Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skill, Chapter 67: One Million Stones

Cui Lie suddenly understood the feeling of Yuan Wei, who had been previously targeted by Liu Hong.

Their court session was indeed early, but the August heat, which had been prolonged by the encroaching winter, seemed to have returned in full force during the summer. The previous court discussions had already dragged on past sunrise, leaving him drenched in sweat.

He dared not address His Majesty directly, thinking it better to let the Yuan family explain the matter, as there was no need to involve an outsider like him.

But such words were definitely not something he could say.

This forced him to rack his brains furiously.

He had to save himself…

Preferably, he could also clear the negative impact caused by his earlier statement of “abandoning Liangzhou.”

In fact, his bad reputation wasn’t just about abandoning Liangzhou.

Liu Hong saw him as a “choice” for Cui Lie in critical times, but from Cui Lie’s perspective, it wasn’t so simple.

Because his position as Minister over the Masses—

Was bought.

His grandfather was a renowned literary figure of the Han Dynasty, and he himself had worked hard, rising to the position of a famous scholar in Ji Province, first as a Prefect, then as a Commandant.

Then he thought, since the Three Excellencies were also being sold, why not buy one for himself?

But Liu Hong’s asking price of ten million coins was a bit too much, so he pulled off a clever move.

Through Liu Hong’s wet nurse, Lady Cheng, he managed to secure the position of Minister over the Masses for just five million coins, a fifty percent discount.

Liu Hong was satisfied to place a “famous scholar from Ji Province” with a golden reputation in the seat previously occupied by Yuan Wei. Although he regretted losing five million coins, the overall loss wasn’t significant.

But Cui Lie was in a bit of trouble.

A month ago, he asked his son Cui Jun, also known as Cui Zhiping, how others viewed him now.

Cui Zhiping, who would later associate with Zhuge Liang, was predictably blunt.

He didn’t spare his father’s feelings, immediately saying that people now “dislike the stench of copper” on him, which infuriated Cui Lie so much that he grabbed his cane to beat his son.

This incident undoubtedly left a significant psychological scar on him.

Having obtained his position through less-than-proper means and having made an inappropriate statement, his response now was crucial.

If successful, he might clear his tarnished reputation; if not, he might as well prepare to die to preserve his honor.

Cui Lie took a deep breath, sensing a hint of bias in Liu Hong’s words, and replied, “Your Majesty, I believe both are innocent; the mistake lies in placing them together.”

Seeing Liu Hong gesture for him to continue, Cui Lie said, “Marquis of Leping is the grandson of Qiao Xuan. When Zhou Zhongxiang was the Governor of Yu Province, Qiao Xuan was a minor official in Liang County, yet he dared to intercept and request the removal of Yang Chang, disregarding the influence of Grand General Liang Ji, and escorted Yang Chang to Luoyang for trial. Thus, he can be called a man of integrity, and Marquis of Leping has inherited his grandfather’s bold and righteous ways, acting with passion, which is quite normal.”

Cui Lie discreetly wiped his cold sweat while holding his ceremonial tablet.

If Liu Hong hadn’t blamed Zhang Yi for being “kidnapped” by Qiao Yan instead of blaming Qiao Yan for abducting the Governor, Cui Lie would have liked to criticize the child’s behavior.

But with Liu Hong’s subtle hint—

It was better to say she inherited Qiao Xuan’s legacy.

After all, he wasn’t wrong. Qiao Xuan, when Grand General Liang Ji still held sway, dared to investigate the crimes of Yang Chang, whom Liang Ji had shielded, and escorted him to Luoyang in a prison cart, truly a man of iron will and unyielding character.

So, it wasn’t surprising that Qiao Yan acted in a similar manner.

He continued, “Zhang Zitai is a scholar of moderation and moral education. During his tenure as Chancellor of Chen, he emphasized moral teachings. It is likely that what Yuan Gong desired was for him to facilitate the Southern Xiongnu’s settlement in Bingzhou through such actions.”

