Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Can’t a strategist ascend the throne? Volume 3: Galloping through Bingzhou, Troops Depart from Hedong Chapter 93: Incitement Skill

Belonging to the book:


Can’t a strategist ascend the throne?

Chapter 93 Incitement…

Northern Army Five Divisions.

Cavalry, Yue Cavalry, Infantry, Changshui, Archery.

Unlike the usual divisions of less than a thousand men, due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the seventh year of Guanghe, Luoyang’s eight passes dispatched troops to defend the passes, and also expanded the number of soldiers in each division.

According to the soldiers, at the peak, there were even infantry camps with ten thousand men per division.

However, after the great plague in Luoyang spread, military camps being the most densely populated areas, a significant number of soldiers perished.

Moreover, after the locust plague, feeding the soldiers became difficult, and the number of soldiers in the camps was reduced to two thousand per division.

But soon after the locust plague, the war in Xiliang broke out, and due to the invasion of Yongliang, the Northern Army Five Divisions were expanded again.

Now, the number is about a thousand men per division.

This time, the “generals” participating in the selection, including Qiao Yan who temporarily joined, totaled sixteen people, so each person was assigned about five hundred men.

Liu Hong was well-versed in the method of equal distribution, not allowing anyone to gain an advantage in troop types, directly assigning each person a hundred cavalry, Yue cavalry, infantry, Hu cavalry, and archers.

He also set a ten-day limit, ordering everyone to train their soldiers well, and then using sticks instead of swords and spears to minimize casualties, using elimination to determine the final winner.

But now—

It’s really not a suitable time for a competition.

In mid-November, although it hasn’t snowed like last year, Qiao Yan looked at the sky and felt that winter had arrived.

Today, the clouds didn’t clear, and the sun didn’t shine, making it even gloomier. Perhaps the only bright thing was the canopy left by Liu Hong.

The emperor’s carriage had already left the western camp and returned to the Southern Palace, but the twelve-layered colorful canopy on the high platform remained, as if signaling—

In the subsequent formal competition, he would appear here again. If one could perform excellently, it would be enough to secure a future in front of the current emperor!

But the more urgent he was, the more Qiao Yan was convinced that her attempt to use Liu Hong’s desperate situation to win was becoming more feasible.

He was so eager to select capable generals who could serve him this winter, not even waiting for next spring.

A more obvious signal was that as soon as Qiao Yan arrived at her camp, she was immediately visited by a special guest.

“What wind has brought Lord Jian here?” Qiao Yan asked, looking at the visitor.

This Palace Attendant was indeed the most special among the sixteen.

It seemed he, like Qiao Yan, was a touchstone and benchmark for selecting the General Who Pacifies the Liao.

But only Qiao Yan knew that Liu Hong had entrusted him with great responsibilities, even giving him the position of Colonel of the Upper Army in the future Western Garden Eight Divisions, making him the actual leader of the Western Garden Eight Divisions, and then entrusting Liu Xie to him.

But at this time, Jian Shuo was just a “mere little eunuch” in Yuan Shao’s words, and he knew his place, not daring to put on airs in front of Qiao Yan.

The tone in which Liu Hong agreed to her participation in this selection battle, as he heard it from the platform, could be said to be full of high hopes.

Qiao Yan’s relationship with the Qiao family of Liang was not close, and she had been alone in Leping for years, not allowing the Qiao family to set foot in Leping, which was all seen by the emperor.

Although it sounds strange, in Liu Hong’s logic of faction division, Qiao Yan and these rootless eunuchs were in the same position in his eyes!

But because of her repeated contributions, her status in Liu Hong’s heart must be above that of ordinary Palace Attendants.

Jian Shuo, deeply aware of Liu Hong’s “grand plan,” felt somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, Qiao Yan also joined, sharing much of the pressure, to be precise—

“His Majesty has something to tell Lord Qiao, please keep it in mind.”

