“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 59: Fragrance of Mulberry Tree Catkins.
So, the Yuan clan from Runan has recommended someone for the Governor of Bingzhou, which makes perfect sense to Qiao Yan.
Even though we haven’t reached the period of purging eunuchs, Dong Zhuo entering the capital, and the chaos across the world, the networking that Yuan Shao did with Xu You and He Yong in Runan during the Prohibition of Factionalists suggests he might have already laid the groundwork for his later ambitions: “Holding the South near the River, and blocking Yan and Dai to the North, commanding the tribes and vying for control of the world.”
This might be part of the thinking that some in the Yuan clan support.
In the noble families accustomed to raising funding from all corners, it’s not surprising that they’d take a couple of steps forward.
Even if the last phrase “vying for control of the world” might need a different take today; for the Yuan clan now, it leans more toward seeking military protection amid the chaos, but the overall meaning is still the same.
Previously, when the Provincial Governor System was restored, the position of Ji Province Governor landed in the hands of the renowned general Huangfu Song. Thus, if we rule Ji Province out, the one that aligns with Yuan Shao’s words the most is still Bingzhou.
Furthermore, considering that in the context of “guarding the lifeblood” rather than “competing for control,” Bingzhou is more suitable than Ji Province.
On this basis, one point becomes clear.
In the fifth year of Zhongping, Zhang Yi died, causing chaos in Bingzhou and Xiongnu intrusions into several counties. In the sixth year of Zhongping, Han Fu, a pupil of the Yuan clan, took the Governor position of Ji Province.
He later became an ally for Yuan Shao after his escape from Luoyang.
Regardless of the reasons behind it, the final fact for Qiao Yan is the close relationship between the current Prefect of Bingzhou, Zhang Yi, and the Yuan clan from Runan.
It’s bad news because, following Zhang Liao’s incident, Zhang Yi isn’t acting like a competent governor wielding significant power; he seems more like a “disciple” who’s merely following the Yuan clan.
Whether the idea of sending Zhang Liao to Luoyang was driven by Yuan Benchu’s desire for talent collection or Zhang Yi trying to curry favor with the Yuan clan—
In this matter, he behaves as such, and likely in other affairs in Bingzhou, too.
Since Yuan Shao escorted him to Bingzhou, considering Yuan Shao officially entered the political arena of Luoyang during the fifth year of Zhongping when Liu Hong established the Xiyuan Eight Schools, it’s plausible he could take on the role of guiding Zhang Yi’s actions between Zhongping’s second year and the fifth.
In other words, her dealings in Bingzhou require her to fight Yuan Shao, not Zhang Yi!
At just over thirty, Yuan Shao is far from the point where he becomes lenient internally while letting his staff squabble and his children compete for succession; he’s not an easy opponent.
Especially since she was conferred the title of Marquis of Leping, which certainly offended the Yuan clan greatly. On her journey from Ji Province to Luoyang, she paid little attention to Yuan Shao, attempting to curry favor with Bi Lan.
But the good news is—
Yuan Shao can’t leave Luoyang for now.
Currently, he’s in He Jin’s Grand General’s Mansion, strategizing, and at most, he’ll send Zhang Yi here under the pretext of escorting him, which also gives him some firsthand understanding of the situation in Bingzhou.
But once messages start flowing between Jinyang and Luoyang, especially with Yuan Shao’s tendency to hesitate on major decisions, misalignment with the situation will inevitably occur.
Unless Zhang Yi can predict the future—obviously, that’s not possible.
On the other hand, now that Qiao Yan knows he’s come, there’s room for maneuvering.
At this moment, Yuan Shao, riding away from Jinyang, feels a twinge of regret for not being able to recruit that brave young general, unaware that in the distance, Qiao Yan is pointing at him and asking Wang Yang, who was invited along, “Elder, do you know who that is?”
Wang Yang was just about to ask why Qiao Yan had a peculiar expression upon seeing the outgoing group, and now seeing her point at a head covered by a helmet, confusion clearly crossed his face.
“Miss Qiao, please tell me directly.”
“That’s Yuan Shao, son of Yuan Zhouyang from the Runan Yuan clan,” Qiao Yan replied casually, but to Wang Yang, this news hit like a bolt from the blue.
He could tell from Qiao Yan’s expression that she wasn’t lying about this matter.
