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“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 38: Reflection of Light
Meeting the Son of Heaven…
Earlier, as I walked past the Grand Dao in front of the Imperial Academy, the gazes of those around me merely regarded the clash between two children.
But when Qiao Yan returned to this path, the looks from the crowd, including the students, changed significantly.
Attending school in Luoyang, what one seeks is simply to gain recognition from the Emperor and to be part of the court. In this process of building a reputation, if one can receive the patronage of the nobility, that’s even better; if not, one must carve out their own path to fame.
In special cases like the Yellow Turban Rebellion, only a few truly accomplish significant feats.
This is not a path worth emulating.
For most scholars, having their talents recognized and rising above others in the Imperial Academy, then traveling to the Ru and Ying regions, meeting a few distinguished individuals who offer guidance, is already considered a significant achievement.
The ultimate goal is to receive praise from top critics like Xu Jing, Xu Shao, He Yong, and Guo Tai; a single good review can distinguish one from ordinary scholars.
And evidently, Qiao Yan had achieved this.
Not only did she gain the commendation “the fledgling phoenix carries a pure voice” due to a single piece of writing, imbued with much expectation for the future, but she also immediately received an audience with the Emperor.
Of course, everyone could see that Qiao Yan did not receive this summon solely because of Xu Zijiang’s remarks.
Without her already conferred title of Marquis of Leping, Liu Hong wouldn’t have summoned someone deemed just a promising junior by Xu Shao.
And considering the distance from Dingzhong Temple to the Imperial City, it’s quite clear Xu Shao’s words didn’t reach the palace immediately just as Liu Hong was at leisure, allowing Zhang Rang to come pay respect on behalf of the Emperor.
Zhang Rang arrived way too quickly!
So quickly that it left no doubt Liu Hong had been keeping an eye on Qiao Yan’s actions and circumstances.
But no one could deny that when that evaluation coincided perfectly with the summon, Xu Shao benefitted, and Qiao Yan’s reputation soared.
At this moment, no one could say she should be fulfilling her filial duty by her grandfather’s bedside—
Who says this was not indeed her first outing after arriving in Luoyang, and going to Dingzhong Temple with Yang Xiu seemed more like serendipity.
What she did was simply seize the opportunity presented before her without hesitation.
And putting oneself in their shoes, if they were in Qiao Xuan’s position, if he were on the brink of death, having such an outstanding granddaughter who could communicate with the Emperor would surely bring a smile to his face.
With the hopes of posterity ahead, is there anything that comforts an elder more?
“After this grand display, they probably will be just as curious as I am about what you wrote.”
As we passed through the Pingcheng Gate, Yang Xiu glanced back and spoke.
Fortunately, not everyone can enter the capital city of Luoyang, especially shortly after passing through the city gate, where it connects to Guangyang Gate and Hao Gate, right in front of the Southern Palace where the Emperor resides, the watchtower of Zhuque was visible.
This marked the beginning of the heavily guarded imperial city.
Because it represented the utmost authority of the Han dynasty, it exuded a grim atmosphere.
Even Yang Xiu, the grandson of the Grand Commandant, couldn’t pass through the Zhuque Gate without permission.
He just followed this route to get home.
Now, as Qiao Yan continued into the Southern Palace under Zhang Rang’s lead, Yang Xiu turned right, heading back to the Grand Commandant’s mansion.
He had a remarkable memory; to put it dramatically, he could likely receive an accolade for having a photographic memory. For instance, at this moment, Qiao Yan’s essay was still imprinted in his mind.
He pondered that since he had lost to such an essay, he ought to memorize it, reciting it daily to cement it in his memory.
Because of this, he didn’t stick around to play with his friends near the Imperial Academy, opting to return home first to prevent missing any words.
Watching Qiao Yan’s figure disappear beyond the doors, he could only sigh lightly.
“I wonder how future historians will record today’s events…”
How could he not end up with a not-so-bad evaluation? He hoped he wouldn’t be labeled as— Yang Xiu provocatively enticing Qiao Yan, forcing her to visit Dingzhong Temple, leading to her having no choice but to submit the ‘Discourse on Feudalism’ to Xu Shao, eventually prompting a summons from the Emperor.
Wouldn’t that make him a villain in the story?
The still young Yang Xiu began pondering how he could redeem his reputation.
