Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skills – Chapter 47: Capturing the Ox and Catching the Swallow

Qiao Yan extended her hand as if drawing in a net, capturing the fleeting signal of a spark in the night.

The sentinel stationed on the high mountain ridge, after the Black Mountain Bandits passed by, sent out a brief flash of firelight.

At that time, the Black Mountain Bandits were already heading down the mountain path, unaware of the flash signaling the county city from higher ground.

But this signal reached Qiao Yan’s eyes. As she raised her hand, the county officials waiting outside the county office immediately sprang into action, swiftly relaying the orders from the County Marquis.

Previous disasters had made the people of Leping County place absolute importance on the grain that could potentially save their lives.

Thus, not only did they express righteous indignation and vow to fight the Black Mountain Bandits upon hearing of their approach, but after Qiao Yan informed them of the bandits’ reconnaissance, they also formed a nighttime messenger team.

Once they received news of the Black Mountain Bandits’ attack from Qiao Yan, they would quickly awaken their comrades, forming a force of a thousand strong young men.

When the Black Mountain Bandits descended from the White Dragon Path and reached the southernmost part of Leping County, although the county appeared silent and defenseless in the night, the messengers wearing soft-soled shoes had already stirred a hidden undercurrent in the streets and alleys.

Coincidentally, the granary was located at the southernmost part of the county, effectively preventing the sounds from reaching the ears of the Black Mountain Bandits scaling the city walls.

Zhang Niujiao, leading the bandits, glanced northward. Remembering Chu Yan’s repeated warnings before departure, he suppressed his covetous thoughts of the wealth in the county office and Qiao Yan’s residence, heading straight for the most conspicuous granary.

The granary was not newly built but was originally a warehouse about twenty to thirty meters in size. After clearing out the废弃 materials and preparing it for moisture prevention, it became the perfect place to store millet.

As Zhang Niujiao approached, he caught a whiff of alcohol.

Two lanterns hung in front of the warehouse, illuminating the entrance clearly.

There were originally two guards, but now both were visibly drunk.

Besides two half-drunk wine jars spilled at the entrance, one guard, overwhelmed by the summer heat and alcohol, had taken off his shirt and was lying in the grass, while the other, holding an empty wine bowl, had passed out on the steps.

Zhang Niujiao picked up a shard of the wine jar, pouring the remaining wine illuminated by the moonlight into his mouth, savoring the taste.

“Damn it, we’re eating grass in the mountains, and these guys are drinking wine,” he muttered resentfully, not regretting the small amount of wine, which had just given him a taste of its richness before disappearing.

Though the amount was small, it was enough to confirm that this wine was far superior to any he had tasted before.

He couldn’t help but think that these people not only had ample grain reserves but also lax security, with the guards drinking themselves into a stupor without anyone noticing.

But this was undoubtedly to his advantage!

Chu Yan had been overly cautious about the County Marquis of Leping.

No matter how much she had prevailed in debates with the Great Virtuous Teacher, she couldn’t change the flaws of the noble class and was too young, leading to careless defenses in the county.

He grabbed the keys from the fallen guard’s waist, kicked the man’s head to ensure he wouldn’t wake up soon, and opened the granary door.

Inside, after clearing a path, stacks of grain-filled sacks densely packed the space, now revealed before him.

Zhang Niujiao even felt he could smell the aroma of rice wafting out as the door opened.

This aroma also dispersed the alcohol smell at the entrance.

He quickly waved his hand, and the strong men following him stepped forward to carry the grain sacks.

In the Han Dynasty, one “dan” was about 27 kilograms. Zhang Niujiao, needing to carry heavy loads, had brought mostly strong laborers. But even strong laborers, unless they were Hercules, could only carry about one “dan” each.

The thousand or so men he brought could only carry away one-fifth of the granary’s contents in one trip.

Fortunately, they had backup troops and had brought carts from previous raids to transport all the grain.

It just meant a few more trips!

But even so, Zhang Niujiao couldn’t help but resent that if Qiao Yan, along with Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi, hadn’t suppressed the Yellow Turbans in Ji Province to this extent, and if the Great Virtuous Teacher’s divine image hadn’t been shattered, he should have had more men when he rose up.

