Liu Hong hadn’t anticipated such a scene in Luoyang, which piqued his interest.

Even Qiao Yan hadn’t expected it.

Originally, she intended to visit the Lingtai to see the official astronomical institution of the Han Dynasty—a curiosity born from her modern times to the astronomical theories of the late Han Dynasty.

One could say it was also to pray for her grandfather at the sacred site of the Great Han.

But she didn’t expect to be intercepted by Yang Xiu on the way.

The present Yang Xiu was not the one who later repeatedly speculated on Cao Cao’s intentions, or even left behind the superfluous explanation of “Yang Dezuo.”

Born in the year 175 AD, if Yang Xiu counted his age by the traditional way, he was only nine years old.

He was younger than Qiao Yan by a year!

Not to mention that he didn’t have the title “Dezuo,” which was typically bestowed at the coming-of-age ceremony.

Moreover, at his tender age, he still wore the distinctive buns and the wide-brimmed hat, more reminiscent of a young nobleman than a child.

As he hurried towards her, his ornate jade-soled shoes revealed a sense of wealth and privilege.

That was all.

After he introduced himself, Qiao Yan’s lips twitched slightly.

When she had seen Liu Bei, who was only in his twenties, before, Qiao Yan couldn’t help feeling a strange sense of temporal disorientation.

Seeing Yang Xiu, who was only nine, intensified this feeling.

Thinking back to how he later became entangled in the struggle for succession between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, ultimately ending up with the accusation of a capital crime and execution, one could glean that his demeanor and actions lacked some restraint..

Of course, with the family support coming from the prestigious Yang clan of Hongnong and the Yuan clan of Runan, even Lady Bian praised him, saying he possessed “outstanding virtue and extraordinary talent.”

With such scholarly achievements to his credit, Yang Xiu might appear somewhat arrogant, but it wouldn’t be considered a problem.

— Provided he was in an environment that hadn’t yet descended into chaos.

Of course, in his current childhood years, it was barely… tolerable.

No, there was still something subtly unsettling about it.

Previously, Qiao Yan, in order to survive and establish her initial reputation, had faced either powerful clans or leaders of the Yellow Turbans, or renowned scholars.

Whether it was cooperating with the three great generals of the Han Dynasty—Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, and Zhu Jun—or with future figures like Liu Bei and Cao Cao, she had almost forgotten that she was still a child.

But now, to suddenly be approached by a child who was truly only nine years old, it felt inexplicably wrong to her.

What’s more interesting perhaps is that Yang Xiu’s ancestors had served as Grand Commandants for three generations.

Due to this illustrious family background, he undoubtedly stood out among the young boys of official families in the capital.

The first impression was so strong that regardless of whether he intentionally led or unintentionally gathered, when he approached Qiao Yan, there was inevitably a group of young gentlemen following behind him.

In any other era, this would have turned into a schoolyard brawl!

But Yang Xiu was accompanied by peers, while Qiao Yan was accompanied by the gold medal-holding hired bodyguard, Dian Wei.

It seemed like she was the more socially adept one after all.

Qiao Yan cleared her throat, gesturing for Dian Wei not to adopt such a menacing stance as if he were about to fight, before approaching Yang Xiu.

The group of youngsters behind him were startled by Dian Wei’s readiness to fight, but Yang Xiu, the grandson of the Grand Commandant, stood confidently in front of Qiao Yan, seemingly unfazed.

Qiao Yan asked, “Young Master Yang, what brings you to seek me out?”

Yang Xiu replied, “I’ve heard that Marquis Qiao is skilled in debate and strategy, and your reputation preceded your arrival in Luoyang.

Although I am young, I am well-versed in literature and poetry. I wish to witness your abilities firsthand.”

As he spoke, he appraised the girl before him.

With the guidance of his friends and Dian Wei’s distinctive features, he clearly hadn’t mistaken her identity.

However, he could only discern from Qiao Yan’s demeanor that she possessed some ability to remain calm in the face of change.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t fathom what kind of ability she possessed that enabled her to eradicate the Yellow Turban forces, earning her the title of Marquis of Le Ping not through hereditary means, but through her own merit.

Upon hearing that his grandfather’s opposition to bestowing such high praise for the county marquis had somewhat suffered in the court, Yang Xiu began to contemplate ways to restore some dignity for his grandfather by challenging peers of his own age.

