Chapter 356

Chapter 356: The Aftermath of Explosives

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, The Time of the Hunt Chapter 356: The Aftermath of Explosives

Book: Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 356: The Aftermath of Explosives

The true nature of immortals?

Although Qiao Yan spoke in such a manner, from Zuo Ci’s perspective, her pronunciation of the word “immortal” carried no trace of reverence. Instead, it seemed more like a warning against the facade of immortality he had put up.

The Grand Marshal’s casual remark, “vanished in the blink of an eye,” felt like a bucket of cold water poured over Zuo Ci’s head.

The small building across from them, still at a distance, continued to crumble as powder and sand flowed to the ground. The residual force of the destruction made its final sounds before eventually settling into complete silence.

And when she spoke of sitting down for a talk, it truly seemed like a casual meeting under the open sky.

As the commotion completely subsided, a subordinate, following Qiao Yan’s gesture, laid out a mat on the spring grass by the riverside.

Zuo Ci, still seemingly in shock, remained frozen in place, while Qiao Yan calmly took her seat.

He belatedly realized that if this opening act had already instilled fear in him, then he had truly failed in this initial confrontation.

But as he sat on the mat, he couldn’t help but feel a faint tremor beneath his feet, and the scent in the air was not that of early spring by the river, but rather the smell of sulfur and saltpeter.

Qiao Yan interrupted Zuo Ci’s contemplation, “The alcohol ban has been lifted. Since Mr. Wujiao has brought wine, why hide it?”

Zuo Ci glanced at Qiao Yan with a complex expression, then pulled out a wine cup and flask from his sleeve, filling the cup under her watchful gaze.

Qiao Yan raised an eyebrow, “Just one cup?”

Zuo Ci replied, “Sharing a cup, no need for a second.”

He removed a hairpin from his hair and drew it across the cup.

The cup, specially made, split cleanly into two halves as the hairpin passed through, as if the wine inside had also been divided along the line. But just as Zuo Ci was about to merge the hairpin into the cup, Qiao Yan suddenly asked, “Mr. Wujiao, do you know how that tavern ended up like that?”

Her meaningful gaze fell on the spot beneath Zuo Ci’s seat, as if silently conveying a message—if he wanted to know, he could experience it firsthand right now.

Zuo Ci’s hand instinctively twitched, and the cup, split by the hairpin, tipped over, spilling the wine onto the mat.

At this moment of mishap, he heard the woman across from him let out a mocking laugh.

Damn it!

This “performance” failure undoubtedly meant he could no longer maintain his enigmatic demeanor in front of her.

But who else would intimidate him in such a manner as Qiao Yan?

In the past, Zuo Ci had visited Liu Biao in Jing Province. Liu Biao, flaunting his military might, was utterly baffled when Zuo Ci conjured wine and food to reward the troops.

This act not only dissuaded Liu Biao from killing him but also earned him great respect.

And Qiao Yan?

She had just taken Yang Province and could have surrounded the area with troops, delivering the most direct form of intimidation to Zuo Ci, the provocateur. Yet, she chose this unprecedented method, leaving him utterly stunned.

If it had been a military threat, Zuo Ci had prepared several escape plans, even tricks like ascension and sheep transformation to convince the soldiers of his divine powers, further boosting his reputation at Qiao Yan’s expense. But now, he found himself in a dilemma.

He had no idea how Qiao Yan had caused that sudden explosion, nor whether she had planted such destructive devices in unseen places during her recent control of the area.

His tricks, inexplicable to others, were no different from Qiao Yan’s methods to him!

Should he risk his life for this provocation?

Countless thoughts raced through Zuo Ci’s mind, finally boiling down to one sentence directed at Qiao Yan: “Grand Marshal, you are truly skilled. What are your orders?”

Qiao Yan smiled, “I believe I made it clear in my earlier message. Yang Province cannot accommodate you all. Your only path to survival lies in Jiaozhou to the south.”

Jiaozhou?

Zuo Ci studied Qiao Yan intently.

As someone who relied on mystical arts to deceive, Zuo Ci was no stranger to human nature.

Whether Qiao Yan’s suggestion to head south to Jiaozhou was a ploy or a genuine offer of survival was not something he couldn’t discern.

As she calmly ordered more wine, he saw no intent to pursue and annihilate him, but rather an ambition to recruit him.

Even if she didn’t voice this goal, the subtext of the decision to head south to Jiaozhou made it abundantly clear!

What further convinced Ziao Ci of Qiao Yan’s “sincerity” was the weapon she had displayed, clearly a tool for defeating enemies.

The onlookers, having retreated due to the tavern explosion, couldn’t hear their conversation.

All they saw was Qiao Yan gracefully raising her cup to Zuo Ci, after which the Taoist bowed deeply to her and then floated away on a bamboo raft, quickly disappearing from view.

“My lord, do you not intend to kill him?” Sima Lang couldn’t help but ask after the shocking turn of events.

“Are there only Zuo Cis in the world who act under the guise of immortals and mystics?” Qiao Yan countered.

