Though this yield was far from modern agricultural output, the increase from the previous 3 shi per mu to over 5 shi was nearly a doubling.

With this grain production, not only could the farmers of Bingzhou store enough winter reserves, but the state revenue collected in taxes would also increase significantly, which was crucial for Qiao Yan.

Even in the less fertile lands, the harvest reached up to 4 shi per mu, meaning not only had Bingzhou achieved a significant increase in production across the board, but it also had the potential to attract refugees from neighboring Liangzhou, Youzhou, and Jizhou.

Most newcomers could only settle on uncultivated land, but with Bingzhou’s farming methods promoted by the Governor, even these lands could yield higher than fields in other provinces.

Why wouldn’t they move there?

Moreover, with Liangzhou in turmoil due to the Western Qiang rebellion, Zhang Ju’s unrest in Youzhou, and Jizhou suffering greatly, Bingzhou became a place of stability, much like the “leping” in Qiao Yan’s title.

Qiao Yan understood these future implications clearly, which brought her a sense of peace.

After delegating the task of collecting land taxes, she headed straight for Yunzhong Commandery.

There, another expanse of fields awaited her.

People are never satisfied.

This year’s harvest was good, but she couldn’t help but hope for an even better one next year.

To satisfy this desire for more, she could only look at the harvest from the newly developed fields in Suiyuan City as evidence to promote deep plowing next year.

The wheat planted in these fields was sown later than in other places, so naturally the harvest would be later too.

When Qiao Yan arrived in early September, the wheat in the fields was just about ready for harvest.

She looked up at the most iconic feature of the new city.

From spring to autumn, with the labor of many soldiers and troops, the progress in mining the open-air coal mines near Yanmen Commandery was impressive.

This completely fulfilled Qiao Yan’s earlier promise to the noble families in Bingzhou when she handed over hidden coal mines, and even accumulated a coal output far surpassing last year’s figures in the records.

If the coal mines were so successful, then the construction of Suiyuan City was even more so.

This wasn’t Qiao Yan’s first time in this place, but it was her first time seeing the completed watchtowers on the city walls.

Looking south from Suiyuan City, the landscape was vastly different from what she had seen when she marched out from Baidao Pass.

Even from a distance, it was clear that the fields irrigated by the Baiqu and dry canals, with clusters of golden wheat fields, were indeed more impressive than what she had seen in Taiyuan Commandery before.

The slow-release effect of the deep plowing gradually showed its effects on crop growth, which, as Jia Xu, who accompanied her, had said, would erupt close to harvest time.

And now that Governor Qiao Yan had arrived, it was time for this new field to be officially harvested.

But before Qiao Yan could give the order, she saw a conspicuous figure jumping into the field.

Wasn’t that figure none other than Lu Bu?

“Does he know how to harvest?” Qiao Yan’s eyebrows twitched.

It’s hard to say whether she thought of a bounding husky when she saw this scene.

Jia Xu stroked his beard and replied, “Actually, Captain Lu has studied a lot about it this year. He should be quite skilled at it.”

Lu Bu had earned considerable military merit from his spring attack on the Xianbei, and it seemed he wanted to add another achievement to his resume.

Unfortunately, there probably wouldn’t be any military opportunities in the short term, so he could only focus on farming in Baidao Canyon.

In fact, he had some experience in farming in his earlier years, so now he was just picking it up again.

With the arrival of the provincial government, he naturally wanted to show his strength.

Fortunately, as Jia Xu had said, Lu Bu had some farming experience and didn’t do anything foolish to damage the harvest.

With this capable laborer who could handle heavy loads and hard work, the wheat on these ten acres was quickly harvested, threshed, and weighed.

An astonishing yield per acre was presented before Qiao Yan.

“Seven stones per acre?”

Seven stones!

Even though Lu Bu often came to inspect the wheat’s growth, he knew that this figure was significantly higher than usual.

At this moment, he was almost jaw-droppingly amazed.

This doubled output from the military farm was the capital for expanding the border defense forces!

