Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

Four imperial guards entered in response.

"Hold Han Rong down."

"promise!"

The guards stepped forward, two grabbing his hands and two pressing down on his shoulders, restraining Han Rong firmly.

Han Rong struggled and cursed, "Lü Bu, you traitor! You kill me today, and you will surely be punished by Heaven one day! If the ancestors of the Han Dynasty are watching from above, they will never let you go!"

Lü Bu then said, "Bring me my imperial axe."

A guard strode out of the hall and returned a moment later, holding a long axe in both hands.

The axe handle was about seven feet long, entirely black, with a wide blade that gleamed coldly. Three layers of yellow feathers were tied to the handle—the very symbol representing the highest authority of the "Acting Imperial Axe," much like the imperial sword of later generations, signifying the emperor's personal presence.

"Lu Bu! How dare you—" Han Rong's eyes were bloodshot.

Lü Bu took the axe and halberd, weighed them in his hand, and handed them to Cheng Lian: "Here you go."

"promise!"

Cheng Lian took the axe and walked behind Han Rong.

Han Rong was forced to kneel on the ground, but he still raised his head and cursed, "Traitor! Rebellious minister! I, Han Rong, was born a minister of Han, and I will die a ghost of Han! If you kill me today, someone will surely exterminate your entire clan one day! The Han Dynasty will not perish, it will not perish—"

Cheng Lian raised his axe.

Among the officials and civil servants in the hall, some closed their eyes, some turned their heads away, and some trembled all over.

Liu Xie slumped on his throne, his lips trembling, and a warm, wet sensation in his crotch—he almost urinated.

"Slay," Lu Bu uttered a single word.

The axe fell.

"puff--!"

Blood splattered three feet high.

Han Rong's head rolled several feet, his eyes wide open, his mouth still in the shape of an angry curse. The headless corpse swayed, then collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his neck, soaking the golden bricks of the main hall.

silence.

A deathly silence.

Only the sound of blood flowing could be heard.

Twelve-year-old Liu Xie stared at the severed head, his stomach churning, almost vomiting. He covered his mouth tightly, his whole body trembling like a leaf.

Yang Biao and the others turned pale, and several civil officials collapsed to the ground.

Lu Bu bent down, tore a piece of clothing from Han Rong's corpse, wiped the blood splattered on his boots, and then casually threw it on the body.

"Drag it away," he said calmly.

The guards stepped forward, lifted the body, picked up the head, and quickly retreated from the hall. Palace guards brought in buckets of water to wash away the blood, but the strong stench of blood lingered for a long time.

Lü Bu turned to Liu Xie and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we now discuss serious matters?"

Having witnessed Lü Bu commit murder before his very eyes, Liu Xie was so terrified he could barely sit still: "Alright...alright...I'll follow the General's orders!"

He was rambling incoherently, wanting nothing more than to end this nightmare as soon as possible.

Yang Biao took a deep breath, suppressing his fear, and stepped forward again: "I beseech Your Majesty to promote the General-in-Chief to Grand Marshal, concurrently holding the positions of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Commandant of the Capital Region, Duke of Jin, and bestow upon him the Nine Bestowments!"

This time, no one dared to object.

The officials all cried out in unison, "Your Majesty, please grant our request!"

The voices were in unison, yet they carried a suppressed fear.

Liu Xie nodded repeatedly: "Granted! I grant it! Everything... everything will be as you, my beloved ministers, have suggested!"

There were no more voices of opposition in the imperial court.

Lu Bu then revealed a slight smile and cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

On the seventh and eighth days of the third lunar month, the Ministry of Personnel, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Household Department, and other government offices worked together to prepare for the imperial decree ceremony.

According to ancient custom, the conferment of a dukeship required the bestowal of the Nine Bestowments. The Nine Bestowments were nine items bestowed by the emperor upon feudal lords and ministers, symbolizing the highest honor. They were: carriages and horses, clothing, musical instruments, vermilion doors, a platform for receiving guests, tiger-like guards, axes and halberds, bows and arrows, and black millet wine.

Each one has a specific form and meaning.

The Minister of Ceremonies personally supervised the construction, and the craftsmen worked day and night to complete the project.

On the evening of the eighth day, Jia Xu and Guo Jia arrived together at the General's Mansion.

Inside the study, Lü Bu was looking at a map.

"My lord, the Nine Bestowments are ready." Jia Xu presented the list.

Lu Bu glanced at it and nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, Wenhe."

