Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skills, Chapter 41: Zhao Yun of Changshan

Belonging to the book:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 41: Zhao Yun of Changshan

Dare to give it a try?

Yang Xiu dared to run away from home, so why wouldn’t he dare to give it a try!

However, he couldn’t help but feel that there was some karmic cycle at play here. Last time, he challenged Qiao Yan on the streets, and now Qiao Yan was giving him a test.

Outside the Dingzhong Temple, Qiao Yan had gained fame due to Xu Shao’s astonishing evaluation, and now—

Now it should be Yang Xiu’s turn to showcase his abilities by successfully passing the test!

If he could complete the task of purchasing millet, he would undoubtedly have made a contribution under Qiao Yan’s command, giving him a legitimate reason to stay here!

Thinking this, Yang Xiu immediately made a decision: “Why wouldn’t I dare? I will definitely handle this matter beautifully for Lord Qiao.”

He had followed her all the way here, and if he didn’t even make it to Leping but was sent back to Taiyuan, he would surely be laughed at by his friends in Luoyang.

Moreover, he had come here with the intention of overturning the negative records that might have resulted from the previous duel, and he didn’t want to end up with nothing to show for his efforts.

However, he wasn’t entirely acting on impulse.

He had given it some thought.

After running through Qiao Yan’s instructions about the gold and the millet purchase in his mind, he asked, “May I ask, Lord Qiao, is the purchase of ten thousand dan of millet just about the quantity, or does it also need to be done in a way that no one knows the grain is being sent to Leping?”

Although Yang Xiu hadn’t personally experienced the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he knew that when they left Luoyang, the chaos in various regions was still being suppressed. He had also overheard Qiao Yan’s conversation with Bao Hong in the carriage, knowing that the area wasn’t entirely safe.

Given that, if such a large amount of grain was conspicuously sent to Leping, it might attract bandits the very next day.

Yang Xiu clearly understood Qiao Yan’s underlying needs.

“If it can be done without anyone knowing the grain is being sent to Leping, that would be best,” Qiao Yan replied.

“Good!” Yang Xiu said, “I accept this challenge, but I need two things from Lord Qiao.”

He didn’t directly ask for the gold to be handed over to him, which pleased Qiao Yan. “Go on.”

“First, I’m still young. If I go to negotiate a deal rashly, people might look down on me, or even think I’m an easy target carrying gold through the market. So, I need Lord Qiao and Colonel Bao to lend me some men.”

Qiao Yan nodded, “I can lend you Dian Wei, and I’ll ask General Bao to lend you some men as well.”

Although Yang Xiu hadn’t seen Dian Wei’s skills, his imposing figure and aura had left a deep impression on him when they met on the streets of Luoyang. Having such a helper would undoubtedly be beneficial for his plan.

Feeling pleased, he added, “The second thing is, when we pass Linfen, I’ll need to clean up properly.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but grimace.

Unsurprisingly, the soldiers around him burst into laughter.

Yang Xiu had lived a life of luxury since birth and had never been in such a sorry state.

Fortunately, he had been discovered early and had only been in the carriage for less than a day. He had even sneaked out for a while last night while the driver was asleep, or else he would have looked even worse.

But even so, he felt like he had been marinated in the scent of the coffin and spices carried in the carriage.

And after two sleepless nights, his spirits were truly low.

If he went to negotiate a deal looking like this, he would surely be looked down upon and might even say something inappropriate.

So, he naturally needed to rest and tidy up to look more presentable.

Others might laugh, but Qiao Yan couldn’t laugh at Yang Xiu’s predicament. She calmly replied, “After exiting the Zhi Pass, the team will need to rest and regroup. Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have forgotten.”

Yang Xiu sighed in relief, “Good, then once we reach Taiyuan, I’ll handle this deal for Lord Qiao.”

What relieved him wasn’t just the chance to stay with the team, but also the fact that he could now openly follow the team.

He turned and bowed deeply to Qiao Xuan’s carriage as an apology, then sat beside the driver.

The others saw him clutching his repacked bundle, leaning against the carriage, clearly lost in thought, pondering how to purchase the millet at a relatively low price.

Cheng Li glanced at him and asked Qiao Yan, “Why do you think this child can accomplish this task?”

Qiao Yan replied, “Yang Xiu was praised by Xu Shao as a quick-witted talent, and he does have some cleverness.”

