Reborn In The Three Kingdoms
Chapter 825: 786. Cao Cao Goes Back To Work

Chapter 825: 786. Cao Cao Goes Back To Work

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Then, a sudden voice rang out. “Accept what, exactly?” All heads turned. There, standing in the doorway, dressed in a dark green silk dress and her hair pinned high with only a single jade comb, it was Ma Yunlu. Her eyes scanned the room, then landed on Zhao Yun.

Ma Chao cleared his throat. “Ah. Sister. We were just… well…”

Lie Fan laughed. “Perfect timing, Lady Ma Yunlu. I believe you heard everything. Now the choice lies with you.”

Zhao Yun turned to face her. For once, his posture wavered slightly.

“Yunlu,” he said, his voice softer now, more personal and filled with affection. “I stand here not as a general, but as a man. I ask you, not just for your family’s blessing, but for your heart and shared future.”

She looked at him. Long and hard. Then her eyes softened, and she walked across the hall to stand in front of him.

“And if I say yes,” she whispered, “will you still treat me like the fierce tigress I am?”

Zhao Yun smiled, the tension breaking. “Always. And I will never try to cage you. I love you for who you are.”

She held out her hand with a shy but affectionate smile. “Then yes.”

The room erupted into applause, cheers, and laughter. Lie Fan clapped his hands from his seat, Ma Chao actually smiled without reservation, and even Ma Tie and Ma Xiu whooped in celebration.

Ma Dai exhaled, looking pleased with himself.

That evening, wine flowed in the Ma residence. A feast was held, this time informal, just between families. Zhao Yun and Ma Yunlu sat together, no longer needing stolen glances or hidden moments.

Lie Fan raised a cup.

“To love that grows from respect,” he said. “And to family that welcomes it.”

The cups clinked. The halls of Xiapi had witnessed history once again. Not in blood or conquest, but in joy, in bonds sealed by affection, loyalty, and trust.

While joy and celebration filled the halls of Xiapi, far to the west in Luoyang, Cao Cao stood in his war room, surrounded by his most trusted advisors. The air was thick with the scent of ink and parchment, the weight of strategy pressing down on every man present.

Cao Cao, now fully recovered from his illness, looked stronger than ever, his sharp eyes gleaming with renewed vigor as he surveyed the men before him, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, Cheng Yu, Jia Kui, Tian Feng, and Xu You.

Before diving into military matters, Cao Cao turned to Xun Yu, his voice warm but firm.

“Wenruo,” he said, using Xun Yu’s courtesy name with deliberate familiarity, “your return has been a boon to us all. Plans that were once stagnant now move forward with precision. Even those we thought complete, you’ve refined into something greater.”

Xun Yu bowed slightly, a rare smile touching his lips. “My lord is too kind. I was blinded by my loyalty to the Han, a loyalty instilled in me since my youth. I let it cost more than it should have, the trust between us. But hearing of your illness… our conversation in your chambers… it woke me as they revealed where my duty truly lay. Now, I live only to serve your ambition.”

Cao Cao laughed, the sound rich and genuine. “Some things never change. Even now, your tongue is as slick as ever!”

The room erupted in laughter, the tension easing. Even Xun Yu chuckled, shaking his head.

But the moment of levity passed quickly. Cao Cao’s expression hardened, and the atmosphere shifted, from camaraderie to calculation.

“Now,” he said, “let us turn to the matters at hand.”

Cao Cao’s first question was direct. “What of the Western Expedition Army? Have they made progress?”

Guo Jia stepped forward, unrolling a map across the table. “They’ve entered the Gansu Corridor, my lord. Initial clashes with local tribes and bandit groups have been minor, with no significant casualties. The real challenge lies ahead, in the Qinghai Plateau.”

Xi Zhicai added, “Thanks to Master Xun Yu’s logistical adjustments, our supply lines are holding. Food, weapons, reinforcements, all flow steadily to the front. The men are in high spirits.”

Cao Cao nodded, satisfied but not complacent. “Good. But caution must remain. Two hundred thousand men are not expendable, not with Lie Fan breathing down our necks.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room.

Cheng Yu stroked his beard. “The Gansu Corridor will give us land, yes, but more importantly, manpower. The tribes there are fierce warriors. If we can integrate them into our forces, they will be invaluable.”

“And the resources,” Jia Kui added. “The grasslands, the mines, the trade routes, all will strengthen our position.”

Cao Cao’s fingers drummed against the table. “Then we press forward. But slowly. Deliberately. I will not lose men to recklessness.”

Next came the matter of the South.

“And what about our preparations against Liu Zhang?” Cao Cao asked.

Tian Feng stepped forward, his voice measured. “The 300,000 strong Southern Army is ready, my lord. Training intensifies daily to prepare them and keep them up to fit, these will not just be soldiers, but elites. We’ve sharpened their skills on speed, mountain passes, and supply endurance. When we strike, we will punch through Jianmen Pass like a spear through silk.”