Jian Shuo lowered his voice and said, “His Majesty said, Lord Qiao can lose, but if you encounter the following people, you must defeat them by any means. Given Lord Qiao’s record of suppressing the Black Mountain Bandits, White Wave Bandits, and the Xiongnu, this should not be difficult.”

As he spoke, he handed over a note.

Qiao Yan opened it and, unsurprisingly, saw the names of Wang Kuang, Dong Min, Zhang Zhang, and others.

It was not hard to understand Liu Hong’s order.

He Jin, who already held the highest military authority, was still being aggressive, seeking every advantage, which undoubtedly touched Liu Hong’s reverse scale.

But due to the necessity of military governance by relatives at this time, Liu Hong was not suitable to openly confront He Jin. But now that Qiao Yan was personally involved, he had a relatively subtle way to resolve this.

Qiao Yan’s achievements in Bingzhou were hard to believe as coincidental. Liu Hong thought that letting her face these people should not be a problem.

But when Qiao Yan heard this assignment, she couldn’t help but feel amused.

After these obvious He Jin followers were cleared out, it would truly become a situation where the old noble families occupied more than half.

She wondered if Liu Hong would be even more angered when he found out the truth.

This was driving out one tiger and inviting another wolf!

Qiao Yan thought mischievously that Liu Hong’s health was already not good. If he received any fatal stimulation, it might shorten his life.

But what did that have to do with her, a “loyal minister of the Han” who was only here to judge the qualifications of the General Who Pacifies the Liao?

At most, she was just doing her part to lift the veil.

They say comparison is the thief of joy, but now is a great time for comparison!

Qiao Yan pondered, but when facing Jian Shuo, she only showed a puzzled expression about the emperor’s sudden order, “This is indeed His Majesty’s handwriting, but why…”

“Lord Qiao need not ask, His Majesty has other arrangements for them,” Jian Shuo replied.

“Then could I trouble Lord Jian to ask His Majesty for me? To achieve this goal, I alone may not be enough. I have a brave warrior accompanying me to Luoyang. Could he also join the camp? I would be more confident.”

Hearing this, Jian Shuo’s expression relaxed, “Does Lord Qiao know something? The number of soldiers in each division of the Northern Army Five Divisions is similar, but the management methods of cavalry, infantry, Hu cavalry, and Yue cavalry are different, and the officials set up are quite different. If you want to manipulate it, not only can Lord Qiao bring one person into the camp, but even a few more would be no problem.”

“This matter doesn’t even need to ask His Majesty. For this matter alone, I will have someone arrange it for Lord Qiao immediately. Even bringing a coachman would be no problem.”

Qiao Yan’s eyes lit up.

She was waiting for this sentence!

Other people’s coachmen are coachmen, but her coachman is a “ghost talent.”

A subtle smile flashed in Qiao Yan’s eyes, but she just cupped her hands towards Jian Shuo and replied, “Then I thank Lord Jian first.”

But before meeting Dian Wei and Guo Jia, she had just sent off Jian Shuo when another visitor arrived.

A visitor who was heard before seen.

“Ye Shu took advantage of my seniority a few days ago, making my son, who is the same age as you, a generation younger, and drank with me to wish for success. How come today you are competing with me on the same stage?”

Cao Cao said this, but Qiao Yan couldn’t hear much frustration in his tone. Even when she looked up at him, she only saw his face red from the cold, with no resentment.

Qiao Yan immediately replied, “Mengde, you don’t even need to familiarize yourself with your soldiers before coming to question me. It seems you are confident of victory.”

She raised the roster of soldiers in her hand and smiled innocently.

This made Cao Cao feel it was hard to respond.

Qiao Yan continued, “Mengde, don’t worry. His Majesty won’t allow me to take over the position of General Who Pacifies the Liao. I just want to see if those competing for this position really have the ability.”