Cheng Li found the situation quite amusing.

When Qiao Yan mentioned Yang Xiu’s quick wit, she didn’t sound like she was evaluating a peer, but rather like an elder or superior assessing a junior. In reality, the two were only a year apart in age.

But such things became familiar after a few encounters, especially since he had seen her instruct Xu Fu before.

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on this.

He asked, “If you were to handle this task yourself, how would you lower the price of the millet to get a more satisfactory result?”

Qiao Yan laughed, “I’m testing Yang Xiu, and now you’re testing me, Zhongde?”

Seeing Cheng Li smile without confirming or denying, Qiao Yan said, “Lowering existing prices, especially after last year’s drought and the difficulty of storing grain, is something I wouldn’t do even if I needed to.”

This wasn’t about conscience, but about starting off on the right foot in Bingzhou.

The world is full of people who follow the example of their superiors, and she couldn’t start off by setting a precedent for cutting corners.

She thought for a moment and continued, “So, the best way is to solve the problem at the source of the millet.”

If they bought millet from local farmers in small quantities, the price might be lower, but Qiao Yan had gold, not copper coins, which would require a process to exchange. Not to mention the manpower and time costs involved in the purchasing process.

This would also mean competing with local businesses, which would undoubtedly offend some people.

If the money was spent wisely but caused other troubles, it wouldn’t be ideal.

Cheng Li clearly agreed with her thoughts and asked, “Where do you think we should look for a source?”

Qiao Yan, after observing his expression, said, “I think you already have an answer, Zhongde.”

Almost simultaneously, they both mouthed a word.

The silent answer was—

Wine.

Yang Xiu thought the same.

If they bought from rice merchants, no matter how much they bargained, the price reduction would be limited. But if they changed their approach and bought from wine merchants instead?

Yang Xiu knew a fair bit about wine.

The trend of fine wine in the Wei and Jin periods was already showing signs in the late Han dynasty.

Last year’s poor harvest had caused wine prices to soar in Luoyang, something Yang Xiu had witnessed.

As for fine wines that were out of reach for ordinary people, given his family background, he had access to them.

Moreover, having read extensively since childhood, he remembered a passage from the “Book of Han,” specifically from the “Treatise on Food and Money,” which said, “Two hu of rice and one hu of wheat can produce six hu and six dou of wine.”

Using rice and wheat to make wine yielded more than double the return.

Add to that the fact that wine was more expensive than rice, and it was easy to understand the high profits of the wine-making industry.

Yang Xiu had heard from his grandfather that during Emperor Wu’s reign, due to the high profits of this industry, under the suggestion of Sang Hongyang, the Imperial Counselor, a “wine monopoly” was implemented, similar to the salt and iron monopolies. However, because it involved the interests of too many upper-class people, it was abolished after only seventeen years.

But even though it was abolished, the taxation on the wine industry was clearly defined from then on.

Under such circumstances, to ensure that the wine industry could maintain sufficient profits, it was necessary to work on the price of raw materials.

So, just as Qiao Yan had thought, Yang Xiu planned to use others’ purchasing channels.

If possible, directly buying the grain stock from wineries might also be a method.

But how to get the other party to agree to sell?

This was the question Yang Xiu was pondering in the carriage.

This kind of social practical problem, or rather, a problem of dealing with people, was undoubtedly a bit challenging for him.

Hearing Yang Xiu mutter the word “wine,” Qiao Yan could roughly guess his line of thought and his dilemma. “I think his approach is correct, but…”

“He lacks the bargaining chip to negotiate with the other party,” Lu Yuan chimed in. “He probably doesn’t want to use his identity as a member of the Hongnong Yang clan to achieve this goal, but without that, merchants who value profit won’t let him have his way so easily.”

“That’s true. As for the bargaining chip,” Qiao Yan pondered the classics she had read before, “I might have one.”

“Bring Yang Xiu to me.”

Yang Xiu was utterly frustrated that his plan, which he hadn’t even started implementing, was already falling short due to a lack of a necessary condition, forcing him to admit to Qiao Yan that he wasn’t fully prepared.

But upon hearing Qiao Yan affirm that his line of thought wasn’t something just anyone could come up with, he couldn’t help but show a hint of pride.

However, as soon as Qiao Yan looked at him, he instinctively straightened his expression.

Qiao Yan: “What’s there to be proud of in a plan that can’t even be implemented yet?”

