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Chapter 69
Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?
At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, Small Test of Skills – Chapter 69: Leping Isn’t Easy
So, the Governor of Bingzhou????
Zhang Yi almost thought he misheard.
Why else would he hear Cui Lie in front of him say he wasn’t here as a messenger from the Son of Heaven, but rather came as a “messenger” purely because he had taken up the role of Governor of Bingzhou?
When Cui Lie took up the position of Minister over the Masses in March, many in the world thought his actions were tainted with the stench of coin, thus ruining his reputation as a gentleman, but Zhang Yi wasn’t one of them.
To him, Cui Lie’s logic wasn’t hard to understand.
Since the Emperor was blatantly selling high positions, if one had the financial means to buy, why not try instead of leaving the opportunity for others? Otherwise, how could one sit in the ministerial seat again?
The focus was on seeking a high position first and then advising the Son of Heaven.
Cui Wei was expected to secure his seat at this Minister position smoothly by relying on the famous scholars of Ji Province.
Zhang Yi even once wrote him a letter to congratulate him.
He thought…
He thought that everything he had been pondering in the governor’s mansion lately was getting through to the heavens, thus allowing the three ministers to send a messenger here.
Now that Cui the Minister has arrived, he could not only bring the wicked County Marquis to justice but also restore the dignity of the wronged Governor, making all his efforts of not going on a hunger strike while being confined in the mansion worthwhile, all for this moment to vent and complain.
Yet the “messenger” identity he thought was very high turned out to be Cui Lie coming to take over his position as Governor of Bingzhou!
“Why is Cui Gong making such a joke?”
Zhang Yi’s expression nearly petrified at this sudden news. He tried to retract all the accusations he had been brewing and finally asked.
His heart was turbulent, especially since if Cui Lie was indeed here to be the Governor of Bingzhou, it carried an implicit meaning —
The Son of Heaven is dissatisfied with the current Governor of Bingzhou!
Was all the grievance he had suffered before for nothing?
How could such absurdity exist in the world!
But Cui Lie didn’t seem like he was joking with him.
Earlier, he had felt there must be some degree of mutual correspondence between the two of them, and since Cui Lie seemed to have some sympathy for Zhang Yi, he initially said, “Sorry for him,” but the moment Zhang Yi doubted whether he was cracking jokes at his expense, Cui Lie’s expression immediately turned serious.
He promptly took the imperial edict from one of the attendants and started reading it aloud.
The decree from the Son of Heaven was no laughing matter.
The edict stated that Zhang Yi was to be removed from his position as Governor of Bingzhou and appointed as Prefect of Guangling, while Cui Lie was to take over as Governor of Bingzhou.
“Guangling County, a major county in Xuzhou, is vast and rich in marine resources. This time it hasn’t been impacted by the locust disaster, so it’s actually a good place… It’s certainly better than eating sand in Bingzhou,” Cui Lie thought for a moment and felt he should comfort this unfortunate fellow, speaking in a low voice.
But to Zhang Yi, Cui Lie would have been better off not saying such comforting words.
In these unique times, how could a county Prefect compare with a provincial Governor? Moreover, Bingzhou hadn’t really fallen to the point that it was just about eating wind and sand as Cui Lie had described.
The expansive Jinzhong Basin was still prosperous and orderly; after the Southern Xiongnu had surrendered, they brought numerous cattle and sheep as tribute, and even the food situation could be described as rich and abundant; while the border battles were certainly dangerous, they also provided opportunities for accomplishments.
All this, how could it compare to Guangling County?
Zhang Yi felt deeply that Cui Lie’s arrival was not here to save him but to suffocate him.
But he knew he couldn’t fall apart right now. At the very least, he needed to hear how the Emperor had arranged things regarding Qiao Yan and this insufferable act of overstepping.
And then he heard something even more suffocating.
Liu Hong said in the imperial edict that Qiao Yan’s manners were inappropriate, her actions were improper, but seeing her deeds, she had the capability to save the people from fire and water, and had earnestly tried to stabilize the chaos in Bingzhou, so it seemed inappropriate to heavily punish her.
