Chapter 70: Chen Clan Swore Loyalty
Lie Fan: "Hahaha it's okay Brother Deng, I come here to check on you as I was told by Master Jia Xu that you captured some officials working for the agriculture department that extorted and intimidated the farmers and I'm here to support you punishing them"
Chen Deng: "Yes! Thank you for your support My Lord, please convince my father to execute them rather than put them in jail"
Chen Gui: "Deng'er it's not that Father doesn't support you, but if we executed them the Noble Clans will cause a ruckus and we still need their support"
Lie Fan: "Yes what Master Chen Gui said is true Brother Deng, I also wanted to execute them but if the noble clans cause a ruckus it will halt the great progress we are making here in Xiapi as they have the influence to do so."
Chen Deng stays silent for a while hearing what Lie Fan said and after a couple of seconds he finally relents but he wanted them to stay pretty long in jail as he understands that to do politics they need to be flexible its just his emotion controlling him before
Chen Gui the side stays silent and sighs in relief that his son finally stopped advocating for execution, but seeing how Lie Fan said what he said before to Chen Deng but Chen Deng immediately agrees while with him they argue confusing him
Lie Fan: "While Master Chen Gui is also here, why don't you join us as I have something to talk about with Brother Deng."
Chem Gui agrees and inside Chen Deng's offices, the three of them take a seat, and Lie Fan now is gambling as he can see that Chen Deng will agree with his invitation while he wanted to strike Chen Gui now as he's emotions unstable thanks to arguing with his son
Lie Fan: "It's like this, the thing I wanted to talk about with the 2 of you especially Brother Deng is not allowed to be talked on the outside of this room"
Chen Deng and Chen Gui nod their heads thinking that Lie Gan maybe have a new project or there's something bad happening in the Capital as they know that Luoyang now is in chaos
Lie Fan: "Since little, I had seen the suffering of the common people and how corrupt our officials exploiting the system for their interest which My Father tried so hard to quell but his influence is only in my hometown so I promised myself that I strive to be a person like my Father and reach a high position that can help more people"
Chen Gui: "Your Father is a great man Lord Inspector and he must have been proud of what you have achieved so Far"
Lie Fan: "Thank You Master Chen Gui; that's why I work hard and study hard to achieve the position I have now but the higher I goes I know that whatever I do will just be a speck of water drop on the ocean so I changed my objective my purpose"
Chen Deng and Chen Gui suddenly feel some sense of pressure but at the same time magnetism radiates from Lie Fan which Chen Gui feels when he meets the former Emperor before Emperor He Jin
Lie Fan: "What needs to change is the system and the people controlling it without changing anything as it allows them to live lavishly and who do the 2 of you think hold this power?"
Chen Deng: "Of Course, it's Your Majesty! He is the- wait! My Lord is not saying what I think you meant right?"
Chen Gui the side understand what Lie Fan meant and began to feel angry but at the same time hopeless as a young and talented person like Lie Fan either lose faith in the Han Dynasty or let the power cloud his mind
Lie Fan: "Yes, what both of you think is what I meant. The Han Dynasty will inevitably fall, look at the condition of our people and now with the aftermath of the Yellow Turbans their livelihood turns even worse! And what does the Emperor do hmm? He raises high taxes and renovates the Imperial Palace! *bang*!"
Lie Fan with all his might acts as how indignant he is with the situation that's happening right now in the Han Dynasty even slapping the table to convince both Chen Deng and Chen Gui, Chen Deng the younger one of the two feels his blood boil when he heard what Lie Fan said
Chen Gui on the other hand stays solemn but can't refute what Lie Fan just said as all of that is the truth even Lie Fan sugarcoats it a bit which makes Chen Gui believe that Lie Fan is not clouded by power but lose faith in the Han Dynasty
Chen Deng: "What My Lord said is true! How can your majesty renovate the Imperial Palace by raising high taxes and destroying the hope of the people?! What if another rebellion happens like the Yellow Turbans which still plague our lands today?!"
Chen Gui: "What Lord Inspector said is true and I feel what the both of you feel but please may Lord Inspector get to the point of what you wanted to say?"
Lie Fan is not shocked that Chen Gui can see through some of his words but seeing that he's not angry and talking amiably right now shows that Chen Gui starting to be influenced by the words he said
Lie Fan: "*ahem* then it's like this, I and my closest retinue have prepared plans and expected the downfall of the Han Dynasty, we wanted to control when it began by building our power base that's is Xu Province as with how chaotic Luoyang right now it's a matter of time before another chaos happen across our country"
Chen Deng: "Wait, so what's My Lord doing right now purely for your benefit?!"
