Chapter 104: Yanmen Bingcao
He had a wide reading of classics, arts, biographies, and knew everything that was rare and wonderful. 1
This is exactly what happened to Qiao Xuan back then. He had read widely in the scriptures and books, and was familiar with all the fine things that came before him.
But there seems to be another explanation.
The magnificent writing can be said to be the best of its time, but what about the magnificent person?
Qiao Xuan repeatedly promoted and judged outstanding talents of the time, and he knew everyone, so people of the time respected his talents and reputation.
Is what she is doing now also another kind of “the beauty before us is recognized by all”?
From Leping to Bingzhou, this move she made was a gathering of talented people and shining stars.
However, seeing the inscription on Qiao Xuan's stele today reminded her all the more that she should always remember to make the best use of people's talents.
Previously, she mostly relied on the history she was familiar with. However, when the territory of Bingzhou blocked the joint invasion of Xiutuguhu and Southern Xiongnu and controlled Yanmen to prevent the Xianbei from entering the frontier, the other half that had fallen into the hands of the Hu people was saved, and the Han people living in this area were also able to save their lives.
No one can tell how many ambitious, talented, and brave generals, whether they have grown up or have not yet grown up, have survived on this land because of this reason, and now she needs to select them one by one.
Gaining the position of governor does not mean that you can completely relax, but it is just a beginning.
Thinking of this, she cleared the remaining part of the inscription from the light snow.
Qiao Xuan...
Although she and the other party are not true grandparents, she has inherited the other party's political legacy and often uses him as a reason to find a basis for her actions. Therefore, she should also achieve what he can do in her own actions, or even surpass the past.
The falling snow quickly covered the inscription again and also fell on her hair and shoulders. This time Qiao Yan did not reach out to clean it, but turned and left.
"Your Excellency, why don't you go in and pay your respects to Mr. Qiao?" Dian Wei was a little surprised that Qiao Yan did not enter the house.
Qiao Yan replied: "Walking in the snow to visit relatives, my heart is there, my footprints have already been there, why would I disturb someone who is sleeping soundly?"
Dian Wei didn't quite understand what these literati were thinking, just as he didn't quite understand why when Qiao Yan went to see Cai Yong, he was clearly just visiting to say hello, but Cai Yong's expression looked so serious.
But anyway, he is just a supervisor and doesn't need to know so much. Seeing Qiao Yan dismiss his attendants, he and Xu Huang served as door gods outside.
Cai Yong and Qiao Yan were the only ones left in the room.
In this season when snow is falling, Cai Yong's residence has a heated kang, which supplements the coal briquettes and charcoal used for heating, so it doesn't seem cold at all.
There was a red clay stove on the table in front of the two of them. A pot of boiling soup was boiling on the stove. Hot steam was rising from the pot, mixed with the smell of ginger tea.
Seeing that Qiao Yan had no intention of speaking, Cai Yong thought for a moment and took the lead and said, "Marquis Qiao was previously the Marquis of Leping. He had nothing to do and taught the people in the county to kill time. I think no one would object. There are only branches of the aristocratic family in Leping County, and the Jinyang Wang family is the one that has the closest relationship with Marquis Qiao. There are fewer obstacles. But if it is promoted from the county to the whole state, it will be a different matter."
Cai Yong's political vision is indeed extremely worrying.
But he is well-read and a great scholar of the time, so he must know one thing -
A genius like Zheng Xuan would have faced such resistance when he became Ma Rong's apprentice. Although Cai Yong had no family to support him, he at least had held an official position since his sixth generation ancestor.
If Qiao Yan were to hold the attitude of teaching everyone without distinction, it would inevitably affect the interests of the Bingzhou gentry!
If she wanted him to work as an academician and expand Leping Academy to the entire Bingzhou, it would not be solved by just saying "I will be the governor of Bingzhou".
But after he said this, Qiao Yan took down the teapot slowly, filled the bamboo tube in front of him with ginger, held the bamboo tube to warm himself with the ginger soup in it, and replied: "Mr. Bo Ji's concerns are not unreasonable, but this place is Bingzhou, not Xuzhou or Yanzhou."
"When the Baibo bandits were entrenched, even the Hedong Wei clan had to ask me for help to protect the safety of their family. What about the Bingzhou clan?"
Qiao Yan took a sip of ginger tea and continued, "Sir, you have lived in Leping for a long time. You may not know that the power of Kuitou and Budugen in the Xianbei tribe is rising day by day, and they are eyeing Bingzhou covetously. Even the Wang family of Jinyang, whose sons serve in military positions in Bingzhou, dare not say that they can be completely protected from the Xianbei cavalry. What they need now is the protection brought by me, the governor of Bingzhou, instead of opposing me and letting me kill someone with a borrowed knife."
"I probably don't usually act this approachable."
The deterrent effect of force brought by the victory over Xiutuguhu in one fell swoop was not only aimed at the Southern Xiongnu who had made unusual movements, but also at the clans within Bingzhou.
Now that she has the power of governor, she can convey the idea that I am not a good person.
