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

That afternoon, Lü Bu summoned his generals to a meeting in the former palace of Weixu City—now a few dilapidated large houses.

"Although Weixu City is empty, its location is crucial. This place is the throat of the northern route of the Silk Road. Controlling Weixu is equivalent to cutting off the gateway for the four kingdoms of Yanqi to the east." Lü Bu pointed to the map, "The army will rest here for two days, and take the opportunity to gather the people and appease them. On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, we will continue westward."

Guan Yu stroked his beard and said, "My lord, the King of Weixu has abandoned the city and fled, surely to Yanqi to join forces. It seems they are determined to hold out in Nanhe City."

Zhang Fei scoffed, "So what if they resist? With our lord's four thousand iron cavalry and the divine power bestowed upon us by heaven, we can easily flatten Nanhe City!"

Xu Chu said, "Nanhe City is the capital of the Yanqi Kingdom. It is said that the city walls are high and the moat is wide, making it difficult to attack by force. Their scorched-earth policy is probably intended to stall until we run out of food, and then they will retreat on their own."

Dian Wei laughed and said, "It's a pity they don't know that our lord has been blessed with divine granaries, so he has no fear of running out of food."

Lu Bu smiled and said, "So, their brilliant plan is useless against us. Let's take it slow and let them waste their time in the city."

Just then, a personal guard came to report: "My lord, some civilians have returned!"

……

Outside the city, a group of ragged people were cautiously approaching the city gate.

There were about a hundred of them, mostly young and middle-aged men, supporting the elderly and holding children, their eyes filled with fear and doubt.

The Han soldiers at the city gate did not stop them. Instead, some of them brought out steaming bowls of porridge and called out, "Come and have a bowl of porridge to warm yourself up! The King of Jin has ordered that all returning citizens will receive three days' worth of rations!"

The people looked at each other in disbelief.

Finally, a young man mustered his courage, stepped forward, took the bowl of porridge, and gulped it down. As the hot porridge entered his stomach, tears streamed down his face.

"It really is food, not poison."

Seeing this, the other civilians rushed forward, scrambling to drink the porridge. The Han soldiers then brought out several more bags of grain and distributed them on the spot.

"Each person receives one peck of millet, enough for three days, to go home and settle down!"

The people held the grain, knelt on the ground, and cried out in gratitude.

Among the crowd, a man in his forties stood out. He was strong and wiry, with sharp eyes, unlike ordinary people.

Lu Bu happened to be patrolling the city when he saw this man, and his gaze narrowed slightly.

"What's your name?" Lu Bu asked.

The man immediately knelt down: "I am Qiegu, a commoner. I was originally a centurion of the Weixu Kingdom, in charge of fifty soldiers. The king ordered me to retreat with him, but I did not want to abandon my old mother, so I did not leave."

Lü Bu nodded: "You are indeed filial. Now that Weixu is the capital of the Han Dynasty, are you willing to serve the Han court?"

Qiegu was taken aback, then kowtowed heavily: "This humble one is willing! This humble one is familiar with the mountain roads and passes around Weixu, and is willing to lead the army! The Yanqi people have garrison troops in Zheliu Valley, where the terrain is treacherous, and without a guide, the army will have difficulty passing through!"

Lü Bu's eyes lit up: "Good, get up and tell me in detail about the situation at Zheliu Valley."

Qiegu stood up and described in detail the terrain of Zheliu Valley, the number of garrison troops, the location of the pass, the condition of the plank road, as well as the water level and seasonal changes of the Dunhong River.

After hearing this, Lü Bu already had a plan in mind.

"Are you willing to join the army on the western expedition?"

"I wish, I wish those kings would die soon! What kind of kings are they, abandoning their people and fleeing for their lives!" Qiegu said indignantly.

Lü Bu nodded in satisfaction: "Good. Gather those familiar with the roads to act as guides and accompany the army. They will be richly rewarded for their meritorious service."

He repeatedly kowtowed.

……

On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, life gradually returned to Weixu City.

Upon hearing the news, the scattered civilians gradually returned, numbering seven or eight hundred. The Han army distributed food, registered households, and arranged accommodations, all in an orderly manner.

Lü Bu then ordered his men to write down the story of the King of Weixu abandoning the city and fleeing, and spreading rumors to frighten the people, and post it everywhere so that the people would know the truth.

