In ancient times, using sheepskin bags to cross rivers was a method considered a non-material cultural heritage of the Yellow River region.

Nowadays, it seems quite novel.

Even though Qiao Yan told Cao Cao and Lu Zhi that “others think northern people are not skilled in water battles, but our Bingzhou region is different,” in reality, the method of “sewing sheepskin into boats” was only introduced to Bingzhou from Liangzhou a few decades ago.

Qiao Yan had previously spent quite a bit of time trying to remove the sheepskin intact from the neck of the sheep.

Fortunately, the geographical position of Bingzhou meant that if she wanted to attack Luoyang, she would have to cross the Yellow River from Mengjin.

Given the anticipated difficulty, preparations for this had started in spring.

“Guo Jia, are you planning to become an expert in blowing up sheepskins while standing here?” Qiao Yan looked at the end of the drying rack and saw a familiar figure.

Guo Jia quickly waved his hand and replied, “Your Highness, you jest. I can only use a sheepskin bag to splash around in the water a bit while crossing, just to give everyone a bit of encouragement. I don’t have the strength to blow up sheepskins.”

Qiao Yan smiled, knowing that Guo Jia could say and do such things.

Guo Jia then became serious and said, “I was just thinking. If we use the method of making sheepskin rafts as a disguise while actually preparing boats, it should deceive the guards stationed at Mengjin and Xiaopingjin.”

“But the river at Mengjin bends upward, and this route is affected by the diversion at the river’s center island. If we start from the outer island at Xiaopingjin and drift downstream along the side closest to Luoyang, could we allow soldiers with less skill in swimming to cross successfully without needing floating bridges or rafts?”

The wooden strips on the sheepskin rafts are made into square frames.

Although not many are needed, for Qiao Yan’s current forces, it is still a significant expense.

It’s easy for the enemy to notice if there are unusual activities in the camp.

Since the buoyancy of the sheepskin bags is enough to carry one person across, why not use the terrain to reduce the amount of bamboo and wood required, except for the large sheepskin rafts used to transport cavalry?

Guo Jia had studied the terrain here for a long time and examined the sheepskin rafts thoroughly.

He saw a lot of potential in the plan.

In fact, even though they would need to retreat to Xiaopingjin and thus shorten the more detectable river-crossing process by half, taking advantage of the river’s current would definitely be a worthwhile approach.

The only concern was—

“Xu Rong, stationed at Xiaopingjin, is not from Xiliang and doesn’t quite fit in with Dong Zhuo’s factions. Given his meticulous nature, he would not overlook the river island in front of Xiaopingjin, even if he hasn’t stationed troops there yet. He is likely to be vigilant. This needs to be considered.”

Xu Rong…

In history, Xu Rong had played a significant role in the Battle of Bian Shui, where he forced Cao Cao and his men to flee.

The battle was likely not only due to the numbers of Xiliang troops.

It might be better to take some risks and sneak the wooden frame materials into the camp at night rather than try to bypass Xu Rong’s defenses.

Qiao Yan was quite intrigued by Guo Jia’s idea.

Instead of undermining the plan, it was better to deal with the person who could affect it.

Qiao Yan pondered for a moment and said, “Get me paper and a pen.”

A messenger arrived from north of the river about half an hour later, traveling by boat to Xu Rong’s camp.

Since the messenger claimed to be delivering a letter from Bingzhou’s governor and was accompanied only by a boatman, he faced little restriction upon landing and was taken directly to Xu Rong.

Seeing the visitor was just a young man, Xu Rong was surprised and asked, “Does the young lord often use young subordinates as well?”

“Not at all,” the visitor replied with a bow. “I mentioned to Lord Qiao that seeing how well-organized your camp is, I presumed you manage your troops well and would not harm an envoy.

Also, since we share the same surname, even though I come from Yingchuan and we are not related, there is some connection. It’s an extra layer of protection.”

The visitor was Xu Fu.

Qiao Yan had brought him along as the third military advisor.

Xu Fu was modest about his role and had volunteered to deliver the message after Qiao Yan decided to send it to Xu Rong.

Qiao Yan had confidence in Xu Fu’s courage and eloquence.

Her only worry was that, despite Xu Rong’s apparent professionalism, he might not let the messenger go safely.

If Xu Fu were captured, it would be too late to regret.

