Chapter 357

Chapter 357

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 10: The World in Chaos, the Time of the Deer Hunt Chapter 357: Are You a Han Subject?

“Coming like thunder, leaving with a fierce strike…” Zhang Zhao couldn’t help but sigh as he watched Qiao Yan and others board the ship with their horses.

Perhaps it was because of the sense of security this lord naturally exuded that when she decided not to bring any generals on her return to the capital, no one objected.

In any case, once she returns to Luoyang, she can join forces with Zhao Yun, who is stationed there, ensuring she has elite soldiers and capable generals at her disposal.

Two days ago, Wen Pin, who had returned from Jing Province to Yang Province to follow Qiao Yan’s orders, was assigned to Zhang Zhao and stationed in the southern part of Kuaiji County, keeping an eye on the changes brought by Yu Ji and Zuo Ci’s arrival in Jiaozhou.

What a straightforward decree—

She is plotting to take over Jiaozhou!

If Qiao Yan had suddenly revealed such intentions before her riverside meeting with Zuo Ci, Zhang Zhao and others would have surely tried to persuade her to reconsider, suggesting she focus on more pressing matters than the remote Jiaozhou.

Not only would Jiaozhou’s allegiance not affect the central plains’ war situation, but the complex situation in southern Yang Province and the bandit troubles in southern Jing Province would also bring her numerous headaches.

Looking at Jiaozhou internally, the deeply rooted influence of the local governor Zhang Jin and the powerful Shi family, who held three prefectural positions, made it nearly impossible for outsiders to intervene.

But after that thunderous move, Zhang Zhao felt that nothing was impossible anymore.

What made him even more relieved was that Qiao Yan was now his superior, and the lingering effects of what she called “explosives” in Yang Province would undoubtedly make his governance there much smoother.

The surrendered Shanyue in Fuchun would not be the only force affected by this.

The people of Yang Province, who once believed in Yu Ji’s talisman water for healing, would now trust the medical teams Qiao Yan dispatched to Yang Province, believing they had superior abilities.

Similarly, those who believed in Zuo Ci’s mystical powers would now believe that Qiao Yan possessed even more extraordinary abilities, capable of rooting out the Shanyue forces that once hid easily in the mountains.

Once the method of blocking roads after the autumn harvest and forcing people out of the mountains is employed, the Shanyue forces, which Sun Ce’s governance had failed to resolve, would eventually find a turning point.

As Yang Province moves towards stability in this manner, can Jiaozhou, which borders it, truly remain unaffected?

Probably not!

When Qiao Yan passed through Jing Province, Liu Biao received another assignment from her.

“Due to Sun Wentai’s actions in the past, Zhu Jun occupied Changsha County in Jing Province, cutting off the connection between the north and south of Jing Province, allowing the bandit forces in the south to thrive. I have already petitioned His Majesty, and soon he will be transferred to Chang’an to serve as an official.”

Seeing Liu Biao’s still somewhat anxious demeanor, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but wonder if she had frightened him too much with her actions.

She continued, “Changsha, Guiyang, and Lingling counties were in chaos at the end of the Zhongping era, even leading to the Guan Hu rebellion. But now that you, as the Governor of Jing Province, have established your authority, surely you don’t need me to teach you how to pacify the bandits.”

Liu Biao, who had come up with the strategy of entering Jing Province alone, was no fool who couldn’t handle such issues after removing Zhu Jun’s obstruction in Jing Province.

However, Liu Biao still hesitated for a moment before asking, “Do you not need to send anyone to assist me in quelling the rebellion?”

Qiao Yan glanced at him, seemingly too lazy to respond.

But this was enough for Liu Biao to understand the underlying message.

The southern part of Jing Province only had small-scale separatist forces, much like the Shanyue in Yang Province.

If even such a situation required her to send generals to assist in quelling the rebellion, what was the point of having Liu Biao as the Governor of Jing Province?

He might as well go to Chang’an to reunite with his eldest son, Liu Qi!

