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“Can a strategist not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 83 – The Clash of the Clam and the Heron
With murderously fierce foes surrounding them!
Qiao Yan kept calculating in her mind, becoming more convinced that this approach was indeed viable.
Regardless of whether she intended to suppress the Qiang and Hu tribes with this method, one fact remained unchanged.
From the moment she was appointed the Marquis of Leping, sitting north of the Taihang Mountains, her fate was already entwined with that of Bingzhou.
Even without Guo Jia suggesting the need for stricter rules for the captives, she had to confront the dangers posed by the Hu invaders from outside Bingzhou.
Compared to the four battles of the Central Plains, the geography of Shangdang, which was positioned like a choke point, and Taiyuan, located at a perilous pass, provided certain advantages.
This advantage required preparation against northern invasions, which was quite a fair exchange at best.
So, what if she could turn this single disadvantage into a cycle, establishing a stable environment for training captives and soldiers?
This was precisely the excellent supplement offered by her established rules regarding captives being used as a bargaining chip.
Regardless of how to repress the Southern and Northern Xiongnu, especially the newly ascendant Xiu Tu Ge, figuring out how to increase troop confidence during attacks on the Hu and gradually stabilizing their victory rates certainly required a continuous refinement, just like the rules she set.
But one could not deny that every framework starts off rough around the edges.
Qiao Yan’s historical knowledge wasn’t enough to cover all bases in the face of problems.
Thankfully, with more than a year until Year Six of Zhongping, the White Wave bandits in these mountains provided a perfect opportunity to test whether her ideas could materialize.
From Guo Jia’s perspective, the hint of doubt previously present in Qiao Yan’s eyes had now faded, replaced by an unwavering resolve sharp as a blade.
“Feng Xiao.”
When she suddenly called his name, Guo Jia was startled for a moment before realizing this was her way of indicating she had come to a decision.
“May I ask you a question?” Even without rising, Qiao Yan’s focused gaze, infused with sincerity alongside that determination, was enough to convince Guo Jia of her seriousness.
Guo Jia had anticipated her query.
Since he was here, it wasn’t just for some light chatter.
What he had witnessed in Leping, while not encompassing secrets meant for outsiders, was enough to gather some insights.
This Marquis of Leping had long-term vision, acted decisively, held her line without indiscriminately showing kindness, and had earned the support of everyone in Leping, making her truly suitable to be at the heart of a power dynamic.
While he didn’t know how future events would unfold, it was certainly worth a youthful gamble to join forces with this Marquis and see how far she could go at this critical junction.
He replied, “You may speak freely, Marquis.”
Qiao Yan then asked, “If I were to assign you the task of confronting the Xiu Tu Ge, intimidating the Southern Xiongnu, and dividing the power of the Xianbei tribes, would you be willing to take it on?”
Hearing her voice this without hesitation indeed stirred a flicker of emotion in Guo Jia’s heart.
This wasn’t merely a job offer.
Confront, intimidate, divide!
These were the basic strategies she had determined from her earlier considerations.
This also implied that the person taking on this responsibility must possess the ability to adapt during battles and skillfully deceive and balance forces.
Of course, Qiao Yan had outlined the direction, and anyone she deemed capable of handling this burden was already a significant compliment and expectation.
Could he shoulder such responsibility?
Absolutely! Why not!
With a little wild enthusiasm already lurking in Guo Jia’s heart, the weight of authority only fueled his determination to succeed.
He stood up, clasped his hands in respect to Qiao Yan, and said, “If entrusted with this, I will not disappoint the Marquis’ expectations.”
That was his promise.
However, despite the seriousness of this recruitment moment, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but chuckle as she helped him to his feet, saying, “Feng Xiao, is this delegation a bit premature?”
At the moment, not only hadn’t Qiao Yan gained the authority to assign such power to anyone, but the confrontation with the Xiu Tu Ge was still just a distant plan; even the White Wave bandits weren’t captured yet, making her words feel somewhat hasty.
Yet, as Guo Jia stood up to meet her gaze, there was nothing jesting about their shared smiles.
“First, let’s deal with the White Wave bandits; once that’s sorted, the Marquis will get what she wants smoothly.”
After stating this, Guo Jia casually chuckled, “Speaking of which, should I ask the Marquis to draft an appointment letter in advance, just in case someone else tries to knock on the door, and I end up looking worthless?”
Qiao Yan flexed her wrists and replied, “Oh, really?”
His suggestion obviously aimed at covering bases, and while Qiao Yan maintained a professional demeanor about it, she thought it was necessary to send him off to join Xi Zhicai for some health potion instead.
“…” Guo Jia decided to keep quiet.
