At Chen Gui's order, the executioner raised his blade and chopped it down to Tao Qian's neck. The people who saw this cheered instantly, thinking that another corrupt official had fallen to Lie Fan's hand. Lie Fan who saw this only thought that other historical people fell down on his quest for supremacy.
Tao Qian's head was already inside the sack, put inside a wooden box that would be sent to Luoyang with the list of 'crimes' he committed sent alongside it.
Lie Fan and his group head back to the Governor's castle, Cai Yong is satisfied that Lie Fan executes Tao Qian. He changed from calling Lie Fan Governor to My Lord, which signified that Cai Yaong had taken Lie Fan as his lord.
Lie Fan is satisfied with this, while Cai Yong's stats may not be that great he carries a certain prestige due to his fame, and having a top writer like him can help him in drafting up any documents.
Tao Qian's head was sent to Luoyang with Sun Qian, Taishi Ci, and Dian Wei as the envoys, alongside the 2,500 Guard Battalion and 2,500 Infantry Battalion. To ensure Sun Qian's safety, and intimidate He Jin and the others to not do anything.
They still don't know who is the culprit, but The Central Government that is the Emperor and the Han Dynasty are still loved by the people so at least Lie Fans need to keep up the decorum as a loyal subject.
The reason why Cao Cao didn't take power immediately like Dong Zhuo is because he knew that the People still supported Han Dynasty. Keeping up decorum until the people slowly forget the Han Dynasty, Lie Fan wants to play the long game like Cao Cao but not as long as him.
Sun Qian, Taishi Ci, Dian Wei, and 5,000 men head toward Luoyang in the afternoon. Before they leave, Lie Fan tells them to immediately return after presenting Tao Qian head to the imperial court.
There can be retaliation from He Jin, the mysterious noble behind Tao Qian, or the Tao Clan which holds a considerable amount of influence in Luoyang. Taishi Ci was happy that he was given more chance to prove himself, he saw this new assignment as a promotion from the desk job he received as commander of the city guards.
After Tao Qian's death, Lie Fan resumed his daily life working at his office, accompanying his family, and chasing Cai Wenji. He also oversees his soap and shampoo project, every week he receives progress reports from his mother and one of his advisors who stayed there.
Cai Wenji is still Wannian's tutor and continues to teach her every 6 days, so Lie Fan and Cai Wenji always meet whenever it's in the evening when Lie Fan comes back from his office or in the morning when Lie Fan decides to stay home.
Words have spread that maybe this year Lie Fan will hold another marriage, and the noble clans think of this as an opportunity. They at first thought that Lie Fan would not add another concubine in maybe 10 or 20 years as he is still very young.
Now with rumors that Cai Wenji will become Lie Fan's concubine this year, they begin to pick the most beautiful daughter or granddaughter or cousins or nieces and let them pass by Lie Fan's daily route.
Lie Fan who knew of this just scoffed, the women that can interest him are only at the level of his wife and Cai Wenji. Even then it doesn't mean that he will take a liking to them, He lets Jia Xu watch the no-less movement and not let them do something unnecessary.
With these, many months passed by and they entered a new year. Before the new year, the Sima Family suddenly arrived at Xiapi surprising Lie Fan. Sima Yi and Sima Lang were very happy, together they received their family and with Lie Fan's guidance, they settled at the mansion that was prepared for them.
Wannian was sad as she thought that Sima Yi and Sima Lang would leave the Lie Clan residence, but Sima Fang's wife the matriarch of the Sima Clan told them to continue to stay there.
She thought that it was a perfect situation for their Clan to grow closer with the Lie Clan, especially Sima Yi and Wannian whom she hoped could become childhood sweethearts which would benefit them more.
This caused Wannian to be very happy and wild for some time, she would drag the sometimes unwilling Sima Yi and Sima Lang who acts like a big brother to play. In the end, it took both Lie Fan and Cai Wenji to rein in Wannian to do her homework.
Lie Fan's soap and shampoo project has taken off at the end of 187 AD, in Huai'An now there's a craze about soap and shampoo where people from all classes are buying it crazily.
Yu Yan as the Madam of Huai'An advertised this product herself in the upper calls, internally causing a sensation when it was shown how elastic and fragrant her skin is also how silky her hair was.
In the first week of its sales, Yu Yan's merchant group managed to recover 40% of their investment only from Huai'An which was a surprise to Yu Yan. Lie Fan received this report, and seeing that it was a nice success in Huai'An he allowed his mother to begin selling this across Xu Province with her caravans.
With Yu Yan's network, soap and shampoo with the brand of Meigui which means rose became a hit commodity in Xu Province. Yu Merchant Group with Meigui began to rise, some saying that they are the number two Merchant Clan below the Mi Clan.
With the large profits coming in, Lie Fan ordered his projects and productions to be resumed. Lie Fab's alchemist, craftsman, blacksmiths, and shipwrights all cry tears of joy when they can resume their research.