Immediately, he eagerly turned to the remaining unharvested wheat fields.

Even though Qiao Yan had only instructed him to oversee the harvest and transport it safely to Suiyuan City without mentioning any plans for new recruits or battles, it didn’t diminish his motivation to work hard.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but find his enthusiasm somewhat amusing and exasperating.

But considering that he was channeling his competitive spirit into this task, it did save her some effort in managing him, which she found tolerable.

Seeing that Lu Bu didn’t currently need her attention, Qiao Yan turned to Jia Xu.

He was a competent administrator for this area, but harvesting would still take time.

There were many sergeants and corporals assisting in the registration and inventory in the military settlements, so he had some free time now.

After some thought, Qiao Yan asked, “Wenhe, would you be interested in accompanying me for a mountain climb?”

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, some places already had customs of climbing mountains on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month to ward off evil spirits, though it wasn’t yet formally called the Double Ninth Festival.

This tradition of carrying dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine while climbing gradually spread from the banks of the Ru River, along with the remote border regions.

Jia Xu glanced at Qiao Yan, feeling that she probably wasn’t inviting him to perform some exorcism ritual but had a different purpose in mind.

Because she was inviting him to climb Wufeng Mountain, which wasn’t in the jurisdiction of Yunzhong Commandery but to the south of Yanmen Commandery.

This place later became known as Mount Wutai.

To Jia Xu, Qiao Yan didn’t seem to have any particular religious beliefs in Buddhism or Taoism in her daily life, so this mountain climb clearly wasn’t because, during the Yongping era, a monastery named Xiantong Temple was built here almost simultaneously with the White Horse Temple in Luoyang.

But since the governor had invited him, he would naturally comply.

The two of them followed Qiao Yan’s entourage and headed straight for the Wanghai Peak on the eastern platform of Wufeng Mountain.

Perhaps this place didn’t yet bear the name Wanghai Peak, but Jia Xu wasn’t from Bingzhou, so he listened to Qiao Yan confidently speak the name and accepted it accordingly.

However, naming it Wanghai Peak seemed quite fitting.

They began their ascent at dawn, reaching the summit just as the sun rose from the eastern horizon.

Amidst the swirling sea of clouds stirred by the night’s morning movements, there was a brilliant wave of light that truly resembled the majestic sunrise over the sea.

Under this sunrise spectacle, as they looked east towards the Wanghai Peak of Wufeng Mountain, Changshan Commandery in Jizhou gradually appeared through the dispersing clouds.

Or perhaps it shouldn’t be just called Changshan Commandery.

As the sun rose high and the morning mist dissipated, it was more accurate to say that they beheld the entire Hebei Plain spread out before them, a scene of refreshing beauty.

Jia Xu felt that he hadn’t misunderstood.

When Qiao Yan withdrew her gaze from the vast eastern plains and looked towards him, there was a hint of undisguised desire in her eyes, which she didn’t bother hiding.

She spoke, “While looking westward from here reveals the other peaks of Mount Wutai, Wenhe and I came west together. You should remember the Yanmen Pass we saw when we traveled from Yunzhong to Yanmen, passing through Juzhu Mountain.”

Jia Xu replied, “Of course, I remember.”

Qiao Yan took a few steps forward with her hands behind her back before continuing, “Standing here, we have Yanmen to the west, Hebei to the east, Hengshan to the north, and Luoyang to the south. It’s difficult not to feel moved. This is the vitality that fills all of China.”

“Mr. Wenhe—”

Qiao Yan suddenly changed how she addressed him, giving Jia Xu an immediate sense that what she was about to say was far from ordinary.

Especially as he glanced around and noticed that all the attendants who had escorted Qiao Yan to this place had temporarily withdrawn at her signal.

This left only the two of them atop Wanghai Peak.

Although Jia Xu had witnessed the prosperity of the military settlements in Suiyuan City during the autumn harvest on Baidao Canyon, and felt that loyalty to Qiao Yan might not be unwarranted, being treated in this manner—alone with her atop this peak—was truly a first.

