Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skills – Chapter 40: The Eight Passes of Taihang

Belonging to the book:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 40: The Eight Passes of Taihang

The Mang Mountains are vast, the sound of carriages faint.

Qiao Yan, riding her horse amidst the protection of the Northern Army, suddenly recalled a children’s rhyme that circulated in Luoyang during the final years of Liu Hong’s reign: “Marquis not a marquis, king not a king, thousands of riders flee to the Northern Mang.”

However, the Han dynasty had not yet reached a state of complete disorder. The Northern Army officers around her still obeyed the Son of Heaven, Liu Hong.

Her procession to Leping, while escorting Qiao Xuan’s funeral, was also heading towards a land of hope, not the scene of fleeing refugees described in the rhyme.

She looked up at both sides, seeing the lush vegetation on the Mang Mountain paths, which seemed to exude a solemn and majestic aura due to the many imperial tombs built there.

Northern Army Colonel Bao Hong, leading the escort, noticed Qiao Yan’s interest in the mountain and said, “The Mang Mountains serve as the northern barrier of Luoyang. Luoyang’s troops have always patrolled here. Marquis Qiao need not worry; although the terrain is treacherous, there is no danger.”

Qiao Yan replied, “I am not concerned about our safety. With General Bao and the Northern Army here, we are secure. My worry is—”

“Since Emperor Guangwu was buried here due to the belief in auspicious sites, emperors like Emperor Xiaoan and Emperor Xiaochong have also been buried here. My grandfather was cautious in life, leaving no wealth behind. Yet now, with such a grand funeral procession, I fear we may offend the spirits of the past emperors.”

Bao Hong laughed, “Marquis Qiao, your cautious nature truly reflects that of Qiao Xuan. But since this honor was bestowed by His Majesty, the past emperors resting here will surely not blame us.”

Though Bao Hong said this, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy as he glanced back.

What is this grand funeral procession?

The “Wenliang carriage” is also known as the “An carriage,” a type of carriage where one can lie down during travel. Its windows can be adjusted to control the temperature inside, hence the name.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang used such a carriage during his eastern tour to Shaqiu.

Due to the funeral regulations granted by Liu Hong, the Wenliang carriage was drawn by four horses, covered with a yellow silk canopy reserved for emperors, and adorned with a yak tail banner on the left side of the carriage.

This is the “Yellow Canopy and Left Banner.”

Such a funeral ceremony is not considered overstepping.

Wu Han, the second-ranking general of the Cloud Terrace Twenty-Eight Generals, was buried in a similar manner.

However, Wu Han’s hometown was in Nanyang, unlike Qiao Xuan, who had to pass through the Mang Mountains to head north.

This grand procession would only be dismantled upon reaching Leping, ensuring that all along the way, people would know of the emperor’s favor towards Qiao Xuan.

Thus, Bao Hong couldn’t help but feel envious.

But to another person in the procession, such grandeur was only fitting for Qiao Xuan.

“Qiao Xuan once led troops out of Bingzhou, his might shining like fire. He deserves such a grand funeral,” Cai Yong remarked, looking at the procession.

His candid comments during Qiao Xuan’s funeral had already caused some concern, and now they only added to Qiao Yan’s headache.

At the Lingtai ceremony, Cai Yong had wept and spoken of his past with Qiao Xuan, which could be seen as an emotional outburst. But considering who in Luoyang had the emperor’s ear, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but think Cai Yong was digging his own grave.

No wonder he would eventually die in Luoyang’s prison.

Fortunately, Cai Yong, having written Qiao Xuan’s epitaph, needed to see the inscription completed. Thus, as the procession prepared to depart, he brought Cai Zhaoji along to head to Leping.

For various reasons, Qiao Yan saw no need to refuse Cai Yong.

Cai Yong’s literary and calligraphic status was unparalleled, and with Cai Zhaoji in tow, Qiao Yan, who had plans for Leping and was in dire need of talent, couldn’t let this father-daughter pair slip away.

It was a pity that Cai Yong’s eldest daughter, Cai Zhenji, had already married Yang Di under the protection of the Taiyang Yang clan and thus was not present.

So, only two could be brought along.

Fortunately, the most important was Cai Yong.

If he didn’t leave Luoyang now, his poor political acumen might land him in trouble again.

