Chapter 1314 - 1254. Trip To Taiwan

If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!

________________________________

(A/N: Also everyone I have a new novel a Dragon Age Inquisition novel named "From Couch To The Inquisitor", be sure to check it out and give some power stone)

...

But now, the West had responded. The two great empires of Central Asia had ceased their squabbling and locked their shields together. The vast, arid expanses of the Iranian plateau and the towering peaks of the Hindu Kush were no longer fractured battlegrounds, they were a unified, highly militarized defensive line. The world had been violently divided into two colossal spheres of influence. And as the ink dried on the Treaty of Ctesiphon, both sides knew that it was only a matter of time before the invincible cage of the East crashed against the desperate, unified shield of the West.

The ink on the Treaty of Ctesiphon had barely dried before the geopolitical machinations it birthed began to grind into motion. The alliance between the Kushan and Parthian Empires, born not of trust but of a desperate, mutual terror, required immediate logistical implementation.

Lord Zariadres, his primary mission a resounding, history altering success, did not linger in the opulent halls of the Parthian capital. He and his delegation, alongside a newly appointed contingent of high ranking Parthian military attachés tasked with coordinating the forward deployment of the thirty thousand elite cavalry, remained in Ctesiphon for only a single day following the signing.

They spent those frantic twenty four hours establishing the preliminary ciphers and communication protocols for the Joint Intelligence Directorate, ensuring that the spies operating in the shadowed markets of the Silk Road would now report their findings to both empires simultaneously.

The following morning, beneath a brilliant, cloudless sky, the massive Kushan convoy, no longer disguised as mere merchants, but proudly flying the imperial banners of Vasudeva alongside the diplomatic seals of Vologases, rode out through the eastern gates. They were heading back across the harsh, arid plateau, bringing the promise of Parthian steel to fortify the mountain passes of Peshawar. The West had built its shield.

Thousands of miles to the east, insulated from the frantic, terrified diplomacy of Central Asia by a continent of pacified territory and an ocean of centralized power, Lie Fan was contemplating a very different kind of logistical challenge.

He sat in the sun drenched Imperial Study in Xiapi, a meticulously brushed scroll resting on the mahogany desk before him. It bore the dual seals of Yang Hong and Yan Jun, the complementary administrative minds he had tasked with the daunting responsibility of overseeing the colonization, development, and pacification of the island of Taiwan.

It had been years since Lie Fan had directed his formidable naval resources to cross the strait and secure the massive, rugged island. In the grand, bloody tapestry of his continental conquests, Taiwan had often been relegated to the periphery of his immediate strategic concerns. He had provided the funding, the settlers, the agricultural mandates, and the military backing to subjugate the fierce indigenous tribes, but he had largely left the execution to his appointed governors.

Now, reading the lengthy, highly detailed report, he realized the profound depth of what they had accomplished in his absence.

’...Your Imperial Majesty,’ the scroll read, the calligraphy elegant and precise, ’the island of Taiwan is no longer a wild, untamed frontier outpost. Under your divine mandate, the primary settlement of Taipei has blossomed into a thriving, heavily fortified maritime hub. The shipyards are producing merchant vessels capable of navigating the deep ocean currents, and the agricultural terraces in the western plains are yielding surplus harvests of rice and sugarcane.’

’However, a thriving economy is not the sole foundation of imperial loyalty. A significant portion of the island’s population now consists of the assimilated indigenous tribes. They have laid down their spears, adopted the standardized Prakrit, and integrated into our labor forces. Yet, they have never laid eyes upon the Son of Heaven. They bow to your name, but they do not truly comprehend the absolute, terrifying majesty of the Black Dragon.’

’It is the humble request of your servants that you grace this island with an Imperial Visit. It is time to remind the settlers that they are the beating heart of our maritime expansion, and it is time for the assimilated tribes to feel the awe of your presence. Let them see the Emperor they serve, so that their loyalty is forged not just in law, but in profound, generational reverence...’

Lie Fan leaned back in his leather chair, a low, genuine chuckle escaping his lips.

"They want a parade," Lie Fan murmured to the empty study, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and strategic appreciation. "They want the pomp and the circumstance to cement their bureaucratic gains."

He picked up the scroll again, his mind rapidly assessing the political utility of the request. Yang Hong and Yan Jun were absolutely correct. An empire could not be sustained purely on the abstract fear of a distant capital. The physical manifestation of power, the gilded carriages, the elite, heavily armored guards, the sheer, overwhelming opulence of the Imperial Family, was a vital psychological tool. It bonded the periphery to the core.

