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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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The fallen Emperor slowly turned his head on the pillows, looking at his two most capable sons. "Lie Fan's consolidation of our former land was absolute. Anyone loyal to the Cao name has either surrendered, been executed, or is too terrified to raise a banner. A smuggled message would achieve nothing but hastening our executions."
Cao Cao let out a long, heavy sigh, staring at the intricately carved wooden ceiling of their prison.
"I debated him in the courtyard of Chang'An and on our way to Xiapi," Cao Cao murmured, the memory of that humiliating, desperate plea burning in his mind. "I begged him to let the bloodline continue. He refused. He sees the truth of the world as clearly as I do. He knows that as long as my blood live, the ghost of Wei will haunt his dynasty."
"So we escape," Cao Pi insisted, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his knees. "We find a weak point in the patrol routes. We dig a tunnel. We do whatever it takes to get out of Xiapi!"
Cao Ang shook his head slowly, looking at his younger brother with a mixture of pity and exhaustion. "Escape from Xiapi? Pi, you are blinded by desperation. This estate alone is a fortress. Even if, by some miracle of the heavens, we managed to slip past Lie Fan's inner guards, we would be in the middle of the most heavily militarized, tightly controlled capital city in the land."
"We have no army. We have no safe houses. We would be hunted down like dogs in the streets before we even reached the outer gates. Escape is not a plan, it is a fantasy."
Cao Pi slumped back on his stool, the frantic energy leaving him, replaced by a dark, crushing despair. He buried his face in his hands.
"Then what do we do Imperial Father?" Cao Pi whispered, his voice trembling. "Do we just sit here and wait for the executioner to knock on the door?"
Cao Cao looked at his weeping second son, and then at his stoic, resigned firstborn. The great Emperor, the man who had controlled the Emperor of the Han and commanded a million men, was utterly powerless to save his own children and family.
"We survive today," Cao Cao said softly, a profound, tragic dignity settling over his gaunt features. "And we wait for tomorrow. We are entirely at the mercy of the Black Dragon. Our only hope now is that the Emperor of Hengyuan finds a reason, within his own unfathomable political calculations, to keep us alive."
The three men fell silent, listening to the heavy, rhythmic marching of the Hengyuan guards outside their window, a constant, terrifying reminder that their world, their dynasty, and their very lives now belonged entirely to Lie Fan.
While the remnants of the Cao dynasty languished in the suffocating silence of their gilded cage, paralyzed by the dread of an uncertain tomorrow, the rest of the capital moved forward, bathed in the golden light of a new era.
Around three days passed since the harrowing journey from Chang'an had concluded. For Lie Fan, the immediate aftermath of the campaign had been a relentless avalanche of bureaucratic adjustments and military restructuring.
Recognizing the heavy toll that the prolonged anxiety of the war had taken not just on himself, but on his family, Lie Fan decided that the first of these passing days would be dedicated entirely to life, light, and liberty.
He decreed a grand family outing to the beautiful, sprawling countryside just outside the towering walls of the capital. It was a deeply necessary reprieve. The sprawling courtyards of the Harem Palace were undeniably magnificent, a paradise of silk and jade, but even the most beautiful palace could begin to feel like a velvet prison to those confined within its walls.
He wanted his wives to refresh their minds, to breathe air that did not smell of burning incense and polished wood, and he wanted his children to run wild under an open, boundless sky.
The imperial procession that departed Xiapi that morning was a breathtaking spectacle of power and joyous pageantry. Empress Ying Yue, alongside Diao Chan, Cai Wenji, Lu Lingqi, and Zhen Ji, had traded their heavy, restrictive court gowns for elegant, flowing riding silks in vibrant hues of azure, peach, and emerald.
Their laughter, light and unburdened, fluttered from the open windows of their luxurious, oversized carriages.
Surrounding the royal family was a protective ring of absolute, impenetrable steel. They were escorted by a heavy detachment of the most elite Imperial Guards, their halberds gleaming in the morning sun, seamlessly integrated with the fiercely loyal veterans of the elite Lie Clan private soldiers.