When he was exiled to Shuofang, someone had pleaded for him, sparing him from death. Back then, he held an official position, making it easier to appeal to Liu Hong.

But now, as a commoner under the protection of the Taiyang Yang clan, if he offended any of the eunuchs, there might be no chance to appeal to the emperor.

By coming to Leping, he could avoid those in Luoyang who bore him ill will.

Another reason Qiao Yan brought him along was that, having benefited greatly from Qiao Xuan, she couldn’t bear to see his old friend harmed for speaking out of turn during the funeral. She had to lend a hand.

Cai Yong was completely unaware that when Qiao Yan discussed building a shrine in Leping to honor Qiao Xuan, with a tripod inscription commemorating his literary virtues and a stone axe inscription for his military achievements, she was not just talking about Qiao Xuan but also enticing him to write the inscriptions, leading him to jump into the pit willingly.

For him, being able to write the epitaph, along with the tripod and axe inscriptions, forming a complete commemorative system, was an especially meaningful task.

Especially since it was for Qiao Xuan!

Along the way, he had already completed the “Inscription of the Yellow Axe,” commemorating Qiao Xuan’s achievements as the General Who Crosses the Liao, including the phrase “his might shining like fire.”

Cai Zhaoji, however, was slightly worried about her father’s decision. During a break in the march, she approached Qiao Yan, saying, “It’s inappropriate to trouble Marquis Qiao, but my father has some unresolved issues in Bingzhou. Even though you are settled in Leping, there might still be repercussions.”

Though young, Cai Zhaoji was clearly not as naive as her father—Cai Yong’s talents were great, but he lacked tact.

After some thought, she decided to explain the situation to Qiao Yan, just in case.

“Back then, my father was pardoned and should have returned to Luoyang from Wuyuan. However, when Wuyuan Prefect Wang Zhi saw him off, he invited him to dance. My father, looking down on him as Wang Fu’s younger brother, treated him coldly. Wang Zhi secretly reported that my father harbored resentment towards the court, forcing us to flee and seek refuge with the Yang clan.”

“I heard from my father that Palace Attendant Wang Fu was killed by the cruel official Yang Qiu, who was later falsely accused and killed by eunuchs. Although Wang Zhi lost his connection in the court, he still has the protection of other eunuchs…”

Cai Zhaoji frowned, “If this might cause trouble for Marquis Qiao, I think…”

“No need to worry. Wang Zhi is the Prefect of Wuyuan, not Shangdang. Why worry about this?” Qiao Yan replied. “Besides, as a County Marquis, this county is my territory. Prefect Wang has no reason to overstep his authority.”

Seeing Cai Yan about to say more, Qiao Yan suddenly changed the subject, “By the way, I have a question for Zhaoji. Earlier in Ji Province, I met Master Zigan, who mentioned that he and Master Bojie had worked on the ‘Dongguan Han Records.’ However, Master Bojie was exiled before completing it. Has he made any progress on it recently?”

The “Dongguan Han Records,” started by Ban Gu, had been compiled over several dynasties, serving as a biographical history of the Eastern Han.

Cai Yong, a literary giant, was naturally involved.

However, in the original history, Cai Yong’s exile and Dong Zhuo’s rebellion led to the loss of most of the content during the move to Chang’an.

From a historical perspective, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but lament this loss and seized the opportunity to inquire.

Of course, this wasn’t the only reason she interrupted Cai Zhaoji.

She could guess what the other wanted to say.

Cai Yong, a master at attracting enemies, had more than just some people badmouthing him to Liu Hong.

During his exile to Shuofang, due to the prevalent culture of chivalry and patronage, he was even targeted by assassins sent by Yang Qiu, though the assassins, sympathizing with Cai Yong, revealed the plot.

If Yang Qiu could send assassins back then, Wang Zhi could do the same now.

If Cai Zhaoji weren’t standing before her, Qiao Yan would have facepalmed—how did Cai Yong manage to make both Yang Qiu and Wang Zhi want him dead?

Yet, he was a literary genius, skilled in music, calligraphy, and history, someone who should be treated as an honored guest.

But there was no need to say all this to Cai Zhaoji.

If the Prefect of Wuyuan really came looking for trouble, having already escaped the dangers of Luoyang, how could she fear a confrontation?

Thus, before Cai Zhaoji could voice her concerns, Qiao Yan had already cut her off.

