Chapter 392

Chapter 392: The Liangzhou Plan

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Final Volume: The Rise and Fall of Royal Power, Unification of the World, Chapter 392: The Liangzhou Plan

Isn’t this one of the reasons she strives to stand at the highest point of the world and become the one who issues commands?

If she cannot embark on this path of determined reform, what difference is there between her and Liu Yu, who once sat in this position!

When bidding farewell to Lu Yuan, who was heading to Liangzhou, Qiao Yan said to her, “In the past, Minister Huang was promoted by Emperor Xiaoling, first as the Governor of Qingzhou, then as the Governor of Yuzhou, and later entered the court as one of the Three Excellencies. You should know what expectations I have for you?”

In addition to the decrees of the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers, there were two appointments that were not difficult for these court officials to guess.

Lu Yuan was promoted from Deputy Governor of Liangzhou to Governor of Liangzhou, and Xi Zhicai was promoted from Deputy Governor of Bingzhou to Governor of Bingzhou.

Both Bingzhou and Liangzhou are like home bases for Qiao Yan, and she would never hand these two places over to anyone who is not a trusted confidant.

With military generals stationed in these two provinces and the separation of political and military powers, although the appointments of these two governors were unconventional, they were still acceptable.

However, when Qiao Yan mentioned Huang Wan’s promotion process in front of Lu Yuan, her plan for the two governors was already clear.

Xi Zhicai, by nature, is carefree, somewhat similar to Guo Jia, and is not suitable for a central position, being constrained by a position among the Three Excellencies. But Lu Yuan is different.

The calamities she suffered during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and her clear understanding of her own talents and ambitions give her the courage and confidence to rise high.

And Liangzhou, although not the front line against the court in Ye City, holds a considerable merit.

To the west of Liangzhou lies the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, currently only developed through the Huangzhong Valley, passing the Riyue Mountain Pass to reach the salt lake. Qiao Yan has no immediate plans to develop it further under inadequate conditions, but if not westward, then northwest!

While the Central Plains are in turmoil, the Parthian Empire and the Kushan Empire are also in chaos, dragging several countries that were once under the Protectorate of the Western Regions into the fray to break free from control.

This chaos is enough for Xu Rong and Ma Teng to seize the initiative in “trading” horses when they venture into this region. With the establishment of the Da Yong court, the resources allocated to Liangzhou will become increasingly accessible, and this could be an opportunity to reclaim the Protectorate of the Western Regions.

The Qiang forces in Liangzhou, currently restrained, are precisely an army that can be mobilized at this moment.

This is certainly not something that can be accomplished in three to five years, but once the goal is truly achieved, it will be a merit sufficient for Lu Yuan to overcome all objections and ascend to a high position among the Three Excellencies.

“Lu Yuan, I have expectations of you. Do not disappoint me.”

At the moment of parting, Qiao Yan added, “I intend to send Zuo Ci and Yu Ji to Liangzhou as well, to cooperate with Master Yuanhua. For people in a war-torn land, the benefit of survival is more important than anything else.”

“I am not worried about Master Yuanhua’s medical skills, but when it comes to the art of propaganda, it probably depends on their specialized skills.”

Isn’t this the best path for Zuo Ci and Yu Ji?

Religion, if not used well, is a disaster that hinders rule; if used well, it is a means to maintain stability.

The Buddhism spread by Ze Rong in Xuzhou must crumble, while the Ten Wisdom Chapters written by Yan Fotiao have already been sent from Tieshan Temple to Qiao Yan.

Zhang Lu in Yizhou surrendered after Qiao Yan’s surprise attack from Wudu County, and the Five Pecks of Rice Sect he led naturally became her subordinate. The various doctrines packaged in religious scriptures are, in fact, the political decrees Qiao Yan seeks to convey.

Now, it’s time for Zuo Ci and Yu Ji, who are especially skilled in deception, to showcase their talents in that land divided into dozens of tribal states.

If they were to remain in the Central Plains, to be honest, Qiao Yan would still worry that their previous misguidance of Wang Yun and others might be exposed if their whereabouts reappeared. It’s better to place them in that land isolated by the Wushaoling and Hexi Corridor.

This is a result that reassures Qiao Yan, and for Zuo Ci and Yu Ji, it’s also a place where they feel they can better preserve their lives and have a role to play.

Although, before secretly leaving Chang’an, the two calculated the places they had passed through in the past year, deeply feeling that this Emperor might have no upper limit in exploiting people.

From Yangzhou to Jiaozhou, from Jiaozhou through Jingzhou to Sili, and now heading to Liangzhou…

“What a long journey indeed,” Zuo Ci said, looking at Yu Ji.

