Reminder

"Rest assured, everything will be fine. It will all pass."

Seeing the Princess Wannian at a loss, Yuan Xi silently stepped forward. He reached out to gently embrace Liu Yan, whose shoulders were trembling with agitation, and continued to comfort her.

"Mm." Consoling as he was, Liu Yan felt a profound sense of comfort. At this moment, it felt as though Yuan Xi was her only reliance and her entire world.

Liu Yan's mother was a concubine of little status who had died young, leaving her as the only daughter of Emperor Ling. Although she was generally favored, she had lived in the palace since childhood, having contact only with the Emperor, her brothers, and the eunuchs and palace maids. Over the few years she had spent with Yuan Xi, her budding heart had naturally begun to harbor feelings for him.

However, Yuan Xi seemed unaware of this, maintaining a demeanor of respectful formality, which left her feeling both uncertain and dissatisfied. In truth, Yuan Xi was not oblivious, but he knew that one wrong move could be exploited by those with malicious intent, leaving him branded with the crime of seducing a princess—a situation he could ill afford. While the Yuan family did not fear such accusations, he knew that, barring any unforeseen changes, he would eventually overthrow the Liu dynasty. Thus, he did not want to be overly entangled with her. Though he was fond of Liu Yan, he could not afford to act too recklessly.

Yuan Xi suddenly thought of what might happen after Dong Zhuo entered the capital. If the brutal slaughter of the imperial clan and the abuse of princesses described in history were to occur, the fate of this young girl before him would be truly tragic.

Yuan Xi sighed inwardly. To be born into an imperial family is both a blessing and a curse. Perhaps Liu Yan was even more confused than he was? At least he had the Yuan family to protect him, but when the chaos of Dong Zhuo arrived, who would she have to lean on? At the thought of this, he felt a wave of gloom. All he could do was offer her a few reminders when the time came.

"Princess, do you... do you trust me?" Yuan Xi released her arms and whispered softly.

"Yuan... Yuan Xi, what are you trying to say?" Liu Yan blinked, raising her head to study him for a moment. Her presence had shifted entirely from a moment ago. Yuan Xi found it somewhat amusing; though Liu Yan was but a young girl, her ability to read the situation was exceptionally sharp. He wondered if this was a blessing or a tragedy for her. Was this truly the nature of a daughter of the imperial house? Deep as the sea, the gates of the nobility.

"Your Highness, if any unrest occurs in the palace, you must stay close to the Prince of Chenliu. Remember this!" Yuan Xi brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Mm!" Liu Yan gazed at him blankly for a moment before nodding softly. Princess Wannian was not foolish; she knew this man meant her no harm, and even if the country were to fall, he would not treat her poorly.

"But Xianyi, I am still afraid," Liu Yan said, clutching his arm and sobbing softly.

"Stop crying. If those outside hear you, they might wonder what I’ve done to upset you." Yuan Xi slowly wiped the tears from her small face.

Though the princess was only a few months younger than him, the richness of the imperial diet meant she had developed far more than other girls her age. Furthermore, in this era, women generally married early; in a year or two, she would truly be of age.

"Xianyi, may I marry you in the future?" Liu Yan asked weakly, whispering to him.

"Of course," Yuan Xi said, pinching her cute nose. Such a lovely princess—not to mention her beauty, her status alone meant Yuan Xi would never hand her over to someone else. He would keep her for himself. However, this required the right timing; it was not yet possible.

"But I must be clear with you," Yuan Xi said, staring into her eyes. "I already have a candidate for my wife. Even as a princess, if you follow me, you can only be an equal wife. Do you understand?"

"Mm-hmm, I don't care," the Princess Wannian chirped. "Xianyi, as long as you cherish Yan'er in the future, that is enough. You must not fail me."

Yuan Xi chuckled inwardly. Though young, this princess was sharp, constantly trying to bewitch him for fear he would not take responsibility later. Do not think this girl was naive; to survive in the palace while remaining favored required no shortage of wits. It was time to part, and Yuan Xi bid her farewell, instructing her not to wander about during this period.