Hearing Qiao Yan mention the “Dongguan Han Records,” Cai Zhaoji thought for a moment and replied, “I wasn’t born when my father was compiling this book. I only heard that during his exile, he listed the last ten chapters. From what I’ve seen of his writings, he only completed the chapters on the calendar and music.”

This answer wasn’t surprising.

In exile and fleeing south, even with the help of friends, it wasn’t an ideal environment for compiling history.

This only strengthened Qiao Yan’s resolve to keep Cai Yong in Leping.

If the “Dongguan Han Records” could be completed, it would be an invaluable resource for future studies of Eastern Han history. Initially, it was considered one of the three great histories alongside the “Records of the Grand Historian” and the “Book of Han.”

If not for the disruptions caused by war and the rise of the “Book of the Later Han”…

Thinking this, Qiao Yan no longer found Cai Yong’s bluntness so troublesome.

Her thoughts raced, but before Cai Zhaoji could notice her distraction, Qiao Yan replied, “Master Bojie completing two chapters in exile is no small feat. I only hope the emperor will soon realize whose words can be trusted, allowing him to return to Dongguan.”

Returning to Dongguan sounded simple, but the reality was far from easy.

Yet, for some reason, though Cai Zhaoji had only known Qiao Yan for a few days, she felt a compelling force in her words.

In this moment of hope, she forgot what she had originally come to discuss.

As the journey north continued, Cai Yong, needing to refine the draft of the “Inscription of the Yellow Axe,” called his daughter to assist, leaving Cai Yan no further opportunity to speak with Qiao Yan.

The Wenliang carriage moved slowly and carefully through the mountain paths, speeding up only after exiting the mountain pass.

Soon, they reached the Mengjin crossing of the Yellow River.

Since not all of the Northern Army would accompany Qiao Yan to Leping, the escort ended here.

Only Colonel Bao Hong and about two hundred men remained to ensure the safe arrival of Qiao Xuan’s remains and the newly enfeoffed Marquis of Leping.

After the remaining Northern Army troops withdrew, Bao Hong led his men across the river, reaching Jiyuan by nightfall.

A force of over two hundred was not insignificant, especially in an area of Sizhou where remnants of the Yellow Turbans rarely crossed, making it a sufficiently safe armed escort.

Thus, after consulting with Qiao Yan, Bao Hong decided not to enter the city but to camp outside.

However, Qiao Yan did not rest immediately.

From their current location, with no tall buildings obstructing the view, the silhouette of the Taihang Mountains could be faintly seen to the north.

Of course, as the boundary between Shanxi and Shandong in later naming, most of the Taihang Mountains lie east of Bingzhou and west of Ji Province.

What Qiao Yan could see was only the southernmost tip, also known as the Zhongtiao Mountains, connected to the Wangwu Mountain of the “Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountains” legend.

This was not an easy path.

If it were, the areas of Taiyuan and Shangdang wouldn’t be considered strategically vital and easily defensible.

Thus, in her tent, using the system’s 3D map function, Qiao Yan meticulously plotted the route from their current location to Leping.

Then, she had Dian Wei summon Cheng Li and Bao Hong.

Upon entering the tent, Bao Hong was startled by the detailed map Qiao Yan had drawn, marking passes and terrain intricacies.

But considering Qiao Yan was Qiao Xuan’s granddaughter, and Qiao Xuan had once held the position of Grand Commandant, overseeing military affairs, it wasn’t surprising she had such a map.

However, the fresh ink suggested Qiao Yan had drawn it from memory, a feat not many could achieve.

As his eyes wandered over the map, Qiao Yan asked, “Colonel Bao, I haven’t had the chance to ask before, but which route do you plan to take to Leping?”

Bao Hong pointed at the map, “Here.”

“From Jiyang, the fastest route is through Qinyang, then the Taihang Pass, reaching Jincheng, passing through Changzhi in Shangdang, and finally arriving in Leping.”

The Taihang Pass is the second of the eight passes of Taihang.

On Qiao Yan’s map, this was indeed the shortest route.

But Qiao Yan shook her head, clearly disagreeing.

“Do you know, Colonel Bao, that among the remnants of the Yellow Turbans in Ji Province, there is a group that, after Zhang Jiao’s death, was pursued by the Northern General’s troops but managed to escape?”

