“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 442, Episode 2 – The Eastroute (2)
This war against Fuyu and Goguryeo began in March of the fourth year of Yuan Zhao, and it wrapped up way faster than anyone expected.
During March and April, these regions were still transitioning from winter to spring.
It was still freezing out, leaving the people of Fuyu and their neighbors, the Sushen tribe, holed up in their caves.
They never expected that the Liaodong garrison, who they thought were “friends”, would suddenly switch from dealing with the Wuhuan and Xianbei, to launching a deadly attack against them.
But if we go by what General Lv said during the oath ceremony while protecting Middle General Wuhuan, this attack didn’t really need to be announced beforehand to them.
The Wuhuan were residing on Han soil, having submitted to the Da Yong military, much like the Qiang people. The Xianbei chieftain Budugen had repeatedly sent his people to work in Bingzhou, even offering cattle and sheep as tribute to the Son of Heaven.
Still, Fuyu and Goguryeo, priding themselves as small nations, refused to pay their respects, lacking diplomatic ties, and couldn’t keep their people safe. In the weak water basin, every winter saw countless deaths from freezing temperatures, making it clear that they had to be punished under the laws of Da Yong.
Of course, they had it coming!
This attitude definitely echoed Qiao Yan’s style when she launched her campaign against Ye City.
But apparently, the bigger issue isn’t their incompetence, but how terribly they handled their position.
Forget about comparing them with the retired Liu Jingzhou; even after taking a beating, Budugen was miles ahead.
They were also behind in military equipment by a long shot.
The Sushen people could shoot stone-tipped arrows as Lv Lingju and Gan Ning mentioned, all laced with poison. But if those arrows couldn’t pierce armor, their cavalry would come and go like the wind, executing long-range attacks. Besides using caves as barriers to try and fend off the onslaught, what other tricks did they have to avoid capture across the vast Northeast plains?
Probably none.
Previously captured in Beiping County, Gao Shun was assigned by Lv Lingju to assist Guo Huai in breaking through the blocking forces at Gaimashan.
She teamed up with Yu Jin and Cao Hong to pursue the fleeing Fuyu forces after breaking through the capital.
The Fuyu King Wei Qiutai couldn’t regret more if he tried — he lamented not cherishing his peaceful days next to Gongsun Du. But recognizing this now clearly didn’t change the doom of his land getting swallowed up.
He thought that as soon as he got into Sushen territory, especially when reaching the mountainous region, what is now known as the Sanjiang Plain, he’d find a way to escape. Instead, he was met with a warm ‘welcome’ from Gan Ning.
On the flip side, the King of Goguryeo retreated after crossing Gaimashan, engaging in battle while making haste to the ambush set up by Lu Meng.
From the discussion about merits in Luoyang to today, nearly two and a half years have passed.
Back then, Lv Lingju might have seemed a bit too overly ambitious while still engaged in battle, but now she carried the mantle of a seasoned commander. Lu Meng, who was just a protector under Zhang Zhao, had transformed from a naive dreamer into an efficient commander capable of capturing the Goguryeo King on the spot.
By April, all the real powers – whether tribes or nations – had been caught in the net; no one had managed to slip away.
However, even if someone had miraculously escaped, after experiencing this comprehensive encirclement that even spared no ship at sea, they’d probably lack the guts to continue opposing Da Yong.
The Fuyu King Wei Qiutai and the Goguryeo Mountain King were both executed.
The troops, who were forcefully disarmed, were temporarily settled around the Fuyu capital with the help of Ju Shou and others for management, while the other participating generals were tasked with continuing to seize military powers across the lands to prevent further turmoil.
After nearly a month of adjustments, even the most remote caves were informed of their new allegiance to Da Yong.
But what surprised Qiao Yan in Chang’an was that after all this action, Gan Ning didn’t head south directly to the Samhan and the Wa islands like planned, stirring up the various nations and intimidating the Samhan people.
In a document sent back from Liaodong, it stated that after pacifying the region, Lv Lingju decided to have Gan Ning explore an island off the east of Woju.
After capturing some Woju people, Lv Lingju asked about any peculiar things there, like if the black soil looked fertile enough. If some high-yield crop could be brought back to the Central Plains, it might please the Son of Heaven.
But instead of spotting any suitable seeds, the Woju managed to communicate a rather intriguing piece of gossip through their Goguryeo translators, saying there was a nation of women in the sea, with no men.
Of course, General Lv was quite curious about what this sea kingdom was all about. Did it have a brilliant and martial queen like the Son of Heaven?
Moreover, if a nation is made up entirely of women, how on Earth do they reproduce?
The Woju then elaborated that there was a divine well; just by peering into it, one could give birth.