She only spoke after Liu Biao had answered his own question, “You remind me. Among your generals, Huang Zu is not worth mentioning—he never had much strength and was undeservedly promoted to the position of Yuzhang Prefect. It was only fitting that he died at the hands of Sun Ce. But your generals Huang Zhong and Wen Pin are rare talents in the world. One is currently assisting Yuan Yaoqing in defending Yingchuan, and the other has been transferred to Yang Province. Your manpower…”

Seeing that Qiao Yan was about to ask if Liu Biao should recall his men to quickly unify Jing Province, Liu Biao hurriedly replied, “No need to worry, Grand Marshal. Let them stay in Yu Province and Yang Province.”

They were already lent out; recalling them now would make him seem insincere!

It was better to let them continue serving under Qiao Yan.

Qiao Yan smiled, “Good.”

Getting this firm answer from Liu Biao, she felt quite satisfied.

Since Huang Zhong and Wen Pin were sent out by Liu Biao, she had no intention of returning them.

After all, Liu Biao was still a member of the Liu family.

Despite his current cautious approach to survival, if a confrontation ever arose, having fewer capable generals under him would make things easier to handle.

Liu Biao, unaware of Qiao Yan’s thoughts, felt much more comfortable with this assignment than with the constant passage of troops through his territory.

After Qiao Yan headed north to Nanyang, turned to Yingchuan, and entered Luoyang through the Hulao Pass, he immediately discussed the recovery of southern Jing Province with Cai Mao and Kuai Yue.

However, as soon as Qiao Yan returned to Luoyang, Guo Jia, hearing her arrangements for Liu Biao, immediately realized the deeper implications of her actions. “My lord, you’ve thrown Liu Biao a big problem…”

Since Changsha County became a thorn in Jing Province, Liu Biao’s actual control over Jing Province was limited to the northern part.

As a result, the bandit forces in southern Jing Province had not only remained independent but had also established connections with the forces in Cangwu and Nanhai counties in Jiaozhou.

Zhang Jin, the Governor of Jiaozhou, though seemingly remote, had been revealed by Qiao Yan’s intelligence to be quite ambitious.

Looking back at his career before becoming the Governor of Jiaozhou, he had held a significant position in the Grand General’s Mansion when Emperor Ling entrusted He Jin with great responsibilities.

During the Zhongping era, when the scholar-officials sought to purge the eunuchs, Zhang Jin had even been used by Yuan Shao to persuade He Jin, after which he was sent to Jiaozhou as its governor.

Despite his daily appearance of seeking enlightenment and self-cultivation, he occasionally overstepped his authority to meddle in southern Jing Province.

Originally, Liu Biao, blocked by Zhu Jun, maintained a neutral relationship with Zhang Jin in Jiaozhou. Now, however, they were forced into a neighboring situation.

This friction, coinciding with Yu Ji and Zuo Ci’s entry into Jiaozhou, would lead to unpredictable outcomes.

“Despite Liu Biao’s wariness and fear of me, in terms of military command, three Zhang Jins combined would not be a match for Liu Biao. The exclusion in remote areas stems from either the local officials’ heavy taxation—as seen with former Governors of Yi Province and Jiaozhou—or their incompetence. Zhang Jin falls into the latter category.”

Qiao Yan handed Zhu Tan over to her subordinates to feed, then walked towards the Luoyang government office, “In any case, the bordering regions of Jing, Yang, and Jiaozhou are about to see some interesting developments.”

Guo Jia chuckled, “I thought you would first focus on pacifying Ji and Qing Provinces, but it seems your plans are different.”

Qiao Yan retorted, “Do you think we have the opportunity to launch a campaign this year?”

Her tone was serious, and Guo Jia also straightened his expression.

Given their achievements last year in occupying You Province and this year in taking Xu Province, could they, with the situation of surrounding Yuan Shao’s territories from the north and south, swiftly take down the Ye court?

From the perspective of a subordinate, emotionally, Guo Jia hoped so.

But in reality, it might not be possible.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t defeat Yuan Shao, but that the war couldn’t possibly start in February and end in March like the Xu Province campaign, without disrupting this year’s farming activities.

