Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 1: The Yellow Turban Rebellion, The Clear Voice of a Young Phoenix, Chapter 38: The Last Glow

Belonging to the book:


Can a strategist not ascend the throne?

Chapter 38: The Last Glow

Meeting the Son of Heaven…

Previously, when passing by the grand avenue in front of the Hall of Enlightenment, the glances from others were merely observing a rivalry between two children.

But when Qiao Yan returned to this path, the gazes from the crowd, including the Imperial Academy students, had significantly changed.

Studying in the capital of Luoyang, the ultimate goal was none other than to gain the attention of the Son of Heaven and secure a position in the court. In the process of accumulating reputation, if one could gain the favor of a noble, it would naturally be better. If not, one had to make a name for oneself.

In special circumstances like the Yellow Turban Rebellion, only a few could establish meritorious deeds.

This was not a path that could be used as a reference for learning.

For most scholars, being able to stand out in the Imperial Academy through talent and learning, and after accumulating a certain level of knowledge, traveling to the regions of Ru and Ying, and encountering one or two famous scholars for guidance, was already considered a great achievement.

The top-tier achievement would be to directly receive critiques from first-rate commentators of the time like Xu Jing, Xu Shao, He Yong, and Guo Tai. A favorable critique would be enough to distinguish oneself from ordinary scholars.

And obviously, Qiao Yan had already achieved this.

She not only received a high evaluation of “The Young Phoenix has a Clear Voice” through a single policy paper, full of expectations for the future, but also immediately received a summons from the Son of Heaven.

Of course, everyone could see that Qiao Yan’s opportunity for this summons was not entirely due to Xu Zijiang’s evaluation.

Without the earlier title of Marquis of Leping, Liu Hong wouldn’t have gone out of his way to summon a junior favored by Xu Shao, who was just a commoner.

Moreover, considering the distance from Dingzhong Temple to the imperial city, it was impossible for the message to reach the palace immediately after Xu Shao’s evaluation, and coincidentally, Liu Hong had nothing to do and sent Zhang Rang to announce the imperial decree.

Zhang Rang arrived too quickly!

So quickly that it left no doubt that Liu Hong had been closely monitoring Qiao Yan’s actions and situation.

But no one could deny that when the evaluation and this timely summons were put together, Xu Shao benefited, and Qiao Yan’s reputation soared.

At this moment, no one would say that she should have been filial by her grandfather’s bedside—

After all, this was indeed her first outing since arriving in Luoyang, and her visit to Dingzhong Temple with Yang Xiu seemed more like a coincidence.

What she did was simply seize the opportunity when it presented itself.

Putting oneself in her shoes, if they were in Qiao Xuan’s position, having such an outstanding granddaughter whose words reached the emperor’s ears while on the brink of death, one could truly die with a smile.

With the prospect of descendants’ achievements, what could be more comforting to an elder?

“After this spectacle, they will probably be as curious as I am about what you actually wrote.”

When passing through Pingcheng Gate, Yang Xiu looked back and spoke.

Fortunately, not everyone could enter the capital of Luoyang, especially not far beyond the city gate, where the imperial road connecting Guangyang Gate and Haomen was located, in front of the Southern Palace, and on the palace walls of the Southern Palace within the city walls, stood the Vermilion Bird Watchtower.

This marked the beginning of the heavily guarded imperial city.

It also represented the highest authority of the Han Dynasty, exuding a solemn atmosphere.

Even someone like Yang Xiu, the grandson of the Grand Commandant, could not pass through the Vermilion Bird Gate without permission.

He followed along only because he was taking this road home.

Now, Qiao Yan continued into the Southern Palace under Zhang Rang’s guidance, while Yang Xiu turned right back to the Grand Commandant’s residence.

With his exceptional memory, it could be said that he had a photographic memory. For instance, Qiao Yan’s policy paper was still imprinted in his mind.

He thought that since he had lost to such a paper, he should memorize it and recite it daily to keep it in mind.

Because of this, he didn’t continue playing with his friends near the Imperial Academy but decided to go home first to ensure he didn’t miss any words.

Seeing Qiao Yan’s figure disappear behind the gate, he sighed softly.

“I wonder how future history books will record today’s events…”

After all, he had received a not-too-bad evaluation, and he hoped he wouldn’t be recorded as—Yang Xiu provoked Qiao Yan on the street, forcing her to go to Dingzhong Temple, and Qiao Yan had no choice but to present “Discourse on Feudalism” to Xu Shao, leading to the emperor’s summons.

