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

Upon hearing this, the powerful figures all became serious.

They hid in the mountains, surviving on the food they had previously stockpiled. Now that they have come out of the mountains, they don't have much food left at home.

Lü Bu remained unmoved: "You need not worry about the provisions. I brought enough provisions with me on this journey north."

The room was completely silent.

Wang Biao asked cautiously, "General, if I may be so bold as to ask where the grain supplies are now? Why are there no grain transport convoys?"

Lu Bu smiled, offered no explanation, and simply waved his hand.

The next moment, ten large sacks appeared out of thin air in the open space in the center of the hall.

Everyone gasped and stood up.

Lu Bu gestured to his personal guards to open the sack, which was filled with golden millet, each grain plump and full.

"This...this is the Heavenly Gift Granary!" Li You said in a trembling voice.

Lu Bu waved his hand again, and the sack disappeared, replaced by a box of copper coins. With another wave, it transformed into a mountain of leather armor and weapons.

Several times in a row, everyone in the room was stunned.

"Divine methods, truly divine methods!" an old tycoon murmured.

Lu Bu put away the supplies and said, "With this divine granary, our army no longer needs a supply wagon train, can travel a hundred li a day, and advance swiftly and lightly. When attacking a city, we can take out weapons at any time. When garrisoning, we can supply provisions. Therefore, Kebineng's defeat and demise will be far faster than usual."

The powerful figures were completely convinced.

If there was some hesitation or calculation before, now there is complete acceptance.

What else could someone with such miraculous abilities be but a chosen one?

Wang Biao rose again and bowed deeply: "General, I am willing to offer all my wealth and troops, just to serve under your command, even as a foot soldier!"

The other powerful figures have all expressed their opinions:

"Even I, a commoner, would be willing!"

"I am willing to send all the able-bodied men of my clan to the army!"

"Our estate still has over three hundred bushels of grain stored up; we'll offer it all to the General!"

Lu Bu raised his hand to stop the commotion.

"I appreciate your kind intentions," he said slowly, "but the quality of soldiers is more important than the quantity. Our army already has more than 10,000 elite troops. Recruiting new soldiers would take time and would only hinder our combat effectiveness."

The powerful figures looked disappointed.

Lu Bu then changed the subject: "However, the northern border has just been pacified, and everything needs to be rebuilt. This is precisely the time when we need manpower. You are all familiar with the local area and have extensive connections. If you can help pacify the people and restore production, your contribution will be no less than killing the enemy on the battlefield."

Everyone's eyes lit up again.

"Please give your orders, General!"

Lu Bu pondered for a moment and said, "I intend to divide our forces into two routes. One route will head north to recover Yunzhong, Dingxiang, Wuyuan and other counties, and wipe out the remaining Xianbei tribes. This route will be led by General Zhang Liao."

Zhang Liao rose, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "This humble general obeys!"

Lü Bu continued, "Another route will advance westward, entering Xihe Commandery, where we will join forces with Yufuluo and Duji to annihilate the Qubei rebels and recover the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu's court. This route will be led by me personally."

He looked at the powerful families and said, “General Zhang Liao is heading north, and he needs laborers to transport supplies, repair cities, and resettle displaced people. You can organize able-bodied men to assist with logistics. Once the northern border is pacified, we will reward those who have contributed. All those who have worked hard will be employed according to their abilities, either as county officials or in charge of military farms. They will not be treated unfairly.”

The powerful figures were overjoyed.

This gave them a chance to "follow the dragon"—although they did logistical work, they were considered heroes for "participating in the recovery of Bingzhou" after the war, and their influence in the local area was significantly different.

Wang Biao exclaimed excitedly, "General, rest assured, we will do our utmost to ensure General Zhang's logistical support!"

Li You also said, "I am familiar with the terrain of Yunzhong and Dingxiang areas and can act as your guide!"

Zhao Gu patted his chest and said, "Repairing the city walls requires craftsmen, and my family has bricklayers and carpenters. Bring them all here!"

Immediately, everyone rushed to express their opinions, creating a lively atmosphere.

Lu Bu nodded, then looked at the young men who were gazing at him expectantly: "As for those who want to join the army, they can first be assigned to the logistics battalion and follow General Zhang Liao north. During this time, they will receive basic training, and if they perform well, they can be selected for the regular army after the war."

