136. Luoyang Situation

When the sky turned darker, and the moon slowly moved higher, Tao Qian knew that his plan most likely had failed and could only hope that his henchmen were dead without talking about any information. He even has organized some of his belongings, ready to escape anytime a piece of news about Cai Wenji's kidnapping has been spread out.

Tao Qian also sent 5 pigeons bringing letters to Luoyang, 4 of them were shot down and one managed to escape. The pigeon flies for a week nonstop before reaching Luoyang, where it goes towards one of the biggest mansions in Luoyang right now.

Inside the mansion, a group of men are sitting down discussing something led by a big-bellied man wearing expensive armor. The pigeon landed on the man's shoulder, the man took the piece of paper that was tied to the pigeon and then released the pigeon

The man opened the paper, and after reading it he grew angry and threw the paper alongside a tea cup beside him surprising everyone in the room.

He Jin: "Bastard! That old man Tao Qian can't even do something as simple as that! Looks like accepting his bribe and sending him there as our pawn is a stupid move!"

Yuan Shao: "What's wrong Grand General? Did our plan fail and be found out by Lie Fan?"

He Jin: "No it just failed, he can't even kidnap a woman?! How can he be used to replace Lie Fan's position in the future?!"

Cao Cao: "Grand General please calm down, Master Tao Qian is a virtuous and kind by nature. He failed to complete this plan is within our speculation. The problem now is that we can't use Cai Wenji as a means to split Lie Fan and Cai Yong, but also force Lie Fan to follow our bidding."

He Jin began to calm himself down, what Cao Cao said was true and now that means their plan has failed and they need to think of a new one.

Even though he has won the court intrigue and placed Liu Bian as the new Emperor while decorating himself as regent, the Han Dynasty now is severely weakened especially with them failing to suppress the Liang Province rebellion.

The Imperial Army is not as big and as much as it used to be, its military presence has severely weakened and Lie Fan has a moderate amount of soldiers that can become a problem in the future.

That's why Cao Cao proposed a plan to kidnap Cai Wenji, Tao Qian managed to send a few letters telling them about the situation in Xu Province. Under Lie Fan's leadership, Xu Province became the first province to recover from the effect of the Yellow Turbans and famine.

It also has amicable relations with its neighbors, particularly Kong Rong who have the highest chance to become Governor Of Qing Province right now. Lastly, he informed that Lie Fan's armies numbered between 50,000 to 100,000.

The growing Lie Fan military power is He Jin's main concern, as Lie Fan is the only contender against his power. What He Jin doesn't know is, that the eunuchs right now are planning his downfall that will push the Han Dynasty to the brink of destruction.

He Jin: "What Mengde said is true, does anyone have an idea about how we will do our next move?"

Yuan Shao: "Grand General, Mengde's plan failing indicates us to focus on our internal problems. Even though both Wang Yun and the Eunuchs have failed in the power struggle, they are still a thorn in our side."

Yuan Shu: "I agree with Benchu, Lie Fan is a big danger to your influence but he is loyal to the Han dynasty. On the other hand, Wang Yun is undermining you on every occasion and the Eunuchs are planning something diabolical that we haven't found out yet Grand General!"

Cao Cao: "While it's true that Wang Yun and the Wujuchs are a big thorn, Lie Fan is the biggest threat to your rule Grand General!"

He Jin: "Okay that's enough! What Benchu and Gonglu said is true, for now, we focus on consolidating our influence in the court and the capital. Does anyone have a suggestion on what we should do?"

Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu looked toward each other and nodded their heads, Yuan Shao stood up and proposed an idea to He Jin to summon Dong Zhuo to the outskirts of Luoyang to force Empress Dowager He which was He Jin's sister to back down from protecting the eunuchs.

Cao Cao opposed Yuan Shao's suggestion, he told He Jin about how Dong Zhuo still held 100,000 soldiers from the previous subjugation and his own army that he cultivated in the outskirts of Liang Province. Inviting Dong Zhuo is the same as them surrendering their power, the Imperial Army is very weak right now and scattered throughout the land.

He Jin is silent for a while and decides to agree with Yuan Shao's suggestion, his sister is too stubborn and he can't change her mind to stop her from protecting the eunuchs.

Cao Cao who wanted to oppose was silenced by He Jin saying that is the only way they could do it, by forcing her through military power not knowing that what Cao Cao said was true that they were inviting a tiger while trying to get the wolves out of the sheep's den.

On the other part of Luoyang, the Eunuchs are having a meeting led by Zhang Rang. Jian Shuo who was entrusted with Liu Xie by Emperor Ling died because his plot to assassinate He Jin was found out so he was executed.