Wouldn’t that make him the villain?

The still young Yang Xiu pondered how he could make amends to salvage his reputation.

I wonder… “Yang Xiu was so impressed that he followed Qiao Yan to Leping” would work.

He thought it might actually be feasible!

Grand Commandant Yang Ci would never have imagined that his brilliant grandson, who initially went to reclaim his honor, had now straightforwardly sold himself out and even considered the possibility of running away from home.

Qiao Yan, who had already entered through the Vermilion Bird Gate, naturally wouldn’t know.

Moreover, all her attention now had to be on dealing with Liu Hong, so how could she consider what Yang Xiu was thinking.

A mediocre emperor is easy to handle, but a smart one is hard to predict.

Theoretically, Qiao Yan’s previous actions had not gone wrong.

From assisting in quelling the Yellow Turban Rebellion, to debating that “the natural disasters of the Han Dynasty have nothing to do with the rulers,” to arriving in Luoyang and calmly starting to farm, to this analogy refuting the provincial governor system, everything was in defense of the Han Dynasty’s rule.

She also didn’t give Liu Hong any clues about which side she was leaning towards.

But when actually facing him, these things might not be entirely useful; it still depended on the performance on the spot.

However, while digging and planting vegetables in Qiao Xuan’s residence, she had already anticipated what Liu Hong might ask and how she should respond, so she wasn’t caught off guard.

In this mindset, when passing through the Vermilion Bird Gate and Hongde Gate, Qiao Yan even had the leisure to admire the appearance of the Hall of Brightness facing the palace gate.

In the future Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the Northern Wei powerful minister Erzhu Rong was killed here, but now it was just an ordinary palace.

Luoyang only gained the concept of a central axis during the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei, and subsequent dynasties inherited this central axis design to showcase the imperial majesty. The current Southern Palace of Luoyang did not have this feature.

For example, Liu Hong’s residence, the Yutang Hall, was not in the central row but in the second column from the left, namely the Hall of Brightness, Xuan Room, Chengfu, Jiade, and Yutang.

However, Qiao Yan met Liu Hong not in the Yutang Hall but in the Jiade Hall.

At this time, the Yutang Hall fire of the second year of Zhongping had not yet occurred, and the Jiade Hall was not Liu Hong’s living quarters but more like a reception room or study in front of the bedroom.

Thinking of this, Qiao Yan’s gaze subconsciously swept over the Lantai next to the Jiade Hall.

The Lantai, only a few steps away from the Jiade Hall, was surrounded by lush bamboo and was the Han Dynasty’s imperial library. Ban Gu once served as the Lantai Ling Shi here.

Liu Hong setting his living and reception quarters next to this place was quite fitting for his image as a cultured person.

But her wandering thoughts were only momentary. As soon as she stepped onto the high steps in front of the Jiade Hall, she became completely focused, concentrating all her attention on the present.

The Jiade Hall’s doors were wide open, and sunlight poured in, but because the palace was very deep, where Liu Hong sat was not illuminated by sunlight, so several bright lamps were lit beside him.

The emperor at the head was not sitting upright, as Qiao Yan had expected, but was leaning on the table with his elbow, resting his chin on his hand, while the other hand flipped through the silk scroll in his hand.

It was Qiao Yan’s “Discourse on Feudalism.”

When Zhang Rang came to invite Qiao Yan into the palace, this document was also taken away by Zhang Rang and quickly delivered to the imperial city, into Liu Hong’s hands.

Seeing Qiao Yan enter the hall and bow, Liu Hong finally raised his eyes, shifting his attention from the silk scroll to Qiao Yan.

“Qiao Qing has only been in the capital for seven days and has already made a name for herself with her talent, which truly surprised me.”

His tone was unreadable, sounding more like an interrogation. If it were a real ten-year-old child here, they might have been scared.

But Qiao Yan, observing his expression, did not see any trace of anger on Liu Hong’s face, and the way he held the silk scroll was relaxed.

Moreover, the short-lived nature of Eastern Han emperors was evident in Liu Hong.

Even though the indoor lighting was not bright, it was not difficult for Qiao Yan, who was accustomed to seeing people of this age in later generations, to notice that Liu Hong looked quite weak.

