Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 189 Lu Bu, the Fierce Tiger
Jinyang.

As Zhang Xian listened to his guards' detailed report on the Yin Pavilion trip, a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

"Ding Jianyang is ultimately pragmatic." Zhang Xian picked up his teacup and took a sip.

He said to Xun Yu, who was standing to the side.

"He knew this was a dead end, but he dared not disobey. First, he used me to suppress Lü Bu's prestige among his troops and consolidate his military power."

Furthermore, the civil service position he held over him, coupled with Fengxian's unruly and rebellious nature, meant that if he continued to stay by Ding Yuan's side and be suppressed like this, he would eventually harbor resentment.

"It would be better to borrow it for now; the tiger of Bingzhou will ultimately need to be nourished with blood."

Xun Yu nodded.

"My lord is wise. Lü Bu's reputation for bravery in Jiuyuan is well-deserved. If we can subdue him, it will be like adding wings to a tiger. However, we must be cautious about his temperament."

Zhang Xian raised his hand: "It's alright. People with this kind of temperament can be subdued by force and treated with sincerity. I happen to have both of those qualities."

"Send a letter to Zilong and the others, telling them that Lü Bu is coming. Although he will be under their command, they should still give him a heads-up in private. Lü Bu is a fierce tiger. If used well, he can harm the enemy; if used poorly, he can also devour his master."

While utilizing his strength, we must also be careful to restrain him, lest he become arrogant and domineering, thus ruining the overall situation in Xihe.

Pay special attention to his relationship with Wen Yuan. Wen Yuan is young and impetuous, while Lü Bu is proud and arrogant; lest a conflict arise.

“I understand.” Xun Yu noted down the key points.

"Furthermore," Zhang Xian's eyes flashed with a glint of shrewdness.

"When Lü Bu goes there, those stubborn tribes remaining in Xihe will be a good whetstone. Tell Zilong and the others to let Lü Bu fight without restraint! The more he fights, the better! The more he kills, the more afraid the remaining tribes will be!"
A reputation earned through battle is more effective than a thousand words of appeasement! It's also a good opportunity for Lü Bu, this fierce tiger, to unleash his fury on the Xihe grasslands, preventing him from developing health problems due to a lack of opportunity to use his strength.

"Yes!" Xun Yu replied.

A few days later, Lü Bu, along with Gao Shun, Wei Xu, Song Xian, and two hundred personal guards, each on two horses, headed straight for Jinyang.

The iron spear in his hand had been replaced with a double-toothed halberd just like the one in Zhang Xian's hand, but his double-toothed halberd weighed less than six pounds, which was not as heavy as Zhang Xian's halberd that weighed dozens of pounds.

Daling County.

Zhao Gou received a secret letter from Zhang Xian and a notification of Lü Bu's imminent arrival.

He put down the letter, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling scene of land reclamation and city construction outside the city, his brows furrowed slightly.

“Lu Bu…” Zhao Gou murmured to himself.

He had naturally heard of this fierce general who was quite famous among the border troops of Bingzhou.

Not only had I heard of him, but I had also seen him. In fact, I had met him twice before. The first time was at Yinguan, when my brother Xian was the magistrate of Lüqi County and was summoned by the governor to pay him a visit.

At that time, Xian Ge fought with Lu Bu and was defeated in one move; his martial arts skills were just so-so.

The second time was in Luqi County, where his own brother Xian fought against three Lu Bu, but he still couldn't defeat him.

"Lieutenant Zhao," the deputy general said with some concern.

"I've heard that Lü Bu is arrogant and will be difficult to control this time. If he acts rashly and disobeys orders, it will ruin the general's strategy..."

Zhao Gou turned around, his face now composed: "It's alright."

"Taiyuan is not Yanmen, and we are not just for show. If he dares to act wildly, our lord has plenty of ways to deal with him!"

He paused, then ordered, "Pass down the order: General Lü Bu is a general under Governor Ding. He has come to assist in the battle on the orders of our lord. You must treat him with the utmost courtesy."

Their troops were assigned camps near the training grounds for easy deployment, and their food and supplies were provided to them at the highest standards.