Yang Xiu stubbornly replied, “I’ve seen countless fine wines in the capital. If I enter a winery, I can surely identify the flaws…”

“But how many people can afford the wines you’re talking about?”

Qiao Yan’s words shut Yang Xiu up.

In fact, wine was undoubtedly a luxury at this time. For commoners, being able to enjoy cheap wine was already a big deal, let alone the expensive wines Yang Xiu had seen.

Even in such circumstances, both the Cao Wei and Shu Han factions had once implemented alcohol bans.

For wineries today, having a noble guest from Luoyang suggest improvements in taste would be of no use. A more practical approach would be to improve the wine-making process.

During the Northern Wei period, Jia Sixie wrote a book on agricultural technology called “Essential Techniques for the Common People,” which recorded eight methods of making wine yeast and over forty methods of brewing wine.

Qiao Yan… Qiao Yan wasn’t a computer, so how could she remember all of them?

But there was one method she vaguely remembered.

In the original history, this method, called the “Nine Brewings Spring Wine Method,” was invented by a county magistrate from Pei State’s Qiao County. After his death, the method spread and eventually fell into Cao Cao’s hands, who then presented it to Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie, and it was later promoted under Cao Wei’s rule.

This brewing method had a later name: Supplementary Fermentation. It involved adding the raw materials in nine batches during a single fermentation cycle, resulting in a richer wine at almost the same cost, giving it a competitive edge over others.

In the original “Qiao Yan’s” memory, her father, who served as the Chancellor of Rencheng, had actually met this county magistrate. Although Qiao Yu wasn’t fond of wine, he was deeply impressed by this wine and would only bring out the jar he had purchased during festive occasions for a small taste.

If they were to use the winery’s purchasing channels as a way to buy millet at a low price, this would undoubtedly be a suitable bargaining chip.

But with this chip in hand, Qiao Yan felt that using it just once for buying grain seemed a bit wasteful.

Why not aim for a long-term development strategy?

Her deep contemplation, which to her was a comprehensive consideration of future plans, seemed to Yang Xiu like a signal that she was about to send him back home.

He immediately said, “If it really doesn’t work, I’ll think of another way.”

He absolutely didn’t want to be sent back to Luoyang!

But the next moment, he heard Qiao Yan say, “No, I don’t think your approach is wrong. Zhongde and I also thought of this method, but we were just lacking some preparation.”

“There are two things I need you to do.”

Hearing that there were tasks to be done, Yang Xiu was almost certain that he could stay. “Go ahead.”

“The first thing is, I need you to purchase enough grain for our two hundred people for a month, and also buy the ceramic wine vessels and the rice and wheat needed for brewing. You can estimate the quantities yourself.”

This was essentially a math problem, which Yang Xiu could handle.

“The second thing is, I need you to hire two people, preferably those who know a bit about the folk wine-making industry.”

Qiao Yan thought for a moment and added, “The cheaper, the better.”

Although they were considering long-term plans, the initial investment couldn’t be too high.

With these two instructions, Yang Xiu roughly understood her intentions.

But even though he thought so, he couldn’t help but ask, “If I handle these two tasks well, can I stay?”

Qiao Yan gave a very cautious answer: “If your grandfather sends someone to find you, that’s another matter.”

But for Yang Xiu, this was enough.

As long as his grandfather’s men didn’t knock him out on the spot, Yang Xiu felt he still had some room to maneuver.

After passing Houma and Linfen, Yang Xiu requested the funds needed for these two tasks from Qiao Yan and left the books he had brought from the Grand Commandant’s office with her.

Of course, as soon as these books were in Qiao Yan’s hands, she handed them over to Cai Yong, citing the inconvenience of storing books herself, giving him something to do.

Perhaps she didn’t need to go to such lengths, as Cai Yong was already thinking about what to write on Qiao Xuan’s tripod inscription. In such a situation, he wouldn’t find this detour and the longer journey boring.

Qiao Yan didn’t find it boring either.

From Linfen to Taiyuan, they traveled mostly through a valley between two mountains, with Lüliang Mountain on the left and Taiyue Mountain on the right. The basin between the mountains stretched along a tributary of the Fen River.

She looked to both sides, where the Yunzhong Mountain range was faintly visible, and the nearby rivers flowed through fields lush with greenery in the summer, presenting a scene that was like another world compared to the landscapes of Yanzhou and Ji Province.

