Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skill Chapter 69: Leping is Not Easy

Book: Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 69: Leping…

Governor of Bingzhou????

Zhang Yi almost thought he had misheard.

Otherwise, why would he hear Cui Lie in front of him say that he was not here as an envoy of the Son of Heaven, but as the newly appointed Governor of Bingzhou?

When Cui Lie took over as Minister over the Masses in March, many thought his reputation as a scholar was tarnished by the smell of money, but Zhang Yi was not among them.

To him, Cui Lie’s actions were understandable.

If the Son of Heaven openly sold the positions of the Three Excellencies, and one had the financial means to buy it, why not try? Leaving the opportunity to others would make it difficult to rise to the position of a high minister.

First, secure a high position, then advise the Son of Heaven.

Cui Lie, a renowned scholar from Ji Province, should have no problem stabilizing his position as Minister over the Masses.

Zhang Yi had even sent him a congratulatory letter.

He thought…

He thought that his recent efforts in the provincial government had reached the ears of the Son of Heaven, hence the arrival of the Three Excellencies as envoys.

With Cui Lie here, he could arrest the rogue Marquis of Leping and bring him to justice, while also clearing his name as the wronged Governor. It would not be in vain that he had refrained from starving himself in protest while confined to the provincial government, saving his energy for this moment of complaint.

But the “envoy” he thought was of high status turned out to be the new Governor of Bingzhou, replacing him!

“Lord Cui, why are you joking like this?”

Zhang Yi’s expression nearly froze at this sudden news. He struggled to suppress the emotions he had prepared for his grievances and asked.

His turmoil deepened because if Cui Lie was truly here to be the Governor of Bingzhou, it implied a hidden message—

The Son of Heaven was dissatisfied with the current Governor of Bingzhou!

Didn’t that mean all the grievances he had suffered were in vain?

How could such an absurd thing happen!

But Cui Lie was clearly not here to joke with him.

Earlier, because of their correspondence and Cui Lie’s slight sympathy for Zhang Yi, he had said he was “sorry for him.” But when Zhang Yi doubted his sincerity, Cui Lie immediately straightened his face.

He promptly took the imperial edict from his attendant and read it aloud.

The Son of Heaven’s orders were no joke.

The edict stated that Zhang Yi was removed from his position as Governor of Bingzhou and transferred to be the Prefect of Guangling, while Cui Lie would take over as Governor of Bingzhou.

“Guangling is an important commandery in Xuzhou, with vast territory and rich seafood. It hasn’t suffered from locust plagues, making it a good place. It’s… better than eating sand in Bingzhou,” Cui Lie added, trying to comfort the unlucky man.

But to Zhang Yi, Cui Lie might as well not have said anything.

In these special times, how could a commandery prefect compare to a provincial governor? Moreover, Bingzhou had not fallen to the point of eating sand as Cui Lie suggested.

The vast Jinzhong Basin was still fertile and orderly; the Southern Xiongnu had submitted and offered many cattle and sheep, making the diet rich; the border wars were dangerous but also opportunities for merit.

How could Guangling compare to all this?

Zhang Yi deeply felt that Cui Lie’s arrival was not to save him but to suffocate him.

But he knew he couldn’t collapse now. At least, he needed to hear how the Emperor planned to deal with the rogue Qiao Yan.

Then he heard something even more suffocating.

In the edict, Liu Hong stated that Qiao Yan lacked proper manners and behavior, but her actions showed she could save people from suffering and had indeed turned the tide in Bingzhou. Severe punishment seemed inappropriate.

Thus, he appointed a renowned scholar from Ji Province as the Governor of Bingzhou, ordered the Marquis of Leping to be confined to Leping for two years, and to visit the provincial government every ten days for guidance to correct her behavior.

Guo Yun, the Prefect of Shangdang, knowing Qiao Yan’s actions were inappropriate, not only failed to dissuade her but also petitioned for her. He was ordered to be transferred to Yanmen to fight the Xiongnu and reflect on his mistakes.