When the people learned that they had been deceived and abandoned by the king, they were all furious and cursed Juchequ.

"What king? He's running for his own life and then lying to us!"

"I'll never work for those scoundrels again!"

"The King of Jin is the true good man, and the Han army is the true royal army!"

Standing in front of the makeshift county government office, Lü Bu watched this scene and said to those around him, "The four kings of Yanqi thought that a scorched-earth policy would trap us, but they didn't know that we were not afraid of food shortages at all, and they had lost the hearts of the people, which is more important than food supplies."

Guan Yu nodded: "My lord's wisdom and foresight are truly admirable."

On the afternoon of the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Lü Bu summoned his generals.

"The army will set off for Zheliu Valley early tomorrow morning." He looked at Qiegu, "You lead the way and draw a detailed map of Zheliu Valley."

He agreed and took some charcoal, roughly drawing the terrain of Zheliu Valley on the ground.

"Your Highness, please look. Zheliu Valley is about fifteen li long, with steep cliffs on both sides. The Dunhong River flows through the valley, its current swift. Originally, there were plank roads on the cliffs along the banks, which were the only way to travel. Now, the plank roads must have been destroyed."

"There are several passes in the valley, the most dangerous being the middle section, called Tiger's Mouth Cliff. The road is only wide enough for one horse to pass at a time, and there are guards on the cliff who can throw stones and shoot arrows. If we launch a direct attack, the casualties will be heavy."

Lu Bu stared at the diagram on the ground, pondering for a long time, then suddenly asked, "What is the water level of the Dunhong River like in winter?"

He said, "The water level is low in winter, but the current in the valley remains rapid. If the upstream is blocked, the downstream will dry up, but blocking the flow is extremely difficult, as the cliffs on both sides are steep and it is hard for people to climb up."

Lu Bu's lips curled into a slight smile: "Intercept the flow? I don't need anyone to go up there."

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized.

Yes, my lord possesses a divinely bestowed granary, capable of taking and releasing things out of thin air. Diverting water and storing it is an immense challenge for others, but for my lord, it is merely a matter of lifting a finger.

Zhang Fei grinned and laughed loudly: "Haha, those Yanqi people think they can stop us by destroying the plank roads? Wait until our lord floods Zheliu Valley, then let's see how they defend it!"

Guan Yu smiled and said, "My lord's plan can break through this natural barrier without bloodshed."

Lü Bu stood up: "Issue the order to depart at dawn tomorrow. Qiegu will lead the way, with the main army following behind."

"promise!"

……

On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, grain is pounded.

On the north bank of the valley, in a natural cave, the Yanqi garrison commander, Qiequ Mitu, was wrapped in a sheepskin coat, huddled around a fire drinking.

He was a cousin of Long'an, the King of Yanqi. He was nearly forty years old, brave and skilled in battle, and was sent to guard Zheliu Valley.

Outside the cave, a cold wind howled, mixed with the rushing sound of the Dunhong River.

"General!" A centurion squeezed into the cave. "The scouts on the east side report that the Han army is thirty li from the valley entrance and is slowly approaching."

Qu Mi suddenly put down his wine bag, wiped his mouth, and asked, "How many people have come?"

"About four thousand riders, all of them cavalry."

"Four thousand?" Qiequmi suddenly sneered. "So what if there are four thousand cavalry? The Zheliu Valley plank road is destroyed; they can only stand at the valley entrance and watch helplessly. Unless they sprout wings and fly over, they won't be able to cross a single step!"

He got up, walked out of the cave, and looked into the valley.

The cliffs on both sides are steep and sheer, dozens of meters high, with the Dunhong River rushing and roaring at the bottom of the valley, stirring up white waves. The plank road that used to be close to the cliff on the north bank has been completely dismantled, leaving only a few chiseled stone holes.

Stone walls were built, crossbows were set up, and soldiers were stationed at several strategic locations in the valley. More than two thousand men were distributed in various places, relying on the terrain, which was enough to resist an enemy force several times larger.

"Pass down the order: all troops, defend your positions and be on high alert. If the Han army dares to launch a strong attack, respond with rolling logs, stones, crossbow bolts, and arrows!" Qiequmi suddenly ordered.

"yes!"

……