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

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year gradually intensified in Chang'an.

Several days of sunny weather have melted most of the snow, and some main streets have been washed clean.

In other side streets and alleys, the cleaning teams organized by the government are still busy, but more people have already begun to prepare for the New Year.

Crowds thronged the east and west markets.

The East Market mainly deals in grain, oil, and cloth, and long queues form in front of each shop.

The largest stalls were set up by the government's "Fair Price Bureau," which offered a full range of daily necessities such as millet, wheat, flour, salt, and oil. All items were sold at government prices, and each person was limited in their purchases to prevent hoarding.

"Manager Wang, give me ten catties of millet and two catties of salt!" A middle-aged man handed over the money.

The shopkeeper took the items and quickly weighed and packaged them: "Ten catties of millet, 170 wen (in the Han Dynasty, 1 shi = 10 dou = 100 sheng = 120 catties, 1 catty ≈ 250 grams today); two catties of salt, 30 wen. Total 200 wen."

The man counted out five coins and happily accepted the goods: "This year we can finally have a good New Year. I heard that on New Year's Eve, the government will distribute New Year's cakes at the East Market, two pieces for each person!"

"That's right," an old woman chimed in. "I bought some fabric yesterday to make a new outfit for my grandson. In previous years, I wouldn't have even dared to dream of this."

The West Market was equally bustling, selling firecrackers, maltose, and other festive items.

Folk artists also performed acrobatics and storytelling on the streets, drawing cheers from the crowds.

A crowd had gathered in front of a storytelling stall.

The storyteller was reciting the newly adapted story of "Marquis Wen's One Battle to Secure Chang'an".

"Back then, on the north bank of the Ba River, 100,000 Liangzhou troops were brimming with murderous intent. Our Lord Wen, Lü Bu, led 500 heavy cavalry, their men and horses fully armored, like heavenly troops descending to earth, unstoppable! The two sides clashed in close combat, and with a single swing of Lord Wen's halberd, the Liangzhou troops fell in droves like wheat being harvested. Li Jue and Guo Si, terrified and about to flee, saw Lord Wen draw his bow and arrow, striking with deadly accuracy from a hundred paces away, instantly killing these two treacherous villains who had wreaked havoc in Guanzhong!"

"good!"

"Serves you right!"

The audience cheered and threw copper coins into the ceramic bowl in front of the storyteller like raindrops.

On the street corner, several children clapped their hands and sang a newly learned nursery rhyme: "Lord Wen arrives, the granaries are full, Heaven bestows upon us boundless treasures. Follow Lord Wen, and we'll have plenty to eat and drink..."

The pedestrians on the roadside, having heard this, were not surprised at all.

This nursery rhyme is now sung by almost everyone in Chang'an.

In a small courtyard in the north of the city lived a minor official under the jurisdiction of the Prefect of the Capital.

The clerk, surnamed Chen, was in charge of documents and archives in the yamen. His salary was not high, but if it was paid on time, it was enough to support his family of several people.

Chen Caoli's wife was busy in the kitchen, stewing meat on the stove, the aroma filling the air.

The ten-year-old son lay by the stove, watching expectantly: "Mom, is the meat almost cooked?"

"Soon, soon," Chen's wife said with a smile. "Thanks to the General, our family will be able to have a decent New Year this year. Your father received his year-end bonus, and I bought five catties of meat today. We'll stew the meat today, and make dumplings on New Year's Eve, so you can eat your fill!"

The son swallowed hard. "Mother, the General is so kind. I heard from the schoolteacher that if it weren't for the General, countless people would have starved to death this winter."

Chen's wife nodded: "Yes. Your father said that now the entire court is grateful for the General's kindness. Officials are paid their salaries on time, the people have a livelihood, and the displaced people are resettled. We haven't seen such good days for many years."

Just then, Chen Caoli finished his shift and went home, carrying a bag in his hand.

The son immediately ran over and hugged Chen Caoli's leg, acting spoiled.