Bao Hong was taken aback, “The Zhang Jiao brothers were annihilated by the imperial troops. How could there still be a remnant group at large?”

Having been in Luoyang for a long time, he only knew of the two generals quelling the rebellion and was unaware of the minor uprisings in Ji Province after the main conflict.

Qiao Yan replied, “Because this group wasn’t in Julu Commandery but had gathered local youths to become bandits, numbering over ten thousand. After Zhang Jiao’s death, some, disillusioned with the Way of Great Peace, returned to their villages as law-abiding citizens. But others continued to roam.”

“Where are they now…?” Hearing this, Bao Hong suddenly felt he shouldn’t have sent the Northern Army troops back so soon but should have kept them for protection.

If the emperor asked, he could use the roaming Yellow Turban bandits as an excuse.

Qiao Yan’s next words only heightened his alertness.

She replied, “These young bandits are from Changshan Commandery. When the Northern General led troops to suppress the rebellion after Zhang Jiao’s death, they retreated towards their hometown. However, with the Northern and Left Generals’ forces being formidable, they didn’t stay in Changshan but withdrew into the Taihang Mountains, active between the Fuyang and Jingxing Passes, calling themselves the Black Mountain Bandits.”

“That’s why I say, Colonel Bao, your planned route is unsuitable.”

Bao Hong gasped.

The Fuyang Pass connects Shangdang and Anyang, while the Jingxing Pass connects Leping and Zhending. If he followed the original plan through the Taihang Pass to Jincheng and then to Leping via Changzhi, the stretch from Changzhi to Leping would be vulnerable to attacks by the Black Mountain Bandits.

Since they continued to cause trouble after Zhang Jiao’s death and the collapse of the Way of Great Peace, they were likely not an easy foe.

Thus, the shortcut he had planned was clearly not viable.

Perhaps, this wasn’t just…








The question of whether this road can be taken is important, but even more pressing is the fact that with a group of bandits nearby who can easily disappear into the Taihang Mountains, the county marquisate that Qiao Yan is heading to is also somewhat troublesome.

Bao Hong didn’t hesitate and immediately asked, “If that’s the case, then Leping might not be as peaceful as it seems. Since Qiao Hou was enfeoffed for quelling the Yellow Turbans, if I were a Yellow Turban, I would definitely see Qiao Hou as a thorn in my side. Should we… should we mention to His Majesty the idea of choosing another place?”

Especially when he thought about the fact that in their group, there was also the former Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan, who was being transported in a funeral carriage, he felt an immense pressure.

If bandits were to attack, he absolutely couldn’t let anything happen to the corpse, otherwise, he would be failing in his duty as an escort.

From an angle Qiao Yan couldn’t see, Bao Hong clenched his fist, feeling that the summer heat was indeed intense, causing him to break into a sweat on his back.

Suddenly learning that the road they were taking and their destination might be affected by the Yellow Turbans, who hadn’t been completely eradicated, even though Bao Hong was more of a hands-on person compared to Chunyu Qiong and other commandants, he still found it extremely棘手.

What’s worse, he had always been in Luoyang and hadn’t ventured out, so he didn’t know the actual combat capabilities of these Yellow Turbans.

Coincidentally, in the messages he received, the battle reports were full of contradictions.

On one hand, the Yellow Turbans had repelled the vanguard of General Zhu Jun, showing they were not to be underestimated, forcing him to retreat to Changshe.

On the other hand, Qiao Yan, a child, was able to quell the chaos in one or two provinces, making the Yellow Turbans seem like paper tigers.

This confusion about their combat strength left Bao Hong somewhat迷茫.

So much so that when he saw Qiao Yan coldly reply with a “No,” he was almost instinctively swept along by her rhythm.

“His Majesty has already bestowed the title of County Marquis as a great favor, how can we ask His Majesty to change his orders so quickly? This matter must not be brought up,” Qiao Yan continued. “Moreover, General Bao, you don’t need to be so wary of these young bandits. With the Yellow Turban faith scattered, those willing to follow the leaders will naturally decrease. Once His Majesty pardons the world, people’s hearts will change, and more will disperse.”

“Furthermore, the lands of Shangdang and Leping are fertile and rarely suffer disasters. If these bandits attack, the people will not rashly follow them but will fight to protect their homes. The predicament I face as County Marquis is not one of being surrounded by wolves.”