Liu Hong didn’t present the correspondence between Yuan Shao and Zhang Yi—given his intention to suppress Qiao Yan, he wouldn’t reveal such decisive evidence—so Cui Lie assumed Zhang Yi had failed to achieve anything substantial and was thus usurped by Qiao Yan. He tried to find some positive spin for Zhang Yi.

As Cui Lie spoke, he cautiously glanced at Liu Hong, relieved to see no dissatisfaction with his words.

He then summarized, “Marquis of Leping is a fiery and unrestrained individual, while Zhang Zitai is methodical and orderly. One operates outside the system, the other within, inevitably clashing. Today’s events are merely a result of their differing temperaments.”

“Marquis of Leping acted for the state and its people, and Zhang Zitai is not at fault. Since the locust plague in Bingzhou has been resolved, Your Majesty need not be angered by this.”

Cui Lie felt his slightly pro-Qiao Yan stance aligned with what Liu Hong wanted to hear.

His words also clearly didn’t offend either side.

Liu Hong’s bias was easy to explain.

Liangzhou had long been unconquered, and even with the locust plague, the Emperor refused to withdraw the troops or abandon Liangzhou, showing his preference for bold and proactive individuals since the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Such people could immediately become military supervisors if the world changed.

Thus, Marquis of Leping needed to be protected.

But her actions were too extreme, even surpassing Qiao Xuan’s deeds, so the Emperor likely needed to suppress her a bit.

Sure enough, Liu Hong coldly asked, “According to Minister Cui, if a Governor fails in his duties, can it be called moral education? If a County Marquis disregards the law, abducts a Governor, can it be called a display of power?”

Cui Lie hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, that is not what I meant. Punishment is necessary, but Marquis of Leping has a heart for the people and the talent to quell chaos. If she were truly sent to prison, it would harm the民心 of Bingzhou. Zhang Zitai is merely ineffective, not immoral. If he were dismissed, it might alienate scholars from Your Majesty. Thus, punishment must be cautious.”

As soon as he finished, Yuan Ji added, “I agree.”

With Yuan Ji’s support, Cui Lie gained some courage and straightened his back.

However, from the perspective of Grand Commandant Zhang Yan, the two men’s statements had different focuses.

Cui Lie aimed to follow the Emperor’s wishes and exonerate Qiao Yan from the charge of abducting the Governor, while Yuan Ji, as a member of the Yuan family, sought to exonerate Zhang Yi.

He silently continued to observe, also noting Liu Hong’s expression, feeling that the Emperor’s political maneuvering had become increasingly sophisticated.

But he couldn’t help feeling that this wasn’t a sustainable approach.

Unfortunately, such matters weren’t for him to comment on. Perhaps the next time a disaster struck, he would become a scapegoat and be removed from his position.

The current court balance wasn’t something he should interfere with.

He simply listened as Liu Hong asked, “Then, according to my two ministers, how should I deal with these two?”

Hearing this, Yuan Ji was the first to reply, “Marquis of Leping’s act of abducting the Prefect should not be emulated, but she is still young and should receive a reduced punishment.”

As soon as Yuan Ji spoke, he noticed Cui Lie giving him a grateful look, clearly thankful for being the first to answer.

But was it really up to Yuan Ji to decide the order of response?

Ultimately, when Liu Hong questioned Cui Lie, he was merely showing an attitude.

Zhang Yi was a protégé of the Yuan family, and now that he had made a mistake, exonerating Qiao Yan’s actions was also a way to preserve the Yuan family’s reputation.

If anyone else in the court were to answer, they would surely criticize Qiao Yan for her reckless behavior.

But this was something anyone could say, except Yuan Ji.

Even if he felt this mess was caused by Yuan Shao, he had to, out of the solidarity of noble families, sweep it under the rug.

He continued, “In my humble opinion, it would be best to confine Marquis of Leping for two to three years, assign her a strict etiquette teacher, and ensure she behaves properly henceforth. Marquis of Leping is exceptionally talented, capable of turning the tide even during the locust plague, truly a pillar of the Han Dynasty. Careful education is all she needs.”