Guo Jia smiled and said, "Tomorrow's ceremony will be attended by all officials, and the five schools of the Northern Army, the Tiger Guards, and the Feathered Forest Guards will all be mobilized, with a ceremonial guard of three thousand people. It will be a grand occasion."

Lu Bu put down the map: "How is the Emperor's situation?"

"I was terrified," Jia Xu said calmly. "I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly these past two days, and I jump up at the slightest noise. The imperial physician prescribed a calming soup, and only then could I manage to fall asleep."

Lu Bu sneered: "After this incident, he should know what it means for circumstances to be stronger than people."

"Where are Yang Biao and the others?"

"They're very honest," Guo Jia replied. "Yang Biao is personally overseeing the ceremony, with Zhao Wen and Zhang happy assisting. They're only asking that our lord keep his promise and spare their family."

Lu Bu nodded: "I keep my word. After the ceremony, those who wish to retire and return to their hometowns will be granted permission. Those who wish to stay will continue to be employed as long as they are truly loyal to the cause."

He paused, then continued, "Only the Han Rong family needs to be thoroughly investigated. Those found guilty will be severely punished according to the law. Those innocent will be dismissed from their posts, stripped of their titles, and expelled from the capital. Anyone who dares to slander them in private will be severely punished without exception."

"I understand." A cold glint flashed in Guo Jia's eyes.

Jia Xu then said, "There is one more matter. According to regulations, the Duke of Jin must have a fief. Our ancestral home is Jiuyuan County in Wuyuan Commandery, so let's set the fief in Wuyuan Commandery. What do you think?"

"Alright." Lü Bu thought for a moment, "Furthermore, on the grounds of my ascension to the title of Duke of Jin, a general amnesty will be granted in Bingzhou. Except for serious crimes such as treason, murder of relatives, and the slaughter of Han people by foreign tribes, all other minor crimes will be pardoned."

This is a move to win people's hearts.

"My lord is wise," Jia Xu noted.

The three discussed some details until late at night.

On the ninth day of the third lunar month, the weather was perfect, with clear skies and no clouds.

Martial law was imposed inside and outside Chang'an City. From the imperial palace to the altar in the southern suburbs, there was a guard every five steps and a sentry every ten steps.

The five schools of the Northern Army—the Tunqi, Yueqi, Infantry, Changshui, and Shesheng—totaling four thousand men, lined up along the official road. The soldiers were all dressed in brand-new leather armor, carrying long halberds, and their banners fluttered in the wind.

Five hundred Tiger Guards and five hundred Feathered Forest Guards were assigned as ceremonial guards, while the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guards were responsible for maintaining order.

At the beginning of Chenshi (7:00 AM), all the officials gathered in the front hall of Weiyang Palace, and then left the palace to head towards the altar in the southern suburbs.

The altar in the southern suburbs is nine zhang high, divided into three levels, and built of bluestone, with twelve large drums standing around it.

An incense table and sacrificial vessels had been set up below the altar, with two hundred musicians from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices lined up on both sides, complete with bells, chimes, drums, zithers, flutes, and pipes.

Liu Xie first ascended the altar and offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth.

The ceremony was elaborate and lasted a full hour.

At 10:00 AM, the appointment ceremony officially began.

Grand Commandant Yang Biao, as the head of the Three Dukes, carried a sandalwood box and ascended to the second level of the altar. Inside the box was the official document from the court formally conferring upon Lü Bu the title of Duke of Jin.

Yang Biao unfolded the silk scroll and read it aloud:

"On the ninth day of the third month of the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Chuping of the Great Han Dynasty, I respectfully inform Heaven and Earth and the gods: There is now a General Lü Bu, courtesy name Fengxian, a native of Jiuyuan County, Wuyuan Commandery, Bingzhou. Since the killing of Dong Zhuo and Li Guo..."

The voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the altar.

"I, by the mandate of Heaven, rule over all lands. Rewarding merit and punishing transgression is the duty of a ruler. Now, I break with ancestral rules and elevate Lü Bu to the title of Duke of Jin, with the fief of Wuyuan Commandery in Bingzhou, a hereditary title. He is further granted the titles of Grand Marshal, Chancellor of the Imperial Secretariat, and Commander of the Capital Region, with the authority to command troops, wear sword and shoes in the imperial court, and be exempt from hasty steps upon entering the court, and from being named during audiences. I bestow upon him the Nine Bestowments to signify his extraordinary honor!"