Chapter One: Luo Ang Returns to the Three Kingdoms

“Where am I?” Roan opened his eyes, groggy and confused. He sat up, shook his head to clear it, and stood, only to find himself surrounded by dense forest. Startled, he wondered, Why am I here? Wasn’t I sleeping at home? How could I suddenly appear in this place?

A cascade of questions tumbled through Roan’s mind, each one more baffling than the last. “Strange,” he muttered, “I was just at home. How did I end up here?” As he glanced at his attire, he discovered he was dressed in ancient garments, which shocked him further.

He could hardly believe he had traveled through time, but he had no idea to which Chinese dynasty he had arrived. After all, five thousand years of history meant countless dynasties: first the ancient slave dynasties, then Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing.

Roan decided not to dwell on it. He began walking, knowing he hadn’t eaten breakfast and, as a stranger in a strange land, survival and the knowledge of which era he was in would have to wait.

Outside the city of Luoyang.

Roan, famished, walked on and soon realized he was in Luoyang, Henan. As a southerner, it was hard to imagine how he’d ended up in the north. He didn’t dare ponder too much, for hunger gnawed at him, so he entered Luoyang.

He was unaware that he was about to meet someone of great significance.

Luoyang.

Roan entered the city, observing the bustling crowds—the citizens of Luoyang going about their business. The lively scene made him uneasy; he was in an unfamiliar era and missed his home and family dearly.

As he passed an imposing residence, his vision suddenly blurred and he collapsed from hunger.

The owner of this residence was none other than Cai Yong, famed minister, scholar, calligrapher, and father of the talented Cai Yan of the Eastern Han.

At that moment, a young and beautiful woman emerged from the residence and, seeing Roan unconscious at her gate, was puzzled.

She called out to the men inside, “Someone has fainted outside! Hurry and bring him in!”

Two men rushed out, saw Roan lying at the door, and carried him inside.

The young woman instructed, “Take him to my room!”

“Yes, Miss,” they replied.

She headed to the kitchen and prepared a bowl of porridge for Roan.

Roan slowly opened his eyes, found himself lying on a couch, and sat up at once. He looked around, realizing he was in a strange place. “Where am I?” he asked in confusion.

“This is my boudoir,” came a gentle, refined voice from outside.

Roan looked toward the doorway and saw the young, beautiful woman entering with her maid.

The maid placed a tray with dishes on the table, while the young woman took a bowl of porridge from the tray.

The maid withdrew, leaving the young woman to hand Roan the bowl. “Eat while it’s hot! You fainted at my door, so I had the servants bring you to my room.”

“Thank you!” Roan said gratefully, taking the bowl from her hand and beginning to eat. “So this is your home!”

The young woman watched Roan eat the porridge she had cooked for him. “Indeed. Do you like it?”

“It’s delicious,” Roan replied.

She smiled, “I made it myself, fearing you might not like it.”

“You made this for me?” Roan was astonished.

She nodded, “That’s right.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so skilled!” Roan complimented her after tasting the porridge.

“You flatter me, sir,” she replied. “May I ask your name?”

Roan suddenly remembered he needed to have a courtesy name in ancient times. He replied, “My surname is Luo, given name An, courtesy name Zicheng. May I ask Miss’s surname?”

He took another spoonful of porridge as he spoke.

“I am Cai Yan, daughter of the current Left General Cai Yong,” she said softly.

Roan was shocked, his spoon resting in the bowl. He hadn’t expected to faint at the home of Cai Yong, the renowned Eastern Han scholar, and be rescued by his daughter, Cai Yan.

He thought to himself: So, I have arrived at the end of the Eastern Han. Since I’m here, I must make something of myself, gathering the talents of both scholars and warriors.

Cai Yan noticed Roan was lost in thought and waved her hand before him. “Sir Luo, are you alright?”

“Nothing, just a moment’s distraction. Forgive me, Miss,” Roan replied, regaining his composure.

Cai Yan said, “You should rest here. I’ll have the servants prepare a room for you.”

“Thank you, Miss,” Roan said.

Cai Yan stood and left the room.

Roan watched her go, sighed, and murmured to himself, “I never thought I would travel to the end of the Eastern Han. Soon, the Yellow Turban Rebellion will break out. After that, Dong Zhuo will enter the capital. When Dong Zhuo is killed by Lü Bu, the era of warlords competing for supremacy will begin. I don’t know how I’ll survive, being new to all this.”

He sighed again, “I always thought time travel was only found in novels, dramas, and films, but it’s happened to me. If I’d known, I would have read more of the Book of Later Han, Records of the Three Kingdoms, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

Soon, Cai Yong returned from the court. Upon entering his home, he learned from the servants that his daughter had rescued a strange man at their door.