This month they entered spring, and Lie Fan and Cai Wenji are spending time together in a gazebo. They have spent a large amount of time together, so the original shyness has now been replaced with joy every time they are together.
Lie Fan: "Ji'er why don't you come closer, the sun is shining on your side you will get sunburned if you're not careful."
Cai Wenji: "Humph, Brother Lie Fan is naughty! We are in the open now, how could an unmarried maiden and a married man like you sit side by side."
Lie Fan: "Hehe Ji'er is too smart, she can see through what I'm thinking Haha!"
Cai Wenji: "Brother Lie Fan, I want to ask you a question can I?"
Lie Fan: "Of Course! Whatever your question is, I will answer it!"
Cai Wenji: "In the future, do you plan to marry me?"
Cai Wenni after saying that bowed her head in shyness, she felt so bold today to ask that kind of question to Lie Fan. Lie Fan who heard Cai Wenji's question was frozen for a moment, but after processing what she said Lie Fan stood up and hugged her in his arms.
Cai Wenji who bowed her head watching the floor, yelped in surprise due to Lie Fan suddenly pulling her into his arms. Feeling Lie Fan's warm body, Cai Wenji's face becomes redder.
Lie Fan: "Ji'er I'm ready to marry you anytime, I'm just afraid that you have second thoughts about becoming my concubine."
Cai Wenji: "I have long read the three obediences and four virtues, I was prepared to become a concubine to a stranger let alone the man I love..."
Lie Fan: "Great! Great! Then I will ask for Mastsr Cai Yong's permission to marry you this year!"
Lie Fan and Cai Wenji are being affectionate with each other, not aware that Jia Xu and Xun You are approaching the gazebo. When the two see this, they immediately turn around and cough in embarrassment.
Lie Fan and Cai Wenj who were hugging each other heard Jia Xu's cough, both turned their head and saw Jia Xu and Xun You's with their back facing them. Cai Wenji let go of her arm and hid behind Lie Fan embarrassed to be seen by them.
Lie Fan: "Ahem, Jia Xu and Xun You are there something you want to report to me?"
Jia Xu: "Yes My Lord, I apologize for suddenly intruding on your private time. It's just when I was with Xun You, Xu Kai's letter from Luoyang had just arrived saying that Dong Zhuo had arrived on the outskirts of Luoyang and He Jin was having a meeting with Empress Dowager He."
Lie Fan: "Truly?! Then we entered a countdown before something big happened, tell Xu Kai to continue keeping an eye on them and prepare for evaluation in case something happens."
Jia Xu: "Yes My Lord."
Xun You: "My Lord, now that we have entered the countdown, I think we need to prepare our army."
Lie Fan: "That's true, partially mobilized them in case we need to mobilize our army. Are Chu-Ko-Nu and the Arched Saddle have been equipped for all corresponding battalions?"
Xun You: "Yes My Lord, all of our Cavalries and the Guard Battalion have been equipped with arched saddles, and the Chu-Ko-Nu have been fully equipped by the Crossbow battalion and Guard battalion."
Lie Fan nods his head, the Chu-Ko-Nu will become his secret weapon, and he hesitates whenever to introduces them during the Anti-Dong Zhuo alliance or the warlord era.
Cai Wenji seeing that Lie Fan began to discuss his duty, whispered goodbye to Lie Fan and left the gazebo under Lie Fan's reluctant gaze to let him focus on doing his duty.
At Luoyang, He Jin now is meeting with Empress Dowager He his sister. With Dong Zhuo's army backing him, He Jin began to persuade and pressure his sister to stop protecting the Eunuchs.
Empress Dowager He knowing that He Jin had an army other than the Imperial Army backing him, finally relented under the military pressure and together devised a plan to assassinate the Eunuchs not knowing that one of Empress Dowager He's maid was Zhang Rang's spies.
Zhang Rang who received the news was angry, he immediately called for all of the eunuchs to a meeting and together devised a sinister plan to kill He Jin first before He Jin kills them.
They devised a fake summon decree with Empress Dowager's signature and writing, telling He Jin to meet her and from there they will ambush He Jin who will be without his guards killing him.
Dong Zhuo on the other hand was waiting on the outskirts of Luoyang, seeing the beautiful Luoyang his greedy heart began to boil. Li Ru who was beside him saw this, and he immediately said how Dong Zhuo was the rightful owner of Luoyang and not He Jin or the smelly boy who became Emperor.
Luoyang now has become a gu jar, only the most poisonous and resilient creature can survive the political intrigue that's happening right now. The Eunuchs with their sinister plan, He Jin with his naive plan and approaching downfall, and Doing Zhuo with his greedy heart wanting to swallow Luoyang.
_________________________________
Name: Lie Fan
Title: Yellow Heaven Subjugator
Age: 20 Years Old (187 AD) -> 21 Years Old (188 AD)
Level: 14
Next Level: 412.000
Renown: 215
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 5)
SP: 706.700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 775
VIT: 349
AGI: 343
INT: 361
CHR: 93
WIS: 299
WILL: 207
ATR Points: 0
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