In fact, as Qiao Yan said, the Yellow Turbans active in the Taihang Mountains were far from reaching the state of the later Black Mountain Bandits.

This group was still in its infancy and had already lost some members due to the internal faith crisis of the Yellow Turbans, and they could no longer gather the nominal ten thousand men.

And even if there were ten thousand men, if you only counted actual combat strength, it would be halved.

The situation of this group, combined with the information Qiao Yan had received in Ji Province and the history of the Black Mountain Bandits using the Taihang Mountains to hide and develop, had already been assessed by Qiao Yan when she left Luoyang.

If it weren’t for this, she wouldn’t have invited Cai Yong and Cai Zhaoji to accompany her to Leping.

Because she had a good grasp of the situation.

However, although she knew a lot, she couldn’t mention in her conversation with Bao Hong that the leaders of the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans in the Taihang Mountains were named Zhang Niujiao and Chu Yan, and that Chu Yan would change his surname to Zhang after Zhang Niujiao’s death, becoming Zhang Yan, and would later receive the title of Pingnan Middle General from Liu Hong during the confrontation overlooking Si Province from the Taihang Mountains.

This sounded much more impressive than Bao Hong, who would become one of the future Eight Commandants of the Western Garden.

She only said, “General Bao, you can rest assured, I would never joke about my grandfather’s remains. As for the Yellow Turbans in the Taihang Mountains, we will avoid them for now. Once we reach Leping, I have my own plans.”

Bao Hong thought about Qiao Yan’s previous actions and indeed, she had never made any wrong decisions.

Although the rumors widely circulated in the capital about her infiltrating the Yellow Turban camp to become a strategist were indeed quite risky.

But it couldn’t be denied that her careful planning had undoubtedly resulted in a situation that eased the minds of the capital’s nobility.

So, it seemed that the remnants of the Yellow Turbans in the Taihang Mountains, having lost the Great Virtuous Teacher as their spiritual leader, should not be too difficult to deal with now.

He asked, “So, according to Qiao Hou, are we taking a different route to Leping?”

“Exactly,” Qiao Yan pointed to the first of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains on the map, the Zhiguan Pass, and said, “We will take this route, detour to Linfen in Hedong Commandery, follow the valley along the Fen River north to Taiyuan, and then head east to Leping.”

Seeing that Bao Hong still had a look of doubt on his face, Qiao Yan added, “General Bao, you can rest assured. Although there were Yellow Turban bandits in Hedong Commandery before, the local gentry and soldiers have almost pacified them. Compared to the unknown Black Mountain Bandits in the mountains, Linfen is naturally much safer.”

“Moreover, the Zhiguan Pass is named for its narrowness, allowing only one carriage to pass at a time. Under normal circumstances, merchants wouldn’t even want to take this route, let alone now when disasters are frequent. Who would block this pass to rob?”

Bao Hong thought about it and realized that Qiao Yan’s reasoning was sound. He cupped his hands and replied, “Alright, we’ll follow Qiao Hou’s suggestion and take the Zhiguan Pass.”

Since they were changing the route, Bao Hong naturally had to inform the two centurions in his camp.

He immediately excused himself and left the tent, leaving only Cheng Li behind.

Cheng Li then saw Qiao Yan’s finger slowly tracing a line along the Taihang Mountains until it stopped at the Jingxing Pass between Leping and Zhending.

From his judgment, the expression on Qiao Yan’s face at this moment was not one of concern for the safety of the Leping area, but rather one of confidence, or perhaps filled with scheming.

Cheng Li immediately realized that some of the thoughts he had when he heard about the origins of the Black Mountain Bandits probably didn’t need to be mentioned to Qiao Yan.

He cupped his hands and also excused himself.

Now that the marching route had been decided, Qiao Yan put away the newly drawn map and spread it out on the行军榻.

Thinking about the upcoming different journey, she opened the system panel to take a look before going to sleep, to reassure herself.

Counting from the time she穿越 to this chaotic late Han period, it had already been more than three months.

Compared to the day she woke up among the piles of corpses, although her panel data couldn’t be said to have undergone earth-shaking changes, it was still a significant improvement.

