Lie Fan: " Yes! that's one of the reasons and Master Xun You have seen yourself how the Empire is slowly corroding from the inside, Officials are corrupt, rebellion is everywhere with the Yellow Turbans being our biggest yet, epidemic and hunger everywhere, and Our Emperor with his hedonistic lifestyle not caring if the people suffer with the 10 attendants enriching themselves at the expense of our government stability"
Xun You was silenced by Lie Fan's explanation as every single one of them is true and he already saw with his own eyes the ugliness that Lie Fan describes
He began to contemplate the reason why he closed his eye and sense from all of this which he found the answer because of his loyalty to the Han Dynasty but now he doesn't know if his loyalty is good enough for the Han Dynasty right now
Lie Fan can see that Xun You heart is beginning to shift toward the path he wanted and began to include how he wanted the world to be better for the people and everyone he holds dear because the foundation of the dynasty is the people
Xun you hearing that were surprised as what Lie Fan says makes sense the foundation of the dynasty is the people and without them, no matter how refined and incorrupt their government system is it will not function without the people or the lower classes of the population
While Xun You was in reflecting on what Lie Fan just said and his offer, Wang Yun was talking with many officials looking for Jia Xu he take this as a favor he does for Lie Fan by having Lie Fan owing him a favor he can ask for his help in the future
Wang Yun was talking with many officials, especially the military officials as Jia Xu was a commandant and with Wang Yun's prestige in the court he finally found someone who knew Jia Xu but he was not that close with him as Jia Xu by nature is an Introverted person doesn't like to make friends and he was shown where Jia Xu is sitting
Wang Yun goes in the direction he was shown and when he reached the location he saw a late 30-year-old man sitting with an honest-looking face on the corner alone, drinking his wine and eating some food while others are ignoring him this man
Wang Yun instantly knows that he is Jia Xu and approaches this person as he wanted to meet the man who makes Lie Fan looks for him even asking for a favor to help him
Wang Yun: " Hello there I'm Wang Yun, are you Sir Jia Xu the Commandant of Pingjin?"
Jia Xu: " Hello Sir Wang Yun yes I'm Jia Xu, may I know the reason that Sir Wang Yun is looking for me who was an ordinary official?"
Wang Yun: " I was here on behalf of the Host of the Banquet who would like to invite you to talk with him I don't know if Sir Jia Xu has time?"
Jia Xu: " Aha-haa so General Lie wanted to meet me an ordinary official with ordinary influence! Of course, I accept the invitation from General Lie!"
Everyone around them was shocked that Wang Yun was talking happily with this person who was moody and cynical toward them before his words have no apparent malice, but it rouse a feeling of weary caution in those who heard what he says
Wang Yun leads Jia Xu to where Lie Fan is and when they arrived at his table they heard what Lie Fan said about how the Han Dynasty will collapse, Wang Yun was astonished and a bit upset with what Lie Fan said even though it's true while Jia Xu was intrigued by the words that come out from Lie Fan as he speaks from the facts that happening right now and not clinging to lofty ideals
Wang Yun: " *ahem* Little Lie the person you're looking for is here, Sir Jia Xu may I present to you our host General Lie Fan"
Lie Fan hears his name called and turns his head to Wang Yun introducing him to Jia Xu, Lie Fan was scrutinizing Jia Xu's appearance first and it matched the description he remembered from the history and ROTK games he played
Lie Fan: " Hello Sir Jia Xu thank you for meeting me I hope it's not too sudden for you"
Jia Xu: "Oh no no, I wanted to meet with General Lie Fan also but under different circumstances as I don't like too much spotlight way shine on me"
Lie Fan: "Oh really! Come and have a seat with us, but if you do not like others joining in our conversation maybe Uncle Wang and Master Xun You can change places first?"