Xu Fu responded, “If a bold person like me can’t handle this letter, Lord Qiao’s grand plan will certainly have flaws. I was impressed by Lord Qiao’s bravery when he served as bait among the Yellow Turbans, and today I say the same. If this allows us to cross the river smoothly and strike Luoyang, what is one life of Xu Fu worth?”

He continued, “Moreover, you will inevitably face Xu Rong. If you can observe his military situation now, it will be beneficial. Ordinary messengers would never achieve this.”

That’s why he was here.

Xu Rong examined the young man closely and felt that his praise of Xu Rong’s military skills seemed genuine.

This made him feel a bit more at ease.

He asked, “What message does Lord Qiao want you to deliver?”

Xu Fu handed over the letter from his sleeve to Xu Rong’s guard and replied, “Previously, Lord Qiao and you fought in the capital. His warriors felt that your skills are considerable. Now, as we confront Dong Zhuo’s rebellion, if we meet again…”

“You need not say more,” Xu Rong interrupted. “Dong Zhuo has done me a great favor. How dare you speak of him as a traitor in front of me? If there is to be any negotiation or persuasion, it is unnecessary to elaborate. Considering you are still young, I will let you go this time. Let’s not discuss further.”

Despite Xu Rong’s anger, Xu Fu remained calm and replied, “If General Xu thinks I’m here to bribe you or make you switch sides to ensure our crossing, you underestimate Lord Qiao and yourself.”

He spoke firmly, “Lord Qiao would never engage in such actions!”

Seeing Xu Fu’s resolute attitude, Xu Rong softened his anger and asked, “What is Lord Qiao’s intention?”

Xu Fu replied, “Lord Qiao admires your reputation. Although we are on opposite sides and will eventually meet in battle, to show his respect for a hero, Lord Qiao wishes to meet you on the river island with a modest drink. Would you dare to accept this single combat meeting?”

Before Xu Rong could respond, Xu Fu continued, “A meeting over drinks is just that. After drinking, we will be enemies as usual. If Lord Qiao has such courage to meet with you, do you fear there might be deceit?”

Xu Rong remarked, “Dong Zhuo clearly doesn’t regard Lord Qiao as a significant figure.

He sent the messenger Li Su to say that he wanted to meet Lord Qiao outside Luoyang at Sunset Pavilion, but then he sent troops to attack the camp the night before.

Lord Qiao would never engage in such dirty tactics.

Our troops are under General Niu’s watch, so there’s no chance to cross the river during this meeting.”

“…” Xu Rong was silent for a while after hearing this implication about Dong Zhuo’s failed sneak attack.

He finally responded, “Now I understand why Lord Qiao sent you.”

Xu Fu accepted this comment with composure and replied, “So, what is your decision, General? With the invitation from the Marquis of Le Ping in the letter as proof, Dong Zhuo shouldn’t fault you for leaving your post.”

Xu Rong opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, finding it as Xu Fu had described.

After a moment of contemplation, he replied, “I will do as Lord Qiao wishes. However, since the river island is so close, why wait for five days?”

He momentarily felt that the date might be related to Qiao Yan’s previous invitation to Dong Zhuo, but Xu Fu explained, “Lord Qiao is currently overseeing the shipbuilding and river-crossing efforts while also managing the coalition against Dong Zhuo. He can’t spare the time right now.”

Seeing Xu Rong pause in surprise, Xu Fu smiled and said, “I trust you won’t hold it against me for mentioning this. I’ll take my leave now.”

Xu Rong suspected there might be some deceit in Xu Fu’s words, but since he had promised not to harm envoys, he saw no point in detaining him.

He watched Xu Fu leave by boat and reach the opposite bank of the river.

Five days…

During these five days, Qiao Yan’s other two letters were also delivered to their destinations.

Cao Cao received Qiao Yan’s invitation and, recalling their previous discussion about the campaign against the west and the humiliation of being driven out of Luoyang by Dong Zhuo, decided to send out a declaration against Dong Zhuo.

He gathered his forces to attack Xuanmen Pass, coordinating with Qiao Yan’s efforts.

He said to his eldest son, “Previously, Yeshou owed you a gift. Now, if we can enter Luoyang together, she, as the Governor of Bingzhou, should make good on that.”

“Father…” Cao Ang was somewhat at a loss for words.

Was this the right time to bring it up?