Furthermore, all battalions and units must intensify drills; military appearance and duties must not be neglected!

"Yes, sir!" The lieutenant understood immediately.

Treating others with courtesy is the rule, but flexing our muscles is our confidence! We also want to show Lü Bu what our nomadic army is like!

Four days later, Lü Bu led his army to Taiyuan.

Zhang Xian personally greeted them, which shows how much importance he attached to the occasion.

Outside the city gate, when Lü Bu saw Zhang Yingzi, he dismounted. Not only him, but Gao Shun and others, as well as two hundred personal guards, also dismounted and knelt to pay their respects.

"We pay our respects to Zhang Zhonglang!"

"Hahaha, Fengxian's here! I've been waiting for you for so long! Come on, let's go into the city and have a good drink!"

Mo Ying ran a few steps to the front of the generals, and Zhang Xian dismounted to help Lü Bu up, laughing loudly.

Lu Bu was moved, and his gratitude to Zhang Xian for recognizing his talent deepened.

If it weren't for Zhang Zhonglang's summons, he might have remained a civil official for a long time.

He declared firmly, “I can never repay the kindness of Zhang Zhonglang. Right now, the people of the Xihe Grassland are ambitious and treacherous. With Zhonglang summoning me, how can I possibly drink and make merry!”

"I urge General Xu Bu to proceed to Daling County immediately. I and my comrades are willing to eliminate the threat to Xihe for General Xu Bu!"

A hint of satisfaction appeared in Zhang Xian's eyes. He nodded and patted Lü Bu's hand: "Fengxian, you are very thoughtful. When you go to Xihe, Fengxian, you must take good care of yourself and not put yourself in danger."

"Guards! General Lü refuses to enter the city. Quickly bring over the things I prepared for General Lü and his generals!"

"promise!"

The guards behind him surrendered and ran into Jinyang City.

Zhang Xian continued chatting with Lü Bu, while also extending his regards to Gao Shun and the other soldiers.

"Fengxian, Xihe Commandery has been lost for a long time. I have stationed troops in the three counties of Daling, just in time to recapture Xihe when our supplies are plentiful. When you go there, you must show the spirit of the sons of Han!"

"I will obey Zhonglang's orders!"

The elite cavalry of Yanmen responded in a deep voice, and then a series of footsteps came from behind the county gate.

A train of flatbed carts came quickly, with weapons made of fine iron and exquisitely crafted iron-inlaid armor arranged on the carts.

When Zhang Xian saw that the goods had arrived, he smiled and said to Lü Bu, "Come on, Fengxian, take a look at the fine armor I prepared for you!"

As he spoke, he opened a box at the front of the cart. Inside, a dark light shimmered, and armor plates were stacked in circles. When Zhang Xian lifted the two shoulder straps in the center, the armor was straightened.

The style is very similar to his own heavy armor, both being infantry armor styles. However, unlike his heavy armor, this armor has no lining, and the armor plates are connected and woven together by leather ropes.

The weight has been reduced significantly.

Lu Bu's eyes lit up the moment he saw it, and not only him, but the eyes of all the soldiers present were also bright.

The craftsmanship of this nail is superb; each nail plate is exceptionally neat, as if it were carved from a single mold.

The leather cords and nail plates are the same color, and if you don't look closely, it seems as if this set of armor was pulled and pieced together by an invisible force.

Besides the armor, the box contained other items, including a helmet, gauntlets, and arm armor.

Zhang Xian handed the infantry armor to Lü Bu, asking, "Does this armor suit your taste, Fengxian?"

At this moment, Lü Bu was speechless. He clasped his hands and bowed, his expression slightly excited: "Your kindness, General, I will repay you with my life!"

"I'm glad Fengxian is satisfied." Zhang Xian said cheerfully, then looked at Gao Shun and the others: "Boping, these sets of armor are for you."

He greeted Gao Shun, Wei Xu, Song Xian, and the others.

The three approached and bowed.

He opened the three boxes and took out three sets of equally well-made lamellar armor, handing them to the men one by one.