She said solemnly, “The Hu people are fickle and unpredictable. Only those with the strength of a tiger can guard the border. If one can’t even command five hundred soldiers, they might as well be a centurion. Why come to my Bingzhou?”

“If Bingzhou is unstable, even my grandfather in the afterlife won’t rest. So I won’t back down this time, just to test the heroes.”

Her righteous words made Cao Cao unable to say anything.

But hearing her say this, Cao Cao not only didn’t feel the need to retreat but was also inspired by the high standards. He laughed heartily, “Good, then let’s see the truth in battle.”

Yes, what’s wrong with having a benchmark?

But speaking of this, he couldn’t help but envy Qiao Gongzu for having a descendant like Qiao Yan who would be famous in later generations.

But thinking that his son Ang was also not mediocre, it was suitable for him to gain experience in this military exercise, and then temper his qualifications on the battlefield earlier than himself, he threw this increasingly unrealistic hope to the back of his mind.

He told Qiao Yan a few things about the Northern Army Five Divisions when he was the Cavalry Commandant, and then left.

The system, silent for a long time, finally saw a glimmer of hope—its host becoming a strategist behind a powerful lord, and couldn’t help but ask: [What do you think of Cao Mengde?]

“Let’s see first,” Qiao Yan replied, “But speaking of which, if I can help the emperor weaken the power of noble families and relatives, shouldn’t I earn strategist points?”

“I am carrying out His Majesty’s orders, leading troops to defeat Dong Min, Wang Kuang, and others. This can also be done by a strategist when necessary. If successful, it should also count as a strategist’s achievement, right?”

“Moreover, Bingzhou is the territory of the Han. The suggestion to re-establish the General Who Pacifies the Liao is beneficial to the country and the people. This is the foresight of a strategist, isn’t it…”

[Who calls themselves foresighted?!] The system interrupted Qiao Yan in excitement, forgetting that it originally wanted to ask if she would consider choosing Cao Cao as her lord.

“Just say if it’s possible or not,” Qiao Yan concluded after a series of rapid-fire questions.

The system pondered and stammered, [According to the evaluation criteria, it should be possible.]

Although her approach seemed off, from the perspective of Liu Hong being the main and her the auxiliary, this could indeed be counted as a strategist’s scheme…

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but smile.

With this sentence, all she needed to do now was achieve this goal.

Although it wasn’t as easy as imagined.

“Lord, the soldiers under you now are not like those in Leping who have a sense of belonging to you. This is the first difficulty,” Guo Jia analyzed as soon as he arrived at the camp.

“The Northern Army Five Divisions have their own salary settlement methods. The merit system changed in Leping won’t work here, so they won’t fight hard to defeat the enemy. This is the second difficulty,” Qiao Yan continued.

Guo Jia drew another line on the paper in front of them, “The other generals’ subordinates can hope for their generals’ success and receive rewards as helpers. But Lord Qiao seems to have volunteered to the emperor, but in others’ eyes, it seems like a game, so they will naturally slack off on your orders. This is the third difficulty.”

“I have Dian Wei and Fengxiao, and others also have helpers. Han Wenjie’s Liangzhou warriors controlling the Hu cavalry have an advantage over us. Dong Shuying also borrowed people from his brother. This is the fourth difficulty,” Qiao Yan added slowly.

Guo Jia looked at her unchanged expression despite the difficulties and knew Qiao Yan had a plan.

Naturally, he had no need to dampen Qiao Yan’s confidence. After the two of them listed these four difficulties, he turned to Qiao Yan’s advantages.

“Others facing Lord Qiao still need to consider whether to fight with all their might to show their commanding ability or to use迂回 tactics to first test Lord Qiao’s abilities. In comparison, Lord Qiao has the option of steady victory, which is the first advantage.”

Qiao Yan’s achievements, which were not commensurate with her age, would undoubtedly lead to many misjudgments about her, which was her advantage. Even if this advantage couldn’t last the entire battle, it was enough.