This inner and outer display of spirit also made him seem less imposing, no matter how deep he appeared.

She calmly replied, “I have not read many scriptures, and the only thing I am good at is writing about what I have seen and heard. Everything I have seen since the military disaster and on the way to Luoyang is in my writing. Being favored by Mr. Zijiang was unexpected, and having Your Majesty read my humble work is even more fortunate for Qiao Yan.”

Although Qiao Yan held no official position in Luoyang, she held the title of Marquis of Leping, so Liu Hong addressing her as “Qing” and her referring to herself as “Chen” in return was not inappropriate.

“What you have seen and heard is all in your writing…” Liu Hong repeated Qiao Yan’s words and smiled, “Interesting. Qiao Qing is a practical person, please take a seat.”

Qiao Yan stood up and knelt down in the seat below Liu Hong.

Liu Hong glanced at her and suddenly found it amusing.

Although he had not been living in the Southern Palace for long, he had met many ministers in the Jiade Hall, but this was the first time he had received someone so young.

But this child was steady, with outstanding talent, more practical than those trained in the Hongdu Gate School, and more resourceful than the idle scions of noble families like Yuan Wei. The good handwriting on the silk scroll presented to Liu Hong was also quite appreciated. If it weren’t for her young age, and if it weren’t for…

Liu Hong lowered his eyes, revealing a thoughtful expression, but he felt that entrusting the heavy responsibility of balancing the noble families and the imperial relatives to this not-yet-grown child was somewhat like seeking a cure in desperation.

He simply turned his attention back to the policy paper in front of him and asked, “I have just read Qiao Qing’s manuscript, and it seems that throughout the text, the prefecture-county system is superior to the feudal system, and the provincial governor system has the suspicion of reviving the feudal system, which is very inappropriate. So I want to test you.”

“As you said, under the feudal system, if the feudal lords are unkind, the news cannot reach the emperor’s ears, but Liu Taichang told me—”

“With the provincial governor, he must treat the people of his province as his children, adapting to their customs and managing their affairs, but the prefecture-county officials may not do so. If it weren’t for the prefecture-county officials being complacent, the Yellow Turbans would not have been so rampant, colluding for years and rising up in one day. From this perspective, the provincial governor system seems more appropriate. What do you think of this?”

Qiao Yan couldn’t say that the Yellow Turban Rebellion’s escalation was ultimately due to Liu Hong’s own negligence, not the prefecture-county officials’ complacency.

If it were similar to the historical records, before Ma Yuanyi’s activities in Luoyang were exposed, around last year or the year before, someone from Yingchuan, Liu Tao, had reported to Liu Hong about Zhang Jiao deceiving the people.

But Liu Tao said this, and Liu Hong told him to ignore it and continue compiling the “Spring and Autumn” regulations.

The situation today couldn’t be entirely blamed on the prefecture-county officials’ incompetence; it was also because the emperor didn’t pay attention to the lower levels.

But if she really said that, she would probably be thrown out.

So she thought for a moment and replied, “When I was young, my father taught me poetry, and there was one line I repeated often: ‘Under the vast sky, there is no land that is not the king’s; within the borders of the land, there are none who are not the king’s subjects.’ I think—”

“The people can only be the emperor’s subjects, not the provincial governor’s or feudal lords’, otherwise, in the long run, the emperor’s decrees will not be implemented in the provinces and will not reach the feudal states.”

“If it’s just about spring plowing and autumn harvest, it’s fine, but if tax matters first pass through the feudal lords and provincial governors before reaching the capital, and conscription decrees are withheld by superiors before reaching the people, then chaos will surely ensue.”

Liu Hong nodded and heard her continue, “Feudal lords are mostly descendants of the imperial family, and some have ambitions to replace the emperor, which is why the early Han Dynasty gradually reduced their power to seek long-term stability.”

“And the prefecture-county system? If the morning’s actions are not righteous, they can be dismissed in the evening; if the evening’s actions are disorderly, they can be executed in the morning. This is the guarantee that the governance strategies of talents like Meng Shu and Wei Shang can be implemented.”

“As Your Majesty mentioned earlier, Liu Taichang said that a virtuous provincial governor can treat the people as his children, implement education, and detect troubles in the province at an early stage, but—”

“With the military control and governance authority in the province divided among several people, can’t this be achieved? Our great Han Dynasty is vast and full of talents; how can we lack such people?”