He wondered… “Could Yang Xiu be impressed by this, leading to Qiao Yan going to Leping?” Maybe that could work!
Little did Grand Commandant Yang Ci know that his exceptionally brilliant grandson, who initially went to salvage his pride, had now effectively sold himself out and even contemplated the possibility of running away.
Qiao Yan, who had already entered through Zhuque Gate, naturally had no idea about this.
Moreover, all her focus had to be on dealing with Liu Hong; how could she still consider what Yang Xiu was thinking?
A mediocre emperor is easy to deal with, but a clever emperor is far more challenging to read.
Theoretically speaking, Qiao Yan had made no missteps in her actions thus far.
From assisting in quelling the Yellow Turban Rebellion to arguing the point that “the disasters of the Han have nothing to do with those in power,” to taking a calm approach after reaching Luoyang by engaging in agriculture, and finally, this rebuttal of the provincial governor system, every action was aimed at upholding the Han’s dominance.
She hadn’t given Liu Hong any tangible opportunity to exploit her sympathies toward one side.
Yet, when truly facing him, these things might not guarantee success; it really depends on her improvisation.
But while digging and gardening at Qiao Xuan’s residence, she had already mentally prepared for what Liu Hong might ask and how she should respond, so she wouldn’t be caught off guard.
With this mindset, as she entered Zhuque Gate through Hongde Gate, she even took a moment of leisure to admire the Mingguang Palace that stood directly opposite after the palace doors opened.
In the future, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the powerful courtier Er Zhu Rong was killed in this place, but for now, it was just an ordinary palace room.
Luoyang had only come up with the concept of a central axis during the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei; succeeding dynasties inherited this axial design to showcase royal dignity, while the Southern Palace of today lacked such features.
For instance, the Yutang Hall, where Liu Hong resided, wasn’t in the central row but rather the second row counting from left to right, which includes Mingguang, Xuan Room, Chengfu, Jiade, and Yutang.
However, Qiao Yan wouldn’t meet Liu Hong in the Yutang Hall but rather the Jiade Hall.
At this time, before the great fire in the Yutang Hall during the second year of Zhongping had occurred, the Jiade Hall wasn’t Liu Hong’s residential space but more like a reception room situated right before his bedroom, or in other words, a study.
Thinking of this, Qiao Yan instinctively cast her gaze toward the nearby Lantai.
The Lantai, only a few steps away from the Jiade Hall, was surrounded by lush bamboos and was the place where the Han Dynasty’s royal library was housed; in the past, Ban Gu had once served as the Librarian here.
Liu Hong positioned the living and receiving space close by, fitting for a man of culture.
But her train of thought was momentary; stepping onto the high entrance of the Jiade Hall, all that remained was a tranquil concentration, her full attention directed toward what lay ahead.
The doors of the Jiade Hall were wide open, sunlight flooded in, but since the palace was deep, the place where Liu Hong sat was not illuminated by the sun; thus, several bright lamps were lit on the side.
The emperor seated at the upper end looked no surprise to Qiao Yan; he didn’t have a rigid posture, instead leaning sideways on the table with his elbow, one hand flipping through the silk scroll in his grasp.
That scroll was the ‘Discourse on Feudalism’ written by Qiao Yan.
When Zhang Rang came to fetch Qiao Yan to the palace, this item had also been taken by Zhang Rang right away, rushed to the imperial city, and presented to Liu Hong.
Seeing Qiao Yan enter the hall and bow, Liu Hong finally raised his eyes, shifting his attention from the scroll to Qiao Yan.
“Qiao Qing has been in the capital for only seven days, yet you’ve risen to fame through your talent in a single battle—surprisingly unexpected for me.”
His tone was hard to discern as he seemed to have undertones of a reprimand; if a ten-year-old child were present, they might indeed be frightened.
But Qiao Yan, with her perceptiveness, detected not the slightest trace of anger on Liu Hong’s face, and his fingers holding the silken scroll appeared relaxed.
Furthermore, the emperors of the Eastern Han were typically short-lived, which was reflected in Liu Hong.
Even with poor indoor lighting, Qiao Yan, accustomed to seeing people of similar ages in later generations, could tell Liu Hong appeared slightly weak.
This inner fatigue, expressed outwardly, softened whatever depth he exuded, making him less authoritative.