“Two of the Northern Army Five Divisions are not Han people. Lord Qiao has the merit of killing Hu people, naturally intimidating them, which is the second advantage.”

Guo Jia continued, “Lord Qiao started from Leping, knowing what the底层 soldiers need and think, which is the third advantage.”

“And Lord Qiao’s own martial arts are not bad. When commanding only five hundred soldiers, she doesn’t need to strictly follow the method of commanding from the rear. She can lead by example, which is the fourth advantage.”

Listing these four disadvantages and four advantages, Qiao Yan couldn’t help but think of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao’s ten victories and ten defeats before the Battle of Guandu.

But after saying the fourth, Guo Jia added, “But Lord Qiao’s advantages are not just these. To reduce casualties in the selection battle, I have seen that not only are the weapons replaced with wooden sticks, but even the arrows used by archers are replaced with wooden headless arrows. Except for hitting the throat and head, they don’t count as eliminating people, which means—”

“The role of the Archery Division’s soldiers in this battle is greatly weakened, and the role of the Cavalry Division is…”





Without a doubt, Qiao Yan, aside from her archery skills, excels in horsemanship, which is precisely her advantage.

“This is the fifth advantage.”

Qiao Yan laughed, “Fengxiao, you missed one.”

“First, while others know of my wisdom and decisiveness, they are unaware that I also bring a strategist. If I entrust half of these five hundred men to your command, allowing you to adapt to the battlefield’s changes, our opponents will face two commanders. With you and I working together, one as the main and the other as the deputy, there will be fewer vulnerabilities.”

“Second, the morale in the camp must be boosted. Since we cannot rely on rewards or wealth, we must take an unconventional approach.”

Qiao Yan handed a letter she had written before Guo Jia arrived to him.

Guo Jia opened the letter and saw it was addressed to another general in the camp, who, coincidentally, was also an old acquaintance of Qiao Yan.

A year ago, Bao Hong, the commandant who escorted Qiao Xuan’s coffin to Leping, had gained recognition from Liu Hong due to his correspondence with Leping. He later participated in the Liangzhou campaign, luckily achieving a victory, which earned him the opportunity to compete for the position of General of Douliao.

To put it bluntly, his salary as a commandant was not insignificant, but being a commandant of the Northern Army’s Five Divisions, he couldn’t be away from Luoyang for long periods. Thus, he was promoted from below, and his title as commandant was more honorary than authoritative.

Moreover, Bao Hong considered himself an idealistic commandant, and the title of general was undoubtedly more prestigious.

Additionally, he had a favorable impression of Bingzhou, especially—

While others saw the Marquis of Leping, who could threaten with an arrow at any moment, as a nuisance, Bao Hong had witnessed how she secured the initial batch of grain for Leping and how she defeated the Black Mountain Bandits with fewer troops. He didn’t see her as a problem.

In fact, he felt quite secure with the Marquis of Leping by his side.

With this mindset, he increasingly saw the position of General of Douliao as a desirable role and participated in the selection.

However, Qiao Yan wasn’t here to reminisce.

Guo Jia skimmed through the letter, realizing it was a call to repay a favor.

“Marquis Qiao’s plan is ingenious, but what is it?”

“It… can’t be revealed yet. You’ll know in a day.”

After Guo Jia left the tent, Qiao Yan summoned her skill panel.

Among her personal skills, after officially announcing the merit system to the soldiers, a new skill called “Incite” appeared.

Perhaps because the number of soldiers finally met the system’s criteria, or due to some hidden condition like recognition, this skill didn’t appear when she urged the Xue and Tian families to fight to the death in the Battle of Changshe, nor when she incited the people of Leping to capture the Black Mountain Bandits with ten thousand stones of grain. It arrived belatedly.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late, and Qiao Yan was prepared.

She had some unallocated skill points and immediately invested them in the “Incite” skill.

After adding the points, Qiao Yan realized the difference between “Eloquence” and “Incite.”

