Chapter 21: 1 Year Later

After talking with Chao Bo, Lie Fan enters the tent again to say goodbye to the children as he has to go home now and he will meet them tomorrow morning

Going back home Lie Fan meets with Ying Yue who was waiting for him in front of his room, Ying Yue saw that Lie Fan have come back and got up from the chair she was sitting on to greet him

Lie Fan: “Wife, What are you doing here, it’s already midnight and the weather is cold”

Ying Yue: “Yue’er waiting here because I miss you, my husband”

Lie Fan: “Aiyoo Wife come here and let your husband give you a hug”

Hearing what Ying Yue said brought a smile to Lie Fan’s face and while responding to what she said he opened his arms to bring Ying Yue inside his arms

Feeling Lie Fan’s warm body, Ying Yue blushed while putting her hand on his waist to hug him and thinking about how comfortable it is being hugged by Lie Fan

Lie Fan: “Wife, I’m sorry that I still can’t marry you as there are many things that needed to be done, and with the Yellow Turbans raising their numbers every day I have to prepare many things to keep you and Everyone safe”

Ying Yue: “Husband it’s okay, Yue’er will wait for her Husband until you finished everything you need to do”

Lie Fan: “Even if it takes 2 to 3 years? Will you still wait for me and not resent me for it?”.

Ying Yue: “It’s okay, Ying Yue understands their Husband and will not resent you for it, Ying Yue has waited a long time to be together with their husband, waiting for another 2 to 3 years is nothing”

Lie Fan: “I promised that after everything is done, Our marriage will be the biggest Huai’An ever seen!”

Lie Fan was touched by what Ying Yue said and promised her and himself that their marriage will be marvelous and will be remembered for ages at least as the First Wife of Lie Fan

Lie Fan and Ying Yue enjoyed their time together, hugging each other without worries and enjoying each other warmth while watching the stars together.

Noticing that time is already late, Lie Fan tells Ying Yue to for back to her room and take a rest. Ying Yue was reluctant to release her hold on Lie Fan but understand that tomorrow her husband is busy with many things so she release her hug and kissed Lie Fan on the cheek inviting a blush to grow on her face then she run without looking back

Lie Fan who was stunned by the kiss holding his cheek while watching Yong Yue run, after a couple of seconds realized what just happened but already too late as Ying Yue is nowhere to be found.

Smiling Lie Fan enters his room and lay down on his bed reminiscing what just happened until he feels tired and sleep takes him out

So a year has passed since that day, and Lie Fan continues his daily routine of training the intelligence squad, supervising his enterprise with the help of his mother, and training his army that has reached the maximum numbers needed alongside Chao No Chao Bai and Zang Ba

he also doesn’t forget to train himself and buy strength potion from the system store spending 1.500 SP per bottle which he spends 18.000 SP to buy 12 bottles as the potion have a 1-month cooldown before it can be used again

His Intelligence Squad now named The Oriole has mastered all the basic skills that Lie Fan teaches to them, they can use daggers and swords, can write and read, master riding skill, and remembers all the code they will use in the future

In Oriole, a 14 years old teen named Xu Kai emerged as the Leader and Big Brother of the group so slowly Lie Fan teaches him leadership skills and molds him into a spymaster, Chao Bo was promoted as their supervisor which will observes their work and guarding their internal network

Xu Kai was always seen following Lie Fan everywhere, from training to when Lie Fan was supervising his enterprise making others believe that Xukai is his page as he was seen sending letters and holding things for Lie Fan. In truth, he was trained by Lie Fan on how the world works which gave him much needed experience in dealing with different types of people.

Lie Fan has made Serenity Inn and Dragons Fang his Intelligence Squad base as he wants to expand them across all big cities in the Han Empire, making them much easier to have a hiding place and 24 hours of free mobility in sending messages across the country.

The Lie Clan Enterprise is doing very well in the 1 year, profits are exploding rising through the roof while their competitors can’t do anything thanks to Lie Shang maneuvering the commerce and trading laws in Huai’An.

Many Noble clans in Huai’An choose Serenity Inn as their gathering places thanks to fruit wine and milk tea that are only available there alongside some delicacies that Lie Fan introduces to the chefs from his past life

While Dragon’s Fang is a gathering place for the common people, mercenaries, and guards due to its relatively cheap price and high-quality drink such as beer and fruity wine it serves as information haven to for Lie Fan as rumors always be discussed

The success of Serenity Inn and Dragon’s Fang gave much-needed funds to invest in the Copper Mirror project where thanks to the copper mine they found a year ago with the funds available they began to produce high-quality Copper Mirrors

Wives, Concubines, and Misstress of Rich People and Nobles Clan want to buy it as they can see their face so clearly. Due to the demand, Lie Fan and Yu Yan control the price to relatively expensive prices which don’t stop the demand and it keeps raising.