She responded calmly, “The books I’ve read are limited; my only strength lies in recounting what I’ve seen. Everything I witnessed during the turmoil, and on my way to Luoyang, is all captured on paper. Being valued by a lord like Xu Zijiang is beyond my expectations, and it is indeed a fortune for Qiao Yan to have His Majesty read my humble work.”
Even though Qiao Yan held no official title in Luoyang, given her title as Marquis of Leping, Liu Hong referred to her as “Qing,” and she reciprocated as “minister,” which wasn’t out of place.
“What you witnessed, captured on paper…” Liu Hong repeated Qiao Yan’s words, smiling, “Interesting. You are a pragmatic person; please take a seat.”
Qiao Yan rose to take a knee at Liu Hong’s designated spot.
Liu Hong shot her a glance, feeling entertained.
Though he hadn’t been in the Southern Palace long since moving from the Northern Palace, he had indeed met many ministers in the Jiade Hall, but this was the first time he had encountered someone so young.
However, this child was composed and exceptionally talented, demonstrating more practical abilities than those honed in his educational institution at Hongdu Gate, and possessing more cunning than those from the privileged elite families like Yuan Wei who merely occupied their titles. The scroll before Liu Hong clearly displayed a skillful hand; had she not been so young…
Liu Hong’s gaze lowered in thought, feeling that assigning critical responsibilities of balancing the nobility and court officials to a mere child seemed a bit desperate.
He redirected his focus back to the presented essay and asked, “I just read through Qiao Qing’s essay, and it states that counties should excel over enfeoffment, suggesting that the provincial governor system hints at the revival of feudalism, which is rather inappropriate. Therefore, I’m curious about your thoughts on this.”
“As you said, under an enfeoffment system, if the lords are unkind, messages cannot reach the Son of Heaven; yet Liu Taichang told me—”
“That the governor, as the head of a province, should regard the people as children, thus respecting their customs and cultivating their moral conduct. However, county officials may not necessarily do this. If it weren’t for the complacency of county officials, the Yellow Turbans wouldn’t have grown so rampant, having colluded for years until they finally revolted. In that sense, the provincial governor system might be more appropriate. What do you think?”
Qiao Yan couldn’t just say that the Yellow Turban Rebellion spiraled out of control fundamentally because Liu Hong himself didn’t take it seriously; it was not just county officials’ complacency.
If the historical records were accurate, long before Ma Yuanyi’s activities in Luoyang were exposed, reputable individuals like Liu Tao from Yingchuan had already reported Zhang Jiao’s persuasion of the populace to Liu Hong.
Yet Liu Tao had voiced his concerns, but Liu Hong merely told him to ignore it and continue compiling records on the “Spring and Autumn” principles.
With things escalating to this extent, it couldn’t all fall on the shoulders of the county officials’ inefficacy; the emperor himself had neglected to focus on the lower levels.
But if she were to say that, she’d probably get kicked out.
So she thought for a moment and responded, “When I was younger, my father taught me poetry, one line of which I recited repeatedly: ‘Under Heaven, there is none but the king’s land; on the shores, there are none but the king’s ministers.’ I suppose…”
“The populace can only be subjects of the Son of Heaven, not subjects of the governors or lords. If this continues, over time, the emperor’s edicts cannot be imposed throughout the provinces, and will struggle to reach the various princely states.”
“If it were merely concerning spring planting and autumn harvest, it wouldn’t be a problem, but if taxes first pass through the hands of the lords and governors before reaching the capital, with the imperial amnesty and recruitment orders getting held up, leading to frequent chaos.”
Liu Hong nodded at this, listening to her continue, “Many of the lords are offspring of the royal family, but some harbor ambitions to replace the emperor; this is why the Former Han gradually weakened the princes for long-lasting peace.”
“And as for the county system? A proposed policy can be abolished in the evening if it’s proven to be wrong in the morning. Any misdeeds can be resolved promptly, ensuring capable governors like Meng Shu and Wei Shang can implement their strategies.”
“As you mentioned earlier, Liu Taichang remarked that a virtuous leader should regard the people as their children, educating and nurturing, and would be able to catch any disasters early on, but—”
“Could the military management and governance powers in the provinces be disbursed among several officials and still manage to achieve this? In our vast Han territory, there are countless talented individuals, how could we lack them?”