“Eloquence” is more about persuading others through refined language, while “Incite” leans towards manipulating and harnessing emotions.

Emotions…

This was her final advantage.

A team with little experience working together couldn’t achieve strict discipline in just ten days, especially since they already had an established training regimen.

Ten days were also insufficient for her to differentiate these soldiers’ physical fitness from others through diet or physical training.

The only thing she could manipulate was morale.

But who said morale could only be boosted by feasting before battle or rewarding with wealth afterward?

The next morning, Qiao Yan gathered the five hundred soldiers.

The Northern Army’s Five Divisions usually operated independently, so when they were assembled, Qiao Yan noticed they seemed divided into five distinct groups.

Fortunately, the situation was better than she expected.

Although they seemed less motivated, they knew that despite her lack of official authority, the title of Marquis of Leping carried significant weight. If she wanted to make trouble for them, she could. Thus, they stood steadily, not as fierce as Leping’s soldiers but still worthy of the Northern Army’s Five Divisions.

Qiao Yan scanned the front rows. To the soldiers, the Marquis of Leping didn’t seem like a mere figurehead but rather someone with sharp insight.

Before Qiao Yan could inquire about their situation or make arrangements, a voice called out from outside the camp, directed at them.

The man, wearing commandant armor, approached, shouting, “Marquis Qiao, wait!”

As he was formerly from the Northern Army’s Tunqi Division, many recognized him.

It was Commandant Bao Hong.

The Tunqi Division’s soldiers exchanged glances, puzzled.

Bao Hong’s participation in the competition for the General of Douliao position was well-known. He should be commanding his troops, not appearing here.

Of course, Bao Hong himself felt somewhat awkward about being here, especially since…

He was here to play the villain.

Fortunately, he had mentally prepared himself beforehand, ensuring his expression wouldn’t betray him.

Think of what Qiao Yan said in the letter.

He did owe her a favor, and repaying it this way was better than some future, unmanageable method.

Moreover, Qiao Yan mentioned that this exchange was somewhat in his favor.

Thus, as long as he performed well, showcasing the skills honed in the Liangzhou campaign, she would ensure his promotion.

Compared to other competitors, Qiao Yan’s words carried more weight for Bao Hong.

Regardless of Qiao Yan’s intentions, he would follow her lead.

Thus, those drawn by his shout saw him maintaining an arrogant demeanor, saying, “Marquis Qiao, may we speak privately?”

Qiao Yan frowned, “Commandant Bao, since you dare to leave your post, why not speak openly?”

Speak openly?

“Since Marquis Qiao insists, I’ll be blunt.” Bao Hong chuckled, “I’ve long admired the combat prowess of the Changshui Division’s Hu cavalry. With only a hundred men under my command, it’s not enough. I was thinking—”

“Marquis Qiao isn’t here to compete for the General of Douliao position. Since this is just to test our training, you probably don’t mind swapping a hundred Yue cavalry for a hundred Hu cavalry. Moreover, with your recent victory against the Xiongnu, you likely don’t value the Hu cavalry much.”

“Would Marquis Qiao be willing to make an exchange?”

Bao Hong tried to stand tall, but everyone could see the covetous look in his eyes when he glanced at the Changshui Hu cavalry.

The crowd was shocked.

Who would have thought someone would propose such a swap in such a serious competition?

His presence here was easily explained.

If you’re going to swap, it’s best to do it before formal training begins.

But this way—

Despite military discipline preventing them from speaking out, members of the other divisions glared at him, especially those from the Tunqi and Yue cavalry divisions.

Even though he was prepared, Bao Hong nearly stepped back under their fierce gazes.

But recalling Qiao Yan’s words, he muttered “General of Douliao” to himself and regained his courage.

However, Qiao Yan’s icy gaze, with her now mature and sharp demeanor, made Bao Hong shiver.

For a moment, he felt as if he were facing the emperor.

