Reborn In The Three Kingdoms

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

Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12

___________________________

Mi Zhu hearing that immediately bowed deeply. ”Your Majesty,” he said with solemnity, ”if you believe this humble servant worthy of such a task, I shall give my every breath and drop of ink to ensure the people’s burdens are eased, and the treasury remains a wellspring of the state.”

Lie Fan smiled faintly and nodded, pleased both by the nomination and Mi Zhu’s humble resolve. ”Then it is decided. Let it be recorded, Mi Zhu is appointed Minister of Revenue. May your guidance bring stability and abundance to the realm.”

Applause broke out, restrained but respectful.

The hall came alive again with discussion. And then, from amidst the officials, a firm voice spoke.

”Your Majesty, I wish to put forward a name for the Ministry of Works,” said Liu Ye, stepping forward with quiet confidence.

Lie Fan looked toward him with interest. ”Very well, Master Liu Ye. Tell us who you believe shall guide our laborers and artisans, who shall build our roads and dig our canals. Develop the entire land under us and make it prosperous for all.”

”Your Majesty,” Liu Ye said, ”through war, I have seen firsthand how critical infrastructure is to the lifeblood of empire. Roads, granaries, canals, walls, and tools, these are not luxuries but necessities. And I know no man more diligent, more thorough, and more attuned to the needs of builders and laborers than myself.”

A quiet murmur rippled again. Liu Ye’s self nomination was bold, but not unmerited. As an artisan and administrator of laborers under Lie Fan, he had proven himself again and again, pragmatic, competent, and fiercely focused.

”Master Liu,” Lie Fan said, ”can you ensure our roads remain open, our cities fortified, our canals hold strong, and everything developed and built stands strong?”

Liu Ye smirked. ”Your Majesty, if you approve of me, I’ll make sure even the rats in the storerooms are happy with the strong walls and roofs over their head.”

Lie Fan considered him for a long moment, then smiled faintly. ”And so you shall prove it again. Let it be known, that Liu Ye is appointed Minister of Works. Let our bridges be sturdy, our granaries stand tall, our roads lead always to peace, and our buildings stand strong until the end of times.”

Liu Ye bowed with gratitude and stepped back.

Next came the Ministry of War. Silence lingered a beat longer, this post, after all, held immense power. The sword of the state could guard or destroy. A delicate matter, given Xun You had been appointed as the Grand Commandant. The minister would handle appointments, logistics, and the empire’s vast military bureaucracy and equipment.

From among the officials, a young yet calm voice emerged.

”I would like to propose a name, Your Majesty,” said Zhuge Liang.

All turned, intrigued. The young strategist stepped forward, hands folded in perfect decorum.

Lie Fan raised an eyebrow. ”Speak then, Master Zhuge Liang.”

”For the Ministry of War,” Zhuge Liang said, ”I recommend Master Sima Yi. His understanding of military structure is unmatched. He understands the art of war as few do. But war is not merely battles, it is supply lines, discipline, and the morale of men. The Ministry of War requires not only a warrior but an organizer. Master Sima Yi is that man.”

Now, the murmurs were not only agreement but respect. Even those who disliked Sima Yi among the civil and military officials, due to his relation with Lie Fan as his brother in law, had to acknowledge his brilliance. He was sharp, cold perhaps, but absolutely effective.

Sima Yi, who was reserved, stepped forward and bowed. ”I am ready, should Your Majesty believe me suited to wield this responsibility, not in blood, but in discipline and preparation.”

Lie Fan nodded, satisfied. ”Let it be so. Sima Yi, Minister of War. Let your pen be sharper than any blade, and your order more powerful than any charge.”

Three ministries were filled. Three to go.

For the Ministry of Personnel, perhaps the most crucial in ensuring meritocracy and order in the bureaucracy, Lie Fan looked again to Zhuge Liang, who had now proven himself a voice of insight.

Pang Tong didn’t even hesitate to say the name he thought was the perfect choice. ”Your Majesty, Kongming is obviously the only choice for such a position.”

Zhuge Liang sighed. ”Shi Yuan, must you—”

”Oh, don’t pretend you don’t want it,” Pang Tong shot back. ”You’ve been mentally reorganizing the bureaucracy since you came to join me under Master Sima Hui’s tutelage.”

”I only have written reforms,” Zhuge Liang said. ”I have overseen and taken note of men of character. I have studied the Imperial Examination system and devised recommendations to strengthen it. I only want to ensure that our empire is filled with men chosen by talent, not lineage.”

Lie Fan studied him for a moment. Then he smiled again.

”You are young,” Lie Fan said. ”But greatness comes in all ages. And your vision for the realm’s talent has already begun shaping our officials. Let it be known, that Zhuge Liang is appointed Minister of Personnel. Bring us minds that will build this empire.”

Zhuge Liang bowed deeply, his eyes filled not with pride but with gravity.

For the Ministry of Justice, the murmurs began to point to one man naturally and it was Xun You the Grand Commandant who spoke it aloud.

”Your Majesty, if I may, I suggest Master Chen Gong.”

Lie Fan nodded. ”Say your reasoning, Grand Commandant.”