“Those adept at governance may not be skilled in commanding armies; those proficient in military strategy may not excel in administrative affairs. Forcing them together might be beneficial for quelling rebels but is merely a temporary fix.”
At this point, Qiao Yan paused, realizing she shouldn’t have unleashed so much at once, coming off a bit too confrontational, and quickly shut her mouth, adopting a grave expression, listening intently to Liu Hong.
Liu Hong took in her performance, finding the scene amusing.
But he wasn’t surprised the child could pen such an essay.
Her views on the county and governor systems were indeed clear-cut, particularly her phrases like “none but the king’s ministers” and “the populace can only be subjects of the Son of Heaven” were comforting to him.
However, she was still a bit too young, harboring a black-and-white view typical of prodigies.
This isn’t so easily defined.
Even during the reign of Emperor Gaozu, they still needed to utilize a dual system of counties and kingdoms, which explained the rationale.
Of course, the Yellow Turban Rebellion was monumental, yet within just five months, most of its forces were suppressed—ultimately offering Liu Hong a fair bit of confidence.
While governance from the central level, assisted by the censors, often felt daunting, following the pacification, the Han’s prestige remained intact, clearly, it’d be best to adhere to the former rule.
Just as Qiao Yan mentioned, how could the Han lack talent?
Those with military prowess like Huangfu Song could lead armies, while those skilled in governance became the administrative heads of the provinces; crucial orders could be issued from the center, forming a coherent operation.
Liu Hong understood this principle.
He was well aware Qiao Yan’s assertions in the essay were correct.
In her ‘Discourse on Feudalism,’ she mentioned the wise men of the Shang and Zhou dynasties maintained the feudal system, fundamentally because during dynastic transitions, they received substantial support from other tribes, hence couldn’t easily abolish territories.
This doesn’t mean the Qin Dynasty collapsed due to the implementation of the county system.
But the plethora of information piled on his desk recently reminded him—
His confidence was still insufficient to be deemed confidence.
Within at most six months, he still needed to make a decisive move to initiate the provincial governor system to tackle the current convoluted situation.
For instance, in the Jianghuai and Yangzhou areas, being too distant from the capital, even if Qiao Yan had shattered Zhang Jiao’s myth, from what he observed, it likely wouldn’t settle the situation rapidly.
Because they would think they were far beyond the reach of central authority, enabling their rampant behavior.
Simply naming Lu Zhi as the Count of Qiantang wouldn’t suffice.
For instance, the rebellions in various regions weren’t exclusively Yellow Turban bandits, particularly the rampant bandits in Liangzhou, leading among them…
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“What a hassle.”
With all this chaos happening everywhere, he didn’t have an extra hand to balance out the situation in Luoyang.
So, it could be said that implementing the Provincial Governor System was taking the lesser of two evils.
Did Liu Yan, the one who proposed the Provincial Governor System, have ulterior motives?
From Liu Hong’s perspective, that was a definite yes.
However, since Liu Yan was part of the royal family, he was more aligned with him compared to those noble families. Just that point was enough for Liu Hong to shift his internal scale in Liu Yan’s favor.
This was his weighing of interests.
He thought to temporarily promote loyal ministers from the royal family to implement the Provincial Governor System.
Once the local situations stabilized, he would withdraw this system, find some scapegoat among the governors, and use them as an excuse.
As long as these people hadn’t been in their positions long enough to resemble warlords, Liu Hong believed he could handle it without being affected by any negative consequences of this system.
Speaking of which, the writings by Qiao Yan weren’t entirely useless to him either.
He could later claim that it was his enlightening words after reviewing her writings.
Qiao Yan noticed Liu Hong once again lowering his head, seemingly reading the silk scroll word by word.
But she didn’t think Liu Hong would entirely abandon the idea of establishing the Provincial Governor System simply because of this critique.
Instead, she guessed that Liu Hong’s probable thought was that he could live for a few more years; at least until he could cancel the system he had implemented.
Indeed, after a brief silence in the hall, Qiao Yan heard Liu Hong ask, “In your opinion, Qiao Qing, if the Provincial Governor System must be implemented, how should it proceed?”
