Reborn In The Three Kingdoms - Chapter 972

Chapter 972: 924. Accepted Of Course & Annan
 

Lie Fan waved a hand dismissively, his expression still light. “Nonsense. There is nothing to forgive. You are a warrior in heart, not a court gossip or an official in my court. But tell me, Ziling—” his tone shifted, the warmth in his voice tempered by authority “—are you certain of what you ask?”

Ma Chao straightened immediately, his eyes unwavering. “I am, Your Majesty. With all my heart. I have fought across mountains and rivers, seen countless faces and lands, yet none has moved my heart as she has. Lady Sun is not only noble by birth but possesses courage and wit worthy of respect. I would be honored to make her my wife, and through her, bind my loyalty even closer to Your Majesty’s cause.”

Lie Fan studied him for a long moment. The sincerity in Ma Chao’s voice was unmistakable — not the impulsive passion of youth, but the steady conviction of a warrior who understood both love and duty.

“Very well,” the Emperor said. “I will help you, just as I once helped Zhao Yun when he sought to wed your sister, Ma Yunlu. You have earned that much and more. However…” His gaze sharpened suddenly, the tone of his voice deepening with quiet steel. “Know this, Ziling. Sun Shangxiang is as dear to me as my own sister. I have watched her grow from a child to what she have become right now. If ever you cause her grief, or harm her even in thought, I will not hesitate to annul your union by imperial edict. And I will not stop there, the punishment for dishonoring my family will be severe. Do you understand?”

Ma Chao dropped to one knee, his voice steady and resolute. “Your Majesty, I swear upon my honor and the blood of the Ma family. I will cherish her as my equal, guard her as I would my own life, and never bring shame to her name. Should I fail in this vow, I would sooner face death than Your Majesty’s wrath.”

Lie Fan regarded him quietly, then allowed a small smile to return. “Good. That is the answer I expected from the Lion of Liang.”

He extended his hand, gesturing for Ma Chao to rise. “Stand, General. You have my support. I will write to Duke Sun Jian and Marquis Sun Ce myself, though I’m sure that the Duke has already knew of your intentions.”

Ma Chao stood, his relief and gratitude plain upon his face. “Your Majesty’s kindness humbles me. I am forever indebted to you.”

“Save your thanks for the wedding,” Lie Fan replied with a chuckle. “And perhaps make sure the Duke’s daughter agrees to this union with as much fire as you do, I’ve seen her temper before, and I assure you, Ziling, she can duel a man’s pride as deftly as she can wield a sword.”

Ma Chao’s cheeks flushed slightly, though his grin betrayed his pride. “That is one of the reasons I admire her, Your Majesty.”

Lie Fan laughed once again, this time louder, echoing down the empty hall. “Good! A man who fears a strong woman is not fit to stand beside her. Now go, rest for the night. Tomorrow, I shall send word to Wulie. Let the matchmaker’s quill dance where blades once did.”

He turned, resuming his walk toward his private chambers. The two Yellow Ghost Bodyguards, having waited at a distance, straightened and followed once more.

Behind him, Ma Chao bowed deeply, his voice ringing through the quiet corridor. “Your Majesty’s favor is the greatest honor of my life!”

Lie Fan didn’t turn back, but his hand lifted in acknowledgment. “Then make sure you are worthy of it, Ziling.”

The emperor disappeared around the corner, the soft fall of his footsteps fading into the stillness of the palace.

Ma Chao stood alone for a long moment, the torchlight flickering over his armor. The weight of the battlefield had never daunted him, but the thought of the path ahead, of the woman he wished to make his wife, and the trust the Emperor had placed upon his vow, stirred a different kind of fire within him.

He straightened, his expression resolute.

For the first time since the campaign’s end, Ma Chao felt that his greatest battle might not be fought with steel, but with sincerity.

Inside the Emperor’s chamber, the air was cool and scented faintly with sandalwood. Lie Fan removed his outer robe and sat beside a low lacquered table, staring into the flickering oil lamp. For all his laughter earlier, a thought now lingered in the quiet of his mind, the future.

Every alliance, every marriage, every gesture of affection in his court carried ripples across the empire. Sun Shangxiang’s marriage would tie the Suns more closely to Hengyuan, but it would also awaken interest perhaps envy, among other noble families. Balancing such forces was an emperor’s eternal burden.

He poured himself a cup of warm rice wine, watching the thin steam curl upward like a phantom. Beyond the window, the night stretched endlessly, serene on the surface, yet hiding storms below.

Lie Fan took a slow sip, eyes narrowing slightly. “Peace,” he murmured to himself, “is but the silence between storms.”

The faint knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. It was his chief maid attendant, kneeling just beyond the threshold.

“Your Majesty,” the woman said softly, “the scribes await your instructions for tomorrow’s court, and Lord Zhuge Liang has sent a message, he requests an audience at dawn regarding the southern personnel placement.”

Lie Fan smiled faintly. “Tell him I shall receive him then. Let all others rest. We’ve earned one night of quiet.”

“As Your Majesty commands.”