Out of the five thousand men he had rallied, some had to stay behind, some couldn’t travel at night, some were women and elderly, and some were needed for backup, leaving only this many men.

The lack of manpower had unnecessarily increased his workload, truly detestable!

But seeing the southern gate of the county city opened by his men, providing a passage for transporting the grain, Zhang Niujiao felt somewhat relieved.

No matter how clever that child was, she would still face the loss of thirty thousand “dan” of grain tomorrow.

If it were daytime, given Leping’s unique terrain, they would have been discovered while still on the slope, possibly intercepted by the county’s self-organized militia on the city walls. But at night—

Under the lax defenses, he would gladly take this grain!

After two trips, with nearly half the carts loaded, Zhang Niujiao saw victory within reach.

Though the two trips up and down the mountain had tired him and his men, two or three more trips would empty the granary, and this astonishing haul undoubtedly lifted his spirits.

He even considered pushing the carts outside Leping County for easier loading but dismissed the idea after hearing the cart wheels’ noise.

For safety, it was better to make a few more trips.

He ate a pancake to regain some strength and descended the mountain again, unaware that several pairs of eyes on the King’s Cliff were watching their movements under the bright moonlight.

Cheng Li silently gestured to Bao Hong, signaling to act once they made another trip.

Bao Hong’s heart raced.

When Qiao Yan mentioned the Hero’s Wine earlier, he thought she wanted him to suppress the bandits and had shown reluctance, feeling their numbers were too few compared to the Black Mountain Bandits. But now he thought—

Maybe it wasn’t impossible to fight!

The thirty thousand “dan” of grain had significantly increased the available forces in Leping County, and because of this grain, the Black Mountain Bandits, not exceeding Qiao Yan’s estimated numbers, had to act as porters twice, already wearing down some of their strength.

Moreover, their ambush position gave them the advantage of striking first!

Bao Hong had long forgotten his earlier reluctance, now pondering whether this difficult escort mission and the bandit suppression could earn him some military merit and fame.

This would be a reward for his psychological stress along the way!

Thinking this, Bao Hong gripped his sword and, under Cheng Li’s command, slowly withdrew from the high ground, lying in wait to strike into the White Dragon Path.

As the footsteps echoed down the mountain path, his heart calmed.

This was a sneak attack that could not afford to fail.

Fortunately—

The third trip carrying grain had not only exhausted Zhang Niujiao’s strength but also, with the joy of progress and contempt for the defenseless, made him somewhat neglectful of observing the mountain path.

However, as they carried the grain sacks up the mountain path, a sudden clamor of battle cries erupted from the middle of their ranks.

Drums and gongs resounded!

To make Bao Hong’s two hundred men seem like two thousand, Qiao Yan had them bring all the metal and stone tools from the county that could make noise.

But perhaps such a display wasn’t necessary, as the previous success had not only made Zhang Niujiao underestimate Leping but also made his men see the county as an easy target for grain storage.

However, reality was crueler than they imagined.

In the night, it was impossible to tell how many enemies had emerged. Zhang Niujiao turned around, and in an instant, his ranks were in disarray.

Carrying grain sacks was entirely different from regular marching. The formation was already stretched thin, and in the sudden attack, some hesitated whether to flee with the grain or drop it and draw their weapons.

This hesitation cost them the initiative.

No matter how few Bao Hong’s men were, they were part of the Han’s Northern Army, far superior in combat strength to these bandits.

If the bandits were desperate from hunger, Bao Hong might have worried about their extreme fighting spirit, but now, though still fighting for survival, with the Black Mountain Bandits’ ranks broken, their first choice should be to flee.

The night further confused the bandits’ judgment of the enemy.

The surrounding drums and gongs, along with the Northern Army’s sharp weapons, created a vague and mistaken perception of the enemy’s numbers and strength, magnifying the elite troops’ prowess to the entire ambush force.

What were the elite troops?

They were Dian Wei, under Cheng Li’s command!

Even Bao Hong, having spent some time in Leping County, had some understanding of Dian Wei’s strength. But when Dian Wei, following Cheng Li’s orders, delayed his attack to let Bao Hong scatter the enemy first, this fierce warrior with twin halberds charged forward, making the grain-carrying bandits seem like paper before him, leaving Bao Hong in awe.

He couldn’t help but think how great it would be to have such a warrior under his command…

But now was not the time to be distracted.

