In the early Western Han Dynasty, after Emperor Jing of Han suppressed the Rebellion of the Seven States, Xiaquyang was established as the seat of a county commandant.

Although it was named Xiaquyang County, it held a status slightly higher than that of an ordinary county seat.

“Xiaquyang… Why not just call it Quyang? Why add ‘Xia’ in front?” Dian Wei grumbled, frustrated by Qiao Yan’s suggestion that he should at least recognize a few characters, claiming it would be useful someday.

He decided to change the subject.

Cheng Li, standing nearby, explained, “When the Qin Dynasty established counties, there was Quyang County in Julu.

When Emperor Gaozu of Han established Hengshan Commandery, Quyang County became part of it.

But there was still a Quyang in Julu, so one was named Shangquyang (Upper Quyang) and the other Xiaquyang (Lower Quyang).”

Dian Wei stared at the map spread out in front of Qiao Yan and Cheng Li, trying to match the few characters he knew, but couldn’t find “Hengshan.”

His confusion was obvious, and Qiao Yan couldn’t ignore it. “Are you wondering why you can’t find Hengshan?”

Seeing Dian Wei nod, she explained, “Hengshan was renamed to avoid using the same character as Emperor Wen’s name.”

She pointed to a spot on the map, “It’s now Changshan Commandery.”

The same Changshan known from the legendary Zhao Zilong.

Dian Wei was still a bit confused, but Xu Fu, who was quicker at understanding, explained, “So, the former Julu of the Qin Dynasty was divided into today’s Julu Commandery and Changshan Commandery, each with its own Quyang. Changshan has Shangquyang, and we are planning a surprise attack on Xiaquyang in Julu.”

Seeing Qiao Yan didn’t stop him, Xu Fu continued, “Since Xiaquyang has a higher status than an ordinary county seat and Zhang Bao is defending it, does that mean it’s a strong fortress?”

Qiao Yan and Cheng Li exchanged a glance, both seeing a promising student in Xu Fu.

Cheng Li had a solid foundation of knowledge and noticed Qiao Yan subtly guiding Xu Fu along the way.

He thought she was just teaching Dian Wei and Xu Fu out of boredom but recognized that Xu Fu was indeed a good student.

Xu Fu, clearly taking Qiao Yan as his role model, was eager to learn the importance of strategy.

Cheng Li, twenty-five years older than Xu Fu, began to appreciate his initiative and potential.

He explained, “During the Wang Lang Rebellion in the second year of Gengshi, Emperor Guangwu, then a general, was forced to flee south to Xindu.

After acquiring support from Tangyang and Shixian, he had over four thousand men.

With additional reinforcements, he reached ten thousand and managed to capture Xiaquyang and then Zhongshan, establishing a foothold.

According to these records, Quyang is indeed a strong fortress.

Without enough manpower, direct assault would be nearly impossible.”

When Qiao Yan led her group along with Huangfu Song up to Gucheng Mountain, it confirmed what they had learned.

Gucheng Mountain was located outside Quyang City.

While the infantry was still on the road, Huangfu Song took a group of light cavalry up the mountain to scout the enemy.

From the southern side of Gucheng Mountain, they could see Xiaquyang County below.

In ancient times, the city moat was at least five to six meters wide, but here in Xiaquyang, it was over ten meters wide. Qiao Yan looked into the trench and saw that the moat was temporarily dry.

The absence of water didn’t mean lax defenses.

Judging by the depth of the trench, it was likely filled with sharp wooden stakes, making it even harder to deal with than if it were filled with water.

In front of the moat, there was a row of chevaux-de-frise, surrounding the city.

“The Zhang brothers have taken almost all of Jizhou, killing officials and burning government offices, rallying the people to their cause. I thought they might be negligent here, but they are quite vigilant,” Huangfu Song said, frowning at the sight.

He needed a quick victory and couldn’t afford a prolonged siege, especially with Zhang Jiao’s spies all over Julu Commandery.

They had taken a detour through Qinghe to avoid detection, and now the battle for Xiaquyang had to be swift.

“It’s fortunate they’re not professional defenders,” commented Cao Cao. “If they had set up another line of defense behind the moat, like a rammed earth wall, Xiaquyang would be even harder to take.”

This didn’t exactly sound reassuring.

The current situation was already challenging enough.

Qiao Yan glanced at Cao Cao, relieved he wasn’t as pessimistic as the fictionalized version of him.

Otherwise, if the city gates suddenly opened and defenders threw out iron caltrops and more wooden barriers, they would be in even more trouble.

In her opinion, Xiaquyang’s strong defenses were not surprising.

Zhang Jiao was meticulous in his planning.

Amidst the Yellow Turban Rebellion, which had nearly toppled the Han Dynasty, he was not someone who charged blindly forward.

The mutual support of three strongholds and their progressively more northern locations suggested Zhang Jiao’s strategy.

He was giving himself a retreat path.

If the Han army came from the southwest and the Yellow Turbans were defeated, they could retreat step by step, holding each stronghold.

Perhaps…

Zhang Jiao had long anticipated his possible demise within months and aimed to create an escape route for his brothers.