Although beneath this natural beauty, not everything was joyful, at least the scenery before her eyes couldn’t help but ease the tension that had been constant since Luoyang.








At least here, there’s no political maneuvering among the court factions, so Qiao Yan can save herself some mental gymnastics.

Of course, compared to her relaxed state, Yang Xiu is much more nervous. His previous procurement business is no longer viable, so he must ensure the latter half of his tasks are handled properly.

With this in mind, as soon as they entered the Taiyuan region, he took the personnel assigned by Qiao Yan and headed straight for Jinyang, the administrative center of Taiyuan.

In modern terms, there’s a story about a qualified and an unqualified employee conducting the same investigation. Despite his youth, Yang Xiu clearly falls into the qualified category.

With the intention of completing all possible tasks in one trip to Jinyang, he meticulously recorded the details of the rice and wine businesses in the city before proceeding with procurement and recruitment.

Upon returning to the team and reporting to Qiao Yan, he was visibly proud of being able to answer her questions.

After Qiao Yan finished her inquiries, he introduced the people he had recruited.

Two of them had been laid off by a struggling winery in the city, making wage negotiations easier. Moreover, working in Jinyang or Leping was equally distant from their homes, so the salary Yang Xiu offered was within their acceptable range.

“There’s also one I recruited for free.”

Seeing Qiao Yan frown at this, Yang Xiu quickly explained, “I didn’t bully anyone. The person I recruited isn’t useless; he’s just a drunkard who claims he only needs wine.”

Qiao Yan followed Yang Xiu’s gaze and saw a disheveled young man with a wine flask hanging from his waist, looking somewhat intoxicated.

However, his eyes were still clear, indicating he wasn’t completely drunk.

For some reason, Qiao Yan felt this wasn’t just an ordinary drunkard.

Driven by this intuition, and after Yang Xiu explained that the man was quite knowledgeable about winemaking, she asked, “What’s his name?”

Though puzzled by Qiao Yan’s interest in a drunkard, Yang Xiu replied, “He calls himself Zhi Cai, but he’s not particularly wise or talented. He’s an adult without a courtesy name. The surname Zhi is rare, but I recall that during the Spring and Autumn period, Xun Shou was enfeoffed in Zhi, and his descendants took Zhi as their surname, which is in this Jinzhong region.”

Zhi Cai? That name is indeed strange.

But hearing Yang Xiu’s explanation, Qiao Yan didn’t press further.

She planned to write down the supplementary fermentation method from her memory once they settled in Leping and then hand the task over to Yang Xiu.

This would give him a chance to learn and ensure a proper conclusion to the arrangement.

With Qiao Yan’s approval, Yang Xiu felt reassured.

Feeling more at ease, he began to entertain other thoughts.

For instance…

Though he grew up in a noble family in Luoyang, he had never learned horseback riding or archery. Given his age, both Yang Ci and Yang Zhen were concerned for his safety and naturally didn’t want him to start too early.

Now, thinking he wouldn’t be sent back anytime soon, he decided to give it a try. If Qiao Yan could ride a horse, why couldn’t he? He was already a step behind her; it was time to catch up!

Bao Hong was nearly driven mad by Yang Xiu.

Having to escort the grandson of the Grand Commandant already made him feel like an unwilling accomplice, and he feared repercussions from the Yang family upon returning to Luoyang. Now, this young master wanted to learn horseback riding.

He was just an innocent captain; why did he have to bear so much?

Bao Hong cast a pleading glance at Qiao Yan, only to find her deep in conversation with Cheng Li, oblivious to his predicament.

Qiao Yan was happy to offload this trouble for now. After all, Captain Bao, having taken a detour, didn’t have to worry about sudden attacks from the Black Mountain Bandits, so he might as well put his extra energy to good use.

Besides, after Jinyang, they weren’t far from their final destination, Leping. He only had to endure a couple more days.

By the time Yang Xiu went to Jinyang to recruit people and buy grain, the Taiyue Mountains along their route had already begun to descend.

The Taiyue Mountains, with peaks reaching over 2,500 meters, now only had rolling hills at their end. After turning east, they followed a mountain path straight to Leping.

At this point, Bao Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He could foresee successfully completing the task of safely delivering Qiao Xuan’s remains to Leping.

This undoubtedly eased some of his pressure.