Therefore, he appointed the famous scholars of Ji Province as the Governor of Bingzhou and ordered the Marquis of Leping to be confined in Leping for two years, during which she was to go to the governor’s mansion every ten days to receive instruction, ensuring she would reform her conduct through education.
Guo Yun, the Prefect of Shangdang, knowing Qiao Yan’s actions were inappropriate, not only failed to advise against it but wrote a letter to plead for her, ordering her to be transferred to be Prefect of Yanmen to resist the Xiongnu and reflect on her wrongdoings.
“…?”
This probably reflected Zhang Yi’s true feelings at that moment.
Let’s not even mention how strong the enforcement of this confinement would be; even if she couldn’t leave Leping, how much of a punishment would that be?
No matter how small, Leping was still a county that encompassed thousands of households, from one end to the other would still take half a day, surely that was better than being locked up in a room!
Especially since Qiao Yan was the one who had recommended handling the affairs of Leping, this place was practically her fief.
Having the freedom to run rampant in her domain, how could that be called confinement!
As for needing to go to the governor’s mansion every ten days for instruction, that’s even more not a punishment!
Cui Lie’s grandfather Cui Nian was renowned for his literary talent, known along with Ban Gu and Fu Yi, and had a remarkable lineage in poetry and history. He seemed to be the most outstanding descendant among them.
Being able to receive instruction from such a renowned figure —
Zhang Yi felt that if he didn’t have to take office right away, he could have stayed here to listen.
Then thinking of Cai Yong still being in Leping, he got even angrier.
What’s this? Going to the governor’s mansion every ten days, and in the meantime, he could still listen to Cai Yong lecture?
How is this confinement? Even the Imperial Academy isn’t this cushy!
And looking at the punishment for Guo Yun, Zhang Yi felt even more upset.
This Shangdang Prefect had been in Jinyang recently, and even appeared several times in front of Zhang Yi, firmly expressing his support for Qiao Yan, because of this, Zhang Yi had scolded him internally on multiple occasions, thinking this guy was an anomaly from the Yangqu Guo family.
He clearly had a good hand to play but insisted on siding with such a usurper.
Don’t forget if Luoyang pursued Qiao Yan’s crimes, even with the backing of noble families, it wouldn’t get him off the hook.
Now, he had been moved from a wealthy county Prefect position to that of a border region Prefect—looks like a demotion, but from Guo Yun’s conduct, it’s clear he’s a tough nut!
Such a person would think they were finally getting to the job of their dreams because of this incident.
Zhang Yi felt that he was beyond just feeling suffocated, seeing Guo Yun’s smug expression made his teeth ache.
But no matter how displeased he felt, he clearly had no right to question the Emperor’s decision.
At this moment, the most powerful individual in Bingzhou was not Zhang Yi, but Cui Lie.
Seeing that Cui Lie had finished reading the edict, Zhang Yi gritted his teeth and forced out the words, “I accept the decree.”
However, just as he planned to wave his sleeve and leave to avoid further sight, Qiao Yan suddenly stepped in front of him, respectfully saluting, saying, “I’ve offended you a lot before, and I hope Governor Zhang won’t take offense.”
“……” Zhang Yi took a deep breath, trying hard not to display any improper reactions due to Qiao Yan’s deliberately uttered title of Governor.
But the next moment, he heard Qiao Yan say, “Governor is about to set out, and according to principles, I should return all the items temporarily borrowed from the governor’s mansion, except for the official seal. Unfortunately, there are some things I have presented to His Majesty and are probably not returning.”
Just as Zhang Yi was about to ask what she meant, he heard her murmur the words “Yuan Benchu” that only they could hear.
Zhang Yi’s eyes widened.
“No need for the Governor to worry; since His Majesty didn’t mention this matter in the decree, it’s likely he thinks this scheme against the Hu people is feasible, and if it doesn’t return, it doesn’t. If you want to keep this fragment of writing, you’ll just have to request another letter.”
Seeing Zhang Yi’s expression turn grim, Qiao Yan raised her eyes, “What’s with the Governor’s expression?”
Zhang Yi forced a smile, replying, “No need for that; nowadays, there are many famous calligraphers. I’ll ask someone else.”
This news took him completely by surprise.
The suggestion Qiao Yan mentioned seemed utterly impractical.
