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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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For these eight men, the moment held a profound weight. They had fought for different lords, they had surrendered to his armies, and they had executed his orders from afar. But this was the very first time they were laying eyes on the Emperor of Hengyuan, the man they had pledged their absolute allegiance to, the man who was about to conquer the world.
Lie Fan, seeing the eight of them kneeling and bowing with such profound reverence, felt a deep swell of pride and warmth. These were not ordinary men, they were the titans of the west, the architects of Shu, and the fierce lords of the southern jungles. To have them bow willingly before him was a testament to everything he had built.
He used his Eye of Erlang Shen to see their stats.
• Fa Zheng
INT: 785 WIS: 74 VIT: 78 CHR: 68
• Meng Da
INT: 599 WIS: 68 VIT: 80 CHR: 57
• Yan Pu
INT: 637 WIS: 73 VIT: 75 CHR: 70
• Yan Yan
STR: 661 VIT: 80 AGI: 73 INT: 73
• Zhang Ren
STR: 692 VIT: 86 AGI: 85 INT: 70
• Meng Huo
STR: 727 VIT: 90 AGI: 65 INT: 58
• Zhang Wei
STR: 462 VIT: 72 AGI: 70 INT: 60
• Yang Ang
STR: 437 VIT: 69 AGI: 60 INT: 53
He smiled, a genuine expression that crinkled the corners of his eyes and softened the hard lines that war had etched into his face. He stepped away from the massive oak table, leaving the intricately drawn map of Chang'An behind, and walked slowly toward them. His armored boots thudded rhythmically against the thick rugs that lined the floor of the command tent.
"Stand up, all of you," Lie Fan commanded, his voice carrying the effortless, resonant authority of an Emperor, yet laced with an undeniable warmth. "Be at ease. There is no need to be so rigidly formal here."
He gestured expansively around the canvas walls of the tent, where the muffled sounds of a hundred thousand men preparing for war could be heard. "Look around us. We are in a military encampment, standing upon a battlefield today, not standing upon the polished jade floors of a court hall. Today, we are all soldiers of Hengyuan. Save the deep bows for the victory ceremonies in Xiapi."
Hearing his words, the eight men visibly relaxed the rigid tension in their shoulders. They straightened up, the heavy metal plates of Zhang Wei's, Yang Ang's, Zhang Ren's, Yan Yan's, and Meng Huo's armor clanking as they rose from the floor.
Fa Zheng and the other civil officials lowered their cupped hands, their expressions reflecting a mixture of awe and immense relief. The Emperor of Hengyuan was famously ruthless to his enemies, but to his loyal subjects, he was known to be as magnanimous as the vast sky. Seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.
Lie Fan clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the eight of them one by one. He took his time, his sharp gaze assessing the brilliant, calculating eyes of Fa Zheng, the ambitious posture of Meng Da, the stoic, immovable presence of Zhang Ren, the grizzled, time tested aura of Yan Yan, the wild, untamed strength of Meng Huo, and the disciplined readiness of Zhang Lu's former generals, Zhang Wei and Yang Ang.
He nodded his head slowly, deeply satisfied with what he saw. The caliber of men standing before him could conquer a continent on their own.
"I am very happy to finally look upon the eight of you with my own eyes," Lie Fan said, his voice ringing with absolute sincerity. He stepped a fraction closer to the group from Shu. "Especially the five of you, Fa Zheng, Meng Da, Zhang Ren, Yan Yan, and Meng Huo. You pledged your allegiance to the Black Dragon banner quite some time ago. You have held the western front, integrated new lands, and marched hundreds of miles in my name. You have bled for an Emperor you had never even met. I have eagerly awaited the day I could finally meet you in person and thank you for your unwavering loyalty."
Fa Zheng, ever the eloquent strategist, immediately stepped forward, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of profound respect. The fire of intellectual vindication burned brightly in his eyes.
"The happiness is entirely ours, Your Imperial Majesty," Fa Zheng replied, his voice smooth and filled with genuine emotion. "To finally meet Your Majesty for the first time is the culmination of our life's work. We have waited for a long time for this exact moment. We worked tirelessly in the west, navigating treachery and securing the borders, all so that this day could finally come to pass. We are overjoyed that it has truly arrived, because standing here before you means our hard work has paid off. It means the vision of a unified, prosperous empire is no longer a dream, but a reality we can touch."
Meng Da, standing just to Fa Zheng's right, could not contain his own ambitions and desires any longer. He stepped forward as well, his eyes alight with the prospect of the future.
"If I may be so bold to add to Master Fa Zheng's words, Your Majesty," Meng Da said, his tone eager. "I personally have longed to see Your Majesty for reasons beyond the battlefield. I have studied the edicts and the administrative reforms you have implemented in the central plains. I have fervently hoped to have a small exchange with you regarding the intricacies of bureaucracy, governance, and the application of new laws in newly conquered territories. I sincerely hope that after this grand campaign is ended, and Chang'An is secured, we might have a chance to do so."
