Chapter 366

Chapter 366

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Final Volume: The Rise and Fall of Kingly Ambitions, Unification of the World, Chapter 366: Revisiting Printing

The red aura spanning the sky has never been a good omen throughout history, even though the name “Yan Han” might suggest it shouldn’t fear fire.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaojing, a red streak like a mat appeared in the northern sky, stretching over ten zhang, followed by the Rebellion of the Seven States.

Some call it a red aura, others say it should be called a celestial rift. As stated in the Zuo Zhuan, a celestial rift does not signify a flourishing fire virtue but rather “the sky’s yang is insufficient, and the earth’s yin is excessive.”

And if the red aura penetrates the Purple Palace, it’s an even worse omen.

The Purple Palace represents the emperor’s central palace, the Ziwei Enclosure, located in the center of the northern sky.

The celestial rift’s omen affects the Son of Heaven; a lack of yang and an excess of yin foretell great disaster.

This is the interpretation according to the Han Dynasty’s prophetic texts!

Amidst the already rampant rumors, this celestial phenomenon is like pouring cold water into boiling oil.

“What are they saying in Chang’an?” Qiao Yan asked Chen Qun, who had just returned from Chang’an.

The autumn chill had already swept in from the north, covering Luoyang with a layer of frost.

After the autumn harvest, a rare rain fell, but it was just a drizzle and quickly passed.

However, after the rain, the temperature dropped significantly.

The unusually cold winters of the past few years seemed unaffected by the drought, instead becoming a harsh norm. It was only October, yet the nights were already bitterly cold.

Perhaps it was this sudden drop in temperature that allowed Qiao Yan to speak with such calmness, as if discussing something unrelated to her.

Before Chen Qun could respond, she continued, “Actually, it’s easy to guess. This celestial omen of insufficient yang and excessive yin, bringing disaster to the Han Dynasty, won’t be attributed to the Son of Heaven in Ye City. Instead, they’ll think it’s me, a woman overstepping my bounds, usurping power and offending the royal enterprise.”

“Why?” Qiao Yan smiled mockingly. “Because they subconsciously believe that Yuan Shao couldn’t possibly have the ability to attack Chang’an and offend the imperial palace!”

So where did the red aura penetrating the Purple Palace come from?

These parasites feeding on the emperor’s wealth wouldn’t think it was due to their own incompetence or attempts to overthrow the state. Instead, they’d believe that both the celestial rift’s insufficient yang and the red aura’s implication of someone seeking independence point to Qiao Yan in Luoyang.

“Perhaps they also think the earthquake in the second year of Jian’an should be explained by the ‘earth’s yin is excessive’ theory.”

Chen Qun: “…”

Qiao Yan raised her eyes: “Did I guess right?”

Seeing Chen Qun’s reaction, she didn’t need to hear the answer.

But if Chen Qun were to answer, it wouldn’t be entirely accurate. For instance, the term “a hen crowing at dawn” hadn’t been uttered by those idle gossips, but the general idea was indeed what Qiao Yan had said.

The rumors circulating in Chang’an about the celestial changes didn’t explicitly point to Qiao Yan, yet every word seemed to insinuate her.

Within a year, she had taken two provinces, including Yang Province, which had more clearly aligned with the Chang’an court, pushing her military achievements to an even more terrifying level.

Even though she already held the highest position of Grand Marshal, this was still a record that inspired fear.

In places like Yizhou and Xuzhou, which she had personally reclaimed, people only knew of the Grand Marshal, not the Son of Heaven, Liu Yu.

Even the submission of Jiaozhou was due to the Grand Marshal’s influence.

If she were to conquer Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, who knows how far her influence would extend!

They could only try to suppress her now.

Those who spread these rumors might not wish to eliminate Qiao Yan as fervently as Liu Yang or Chunyu Jia, but they certainly wanted to dilute her power.

Because in the face of absolute dominance, everyone believed that anyone in Qiao Yan’s position would inevitably win in a confrontation of nine provinces against four.

But this belief was utterly ridiculous!

“Changwen, you’re not one to shy away from speaking. Why so silent?” Qiao Yan pressed.

Chen Qun, of course, wasn’t one to shy away from speaking. He was responsible for drafting laws and, since being transferred from Chang’an to Luoyang this year, had been handling the legal cases of Luoyang’s immigrants. In terms of eloquence, he ranked high among Qiao Yan’s subordinates. Yet, faced with Qiao Yan’s casual question, he felt an inexplicable lump in his throat.

Even Chen Ji, who hadn’t interacted much with Qiao Yan, had gained some understanding of her practical measures due to mistakenly teaching Tian Feng for a while. He had even argued with people on the streets of Chang’an about the rumors following the red aura penetrating the Purple Palace.

Yet some preferred to believe in celestial omens and the “possibility” of past Grand Generals seizing power, rather than seeing what kind of life Qiao Yan led in Luoyang.