When Liu Hong asked this, he was observing Qiao Yan’s expression. Seeing that she didn’t show any signs of being flustered upon hearing this decision that was almost equivalent to a rejection of her viewpoint made him respect her even more.
After contemplating, Qiao Yan replied, “If the strong approach must be taken, then I suggest holding the sons of the provincial governors as hostages in Luoyang.”
“Your Majesty might as well pause the immediate implementation of the Provincial Governor System and allow a month or two to assess the situation in the governor’s households. If the eldest son is favored, detain him; if the youngest is favored, detain him instead.”
Actually, Qiao Yan wanted to add that they should also set up a covert supervisor in such times.
But since it was supposed to be kept under wraps, suggesting it now wouldn’t be appropriate.
It was better to propose something seemingly feasible yet somewhat childish.
The childishness of this suggestion lay in the fact that not everyone would be like Yuan Shao, prioritizing his beloved sick son over military strategies—letting parental love create a balance, which to Liu Hong seemed a bit frivolous.
Yet, Qiao Yan’s suggestion wasn’t totally without merit…
The first point was to delay announcing the news.
This way, those capable of competing for the governorship could demonstrate their determination to him once more. After all, with the Yellow Turbans subdued, he had a chance to catch his breath.
The second point involved the hostages.
Such symbolic detentions still needed to occur, but should be done through keeping officials in the capital.
Looking at it this way, Qiao Yan’s proposal wasn’t childish after all.
Liu Hong’s gaze toward her softened a bit.
Thinking about Qiao Xuan’s serious illness, Qiao Yan felt it was indeed a bit unfair for her to be dealing with Yang Xiu’s provocations, only to end up visiting the Dingzhong Temple and answering questions in the palace. She should receive some reward.
But there was nothing available to confer upon her. It wouldn’t be suitable for him to do something like granting Ma Lun the title of Grand Historian, so what could he offer? Just rewards?
Liu Hong, known for being stingy, also disliked parting with his possessions.
Then a thought struck him.
When Qiao Yan left the Jiade Hall, she couldn’t help but feel a little dazed.
The rewards Liu Hong provided were truly… to call them a reward would be an insult to the hefty sums recorded in history!
He offered her two rewards.
One was put in rather simple terms: “Considering your grandfather’s condition seems dire, I’ll add a layer of posthumous honor for him because of your outstanding performance. His gravestone will still read Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan, not his current idle title.”
Also, he would invite two people to write the epitaph for Qiao Xuan.
One was Liang Hu, his neighbor and a master of calligraphy.
The other was Cai Yong, who had earlier been exiled from the capital but had fled far to avoid disaster.
Calculated properly, Cai Yong had initially been recommended by Qiao Xuan for an official position, serving under Qiao Xuan while he was a minister before being summoned to the position of a langzhong (a court official).
This kind of promotion was no small favor. As Cai Yong had extraordinary literary talent, he was well-suited for this task.
The second reward pertained to the tribute owed to the central authority concerning the territories of noble marquises.
Liu Hong’s preferential treatment was that within five years, she could establish herself in Leping County without needing to pay tribute to the court.
While this seemed beneficial, firstly… she had to secure the taxes.
Qiao Yan tried to comfort herself, noting that under the early Han tribute standard of sixty-three coins per person per year, it could still amount to a substantial sum.
And five years!
Within those five years, everything in that territory would belong to her, and after five years, with Liu Hong deceased and the court in chaos, who would even remember that there was a Leping related to her?
Overall, it wasn’t a bad deal!
Besides—
As she exited the Lantai through the White Tiger Gate, she heard reports that Princes Bian and Xie were visiting the Jiade Hall while also hearing her strategist system mumbling something about “that’s enough, that’s enough.”
To make it say “that’s enough,” there seemed no other option.
It was precisely the last ten strategist points she had been trying to strategize before coming to Luoyang.
A smile unconsciously appeared at the corners of Qiao Yan’s lips.
She wasn’t mistaken.
While Liu Hong’s decision to initiate the Provincial Governor System in this situation could be deemed a game-changer, it wasn’t something that could be altered by Qiao Yan’s critique.
However, the calculation of strategist points evidently couldn’t be overlooked.
Given her existing stance in the Han, her statement about the system’s flaws had already fulfilled the responsibilities of a strategist.
And her single strategy undoubtedly provided a warning to the “Sovereign” without affecting Liu Hong’s fundamental goal of maintaining order.