South of Jinyang, the Dongguo River, which flows west into the Fen River, almost coincided with their route. At the river’s end was the northern mountains of Zhan County, and beyond that lay Leping.

The journey had been fraught with reminders from Qiao Yan about bandits in the Taihang Mountains and the discovery of Yang Xiu in Qiao Xuan’s carriage, adding immense pressure on Bao Hong. Seeing the somewhat barren northern mountains, he felt as if he had entered a paradise, nearly losing his composure.

However, when he turned to look at Qiao Yan, he noticed the ever-composed Marquis of Leping seemed eager, likely because they were nearing her domain.

This added a touch of realism to her demeanor.

Qiao Yan, as Bao Hong observed, was indeed stirred by the approach to Leping.

Beyond the northern mountains lay her land. No matter how composed she appeared, it was hard to remain entirely calm.

This was her territory.

North of the Taihang Mountains, south of Shangdang, east of Yangquan, and west of the Taihang Mountains.

This was Leping.

As the mountain path turned, Leping County unfolded before Qiao Yan.

Compared to Jinyang, it was less bustling but brimming with hope.

Leping…

Originally a county, its highest official was the county magistrate.

However, after Qiao Yan was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Leping, following the Eastern Han custom of establishing counties as states, Leping could also be called the Leping County State. Besides the marquis having supreme ownership, the administrative leader would change from the county magistrate to the State Chancellor of Leping.

Qiao Yan intended to appoint Cheng Li, who had considerable administrative skills, to this position.

Of course, this wasn’t a decision she could make unilaterally.

Regardless of whether it was due to the establishment of a county state or the inheritance of a commandery, this position required loyalty to the Han Dynasty first.

Like the State Chancellors of Jinan and Jibei, they were directly appointed by the central government and received a salary of two thousand dan.

Though the salary of a County State Chancellor was relatively lower, managing a county with ten thousand households was no child’s play. Appointing an administrative leader couldn’t be done carelessly.

Otherwise, if a marquis could arbitrarily appoint someone without administrative talent or experience, it would only incite public outrage.

However, Qiao Yan’s situation was somewhat special—Liu Hong had recognized her talents, and Leping County was relatively small, so before leaving Luoyang, she received Liu Hong’s approval.

She could nominate and report, similar to the Recommendation for Filial Piety and Integrity system, to appoint the State Chancellor.

Fortunately, given Cheng Li’s contributions during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, securing this position wasn’t too difficult.

In Qiao Yan’s view, only by offering this position could she accept Cheng Li following her to Bingzhou’s Leping instead of staying in Yanzhou to utilize his talents.

Additionally, below the State Chancellor, the county’s military and security affairs were handled by the County Captain, now called the County State Commandant. The official in this position, along with his subordinates, formed the county state’s law enforcement and defense force.

Of course, this position also required central government approval.

However, compared to the State Chancellor, Qiao Yan was more conflicted about this position.

If calculated by combat prowess, Dian Wei was undoubtedly the strongest among her followers. But Dian Wei was better suited as a bodyguard rather than a leader of troops.

Assigning him to oversee patrols and apprehend bandits across a domain of ten thousand households would be quite a challenge.

Fortunately, this wasn’t a decision that needed to be made immediately.

Apart from the State Chancellor and County State Commandant, who received central government salaries, the other positions were directly decided by Qiao Yan, including the Household Steward, the Master of the Household, the Herald, and the Clerk in charge of documents.

In short, these household officials formed the core administrative team of Qiao Yan’s marquisate in Leping, overseeing the commoners who paid taxes to her.

Qiao Yan had already estimated the positions for the people she brought to Leping.

However, before matching people to positions, she needed to address the power transition upon arriving in Leping.

The original Leping County Magistrate, County Deputy, and County Captain had already been reassigned due to her arrival as the marquis. The seals and records of past years’ accounts and legal cases were stored in the hall.

Observing the former county magistrate’s expression, Qiao Yan noticed he didn’t seem dissatisfied with his transfer but rather relieved.

Noticing this peculiar micro-expression, Qiao Yan didn’t inquire further but listened as the magistrate said, “Marquis Qiao is quite fortunate. Leping has 9,400 registered households, with an additional 600 households scattered in mountain villages towards Shangai. If Leping’s population exceeded ten thousand, it would be troublesome.”