“As for Zhang Zitai—”

After some thought, Yuan Ji replied, “Bingzhou is a land of wolves and tigers. His literary talents are not suited for long-term residence there. It would be better to remove him as Governor and assign him a Prefect position in a central province to continue his development.”

Previously, the Yuan family had supported him, but now returning him to his original position would likely align with the Emperor’s wishes.

Hearing Liu Hong ponder and then say “Approved,” Yuan Ji knew he had done the right thing.

This statement could only come from the Yuan family to ensure that the County Marquis’s usurpation of the Prefect’s authority wouldn’t cause greater waves.

But it also ensured that Liu Hong’s anger at Zhang Yi’s incompetence wouldn’t spill over to the Yuan family.

With this beginning, the subsequent arrangements became much easier.

However, there was still a troublesome matter in this affair.

Liu Hong looked around and asked, “Bingzhou has just suffered a locust plague and cannot be without a Governor. In the opinion of my ministers, who is suitable to be the Governor of Bingzhou?”

Since Zhang Yi was to be removed and assigned a more suitable position as Prefect, who would take over?

Talents like Huang Wan were rare, and most experienced and aged individuals were already in suitable positions, making sudden transfers inappropriate.

But someone had to give Liu Hong an answer; they couldn’t all stand there in silence.

Cui Lie thought for a moment and decided to speak.

The previous question had been disconcerting, but this one about selecting a Governor for Bingzhou seemed easier to answer.

Moreover, it might be a good opportunity to clear his name.

He solemnly said, “I have something to say.”

After Liu Hong granted permission, he said, “Previously, Fu Nanrong said that Liangzhou must not be abandoned, which struck me profoundly, making me realize that my earlier intention to have the Han Dynasty sever its own arm was indeed wrong. Thus, I must now say that Liangzhou must not be abandoned, and Bingzhou must not be abandoned either. This is of utmost importance.”

Although such an obvious attempt to save face would inevitably draw ridicule from some, it was still better to say it than not.

Cui Lie comforted himself internally and continued, “Therefore, the new Governor of Bingzhou must have a bold heart for warfare and a strong will to resist the Xiongnu.”

Listen to his words now—much more spirited!

Cui Lie was quite satisfied with his eloquent performance and added, “As Yuan Taipu mentioned earlier, Marquis of Leping needs to be educated by a moral scholar to correct her behavior. Assigning a famous scholar to such a small place as Leping would be inappropriate, so why not have the Governor of Bingzhou also handle this matter?”

“I believe the selected Governor of Bingzhou should combine both qualities.”

However, to Cui Lie’s utter surprise, he heard Liu Hong say, “Then it shall be you, Minister.”

“…?” Cui Lie slowly raised his head.

He was even more bewildered than when Liu Hong had called on him to express his opinion earlier.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Hong asked indifferently, “Are you not a man of moral education?”

Cui Lie couldn’t say he wasn’t.

His most criticized act was buying his position, but since the practice of selling positions was initiated by Liu Hong, to say it was inappropriate would be to imply that the Emperor’s decision was flawed.

Given his family’s scholarly reputation and his son Cui Jun’s recent appointment as a Filial and Incorrupt official, he couldn’t deny this either.

“Are you not one to resist the Xiongnu?” Liu Hong asked again.

Cui Lie also couldn’t deny this.

He wished he could slap himself for speaking so quickly. Now, having quoted Fu Xie’s words to chastise himself, he couldn’t claim he lacked the courage to face the Xiongnu without committing a crime of deceiving the Emperor.

Since he couldn’t refute either point, it was a tacit admission, fitting the conditions he had just suggested.

Thus, Liu Hong’s belief that he could serve as Governor of Bingzhou wasn’t just idle talk.

But this Governor position…

From Minister over the Masses to Governor—that’s a demotion!