"On your journey to Xihe, I hope you will all assist Fengxian well. On the day of your success, I will personally celebrate your victory!"

"I will die for Zhonglang!"

Gao Shun and the other two knelt down and respectfully accepted the armor with great excitement.

They're all soldiers; how could they not know whether A is good or bad?

Although these suits of armor are not as dazzling as those of our general, they are by no means inferior. The lining, the armor plates, the workmanship—everything about them is top-notch.

For a military general, having such a set of armor is practically like having a second life!

No wonder they couldn't control their emotions.

"In addition, these items on the vehicle are also prepared for Fengxian's personal guards. The weapons and armor are all made by master craftsmen from Jinyang."

"Gentlemen! I, Zhang Xian, have always been known to reward merit and punish wrongdoing. I hope that you will obey my orders on your journey to Xihe. Once an order is given, you must obey it!"

"promise!"

The two hundred soldiers, along with Lü Bu, Gao Shun, and others, all bowed and agreed.

Their eyes were filled with admiration as they looked at Zhang Xian. No wonder such a commander could control half of Bingzhou in such a short time!
This is a truly great ruler!
Two days later, Lü Bu led his army to the outskirts of Daling City.

Zhao Gou and a group of military officers came out of the city to welcome them.

Lu Bu sat upright on his horse, looking at the city before him that was rapidly recovering its vitality.

The spirit and morale of the Youyi Army far surpassed that of the Yinguan Army! Their confidence and discipline emanating from within, along with the subtle sharpness they exuded, made even this veteran general on the battlefield secretly tremble.

"General Lü has come from afar, you must be tired from your journey! I am here to await your arrival, General, on the orders of my lord!" Zhao Gou clasped his hands in greeting first, his voice steady and powerful.

Lü Bu dismounted with a swift and agile movement, and returned the salute with clasped hands: "General Zhao, you are too kind! I have come on the orders of Prefect Ding and General Zhang, and await your command!"

His voice was loud and clear, without the aggressive tone that Zhao Gou had expected.

Zhao Gou breathed a sigh of relief.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he stepped aside to make way: "General Lü, please enter the city! The barracks are ready. Once you are settled, we will discuss the military situation in detail. The remaining enemies in Xihe have not yet been eliminated, and we need your sharp sword to cut down all the disloyal ones!"

A glint flashed in Lü Bu's eyes, and he strode confidently through the gates of Daling City, accompanied by Zhao Gou.

The elite cavalry behind him, also filled with curiosity, followed him into the bustling new city.

Lü Bu and his entourage were settled in a newly established camp west of Daling City, which was conveniently located next to the drill ground.

Although the barracks were newly built, they were sturdy and clean, with mountains of grain and ample supplies, far exceeding the treatment they received at the Yin Guan.

Looking at the brand-new camp and the piles of fine supplies, Gao Shun, Wei Xu, Song Xian and the others felt much less uneasy about leaving their homes, and were even more grateful for Zhang Xian's kindness.

Lu Bu, on the other hand, was more interested in the weapons and armor produced by the Jin Yang Craftsmen's Camp that had been issued to him.

His personal guards were equipped with newly forged longswords and leather shields, and some were also issued new crossbows with far greater power and range than those they had used before.

He himself carefully put on the dark, heavy infantry armor that Zhang Xian had bestowed upon him.

The armor plates fit snugly, allowing for free movement, yet their protective capabilities far surpass those of his previous fish scale armor.

When he appeared in the camp fully armored and holding the specially forged double-toothed halberd, the two hundred elite cavalrymen all looked at him with awe.

"Fine armor! Fine halberd!" Lü Bu stretched his limbs, feeling the sense of security and power brought by the armor, and a surge of heroic spirit rose in his heart.

Zhang Zhonglang treated him very well!

The following day, the three military officers of the Colonel's Office held a meeting.

Zhao Yun sat in the main seat, with Zhao Gou and Zhang Liao on his left and right respectively. Lü Bu sat in the first seat below Zhao Gou, with Gao Shun and others standing behind him.

A large map of Xihe County hangs on the wall, clearly marking mountains, rivers, tribes, and grasslands.