Qiao Yan didn’t see anything inappropriate in her actions.

Judging by Jia Xu’s style of handling affairs in Suiyuan City, he had already shed some of his usual reserve.

If it were a crisis within Bingzhou, especially in Baidao Canyon, perhaps he would jump out like he did with Guo Jia in the past, offering his insights and strategies to address the problem.

But currently, there wasn’t much crisis within Bingzhou.

However, there were many unforeseen changes expected for the next year.

With Jia Xu’s wavering attitude, Qiao Yan didn’t have the luxury of time to let him continue hiding in his shell.

She had to take the initiative to draw him out.

Considering even Cheng Yu, who dreamt of Tai Shan holding up the sun, hadn’t been treated to such an experience of accompanying her on a mountain climb, Jia Xu was indeed the first.

But he hailed from Liangzhou, with rich life experiences.

He understood better than any strategist within Bingzhou how to deal with the Western Liang forces.

Thus, this urgency was necessary!

“Sir, you are only forty, witnessing such a magnificent sight with the rosy clouds and the boats of clouds sailing in the sky. Shouldn’t you feel that you are in your twilight years?”

Qiao Yan bowed to Jia Xu, “Qiao Yan is inadequate and wishes to ask Sir for assistance.”

The conversation atop Wanghai Peak lasted half a day.

After descending the mountain, Jia Xu returned to Suiyuan City to continue managing the autumn harvest affairs, while Qiao Yan rode back to Jin Yang Prefecture.

At first glance, there seemed to be no significant change from before they climbed the mountain.

However, only the two of them knew that, even though it hadn’t been explicitly stated, their relationship as lord and advisor was now established.

Thanks to their conversation full of riddles, the system was again deceived into thinking that Qiao Yan was consulting Jia Xu on how to safeguard the people of Bingzhou and gain time to assess the current situation after Liu Hong’s death.

In the end, everyone seemed content.

Intelligent people and single-minded individuals each had their own way of understanding things.

Upon returning to Jinyang, Qiao Yan sent out two letters.

One letter was an arrangement for Fu Gan.

At this time, he wasn’t suitable for withdrawing from Liangzhou and needed to continue monitoring Dong Zhuo’s movements.

It wasn’t an easy task for him, especially since he was so close to his father’s killer and had to exercise patience.

But perhaps due to the teachings he received in Leping or his inherent quiet patience, he gave Qiao Yan a response that he would not act rashly.

The other letter was sent to Ma Lun.

This was also a particularly special letter.

After sending out these two letters, Qiao Yan temporarily entered a state of leisure.

Or perhaps it couldn’t be called leisure, because she used the extra time to improve her own martial prowess.

During this period, news from both inside and outside Bingzhou kept coming to her ears.

In November of the fifth year of Zhongping, General Gongsun Zan of Youzhou battled Zhang Chun at Shimen and defeated him.

Zhang Chun barely escaped and was pursued by Governor Liu Yu of Youzhou, who offered a reward for his capture. Eventually, Zhang Chun was caught by a Xianbei tribe beyond the borders, and through Guo Jia’s and Ke Bi Neng’s contacts, he was sent as a gesture of goodwill to Bingzhou.

Qiao Yan had him executed and sent his head to the capital, reporting that he was captured while fleeing from Youzhou through Daijun into Bingzhou.

With the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun thus pacified, in December of the fifth year of Zhongping, Huangfu Song was appointed Left General and joined forces with Dong Zhuo to defeat Han Sui.

Han Sui and Ma Teng retreated.

Due to difficulties in winter campaigning, the imperial forces did not pursue further.

Dong Zhuo stationed his troops in Longxi and frequently clashed with Huangfu Song.

In the blink of an eye, the sixth year of Zhongping had arrived.

In January, Qiao Yan received a letter from Luoyang.

She unfolded the freshly received letter, which contained only four words:

“The Emperor is gravely ill.”