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

Outside the city, the Han army camp.

In the central command tent, Lü Bu sat in the main seat, with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Xu Shu, and others seated on either side.

Xu Shu said, "My lord, Pingyu City is the capital of Yuzhou Province. It has high walls and deep moats. Yuan Shu has concentrated the troops from various counties and prefectures of Yuzhou into the city, numbering about 50,000, and has also stockpiled a lot of grain. If Yuan Shu holds out and refuses to come out, it will probably take some time."

Lü Bu nodded: "What suggestions does Yuanzhi have?"

Xu Shu said, "I believe we should first besiege the city without attacking, and wait for Huang Zhong, Hou Cheng, and Ji Ling's armies to arrive before surrounding it from all sides. When the Pingyu defenders see that the situation is hopeless, their morale will surely collapse. Then we can build stone platforms to attack the city, which will further demoralize the defenders and achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Lu Bu pondered for a moment and said, "Very well, issue the order to set up camp, dig deep trenches and build high walls to surround Pingyu. The soldiers are exhausted from their long march, so let them rest for a few days first. Also, send someone to contact Huang Zhong, Hou Cheng, and Ji Ling, and tell them to speed up their advance and join forces with Pingyu as soon as possible."

The generals replied in unison, "Yes, sir!"

Zhang Fei grinned and said, "My lord, shall we wait here?"

Lü Bu laughed and said, "What's wrong with waiting a few days? Yuan Shu is already trapped like a turtle in a jar; he can't escape even if he grows wings."

……

On September 19th, Huang Zhong led 20,000 troops from the Yanzhou Army Group to the east of Pingyu City and set up camp.

On September 20th, Ji Ling led 20,000 surrendered troops from Nanyang and Hou Cheng led 20,000 troops from the Luoyang Army Group to the west of Pingyu City, where they set up camp on both the west and north sides of the city.

At this point, of Lü Bu's seven armies, except for Sun Ce and Zhang Yun's naval forces still clearing out the remaining enemy forces in the Jiujiang and Lujiang areas, and Song Xian's Xuzhou army group which was relatively far away in Pei State, the remaining four armies, including auxiliary troops, numbered over 100,000 men, completely besieging Pingyu City. (Except for Lü Bu, the other armies all required a large number of auxiliary troops to transport provisions and supplies, set up camps, etc.)

……

On the evening of September 20th, at the top of Pingyu City.

Yuan Shu stood atop the city wall, gazing around. To the east, south, west, and north, all sides were filled with Han army camps. Banners fluttered, tents stretched as far as the eye could see, and wisps of smoke rose from cooking fires. Further away, troop cavalry could be faintly seen patrolling back and forth.

Behind him, Yan Xiang, Yang Hong, and others stood solemnly, each with a grave expression.

Yuan Shu murmured, "An army of 100,000, surrounded on all sides... Am I really going to die?"

Yang Hong said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, perhaps... perhaps we should break through?"

Yuan Shu smiled bitterly: "Breakout? Where can we break out to? We're surrounded by Han troops on all sides. Lü Bu has a divinely bestowed granary; he can build stone platforms and snipe from hundreds of paces away. Even if we break out, where can we escape to? Liu Biao, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Gongsun Zan are all dead. Of the thirteen provinces under heaven, except for Pingyu City, almost all have fallen to Lü Bu. Where...where can I escape to?"

Yan Xiang sighed, "Your Majesty, things have come to this. Why not open the city gates and surrender? Perhaps you can save your life."

Yuan Shu waved his hand, interrupting him: "No need to say more. I am the descendant of four generations of high officials, and the Mandate of Heaven has decreed me. How can I bow down to a mere commoner from the border region of Bingzhou?"

He paused, then continued, "Send out the order to defend the city. I will live and die with Pingyu."

Everyone fell silent.

……

September 21st, early morning.

South of Pingyu City, Lü Bu's central army camp.

Lu Bu was having breakfast in his tent when a personal guard entered and reported, "My lord, a man has arrived outside the camp. He claims to be Qin Yi, the commander of Yuan Shu's guards, and says he has important business to discuss with me."

Lü Bu was taken aback: "Yuan Shu's guard commander? What's he doing here?"

Xu Shu, standing nearby, said, "My lord, could it be that Yuan Shu intends to surrender?"

Lu Bu nodded: "Bring him in."

A moment later, Qin Yi was led into the tent. As soon as he entered, he knelt and kowtowed: "This guilty general, Qin Yi, pays his respects to His Highness the Prince of Jin!"