Furthermore, a visit to Taiwan would serve a dual purpose. It would project Hengyuan’s absolute naval supremacy to any lingering pirate factions or southern maritime kingdoms observing the straits, and it would provide a deeply necessary respite for his family. The grueling, relentless pressure of Xiapi, the endless stream of taxation ledgers, and the towering stress of the Great Wall Expansion had kept him locked in a cycle of constant, grinding statecraft.

’Why not?’ Lie Fan thought, a spark of genuine excitement igniting. ’The steam trains are not yet ready for passenger transport, and the telegraph towers are still in the prototype phase. The continent is secure. The military is drilling. It is time to see the ocean again.’

He pulled a fresh sheet of imperial parchment toward him and grabbed his finest ink brush.

’Governors Yang Hong and Yan Jun,’ Lie Fan wrote rapidly, his strokes bold and authoritative. ’Your request is granted. The Imperial Family will cross the strait. You are to immediately coordinate with General Ling Cao. Ensure the naval escorts are flawless and the security protocols on the island are absolute. Prepare the harbor. The Black Dragon comes to Taiwan.’

He stamped the heavy jade seal onto the bottom of the missive, the hot red wax hardening instantly.

"Men!" Lie Fan commanded sharply.

From the shadowed alcove near the bookshelves, a figure clad entirely in dark gray silk stepped forward, bowing silently. The elite intelligence operatives of the Oriole network were never far from the Emperor.

"Deliver this to the naval relays in Yangzhou immediately. Highest priority," Lie Fan ordered, tossing the sealed scroll. The agent caught it effortlessly, bowed again, and vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

"Guards," Lie Fan called out, turning his attention back to the immediate logistics of the capital. "Summon Chancellor Jia Xu and Grand Secretary Chen Qun."

Within the hour, the two pillars of the Hengyuan civil administration stood before the Emperor’s desk. Jia Xu, the master of dark, pragmatic strategy, looked as stoic and calculating as ever, his hands tucked neatly into the wide sleeves of his dark robes. Chen Qun, the flawless, meticulous architect of the imperial bureaucracy, stood perfectly straight, a heavy ledger of current provincial appointments tucked under his arm.

"My friedns," Lie Fan began, bypassing the formalities. "I am leaving the capital. I intend to conduct a full Imperial Visit to the island of Taiwan. The colonization efforts have matured, the indigenous tribes require the psychological reinforcement of the crown, and the maritime infrastructure demands an audit."

Jia Xu’s eyes narrowed slightly, instantly analyzing the geopolitical angles. "A wise maneuver, Your Majesty. It reinforces our absolute claim over the eastern sea routes."

"Indeed," Chen Qun agreed, his administrative mind already calculating the required decrees. "Furthermore, the administrative integration of the assimilated tribes is a delicate process. The physical presence of the Emperor will drastically accelerate their cultural absorption into the Hengyuan identity. I shall draft the necessary mandates authorizing you to bestow localized titles and agricultural grants upon the compliant tribal leaders. It is the cheapest, most effective form of loyalty."

"Excellent," Lie Fan nodded, pleased that his top advisors saw the strategic utility of the endeavor. "However, the governance of the mainland must not stall in my absence. Chen Qun, you will manage the daily administrative flow. Jia Xu, you will monitor the intelligence reports from the western borders and the Great Wall construction. If a crisis arises, you have the authority to mobilize the central reserve legions, but you will utilize the fastest courier relays to inform me instantly."

"The empire will remain stable, Your Majesty," Jia Xu promised, a faint, chilling smile touching his lips. "We have ensured the fear of your laws is stronger than the temptation of your absence."

With the administrative delegation settled, Lie Fan turned to the personal logistics of the trip. He did not intend to make this a sterile, purely political tour. It was a rare opportunity to extract his family from the suffocating, highly formalized environment of the Xiapi palace.

He intended to bring his entire core family, Ying Yue, Lu Lingqi, Zhen Ji, Cai Wenji, and Diao Chan. Furthermore, he wanted to include the next generation of imperial leadership.

He issued immediate summons for Sima Yi, Zhao Yun, and Ma Chao.

When the three men arrived, Sima Yi, the brilliant, calculating strategist, Zhao Yun, the paragon of martial virtue, and Ma Chao, the fierce, unmatched cavalry commander, Lie Fan detailed the plan.