With Dian Wei leading the charge, in this clear advantage of weaponry, he could directly target the bandit leader, Zhang Niujiao.

In ordinary bandit suppression, identifying the leader in such nighttime conditions would be difficult, but Zhang Niujiao had already made two trips under Bao Hong’s watchful eyes. With deliberate attention to his features, how could he not recognize him?

There was no need to worry about mistaken identity, as Zhang Niujiao’s men, without orders to drop the grain sacks, made distinguishing friend from foe easier.

Perhaps it wasn’t even necessary, as dropping the grain sacks wouldn’t change the disparity in weapons and equipment.

This was why Qiao Yan had Bao Hong’s troops, not the county’s self-organized militia, for the ambush.

With them, though fewer in number, they could achieve such a striking effect.

Dian Wei’s twin halberds, with no solid wall of defense to block him, seemed unstoppable, as if the bloodthirsty weapons were already within reach of Zhang Niujiao.

Zhang Niujiao was not an excellent commander, at best having some foresight in rallying men and maintaining good relations with his followers.

But in this situation, such advantages were meaningless.

In battle, when one side suffers significant casualties, it’s already a sign of impending defeat, especially if the commander can’t quickly issue orders, regroup, and mount an effective counterattack.

This was a major taboo in warfare.

It also undoubtedly made Bao Hong’s advantage even more apparent.

In the mountains, perhaps the Black Mountain Bandits, facing imminent crisis, had only Chu Yan, preparing to support Zhang Niujiao, who could keep a cool head.

Sun Qing and Wang Dang, who had joined him, were assigned to Zhang Niujiao’s group to help carry grain and were now among the ranks being routed by Bao Hong. Chu Yan had only eight hundred men selected from his original three thousand, ready to support Zhang Niujiao from the King’s Cliff.

After Bao Hong and Dian Wei’s troops emerged, Zhang Niujiao lost his composure, but Chu Yan did not.

He immediately led his men down the mountain path to rescue.

But before he went far, from his vantage point, he clearly saw Bao Hong’s troops advancing unopposed, and from the county gate they had breached, a considerable number of people emerged.

In that split second, Chu Yan couldn’t accurately judge the enemy’s numbers, but he saw torches and lanterns lighting up, signaling the presence of this force in the night.

He couldn’t tell when these people had assembled and waited there.

Perhaps they had been ready to face the enemy as soon as Zhang Niujiao’s men appeared in the county, and the earlier lax state allowing free passage was just a ruse!

But now, such thoughts were meaningless. All he could see was the line of fire ascending the mountain path, with the superior weapons and morale of the enemy swallowing the fleeing ranks.

As the distant commotion distracted him, Dian Wei, the fierce warrior, had already reached Zhang Niujiao.

Though Chu Yan didn’t consider this a cheat in combat strength, seeing the scene before him—grain sacks scattered, the thousand-strong ranks split and pursued from behind, and Zhang Niujiao himself facing the fierce warrior—Chu Yan knew his task wasn’t to risk rescuing and losing more men but to retreat quickly.








To preserve their strength, they chose the Taihang Mountains as their base of operations!

Pursuit in the mountains is no easy task, and escaping to gradually recover their strength isn’t particularly difficult.

Chu Yan quickly assessed the situation and issued a command.

“Abandon the grain carts!”

At this point, worrying about spoils of war was meaningless—it would only slow them down.

“Head—”

He was about to say “head south,” but in the dim night, a fleeting flash of firelight appeared in the southern direction.

Though the firelight lasted only a moment, it put Chu Yan on high alert.

Little did he know, this was just a reused signal previously sent to Qiao Yan about the Black Mountain Bandits’ arrival.

All he knew was that after the ambush on the road and the seemingly prepared forces in the county town, it felt like there was another trap waiting for them on their return path.

Of course, there was an ambush, but it was minimal—just enough to buy some time.

But Chu Yan couldn’t discern this. He immediately changed his command: “Head north!”

Near the Jingxing Pass of the Taihang Mountains, heading north would still lead them into the mountains, where they could hide and eventually return to Changshan County to regroup.