Overall, this should be regarded as a positive contribution.
“Finally, the three-dimensional map is unlocked; it was no easy feat…”
It was a sentiment echoed by the system.
Given her age and gender, if she hadn’t possessed such political acumen, it was likely she wouldn’t have even made it to Luoyang. Even if she did arrive, she’d be walking on eggshells.
Now, however, she could not only gain a ten-year advantage from Xu Shao and the well-regarded literary gentlemen but also impress Liu Hong.
Such comments as “a fledgling phoenix has a clear voice” could easily be compared to phrases like “the one who gets either of the two can stabilize the realm.”
This was indeed a significant move on the path of an extraordinary strategist!
“Right, it really wasn’t easy,” Qiao Yan thought in silence.
Earlier, when entering the palace through the Pingcheng Gate, she had left Dian Wei outside.
Now, as she returned through the Yong Gate to Wangzi Square, she needed to bother a little Yellow Gate attendant to notify Dian Wei while she strolled back to Qiao Xuan’s residence.
She felt a little relaxed upon returning to this overly simple courtyard.
She lay in the resting hut and brought up the system panel.
The previously shrouded three-dimensional map, which required 100 strategist points to unlock, was finally loading before her eyes.
Somewhat reminiscent of modern three-dimensional city maps, the scene before her appeared to be from above Luoyang.
In the center, within the city walls of Luoyang, two palaces were distinctively purlined in the shape of the character “吕,” with the southern one being the Southern Palace she visited earlier. The Hall of Enlightenment and the Lingtai stood tall to the south, while streams coursed around the city on the other three sides, allowing the densely packed residences to gather the living soul of this city.
In this three-dimensional map, the most notable feature was undoubtedly the Mangshan Mountains north of Luoyang.
This mountain range, said to have dragon and phoenix feng shui, also harbored countless souls resting from Luoyang.
But Qiao Yan wasn’t thinking about “a handful of Mang soil is worth more than gold” right now; rather—
This three-dimensional map surely didn’t disappoint her expectations. If it could present this effect while she was in Leping, it would surely help her become familiar with the place much faster.
After all, that place was mountainous!
With this device at hand, even if the rewards from Liu Hong weren’t something she could practically obtain, it wouldn’t be that disheartening.
Qiao Yan turned the three-dimensional map a bit and satisfied, put it away.
In the short term, she shouldn’t expect to reach that level of 300 strategist points; it’s better not to aim too high.
As a result, in the system’s view, Qiao Yan calmly allocated her points to her physique.
The system had clearly learned its lesson, realizing that not adding them to intelligence wasn’t an issue.
By the system’s evaluation standards, Yang Xiu’s intelligence should be above that of the host, but—
Would anyone honestly think that the “talent matched to the fast” little one would be smarter than the “fledgling phoenix”?
Probably no one would think that way.
In and out of Luoyang, with a rich cultural atmosphere and Xu Shao’s highly regarded Monthly Appraisal being closely watched, the evaluation of Qiao Yan as “the fledgling phoenix has a clear voice” spread like wildfire almost overnight—
All the focus was on her.
Being a Count at ten years old and receiving high praise from Xu Zijiang undoubtedly piqued people’s curiosity.
Furthermore, she was subsequently summoned by the Son of Heaven. Yet, what exactly was said and what results followed were communicated by Liu Hong, making it one of the most mysterious parts of gossip.
If the gossiping scholars in Luoyang could at least see the protagonist of this event, that would be understandable.
However, Xu Shao hearing of the upheaval in Yu Province now settled, packing his bags to prepare to return to Runan, those who also served as “judges” were regulars at the Grand General’s Mansion and naturally wouldn’t go around casually.
Yang Xiu was even less likely to be mentioned.
After finishing writing Qiao Yan’s critiques, he felt that since he had to devise a plan for leaving home, he ought to prepare thoroughly, even mulling over what to pack while being cramped at home, causing his grandfather to think he had faced a severe blow.
But he hadn’t experienced any setbacks!
The astute Yang Xiu was contemplating whether to increase his standing by borrowing a few books from his grandfather’s study.
And what about Qiao Yan?
Cheng Li couldn’t help but marvel; she truly seemed destined to accomplish great things.