Though young, Yang Xiu had been influenced by the words and deeds of the prominent figures like Yang Ci and Yang Biao.

He frequently attended lectures at the Imperial Academy.

Considering that Qiao Yan had not grown up in Luoyang and lacked comparable educational resources, Yang Xiu couldn’t help but feel confident in his chances of winning.

To achieve this, he didn’t hesitate to have someone keep an eye on the Yanxiang Lane, but it wasn’t until today that he received news of Qiao Yan coming out from there.

Yang Xiu immediately intercepted Qiao Yan halfway.

To be honest, Yang Xiu hadn’t anticipated that his challenge would be rejected.

During the late Han Dynasty, the academic atmosphere was relatively open, as seen in the clashes between proponents of the contemporary and ancient textual traditions.

It was natural to openly challenge each other’s arguments or abilities.

It wasn’t considered rash behavior; instead, it could be regarded as the conduct of a scholar.

Yang Xiu, with the mindset of a young genius, sought to understand others through himself—

Qiao Yan had been enfeoffed at a young age, a remarkable achievement even at the age of ten.

Someone with such achievements must have some pride.

Faced with such a public challenge, if he were in her position, he would definitely try to save face.

However, what he heard was Qiao Yan’s response: “I regretfully decline.”

Seeing Qiao Yan’s intention to leave after saying this, Yang Xiu quickly stopped her.

“Why are you unwilling to compare yourself to me? You are the granddaughter of the former Grand Commandant, and I am also the grandson of the Present Grand Commandant.

Even if one of us loses, it will not tarnish our reputations.

From my grandfather, I have heard of Marquis Qiao’s eloquence in three debates and I deeply admire her extensive knowledge.

I consider her the peerless among our peers.

However, I am also confident in my own knowledge, so let us have three competitions in different fields.

Marquis Qiao, why don’t you listen to the reasons behind these three competitions before making a decision?”

As if afraid that Qiao Yan wouldn’t believe him, he pointed to a nearby place and continued, “If you doubt my abilities, my friends in the Imperial Academy can testify for me.”

There was no need to search for those friends at the Imperial Academy.

The place where Yang Xiu intercepted Qiao Yan was on the street leading from the south gate of Luoyang to the floating bridge over the Luo River, not far from the Imperial Academy.

At this moment, with the peculiar scene of these two children dueling, there were already onlookers along the road.

Upon hearing Yang Xiu’s words, someone immediately chimed in, “Indeed, Young Master Yang is exceptionally talented. If not for his young age, he would have already been an official student at the Imperial Academy.”

The title of “official student” typically required a minimum age of twelve in the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty, so Yang Xiu’s nine years of age were indeed somewhat exceptional.

However, this statement was enough to prove that he was not an ordinary child.

The judgment of the person who spoke was immediately acknowledged by everyone present.

Of course, some of them were just there for the spectacle.

However, while Yang Xiu had a valid reason for initiating the challenge, Qiao Yan also had a valid reason for refusing.

She replied, “Thank you, Young Master Yang, for your esteem. However, my grandfather is critically ill, and I have no intention of engaging in combat.”

Yang Xiu paused, realizing that this did indeed seem to be Qiao Yan’s current situation.

Although Qiao Xuan had been critically ill for some time, Qiao Yan had only recently arrived in the capital.

Engaging in a public duel while her grandfather’s life hung in the balance would be inappropriate.

Moreover, even if she didn’t mention her grandfather’s illness, she still wouldn’t agree to Yang Xiu’s challenge.

If she accepted, she would have to do everything in her power to win—there was no doubt about that.

She had earned her title by defeating Zhang Jiao, accumulating military achievements, and seizing the opportunity when the power balance between the aristocracy and the imperial court was just right.

But if she were to lose—

Just as Zhang Jiao lost his position as the leader of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, she would lose her title because of her defeat.

One’s own lack of irreplaceability renders them viewed as a dispensable entity, replaceable at any time!

But winning is akin to trampling upon the dignity of the Yang family of Hongnong.

On the way to Luoyang, she could be courteous to Yuan Shao, after all, it made sense for Bihan to be closer to the envoy sent by Liu Hong, while Yuan Shao, following the will of the emperor, should be more approachable to the envoy.

But if she were to publicly strike the descendant of the Grand Commandant, that would be rather unwise.

Qiao Yan could already inherit a heavily discounted political legacy from Qiao Xuan, so it’s not advisable to make more enemies.