Well, that’s a game-changer! If such a divine well actually existed, reporting it to the Son of Heaven would be quite the achievement.
In these times, there weren’t many skeptics about myths and urban legends. Seeing as how Lv Lingju and Gan Ning were both bold act-of-doers, they immediately rerouted to explore that island.
Since the island wasn’t as far as expected, in just two days, Gan Ning and the crew had returned to the mountain bay and set off again toward the east, landing on this long strip of an island.
If we were to stick with modern-day terminology, this would be the land now known as Kunashir Island, north of Hokkaido.
To Lv Lingju’s disappointment, there was no divine well on the island, and it wasn’t solely populated by women; it turned out they just had more women than men, which fueled the rumors.
However, in this uncivilized land where no proper nation existed, they didn’t have to worry about diplomatic ties, allowing them to bring it under Da Yong’s rule, effectively expanding the territory.
Upon searching the island, they discovered coal and gold resources in the northern part.
Disappointed as she was, at least the haul wasn’t too shabby. Lv Lingju honestly reported the entire exploration process to Qiao Yan, asking her to name the newly acquired territories of Fuyu, Goguryeo, Woju, Sushen, along with the island, as Da Yong’s subjects.
As for naming…
Qiao Yan twirled her pen, feeling somewhat troubled.
Even though the little ice age hadn’t ended yet, temperatures in the Northeast were remarkably colder than in later years. At first glance, it hardly seemed fit for human habitation, but the rough farming conditions were still sufficient to ensure the survival of the four tribes, proving the land’s nutrient richness.
This black soil formed from thousands of years of grassland decay, while not as thick as what would come to be seen in the future, was beneficial due to its slow formation, avoiding the disasters caused by over-cultivation.
This could be a fertile land capable of sustaining hundreds of thousands of people during a time of relatively low production capacity!
The area occupied by the four tribes, including the uncivilized island, would cover an area comparable to two Da Yong provinces, and even exceed others with smaller territories. It couldn’t simply be merged into Youzhou.
This naming wasn’t for a county; it was for a province.
She contemplated briefly, finally putting pen to paper, writing one character, and sending it along with the document back to Liaodong, now in Lv Lingju’s hands.
“Sui… Sui Province?” she said, surprised as she looked over the document.
Upon hearing the term “Sui,” her mind immediately associated it with Lü Bu’s construction of Suiyuan City at Baidao River.
She peered back at the text and saw that Qiao Yan definitely had that in mind.
“Suiyuan City governs Baidao, stabilizing the Xianbei; Sui Province connects the Xianbei and Wuhuan in the north, while in the south, there are the Samhan, separated by the sea from the Wa nations. Though we executed the Fuyu King and the Mountain King to stabilize our realm, the people of Sui Province will henceforth belong to the subjects of Da Yong, allowing them to live and work in peace to gather the tribes.”
Within the phrase “Sui,” one could see implications of Lv Lingju surpassing her predecessors, though it wasn’t explicitly stated. But Lv Lingju had little time to ponder this, as she soon read the following crucial lines in the document.
“The middle general guarding the Wuhuan possesses courage and intelligence; leading the three armies, conquering the four tribes of Sui Province, and also securing Heilang Island, gaining renown among the various ethnic groups, should serve as Sui Province’s governor, positioning herself at the border to pacify the people…”
Lv Lingju: “…!”
This island in the sea got the name “Heilang Island” since it faced the weak water estuary; it wasn’t unheard of.
But suddenly being bestowed the title of Sui Province’s governor was completely outside her expectations!
Sui Province’s governor!
Considering that the current governors weren’t even those like Xu Shu, Jia Xu, Guo Jia, or Zhang Zhao with literary talent, but rather martial figures like Zhou Yu, Zhang Liao, who could strategize effectively, why did this title suddenly fall to her?
However, after being by the Son of Heaven’s side for years and having merit in Xuan Yuan Pavilion, after the shock that such a heavy responsibility carried, she began to contemplate Qiao Yan’s intentions.
This might not be a position simply assigned based on familiarity.
The situation in Sui Province was unique. Because the territory mainly consisted of foreign tribes, even with the Son of Heaven mentioning in the document that she might develop the area’s black soil, relocating a group of people from Qingzhou, Ji Province, and Youzhou — considering that most people were often reluctant to leave their homes — this number wouldn’t exceed those of Fuyu and the others.
So, in this light, rather than governance through culture, they clearly needed military might to suppress.
As the one in charge of the campaign in Liaodong, Lv Lingju was undoubtedly more suited for the job than anyone else!
Moreover, in such a border territory, where Heilang Island operated under a matriarchal mindset, women wouldn’t have to worry about being belittled; everything revolved around strength.
So why shouldn’t she take the position of Sui Province’s governor?