The eunuchs, now without a military power base of their own and the waning political influences, relied on the support of Empress Dowager He and He Miao to stay alive against the onslaught of He Jin and his faction attacks.

Zhang Rang: "Everyone please calm down, we need to discuss our countermeasures against He Jin and his associates. What do you think we should do?"

Cao Jie: "Old Zhang, our influence and power are now waning because of that stupid bastard Jian Shuo what can we do?! How could he not tell us that he wanted to assassinate He Jin, now that he has been found out and executed all of our military power under him was seized by He Jin!"

Guo Sheng: "Right now I think we should lay low, with Empress Dowager He and He Miao's protection we should be okay, and our wealth will stay with us."

Zhao Zhong: "What are you saying, Old Guo?! Do you truly want to surrender our accumulated power to that fat bastard He Jin?!"

Zhang Rang: "Okay everyone calmed down! Like I said before, we need to be calm, and panicking only benefits He Jin and not us!"

Even though the Ten Attendants' power is waning, Zhang Rang still holds the biggest power so everyone listens to him. The eunuch discussing until late at night and can only reach an agreement to lay low for now under Empress Dowager He's protection.

Back to Lie Fan in Xu Province, a week has passed since the incident involving Cai Wenji that almost had her kidnapped. Lie Fan suggested that she stay in the Lie Clan Residence, as it's more secure and easier to protect her of course under Cai Yong's permission.

Cai Wenji who had woken up from her drugged state was confused at first, but after seeing Ying Yue and Diao Chan she immediately cried as she remembered what happened before. Ying Yue and Diao Chan accompanied Cai Wenji, telling her that it was due to Lie Fan and his subordinate that she managed to be saved from the kidnapping.

Cai Wenji's affection for Lie Fan grew even more after knowing it was because of him that she was saved, the words and his subordinate were blocked from her ears.

Since receiving Cai Yong's permission to associate with Cai Wenji, Lie Fan visited her every day this past week even arousing some jealousy from Ying Yue and Diao Chan who pinch Lie Fan in his waist every time they meet.

Cai Wenji was shy and embarrassed when she heard that Ying Yue and Diao Chan were jealous of the attention she was receiving from Lie Fan. Lie Fan's care for her well-being makes her heart warm, and when she knew that Cai Yong had given his agreement if there was any relationship between them she was drowning in joy.

Since then, everyone can see Lie Fan and Cai Wenji spending time together. Of course due to how conservative Cai Wenji is, sometimes she brought Ying Yue or Diao Chan or even the two of them.

This is to cultivate her relationship deeper with the two as their position has changed, from best friends to wife sisters. Lie Fan on the other hand received the knife gazes from Ying Yue and Diao Chan every time they spent time together.

If it's wives or concubines of other nobles, they don't dare to do this to their husbands except for their natal family to be higher ranked or more powerful.

Lie Fan has influences from his past lives, he doesn't mind the jealous gazes from Ying Yue and Diao Chan. He takes this as the price he has to pay, now that he decided to expand his 'harem' and is more focused on Cai Wenji making Ying Yue and Diao Chan feel neglected.

Soon word spread throughout the entire Xiapi Upper society that Cai Wenji is living in the Lie Clan residence, surprising everyone and the younger generation resented Lie Fan for taking another beauty as his.

Tao Qian who heard this news at first sweats so heavily that it can be said that he has just finished taking a shower. He even has insomnia and can't have a good night's sleep for a week, afraid that Lie Fan and his subordinates will take him in the middle of the night.

But after a week passed, there was no movement from Lie Fan or Cai Yong which he took that either of them didn't know that he was behind the kidnapping.

The naive Tao Qian doesn't know that he is neglected right now because Lie Fan is too focused on Cai Wenji, and Jia Xu and the Oriole are keeping an eye on him 24 hours nonstop and waiting for Lie Fan's order before they use fabricated evidence to capture and execute him.

Cai Yong on the other hand, gives this to Lie Fan to handle. He actually knew Tao Qian and can be considered an acquaintance, He even somewhat admired Tao Qian due to his stellar reputation but now after what he had done to his daughter, there's only bad blood between them.

_________________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Yellow Heaven Subjugator

Age: 20 Years Old (187 AD)

Level: 14

Next Level: 412.000

Renown: 215

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 5)

SP: 706.700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 775

VIT: 349

AGI: 343

INT: 361

CHR: 93

WIS: 299

WILL: 207

ATR Points: 0