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The others began to murmur among themselves. Zhuge Liang spoke next. "It is a risky choice, My Lord," he said. "But not without merit. Ju Shou is well versed in matters of governance and administration. If he can be persuaded to change allegiance, his experience would be invaluable for Langye's future development and growth."
Sima Yi tapped his finger thoughtfully. "It would send a strong message, reformation over retribution. It would show your subjects that even those once aligned with other powers can find a place in your court, should they possess talent and loyalty."
"And it would be poetic," Xun You added. "A scholar who once served fading warlords now serving the man who will become Emperor. However, his loyalty to Liu Bei was absolute since he was taken in by Liu Bei after he fled from Yuan Shao. Would he even consider serving another master?"
Jia Xu's lips curled into a faint smile. "Loyalty is not a flaw, Xun You. It is a virtue. And if there is one thing our lord has proven time and again, it is his ability to inspire loyalty in even the most steadfast of men."
Lie Fan sat back, silent for a long moment. His thoughts turned inward. Ju Shou was undoubtedly talented. His strategic mind was on par with the best of them, and his administrative skills were well documented.
"Then bring him to me," Lie Fan said at last. "Have him escorted from the prison to the palace. I will speak to him myself. Let us see if he is willing to listen."
Sima Yi inclined his head. "And if he refuses, My Lord?"
Lie Fan's gaze was steady. "Then he will remain in prison. But if there is even a chance he can be swayed, Langye would benefit greatly from his leadership."
Hearing that all four men bowed their heads.
"As you command," Jia Xu said.
The meeting soon ended, and the advisors dispersed to their tasks. As Lie Fan was left alone once more, he turned his attention to the mountain of scrolls awaiting his review. The day's work was far from over.
Yet, as he worked, his thoughts kept drifting back to Ju Shou. A man of unyielding loyalty, much like how his father was before his eye was on the truth. Perhaps there was a lesson in that. Loyalty was not blind obedience, it was a choice, a commitment to something greater than oneself.
And if Ju Shou could be made to see that their vision for the future was worth serving, then perhaps his father's retirement would not be an end, but the beginning of something new.
Meanwhile, at the prison in Xiapi, it's not the dark and squalid pits of legend. Lie Fan had ordered them kept clean, well lit, and free of unnecessary cruelty. Prisoners were fed, given medical care if needed, and, depending on their crimes, allowed reading materials to pass the time.
Ju Shou's cell was no different. The man sat cross- legged on a simple cot, a scroll unfurled in his hands. His posture was straight, his expression calm, as if he were merely in a study rather than a prison. When the guards arrived to escort him, he did not startle. He merely rolled the scroll neatly and set it aside before rising to his feet.
"You are to come with us," the lead guard said. "The Lord Lie Fan wishes to speak with you."
Ju Shou's eyes flickered with something as he heard that, curiosity? Resignation? No one knows, but he said nothing as he followed.
The walk to the palace was silent. The guards did not manhandle him, nor did they speak unnecessarily. Ju Shou took in the sights of Xiapi as they moved, the bustling streets, the well maintained buildings, and the absence of beggars, or signs of neglect. It was… not what he had expected, as when he arrives in Xiapi as a prisoner he doesn't focus on the surroundings.
When they arrived at the palace, he was led not to a grand hall for a public audience, but to the Lie Fan's office. The door opened, and there, behind a desk piled with scrolls and maps, sat Lie Fan.
The two men regarded each other in silence.
Finally, Lie Fan spoke.
"Master Ju Shou. It has been a long time."
Ju Shou bowed slightly, a gesture of respect but not submission. "Lord Lie Fan. To what do I owe the… pleasure?"
Lie Fan gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit. We have much to discuss."
Ju Shou hesitated for only a moment before complying. He sat with the same poised dignity he had maintained even in captivity.
"I'll be direct," Lie Fan said. "My father has retired as Governor of Langye. I am in need of a replacement. Your name was suggested."
Ju Shou's eyebrows rose. "Mine?"
"You are a man of intelligence and principle. Your governance and administrative skills are well known. And I know that due to your loyalty to Liu Bei, you have made some cruel choices which you think was the right path to empower Liu Bei. Like breaking the Lingling agreement which causes the suffering of the common people there."
Ju Shou's lips thinned. "And you believe I would serve you, just like that, Lord Lie Fan?"
