Chapter 187 – Sworn as Godfather
[Over the course of the past year or so, aside from training yourself, you've kept busy consolidating power. You managed to win over many of your godfather's former subordinates—figures like Niu Fu, Fan Chou, Xu Rong, and Jia Xu. Thinking back on your godfather's voice and smile, you can't help but grow misty-eyed.]
[In April of the 4th year of Zhongping, you officially took office as Governor of Bing Province. Upon arriving in Henei Commandery, you immediately summoned the local officials. As expected, among them you found him—a man slightly taller than you, powerfully built, and with a demeanor remarkably similar to your own. Only, you were far better-looking. You were under no illusions: you weren't Lu Bu's match just yet, but should it come to blows, the gap wouldn't be overwhelming.]
[In May of the 4th year of Zhongping, you appointed Lu Bu as your Chief Clerk. He was so moved he nearly wept and even wanted to make you his godfather. For some reason, that sent a chill down your spine. Besides Lu Bu, you also discovered Zhang Liao and Gao Shun among the officials—two men whose loyalty and talent you knew inside and out.]
[From June to August of the 4th year of Zhongping, you often sparred with Lu Bu. Physically, he had the edge, but in terms of melee weapon technique, your two lifetimes of experience gave you a slight advantage. Overall, he still had the upper hand, but the gap steadily narrowed. By September, you finally fought him to a draw for the first time. You could feel your body entering its peak state. While true peak was still a bit off, you weren't far behind Lu Bu anymore. At twenty-six, you figured your prime would probably come closer to thirty.]
[From November of the 4th year to February of the 5th year of Zhongping, the Liang Province rebels returned in full force under the leadership of Wang Guo and Liang Gang, attacking Youfufeng and besieging the county seat of Chencang. You were urgently summoned back to Luoyang by the Emperor and appointed General of the Front, tasked with leading 40,000 troops to relieve Chencang.]
[Throughout November, the battlefront remained deadlocked. But on December 27, you adopted Li Ru's strategy to burn the rebels' grain supplies and had Jia Xu conjure a rainstorm to mire them further. When the exhausted enemy began to retreat, you showcased your overwhelming prowess—gripping a halberd in one hand and your horse's reins in the other, you swept your weapon forward. A rift opened in the earth, and within a range of 120 paces, Liang Gang and several cavalrymen caught in its path were cleaved in two, horse and rider alike. The thunderous roar lingered long in the air. The battle ended in a crushing victory, and rebel leader Wang Guo fled only to die of illness not long after.]
[In January of the 5th year of Zhongping, you returned to Luoyang to report to the Emperor. The Emperor initially intended to promote you to Marquis of Lixiang with a fief of 2,000 households, but the Ten Attendants dissuaded him, claiming you lacked the virtue to match your rank. As you stepped out of the palace, you sighed. Using your aura-reading technique, you could see that the Emperor's health was already in dire shape—he likely had only one or two months left to live.]
[Later, you shared drinks with He Jin. Drunk, he even tried to introduce his sister to you—wasn't that the Empress Dowager He? At the time, you genuinely felt he might be someone you could work with.]
[In June of the 5th year of Zhongping, two months later than in actual history, news of the Emperor's death spread from the palace. Just like in recorded history, your close friend He Jin rose to power. The first thing he did after assuming control was write to you, asking you to lead troops into the capital and eliminate the eunuchs. Honestly, there was a moment you really wanted to warn him about what was about to happen in history—that he would be killed by the Ten Attendants. And in the end, you did. Although in some sense you were a man of shifting allegiances, you'd never betrayed a friend.]
[In August of the 1st year of Yuanxi, following He Jin's request, you dispatched troops to the outskirts of Luoyang and, without hesitation, entered the capital. When you arrived at the palace with Lu Bu, Xu Huang, and others, the coup began. With your help, your forces purged the Ten Attendants and their faction, seizing full control of the palace.]
[Thanks to the butterfly effect you created, history was forever altered.]
[In September of the 1st year of Yuanxi, Emperor Liu Bian named you Minister of Works, one of the Three Excellencies. Your power reached heights you'd never achieved even in your past life.]
[Now that you controlled the military, even He Jin didn't dare speak too forcefully to you. In many respects, you had already replaced him as the real power behind the throne.]
[You weren't particularly interested in the position itself, but with the arrow nocked, you had no choice but to fire. You were no longer acting for yourself alone—you now represented an entire faction of vested interests.]
[In November of the 1st year of Yuanxi, you got married. Your bride was the beautiful daughter of Tang Mao, the Administrator of Kuaiji. But your interest in Empress Dowager He hadn't waned—she was only twenty-eight now, a classic alluring mature beauty. Strangely enough, He Jin seemed to have forgotten his own offer—not only did he fail to introduce her to you, he even started harboring intentions of his own.]
[According to secret intelligence, He Jin was now plotting with several officials to force you to hand over your military command. While you understood his motivations, you couldn't help but feel disappointed. Jia Xu advised you that He Jin had begun to grow suspicious of you, and that if you gave up your power rashly, you might not even have a burial site left.]
[As reluctant as you were to believe it, your political instincts told you Jia Xu might be right. Especially when your godson Lu Bu came and told you that He Jin had sent people to bribe him to assassinate you. His exact words were: "Lu Bu's loyalty can be attested by Heaven and Earth." Utterly ridiculous.]
[So, without hesitation, you struck first. That very night, you led troops into the Grand General's mansion, placed He Jin under house arrest, and seized control of the empire entirely. Unlike Dong Zhuo, you didn't plunge the realm into chaos. Instead, you opted for a slow and measured consolidation of power. There were plenty of historical precedents to draw from—an advantage only a time-traveler like you could possess.]
[From January of the 2nd year to May of the 3rd year of Yuanxi—your seventh year in this world—at the age of twenty-nine, you finally reached your true peak. Not only had you refined your physique to the utmost level this world allowed, but you also bested Lu Bu in one-on-one combat for the very first time. (You acquired the specialty: Legendary Physique.)]
[During this period, you recruited a large number of talented individuals as your advisors, bringing men like Xun Shuang, Han Rong, and Chen Ji into court service. Your influence expanded immensely, and your reputation soared.]
[Though your conduct in court was more than respectable, with not the slightest intent to rebel, many forces still opposed you—just like with Dong Zhuo. They believed you were using the Emperor to command the lords and harbored treasonous ambitions.]
[In July of the 3rd year of Yuanxi, as in real history, officials across the eastern provinces rallied behind Yuan Shao as their leader. With Zhang Yang, Cao Cao, and Qiao Mao leading the charge, they formed a coalition to campaign against you. The anti-Zhou alliance was divided into three forces: the Suanzao Coalition from Yan and Yu Provinces; the Henei Coalition from Ji Province; and the Luyang Coalition from Jing Province. Bing Province, however, remained firmly under your control.]
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