In the Three Kingdoms period, or in ancient times in general, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to offer to hold the reins or help mount a superior.

However, what caught Qiao Yan’s attention was his name.

Yingchuan Xu Fu.

A somewhat humble name, even sharing the same name as the person sent by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to seek immortality overseas.

But considering his age, his status as a roving knight, and his appearance here, it wasn’t difficult to connect him to a more familiar figure.

Xu Shu, also known as Xu Yuanzhi.

Through subsequent inquiries and subtle probing, Qiao Yan confirmed that this young man was very likely the person she suspected.

However, at this time, he was still a minor, so he did not have the courtesy name Yuanzhi, nor had he yet experienced the incident of avenging someone, which almost led him to a near-death situation.

After being rescued, he decided to abandon martial pursuits and dedicate himself to studying.

Currently, Xu Fu was a young swordsman in Yingchuan. Amid the Yellow Turban Rebellion, after ensuring his mother’s safety at home, he immediately headed to Changshe to intercept the Yellow Turbans and prevent greater chaos in Yingchuan.

At this stage, he certainly couldn’t be considered a strategist and hadn’t even read many books.

In Qiao Yan’s view, he still believed that problems could be solved with force.

Qiao Yan didn’t know if he had participated in the battle of Changshe in the original history, or if he had joined the forces marching north to Jizhou after the defense of Changshe.

But now, he was indeed here.

According to Xu Fu, during the battle against the Yellow Turbans, he witnessed for the first time someone using eloquence and deception to cause infighting among the Yellow Turbans, breaking the long-standing deadlock.

The rumor in the army that she did this to avenge her parents added a layer of legend to the story.

Xu Fu, being young and driven by a knightly, martial spirit, was visibly moved by Qiao Yan’s actions.

In modern terms, he might have even idolized her, hence his straightforward offer to hold her reins seemed reasonable.

His declaration was abruptly interrupted by a punch from a superior officer who had hurried over.

For the soldiers, anyone who could lead them to victory was someone to be respected.

If the siege of Changshe had continued, even though Huangfu Song might have found a solution, it wouldn’t have changed the fact that they were outnumbered, leading to more casualties.

This had nothing to do with Qiao Yan’s age or gender.

Moreover, some of the soldiers under Huangfu Song had been brought from the frontier, and some of the older ones even remembered her grandfather, Qiao Xuan.

The officers’ respect for Qiao Yan was partly due to her family’s legacy and partly due to her demonstrated capability in the recent battle.

Her actions had made a significant impression on both the troops and their leaders.

Xu Fu’s enthusiasm to assist Qiao Yan was not misplaced but rather a testament to the impact she had already made.

He saw in her the qualities of a leader and strategist, which aligned with the values he admired.

The Du Liao Army stationed in Wuyuan had long been at odds with the nomadic tribes outside the Great Wall.

These elite soldiers, who had been feeling stifled from being trapped in the city, found relief in their victory the previous night.

They couldn’t have been more pleased with Qiao Yan.

Furthermore, Qiao Xuan, Qiao Yan’s grandfather, had stabilized the border during his three-year tenure as Du Liao General, ensuring the soldiers were well-treated without any deductions from their pay.

His successors, not wanting to pale in comparison to such a reputable predecessor, maintained high standards, which only magnified his influence and added to the goodwill toward Qiao Yan.

“This kid is clever, coming up with such a face-saving idea,” an old soldier murmured. “But no one expected that the young lady would ride a horse herself.”

“What’s so strange about that? She is the granddaughter of General Qiao,” another replied.

Xu Fu, after receiving a flick on the forehead from his superior, rubbed the back of his head and smiled.

In the end, the task of holding the reins for the hero fell to him, and he considered it a worthwhile honor.

Moreover, Qiao Yan seemed particularly interested in Yingchuan, asking him numerous questions about the place and about the lives of those engaged in the “profession” of roving knights. She appeared to hold him in high regard.

Unaware that he was nearly revealing all his background in this exchange, Xu Fu provided Qiao Yan with ample information, further confirming her suspicion that he was indeed the future Xu Yuanzhi.

“You seem quite interested in that kid,” Cao Cao observed during a brief rest.

Qiao Yan responded calmly, “It’s amusing to meet someone willing to hold the reins for the first time.”

Cao Cao glanced at Xu Fu again, but even with his sharp eye, he couldn’t discern anything particularly exceptional about the young man.

Roving knights like Xu Fu were numerous in Yingchuan, hardly standing out among hundreds, if not thousands.

Certainly, he didn’t seem as capable as Cao Cao had been in his youth as a roving knight.

Qiao Yan didn’t want him to find out more and deflected the conversation smoothly.

Even if she hadn’t diverted the topic, Cao Cao wouldn’t have had the extra energy to focus on Xu Fu.

