Chapter 99: Less...
Should he suppress Qiao Yan's position as Bingzhou governor first, or should he fight for the positions of Liangzhou governor and Jingzhou governor, which have already been established?
This doesn’t seem to be a difficult question to answer.
Even though the bandits in Liang Province have not been pacified, Liu Hong has already appointed Huangfu Song and Dong Zhuo to lead troops to lift the siege of Chencang. With Huangfu Song's combat skills, even if all the bandits in Western Liang cannot be wiped out within one winter, it would not be difficult to stabilize the Han army camp and gradually advance the counterattack front.
Even though there were many clan bandits in southern Jingzhou and the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the seventh year of Guanghe had exacerbated the chaos, there were still many aristocratic families and celebrities in Jingzhou. If they had military support, they would probably have a chance to fight back.
Just occupying half of a state is enough to be called the power of a prince.
In contrast, Bingzhou would face the threat of internal invasion by the Xianbei and Xiongnu at any time. If it were not for Qiao Yan's drastic measures, the situation in Bingzhou would not be much better than that in Liangzhou and Jingzhou.
Indeed... there is no need to stick to this.
When Lu Zhi turned around and looked towards Qiao Yan, there was a hint of complexity in his eyes.
When she mentioned to Liu Hong that she shouldn't be the governor of Bingzhou, she deliberately pointed out that if the governors of Yizhou and Youzhou were established, these four states should also have governors, and this honor should not be given only to Bingzhou.
Is this a rejection or a distraction bait?
And Liu Hong actually continued along with what she said, and without hesitation finalized Huang Wan as the governor of Yuzhou. This was obviously not a decision that could be reached in a hurry, which showed that she had guessed the emperor's intention just right when she said this.
The girl, who also did not fall asleep at night, stood in the corridor in front of the courtyard with a cloak in her arms, which reminded Lu Zhi vaguely of the fact that she had also come to the Quzhou camp at night that year.
After three and a half years, or even nearly four years, her eyes are still the same as they were back then, clear and sharp, but her growth and maturity in these years make people feel that time has passed so quickly.
Seeing that she looked like she was taking a leisurely stroll at night, rather than being troubled by the heavy responsibility that had suddenly been placed on her, Lu Zhi could not help but ask, "Could you trouble Ye Shu to tell me one thing, is this position of Bingzhou Mu what you want?"
Because of the cool moonlight, Lu Zhi's gaunt face also had a solemn look.
Qiao Yan did not shy away from his gaze and replied, "Before answering Mr. Lu's question, I would like to tell you a few stories."
Seeing Lu Zhi nod, she said, "Three years ago when we arrived in Leping, we took in the Black Mountain bandits and used them for our own use. We took the bark of the paper mulberry trees from the Taihang Mountains to make clothes, which was the paper mulberry bark clothing that gradually spread in Bingzhou later."
When Qiao Yan said this, Lu Zhi realized that this was most likely the truth that she would not casually tell others. After all, according to the information conveyed to the outside world, the mulberry leather coat was not invented by Leping.
Qiao Yan was willing to reveal this special news to him, so obviously there was no need to hide anything when answering this question.
He listened to her and continued, "When the first paper mulberry bark coat was made, I invited a county resident to come and test the effect of the coat. He told me that fortunately the bark of the paper mulberry tree is hard and not easy to chew, otherwise there would not be so many paper mulberry trees with intact bark left to make paper fur coats to keep warm. Even after three years, these words still have the effect of awakening the deaf."
“This is the first story.”
Qiao Yan paused, and continued, "Two years ago, when I held the governor Zhang Yi hostage and decided to eradicate the locusts, I passed by the farmland south of Taiyuan County and saw farmers crying about their crops and using fishing nets to catch locusts in exchange for food. Two years later, after the ban was lifted, I rode past on horseback and saw that all the wheat in the fields had been pulled out and replaced with soybeans."
"I asked him why they planted soybeans instead of wheat since soybeans are not a staple food and the yield is not high. He told me that the locust plague is beyond human prediction. Today, the Marquis of Leping has forced the governor to issue a plan to eliminate the locusts. If someone else is in Bingzhou tomorrow, he may not be able to do so. So having something to eat is better than starving to death."
"But in Bingzhou, even though the Fen River is irrigated, the farmland yields cannot be compared with those in Jingyangzhou. If you grow soybeans for a living, after paying the per mu tax and the mouth tax, there will be very little left. But I see that he thinks this method is feasible, and I don't know how to dissuade him."