Instead of getting into unnecessary chatter, he might as well think about what further tactics could provoke infighting among the White Wave bandits.
In light of the recent Hu incursions in Guyang, capturing the White Wave bandits was a matter of urgency.
But perhaps neither Qiao Yan nor Guo Jia, along with Zhao Yun who had just slayed Yang Da, expected that some individuals wouldn’t need to play any schemes to create division; they were already backbiting and undermining each other from within.
As those individuals returned to the mountains, the contrast was painfully apparent.
Both teams left their camp “fully armed” to raid the noble fortresses, yet Xu Huang’s enemies, in theory, seemed to be tougher to handle compared to those faced by the other crew.
And he had even fewer troops to work with.
Yet the outcome was—
Xu Huang returned triumphantly, laden with supplies, while Li Le and Han Xian came back in utter disarray, with even Yang Da falling in this fight.
Yang Feng’s initially excited feelings upon seeing the grain carts rolling back up the mountain vanished the moment he heard the report of his younger brother turning up as a corpse.
He fixed a composed gaze on the survivors before him and questioned, “Can someone give me an explanation?”
Why did a force of two thousand end up with such outrageous results after raiding a fort in Hedong?
As a leader among the four heads of the White Wave, he wasn’t a fool; he quickly noticed that as he posed this question, many eyes subtly darted in Xu Huang’s direction, some filled with blame.
He kept his expression steady, casually pointing to a subordinate, signaling him to recount the events that transpired along the way.
That subordinate spoke plainly without embellishments, honestly recounting the situation.
Yet perhaps due to the misleading words of Li Le and Han Xian, as well as a desire to offload the blame for Yang Da’s demise, he added a few comments hinting at the disbelief over the appearance of Qiao Yan’s forces in that place.
But who needed to hear about this surprising turn of events from him?
When Yang Feng learned that Qiao Yan had sent a thousand troops to encircle them, his eyelids couldn’t help but twitch.
Zhang Yang had been dispatched by Qiao Yan primarily to the borders, while Zhao Yun had actually faced them in real combat.
Even if he didn’t know the full extent of Zhao Yun’s capabilities, he had a rough idea.
Considering their disadvantaged position and the ambush from behind, Yang Da’s death wasn’t shocking at all.
In summary, there was no way to pin fault on the protecting troops.
But knowing rationally that it was one thing, emotionally accepting the death of his blood-related brother was another.
It was precisely because of this emotional turmoil that when Li Le hinted that someone among them might be a mole, he couldn’t respond as he normally would, only waving his hand to dismiss everyone.
Afterward, he called for Xu Huang specifically.
Xu Huang was concerned about Yang Feng’s current state, noticing that when Li Le and Han Xian left, Yang Feng showed no intention of hiding his despondent feelings, forcing a cheerfulness as he addressed Xu Huang: “You need not mind those two; today’s loss was merely their unluckiness to run into the Marquis of Leping’s forces, and my younger brother’s death was simply fate.”
Xu Huang was about to offer some consolation but heard Yang Feng ask, “Do you think that our losses will provoke the Marquis to attack us while we’re down?”
Would she seize the moment to strike?
That was a tough question to judge.
But one thing was clear: if they continued allowing Qiao Yan to nibble away at them like this, they would eventually face a major problem.
Xu Huang thought so and relayed this sentiment to Yang Feng.
Yang Feng nodded and dismissed him.
After appraising this unexpected situation, he made a decision.
While Xu Huang was indeed more capable than him, Yang Feng had been cooperating with him for long enough not to suspect him of treachery at this time.
On the contrary, the incompetent Li Le and Han Xian, persistently seeking to evade responsibility, felt more like they were digging a deeper hole for themselves.
Keeping these two around was more of a liability than anything useful at this point, and they may even have played a role in Yang Da’s death.
Now Xu Huang was convinced that if they continued down this path, the opportunities would only favor the Marquis of Leping, so it might be better to take them out while they were still vulnerable.
As for Xu Huang…
Yang Feng closed his eyes and contemplated once more.
While the Marquis of Leping was stationed at Pingzhou, he couldn’t take any action against this capable deputy.
At the very least, not right now.
He should prioritize addressing Li Le and Han Xian first.
However, what they had said wasn’t entirely without merit; at the very least, it gave him an opportunity to find a chance to strike back at Xu Huang in the future.
Yet Yang Feng remained unaware that the future he envisioned might not even come to pass.
He tracked down Xu Huang to express his trust in him. Since Xu Huang was in charge of the camp’s defenses, he would inevitably circulate among them, naturally conveying this sense of calm to those two.
