Chapter 45
Can strategists not ascend to power? Volume Two, At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Little Taste of Skill, Chapter 45: Declaration Against the Thieves.
Zhao Yun had come specifically to eliminate thieves, so how could he possibly refuse Qiao Yan’s request?
The term “Lord” was originally a respectful address for marquesses, and this single “Lord” carried substantial meaning, embodying both trust and expectation. Observing Qiao Yan’s demeanor and words, she truly lived up to this title.
If she simply aimed to defend her territory given her wealth and fief, she could directly withdraw half of the labor force from ten thousand households, and with Chu Yan’s men, no one could touch her.
And if she sought to accumulate wealth, her previous improvements in brewing would surely allow her to flood the market with rice wine, turning it into a substantial fortune.
However, every step she took was grounded, truly deserving of the hope held by thousands of households in the county.
What moved Zhao Yun even more was undoubtedly her commanding resolve.
Being only around fifteen or sixteen, how could he not feel inspired by Qiao Yan’s commanding presence, like a thunderbolt striking?
So, almost the moment her words settled, he clasped his hands and replied, “I will do my utmost, not to disappoint you, Lord!”
Zhao Yun’s promise undoubtedly set a good tone for Qiao Yan.
His character was evident; even if disregarding the records that would be passed down through generations, just judging him by his actions in the preceding month was enough for Qiao Yan to form a conclusion.
Although she had temporarily appointed him as the County Captain, he obviously didn’t slack off just because it was a temporary position. Rather, he earnestly held himself to the standards of a county official, inspecting rigorously day and night.
Moreover, compared to outsiders like Dian Wei, he was naturally more familiar with the terrain of the Taihang Mountains, making him more suitable as the main commander against the bandits.
At this moment, seeing him agree with a resolute expression, one could almost forget his age; Qiao Yan knew he would give his all for this matter.
“Maybe I said something wrong; it’s not about aiming for fierce tigers but rather aiming for swift swallows.”
As Qiao Yan walked outside, she told Zhao Yun, “You are the spear that catches tigers and the net that traps swallows; don’t let me down.”
With her words, Zhao Yun couldn’t dare to slack off.
It is said that martial artists “train in the freezing winter and scorching summer.” Zhao Yun’s exceptional martial prowess at such a young age was undoubtedly not solely due to talent; he had put in considerable effort.
Now, with Qiao Yan implying that the opportunity to eliminate thieves was imminent, he needed to ensure he was sharpened and ready.
He didn’t have that so-called mentor, Tong Yuan, who had self-taught mastery of spear techniques; he needed to study hard.
Although Qiao Yan was not skilled in martial arts, she sensed that Zhao Yun’s spear technique, while rough, carried a natural momentum that was far more valuable than intricate moves.
When she turned around, she noticed Dian Wei looking at Zhao Yun with a spark of rivalry.
“You wanna give it a try?” Qiao Yan raised an eyebrow.
Not to mention Dian Wei’s eagerness, she was also curious who was stronger between the two, but then she remembered Zhao Yun was still young and hadn’t fully grown yet, so she suspected Dian Wei still had the edge.
But hey, how could a warrior show true prowess in life-and-death battles without some good old fighting? After a moment of thought, Qiao Yan simply said, “Mind your limits” before letting Dian Wei go.
The system observed this scene and couldn’t help but think this didn’t quite fit the profile of a strategist. After all, according to its perception, a strategist shouldn’t be able to keep such top-tier warriors in check.
However, it soon saw Qiao Yan retract her gaze from the two and suddenly asked as she turned toward the County Office, “Do you think I have a chance to learn martial arts?”
The system: […… Aren’t you a strategist?]
“Strategists also need to ensure their personal safety,” Qiao Yan replied seriously. “There are always certain lords who can appear wise at times, but can also be foolish at others. In such cases, one must have the ability to retreat. Take Yuan Shao for example; if Guo Jia hadn’t risen under him, leaving would have been easy, but what if it were Tian Feng’s situation?”
The system checked its records and saw that Tian Feng had been imprisoned for advising Yuan Shao to pursue a protracted war and was later executed after Yuan Shao’s defeat at Guandu for his infamous remark, “Feng laughed loudly in prison.”
The system: [……]
“So, if I were also to face a situation like that, with my combat skills, wouldn’t I be able to fight my way out and choose a new lord?”
Qiao Yan continued confidently, “Of course, that would be an extreme scenario. For instance, take Pang Tong, who died in battle; if I had some combat ability, even if I couldn’t reverse the defeat, with Zhao Yun’s adeptness, I’d at least have a chance to save my skin for a comeback.”
