Chapter 1147: Rebuilding Luoyang
Chapter 1147: Rebuilding Luoyang
October 9, 2017
Bingzhou and Youzhou, Shangdang Jun!
Lu Hai Kong's formidable force of 500,000 troops set out from Shangdang Jun, an awe-inspiring sight. Despite their impressive display, their progress was slow, and it took them three days to finally step out of Bingzhou's territory.
News had spread far and wide in those three days, and all parties had ample time to react. Just as Wang Ti led his 500,000 troops out of Bingzhou and into the territory of the Capital Commandery, a lone figure appeared before them, blocking their path.
Mounted on a towering red beast, the man held a Fangtian Huaji in his hand and wore a majestic Zijin Armor, exuding an intimidating aura.
In the Three Kingdoms, there were many warriors who dared to stand alone before an army, but few dared to do so before Lu Hai Kong's forces. The man before them was one of those few, perhaps the only one.
This man was none other than Lu Bu, the top general under Dong Zhuo.
Lu Bu, who had been standing still on the official road with his eyes closed, opened his tiger-like eyes as Wang Ti's army approached. He seemed to awaken from a deep slumber, and as his eyes opened, a terrifying aura surged forth.
The aura was like raging thunder, hinting at the might of heaven and earth, overwhelming and terrifying.
When Lu Bu's aura erupted, Wang Ti's army faltered, their morale shaken, and their advance momentarily halted.
Lu Bu's mere presence and aura had disrupted the morale of Lu Hai Kong's army, causing them to stop in their tracks. This alone was a testament to Lu Bu's fearsome reputation.
As Wang Ti's army momentarily lost their composure, Lu Bu spoke up: "I am Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian, under the command of Grand Tutor Dong. I have been sent to seek an audience with General Wang Ti on behalf of Grand Tutor Dong."
His voice thundered, echoing for miles.
Although his tone carried a hint of anger, his words were still polite.
Among the army, Wang Ti's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing Lu Bu's voice: "What a terrifying fellow!"
Wang Ti, an exceptional commander, was also a formidable warrior with a strength level close to 90. He could discern Lu Bu's strength from his voice alone, and he knew that if he were within a hundred meters of such a formidable opponent, the outcome would be dire.
However, Wang Ti showed no fear at this moment. He ordered his army to halt and then proceeded forward with several of his trusted generals to meet Lu Bu.
On the official road, Lu Bu's expression remained unchanged as he faced Wang Ti, but his heart stirred with complex emotions.
Lu Bu was among the first to encounter Lu Hai Kong, and when he first heard of him, even Wang Ti was insignificant in their eyes, let alone Lu Hai Kong, who was merely a nobody.
Yet, within a few short years, not only had Lu Hai Kong become the most powerful lord in the land, but even a former petty thief under his command had risen to lead tens of thousands of troops. In terms of status, Lu Bu had been left far behind.
This shift in status made Lu Bu's emotions somewhat complicated as he faced Wang Ti.
As Lu Bu observed Wang Ti, Wang Ti was also sizing him up. However, compared to Lu Bu's complex feelings, Wang Ti's thoughts were much simpler. He had no emotional attachment to Lu Bu and was merely assessing his future opponent from a commander's perspective.
There was no other emotion involved.
Lu Bu noticed Wang Ti's unconcealed gaze and the hostility within it. Sensing Wang Ti's intent, Lu Bu met his eyes, and his aura surged, ready to teach Wang Ti a lesson.
But just before striking, Lu Bu hesitated and ultimately chose not to attack.
At this moment, Lu Bu was not the same as in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Though proud, he was also mindful of the bigger picture. He knew when and how to act and when to hold back.
Wang Ti noticed Lu Bu's hesitation to strike, and his opinion of Lu Bu rose.
A powerful warrior was not to be feared, but a powerful warrior who could also read the situation was truly formidable.
However, Wang Ti had no intention of harming Lu Bu. After a thorough examination, he asked, "General Lu, what brings you here?"
"What am I doing?" Lu Bu's face turned cold upon hearing this. "That's what I'd like to ask you. If I recall correctly, your lord, Lu Hai Kong, made a peace agreement with us. Why are you now leading fifty thousand troops to invade the Capital Commandery? What are your intentions?"
At these words, Wang Ti responded with a dismissive smile.
"Oh, is that all? I thought it was something else. Are you here to stop us just because of this? Isn't that a bit of an overreaction?"
In the 1619 book, there was no mistake!
Lu Bu almost spat out a mouthful of blood at Wang Ti's response. An overreaction? They had been more than restrained, given the circumstances!
Lu Hai Kong's silent approach had directly prompted Wang Ti to mobilize fifty thousand troops without declaring war or explaining their purpose. Lu Hai Kong wasn't foolish; surely, he knew the consequences of his actions.
If they weren't so overwhelmingly powerful and reluctant to fight, the one blocking their path now wouldn't be Lu Bu but an ambush by Dong Zhuo's army.
It took Lu Bu a long moment to suppress the urge to vomit blood. He spoke slowly and deliberately, "Then, General Wang, please explain why your fifty thousand troops are advancing with such ferocity."
Wang Ti replied nonchalantly, "It's not a big deal. My lord feels pity for the ancient capital of Luoyang, which has fallen into decay. He has ordered us to rebuild the ancient capital of Luoyang."
"Rebuild the ancient capital of Luoyang?" Lu Bu was taken aback by this statement. He couldn't understand if Wang Ti was being truthful or not, nor could he fathom why Lu Hai Kong would want to rebuild an ancient capital.
Wang Ti, however, was not hiding anything. Seeing Lu Bu's bewildered expression, he smiled and continued, "Yes, my lord intends to declare himself king next year, and Luoyang is the ideal capital. That's why he has ordered us to rebuild the ancient capital of Luoyang!"
As Wang Ti spoke, Lu Bu was left completely dumbfounded!
To rebuild Luoyang and declare kingship? Even Lu Bu knew that such a plan should be kept as discreet as possible. Why was Wang Ti so open about it?
Chapter end
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