Lu Bu raised his hand: "Stand up and speak."

Qin Yi stood up and stood respectfully.

Lü Bu asked, "Qin Yi, why have you come to see me?"

Qin Yi took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness, I have come to present this treasure on the orders of the Crown Prince... no, on the orders of Young Master Yuan Yao."

Lu Bu asked in confusion, "Offer treasure? What treasure?"

Qin Yi took out a brocade box from his robes and presented it with both hands: "This is the Imperial Seal of the State!"

The people inside the tent were greatly alarmed.

Lu Bu took the brocade box, opened it, and saw that inside was indeed an imperial seal. It was four inches square, with five dragons intertwined on the top, and engraved with eight seal characters: "Received the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous." One corner was missing, which was repaired with gold. It was indeed the legendary Imperial Seal of the State!

As a time traveler, Lu Bu knew that the Imperial Seal of the State had disappeared in later generations, and he had never seen it, not even in museums or in photographs.

Upon seeing this national treasure of China, which has stood for thousands of years, Lü Bu was also quite excited and kept looking at it over and over again.

With the Imperial Seal in hand, it seems that I am truly the chosen one, destined to change dynasties and ascend the throne as emperor!

It wasn't until half an hour later that Lü Bu calmed down a little.

Lü Bu toyed with the imperial seal, then looked at Qin Yi: "Why did Yuan Yao offer up the imperial seal?"

Qin Yi said, "Your Majesty, after Yuan Shu declared himself emperor, knowing he was doomed to defeat, he sent his son, Yuan Yao, with the imperial seal to flee Pingyu and hide in the countryside. If the war went badly, he was to search for Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi overseas. However, seeing the imperial army besieging Pingyu, Yuan Yao thought it over and over and felt that the Yuan family's fate was sealed. How could they find peace in the desolate overseas lands? Rather than wandering overseas, he decided to present the imperial seal to Your Majesty and beg Your Majesty to spare their lives."

Lü Bu remained silent, lost in thought.

Xu Shu, standing nearby, said, "My lord, Yuan Yao's offering of the imperial seal is a pragmatic move. You should accept it and promise to spare the lives of Yuan Yao and his family. In this way, when the garrison in Pingyu City learns that the false crown prince Yuan Yao has surrendered and the imperial seal has been handed over, their morale will surely collapse. At that time, attacking the city will be effortless. However, his father, Yuan Shu, has usurped the throne and must be executed, otherwise, we will not be able to explain ourselves to the world."

Lü Bu nodded and said to Qin Yi, "Go back and tell Yuan Yao that since he has offered up the imperial seal, I will spare his life. After we capture Pingyu, I can allow him to move to Chang'an with the Yuan clan and ensure his wealth and status. However, Yuan Shu has usurped the throne and is the chief culprit of the rebellion; he cannot escape death."

Qin Yi understood, nodded, and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Prince Jin. I will report back to you immediately."

Lu Bu waved his hand: "Go."

Qin Yi left the tent and departed hastily.

Zhang Fei grinned and said, "My lord, this is perfect! With Crown Prince Yuan Yao surrendering and submitting, and the Imperial Seal in hand, Yuan Shu is completely finished!"

Guan Yu stroked his beard and said, "Yuan Yao has presented the imperial seal, which will surely throw the Pingyu garrison into chaos. My lord, we may prepare to attack the city."

Lü Bu nodded: "Pass down the order: attack the city from all sides first thing tomorrow morning!"

The generals replied in unison, "Yes, sir!"

……

On the 22nd of September, as dawn broke, smoke curled from the cooking fires in the Han army camp outside Pingyu City. The soldiers had finished their breakfast and marched out of the camp in formation.

Outside the four city walls, the Han army was arrayed four hundred paces away. In front of the formation, Lü Bu, Huang Zhong, Hou Cheng, and Ji Ling each led their own troops, with banners waving and swords and spears flying like a forest.

On the city wall, Yuan Shu leaned against the battlements. Behind him, Yan Xiang, Yang Hong, and the others looked ashen-faced.

At the foot of the city, a troop of Han cavalry arrived at the moat. The captain at the head spurred his horse forward and shouted towards the city walls:

"Listen up, defenders! Young Master Yuan Yao has already surrendered the Imperial Seal and submitted to the court! If you open the gates and surrender, the Prince of Jin will be spared! If you remain obstinate, it will be too late to regret it when the city falls!"