“……?”

This was probably Zhang Yi’s true feeling at the moment.

Not to mention the enforcement of the confinement, even if she were truly confined to Leping, what kind of punishment was that?

No matter how small Leping was, it was still a county with ten thousand households. Walking from one end to the other would take half a day, much better than being locked in a room.

Especially since the Prime Minister of Leping, recommended by Qiao Yan, made the place her personal domain.

Having fun in her own territory—what kind of confinement was that!

As for visiting the provincial government every ten days for guidance, that was even less of a punishment!

Cui Lie’s grandfather, Cui Yin, was renowned for his literary talents, and his family’s teachings were equally prestigious. Cui Lie and Cui Jian were among the most outstanding descendants.

To receive guidance from such a scholar—

Zhang Yi thought, if he weren’t about to take up his new post, he would have stayed to listen.

Thinking of Cai Yong in Leping, he was even more frustrated.

What kind of confinement was this? Visiting the provincial government every ten days and listening to Cai Yong’s lectures the rest of the time?

Who lived like this during confinement? Even the Imperial Academy wasn’t like this!

Looking at Guo Yun’s punishment, Zhang Yi felt even more annoyed.

The Prefect of Shangdang had recently arrived in Jinyang and had expressed firm support for Qiao Yan in front of Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi had cursed him, thinking he was an anomaly in the Yangqu Guo family.

He had a good hand but chose to side with a usurper.

If Luoyang pursued Qiao Yan’s crimes, even with noble family backing, he couldn’t escape punishment.

Now, transferring him from a wealthy commandery to a border commandery seemed like a demotion, but from Guo Yun’s actions, it was clear he was a tough nut!

Such a person might actually feel he had landed his dream job.

Zhang Yi felt more than just chest tightness; seeing Guo Yun’s unapologetically smug expression, his teeth ached.

But no matter how unhappy he was, he had no right to question the Son of Heaven’s decision.

Now, the most powerful person in Bingzhou was not Zhang Yi but Cui Lie.

Seeing Cui Lie finish reading the edict, Zhang Yi forced himself to say “I receive the decree” through gritted teeth.

As he prepared to leave, Qiao Yan suddenly approached him, bowed respectfully, and said, “I have offended you before, I hope Prefect Zhang will not hold it against me.”

“……” Zhang Yi took a deep breath, trying not to show any inappropriate reaction to Qiao Yan’s deliberate use of “Prefect.”

But then he heard Qiao Yan say, “As the Prefect is about to depart, I should return the items borrowed from the provincial government, except for the official seal. Unfortunately, some things have already been sent to the Emperor and cannot be returned.”

Zhang Yi was about to ask what she meant when she whispered “Yuan Benchu” (Yuan Shao).

Zhang Yi’s eyes widened.

“Prefect need not worry. The Emperor did not mention this in the edict, likely finding the strategy to alienate the Hu people feasible. If you wish to keep the calligraphy, you can request another piece.”

Seeing Zhang Yi’s expression, Qiao Yan raised her eyes, “Why does Prefect Zhang look like that?”

Zhang Yi forced a smile, “No need, there are many renowned calligraphers today. I can ask someone else.”

This news caught him off guard.

Qiao Yan’s suggestion was almost impossible to implement.

How could he dare contact Yuan Shao in such a short time?

Although Liu Hong did not mention the letter in the edict, transferring him from Governor of Bingzhou to Prefect of Guangling was enough to show his attitude.

This was not just because of his incompetence but also a hidden warning.

In this light, moving to Guangling and focusing on governance might not be a bad choice.

Qiao Yan watched Zhang Yi leave, a slight smile on her lips.

When the new Governor Cui Lie asked what they were talking about, she calmly replied, “Last month, I saw a great work at Prefect Zhang’s place and wanted to borrow it for the famous calligraphers in Leping. If he is in a hurry to leave, it will take some time to retrieve it. But Prefect Zhang, though not adept in administrative affairs, is quite generous in personal matters, saying he would choose another piece.”