“Do you really think Yang Feng would have no qualms about entrusting Xu Huang with heavy responsibilities?” Outside the Wei clan fortress, Li Le and Han Xian began to feel increasingly united in their plight, now huddling together to discuss.
Han Xian considering said, “There’s probably a sequence to this.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Xu Huang shows great respect to Yang Feng and now finds himself suspected of being involved in Yang Da’s death. His trust only grows deeper as Yang Feng increasingly relies on him; it’s clear that rather than hold those two accountable, he’d prefer to take us down first.”
Their scheme to shift blame backfired, leaving them somewhat uneasy. Even when they received news that the Marquis of Leping’s forces were retreating further from their stationed town in Pingzhou, it offered them little comfort.
However, around midnight, an unexpected visitor arrived at their temporary quarters.
Without alarming anyone, the guest unveiled their identity after lifting their hood, causing both men to startle.
“Guo Tai?” Now that was an unexpected guest.
“It’s me.” Guo Tai gestured for them to step inside and talk.
Seeing the two act as if they’d seen a ghost, Guo Tai couldn’t hide a hint of delight on his face, though he quickly concealed it as he tilted his head.
Having long plotted to recruit the Hu tribes for his own purposes and to team up with Li Le and Han Xian to wrest power from Yang Feng, he originally lacked confidence due to his weaker forces.
Now it was all falling into place; with Li Le and Han Xian’s numbers drained after their raid, the three factions were effectively on an even playing field.
In this scenario, discussing collaboration turned advantageous for him.
Moreover, with Yang Da’s death, Yang Feng now had a pretext to act, either to suppress Xu Huang or to deal with Li Le and Han Xian.
With Xu Huang still busy carrying out his patrol duties as usual, Yang Feng’s target was likely the latter.
With a sense of urgency came the potential for cooperation.
Feigning concern, Guo Tai said, “I came tonight uninvited simply to warn you that you both might be in danger.”
“What do you mean, Guo Tai?” Han Xian frowned and asked.
“I’ve been camped not far from Yang Feng for two years, I know him better than you. He’s developed murderous intentions; you both should prepare accordingly.”
Li Le and Han Xian exchanged looks before Han Xian asked, “Why would Guo Tai come to us with such divisive words?”
“Is this division or a fact? Two sharp minds like yours shouldn’t fail to see it. As for why I came forth,” Guo Tai chuckled bitterly, “does it really take someone else to explain the consequences of mutual downfall?”
Having suffered long under Yang Feng, there was no faking Guo Tai’s discontent.
Their recent losses had forged a common language between them.
Though they lacked meat and wine, the more they talked, the more they realized how jammed they all were.
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“Speculating, huh?”
Especially when faced with empty hands, it makes one think—
This time, Yang Feng received quite a stash of food from Commander Xu, but instead of distributing it directly, he claimed it would be apportioned out daily.
This reeked of a rather generous yet condescending sort of charity.
So by the end of these negotiations, regardless of what the three were thinking deep down, they all reached a particularly harmonious and unified idea—
First off, get rid of Yang Feng, then split the power of Baibo Valley.
However, they faced a crucial question: How to go about this?
Yang Feng’s trust in Xu Huang, whether genuine or manufactured, ensured that his defenses remained at a respectable level.
“Let me handle this,” Guo Tai decisively stated.
Using his knowledge of the surrounding terrain, he returned to his camp without raising any alarms with Xu Huang and his troops.
The next day, under the pretense of offering condolences for Yang Da’s death, Guo Tai proposed to Yang Feng that since Yang Da was the second in command, they should at least give him a proper burial and hold a symbolic memorial service.
And since Yang Da was killed by the Marquis of Leping, why not use his memorial as a way to further publicize the conflict between themselves and the Marquis, making it abundantly clear that they would not coexist peacefully, thus preparing fully for the oncoming forces from Leping.
Yang Feng felt confident he could easily swallow Li Le and Han Xian, so what chance did this figurehead, Guo Tai, have?
He had no suspicion of treachery, perhaps because he didn’t think Guo Tai had the skill to set him up, agreeing to the suggestion without hesitation.
Out of regret for Yang Da, he cleared an area to set up a tent, making it the location for the wake.
They discovered news from the North indicated that the Marquis of Leping had intentions of retreating, so he personally oversaw the wake’s arrangements while leaving the defenses to Xu Huang.
However, the next day when Guo Tai sent someone to find Yang Feng under the guise of urgent business, the search party realized—
Yang Feng had already died there.
No one knew exactly when he had passed.
These bandits knew all too well that they were putting their necks on the line.
They felt that Yang Da had truly met a stroke of bad luck, especially after someone mentioned that this place might be cursed; they always avoided this area after the memorial was built.