【Name: Qiao Yan】

【Faction: Han (Initial Faction)】

【Occupation: Strategist (System Setting)】

【Age: 10】

【Constitution: 62 (100), Martial: 20 (100), Intelligence: 80 (100), Luck: 65 (?)】

【Remaining Allocatable Points: 0】

【Skills: History lv7, Eloquence lv7, Artifact Appraisal lv4, Horse Riding lv3, Painting lv3, Calligraphy lv4, Field Archaeology lv5, Numismatics lv3……】

【Remaining Allocatable Skill Points: 5】

【Strategist Points: 100】(Every 10 Strategist Points obtained automatically grants 3 attribute allocatable points and 1 skill allocatable point)

【Unlocked Functions: Check-in, 3D Map】

This was her current data.

The initial allocatable points she received, the attribute allocatable points obtained from gaining Strategist Points, and the points obtained from check-in were all unhesitatingly invested into the Constitution attribute, giving her a passing score now.

The slight increase in Martial attribute came from allocating skill points to Horse Riding and the辅助 effect brought by the increase in Constitution points.

As for the allocatable skill points, she allocated 3 levels to Eloquence and 3 levels to Horse Riding, leaving the remaining 5 points to be held for now.

The only thing that felt somewhat inexplicable was the change in the Intelligence attribute.

From the initial 79 to 80, when exactly did this happen? Given her lack of attention to the numerical panel, she really couldn’t remember.

【When you defeated Yang Xiu…】the system小声 explained.

It always felt that Qiao Yan’s so-called reputation-building, but building it to the point of starting to manage a fief, was somewhat微妙 unlike a strategist.

However, Qiao Yan’s skill panel clearly showed that before her穿越, she was engaged in historical archaeology.

In this context, wanting to manage a stable fief and allowing Cai Yong to complete the compilation of the Eastern Han History could indeed be considered a matter of faith.

The system only狐疑 for a moment, then主动打消了疑虑,转而回答起了乔琰的问题.

“Your意思是,如果击败了某个在历史上评价为聪慧的人,就可以增加智力的属性点?”乔琰又问道.

【那倒不是,如果真是这样的话,在你驳倒张角的时候,这个属性点就应该加了.】系统回道,【准确的说,是在你在接连表现出超越智力评判数值所应当有的水平后,系统会定时进行自我修正.】

“……”

……这79和80的区别好像只是为了让它看起来好看一点而已.

修不修正的好像也无所谓.

好在乔琰也确实不那么在意这种问题就是了.

总之在这一串的数值中,她更在意的还是短板,而不是目前来看还暂时足以应付局面的数值.

何况,她如今身边有陆苑有程立这些个可以为她分忧的存在,在数值上看起来并不那么高,显然也并不是什么要紧的问题.

只是让乔琰没想到的是,在这队伍之中,还有个让她意料不到的”聪明人”.

轵关陉不愧是太行山中的险要路径,在车马队伍从中穿行的时候,最狭窄的地方,险些将那辒辌车都给卡在其中.

在其中一处攀升的路段,这车架更是需要有人小心托举才是.

但即便如此,随着山道颠簸,那停灵车架中还是发出了一声撞击声.

唯恐乔玄棺椁有损,乔琰连忙让人在行过了这一段陡坡后,将辒辌车的车门给打开,检查里面的情况,却从这车厢中抓出了个活人来.

抱着好大一个包袱出现的杨修,也着实是给了乔琰好大一个惊喜!

她眉头一拧,当即问道:”你为何会在此地?”

杨修又不像是程立,是可以随意被她招揽到手下来的.

要知道他可是太尉杨赐的孙子,他父亲杨彪后来同样坐到了太尉的位置上,而杨修作为弘农杨氏的继承人,岂能随随便便跟着她这往乐平县而去的队伍离开洛阳京师?

此问一出,乔琰一眼就看到了杨修这颇有几分心虚的神色.

这明摆着就是——他此番离开京城并不曾跟他的祖父或者其他的家人有过任何的交代,而是偷跑出来的!

杨修梗着脖子回道:”我……我怎么就不能在这里了?”

“子曰,三人行,必有我师,我既输给了你,你便必有可为我师之处,我跟上来只为求知,又有什么说不通的?”

杨修自觉自己这个理由还是颇为站得住脚跟的,他将怀中的包袱往地上一摊,将包袱中的那些个典籍书卷也给一股脑地都翻了出来,看得乔琰一阵眼皮直跳.

