Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne? Volume 3: Galloping Through Bingzhou, Troops March to Hedong Chapter 77: The Method of Release

“Zilong, heed my command!” These four resounding words were enough to make it clear that Qiao Yan had decisively chosen the latter option.

Should the White Wave Bandits be completely eradicated or recruited for her own use?

In peacetime, or if she were not in Bingzhou, choosing the former might have been acceptable.

After all, the bandits rising from White Wave Valley had some differences in their methods compared to the Black Mountain Bandits in the Taihang Mountains.

Whether it was their alliance with the Xiongnu to invade Bingzhou and Hedong, or their fickle behavior amidst the warlord disputes between Li Jue and Guo Si, they exhibited a shortsighted and bandit-like approach.

Killing them would be no loss!

But the current situation was different. Qiao Yan not only lacked military achievements to firmly establish herself in Bingzhou and gain real power in the court, but she also needed the indispensable labor force in these chaotic times.

Therefore, it was better to try recruiting the White Wave Bandits, just as she had done with the Black Mountain Bandits.

Even if some had to be killed, not all should perish.

Moreover, although historical memory couldn’t be entirely relied upon, it was undeniable that Chu Yan’s repeated battles with the White Wave Bandits had given Qiao Yan enough insight to judge that Xu Huang, who still served under Yang Feng, was indeed a potential talent.

As she prepared to step beyond Leping after two years of laying low, recruiting such talent was undoubtedly necessary.

So, they must fight! But they must fight well!

Upon hearing Qiao Yan’s command, Zhao Yun immediately stood up and stepped forward.

Qiao Yan continued, “You will lead the main force, with Yuan Zhi as your deputy. Take a thousand men to attack Han Xian and his followers. Ensure Han Xian escapes, but kill or capture more than half of the White Wave Bandits. Can you do this?”

Her words were equally decisive.

Although Cheng Li did not offer advice like Xi Zhicai, his gaze remained fixed on Qiao Yan’s face.

As the one responsible for Leping’s affairs, he understood better than anyone Qiao Yan’s need for manpower. Thus, her choice was not surprising.

Yet, this known decision, delivered with such firmness and electric determination, still had the power to stir one’s blood.

Even someone as seasoned and calculating as Cheng Li, over forty years old, could not remain unaffected, let alone Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun immediately responded, “Zhao Yun accepts the command!”

As for why Han Xian had to be let go—

Seeing Qiao Yan place a five-zhu coin atop another, he could guess the reason.

The subsequent arrangements confirmed his judgment.

Qiao Yan said, “Zhi Shu, heed my command!”

Zhang Yang immediately jumped up.

Realizing this reaction was inappropriate, he quickly stood at attention.

He had thought that yesterday’s embarrassing incident with Zhang Niujiao would make Qiao Yan temporarily exclude him from any assignments, but it seemed Marquis Qiao was not one to hold grudges.

“Take five hundred men and join Chu Yan to launch a surprise attack on Hu Cai. Ensure Hu Cai is killed, but let more than half of his followers escape. Can you do this?”

Zhang Yang was about to say “I accept the command,” but then he realized—

This order seemed different from the ones given to Zhao Yun and Xu Fu.

Zhao Yun’s task was to let Han Xian escape, but his task was to kill Hu Cai. This difference puzzled him slightly.

He couldn’t help but ask, “Why kill Hu Cai instead of letting him escape?”

Qiao Yan replied, “The purpose of this surprise attack is not to eliminate the White Wave Bandits, but to gather them in one place.”

Zhang Yang was even more confused. If that was the case, shouldn’t Hu Cai be allowed to seek protection from their leader, Yang Feng?

But then he heard Qiao Yan ask, “If all three surprise attacks let the White Wave Bandit leaders escape, do you think it’s our failure or a deliberate trap?”

That made sense!

Zhang Yang suddenly understood, but he looked around and asked, “So, the third group will let Li Le escape?”

This was perfect. His task was the only one that required successfully killing the enemy leader. Apart from being careful not to overdo it, he didn’t have to worry about any mistakes.

For someone straightforward like him, this was the most suitable task. Except for having to work with the scheming Chu Yan, everything else suited him perfectly.

He couldn’t help but think again that his decision to follow Qiao Yan was indeed the right choice.

Although his status couldn’t compare to Zhang Liao, the Military Officer, he had been involved in border battles while also enjoying the superior conditions of Leping.

Moreover, now he had a command assignment!

Just as he thought this, he heard Qiao Yan reply, “Correct. The third group will be led by me, and we will let Li Le escape.”

