Capítulo 533: 511. Mulling Over The Future
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The people whispered among themselves, marveling at the sight. The military might of Lie Fan was well known, but seeing such a large display of wealth and political power reinforced their lord's reputation. The carefully guarded hostages inside their carriages, was seen with their heads held high but eyes filled with uncertainty of their fate, knowing that maybe they will never return home and die in a foreign land.
As the caravan advanced through the city streets, the crowds parted to make way for Mi Fang's elite soldiers. The well-trained battalion, handpicked for their loyalty and prowess, moved in unison, their presence intimidating enough to ensure that no one dared approach too closely. The mood was one of cautious celebration, with many sensing that Xiapi was on the cusp of something greater.
Xiapi's Governor's Castle loomed ahead, its walls recently fortified under Lie Fan's order. It was a symbol of his influence. And now, with the arrival of this caravan, that influence was set to expand even further.
As Mi Fang and his men reached the castle, he could see a gathering of high-ranking officials awaiting him at the entrance. Lie Fan himself stood at the forefront, flanked by several of his advisors: Jia Xu, Sun Qian, Chen Qun, Lu Su, and Mi Fang's own elder brother, Mi Zhu. The sight of his brother filled Mi Fang with pride and a renewed sense of duty.
Dismounting from his horse, Mi Fang approached Lie Fan and bowed deeply, his face reflecting both respect and satisfaction. "My lord," he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion from the journey, "I have fulfilled my mission. The tribute and the hostages have arrived safely, and without incident."
Lie Fan, his face calm yet commanding, stepped forward and placed a hand on Mi Fang's shoulder. "You have done well, Mi Fang," he said, his tone filled with approval. "Your service has been exemplary, and I will remember this. Continue in this manner, and your rewards will be grand indeed."
The promise of future rewards sent a surge of excitement through Mi Fang. He had always strived to prove his worth to Lie Fan, and now, it seemed, his efforts were being recognized. His elder brother, Mi Zhu, smiled beside him, clearly pleased with the commendation.
After acknowledging Mi Fang's success, Lie Fan gestured for him to rise and spoke again. "Now tell me," Lie Fan said, his voice firm but curious, "how was the journey? Were there any issues with the hostages, or any signs of trouble along the way?"
Mi Fang straightened up, his demeanor professional as he reported back to his lord. "The journey was smooth, my lord. We encountered no hostile forces, and the caravan made good time. As for the hostages, they were cooperative, largely thanks to the translator we brought along. However, there is one thing of note."
Mi Fang hesitated for a moment before continuing. "The leader of the hostages, my lord, is a woman named Hyejin. This surprised me, given what I have heard about Goguryeo's strict customs regarding women in the societal positions they had which was much stircer than ours. Yet, she commands the respect of the other hostages and seems to be their de facto leader."
Lie Fan raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this revelation. "A woman?" he asked, his tone thoughtful. "Goguryeo is indeed known for its much rigid traditions than even us, especially concerning women's roles. And yet, they send her and become the de facto leader of their noble hostages. Interesting. What is your assessment of her?"
Mi Fang considered his words carefully. "She is composed, my lord. Despite the situation, she carries herself with dignity and has maintained control over the other hostages even though sometimes I could see a bit of fear sipped through her aura. I believe she is intelligent, though I cannot say yet whether she will prove cooperative or difficult."
Lie Fan nodded slowly, his mind already calculating the potential implications of this new development. A female leader among the hostages could present both opportunities and challenges.
On the one hand, Hyejin's position might signify a potential weakness in Goguryeo's internal politics, a fracture he could exploit. On the other hand, her intelligence and influence over the other hostages could make her a formidable adversary if handled poorly.
"I will meet with this Hyejin soon, after all of the histages including her be put in their room," Lie Fan said, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "We will see if she can be an asset or a liability."
Turning to Jia Xu, Lie Fan addressed the seasoned strategist. "Wenhe, what do you make of this? A woman in such a role, could this be part of a larger scheme by Goguryeo? Or is it simply a matter of circumstance?"
Jia Xu, ever the cautious thinker, stroked his beard as he considered his response. "My lord," he began, "it is difficult to say for certain without more information. However, it is possible that Goguryeo's leadership sent Hyejin as a calculated risk. They may believe that you will underestimate her due to her gender, allowing her to gather intelligence or even influence the other hostages in ways we may not anticipate. Alternatively, this could be a sign of internal strife within Goguryeo. If their leadership is divided, they may have sent her out of desperation or as a means of placating more progressive factions within their court."