“Those skilled in governance may not understand military command, and those skilled in military strategy may not excel in administrative affairs. Forcing them together may have some benefits in suppressing rebels, but it can only be a temporary measure.”

Qiao Yan stopped here, as if realizing she shouldn’t have spoken so much at once, appearing somewhat aggressive, and quickly closed her mouth, sitting upright and attentively listening to Liu Hong.

Liu Hong took in her performance and found the scene increasingly amusing.

But now he was not at all surprised that the child before him could write the policy paper in his hand.

Her views on the prefecture-county and provincial governor systems were indeed clear and bright, especially the lines “Within the borders of the land, there are none who are not the king’s subjects” and “The people can only be the emperor’s subjects,” which greatly pleased Liu Hong.

However, she was still young, with the black-and-white perception typical of young geniuses.

It’s not so clearly defined.

The early Han Dynasty still used the parallel system of prefectures and feudal states for this reason.

Of course, the Yellow Turban Rebellion was massive, but most of the rebel forces were suppressed within five months, which gave Liu Hong considerable confidence.

Although the central government’s control over the provinces, even with the assistance of governors, was somewhat inadequate, which had previously made Liu Hong consider dividing and ruling, the Han Dynasty’s majesty remained after the rebellion, so it was clearly better to follow the old methods.

As Qiao Yan said, how could the Han Dynasty lack talents?

Those with military talent, like Huangfu Song, should command troops; those with administrative talent should serve as provincial governors. The most important decrees should come from the central government, forming a complete and functioning whole.

Liu Hong understood this.

He also knew that Qiao Yan was right in her policy paper.

In her “Discourse on Feudalism,” she mentioned that during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, even with virtuous rulers, the feudal system was maintained because they received too much support from other tribes during the dynastic changes, so they couldn’t easily reduce the feudal territories.

This did not prove that the Qin Dynasty’s implementation of the prefecture-county system and its fall in two generations were related to this system.

But the recent messages piling up on his desk made him realize—

His confidence was not yet strong enough.

Within the next six months, he still had to make a decision to implement the provincial governor system to deal with the complex situation.

For example, the Yangzhou region in Jianghuai was too far from the capital. Even though Zhang Jiao’s myth had been shattered by Qiao Yan, as he saw it, it probably wouldn’t make these people calm down quickly.

Because they would only feel that they were far from the central government’s control and could act recklessly.

Merely enfeoffing Lu Zhi as the Marquis of Qiantang was not enough.

Moreover, the rebel forces were not limited to the Yellow Turbans, especially the rampant bandits in Liangzhou, which were the most troublesome.








These chaotic situations happening everywhere cannot be handled with an extra hand while he needs to balance the situation in Luoyang.

So, implementing the Provincial Governor System can be considered choosing the lesser of two evils.

Does Liu Yan, who proposed the Provincial Governor System, have ulterior motives?

From Liu Hong’s perspective, definitely.

However, Liu Yan is after all a member of the imperial family, more aligned with him than the noble families, which is enough for Liu Hong to tilt the balance in his favor.

This is the balance in his heart.

He thinks of temporarily selecting loyal ministers and imperial family members to implement the Provincial Governor System.

Once the local situation stabilizes, he will abolish the Provincial Governor System, and find an excuse to target one of the provincial governors.

As long as these people do not have enough time to establish themselves like feudal lords, Liu Hong is confident that he will not be affected by the negative effects of this system.

Speaking of which, what Qiao Yan has written now is not entirely useless to him.

When the time comes, he can say that this is the enlightening words he gained from reviewing it again.

Qiao Yan only saw Liu Hong lower his eyes again, as if reading the silk scroll word by word.

But she didn’t think that Liu Hong would completely abandon the idea of establishing the Provincial Governor System because of this policy discussion.

She guessed that Liu Hong’s most likely thought was that he could live a few more years, at least long enough to cancel the Provincial Governor System after this strong medicine.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence in the hall, Qiao Yan heard Liu Hong ask, “In Qiao Qing’s opinion, if the Provincial Governor System is a necessary measure, what should be done?”

When Liu Hong asked this, he observed Qiao Yan’s expression, and seeing that she did not show any signs of panic when hearing this decision that almost negated her viewpoint, he couldn’t help but admire her more.

He then saw Qiao Yan ponder for a moment before replying, “If strong medicine is indeed necessary, then I suggest taking the sons of the provincial governors as hostages in Luoyang.”