Chu Yan’s plan was sound, and his adaptability was top-notch among the Yellow Turban remnants. But…

Just as some of the local youths, aiming to eliminate the bandits, exited the south gate to chase the grain thieves, another group led by Zhao Yun left through the east gate and headed straight for Xueyao Ridge.

This was a path often traveled, making it easier to navigate.

Familiar with the terrain, the youths moved swiftly even in the dark, reaching the front of the Hengling Mountain path before Chu Yan—specifically, the spot Qiao Yan called “Phoenix Mountain.”

If it weren’t nighttime, the narrow paths around the mountain might have allowed Chu Yan and his men to scatter. But under these conditions, the safest retreat route was still the main path.

Before Chu Yan could relax at the fading sounds of pursuit, chaos erupted again from the middle of his ranks.

This time, there were no drums to confuse or intimidate, but a young man with a spear charged forward, his silver spear aimed directly at Chu Yan.

Amidst the chaos, Chu Yan heard a clear voice shout:

“Changshan Zhao Yun is here!”

Zhao Yun?

As fellow locals, Zhao Yun knew of Chu Yan, and Chu Yan certainly knew of Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun had never been someone Chu Yan could recruit, and his skills had protected Zhao Village well. Chu Yan never expected Zhao Yun to be here, let alone leading a group of Leping County civilians.

In truth, this group was far weaker than Bao Hong’s forces, but the Black Mountain Bandits were already shaken by earlier events. Even though the fight was evenly matched and no casualties occurred, the bandits’ morale was lower.

And Leping had Zhao Yun!

Though Zhao Yun lacked a good horse—unsuitable for mountain combat—it didn’t hinder his spear-wielding prowess, striking like a meteor.

Chu Yan instinctively raised his sword, only for Zhao Yun’s spear to blossom into a deadly force.

The torches thrown to create chaos illuminated the spear’s gleam, making it clear to Chu Yan.

In the face of such bravery, his poorly coordinated men couldn’t form an encirclement.

Only Chu Yan could face Zhao Yun directly.

But… even if Chu Yan didn’t want to admit it, he was no match for Zhao Yun!

After Zhao Yun disarmed him, Chu Yan had only two choices: die or surrender.

Bound tightly, Chu Yan and his severely wounded men were taken to Leping County.

With the county office’s front yard too small, they were brought to the granary.

The battle ended abruptly, and by dawn, Chu Yan saw what he hadn’t before entering the city.

Especially the wine jars at the granary entrance.

Clearly, Leping County had prepared for the Black Mountain Bandits, and the granary’s setup was no oversight—it was meant to lower their guard.

Zhang Niujiao, also captured, realized this too, avoiding Chu Yan’s gaze guiltily.

His guard had been lowered by the situation, making him ignore Chu Yan’s warning to stay alert.

“Brother, I…”

“Capturing Niujiao at Yanwang Cliff, catching the sparrow at Phoenix Mountain—Leping is indeed a treasure.”

Before Zhang Niujiao could finish, a mocking voice interrupted. A young girl in black robes approached, clapping and laughing.

Though Zhang Niujiao wanted to show anger, as a prisoner, he had no room for arrogance.

He glared at the cunning County Marquis.

Behind her stood Dian Wei and Zhao Yun, the heroes who captured him and Chu Yan, enhancing Qiao Yan’s imposing presence.

“To be honest, I learned of your movements a month ago and was asked to join forces against you. But back then, I lacked the means to deal with you, so I delayed until today.”

Qiao Yan spoke calmly, noting the frustration on Chu Yan and Zhang Niujiao’s faces.

This “delay” didn’t make them feel valued—it felt like they’d walked right into her trap.

From the moment they learned of the grain, it was a setup.

But in times of famine, who wouldn’t be tempted by a large grain stash?

The Wang family of Jinyang could afford to ignore it, even gifting Qiao Yan an extra 15,000 dan of grain as a gesture of goodwill. But the Black Mountain Bandits, who left their homes to seek refuge in the Taihang Mountains, couldn’t afford to ignore it!

Even knowing it was a trap, they’d likely try again, just differently.

But their opponent was no ordinary person.

With victory in hand, Qiao Yan’s arrogance was justified.

“This doesn’t seem like Qiao Hou’s usual demeanor,” Xu Fu whispered to Cheng Li.

Cheng Li, who had only directed Dian Wei and Bao Hong to act at the right moment, remained composed despite the late night.