Moreover, it was still under their guard—surely nothing could go wrong!
How could it be…?
“Xu Huang!” Guo Tai suddenly roared, “Yang Shuai’s territory was always patrolled by you! If this isn’t a deliberate act, how could such a mistake happen? Young General Yang got into trouble first, and now Yang Shuai is dead here—who benefits but you?”
Before Guo Tai could finish, Li Le and Han Xian arrived, appearing to support Guo Tai’s reasonable deduction.
Oh, what a classic case of blame-shifting!
In that flash of lightning, Xu Huang couldn’t help but recall the expressions of the latter two during their return trip after robbing the grain.
Remembering how they had tried to stir trouble before but had failed, it all was as clear as day!
When Yang Feng had asked him if they could withstand the Marquis’s attack, not if he was involved in Yang Da’s death, the rage from Yang Feng’s demise surged within him.
This anger threatened to burst forth in front of everyone’s probing questions.
But the more intense the moment, the calmer he became.
He looked around and loudly asked, “Brothers, after two years of friendship, do you really think I, Xu Huang, would harbor any ill will towards Yang Shuai?”
No one answered.
But their silence didn’t indicate doubt; they were just stunned by the sudden upheaval.
Now, seeing some leaders siding with Guo Tai, while the respected Xu Huang stood alone, made it an uncomfortable situation for all.
Yet, Xu Huang continued, “If I truly wanted to do this, why choose a moment where I could easily be challenged? Why here? If I wanted to make something happen to Yang Shuai, I have countless ways to have done it in these two years. Yang Shuai has lent me aid and placed his trust in me; why would I betray that?”
His tone was justly righteous, and his naturally rigid, upright features radiated a commanding aura; anyone could see he was truly a heroic figure.
Moreover, after leading some men to loot a noble’s fortress, his reputation had been rapidly growing—a point he made perfectly clear: what would be the point of such self-destructive actions?
Killing Yang Shuai with such crude methods would only bring him needless infamy.
Xu Huang continued, “But these three, two commanding officers couldn’t take down Young General Yang, and one tricked Yang Shuai into building this memorial; who knows what their motives were?”
“Xu Huang!” Han Xian glared at him angrily, “How dare you speak like this!”
Guo Tai was ready to make his move on Yang Feng, and they were right at that crucial moment, yet who would have thought that Xu Huang, usually so quiet, would be quick with his words now?
But what they didn’t anticipate was Xu Huang’s biting retorts had no intention of letting them off; alongside that, he held an overwhelming determination.
“I see the real rudeness lies with you! If you just came to find Yang Shuai, why bring so many of your own guards?” Xu Huang barked. “Unless you’re feeling guilty with plans to seize power, why else?”
He picked up a nearby axe, pointing it at Han Xian. “Any brothers who trust me, Xu Huang, join me to take down these three and bring their heads to honor Yang Shuai’s spirit!”
In times where merely getting a full meal was an extraordinary thing, Xu Huang’s rallying cry held far more power than just his character.
He leapt forward, axe in hand, charging at Han Xian.
That axe, a nightmare for foes when it struck, but what if it turned against you?
Han Xian thought he was safe with all his guards around; it seemed like an ideal spot to make a challenge.
But with Xu Huang leading the charge, and his patrolling guards rushing in, along with those who believed Xu Huang to be telling the truth quickly closing ranks, Han Xian barely had time to react before Xu Huang’s axe had taken his head.
Guo Tai and Li Le didn’t fare any better, soon taken down by the other Bai Bo bandits.
Li Le, not known for his bravery, cracked under pressure from the numerous blows, and in the aftermath of Yang Shuai’s death, he revealed everything about Guo Tai being the mastermind behind the assassination in an effort to save his own skin.
His fear propelled his words; he spoke without hesitation.
This entire sequence of events, especially how Guo Tai had people hidden in the memorial, was laid bare for all to see.
Clearly, this wasn’t just a frantic concoction of words.
“You think tossing all the blame on me will get you off the hook?” Guo Tai coldly replied, looking at Li Le.
He truly couldn’t escape his fate,
Because he and Guo Tai were soon brought before Yang Feng’s body, only to lose their lives one after the other.
With the culprits of this chaos now eliminated, Xu Huang found it wasn’t too difficult to calm the unrest that followed; after all, these men had no real advantage over Yang Feng’s old troops, and with their leader dead, there was no reason for them to resist Xu Huang.
However, after the masterminds of this incident were executed, Xu Huang found himself in an unprecedented state of confusion.
He felt he was ill-suited to be the leader of these bandits.