“That’s the second story.”
Qiao Yan's tone was gentle and her emotions did not sound agitated. However, as Lu Zhi said, it was not just her who was shocked by her story at that time.
It's not that Lu Zhi had never seen poverty, but he became a disciple of Ma Rong at a young age, and all he heard and saw were talented people who were pillars of the Han Dynasty. As a result, he had never heard anyone say things like "Fortunately, we didn't eat all the tree bark" or "In order to survive the locust plague, it's better to plant beans instead of wheat."
They sound half absurd and half sad.
Qiao Yan went on to say, "I have seen Black Mountain bandits jump into traps for thirty thousand shi of grain, and I have also seen them plant and harvest a million shi of grain on the mountain fields and take their share."
"I have seen the White Wave bandits fighting among themselves for food and survival, and I have also seen them bravely killing bandits in exchange for food."
"Lord Lu, in today's world, everyone wants to survive. If I think I have the ability to govern a state and save the people of a state, then Youzhou and Yizhou have governors, so why can't I be the governor of Bingzhou?"
This seems to be an easy question to answer.
Lu Zhi looked into Qiao Yan's eyes, which were brightly lit by the moonlight, allowing him to clearly see her unusually determined expression.
In front of this elder who evaluated her as a talent worthy of a king's assistant, she did not avoid the question of whether she should compete for the position of Governor of Bingzhou, but stated with dignity that since she had the ability and the opportunity, she might as well compete for it!
Then the refutation of the feudal theory of provincial governors, the statement that there was nothing wrong with Cui Lie's position as Bingzhou governor, and the suggestion that Your Majesty listen to the opinions of the court, were all just to ensure that the last step forward would never fail.
But it was precisely this frankness that made Lu Zhi feel that her intention was not a bad thing.
If it had been during the time when Dong Zhuo's reign was chaotic and the Han Dynasty was in decline, the governors would have become a threat to the unity of the Han Dynasty. Lu Zhi, a man who was loyal to the Han Dynasty and had integrity, would never have supported Qiao Yan's extraordinary promotion.
But now that there are fires everywhere and the Han Dynasty is still able to maintain the situation, it is still feasible.
The "Ling" in the posthumous title of Emperor Ling of Han is not so easy to achieve.
Chaos but no loss, this is the way the world is today.
Lu Zhi let out a long sigh, and watched the breath condense into a ball of white mist in the winter. He suddenly felt quite relaxed.
He did not express any approval or disapproval of Qiao Yan's change from asking for a crime to seeking the position of Bingzhou Mu. He just suddenly said, "Send me more paper when you return to Bingzhou."
If mulberry fur clothing had not been linked with Leping Hou paper before, it might have been difficult to see the connection between the paper and the paper fur coat, but if they were both produced in Leping, then there would be no doubt about it.
If paper is made from mulberry bark, then the so-called cost is complete nonsense. Lu Zhi didn't believe that with the maturity of the paper she had sent before, she would not have accumulated some stock on hand.
Sure enough, he saw Qiao Yan bowing to him and replied, "I will follow Lord Lu's wishes."
Not only did Lu Zhi feel relieved, Qiao Yan also felt a little relieved.
Liu Hong was indeed wary of Lu Zhi's command of the army, but he did not disregard Lu Zhi. Judging from the official position Lu Zhi currently held, the position of Shangshu Ling was the top position in the inner court. Whether Liu Hong listened to his advice or not was up to Liu Hong, but influence was another matter.
If Lu Zhi took on the responsibility of educating her while she was in the capital, and at the same time opposed her taking over the position of governor of Bingzhou, this would undoubtedly be bad news for Qiao Yan.
Fortunately...
Fortunately, Lu Zhi is not a pedantic person!
But what really surprised Qiao Yan was that when He Jin's brother He Miao was the first to say at the court meeting that it was inappropriate to let a woman, even a 14-year-old girl, take the position of governor of Bingzhou, Lu Zhi asked He Miao: "What merits have you made to ask me this?"
Since the topic of this debate was related to her, Qiao Yan was also present.
It was still early in the morning for the court meeting. As it was winter, it was still dark outside the hall and candles were needed to illuminate the hall. This also clearly captured the unpleasant moments when Lu Zhi faced He Miao.
These two men, one is a civil official and the other a military official, and one just happened to be the Minister of the Chancellery and the other the General of Chariots and Cavalry, so they could almost face off just by turning their heads.
Qiao Yan had a title but no official position. He stood in the back row of the two men and saw the confrontation clearly.