Seeing Cheng Li furrow his brows with a hint of concern, as if to remind her of safety issues, especially not to stir up new interests due to the recent rumors, Qiao Yan quickly added, “Dian Wei will accompany me.”

Thus, apart from Zhang Niujiao, who was still being punished by copying texts, all those who could be useful in this battle had been mobilized.

No, to be precise, there was one more.

As Qiao Yan organized the 2,500 troops from the Black Mountain Army and the county guards for the expedition and mounted her horse to depart, a figure suddenly rushed in front of her horse.

Qiao Yan immediately reined in her horse and noticed that the person blocking her way was none other than Fu Gan.

“Why are you here, Yan Cai?”

Although she knew that at the horse’s starting speed, there would be no issue, she was still momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance.

The young man looked up at her with a tense face, his eyes revealing a hint of pleading. “My Lord, may I join you in this battle? I am strong enough to fight and will not cause you any trouble.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but cast an envious glance at the troops following Qiao Yan.

He knew that according to Qiao Yan’s arrangements, studying at Leping Academy, continuing to read military strategies, and following her training regimen to improve his physical strength, then joining the ranks at fifteen, was the better choice.

This was also why his father had not allowed him to participate in battles earlier.

But he also knew that before facing the Liangzhou rebels, every battle was precious. Missing this battle due to his age would surely make him regret it later.

Rather than that, he would risk offending Qiao Yan to beg for this opportunity.

The young girl on the horse had a long bow on her back and a long spear by her side, its two ends reflecting sharp light.

Her equally sharp gaze, now looking down from above, carried more authority than usual.

Fu Gan tried hard to meet her gaze, showing his determination to join.

Qiao Yan looked at him for a long time before saying, “You may come along.”

Fu Gan just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Qiao Yan ask, “But what if I need you to lose a battle for me?”

Lose a battle?

Fu Gan had not participated in Qiao Yan’s earlier discussions with her subordinates and couldn’t guess her intentions regarding the White Wave Bandits.

But having grown up in a military family, he knew that some defeats were necessary, and there were lessons even in defeat.

Moreover, military orders were absolute, and Qiao Yan was the leader of this force.

He immediately replied, “Losing is fine. Fu Gan is willing to be your vanguard.”

Qiao Yan pointed behind her, signaling him to join the ranks.

Being a vanguard wasn’t necessary, but being a scapegoat in the eyes of the White Wave Bandits was a good role.

As she had told Zhang Yang, even if her goal was to gather the White Wave Bandits, she couldn’t let any of Leping’s forces face the situation of failing to suppress the bandits and letting all three leaders escape.

That would be a flaw, not a strategy.

Thus, the three groups had to differ and each have their own reasons.

For Zhang Yang and Chu Yan’s group—

Chu Yan had fought Hu Cai several times before, and both sides knew each other’s strength.

If Chu Yan, with external support, couldn’t achieve substantial results in a direct attack, it would surely raise suspicions.

Thus, Hu Cai had to die!

Once Hu Cai was dead, his followers would become a leaderless group, a resource to be contested.

With multiple leaders gathered in one place, the competition for these soldiers would inevitably cause conflicts.

Thus, Hu Cai’s death would not aid the enemy but would instead catalyze internal divisions among the White Wave Bandits.

As for Qiao Yan and Dian Wei’s group, they had to let Li Le escape.

Finding a reason for this was not difficult.

Marquis Leping personally leading the troops, being young and inexperienced, accidentally letting someone escape during the encirclement was entirely plausible.

Now, with Fu Gan added, it made even more sense.

The main commander was young, the deputy was also young, and neither had much actual combat experience. They only had the advantage of a surprise attack, forcing Li Le to flee in disarray, losing troops. It all made perfect sense.

What about Zhao Yun’s group?

He also needed to let the White Wave Bandits escape.

Qiao Yan kept him back, sending Zhang Yang ahead to join Chu Yan, while she sought out Wang Yang after consulting Cui Lie.

Previously, to lure Mi Zhu, she had used nitrate-infused honeycomb briquettes as a special bargaining chip to attract Wang Yang, exchanging it for his help in finding some people.

Given Wang Yang’s eagerness for the briquettes and the efficiency of the Wang family in Jinyang, achieving the goal within a few days was not impossible.

Even before Qiao Yan could speak, he had already brought the person to her.

She subconsciously twirled the jade ring in her hand, looking at the man before her.

This guy had a particularly convincing, shifty-eyed face, making Qiao Yan admire Wang Yang’s talent for finding people.

She asked, “Do you know anyone in Han Xian’s group?”