Lie Fan's smile widened. He appreciated a man who looked beyond the edge of a sword and saw the foundations of a functioning state.
"Of course we can, Meng Da," Lie Fan said encouragingly. "An empire is won on horseback, but it is ruled from a desk. The laws and the bureaucracy are the veins that keep the beast alive. I would very much like to hear your thoughts. And not just yours, I wish to hear Fa Zheng's insight as well on such matters. The west has its own unique administrative challenges, and I need minds like yours to help me navigate them. But,"
Lie Fan chuckled softly, gesturing toward the map of the Wei capital, "this deep discussion of law and order must be reserved for later dates, once the immediate obstacle is removed."
Lie Fan then turned his attention away from the scholars and shifted his gaze to the hardened warriors standing behind them. His eyes settled first on Yan Yan. The old general stood as straight as a spear shaft, his white beard a stark contrast to his dark, battle scarred armor.
"General Yan Yan," Lie Fan said, his tone shifting to one of deep, martial respect. "Looking at you, I can clearly see that the years have not dulled your blade. You are an old general, yet you stand there still full of terrifying vigor. I must tell you, I will be very happy to introduce you to General Huang Zhong later today. He will be absolutely thrilled to meet another veteran tiger who refuses to let age dictate his strength. The two of you will likely swap stories that will make my younger cavalry commanders blush."
Yan Yan's weathered face broke into a proud, deeply honored grin, and he bowed his head. "I look forward to it, Your Majesty. My bones may ache when it rains, but my spear arm is as steady as the day I first lifted it."
Next, Lie Fan's gaze shifted to the towering, imposing figure of Meng Huo. The Barbarian King was a mountain of muscle, draped in exotic pelts and heavy bronze ornaments that rattled faintly when he breathed. He looked completely out of place in the refined, strategic environment of the command tent, yet his presence commanded undeniable respect.
"And you, King Meng Huo," Lie Fan said, looking up slightly to meet the massive man's eyes. "The fierce Nanman tribes are now a vital part of this empire, and that is entirely because you had the wisdom to know which side to choose when the winds of fate changed. You chose life and prosperity for your people over pointless destruction. I respect that deeply."
Lie Fan paused, a glint of competitive fire entering his eyes. "I have heard legends of your physical prowess. They say you can wrestle bears in the southern jungles. I must admit, I would really like to test my own strength against you in a sparring match... after all of this has ended with Cao Cao's definitive defeat, of course."
Hearing that, the massive barbarian king's eyes widened in surprise, and then a booming, thunderous laugh erupted from his chest, shaking the very canvas of the tent.
"Hah! Hahaha!" Meng Huo roared, entirely forgetting protocol in his brash, loud, and uniquely enthusiastic way. He slapped his massive chest with a hand the size of a dinner plate. "Your Majesty honors me! I have heard the tales of the God of War's halberd! They say you possess the strength of a god! I would of course be absolutely happy to test my strength with Your Majesty! It will be a glorious bout! We will shake the earth!"
Lie Fan shook his head, highly amused by the sheer, unbridled energy of the man. The contrast between the calculating quiet of Sima Yi and the booming bravado of Meng Huo was stark, but Lie Fan needed both to rule the world he was forging.
"I will hold you to that, King Meng Huo," Lie Fan said with a chuckle. "But for now, our strength must be directed at the walls of Chang'An."
Lie Fan took a step back, his demeanor seamlessly transitioning from the welcoming host back to the supreme commander.
"Fa Zheng, Meng Da, Yan Pu," Lie Fan instructed, pointing toward the massive table in the center of the tent. "Come. Join the table. Sima Yi, Pang Tong, and the others are already deep into strategizing the optimal plan of attack. We need your fresh intelligence on the western approaches to the city."
He then looked at the five military commanders. "General Zhang Ren, General Yan Yan, King Meng Huo, General Zhang Wei, General Yang Ang. Your task is outside these walls. Go and join General Zhang Liao, General Huang Zhong, and the other vanguard commanders. Coordinate the integration of your forces. Ensure your soldiers are fed, rested, and briefed on the signaling flags. Prepare the men for the assault."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the five generals barked in unison. They delivered crisp, military salutes, spun on their heels with military precision, and marched out of the command tent, the heavy flap falling shut behind them, plunging the room back into the quiet hum of intellectual warfare.
With the generals gone, the atmosphere immediately sharpened. Fa Zheng, Meng Da, and Yan Pu quickly moved to the table, exchanging respectful nods with Sima Yi, Chen Deng, Zang Hong, Pang Tong, and Xu Shu. It was a gathering of arguably the greatest strategic minds of the era, all focused entirely on a single point on the map.
The discussion of strategy and the meticulous planning of the attack on Chang'an continued with renewed vigor, supplemented by the crucial intelligence Fa Zheng brought regarding the western gate's structural integrity and the morale of the local garrisons.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty
Age: 36 (203 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 2325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 11)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 1,010 (+20)
VIT: 659 (+20)
AGI: 653 (+10)
INT: 691
CHR: 98
WIS: 569
WILL: 436
ATR Points: 0