Her time at Leping Academy might not have turned her into a walking encyclopedia of astronomy and geography, yet it equipped her with a solid sense of priorities and judgment, along with historical references that served as wake-up calls.
With the resettlement of the nomads underway,
“She might not be so great with the common folks and implementing laws, but this appointment includes Ju Shou, who’ll help fill in her gaps.”
As for the black land’s output, Your Majesty didn’t intend to let it slide. The Grand Minister of Agriculture was to send a survey team to divide and measure it first, and then get high-quality seeds from Guanzhong delivered ASAP, hoping for yet another harvest this year.
Assuming nothing goes awry, Tian Chou, who’d been managing farm work in Youzhou, would stay in the newly formed Suizhou region for now, meaning Lu Lingju wouldn’t need to give him any amateur advice.
Her task was to integrate the tribes, still holding onto many primitive habits, into the customs of Da Yong, leading them towards development and using her various generals to establish new defensive boundaries.
If that was all, since she dared to take on the role of Middle General protecting the Wuhuan, she certainly wouldn’t shy away from the position of Governor of Suizhou!
“But seriously, Your Majesty thinks too highly of me…” Lu Lingju glanced back, unable to shake off the bitter taste.
In the appointment document, Qiao Yan mentioned that if Han Wudi could find talents among the surrendered Xiongnu, surely Lu Lingju could uncover some gems among the Fuyu, Goguryeo, Sushen, and Wozhu tribes.
Whether this goal is too lofty remains to be seen, but for now, conquering this land was merely her first step.
Successfully taming this area and managing the black land would present an even greater challenge.
Moreover, this not-so-short document contained more appointments.
For instance, Gao Shun, Guo Huai, Cao Hong, and Yu Jin would each oversee their territories, and there were arrangements for Gan Ning and Lu Meng’s naval forces.
As the correspondence flew back and forth, Gan Ning wasted no time sailing down from Black Dragon Isle to the Wa country islands, patrolling the seas of Lelang and sinking several enemy ships before redirecting to the three Han territories, just as planned before the Liaodong campaign, aiming straight for the land of their leader, King Jin, to capture him and position his forces between the three Han and Wa countries.
The sudden upheavals in Fuyu, Goguryeo, and other locations meant news was slow to reach the three Han and the Wa people amid barriers like Dayling or the waters of Lelang.
All they knew was that the great central kingdom from the West had launched a terrifying invasion against them for reasons unknown!
With the scale of the enemy fleet, they had no hope of resisting.
When Guo Huai arrived by boat with orders from the document, there sat Gan Ning on an island in the strait, looking every bit the rogue commander with an array of gifts piled high before him.
These folks were acting this way just to find out how to manage their affairs to ensure their survival.
Guo Huai: “…”
He couldn’t help but think, given Gan Ning’s display, he looked just like a pirate.
But before he could open his mouth, Gan Ning leaped up as if spotting a lifeline, pulling him aside to ask, “What reply did Your Majesty give?”
Originally, he thought capturing these territories wouldn’t be too difficult, but with three small tribes in the three Han area and the Wa islands each being independent little states, that meant at least dozens of them.
If he gathered them all up, it would definitely take more than two or three years.
Could this show the might of his navy?
Possibly, but it was clear this diverged significantly from his original responsibilities!
Such small nations didn’t need to tie him down for long… right?
Seeing Gan Ning’s anxious expression, Guo Huai could guess his thoughts, promptly replying, “Your Majesty appointed me as the Governor of Nansui County, overseeing the three Han and Wa areas, and since General Gan has laid the foundation, I’ll handle subsequent negotiations. Arranging King Jin’s visit to Chang’an is also my job.”
The navy under Youzhou and Qingzhou might not be as nimble as Gan Ning’s, but they would surely be enough to clear these territories!
This naval fleet must play its crucial role.
“Your Majesty has three messages for you in this reply regarding the Suizhou campaign.”
Qiao Yan’s interest was more in the precise landing during offshore voyages than Gan Ning’s naval combat capabilities.
Clearly, even without the fancy coordinate locator this time, the navy trained for two years still successfully reached their goals.
So now, it was time for them to venture even further.
The first message concerned official appointments.
Although Gan Ning did not earn a promotion due to this battle, his subordinate Lu Meng gained the title of Commandant of the Seas.
This was undoubtedly Qiao Yan recognizing their efforts.
With the Qingzhou navy arriving here and taking over the waters, Gan Ning remembered the following two messages, immediately dispatching his fleet south for supplies and reinforcements.
Before heading back to Xuzhou’s Hailing Port, he made a trip to Yizhou as instructed by Your Majesty.
It had already been over four years since the noble families from Yangzhou were sent to Yizhou for “further study,” with Gu Yong as the prefect of Yizhou.