But the true, terrifying deterrent to any would be assassin lay in the commanders riding at the immediate flanks of the royal carriages.
Lie Fan had summoned some of his trusted martial pillars to accompany them, Chao Bo, Chao Bai, and Huang Chao. Riding just ahead of them was the fiery Ma Chao, his silver armor polished to a mirror shine. And returning to the Emperor's side with his customary, flawless stoicism was the Silver Dragon himself, Zhao Yun.
The sight of Zhao Yun, calm and impossibly vigilant atop his white stallion, brought an undeniable sense of absolute security to the entire royal family.
As the procession wound its way through the bustling streets of Xiapi and out through the massive eastern gates, the atmosphere was electric. Lie Fan, riding tall upon his warhorse Pangu rather than hiding inside a carriage, made sure the canopy of the imperial parasol was pulled back.
He waved and smiled warmly at the common people, the busy merchants, the farmers bringing their carts to market, and the cheering crowds that lined the paved roads. He was not just a distant, terrifying warlord to them, he was their sovereign, a father to his people, accessible and benevolent.
Once they reached the lush, rolling hills and crystal clear streams of the designated countryside retreat, the strict protocols of the court were entirely abandoned.
The day was spent in pure, unadulterated bliss. The elite guards formed a massive, unseen perimeter in the distant treelines, allowing the family the illusion of total privacy.
Crown Prince Muchen and his twin sister Yaoyao organized a chaotic, joyous game of hide and seek among the weeping willow trees with their younger siblings, Xuanxuan, Nuonuo, and the other Yaoyao. Even the stoic Zhao Yun was cracking a genuine smile as the five year old Xuanxuan boldly attempted to climb up his armored leg.
Lie Fan walked hand in hand with Ying Yue along the riverbank, skipping stones across the water, while Diao Chan and Cai Wenji wove intricate flower crowns for the toddlers, Liangliang and baby Mumu. It was a day of healing, a profound reminder of exactly what Lie Fan had fought so brutally to protect.
As the sun began to dip toward the western horizon, casting long, golden shadows across the plains, the royal family reluctantly piled back into their carriages. The late afternoon air was crisp as the procession made its way back through the gates of Xiapi.
However, Lie Fan did not order the column to return immediately to the Imperial Palace. Instead, he directed the vanguard to turn down a wide, affluent avenue in the upper class district of the inner city, bringing the massive procession to a halt before a grand, imposing set of double doors.
It was the Sima Clan residence.
Waiting at the foot of the sweeping stone stairs to greet them, alerted by the approaching thunder of the cavalry, was Sima Yi. The brilliant Minister of War had shed his court robes for comfortable, high quality domestic silks.
Standing right beside him, her face glowing with an irrepressible, radiant joy, was his wife, Princess Wannian, Lie Fan's one and only younger sister, the sibling he cherished above almost anyone else in the world. Cradled securely in Wannian's arms was a small, bundled blanket from which a pair of incredibly alert, dark eyes peered out, Lie Fan's infant nephew, the baby Sima Shi.
The moment Lie Fan swung down from Pangu's saddle, the rigid protocols of the empire dissolved entirely.
"Brother!" Wannian cried out, her voice filled with pure, musical delight.
Lie Fan's face broke into a massive, boyish grin. He practically sprinted up the steps, throwing his arms wide. He pulled his younger sister into a fierce, incredibly tight hug, expertly contorting his broad shoulders at the last possible second to ensure he didn't crush the fragile baby Sima Shi resting against her chest.
"Look at you!" Lie Fan laughed loudly, stepping back to frame his sister's face with his large, calloused hands. He kissed her forehead affectionately. "You look radiant, little sister. How have you been? Has this dark eyed schemer been treating you well after our return?" he joked, shooting a mock glaring side eye at Sima Yi.
