Chapter 821: 782. Information & Order For Southward Expansion

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His brows tightened as he read, lips pressing into a thin line. The air around him seemed to cool. When he turned, there was no anger, only disappointment. “Xun Yu has chosen Cao Cao,” he said simply. “He’s cast off his loyalty to the Han. He joins them now in preparing the petition to force Emperor Xian to abdicate and declare Cao Cao as Emperor.”

Hearing that, everyone in the room except for Gongsun Gong sighed and nodded their heads solemnly. Jia Xu was the first to speak, his voice calm but weighty. “It means Cao Cao’s think tank has returned to full strength, Your Majesty. With Xun Yu reaffirming his loyalty, we must assume that Cao Cao’s strategic potential has not only been restored but perhaps even elevated.”

Xun You added, “My uncle Xun Yu was once Cao Cao’s moral anchor and chief statesman. Now, with his unwavering focus on Cao Cao’s personal ambition, the man is unbound by loyalty to the Han. His vision will serve only Cao Cao’s ambition and ascent to the Emperor, Your Majesty.”

Sima Yi, tapping his fingers against the table, muttered, “A dangerous transformation, Your Majesty. Their court is unified,” Sima Yi finished, his voice calm but his eyes sharp. “No more internal dissent. No more hesitation. Cao Cao’s faction now moves with a singular purpose.”

“A butterfly effect,” Lie Fan murmured, more to himself than to the others. He inwardly sighed. Another butterfly had flapped its wings. Once more, history diverged.

He had already altered so many threads. Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai, whose fate had been sealed by their excessive indulgence in alcohol, now lived healthier lives.

Their near death experiences and the seriousness of state affairs had moderated their behavior, reducing their intake and prolonging their lives. That was already a significant alteration.

Now Xun Yu, the man who once opposed Cao Cao’s path to the throne and died for his principles, had chosen survival and ambition over ideals.

It was not Cao Cao’s arguments that turned him, it was the sight of his friend crumbling under the weight of the world. Perhaps compassion had undone principle. Perhaps guilt had undone history.

Lie Fan exhaled slowly through his nose. One more change, one more ripple.

Gongsun Gong, meanwhile, remained silent. His eyes watched everyone carefully, his mind busy taking mental notes. The shifting currents in the mainland were not his battlefield yet, but one day they might be.

He noted who now held influence and where their power surged, deliberating quietly on whether his army might one day march north of Goguryeo into troubled lands, or south of Goguryeo into newer, weaker kingdoms.

After thinking so, Gongsun Gong finally spoke. “Does this alter our plans, Your Majesty?”

Lie Fan shook his head. “No. Cao Cao was always going to declare himself Emperor. The only difference now is that he will do so with Xun Yu’s full support, which means fewer obstacles, a smoother transition.” He paused, then smirked. “And a far more dangerous adversary.”

Jia Xu chuckled darkly. “A challenge, then, Your Majesty.”

“One we are prepared for,” Sima Yi added.

After that, with a gentle tap on the table, Lie Fan ended the meeting. “We will act accordingly. The tides have shifted. But so have we.”

He stood, motioning for Jia Xu, Xun You, and Sima Yi to follow. Together, the four left the council chamber and made their way through the expansive palace corridors toward another wing where another meeting awaited.

The room they entered next was more modest, yet no less refined. Inside waited Shi Xie, the veteran governor of Jiaozhi, and his son Shi Song, who resided in Xiapi as both a guest and a subtle hostage, a symbol of the Shi Clan’s loyalty to the Hengyuan Dynasty.

As Lie Fan and his three advisors entered, both father and son stood swiftly and bowed deeply.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. Greetings, Your Excellencies,” said Shi Xie with formal deference. Shi Song echoed his father’s words with equal respect.

Lie Fan smiled and raised a hand. “Please, be at ease. Let us speak not as ruler and subject, but as fellow stewards of this realm.”

They all sat. Shi Song, being the youngest and least senior, quietly poured tea into the cups on the table for the assembled lords. His hands were steady, his expression neutral. When the gentle clinking of ceramic ceased, Lie Fan turned to Shi Xie.

“Duke Jingnan,” he said calmly, “you have ruled Jiaozhi for many years. You know the South better than any man alive in this room. Tell me, what do you know of the lands and peoples south of your province?”

Shi Xie was taken aback for a moment. The question was unexpected. But he quickly composed himself.

“Your Majesty,” he began, “much of the southern territories are dense with jungle and river networks. But over the years, I have gathered information, some confirmed, others from traders and emissaries that have passed through Jiaozhi.”

“To the immediate south of Nanyue, along the coast, there is an emerging polity called Champa. They are not yet centralized, but they are becoming formidable, especially in naval movement and coastal settlement, from what I gather, they are expanding south currently.”

“Further still, beyond the dense jungles, there exists a powerful maritime kingdom known as Funnan. They control a vast portion of the trade routes in the region, including those stretching into Tianzhu (India) and beyond. Their influence is considerable even stretching across the southern seas, and their wealth is built on sea trade.”