The system was silent for a moment before helplessly replying: [That’s quite an extreme example, and didn’t you say you had Dian Wei for personal safety?]
If one had to push it, Qiao Yan had previously mentioned she wanted to wait until she garnered enough reputation to find a suitable main lord for a precise strike.
In such a case, if a situation like Yuan Shao and Tian Feng were to occur, it wouldn’t make much sense either.
But at this moment, the system was a bit baffled by Qiao Yan’s logic and couldn’t think of a proper response.
It then heard Qiao Yan say, “I’m just illustrating a lower limit scenario, pointing out a necessity. Even if I were to truly practice martial arts, I wouldn’t be able to invest the same effort as a warrior; at most, I’d just want some self-defense ability.”
The system felt like it could already foresee the future. Previously, Qiao Yan was only increasing her physical prowess to ensure she could withstand other strategists. Now, according to her logic—
Could it be that one day she would increase her intelligence values too?
What left the system speechless was that Qiao Yan soon asked, “By the way, I remember you mentioned something to me once; you said—you’re not the ‘Saintly System’ next door, so—
“Do you have a martial arts system next door?”
[……??????]
The system flooded the screen with question marks in response to its sudden silence.
“I’m not looking for any inner skill manuals; I just want to know what conditions would allow me to exchange for some structured offensive techniques, like spear techniques.”
On ancient battlefields, weapons evidently followed the rule of “an inch short, an inch dangerous,” so while Qiao Yan had used a side sword during her time as a military advisor in the Yellow Turban Army, she had never considered using it as her weapon.
Given the option, a spear would obviously fit better.
But things like drawing maps, constructing terrains, debating strategies, and military formations, even with a modern mindset, were manageable. However, using weapons wasn’t exactly the same, especially hardcore ones like spears.
Qiao Yan had thought about asking Zhao Yun for guidance, but having such a mentor-mentee relationship, even without formal acknowledgment, would undoubtedly complicate their originally professional hierarchy, affecting her ability to direct him.
This was not a situation she wished to encounter.
If the system could achieve this through some exchange methods, it would certainly be more appropriate.
[I’ll go ask, but don’t get your hopes too high, and exchanges will definitely require some trade-offs.]
For some reason, it felt a strange sense of satisfaction from Qiao Yan’s request.
Perhaps it was because its host was so competent and full of ideas that it suddenly felt like it had some new utility beyond being a timer or a map-displayer, almost experiencing the role of an auxiliary system.
However, connecting with the neighbor would take some time. At least before the system could provide a response, the granary Qiao Yan had chosen had already been organized, and the food convoy from Jinyang had arrived in Leping.
Just as Qiao Yan had requested of Wang Yang earlier, these food-laden convoys had set out at night from Jinyang City, arriving in Leping just as the local farmers were heading out for their agricultural tasks.
This steady stream of food transport, laden with bag after bag of grain, was undoubtedly a spectacle the local countyfolk needed to witness.
As for why it was confirmed as grain—
Well, one of the bags had a tear, spilling its contents everywhere, with a nearby farmer picking it up and exclaiming, “This is fine rice after husking…”
People’s gazes turned towards those grain bags immediately transformed.
Husking meant that these grains would actually be worth much more than the usual two or three stones they were accustomed to.
This was indeed an impressive stockpile of provisions.
While every household had fields to cultivate, last year’s drought meant that this year hadn’t reached harvest time yet, leaving most families’ storerooms practically empty. They needed a collection of all the food from the county to even reach this amount.
Qiao Yan met with the couriers from the Wan family and took a look at the convoy, realizing she was somewhat surprised.
How much quantity was it actually to have 15,000 stones of grain added under Wang Yang’s command? Given Qiao Yan’s previous experience “robbing” the affluent fortresses alongside Liang Zhongning, she had some inkling, but this batch that had come as she wished was clearly more than just that.
However, Wang Yang, the head of the Wan family, wouldn’t make foolish mistakes in such matters or give poorly executed commands, so the only reasonable explanation was that he had instructed his subordinates to increase the quantity again.
Qiao Yan asked, “I wonder if your lord has any instructions?”
The Wan family attendant replied, “The lord has written a letter.”
Qiao Yan unfolded the letter, discovering that Wang Yang had written that, after acquiring the new brewing method, he discussed plans for trade with the Southern Xiongnu with Wang Rou, the Protector-General of the Southern Xiongnu.
Compared to Wang Yang, Wang Rou clearly understood how, over the past two years, the Southern Xiongnu in Xihe Commandery had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Qiang Qu, their Chanyu, and he harbored some intentions of reconciliation rather than solely suppressing with force.
