If you want to read 15 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check my Patreon!!!
Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12
_________________________
Lie Fan laughs out loud hearing this, he hugs Cai Wenji who is nearer to him first, kissing her on the forehead, and then goes to Diao Chan to do the same thing he did to Cai Wenji, Ying Yue sees that takes Wannian and leaves the room to give them some space, just like how Diao Chan and Cai Wenji do before for her when she was pregnant.
Diao Chan and Cai Wenji showed happy smiles all day having Lie Fan spend some time with them, even though they couldn't have personal time with Lie Fan due to them being pregnant at the same time, they knew that Lie Fan would make some time to spend with them.
The news of Diao Chan and Cai Wenji's pregnancy soon spread to Lie Fan's generals and advisors, who came to his residence to congratulate him and brought him gifts for Diao Chan and Cai Wenji.
The pregnancies of Diao Chan and Cai Wenji secured Lie Fan's line of successors, if Lie Muchen who was Lie Fan's eldest son wasn't competent enough to succeed him, maybe there was a better son from either Diao Chan or Cai Wenji who could succeed him.
The chance of this happening is small since with Lie Fan's vision his advisors believe that his sons and daughters will receive the best education they can have because Lie Fan advocates education.
The celebration for Diao Chan and Cai Wenji's pregnancies isn't as big as Ying Yue, due to the difference in their status and isn't as important as Lie Fan's firstborn.
Lie Shang and Yu Yan who were at Langye visited Xiapi to see their pregnant Daughter-in-law, Yu Yan gave them precious herbs and extracts just like what she gave to Ying Yue before to help them with their pregnancies.
They also come to see Chenchen and Yaoyao their grandchildren, playing with them and taking them out to stroll in the garden, and lastly checking on Wanniang the little princess who was very naughty.
They see how Sima Yi now becomes a bit more protective and cares more toward Wannian, not many people can see these changes but Lie Shang and Wannian can see this at first glance.
Well, it's Yu Yan who sees this, she just informed Lie Shang of the changes. The two feel like they sit with one another, even though the Sima Clan's position right now is below the Lie Clan.
They don't know that a future storm is coming, Lie Fan has summoned Zhuge Xuan who was put as Lujiang Grand Administrator by Yuan Shu after his proclamation as Emperor, which makes him almost captured by Lu Kang as Lu Kang was the original Grand Administrator.
The pregnancies of Diao Chan and Cai Wenji caused Lie Fan to spend his time at the Lie Vlan residence almost every time, making his advisors who looked for him have to go to the Lie Clan residence to discuss it.
The addition of Yu Province lands makes Xun You as Lie Fan's military advisor, submit a new proposal to expand the number of men Lie Fan has to 250,000 men, due to how fertile and populous Yu Province land is.
His other main advisors don't object to the expansion of the army, only his advisors like Mi Zhu, Wang Lang, and Supply General Ren Jun requested additional manpower to run their projects.
The expansion of The Army numbers made Gan Ning and Jiang Qin come to Xiapi to meet Lie Fan, requesting the expansion of the marines under them, Gan Ning and Jiang Qin's pirate subordinates around 1,100 men.
Combined with the marines that Lie Fan had in Xu Province, they were made up of around 13,100 men which was not enough for men the entire ships in Lie Fan's navy, and at this time the ship's numbers were still expanding.
Lie Fan knew that training marines was much harder than training a soldier, so Lie Fan ordered the men who were recruited to join the army to be selected first by the Navy, arousing some protest from his generals.
Lie Fan explained to them why he did this and told them that as a marine they needed to be versatile and adapt in water combat, so even the strongest men couldn't become a marine he told them to rest easy.
This situation caused some rift between the generals and navy admirals, Li Fan wanted to change the situation but Jia Xu said that this was a good situation to have, a competition between the navy and the army could boost their spirits, of course Lie Fan needed to monitor this so it's a healthy competition.
Lie Fan feels what Jia Xu said makes sense, when he thinks about it it's also better for them not to truly unite because as a lord or king or emperor, you like your retainers to be close but not too close.
Since it was the first month of 193 AD, Lie Fan summoned all of his retainers even the Generals and Strategists of each of his armies to come to Xiapi, The Governors of Major Town were also summoned.
After 2 weeks, everyone finally came, and new people like Lu Kang and Yang Dajiang began to introduce themselves and try to expand their contact, especially with Lie Fan's retainers who were positioned at Xiapi.
Lie Fan held the meeting at the Governor's Castle Courtroom, which had been refurbished and expanded by Lie Fan in the previous year, to accommodate his retainers and future retainers.
Lie Fan: "Welcomed Everyone, this is our first Official Court that includes all elements that support the foundation and future of my force, I see that I can finally meet with Master Lu Kang for the first time."