If Xiaquyang didn’t have such formidable defenses, it would have been impossible to defeat the renownedly fierce Liangzhou Army, which had defeated Dong Zhuo, who succeeded Lu Zhi in attacking Julu.

There was still no definitive conclusion on whether Dong Zhuo’s defeat was due to strategic conflicts with Julu Prefect Guo Dian.

After all, Lu Zhi was still on the front lines fighting Zhang Jiao and hadn’t been replaced.

However, one thing was certain:

Xiaquyang would be hard to conquer.

Huangfu Song climbed a bit higher, continuing to survey the stronghold from the peak of Gucheng Mountain, north of Xiaquyang.

“If Xiaquyang were built against the mountain, we might be able to launch a surprise attack from the heights,” Huangfu Song remarked regretfully. “Alternatively, we could attempt to scale the walls under cover of darkness, gambling that the defenders wouldn’t expect us to come from Qinghe Commandery and thus be unprepared.”

“But we can’t get a full view of the situation inside the city from here,” Cao Cao responded. “If the city’s defenses are well-organized, we might face their main forces before even reaching the walls, making a successful siege unlikely and potentially alerting them prematurely.”

Huangfu Song was adamant about avoiding a premature alert.

Their journey had been swift, and they had carefully selected their personnel, lacking the numbers for a direct encirclement.

Given these constraints—

“We need to lure Zhang Bao’s main forces out or infiltrate the city for a coordinated attack from within,” Huangfu Song concluded after surveying the scene.

Qiao Yan agreed.

Though she lacked Huangfu Song’s extensive combat experience, she analyzed the situation with a modern perspective, applying historical siege warfare principles to the current scenario.

Xiaquyang, with its robust walls, was not suited for brute force tactics like those employed by Li Zicheng’s soldiers, who dismantled city walls brick by brick.

Huangfu Song’s forces were insufficient for prolonged siege tactics or encirclement strategies.

Thus, only deception or a coordinated internal-external attack remained.

Qiao Yan had some ideas for both strategies, but by the time they returned to the main camp, where the soldiers had set up, Huangfu Song had already made his decision.

They would infiltrate the city for a coordinated attack from within!

“Deception is also viable, but it carries higher risks,” he acknowledged.

Although Huangfu Song did not avoid discussing this operation in front of Qiao Yan, she tactfully positioned herself in the back and conversed with the system, saying, “If someone were to go to the city gates and request to see Zhang Bao, claiming that the Great Teacher had succumbed to a sudden illness and that his death was being kept secret, they might believe it and request reinforcements.”

“But if the brothers have a secret way of communicating, this trick won’t work. Such an uncertain method cannot be relied upon.”

To her surprise, the system responded immediately: 【If you go, you should be able to pull it off.】

“…There’s no need for that.”

Although she wanted to take advantage of the confrontation between the main Yellow Turban forces in Jizhou and the Han army to gain some prestige, she didn’t intend to engage in such a risky maneuver.

Even if she understood the principle of ‘fortune favors the bold,’ she didn’t plan to apply it in this manner.

Huangfu Song continued with his plan.

He intended to infiltrate someone into the city, using a method somewhat similar to what Qiao Yan had previously thought of—pretending to be defectors.

As she listened, the system murmured: 【Huangfu Song might have been influenced by your ideas. Maybe you can earn some strategist points from this.】 Meanwhile, she heard Huangfu Song from the front saying, “Is there anyone willing to undertake this task?”

This was no simple mission.

In a siege, those who infiltrate the city often have the tasks of opening the gates and killing the enemy soldiers on the walls.

If discovered, their mortality rate is even higher than that of the first wave of attackers.

Huangfu Song’s words were essentially a call for volunteers for a suicide squad.

However, among the border soldiers accompanying him, there were many who were indifferent to life and death.

Those summoned into the tent were the elite among them, and they immediately began volunteering.

Huangfu Song felt reassured, but then he heard a much younger voice mixed in with the volunteers, standing out due to its incongruity.

Because of her words, the tent suddenly fell silent.

“I think they shouldn’t go.”

He followed the voice and looked at Qiao Yan.

“Why?” Huangfu Song knew she wouldn’t make such a judgment lightly, and his face did not show any displeasure at being interrupted.

Qiao Yan stepped forward slightly and explained, “Given the current state of the Yellow Turbans, their vigilance is likely at an all-time high.

Any attempt to send defectors could easily be seen through. If we lose these elite soldiers, our chances in a direct assault diminish significantly.”

Huangfu Song considered her words, recognizing the validity in her cautious approach. “What alternative do you suggest?” he asked.

Qiao Yan took a deep breath and responded, “We should send someone who can blend in without arousing suspicion. Someone they wouldn’t expect.

Perhaps a merchant or a local inhabitant who has a plausible reason to be there. This person could gather intelligence or even find a way to create an opening for our forces.”

Huangfu Song nodded slowly, appreciating her strategic thinking. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Qiao Yan paused, glancing at the system prompt still hovering in her mind. Despite her reservations, she knew the role she needed to play.

“I can go,” she said firmly.