He Miao replied without thinking: "I was the one who quelled the rebellion in Xingyang."
Rebellion in Xingyang? This is indeed a record that He Miao can boast of.
In the fourth year of Zhongping, which was February of this year, the rebels in Xingyang killed the magistrate of Zhongmou and rebelled. This battle was quelled by He Miao.
He had previously been appointed Captain of the Yue Cavalry Camp, and then the Governor of Henan, and was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, all thanks to his sister, Empress He. However, the victory in this battle, which made him the Marquis of Jiyang, was his own achievement.
Precisely for this reason, he was as righteous as he could be when he said this.
However, he immediately heard Lu Zhi reply: "The rebels in Xingyang number no more than a thousand people. The General of Chariots and Cavalry led 3,000 men to suppress the rebellion. Isn't it as easy as chopping wood with iron? If this is the case, he can be promoted to the rank of a general of the third rank, and can be made the Marquis of Jiyang County. Then the Marquis of Leping, who conquered two states by himself, should be made the great general."
"Minister Lu." Lu Zhi had just finished speaking when he heard Liu Hong, who was at the top of the table, speak. His words clearly implied that he should be careful with his words.
But Liu Hong looked at Lu Zhi and Qiao Yan and didn't mind this kind of protection.
The Fanyang Lu family of later generations began to become prominent since Lu Zhi, and flourished under the hands of his son Lu Yu. Although Lu Zhi is feared by Liu Hong today because of his military achievements, it is definitely not because of his background.
Come to think of it, Lu Zhi and Qiao Yan have something in common.
Looking at the fearlessness and bravery shown by Lu Zhi in his memorial, one can tell that he is a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty.
What Liu Hong was afraid of was that Lu Zhi had many disciples, and if he became a local general, it would inevitably cause some problems.
But if it was just to help Qiao Yan get the position of Bingzhou governor at this time, he would not think that it was forming a clique for personal gain.
At most, he needed to remind Lu Zhi at this time, but not to offend He Miao too much.
Lu Zhi bowed to He Miao and said, "General Chariot and Cavalry, please don't be offended. Don't accuse me of being partial or protective. As the Minister of the Chancellery, I am just speaking impartially."
Lu Zhi's words blocked He Miao's way again.
He Jin turned his head and glanced at He Miao's face. For some reason he had the illusion that he was seeing himself yesterday.
He really couldn't handle the rhetoric of these literati.
Unfortunately, today is a grand court session, and none of his officials from the general's office can come, making it impossible to find anyone who wants to offer advice.
He tried hard to recall the draft that Chen Lin had written for him yesterday, but he had forgotten most of it when he woke up. He only vaguely remembered what was in it - stealing the tripod, overturning heavy equipment, and the rooster crowing at dawn, which would bring disaster to the family. 1
And then, what was next?
If there are only sixteen words, it won’t be powerful enough.
He Jin turned and looked at Yuan Shao for help.
Although Yuan Shao relied on He Jin at this time, his own position was still respectable. He now served as the General of the Tiger Guards in Luoyang City, so naturally he was also among the participants in this court meeting.
But at this moment, Yuan Shao's eyes were blank, and he obviously had no intention of responding to He Jin's gaze.
Just as Qiao Yan guessed, after Liu Hong gave a positive response to Qiao Yan's reasons for refusal and threw out the bait of the governor of Jingzhou and the governor of Liangzhou, the result of the internal agreement of the Yuan family was to temporarily give up opposing the appointment of the governor of Bingzhou.
Instead, they first ensure that their people, or the people they promote, can get these two lucrative vacant positions.
Yuan Wei once suffered a loss in the matter of Qiao Yan being conferred the title of nobility, and always felt that this guy was a little mysterious.
Moreover, in their opinion, what good would it do even if Qiao Yan was removed from the position of Bingzhou Mu?
Although Han Fu, the General Du Liao and a former subordinate of the Yuan family, was under the control of Qiao Yan, it can be seen from her choice to inform the Yuan family about the matter of the Eight Schools of Xiyuan that there might be room for easing the relationship. On the contrary, if they try to stop it in every possible way, it may intensify the conflict.
Regardless of whether the position of Bingzhou Mu will be settled, her Marquis of Leping will always be here. Given the current environment in Bingzhou and the bandits and soldiers in Qiao Yan's hands, Han Fu is very likely to suffer a great loss.
It would be better if everyone took a step back.
On the contrary, the other two positions are more worthy of competition.