“And in the inland regions of central south, there are many scattered tribal chiefdoms, small kingdoms, and city states. Among them, one appears to be rising, the Pyu city states. They are beginning to form alliances, building temples, and developing systems of governance.”

Lie Fan’s brows furrowed thoughtfully. He didn’t know much of the early histories of these places as he had only vague knowledge of it, Southeast Asia in this era was a patchwork of emerging states, none yet consolidated into the big kingdoms and even empires they would become.

He felt he had to look into the Book of Knowledge in his system inventory as the situation now prompted him to read Southeast Asia in detail.

Still, he trusted Shi Xie’s words, he had ruled the region long and with shrewd efficiency. And if the Oriole network had not yet extended its reach into the far south, it only made Shi Xie’s information more valuable.

When the governor finished, he bowed his head slightly. “May I ask, Your Majesty, why such a question is raised?”

Lie Fan leaned back slightly in his chair and gave a faint smile. “Because, Duke Jingnan, I would like for you and the Sun Clan to begin the southward expansion of the dynasty. Not only to secure our borders but to bring civilization, governance, and our rule to these lands.”

Shi Xie blinked, clearly stunned. Beside him, Shi Song sat up straighter.

“You mean, conquest, Your Majesty?” Shi Xie asked carefully.

“Conquest, yes,” Lie Fan said. “But also integration. We do not seek only to rule, we seek to uplift. But before any of that can happen, those lands must be stabilized.”

He gestured toward the table.

“You know these lands. The Sun Clan has the naval might. Together, with your experience and their power, we can take the south before others even understand our intent. Extend the reach of the Hengyuan Dynasty southward”

Jia Xu, who had been silent, finally added, “Funnan is the key, Your Majesty. If we take control of the sea routes, not only do we gain access to incredible wealth, but we also isolate potential foreign threats before they arise.”

Xun You continued, “And if the Pyu city states are rising, then they may one day pose a military or ideological threat. Striking while they are still divided will ensure we dictate the terms of their growth, Your Majesty.”

Sima Yi concluded, “The world is shifting. The Hengyuan Dynasty must not only defend but also expand. The South is fertile, rich, and ripe for reform. And if we do not act now, others will.”

Shi Xie bowed deeply, now understanding the gravity of what was being entrusted to him.

“I will begin preparations immediately, Your Majesty. With your leave, I will send scouts and envoys under the pretense of trade and goodwill. They will map the terrain, assess strengths and weaknesses.”

Lie Fan nodded with satisfaction. “You have my full support. Work with Duke Wulie to coordinate with the Sun Clan. Let the South know that we come not as tyrants, but as shepherds. I will send additional forces and advisors to assist you if you need it.”

As the meeting concluded and Shi Xie and his son departed, Lie Fan remained seated, staring at the map unfurled before him. The South was ripe for the taking, a wealth of resources, of trade, and of manpower. And once it was his, no force in mainland China and even the entirety of Asia could rival the might of the Hengyuan Dynasty.

Later that night, alone in his chambers, Lie Fan takes out the Book of Knowledge from his inventory. The tome glowed faintly in the candlelight as he flipped through its pages, searching for information on the three southern powers that Shi Xie took note of.

Champa. Funan. Pyu.

Names that, in his original world, would one day fade into history, swallowed by greater empires. But now? Now, they would be stepping stones for his own.

He closed the book with a snap.

The pieces were in motion. Cao Cao moved to claim the Mandate of Heaven in a move to challenge him. And he? Well, he would claim an empire the likes of which this era had never seen.

The next day, the imperial palace buzzed with excitement. Word had spread like wildfire, Princess Wannian, the Emperor’s beloved sister, was with child.

For the Lie family, this was more than just a pregnancy. It was the continuation of their bloodline, the strengthening of their dynasty. And for Lie Fan, it was a rare moment of personal happiness amidst the relentless tide of politics and war.

When the news reached him, he was in the middle of a strategy session with his ministers. An eunuch burst in, breathless, bowing deeply before announcing, “Your Majesty! Wonderful news! Her Highness Princess Wannian is with child!”

The room fell silent for a heartbeat before erupting in congratulations. Sima Yi, usually so composed, could not suppress the faintest smile tugging at his lips when he heard he news.

Lie Fan stood, his stern expression softening. “This is cause for celebration.” He turned to his advisors. “Prepare a grand banquet, two days from now. All the imperial family, the court, the nobles, the scholars, and even the merchants who have served the dynasty well shall be invited.”

Jia Xu chuckled. *The people will rejoice at such news, Your Majesty. A new life in the imperial family is a blessing for the entire realm.”

Sima Yi bowed slightly. “If I may, Your Majesty, I would like to make a personal donation to the poor of Xiapi in honor of this occasion. So that my child, whether son or daughter, may be born under auspicious fortune and bring luck to the future of the Dynasty and my family.”

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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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