Chapter Eighty-Six: Returning to Luoyang

At that very moment, far away in Guangzong City, Liu Yao suddenly heard a familiar voice echo in his mind.

“Congratulations, Host, on completing Mission Two: slaying Zhang Bao. You have earned five draws. Congratulations, Host, on completing Mission Three. You have earned five draws. Congratulations, Host, on completing Mission Four: a total of 89,926 prisoners captured. You have earned eight draws. The Host now has twenty-eight draws available.”

Liu Yao was first stunned, then overjoyed. “Looks like Fengxiao and the others have already killed Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang. I never expected this ancient book to even keep count of the captives on its own. How convenient.”

Then he thought of the number 89,926, and could not help feeling a little vexed. “So close to a hundred more, and I would have gained another chance. If I ever find out which bastard killed the most Yellow Turbans, I will not let him off.”

He could not help cursing inwardly at whoever had struck the hardest.

A day later, the armies led by Guo Jia and Huangfu Song all returned to Guangzong. The heads of Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang that Guo Jia brought back, together with the head of Zhang Jiao that Liu Yao had taken, were immediately sent at full speed to Luoyang.

When Liu Hong received the severed heads of the three Zhang brothers, he was overjoyed. He sent men to reward the troops and immediately recalled Liu Yao and the others to Luoyang for their honors.

Liu Hong then had the three heads hung upon the city walls, as a warning to all.

With the deaths of the three Zhang brothers, it seemed as though the world’s great chaos had been subdued. But Liu Yao knew perfectly well that this was only the true beginning of the Han Empire’s turmoil. Countless remnants of the Yellow Turbans still survived, and in years to come there would be the massive force of Zhang Yan’s million Black Mountain bandits, not to mention the strength of the many warlords who would grow even stronger.

Since he could not eliminate them in advance, Liu Yao could only strive to increase his own power. Only by possessing strength unrivaled beneath heaven could he one day rise amid the struggle for dominion and restore the Han realm. Though he was still far from that goal, Liu Yao believed that with so many blueprints in the ancient tome, all of it was merely a matter of time.

On the road back to Luoyang, the various armies also returned together to await their rewards. Of course, privately recruited forces such as those of Sun Jian and Dong Zhuo absolutely could not be brought into Luoyang; if anyone with ill intent reported it, they would be charged with rebellion, and by then there would be no way to clear their names.

But Liu Yao had no such concern. This time, he brought the five thousand men of his Vanguard Camp to Luoyang. As for the other five thousand of the Stronghold Camp, together with Gao Shun, Huang Zhong, Zhou Cang, Pei Yuanshao, and Tian Feng, Liu Yao had arranged for them to take the captured Yellow Turban prisoners to You Province. With so many prisoners this time, if no one watched over them, trouble was bound to break out.

Pei Yuanshao and Zhou Cang were recommended to Liu Yao by Guo Jia, and Liu Yao, being familiar with history, naturally knew their names. He immediately took them into his service and temporarily assigned them to work under Huang Zhong.

This time, the deaths in Liu Yao’s Stronghold and Vanguard Camps were almost negligible, no more than two hundred in total, and the wounded numbered only in the single digits. Yet the Yellow Turban soldiers who fell beneath their blades numbered certainly no fewer than fifty thousand, a testament to the extraordinary prowess of Liu Yao’s troops.

“Lord, this is really boring. Now that the Yellow Turbans are finished, I, Old Zhang, am going to be idle, and I don’t know why, but whenever I have nothing to do, I start feeling uncomfortable all over.” Zhang Fei said gloomily as he rode along.

Liu Yao gave this brute a sidelong glance. “If you want battles, that’s not hard. There will be plenty for you to fight in the future. Besides, beyond You Province there are still so many foreign tribes. If you’re feeling restless, I’ll give you a crack unit someday and let you run wild on the great grasslands.”

“That sounds great. I, Old Zhang, like that kind of life best.” Zhang Fei grinned foolishly, then asked curiously, “By the way, Lord, I’ve lived this long and never been to Luoyang. I hear Luoyang is the most prosperous place in the Han Empire. I wonder how it compares to our Ji County.”