Just looking at how Qiao Yan had stationed Qu Yi as the Eastern Expedition General west of the Taihang Mountains, Lü Bu and others in Zhuojun in northern Ji Province, Ma Chao and Yan Yan in Xu Province, and a naval force in Liaodong, with Luoyang’s troops ready to cross the Yellow River into River North County, it seemed she had the opportunity.

But warfare could never be weighed in such a manner.

Further consideration revealed that the situation was not as optimistic as it appeared.

The decreasing number of targets Qiao Yan could attack meant she could no longer achieve the swift, unexpected advances seen in the Yi and You Province campaigns.

The ongoing poor weather and natural disasters meant that a significant portion of grain reserves still had to be used for disaster relief.

Hebei was not like Yi Province; with the relocation of the Ye court, the population density there was not low.

If Qiao Yan couldn’t achieve a swift victory, she might face troublesome counterattacks.

True, Qiao Yan still had the secret weapon of explosives, which could potentially hasten the end of the war.

But in large-scale warfare, deciding where to use them first and which generals to entrust them with was still a matter of deliberation.

Rather than launching a costly campaign, it was better to hold back and let others take the stage.

Moreover, Jiaozhou…

Though seemingly neutral, Jiaozhou had a governor who was an old acquaintance of Yuan Shao. Wasn’t that a form of alignment?

Pushing for changes in Jiaozhou could serve as a warning and distraction to Yuan Shao!

“Let’s focus on governing the capital region for now. Whether to launch a campaign against Ji Province this year will depend on the agricultural situation,” Qiao Yan entered the government office’s courtyard, just as Xun Yu arrived to pay his respects, and casually added, “Also, have Zhao Yun accompany me to Hulao Pass tomorrow. Whether we launch a campaign or not, the meeting with Cao Mengde can no longer be delayed.”

As she spoke, she entered the study, sat at the head, and continued, “Wenruo, brief me on the capital region’s situation over the past month.”

Xun Yu was indeed a competent administrative official.

By the time he met Qiao Yan, her conversation with Guo Jia was nearing its end. He only heard that she seemed to have other targets and had temporarily delayed the attack on Ye. But he didn’t inquire further or offer his own suggestions, instead following Qiao Yan’s lead.

Amidst the upheavals in Xu and Yang Provinces, Yu, Yan, and the capital region had not seen military conflicts. However, with last year’s Luo…








Chiyang began to further accept disaster victims for settlement. This year, there are signs of another disaster year, and a significant number of people from surrounding regions are migrating into Luoyang.

From January to March alone, the number of relocating civilians reached as many as 40,000.

40,000 people… It’s hard to confirm whether these are returning due to Luoyang’s reconstruction or fleeing from disasters, especially with the chaos in the household registration system over the past few years. This undoubtedly puts a lot of pressure on Xun Yu.

After March, the migration rate will slow down significantly as most people engage in farming, but there’s still the pressure of reclaiming wasteland in the capital area.

With more people, the challenges aren’t just about feeding more mouths.

Gathering impoverished people in one place can’t guarantee that crime won’t occur. The high incidence of diseases from winter to spring can easily turn into large-scale epidemics due to poor living conditions.

Fortunately, the laws in the Sili region were established by Qiao Yan’s professional team in the first year of Jian’an. Medical staff from Chiyang Medical Academy have been working in shifts here since last year, and Xun Yu’s meticulous arrangements have prevented Luoyang from descending into chaos due to the sudden population influx.

However, even so, when Qiao Yan heard about the new number of prisoners in Luoyang, she couldn’t help but be shocked.

“Over 700 people?”

In just one month of her absence?

But upon closer thought, she realized that spreading this number over the hundreds of thousands of people in Henan Commandery makes it somewhat explainable.

“Land disputes, theft, and fights are the top three reasons for crimes,” Xun Yu explained. “Your Lordship has a heart for educating the people, but given the current situation, there’s still a long way to go.”

