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

October 15th, Yiwu, Yihe Commandery.

Zhan Ping stood atop the city wall, gazing at the western Gobi Desert with deep concern.

Three days ago, Ma Chao led 3,000 elite cavalry from Liangzhou to Yiwu, greatly boosting the morale of the city's defenders. However, news from the Western Regions Prefectural Office was worrying—the Xiongnu had destroyed the three kingdoms of Cheshi Rear, Beilu, and Dongqiemi, and crossed the Tianshan Mountains to begin attacking the Cheshi Front Royal Court at Jiaohe City, as well as the Wuji Colonel City at Gaochangbi and the Western Regions Prefectural Office at Liuzhong City.

Ma Chao has led his army to support the Western Regions Prefectural Government, but Ma Chao's army did not carry much food and supplies. Is this a viable strategy for fighting?

……

Thirty li east of Liuzhong City, Ma Chao was asking his deputy how far it was from the Western Regions Prefectural Office of Liuzhong.

Just then, a scout came to report: "General, a hundred or so Xiongnu cavalry have been spotted ten miles to the west!"

A glint of light flashed in Ma Chao's eyes, and he said excitedly, "We've finally arrived! Vice General Wang, you lead the main force to follow us. I'll lead my personal guards to wipe out their cavalry and blunt their morale."

Deputy General Wang said urgently, "General, the Xiongnu scouts are just scouts; there must be a large army behind them. We should be careful and surround them with our main force."

Ma Chao said arrogantly, "A mere hundred or so Xiongnu cavalrymen are nothing to speak of. When my Xiliang cavalry roamed Liangzhou, these barbarians were still herding sheep on the grasslands. Don't worry, Vice General Wang, I'll be right back."

Having said that, Ma Chao mustered two hundred elite cavalry, broke away from the main force, and galloped off into the distance.

Unable to stop Ma Chao, Vice General Wang had no choice but to order the army to speed up and go to provide backup, in order to prevent Ma Chao from having an accident.

Ma Chao led two hundred cavalrymen westward at breakneck speed, and in less than a quarter of an hour, they encountered the Xiongnu scouts.

This group of about a hundred Xiongnu scouts were scouting when they saw the Han cavalry charging towards them and hurriedly assembled to meet the attack.

Ma Chao charged ahead, his spear like a dragon, straight into the enemy ranks. A Xiongnu centurion raised his spear to meet him, but Ma Chao struck him down from his horse. Two hundred Xiliang cavalry followed closely behind, like tigers among sheep, cutting down the Xiongnu scouts as easily as chopping vegetables.

The battle ended in less than fifteen minutes. More than seventy Xiongnu cavalrymen were killed, and the rest scattered and fled.

Ma Chao reined in his horse, watched the fleeing Xiongnu soldiers, and did not pursue them.

"General, why don't we give chase?" the captain of the personal guards asked.

Ma Chao gazed westward: "These lowly soldiers are of no use in pursuing them. Let them go back and report to Xubu Danghe that the Han army has arrived. This will allow him to turn around and fight against me, slowing down our strong attack on Liuzhong and Gaochangbi."

"Should we speed up our march to avoid the fall of Gaochangbi and Liuzhong?"

Ma Chao nodded: "Let's head to Liuzhong first to intimidate the Xiongnu and let the garrison know that the imperial reinforcements have arrived. We'll also inform Vice General Wang to lead the follow-up army to continue the advance."

"promise!"

……

Liuzhongcheng was the location of the Western Regions Prefectural Governor's Office.

This city, once a symbol of the Han Dynasty's rule in the Western Regions, has now become a stronghold of the Xiongnu.

The city walls were damaged in many places, and the flags flying on the walls were no longer Han flags, but Xiongnu wolf-head flags made of animal hides. Broken pottery jars, torn cloth, and dried bloodstains were scattered on the streets.

The former residence of the Western Regions Chief Administrator has now become the temporary palace of King Zuo Dulu, Xubudanghe.

In the main hall of the mansion, Xubudanghe, shirtless, sat leaning against a folding chair covered with wolf skin.