Cui Lie, standing farther away, didn’t hear clearly, but he felt that given their relationship, it shouldn’t be as Qiao Yan described.

But since Zhang Yi left without objection and Qiao Yan’s words were polite, it seemed like a normal interaction between a junior and senior.

Cui Lie looked into her eyes for a while but couldn’t discern anything, so he didn’t pursue the matter.

However, he increasingly felt that Qiao Yan was not an easy person to teach.

Her calm demeanor when receiving the edict was extraordinary, and her composure in conversation made him think highly of her.

Moreover, though he wasn’t highly talented in officialdom, he had good judgment.

For example, he quickly realized that Qiao Yan had more than just Guo Yun’s support in Bingzhou.

To have her orders followed so smoothly, she must have intricate connections with the local noble families.

Cui Lie pondered, not noticing Qiao Yan exchanging a glance with Wang Yang in the crowd.

The meaning in that glance was clear.

Honestly, the Emperor’s leniency towards Qiao Yan was within her expectations, and Wang Yang had guessed as much from her behavior. But directly replacing the Governor of Bingzhou was still a surprise.

When Qiao Yan had recruited Wang Yang, she painted a picture: once Zhang Yi’s reputation was damaged, it would be time for the Bingzhou noble families to act.

But Liu Hong decisively parachuted a new Governor of Bingzhou, returning the situation to its original state.

No… not exactly the original state.

Qiao Yan didn’t know much about Zhang Yi, but she was familiar with Cui Lie’s name and his purchase of the Three Excellencies position.

Considering Cui Lie’s background, he had one significant difference from Zhang Yi—

He would not have the interfering Yuan Clan behind him.

This might not be good news for Wang Yang and the local Bingzhou powers.

With the former Minister over the Masses now the Governor of Bingzhou, the chance of another replacement was slim, making them speculate on Cui Lie’s attitude.

But for Qiao Yan, it was good news.

At least, Cui Lie’s attitude in conversation showed some intention to win her over.

She gave Wang Yang a reassuring look and followed Cui Lie into the provincial government.

But what she didn’t expect was that Cui Lie didn’t just bring good news.

The new Governor, entering the study and seeing the orderly documents from the past month, only slightly piled up due to Qiao Yan’s recent return to Leping for the harvest, couldn’t help but admire her.

Thinking of his other purpose, he quickly turned his attention back to Qiao Yan and asked, “Is Yang Xiu still in Leping?”

The question seemed redundant.

With Yang Ci’s tacit approval, Yang Xiu should still be in Leping.

But scholars these days liked to travel and visit friends, so Cui Lie had to guard against such possibilities.

Fortunately, Qiao Yan quickly confirmed it.

Cui Lie sighed in relief. “Then I will send someone to Leping immediately, or perhaps trouble Marquis Qiao to send someone to inform Yang Xiu that Yang Ci is seriously ill.”

Cui Lie couldn’t help but think it was fate.

After Zhang Wen’s expedition to Liangzhou, Liu Hong reinstated Yang Ci to the Three Excellencies.

But perhaps because the long-awaited rain finally fell, cooling Luoyang, or because of the worries about locust plagues and people’s livelihoods, Yang Ci’s health had not been good.

Not long after the appointment edict was read out, just as Cui Lie was about to set off for Bingzhou, Yang Ci fell seriously ill.

As the saying goes, illness strikes like a collapsing mountain, and this was especially true for Yang Ci, who was already advanced in years.

This inevitably made Cui Lie, who came to visit the sick, realize that this might very well be a sign of impending doom.

Therefore, he quickly accepted the task entrusted to him by the Yang family to deliver a message to Yang Xiu upon arriving in Bingzhou.