Jia Xu: " Aha-haa no need, I was interested in Brother Xun You's opinion on General Lie's Statement from before"
Xun You was put on the spot by Jia Xu, Wang Yun is a bit cautious about Jia Xu's purpose in asking that while on the other side, Lie Fan knew that Jia Xu is sly by nature, and even though his comment may seem harmless but it arouses people to feel cautious of him and be suspicious of him thanks to the tone he is using
His only way to make Jia Xu feels safe and be loyal to him by let's say inviting his mother to live with them at Huai'An and trusted whatever Jia Xu advises or does unconditionally as he will feel trusted just like how Cao Cao managed to win Jia Xu's heart minus the inviting his mother of course
Xun You: " While what General Lie says is true, as long as we can oust the 10 attendants from their position of power and change Your Majesty's ways then the Han Dynasty will live on and the world will not fall into chaos"
Jia Xu: " Aha-haa Aha-haa Brother Xun You outlook is still too idealistic, that's if you can achieve what you say but the fact is the 10 attendants are still in power while you failed to bring them down, and sooner or later another rebellion or even a coup d'etat bringing the Han Dynasty downfall and chaos will reign supreme"
Wang Yun: " Sir Jia Xu's outlook on life is too boring, without our ideals to live by then what can we achieve and the Han Dynasty will live long even after we died"
Jia Xu: " Loyalty, fairness, nor patriotism are nothing if they stand in the way of our true goal of doing something. Experience has taught me to seek lasting results rather than try to maintain lofty ideals that you have that can stop me from achieving long-term results by any means necessary "
Lie Fan hearing Jia Xu's answer began to laugh out loud as he liked the answer Jia Xu says, pragmatic, practical, underhanded means, and poisonous are the type of things you can use to describe Jia Xu, and he needs a man that doesn't afraid to dirty his hands
Wang Yun was made speechless by Jia Xu's statement and Xun You was like receiving a new lesson that he have never learned anywhere either from the Academy or his family which loyal to the Han Dynasty
Lie Fan: "Master Jia Xu is truly a wise man that was like Zhang Liang and Chen Xi, his words are invigorating and opened many eyes! I don't know if Master Jia Xu has ever thought of using your talent elsewhere?"
Jia Xu: "General Lie is jesting, my talent is used for the revitalization of the Han Dynasty"
Lie Fan: "Just like a bird can choose the trees they are building its nest, a talented people can choose the master's their gonna serve"
Wang Yun: "Little Lie wanted to have this renegade serving you?!
Wang Yun was angry as Lie Fan continuously persuaded Jia Xu and liked the way Jia Xu handled the situation which irritated the Loyal Wang Yun where his shout attracted everyone at the banquet to their location
Sun Qian arrived at their location to know what was going on and receive Lie Fan's gaze to bring all three of his guest to another room to wait for him there, while he distract the other guest attention and acted as if nothing happened merrily laughing with the other guest
Wang Yun, Xun You, and Jia Xu were brought to another room, when he passed Lie Fan he was told to tell Xu Kai to search Jia Xu Manor in Luoyang tonight if there was a sign of his mother living in the manor
Sun Qian was puzzled as Lie Fan never requested such a thing but he trust Lie Fan unconditionally over the passing days his loyalty began to solely belong to Lie Fan and not Han Dynasty anymore because Lie Fan slowly changed his outlook on the Han Dynasty portraying it as a sickly beast that will fall sooner or later
Thanks to Lie Fan's high charm attribute and many topics to choose from thanks to his knowledge of the modern world he managed to divert every guest's attention back to the banquet
After an hour everyone was told that the banquet is wrapped up saying goodbye and thank you to all the guests, Lie Fan goes to the room where the ladies of the officials is being hosted by his mother and told them that the banquet has ended
Diao Chan and Ying Yue were sitting right beside each other but they aren't communicating with each other whatsoever, Yu Yan can see that something is going on between them and always try to pry from them what happened by bringing the conversation to them
When Lie Fan entered the room and told everyone that the banquet is over, Yu Yan can see that both Diao Chan and Ying Yue turn their head in his direction, Ying Yue showing her affection for Lie Fan and Diao Chan is intrigued and attracted to Lie Fan
Yu Yan began to understand what made them doesn't talk with each other and as a woman can understand the feeling they have but as Lie Fan's mother she feels happy that her son is attracting many flowers
Lie Fan saw Diao Chan and Ying Yue both looking at him, so he walked toward their spot to tell Diao Chan to wait there with his mother and Ying Yue as Wang Yun is busy
Ying Yue sees Lie Fan talking with Diao Chan first and not saying even a single word to her makes her feel sad but she holds this feeling as she knows that Lie Fan is destined for greatness and will have more than one woman as his wife
________________________
Title: Yellow Heaven Subjugator
Age: 17 Years Old (184 AD)
Cultivation: Art Of War (level 7)