When she said, “Now that I know who has come, I am aware of things,” she promptly took her leave, leaving Wang Yang feeling a bit anxious.
He sent someone to the front’s relay station to check whether this leading officer was really a member of the Yuan clan and pondered how to deal with Yuan Shao if it truly was him.
Zhang Yi’s position was crucial for both Qiao Yan and the Wang family.
If Zhang Yi genuinely hailed from the support of the Runan Yuan clan while being the Governor of Bingzhou, that would be downright bad news for him.
Compared to Qiao Yan’s situation, he faced far more explicitly unfavorable circumstances!
It’s essential to note this isn’t a competition but rather a collaboration with the Tang clan, unlike the invasive influence of an outsider clan.
However, the interests on Bingzhou’s turf are limited, unless Zhang Yi can achieve something like Qiao Yan, leveraging Hero’s Wine and Mulberry Bark Clothing for a win-win cooperation, or he’s just coming here to snatch food from the tiger’s mouth.
In previous plans from the Wang family in Jinyang, once Wang Rou firmly established his position as Protector-General of the Southern Xiongnu, his brother Wang Ze would be transferred from his position as Taishou of Dai County to Yanmen, securing their family into a strong alliance within Bingzhou.
But if Zhang Yi has Yuan clan backing, the game changes entirely.
The governor holds substantial control over appointing and reporting officials within Bingzhou, and when the Yuan clan decides to extend their reach, they could easily disrupt the Wang family’s plans.
Moreover, compared to a small county like Leping, the combined value of Yanmen, Wuyuan, and Xihe in Taiyuan as a defensive barrier is evidently more significant.
Qiao Yan, upon confirming the identity of the Yuan clan disciple, can afford to overlook it, but not Wang Yang!
He considers the possibility of teaming up with the Tang clan to trip up Zhang Yi, but compared to the Tang clan, clearly, Qiao Yan’s prior actions as the Marquis of Leping have made her seem like a far more valuable ally.
But before that, he decided to discuss it with Wang Rou and Wang Ze first.
He glanced back at the direction where Yuan Shao had departed and felt a headache coming on.
Fortunately, spring has arrived in Jinyang city, and after the harsh winter, he has a few less worries, allowing him to focus again.
“Using a Zhang Liao to join the provincial government reveals the Yuan clan’s scheming; this is a big win for Miss Qiao,” Xi Zhicai commented. “With Zhang Liao’s limited fondness for Zhang Yi, leaning more toward protecting his hometown, he might hold gratitude toward Miss Qiao, possibly becoming a helping hand in the future.”
“A strong dragon won’t crush a local snake. The Yuan clan from Runan isn’t just facing Leping; there are local bureaucratic families like the Wang family in Jinyang and the Guo family in Yangqu. This is another win,” Qiao Yan replied.
Looking into each other’s eyes, they saw the relief reflected back, and they smiled at one another.
Not knowing the background of the other can be somewhat constricting, but once you know their backing, no matter how formidable it is, having allies makes it a lot easier to handle than shooting in the dark.
“Additionally, Miss Qiao can redirect some effort towards planning for spring sowing in Leping, procuring necessary supplies. A strong self means making things hard for enemies—that’s a third win,” Xi Zhicai added.
“So, what do you think I’m missing now, considering Leping has grain, salt, and clothes?”
Qiao Yan turned to Xi Zhicai, who was eyeing the Wang family’s winery by the side of the street, and she couldn’t help but quirk her lips, “There’s no need to overthink it; it can’t possibly be wine.”
“No, no, no, I’m not eyeing the wine, I’m looking at the pots.” Xi Zhicai laughed heartily, realizing he might have given her a lingering impression of being a drunkard.
But he genuinely meant to offer guidance.
He continued, “Miss Qiao, you mentioned earlier that come August during the household registration, you would incorporate three thousand Black Mountain Bandits into Leping’s records. But in my view, for them to develop an acknowledgment of Leping, there needs to be a shift.”
“I’m all ears.”
Xi Zhicai pointed toward the pottery shop next to the winery and said, “The first step for Miss Qiao is to standardize the Black Mountain Army as an army. Once that’s established, eating together is perfectly reasonable, especially since we’re crossing that winter of scarcity; keeping people alive is the number one priority.”