In such a short time, how could he dare contact Yuan Shao?
Although Liu Hong indeed didn’t include any mention of this letter in the orders issued, the arrangement of demoting him from Governor of Bingzhou to Prefect of Guangling had already clearly indicated their attitude.
This was not merely because he was incompetent; it clearly also carried a hint of warning.
With that in view, moving to Guangling and taking the time to govern there could also be a good direction.
Qiao Yan watched Zhang Yi leave, her lips curling into a subtle smile.
As the newly appointed Cui Lie asked the two what they were just discussing, she replied, “Last month, I saw a grand work at Governor Zhang’s that had quite a unique taste. Since Leping has a renowned figure in calligraphy and painting, I thought of borrowing it for a look. If he was anxious to leave, he would still need some time to retrieve it. But this Zhang Governor, though slightly inept in mundane affairs, is truly magnanimous, saying he would just choose another piece.”
Cui Lie stood a bit far off and didn’t catch it all, but he felt that with their relationship, it shouldn’t be quite as Qiao Yan had said.
However, since Zhang Yi had turned and left immediately without raising objections to this matter and Qiao Yan displayed considerable courtesy, looking like a reasonable junior, everything seemed fine.
Cui Lie stared into her eyes for a long time, unable to discern any deeper meaning, so he didn’t delve further into this.
However, he felt increasingly that Qiao Yan was not someone easy to teach.
Given her composure when accepting the decree was extraordinary, her calmness during their conversation made him regard her more highly.
Furthermore, though he didn’t have much talent in governance, he had the insight to know.
For instance, he could tell from a slight reflection that Qiao Yan wasn’t just backing herself by having Guo Yun’s support.
If she wanted to command as she did and have others comply, it must be intertwined with numerous powerful families in the region.
Cui Lie pondered this quietly, not noticing that Qiao Yan at that moment exchanged a meaningful glance with Wang Yang in the crowd.
The meaning in that glance was unambiguous.
To be honest, the Emperor didn’t impose heavy punishment on Qiao Yan—it was within her expectations, and Wang Yang guessed the same from her demeanor, but the direct replacement of the Governor of Bingzhou still surprised both of them.
Previously, when Qiao Yan was cultivating support with Wang Yang, she had painted a picture for him where they could act once Zhang Yi’s reputation faltered.
But to her surprise, Liu Hong decisively parachuted in a new Governor of Bingzhou and restored the situation to its original state.
No… it wasn’t quite back to the old status.
Qiao Yan didn’t know much about Zhang Yi, but she had heard of Cui Lie and roughly knew about his spending to obtain the ministerial position.
Considering Cui Lie’s identity, the contrast with Zhang Yi was enormous—
His backing would never include a meddling Yuan Clan.
This might not bode well for local powers like Wang Yang.
After all, with the previous Minister having solidified control over the Governor’s role, the chances of further replacement were slim, and they couldn’t help but speculate on Cui Lie’s stance.
But this could be good news for Qiao Yan.
At the very least, Cui Lie’s expressed attitude had some implicit willingness to draw closer.
She threw Wang Yang a calming glance and followed Cui Lie into the governor’s mansion.
But what she didn’t expect was that Cui Lie hadn’t only come with good news.
This newly appointed Governor stepped into the office of the governor’s mansion, noting that the correspondence over the past month was quite orderly, the only slight backlog being due to Qiao Yan hastening back to Leping to oversee the harvest.
Feeling somewhat impressed with her, he quickly brought his gaze back to Qiao Yan and asked, “Is Yang Ci’s grandson still in Leping?”
This question sounded like a pointless inquiry.
With Yang Ci tacitly allowing Yang Xiu to stay in Leping, naturally, Yang Xiu should still be in Leping.
However, given that scholars of this era loved to travel and visit friends, Cui Lie felt the need to guard against any unexpected circumstances.
Fortunately, he immediately heard Qiao Yan give an affirmative response.
Cui Lie breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll immediately send someone to Leping, or would you mind sending someone, Duke Yang, to quickly inform Yang Xiu that Yang Gong is severely ill?”
Cui Lie couldn’t help but think to himself, “What a timing and fate it is.”