This sudden celestial change had torn apart the veneer of civility that had been barely maintained.

“Your Lordship has been benevolent to the people and allied with various factions over the years. You wouldn’t…”

You wouldn’t be brought down by such rumors.

But then he heard Qiao Yan ask, “Among these factions you speak of, are there none with ambitions of their own?”

When Liu Xie arrived near Luoyang with his adoptive father, he sensed an indescribable tension in the air.

Earlier this year, in March or April, his adoptive father had proposed moving to Luoyang. Fortunately, Liu Xie had managed to dissuade him by arguing that Luoyang might face various pressures during the drought.

But by September, Luoyang had stabilized after the drought and plague, and with part of the population relocated to Guanzhong and the establishment of order largely completed, the city had issued another call for immigrants.

At this point, he could no longer use the previous excuse to delay.

To go or not to go, he had to give a clear answer, not just stall.

After some thought, Liu Xie decided to take the risk and go.

It had been over six years.

Six years since he was taken from Luoyang by Dong Zhuo.

Six years was enough for a child under ten to grow into a young man. Even Liu Xie, occasionally gazing at his reflection in a pond, sometimes couldn’t recognize his younger self.

Add to that the scar on his face and his sun-tanned skin from months of outdoor activities, and it was even harder for anyone to connect him with the former Son of Heaven, Liu Xie.

Even if someone had the keen eye to recognize him, he could always claim it was a case of mistaken identity. After all, who would believe that someone who once sat on the throne would have no interest in reclaiming it?

That was why he was here now.

However, they hadn’t planned to move directly but to first visit Luoyang.

Seeing is believing; they needed to see Luoyang for themselves to know if it was a livable place.

But it seemed they had chosen a particularly special time to arrive.

Instinctively, Liu Xie kept his head down as he walked, trying to minimize his presence. His adoptive father, however, was skilled at socializing and had already struck up a conversation with a young man on the roadside who seemed indignant, asking about the current situation in Luoyang.

“What else could it be?” The young man, eager to vent, said, “Luoyang is full of people and merchants. Since Chang’an is the emperor’s domain and connected to Luoyang by the Xiaohan Road, many merchants bring goods from Chang’an to sell here.”

His adoptive father asked, “What does that have to do with my question?”

“Of course it does,” the young man said angrily. “Since many come from Chang’an, whatever rumors are circulating there naturally spread here too.”





Luoyang has come. Our place has just managed to catch a breath from this year’s calamities, thanks to the supervision and leadership of the Grand Marshal. However, the people from Chang’an are standing and talking without feeling any pain, saying that the Grand Marshal is trying to win over the people’s hearts, which is harmful to the state. That’s why we have this celestial phenomenon in October.

“If they have the ability, they should take out their own family property and see how many people’s stomachs they can fill and how many lives they can save!”

“I think they are the ones who are really unsightly and harmful to the state. Who can’t say beautiful words and accusations? I can even say that they are not suitable to live in Luoyang, otherwise, there will be calamities within a year or two, because everyone’s spit can drown them!”

Liu Xie couldn’t help but laugh when he heard this.

He also looked around at this moment and saw that many people supported the young man’s impassioned speech from a distance. He had already made an estimate of the situation in Luoyang.

Grand Marshal Qiao Yan is truly… admirable.

Because of his laughter, the young man looked at him.

Liu Xie originally thought that he might be afraid of being stared at for a long time, but strangely, when such a situation actually occurred, he did not show any restraint, as if he really felt like he was the son of a woodcutter from Yizhou.

The recognition of this identity made him completely at ease.

The young man asked, “Are you new to Luoyang? Have you received your things?”

What things?

Liu Xie replied blankly, “We are just here to look around, not necessarily…”

“It’s okay if you don’t necessarily want to settle here, let’s go to the reception office first.”

Perhaps because of the previous venting, even though Liu Xie and his adoptive father just listened to his accusations against Chang’an without responding, the young man found them quite agreeable and offered to take them to the reception office.

Before they even got there, they heard him introduce, “When you get there, you can receive a few things. One is a map of Luoyang, especially marking the places for settling, medical treatment, and temporary residence. It is said that in the early years, the area between the city walls and palace walls of Luoyang was mostly occupied by nobles and gold markets, but now it has become medical offices, warehouses, document printing, and places for supporting the elderly. The officials’ offices have been moved into the Southern Palace, while the Northern Palace is revered as the former Son of Heaven’s residence.”

Hearing this change, Liu Xie felt a moment of complexity, and then heard the young man continue, “In addition, there is a document proving temporary residence. With this, you can stay in the official residence for five days with minimal expenses. Except for food and clothing, the cost of staying here is almost negligible. However, this is not without restrictions. You need to cooperate with the officials to further verify your origins to prevent spies from mixing in. If you have any special skills, there may be special personnel trying to persuade you to stay here for a long time.”

