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Lie Fan smiled and gestured lightly. "All of you, rise." They obeyed. Lie Fan's gaze went first to his son. He studied Muchen's posture, the way he held the weapon, the faint tremor of exertion in his arms. He nodded, approval clear in his expression.
"You've improved," he said. "Your balance is better. You're not overcommitting your thrusts. The flow from the 'Piercing Cloud' thrust into General Zhao's 'Swallows Return' defense was particularly smooth. And I see you are trying to incorporate General Ma's 'Galloping Wind' sweep. A bold combination."
The praise, specific and knowledgeable, made Muchen's controlled expression break into a beaming, proud smile. "Thank you, Father! General Zhao says my footwork is getting better, and General Ma was just showing me how to put my whole body into the sweep, not just my arms!"
Ying Yue stepped forward, her eyes shining with maternal pride, all traces of worry hidden behind a mask of admiration. She smoothed a stray hair from Muchen's damp forehead. "You move with more of your father's spirit every time I see you practice. I am very proud."
"Thank you, Mother," Muchen replied, beaming now.
Her smile warmed further. "Don't forget to rest properly however, overextening your body isn't good."
"I won't," he promised quickly.
Lie Fan turned his attention to Ma Chao at last. "Ma Chao," he said, tone curious rather than reproachful. "I did not expect to find you here this morning. I was not aware you were giving my son lessons."
Ma Chao clasped his fists respectfully ashe stood tall, his bearing still martial even at rest. "Your Majesty, I came at the personal invitation of His Highness and General Zhao Yun. They were seeking to diversify the Prince's spear technique, and General Zhao Yun was kind enough to suggest my… less orthodox methods might provide a useful contrast."
A rare, almost shy hint of a smile touched the fierce general's lips. "It is an honor to impart some of the Ma family's arts to the future Emperor."
Lie Fan nodded, his satisfaction evident. "Good. Very good." He looked from Zhao Yun to Ma Chao. "Two of the finest warriors of our age, guiding the next. I can think of no better teachers." He said "good" a second time, the word heavy with meaning.
Then, he turned back to Muchen. The amusement faded from his eyes, replaced by a gentle but unmistakable gravity. "Muchen, there is something important I must tell you."
The atmosphere in the courtyard shifted instantly. The easy pride of the training session vanished, replaced by attentive silence. Muchen straightened up to his full height, his youthful face becoming serious. "What important news do you have, Father?"
Lie Fan did not delay.
He placed a hand on his son's shoulder, his touch firm. "Tomorrow, you will accompany me to Hongnong."
The courtyard seemed to still.
The words hung in the air. Muchen's eyes widened, a storm of excitement, shock, and sudden realization brewing within them. Behind him, Zhao Yun's usually impassive face showed a flicker of surprise, and Ma Chao's eyebrows shot up.
"To Hongnong?" Muchen repeated, disbelief mixing with excitement and uncertainty.
"Yes," Lie Fan said evenly. "You will witness a true siege. A real campaign. Not drills. Not rehearsals."
Zhao Yun stepped forward half a pace, concern clear despite his discipline. "Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness, but… is it truly safe for His Highness? Hongnong will be a true siege. The dangers…"
Lie Fan met his gaze without irritation. "It will be. Because you will be there."
He glanced briefly at Ma Chao. "And you as well. This was not part of the original plan, but your presence here gave me the idea."
Ma Chao stiffened slightly, then inclined his head. "I will protect the Crown Prince with my life."
Lie Fan nodded. "I know."
He continued, his voice carrying authority now, meant for all to hear. "Lu Zhi and Zhuge Jin will accompany us as well, to continue his scholarly lessons amidst the military environment. The Crown Prince will remain in the rear, within the most secure section of the camp. This is not a reckless decision."
He looked at Muchen directly.
"You are the heir to this throne," Lie Fan said. "One day, you will bear its weight. To do so, you must understand what war truly is. What it costs. This experience is necessary."
Muchen swallowed, then nodded firmly. "I understand, Father. I won't disappoint you."
A faint smile touched Lie Fan's lips.
Ying Yue said nothing, but her hand tightened briefly in her sleeve. She stepped forward and rested a hand on Muchen's shoulder, her voice steady despite everything beneath it.
"Listen to your teachers. Stay where you are told. And come back to me safely."
Muchen nodded again, solemn now. "I will, Mother."
Lie Fan looked around the courtyard, at his son, at the generals who would guard him, at the future unfolding before his eyes.
The path ahead was dangerous.
But it was necessary.
And it had begun.
The weight of the decision settled over the courtyard like an unseen mantle.
After the moment passed, Lie Fan relaxed his posture slightly, allowing the tension to ebb. He gave Zhao Yun and Ma Chao a final nod of acknowledgment, then turned to Ying Yue and Muchen.
"That will be all for training today," he said. "Let your body rest. Tomorrow will come quickly."
"Yes, Father," Muchen replied.
Lie Fan rested a hand briefly on his son's shoulder before stepping back. Ying Yue lingered a moment longer, committing the image of Muchen standing there, spear in hand, flanked by two legends, to memory. Then she followed Lie Fan as they left the East Palace courtyard.
