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

In April of the 404th year of the Han calendar, the Protectorate of the Western Regions, in Qiancheng.

Dong Zhao, the Protector-General of the Western Regions, was processing official documents in his office when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

He looked up and saw a blood-covered man stumble in, followed by two equally disheveled companions.

"Your Excellency, we beg you to do us justice!"

Dong Zhao suddenly stood up and shouted, "What's the matter?"

The man knelt down with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably: "My lord, I am a merchant from Hexi, surnamed Zhang, named Quan. This February, we organized a caravan to purchase goods from India, intending to transport them back to the Western Regions. When we passed through the territory of the Kushan Empire, we encountered a group of people, numbering over a thousand. They robbed us of all our goods and killed more than a hundred of us. Only a few of us escaped."

Dong Zhao's expression changed drastically: "Over a thousand people? Are they Kushan government troops or bandits?"

Zhang Quan said, "At first, I also thought they were bandits. Later, I found out that they were actually the private soldiers of the local Kushan lord. The lord's name was Brahsa, and the city he was stationed in was called Tanchashira, an important town in eastern Kushan. He saw that our goods were valuable, so he pretended to be bandits to rob us. I went to the local Kushan government to appeal, and the lord took our money and promised to help us get justice. But a few days later, he sent someone to tell me that King Botiao of Kushan said that the Han merchants were colluding with the enemy, their goods were confiscated, and the people killed were killed without any further discussion. He also told me to leave Kushan immediately, otherwise Brahsa would kill me as well."

Dong Zhao's face turned ashen after hearing this.

He paced around the room a few times, then asked, "Do you have any travel documents?"

Zhang Quan pulled a document from his pocket and presented it with both hands: "Yes. This is a travel document issued by the Kushan border, stamped with an official seal. I am traveling on the proper trade route, and everything is done according to the rules."

Dong Zhao took the document and examined it; it was indeed the seal of the Kushan government. He said in a deep voice, "Go and rest first. Let the physician treat your injuries. I will seek justice for you."

Zhang Quan kowtowed and withdrew.

Dong Zhao immediately wrote a memorial and sent it to Luoyang by express courier. At the same time, he sent someone to inform Ma Chao, commander of the Western Region Military Sub-district, and Hou Cheng, commander-in-chief of the Northwest Military Region, of the matter.

Hou Cheng was stationed in Jincheng, Liangzhou. After receiving the report, he sent a fast horse to Luoyang to deliver the message, and at the same time ordered Ma Chao, the commander of the Western Region Military Sub-district, to prepare his troops for battle.

In early May, Luoyang's reply arrived.

Lü Bu wrote several large characters with a vermilion brush: "The Kushans have deceived our Han people, killed our citizens, and plundered our wealth. Their crimes are unforgivable. Commander Ma Chao of the Western Regions Military District is hereby ordered to lead 10,000 cavalry to immediately launch an expedition against the Kushans. Commander-in-Chief Hou Cheng of the Northwest Military District is to lead troops to reinforce the Western Regions and remain in the rear. I will personally lead 5,000 Imperial Guards to follow on the western expedition. This is my decree."

After receiving the order from Emperor Lü Bu, Ma Chao immediately mustered 10,000 cavalrymen and set off from Qiancheng to advance westward.

These 10,000 cavalrymen were all elites from the Western Regions Military District. Each man was equipped with two horses, and they were well-equipped and highly trained. Ma Chao rode a white horse, holding a long spear, with a bow and arrows hanging at his waist. Behind him followed his personal guards, whose banners were embroidered with a large character "Han".

Now, when the Han army goes on expeditions, it is no longer allowed to fly the flag bearing the name of the general; it is only allowed to fly the flag bearing the name of the country and the flag bearing the name of the army unit.

Dong Zhao escorted him to the city gate and instructed him, "Mengqi, the Kushan Empire is a great power with an army of 300,000. Do not underestimate them. You should rest and reorganize in Dayuan first, and then advance together when His Majesty arrives."

Ma Chao said, "Don't worry, Protector-General, I understand."

The massive army marched westward in a grand procession.