In recent years, Liu Yao’s domain had expanded rapidly, and with the sharp increase in population in You Province, he had been forced to enlarge Ji County three or four times over. As a result, Ji County was the most bustling place Zhang Fei had ever seen.

“Yes, Lord, among us only you know what Luoyang looks like. Why don’t you tell us about it?” Guo Jia joined in. After graduating from the Yingchuan Academy, he had never had the chance to travel and see the world before the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted. Then he had been brought under Liu Yao’s wing, so he was quite curious about Luoyang as well.

“Luoyang, huh.” Liu Yao let out a long sigh. It had already been more than three years since he left that city. Unbidden, several faces surfaced in his mind: his father, the emperor who had always supported him; his grandmother in the palace, Empress Dowager Dong, who had cared for him since childhood; his teacher, Cai Yong; and that graceful figure, Yan’er, as well as the promise Liu Yao had never forgotten.

“Luoyang is not much different from our Ji County. But I’m not especially familiar with it either. If you want to know what Luoyang is like, you’ll have to see it for yourselves.” Liu Yao said helplessly. He was not lying. Given his身份, as a prince of the Han, he had spent years either in the imperial palace or in Cai Yong’s residence. He truly had not gone about Luoyang on any serious tour.

After several days on the road, the group finally arrived in Luoyang.

There were, naturally, special imperial lodgings in Luoyang for receiving distinguished guests. Guo Jia, Xun Zhicai, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun went directly there to stay. Likewise, officials from places such as Dong Zhuo and Sun Jian were arranged there as well, waiting for an audience with Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong. As for the five thousand men of Liu Yao’s Vanguard Camp, they were quartered in the military barracks of Luoyang.

The moment Liu Yao arrived in Luoyang, Liu Hong was informed and immediately sent a palace eunuch of lesser rank to summon Liu Yao into the palace.

Liu Yao naturally understood that Liu Hong had matters to discuss with him. So, not long after settling his troops, he set out at once for the palace with Shi A.

Inside the Southern Palace of Luoyang, Liu Hong had long since dismissed everyone, even Zhang Rang. Liu Yao alone entered the Southern Palace. As Liu Yao’s bodyguard, Shi A was naturally also qualified to enter the palace, though for now he waited outside.

“Your son Liu Yao pays respects to Father Emperor.” Liu Yao stepped forward quickly and bowed in greeting to Liu Hong. Yet his heart was already surging with emotion. He and Emperor Ling had not seen each other for three years, and he could not avoid feeling a deep longing. After all, Liu Hong could be said to be one of the very few family members he had in this life.

“Good, good. Rise, my son. It has been a long time since we last met, and you have grown much in these years. You have truly worked hard.” Liu Hong helped Liu Yao up with obvious excitement, then looked him over from head to toe, unable to keep a feeling of emotion from rising in his own heart.

“It was no hardship, Father Emperor. It is all what I ought to do,” Liu Yao said firmly.

Liu Hong looked at him with great satisfaction. He had seen Liu Yao’s accomplishments over the years, and knew exactly how much effort must have gone into such gains. “My son, what are your plans next?”

He had already made up his mind to act according to Liu Yao’s plan. He believed that his son possessed absolutely the ability to steady the entire Han Empire.

Liu Yao thought for a moment, then said confidently, “Father Emperor, from here on, you need only be yourself. As for the rest, your son already has his own plans.”

He did not dare disturb the course of history too much, lest something unforeseen arise.

“Oh? If my son is this confident, then so be it.” Liu Hong laughed heartily. “My son, you have slain the three Zhang brothers this time. What reward do you desire? Speak it now, so I may make the preparations in advance.”

“Father Emperor need only promote my office to Grand General of the Chariot and Cavalry. As for the other merit, it may be distributed among my subordinates,” Liu Yao said after some thought.

“Would that not be too light?” Liu Hong frowned. Compared with Liu Yao’s merit, such a reward was truly insignificant.

“If that is so, then your son would ask Father Emperor to grant me one thing instead,” Liu Yao said. But a rare flush of red crept onto his face.