“Your Majesty might as well temporarily suppress the Provincial Governor System and not implement it immediately. Within a month or two, have someone investigate the family situations of the provincial governor candidates. If the eldest son is favored, detain the eldest son; if the youngest son is favored, detain the youngest son.”

Actually, Qiao Yan also wanted to say that at this time, it would be better to set up a covert supervisor.

But since it’s not to be made public, it would be inappropriate for her to bring it up now.

It would be better to propose a suggestion that is somewhat feasible but also quite childish.

The reason this suggestion is childish is that not everyone is like Yuan Shao, who would delay military arrangements because of a beloved youngest son’s serious illness. This so-called deep paternal love as a balancing act seems somewhat playful in Liu Hong’s eyes.

However, Qiao Yan’s suggestion can be slightly extended…

First, delay the announcement of the news.

Just let those with the ability to compete for provincial governor positions show their determination to him again. After all, once the Yellow Turbans are pacified, he will have a chance to catch his breath.

Second, the issue of hostages.

This symbolic detention still needs to be done, but in the form of retaining officials in the capital.

From this perspective, Qiao Yan’s suggestion is not childish.

Liu Hong’s gaze towards her became slightly warmer.

Thinking of Qiao Xuan’s serious illness, and Qiao Yan having to go to Dingzhong Temple because she couldn’t refuse Yang Xiu’s provocation, and then entering the palace for questioning, it was really quite a hardship for this child, and she should be rewarded.

But she has nothing left to be ennobled, and it’s not suitable to give her an official position like he did with Ma Lun, who was given the title of Grand Historian, so he could only give her a reward?

But Liu Hong is used to being stingy and doesn’t like to give things away from his own hands.

An idea came to his mind.

When Qiao Yan walked out of the Jiade Hall, she couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed.

The reward Liu Hong gave was really… calling it a reward would be an insult to the hundreds of gold recorded in history books!

He gave two rewards.

One, in more通俗易懂 terms, is: I see your grandfather’s condition is probably not going to improve, so because of your excellent performance, I will add a layer of posthumous honor to your grandfather. On his tombstone, it will still say Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan, not the idle position he currently holds.

Additionally, he will invite two people to write the epitaph for Qiao Xuan.

One is Qiao Xuan’s neighbor, Liang Hu, who is good at the eight-part script.

The other is Cai Yong, who was previously thrown out of the capital and ran far away to avoid trouble.

Counting back, when Cai Yong first became an official, it was actually recommended by Qiao Xuan. He first served as a subordinate to Qiao Xuan, who was then the Minister over the Masses, and was later summoned to be a Langzhong.

This kind of mentoring favor is quite significant, and Cai Yong’s literary talent is excellent, making him very suitable for this task.

The other reward is related to the “tribute fee” that marquises pay to the central government.

Liu Hong’s favor to her is that within five years, she does not need to pay tribute fees to the court for her marquisate in Leping County.

This seems like a good thing, but first… first she has to be able to collect taxes.

Qiao Yan tried to comfort herself, with the tribute fee standard of sixty-three coins per person per year in the early Han Dynasty, this tribute fee can indeed be considered a large amount.

And five years!

Within five years, everything in the fiefdom belongs to her. After five years, when Liu Hong dies and the court is in chaos, who will remember her Leping?

Overall, it’s not a loss!

Moreover——

As she passed by Lantai and exited through the Baihu Gate, she heard someone report that Prince Bian and Prince Xie were visiting the Jiade Hall, and at the same time, her strategist system started muttering something about “enough, enough.”

The only thing that could make it say “enough” seems to be the last 10 strategist points she had been trying to plan before coming to Luoyang.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but show a smile on her lips.

She wasn’t wrong.

Although Liu Hong’s decision to start the Provincial Governor System, in this situation that can be described as a collapse on all sides, cannot be changed because of Qiao Yan’s policy discussion, the calculation of strategist points obviously cannot be done this way.

From the standpoint of her panel’s existing Han Dynasty position, her statement on the disadvantages of the Provincial Governor System can already be considered fulfilling the responsibility of a strategist.

And her policy discussion undoubtedly, without affecting Liu Hong’s maintenance of the situation, achieved the effect of warning the “lord” and making him take corresponding balancing measures.

So overall, it should still be considered a positive suggestion.