Feigning ignorance of her pained expression, Yuan Xi turned and walked straight out of the palace. Gazing at the grand, imposing halls along the way, he sighed, knowing that before long, this place would likely be reduced to ruins and ash. For now, however, he could not stop it.

***

At the Yuan residence, after dinner, Yuan Xi formally introduced Zhang Hong to Yuan Shao. "Father, this is the renowned scholar from Guangling, Zhang Hong, courtesy name Zigang. He has come to fulfill our two-year agreement to teach me the classics."

Seeing how much his son valued the man, Yuan Shao stepped down from his dais. He took Zhang Hong’s hand and said, "Master Zhang, please make yourself at home. From here on, I entrust my son Xianyi to you. If there is anything you need, Master, please let us know."

"Rest assured, Lord Yuan. I will do my utmost to teach and assist the Second Young Master, in return for the kindness you and your son have shown me," Zhang Hong said gratefully. Among the great aristocratic clans, few were willing to humble themselves for the sake of scholars. While Yuan Shao certainly put on a show, he at least maintained the proper facade. As for his second uncle, Yuan Shu, that was a different matter entirely.

"Good. With you here, I have nothing to worry about," Yuan Shao said with a courteous smile. At this time, the capable men under his command included the generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou, who had come from Hebei, and the strategist Xu You, among others. Naturally, Xu You and Chunyu Qiong were old acquaintances.

Yuan Shao was happy to accept guests, though his estimation of Zhang Hong was not particularly high; he regarded him merely as a typical scholar. Little did he know, this Zhang Hong would help Yuan Xi establish a secret intelligence system and play a vital role in his struggle for succession and his wars of unification—becoming, in effect, Yuan Xi’s own Yao Guangxiao, the 'Black-Robed Chancellor.' Later, Zhang Hong would silently support Yuan Xi like a nephew or family member, much like Zhang Zhao had supported Sun Quan in history, fully earning the title of a modern Fan Zeng.

In the backyard, two burly men arrived. One was over eight feet tall, with a sallow complexion and slightly yellow, curly hair—a sign of nomadic blood. A striking scar ran beside his left eye, making him look fierce and formidable; Yuan Xi recognized him as Wen Chou. Next to him was Yan Liang, with narrow eyes and a thin mustache, possessing the air of a true commander.

Seeing them, Yuan Xi did not dare to be arrogant. He bowed and smiled, "Uncle Yan, Uncle Wen, your nephew greets you."

Seeing the respect Yuan Xi showed the unassuming Yan Liang and Wen Chou, Xu Chu, who was also present, had a few thoughts of his own. In the world of arms, there is no second place. Thus, Xu Chu proposed a sparring match.

"Fine, that sounds good. What do you two uncles think?" Yuan Xi was happy to see them spar to improve their skills.

"Err, very well, I shall oblige," Yan Liang said, forced to accept the challenge under Yuan Xi’s prodding.

***

Zhang He, courtesy name Junyi, served as General of the Right. He was one of the four great commanders and joined Yuan Shao’s staff after he took control of Jizhou. During the Battle of Jieqiao, he was rescued by Emperor Xuanwu and later seconded to Yuan Xi’s command, where he led the Great Halberd Soldiers to conquer Qingzhou, becoming as famous as Xu Huang.

Yuan Xi hailed him as a reincarnation of Li Mu. He later followed Yuan Xi in the northern campaign against Gongsun Zan and the southern campaign against Cao Cao, fighting in the First and Second Battles of Liyang. After Yuan Xi took control of Hebei, Zhang He participated in the wars of unification, earning great merit.

Later, when the Western Qiang rebelled, Emperor Ming of Jin, Yuan Rui, was ordered to lead the western expedition with Sima Yi and Zhang He as his deputies. However, Zhang He felt aggrieved by Yuan Rui. Sima Yi devised a strategy, and Zhang He died in an ambush. Emperor Xuanwu was enraged upon hearing this; he appointed the Prince of Zhongshan, Yuan Mai, as the new commander of the western expedition and ordered Sima Yi and Yuan Rui to be imprisoned and brought back to the capital.

After Emperor Gaozong of Jin, Li Zhi, ascended the throne, he cleared Zhang He's name and enshrined him in the Lingxiao Pavilion.