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

While Ma Teng and Han Sui outwardly submitted to the imperial court, construction was also proceeding rapidly throughout Guanzhong.

West of Chang'an City, on the banks of the Wei River.

Lü Bu, accompanied by Jia Xu, Meng Cheng, Zuo Feng, and others, inspected the water conservancy project.

Thousands of laborers are digging irrigation canals to bring the Wei River into the farmland.

"General, according to your blueprints, once this canal is completed, it will irrigate tens of thousands of acres of fertile land on both banks," Meng Cheng said, pointing to the blueprints. "After spring, these fields can be planted with millet, and at least 100,000 shi of grain can be harvested in autumn."

Lü Bu nodded: "Alright, how about the wages for the laborers?"

"As the General has instructed, we will provide two meals a day and an additional ten cash wages," Zuo Feng said. "Currently, refugees from Guanzhong are eager to sign up, so we have no shortage of manpower."

Jia Xu exclaimed, "Using work relief instead of traditional methods not only resettles the displaced people but also constructs projects, achieving two goals at once. General, this method is truly a wise strategy for governing the country."

Lu Bu chuckled inwardly: What's so special about this? It's just basic operation in modern society.

He turned to the other side of the construction site, where roads were being built.

"Once this road is completed, it will only take two days to travel from Chang'an to Tongguan and three days to Wuguan," Meng Cheng explained. "Travel will be much more convenient, and commerce will flourish."

Lü Bu asked, "Are there enough materials to build the road?"

"That's enough. The granary is overflowing with money and grain; we can't possibly use it all," Zuo Feng laughed. "Now, all the counties are vying to ask the court for construction projects so they can take the money and grain back with them."

Lü Bu nodded in satisfaction.

This is the advantage of having a system: abundant resources, and the ability to build however you want.

Upon returning to Chang'an, Lü Bu went to the workshop district in the east of the city.

More than a dozen new workshops have been built here, including breweries, paper mills, iron smelting workshops, salt-making workshops, and so on.

Inside the brewery, craftsmen are experimenting with the "distillation" method given to them by Lü Bu.

"General, following your instructions, we distilled the rice wine and indeed obtained a stronger liquor." An old craftsman held up a bowl of clear liquid. "Please try it."

Lu Bu took it and sipped it.

It has an alcohol content of around 40%, which is not as high as modern baijiu, but it is considered a "strong liquor" in this era.

"Good," Lü Bu said. "Brew more so we can sell it to the Hu people in exchange for their horse hides. Also, we can distill it a few more times to get a higher alcohol content, which can then be used to disinfect wounds."

In the paper mill, craftsmen used tree bark and linen as raw materials to make rough but usable paper.

"Although it's not as fine as Cai Hou paper, it's cheaper and can be used for writing and packaging," the craftsman explained.

Lu Bu picked up a piece of paper and wrote a few words with a brush. Although the ink bled a bit, it was still usable.

"Continue to improve it, with the goal of producing cheap and easy-to-use paper," Lü Bu said. "In the future, official documents of the court and letters between the people will all use paper instead of bamboo slips."

The iron smelting workshop was the most bustling.

Lü Bu introduced the "stir-frying steel method" and the "pouring steel method." Although these were only theoretical guidelines, craftsmen could conduct continuous experiments and trials to arrive at the correct steps.

In addition, Lü Bu provided a large amount of coal—Guanzhong was not short of coal, it was just that no one had mined it on a large scale before.

With high-temperature fuel, iron smelting efficiency increased significantly.

"General, with your method, the iron produced is of better quality, and the output has tripled!" the blacksmith exclaimed excitedly. "Now the armory can forge one hundred suits of armor and three hundred swords every day."

Lu Bu nodded: "Alright, prioritize supplying the army. Also, according to the blueprints I provided, build a batch of catapults and giant crossbows."

"promise!"

Saltworks use the "leaching brine and boiling salt" method to extract refined salt from salt mines and salt wells.

Salt was expensive in this era, and refined salt was a luxury. Lü Bu's move would not only increase the court's revenue but also stabilize salt prices, benefiting the people.

Looking at these workshops, Jia Xu exclaimed, "General, each of your ingenious ideas is enough to change the world. I truly cannot understand where you learned them from!"

Lu Bu said calmly, "What I received in my dream was a gift from Heaven."

Jia Xu was startled, thinking of Lü Bu's endless supply of military provisions: "Could it be that the Great General has truly been divinely appointed and is destined to overthrow the dynasty?"

Leaving the workshop area, Lü Bu said to Meng Cheng, "Order all counties and prefectures that the imperial court purchase local specialties such as wool, leather, and medicinal herbs at preferential prices. This will allow the people to earn money through sideline businesses in addition to farming."

"In addition, city taxes will be reduced to encourage commerce. The east and west markets of Chang'an will be rent-free for three months to attract merchants to open shops."

As government orders were issued, changes quietly took place in the Guanzhong Plain.

The people found that life was getting better.

There are jobs, money to be made, stable grain prices, and stable salt prices.

Although life hasn't completely changed yet, there's hope in my heart.

On the streets and alleys, people no longer talked about war and famine, but about "what new policies the General has introduced" and "where to find good jobs with high pay".

In the hearts of the people of Guanzhong, Lü Bu gradually surpassed the emperor.

At the beginning of winter, Chang'an City welcomed a special guest.

In the front hall of the General's Mansion, Lü Bu looked at the men kneeling below, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

The man was in his early thirties, with a resolute face and a robust physique. He wore ordinary cloth clothes, but his posture was as upright as a pine tree, clearly indicating that he came from a military background.

"Gao Shun pays his respects to the General!" The man's voice was steady.

Lü Bu stood up and personally helped him up: "General Gao, please rise. I am very pleased that you have come to Chang'an."

Gao Shun was a renowned military strategist under Lü Bu, the founder of the Trapped Camp, and, along with Zhang Liao, became Lü Bu's right-hand man.

Gao Shun was an upright man who neither drank nor accepted bribes, and he was strict in disciplining his troops. Historically, he had served under Lü Bu during Lü Bu's time in Yanzhou, but Lü Bu had recruited him beforehand.

"Since the General has summoned me, how could I dare not come?" Gao Shun said. "It's just that Mr. Chen Gong is unwilling to come."

Lü Bu remained expressionless: "What did Master Gongtai say?"

Gao Shun hesitated for a moment, then said, "Mr. Chen said that the General is no different from Dong Zhuo and Li Jue in that he holds the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords. He is unwilling to help the wicked."

The hall was completely silent.

Jia Xu, Zhang Liao, and others' expressions changed slightly.

That's too harsh—it's practically calling Lü Bu a treacherous and powerful figure to his face.

Lü Bu laughed, "Gongtai is still as upright as ever. Well then, everyone has their own ambitions, I won't force you."

He felt regret, but he could also understand.

Chen Gong was a scholar who valued his reputation and despised himself as a "slave of three masters".

Historically, Chen Gong joined Lü Bu because Cao Cao killed famous scholars such as Bian Rang, offending the gentry of Yanzhou. This led Chen Gong to welcome Lü Bu into Yanzhou to resist Cao Cao.

The situation is different now—Lü Bu controls the court and wields immense power, making him appear to Chen Gong as "the second Dong Zhuo."

"I am already very satisfied that General Gao has come," Lü Bu said. "I've heard that you have a rather methodical approach to training your household guards?"

Gao Shun nodded: "In my spare time, I have indeed pondered methods of training soldiers. My three hundred household servants are all able to obey orders and are considered an elite force."

"Good!" Lü Bu said to his personal guards, "Go and invite General Wei Xu here."