Lie Fan listened carefully, weighing Jia Xu's words. "Then we must tread carefully," he said after a moment. "Hyejin may be more dangerous than she appears. I will meet with her personally to gauge her intentions. In the meantime, ensure that the other hostages are treated well but kept under close watch. We cannot afford any mistakes to be made."
Mi Fang bowed again, acknowledging the orders. "I will see to it, my lord," he replied. "The hostages will be under constant supervision, and I will make sure there is no room for them to cause trouble."
With that, the discussion turned to the matter of the tribute. The wealth that had been brought from Goguryeo was considerable, and it would play a crucial role in Lie Fan's plans for the future.
The gold, silk, jade, and priceless artifacts would help fund his military campaigns, strengthen his alliances, and further develop his domain infrastructure, especially Xiapi. It was not merely a display of Goguryeo's submission but also a source of free resource to be used strategically.
Lie Fan's advisors gathered around him, discussing how best to allocate the resources. Mi Zhu, the pragmatic economist, suggested using a portion of the wealth to bolster trade inside Lie Fan's domain, ensuring that Xiapi will remain as the key economic hub in his domain.
Chen Qun, the legal scholar, proposed setting aside some of the treasure to reward loyal officials, generals, and soldiers, thereby solidifying internal support for Lie Fan's rule both in government and military.
Jia Xu on the other hand advocated for using a significant portion of the gold to expand and prude more equipment for Lie Fan's army. "Our strength lies in our military, my lord," he argued. "With this tribute, we can recruit more soldiers, equip them with our high quality equipment, and ensure that our army ready to fend against any potential threats or attack our enemies more efficiently."
Lie Fan listened to each of his advisors, nodding in agreement with their assessments. "We will divide the tribute as follows," he said after some thought. "A portion will go toward strengthening our military, as Wenhe had suggested. Another portion will be used to foster trade and improve our economy, as Zhizhong suggested. And the rest will be set aside to reward those who have served us well, including our soldiers and officials."
His decision made, Lie Fan turned his attention back to the hostages. "As for Hyejin and the others," he said, "they will be taken to the guest quarters for now. I want them under constant surveillance, but ensure that they are treated with respect. We will see what can be gained from this situation."
With the plans set in motion, Mi Fang and his men began escorting the hostages to their designated quarters within the palace. Hyejin remained silent as she walked, her face unreadable, though Mi Fang could sense the tension radiating from her.
With the day came to a close, Lie Fan stood on the castle balcony, gazing out over the city. Xiapi, now much more fortified and had an increased wealth, was much brighter to his eyes than it was before with the tributes arrival.
As Lie Fan stood on the balcony, overlooking the vibrant streets of Xiapi and the glowing lights that adorned the city at dusk, his mind was far from the present celebrations.
The fortress capital city he had carefully cultivated over the years was strong, prosperous, and growing with each passing day. Yet, even amidst this success, a deeper ambition he had since he was first reorn to this timeline gnawed at him, urging him forward which is the desire to reshape the very fabric of thos land itself.
For several weeks or even a month or two since the negotiation with Goguryeo started and finished, Lie Fan had considered openly declaring his ambition to establish himself as Emperor, toppling the Han Dynasty once and for all.
The Han had been in decline for decades, its foundations crumbling under the weight of corruption, mismanagement, and endless warlord feuds. Lie Fan believed himself to be the man capable of uniting the fractured land, bringing order where there was chaos.
But he also realize that this ambition was no simple task, as it required careful planning, immense power, and most importantly, strategic timing, against the threats he had to face.
In the back of his mind, the names of the biggest warlords loomed large consisting of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Zhang. These were formidable warlords, each with their own ambitions for power, and any one of them could pose a significant threat to his plans, because if they banded together, they could create a unified front against him, crushing his forces before he had a chance to solidify his claim.
Yuan Shao controlled much of the northern provinces, his forces was vast but not truly well-organized, but still hold a large of manpower and economical power over the northern provinces.
Cao Cao was a tactical genius, holding the heart of the Han Dyansty and the Emperor under his sway, with his capital at now at Luoyang after his defeat at Kie Fan's hand. Liu Zhang, while perhaps the weakest of the three, held a critical stronghold in the Yi Province region, which was defensively challenging and difficult to assault. The danger these three men posed to his ambitions was undeniable, but Lie Fan knew that the real question was whether he could manipulate the Sun Clan in the south into swearing their allegiance to him or not play a large role as well.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 32 (199 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
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