During their rapid march north under Huangfu Song, without Zhu Jun to discuss military strategies with, the responsibility naturally fell to Cao Cao.

En route from Changshe to Jizhou, Huangfu Song frequently summoned Cao Cao to help determine an optimal marching route.

In historical records, the battle that marked the end of the Yellow Turban Rebellion is often associated with Guangzong.

However, Zhang Jue’s main force actually gathered at Yecheng in Jizhou.

Due to the premature exposure of their plans by Tang Zhou and the subsequent execution of Ma Yuanyi, the northern main force began their uprising in Julu County, the hometown of Zhang Jue, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Bao.

From there, it spread to the surrounding areas of Guangping, Qinghe, and Anping.

Northern Army’s five divisions of cavalry to meet the enemy head-on in Quzhou, Guangping County.

However, according to intelligence reports, the main forces of Zhang Jue and Zhang Liang were still stationed along the Pingxiang-Guangzong line, which was essentially at the southernmost point of Julu County, where it met Anping County.

Zhang Bao, on the other hand, had stationed a portion of his troops in Xiaquyang, maintaining a defensive posture ready to retreat at any moment.

This was the northernmost point of Julu.

With one force in the south and the other in the north, they formed a coordinated response.

Huangfu Song and Cao Cao were discussing the location for their rendezvous with Lu Zhi’s forces.

Originally, Huangfu Song leaned towards meeting Lu Zhi in Ping’en, where they could strike directly at Quzhou and Guangzong.

However, he also considered the surprise of an early meeting, avoiding detection by Zhang Jue’s spies, and surprising the enemy when they least expected it.

Faced with this dilemma, he chose to listen to Cao Cao’s advice.

After pondering over the map for a while, Cao Cao rubbed his chin and said, “My niece’s actions have given me some different ideas. I wonder if General is willing to hear my third option.”

Huangfu Song became interested, “Please, go on.”

“I guess Uncle will say, why not take Xiaquyang directly.”

After the marching plan was set and the direction confirmed, Cao Cao sought Huangfu Song’s permission and discussed the matter with Qiao Yan.

As expected, she agreed with him.

“It’s not difficult to see,” Qiao Yan continued. “With our numbers, even with Lu Zhi’s forces added, we’re barely outnumbering the Yellow Turbans. But since they rose up in Julu, the morale of the local clans is high, and they’re waiting for us with the advantage. Plus, Zhang Jue’s religious influence makes their combat capabilities unpredictable. So instead of facing such a situation, which could render the surprise attack ineffective, it’s better to go straight to Xiaquyang, capture Zhang Bao, and then disguise ourselves as Yellow Turbans as we head south towards Guangzong. That would truly be a cunning plan.”

“Exactly, that’s how I presented it to General Huangfu,” Cao Cao chuckled, increasingly impressed by Qiao Yan’s remarkable talent in this regard.

Of course, he also couldn’t help but feel proud of his own ability to draw parallels.

“Of course, this strategy depends on Lu Gong being on the front lines,” Cao Cao remarked, realizing that this might also be their stroke of luck.

Lu Zhi was known for his stability, whether in direct combat or siege warfare. To an outsider, his incremental advances against Zhang Jue might not look impressive.

But to those with military insight, his maneuvers were worthy of recognition, honed through his suppression of rebellions in Yangzhou in his earlier years.

If Lu Zhi hadn’t been able to hold off the main Yellow Turban forces in a head-on battle, attempting a flanking maneuver to attack their rear would have been impossible.

If one were to assess the most formidable military scholar of the time, Lu Zhi would undoubtedly top the list.

Interestingly, the future White Horse General, Gongsun Zan, and the Martial Emperor, Liu Bei, were both disciples of Lu Zhi.

As for how much they each learned, that was a matter of opinion.

Since they were planning to take Xiaquyang first, Qiao Yan probably wouldn’t meet Lu Zhi so soon.

Technically, according to Huangfu Song and Cao Cao’s previous plan, Qiao Yan would have to wait until they returned before meeting Lu Zhi.

And when they did meet, it wouldn’t be in Yanzhou but in Luoyang.

After all, a few days earlier, Huangfu Song had informed Qiao Yan about the worsening condition of her grandfather, Qiao Xuan, who had fallen ill in March.

According to convention, as his granddaughter, she should depart for Luoyang soon.

However, “soon” was uncertain because Huangfu Song wasn’t sure how many spies Zhang Jue still had in Luoyang.

If Qiao Yan returned too early and the situation in Yanzhou was leaked, it wouldn’t be good.

Therefore, Huangfu Song had stated that the situation in Yanzhou and Yu Province would be reported after he entered the territory of Ji Province.

By then, even if there were any messages sent or secret reports delivered to Zhang Jue, it wouldn’t affect the battlefield situation at that time.

It would be best for Qiao Yan to depart at that time.

Of course, she hadn’t made a clear statement about this plan yet; instead, she was already considering her own plan.

