Reborn In The Three Kingdoms

If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my Patreon!!!

Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12

___________________________

Time was blurred as the situation descended into chaos. And as the sky turned into the darkness of the night, where both sides of the army staggered from the bloodbath, horns and drums of retreat were sounded from the Wei camp, and so the inner walls of Jianmen Pass still held barely. But it held for now.

Back in Xiapi, the sun dipped horizon, painting the palace in hues of fire and shadow.

Lie Fan sat in the pavilion in the Harem’s Palace, a cup of wine in hand. After spending time with Ying Yue and Muchen, now he found himself accompanied by Zhen Ji. Her soft, delicate fingers kneaded gently into his arm, kneading away not only the stiffness of his muscles but the burdens he had carried throughout the day. A smile played on her lips as she worked, her beauty illuminated by the golden rays of the setting sun.

Lie Fan closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the moment envelop him. In this peaceful haven of the harem, he allowed himself to forget the swirling matters of state, the endless scrolls of strategy, and the countless faces of courtiers. Here, in the sanctuary of the palace, only warmth and calm surrounded him.

But despite his eyes being closed, his ears did not fail him. He heard it, the faint, uneven hitch in Zhen Ji’s breath. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but to a man who had spent years honing his awareness in both war and court, it stood out like a crack in polished jade. His lips curled slightly, though his eyes remained closed.

”Ji’er,” he murmured, his voice low and teasing. ”What’s on your mind that has you breathing like a startled rabbit?”

Startled by his sudden question, Zhen Ji flinched slightly. Her blush deepened, painting her cheeks a lovely shade of rose. Zhen Ji’s fingers stilled for a heartbeat before resuming their ministrations, though now with a slight tremble. ”How... how did you know I had something on my mind?” she stammered, her voice softer than the brush of a butterfly’s wings.

Lie Fan let out a chuckle, still not opening his eyes. ”I didn’t. I just guessed. But a husband should always know when something burdens his wife’s heart. Tell me, Ji’er. Your burden is also mine.” After saying that, Lie Fan reach up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Her heart fluttered at his words, the tenderness in his tone warming her deeply. Her fingers hesitated, then resumed their massage with slow, deliberate movements.

”I’ve been thinking... about us,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. ”After that night... when we...” She trailed off, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her robes.

At those words, Lie Fan opened his eyes, turning to look at her. The sight that greeted him was one he would never tire of, Zhen Ji’s porcelain cheeks flushed a delicate pink, her dark lashes fluttering as she avoided his gaze.

She was a vision of loveliness, her shyness only adding to her allure. Her face was beet red, and she looked down shyly, refusing to meet his gaze.

Lie Fan arched a brow, a smirk playing at his lips. ”Ah, you mean the night you begged for mercy, and I showed you none?”

”Your Majesty!” Zhen Ji gasped, swatting at his chest in mock outrage, her face now the color of ripe cherries. ”Be serious! Must you always tease me?”

He laughed, the sound rich and warm, his shoulders shaking, before pulling her closer. ”Alright, alright, I apologize. I’ll behave.” He said, though his grin betrayed his lack of remorse. ”Now tell me, what have you been thinking since that night?”

Zhen Ji inhaled deeply, her fingers now still against his skin, her gaze dropping to her lap. Gathering her courage, she raised her eyes and met his gaze with rare determination.

”I want to know... what you think about us having a child.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning.

Lie Fan stilled and blinked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He had not expected that.

”You already have children with Sister Ying, Sister Diao, Sister Cai, and Sister Lu. And I...” She hesitated, swallowing her nerves. ”I want us to have children of our own too.”

For a moment, Lie Fan was quiet. The world seemed to pause, the rustling leaves, the distant murmur of servants, even the steady rhythm of his own breath. Then, like the sun breaking through storm clouds,a slow, genuine smile spread across his face.

Without warning, in one smooth motion, he scooped Zhen Ji from her seat beside him and settled her onto his lap.

She shrieked softly in surprise, the sudden movement making her blush deepen impossibly further. ”Husband!” she scolded, her heart racing.

He positioned her sideways so he could face her directly, cupping her face with one hand and holding her close with the other.

”Of course I want that, to have children with you, Ji’er,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. ”A little prince or princess with your beauty and my stubbornness? How could I not? I can already imagine how beautiful they’d be.”

Hearing those words, the happiness that bloomed across Zhen Ji’s face was radiant. Her earlier shyness melted away, replaced by a hopeful excitement that made her eyes sparkle like stars.

Seeing her like this, so open and so vulnerable, sent a surge of possessiveness through him. Unable to resist, he leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he murmured.

