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

In early June, a major event occurred in Luoyang City.

When Hua Tuo, a physician at the Imperial Medical Academy, was examining the pus from a wound under a microscope, he discovered a strange little worm that was smaller than the worms in the water and shaped like a bunch of grapes.

He reported this discovery to Lü Bu. Lü Bu glanced at it and said, "This is Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause wounds to fester. Issue an order that from now on, all wound treatments must be done with alcohol for disinfection. Alcohol, which is high-proof liquor, can kill these bacteria."

Hua Tuo asked, "Your Majesty, how should the alcohol be used?"

Lu Bu said, "Use cotton soaked in alcohol to wipe around the wound. The gauze used to bandage the wound should also be boiled in boiling water and dried in the sun before use. This will prevent bacterial infection."

Hua Tuo was overjoyed: "Does this mean I can perform surgeries with greater boldness?"

Lü Bu nodded: "Not bad."

From that day on, the Imperial Medical Academy began to promote alcohol disinfection. The mortality rate of the wounded dropped dramatically; previously, festering wounds were almost certain to kill, but now most could be saved.

When the news spread, the soldiers in the army held Lü Bu in even higher esteem.

At the end of June, Ma Jun brought more good news.

He improved the microscope, increasing the magnification to 300x. With this microscope, the shape and movement of bacteria can be clearly seen.

Ma Jun also improved the new type of loom, which was ten times more efficient than the old one. One person could operate one loom and weave one bolt of cloth a day.

In July, the students of the Imperial Academy made another new discovery.

A student named Zhang Hua accidentally discovered while conducting an air pressure experiment in the laboratory that if two hollow copper hemispheres were put together and the air inside was removed, the atmospheric pressure outside would press the two hemispheres together tightly, so tightly that even eight horses could not pull them apart.

Zhang Hua excitedly ran to the imperial study to report to Lü Bu.

Lü Bu laughed and said, "This is the power of atmospheric pressure. I'll give this experiment you did a name: the Luoyang Hemisphere Experiment."

Zhang Hua asked, "Your Majesty, what is the purpose of this experiment?"

Lu Bu said, "It will be very useful. You should do this experiment well and record the data."

Zhang Hua cupped his hands in greeting: "Your subject obeys the decree."

On the tenth day of the eighth month of the 406th year of the Han calendar, at the east gate of Luoyang City.

Early in the morning, the soldiers guarding the city saw a large procession marching down the main road. Leading the way were dozens of Han cavalrymen dressed in the uniforms of the Anxi Protectorate, followed by hundreds of camels and horses, with the camels carrying large and small packages of goods.

In the middle of the procession were dozens of blond, blue-eyed men with high noses and deep-set eyes. They wore white robes, leather belts around their waists, leather boots, and felt hats. Around the procession, there were three or four hundred fully armed guards, carrying spears and shields; they were clearly well-trained soldiers.

Wang Zhong, the captain of the Anxi Protectorate, dismounted and presented an official document: "I am Wang Zhong, captain of the Anxi Protectorate. I am here by order of the Anxi Protectorate to escort a Roman caravan to the capital to pay homage to His Majesty."

The soldiers guarding the city took the official document, glanced at it, and quickly let them pass.

As the group entered Luoyang, the Roman merchants were immediately stunned by the sight before them.

Shops lined both sides of the wide street, bustling with people. The street was paved with cement, smooth as a mirror, and spotless. Locust trees grew along the roadside, with stone benches beneath them for pedestrians to rest. Every so often, there was a public toilet, its walls plastered clean and tidy.

In the distance, the palace rooftops gleamed in the sunlight.

There is also the wide Yellow River Bridge, where horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians come and go in an endless stream.

The leader of the Roman caravan was Maximus, a shrewd and capable man in his fifties who spoke Parthian and Kushan languages. His second-in-command, Quintus, in his thirties, was in charge of the guard. The caravan also included a young translator named Lucius, who had traveled eastward with merchants since childhood and spoke fluent Kushan and basic Chinese.

Maximus, mounted on his horse, looked around and exclaimed in Latin, "My God, is this the capital of the Han Empire? It's so magnificent! Even more magnificent than Rome!"

Quintus exclaimed in amazement, "Look at that bridge! It's all made of stone, so high and so long. Our engineers could never build it."

Maximus nodded and said, "No wonder the silk and porcelain are so exquisite; they were imported from such a prosperous country."

Wang Zhong led the Roman caravan to the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites had a Foreign Affairs Department responsible for receiving foreign envoys and caravans. The department's assistant was named Zhao Da, a middle-aged man in his forties who could speak a few words of Parthian.

Zhao Da arranged accommodations and told the Romans that His Majesty would have to wait a few days before he could receive them.

Maximus quickly replied, "No rush, no rush. We can take this opportunity to explore Luoyang City."

Over the next few days, the Roman caravan toured the entire city of Luoyang.

They went to the East Market and saw a dazzling array of goods: silk, porcelain, lacquerware, tea, spices, and jewelry—everything imaginable was available. They bought several bolts of silk and several sets of porcelain, intending to take them back as gifts for the Roman emperor.

They went to the Imperial Academy and saw students studying physics, chemistry, and biology. Although they couldn't understand the explanations, they could tell from the experimental equipment that this country highly valued knowledge.

They passed by a factory area in the north of the city, hearing the rumble of machines and seeing towering chimneys billowing black smoke. However, it was surrounded by high walls, the gates were tightly closed, and soldiers stood guard at the entrance. Wang Zhong told them that it was a government workshop, and outsiders were not allowed to enter.

Maximus thought to himself that the military industrial strength of the Han Empire was probably much stronger than that of Rome.

They also visited the Yellow River Bridge. Standing on the bridge, watching the surging Yellow River flow beneath his feet, Maximus exclaimed, "We Romans simply cannot build a bridge across such a wide river. The engineering skills of the Han Dynasty far surpass ours."

Quintus, the deputy, said, "Chief, I think we should be on good terms with the Han Empire and not offend them."

Maximus nodded: "You're right. When I get back, I will definitely suggest to His Majesty the Emperor that we establish friendly relations with the Han Empire."

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of August.

Lü Bu hosted a banquet for his officials at the palace and also received a Roman caravan.

Inside the Taiji Hall, all the civil and military officials were present. Lü Bu sat on the dragon throne, dressed in imperial robes and wearing a crown, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

When the Roman caravan was ushered in, Maximus and his men knelt and kowtowed, performing the same kneeling bow as the Han Chinese. This was taught to them by Wang Zhong; when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Maximus spoke a few words in Parthian, and the translator beside him, Lucius, said in Chinese: "Maximus, the leader of the Roman caravan, is here on the orders of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus to pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Han Dynasty."

Lu Bu raised his hand and said, "Rise."

Maximus and the others stood up before daring to look up at Lü Bu.

Lu Bu, who appeared to be in his forties, sat upright on the dragon throne with a resolute face and piercing eyes, exuding an aura of majesty that made people dare not look him in the eye.

Maximus thought to himself: This Han emperor is even more imposing than our Roman emperor.