“However, if you want those registered from Leping’s captives to transition to being Leping’s locals from laborers forced to serve, you’ll need plenty of daily utensils—steaming pots, cooking cauldrons, soup pots, and wine jugs. With all these in place, they’ll naturally feel a greater sense of belonging to Leping.”
Xi Zhicai strolled slowly while lowering his voice, “Of course, with homes come the need for knives and hatchets; if there are more residents under your command, you can naturally prepare more.”
“…So, you actually want to suggest the latter?” Qiao Yan cleared her throat and lowered her voice as well. “I think a longer chopping blade would be more useful, especially since Leping needs to prepare mulberry bark for the month after winter and for transplanting and clearing in spring.”
“Still, it makes it harder for them to suspect if it’s all framed under the guise of settling many people.”
She even took a trip from Jinyang back to Leping, stopping by Changzhi in Shangdang on the way.
Before leaving Jinyang, Qiao Yan had also met with Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang again.
With Zhang Liao taking up the position of Military Officer, he’s gained a solid role within Bingzhou, utilizing the characters his family had prepared for him.
With “Liao” meaning distant, he chose the characters “Wen Yuan.”
“Military Officer Zhang Wen Yuan; that carries a nice dual meaning of literature and martial prowess.” Qiao Yan admired the attire of the young man before her, appreciating him more.
Seeing Zhang Liao fidget with his hair a bit awkwardly, she added, “Wen Yuan shouldn’t feel burdened. I mentioned earlier that I merely provided an opportunity; whether you can seize it is up to your own abilities.”
That’s true enough, and Zhang Liao knew this task of eliminating bandits isn’t suited for just anyone, but he’s had at least four years of experience contributing to border defense, which is immensely important to him.
He clasped his hands in respect to Qiao Yan, saying, “Even if you say that, if something arises where Zhang Liao can assist without harming Bingzhou and the superior, I shall do my utmost for you, Miss Qiao.”
That promise was more than sufficient.
“I trust in Wen Yuan’s loyalty,” Qiao Yan nodded in response.
Turning her head, she saw Zhang Yang already packed and ready to leave with him.
Previously, Qiao Yan had heard about his wish to follow her to Leping, but she suggested he delay that decision to avoid regrets.
But now, from what he pieced together from Zhang Liao’s words and comparing against Qiao Yan, Zhang Yang felt—
Working under Zhang Yi could lead to two foolish individuals mutually harming each other, so it’d be better to follow Qiao Yan!
As for future prospects…
“Ultimately, you, Zhang Wen Yuan, are now among the various military officers in Bingzhou. If it comes to a point where we need to fight those guys at Danhan Mountain and find ourselves short on manpower, I’ll just ask Miss Qiao for a more extended vacation,” Zhang Yang said casually, throwing an arm around Zhang Liao’s shoulder with a sense of camaraderie.
He then turned back to Qiao Yan and asked, “Miss Qiao, is that feasible? If you really accept me, I’ll even deduct from my own wages while taking a break.”
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but chuckle.
If all military officers in Bingzhou were like these two, that wouldn’t be entirely bad.
Besides, Zhang Yang definitely has his uses in Leping, so there’s no need to impose restrictions on his camaraderie with Zhang Liao.
Qiao Yan replied, “Why not? However, there’s a rule in Leping: if you take leave not on rest days, your pay will be deducted at double rates. Just be cautious not to exhaust your pay supporting Zhang Wen Yuan, as the county office will provide meals but only for one.”
Xi Zhicai recalled that it seemed Leping didn’t have such a rule, but considering Leping’s many pending issues, he’d only seen people like Lu Yuan who’d show up to Jinyang for work during rest days; not a single person had requested leave on work days. If Qiao Yan did have such a rule, he’d missed the chance to witness it.
But all in all, it’s most likely a rule set by Miss Qiao herself…
Recalling her teasing earlier about his ‘standard wage for artisans,’ Xi Zhicai felt this impression was indeed quite grounded.
But apparently, Zhang Yang didn’t catch that this was likely just a joking provision; he laughed, suggesting that if it came to that, let Zhang Liao cover the deductions.
Zhang Liao: …I can’t shake the feeling I’ve been set up for a trick.
But seeing everything going smoothly, he was still a bit young and optimistic, feeling that the road ahead looked bright, and Zhang Yang had also found a decent opportunity, so he readily agreed.
After a heartfelt farewell between the two brothers, Zhang Liao watched Zhang Yang follow Qiao Yan out of Jinyang.