Qiao Yan pondered for a moment and said, “I will petition the Son of Heaven to transfer Wei Ji from Right Fufeng to Hongnong Prefect, and have Chen Deng succeed as Henan Commandery Governor. Additionally, I will appoint Chen Qun to lead a judicial team to Luoyang to assist you in matters of household registration and laws.”

With Wei Ji, Chen Deng, Chen Qun, and Xun Yu, if they can’t manage the right side of Sili, it would be her problem as the leader.

“Also…” Qiao Yan said, “Luoyang cannot continue to accept people without limits.”

Her decisive statement made Xun Yu swallow his intended advice.

Seeing that Qiao Yan showed no reluctance and maintained a calm attitude, Xun Yu’s tone softened.

“Indeed, if this were a normal year, Luoyang’s farming and trade routes could support such a population, each with their own land and duties. But in this disaster year, despite Your Lordship’s plans for water channels and deep wells, and improved farming methods, the land’s capacity to accommodate people is still limited.”

This isn’t just a matter of insufficient talent under Qiao Yan’s command but the land’s carrying capacity itself.

But this also raises another issue.

Xun Yu asked with concern, “But if the people are turned away, it will harm the reputation of the Chang’an court and Your Lordship’s name. I think…”

How to turn this uncontrolled influx into a regulated one isn’t something that can be solved just by Qiao Yan’s decree.

Facing this tricky problem, Qiao Yan didn’t seem too worried. She looked up with a meaningful smile, “Wenruo, isn’t this why I need to meet Cao Mengde?”

Everyone thinks she’s going to meet Cao Cao to leverage their friendship and bring him under her command.

But honestly, whether Cao Cao would change his stance after a meeting at Hulao Pass, Qiao Yan already had a conclusion in her intuition.

No!

Absolutely not!

If he could change his stance so easily, he should have taken advantage of the chaos in Xuzhou to march from Dong Commandery in Yanzhou to Wei Commandery in Ji Province, directly attacking Ye City.

Yuan Shao would have had no time to prepare an effective defense against such a sudden move from his ally.

If Cao Cao could capture the Son of Heaven in Ye City and deliver him to Qiao Yan, unless Yuan Shao immediately supported another credible Liu family member, the world’s division would change instantly.

Unfortunately, Cao Cao didn’t.

Regardless of whether he hesitated in choosing sides, all he did, as Guo Jia informed Qiao Yan, was send Chen Gong to meet Yuan Shao in Ye City while he went to Sili for the meeting.

This was a clear subtext.

It meant he wouldn’t switch sides anytime soon and wouldn’t be swayed by Qiao Yan’s revelations about Yang Province’s explosives or any threats or inducements during the talks.

So, rather than waste effort on such futile attempts, why not make this Hulao Pass meeting more meaningful?

For example, using this meeting to strike a special deal to smoothly get through the fourth year of Jian’an.

Xun Yu bowed to her, “Your Lordship is wise.”

If Qiao Yan’s plan works, she will seemingly take a loss but actually have Cao Cao limit the flow of people to Luoyang.

This is truly a case of even brothers keeping clear accounts, let alone just friends!

When Qiao Yan arrived at Chenggao, Cao Cao and his entourage, including Xu Chu and Cao Chun, were already waiting outside Hulao Pass.

Upon receiving the news that Qiao Yan had arrived and the meeting would be tomorrow, even though Cao Cao was sure she wouldn’t break the appointment, he couldn’t help feeling a bit complicated upon receiving this message that came right on the scheduled time.

The shocking scene by the Fuchun River in Yang Province hadn’t yet reached Cao Cao’s ears through those who witnessed it. All he knew was that Qiao Yan, during her personal trip to Yang and Xu Provinces, once again achieved results beyond ordinary people’s reach.

When he and Chen Gong decided to temporarily halt the alliance with Yuan Shao, he was already deeply moved by this battle outcome. But when he realized that the person who achieved such results was just a pass away, Cao Cao could no longer feel the relaxation of meeting a friend.

Moreover, this meeting was nothing like the Shen Pavilion meeting with just two people and two guards.

This wasn’t a private meeting.

Cao Chun, looking at the tea table placed within their sight, felt a toothache.