He had a trembling Western Region girl in his left arm—she was a girl his subordinates had just snatched from the Cheshi tribe, only fifteen or sixteen years old, with tear stains on her face.

Subudangha held a roasted lamb leg in his right hand, tearing into it with large bites, grease dripping from the corners of his mouth.

Below the hall, several Xiongnu centurions were kneeling and reporting.

"Your Majesty, the Dongqiemi tribe has been basically wiped out. We have obtained more than 5,000 head of cattle and sheep, 800 shi of grain, more than 10,000 bundles of winter hay, and more than 200 women." A centurion with a face full of scars grinned and said, "Those Dongqiemi men who resisted were all killed; those who submitted were taken as slaves to help us transport grain and hay."

Xubudanghe threw the sheep bone on the ground, wiped his mouth, and said, "Alright, what about the front of Cheshi?"

Another centurion stepped forward: "The king of the former Cheshi tribe fled into Gaochangbi (Wuji Xiaowei City) with some of his family and nobles. We attacked twice, but the walls were too high and we couldn't get through. However, we swept through all the Cheshi settlements on the outskirts and looted a lot of things."

Xubudanghe asked, "How is the Gaochang Bi now?"

The third centurion replied, "They're still surrounding it. The Han court's Wuji Colonel, along with several hundred Han soldiers, the families of Han officials from the Western Regions' Chief Administrator's Office who fled inside, and the families of the kings and nobles of Cheshi, Beilu, and Dongqiemi, totaling two or three thousand people, are holed up in the city and won't come out. We tried to attack the city, but dozens of our brothers died. The city walls are too high and too thick, much stronger than Jinman City; we can't break through them."

Xubudanghe sneered: "No need for a direct assault, just surround it. Gaochang Wall is just a Han army stronghold, originally with only a few hundred garrison soldiers. How much grain could they possibly have? Now, we'll cramm two or three thousand men in. Let's see how long they can hold out! Once their grain runs out, they'll naturally open the gates and surrender."

He grabbed the wine flask and took a swig, a lewd glint in his eyes: "I've heard that the queen of the former Cheshi kingdom and those princesses are all in Gaochangbi City? Once the city falls, I'll personally taste the princesses!"

The centurions burst into laughter.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. A Xiongnu soldier scrambled in, his face deathly pale.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Han troops are coming from the east!"

Xubudanghe was taken aback: "Han army? How many people? Where did they come from?"

"Just...just about two hundred riders, coming from the east!" The guard gasped for breath. "Our scouts sent to the east only managed to bring back twenty or thirty men, saying they encountered the regular Han army and were killed!"

The hall fell silent immediately.

Xubudanghe pushed away the girl in his arms, stood up, and frowned: "Two hundred riders? Is that all?"

"Yes, just two hundred cavalry. Judging by their banners, they're regular Han soldiers, not garrison troops from the Western Regions," the personal guard replied. "They're fast; they're almost outside Liuzhong City!"

Xubudanghe grabbed his scimitar, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Two hundred riders dare to come? They dare to look down on me! Order a thousand riders to gather and follow me out of the city to meet the enemy!"

As he donned his armor, he ordered the centurions below, "Return to your respective units and continue the siege of Gaochang Fortress. I'll be right back. I want to see which Han army dares to be so arrogant!"

Two miles east of Liuzhong City, on a stretch of Gobi Desert.

Ma Chao reined in his horse, watching the dust rising in the distance. Behind him, two hundred Xiliang cavalry stood solemnly, their morale high despite the long march.

"General, the Xiongnu have emerged, numbering about a thousand cavalry." The captain of the personal guards squinted as he peered out.

Ma Chao nodded and whispered to his deputy general Wang beside him, "According to the plan, once I lure the enemy to the valley, you will lead the main force to ambush them."

Vice General Wang clasped his hands in a fist salute: "General, be careful. The Xiongnu are skilled in archery and horsemanship. Do not linger in battle."

"Don't worry," Ma Chao sneered, "I know what I'm doing."