Sima Lang wasn’t entirely clear on the situation, but Qiao Yan could provide an answer—clearly not.

Looking at the history of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, these Taoists who followed the path of alchemy were far from few, and their methods of spreading their teachings went beyond just using talisman water to heal.

Take Zuo Ci’s lineage, for example. From Zuo Ci to Ge Xuan to Zheng Yin and then to Ge Hong, who wrote the medical text “Baopuzi,” they gradually became a blend of Confucianism and Taoism, forming a mystical Taoist sect.

But without undergoing a process of domestication, at Zuo Ci’s stage, they were not a group that could be easily used by others, but rather a bunch of troublemakers.

In the tales left by Zuo Ci, his endless tricks against those in power were as if they could elevate his status by comparison, adding another layer of mystery to his persona.

Thus, Qiao Yan had to expose his tricks.

But simply countering his moves might not make Zuo Ci feel defeated and give up. Instead, it might encourage him to continue provoking, much like the various encounters between Zuo Ci and Cao Cao in later historical accounts.

Qiao Yan had no intention of becoming a stepping stone for Zuo Ci’s fame, nor did she want to waste her energy on such trivial matters.

Rather than that, why not settle it once and for all!

Directly present Zuo Ci with a problem he couldn’t comprehend at the moment!

What could be more effective than something related to mystics yet beyond their current understanding—explosives?

Until he figured out what this thing was, Zuo Ci would be better off being smart and following her lead, lest he end up like that tavern, shattered to pieces.

Heading south to Jiaozhou was both a way to establish goodwill with Qiao Yan and a retreat for himself without explicitly submitting to her. As long as Zuo Ci wasn’t a fool, he would surely comply.

Sima Lang pondered for a moment, realizing that Qiao Yan’s order for Yu Ji and Zuo Ci to head south held other implications.

As Qiao Yan had said, Jiaozhou, due to its unique geographical location, remained independent.

Zhang Jin, the Governor of Jiaozhou, had not pledged allegiance to either the Chang’an or Ye courts, instead continuing to spread his Taoist teachings in Jiaozhou, indifferent to the chaos in the Central Plains.

The arrival of Yu Ji and Zuo Ci was like a treasure trove for him, but their presence could also fuel his obsession with spreading Taoism.








In the land of Jiaozhou, where the local noble families act as the regional overlords, does this truly benefit his missionary theories, or is it a case of “to make them fall, first make them mad”?

Qiao Yan’s unique response to Zuo Ci’s antics, spread across the relatively uncivilized regions of Yangzhou and Jiaozhou, is bound to amplify her reputation once more!

“The Shanyue in Yangzhou are not fully pacified, and there are various internal uncertainties. The foolish have their own methods of intimidation. Today, I only suppressed Zuo Ci, but who knows if this will trigger other chain reactions?” Qiao Yan said as she boarded the carriage back to the provincial capital with Sima Lang. “With this incident, I can finally leave and return to Sili with peace of mind.”

Otherwise, who knows if figures like Yu Ji and Zuo Ci might come to toy with the local governors, deputies, and generals stationed here.

She, with her future knowledge and perspective, can expose their tricks and make the people more obedient to the government’s rule. However, Zhang Zhao, Sima Lang, and Huang Gai might not be as adept at seeing through their schemes.

As for whether gods truly exist, Qiao Yan herself, having been reborn through the system, cannot give a definitive answer. Perhaps believing in their existence keeps her in awe of certain things, preventing her from acting recklessly. But as she defies the so-called “Mandate of Heaven” in the Han dynasty, she must steer the people toward another direction, until the theory of “man overcoming heaven” becomes mainstream.

The emergence of explosives is inevitable!

Seeing Sima Lang’s hesitant expression, Qiao Yan asked, “Are you wondering how I turned that small building into such a state?”

Sima Lang replied, “I wonder if this method could be used for mining or攻城略地 (attacking cities and seizing territories)?”

When the riverside building was blown apart by the tremendous force, Sima Lang, in his shock, suddenly realized that if this thing could have such terrifying power against brick buildings, it could also be used to blast open the earth, destroy city walls, or even be thrown into enemy formations during battles, potentially causing devastating effects.

If even a trickster like Zuo Ci couldn’t understand its原理 (principles), how could the enemy, who are even more ignorant, possibly grasp its奥秘 (mysteries)?

They couldn’t!

Qiao Yan laughed, “In fact, this thing has already been used in mining. Otherwise, do you think that in this year of natural disasters, we could prepare weapons for defense and produce so many tools for digging wells just by working two extra hours a day or growing an extra pair of hands?”

“However, now is not the time to officially introduce it into warfare.”

She first needs to let the existence of this thing ferment, allowing people to make erroneous推论 (inferences) about the unknown, before it makes its grand debut, revealing its true form and原理 (principles).

Even if Yuan Shao learns of this incident in Yangzhou, it won’t affect her sweeping conquest of Ji Province and Qingzhou. He won’t be able to effectively阻止 (block) her.