Wannian swatted playfully at her brother's armored arm, instantly reverting to the slightly childish, deeply affectionate dynamic they had shared long before crowns and titles had complicated their lives.
"I have been doing perfectly well, Brother," Wannian beamed, leaning her head against his shoulder. Her eyes softened as she looked at her husband. "Though the house has been far too quiet. I am so, so happy that you finally allowed my husband to return home to me. Honestly, keeping him on the campaign trail for so many long months... I was beginning to think you preferred his company to mine!" she pouted dramatically, a jest that drew a warm laugh from the surrounding guards.
"He is a useful tool on the battlefield, I admit," Lie Fan teased, reaching out a single, scarred finger to gently stroke the soft cheek of the baby Sima Shi. The infant blinked up at the Emperor, completely unfazed by the towering man in black iron. "But his true masterpiece is right here in your arms. He is growing so fast."
By this time, the carriages had emptied, and a joyful chaos ensued on the steps of the Sima estate. The imperial children swarmed up the stairs, shrieking with delight. "Auntie Wannian! Auntie Wannian!"
Wannian's face lit up even brighter. She was undoubtedly the favorite aunt, famous for spoiling her nieces and nephews with sweets and stories. "Muchen! Yaoyao! Oh, look how tall you have all gotten!" she laughed, skillfully balancing the baby on one hand as she bent down to embrace the rushing tide of children.
Empress Ying Yue, Diao Chan, and the other concubines ascended the steps, greeting their sister in law with warm, sisterly embraces and joyous exclamations over the baby.
"Come inside, all of you! The evening chill is setting in," Wannian insisted, gesturing grandly toward the open doors. She immediately began herding the excited children and the imperial wives into the warmth of the mansion, promising the little ones sweet red bean cakes and a chance to play with their infant cousin.
As the women and children flooded into the grand foyer, Lie Fan and Sima Yi were left standing on the steps. The two men, the Emperor and his most brilliant, dangerous strategist, looked at each other. They listened to the chaotic, happy sounds echoing from inside the house.
Lie Fan let out a small, genuine chuckle, the heavy burden of his crown entirely absent from his eyes. Sima Yi smiled back, a rare, relaxed expression devoid of any political calculation, simply a husband and father welcoming his brother in law into his home.
"Shall we?" Sima Yi offered, gesturing toward the door.
"Lead the way, Zhongda," Lie Fan replied warmly.
They entered the mansion together. The bulk of the elite Imperial Guards and the Lie Clan private soldiers remained outside, forming a seamless, impenetrable perimeter around the massive estate.
Only the most trusted inner circle of protectors, Chao Bo, Chao Bai, Huang Chao, Ma Chao, and Zhao Yun, followed the Emperor inside, their hands resting easily on their weapons, their eyes scanning the architecture with professional, though relaxed, vigilance.
Inside the grand, lantern lit reception hall of the Sima residence, the extended family was waiting to offer their formal respects.
Standing with immaculate posture was the matriarch of the household, Lady Sima, flanked by Sima Yi's highly capable younger brothers. It was the year 203 AD, and the legendary Sima brothers were growing into their own formidable reputations.
Young men like Sima Fu, who already possessed an intellect that rivaled his elder brother's, stood shoulder to shoulder, their faces etched with profound awe and strict decorum.
As Lie Fan entered, Lady Sima and the younger brothers instantly dropped to their knees, bowing their heads deeply to the floor. "We welcome His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Hengyuan! Ten thousand years to Your Majesty!"
Lie Fan immediately stepped forward, his expression shifting into one of gentle reproach. He reached out and personally assisted the elderly Lady Sima to her feet.
"Please, Madam, there is no need for such rigid formalities tonight," Lie Fan insisted warmly, extending his hand to gesture for Sima Fu and the other brothers to rise as well. "We are not in the Great Hall, and I am not wearing my crown. We are in the home of my sister and my esteemed Minister. Tonight, we are simply family. Let us discard the protocols and enjoy the evening."
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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