After Liu Hong restored Yang Ci to the Minister position following Zhang Wen’s campaign in Liangzhou, perhaps it was the long-awaited rain finally arriving, cooling Luoyang from heat to chill, or perhaps the two months of worrying about the locust disasters had taken a toll on Yang Ci’s health, making him unwell consistently…
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“Right after the appointment edict was read out loud, just as Cui Lie was about to head to Bingzhou, Yang Ci completely fell ill.”
They say illness comes like a mountain crashing down, and that’s especially true for the already not-so-young Yang Ci.
This inevitably made Cui Lie, who had come to visit, realize this could be a sign that death was near.
So, he quickly took on the task entrusted by the Yang family to relay messages to Yang Xiu once he arrived in Bingzhou.
His journey to Jinyang was fast-paced, not just to quickly resolve the matters involving the Governor of Bingzhou and the Marquis of Leping, but also to deliver this news.
If Yang Xiu got there in time, he might still return to Luoyang before their grandfather passes.
Upon hearing the news of Yang Ci’s grave condition, Qiao Yan first froze, then immediately responded, “I’ll send someone right away. Your lordship’s follower is unfamiliar with the route and might waste time. Let me take care of this.”
Life and death, that’s just the way of the world.
But hearing of Yang Ci’s illness made her increasingly aware of the dark fate looming over the Han Dynasty, which became clearer with every loyal minister’s aging and passing.
Moreover, it was already the second year of the Zhongping era, leaving less than four years until Liu Hong’s own death.
To be exact, three years and nine months.
What Qiao Yan contemplated about the future was something she couldn’t share with Cui Lie; instead, she said to him, “By the way, your lordship need not call me ‘your lord’. Since His Majesty has ordered me to reflect on my faults and listen to your guidance, even if we don’t have an official master-disciple relationship, we can still act like it. Just call me ‘Ye Shu’.”
Cui Lie showed no surprise at that.
Liu Hong had already mentioned Qiao Yan’s style in the court before, and to Cui Lie, it certainly suited her. Just watching how she conducted herself when receiving envoys from Luoyang gave a peek into her character.
But knowing this was a fire that could ignite any moment on his turf, he couldn’t help but feel a bit troubled.
Fortunately, as Liu Hong said, Qiao Yan had to be confined in Leping for two years to temper her overly aggressive nature, so their exchanges should remain relatively peaceful.
Thinking this way, Cui Lie felt that instead of worrying about himself, he should be more concerned about Zhang Yi.
This former governor of Bingzhou received a shocking message just before leaving.
Although Qiao Yan wished to clarify she wasn’t intentionally targeting Zhang Yi, she thought it was better for the guy to be in the loop.
“Tell Governor Zhang not to take it personally. Earlier, to motivate the people of Bingzhou to kill locusts, I wrote in the governor’s decree that if there truly is a locust god in this world, the blame lies solely with the governor, not the people.”
Zhang Yi nearly froze mid-mount at those words.
Then he heard Qiao Yan add, “I assume this locust god talk is just nonsense. If there really were divine beings looking out for us, how could we have wiped them out? Governor Zhang needn’t worry.”
“What Lady Qiao said really…” Zhang Yi said, trying to keep a straight face, “It’s a pretty sharp jab!”
Listen to her, she’s hitting just as hard as Cui Lie did yesterday when he mentioned he was the governor!
But thinking it over, Zhang Yi couldn’t help but wonder if there really might be some divine retribution tied to the locusts.
If all the blame for the locust extermination fell on him alone, that he got demoted from governor to prefect might actually make sense.
But the common folk, gathering around to watch the emissaries from Luoyang, wouldn’t feel any gratitude towards him from that connection; they’d only see Qiao Yan, acting in the governor’s stead and making sacrifices for the people of Bingzhou.
But with the emperor’s orders handed down, the winners and losers sorted, this young Yuan clan member underestimated the other’s swift moves once they realized his stance, leading him to an unfortunate end in Guangling, with nothing left to say.
At least after this, one would be in the south and the other in the north, so there shouldn’t be any chances to cross paths.
Upon realizing this, Zhang Yi found a small piece of comfort.
That opposing side was barely eleven and already showing such skills, who knows what they’ll be capable of in a few years? That’s a headache for those in the court to worry about.