”Master Chen Gong has always walked a line between law and conscience,” Xun You said. ”His sense of fairness is not blind, it sees the truth and understands the spirit of the law. In a world where justice can be bent by wealth or fear, we need someone who will never bow to either.”

Chen Gong, stoic as ever, stepped forward. ”If I may serve in this role,” he said, ”I will ensure no innocent is punished, and no guilty escapes through gold or guile.”

”Then so be it,” Lie Fan said firmly. ”Master Chen Gong, appointed as Minister of Justice. May our laws be neither sword nor shield but balance for all.”

And lastly came the Ministry of Rites.

This ministry often overlooked was, in truth, the soul of the empire, where culture, ritual, faith, and diplomacy all converged.

Lie Fan now turned to the court. ”Who shall be entrusted with the soul of our dynasty?”

From among them, a warm and charismatic voice answered.

”I would like to suggest Master Lu Su, Your Majesty,” said a courtier.

Eyes turned. Lu Su, the affable and articulate thinker, had long been a bridge between factions, faiths, and traditions.

”He understands diplomacy and reverence alike,” the courtier continued. ”He has led envoys, organized rituals, and overseen the priests and monks alike without bias.”

Lu Su stepped forward, calm and composed. ”If chosen, I will ensure that the rites give honor to both Heaven, Your Majesty, and the people. That the world shall see not only Your Majesty’s power, but Your wisdom and Your civility as well.”

Lie Fan nodded once more. ”Let it be so. Master Lu Su, Minister of Rites. May our ancestors smile upon us, and our rituals bind our people in unity.”

With that, all six ministries were appointed. The hall fell into a moment of hushed reverence, not only had the highest offices been filled, but they had been filled with purpose, insight, and balance.

Lie Fan sits tall on the Dragon Throne. ”Let these appointments be recorded. Let their mandates be sealed. Let these six men serve not for glory, but for legacy. For what we build here must outlive us all.”

The moment Lie Fan spoke of the next appointments, the air in the imperial court shifted.

He had just entrusted the Six Ministries—the backbone of the state—to men of brilliance, and yet, what followed was no less significant. In some ways, perhaps even more so.

”For now,” Lie Fan said, his voice calm but carrying the weight of authority, ”we turn to those departments that do not merely serve the state, but serve the very heart of the Empire. They serve me, and through me, the Mandate of Heaven itself.”

There was a hush. Not from fear, but from gravity.

Lie Fan’s words bore the truth of imperial administration: while the Six Ministries structured governance for the realm, these next institutions were limbs of the throne itself, answering to no one but the Son of Heaven.

”The Imperial Household Department,” Lie Fan continued, ”the keepers of our imperial household and the sanctity of our palace grounds. The Imperial Archives, where our knowledge and memory are preserved. The Department of Service, for those who ensure every function of palace life continues without falter. And finally, the Censorate. Our eyes and ears, the men who rooted out corruption and investigated malfeasance.”

At the last, a current of unease ran through the room. The Censorate, though rarely spoken of with ease, was understood by all to be the shadow looming behind every administrator. They were both watchdogs and executioners in the world of officials.

Their reports could raise or ruin, and their judgments had the Emperor’s implicit backing. But what none save a trusted few knew was that Lie Fan had already created a silent blade that surpassed even the Censorate in scope, the Oriole Agents. His eyes in every city, his ears in every room, and his shadow in every shadow.

But that was for him to know. Now was the time to shape the court, as all watched with silent anticipation.

Lie Fan remained seated, but his eyes turned to a man near the second row of civil officials, Mao Jie.

”Master Mao Jie,” Lie Fan said, drawing attention with his words, ”you have long served in silence, organizing my court and ensuring harmony where others see only ceremony. You understand dignity without extravagance, necessity without waste.”

Mao Jie stepped forward and bowed deeply, face calm and composed. ”Your Majesty honors me more than I deserve.”

”Modesty suits you, but it will not excuse you from service,” Lie Fan said, his lips quirking slightly. ”You are henceforth appointed Director of the Imperial Household Department. May you serve not only the palace, but the people, for what the Emperor lives among must reflect what the Empire stands for.”

A respectful applause rippled once again through the hall. Though Mao Jie was not the most politically visible in Lie Fan’s court, his competence was widely acknowledged. Clean, efficient, and apolitical, exactly what the Imperial Household required.

Lie Fan turned to the next matter.

”The Imperial Archives. The library of our wisdom, the vault of our laws, the mirror of our memory.”

There was only one name spoken from the ranks before Lie Fan could even continue his words.

”May I suggest Master Yi Ji, Your Majesty,” came the voice of Xun You, calm and confident. ”There is no more appropriate guardian of knowledge in my mind than Master Yi Ji.” And truly, most nodded in agreement. Yi Ji had always had a penchant for scholarly thought, an unfailing memory, and a deep reverence for literature and historical precedent.

______________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty

Age: 34 (201 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 2325

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 966 (+20)

VIT: 623 (+20)

AGI: 623 (+10)

INT: 667

CHR: 98

WIS: 549

WILL: 432

ATR Points: 0