Before, he had cooperated with Yang Feng as a debt of gratitude, but to become the head of a thousand men…
Among these bandits, some were indeed trapped in their situation, but others reveled in looting, believing it was an effortless way to get what they wanted. Xu Huang couldn’t bring himself to cross that moral line like Yang Feng.
Because of this, after properly mourning Yang Feng, Xu Huang sent out part of the foodstuffs to prevent any unrest while he sat on a hillside, lost in thought.
Just then, he suddenly heard someone requesting to meet him outside the camp.
“Who is it?” If it were a common visitor, the one sent to fetch him wouldn’t look so shocked and nervous.
Xu Huang soon received an answer he hadn’t anticipated, “It’s Chu Yan.”
Chu Yan!
Having clashed with him multiple times and under the command of the Marquis of Leping, any unwritten rules about not harming messengers didn’t seem to apply to him.
Yet, at this very moment after a significant upheaval, Xu Huang felt a touch off-balance, forcing himself to remain composed as he had Chu Yan brought in, feigning normalcy.
One was a general leading the Black Mountain Army, and the other a prospective leader in the Bai Bo bandits, but the atmosphere of their meeting felt oddly serious.
Chu Yan looked at Xu Huang, not missing the tension etched on his face.
When they had been observing from the mountains, noticing the commotion below, Chu Yan quickly rushed down to inform Qiao Yan, volunteering to try and persuade Xu Huang to surrender.
He had wanted to show Qiao Yan that he had a unique role to play, especially after realizing Qiao Yan was capable of much more than just managing Leping County.
So aside from mountain battles—
It was at times like this.
Because he had the most convincing examples to persuade.
Of course, someone like Zhang Niujiao could also be considered, but he figured Qiao Yan wouldn’t be keen on having him handle such matters.
This guy was probably still off writing books.
“I’m here to point out a clear path for you, Commander Xu,” Chu Yan said, returning his focus to Xu Huang.
“If that’s all you came to say, you might as well leave now,” Xu Huang replied coolly.
“Why be so quick to dismiss? I just want to share why we are loyal to the Marquis of Leping in my capacity as a fellow traveler,” Chu Yan retorted.
After a pause, he asked, “Or do you believe reigning over the mountain is your golden ticket? After all, Bai Bo Valley’s terrain is complex, and you’re certainly more capable than your former superior. Out on the eastern plains, returning is a matter of surrounding yourself with defenses; in such a situation, it’s enough to ensure your survival.”
This was undeniably an exceptional battleground.
Aside from Qiao Yan, there had indeed been previous attempts by officials to encircle them, all of which had failed.
But…
“But have you considered one thing? With natural disasters on the rise, even in Hedong with its fields and grains, there will be times of scarcity. Today you can loot the powerful, tomorrow you might commandeer state granaries; what about the day after that?”
Chu Yan’s voice sharpened, “Are you prepared to steal from those who can barely survive themselves?”
Xu Huang instinctively replied, “Of course not.”
“Then why not accompany me to see if Leping can offer you a solution?”
Chu Yan spoke with calm authority, “As for me, I may have accepted the Marquis’s benefits to show up here, but many of the brothers from the mountains who once were bandits or migrants in the Central Plains aren’t all polished or prepared with a speech ready.”
“Mind you, your window for making this decision is closing fast,” Chu Yan added, an edge of arrogance coloring his smile, but more profound was a sense of inevitability.
“The Marquis is giving you a few favors, recognizing your potential as a talent, granting you this choice. Otherwise, take a look—you’ll find that among all the conflicts among your fellow leaders in Bai Bo, they end in death, and before their troops recover from the chaos, we could strike.”
“Two days, back and forth to Leping, that’s the last chance Qiao Yan is giving you.”
This was a lot of information pouring in for Xu Huang.
Especially since Chu Yan had explicitly mentioned the fate of the commanders dying, this undoubtedly unsettled him further.
While Chu Yan had been brought in, there had been no indications suggesting such a thing.
Considering their defensive position, it was improbable anyone could have that much foresight.
Unless someone had eyes like an eagle.
On the journey back to Qiao Yan’s encampment from Leping, Xu Huang couldn’t help but find himself pondering everything he witnessed there, his curiosity boiled over, prompting him to ask Chu Yan this question.
Chu Yan smirked mysteriously, “You’ll find out when you meet Qiao Yan.”
When Xu Huang finally came face to face with Qiao Yan, this young county marquis was playing with a peculiar cylindrical object.
One end was larger than the other, and the smaller end seemed to be fitted with a piece of round jade.
She looked up at him, “Commander Xu really made me wait. What do you think of Leping?”
