“Can strategists really not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 420: Aiming at Ye City
The shorter the slogan, the more powerful it seems when deploying troops.
And this goal of uniting the world carries more weight than mere talk of “certain victory.”
As the fully assembled army set off from the southern suburbs of Chang’an towards Tong Pass, crowds gathered along the main road to bid farewell.
This time, however, they weren’t sending off a beloved monarch to the throne; they were witnessing her embark on the final battle to reclaim the land!
The fireworks celebrating the changing of the guard in March were a spectacle beyond description due to the multitude of colors.
Now, in July, as they marched, the soldiers donned iron armor that glinted in the light, creating a sight that couldn’t simply be captured in a painting.
With the sun shining bright and the armor gleaming, their Emperor, clad in armor, emanated an aura far more commanding than any past monarch draped in fine robes.
“After I leave Chang’an, please send any matters needing my decision to Luoyang, then on to River North. Once the world is pacified, I plan to establish the capital in Luoyang, so consider this a preliminary step.”
Qiao Yan, riding her horse, said to Qiao Lan beside her, “You and Zhongde can decide on the other affairs. If everything is handed over to the Three Lords at this early stage of ascension, it will surely invite gossip. With your position and royal background, it won’t be overstepping.”
“Among the Three Lords, General Huangfu has supported me like an elder, and Zhongde has held the fort without faltering in his duties all these years; his loyalty isn’t in question. As for Minister Huang… the noble families of Yanzhou have clearly shaken him. If he dares stir up trouble again, it’ll be like asking for trouble!”
“Moreover, pacifying Ji Province isn’t an easy task. Once we do, we must secure the eastern fronts and deal with the lingering influences of the Han dynasty. I won’t return to Chang’an before October, and the autumn harvest in Guanzhong must follow the routine without needing my input; I’ve already briefed the Grand Minister of Agriculture.”
Qiao Lan replied, “I understand.”
She didn’t just comprehend Qiao Yan’s farewell instructions; she also realized that while Chang’an was leaderless, it was a chance to see if her royal kin could bear the weight of responsibility.
As she looked at Qiao Yan, her gaze was filled with a gentle determination, as if silently answering the question.
Why not?
If it weren’t for Qiao Yan plotting a unique path for their growth, even with their leap of faith to join her, they wouldn’t be facing these power dynamics today—they might still be reading in Leping Academy instead.
People don’t know their limits unless they push against them.
And if they don’t venture into the broader world, they’d never realize they could alter the course of events.
And now, having earned Qiao Yan’s favor and become part of the Leping Qiao clan, it was her duty to share the burden.
The Emperor personally leading the charge and the royal family holding court meant being vigilant against opportunists. That was her task at this moment.
Seeing Qiao Lan grasp her intentions, Qiao Yan’s gaze returned to the army before them.
With ample military supplies already dispatched to Luoyang during her selection of soldiers, this troop appeared more ready for battle, rather than being burdened with carts.
Qiao Yan added, “I’ve arranged for Tian Zitai to assist with the food supplies. Just ensure the paperwork is double-checked, and no need to worry. I’ve entrusted the transport logistics to the guard. These two, while former members of Lord Anyi’s staff, are reliable.”
Qiao Lan replied, “Your Majesty’s intentions in conquering the False Court are clear; it reflects the legitimate succession of Han and Yong.”
Tian Chou and Xianyu Fu were indeed part of Liu Yu’s old guard, but the former had kept out of political affairs, focusing solely on Guanzhong’s agriculture, while the latter was more of a casualty in the plots involving Wang Yun. Having been treated well since Liu Yu’s resignation, he held gratitude for Qiao Yan, making him a worthy ally.
Deploying these two in the critical connection between Chang’an and Luoyang serves as a signal ahead of the military campaign against Ji Province.
“Let’s wrap things up for now.” The bureaucratic changes, reforms in the examination system, and further development of production should wait until the world settles into just one voice issuing orders—no rush on decisions while she’s preparing to take on Yuan Shao.