And for her, the change in the marching plan wasn’t a bad thing; on the contrary, it was a good thing.

If they had stuck to the original plan to meet in Quzhou, the most suitable route for them to head north would have been the same path they had taken to arrive, first passing through Chenliu and returning to Puyang, and then proceeding from Yangping to Guangzong.

But if they were to take the detour, the most suitable route would be to cross the border from Dong’e into Ji Province and then proceed along the Qinghe line.

This route also meant that they would pass through Liangguo and Dingtao without any unnecessary detours.

As they passed through Liangguo, Qiao Yan found the Qiao family’s ancestral land based on her original impression.

The Qiao family wasn’t a wealthy clan, so they didn’t have fortified strongholds for protection.

But their noble name allowed them to avoid the risk of being robbed, and it allowed Qiao Yan to find the clothes her birth parents had once worn in the ancestral home.

Huangfu Song had expected to see a scene of Qiao Yan grieving with her elders, but instead, he saw her exchanging a few simple greetings with the clan elders before quickly leaving, citing the urgent need to march.

“Not staying for more than half a day?” Huangfu Song inquired.

Qiao Yan silently shook her head.

In recent days, she had been calculating how to establish a solid foundation for her reputation amidst the chaos of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Therefore, she inadvertently neglected the memories of “Qiao Yan” in the Qiao family ancestral home.

Coupled with the differences in her physique and the weak condition of her original body, she couldn’t use the excuse of recovering from illness in a few years to explain away her current state.

Less talk, fewer mistakes. It was better to minimize contact.

Her reticent demeanor could easily be attributed to being emotionally affected by the surroundings.

It made perfect sense.

Except for Dian Wei feeling a little disgruntled.

If her sad and emotional state couldn’t find an outlet, she could always vent her frustration by beating up Bo Cai a few more times before reaching Dingtao, instead of letting him and Xu Fu study together!

He now thought the idea of his future son learning from Qiao Yan was a great one.

But if he refused, how could he bring it up?

Everyone in the camp knew that he and Xu Fu were getting excellent treatment.

In an era when knowledge was monopolized by aristocratic families, having an opportunity to learn was something that many people envied.

Fortunately, after passing through Cao County, he got some relief.

Qiao Yan let him and Xu Fu review on their own, while she stayed alone in the camp, seemingly lost in thought.

Others thought she was feeling increasingly mournful as they approached Dingtao, where Qiao Yu had died.

Only the strategist system knew that she wasn’t the original Qiao Yan, so there was no reason for her to be mournful.

Watching Qiao Yan’s actions, the system felt as if it had fallen into a long silence.

Because she was rehearsing.

The system could be certain that even if it asked, it would probably only get one reply: the scene where she went to see Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun wearing mourning clothes hadn’t even reached the climax of her entire plan yet.

The main event would be the scene of killing Bocai to avenge her father in Dingtao.

Dingtao, located south of the Ji River.

The “Qiao Yan” of the past had encountered the procession of Bo Cai heading south to Yingchuan here, but now, there was hardly any trace left of that conflict.

It wasn’t hard to explain, but it was somewhat poignant.

After the outcome of the battle was decided, the chariots were taken away to be used as firewood, and the dead horses and people, faced with absolute famine, could not have been preserved.

Even the blood that once soaked into the soil had been washed away by the rain that fell in Yanzhou a few days ago, sinking deeper into the earth.

Returning to this familiar place, the only recognizable marks for Qiao Yan were the faint arrow scars on the ground.

Of course, the arrows were long gone, taken away by someone as weapons.

She had a cold expression, her face appearing pale from the chill in the air and contrasted by the white mourning clothes, making her look particularly fragile.

Yet, she stood tall, carrying the clothes she had retrieved from the Qiao family ancestral home, exuding an air of determination.

It was only when she set the clothes on fire in the brazier, performing the ritual to call forth her parents’ spirits, that her face was tinted with a hint of crimson by the flames.

The methods of summoning spirits in the Han Dynasty were varied.

For example, Emperor Wu of Han’s attempt to summon the spirit of Lady Li resulted in the creation of shadow puppetry.

There were also rumors about the effectiveness of non-clothing items.

However, these methods were different from Qiao Yan’s situation, where her parents’ remains were not present.

So, it was up to her to determine the course of action.

If necessary, it could be regarded as an obscure custom. In any case, it was all about creating a dramatic effect.

So, she ignited the pile of clothing.

As the clothes turned into ashes in the brazier and the wind by the riverbank stirred up some embers, casting them onto the candles ahead, Huangfu Song caught a glimpse of tears glistening in the corners of Qiao Yan’s eyes, which she quickly suppressed as she looked up.

The wind not only carried the embers from the brazier but also lifted the plain mourning clothes on Qiao Yan, giving them a fluttering appearance as she raised her hand—a signal.