Chapter 1002: Before the Battle (Thanks to 'Zheng Yi' for the generous support!)
Chapter 1002: Before the Battle (Thanks to 'Zheng Yi' for the generous support!)
September 25, 2017
Lu Hai Kong and his group had always been a source of resentment for Lu Bu.
Four years ago, Lu Bu, along with his then-master Ding Yuan, had been directly driven out of Bingzhou by Lu Hai Kong.
Although after leaving Bingzhou, Lu Bu met a lord he deemed worthy of lifelong loyalty, and even had a period of cooperation with Lu Hai Kong during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he still harbored bitterness and resentment towards Lu Hai Kong and his group.
After all, Lu Bu was among the first to encounter Lu Hai Kong, and he was well aware of the latter's most desperate times.
More importantly, during Lu Bu's first appearance, he almost crushed Lu Hai Kong, but Lu Hai Kong's open and aboveboard tactics were ineffective. It was only through cunning and deceit that Lu Hai Kong managed to defeat him.
Having suffered such a humiliating defeat, for a long time, Lu Hai Kong and his group were seen as despicable and shameless in Lu Bu's eyes. He had always wanted to defeat Lu Hai Kong in a fair and just manner.
However, heaven didn't give him a second chance. Even at the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he was beaten out of Bingzhou by a woman.
When he met Lu Hai Kong again, the latter was already the Governor of Bingzhou, and his former subordinate, Dian Wei, had thoroughly defeated him in front of his new lord.
During the subsequent battles of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Lu Hai Kong became the undisputed protagonist, while Lu Bu, who could have defeated Lu Hai Kong single-handedly, was reduced to a mere supporting role.
After the rebellion, Lu Hai Kong's influence grew rapidly. Looking back, Lu Hai Kong had transformed from a small-time bandit to one of the most influential figures in the world, and now he seemed to surpass even Lu Bu's lord.
If this development had happened to someone else, Lu Bu would have admired it, but he couldn't bring himself to admire Lu Hai Kong.
In Lu Bu's eyes, Lu Hai Kong was a despicable and shameless villain. From the first time he defeated him, to being driven out of Bingzhou, and even having his wife and children detained by Lu Hai Kong, these actions only served to tarnish Lu Hai Kong's image in Lu Bu's mind.
Therefore, Lu Bu was disdainful and resentful of Lu Hai Kong's achievements. He believed that Lu Hai Kong was a despicable person who had climbed to his position through deceit and luck, and such a person was not worthy of standing above his lord.
Compared to his lord, Lu Hai Kong was nothing.
So when he received the order to attack Lu Hai Kong, Lu Bu was overjoyed. Finally, he had the opportunity he had been waiting for. This time, he was determined to defeat Lu Hai Kong thoroughly and make his lord the uncrowned king.
As for whether he could defeat Lu Hai Kong, Lu Bu was extremely confident.
This time, Marquis Dong's forces boasted an extremely luxurious lineup, not only including Lu Bu, a top-tier warrior, but also Zhang Xiu, Zhang Ji, Niu Fu, Li Jue, and four other warriors with a strength of 90. Even Xu Rong, a capable commander, and Jia Xu, a top-notch strategist, were part of the force.
Additionally, they had an elite army of 200,000 under their command. Defeating Lu Hai Kong with such an army would be an effortless task.
In Lu Bu's opinion, Lu Hai Kong was already trembling in fear, awaiting his punitive expedition.
However, when Lu Bu received the battle report from Yangyuan, he instantly flew into a rage.
He was furious not because of Zhang Yan's incompetence, who had been defeated in just one day, but because of Lu Hai Kong, or rather, the forces Lu Hai Kong had dispatched to Yangyuan.
Zhang Man Cheng, Dian Wei, Pan Feng, Gao Shun, the Siege Battle Legion, and the Iron Blood Guard—Lu Hai Kong had committed all his main forces to the battle in Yangyuan. When others saw this intelligence, they perceived it as Lu Hai Kong's madness and irrationality.
In a situation where a formidable enemy was approaching, deploying all elite forces was seen as a crazy move by many, a typical act of self-destruction.
However, in Lu Bu's arrogant eyes, this was Lu Hai Kong's contempt for him!
Despite knowing that Lu Bu was coming, Lu Hai Kong didn't prepare to face him with all his might. Instead, he had the audacity to divert his elite forces to another location to fight in Yangyuan. What did Lu Hai Kong mean by this? Did he think that dealing with Lu Bu and Marquis Dong didn't warrant his full strength?
"Very well, Lu Hai Kong, this time I'll march to Beifeng and personally twist your head off!"
Enraged, Lu Bu led his army straight to Shangdang Prefecture, determined to teach Lu Hai Kong, who had no regard for others, a lesson.
As Lu Bu approached with a formidable presence, the attention of the world's lords naturally followed.
In their eyes, this conflict was essentially a clash between Lu Hai Kong and Marquis Dong. Therefore, the most anticipated battle was between the two legions under Lu Hai Kong and Marquis Dong.
Everyone was extremely interested in this campaign. By now, the lineup deployed by Marquis Dong was mostly known to all.
