Chapter 1148: Entering Luoyang
Chapter 1148: Entering Luoyang
October 9th, 2017
Outside Shangdang Commandery, on the official road
Wang Ti, leading a massive army of several hundred thousand, had just finished speaking when Lu Hai Kong was left dumbfounded by his words. He never expected Wang Ti to respond in such a manner!
Even Lu Bu knew that if Lu Hai Kong wanted to rebuild the ancient capital, he could just do it. If he wanted to declare himself a king, he could do that too. There were countless things he could say and countless excuses he could make. Why did he have to tell every person he met that he planned to become king next year and establish his capital in Luoyang?
Listening to this, even Lu Bu couldn't help but wonder if Lu Hai Kong was brain-damaged, daring to reveal such a secret so casually.
Of course, Lu Hai Kong didn't seem like a fool from any angle, so when Wang Ti first spoke, Lu Bu subconsciously thought he was up to something, that there was more to his words than met the eye.
But after careful consideration, Lu Bu realized it wasn't the case.
From Lu Hai Kong's swift decision to dispatch troops to being intercepted by Wang Ti, who casually revealed his lord's intentions, Lu Hai Kong's men consistently exuded an air of disdain for the world.
It was as if the various powers in the world held no significance to Lu Hai Kong. He did as he pleased without needing to explain himself to anyone, nor did he fear anyone.
Such a demeanor and domineering attitude were, in theory, right up Lu Bu's alley. However, the premise was that he would be the one doing it. At this moment, as the object of Lu Hai Kong's contempt, Lu Bu's mood couldn't be any worse.
If he could, Lu Bu would have loved to disregard everything and kill Wang Ti right then and there. But after glancing at the few generals beside Wang Ti, Lu Bu was well aware that if he dared to make a move, he would likely be the one to die.
Standing beside Wang Ti were Huang Zhong, Yan Liang, and Wen Chou. Even without Huang Zhong, the combined might of Yan Liang and Wen Chou was enough to challenge Lu Bu.
After the coalition's defeat, Lu Bu's strength had improved significantly. He believed that even if he couldn't defeat Huang Zhong, it wouldn't be a problem to beat him.
However, just a glance at Huang Zhong made Lu Bu realize that Huang Zhong had grown stronger. At this point, it wasn't a question of defeating Huang Zhong but whether he could even hold his own against him. In this situation, Lu Bu suppressed his initial desire to intimidate Wang Ti and his men, controlling the anger in his heart.
"What's the matter, General Lu? Do you have any objections?" Wang Ti asked, noticing Lu Bu's prolonged silence.
Almost instantly after Wang Ti spoke, Lu Bu sensed a surge of battle intent from Huang Zhong, who had been standing behind Wang Ti. As the battle intent stirred, Huang Zhong's restrained aura began to emanate slightly. Lu Bu's expression changed immediately upon noticing this.
"It's a great deed for Lu Hai Kong to rebuild the ancient capital, and we won't stand in his way. However, we still have troops stationed in Luoyang..."
"Rest assured, it will take our army about seven or eight days to reach Luoyang, which is more than enough time for your troops to withdraw!" Before Lu Bu could finish his sentence, Wang Ti interrupted him and didn't give him another chance to speak.
"Alright, General Lu, it's getting late, and we're in a hurry to continue our journey. You may take your leave!"
As soon as Wang Ti finished speaking, it was evident that Lu Bu's aura was in a state of turmoil, as if he was on the verge of erupting in anger.
Who did he think he was? He was Lu Bu, the number one warrior of Xiliang, second only to Dong Zhuo in his army. When had he ever been treated with such disdain? Moreover, the person who dared to disrespect him was a mere mountain bandit whom he could have easily crushed a few years ago. This feeling of being belittled made Lu Bu want to crush Wang Ti right then and there.
However, in the end, Lu Bu didn't act on this irrational impulse, not because he feared Huang Zhong and Yan Liang, who were standing nearby.
A moment of anger, blood splatters three feet! Lu Bu indeed possessed such impulsive courage.
But Lu Bu also knew that it was merely a momentary burst of anger. The Lu Bu before him was not the same as the one in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. After years of guidance from Dong Zhuo and Li Ru, Lu Bu, though not a master strategist, at least knew when and what he could or couldn't do.
Realizing that it was inappropriate to act at this moment, Lu Bu turned and left immediately!
"He knows when to retreat, but his emotions are still clearly visible. If we were to deal with him, it shouldn't be too difficult!" Wang Ti smiled and commented as he watched Lu Bu's departing figure. Then, he turned and returned to his army, and the massive force continued its slow but steady march towards Luoyang.
As Wang Ti's army marched resolutely towards Luoyang, Lu Bu, who had just retreated, quickly relayed the situation to Chang'an, leaving it to them to decide whether to fight or retreat.
When Dong Zhuo received Lu Bu's report, he was also left dumbfounded. He immediately summoned Li Ru, and the two of them delved into a detailed analysis of the situation.
Of course, with such limited information, there wasn't much they could conclude.
In the ancient capital of Gu Dou, they pored over the intelligence, but it was scarce. They had also not yet received any news from their scouts sent to Beifeng. At this moment, their options were limited to two choices: fight or retreat.
After much deliberation, they ultimately chose to abandon Luoyang. On the one hand, Luoyang had been in ruins since the coalition's attack, no longer the glorious ancient capital it once was. It had become a desolate city overrun with weeds and wild beasts.
If Lu Hai Kong wanted such a city, they could let him have it.
Moreover, their control over the eastern part of the Capital Commandery was already weak, with inadequate city defenses and military facilities. Even if they wanted to fight, they lacked the capability to confront Lu Hai Kong in that region. Therefore, they had no choice but to recall the symbolic garrison stationed near Luoyang and redeploy them to fortify the defenses in Xin'an City.
Dong Zhuo's decision to withdraw his troops from Luoyang was a clear indication of his intent to abandon the two counties of Henan and Hedong, which had never been under his control.
Upon witnessing this, the aristocratic families in the two counties either sought to ally with Lu Hai Kong or started packing up and leaving.
After all, Lu Hai Kong had a notorious reputation among the aristocratic families for his ruthless treatment of them. During Dong Zhuo's campaign against Lu Hai Kong, many of the aristocratic families in the Capital Commandery had actively supported Dong Zhuo. Now that Lu Hai Kong was marching towards the Capital Commandery, those who had offended him were fleeing for their lives.
As a result, when Wang Ti's army entered the Capital Commandery, they faced no resistance at all, and half of the aristocratic families in Henan and Hedong had already left.
Chapter end
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