Lie Fan leaned forward slightly. "I believe you are a man who serves what he believes in. Liu Bei is gone. His cause is no more and you know well of his true face, but your conviction and belief force you to stay loyal to him even though all of Liu Bei's subordinates even his own sworn brothers have left him. But the people of Langye, the people of this land, still need governance. They still need someone who will rule justly."
Ju Shou's gaze was piercing. "And you think you, Lie Fan, was worthy of my service?"
"I think the people are worthy of your service," Lie Fan countered. "I do not ask for blind loyalty. I ask only that you consider whether your skills might be better used rebuilding rather than rotting in a cell until the end of your life."
The room fell silent once more. Ju Shou's fingers tapped lightly against his knee, the only sign of his internal conflict.
Finally, he spoke.
"Allow me a week. To consider of this."
Lie Fan nodded. "A week, then."
As Ju Shou was escorted back to his cell, Lie Fan exhaled slowly. The man had not refused outright. That was something.
And if he accepted… then perhaps the future of Langye was in better hands than even his father, Lie Shang, had left it.
On the other hand, back in Wuwei, the cold winds howled through the valley like mournful spirits, a reminder of the isolation that now pressed in from every side.
Within the sturdy, yet solemn stone walls of the Ma Clan ancestral hall, a meeting unlike any other was underway. Ma Chao, now officially the head of the household following the tragic death of Ma Teng, stood at the head of a long, lacquered table.
He had returned to Wuwei with what remained of his forces, a shadow of the proud army that once dared challenge Cao Cao and dreamed of restoring the Ma Clan's independence.
Though known for his fiery temper and bold charges, today Ma Chao bore a different expression, one not of fury, but of deep, contemplative sorrow. His armor still bore the dust of the retreat, and his eyes were sunken with the weight of sleepless nights.
His brothers, Ma Tie and Ma Xiu, stood beside him, tension etched into their youthful faces. Ma Dai, their cousin, leaned against a column nearby, arms crossed and jaw tight.
The elders sat in grim silence, their eyes narrow, their expressions unreadable. Among them was Ma Guan, Ma Dai's father, one of the oldest and most respected voices in the clan, whose weathered features betrayed deep concern. Even Ma Yunlu, the youngest of the Ma siblings, had insisted on attending, her eyes wide with a blend of fear and determination.
Ma Chao's voice broke the silence, steady and strong, though a hint of fatigue edged his tone. "We have gathered here today," he began, "to discuss the future of our clan. The loss of Jincheng has left us vulnerable, and our position in Wuwei is precarious. We must consider our options carefully."
The elders, seated on either side of the table, had barely let him finish speaking before unleashing a torrent of disappointment and accusations.
One of the elders, a grizzled man with a long white beard, slammed his palm onto the table. "Why retreat from Jincheng, Ma Chao? That city was our last stand!" he cried.
Another elder, a wiry man with sharp eyes, nodded in agreement. "Your father would never have retreated. Ma Teng stood his ground against Cao Cao himself! And now you, his eldest son, flee at the first sign of defeat?"
"You've doomed us to isolation again! Did you think this through, Chao? Or did you act on impulse like always?" another elder with a sunken eye barked.
Ma Chao's jaw tightened, but he remained silent. He had expected this. The elders had always been quick to criticize, and slow to offer solutions. But his two younger brothers were not so patient.
Ma Tie, the fiercer of the two, shot to his feet, his chair scraping violently against the stone floor. "Enough! You dare speak of our father?" he snarled, his voice raw with emotion. "Our elder brother has carried the weight of this clan on his back since Father's death! While you old men sat in comfort, he fought battle after battle to keep our name alive! When things went wrong, where were your advice and support then? You sit in your chairs and scold the one who shielded you from the storm!"
Ma Xiu, usually the more level headed of the two, was no less furious. "And now you blame him? Jincheng was lost the moment Cao Cao's forces surrounded it. Holding it would have meant the annihilation of our entire army! Is that what you wanted? For all of us to die pointlessly? You want to throw away the lives of every last warrior we have to protect the women and children of our family?!"
The elders looked scandalized, one of them rising to his feet, white beard trembling with anger. "You disrespectful whelps! You dare speak so brazenly before your elders?!" he spat. "Have you lost all sense of propriety?"
Ma Yunlu, who had been quietly observing until now, finally spoke. Her voice was soft but carried an edge. "Respect is earned, Elders. And right now, none of you are acting like men worthy of it." The room erupted into chaos. Voices overlapped, accusations flew, and for a moment, it seemed the meeting would dissolve into outright hostility.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 34 (201 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0