Chen Caoli patted his son's head and handed the bamboo basket in his hand to his wife: "The New Year's goods distributed by the yamen, two catties of maltose and two dried fish for each person."

Chen's wife took it and exclaimed with delight, "There are New Year's goods? When Dong Zhuo and Li Jue were in power, let alone New Year's goods, even salaries were often delayed."

"Things are different now," sighed Chen Caoli. "With the General in power, he cares for his subordinates. Even though we are just lowly officials, we have benefited. Let's have a good New Year, and next year we must be even more diligent in our duties."

The refugee resettlement area in the south of the city was originally an abandoned market town. After the government renovated it, it was divided into small rooms with wooden boards to house homeless refugees.

The conditions were simple, but they were enough to keep us sheltered from the wind and rain.

In one of the rooms lived a family of four—Old Liu and his wife, their son Liu Da, and their daughter-in-law Wang. They had fled from Henan, nearly starving to death on the way, but were fortunate enough to be taken in by the government after entering Guanzhong.

At this moment, Wang was mending clothes, Lao Liu was chopping firewood, and the old lady was cooking rice in an earthenware pot.

"Father, look at this." Liu Da returned from outside, taking out a small string of copper coins from his pocket, about a hundred coins. "Today I went to sweep snow on the official road, worked all day, and was provided with two meals and wages. Adding to what I saved up a few days ago, I have a hundred coins."

Old Liu took the money and said happily, "Great! With this money, we can buy some meat and flour to make dumplings for New Year's Eve."

Daughter-in-law Wang looked up and smiled, "Father, that's not all. I went to collect porridge yesterday and heard that on New Year's Eve, each household in the resettlement area will receive one jin of meat and three jin of millet, all provided free of charge by the government."

"Is there really such a good thing?" Old Liu couldn't believe it.

"Absolutely true," Liu Da said. "The constable in charge of the resettlement area said that this was a special order from the General, to ensure that the refugees could also have a good New Year."

Old Liu's eyes reddened, and he wiped them away: "The General is truly a living bodhisattva. When we were in Henan, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Yufuluo were waging war so arrogantly, and the government didn't care about the lives of ordinary people. On our escape route, we saw so many people starve and freeze to death. When we arrived in Chang'an, we thought we would just have to wait to die, but we never expected that there would actually be a way to survive here!"

He stood up, bowed deeply towards the direction of the General's Mansion, and muttered something, clearly expressing his gratitude to Lü Bu for saving his life.

Similar scenes played out throughout Chang'an.

Whether it's the families of officials, ordinary people, or resettlement areas for displaced people, this year-end is filled with a joy and hope that is rare in recent years.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Weiyang Palace held its year-end ancestral worship ceremony.

Emperor Liu Xie, dressed in a ceremonial robe with twelve imperial symbols, and surrounded by civil and military officials, went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Han Dynasty.

The ceremony was elaborate and solemn, but everyone knew it was just a formality.

The one who truly controlled everything was the Grand General and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Lü Bu, who stood at the head of all officials.

During the sacrificial ceremony, Lü Bu was supposed to kneel and bow according to etiquette, but he only bowed slightly. Liu Xie dared not object, and the officials also ignored him.

After the ceremony, Lü Bu did not attend the palace banquet, but went straight back to his residence.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and he wants to reunite with his family.

The rear courtyard of the General's Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.

Inside the main hall, the charcoal brazier glowed red-hot, and the table was already laden with dishes.

Lady Yan, Diao Chan, and Lü Qiling had all arrived. Upon seeing Lü Bu return, they all rose and bowed.

"My husband is back." Madam Yan stepped forward and took off Lü Bu's cloak.

Diao Chan brought over hot water: "General, please wash your face and ward off the chill."

Lü Qiling, as if presenting a treasure, tugged at Lü Bu's sleeve: "Father, look at the New Year couplets your daughter wrote, aren't they good?"