This was understandable. In the Eastern Han, enfeoffment wasn’t based on the actual population of the commandery or county but on the number granted by the court.

In such cases, if Leping’s original population exceeded ten thousand, she, as the Marquis of Leping, couldn’t claim them all but had to divide them according to her enfeoffed households.

If the excess households were significant, the original administrative team could remain, but the residents under their jurisdiction would need to be renamed.

However, having two jurisdictions in one area could lead to friction. The differences between a county state and a county administration would inevitably cause disparities in tax payments, and the world is full of people who resent inequality, potentially leading to conflicts.

If the excess households were few, incorporating them into neighboring counties like Taiyuan or Shangdang would be troublesome, given Taiyuan’s unique terrain. Leping is bordered by the Taihang Mountains to the east, Wutai Mountain to the north, and rolling hills to the south and west, making it unsuitable to assign some households to other counties.

Thus, the magistrate considered it good fortune.

Qiao Yan also felt fortunate. The scenery she encountered traveling from the Taihang Mountains to Leping differed from Yanzhou, Ji Province, and Luoyang. Though not bustling, in these turbulent times, having land to farm and mountains to rely on was a rare blessing.

Regardless of the magistrate’s motives for hastening the handover, having all the registered documents prepared before her arrival saved her much trouble.

Qiao Yan signaled Cheng Li, the de facto State Chancellor of Leping, to review the documents, while she replied to the magistrate, “This is thanks to His Majesty’s mercy for my youth, granting me a peaceful place. However, I must trouble you to inform me of the key figures and matters in Leping County that require attention.”

The former magistrate, having heard of Qiao Yan’s achievements during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, privately admired her composed handling of affairs.

Seeing that Qiao Yan, as a marquis, didn’t refer to herself in the royal “I” or put on airs, clearly aiming for a smooth transition, his smile became more genuine.

“Marquis Qiao, with such intentions, Leping…”

Before he could finish saying “Leping’s commoners are fortunate,” a county clerk hurried in, interrupting their conversation.

The clerk said, “There are two people outside claiming to be old acquaintances of Marquis Qiao, seeking an audience.”

Old acquaintances?

Qiao Yan didn’t have many old acquaintances.

She guessed it might be Xu Fu, who had returned to Yingchuan to visit his mother and, after explaining his decision, had now received her approval to come here.

As for why there were two? Either he brought a fellow villager or his mother had also decided to come to Leping.

If it was the latter, it would be good news for Qiao Yan.

Though Xu Fu was previously illiterate, only knowing a few characters, his natural intelligence and, more importantly, his character, which Qiao Yan valued, were influenced by his family upbringing.

Xu Fu lost his father early, so his mother’s influence was significant.

Qiao Yan had been pondering how to educate someone like Yang Xiu, who was intelligent but not always on the right path.

Cai Yong was a good teacher for basics but not a suitable life mentor, given his poor interpersonal skills. With the Black Mountain Bandits nearby, Qiao Yan didn’t have much spare time.

However, if Xu Fu brought his mother, she might be a potential “educational expert.”

Though this thought crossed Qiao Yan’s mind, she didn’t show it, simply saying to the magistrate, “Since they’re my old acquaintances, I’ll go see them.”

She walked out and indeed saw Xu Fu outside the county office.

Upon seeing Qiao Yan, he immediately stepped forward and bowed, “Marquis Qiao, please forgive me. I brought my mother, so our journey was slower, but we arrived safely.”

Qiao Yan glanced behind him but didn’t see his mother, only a young man with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, carrying a spear, exuding an extraordinary aura. She asked, “Where is your mother?”

Xu Fu replied, “My mother is in the carriage behind. Hearing that Marquis Qiao had just entered the county town, she urged me to come quickly.”

He then turned and introduced the young man to Qiao Yan, saying, “Allow me to introduce someone.”

“On our way, my mother and I encountered bandits near Changzhi and were nearly lost, but this righteous man saved us. He’s from Changshan County in Ji Province and has exceptional spear skills. Since he mentioned needing to see the county magistrate here, I invited him along.”

Hearing “Changshan County in Ji Province,” Qiao Yan’s heart stirred.

As Xu Fu finished speaking, the young man, no more than fifteen or sixteen, stepped forward and bowed, confirming Qiao Yan’s guess.

He clasped his hands and said, “Zhao Yun of Changshan, greets the Marquis.”