“Indeed,” the man replied. “A few of my fellow villagers joined Han Xian. Before they left, they asked if I wanted to join them in seeking fortune.”

“But I thought, although our lives are tough now, there’s still some hope. Even the locust plagues that used to cause heavy losses every year have been resolved under the command of the prefecture—no, under your command. Why should I lose my status as a good citizen and become a bandit?”

“Last year, I even got a stable job at the Wang family’s shop. Sooner or later, I’ll save up enough to buy a couple more acres of farmland.”

As he spoke, the frank and eager look in his eyes made it easy to overlook his unsavory appearance.

But his lack of desire to become a bandit didn’t mean he would do the more dangerous task Qiao Yan needed.

Qiao Yan then asked, “If I need you to inform your fellow villagers that you’ve seen the prefecture’s troops marching towards their location, would you dare to do it?”

“Inform them? Why inform them?” the man asked, confused.

He had never heard of someone wanting to let the enemy know their movements before a battle.

But considering the payment Wang Yang had mentioned when bringing him here, it was indeed a sum he couldn’t earn in ten years of work.

For the sake of money, he had no reason to refuse the employer’s request.

Moreover, merely informing them, without needing to assist in the battle or instigate a rebellion, wasn’t that dangerous. He could always leave after delivering the message.

This made the deal even more feasible.

Thus, before Qiao Yan could say anything like “just do it without asking why,” he quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’m quite brave. Informing them won’t be a problem.”

With a traitor informing them, it was only natural that Zhao Yun’s group would let the bandits escape.

But Qiao Yan still had to ask Zhao Yun and Xu Fu if they could complete their original mission despite the enemy knowing they were coming.

But this question might be unnecessary.

Both were young and finally had a formal opportunity to prove themselves. They wouldn’t see Qiao Yan’s test as a hardship.

Especially Xu Fu, who quickly grasped Qiao Yan’s intent.

If everything went as Qiao Yan planned—

[The youngest two leaders let the enemy escape due to inexperience.

The slightly older two let the enemy escape due to accidentally revealing their movements and having someone inform the enemy.

The most experienced two successfully killed the enemy leader.]

These three groups, with different reasons, would converge towards the only unscathed Yang Feng, leaving no room for suspicion.

Once the three groups gathered, with the nominal leader Guo Tai above and the competition for territory, resources, and fleeing bandits below—

If Qiao Yan slowed the advance slightly, it would create an environment for these people to fight like gladiators in a pit!

But the prerequisite for achieving this was—

He and Zhao Yun must not fall into enemy hands during this operation.

As for how to ensure this operation succeeded, they had to thank Qiao Yan’s earlier smokescreen.

Previously, she had sent Chu Yan and Zhao Yun to guard the Zijing Pass, the border of Bingzhou, targeting only the White Wave Bandits who crossed into the merchant routes.

They had shown that, due to insufficient manpower, they could only defend and not actively attack the enemy’s base.

But the Black Mountain Bandits in the Taihang Mountains, apart from being occupied with planting yams in their first year under Qiao Yan, had since engaged in mountain training.








It’s not difficult to send people to search for the locations of the various camps in the mountains while fighting against the White Wave Bandits.

And now, with enough manpower and the perfect timing, it’s the right moment!

“Marquis, rest assured, we will definitely defeat the bandits!” Xu Fu and Zhao Yun said in unison.

With this promise, Qiao Yan felt at ease letting the two lead the team away, along with the messenger.

The thousand soldiers they led, not wearing armor, still looked like a ragtag group from behind. However, due to the coordination of the Leping troops, who often marched in formation, they were much more organized than grassroots forces.

The ample food supply in Leping had also transformed the once malnourished Black Mountain refugees into robust individuals, evident even from their silhouettes.

In the chaos of this era, such advantages are particularly crucial.

Moreover, this team had two exceptionally capable leaders.

Thinking of this, she turned her gaze back to the present.

The guide from Chu Yan’s team had arrived, and this guy had quite a bit of Chu Yan’s cunning.

After they set off, he carefully and flexibly guided Qiao Yan towards Li Le’s camp, explaining, “Li Le is more cautious than the others. He likes to change his camp location immediately after plundering goods, sometimes even digging caves to live in.”

“Of course, in our area, caves are quite comfortable, especially since the winters are much colder than in previous years.”

Realizing he had digressed, he quickly changed the topic, “Anyway, let’s talk about Li Le. Fortunately, his habit of hiding is also reflected in his subordinates. The teams he sends out to plunder are as elusive as mountain hares. If they succeed, we just need to find them again.”