Cui Lie was deeply frustrated, but he couldn’t help recalling his son’s words when he had grabbed his cane to beat him.

Besides the famous phrase “Accept small punishments, flee from big ones,” which he didn’t know would be passed down, Cui Jun had also said that people used to speak of him as having the talent of the Three Excellencies, but after he bought his position, the world no longer thought so, hence the phrase “the world is disappointed.”

If he returned to serve as Governor of Bingzhou and made some contributions, wouldn’t that prove he truly had the capability?

Cui Lie quickly considered and ultimately replied to Liu Hong with a bow, “I accept the command.”

But as the court session ended, Cui Lie couldn’t help sighing inwardly—

His five million coins!

He had spent a full five million coins, only to be removed from the position of the Three Excellencies in less than half a year. What kind of mess was this!

Moreover, the Governor of Bingzhou was not an easy position to hold.

He would have to deal with the Hu people and, as Yuan Ji suggested, educate the unruly Qiao Yan.

If he couldn’t even out-argue his own son, how could he possibly handle Qiao Yan, who dared to imprison a Governor, seize authority, and received Xu Zijiang’s praise as “a young phoenix with a clear voice”?

Cui Lie harbored some doubts but tried to put them aside for now.

These troubles would have to wait until he reached Bingzhou.

And…








Compared to Cui Lie’s extreme frustration, Liu Hong was undoubtedly much more comfortable.

In his view, assigning Cui Lie to the position of Governor of Bingzhou was both a warning and an indulgence towards Qiao Yan.

What was the warning?

The Cui family of Boling was a prestigious noble family for generations, and Cui Lie was a renowned scholar of Ji Province. Therefore, Qiao Yan, who had taken an unconventional path, could target Zhang Yi, who had little reputation, but she could never use the same methods against Cui Lie.

Moreover, Cui Lie was tasked with overseeing the Marquis of Leping, which in terms of status and position, gave him the upper hand over Qiao Yan. Even if it didn’t reach the point of formally acknowledging him as a mentor, he could still restrain her words and actions.

What was the indulgence?

Cui Lie was similar to Cai Yong—he could be a renowned scholar but not a capable minister. While the former was due to ability and the latter due to his relationships with colleagues, ultimately, Cui Lie was neither fit to be the Minister over the Masses nor the Governor of Bingzhou!

So, let’s see how far this lone minister, who had submitted a letter of apology and chosen a courtesy name to express his intentions, could go!

But such calculations need not be explained to anyone.

When Zhang Rang cautiously asked why Cui Lie was being sent to take over as Governor of Bingzhou, not understanding the Emperor’s intentions, Liu Hong, while watching a scene where palace maids pretended to be market vendors, replied, “The Three Excellencies are worth ten million coins, but Cui Lie only paid five million, so his term is halved.”

Even though Zhang Rang knew that Liu Hong sometimes had unconventional ideas, he was still momentarily stunned by this answer.

Currently, most of the Three Excellencies were replaced within a year, so according to this logic, Cui Lie only paid half the price, so serving half the term made sense.

Moreover, this way, the vacant position of Minister over the Masses could be put up for sale again.

Zhang Rang had heard that Cao Song, the adopted son of Cao Teng and father of Cao Cao, was interested in buying a position among the Three Excellencies.

He certainly had the financial means.

Although he seemed to prefer the position of Grand Commandant, having the Minister over the Masses might be cheaper, and he would surely be willing.

For Liu Hong, this was another new source of income.

Zhang Rang, realizing this, almost gasped in shock.

But before he could comment on Liu Hong’s meticulous planning, he saw the Emperor, who had already dressed himself in merchant attire, leading a hunting dog with a crown on its head, swaggering into the mock marketplace, clearly no longer interested in court affairs.

After all, he had finished his court arrangements for the day, and it was time for him to enjoy himself.

This was Liu Hong’s current mindset.

The crowned hunting dog seemed to embody its master’s aura, strutting more proudly than the court officials.

