Chapter Nine: Five Years Later

Time flew swiftly by, and in the blink of an eye, five years had passed. It was now the year 181 AD, the fourth year of the Guanghe era, in the third month. On this very day, Liu Yao was preparing his annual summary. He was now twelve years old, and perhaps due to his enhanced physique, he stood nearly one meter seventy, his appearance that of a graceful and handsome youth.

Within the study of Cai Yong’s residence, Liu Yao sat idly leafing through the account books. For most of these years, he had lived in Cai Yong’s household. From time to time, he would present the finest Huoyun liquor to Emperor Ling of Han, who, rather than objecting, was actually pleased to let Liu Yao dwell outside the palace. Of course, Liu Yao would occasionally return to the palace to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Dong, for whom he held deep affection.

“Shi Ah, go and call Zhang Fang here,” Liu Yao said to a young man of about twenty at his side.

“Yes, sir.” This man was Wang Yue’s personal disciple, his martial prowess only a shade less than his master’s. As for Wang Yue himself, once Liu Yao had amassed enough wealth, he had been ordered to train a force of five hundred elite deathsworn, named the Shadow Group. Each of these men was a master assassin, most of whom Wang Yue had dispatched across various regions to gather intelligence. Under Zhang Fang’s direct leadership, the merchant guild had trained a force of three thousand guards. Termed “guards,” but should war arise, they would become battle-hardened veterans on the field. This was the sum of Liu Yao’s current strength.

“Greetings, my lord!” Zhang Fang had arrived.

“Ah, Zhang Fang, you’re here.” Liu Yao set aside the account book, rubbing his brow to ease his fatigue. He was never adept at bookkeeping, and after only a short while, his head spun. “Report to me today’s income and the state of our supplies.”

“Yes, my lord. This year, our Huoyun Trading House has made a profit of one hundred and fifty thousand gold purely from liquor and exquisite chairs. Counting in grain, silk, and other trades, total profits amount to around two hundred thousand gold.”

“That much?!” Liu Yao was astonished.

“Indeed, my lord. The chairs you designed last year have become all the rage; everyone loves them. Naturally, our profits have soared compared to last year.”

“How are our grain reserves? And what of the production of repeating crossbows and saddles and horseshoes?” Liu Yao pressed on. The blueprints for the ten-shot repeating crossbow and the saddles and horseshoes were prizes he had won over the past five years, and when he first acquired the repeating crossbow’s plans, his delight knew no bounds. For both infantry and cavalry, such a weapon would be a devastating force, and the saddles and horseshoes were invaluable aids in training cavalry, drastically improving their effectiveness and reducing horse mortality rates. Of the three remaining chances, Liu Yao had been so frustrated that words failed him.

The chair business had sprung from Liu Yao’s discomfort with kneeling; out of boredom, he had ordered one to be made so he could sit in comfort. Unexpectedly, when Zhang Fang saw the novelty, he instantly recognized its commercial potential. Soon, having a chair became a status symbol across the imperial capital—no household dared face their neighbors without one. Even other provinces had seen the spread of Huoyun Trading House.

“My lord, our grain reserves have reached four hundred thousand shi. As for saddles and horseshoes, we can now fully equip a cavalry force of ten thousand. What we lack are the horses and the cavalrymen. The repeating crossbows, however, are complex to produce—so far, we have just over three thousand, enough to arm our elite guards.”

Liu Yao furrowed his brow. “We must continue building our grain reserves and accelerate production of the other equipment. As for horses, the time is not yet right—a large-scale purchase would attract unwanted attention.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“You may both withdraw now. Leave me in peace for a while,” Liu Yao said, waving them off.

“Yes, my lord,” they both replied, taking their leave.

Liu Yao rose and walked to the window, gazing out at the lush greenery and breathing in the fresh air. Much of his fatigue melted away. “Almost everything is ready. It’s time to set the plan in motion—the age of chaos draws near,” he murmured, frowning. Even now, he could not be certain his plans would succeed. “I’ll face each challenge as it comes.”