只听他又道:”我出来的时候连拜师礼都给带上了.”

乔琰眼角的余光朝着鲍鸿扫了一眼,果然见这位鲍校尉也是一副震惊非常的样子.

大约是因为想到他需要担负起的责任除了乔琰和乔玄之外,现在竟然还多了个不请自来的杨修,鲍鸿就有种眼前一黑的感觉.

鲍鸿真是要被杨修的突然出现给吓个半死了.

倘若是在他们进入太行山脉的范围之前,或者说是在他们和那些个北军士卒分道扬镳之前发现杨修的下落还好说.

但现在这轵关陉都已经走了大半了,根本没有了回头折返的机会.

而若只是让一小队士卒将杨修给送回去,倘若路上出了什么差池,鲍鸿根本担不起这个责任.

更加致命的是,在眼下因为乔琰提到了黑山贼存在的情况下,鲍鸿其实也不太舍得将人给分出来.

万一在抵达乐平后,那黑山贼忽然来袭,多一个人少一个说不定就有不小的区别.

他刚想到这里,就发觉杨修朝着他看了一眼,像是看穿了他这不情愿的心思,将音量都擡高了不少,”我在车厢里听到你们在路上的对话了!你们现在也分不出人手将我送回去.”

“最多……最多就是等到将乔公和乔侯送到了乐平,鲍校尉要回洛阳的时候再把我给捎带上就是了.”

杨修这话中像是做出了一番让步,但以乔琰看来,在这小子机灵得过分的眼睛里,简直写满了自己的小算盘.

他现在可以打着到时候就跟鲍鸿回去的旗号,之后呢?

之后他自然可以找到新的理由让自己留下.

乔琰头大如斗.

若是杨修此刻的年龄再大一些,还好说他藏匿在车中前来是他自己的选择,也自然必须要对自己的行为负责才是.

既然已经被发现了,那就自己回洛阳去.

偏偏他今年还只有九岁.

这是一个倘若算起来为何会做出离家出走举动,也会第一个归结于胜负欲的年纪.

而为何会有胜负欲?还不是因为当日那鼎中观前的一番比斗.

乔琰想想都觉得自己是铁定要背锅的.

但背锅若是背得有价值便也罢了,可杨修有什么用?

挟杨修以令杨太尉吗?

“你何时潜入的车中?”乔琰问道.

杨修一听乔琰这个回复便意识到,这极有可能是她要松口的前兆,连忙回道:”六月二十三日.”

六月二十三,也就是乔琰等人出发的前一天.

自京城出来到此刻的位置也已经过了两天多了,那么杨修窝在车中跟尸体为伴也已经将近三天了,他只带了点炊饼填肚子,竟然能忍到现在……也还真有那么点本事.

但再怎么有本事,大概也已经在身体极限的边缘了.

乔琰想了想蔡昭姬的年纪,再想想杨修,琢磨起了再养一个潜力股的可行.

可若以历史评估,杨修的政治觉悟着实是差到,可以跟蔡邕放在一起,让人觉得他们可以认一对干亲的程度,要扭转过来,她要耗费的心力必然不少.

她扶了扶额头,又觉得有点难办.

她想了想后回道:”等抵达太原郡治,我给你两个选择.”

“第一,要将你送回去也未必需要劳烦鲍将军,我大可以去寻太原太守,让他出些人手将你给送回去,反正这不经告知父母便远行的不孝名声也不是让我来担.”

“我才不回去!”杨修想都不想地回道,他又小声说道:”我在离开之前留过书信了.”

就是藏得稍微好了一点.

否则也不会在乔琰等人离开洛阳的时候,杨赐的秘密寻人都没寻到她的头上来.

“那么就只有第二个选择了.”乔琰伸手朝着典韦一指.

在典韦的背上背着的,正是此前在濮阳的时候,田洮作为谢礼送给她的金子.

在将那六十匹缣也折算成了金后,一共是二十六斤黄金.

她对着杨修说道:”这二十六斤黄金,按照市价能换回万石粟米,你若能在遵循规则的情况下,于太原当地换回更多的数量来,那你想跟着就跟着吧.”

乔琰目光凛然,又随即丢下了一句说不好是不是激将法的问话.

“杨修,你可愿一试?”