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

Inside the Duke of Jin's mansion, lanterns and decorations were everywhere, and his wives, concubines, and children gathered together.

Yan Yuan held Lü Zhao, who was just three months old, her face full of affection. Diao Chan, Aisha, Du Xiuniang, her three concubines, and her daughter Lü Qiling were also dressed elegantly and beautifully, sitting beside her.

Lu Bu sat in the main seat, looking at his wives, concubines, and children, and felt a surge of emotion. A year and a half had passed since he transmigrated. From his initial humiliating escape with eight hundred wounded soldiers to now controlling four provinces and wielding immense power, his transmigration had not been in vain.

"My lord, please have some soup." Yan Yuan personally ladled out a bowl of meat soup and placed it in front of Lü Bu.

Lu Bu took it and said gently, "You should eat more too. You've just given birth and need to take good care of yourself."

Yan Yuan smiled and said, "I am doing well. The imperial physician examined my pulse today and said I am recovering quite well."

Lu Qiling was already thirteen years old and had grown into a graceful young woman. Sitting beside her mother, she asked curiously, "Father, I heard that the military reforms are complete. Is that true?"

Lü Bu nodded: "It's done. From now on, the army will be under the control of the imperial court, and generals will no longer be allowed to privately maintain their own troops."

"What about Father's personal guard?"

"The personal guard battalion will be expanded into the Imperial Guard, numbering three thousand, still under the command of Cheng Lian, to guard the palace and the Duke of Jin's residence," Lü Bu patiently explained. "In addition, a 10,000-strong Imperial Guard will be established, under the command of Zhang Xiu, to garrison Chang'an City."

Diao Chan blinked her big eyes: "Husband, are those generals really willing to relinquish their military power?"

Lu Bu smiled faintly: "Those who are willing are fine, those who are not, get out of the camp."

The women nodded in agreement.

已经完成了编制改革的大汉朝廷新军（事实上只听吕布号令），目前被分为御林军（三千人、宿卫晋公府和皇宫）、禁卫军（一万人、驻守京城）、关中集团军（第1、2军）、雒阳集团军（第3、4军）、并州集团军（第5、6、7军）、凉州集团军（第8、9军）、兖州集团军（第10、11军）。

Apart from the 3,000 Imperial Guards, each of the remaining armies temporarily consisted of 10,000 men. Soldiers recruited from Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Zhang Yang, Zhang Yan, Ma Teng, Han Sui, the Xianbei, the Southern Xiongnu, and various local city defense offices, except for the elite soldiers, were either discharged or assigned to local police stations, post stations, etc.

Zhang Liao, who had broken out of Chang'an with Lü Bu and fought his way back, was awarded the rank of lieutenant general. Cheng Lian, Cao Xing, Wei Xu, Hao Meng, Song Xian, and Hou Cheng were all awarded the rank of major general.

Cheng Lian was appointed commander of the Imperial Guard, Cao Xing was appointed commander of the Guanzhong Army Group and concurrently commander of the 1st Army, Hao Meng was appointed commander of the 2nd Army, Hou Cheng was appointed commander of the Luoyang Army Group and concurrently commander of the 3rd Army, Song Xian was appointed commander of the 4th Army, Zhang Liao was appointed commander of the Bingzhou Army Group and concurrently commander of the 5th Army, and Wei Xu was appointed commander of the Liangzhou Army Group and concurrently commander of the 8th Army.

This was earned through their loyalty, not their abilities.

The others, Zhang Xiu, Gao Shun, Zhang Yan, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun, were all brigadier generals, serving as commanders of the Imperial Guard, the 6th Army, the 7th Army, the 9th Army, the 10th Army, and the 11th Army, respectively. Among them, Huang Zhong, the commander of the 10th Army, concurrently served as the commander of the Yanzhou Army Group, and was stationed in Yanzhou with Zhao Yun.

The Han Dynasty's new army currently has a total strength of 120,000 men, and is only under the control of the court. Their food and pay are fully provided by the court, including the personal guards of generals at all levels. No one can use food and pay to control private troops anymore.

The reformed army was completely different from the private armies of warlords. Soldiers, sergeants, lieutenants, field officers, and generals wore different insignia on their shoulders and collars according to their rank. The armor was also redesigned, with specially designed buttons for wearing the shoulder and collar insignia, making it easy to distinguish between superiors and subordinates in the army by looking at the shoulder and collar insignia.