Just then, a shadow darted into the study, and a small hand seized his arm. “Brother Yao!”

“Yan’er, it's you.” The moment Liu Yao saw that it was Cai Yan, his frown melted away. Over the years, the two had often played together, composing poetry and songs—a true childhood bond, their affection deep and genuine. Cai Yan was now ten, already graceful and elegant.

“Brother Yao, what’s wrong? You seem unhappy,” Cai Yan whispered, noticing his persistent frown.

“It’s nothing,” Liu Yao forced a smile.

“Hmph, you’re lying. Your smile is uglier than if you were crying,” Cai Yan pouted, stamping her foot.

“Alright, alright, don’t be angry. Look at your little pout—it could hang an oil bottle!” Liu Yao teased.

“Pfft, you’re the one who could hang an oil bottle!” Cai Yan giggled. “How about I play a tune for you, Brother Yao?”

“I’d love that. It’s been ages since I’ve heard you play,” Liu Yao replied with delight.

“Wait right here!” she chirped, scampering out of the study.

Liu Yao chuckled, “That girl is as lively as ever.” In truth, he cherished Cai Yan’s spirited nature—perhaps a remnant of his past life’s sensibilities.

Not long after, Cai Yan returned, hugging a guqin to her chest—the famed Jiaowei Zither, her father’s most treasured instrument. Having studied music under Cai Yong, she played with great skill and had earned his trust to handle the precious zither.

Cai Yan settled before the instrument, upright and composed, and began to pluck the strings. Elegant music filled Liu Yao’s ears. Though he barely understood musical theory, her playing truly had the power to cleanse the soul. Liu Yao felt his cares ease, his brow smoothing at last.

When the piece ended, Cai Yan was fully absorbed, a fine sheen of sweat glistening on her brow. “Brother Yao, did you like it?”

“It was beautiful.” Liu Yao drew a handkerchief from his sleeve and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead. Cai Yan blushed, lowering her gaze shyly.

A cough sounded from outside the door.

“Ah!” The two turned to see—when had Cai Yong arrived? He stood there, smiling slyly at them.

“My, my, you two seem quite close,” Cai Yong teased.

“Daddy, you’re being ridiculous! I’m not talking to you anymore!” With that, Cai Yan stamped her foot, shoved past her father at the door, and ran off.

Liu Yao glared at the incorrigible old man, grumbling, “Teacher, is this any way for a father to tease his daughter?”

“Let’s not talk about that,” Cai Yong said hastily, a bit embarrassed, and changed the subject. “Yao’er, are you ready?”

At this, Liu Yao grew solemn. “I’m nearly prepared. Tomorrow, I intend to ask Father Emperor for permission to serve as an official outside the capital.”

“Yao’er, are you truly ready?” Cai Yong’s concern was evident.

“I am. Now is the best moment.” Liu Yao’s resolve was unshakable. In three years—184 AD—the Yellow Turban Rebellion would erupt. If he did not go forth to build his power now, he would miss his chance to earn merit and gather displaced people to strengthen himself.

“Where will you go to serve?”

“Youzhou,” Liu Yao replied without hesitation.

“What?! Are you aware that Youzhou is not only impoverished, but also threatened at any moment by the Wuhuan tribes? How can you choose such a place?” Cai Yong was alarmed.

“No, Teacher. The presence of external enemies is an opportunity—it will be the cornerstone on which I train my troops. To me, the Wuhuan are but paper tigers. Their cavalry may be strong, but with repeating crossbows, I have nothing to fear.” Liu Yao brimmed with confidence. Historically, the heavy crossbowmen who charged first into battle were the bane of light cavalry; what then of his even more formidable repeating crossbows?

“Alas, so be it. I cannot dissuade you. Yao’er, you must take care of yourself,” Cai Yong sighed, striding from the study.

“Don’t worry, Teacher,” Liu Yao replied, his heart touched. Cai Yong was one of the few who truly cared for him.