who had a decent relationship with Qiao Yan and might even switch sides, Yuan Shao was under much greater pressure.

Liu Bei’s survival and transfer to Chang’an didn’t mean Yuan Shao would receive the same treatment if defeated.

The past conflicts, from borrowing grain during Dong Zhuo’s rebellion, establishing a new emperor after pacifying Luoyang, hindering Qiao Yan during her attack on Liangzhou, and the various contradictions between the eastern and western courts, had deepened the enmity between Yuan Shao and Qiao Yan.

This would likely end only with Yuan Shao’s death.

“Yuan Benchu is so anxious… He even invoked the Emperor’s name in Ye City to ask me to intervene!” Cao Cao said, looking at the letter alongside the Leping Monthly Report, with a hint of helplessness.

But to be honest, while Yuan Shao was struggling, so was he.

Though their thoughts differed now, an alliance might still be feasible.

But… this alliance couldn’t be done Yuan Shao’s way.

It wasn’t yet time for Cao Cao to lose the initiative!

He asked Chen Gong, whom he had invited for consultation, “Do you think Qiao Yan will keep the Hulao Pass appointment, even after delaying it by half a month?”

“She will!” Chen Gong answered firmly.

Perhaps due to recent analyses and considerations, Chen Gong looked more tired, but this didn’t diminish the resolve of this outstanding Yanzhou scholar.

Even though there were still loose ends in Xuzhou and Yang Province, Chen Gong firmly replied, “She will definitely come, because… because she is Qiao Yeshu.”

Cao Cao laughed heartily, “Exactly, because she is Qiao Yeshu, she wouldn’t use the Hulao Pass appointment just as a distraction!”

“Please, Gongtai, go to Ye City and tell Yuan Benchu—”

“Say that to avoid showing weakness, I will first attend Qiao Yeshu’s appointment, then discuss the alliance with him in Ye City!”