The tea table was 200 steps outside the Chenggao Hulao Pass wall, with several crossbow carts on the gate aimed at the table, and guards with strong bows and crossbows keeping a close watch, ready to unleash a barrage of arrows if anything went wrong.

And wasn’t it the same on their side?

Also 200 steps from the tea table, with bows and crossbows at the ready, ensuring absolute fairness in the meeting.

In such a tense atmosphere, perhaps only the two attendees could remain relaxed.

Almost the moment the Hulao Pass gate opened, Cao Cao, using the excuse that “your horse is faster,” borrowed Cao Chun’s horse and galloped towards the tea table.

Opposite him, a woman in black robes rode towards him.

Who else could it be but Qiao Yan, the Grand Marshal!

Looking at the meeting place from either end, one would see a standoff between armies. But looking at the center, it felt like a friendly gathering on a spring outing.

Because when Cao Cao dismounted and walked to the table, his first words were, “Why not strong wine?”

If he remembered correctly, the alcohol restriction period had long passed.

But on the table prepared by Qiao Yan’s side at Hulao Pass, the wine jar opened to reveal a fragrance that clearly wasn’t the strong liquor from Bing Province.

But… “Pea wine?”

Cao Cao didn’t know whether to say that Qiao Yan not serving him milk tea again was somewhat decent, avoiding another joke of a meeting with no wine, only milk tea.

Qiao Yan leisurely poured the wine from the jar into a bowl and replied, “The lifting of the alcohol restriction doesn’t mean strong wine is readily available. Brewing techniques have improved due to medical needs over the past two years, reducing consumption, but it’s still a luxury compared to ordinary wine. I’m willing to use it for saving lives, but not so much for entertaining enemies.”

At the word “enemies,” Qiao Yan spoke frankly, and Cao Cao responded equally, laughing, “Indeed, enemies. Plain water would suffice, let alone pea wine.”

Just looking at the meeting’s setting was enough to judge whether this was a friendly reunion or a battlefield encounter.

Clearly, it was the latter.

Only the opening remarks carried a hint of nostalgia.

Cao Cao then heard Qiao Yan say, “Eleven years ago, when I first arrived in Leping, I made my first fortune trading wine with the Taiyuan Wang family. Some special wine recipes were developed by Xi Zhicai, who pretended to be a wine connoisseur at the time, including this sweet pea wine.”

“Pea-fermented wine still has some market this year. Drought and locust plagues are common, so intercropping beans with other crops is routine. I suggest Cao Yanzhou try it too.”

“Are you here to discuss this year’s market with me?” Cao Cao asked.

The titles Cao Yanzhou and Qiao Bingzhou replaced the previous Mengde and Yeshu, unnecessary in this private setting.

But perhaps to maintain the seriousness of the conversation, both tacitly accepted this mode of address.

Qiao Yan shook her head, “Of course not, but to explain that I’m not slighting my guest.”

“If I must say, I’m here to discuss Han Xin’s military strategies with you.”

Seeing Cao Cao’s puzzled expression, Qiao Yan explained, “I mean, this year’s drought situation is reflected in the types of wine I serve. In this disaster year, Luoyang opens its doors to refugees from all over, aiming to save more lives, much like Han Xin’s strategy of ‘the more, the better.’ I hope Cao Yanzhou won’t hinder this. That’s why I came to see you today.”

Hearing this, Cao Cao couldn’t help but laugh. “So that’s what you mean by Han Xin’s strategies. You’re still as unconventional as ever.”

Who else would express their desire for surrounding populations in such a way!

At least, Cao Cao had never heard of anyone doing this before Qiao Yan.

But this didn’t seem strange to Qiao Yan, who continued, “So, what does Cao Yanzhou have to say about this?”

Cao Cao looked down at the pea wine in his cup. After a long silence, he suddenly asked, “Does Qiao Bingzhou intend to emulate Han Xin?”

Seeing Qiao Yan slightly stunned, Cao Cao followed up with a second question, “Was Han Xin—a loyal subject of Han?”