Now, the news from Wang Yang was akin to a light falling in the midst of a snowstorm, illuminating the path ahead.
“Delivering coal.”
He immediately replied to Wang Yang, saying, “If this can succeed, it would be a great achievement for the era. How could I dare to accept a mere five thousand stones as reward?”
This got Wang Yang thinking about bumping up the reward, figuring there’d still be chances for dealings between Jinyang and Leping later on. For now, doubling it should suffice without overcomplicating things.
And so it came to be what Qiao Yan saw today.
For these noble families, the benefits and reputation in the officialdom were undoubtedly harder to come by than mere goods. However, for Qiao Yan, who had already secured a County Marquis position and received high praise from several noted figures, cash and grain seemed like a delightful reward.
If it weren’t for her position as the ruler of a county, she might have difficulty hiding her excitement when faced with guests from the Wang family.
Yet, she couldn’t help but smile, “It was just a small effort on my part. Receiving such a hefty reward is nothing unusual for the Wang family, being a model of nobility in Jinyang. Please convey my gratitude to your esteemed master when you return.”
“Of course.”
The other party nodded respectfully to Qiao Yan before leaving, while the grain bags brought here were sent into the granary by Bao Hong and his men.
The sight of thirty thousand stones of grain neatly stacked in the warehouse filled Qiao Yan with a sense of accomplishment.
Though this was nowhere near the hoards she collected back in the fortress, it was essential to note that those past grains came from the pillaging of rebel uprisings while this batch was her rightful obtainment.
And this was her first “harvest” since gaining Leping as her fief.
This also guaranteed that her second income was on the horizon.
As she closed the warehouse door, Qiao Yan instinctively cast her gaze towards the Taihang Mountains.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Chu Yan, up there, had received the news.
As for Chu Yan’s team of four thousand men, even if they had some reserves, relying solely on the mountains for sustenance would not be a sustainable solution.
The Taihang Mountains were easy to defend but tricky to assault, and the roundabout strategies at the mountain passes were indeed an advantage. However, the mountains didn’t allow for farming like the plains, which was certainly a disadvantage.
Zhang Niujiao, originally slated to rise in the second year of Zhongping, had moved the timing up by a year and came to meet with Chu Yan.
The influx of more people not only implied potential power struggles between the two, but it also tightened the food situation in the mountains.
Chu Yan was a sharp fellow; this was evident when he quickly led his men into the mountains to evade the Wang military’s search. Another smart move was letting Zhang Niujiao take the title of “General” upon his arrival.
The reasoning given was that Zhang brought more men.
But in reality, Zhang Niujiao was well aware of how many of his followers were just tagalongs. If we’re talking about combat capability, they surely fell short compared to Chu Yan’s more seasoned youth.
So, even after getting the title of a commanding general, he didn’t really think he could control Chu Yan’s troops.
Consequently, with Chu Yan making the first concession, they found a collaborative environment for development.
However, the problem of food shortages couldn’t simply be solved by a friendly win-win attitude; it wasn’t just going to fall into their hands like rain from the sky.
Well, currently, Zhang Niujiao truly felt like it was raining doughnuts from heaven.
With nine thousand men spread across a vast mountain range, it seemed like they occupied little space, but there were enough vantage points for sentries to monitor critical areas and patrol the county cities on either side. One of the scouting teams just happened to spot the sizable grain convoy approaching.
When the news reached Zhang Niujiao, his eyes lit up instantly.
This was food from a County Marquis, and it made him feel like this was definitely doable.
Those unworthy riches accumulated by the noble families were just waiting to benefit them, right?
Better to have them stockpiled in warehouses gathering dust than let the Black Mountain Army fill their bellies.
“Brother, what do you think…” Zhang Niujiao asked Chu Yan.
Considering Chu Yan was only in his twenties, he probably wouldn’t have such a presence; otherwise, he wouldn’t have attracted local young men so well. Zhang Niujiao could easily be his father.
But perhaps because this young man had strong opinions and displayed exceptional leadership traits, Zhang Niujiao had no choice but to treat him as an equal.
Chu Yan was silent for a moment.
Leping…
Honestly, this wasn’t an area he wanted to deal with.
From the perspective of stance, Qiao Yan was completely on the opposite side. However, Chu Yan had his own logic to assess things and quickly realized that aside from those who truly fell at the hand of Qiao Yan, like Bu Ji, Zhang Bo, and Bo Cai, most of the Yellow Turbans relied on her actions for protection – she wasn’t a black-and-white kind of person.
Even though he was stuck in Ji Province and lacked information about Qiao Yan’s performance in Luoyang, he sensed that a person capable of obtaining a County Marquis title from the Emperor and securing their position without a hitch was anything but ordinary.