“General Lü,” Zhao Yun said in a calm voice, getting straight to the point.

"In the southeast of Xihe County, after our troops blocked the enemy in the previous battle, most of the territory has been pacified. However, although the Xifeng tribe has been destroyed, its scattered soldiers and some stubborn small tribes still harbor treacherous intentions and often come close to scout."

This is a deep-seated problem; if it is not eliminated, Xihe will never be at peace.

He pointed to the massive, winding shadow of the Lüliang Mountains on the map: "The Lüliang Mountains are a natural barrier separating Taiyuan from Xihe. Although the mountains are treacherous, they are not inaccessible by road."

"The Xifeng tribe's previous raid on the border was successful because they discovered a secret passage unknown to us, allowing them to bypass the Zi clan and head straight for Daling. If this passage is not under our control, it will remain a hidden danger!"

Lu Bu stared sharply at the map, and upon hearing this, he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "What Colonel Zhao said is absolutely right! I have been in Jiuyuan and Yanmen for many years and know the habits of the barbarians very well."

They hide in the mountains and forests, adept at exploring hidden paths; surely they possess routes unknown to us. I, Bu, volunteer to lead my elite cavalry deep into the western foothills of the Lüliang Mountains, firstly to wipe out the remaining enemy forces, and secondly to search for and seal off all secret passes accessible to men and horses! I, Bu, pledge my military command: I will not return until the remaining enemy forces are eliminated and the passages are discovered!

A hint of approval flashed in Zhao Yun's eyes; Lü Bu's volunteering was exactly what he wanted.

He cupped his hands in greeting: "General Lü is both brave and resourceful, and is well-versed in the affairs of the Hu people. He is indeed the best candidate for this position. A portion of the Yunzhi Cavalry can be assigned to General Lü as his vanguard scouts and provide support."

Zhang Liao raised his thick eyebrows, showing a hint of eagerness: "General Lü is incredibly brave; these mere remnants of the enemy are no match for him! I can also send some elite troops from my cavalry to join General Lü in a joint attack, ensuring that those barbarian rabble will have nowhere to escape!"

Lu Bu sensed their sincerity, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

The soldiers under Zhang Zhonglang's command were truly united in their efforts.

He nodded slightly and said proudly, "Why should we trouble the two generals with just a few remaining bandits? My own troops are sufficient!"
As for providing support, once Bu finds the bandits' lair, he will signal with beacon fires!

After a moment's thought, Zhao Yun made his decision: "Very well! In that case, we shall grant General Lü's request! General Lü, lead your two hundred elite cavalrymen and set off immediately to penetrate deep into the western foothills of the Lüliang Mountains, wipe out the remaining enemy forces, and search for secret paths!"
My unit will dispatch thirty elite cavalry battalions, led by experienced and capable military officers, to serve as scouts and eyes and ears for General Lü!

Wen Yuan, your unit is guarding the strategic point of Pingtao, closely monitoring movements outside the mountains, and ready to provide support at any time! A Gou is stationed at Daling, overseeing the overall situation and ensuring the supply of provisions and military provisions!

"Yes, sir!" the four replied in unison.

The western foothills of the Lüliang Mountains are characterized by high mountains, dense forests, and crisscrossing ravines.

This area is far from river valleys and grasslands, with a harsher climate and difficult living conditions.

Lü Bu led two hundred elite cavalrymen, like tigers released from their cages, and plunged headlong into the vast mountains.

Unlike ordinary generals who proceed cautiously step by step, he fully utilized his experience as a veteran of the border army and his keen battlefield sense.

He is extremely good at finding clues from the smallest details.

The trampled grass, the still-warm ashes from the recently extinguished fire, the way the gnawed animal bones were arranged, and even the faint smell of livestock and cooking smoke carried on the wind, all became clues for him to pinpoint his target.

His cavalrymen were mostly veterans from the border regions of Jiuyuan and Wuyuan, who were also skilled in this art.

Guided by the cavalry scouts sent out by Zhao Yun, Lü Bu's army, like precise hunting dogs, could always find those bandit camps that thought they were perfectly hidden.

(End of this chapter)