Four years brought immense changes to the Central Plains.
For those on the island, those four years felt like an eternity.
During those years, the noble offspring in Yizhou regretted constantly, wondering why they opposed Sun Ce, even attempting to do away with him, bringing in Qiao Yan like a calamity.
What’s more, she decided to send them into exile on Yizhou even after stabilizing the chaos in Yangzhou.
When news of Qiao Yan’s ascension reached the island and Kong Rong arrived with word of the fall of Ye City’s court, their regret only deepened.
Qiao Yan’s ruthlessness had only grown even more so once she became empress.
If they couldn’t civilize the mountain tribes on this island, uncover resources, and grind down their pride, they might never escape this place.
And they waited… for four years.
In the new dynasty’s rule, the most likely to rise were the new nobility, and Yangzhou was no exception.
They dared not think about how much status they might still hold in Yangzhou, hoping to return to the mainland quickly and start over, even if it meant starting from scratch.
Just then, Gan Ning’s fleet arrived at the island.
“Your Majesty’s intention is to bring back a portion of people to Yangzhou?” Gu Yong was stunned by the news, wondering if he was hearing things.
Though Cai Yong, his mentor, pleaded for him, he had prepared to remain in Yizhou for ten years since he became its prefect.
Gu Yong certainly lived up to Cai Yong’s praise of him being “calm and composed,” having gained the trust of the mountain tribes over the years, also establishing several sizable towns through agricultural education over these years.
When he walked the city walls with Gan Ning and heard this, he momentarily zoned out gazing at the distant green mountains.
Gan Ning replied, “That’s right, Your Majesty feels the exile of the four noble families from Wu County need not last a century. If there are repentant individuals among them, binding them to this remote land can hardly be justified by this Son of Heaven. However, only twenty can return this time, so please consider who to choose accordingly.”
Such a troublesome and potentially offensive task, Qiao Yan couldn’t be bothered with; she let Gu Yong’s lot handle it.
Besides, just as those noble offspring in Wu County speculated, with Zhang Zhao managing Yangzhou, they had already squeezed their place thin, and restarting their foundations would be incredibly challenging. Those chosen would undoubtedly be the best among them, but that also showcased her benevolence.
With Sima Lang in Yangzhou, those twenty wouldn’t start a rebellion.
After a night’s rest and tasting the island’s seafood, Gan Ning found Gu Yong, who hadn’t slept at all, handing over the twenty individuals.
What arrangements would be made for them upon returning to Yangzhou? He wouldn’t bother asking.
But thinking about the last arrangement given by Your Majesty, Gan Ning felt a surge of excitement that words could hardly capture.
Set sail!
With provisions sufficient for over half a year, they were finally ready for a long voyage.
This time, he wouldn’t just skirt the land borders; he’d head into the depths of the ocean towards the east, until they reached a sufficiently vast land!
It was a challenge no one had dared to undertake before, with the real possibility of perishing amid the ocean’s tempests, but when Qiao Yan first proposed it, he didn’t back down, and he wouldn’t now!
Though he was prepared, Gan Ning didn’t expect this ocean voyage to last so long.
When a clear, long horizon finally appeared on the horizon—
The fleet had been at sea for a full five months!
In that moment, he didn’t know where he found the energy, but Gan Ning climbed the main ship’s mast three steps at a time, straining his eyes into the distance.
As if the scorching sun had just cleared all the mist from the sea, he was utterly certain that the black line before him wasn’t a figment of his imagination.
It was land!
Author’s Note:
Congrats to General Lv for moving from Middle General protecting the Wuhuan to Governor of Suizhou! Though Sister Lu’s Liangzhou is more remote compared to Lil’ Lv’s Suizhou, both positions hold great importance; one being the protector of the Western Regions, the other managing the black land.
Since this is an extra, I won’t go into every detail. Just know this is a significant step up!
And cheers to Gan Ning and Lu Meng for nearing the other shore!
① “Sushen” is how they refer to themselves, while “Yilou” is the outsider’s somewhat derogatory term, meaning cave dwellers, which eventually morphed into their label, so this text still uses Sushen.
② From the “Book of the Later Han: Chronicles of the Eastern Barbarians.”
Back then, people didn’t know much about Goguryeo and Wozhu, and hadn’t really stepped foot on the islands across from Wozhu, which led to some curious records.
【And legends say there’s a women’s country in the sea, with no men. Some say there’s a divine well in that country which, if gazed into, would result in a child.】
It later became clear that【Kunashir Island is the ancient women’s country, also known as the Maoren Kingdom】, where women outnumbered men, hence the legend of a women’s empire.
General Lv’s execution rate is through the roof!
See you bright and early at 9:30 tomorrow!