"You are accompanying the Imperial procession to Taiwan," Lie Fan instructed them. "But you are not traveling as mere bodyguards or tacticians. You will bring your wives, Princess Lie Wannian, Ma Yunlu, and Sun Shangxiang, and your newborn children. This is a display of imperial stability, yes, but it is also a family endeavor. The salt air will do the children good, and it is vital that the core leadership of the next generation shares in the experience of the maritime frontier."

The three men bowed deeply, genuinely honored by the inclusion. For Sima Yi, who was married to Lie Fan’s only sister, Lie Wannian, it was further reinforcement display of trust and inclusion in the deepest circles of the imperial family. For Zhao Yun and Ma Chao, it was a welcome reprieve from the endless, grinding cavalry drills on the central plains.

The preparations consumed the capital for the next two weeks.

The logistical undertaking of moving the entire Imperial Family, alongside the highest ranking generals and their households, was staggering. The Ministry of Finance authorized the outfitting of a massive, heavily armored terrestrial convoy to transport them south to the coastal ports of Yangzhou, while the Ministry of War mobilized the elite Ghost Bodyguards and a full battalion of heavily armored imperial cavalry for the escort.

When the day of departure finally arrived, the city of Xiapi turned out in the millions to witness the spectacle.

The grand procession was a breathtaking display of unimaginable wealth and absolute, terrifying martial power. At the head of the column rode a thousand heavy cavalrymen, their interlocking iron-scale armor polished to a mirror shine, their long lances bearing the fluttering, crimson and black banners of the Black Dragon.

Behind them rolled the imperial carriages. These were not the utilitarian, iron clad steam prototypes of the workshop. These were massive, sprawling, multi tiered palanquins built of the finest, darkest mahogany, adorned with intricate gold filigree, and draped in heavy, weather resistant silks. They rolled on specialized, shock absorbing suspension systems designed by Huang Yue Ying, pulled by teams of eight perfectly matched, snow white draft horses.

Lie Fan rode in the primary carriage with his five empresses, the atmosphere inside relaxed, filled with the rare, unburdened laughter of a family temporarily freed from the crushing weight of the throne room. Behind them followed the carriages of Sima Yi, Zhao Yun, and Ma Chao, the sounds of their newborn children occasionally rising above the rhythmic clattering of the horses’ hooves.

The terrestrial journey south was slow, deliberate, and fiercely guarded. It took nearly a month to traverse the vast, fertile plains of the heartland, passing through heavily fortified provincial capitals where local governors fell to their knees in the dust as the Emperor passed.

Upon reaching the massive, deep water ports of Yangzhou, the terrestrial convoy was seamlessly transferred to the true pride of the Hengyuan military, the Imperial Armada.

Waiting for them in the harbor were dozens of towering, multi decked galleons. These massive wooden fortresses, heavily armed with rows of bronze cannons and reinforced with thick iron plating below the waterline, were the apex predators of the ocean.

The Imperial Family boarded the colossal flagship, a vessel so massive it dwarfed the surrounding merchant galleys.

The crossing of the Taiwan Strait was smooth, aided by favorable trade winds and the absolute, unquestioned dominance of the Hengyuan navy. No pirate fleet, no matter how desperate or suicidal, dared to approach the armada.

Finally, almost two full months after leaving the gates of Xiapi, the towering, rugged, emerald green mountains of Taiwan rose from the misty horizon of the eastern sea.

As the ship sailed into the deep, heavily fortified harbor of Taipei, the sheer scale of the colonization effort became apparent. The harbor was a masterpiece of coastal engineering. Massive stone breakwaters protected hundreds of docked merchant vessels. Warehouses constructed of heavy brick and timber lined the docks, bursting with goods ready for export. And towering over the harbor, situated on a high, defensible bluff, was the newly constructed Governor’s Palace, a sturdy, imposing structure built in the classical mainland architectural style.

The arrival of the Emperor was met with a reception that rivaled the grandest festivals of the capital.

The docks were lined with tens of thousands of cheering settlers, merchants, and off duty soldiers. Mingled among them, standing in organized, respectful ranks, were thousands of the assimilated indigenous tribesmen. They wore a blend of traditional woven garments and mainland style tunics, their faces painted in ceremonial patterns, staring in absolute, silent awe at the colossal, iron clad warships and the terrifying, uniform discipline of the disembarking Imperial Guards.

