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

After assigning the tasks for the propaganda campaign, Lü Bu looked at Yu Jin: "Wenze, I have long heard of your strict military discipline. Although you were not involved in Cao Cao's atrocities, you are still responsible for oversight. If you are willing to surrender, I will spare your life and allow you to atone for your crimes through meritorious service. If you do not surrender..."

He paused, then said, "I will behead you along with the cannibalistic soldiers to appease the innocent people."

Yu Jin trembled and looked up at Lü Bu. He saw that Lü Bu's eyes were sharp as knives, without a trace of mockery.

After a long silence, Yu Jin knelt down in despair: "This sinful general is willing to surrender."

"Untie him," Lü Bu laughed. "With Wen Ze, I have gained another excellent general."

"Thank you, Duke Xie, for sparing my life..." Yu Jin prostrated himself on the ground.

After accepting Yu Jin's surrender, Lü Bu was in high spirits and continued to discuss the attack on Cao Cao.

Huang Zhong, still enraged, said, "My lord, Cao Cao's atrocities are intolerable to Heaven. I request to lead the vanguard, seize Pengcheng, and behead Cao Cao!"

Lu Bu calmly replied, "Cao Cao must have already received news of the fall of Qi County and is now gathering troops in Pengcheng, intending to hold out for reinforcements. Our army has been marching for days and needs a day of rest. Also, we must guard against Tao Qian's attack from the east."

He pointed to the map: "Guangqi, Liuxian, Fuyang, and Wuyuan are located around Pengcheng. The garrison there must have been transferred back to Pengcheng by Cao Cao. Our army can take advantage of this situation and seize these four counties first, isolating Pengcheng. At the same time, we can spread rumors that Cao Cao's army is cannibalizing people, thus shaking the morale of his army and the people."

Chen Gong praised, "Duke Jin's strategy is brilliant. With the four counties under control, Pengcheng has become an isolated city, without reinforcements from the outside or supplies from the inside. Cao Cao will collapse without a fight."

"It is settled then," Lü Bu said. "Today, the entire army will rest and recuperate, treat the wounded, and reorganize the surrendered soldiers. Tomorrow, we will divide our forces to take four counties, and on June 29th, we will meet at the walls of Pengcheng."

"promise!"

Chen Gong then personally drafted a proclamation, enumerating Cao Cao's crimes of plundering and cannibalism with strong language. Clerks copied it hundreds of times and handed it over to spies.

The spy leader, named Zhang Ping, was about thirty years old. He was originally a wandering knight from Yanzhou and was now the leader of a scout team in the army. After receiving the notice, he said to Chen Gong, "Prefect Chen, rest assured, I will post these notices throughout all the cities and towns of Xuzhou."

Chen Gong instructed, "This matter concerns the greater good and the hearts of the people, so please be extremely careful. If you encounter danger, prioritize your own safety."

Zhang Ping laughed and said, "I've been mingling in the streets for many years, so I have my own methods."

At midnight, dozens of spies disguised themselves as merchants and refugees, carrying notices and infiltrating various parts of Xuzhou, while also contacting other spies in the shadows to carry out their missions together.

Zhang Ping and two companions took the eastern route, disguising themselves as silk merchants, with notices hidden in their carriage. By dawn, they had reached the border between Pengcheng and Donghai County.

What I saw along the way was shocking.

The fields were desolate, the villages were ruined, and the few people who could be seen were all emaciated, their eyes filled with fear. At the entrance of one village, there were still unburied skeletons, their clothes torn, clearly the result of war.

His companion muttered a curse: "That traitor Cao has committed atrocities!"

Zhang Ping remained silent, only hurrying on his way.

By afternoon, they arrived at the outskirts of Fuyang County in Pengcheng State. The county gate was only half open, and the guards were on high alert as they passed through.

At this time, the incident of Lü Meng crossing the river in disguise had not yet occurred. The warlords and lords also needed to trade and exchange goods and information. Therefore, they treated small-scale merchants with leniency and were not very wary of each other. Zhang Ping and his companions entered the city smoothly after paying the entrance tax.

Fuyang City was also desolate, with few pedestrians on the streets and most shops closed. Zhang Ping found the market notice board and quickly posted a notice when no one was around.

Just as they finished pasting it, they heard footsteps and two Cao army patrolmen approached.

Zhang Ping walked quickly with his head down and turned into the alley.

"Halt!" The patrolman noticed something was wrong and gave chase.

