Tiger Guards

Chapter 604 Bowing Down and Compromising
In Luodu, Lü Bu expanded and restored his Grand General's Office.

Many of the former clerks who had been sent to other posts also abandoned their posts and returned to Luodu, and Lü Bu recruited them back.

His Grand General's office functions were restored, and Zhao Ji also removed Pei Mao from Xizhou and sent him to Luodu to serve as the Director of the Secretariat; the original Director of the Secretariat, Zhao Rui, was promoted to the position of Grand Secretary.

The position of Attendant-in-Ordinary in the Secretariat was also adjusted, becoming Tai Chong, Xu Si, Wang Kai, Pei Xiu, and Zhao Fan.

The Ministry of Personnel remained unchanged, and the Three Departments system was filled along with the General's Office. The Empress Regent was appointed, and a series of personnel adjustments were made in her name.

The first to be adjusted was Zhao Yan, who was removed from his post as Commandant of the Capital Region and appointed as Grand Tutor, in charge of the education of Crown Prince Liu Feng.

Next was Lü Bu, who was appointed Grand Protector, given the title of General-in-Chief, and allowed to govern as before, and was also promoted to Duke of Henan.

Last but not least was Zhao Ji, who was appointed Grand Tutor, concurrently holding the position of Grand Marshal and continuing to govern as before, and was also promoted to Duke of Hedong.

The Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince moved to Jinyang and built the Taiping Palace in the city.

Grand Tutor Zhao Ji gathered troops in Pingyang and gradually deployed them, dividing them into six routes.

Four of these routes were deployed to Chang'an and Chencang respectively; and defenses were also deployed in Yuci and Yangqu along the Taihang Mountains.

Zhao Ji personally led the central army to rest and train in Pingyang, and appointed Gan Ning as the commander of the vanguard, along with four generals: Han Meng, Wei Xing, Zhang Xiu, and Duan Wei. They were stationed in Mengjin, Hanoi, and built a front-line grain storage building to prepare food and military supplies for the subsequent decisive battle.

On August 16th, Luodu experienced a chilly autumn rain.

The upper reaches of the Luo River may have received abundant rainfall. In the general's camp south of the city, which was built along the river, Lü Bu could faintly hear the intermittent sound of the Luo River flowing.

He flipped through the military deployment map that Zhao Ji had sent him and couldn't help but laugh: "Even at this point, he's still lying to me."

This piqued Wei Yue's curiosity, so he stood up and went closer to observe. On the rough map, Zhao Ji had marked the four routes of defense with only a crude circle, inside which were the words Chang'an, Chencang, Yuci, and Yangqu.

The exact number of troops deployed and the identity of the commander were not displayed.

Strict road restrictions are now in effect. Without a travel permit or special identification, you will definitely be arrested if you walk on the official road and then assigned to hard labor nearby.

If you get caught taking a back road, you'll be assigned to hard labor.

If anyone tries to escape or resist arrest, they will be killed on the spot to earn some military merit for the patrol team.

Lu Bu didn't care much about whether or not he was a duke of Hanoi; this was just a temporary measure and would definitely be adjusted later.

He didn't really care whether it was a duke or a marquis; he cared more about whether the title was prestigious and impressive.

While others viewed kings, dukes, and marquises as having distinct social classes, Lü Bu didn't care much about that... because he was certain that there would be a change in the title of Duke of Hanoi, and he believed that Zhao Ji would give him a satisfactory explanation.

In terms of rewards, Zhao Ji was generous to his subordinates and partners alike.

The essence of everyone joining forces to rise up now is actually to rebel against the oath made by Emperor Gaozu on the white horse.

It would be truly unreasonable not to grant Lü Bu a royal title.

It was under the lure of this royal title that Lü Bu remained firmly stationed in Luozhong, protecting the operation of the Three Departments system and maintaining close contact and communication with Zhao Ji.

When it came to matters like rebellion, which required caution, Lü Bu also became more cautious, consulting with Zhao Ji on almost everything.

Although he couldn't let go of his pride for a while, he would still take the opportunity to mock Zhao Ji in front of his friends and acquaintances.

After laughing at Zhao Ji's crude military deployment map, Lü Bu composed himself and looked around at everyone, his gaze landing on Yang Jun: "Ji Cai, it's not that I'm greedy for credit, but in the battle against the rebels, we must consider the overall situation and not compete for temporary victory."

Yang Jun was also aware that during his several secret meetings with Lü Bu, they all agreed that a decisive battle could not be fought in Guandong.