His swift journey to Jinyang was not only to resolve the matter of the Governor of Bingzhou and the Marquis of Leping as quickly as possible but also to convey this news.

If Yang Xiu could make it in time, he should still be able to return to Luoyang before his grandfather passed away.

Upon hearing the news of Yang Ci’s serious illness, Qiao Yan was momentarily stunned but immediately replied, “I will send someone right away. Your entourage is unfamiliar with the route and might delay. I’ll handle this.”

Life, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of things.

But upon suddenly hearing the news of Yang Ci’s grave illness, she became increasingly aware that the impending end of the Han Dynasty was becoming clearer with the aging and sickness of these loyal Han ministers.

In fact, it was already the second year of Zhongping, and Liu Hong’s own death was less than four years away.

To be precise, three years and nine months.

The future Qiao Yan envisioned could not be mentioned to Cui Lie before her. She simply said to him, “By the way, Your Excellency need not address me as ‘Marquis.’ Since His Majesty has decreed that I reflect on my mistakes and heed Your Excellency’s teachings, although we are not formally master and disciple, we can be considered as such. You may address me as Yeshu.”

Cui Lie showed no surprise at this.

Earlier, Liu Hong had mentioned Qiao Yan’s courtesy name during the court meeting. To Cui Lie, it was a fitting name for her. Just by observing her demeanor when receiving the envoy from Luoyang, one could already glimpse her character traits.

However, the thought that she was a fire that could ignite in his territory at any moment made him somewhat troubled.

Fortunately, as Liu Hong had said, Qiao Yan was to be confined to Leping for two years to temper her overly aggressive nature, so their interactions should remain relatively peaceful.

Thinking this, Cui Lie felt that rather than worrying about himself, he should worry more about Zhang Yi.

The former governor received another blow from Qiao Yan just as he was about to leave Bingzhou.

Although Qiao Yan wanted to say she wasn’t deliberately targeting Zhang Yi, well… what’s done is done, and it’s better to let him know.

“Please do not take offense, Governor Zhang. In the official document to encourage the people of Bingzhou to kill locusts, I wrote that if there truly is a Locust God, the responsibility lies with the governor alone, not the people.”

Zhang Yi, who was about to mount his horse, froze on the spot.

Then he heard Qiao Yan say, “I suppose the notion of a Locust God is just nonsense. If there were truly a deity watching over us, how could we have exterminated them so thoroughly? Governor Zhang, you need not worry.”

“Marquis Qiao’s words are truly…” Zhang Yi struggled to maintain his composure, “truly piercing to the heart.”

Hearing her words, it was hard to tell whether they were more or less heart-piercing than Cui Lie’s remark yesterday that he was the governor.

But this made Zhang Yi wonder if there really was such a thing as retribution from the Locust God.

If all the consequences of the locust extermination in Bingzhou were to fall on him alone, it would explain why he was transferred from the position of governor to prefect.

However, the common people gathered outside the prefectural office due to the arrival of the Luoyang envoy would not feel grateful for this association. Instead, they would see Qiao Yan, who had taken on the governor’s duties in a desperate move, as their savior.

But the Emperor’s decree had been issued, and the outcome was decided. As a disciple of the Yuan clan, he had underestimated her swift actions upon discovering his stance, resulting in his exile to Guangling. There was really nothing more to say.

Fortunately, they would be in the south and north respectively, so there should be no chance of meeting again.

Thinking this, Zhang Yi finally found some comfort.

At just eleven years old, she already had such methods. Who knows what she would become in a few years? This would be a headache for the court officials in the future.

From Liu Hong’s decision to protect Qiao Yan and abandon him, after a night of tossing and turning, Zhang Yi sensed something unusual.

It was clear that Qiao Yan’s execution and administrative abilities in Bingzhou were enough to overcome the limitations of her gender and age. She might very well become a powerful official at a specific moment, not just a marquis with a fief of ten thousand households.