Lu Kang: "Greetings My Lord, I'm also honored to finally meet with the youngest and brightest Lord in the land!"
Lie Fan: "Thank You For your praise Master Lu Kang, the reason that I finally held this court was to meet with everyone to discuss and inform everyone of the next step that we will take after taking down Yuan Shu, Wenhe, and Gongda please explain to everyone here."
Jia Xu: "Yes My Lord, everyone this official meeting will be held again in the future every 6 months, to increase our cohesion and coordination with each other, I let Xun You explain first please."
Xun You: "Thank You, Master Jia Xu. Everyone here must have known of our alliance with the Sun Clan, just like the prediction and words that were said outside, our next focus will be on the south to battle Liu Yao alongside the Sun Clan to split up Yang Province."
Xun You began to explain what would be done and the tasks of each Governor and General of the army, He also informed everyone of the navy that was secretly built by Lie Fan that not all of his retainers knew especially the new ones who recently joined.
Gan Ning and Jiang Qin then were introduced to everyone as the Admirals of Lie Fan's navy, who had experience and superb skills in leading them. This navy will support the army in crossing to Yang Province and defeating Liu Yao's navy in the Yangtze River.
After Xun You finished his explanation, it was Jia Xu's turn next tell them about a big project that will be undermined by the navy, supported by everyone present in this court.
The mention of a big project aroused everyone's interest, especially Lie Fan's advisors who were familiar with Lie Fan's love of invention and projects that he had undertaken since his ascension to power.
Jia Xu: "This project was a Colonisation project, maybe everyone was unfamiliar with this term as it was introduced by our lord, which is bringing the people under our lord to settle in an uninhabited place or land creating a settlement there."
Gan Ning: "Master Jia Xu, what uninhabited island and we will settle in? If I remember correctly there's no island around."
Jia Xu: "We have collected enough information to believe that in the southeast of Yang Province, there was a big island that was uninhabited."
Jiang Qin: "Southeast of Yang Province? I have heard of this island, but it was just a myth between the fishermen and pirates Master Jia Xu."
Jia Xu: "That's right, My Lord and Us thought that it was a myth at first, but after collecting information through our channels, we believe that it was not a myth and that it was true."
This revelation by Jia Xu surprised everyone excluding Lie Fan, Xun You, Chen Qun, and Liu Ye. If the island really existed, this means they have the means to launch an invasion behind Liu Yao's back.
Gan Ning and Jiang Qin are excited by this prospect, as it is a chance for them to finally make a merit contribution to repay Lie Fan's benevolence to them.
The court was noisy for a while, Lie Fan who heard this told everyone to settle down and thanked Jia Xu and Xun You who explained to everyone their next step, but not all of the plan was explained like the one allying with Lu Bu.
He continued by announcing that Yang Hong would become the Governor of the Settlement, which would be named Taipei and the Island would be named Taiwan, because if the information about the size of the island was true, then it could become the province.
Yang Hong who was called was grateful and ecstatic as he was promoted to a new position, even though it was for a Governor of a New Town, it was higher than his position now as Wang Lang's advisor.
Yang Hong's promotion makes Wang Lang without an advisor, so he assigned Lu Fan to become Wang Lang's advisor and Yan Jun will becomes Yang Hong's advisor, after that Li Feng and Ling Cao were assigned as the Generals who will stay in Taipei with 30,000 men.
Ling Cao and Li Feng were happy with the promotion, they cupped their hand and promised to do their best, Ling Cao and Li Feng's appointment was the end of the first official court of Lie Fan's force.
Everyone decided to stay in Xiapi for a while to cultivate relationships and contacts, meanwhile, Gan Ning and Jiang Qin headed back to Huai'Ab to ready the navy for the expedition to Taiwan.
Yang Hong and Yan Jun supported by relevant departments, began to prepare the supplies and logistics that were needed for the expedition and the building of the town, as well as medicines from the hospital which was requested by Lie Fan.
The Governor of Major Towns sends letters back to their town, to prepare a recruitment of the populace for the colonizations, which promises a new life and lands to farm and herd provided free by Lie Fan's administration.
Just a day after the court was held, Nobles, Merchants, and Landowners flocked toward Xiapi's governor's castle to join in this expedition, as a promise of new land was something they couldn't resist.
Of course, they were welcomed by Lie Fan but Lie Fan restricted how much land they received, as Lie Fan prioritized his allies, such as the Mi Clan and the Merchants from the Yu Merchant Group, so it was easier to control the development of Taipei to what he wants.
_______________________________
Name: Lie Fan
Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu
Age: 26 (193 AD)
Level: 15
Next Level: 938.000
Renown: 645
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 571.700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 906 (+20)
VIT: 578 (+20)
AGI: 563 (+10)
INT: 567
CHR: 93
WIS: 489
WILL: 377
ATR Points: 0