“Thanks to the leaf-made clothes from Marquis Qiao, ha, once I lay right at their feet without being noticed. But Chu Yan doesn’t like this stuff, always looking displeased. I heard Marquis Qiao once used it to trick him?”

Qiao Yan smiled, “Not entirely.”

This thing is only useful for reconnaissance and can’t determine the outcome of a battle.

At best, it’s environmental camouflage. With the current production capabilities, we can’t develop camouflage uniforms yet.

But for bandits like the White Wave Bandits, it’s a real weapon.

They haven’t evolved from mountain warfare to city defense, so they are completely targeted by this special reconnaissance method due to their constant movement in the mountains.

The guide was talkative and didn’t hinder the journey. Due to his thorough exploration of the area, he avoided Li Le’s surveillance and led Qiao Yan and her team to the destination.

He pointed to the mountain col ahead, “Marquis, look, it’s right there.”

Even in autumn, some evergreen trees in the Taihang Mountains still retain their leaves, like this fir forest.

In this local depression, the fir forest concealed the White Wave Bandits’ camp below, showing no signs of their presence.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but admire the guy’s skill in choosing a campsite.

If not for the guide’s direction, they might only have discovered the bandits’ location when they came out to plunder.

“They haven’t moved for a while,” the guide said, “which shows he’s really satisfied with this place. To avoid alerting them, I didn’t dare to go down, just checked the surrounding paths—three in total.”

He pointed out the three paths to Qiao Yan.

“If you want to let them escape, just block two.”

This is similar to the tactic of leaving one side open when besieging a city, applied differently here.

But after observing the forest for a long time, Qiao Yan had Dian Wei bring up the rear troops and asked Fu Gan, “What do you think?”

Fu Gan replied, “Why not block all three paths?”

Qiao Yan smiled, “Exactly, that’s what we should do.”

Seeing the guide still puzzled, and since it wasn’t the right time to attack, Qiao Yan didn’t hesitate to explain, “If, as you said, Li Le always changes locations after a plunder, even if this place seems hidden, he wouldn’t make an exception now. So, besides the obvious escape routes, there must be others.”

“Moreover, only those inexperienced in combat would suggest blocking all escape routes.”

If all ordinary escape routes are cut off, those trapped will fight desperately. Given the small gap between the Black Mountain Army and the White Wave Bandits, this would be unwise.

But since she plans to let Li Le escape, leaving him with a wrong impression is fine.

However, this means Fu Gan doesn’t need to lose a battle intentionally.

This operation alone is enough.

Her gaze fell on the treetops gradually swallowed by the night, as if looking through the fir forest at the people below, whispering:

“We’ll act before sunrise.”

As Qiao Yan saw, this White Wave Bandit leader was indeed very concerned about his safety.

The path the guide took them on happened to avoid the sentries.

But since Li Le chose a low, concealed spot, he must have patrols on higher ground.

Qiao Yan led the team up the mountain at dusk, but in her view, night might not be the best time to act.

As she cautiously observed the surroundings, she occasionally heard faint footsteps in the darkness, the sound of patrols stepping on fallen leaves in the distance.

By dawn, these sounds gradually subsided.

Determined to capture the White Wave Bandits, Qiao Yan felt no drowsiness.

At least in Fu Gan’s eyes, this County Marquis, to achieve the best deception, not only led from the front but also appeared sharp-eyed, not at all like someone who had stayed up all night.

To avoid detection on the way, Qiao Yan left her prized horse Zhu Tan at the foot of the mountain. Since it wasn’t a mounted battle, she also left her long bow behind, carrying only half a long spear and a short bow for emergencies.

But this weapon reduction didn’t make her seem weak in battle.

When she raised her hand to signal the attack, she was like an unsheathed blade!

Fu Gan immediately dashed towards where a sound had disappeared.

Just before dawn is when night guards are most drowsy and relaxed.

Li Le’s chosen hideout was already concealed, with guards rotating shifts, and having just passed a safe night—

Under such circumstances, who would expect an attack now?

The patrols, who should have raised the alarm, were silenced by Fu Gan before they could warn anyone.

The rest of the soldiers rushed towards the next sentry post.

Fu Gan had thought only border guards could display such fierce combat prowess, but fighting alongside Leping’s soldiers, he suddenly realized their mobility was no less than that of Liangzhou warriors.

After a night of waiting, they seemed to burst with suppressed energy.

But perhaps it wasn’t just the long wait.

When Fu Gan reached one of the entrance paths, waiting for the troops to gather, he looked back and saw a faint light illuminating Marquis Qiao’s figure, making him realize an unspoken fact.

She was watching these soldiers.