Just as she said, this kind of iron-blooded style would not work in places like Yanzhou and Xuzhou, because the power of the gentry in these places is deeply intertwined. If they were to launch a counterattack against her, it would be difficult to deal with. However, this might not be the case in Bingzhou.
This place... This place is not just a place where the clans have to guard against the threat from the barbarians outside the Great Wall, there are also quite a number of clans that have migrated here to seek refuge.
Are they going to use this as an opportunity to advance, or will they completely destroy this branch at the hands of the barbarians?
Faced with the decision of this issue, what Qiao Yan did could only be considered ordinary.
Moreover, this is something that has to be done.
She had just said that she was not so approachable in her intimidation, and suddenly she held up the tea and sighed, "Mr. Bo Ji, if it weren't for this, I would have no one to use."
The more Cai Yong listened, the more he felt that she was not as pitiful as the words made her sound.
But she is still young after all, and has no family support, so saying "no one is available" makes sense from some perspectives.
Before he could speak, Qiao Yan said, "Besides, I now have the White Wave Bandits in addition to the Black Mountain Bandits. The customs of Bingzhou have made the people of the state regarded as fierce bandits by the people of the Central Plains. If there is a place of education in Bingzhou, the people of Bingzhou can go to the Central Plains in the future and say who taught them, rather than coming from a place where bandits live."
"From Mr. Bo Ji's point of view, can't this be considered a good deed to eliminate prejudice and contradictions?"
Cai Yong also poured himself a cup of tea, but from Qiao Yan's point of view, he seemed to be venting his frustration. "You've already said everything, what else can I say?"
He added with some emotion: "How come Mr. Qiao has such a eloquent younger generation like you!"
"I can't compare to Mr. Bo Ji's writing skills. I'm just showing off my verbal skills."
When Qiao Yan said this, he put on an extremely innocent expression.
Cai Yong felt that there was something else behind her words, but he only said at this time: "Bring the recruitment document for the Dianxue attendant."
If it was true as she said, in Bingzhou's special environment of using the opponent's force to counter attack, this move was indeed not as dangerous as he imagined. Moreover, he had lived and ate in Leping for three years for free, and his life was much more comfortable than when he was living under the roof of the Yang family in Taishan.
There was mulberry paper to use, delicious food and beautiful scenery to enjoy, and Zhao Ji was growing up day by day behind Qiao Yan...
After all these things, he will eventually have to repay this favor.
It might be a good idea to take up this position as a classical scholar.
but--
“How are you going to recruit students in the state?”
If we simply put up a banner saying that anyone can come, the teaching staff at Leping Academy would not be enough to accommodate so many students.
Thinking of the terrible scene of being surrounded by people in three layers, Cai Yong had the urge to escape.
But at this time, he and a fake assistant recruited by Qiao Yan reached a common idea: it is probably impossible to escape.
Fortunately, he still has one more way out than Jia Xu. He can go to Qiao Xuan’s temple to mourn!
Qiao Yan had no idea that Cai Yong was actually thinking of a way out. He just replied, "Let's wait until I meet the elders of the aristocratic families in Bingzhou. We have to come up with a set of rules and regulations, and we can't just put the burden on Mr. Bo Ji."
This sounds like a human being.
Cai Yong nodded, and then turned to talk to Qiao Yan about another matter, "I intend to invite Zhen Ji and her husband to stay in Leping for a few days. What do you think, Lord Qiao?"
Qiao Yan replied: "Of course there is nothing wrong with this."
Although Cai Yong did not mention it, Qiao Yan guessed the reason for his action.
Although Cai Yong was under the protection of the Yang family, Cai Zhenji married Yang Xin, who belonged to this branch of the Yang family and whose father was the prefect of Nanyang at that time.
But this Nanyang prefect was the one who succeeded Qin Jie last year. After suppressing the Zhao Ci Rebellion, he governed the place with integrity. He once hung a fish presented by the chancellor in the hall to show his refusal of bribes, and earned the beautiful name of the Prefect of Hanging Fish.
Even though Nanyang County was a wealthy county, when his eldest son and his wife came to visit him this year, he refused to let his wife in on the grounds that he only had a quilt, a short coat and some food. It was obvious that he really had nothing to leave to his descendants.
Yang Xun had not yet entered officialdom and did not have much financial resources.
Although they were a noble family, they were not really that wealthy.
Cai Yong now had an official position as a scholar and the salary he earned from teaching students at the Leping Academy, so he could bring Zhenji to his side and take care of her for a while.
If Qiao Yan was short of people, he could just assign tasks to Yang Xin.
Yang Xin's eldest son, Yang Fa, the child that Zhen Ji gave up her own child to save, was born to the daughter of Kong Rong of Beihai. He is a few years old now and can be a commissioned laborer in a few years. 2
Cai Yong had not mentioned it before because he himself was still staying here temporarily. The fact that Zhaoji had a position in Qiao Yan's Leping Marquis Mansion was obviously not enough to convince his eldest daughter to come.