When they passed through the border of Wusun, the Wusun chieftain Dieyanhu heard that the Han army was going to attack the Kushan Empire, so he quickly sent envoys to deliver grain, fodder and cattle and sheep, indicating that he was willing to provide convenience for the Han army.

Ma Chao accepted the grain, fodder, cattle, and sheep, thanked the King of Wusun, and continued his westward advance.

Because Ma Chao did not have a divine granary, he had to carry his own food and supplies with him, which made his march very slow.

In early June, Ma Chao led his army to the border of Dayuan.

The Kingdom of Dayuan was located in the Fergana Basin and was an important state west of the Western Regions.

When Lü Bu launched his western expedition, he forcibly seized military power from the various states of the Western Regions, even destroying some of them and establishing counties there. He also restored the Protectorate of the Western Regions and sent Ma Chao to lead a large army to garrison the Western Regions.

The King of Dayuan had long admired the might of the Han Dynasty. Upon hearing that the Han army was coming to attack the Kushan Empire, he immediately sent envoys out of the city to welcome them, bringing provisions and horses to express his willingness to provide assistance to the Han army.

Ma Chao rested in Dayuan for a few days, waiting for Lü Bu's arrival.

In mid-June, Lü Bu personally led 5,000 imperial guards to Dayuan to join forces with Ma Chao.

Lü Bu marched westward day and night. Thanks to a divine granary that carried provisions and supplies, his army moved at an extremely fast pace. What would take an ordinary person three or four months to travel from Luoyang to the Western Regions, he accomplished in just one month.

Ma Chao greeted the emperor from his camp, kneeling and kowtowing: "Your subject Ma Chao respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"

Lü Bu dismounted and helped him up, saying, "Mengqi, you've worked hard. Are the troops ready?"

Ma Chao replied, "Your Majesty, our 10,000 cavalry are well-fed and in high spirits. They are just waiting for Your Majesty to come so we can march on the Kushan Empire together."

Lü Bu nodded: "Alright, pass on the order, we'll depart first thing tomorrow morning."

On June 18, the Han army entered Kushan territory.

The Kushan border city was called Lanshi City, and its commander was named Arona, an old general with 20,000 troops under his command. Upon hearing that the Han army was attacking, he quickly mustered his troops and went out of the city to meet them in battle.

Aruna rode an elephant, clad in golden armor, and wielding a spear. Behind him were 20,000 elite Kushan soldiers, 5,000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry, their banners blotting out the sky.

Lu Bu stood at the front of the formation and looked into the distance, where he could see the Kushan army's formation densely packed.

Ma Chao rode forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Majesty, this humble general requests permission to fight!"

Lu Bu waved his hand and said, "No rush, let me try out the new use of the Heavenly Gift Granary first."

He took a few steps forward and released a hundred shells from his storage space.

These cannonballs were all cast at the Luoyang Arsenal. Each one was filled with gunpowder, weighed ten pounds, and was stored in a storage space the moment it was fired. It remained stationary in the space, but its kinetic energy was still there.

Lu Bu released them with his mind, and then everyone suddenly saw a hundred cannonballs appear out of thin air and fly towards the Kushan army formation at the same time.

"Boom boom boom boom..."

A series of explosions rang out, flames soared into the sky in the Kushan army ranks, and men and horses fell to the ground.

The shells landed in the crowd, exploding into clouds of blood mist.

Arona's elephant was startled by the explosion and ran wildly, throwing Arona off.

The elephant trampled several Kushan soldiers to death, then charged into the crowd, shattering their formation.

The Kushan soldiers had never seen such a weapon before, and they were so terrified that they fled in panic.

Lu Bu waved his hand: "Kill!"

Ma Chao led his cavalry in a charge, like a tiger descending a mountain, straight towards the Kushan army formation.

Ten thousand cavalrymen started moving at the same time, their hooves thundering and the earth trembling.

The Kushan army was already in complete disarray; how could they possibly hold them off?

The cavalry surged forward like a tide, their hooves scattering blood and flesh wherever they went.

In less than half an hour, more than half of the 20,000 Kushan elite soldiers had been killed or wounded, and the rest knelt down and surrendered.