When the attendant withdrew, the emperor turned once more to the lamp’s flame. It danced gently, reflected in his eyes like molten gold. For a long while, he sat there, lost between the weight of the crown and the fragile beauty of the world he had built.

The next day, air in the imperial meeting chamber was still heavy with the scent of morning incense when Lie Fan finished his discussion with Zhuge Liang. Hours of deliberation had passed, though it felt more like the relentless slow turn of a millstone.

Scrolls lay open across the table, each a minor thread that, when woven together, would shape the governance of new lands far in the humid jungles of the southern frontier.

Zhuge Liang, ever serene despite the workload, set down his brush and rubbed the faint ink stain from his thumb. His Deputy Minister of Personnel, an older official named Lu Jiang, quietly gathered the scrolls into neat stacks, his movements precise and practiced.

Lie Fan leaned back in his seat, stretching his shoulders slightly. “Kongming,” he began, his voice calm but edged with fatigue, “you will have full authority to assign low and mid level personnel in Funan, Champa, and the surrounding chiefdoms. I trust your judgement. Only matters concerning high ranking appointments need to come directly to me.”

Zhuge Liang bowed deeply. “Your Majesty’s trust is an honor I shall not fail. These lands are fragile, but their people are impressionable. With a firm but steady hand, they will adapt swiftly to Hengyuan rule.”

Lie Fan nodded thoughtfully. “Unlike Goguryeo… Funan and Champa have no real administrative foundation. Their hierarchy is divided, inconsistent, and easily swayed by superstition or personal authority. Tonal cultures, loose tribal allegiances, competing chieftains… a challenge, but one that can be shaped.”

Zhuge Liang allowed a faint smile. “Their very weakness becomes our advantage, Your Majesty. A unified system imposed early will take root quickly. Their leaders have long relied on personality rather than institution, therefore, if we offer recognition, titles, and wealth, they will naturally bend to our rule. A few carefully placed administrators, supported by the Imperial Army’s presence, will make the transition smoother than it appears.”

Lu Jiang, who had been silent until now, spoke in his measured tone. “We have also drafted potential names for the new province, Your Majesty. It would ease the paperwork as future records and communication increase.”

Lie Fan gestured for him to present them.

Lu Jiang unfurled a scroll, listing names written in bold calligraphy, some taken from ancient texts, others from geographical features, others from earlier dynasties’ southern aspirations.

“Nan’an,” he read. “Meaning ‘Southern Peace.’

“Jiangnan Province,” referencing the great rivers feeding the region.

“Linhai Province,” ‘Forest Sea,’ describing the endless jungle and coastline.

“Annan,” ‘Pacified South,’ an old Han era administrative dream, never fully realized.”

Lie Fan studied each name quietly, tapping a finger on the table.

“Annan…” he murmured. “Ambitious, but fitting. The old Han never fully tamed the south. Perhaps the Hengyuan Dynasty shall succeed where they failed.”

Zhuge Liang nodded. “A symbolic name, Your Majesty. One that marks continuity, yet strength. It tells the world these lands are no longer wild edges of the map, but a true extension of the empire.”

“Very well,” Lie Fan said, his decision made. “Let the region be designated Annan Province. Funan, Champa, and the surrounding chiefdoms will fall under this administrative umbrella. Begin drafting the official orders. Ensure the local rulers understand their titles are secured only through loyalty.”

Zhuge Liang and Lu Jiang bowed at the same time. “As Your Majesty commands.”

With the meeting concluded, the two men rose, gathered the remaining documents, and withdrew from the chamber. Zhuge Liang paused briefly at the doorway, looking back at Lie Fan with quiet understanding.

“Your Majesty carries much on your shoulders today. Tomorrow will bring more. I hope tonight brings you peace.”

Lie Fan chuckled softly. “Peace? At this time, Kongming? It seems rarer than a calm sea in a storm.”

Zhuge Liang only smiled knowingly before leaving with Lu Jiang.

When the chamber finally fell silent, Lie Fan exhaled deeply and rubbed his temples. It was only midday, but his mind had already marched across thousands of li of policy, administration, and diplomacy. And there was still more to do.

He rose and made his way toward his personal study, where a stack of blank parchment awaited. The letters to Sun Jian and Sun Ce needed to be written, formal, respectful, and clear in intention. He would write as matchmaker, as emperor, and as a man who held deep affection for Sun Shangxiang.

He settled at his writing table, unrolled a fresh sheet, and dipped his brush.

To Duke Sun Jian… To Marquis Sun Ce…

His strokes were slow, deliberate, each word chosen with care. His request for Sun Shangxiang’s marriage to Ma Chao had to reflect balance, a proposal rooted not only in affection but also in the mutual respect between their families.

By the time he finished the draft of the second letter, the sun had climbed high above Xiapi, and the sounds of soldiers training in the distance drifted faintly through the window. Lie Fan smiled to himself. “Ziling will owe me wine for this.” But the warmth of that thought didn’t last long. For in the west, the fires of war were raging

______________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty

Age: 35 (202 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 2325

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 966 (+20)

VIT: 623 (+20)

AGI: 623 (+10)

INT: 667

CHR: 98

WIS: 549

WILL: 432

ATR Points: 0