The remainder of the day unfolded like a long, quiet breath drawn before a plunge.
Lie Fan spent it deliberately, moving from one corner of his life to another, ensuring no loose ends remained, no words unsaid.
He visited his children first.
There was laughter in the inner gardens, soft and unguarded. He watched them play, asked about their lessons, listened to complaints about tutors and chores, and told stories from his own youth, carefully chosen ones that carried courage without fear. For a few hours, the Emperor was simply a father, kneeling to tie a sash, lifting a child onto his shoulders, smiling without calculation.
With his wives, the hours were quieter but deeper.
Diao Chan teased him lightly, sensing the gravity beneath his calm. Cai Wenji shared poetry with him, verses about parting and endurance, her voice steady even when her eyes lingered.
Zhen Ji spoke little, but when she did, her words were thoughtful, reminding him of the stability awaiting his return. Lu Lingqi challenged him to spar, then laughed when he declined, calling him "overly cautious" even as she checked his armor straps later with fierce care.
And Ying Yue, Ying Yue stayed near him the entire time.
She did not cling. She did not question. She simply remained present, her quiet strength a constant reassurance. When their eyes met, there was understanding, fear held in check by trust.
As Lie Fan tended to the personal, the machinery of empire continued to turn without him.
In the military command halls, Jia Xu, Xun You, and Chen Qun oversaw the final preparations with ruthless efficiency.
Supply manifests were reviewed and revised. Routes were double checked. Courier relays were placed at precise intervals. Armorers worked through the night. Cavalry formations were reorganized. Siege engineers were instructed to prepare additional equipment for reinforcement at Hongnong.
It was agreed without debate, Pang Tong and Xu Shu would accompany the Emperor.
Not merely as advisors, but as sharpened minds to reinforce the front.
Sima Yi, Chen Deng, and Zang Hong already held the siege lines tight, but Wei was not an enemy that collapsed under pressure alone. Across the battered walls of Hongnong waited Xun Yu's steady hand, Guo Jia's ruthless clarity, Xi Zhicai's insight, Jia Kui's discipline, Cheng Yu's severity, and Tian Feng's relentless counterplanning.
This was not a siege of walls.
It was a siege of minds.
And so Pang Tong and Xu Shu would go, not to replace, but to clash, to adapt, to overwhelm Wei's strategists with a relentless tide of creative destruction.
The balance was set.
In the East Palace, Muchen undertook his own preparations.
He packed lightly but carefully. Armor sized for him. Extra robes. Writing tools. Scrolls. A small bundle of personal effects, items that grounded him, reminders of home.
His aides moved efficiently, their usual composure tempered by awareness of the moment's significance.
When all was ready, Muchen summoned Lu Zhi and Zhuge Jin.
The two scholars arrived promptly, their expressions respectful but serious. They knew what this summons meant.
"You've received my father's order," Muchen said once they were seated.
Lu Zhi nodded. "We have, Your Highness."
Zhuge Jin inclined his head. "And we will obey it fully."
Muchen hesitated only a moment before asking, "Tell me what I will see at Hongnong."
Neither man answered immediately.
They exchanged a glance, one filled with mutual understanding.
Then Lu Zhi spoke.
"You will see suffering," he said plainly. "Fear. Hunger. Men pushed beyond endurance."
"You will hear screams," Zhuge Jin added, his voice calm but unyielding. "From the wounded. From the dying. From those who wish they were either."
Lu Zhi continued, "You will see bodies, sometimes whole, sometimes not. You will see soldiers who obey orders they do not understand, and officers who give orders knowing men will die."
"There will be no glory," Zhuge Jin said. "Only necessity."
Muchen swallowed, his fingers tightening slightly on his robes.
Lu Zhi leaned forward. "And you will feel the weight of command without yet bearing it. That is the purpose."
"If you turn away," Zhuge Jin said gently, "you will learn nothing."
"If you watch," Lu Zhi finished, "you will never forget."
Muchen nodded slowly.
"I will watch," he said.
Both scholars inclined their heads.
Elsewhere, Zhao Yun and Ma Chao made their own preparations.
Armor was inspected. Weapons cleaned. Orders given.
The elite soldiers assigned to the Crown Prince were chosen carefully, veterans with discipline proven in chaos, loyalty unquestioned, reflexes sharp. Each man knew his duty was not glory, but vigilance.
When all was arranged, Zhao Yun returned to his residence.
Ma Yunlu was waiting.
She looked up as he entered, already reading the truth in his posture.
"You're leaving," she said.
"Yes," Zhao Yun replied.
"To Hongnong," she guessed.
He nodded.
"For the Crown Prince."
He nodded again.
She exhaled slowly, then stepped forward and adjusted his armor straps with practiced hands. "Be careful," she said simply.
"I always am."
"And come back."
"I will."
They shared a brief, quiet embrace, no words wasted. Ma Chao's conversation with Sun Shangxiang was… louder. "You're WHAT?" she demanded.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty
Age: 35 (202 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