But if he is now the academician of Bingzhou Mu, his son-in-law... no, even his daughter herself can find a stable job under Qiao Yan, then it would be a natural thing to let them come and join him.
Seeing that Qiao Yan agreed readily and obviously understood the implication of his words, Cai Yong couldn't help but put his worries to rest.
Thinking of this, he had even less reason to leave.
Qiao Yan was also very satisfied that he had persuaded Cai Yong to take office and got a buy one get one free deal, or maybe buy one get three or even five free.
She also increasingly realized the benefits of obtaining the position of governor.
The four words "recruited by the prefecture" alone are already a great honor for those who have not yet entered officialdom.
Not to mention that the matter of recommending filial and honest officials is also a power that the provincial government can exercise. In a sense, this is to build a group of old officials for itself.
But Qiao Yan's situation is more special. She cannot hand over these recruited talents to others. Instead, she must keep these resources firmly in her own hands to ensure that the Bingzhou machine can operate.
Every part of this machine is crucial.
After bidding farewell to Cai Yong, she stayed in Leping County for a day and then took Xu Huang to the fortress in the mountains.
Of course, to be precise, this is a mountain settlement built in the form of a fortress.
It was also here that Xu Huang learned what Qiao Yan had said about the people who would be assigned to him later.
These refugees, who were brought under her command in the early years, have transformed from their original emaciated state to human form as they have normal diet and rest in the past two years. In this cold winter, they have also made various businesses here bustling with energy.
Qiao Yan had no intention of explaining everything to Xu Huang, but instead took him through the passage in the courtyard and arrived at the fortress camp at the rear.
Compared to the covered wall of Leping Academy, the material used for the wall here more clearly shows its difference from ordinary earth walls.
Seeing Qiao Yan's gesture, Xu Huang reached out and knocked on it, only to find that it was indeed very solid.
"This is?"
"I named this thing cement," Qiao Yan explained.
This name had been shown to Guo Jia by Xi Zhicai before, but the original information in the book with the word "cement" was occupied by blank pages and was not revealed in advance.
She asked, "In Gongming's opinion, how about recasting the Guyang Road section of the Great Wall with cement?"
What Qiao Yan wanted to focus on defending was the gap between Daqing Mountain and Langshan Mountain, which allowed the Hu people to gallop in at will.
Although Xu Huang didn't know how much the cement cost or whether it would require a lot of manpower to produce, if it was just the Guanglu Pass section, it would be feasible and would not require excessive manpower. "feasible."
Qiao Yan: "Well, there is an important task ahead, it depends on your performance."
What she said was true, but the fact that she placed this thing in front of Xu Huang was enough to show her inclination.
One has to eat one bite at a time. If she doesn't build an airtight external defense line, how can she concentrate on planting and farming in Bingzhou, and how can she make use of the abundant coal and iron ore resources in Bingzhou?
But before that, she had to get the people in place first.
Judging from Xu Huang's performance, it was expected that he could assist in the defense of the northwest front, but the northeast front...
Two days later, she returned to Jinyang. When she saw Lu Bu on the parade ground in the provincial capital, she couldn't help but frown.
Nearly thirty years old, Lu Bu not only possesses top personal martial arts that is invincible in the world, but also has the youthful spirit that remains unchanged.
So much so that when Qiao Yan glanced at Lu Bu on the left and Zhang Liao on the right, he felt that Zhang Liao's mental age was older than Lu Bu.
Lu Bu must be suppressed, otherwise he will be a wild dog on the Yanmen front!
If released, they can indeed bite people, but it will also inevitably affect one's own strategic layout.
Looking at him leading the five hundred people and striding forward, Qiao Yan could guess what he was thinking at the moment.
Naturally, he has his own leadership charm, and it is not difficult for him to make these 500 people obedient. Therefore, he has strong confidence in defeating Zhang Liao, and he is determined to get the position of Wu Meng.
But he still didn't understand that a proud army will inevitably be defeated.
"Lord Qiao, don't worry so much." Guo Jia stood beside Qiao Yan because he would have to deal with the border in the future. "It's naive of Lü Fengxian to think that he can win a battle by relying on his own bravery. Zhang Liao has fought against the Hu people for many years. Although he is young, he is definitely not an easy opponent."
"I'm not worried about this battle," Qiao Yan shook his head. "Lü Bu obviously underestimates Wen Yuan's ability. There is no benefit at this time. I'm just worried about—"
What position should be given to Lu Bu?
Even if he loses, we cannot abandon him.
This position cannot simply be under Zhang Liao, otherwise friction will inevitably occur in the military camp.
In particular, if Lu Bu initiated a duel under the pretext of normal communication, it would inevitably damage Zhang Liao's position in the army.
In addition, Zhang Liao must be able to control Lu Bu's military deployment...
"You mean to let this Lü Fengxian be the military officer of my Yanmen prefecture, and be under the command of Wu Meng?"
Guo Yu, the current governor of Yanmen who was invited to Jinyang by Qiao Yan, felt that this was not an ordinary suggestion.
He looked towards Qiao Yan suspiciously, but only saw her expression as calm as before.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