Let’s wait for the thirteen provinces to unite before deciding!
After sharing these thoughts, she urged her horse forward, charging out toward Tong Pass, reinforced during the Jian’an era, in front of tens of thousands of elite soldiers. Dust swirled in the blazing sun, but this procession marched on like a stream merging with a river—unstoppable and resolute.
Days later, in River North County, Cao Cao received the vast army led by Qiao Yan.
Including the defenders of Luoyang, those transporting supplies, and soldiers stationed in River North, there were about fifty thousand personnel, and the townsfolk who had previously resisted Yuan Shao at Mengjin weren’t afraid to join in this battle again!
And let’s not forget, this was just one of the many detachments!
Among the fluttering banners, Qiao Yan peered towards the east, aiming at Ji Province and Wei County, spotting Gao Gan and his troop recently arrived.
“Gao Yuancai is known for his grand ambitions and exceptional martial and literary talents, quite unlike Yuan Xianfu, who was captured by Mengde before.”
Cao Cao replied, “Unfortunately, the troops he commands may not follow his orders. In this already determined battle, relying solely on his skills won’t change Yuan Benchu’s fate.”
Qiao Yan chuckled, “Well then, I shall count on Mengde to secure that victory in half a month.”
This collaborated operation after many years, amid changes in personnel and underlying dynamics, could still be seen as a fortunate turn of events following chaos.
However, she intended to wait for a more opportune moment to ignite the first shots of the August campaign, rather than engage right at the borders of River North and Wei County.
For now, she simply stationed troops here without further actions. Just those four characters, “Qiao Yan is deploying troops,” were enough to…
Yay! Looks like there’s a storm brewing in the court of Ye City.
Who can keep their cool at such a moment? It’s bound to make anyone a bit twitchy.
After some back-and-forth with Liu Bian, the Hebei noble families did manage to make a pact to defend the city until death. But that doesn’t mean all the officials in Ye City are on the same page when it comes to sharing the fate of the Han.
Fearing that someone in their ranks might want to jump ship and mess up the plan, Liu Bian and Yuan Shao had no intention of spilling the beans about their plot to assassinate Qiao Yan.
And just to make things even spicier, there were a few folks missing from the court as well.
Take Yang Biao, for example, who should have been leading the pack as one of the Three Ducal Ministers.
Liu Bian was too chicken to offend the illustrious Yang family of Hongnong, which has students literally everywhere. So, instead of executing him like Guo Tu or Feng Ji, he thought it’d be better to keep him on ice with a “sick leave” situation.
If their plan worked out, Yang Biao could become the bridge connecting them to the Chang’an court.
He should know which way the wind is blowing.
If it flops, maybe Yang Biao can still plead for mercy as an old Han loyalist.
After all, without the favor of the Han, why would Yang Biao be so high up the food chain with such a prestigious background?
It’s all about maneuvering through the highs and lows of the Han’s ups and downs. But when Liu Bian heard the news that a royal expedition had indeed been ordered, he couldn’t help but shiver.
He gritted his teeth to suppress the urge to propose moving the capital again and asked Yuan Shao, “Do you think we need to reinforce the troops heading towards Liyang?”
Gao Gan is quite the catch and a rare talent among Yuan Shao’s kin, but who is he up against?
It’s Qiao Yan!
For over ten years, she hasn’t seen defeat in battle. On the other hand, Gao Gan’s only notable achievements were while teaming up with Ju Shou.
Even if they had rivers to use for an ambush, what good does that do when Dong Zhuo, back in his day, couldn’t even stop her from marching through Luoyang?
If that’s the case, what makes him think he can stall Qiao Yan’s advance? How on earth are they supposed to find an opportunity for assassination?
Yuan Shao’s brow furrowed, and he replied, “No need to reinforce; without a fortified city to hold, even with a few thousand more men, it won’t change the outcome against this over fifty-thousand strong army.”
Instead of trying to have it both ways and ending up with a muddled outcome, they might as well go all in right here.