No, that wasn’t right.

Marquis Qiao, after all, was the Marquis of Leping and had experienced many battles. Such an aura wasn’t surprising.

Trembling internally, Bao Hong forced himself to ask, “Marquis Qiao… what do you think?”

“What do I think?” The young woman in front of the ranks slapped her horsewhip against her palm and sneered, “I think you should get lost!”

Bao Hong resisted the urge to flee, knowing he was close to finishing his act, and delivered his final line, “Marquis Qiao, we have some history. Rather than benefiting others, why not…”

“If you don’t leave now, I’ll have you thrown out!” Qiao Yan stepped forward, her eyes icy and murderous.

Her demeanor and authority were so convincing that not only did others fail to see this as a staged act, but even Bao Hong almost believed she would whip him next.

Seeing this, Dian Wei, standing beside Qiao Yan, also stepped forward.

Although Dian Wei’s halberd had been replaced with a staff due to competition rules, his imposing stature and growing aura from following Qiao Yan in numerous battles made him seem like a god of war.

At this sight, Bao Hong hastily turned and left.

He thought to himself, thankfully Qiao Yan didn’t give him more lines, or he might not have been able to deliver them.

But before he reached the camp gate, he heard a sharp command from behind, “Stop!”

First, she told him to get lost, then to stop. Bao Hong wasn’t sure which to follow, but muttering “General of Douliao” to himself, he turned back, deciding to obey the more recent command.

Then Qiao Yan said, “Commandant Bao, I won’t report your actions today to the Son of Heaven regarding your attempt to disrupt the rules. Additionally, I hope you remember one thing—”

“The Changshui Division’s inclusion of Hu cavalry doesn’t mean they are superior to the Yue and Tunqi cavalry. If Commandant Bao doubts this, then watch and see which division under my command achieves the most in ten days!”

Bao Hong instinctively replied, “We’ll see.”

After saying this, he left like a proper villain.

But halfway through, he realized Qiao Yan’s move was quite extraordinary.

His performance, combined with Qiao Yan’s words…

Wow! This would ignite competition within her ranks, each striving to prove they were the best cavalry.

And the weakened Shesheng Division and the often-overlooked infantry division—could they avoid this internal competition?

This act was meant to forge a fierce, competitive army!

Understanding this, Bao Hong felt a pang of envy, wondering if he could replicate Qiao Yan’s strategy to boost his own troops’ morale.

But he realized he lacked the necessary conditions, especially a willing ally to play such a role.

Instead of dwelling on impractical thoughts, he hurried back to his camp.

Otherwise, he, the commander, would be late!

However, those watching Bao Hong leave couldn’t read his mind. They only saw Qiao Yan’s gaze as she looked at them.

The Marquis of Leping, who had just issued a stern warning, scanned the crowd and suddenly asked, “What are your thoughts?”

What thoughts?

If the Tunqi and Yue cavalry divisions were to speak, they would undoubtedly be indignant.

But the Changshui Division was equally resentful!

Because Qiao Yan seemed biased against the Hu cavalry due to her victory over the Xiongnu.

She took in their expressions, her gaze frank and sharp, and continued without waiting for a response, “I can guess what you’re thinking—that you are the strongest division in the Northern Army’s Five Divisions. I’ll be brief.”

She raised her left hand, “A hand has five fingers. Lose one, and gripping heavy objects becomes difficult. The camp has five divisions. Losing any one disrupts operations and victory.”

“I don’t believe the Hu cavalry are superior in mounted combat, nor that the Yue cavalry must be inferior. Our Han cavalry and infantry are not lesser. The Hu cavalry excel in charges, the Yue in archery, the Tunqi in agility, the infantry is indispensable, and the Shesheng provides support—”

“This is why the Northern Army’s Five Divisions were formed, and it remains so!”

Her whip cracked against the ground as she declared, “Gentlemen, dare you follow me into battle and prove your worth!”