The appointment of Qingzhou Governor Huang Wan as Yuzhou Governor might be a signal from Liu Hong to show goodwill to the aristocratic families. It was the recommendation of the deceased Yang Ci that allowed Huang Wan to gain experience in the court and the opposition.
However, it was a good thing for the Yuan family that Huang Wan, a former official from an aristocratic family, became the governor of Yuzhou.
According to the principle of the Three Mutuals Law, no one from the Yuan family could become the governor of Yuzhou.
But what about the Governor of Liangzhou and the Governor of Jingzhou?
It is possible.
As Yuan Shao was distracted, he heard, as expected, that there were not many opposing voices in the background. Even if there were three or two, they were all rebuked by Lu Zhi. Then he heard Liu Hong ask, "What do you think, Grand Commandant?"
Grand Commandant? The Grand Commandant, who was the head of the Three Dukes, was Cao Song, who bought his position to satisfy his desire for power.
He felt quite as confused as Cui Lie did when he was called out by Liu Hong. However, he immediately thought about what his son and grandson said about Qiao Yan last night, and felt that what he said should be correct.
He replied: "I think it is not a bad idea to appoint Marquis Leping as governor of Bingzhou. Huang Wan is governor of Yuzhou and Qiao Yan is governor of Bingzhou. It is a good omen for them to be like Huang Wan and Qiao Yan."
"..." Even though Liu Hong knew that Cao Song would not say anything against it, his expression froze for a moment when he heard the words "auspicious omen".
Is this something you can say in the court?
He waved his hand and decided to give up asking him questions. At most, he would let him sit in the position of the general for a while longer in consideration of the fact that he gave him 100 million yuan.
"What do Sikong and Situ say?"
Si Tu Ding Kong and Si Kong Xu Xiang witnessed with their own eyes that the former Grand Commandant Zhang Yan was slandered by the eunuchs and then imprisoned and executed. They had already become somewhat disheartened. In the past year or so, they had been trying to avoid mistakes rather than achieve any merit in their positions as one of the Three Dukes. How could they express any thoughts at this time?
Judging from Liu Hong's performance, this tendency has been clearly presented before them. Even though they did have some doubts in their hearts, they still replied "no" at this time.
It was Yang Biao who stood up at this time.
"What does Weiwei want to say?" Liu Hong felt a headache when he thought about being fooled by the aristocratic families this time. He thought that by putting Huang Wan, whom he had previously favored, in the position of Yuzhou Mu, he would at least be able to make Yang shut up, but who knew that he would still jump out.
But speaking of it, if he remembered correctly, didn't Yang Xiu, the young master of the Hongnong Yang family, live in Leping for a period of time?
Yang Biao held up his hu tablet and replied, "I have no suggestion for Leping Hou to take over the post of Bingzhou governor. I just thought of a saying: if you want to be in a position, you must do your job well."
"Liu Bo'an, the governor of Youzhou, served successively as the governor of Youzhou, the prime minister of Ganling, and the chief of the imperial clan before he became the governor of Youzhou. Liu Junlang, the governor of Yizhou, was initially a military officer, and later served as the magistrate of Luoyang, the governor of Jizhou, the prefect of Nanyang, the chief of the imperial clan, and the minister of ceremonies before he became the governor of Yizhou."
"Marquis Qiao's talent in military leadership is unquestionable, and his performance during the locust plague was also remarkable. However, the governor of Bingzhou is in charge of prefectures and counties, and reports to the emperor. He cannot just rely on improvisation and pointing the sword at the Xiongnu. The government affairs are complicated, and supervising officials in the state cannot be done by correspondence alone. He needs capable people to assist him."
"Yang Biao is not talented, but I would like to ask Marquis Qiao, if the emperor offers the position of governor of Bingzhou to you, what would you think about this matter?"
Yang Biao seemed to be asking about this matter very seriously, so much so that it was difficult to judge for a moment what his attitude was towards Qiao Yan taking over as the governor of Bingzhou.
But in Qiao Yan's opinion, the timing of asking this question was just right.
She stepped out and replied, "If Your Majesty does not consider revoking the order, I would like to ask Your Majesty for two orders to ensure that I can fulfill my duties as a governor."
Liu Hong was a little surprised by Qiao Yan's performance, but he still let her continue.
"First, since Mr. Cui is the governor of Taiyuan County and is in the same prefecture, please allow him to continue to teach. He has served as governor and then as a court official, and is particularly good at general affairs and paperwork, so he can assist and guide us."