From Jinyang to Changzhi, they need to cross the Taiyue Mountains, going through Yushe and Wuxiang before finally arriving.
Qiao Yan wasn’t rushing her horse and took her time to observe the scenery as she traveled with Xu Fu and Xi Zhicai through the two counties.
With Zhang Yang providing protection, although they weren’t traveling the typical trade route between Leping and Jinyang, Xu Fu felt a tad less anxious about potential bandit encounters.
But with that lifted weight off his chest, the sight of Shangdang, just a mountain away, sparked his interest again.
This year in January…
“The great plague hasn’t reached Bingzhou, but the suffering from the harsh winter is evident; it’s not just the elderly and children on Yunzhong Mountain who have perished.”
With spring just starting, it’s that time of year when old folks easily fall ill and pass on.
As we passed through Yushe County, I noticed several homes with white funeral flags hanging in front, a stark contrast to the season of sowing and farming.
Yet, with everything that has been managed in Leping, Xu Fu understood that all the changes took immense effort; simply sending over surplus mulberry bark clothing and grain wouldn’t solve the issues here.
He suddenly had a slightly offbeat idea while observing the scene before him.
If only Qiao Yan could take over the governance of Shangdang County, could this place become as prosperous as Leping? Or perhaps not just Shangdang, but all of Bingzhou?
After all, compared to the recently deceased Governor Zhang Yi, Qiao Yan certainly had more potential.
But suggesting such a thing would indeed be quite outrageous.
He kept this thought to himself, watching as Qiao Yan’s gaze drifted towards the clusters of fields and villages, sighing softly as she looked towards the county city.
Only when they neared Changzhi, the seat of Shangdang County, did they finally see an improvement in the scenery.
Changzhi’s name signifies long-lasting peace, and its naming tradition ties closely to Leping.
Although the scenes they saw along the way were mixed with the grief of life and death, Qiao Yan could tell that the Prefect here, Guo Yun, was not entirely talentless; he was just limited by the times and could do only so much.
Otherwise, the farming activities they observed wouldn’t be progressing so smoothly.
That said, when Qiao Yan visited him, the conflicted expression on his face did lighten her frustration somewhat.
It was no surprise that Guo Yun reacted this way.
Though he hadn’t formally met Qiao Yan, seeing her reminded him of the letter that forced him to part with five thousand stones of grain.
He was terrified she’d dive right into her plans to negotiate with the Black Mountain Bandits over the trade routes.
Of course, he was even more afraid she was there to bring news that the Black Mountain Bandits had fled.
Since Leping still fell under Shangdang’s jurisdiction, if the bandits escaped, it was uncertain if Qiao Yan, the highly regarded Marquis of Leping, would face any punishment, but he, the Prefect of Shangdang, would definitely suffer.
Not that it would be any different, even being from the prominent Guo clan.
He even pondered about being transferred from Shangdang to Yanmen.
After all, dealing with governance and playing hide-and-seek with the Black Mountain Bandits was less favorable than managing the straightforward affairs in Yanmen.
Guo Yun, unaware that the Wang family of Jinyang was also considering this position, diverted his thoughts back to reality when he heard Qiao Yan merely wanting approval to settle the “reformed” Black Mountain Bandits and procure living supplies, causing him to relax.
But when he heard her mention the number of axes and kitchen knives needed, he couldn’t help but feel a tad surprised, “Do you need that many?”
Having experience in leading troops, Guo Yun was skeptical; in this scenario, if every person in Leping took one axe, they could form a unit of five to six thousand!
“It’s absolutely necessary,” Qiao Yan insisted, extending her hand, “Guo Prefect, let’s talk privately for a moment.”
As they moved aside, she continued, “Earlier, you and the other two Prefects thought that if we could keep the Black Mountain Bandits well-fed, they wouldn’t revolt. But grain runs out eventually; we need to find them work, using grain as relief, that’s the way to go.”
When Guo Yun heard the first part, he choked up a bit at the mention of an old agreement, but his interest piqued with the second part.
Qiao Yan went on, “I previously collaborated with the Tang clan from Jinyang; they introduced mulberry bark clothing last winter, which was made in Leping, perfectly suited to accommodate the nearly ten thousand Black Mountain Bandits. You know as well as I do, if people can be good citizens, why would there be so many choosing the path of bandits? However, winter has ended, and the market for mulberry bark clothing has vanished. Since Leping borders the Taihang Mountains, it’s better to engage in some mountain activities; thus, we need those axes.”