Zhang Ping ran to the end of the alley, only to find it a dead end. Turning back, he saw that the patrolmen had already blocked the alley entrance.

"Who goes there? Sneaking around like that!" The patrolman drew his sword.

Zhang Ping pulled a short blade from his robes, but then heard someone on the wall behind him whisper, "Over here!"

Looking up, Zhang Ping saw a ragged boy leaning over the wall, reaching out. Without thinking, Zhang Ping took a running start, pushed off the wall, grabbed the boy's arm, and flipped him over.

Outside the wall was an abandoned courtyard. The boy pulled Zhang Ping into the woodshed.

"Thank you for saving me, young brother," Zhang Ping said breathlessly.

The boy, about fifteen or sixteen years old, was thin and bony, but his eyes were bright: "Are you men of the Duke of Jin?"

Zhang Ping asked warily, "How did you know?"

"I saw you put up a notice," the boy said in a low voice. "The Cao army came to my house to collect grain the day before yesterday. My father refused to give it to us, and they killed both my parents."

He couldn't continue, his eyes filled with tears.

Zhang Ping remained silent and patted the boy on the shoulder.

"I want revenge." The boy wiped away his tears. "I'll take you to put up the notices. I know this county well."

With the boy leading the way, Zhang Ping successfully posted three more notices on the outer wall of the county government office, at the entrance of the tavern, and next to the well. At each posting, the boy whispered to the onlookers about the atrocities committed by Cao Cao's army.

The news spread like wildfire.

"Have you heard? Cao Cao's army is out of food and has started eating people!"

"My cousin escaped from Pengcheng and said he saw with his own eyes human hands being boiled in a pot in the rear camp..."

"That damned Cao Cao! He claimed to be suppressing bandits and bringing peace to the people, yet he's such a beast!"

Public resentment began to rise.

This led to the surrender of the four counties of Guangqi, Liuxian, Fuyang, and Wuyuan when Lü Bu's army approached the city. The people were overjoyed and opened their gates to welcome the king's army, finally escaping the rule of the cannibalistic demon Cao Cao's army.

Meanwhile, other spies were also spreading the news in Xiapi, Langya, and Donghai counties. Tao Qian already had many refugees who had fled from Pengcheng, and they were even more terrified upon hearing this.

On the 28th of June, in Donghai Commandery, Tan County, the seat of Xuzhou, the governor's office.

Tao Qian, who had been ill for a long time, sat on his couch, holding a copy of the proclamation copied by his spies, his hands trembling. Below him, civil and military officials, including Prefect Mi Zhu, Administrator Sun Qian, Agricultural Commandant Chen Deng, and Cavalry Commandant Cao Bao, stood separately.

Mi Zhu spoke first: "My lord, Cao Cao has been using his troops to eat people and has lost the hearts of the people. Now that Lü Bu's army is pressing on the border, Pengcheng will surely fall. If we in Xuzhou help Cao Cao rebel against Lü Bu again, we may be inviting disaster upon ourselves."

Cao Bao declared righteously, "Lü Bu is a traitor to the state, holding the emperor hostage to command the other lords. Although Cao Cao has made mistakes, he is ultimately an ally in the fight against Lü Bu. If we stand idly by and watch Pengcheng fall, Lü Bu's next target will surely be Xuzhou!"

Sun Qian shook his head: "Commander Cao, Cao Cao has committed such heinous acts, arousing the wrath of both Heaven and man. If we in Xuzhou assist him, we will surely lose the hearts of the people. Moreover, Lü Bu's power is immense; he captured Jianmen Pass and Mianzhu in a single day, and gained control of the province within a month. How can human strength resist such supernatural powers?"

Chen Deng pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, it would be better to remain on the sidelines and observe. Let General Cao Bao station his troops at Yinping, but do not engage in battle. If Lü Bu attacks Pengcheng, we can wait and see; if Lü Bu attacks Xuzhou, it will not be too late to fight."

Tao Qian was sixty-three years old, his hair and beard all white, and his face was full of worry: "If Lü Bu breaks through Pengcheng, he will surely take Xuzhou. But to help Cao Cao, alas, such a heinous act of cannibalism is truly intolerable."

During the discussion, a messenger urgently reported: "My lord, the four counties of Guangqi, Liuxian, Fuyang, and Wuyuan have all surrendered to Lü Bu! The garrison troops fled without a fight, and the people opened the city gates to welcome the Duke of Jin!"