After I was now officially engaged to Cai Yan, we all had a celebratory lunch made for us, and I was happy for the amount of food here on offer, especially the beef and pork that was a part of the meal, it had been weeks since I had a proper meal with actual meat in it compared the rather simple foods we could only have while me and Cai Yan were traveling and even while I was traveling before my capture by the bandits.
******
[Quest: Messenger of War, Complete!]
[Rewards: 10pts to Cunning, Kong Rong's Gratitude, Liu Bei's Respect, Wang Yan's Approval, Pushing Back the Foe]
[Kong Rong sees you as a friend]
[Liu Bei sees you as a friend and comrade]
[Wang Yan sees you as his own Son]
[Pushing Back the Foe: With Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan being attacked from three major forces their advances to claim Northwestern China have been halted and now they will soon begin to lose ground]
******
[Optional Quest: Coalition that Defends the North]
[Description: With your close relationships with Liu Bei, Kong Rong and your older cousin Gongsun Zan, offer a suggestion to Liu Bei to form a coalition with the both of them, and as they all know each other and have a deep seated friendship with one another the chances are high that a Coalition will form]
[Rewards: +5pts in all stats, Yuan Shao's Ire, Yuan Tan's Hatred, Yuan Shu's Approval]
[Failure: None]
[Time limit: None]
******
Stats
Expertise: 80(100)/200
Resolve: 80(100)/200
Cunning: 55(75)/200 -> 65(85)/200
Instinct: 100(120)/200
Authority: 60(80)/200
*Stats are lowered until you reach adulthood based upon hosts age -10pts per year below the age of 16*
Skills: Weapon Master(100% proficiency with any weapon), Rising Dragon Charge(Self and nearby Allys AOE buff), Dragon's War Cry(Enemy combatant AOE Debuff), Tall as a Mountain(Self Defensive Buff), Ultimate Skill(Locked)
Weapon: Dragon Piercer(Always will return to Owner) Owner: Gongsun Xuanyuan
Steed: Red Throughbred Stallion(Red)
Armor: Standard Red Heavy Lamellar Iron Armor with plated pauldrons(Dynasty Warriors inspired Armor)
*****
I close up my status window as I remove my heavy armor weighing 25kg(55lbs) from my body and relax as I fall back onto my bed while all I was wearing a red Qipao shirt and black baggy hanfu pants as I slipped out of my boots and sighed tiredly.
"So much has just gone on in only these past few days since I began to begin this life, I'm even engaged now, never thought it would happen this soon or that it would be with Cai Yan of all people….. the question is why did he want me to go to this era of the three kingdoms specifically anyway? Does he want me to just help Lu Bu become Emperor? Or does he desire something else?" I ask myself as I look up at the ceiling of my room before I slowly fall asleep.
But that question wouldn't be answered until I turned 16 and that quest became available.
…
..
.
"You wish to talk with Lord Liu Bei?" My Father-in-Law, who I'll just call father from now on, asked me when I join him and Yan'er for breakfast the following morning.
"Yes, I have a proposal for him that I think he is inclined to agree to being put forth, I think he, along with Kong Rong and Gongsun Zan should form a united coalition between their three forces would be a major push against Yuan Shao and his sons while also being a deterrent towards a possible attack once again by Cao Cao or Yuan Shu." I said giving my suggestion.
"Father I think that is a wonderful idea, with their combined forces they could easily deal with Yuan Shao along with the black mountain bandits as well as several of Dong Zhou's remnant territory's along with those still belonging to the Han Empire." Cai Yan chimed in agreeing with my idea.
Hearing this Father nodded, "Alright, we shall go and speak with Lord Liu Bei about this idea of your then, along with announcing both of your engagements to the public to seek my lords blessing." He said which made Cai Yan blush but at least not as heavily as before with her slowly getting used to the thought of being engaged with me.
"After breakfast is finished and we freshen ourselves up then we can head on towards the Lords Palace." Father said to which I nodded as we continued to have breakfast while both him and Yan'er were getting to know me better while I got to know them better.
Cai Yan is a natural born artist, poet and entertainer and she took great pride in the things she has begun to create, several of the water color artworks around the manor were painted by her after all, though I knew this with my modern knowledge, but hearing it from her and seeing her works of art in person in the era that she lived is different to the nearly destroyed pieces housed in one of China's museums after all.
So with breakfast done we got ourselves cleaned up, since I didn't have time to take a bath, something luckily the Cai Manor actually had which is a luxury only nobles could afford to have, I instead had female attendants wipe down my upper body and lower legs with wet cloths though I was adamant about doing the region around my crotch on my own.
After getting cleaned up, redressed and doning my armor I grabbed my spear before securing it to my back with its leather holster as I made my way out of my room before heading out to the main entrance where the horses were waiting for us with Cai Yan and father already on theirs.
I went over and patted reds head before hopping onto his back, "Lead the way father." I said to him which made him smile being called like that.
"Follow me then." He said before he began to lead us down the streets of Langye and towards the main central palace.
Many people seemed excited at the sight of Cai Yan being around, she was very much loved by the people here due to her kind personality along with her ability to entertain people with song and dance as well, but seeing me and our father here they didn't get in our way as we headed for the central palace.
The palace was rather beautiful to look at with many cherry blossom trees around it, something Liu Bei had planted in and around his palace as it signified to everyone how much he cherishes his two oathsworn brothers of Guan Yu and Zheng Fei as they swore to brotherhood under the cherry blossom tree during the time of the yellow turban rebellion.
The guards noticed us at the entrance, but as Cai Wang was a minister in Liu Bei's court they didn't stop us and let us on through the gate before we arrived at the horse stables where the stable boy took our horses before we began to head on into the palace.
Elsewhere deeper in the palace.
"Like I said! What I saw wasn't me being in a drunken stupor again Guan Yu! I'm serious about what I saw, the most beautiful black stallion with a crimson mane, that horse that I saw in my vision was definitely on of Red Hares brothers! I'm sure of it! Having a horse related to that monster of a horse would be a boon for us to have, especially for me!" Zhang Fei said while he was looking into his gourd only to only find it sadly empty.
"Haaa…. Okay, let's say I believe you and this vision of yours was true, do you have any idea where you would find this amazing horse? Not to mention if it's a family member of Red Hares then it would be out in the wild lands of Shofang! All the way on the other side of China within arms reach of Dong Min(Dong Zhou's brother, Li Jue and Zang Yang, all of which who are in a Cold War with us while they bite at each others throats." Guan Yu said as a counter argument.
"Let's keep calm, I don't doubt what you saw brother, but we don't have the time and resources to go searching for this Horse, even if it's a family member of Red Hare." Liu Bei, the ever kind, humble and understanding man he is, gave his opinion on his brothers 'visions' as he calls it.
"Oh and another thing I actually saw a person in my vision, but it wasn't me riding it but a younger man welding a golden bident, it almost seemed heavenly in nature." Zhang Fei said rubbing his head as he remembered that someone was riding that beautiful horse.
"Hmmm…. It wouldn't happen to be that young man would it?" Liu Bei said as he saw the main doors at the end of the main palace hall open up to reveal three new visitors entering the chamber making Guan Yu and Zhang Fei turn towards the new arrivals.
"Hmmm…. Maybe?" Zhang Fei said while scratching the back of his head.
And this would be the day I officially met Liu Bei, the Hero of the Three Kingdoms
(Liu Bei)
(Zhang Fei)