But today she could point a short bow and arrow at a governor; tomorrow she might very well point a sword at the Three Excellencies!

Encountering such a dangerous character, the Emperor not only did not suppress her thoroughly but decided to use her. This would surely lead to trouble sooner or later!

With these thoughts, Zhang Yi finally felt somewhat relieved after leaving the Taihang Mountains and no longer hearing the discussions about the locust plague in Bingzhou.

However, just as he thought this, he saw a few familiar figures escorting a child on horseback, passing his group and speeding ahead.

Zhang Yi’s eyelids twitched.

He could never forget that day and swore that among them must be those who had followed Qiao Yan into the prefectural office!

But the group was too fast, disappearing in an instant, leaving him no chance to confront them.

Zhang Yi thought about the people of Leping he vaguely remembered, and the child who matched the description was probably—Yang Xiu, the grandson of Lord Yang?

He wondered what had happened to make him act so hastily.

If it was indeed bad news for Leping, he might find some comfort before leaving Bingzhou.

Unfortunately, his wish was unlikely to come true.

Yang Xiu’s decision to stay in Leping did not mean that the Hongnong Yang family stood behind Qiao Yan, supporting her actions as a powerful noble family.

At most, Qiao Yan had some expectations for Yang Xiu, who relied on his brains.

Now that he had to leave temporarily due to his grandfather’s serious illness, although regrettable, the loss to Leping was not significant.

In fact, the loss might only be temporary.

Before leaving Leping, Yang Xiu left a letter to be delivered to Qiao Yan.

In the letter, he mentioned that although he did not want to think the worst, things often did not go as one wished. If his grandfather was beyond recovery, he would have to return to Hongnong as the eldest grandson to fulfill his filial duties and mourn for three years, making it difficult to return.

Having been in Leping for a year, he realized how laughable his provocations in Luoyang the previous year were. The gap between him and Qiao Yan was not just a matter of knowledge and perspective.

Therefore, after completing the literacy songs with Cai Yong, and with no other immediate tasks to help with, it would be better to focus on studying for a few years.

He was no longer as impetuous and sharp as he had been in Luoyang and could now study in seclusion, learning how to handle administrative affairs, and return once he had mastered them.

He only hoped that by then, Leping, with its abundance of talent, would still have a place for him.

After much thought, Yang Xiu felt he really needed to worry about this.

Although it seemed that most of Qiao Yan’s followers were military officers, such as Zhao Yun, Chu Yan, and Zhang Yang, with Xi Zhicai and Cheng Li each capable of holding up half the sky, with only one county to govern, there was really no need for more people to share power, as it might lead to chaos due to differing opinions.

But these thoughts were still somewhat distant.

Thinking more immediately, it was about his grandfather’s illness.

Yang Xiu did not realize that he had just ridden past a former governor who had been wronged by Qiao Yan. He only thought—

In his over a year in Leping, he had brewed wine, farmed, seen bandits rise up for survival, witnessed bountiful harvests and the people’s joy, and even learned to ride a horse.

He had mentioned all this in his letters to his grandfather, but seeing his grandson’s progress in person would surely bring him more comfort.

For an old man nearing the end of his life, this was a great solace.

Thinking this, he set aside his reluctance to leave Leping temporarily and turned his thoughts to returning to Luoyang, becoming a trail of dust on the Zhi Pass.

With these highly skilled guards by his side, his safety on the return journey to Luoyang was assured.

Qiao Yan thought this and naturally did not worry much about the travel plans of her future subordinate, turning her thoughts back to the present.

She was now half a criminal.

Although Cui Lie had not said that the confinement should be enforced immediately, she had already done what needed to be done in her aggressive manner, achieving Liu Hong’s goal of seeing her as a loyal and righteous minister. The most appropriate course of action now was to take a step back.

Therefore, with Zhang Yi having left Bingzhou and her having some understanding of Cui Lie’s style, it was time to return to Leping and strictly enforce the confinement order.