We must lure the enemy deep into our territory and then annihilate them in a concentrated attack to achieve a fundamental reversal of the situation. Therefore, the Yanzhou region, which Zhang Yang is now desperately holding onto, can be abandoned. The more manpower you invest in helping Zhang Yang, the more likely you are to be overwhelmed by the rebels in the end.

Not only should Yanzhou be abandoned, but Xingyang, which Gao Shun was stationed in, should also be abandoned appropriately.

Only by continuously losing territory can the rebel leadership be put on the brink of defeat, forcing them to advance deeper into the enemy territory.

Stretching the rebels' supply lines is secondary; the key is to lure them close so that a powerful punch delivered when they get close can truly deliver a devastating blow to the rebels.

Therefore, Lü Bu wanted to personally manage the Luozhong battlefield, and he did not want Zhao Ji to intervene prematurely.

With Zhao Ji's vanguard troops stationed and deployed in Hanoi, north of Luozhong, Lü Bu could unleash his full power, lifting all restrictions and engaging the rebels in a fierce battle.

Lu Bu looked at Yang Jun and said sincerely, "I hope that Ji Cai can go and meet with the Grand Tutor to explain our military strategy. I hope he can give me three months. Within three months, even if I cannot capture Liu Bei, I can still rescue the Emperor and return him to Jinyang."

Three months was the maximum reasonable time that Lü Bu believed he could gain.

Three months later, in the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Ji's sled-mounted heavy infantry and massive cavalry force will be able to take effect.

Under the winter snow, even if the defeated side escapes, they will perish due to the freezing cold and lack of supplies.

Lü Bu did not believe that his side would fail. He did not think highly of himself or Zhao Ji, but he looked down on the armies of Guandong and the southern provinces.

Upon arriving at the destination, Lü Bu still had some concerns due to the favorable location and the support of the local people.

However, the enemy was thousands of miles away, abandoning all the advantages of fighting on their home turf; and came to fight in the familiar Luoyang area, so Lu Bu was naturally full of confidence.

So much so that when Lü Bu asked Yang Jun to see Zhao Ji, he was full of energy, as if he had become three or five years younger.

Without hesitation, Yang Jun cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Yes, sir."

After readily agreeing, Yang Jun said, "The situation in Yanzhou is not optimistic. I would like to ask you to send an order to Xingyang to provide support. Liu Bei is also a man of military knowledge and will not allow Governor Zhang to leave. I think Xingyang is bound to be short of troops. If we transfer troops from Luozhong, the road is hundreds of miles long, the officers and soldiers will be exhausted, and it will be difficult to conceal them."

Lu Bu listened patiently, and then Yang Jun changed his tone and said, "Gan Xingba, the former commander, is skilled in raids and is also a favorite general of the Grand Tutor. Your Majesty might as well write a letter to Gan Xingba and ask him to send troops to cover you. If Zhang Shijun's troops can retreat safely, that would be excellent. If the rebels are pursuing us too closely, we might as well launch a joint attack by land and water and break through their defenses!"

Everyone present waited quietly for Lü Bu's decision. Lü Bu felt that Yang Jun was trying to do business with him.

If he opposes Yang Jun's proposal, then Yang Jun will not put in too much effort in the matter of being sent as an envoy to Zhao Ji.

At present, the only option is to agree with Yang Jun's proposal. Given Yang Jun's personality, he would do anything, even if it meant breaking his head, to get Zhao Ji to postpone the expedition and give Lü Bu a chance to prove himself.

It wasn't that Lü Bu was arrogant; this battle was crucial to the status of Lü Bu's entire army in the new dynasty after the war.

If you want this chance to fight alone, you have to say something nice to Gan Ning and ask him to send troops to help support Zhang Yang.

As the governor of Yanzhou, Zhang Yang naturally had a responsibility to receive and rescue them.

Gan Ning must have had relevant military authorization from Zhao Ji. Even if it wasn't a direct troop deployment for war, but just a normal "troop deployment to provide support," Gan Ning should have understood the meaning behind it.

Once the troops are deployed, how exactly they will fight is hard to say; the frontline commanders have the authority to make their own decisions.

After much deliberation, Lü Bu decided to humble himself before Gan Ning, to say some kind words, and to ask Gan Ning for his assistance.

Seeing Lü Bu nod slightly, Yang Jun felt relieved and gained more confidence in his mission.

All parties influence each other. If they are unwilling to bow down to Gan Ning, how can Zhao Ji relinquish power?
As the former commander-in-chief, Gan Ning was not only himself, but also the representative of Grand Tutor Zhao.

(End of this chapter)