After maintaining Leping’s stability, her silent gaze seemed to carry a sense of divine favor, inspiring loyalty unto death.

No, not silent.

She watched Fu Gan and the others’ actions and drew her bowstring.

The crescent moon still hung in the sky, but the bent short bow seemed like another moon.

Or perhaps, a rising sun.

Fu Gan could only be sure that when Qiao Yan released this empty shot, the sound of the bowstring resonated in everyone’s ears.

And the next moment, the battle cries that had been building all night echoed through the valley.

He had no doubt that this momentum could completely overwhelm the White Wave Bandits, even if they fought desperately.

If not for the fact that the White Wave Bandits outnumbered them by more than double, their leader Li Le wouldn’t have had the chance to be awakened.

Deep in sleep, he was suddenly pulled up, hearing the battle cries.

“Commander, the enemy is attacking!” The subordinate who pulled him up quickly handed him a weapon.

Hearing this, Li Le woke up instantly.

He was grateful for his usual vigilance, having slept in his clothes, and his subordinates weren’t fools.

Even though he didn’t know who was attacking, at least he wasn’t completely doomed yet.

He gripped his long knife and asked, “What’s the situation?”

“All three escape routes are blocked. The attackers are dressed like Chu Yan’s men, but the leader isn’t him,” the subordinate quickly replied.

He was inwardly lamenting.

Chu Yan, having been dealt with by Marquis Leping, had to go and “turn over a new leaf,” fully demonstrating in his dealings with the White Wave Bandits what it means to be—

The most fearsome enemy is the one who knows you best.

If the four leaders had united to deal with Chu Yan first, they wouldn’t be in this mess today.

But he couldn’t say that now.

Thankfully, he followed someone as cautious as Li Le, so he didn’t have to worry about all escape routes being blocked.

Because, as Qiao Yan guessed, Li Le’s recent inactivity wasn’t due to laziness but because he had dug another escape route.

A sense of foreboding flashed through Li Le’s mind, but he forced himself to reply, “Let’s go out and see!”

Exiting the tent, he saw the Black Mountain Army emerging from three sides in the fir forest, illuminated by the morning light, in a dominant position.

Even though the leader was just a kid!

Fu Gan, wielding a knife, charged at the forefront, allowing Li Le to see him clearly.

The frustration of being oppressed by a thirteen-year-old kid surged in his heart.

If he hadn’t seen his subordinates still had the upper hand in strength, suppressing the kid, he would have grabbed his knife and charged himself.

But then he saw the continuous influx of troops from another direction, with a fierce momentum, balancing the disadvantage.

He immediately realized that no matter how flawed the leadership or the encirclement, the fact remained—

The advantage was with them!

Knowing about the dug escape route, the suddenly awakened White Wave Bandits thought not of fighting to the death but of retreating through that route.

Li Le’s temple throbbed.

Given the current standoff, they still had more numbers. After weathering the initial attack, they could have turned the tide.

By inflicting enough pain, they could reverse the declining momentum.

But look at what these people were doing! They were handing victory to that kid.

But just as he thought this, a sense of inexplicable danger struck him.

He instinctively turned his head, seeing an arrow whiz past his cheek.

Looking towards the arrow’s source, he saw a young girl with a short bow, aiming at him again.

The killing intent in her expression was striking in the growing light.

Moreover, the towering figure behind her was clearly no ordinary man.

In a flash, Li Le’s mind raced faster than ever.

Marquis Leping!

It’s Marquis Leping!

At the thought of this name, he didn’t have time to ponder why she was here, immediately abandoning the chance to counterattack and running towards the escape route.

With Marquis Leping personally here, she must have brought more people!

In the face of such imminent danger, the only option was to flee!

Fortunately—

Fortunately, she had blocked all escape routes but was still too young and naive to think he had prepared another escape route behind him.

This underground tunnel, dug through to the other side of the mountain, could accommodate three or four people side by side, perfect for escaping now!

Even though forced into this fleeing situation, Li Le couldn’t help but find some bitter amusement in thinking that Marquis Leping’s schemes were still lacking, not realizing that a cunning rabbit has more than one burrow.

With this mix of self-comfort and pride, he fled, and by dawn, the battle cries behind him had faded.

But when he looked back, he found only half of his men had escaped with him.

He felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

But being a bandit, he quickly rallied his spirits.

He wasn’t completely defeated yet!

With over a thousand men who had escaped with him, he could recover his strength by regrouping with the others!

But little did he know, not far from him, Qiao Yan, watching the forest where his figure had disappeared, slowly smiled.

“Take those we’ve captured, let’s go back and get some good sleep, and then—”

“Wait and see!”