Waiting at the end of the primary pier, kneeling deeply on the polished wooden planks, were Governors Yang Hong and Yan Jun, flanked by General Ling Cao, the fierce, battle hardened commander tasked with the island’s security.

Lie Fan descended the heavy wooden gangplank of the ship, dressed in magnificent, flowing robes of dark silk embroidered with gold dragons. He was followed closely by Ying Yue, Diao Chan, Cai Wenji, Lu Lingqi, Zhen Ji, and the rest of his family.

"Rise, my loyal servants," Lie Fan commanded, his voice projecting clearly over the roaring cheers of the crowd.

Yang Hong, Yan Jun, and Ling Cao stood up, their faces beaming with profound pride and relief.

"Welcome to Taiwan, Your Imperial Majesty," Yang Hong said, bowing deeply once more. "The island rejoices at the presence of the true Sun. We have prepared the Governor’s Palace for your stay, and a grand banquet has been arranged to celebrate your safe arrival."

"Lead the way, Governor," Lie Fan smiled, genuinely impressed by the sheer, bustling vitality of the port city. "I am eager to see what you have built in my name."

The grand banquet held that evening in the main hall of the Taipei Governor’s Palace was a spectacular fusion of mainland culinary refinement and the exotic, vibrant bounty of the island.

The massive, open air hall was illuminated by hundreds of floating paper lanterns. The long, heavy oak tables were laden with massive platters of freshly caught, deep ocean fish glazed in sweet plum sauce, towering pyramids of tropical fruits that were entirely unknown in the northern provinces, and whole roasted boars seasoned with indigenous, fiery spices.

The atmosphere was incredibly festive, lacking the stifling, paranoid tension of the diplomatic banquets Lie Fan often hosted. This was a celebration of pure, unadulterated expansion and success.

Lie Fan sat at the head of the high table, flanked by his five wives. Ying Yue and Zhen Ji were quietly discussing the potential for cultivating the exotic fruits back on the mainland, while Lu Lingqi was engaged in a deep, highly technical conversation with Ma Yunlu and Sun Shangxiang regarding the differences in naval boarding tactics versus open-field cavalry charges.

Further down the table, Sima Yi, Zhao Yun, and Ma Chao were enjoying the rare opportunity to simply relax, drinking the strong, locally fermented rice wine and sharing stories of the journey south.

Lie Fan turned his attention to the three men seated directly to his right: Yang Hong, Yan Jun, and General Ling Cao.

"The port of Taipei is a marvel, Yang Hong," Lie Fan praised, raising his goblet of wine. "I expected a fortified outpost. You have built a true, thriving mercantile hub. The volume of trade I saw in the harbor today rivals the southern ports of Jingzhou."

Yang Hong bowed his head modestly, though his eyes shone with administrative pride. "Thank you, Your Majesty. But Taipei is merely the gateway. The true strength of the island lies in its depth."

"Tell me of the development," Lie Fan ordered, leaning forward, his strategic mind eager for the logistical details. "I want to know the true extent of our grip on this land. What lies beyond the mountains?"

Yan Jun, the more meticulously detail oriented of the two governors, unrolled a beautifully drafted, highly accurate topographical map of the island on the table.

"The western plains have been almost entirely pacified and cultivated, Your Majesty," Yan Jun explained, tracing the flat, fertile coastline with his finger. "We have erected three secondary, heavily fortified cities south of Taipei. Tainan in the deep south serves as our primary agricultural staging ground. The soil there is incredibly rich. We have successfully implemented your mandates for the four crop rotation, utilizing the high yield seeds from the mainland. We are currently harvesting three massive crops of rice a year, alongside vast, sprawling plantations of sugarcane."

"Three crops a year," Zhen Ji murmured from Lie Fan’s left, her mercantile instincts instantly flaring. She looked at the map, rapidly calculating the tonnage. "Husband, if the shipping lanes are secured, the surplus grain from this island alone could entirely subsidize the food requirements of the eastern coastal provinces during a drought."

"The shipping lanes are absolute, Your Highness," General Ling Cao interjected, his voice carrying the rough, abrasive edge of a career sailor. "The Imperial Armada patrols the strait constantly. Any pirate vessel foolish enough to sail these waters is hunted down and burned to the waterline before they ever see the coast."

______________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty

Age: 37 (204 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 2325

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 11)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 1,010 (+20)

VIT: 659 (+20)

AGI: 653 (+10)

INT: 691

CHR: 98

WIS: 569

WILL: 436

ATR Points: 0