Cai Yong said to a maid, “Ask him to come to my study.”

“Yes,” the maid replied.

Cai Yan, witnessing her father’s actions, was puzzled and asked, “Father, why do you want Zicheng to come to your study?”

“We know little about him, and I wish to test him, to see if he has the makings of a true talent,” Cai Yong replied.

After some time, Roan was summoned to Cai Yong’s study.

Roan saw Cai Yong seated at his desk, looking at him calmly. Roan bowed deeply, “Greetings, General.”

“Rise and take a seat,” Cai Yong said, pleased by Roan’s manners.

“Thank you, General,” Roan replied, taking a seat to the left, looking once more at Cai Yong.

Cai Yong asked, “Zicheng, where are you from? Why did you come to Luoyang, and why did you faint at my door?”

“I am from Yuhang. My family suffered misfortune, and the county was struck by floods, so I had to travel north. Eventually, I arrived in Luoyang and collapsed outside your residence,” Roan answered, spinning a tale. He was truthful only about his birthplace, for no one would casually invent such a detail.

Cai Yong listened, recalling his own attempts at court to persuade the Emperor to dismiss the Ten Attendants for the sake of the people, and asked, “What do you think of the current state of the realm?”

Roan, drawing upon memories and knowledge from his previous life, replied, “The people are destitute, gnawing bark and eating roots, their lives hanging by a thread. The Emperor employs the Ten Attendants, who frame loyal officials and kill faithful ministers, ignoring the suffering of the common folk. Now, the imperial relatives hold great power, the Ten Attendants please the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager sells offices and titles, favoring the Ten Attendants as much as the Emperor himself. If these three scourges were removed, the court and the people would flourish.”

Cai Yong was momentarily speechless, for Roan spoke the truth.

Seeing Cai Yong silent, Roan knew he had struck a chord and continued, “General, now the Empress Dowager holds power, much like Empress Lü did. The Ten Attendants and the imperial relatives only make matters worse.”

Cai Yong asked, “How can this atmosphere be improved?”

“It’s very difficult,” Roan replied.

“Why?” Cai Yong was puzzled.

Roan explained, “Since Emperor He, eunuchs have been favored, and through their hands, Empress Dowager Dou and her clan were eliminated. Eunuchs now attend court and govern, resulting in today’s chaos, not to mention the power of the imperial relatives.”

Cai Yong said, “Your words are reasonable, but the Emperor already trusts the Ten Attendants. Even the Grand General He Jin commands troops, and Yuan Benchu and Cao Mengde serve under him. I worry for the safety of the court.”

“I don’t believe Yuan Shao and Cao Cao genuinely support He Jin,” Roan replied.

“Why?” Cai Yong asked, curious.

“Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are both ambitious men. It is only because the Ten Attendants have corrupted the court that they support He Jin, hoping to use his hand to eliminate the Ten Attendants.”

Cai Yong was doubtful, “I can understand Yuan Shao wanting to kill the Ten Attendants, but Cao Cao is the descendant of the eunuch Cao Teng. It’s hard for me to believe he would want to destroy the Ten Attendants.”

“Cao Cao’s father was originally surnamed Xiahou, but was adopted by Cao Teng, hence the change of surname.”

After Roan’s analysis, Cai Yong asked, “Your words have expressed exactly what worries me, but how can the Ten Attendants be removed?”

“We must proceed carefully, step by step, for the Emperor depends greatly on them. If you remove the Ten Attendants, not only will He Jin’s power grow, but your family’s safety will be at risk,” Roan warned, knowing that once the Ten Attendants were gone, He Jin’s influence would rise and the safety of Cai Yong’s family would hang in the balance.

“What should I do then?” Cai Yong thought of his daughter and his family’s safety.

Roan advised, “Do not stand out. Let He Jin and Zhang Rang quarrel. This way, you can profit from their struggle.”

“But I cannot just watch as the court is ruined by He Jin and Zhang Rang!” Cai Yong protested.

“Does the Emperor still heed your advice?” Roan replied, piercing straight to Cai Yong’s heart.

Cai Yong lowered his head in thought. Roan was correct; since Emperor Ling began favoring Zhang Rang and the Ten Attendants and married He Jin’s sister as Empress, he had grown distant from loyal officials and ignored their counsel, just as Zhuge Liang later wrote in his memorial: ‘Favoring petty men and shunning worthy ministers—this is why the Later Han fell.’

Cai Yong looked up at Roan and said, “Go and rest. Let me think it over.”

Roan rose, bowed, “Yes, sir.”

Suddenly, Cai Yong remembered something and called Roan back, “Zicheng, one more thing.”

“Please speak, sir.”

“From now on, you shall live here. Treat this as your own home.”

Roan said gratefully, “Thank you, sir!” and then withdrew.