Liu Hong was very pleased with this. Turning around, he saw two eunuchs fighting, mimicking a scene of a dispute between a pedestrian and a merchant over prices.

He laughed heartily, tossing a jade pendant from his waist onto a stall and taking a wine jug.

As for the locust plague, he would deal with it after getting drunk!

Qiao Yan was unaware of Liu Hong’s many actions.

But this ignorance did not mean she needed to lose composure.

Having already submitted the report on the locust plague in Bingzhou and the letter of apology, she had done all she needed to do and had nothing to worry about.

The previous ennoblement and her direct confrontation with Liu Hong over the Discourse on Feudalism had confirmed what kind of person Liu Hong was.

The balance and control he maintained in his actions were not good for established noble families or scholar-officials, but for someone like Qiao Yan, who operated outside these circles—

It was the perfect leverage.

After the heavy rain in Bingzhou, she stayed in Jinyang for another seven or eight days. Then, while still restricting the freedom of Zhang Yi and the Prefect of Taiyuan, she led Dian Wei back to Leping.

After all, mid-August was the harvest season in the north.

Passing through the northern mountains, as Leping County came into view after more than a month, even though Qiao Yan had seen the golden wheat fields around Jinyang, seeing this scene in Leping filled her with a sense of accomplishment.

This was her territory.

This year, compared to her first year in Leping, the farmland in the outskirts showed a more bountiful harvest.

Although the locust plague had left some marks on the leaves, its swift eradication prevented the disaster from affecting the harvest.

Qiao Yan walked slowly along the ridges, watching the county residents busy in the fields.

The current wheat yield per mu was just over a hundred pounds, far from the plump grains that bend the stalks in later times. But with fifty mu per household, the golden fields stretched out like a scroll, creating a visually stunning scene.

The only peculiarity was the occasional thatched huts.

Previously, to prevent fires from spreading to the fields, the areas around the huts were empty. However, after the rain, some stubborn weeds had grown from seeds carried by birds.

Qiao Yan found this amusing.

After the fire method to attract locusts was no longer needed, the grateful residents of Leping used spare coarse cloth to decorate the huts, making them look colorful from a distance.

In a way, it was like wearing a patchwork of clothes from a hundred families.

Qiao Yan smiled at this thought. Just then, a five or six-year-old girl emerged from the wheat field, about to climb onto the ridge when she met Qiao Yan’s gaze.

The child, unafraid, looked at Qiao Yan, her horse, and the towering Dian Wei behind her, then suddenly turned and shouted, “The Marquis is back!”

Before Qiao Yan could tell her to quiet down, not to make it seem like welcoming a triumphant warrior, she heard—

The child’s shout spread like a wave across the wheat fields, with cries of “The Marquis is back!” echoing towards the county town.

It was a strange sound.

Following the rules of wave propagation, mixed with the rustling of the wheat fields, it created a unique, undulating rhythm.

By the time it reached Qiao Yan’s ears, only a few faint sounds remained.

Though it was just five words, she inexplicably felt her eyes moisten.

It felt like an overly grand welcome.

Logically, Qiao Yan understood this behavior.

For the common people of this era, someone who could ensure they had enough to eat was truly a wise ruler.

Unfortunately, such a simple goal was often hard to achieve.

Thus, Qiao Yan’s actions in Leping were indeed life-saving for them.

But experiencing such intense and sincere gratitude made her think of other things.

She had told Xu Fu that pity for the weak required being strong herself, and she wasn’t strong then.

Could she be considered strong now?

Qiao Yan didn’t know.

Lost in thought, she momentarily ignored her surroundings. When she looked down, the girl who had shouted was already gone, having disappeared into the wheat field.

This made it impossible for Qiao Yan to catch the “culprit” and ask about the harvest.

But perhaps she didn’t need to catch anyone.

As the wave of news quickly spread to the county town, she walked a bit further and saw several horses galloping towards her from the direction of the county office and the distant mountain fields. As they approached, they turned out to be familiar faces.