Long before she took step after step in Bingzhou, there was already an insurmountable gap between them!

Now, it’s just another invisible line drawn.

Qiao Yan confidently stated, “I will let it appear at the right time.”

And she will let it demonstrate its other potential values before achieving actual military results!

But even Qiao Yan didn’t expect that before she could spread the news through the Leping Monthly Report to the north, publicizing her confrontation with Zuo Ci, the news had already reached Yuan Shao’s subordinates.

Not through Yuan Shao’s spies scattered across the provinces, but through… his strategist, who had originally intended to stir up trouble in Yangzhou.

By the time the riverside crowd dispersed, Guo Tu was still standing there in a daze, as if his soul had been shaken by the explosion.

He hadn’t expected that upon arriving in Yangzhou, the local noble families he could have used had all been exiled to Yizhou by Qiao Yan’s actions, leaving him no opportunity to negotiate with them.

Guo Tu wisely realized that if he tried to sow discord among the remaining families, he might not only fail to achieve his goals but also be handed over to Qiao Yan as a gesture of loyalty.

But what he didn’t expect was that while he thought Qiao Yan’s expulsion of Yu Ji and Zuo Ci would give him a chance to intervene, what he witnessed while risking discovery in the crowd was not the mystical figures challenging Qiao Yan, but this “surprising” scene.

The flattened building remained in ruins, being cleared by Qiao Yan’s soldiers.

Zuo Ci had also disappeared from the river.

Yet Guo Tu felt as if the scene of thunder and fire was still replaying before his eyes, as if not only the meeting place had been blown apart, but also his own摇摇欲坠 (shaky) understanding.

“What on earth was that?” Zuo Ci could only vaguely recognize a familiar scent, so Guo Tu had no chance of knowing what it was.

Just as Sima Lang asked Qiao Yan if this thing could be used for other practical purposes, especially in military attacks, Guo Tu quickly realized that its攻击效果 (attack effect) was far more useful than arrows or heavy crossbows.

Not to mention the爆破攻击 (explosive damage), just the noise alone would be nearly致命 (fatal) to cavalry.

Cavalry horses couldn’t withstand such noise!

Still in a daze, he was led away by his subordinates from the围观 (spectating) area to rest at a temporary lodging. When he came out for dinner, he heard that while he was still reeling from the explosion, another change had occurred in Yangzhou.

Zuo Ci didn’t just disappear on the river; he and his disciples had gone to the government office to remove the edict ordering him to head south before truly vanishing from Yangzhou.

Before leaving, he left only one sentence:

“The Grand Marshal’s神通 (divine power) is beyond me.”

Whether it was divine power or a weapon no longer mattered. Zuo Ci had conceded defeat and had no intention of provoking her again.

Almost immediately after Zuo Ci retreated to Jiaozhou, a group of Shanyue in the Fuchun region suddenly surrendered to the provincial government.

Guo Tu’s subordinate, who had gone to gather information, cautiously observed Guo Tu’s expression, still shaken and now further darkened by the Shanyue’s surrender, and carefully said, “The leader of the group said that since the Grand Marshal possesses something that can blast apart stone, using it to轰开 (blast open) mountain paths and bury them under rubble would be no difficult task, so…”

So rather than wait for Qiao Yan to personally come and subjugate them, ending up like Zu Lang in her hands, it was better to主动 (proactively) submit to her.

Qiao Yan’s policy of pacifying the Shanyue, already spread by Huang Gai and Cheng Pu’s campaigns, had reached them. The fact that合作之人 (those who cooperated) weren’t necessarily doomed to death gave them a way out before reaching a dead end.

Thus, surrendering quickly in the face of Qiao Yan’s dominance over Zuo Ci was a path to survival.

But while this was a bloodless victory for Qiao Yan, further boosting her威望 (prestige) in Yangzhou, for Guo Tu, who was eager to make a name for himself, it completely blocked another path to causing chaos in Yangzhou!

“…” Guo Tu gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision. “We can’t stay in Yangzhou any longer!”

If even Yu Ji, known for his medical aid, and Zuo Ci, the mystical figure, both avoided Qiao Yan, clearly showing they were no match for her, Guo Tu stood no chance.

Instead, he should quickly return to Ye City and report everything he had seen and heard in Yangzhou to Yuan Shao, lest this building-shattering weapon suddenly appear on the battlefield, catching Yuan Shao off guard.

Yes, he must hurry to deliver the news!

Learning of this thing’s existence early would also be a merit!

With these复杂 (complex) emotions, he watched Qiao Yan’s entourage leave Yangzhou after achieving their goals, feeling his anxiety reaching its peak.

But why would Qiao Yan care about his existence?

She rode north, pausing by the river to water her horse, waiting for the fleet to arrive. As the sunlight bathed the river in gold, the Yangtze was no longer a natural barrier between north and south but a纽带 (link) connecting her territories of Yizhou, Jingzhou, Xuzhou, and Yangzhou!

And now, it was time to meet Cao Cao again, bringing the victories of Xuzhou and Yangzhou with her!