Liu Hong had her own judgment in her heart as to whether this was assistance or supervision. She took the initiative to mention this matter, and it was obvious that she also knew that the power of the Bingzhou Mu was too heavy and should be restrained.
This did help to slightly reduce the regret he had felt after he had recovered from his previous feeling of having no one to rely on.
"What about the second one?" Liu Hong asked.
"Secondly, the former Grand Commandant Zhang Boxin did not fight well in battle, so it is only natural that he should be dismissed. However, I heard that Mr. Zhang is good at selecting people and appointing them to positions. He has promoted many knowledgeable people to serve in the Grand Commandant's Office. I think many of them are familiar with laws and documents. I wonder if we can select a few of them to serve in Bingzhou?"
A clerk in the Grand Marshal's Office?
After Liu Hong moved to Nangong, he knew more about the situation in the Three Dukes' Mansion than before. As far as he could see, there were not many talented people in the Taiwei's Mansion, but it should be possible for them to be familiar with the laws.
Think about it, Cao Song is here to get by just to get by, so he can indeed assign a few people from the Taiwei Mansion to Qiao Yan.
Although this request is a bit strange, it is indeed feasible.
With Qiao Yan in Bingzhou, there should be no problem in formulating the general policy. What is lacking is someone who can revise and correct his instructions and then compile them into documents in accordance with the laws of the Han Dynasty. It is indeed feasible to select and appoint someone from the clerks of the Taiwei Mansion.
It is indeed a response to the question raised by Yang Biao.
After he agreed, Qiao Yan replied to Yang Biao: "The post of governor is a high position with great power. I dare not take it lightly. Yan's strength is that he dares to use the blood of the Xiongnu to build the gate of our Han family. He does lack some experience in politics, but he is careful in handling details and will never take things for granted. What do you think of the Weiwei?"
"Marquis Qiao's words are enough to convince me." Yang Biao smiled. "I dare to use the blood of the Xiongnu to build our Han family's pass. I hope Marquis Qiao will take this as his ambition."
After he finished speaking, he returned to the team.
This is an expression of no opinion.
Liu Hong looked at the line of officials below, where no one had any intention of speaking, and then stayed on Qiao Yan for the longest time.
Because of the candlelight in the hall, the expression on his face was not so clear, as if he was pondering and weighing something, but he finally spoke.
"Since all the ministers have no objection, then—
I have made up my mind to appoint Marquis Leping as Governor of Bingzhou, in charge of important military and political affairs of Bingzhou. ”
When Qiao Yan stepped out to express his gratitude, Liu Hong slowly said, "Ye Shu, don't let me down."
This is the governor of Bingzhou!
I just hope that she can really be a selfless person who is willing to continue the foundation of the Han Dynasty, suppress Han Fu, who is the General Du Liao, and guard the border of Bingzhou while leading the army to support him when he needs it.
All the thoughts in his mind were combined into these six meaningful words.
But fortunately, this time he had the help of Lu Zhi first and the questions asked by Yang Biao later, which saved him a lot of trouble.
There was a charcoal basin burning in the house, but Liu Hong felt that his health was getting worse, and there was a chill that penetrated into his bones. He pulled himself together and said, "Regarding the governor of Liangzhou and the governor of Jingzhou..."
"The current chaos in Lingling and Guiyang in Jingzhou is under control thanks to the Changsha governor Sun Wentai's dispatch of troops. The Liangzhou bandits are invading the border, but with Huangfu Yizhen here, the chaos is gradually being contained. However, the governors of Liangzhou and Jingzhou must be both civil and military talents to be competent."
Upon hearing that these two key pieces of fat meat were released by Liu Hong, Qiao Yan even felt for a moment that she, the newly settled Bingzhou Mu, might be invisible.
Everyone's eyes were focused on these two positions.
But think about it, Liu Hong gave up this position in order to further balance the power, it is impossible for anyone to get this position so easily.
As expected, he immediately said, "The two governors are of great importance. I have a selection method that I would like to ask you for your advice. I wonder if it is okay."
"If there are those who have outstanding political achievements and the courage to face this situation, please send me a letter recommending yourself. How to solve the rebellion of the clan thieves in Jingzhou, how to deal with Ma Teng and Han Sui in Liangzhou, and how to settle the Qiang people, please write down in the letter. I will choose the most suitable candidate from them and discuss and decide with you ministers."
This method...
Yuan Shao pondered for a moment, then exchanged glances with Yuan Ji, thinking that there was indeed room for the Yuan family to maneuver.
Analyzing situations through argumentation is their strength.