“If His Majesty insists on reinforcements, I suggest sending them north.”
Adding those troops to Ju Shou and Shen Pei’s division could help intercept any southern forces coming from Youzhou!
But is it really only the troops from Youzhou that will arrive from the north to flank Ye City?
While Zhang Liao entrusted Youzhou affairs to Zhuge Liang and took charge of heading south to coordinate with Lü Bu, Lü Lingju, and Tai Shici, another group was also on the move.
Zhao Yun didn’t tag along with Qiao Yan’s march from Chang’an to He’nai; instead, before the commanders were selected in Guanzhong, he had already returned to Bingzhou via the Qin Straight Road and joined forces with the Middle General Qu Yi. Meanwhile, Xi Zhicai remained in Bingzhou, overseeing the battle conditions on both Fuko and Jingxing routes to prevent Yuan Shao from pulling any desperate stunts into Bingzhou. Zhao Yun and Qu Yi then prepared to launch an attack from the Niu Yin Mountain.
This area is where the Zhi River originates, nestled in the steep valleys of the Taihang Mountains, but there’s a way through. More importantly, crossing through this route over the Taihang Mountains leads directly to Changshan!
Zhao Yun’s hometown—Changshan!
This elite cavalry group set off at the beginning of August, following the Zhi River, charging straight towards Lingxiu County.
Yuan Shao’s son, Yuan Xi, happened to be in Changshan at that moment, stationed in the nearby area of Jingxing and completely missing the northwestern corner of Youzhou.
As a result, the fall of Lingxiu came as a total shock!
Although neither Qu Yi nor Zhao Yun commanded large forces, their disciplined armies could easily hold their own against the likes of Gao Shun, especially when the morale of the troops in Youzhou was shaky, putting them in a position to outshine the usual fighting strength.
This unit didn’t even stop at Lingxiu County; one group quickly sent messengers to let Lü Bu’s side know while they swiftly took the next county.
After replenishing their supplies and resting up, this elite Iron Cavalry continued eastward, aiming for Changshan and Zhen Ding.
Years ago, Zhao Yun approached Qiao Yan to ensure that the elders of Changshan wouldn’t be bothered by the bandits from the Taihang Mountains. Before officially serving under Qiao Yan, he had even returned home to inform them of the situation.
For the folks from Changshan, they don’t care if Zhao Yun’s actions might seem treasonous. They just remember that when life was hard, they fled into the Taihang Mountains to avoid the bandits and nearly faced disaster. Now, thanks to Zhao Yun finding the right person, Qiao Yan, they finally have a chance at survival.
With the army of Da Yong entering their territory and the imminent arrival in Zhen Ding, Zhao Yun has assured them he would enforce strict discipline to keep the troops in line. So, why should they resist the hapless Han emperor Liu Bian?
Word from Bingzhou has been trickling into Changshan for years now, making it easier for them to switch sides when the time came.
The changeover of Zhen Ding was far easier than Zhao Yun and Qu Yi had expected, and on the other side, Lü Bu supported by the wealthy merchants of Zhongshan was also making his way south from Beiping County to Wujic County without much trouble.
These two forces, one coming in from the west and the other from the north, were heading straight for the convergence point at Xiaquyang, which, guess what?—is where Shen Pei currently has his troops stationed.
Xiaquyang… not exactly the best of locations.
Qiao Yan sat in her military tent in River North County, plotting the timing and speed of troop movements, while sketching out offensive routes on paper.
Even though communication with the troops was a bit tricky at that moment, she had enough confidence in Zhao Yun, Qu Yi, and Zhang Liao. She believed they wouldn’t slack off in their pursuit of glory for both themselves and Da Yong.
Even if trouble did pop up, the coordinated movements of their armies would surely compensate for any hiccups.
Right now, Shen Pei in Xiaquyang must have caught wind of the impending doom.
Xiaquyang isn’t exactly lucky.
It’s where Zhang Bao, the General of the Earth from the Yellow Turban Army, was captured during the Yellow Turban Rebellion!