”But I don’t know if you can handle it, Ji’er. Last time, I was gentle. Now that you’ve awakened me...” He let the implication linger, his voice dropping to a sinful whisper. *”Shall we start tonight? The sooner we try, the sooner you might find yourself with child.”*

Zhen Ji let out a small whimper and buried her face in his neck, her fists lightly pounding his chest as she trembled with embarrassment. ”You... you’re impossible. Stop teasing me...” she murmured, her voice muffled.

He chuckled, ready to say more, when suddenly, amidst her flustered state, she whispered something that stunned him into silence.

”Whatever my husband desired to do... I will follow. I’ll do my best to keep up with you.”

That was all it took.

The last thread of his restraint snapped.

In one swift motion, he stood, cradling her in his arms as if she weighed nothing at all. Zhen Ji gasped, her arms tightening around him as he strode toward her chambers, his steps purposeful.

”You brought this upon yourself,” he growled, though there was no real heat in his words, only hunger.

She gasped softly but did not resist. Her arms curled around his neck as he carried her deeper into the Harem Palace, toward her quarters.

That night, love once again bloomed in the quiet chambers of the palace.

Days blurred into weeks. Weeks melted into a month. And before the land knew it, the year had turned, 202 AD dawned with a quiet but undeniable shift in the tides of fate.

Under the reign of Lie Fan or Emperor Hongyi, the Hengyuan Dynasty flourished. The scars of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the chaos of the Anti Dong Zhuo Alliance, and the brutal Warlord Era began to heal. Peace, long elusive, now gently settled across the lands under his rule.

From Xiapi to Xiangyang, from Xiapi to Jiaozhi, the people lived better lives. The people, once wary and broken, now walked with their heads held high. Fields that had lain fallow for years now brimmed with golden harvests.

Markets buzzed with trade, artisans flourished, and scholars debated in newly built academies. The roads, once plagued by bandits, were now patrolled by disciplined soldiers who upheld justice without cruelty, and the law was just. The heavy yoke of fear that had burdened the people for decades now began to lift.

For the first time in a long time, the common folk dared to hope.

And with hope come loyalty and pride as it bloomed in the hearts of the citizens,not the forced obedience of fear, but the steadfast devotion of those who had been given a chance to thrive, who now called their sovereign not just Emperor, but their protector and their hope.

Much like the days of the Han Dynasty’s rise and golden age, the common folk saw the Hengyuan banner as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and power. The name Hengyuan was no longer just a dynasty. It was a promise.

Meanwhile, far from the prosperity of Xiapi, on the front lines of Jianmen Pass, the air was thick with the stench of blood and smoke as major developments unfolded.

The Wei forces had thrown themselves at the inner walls like waves against a cliff, relentless, unyielding, and ultimately futile. For almost a month, Yan Yan and Zhang Ren had held the line, their defenses unbroken despite the overwhelming odds.

But now, at last, the tide was turning.

A messenger, his armor splattered with mud and gore, burst into the command tent where Yan Yan and Zhang Ren stood over a map littered with markers.

”General! A missive from Advisor Fa Zheng!”

Yan Yan snatched the scroll, his eyes scanning the characters with a speed born of desperation. Then, slowly, a grin split his weathered face.

Fa Zheng had written, the Southern Campaign led by the Sun Clan and Shi Xie had borne fruit. Their forces had driven deep into the heart of the southern lands, overcoming many barbarian tribes and small kingdoms. Their successes had opened new avenues for retreat and replenishment.

”We’re to fall back to Zitong,” he announced, his voice rough with exhaustion and triumph. ”The southern campaign has succeeded. Sun Ce and Shi Xie have push through the barbarian tribes and small kingdoms in the southern land. There’s reinforcements and supplies await us in Zitong.”

Zhang Ren let out a sharp exhale, his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of months of unrelenting pressure. ”Then we pull back at dawn. Pass the order, no delays.”

Meng Huo, who had been leaning against a tent pole with his arms crossed, let out a derisive snort. ”About damn time. My warriors have shed enough blood for your war.”

Yan Yan shot him a glare but held his tongue. The southern chieftain’s cooperation had been grudging at best, but without his tribesmen’s brute strength, the inner wall would have fallen weeks ago.

”Gather your men,” Zhang Ren said curtly. ”We retreat in order. No chaos lest Cao Cao’s soldier will pick us one by one.” As the commanders dispersed to relay the orders, the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, pale and tentative, like the fragile hope of a new beginning. The siege of Jianmen Pass was over.

______________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty

Age: 34 (201 AD) -> 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