All rations and pay were distributed uniformly by the imperial court and directly deposited into personal accounts by the quartermaster. After signing and sealing the documents, the rations were temporarily stored in the army and could be taken away when the soldiers returned home, thus preventing generals from withholding rations.

The most important reform was the organizational structure: all private armies and retinues were abolished, and the army was organized into corps, divisions, regiments, battalions, companies, squads, platoons, and units. Five major army groups were stationed in various regions, while the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Household Guard were stationed in the capital region. Generals could be transferred at any time according to Lü Bu's orders to prevent the formation of local warlords.

Lu Bu was confident that the new imperial army, after comprehensive reforms in organization, rank, salary, and equipment, even if it numbered only 120,000, could be used as a substitute for the hundreds of thousands of ragtag troops of the feudal lords.

On the first day of the first month of the fifth year of the Chuping era (194 AD), a grand court assembly was held for the New Year, during which civil and military officials entered the court to pay their respects.

After the officials paid their respects to the puppet emperor Liu Xie for the New Year, there was nothing else to do; Lü Bu simply announced a few simple decrees.

First, Liu Yu, the governor of Youzhou, was commended for his meritorious service in guarding the border and was awarded the rank of General Who Guards the East.

Second, Gongsun Zan was appointed Governor of Youzhou to oversee the military and political affairs of Youzhou.

Third, Sun Ce was appointed Governor of Yangzhou and ordered to pacify Jiangdong.

After a few orders were issued, the officials reacted with varying expressions. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that this was a scheme to sow discord.

Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu were already at odds, and now that one is the governor and the other the inspector, conflict is bound to arise again. Sun Ce has received a formal appointment from the court, and Yuan Shu will surely suspect him of having ulterior motives. The two will inevitably be wary of each other, which will consume their energy.

In addition, Guo Jia has sent spies to Youzhou to spread rumors that Liu Yu is secretly colluding with Yuan Shao and wants to attack and annex Gongsun Zan from both the east and the west.

He also attempted to bribe Xu You and Guo Tu to work for Lü Bu. Unfortunately, both men's families were in Ye City, and the attempt to persuade them to defect failed.

But when the first plan failed, the spies immediately resorted to a second one: spreading rumors that the two were secretly communicating with Chang'an to confuse the public.

Given the precedent of Chen Gong surrendering Yanzhou to Lü Bu, and considering Yuan Shao's naturally suspicious nature, even if he didn't fully trust them, he would certainly harbor resentment towards Xu You and Guo Tu.

Other advisors will also be implicated, and everyone is in danger.

……

Youzhou, with its capital at Ji County.

Inside the governor's mansion, Liu Yu received the imperial edict publicly praising him and bestowing upon him the title of General Who Guards the East, as well as the news that Gongsun Zan had been appointed Governor of Youzhou. His brows furrowed.

"What does the court mean by this?" Liu Yu asked his chief clerk, Wei You. "It's one thing to praise me, but why appoint Gongsun Zan as the governor of Youzhou? How can a province have two rulers?"

Wei You pondered, "My lord, this is Lü Bu's scheme to sow discord. Gongsun Zan is arrogant and has always been at odds with you. Even with Yuan Shao's mediation, a temporary truce and the formation of an anti-Lü alliance would only be a facade. Now that he has received a formal appointment from the court, he will surely become even more domineering."

Before he could finish speaking, a personal guard rushed in: "Report! Rumors are circulating among the people of You and Ji provinces that you and Yuan Shao are secretly plotting to join forces from the east and west to annex Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan has already mobilized his troops and seems to be making unusual moves!"

Liu Yu's face turned ashen: "That scoundrel Gongsun Zan has fallen for Lü Bu's scheme to sow discord!"

Wei You said urgently, "My lord, Gongsun Zan is brave and his White Horse Cavalry is elite. If he really raises an army to attack, our army may not be able to resist. It would be better to retreat to Yuyang for the time being, and then send an envoy to explain the situation, saying that this is a scheme by Lü Bu to sow discord, so that Gongsun Zan will not fall for it."

Liu Yu shook his head: "I am the Governor of Youzhou, how can I flee in fear of battle? Order all troops to prepare for war!"