“Are you saying Qiao Hou’s attitude toward Chu Yan and Zhang Niujiao differs from her treatment of Zhang Jiao, Zhang Liang, Liang Zhongning, and the Yellow Turbans?” Cheng Li asked.

“Exactly,” Xu Fu replied.

Cheng Li explained, “It’s not strange. She respected and pitied Zhang Jiao and the Yellow Turbans because their fates were out of her hands. But these two are different.”

He then suggested a possibility Xu Fu hadn’t considered. “I think Qiao Hou intends to recruit them.”

“But…”

Xu Fu wasn’t concerned about the bandits’ status but their numbers, rivaling the Yellow Turbans at their peak. For Leping, a single county, accepting them would be extremely risky.

Moreover, the imperial northern army was involved, and Bao Hong would soon return to Luoyang. If Qiao Yan took in the Black Mountain Bandits, it could have serious repercussions in the capital.

But Xu Fu sensed an underlying message in Cheng Li’s words.

To subdue the bandits, Qiao Yan needed to crush their spirit first.

That’s why she began with a mocking, almost poetic tone.

Though the bandits’ arrival caused some grain loss and casualties among the county’s youths, the nearly 10,000 bandits—or 20,000 to 30,000 if exaggerated—didn’t disrupt her composure.

Chu Yan looked at Qiao Yan and said, “Since you’ve captured us, do as you will. Why waste words?”

Qiao Yan, ignoring his anger, replied coolly, “Have you heard the saying, ‘Eliminate evil thoroughly’?”

Chu Yan’s brow twitched.

Qiao Yan continued, “Even without you, the remaining Black Mountain Bandits might cause trouble. Rather than let them grow, it’s better to deal with them all at once.”

“Don’t you agree?”

Though the logic was sound, Chu Yan couldn’t understand why Qiao Yan didn’t use them as bait. Instead, she sent them to build a temple—the one Qiao Xuan was supposed to erect in Leping.

With limited shackles and guards, escaping into the mountains wasn’t impossible.

But Chu Yan soon realized no one tried to escape.

Qiao Yan, with her ample grain reserves, fed the prisoners well.

The grain from the Wang family of Jinyang was far superior to ordinary fare. In these times, even a last meal was worth staying for.

Why would they run?

Chu Yan also noticed two more grain shipments to Leping, though smaller than the initial 30,000 dan, making the granary a coveted place.

There must be at least 60,000 dan of grain now.

“60,000? More like 25,000,” Qiao Yan mused, resting her head on a pen, looking troubled.

Feeding the laborers stabilized the bandits, but the cost was high.

Besides the laborers, there were compensations for the county’s casualties during the pursuit.

And Bao Hong’s presence added to the expenses.

Initially, they used the county’s grain reserves, but now they were dipping into the newly acquired grain.

Though she made it seem like the reserves were growing by moving grain in and out, this couldn’t last. She needed a new source of income.

Thinking of the potential influx of bandits from the remaining Black Mountain forces, she felt the urgency mounting.

Her principles wouldn’t change with more people—farming remained farming, not brewing. But this new income source…

As she pondered, someone knocked. After her permission, Yang Xiu entered, looking troubled.

It wasn’t due to Qiao Yan’s terrain model or the recent battle, but because of some… absurd news.

“That… Zhi Cai wishes to see you.”

Hearing Yang Xiu add “sir” to the name, Qiao Yan sensed something unusual.

Sure enough, Yang Xiu continued, “Perhaps he shouldn’t be called Zhi Cai, but Xi Zhicai.”

Xi Zhicai?!

Qiao Yan nearly stood up, but having faced many storms, she remained composed.

Though she’d met many future talents in their youth, she’d never seen someone like Xi Zhicai, who practically gave himself away to work for others—especially as a strategist, not a brewer.

Thinking of how she’d almost praised his bold attempts at brewing pea wine, she found it amusing.

But why was he no longer playing the drunken laborer?

Calmly, she replied, “Let him in.”

Xi Zhicai entered, still disheveled and reeking of alcohol, but his eyes were sharp and calculating, clearly not just a drunkard.

He bowed slightly. “Xi Zhicai of Yingchuan, here to offer my strategies to the Marquis.”