Jia Kui picked up the thread. “From there, we will launch a full scale assault to take Zitong as our foothold, my lord. Then Chengdu, forcing Liu Zhang out form his capital. Then Jiangzhou. Once secured, we fortify and sue for peace with Liu Zhang.”

Cao Cao’s eyes gleamed. “Good. We do not need all of Yi Province. Half will suffice, enough to bleed Liu Zhang’s resources, enough to expand our own.”

Xu You, ever the pragmatist, interjected. “Liu Zhang is weak, but his terrain is not. The mountains, the passes, they favor the defender. We must strike fast, before he can rally.”

“Which is why,” Guo Jia said smoothly, “we have agents already in place. Whispering in ears. Spreading doubt. By the time our army arrives, Yi Province will be ripe for the taking or that’s what we have estimated.”

Cao Cao leaned back, steepling his fingers. “Then it is settled. The Western Expedition continues with caution. The Southern Campaign launches within the month.”

He looked around the room, meeting each man’s gaze. “Lie Fan may have his celebrations, his marriages, his peace. But we, we move in silence. And when the time comes, we will remind the world why Cao Cao is feared.”

Cao Cao inclined his head thoughtfully. “But remember, Li Fan’s dynastic ambitions could force him to ally with Liu Zhang. Prepare for alliances, even at the last minute. Use spies to track movements. Throw misinformation if needed. We must keep the initiative.”

Silence fell, heavy with purpose. Then Cao Cao looked toward Xun Yu. “And now… you, Wenruo. There’s a petition before us, Emperor Xian’s abdication. You and I both know what it means. Han is on life support. We may choose to let it linger as a puppet, or we may end it decisively.”

Xun Yu rose, bowed deeply. “My lord… the realm is weary. After your recovery, I have seen the mandate shift beneath our feet. I pledge my voice, my counsel, and my pen to your vision. If the realm must bear another new dynasty, let it be one that rises from the ashes of Han, but not its shame.”

Cao Cao extended his hand. “Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we draft the petition, Emperor Xian abdicates, and Cao Cao ascends. We move with speed and stealth, announce it at the right moment, backed by ministers loyal to us. Supremacy isn’t given, it’s claimed.”

A murmur of affirmation swept the room, steel flashed in eyes once wary.

The next day, the morning sun cast dappled shadows across the stone pathways of Xiapi’s imperial gardens, where Lie Fan walked arm in arm with Zhen Ji.

The gardens were a masterpiece of design, blending the natural beauty of this era with subtle touches from Lie Fan’s memories of the future, tiered fountains that cascaded like liquid silver, arched bridges that seemed to float above lotus filled ponds, and winding paths lined with exotic flowers that bloomed in impossible colors.

Zhen Ji’s fingers rested lightly on Lie Fan’s arm, her steps graceful beside him. She wore a gown of pale lavender, its sleeves embroidered with silver thread that caught the light with every movement. Her hair, pinned up with delicate jade ornaments, left a few loose strands to frame her face, softening her usually composed demeanor.

“This garden is unlike any I’ve seen,” she murmured, her eyes tracing the intricate patterns of a mosaic walkway beneath their feet. “The symmetry, the flow… it feels alive.”

Lie Fan smiled. “A gift of vision from a dream, like I lived in another lifetime.”

She glanced at him curiously but didn’t press. That was one of the things he appreciated about her, she understood the weight of unspoken words.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the distant trickle of water and the songs of caged birds hung from the pavilions. Then, Zhen Ji spoke again, her voice softer.

“Your Majesty… do you ever regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“This.” She gestured vaguely between them. “Us. The way it began.”

Lie Fan exhaled slowly. The truth was complicated. Their marriage had been political, a union to secure the loyalty of the Zhen family and also pity for Zhen Ji’s life. He had never forced himself on her, never demanded more than she was willing to give. And for some time, they had existed in a careful, distant harmony.

But after that night when she was asking for something deeper, Lie Fan followed what she wanted.

“No,” he said at last. “I don’t regret it. But I won’t lie to you, either. What I feel for you isn’t the same as what I feel for Ying Yue, or Diao Chan, or the others.”

Her grip on his arm tightened slightly, but her expression remained calm.

“Yet,” he continued, “that doesn’t mean it can’t grow into something just as meaningful. Love isn’t always lightning. Sometimes it’s a seed, planted carefully, tended over time.”

Zhen Ji’s lips curved, just a little. “Poetic, for a warlord.”

“Emperor,” he corrected dryly.

“Even worse then Your Majesty.”

They shared a quiet laugh, the tension easing.

Lie Fan stopped walking and turned to face her. The sunlight caught in her dark eyes, turning them into pools of liquid amber. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. But beauty alone had never been enough for him.

“Zhen Ji,” he said, his voice low, “I won’t rush this. And I won’t pretend. But I will try. That much, I promise you.”

She searched his face for a long moment, then nodded. “That’s all I ask, Your Majesty.” For a heartbeat, they stood there, the world narrowing to just the two of them, looking deeply at each other. Then, from somewhere in the garden, a servant’s voice called out, polite but insistent.

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Name: Lie Fan

Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty

Age: 34 (201 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

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