Fortunately, the horses had some differences in speed, so they didn’t collide on the narrow ridges.

The first to arrive dismounted and stood aside, while the later arrivals braked in time.

But as Qiao Yan looked at them after they dismounted, she found the scene even more comical than the patchwork-decorated huts.

“What’s this, waiting for my inspection?” Qiao Yan raised an eyebrow. “Why the ‘a day apart feels like three years’ look?”

To avoid involving Leping, she hadn’t even brought her Leping Marquis retainers to Jinyang. With Xi Zhicai and Cheng Li’s understanding of her intentions, they had kept everyone else in Leping County.

Apart from those who had traveled with her, only Xi Zhicai, who received a salary decided by Qiao Yan and had no specific position, and hadn’t registered his household before August, could come without restraint.

Hearing her words, even Qin Yu, who Qiao Yan considered usually steady, couldn’t help but tear up. “Why take such risks, Marquis?”

This was what others wanted to ask.

Although they knew Dian Wei and Chu Yan were with her, and the smooth implementation of various prefectural decrees indicated her success, not seeing her in person was different.

Perhaps due to her busy state affairs, Qiao Yan’s cheeks looked slightly thinner.

Though this made her eyes more spirited and sharp, to those in Leping who had followed her from the start, it was a sign of overwork.

“Risks are risks, but saving a province is worth it,” Qiao Yan replied. “Don’t worry so much; things aren’t as bad as you think.”

As she continued towards the county town, she said, “Besides, I didn’t come back to see you standing here like wooden posts. I came to check the yam harvest. If you dare use my absence as an excuse…”

Qiao Yan glanced at them, seeing their mixed emotions, and softened her tone, “Then… we’ll plant again next year.”

Cai Zhaoji, who had been brought over on Lu Yuan’s horse, laughed. “Marquis, rest assured. Even if you hadn’t said anything, some of them have been sleeping in the huts by the yam fields these past few days, fearing the rain would affect the harvest.”

Zhao Yun and Xu Fu, indirectly named, awkwardly looked away.

Qiao Yan glanced at them and decided to spare their dignity. “Alright, let’s go see.”

The yam harvest season was from August to October, mostly in October.

Though Qiao Yan believed Liu Hong wouldn’t strip her of her title for her actions, she thought it best not to wait for the Luoyang envoy before harvesting.

Fortunately, the yams were mature by mid-August, so there would be no loss, just a slight difference in taste.

The yam vines, still climbing their supports, had covered the hills in lush greenery.

Qiao Yan thought the harvest looked promising.

After giving the order to harvest, the Black Mountain Army, responsible for planting, carefully dug up the yams and placed them in baskets.

Perhaps due to the fertile soil, Qiao Yan observed that the yams looked similar to the yams she knew, though slightly thinner, but much larger than last year’s samples.

The yield might be higher than she estimated…

She made a mental note and watched the soon-to-be Leping residents.

A year of hard work was now bearing fruit. Even the roughest among them, having developed careful habits during cultivation, handled the yams with great care.

To Zhang Niujiao, these burly men looked like they were delivering babies.

But seeing them harvest quickly yet carefully, he stopped being distracted.

The Marquis was back, and it was August—time to finalize the three thousand households.

Well, the harvest was the final battle!

Zhang Niujiao wanted to give it his all, harvesting every yam as fast as possible.

But with sixty thousand mu of land and only a few thousand people, the digging was a test of patience…

By the time his section was done, his back was nearly giving out.

But when the yams from sixty thousand mu were piled up, it was a spectacular sight.

Due to their curved shape, estimating the quantity by volume alone was difficult. Before storage, the yams were weighed in batches and recorded.

As the recorded yam amounts accumulated, the surrounding residents and Black Mountain Army exclaimed in awe.

But when the last batch was weighed, the area fell silent.

Until a voice broke the stillness.

“Marquis!”

Zhang Niujiao, rushing over, had forgotten about the household registration issue, his dark face flushed with excitement.

“One million dan! A full one million dan of harvest!”