Someone like her was best avoided.
Even with this glaringly tempting grain in front of him, it was likely laden with traps.
But he had to admit, if the scouting team truly reported that there were over thirty thousand stones of Qiao Yan’s personal grain in Leping, just the unthreshed millet alone could keep them fed for nearly half a year.
After all, among their current group, many weren’t strong laborers.
This was genuinely a big score that could allow them to take a break for a while.
Moreover, summer was nice now, but they had to prepare for winter in advance.
When he looked up, he saw everyone in the tent discussing passionately, clearly excited about this wealth.
This included Sun Qing and Wang Dang, who had arrived early and were mentioned in Zhao Yun’s information shared with Qiao Yan.
If he blocked this, it would likely not make them realize he did so out of vigilance, but instead trigger some internal friction.
So when he spoke, he said, “If the General wants this grain, I have two suggestions.”
This wasn’t meant to be a rejection.
Zhang Niujiao promptly responded, “My brother, speak freely.”
“First, we must thoroughly investigate the surroundings where the grain is stored, ensuring there are no ambushes set up nearby. Especially, we need someone to sneak into that granary first to confirm it’s actually grain and not something to trick us.”
“Second, should we really decide to act, I propose we split into two teams: one to secure the grain and one for backup. Our operation must be swift.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Niujiao agreed, “I’ll follow your lead, brother.”
With Chu Yan’s backing, the chances of getting that grain seemed significantly higher.
As Zhang Niujiao excitedly rushed off to inform his men, Sun Qing and Wang Dang went off to prepare. Chu Yan sat alone in the tent, still feeling somewhat unsettled.
He repeatedly told himself that Qiao Yan had only been in Leping for a month, a time too short to collaborate seamlessly with the locals.
This lack of total commitment from her side would surely impact her efforts to catch the bandits.
With that in mind, he didn’t necessarily have to be overly wary of her.
However, he was unaware that when Qiao Yan instructed Tian Shi and Xue Shi to send letters to Changshe, she already knew how to bait them with the idea of leaving a name in history at such a critical moment against the Black Mountain Bandits.
Besides, right now, everyone in the county city knew she had her hands on such a substantial stockpile of grain, and with the famine having swept through, it would be hard not to stir up some envy of riches among the people.
This would inevitably diminish the positive effects of her previous tax cuts and the distribution of good seeds.
She wouldn’t engage in such a losing deal!
Thus, on the third day after those thirty thousand stones of grain were stored, Qiao Yan set up a platform in front of the County Office to declare she had something to say.
Standing on the platform, the girl wore the County Marquis seal at her waist, symbolizing her unique position in Leping County.
But perhaps it didn’t even require the seal; her distinctive demeanor alone would make her status as the lord apparent.
Gossip quickly spread among the crowd, and soon many county residents gathered before the County Office.
As the crowd grew, Qiao Yan finally spoke, “You must be curious why I summoned you all here today.”
Below, murmurs of discussion sparked among the attendees.
Seemingly disregarding their surprise and indifference, she continued loudly, “Since I, Qiao Yan, arrived in Leping, I have checked population registers, verified farmland, reduced acreage taxes, temporarily exempted head taxes, and distributed good seeds, all based on someone telling me that giving a fish is not as good as teaching someone to fish. You all are diligent workers, and these efforts should suffice to ensure a stable livelihood.”
“However, in recent years there have been consecutive droughts, bitter winters, locust plagues, and rampant diseases. Leping isn’t exactly at peace. To bring life back to our county, I purchased a batch of grain in Jinyang to store here. Should disasters strike, this will be the lifeline for Leping County. Today, I stand before you in the County Office to make a promise that I will not go back on my word.”
“If this thirty thousand stones are not enough to sustain our county’s livelihood, I will seek other methods.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd erupted in enthusiasm.
Establishing thirty thousand stones as a reserve against major disasters meant that this grain was not Qiao Yan’s personal property, but equivalent to public grain for Leping County.
Everyone listened closely, leaving no chance for her to reconsider.
This County Marquis truly was a benevolent person!
Yet, before their joy could settle, they heard Qiao Yan continue, “But now, as bandits rampage through the Taihang Mountains, this grain will surely be coveted. Our county officials and soldiers are limited in number; I fear they will struggle to protect it.”
“Thus, I kindly request all of you to assist me in removing those bandits! To safeguard Leping!”
The attendees instantly noticed a notice posted in front of the County Office, confirmed by the County Marquis and the official seal of Leping, promising the ownership of the thirty thousand stones of grain.