As she entered the courtyard, intending to bid farewell to Cui Lie, she suddenly noticed a bamboo kite hanging on the prefectural office’s wall.

Seeing some patterns on the kite, she had Dian Wei climb the wall to retrieve it.

She had only thought that it was rare to see someone flying a kite near the prefectural office. If she could find some clues from the markings, she might be able to return it to its owner.

But when the kite was in her hands and she saw what was written on it, she fell silent.

On the bamboo frame, covered with Cai Hou paper, someone had carefully written the word “thank you.”

Apart from a few neatly written characters, the rest looked more like imitations of someone else’s handwriting.

Missing strokes, loose structures, and obviously incorrect stroke orders were all present.

But just like the continuous cries of “The Marquis has returned!” that Qiao Yan had heard that day, this simple expression of gratitude made her feel that the phrase “I say autumn surpasses spring” was quite fitting at this moment.

Just as she felt her eyes moisten and wanted to meet the people of Jinyang who had thought of this way to express their thanks, Cui Lie’s words about “wanting to visit Leping” interrupted her emotions.

“Your Excellency, why bother going to Leping yourself?” Qiao Yan asked after handing the kite to Dian Wei. “Since His Majesty has ordered my confinement, and Bingzhou is no longer plagued by locusts, I naturally won’t do anything like running away. There’s no need…”

No need for the governor to personally “escort” her.

After all, Cui Lie had just arrived and needed to understand the situation of the officials in Bingzhou. It seemed he would be too busy to spare the time.

But perhaps because he had already shown some leniency in his demeanor, after telling Qiao Yan about Yang Ci’s illness yesterday, he had discussed the governance of Bingzhou with her based on the documents piled up in the study.

This upfront revealing of his hand made Qiao Yan understand why he hadn’t lasted long in the position of the Three Excellencies.

But she could clearly benefit from it and had no need to correct his behavior.

For example, Zhang Liao, who had become a Military Officer due to his role in suppressing the bandits in Yunzhong Mountain when the previous governor arrived in Bingzhou, would be somewhat affected by Zhang Yi’s dismissal.

But since Cui Lie had no intention of placing his own man in that position, and with Qiao Yan’s seemingly casual suggestion, Zhang Liao could continue to participate in small-scale battles in Yanmen to hone his skills.

Another example was the Protector-General of the Southern Xiongnu in Xihe Commandery, whose policy of trading alcohol for livestock from the Southern Xiongnu could continue unimpeded under Cui Lie’s hands-off approach.

And yet another example…

In any case, this kind of superior who practiced “non-interference, let each of you do your best” seemed to be able to take more vacations, so wanting to visit Leping was understandable.

However, Cui Lie felt he had a more reasonable reason—

He wanted to visit Cai Yong.

But when he arrived in Leping, his gaze first fell on the Dragon Bone Waterwheel in the mountains.

The waterwheel, not in operation at the moment, lay across the dark mountain slopes, looking less like a savior for irrigation and more like an ugly scar running up the mountain.

In this state, it was hard to understand how this thing could save labor and even prevent locust plagues.

Cui Lie then shifted his gaze to the crisscrossing fields in the mountains.

Before the new governor arrived in Bingzhou, the people of Leping had already harvested all the yams planted in the fields, resulting in the ground being pockmarked with holes.

Without knowing what had been planted there before, the mountain fields looked like they had just been raked haphazardly.

And in these fields, soybeans were interplanted, now being harvested one by one.

Looking around, he saw laborers in ill-fitting clothes picking the remaining soybeans from the chaotic fields.

Cui Lie had no way of knowing that the ill-fitting clothes were because the women of the Black Mountain Army had been entrusted with important tasks by Qiao Yan, leaving no time to mend clothes for the men, who had to make do with what they had.

At this moment, he let out a sigh that Qiao Yan found genuinely heartfelt:

“Your Leping has indeed had its share of hardships…”