“If you plan to settle in Luoyang, you will also receive a small amount of grain to get through the period before finding a livelihood, and then there is that.”

Liu Xie followed the direction the young man pointed and saw a small mountain of cotton clothes.

“Anyone passing through Luoyang can buy a cotton coat at a low price with proof of household registration, regardless of whether they are from the Sili region or whether they plan to stay here for a long time.”

Liu Xie asked in surprise, “But in this way, aren’t you afraid that people from Yanzhou and Yu Province will come to buy?”

That would be aiding the enemy.

“You are underestimating the Grand Marshal’s magnanimity,” the young man patted Liu Xie’s shoulder and replied, “The Grand Marshal said that there will not be two courts in the world sooner or later, and everyone is a compatriot, so why should there be such concerns. This year, there was a drought followed by a plague, and locust plagues also occurred. If we can save thousands of lives in winter and make Luoyang look more lively, it is much more comfortable than seeing nine out of ten houses empty.”

“Besides, this is not a difficult burden for the Grand Marshal. In September, cotton spinning machines were delivered to Luoyang, and a cotton clothing factory was also built in the northern suburbs. It is said that cotton planting has been expanded in Bingzhou and Liangzhou this year, which is not a rumor but a fact.”

“You see, it’s not hard to understand why we are so disgusted with those rumors from Chang’an,” he muttered, “In my opinion, the Grand Marshal should not only have printed a book of mountains and rivers at the beginning of the year, but should also have written a complete book of these changes and achievements and distributed it. If those old guys who maliciously criticize have any objections, let them refute the book item by item!”

Liu Xie was silent for a moment before replying, “Brother, you have a good point.”

He now knows more about the style of Luoyang.

But it must be said, the young man was not wrong in thinking that Qiao Yan should print books at this time.

The four books in the middle of the year have been basically completed, and the printing factories in Chang’an and Luoyang under Qiao Yan’s control have been idle.

Now is the winter season when farming is quiet, and it is the time to invest energy in this matter.

Thinking of the news that Chen Qun brought back about Chen Ji helping to argue and quarrel, Guo Jia suggested to Qiao Yan that they should focus on practical matters first, and the only literary classic that tends to be for scholars is a book of “The Book of Songs”. Perhaps they can turn to the family poetry and academic classics waiting in the queue at this time.

The best way to counter rumors is to suppress them with another statement.

When she finally began to show goodwill to various families, in order to ensure that she does not fall behind, there will always be people who can stand on the right side, and even send her a suitable token of submission in order to stand out in front of her.

But what surprised Guo Jia was that he did not receive Qiao Yan’s approval, but saw her shake her head, obviously not agreeing with this decision.

“You are wrong, Fengxiao. The more we are in such a time, the more we cannot compromise with the noble families,” Qiao Yan’s tone was gentle, but her words revealed an unyielding determination, “We hold the most favorable bargaining chip for the noble families, but this is also our mouthpiece to send out signals to the outside.”

“Even if we can use the current publication to gather a group of allies and let them point their blades at these scapegoats, if we rely on this method to break free from the constraints of the bottom, we will eventually be pushed back by these wolf-hearted guys.”

“Have we come this far step by step to see such a scene?”

Of course not!

If in the past, when competing with Yuan Shao, or when trying to make the Chang’an court compete with the Ye court for the legitimacy of the position, she had to make a deal with these noble families by using the completion of the new road in Chang’an and the implementation of the alcohol restriction order, and use their developed interpersonal networks and tongues to promote the message she needed to convey, then in the face of this intensified internal contradiction, she must not ally with such allies.

Or rather, she cannot let these people become her arms to move forward.

Then she will be bound by human feelings for life!

Since she has already put herself in the position of a target following the accusations of prophecies, why not let this winter’s chill come faster and more swiftly.

Throw a big stone on the already turbid and disturbed water, and let it completely set off a storm, rather than temporarily calm it.

If it becomes the latter, it has no meaning for her!

Guo Jia looked at Qiao Yan’s face and realized more clearly than ever that the wise master he wanted to follow had a stronger heart and clearer judgment than anyone else. Even in the face of such storms, she always had a steady pace.

Yes, they are already the counter-current of this era, so why should they follow the rules of the upper class.

After all, in the face of the great plague in Luoyang a few months ago, these people did not follow Qiao Yan’s rules!

Guo Jia suddenly smiled, “It seems that the lord has already made a decision.”

Qiao Yan took out a book from her side and threw it to Guo Jia. “Take a look at this.”

Guo Jia took the book and saw the words “Changyan” written on it.

The author’s name was somewhat familiar to Guo Jia, as if he had heard Qiao Yan and Xi Zhicai mention it before, “Zhong Changtong?”

Qiao Yan replied firmly, “Yes, choose ‘Changyan’.”

This is her first response.

Not to talk about celestial phenomena?

Then she will talk about man’s victory over heaven!