“As a woman and someone who can present herself as a local, I have a better chance of slipping through unnoticed. Once inside, I can assess the situation and find a way to assist from within.”

The tent was silent for a moment, the soldiers exchanging uncertain glances.

Huangfu Song studied her, weighing the risks.

Finally, he nodded. “Very well. We will prepare a cover story and provide you with what you need. But remember, the success of this mission hinges on your safety and discretion.”

Qiao Yan nodded, determination in her eyes.

She knew the dangers ahead but was resolved to see the mission through.

“Those who come from a military background have certain qualities that set them apart from others,” Qiao Yan’s gaze swept over the others in the tent before offering a smile. “Especially those of you with distinguished records in battle; your very presence can intimidate foes. While such qualities might be commonplace among you, to me, they are noticeably distinct from the average person.”

Her words brought a sense of calm among the older soldiers who had initially been displeased by her interruption.

This was an undeniable compliment.

Soldiers and bandits fundamentally differed in this regard.

Qiao Yan continued, “General Huangfu, who do you think would choose to defect to the Yellow Turbans?”

Huangfu Song had pondered this question deeply since he was appointed as the Left Zhonglang General to lead the troops.

He had often wondered why the Taiping Dao, previously regarded merely as a group of healers by local governments, could suddenly cause such turmoil.

The answer, though harsh, was perhaps simple: those who could no longer survive had no choice but to defect.

However, he could not state this so bluntly and could only refer to them as “refugees.”

Qiao Yan did not intend to debate this point further with him and continued, “If we consider refugees, most of them are emaciated and starving, while soldiers, with their diet rich in meat to sustain them in battle and marching, look distinctly different.

This is another discrepancy.

Fortunately, there is another group of people who might join the Yellow Turbans and happen to be among our ranks.”

“You’re referring to… wandering knights?” Huangfu Song immediately grasped her point, realizing that these individuals would indeed be more suitable.

Qiao Yan nodded, “Among the wandering knights, some, as you have seen, came to aid in lifting the siege of Changsha and fearlessly embarked on this expedition northward.

But there are also those who might think that the Han dynasty is beyond saving and that joining forces with the Yellow Turbans is the way to bring peace to the land.

Such individuals are highly likely to have defected to the Yellow Turbans.”

Huangfu Song nodded in agreement, “Indeed, the wandering knights could undertake this mission. However, those who followed me northwards are loyal to the Han. To send them into the city for such a perilous task…”

He hesitated to continue, knowing it was not an easy request.

Before he could finish, Xu Fu, who had accompanied Qiao Yan into the tent, spoke up, “General, there is no need to say more. I am willing to go!”

Xu Fu did not make this decision lightly.

He had a mother to support in Yingchuan and had come along out of respect for Qiao Yan, but he did not intend to recklessly gamble with his life.

Observing Huangfu Song’s disciplined army along the way, he realized that if anyone could defeat the Yellow Turbans and restore order, it was likely this general.

Moreover, with their prior reconnaissance of Gucheng Mountain and the strategies from Qiao Yan, Cheng Yu, and Cao Cao, their chances of success seemed substantial.

Xu Fu was not alone in this belief; others thought similarly.

Most wandering knights were young and full of ambition.

Having already chosen to follow this path, they were eager to earn fame and distinction.

The opportunity to join the vanguard in the siege was met with enthusiasm.

When Huangfu Song inquired among the other soldiers, he found that at least seventy to eighty percent were willing to volunteer.

However, gathering so many wandering knights in one place would be suspicious, especially since none were locals of Julu County.

Thus, Huangfu Song selected only a dozen, including Xu Fu, for the mission.

What surprised Huangfu Song the most was that after he distributed some military supplies and handed out the enlistment documents to the youths who were joining the Yellow Turbans, before these people set off, he saw Qiao Yan sitting on one of the carts.

Even Cao Cao was startled by her actions. “Why would my niece act like this?”

Qiao Yan asked a question that Cao Cao found difficult to refute. “Have you ever seen someone going to infiltrate the enemy camp with their little sister?”

“No.”

“Then my presence is a very appropriate cover.”

Xu Fu, who was forced to act as her older brother, suddenly felt that the burden on his shoulders was a bit heavy.

Fortunately, he was not the only one responsible for Qiao Yan’s safety.

If you had to count, Dian Wei could also be considered a ranger.

With his appearance that exuded a bandit-like aura, it would be strange if he wasn’t regarded as a fellow rebel by the insurgents.

Huangfu Song wanted Qiao Yan to stop doing such dangerous things, but he really couldn’t argue with her twisted reasoning and had to let her go in the end.

Especially when Qiao Yan asked before leaving, “Apart from her, is there anyone else among the more than ten people on this trip who can handle things on their own?” It seemed like there was no other answer.

These rangers had not experienced many battles under Huangfu Song’s command, and he could hardly know much about each of their backgrounds.

When he entrusted them with such a heavy task, he even felt a bit uneasy.

But he didn’t need to worry about entrusting this task to Qiao Yan.

After all, she had already proven with her performance that she was a wise person mature beyond her years.