Guo Yun was certainly familiar with mulberry bark clothing; aside from Leping, he had people procure it from Jinyang.
However, the Tang family’s conditions regarding that merchandise…
Had he known, he could simply discuss it with Qiao Yan.
But now that spring arrived, such clothing was ultimately useless.
Besides, even if he knew—
After a quick calculation of the county’s finances, Guo Yun realized that even if he got a batch from Qiao Yan at a low price, it wouldn’t be enough to supply all of Shangdang.
He had a rough idea of the Tang family’s sales; after providing some to various counties, most went to Yunzhou and Wuyuan. He couldn’t afford to compete with those border counties.
All he could do was ask, “How does Qiao Yan plan to make use of the mountains?”
“……?” Qiao Yan looked at him, realizing that this Prefect, who had been quite dismissive of her visit earlier, now wore an eager expression.
But she quickly remembered that Guo Yun hailed from a noble family, so he wasn’t just any ordinary person; she responded, “Before last winter, I led the Black Mountain Bandits to dig pits and search for yam tubers to plant in the mountains, and I consulted a noted craftsman from Luoyang named Bi Lan to draft a plan for an irrigation system for mountainous areas.”
She referred to the famous craftsman from Luoyang, Bi Lan.
Two months back, she had received a letter from him.
He was somewhat surprised that Qiao Yan remembered him upon reaching Leping and was even more taken aback by her request in the letter.
While others believed he had gained Liu Hong’s favor through his quirky tricks, Qiao Yan didn’t mind; rather, she inquired if he could help design a waterwheel for irrigation in hilly areas.
Bi Lan, seeing her phrase “benefiting the populace,” immediately set to work on the design, promising results within two to three months, to be delivered here then.
Given this timeline, it shouldn’t be far off now.
“This irrigation system requires lumber, and we need to cut down lacquer trees in the mountains; caring for the yam crops will also require a lot of manpower, at least enough to keep the Black Mountain Bandits occupied until around July or August. So, Guo Prefect, should I not procure these many axes?”
Guo Yun listened intently as Qiao Yan spoke confidently, nodding seriously.
If what Qiao Yan said was true, with all the digging, lumbering, and farming involved, it would genuinely keep people busy, and they indeed needed these labor tools.
But… but he couldn’t take up such work!
Qiao Yan herself mentioned that she’d been working on this since before last winter; clearly, it wasn’t something that could be rushed. Not to mention, learning a new planting project wouldn’t come easily, and just finding yam tubers was already a challenge for him.
“I won’t be able to learn how to plant yams like you, Qiao Yan; do you perhaps have another suggestion? After all, your stockpile of axes is quite considerable, and opening the floodgates isn’t without its problems.”
To Qiao Yan, Guo Yun’s words didn’t sound like a threat; he genuinely seemed to expect a practical recommendation from her.
This prompted her to ponder the potential for expanding their collaboration to other areas of Shangdang.
Furthermore, upon hearing that Yuan Shao might be pulling strings from afar, simply relying on the Wang family’s sense of crisis might not be sufficient.
Since Prefect Guo was not a dimwit, it wouldn’t hurt to strike a deal with him.
Yams were out of the question, but other options…
Qiao Yan eventually replied, “Would you be interested in planting some peas?”
Plant peas?
Guo Yun was momentarily baffled by the suggestion.
Although peas were grown in Bingzhou, they were considered a foreign crop, and peas didn’t fill the stomach like millet or wheat. Guo Yun vaguely recalled that planting quantities were rather limited.
Given the pressing need for food, planting peas didn’t seem like the best choice.
Qiao Yan noticed the confusion on his face and explained, “I don’t mean to suggest changing your wheat fields entirely to peas, but rather to intersperse some peas among the wheat rows. The surplus peas we can buy since Leping has developed a sweet pea wine recipe, so we can take them all off your hands. How does that sound, Prefect?”
There’s only so much Leping can consume, and Qiao Yan’s available funds could only stretch so far.
Fortunately, with the Wang family’s sales channels for liquor, Qiao Yan wouldn’t end up at a loss and could even make a tidy profit.
However, her suggestion wasn’t only motivated by profit.