[The 3D map can be opened, it’s really not easy…]

The system’s “not easy” is certainly something Qiao Yan can感慨.

Given her age and gender, without this kind of从容不迫 political情商, she might not have been able to reach Luoyang City, and even if she did, she would have to tread on thin ice here.

How could she be like now, not only gaining a评价 that could benefit her for ten years from Xu Shao and those highly眼界士人, but also刷出一波 impression points in front of Liu Hong.

The评价 “A young phoenix has a clear voice” can be completely类比 “Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix, obtaining one can pacify the world.”

This is really a step on the必由之路 of top strategist development!

The above is the strategist system’s thoughts.

“Yes, it’s really not easy.” Qiao Yan replied in her heart.

Previously, when she entered the palace through the Pingcheng Gate, she left Dian Wei outside.

Now that she has exited Luoyang City through the Yong Gate and returned to Prince’s Lane, she had to麻烦 a小黄门 to send a message to Dian Wei, while she herself walked back to Qiao Xuan’s residence.

Only when she returned to this overly simple courtyard did she feel that she could relax a bit.

She lay down in the small resting room, and调出 the system’s panel.

The 3D map, originally covered by fog and requiring 100 strategist points to unlock, finally gradually loaded before her eyes.

Similar to modern city 3D maps, when she opened the map, what appeared before her was a view from above Luoyang.

In the center, within the Luoyang city walls, two palace cities呈 “吕”字形错位拼接, the southern one being the Southern Palace she visited today. The Hall of Enlightenment and Lingtai高台 stood in the south of the city, with流水绕城而过 on the other three sides. From above, the密集的民居里坊 gathered into the lifeblood of the city.

In this立体化 map, the most striking is undoubtedly Mang Mountain to the north of Luoyang.

This mountain, with the风水之说 of phoenix巢 and dragon穴, among the巍峨 mountains, also承载着 the安息 of countless亡魂 of Luoyang.

But what Qiao Yan is thinking about now is not “A handful of Mang soil is as precious as gold,” but——

This 3D map really did not辜负 her expectations. If the map could switch to Leping and show this effect when she is there, it would undoubtedly play an格外重要 role in her尽快熟悉 that place.

Who let there be so many mountains there!

With this thing in hand, even if the reward Liu Hong gave is not something she can actually get, it doesn’t feel so郁卒 anymore.

Qiao Yan turned the 3D map around,满意地 put it away.

In the short term, she doesn’t have to hope to reach the 300 strategist points level. It’s better not to aim too high.

So in the system’s view, what it saw was Qiao Yan坦然地 adding the points to her constitution again.

The system has learned to be obedient. It thinks that not adding to intelligence is not a big problem.

According to the system’s evaluation criteria, Yang Xiu’s intelligence should be higher than the host’s, but——

Would anyone think that a child with “quick-witted talent” is smarter than a “young phoenix”?

Probably no one would think so.

The浓厚 cultural atmosphere inside and outside Luoyang City,加上 Xu Shao’s long-renowned Monthly Appraisal, which has always attracted much attention, made Qiao Yan’s评价 “A young phoenix has a clear voice” spread almost overnight——

The focus is all on her.

Being ennobled at the age of ten, and receiving high praise from Xu Zijiang, undoubtedly made people curious about Qiao Yan.

加上 she was subsequently summoned by the Son of Heaven, but what exactly was said and what result was obtained, because Liu Hong did not spread it, became the most mysterious part of the gossip.

If the八卦 Luoyang士人 could meet the protagonist of this matter, that would be one thing.

But Xu Shao, hearing that the Yellow Turban rebellion in Yu Province had been pacified, packed up准备回 Runan去了, and those who were also “judges,” being frequent guests of the Grand General’s Mansion, naturally would not随便出来走动.

Yang Xiu is even more不用说.

After默写完 Qiao Yan’s policy discussion, he felt that since he wanted to plan an idea of离家出走, he had to prepare完善才是, and because he was窝在房中罗列 what he wanted to bring, his grandfather thought he had suffered a great打击 in this matter.

He didn’t suffer any打击!

The聪慧过人 Yang Xiu was still thinking about whether he should increase his own value and偷出 a few books from his grandfather’s study.

And Qiao Yan?

Cheng Li also had to感慨, she is truly天生 to do something great.