Lie Fan: "Of Course not Brother Deng, I also care for the people and my project is hitting two no three birds with one stone which helps us solve unemployment, and food crisis, and boost our productivity!"
Lie Fan: "What I wanted now is inviting both of you to this journey together, I need the help of both Brother Deng and Master Chen Gui to rebuild our land and prepare ourselves for the Chaos that will happen"
Chen Gui: "So My Lord has lost hope in the Han Dynasty and now tries to rebel?!"
Lie Fan: "I'm not rebelling Master Chen Gui, but preparing for the chaos that will ensue"
Chen Deng: "Father, what My Lord said is right! What has the Han Imperial Clan done for us is nothing but humiliation and alienation, if it's not for My lord's invitation maybe Father will be just dismissed from your post as Chancellor at Jibei!"
Chen Gui stays silent contemplating things in his mind as he doesn't know what to choose, his loyalty to the Han is still there he can see that his son choice to stand at Lie Fan's side if he chooses to stand against Lie Fan then their relationship will be broken
Lie Fan can see that Chen Deng already choosing his side but he waited for his Father's response and which shows Chen Gui's face that he was conflicted don't know what to choose
Lie Fan: "Master Chen Gui, a good bird choose the tree he stayed, and history only remembers the winners not the losers"
Chen Deng: "Father, I know our clan has wholeheartedly served the Han Dynasty but just like My Lord said a good bird chooses the tree he stayed on and now our tree is corroding from the inside and will fall anytime"
Chen Gui: *sigh* "The Chen Clan swore its loyalty to My Lord, I hope My lord stayed true to his oath, and if not we will choose a new tree.''
Lie Fan hearing that laugh out loud in joy as the Chen Clan finally submitted to him increasing the number of talented people at his disposal, He promised Chen Gui that he will stay true to his aspiration and began to explain the plans he made with Sun Qian and Jia Xu
Chen Gui and Chen Deng were shocked and terrified when they heard the length of time the plan that Lie Fan and his retinue made as this shows they are the only player on the chessboard that no one knew pushing the others to fight while he stand still in the shadow
The Chens are happy that they decided to side with Lie Fan as the plan shows how terrifying they are, pushing the downfall of the Han Dynasty by inciting the faction fight and trying to push for the Governor post to be reinstated but letting others do the dirty work
The talk between the three of them stayed until late afternoon and seeing the time they decided to have lunch together to cultivate their relationship also symbolize the submission of the Chen Clan
Jia Xu was invited to eat alongside them, and Lie Fan officially introduce the true role of Jia Xu which is his think tank his and his bodyguards want to remain anonymous but they are skilled martial experts with 2 of them on a secret mission
Jia Xu can see that Lie Fan managed to recruit the Chen Clan to their side so he began to socialize with them to strengthen the internal relation in the Lie Fan force
The lunch goes well with Chen Gui and Chen Deng's minds more open to the cause they are working on right now, helping Lie Fan stabilize Xu Province before the chaos that Lie Fan said will happen
After lunch, 15 days go by and the day Hua Tuo comes to Xiapi has arrived. Lie Fan accompanied by Jia Xu alongside his bodyguards wait for them at the city gate, they see from afar a group of people coming which they anticipate to be Hua Tuo that was escorted by He Yi and Gong du
Lie Fan prepare himself to greet the legendary doctor that was called the Father Of Medicine in modern Chinese even though much of his knowledge had lost destroyed over time
The Caravan comes closer and closer until He Yi and Gong Du saw that Lie Fannis waiting for them at the gate so they stopped when they've reached the gate greeting Lie Fan, Lie Fan wave his hand answering their greeting and walk closer to the carriage to greet Hua Tuo but when he walks to the side he saw another carriage behind the carriage that brings Hua Tuo
________________________
Name: Lie Fan
Title: Yellow Heaven Subjugator
Age: 18 Years Old (185 AD)
Level: 13
Next Level: 212.000
Renown: 155
Cultivation: Art Of War (level 8)
SP: 376.700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 461
VIT: 194
AGI: 205
INT: 224
CHR: 90
WIS: 189
WILL: 145
ATR Points: 0