From warriors to soldiers, and even Jia Xu, the strategist who rarely showed his face, some had guessed that he might be the strategist for this battle, which only heightened the curiosity of the world's lords.
In the face of such an elite lineup, how would Lu Hai Kong respond to this battle, having deployed his elite forces to the Youzhou battlefield? Could he withstand the pressure?
The outcome of this battle would be a pivotal moment that would shape the future of the Central Plains, and thus, it was a matter of great concern.
...
In Yanzhou, Chenliu.
As the battle between Lu Hai Kong and Dong Zhuo was about to erupt, Cao Cao, who had been campaigning for several months, took a rare break and was drinking tea in the Governor's Mansion.
In the same living room, two scholars were also having tea with Cao Cao: Xun Yu, the uncle of Xun You, and Cheng Yu.
Poor Cao Cao, who should have had a wealth of talented individuals at his disposal, had lost them one by one due to a certain troublemaker. At present, these two advisors were all that remained in his service.
Although their numbers were few, these two were among the top advisors in the entire empire, and their presence alone was enough to make a significant impact.
"The situation is basically as it is, regarding the war between Dong Zhuo and Lu Hai Kong, what are your thoughts?"
Cao Cao had returned specifically for this matter.
The war between Lu Hai Kong and Dong Zhuo was not just a personal conflict between the two; it was a significant event for all the powers in the empire. Even Cao Cao, who was far away, had to pay attention.
Xun Yu and Cheng Yu glanced at the information in their hands, and after a moment of silence, Cheng Yu spoke first: "My lord, if Lu Hai Kong does not defeat Dong Zhuo in one decisive battle, it will undoubtedly become a protracted war."
"How so?"
In the 1619 version of the book, this was the only correct interpretation!
This was the news that Cao Cao had been waiting to hear. Upon hearing it, he immediately became alert.
"This time, before the battle, Lu Hai Kong gathered a large number of elite forces to launch a strong offensive on Youzhou. There are two possible explanations for this move.
Looking back at Lu Hai Kong's career, he has almost always been victorious, and he has likely become arrogant. Therefore, he did not take Lu Bu's 200,000-strong army seriously. Moreover, it is rumored that Lu Hai Kong had an alliance with a certain power in Youzhou, and this betrayal enraged Lu Hai Kong, leading him to concentrate all his elite forces for the attack.
If this is the case, then Lu Hai Kong will surely lose this battle!"
As Cheng Yu spoke, Cao Cao and Xun Yu exchanged glances, both shaking their heads, especially Xun Yu, who shook his head firmly. He was well aware of the people assisting Lu Hai Kong and knew that with those two by his side, they would never allow Lu Hai Kong to act recklessly.
Seeing the reactions of Cao Cao and Xun Yu, Cheng Yu seemed to have anticipated it and continued with a light laugh.
"Of course, Lu Hai Kong is, after all, a veteran general. Over the years, whether it was against foreign tribes, the Yellow Turban Army, or Dong Zhuo, he has never been defeated. He is unlikely to make such a mistake. If that's the case, then there are only two possible explanations left.
Lu Hai Kong had set his sights on Youzhou from the very beginning, and his strategy has already extended beyond the battlefield.
You must understand that Lu Hai Kong is not only facing the siege of the Three Heroes but also an economic blockade. Even if he concentrates all his main forces to defeat Dong Zhuo and repel the Three Heroes, unless he achieves a significant victory, the economic blockade will not be significantly alleviated.
Therefore, by targeting Youzhou, Lu Hai Kong aims to expand his trade routes and even open up water trade routes, breaking through the economic blockade on this level.
Given this situation, Lu Hai Kong has indeed deployed all his elite forces to Youzhou, and naturally, he must have stationed a certain number of troops with Dong Zhuo and Yuan Hong.
However, with all the elite forces in Youzhou, the legions on this side will primarily focus on defense. Thus, the battle between Lu Hai Kong and Dong Zhuo will likely be a protracted war."
Cheng Yu spoke confidently while examining the information in his hands, and this part of his analysis prompted Cao Cao and Xun Yu to ponder deeply.
"Of course, Yu, these are just speculations based on the intelligence we have. But according to the information, this is the most likely scenario for the upcoming battle between Dong Zhuo and Lu Hai Kong."
Cao Cao and Xun Yu exchanged glances, and a thought crossed their minds. A smile appeared on their lips, "A protracted war? Let's hope they fight for a long time!"
As Cao Cao spoke, a voice from outside interrupted, "My lord, there's a letter that requires your attention."
...
While Cheng Yu was making his predictions on Cao Cao's side, similar predictions were also being made by Yuan Hong, Dong Zhuo, and Liu Bei.
After all, from every angle, it seemed that Lu Hai Kong had no other choice but to adopt this strategy.
"Lu Hai Kong's idea is good, but it's a bit too optimistic. With all his elite forces in Youzhou, can he really handle Dong Zhuo's massive army?"
A cold smile appeared on Yuan Hong's lips, "Forget about him; I should focus on my own matters!"
(End of Chapter)
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