From Liu Hong protecting Qiao Yan while discarding him, after tossing and turning all night, Zhang Yi discerned another meaning.
Clearly, Qiao Yan’s performance in Bingzhou shows her execution and governance skills were enough to negate any limitations posed by her gender and age. It’s very likely that at certain moments, she might not just be a marquis with ten thousand households but could become an influential official.
But if she can draw a short bow aimed at a provincial governor today, tomorrow she could very well set her sights on the three dukes!
Encountering such a risky character, and his majesty doesn’t suppress her completely, but rather intends to use her? That’s sure to cause trouble sooner or later!
With these nagging thoughts, Zhang Yi finally left the Taihang Mountains, no longer hearing the citizens’ sentiments about the locust disaster in Bingzhou, and felt he could breathe a little easier.
However, just as he thought that, he spotted a familiar group of folks escorting a child, galloping past his line.
Zhang Yi’s eyelids twitched.
He couldn’t forget what happened that day; he swore that these must be the same guys who followed Qiao Yan into the provincial capital!
But these people were moving fast, disappearing almost instantly, giving him no chance to challenge them.
He thought about the people from Leping he vaguely remembered, and the child fitting the description could only be—Yang Xiu, grandson of Yang Gong?
He couldn’t tell what had happened that made him rush so.
If it were indeed bad news for Leping, he could still find some solace before leaving Bingzhou.
Unfortunately, that vision was likely not to be realized.
Yang Xiu’s earlier decision to stay in Leping didn’t mean the Hongnong Yang clan stood behind Qiao Yan to support her actions.
At most, it was just a hint of expectation that Qiao Yan might have for Yang Xiu, who uses his brain for things.
Now, having to temporarily leave due to his grandfather’s illness, there was a sense of regret, but for Leping, the loss wasn’t significant.
In fact, this loss might only be temporary.
Before leaving Leping, Yang Xiu had sent a letter to be passed to Qiao Yan.
The letter mentioned that although he didn’t want to think the worst, the state of the world often goes against one’s wishes; if his grandfather reached a point of no recovery, he would have to return to Hongnong as the legitimate grandson to uphold filial duties, making it difficult for him to come back within three years.
Having spent a year in Leping, he realized how ridiculous his provocations in Luoyang were last year, and the gap between him and Qiao Yan wasn’t just a matter of insights and outlook.
So, after compiling the literacy rhyme with Cai Yong, and having nothing else he could help with at the moment, it made more sense to focus on his studies for several years.
He was no longer the impulsive and sharp-edged person he used to be in Luoyang, and could now quietly study, learning how to handle various matters; once he was ready, he could return.
He could only hope that by then, Leping would be filled with talented individuals, still having a place for him.
Yang Xiu thought it through and felt he really needed to worry about this issue.
Although it seemed like most of those actively coming to Qiao Yan were military officers, like Zhao Yun, Chu Yan, and Zhang Yang, even having Xi Zhicai and Cheng Li could support nearly half the operations. With only a single county to govern, it didn’t require further division of power; otherwise, they might run into issues due to insufficient consensus.
But thinking about that now was a bit premature.
Bringing it closer, the focus was on his grandfather’s health.
Yang Xiu didn’t realize he had just ridden past a former governor of Bingzhou, who had been in Qiao Yan’s bad books, and was simply thinking—
In his time in Leping, he had brewed wine, tended to fields, witnessed banditry rising out of desperation, and seen the joyful songs of harvest. His horse-riding skills were also learned during this one year.
He had mentioned all this in his letter to his grandfather, but he imagined seeing his grandson’s progress in person would certainly bring him even more joy.
This must surely be a huge comfort for an old man nearing the end of his days.
With this thought, he set aside the lingering feelings about temporarily leaving Leping, turning his heart toward a quick return to Luoyang, transforming into a whirlwind on the road.
With those capable guards escorting him, his safety returning to Luoyang was virtually guaranteed.
Qiao Yan thought this too, so she wasn’t overly concerned about this future subordinate’s journey either; rather, she directed her thoughts back to the present.
At this moment, she was somewhat bearing a guilty conscience.