It seems like there is really room for competition!
This is what Yuan thought, and so did everyone else. After all, everyone was standing on the same starting line, so they might as well go back and make their own plans.
When Qiao Yan walked out of the Chongde Hall, she looked around and saw many ambitious faces, which looked a bit strange as the sun was rising. She heard someone calling her from behind, and when she turned around, it was Weiwei Yang Biao.
He spoke first, "I asked this question today in the palace for official business, I think Marquis Qiao won't blame me, right?"
Qiao Yan replied, "If it weren't for the Weiwei's fair questioning, I would not have been able to obtain these two edicts from Your Majesty, so how could I feel offended? Promotion beyond the rules should be done with caution, and the Weiwei's question was absolutely correct."
"There is some selfishness in what I said," Yang Biao sighed, "My son Yang Xiu is now in mourning for my father in Hongnong. I returned to the court to take up my post because of a love affair. I heard from his correspondence that he intends to return to Leping to work under Marquis Qiao after his three-year term is up."
"According to the old rules for the children of aristocratic families, there is no such rule. I can't dissuade them, so I can only order Marquis Qiao to have more officials to convey government orders."
Yang Biao was obviously quite troubled by the fact that Yang Xiu felt that Leping was a place where he could grow.
When Yang Ci was alive, Yang Xiu was still young, so it was okay for him to be a little willful. But at this age, with the example of a young county marquis like Qiao Yan, this idea was a little inappropriate.
In this case, it would be better to have more available officials in Bingzhou.
After this incident, Yang Xiu would either have to be more motivated, even if it meant staying in Bingzhou for a few years, or give up and grow along the path he had planned.
All the thoughts in his mind became the question in the palace. At this time, he finally said to Qiao Yan: "I have said everything I should say in the palace. Now I just want to congratulate Marquis Qiao."
"No," he took two steps and turned back, saying, "It should be Qiao Bingzhou."
Qiao Bingzhou...
Qiao Yan was stunned for a moment.
This is a really fresh name.
Having the state name after the surname, even the governor did not have this honor, only the governor of the state.
It is no wonder that these people would even give up suppressing her for the sake of the titles of Governor of Jingzhou and Governor of Liangzhou.
For example, Yuan Shao, after some analysis, gave up the fight for the position of Governor of Liang Province and instead turned his target to the position of Governor of Jing Province.
In the opinion of He Yong and Xu You, just like the selection of General Du Liao and the establishment of the Eight Schools of Xiyuan, if the document is well-written, the debate on the policy of the governor of the province will probably be valued and appointed by His Majesty as well.
The situation in Jingzhou is most suitable for Yuan Shao to give full play to his strengths in policy discussions.
Yuan Shao was by no means a mediocre person, especially in this situation where he was defeated by Qiao Yan. He simulated the situation in Jingzhou for a long time, wrote a letter overnight, and sent it to Nan Palace the next day.
But probably no one would have thought that someone had cheated in the policy papers submitted.
It is certainly not appropriate to say that this is cheating. Perhaps it should be said that this is malicious price-cutting during the bidding process.
This policy paper was written by Liu Biao, a relative of the Han royal family.
In summary, what he wrote in his essay is:
If others want to pacify Jingzhou, they need to borrow troops from Your Majesty. Even if they don't borrow troops, they need to borrow food to support the troops. But I am different. If I were to be the governor of Jingzhou, I would ride alone into Jingzhou and negotiate with the Kuai and Cai families in Nanyang, and I would definitely help Your Majesty resolve the chaos in Jingzhou.
The fact that he didn't spend any money or recruit any soldiers was enough to make the plan stand out from the crowd. Moreover, Liu Hong was indeed more interested in the children of the royal family.
But it is not without its troubles.
This Liu Jingsheng had fooled around with a group of students in his early years and was also implicated during the Party and Faction Persecution. Now he is just a lieutenant in the Northern Army. If he were to be appointed as the Governor of Jingzhou, he would not be able to convince the people as much as Qiao Yan.
What a headache...
Qiao Yan didn't care about Liu Hong's struggle at this time.
Because she was staying at Lu Zhi's mansion, most of those who wanted to have contact with the young governor were stopped outside, which gave her some free time to go to the Taiwei Mansion to find a suitable official to go to Bingzhou.
And she wasn't referring to the Taiwei Mansion casually.
Facing all the officials she could choose from, she finally stopped in front of a middle-aged scholar, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of her lips. "May I ask, is this Jia Wenhe from Liangzhou?"
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