It also stemmed from her recollection of having read that peas contain alkaloids harmful to locusts, so during locust plagues, the pests would often avoid areas where these plants thrive. Given it’s merely intercropping with wheat, it’s worth a shot.
She couldn’t pinpoint when locust plagues would strike again, but they had been quite frequent in the late Eastern Han period, and no one knew when the next outburst would occur.
In Leping, preparations were already underway for a physical approach to exterminating locusts during last winter, so trying an organic method in Shangdang might be a good test run.
Guo Yun, not possessing Qiao Yan’s foresight, didn’t realize her grander schemes; hearing her suggestion seemed to promise additional income for Shangdang, so he quickly agreed.
With the help of this Prefect, Qiao Yan’s plan to procure thousands of axes proceeded smoothly, along with gathering some cooking tools to mislead others.
But just as she prepared to leave, Guo Yun leaned closer, saying, “Speaking of which, I have something else to ask you, Qiao Yan.”
His whisper hinted that this was more personal than professional.
Indeed, Qiao Yan soon heard him inquire, “I’ve heard Mr. Cai Bojie is planning to stay in Leping for a while. Would he be willing to take on a few disciples? My son Guo Huai should have gone to study in Yangqu, but if he could become a student of Mr. Bojie, that would be a great honor for him.”
“……” Guo… who?
“Hold on, hold on,” Qiao Yan raised her hand to stop him, then asked, “Guo Prefect, may I ask how old your Guo Huai is this year?”
The name Guo Huai was not unfamiliar to Qiao Yan.
This would be the future pillar of the Wei state! Considering the Guo clan of Yangqu, it seemed unlikely he could escape that fate.
Yet, he wasn’t recognized until the Jian’an period, serving alongside Cao Cao; he couldn’t possibly be very old at this moment.
Guo Yun awkwardly replied, “My son is three years old this year.”
Qiao Yan immediately clasped her hands in resignation, “Farewell.”
Her Leping was definitely not a kindergarten!
Cai Yan and Yang Xiu were already eight and ten years old, respectively; while they could still be deemed children, they had their own tasks and were sharp enough to be treated like adults.
But sending over a three-year-old was utterly excessive!
Even with Guo Yun being pragmatic, the idea of Shangdang’s counties piloting pea planting to deter locusts, along with the provided peas being used for sweet wine was one thing, but lowering the average age of Leping’s population was just too outrageous.
Did she, Qiao Yan, have no pride?
Xi Zhicai watched in amusement as Qiao Yan hurriedly left, chuckling heartily on horseback.
This usually composed Marquis of Leping was in quite the predicament…
Just as he was enjoying the moment, he realized that laughing in such a mountainous environment might not be wise, and almost fell off his horse before being steadied by someone, he smoothed out his expression and rode alongside Qiao Yan through the hills between Changzhi and Leping.
On their way back to Leping from this excursion, due to delays in Jinyang City and a detour to Changzhi, they finally returned after over ten days since the first yam tubers were planted.
It was still too early for the tubers to sprout, but the mountains they had filled with soil were orderly, forming a neat series of plots.
Though no greenery was visible yet, it didn’t stop Qiao Yan from feeling a sense of satisfaction at the sight before her.
As a result, she halted her horse atop a hill to take it all in for a long while before finally heading back to the county city.
Outside the Leping County City was thriving, while the city itself bustled with activity.
Especially before the County Office.
Qiao Yan dismounted and handed her horse to Xu Fu, then walked towards the main entrance of the County Office, catching the enticing aroma in the air before she even arrived.
Upon entering, she spotted a group of people sitting on the stone steps at the kitchen entrance, resembling children waiting to be fed.
Before she could even ask what was going on, Qin Yu emerged from the kitchen carrying a large plate filled with mulberry tree catkins wrapped in flour and eggs.
Clearly, that irresistible scent was wafting from there.
Seeing the scene, Qiao Yan suddenly remembered that though April hadn’t quite arrived yet, it was indeed almost time to indulge in mulberry tree catkins.
That being said—
“Mr. Bojie, your legs are sprightlier than those of the young folks!”
As soon as Qiao Yan spoke, Cai Yong halted in his tracks, only to realize he had inadvertently rushed ahead of Yang Xiu, Cai Yan, Dian Wei, and the others.
He was just a step away from that plate of steaming mulberry tree catkins.