Lie Fan’s monopoly of mirror trade in Huai’An and control of the mirror market, Caused many merchants involved in this trade decide to change their craft. Many merchants and noble clans at first wanted to steal the recipe to make them or bribe the smiths and craftsmen but were blocked by Yu Yan and Lie Shang. 𝗻𝐨𝐯𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Mi Yu who was still in Huai’An at the time was astounded by the cleanness of the Mirror and decided to buy one to gift to the Head of the Mi Clan, upon hearing what My Yu said Lie Fan gift him 3 Copper Mirrors in which 1 is for him and the other 2 as a present to the Head Of Mi Clan. Mi Yu who received the gift was happy and promised to say good things for them.

The rapid rise of the Lie Clan’s economic power and with Lie Shang as the Prefect has established them as the hegemony of Huai’An with other noble clans following their leadership, many Noble Clans want to marry their daughter or niece, or sister to Lie Fan but was rejected by Lie Shang and Yu Yan

Lie Fan’s army which numbered 645 men with a composition of 145 Men was his old personal squad and 500 Men were Greenleaf that was recruited according to Lie Fan’s standard.

Chao Bo, Chao Bai, and Zang Ba as the commanders of each division trained the Greenleaf with a hardcore schedule and after 5 months of training each of them lead their division to attack bandits, especially the Yellow Turbans numbers raised from 7.500 to 9.500 even though it was scattered around Huai’An but it was a big threat reducing their numbers back to the originals

Lie Fan has reached each of his commanders to understand the art of war and the importance of surprise attack and ambush, reckless charging is for the stupid in his eyes and he doesn’t them to do that if they can minimize casualties tactics is the one they will use

With the year now 183 AD, Yellow Turbans begin to cause coordinated chaos across Xu Province and provinces around it. Lie Fan is now meeting with Lie Shang alongside the commanders of the military of Huai’An to decide what they will do next

Lie Fan: “Everyone I think that We just need to defend Huai’An and its surrounding county that we can assist until the Emperor decides to call the army to crusade against the Yellow Turbans or the Yellow Turbans Rebellion broke out.”

Lie Shang: “Father agrees Fan’er, thanks to your information a year ago Huai’An is peaceful now with almost no bandits or yellow turbans daring to break out, Huai’An with 3.000 soldiers can defend themselves while the villages surrounding it can fall prey to them so what should we do?”

Ling Dao: “My Lord, I propose the Young Lord will be the one to help those villages as his army is the only one have flexibility in the structural command of the Military in Huai’An right now”

City Guard Commander: ” I Agree with what Commander Ling Dao said, the city guards will help the army raise the gates and protect it if the Yellow Turbans ever divide to attack us”

Lie Shang: “I Agree, Fan’er is experienced in dealing with the Yellow Turbans now, that Fan’er listened to this order you will help protect the villages around Huai’An city and help protect Huai’An if it was attacked”

Lie Fan: “This Commander received the order and will follow it through!”

Navy Commander: “The Navy of Huai’An will help the Young Lord in helping to guard Coastal Villages as we are faster to reach them through the sea”

Lie Shang: “Reasonable suggestion, you have permission to do just that. This meeting is concluded for now as I and Fan’er have another meeting to go to, you’re all dismissed!”

Receiving Lie Shang’s order, all the commanders left the meeting room while Lie Shang and Lie Fan prepare themselves for another meeting

Lie Fan: “Who are we going to have a meeting with Father?”

Lie Shang: “We will have a meeting with the Agriculture Department”

Lie Fan and Lie Shang waited for 15 minutes in the meeting room when the officials from the Agriculture Department arrived and take their seats for the meeting

________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Bandit Vanquisher

Age: 15 years old -> 16 Years Old

Level: 9

Next Level: 512.000

Renown: 17 -> 24

Cultivation: Art Of War (level 7)

SP:69.700 -> 51.700

•ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR:110 -> 250 (20 from physical training)

VIT:80 -> 95

AGI:77 -> 88

INT:88 -> 100

WIS:60 ->70

Will:22 ->30

ATR Points:0