Cao Cao continued, “At her age, she has already surpassed her peers by far in courage and determination, with her initiative to challenge Dong Zhuo. This shows that you, Zhi Xiu, need to work harder!”

“However, Yeshu(Qiao Yan) is excellent in many ways, but there’s one flaw. A declaration should emphasize the righteousness of the campaign, not just for Dong Zhuo’s sake. It should exaggerate his actions to fit the nature of a declaration.”

Seeing Cao Cao roll up his sleeves and trying to maintain a serious expression, Cao Ang had to suppress any reaction.

After all, the underlying message in his father’s actions was—

Qiao Yan’s criticism of Dong Zhuo was not particularly skillful; it needed someone with more experience, like Cao Cao, to handle it.

Father! Are you praising your own writing skills or criticizing yourself?

Despite Cao Ang’s inner complaints, Cao Cao’s standard declaration was promptly delivered to Lu Zhi right after Qiao Yan’s letter reached Jizhou.

In this highly provocative and mobilizing declaration, Lu Zhi immediately got up from his seat, paced around the room, and suddenly laughed loudly, “Good! From the north and the east, if we break through both passes, Dong Zhuo will surely be defeated. Xuande!”

Liu Bei had already prepared to march on Luoyang, anticipating Lu Zhi’s arrival.

Although Liu Bei had not made as rapid progress as Qiao Yan and had limited connections in officialdom, his relationships with wealthy merchants Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang from his early years had continued while he was in Jizhou.

Through these connections, he had accumulated some support.

During his tenure in Qinghe County, he realized that advancing through the usual channels was difficult unless he received promotion from high-ranking officials like the current Taiwei Huang Wan.

Instead, making achievements in pacifying rebellions and defeating enemies was a better way to rise in rank without relying on official connections.

With the death of the previous emperor and the young successor being controlled by treacherous people, it was the best opportunity for him to make a significant impact.

To do something substantial for the people, one must at least become a regional governor; such pragmatic ambitions are not shameful!

He quickly responded, “If Lu Shi has any instructions, I will immediately mobilize my forces and set out!”

“Not so fast,” Lu Zhi replied, “Let us first go see Yuan Benchu.”

Lu Zhi and Yuan Shao had been on opposing sides in Luoyang.

If it weren’t for Yuan Shao’s support of Dong Zhuo, Lu Zhi wouldn’t have been defeated by Dong Zhuo.

Lu Zhi believed that Cao Cao hadn’t just sent the declaration to him but had also sent a copy to Yuan Shao.

Since Xuanmen Pass and Hulao Pass were critical strategic points, the coalition forces needed to be united.

Whether Yuan Shao took a step back or Lu Zhi did, past grievances needed to be resolved first.

Without such resolution, their effectiveness outside Xuanmen Pass might be less than Qiao Yan’s efforts.

“Lu Shi…”

“Xuande,” Lu Zhi replied with a smile, “At a time like this, what’s the value of face? The important thing is the big matters. Consider this as a lesson from me.”

However, not everyone received Cao Cao’s declaration with such understanding.

For example, Zhang Zi, the governor of Nanyang who was expected to ally with Yuan Shu, died at the hands of Sun Jian during his initial mobilization due to issues with military supplies.

Sun Jian was fierce and aggressive, while Zhang Zi, citing his position as a regional governor without the authority to allocate supplies, was caught in a complex situation.

Even the brothers Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, in their campaign against Dong Zhuo, were caught up in disputes over priority in their correspondence.

Qiao Yan knew well how these approaching warlords would behave, but she had little energy to spare for their internal conflicts at the moment.

When the five-day deadline arrived, she boarded the boat in casual attire, appearing relaxed and confident, unlike Xu Rong, who was wary of deceit.

From Niu Fu’s position on the southern bank of the Yellow River, the small boat could hardly be seen clearly as it sailed through the muddy waters, with Xu Rong’s dark robes fluttering in the river breeze, looking poised and elegant.

As the boat approached the island in the river’s center, the scene became distant and unclear, but Niu Fu made a mental note of Xu Rong.

On the other side, after the boat docked, Zhao Yun adjusted his hat and temporarily acted as a competent boatman, watching as Qiao Yan disembarked with her sword and wine jug, preparing to meet Xu Rong on the shore.

Even with bodyguards at her side, it was indeed an impressive display of meeting heroes with a toast!