With one critique, she cemented her position as a loyal subject of the Han, demonstrating ample political acumen and literary talent. Yet she reverted back to her previous routine of cultivating crops.
Five days later, the mustard greens planted in her garden finally sprouted new buds.
The warm weather in Luoyang these past few days and her attentive care ensured the growth of these new seedlings.
The tender new shoots waved gently in the moist, loose soil, showing signs of vibrant life.
As Qiao Yan fiddled with the mustard seedlings, Fu Shou, who had dashed over to find her, squatted next to her and said, “This variety of mustard greens also has a nickname: Snowy Red. Doesn’t that sound a lot prettier? In fall and winter, parts of the leaves even turn red.”
“So that’s your reason for growing this? Fall… still has some time,” Fu Shou remarked.
“Not just that, I’ve heard in some places, locals refer to mustard greens as longevity vegetables, which also seems like a hopeful wish.”
This “some places” actually referred to Taiwan.
Of course, modern Taiwan would be called Yizhou now; after Sun Quan declared himself emperor, he sent Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhi to sea to search for a celestial mountain, bringing back thousands from Yizhou. It wouldn’t make sense for there to be any sayings about longevity vegetables reaching the Central Plains now.
But since Qiao Yan relied on the vastness of the Central Plains, with various local sayings differing, there was no one to expose her during her explanation to Fu Shou.
Hearing this, Fu Shou nodded, somewhat understanding, “So this is to wish for the longevity of the Qiao family in the house.”
She was about to poke at the emerging seedlings, but recalling that she had watched Qiao Yan work hard for over a week, she thought better of it and placed her hands behind her back.
Qiao Yan found her reaction rather amusing and was about to speak more when suddenly, a voice interrupted from behind her.
“Longevity… does one need to pray for it after living over seventy years?”
Qiao Yan turned around to see Qiao Xuan supported by attendants, emerging from the house.
Those words were indeed spoken by Qiao Xuan.
Qiao Yan’s expression instantly changed.
It wasn’t always a good sign for someone gravely ill to suddenly wake up.
Just like Qiao Xuan, his current state was no indication of improvement but rather a flicker before departing!
If we were to apply modern medical terms, this could be seen as a near-death response, where energy reserves momentarily surge.
This could very well allow Qiao Xuan to awaken from his previously dazed state, even temporarily regaining some strength in his limbs.
It also rendered his once-pale, emaciated face sporting a touch of color.
But this state wouldn’t last long; most likely, he had no more than a day left to live.
Qiao Yan hurriedly instructed Lu Yuan to send Fu Shou away.
This situation clearly shouldn’t keep Fu Shou around any longer.
Just as she finished making this arrangement, she saw Qiao Xuan nonchalantly push away the aides and stubbornly park himself next to the vegetable patch.
Sitting on the stone by the flower bed.
Given his past military service, he probably understood his current state well.
However, from Qiao Yan’s viewpoint, she couldn’t perceive any anxiety or fear toward death from this old man; instead, he appeared quite composed.
With a bit of spirit remaining, he turned to Qiao Yan and, as if teasing, said, “Your skills at growing vegetables need serious improvement.”
Seeing him pat the ground beside him, Qiao Yan didn’t hesitate. She simply sat down next to Qiao Xuan and grumbled, “You can’t say it like that; it’s my first time planting, and it’s already turned out like this!”
Qiao Xuan shot her a glare: “You can dismiss responsibility for planting, but what about being a County Marquis?”
Noticing Qiao Yan seemed about to glance at the old servant, Qiao Xuan continued, “Alright, stop looking, it wasn’t him but rather what I half-heard from you during these past few days of delirium.”
“…I heard you.”
He had been forcing himself to stay awake, and at this point, his voice was gradually fading.
Even if he hadn’t ordered anyone else to leave, perhaps only he and Qiao Yan would catch the latter part of his words.
“Marquis of Leping, Marquis of Leping… you’re better than my foolish son.”
“…”
Qiao Yan’s fingers instinctively curled a little at Qiao Xuan’s words.
Always accustomed to analyzing others’ words, this time was no exception.
So it wasn’t hard for her to sense the underlying message in Qiao Xuan’s words.
If this were a conversation with his granddaughter, he shouldn’t be saying “my foolish son.” Instead, it should have been—
“You are better than your father.”