The two comrades in misfortune exchanged glances, seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes.

But even though Zuo Ci had figured out the secret behind the explosives in his plot against Wang Yun, if he were to configure explosives himself, he could produce something far more stable than the explosives on the palace gates in less than two or three years. After witnessing the grandeur of the coronation ceremony, Zuo Ci completely abandoned the idea of opposing Qiao Yan.

Today it’s from explosives to fireworks, what will it be tomorrow?

The “magic” that cannot be understood by others is, after all, not as convincing as such hard power, which brings awe-inspiring deterrence.

“Developing followers abroad is better than losing one’s life like Zhang Jiao,” Yu Ji shook his head, not without emotion. “Master Wujiao, shall we each rely on our own skills?”

Zuo Ci laughed, “Alright, although we are heading to the frontier, we still need to find some fun.”

Lu Yuan glanced back at these two, deeply feeling that the subordinates Qiao Yan arranged for her might not be easily commanded.

And it’s not just Zuo Ci and Yu Ji who are inconvenient to command, as Yu Fan from Yangzhou was also thrown into the mix.

But with Yu Fan holding the title of Personnel Officer of Liangzhou, it can’t be said that Qiao Yan treated him harshly.

According to Qiao Yan, “Yu Zhongxiang is proficient in the Book of Changes, quite skilled in medicine, full of knowledge, and both civil and military,” and because he was originally from Yangzhou, with experience in governing the Shanyue in Yangzhou, he is likely to be a capable hand in Liangzhou.

His assistance in Liangzhou’s administration is also inevitable.

Originally, Zhao Ang and Wang Yi, as Lu Yuan’s subordinates, were transferred to Yizhou under Qiao Yan’s arrangement. With Lu Yuan needing to focus on the Hexi Corridor, the pressure of official duties is bound to increase sharply, and Yu Fan’s presence can provide some assistance in filling the gaps.

But…

Lu Yuan couldn’t help but want to press her temples at the thought of Yu Fan’s mouth.

This guy is well aware that Qiao Yan did not send him to Liangzhou to avoid trouble, fearing that his deliberate prediction of inevitable death within two years would be suppressed by the new Emperor’s supporters.

But this person has a penchant for imitating the ancient’s bold and straightforward demeanor, and who knows if he might drive her to distraction.

Yet, on the way to Liangzhou, Yu Fan has already started planning a lecture tour in Liangzhou, making him seem like a practical person.

Just as Lu Yuan thought of this, she suddenly saw Yu Fan poking his head out of the carriage, asking her, “May I ask Governor Lu, upon arriving in Liangzhou, could you arrange for a few lectures for foreigners?”








Lu Yuan replied, “There’s no need to worry about the implementation of political decrees. Take the Qiang people as an example; the number of people learning the official language has multiplied over the years, and most of the merchants traveling along the Hexi Corridor are hired and can communicate fluently.”

Yu Fan waved his hand, “I’m not worried about that. I’m thinking if we get into an argument, I speak my language, and he speaks his, wouldn’t it be like a chicken talking to a duck? Although His Majesty’s vision is surely for everyone in the world to speak the language of our Great Yong, eliminating the distinction between barbarians and Chinese, but if we can take the initiative first, it would still be better.”

“…Governor Lu?”

Lu Yuan: “…”

What initiative? The initiative to leave others speechless?

She steadied her expression before replying, “When Officer Yu arrives in Liangzhou, it won’t be too late to adjust the plan according to the local situation.”

Speaking of opening up the Four Commanderies of Hexi and language, Lu Yuan vaguely remembered a Qiang girl named Jiang Tang, who came to Huangzhong to escape the harsh winter and later served under Qiao Yan. She was particularly skilled in language learning and was specifically listed by Qiao Yan as a potential talent.

Now it might be possible to see if she can be appointed and put to use!

Lu Yuan was well aware that the uniqueness of her subordinates and the extreme challenge of the tasks meant she wouldn’t have a peaceful life in the coming years. But since she had taken on this heavy responsibility from Qiao Yan, carrying her hope to truly stand at the high position of a subject, she must make good use of every resource at her disposal!

His Majesty is determined to bear the weight of the crown, and we, his subordinates, must not fall too far behind!

Many shared Lu Yuan’s thoughts.

Qin Yu, serving as the Grand Minister of Agriculture, required the least time to adapt to the authority of her position.

She was already quite adept at this part of the work, and her subordinate Tian Chou did not drag his feet at all, quickly registering the grain transported from Hanzhong into the warehouse and then investing it into this year’s spring plowing.