Even though Cui Lie hadn’t stated that the confinement should be executed immediately, she had already completed the intense tasks, making Liu Hong feel she had achieved her purpose as a loyal minister; the most prudent course of action now was to step back.
As such, since Zhang Yi had already left Bingzhou, and after gauging Cui Lie’s style a bit, it was only right for her to return to Leping and strictly follow the confinement order.
As she entered the courtyard, intending to submit her resignation to Cui Lie, she unexpectedly spotted a bamboo and paper kite hanging on the courtyard wall.
Noticing some patterns on the paper kite, she had Dian Wei climb the wall to retrieve it.
She was merely curious, thinking that someone flying a kite near the provincial office was quite a rare sight; perhaps the markings could provide some clues to locate the owner and return it.
But when the kite was in her hands, and she read what was written, she fell silent.
On that bamboo frame and paper body, careful little characters expressed thanks.
Aside from a few neatly written characters, the rest looked more like manipulated handwriting than proper writing, resembling efforts to imitate someone else’s script.
Missing bits and malformed strokes were all over the place, clearly showing the writing order was mixed up.
But just like the time Qiao Yan heard the joyful “Your lord has returned!” echoing, this heartfelt gratitude filled with simple sincerity made her feel the saying “Autumn days surpass spring mornings” held some truth.
Just as her eyes started to get a bit misty, wanting to meet the citizens of Jinyang who came up with such a thank-you, Cui Lie’s interruption about wanting to tag along to Leping broke her emotional moment.
“My lord, there’s no need for you to personally go to Leping,” Qiao Yan handed the kite to Dian Wei and asked, “With the emperor ordering me to be confined, and since there are no locust problems in Bingzhou now, I certainly won’t do anything reckless like running away—so there’s really no need for…”
No need for a provincial governor to personally “escort” her, right?
It seemed Cui Lie had just arrived and still needed to understand the situation of various officials in Bingzhou; he certainly wouldn’t have time to spare for that.
But perhaps because he had displayed a slightly lenient attitude in his conversations, after sharing the news of Yang Ci’s grave condition yesterday, he moved on to talk about Bingzhou’s governance issues amidst the paperwork piled in his study.
This blatant showing of his cards certainly explained to Qiao Yan why he couldn’t sit too long in such a high position.
But obviously, she could benefit from this insight and had no reason to correct him.
For example, Zhang Liao had landed the military officer position because of quelling the bandits of Yunzhong Mountain when the previous governor arrived in Bingzhou, so Zhang Yi’s removal would affect him certainly.
But since Cui Lie didn’t seem keen to place one of his own in that position, with casual suggestions thrown from Qiao Yan, he continued to participate in small-scale combat training around Yanmen.
Then again, the local Xiongnu Protector-General’s trade strategies with Southern Xiongnu for livestock were ongoing with Cui Lie showing no interest in interrupting.
And again… a superior who let others show their prowess while doing nothing himself certainly could afford to take a break, so a trip to Leping did make sense.
However, Cui Lie felt he had an even more reasonable excuse—
He needed to pay a visit to Cai Yong.
But upon arriving in Leping, his gaze was drawn first to the Dragon Bone Waterwheel nestled in the mountains.
At this time, the waterwheel lay still, wedged between dimly-colored terrain, looking less like a savior providing irrigation and more like an ugly sore on the land.
In such a state, it was hard to comprehend how this contraption could fulfill its purpose of saving labor and even preventing locusts.
Cui Lie’s attention then shifted from the contraption to the haphazard farmlands crisscrossing the mountains.
Before he, the new governor of Bingzhou, had arrived, the locals had harvested all the yams grown there, leaving behind tiny pits all over the fields.
Not knowing what had been planted before, the fields appeared to have just been raked through chaotically.
And among those fields, beans were now just beginning to be picked meticulously.
He looked up and saw laborers wearing somewhat ill-fitting clothes, carrying baskets as they collected the sparse remaining beans.
Cui Lie had no idea that the ill-fitting clothes came from the fact that most women in the Black Mountain army, whom Qiao Yan had put in charge, didn’t have time to mend their men’s attire, leaving them to make do, resulting in their current state.
He then gave a heartfelt exclamation, which would sound sincere to Qiao Yan:
“Leping must be quite challenging…”