The young and strong men cheered.

Being able to follow the general's troops, even as a logistics officer, is better than starving at home.

The banquet lasted until late at night.

After the banquet, Lü Bu left behind generals such as Zhang Liao, Cheng Lian, and Gao Shun to give detailed instructions on the division of troops.

"Wen Yuan, lead the elite troops and light cavalry north to recover the northern counties."

"promise!"

"When attacking the city, if the defenders do not surrender, you may use the catapults and ballistae I left you. But remember, you must not kill indiscriminately. The surrendered soldiers can be used for hard labor in the future to save our Han people from suffering."

"Liao understands."

"After recapturing the city, immediately post notices to reassure the people and open the granaries to distribute grain—I will leave you 50,000 shi of grain, and send another message if you need more."

"Thank you, General!"

Lü Bu then said to Cheng Lian and Zhang Xiu, "My personal guards will follow me westward. Tomorrow morning, you two should gather your men and set off lightly equipped."

"promise!"

Everything was arranged, and it was already midnight.

On the nineteenth day of the first lunar month, just as dawn was breaking, the area outside Guangwu County was already crowded with people.

Zhang Liao led several thousand cavalrymen in formation to the north, their banners waving.

Lü Bu led a thousand personal guards and heavy cavalry to the west, standing silently and menacingly.

More than two thousand able-bodied men and laborers, organized by the local magnates, gathered nearby with carts and packhorses. Although the scene was chaotic, everyone's face was filled with anticipation.

Zhou Ping, accompanied by county officials, saw them off, presenting them with a bowl of turbid wine: "Wishing General Zhang and General Zhang a resounding victory and an early triumphant return!"

Lü Bu and Zhang Liao each drank a bowl, then smashed the bowls on the ground.

"Set off!"

The two groups parted ways.

On the other side, in Lishi County, Xihe Prefecture.

The former county seat is now a scene of devastation.

The city walls were damaged in many places, half of the houses inside the city were burned down, and the streets were littered with garbage and excrement, with the occasional frozen corpse.

Inside the county government hall, Qu Bei, the Right Wise King of the Southern Xiongnu, paced anxiously.

He was about forty years old, short and stocky, with a face full of fat, wearing a fur coat of a Xiongnu nobleman, and a jewel-encrusted scimitar hanging at his waist.

"Your Majesty, breaking news!" A scout rushed into the hall, kneeling on one knee. "Lü Bu has breached Yanmen Pass, and the defending general, He Ruolü, has been killed in battle. The remaining Xianbei forces in Bingzhou are being wiped out by Zhang Liao's army."

Qu Bei's face turned ashen: "So fast... that piece of trash Kebineng, over ten thousand main forces, gone just like that!"

A Han-looking scholar sitting at the lower seat said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the situation is now clear. Lü Bu has destroyed the main force of the Xianbei, recovered Taiyuan, and captured Yanmen Pass. His next step will inevitably be to completely pacify the northern border. Once he takes over the counties of Yunzhong and Dingxiang, he can move south from the north and cooperate with Yufuluo and Duji in the south to encircle our Shanyu Court."

This scholar was named Liu Gui. He was originally a minor official in Xihe County. When the Xianbei invaded the south, he surrendered to Qu Bei. Because he was familiar with the situation in Han territory, Qu Bei kept him by his side as an advisor.

Qu Bei gritted his teeth: "In your opinion, what should be done?"

Liu Gui said, "There are two paths. One is to abandon Lishi, immediately retreat north to Meiji, gather our belongings, drive our cattle and sheep, and flee to the far north of the Gobi Desert. Before Lü Bu can encircle us, the farther we go, the better."

"Secondly..." he paused, "we should gather our forces and engage in a decisive battle with Yufuluo and Duji. If we can defeat them, we might be able to use our victory to negotiate with Lü Bu and gain a chance to regroup."

Qu Bei glared: "Attack Yufuluo? That good-for-nothing has Lü Bu's support and now has a strong army. Du Ji's Han army has also arrived. The two sides together have no less than five thousand men. How can I easily win?"

Liu Gui lowered his head: "Then... the only option is to retreat north."