Qiao Lan’s position as the Minister of the Imperial Clan temporarily required little supervision, so she and Qiao Ting first ensured the duties of the Minister of Justice were properly implemented.

In Chang’an, those originally responsible for supervising the formulation of laws, except for Chen Qun who was still in Luoyang, were incorporated into the subordinate of the Minister of Justice.

Meanwhile, Cai Zhaoji led the reduced Minor Palace, and Huang Yueying took the separated Ministry of Works, each embarking on new tasks.

The way these newly appointed female officials performed their duties was like a silent spur.

Even if someone truly wanted to curb Qiao Yan’s trend of developing female officials to replace them, they couldn’t make any unfounded resistance under the strong authority of this Emperor. The only thing they could do was to adapt to the situation and demonstrate sufficiently convincing capabilities.

For a time, an undercurrent of competition surged in Chang’an.

Qiao Yan was delighted to see this.

As she said during the morning court a few days later, the reason she didn’t send reinforcements to Luoyang but gave Xun Yu the autonomy to decide military and political affairs was because Jizhou and Yanzhou were bound to take a wait-and-see attitude due to her sudden ascension to the throne.

If she couldn’t stabilize the situation in Chang’an, it would give them the opportunity to march straight in.

But the more firmly she sat on the throne, the less they dared to act rashly, instead becoming the ones used to establish authority after the new Emperor’s ascension.

Thus, the rebuilding in Chang’an was precisely another battle without swords clashing.

This statement was quite accurate, as the court in Ye City had already fallen into a strange atmosphere.

It was the court in Ye City, not Yuan Shao’s Grand General’s Mansion.

Compared to Qiao Yan’s subordinates who were actively advancing after receiving their appointments, this place, though not entirely dominated by old ministers, with a young Emperor sitting at the head, showed a state of despondency and confusion.

Qiao Yan… ascended the throne?

Not just the rumor of handing over the imperial seal and entrusting state affairs, but actually ascending the throne!

In the message delivered to Ye City, the messenger, under Liu Bian’s order, had to vividly describe the coronation ceremony and the night fireworks held inside and outside Chang’an.

“Didn’t anyone object?” Liu Bian’s hand tightly gripped the robe at his side, looking down at the messenger, eager to get an answer.

But just like the scene of the coronation ceremony, when he didn’t know, he felt an unbearable itch to know the reality. Hearing about the Chang’an people eagerly watching the ceremony and adoring the new Emperor made him even more distressed.

How… how could the Han Dynasty have fallen to such a state!

At this moment, he could no longer remember his early fear of Qiao Yan and the psychological shadow cast by her years of gift-giving, leaving only one thought.

He must surpass her!

Previously, with the Han Dynasty divided east and west, each with its own Emperor, he could still hold onto a bit of hope—even if the Ye court were to fail, Liu Yu, considering him also a member of the Han imperial family, would surely spare him.

It didn’t matter if he couldn’t be the Emperor; he could be the Prince of Hongnong.

But now it was the confrontation between Great Yong and the Han Dynasty. With Qiao Yan having made proper arrangements for Liu Yu and Liu Xie, she had no reason to spare Liu Bian!

If the day came when the two sides clashed and reached the gates of Ye City, it would surely be Liu Bian’s death day.

How could he not be terrified?

He had thought that Yuan Shao, born into a family of three dukes over four generations, was much safer compared to Qiao Yan, who had almost no background. Who could have predicted today’s situation seven years ago in Luoyang!

The Yuan brothers were in internal strife, each going their separate ways early on, even making the joke “Shao is not a son of the Yuan family.”

Yuan Shao, who once held Jizhou and Qingzhou, still only had such territory today.

In contrast, Qiao Yan fought battle after battle, gaining not just vast territories but also legitimately becoming the ruler of the world.

No! How could she be legitimate!

There is still a Han Emperor in this world!

Those loyal to the Han Dynasty should regard her as a rebel.

But what Liu Bian heard from the messenger was, “If you’re referring to Lord Lu, Lord Huang, and General Huangfu… they haven’t shown any opposition.”

Lu Zhi even copied the sentence from the Book of Documents that Qiao Yan used to name the country Great Yong and hung it in the Hongwen Hall.

But saying this sentence out loud might be too much of a shock for Liu Bian.

At this moment, the Han Emperor’s heart was already in turmoil.

The tassels meant to signify the Emperor’s discernment couldn’t hide his pale and bleak expression and the cold sweat on his forehead at this moment.

He stared fiercely at the messenger below the steps, but his question was directed at Yuan Shao, “Grand General, what is your opinion?”