With a policy discussion, she established her position as a loyal良 of the Han Dynasty, showing sufficient political头脑 and文墨功夫, and with such an评价 that even has the capital to出入三公府邸, she却又重新做起了先前的种菜营生.

Five days later, the mustard greens she planted in that菜畦 finally sprouted new shoots.

The warm climate in Luoyang these days and her care for this菜畦 undoubtedly provided保障 for the growth of the new seedlings in the field.

The tender new seedlings swayed in the疏松湿润 soil, showing new green生机.

Qiao Yan, while伸手拨弄着 the mustard green seedlings, said to Fu Shou, who came to find her and was蹲在一旁, “This variety of mustard greens also has another name called ‘Snow Red.’ Doesn’t it sound more beautiful? In autumn and winter, part of the leaves will turn red.”

“So this is your purpose for planting this? Autumn… it’s still a while away.” Fu Shou said.

“Not entirely. I heard that in some places, locals have another name for mustard greens, called ‘Longevity Vegetable.’ It’s probably a kind of愿景.”

This “some places” actually refers to Taiwan.

Of course, Taiwan today should be called Yizhou. After Sun Quan称帝, he sent Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhi出海寻访仙山, bringing back thousands of people from Yizhou. Counting back, there wouldn’t be such a saying about longevity vegetables传 to the Central Plains now.

But anyway, Qiao Yan, relying on the vastness of the Central Plains with various local sayings, now explaining it to Fu Shou this way, no one will expose her.

Fu Shou nodded似懂非懂: “So this is祈福长寿 for Qiao Gong in the house.”

She originally wanted to伸手去戳戳 the sprouting seedlings, but thinking that she had扒在墙头 watched Qiao Yan忙碌了十几天, she couldn’t do such破坏, and put her hands behind her back.

Qiao Yan felt her reaction was quite有趣, just about to say a few words, when suddenly a voice sounded behind her.

“Longevity… living for more than seventy years and still needing to祈求长寿吗?”

Qiao Yan turned around and saw Qiao Xuan, supported by his仆从, walking out of the house.

These words were also spoken by Qiao Xuan.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but change her expression.

A seriously ill person suddenly waking up is not necessarily a good thing.

Like Qiao Xuan, his current state is definitely not a sign of improvement, but clearly a回光返照!

According to modern medical terms, this is an emergency energy supply under the stress response of濒死状态.

This is indeed enough to make Qiao Xuan清醒过来 from his original混沌状态, and even temporarily have strength in his limbs.

It also adds a bit of color to his already pale and withered face.

But this state will not last long, more than half will only have a day’s寿命而已.

Qiao Yan quickly had Lu Yuan send Fu Shou back.

This situation is obviously not suitable for Fu Shou to stay here anymore.

And just as she finished this arrangement, she saw Qiao Xuan quite不在乎地推开 the搀扶之人,格外任性地在菜畦旁边坐了下来.

Sitting on the石头 of the花圃.

Since he had served in the military, he probably knows his current state.

But from what Qiao Yan saw, this old man did not show忧虑恐惧情绪 towards death, but rather a kind of坦荡之意.

At this moment when he still had a bit of精神, he turned to Qiao Yan, as if调侃一般说道: “Your种菜水平 really needs improvement.”

Seeing him拍拍自己身边的地, Qiao Yan didn’t纠结 much, simply sitting down next to Qiao Xuan, and顺势嘀咕道: “You can’t say that, it’s not bad for the first time亲自动手.”

Qiao Xuan瞪了她一眼: “You can推卸责任 like this when种菜, can you do that as a县侯?”

Seeing Qiao Yan about to turn to look at the老仆, Qiao Xuan又说道: “Alright, don’t look, it’s not him who said it, it’s what I heard you絮叨 these days半梦半醒.”

“…I heard it.”

He was already强撑着一口气清醒过来的, and now his voice was gradually轻了下去.

Even though he didn’t let others退下去, perhaps only he and Qiao Yan beside him could hear the后半句话.

“Marquis of Leping, Marquis of Leping… you are stronger than my傻儿子.”

“…”

Qiao Yan’s指尖随着 Qiao Xuan’s words下意识地蜷缩了些许.

She is used to analyzing others’言辞, and this time is no exception.

So she is not难听出 the潜台词 in Qiao Xuan’s words.

If it were really a conversation with his granddaughter, what he said shouldn’t be “my傻儿子,” but should be——

“You are stronger than your father.”