“But…” Yang Xiu wanted to argue against Qiao Yan’s refusal, but he realized it was not easy to do so.

Especially after observing, he felt Qiao Yan did indeed look a bit tired.

Yang Xiu also didn’t know whether it was because Qiao Yan was tending to that vegetable plot.

Since it was his first time personally tilling and fertilizing the soil, he might not be very proficient, which led to overexertion.

Yang Xiu even thought Qiao Yan might be busy taking care of his grandfather.

But he was far more agile in thought than ordinary people.

After hesitating for a moment, he said to Qiao Yan, “How about we try a different way of competing?”

Before Qiao Yan could refuse, Yang Xiu continued, “It’s the end of the month, and Xuzi from Runan will come to Luoyang to avoid the war.

The monthly evaluations that used to be held on Qinghe Island will now be held in Huangjiao Ding in Luoyang starting from June.

How about the two of us go together and see who can earn Xuzi’s appraisal?”

He added, “Xuzi evaluates people fairly, not favoring anyone just because they come from a prestigious family.

I, Yang Xiu, don’t have the means to receive special treatment from him, so this will truly test our abilities.”

Yang Xiu’s words were not wrong.

Although Xu Shao was not very likable, there were rumors of friction between him and his cousin Xu Jing, who presided over the monthly evaluations.

Among those who became famous throughout the country after receiving favorable evaluations in the monthly assessments, there were naturally one or two who slipped through the net.

But it was certain that Xuzi was indeed dedicated to managing the reputation of these evaluations.

To avoid tarnishing his reputation at Xuzi’s hands, Yuan Shao even adopted a humble demeanor on his return to Runan, fearing that Xuzi might give him a devastating assessment like “A descendant of four generations of nobility, a parasite on his family’s status, indulging in extreme extravagance”.

If Xuzi were to say something like that, it would undoubtedly deal a destructive blow to his reputation.

If even Yuan Shao behaved like this, Yang Xiu would certainly not receive special treatment due to his family background.

“And besides,” Yang Xiu was determined to compete with Qiao Yan and came up with another reason, “If Xuzi praises Qiao Houzhang, it will bring honor to the Qiao family. Even if Qiao Gong is ill, he should hear about it.”

Yang Xiu Feeling quite relieved, indeed.

This blocked all avenues for Qiao Yan to use Qiao Xuan as an excuse.

With the conversation reaching this point, if Qiao Yan still avoided the challenge, it wouldn’t be just filial piety but would be seen as insincere.

So, she had no choice but to accept the bet on who could open the door to the monthly evaluations.

She decisively replied, “Alright, I’ll compete with you.”

This is why Bi Han, upon hearing the news and briefly reporting it to Liu Hong, said:

“Coinciding with the upcoming monthly evaluation on the first day of June, Yang Xiu has made an agreement with Marquis Qiao to see who can earn Xuzi’s appraisal this time.”

In regards to these monthly evaluations, Qiao Yan was indeed quite curious.

Cao Cao had once received Xuzi’s evaluation, which was “A villain in times of peace, a hero in chaotic times”.

But this evaluation was obtained only after Qiao Xuan had given him a commendation as a peerless talent and then coerced Xuzi.

Qiao Yan found it quite amusing when reading about how “he took advantage of the opportunity to coerce Shao, who had no choice but to comply.”

Unfortunately, since she had already referred to Cao Cao as “Uncle Shi” (a term of respect for an elder), she couldn’t ask him directly how he had coerced Xuzi.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to inquire whether he had brandished a knife or performed some other kind of theatrics.

In any case, the monthly evaluations, one of the many remarkable products of Ruying, ended up being manipulated by Cao Cao, which was quite intriguing no matter how you looked at it.

As Yang Xiu said, these evaluations were originally held on Qinghe Island in Runan, not in Luoyang.

Under normal circumstances, Qiao Yan wouldn’t have had the chance to meet Xuzi upon arriving in Luoyang.

However, due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the impossible became possible.

Before the Battle of Changshe in Yingchuan, Yellow Turban forces had already infiltrated the Runan territory.

Considering the initial defeat of the Han army, Xu Shao and his cousin naturally had concerns about any potential danger if they remained in Runan.

Considering Luoyang’s eight fortified gates, it was undoubtedly safer than Runan, where a Yellow Turban attack could happen at any moment.

So, they redirected their path towards Luoyang.