Chapter 1354: Turbulent Times
Chapter 1354: Turbulent Times
January 8th, 2018
Driven by desires or fears, the various warlords acted swiftly.
Since receiving news from Dong Zhuo, these warlords had been making subtle moves.
It must be said that their attitude towards Lu Hai Kong was surprisingly cautious. Despite their decision to take action against him, they didn't start with a grand display of force. Instead, they chose to test the waters with minor actions first.
Consequently, in the following days, Lu Hai Kong encountered various troubles in different forms.
For instance, they would use various pretexts to detain merchant caravans heading to the Sanzhou of Ji, Bing, and You, or have cavalry patrol the outskirts of Lu Hai Kong's territory.
Initially, these tests were very subtle, and the warlords were careful not to go too far. It was a cautious and tentative approach.
However, despite their caution, the warlords had prepared justifications for their actions, ready to back off if Lu Hai Kong showed any sign of anger.
What they didn't anticipate was Lu Hai Kong's response, which was far more intense than they had expected. As soon as he discovered their minor actions, Lu Hai Kong immediately resorted to thunderous means to suppress them.
He didn't give anyone a chance to explain, acting even more domineering than before.
Lu Hai Kong's strategy was indeed effective. His initial display of force shocked the warlords, as they had witnessed his formidable and terrifying power. His domineering attitude directly intimidated many warlords, causing them to hesitate and consider backing down.
However, the warlords didn't truly retreat, and the situation soon took a turn.
After all, this was the Three Kingdoms era, and the warlords had grown stronger since their campaign against Dong Zhuo. They now had capable strategists among their ranks.
With the help of these strategists, the warlords quickly realized that Lu Hai Kong's thunderous actions seemed more like a bluff, lacking the strength to back it up. It appeared as if he was merely putting on a show.
Once the warlords realized this, they couldn't let it go.
Why was Lu Hai Kong putting on a show at this moment? Everyone knew that the warlords were like wolves and tigers, and Lu Hai Kong was a wounded hunter. If they discovered that Lu Hai Kong couldn't retaliate, they would pounce on him and tear him apart.
The more Lu Hai Kong tried to bluff, the more it revealed his lack of confidence.
Seizing the moment, the warlords intensified their actions without mercy.
Initially, they had sought justifications for their minor actions, but eventually, they stopped bothering with excuses and directly took aggressive measures. They not only detained merchant caravans but also occasionally encroached upon Lu Hai Kong's mines and resource points.
Among them, Dong Zhuo was the most extreme, directly seizing over a dozen market districts and resource points located several dozen li outside Luoyang City, which belonged to Lu Hai Kong.
The other warlords weren't idle either, gradually tightening the noose around Lu Hai Kong.
Almost everyone was determined to take advantage of this opportunity to strike Lu Hai Kong hard, even swallowing him whole if possible.
Under the constant pressure from the warlords' minor actions, Lu Hai Kong couldn't hold on for long. His initial show of strength crumbled, exposing his vulnerability.
Faced with this situation, Lu Hai Kong seemed to realize that the odds were heavily stacked against him. Thus, he had no choice but to take alternative measures.
In September 194, a month after Lu Hai Kong expelled Qin Shi Huang, he 'had no choice' but to write a letter to the warlords.
Perhaps he had truly reached the end of his rope, as the tone of his letter was unusually soft, even carrying a hint of pleading in the eyes of the warlords.
Upon reading Lu Hai Kong's letter, many warlords smiled.
After being suppressed by Lu Hai Kong for so long, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and satisfaction at his apparent surrender.
However, the warlords didn't dare to be too complacent. Although the letter contained pitiful sentiments, it also concealed Lu Hai Kong's hidden strength and determination.
Especially the last sentence in Lu Hai Kong's heart, 'For the sake of the world and the people, I hope you can meet me at the foot of Luoyang City on October 15th.'
This sentence, in particular, caused the warlords to fall silent.
At first glance, it seemed harmless, but upon closer inspection, they noticed the emphasis Lu Hai Kong placed on the phrase, 'For the sake of the world and the people.'
The words were laced with a chilling intent to kill, and despite Lu Hai Kong's apparent desperation, the warlords still held a certain amount of wariness towards him. Therefore, upon receiving the letter, they simultaneously began gathering their trusted advisors for discussions.
Three Kingdoms World, Yanzhou, Cao Cao's Residence!
Speaking of Cao Cao, he stood out among the warlords for his recent behavior.
While the other warlords were taking action against Lu Hai Kong, Cao Cao maintained restraint. On the one hand, Cao Cao was inherently suspicious, and after being suppressed by Lu Hai Kong for so long, his vigilance towards him had increased significantly.
Apart from his cautious and suspicious nature, there was another crucial reason for Cao Cao's restraint. He never fully agreed with the idea of taking action against Lu Hai Kong.
Cao Cao was a man of contradictions. On one hand, he was self-centered, as evidenced by his statement, 'I'd rather bear the burden of the world than let the world bear mine.'
But beneath his self-centeredness, Cao Cao also had a passionate side.
He felt awkward and reluctant to act against Lu Hai Kong at this time, as, from a certain perspective, Lu Hai Kong's current situation was a result of his efforts for the Three Kingdoms world.
However, when considering both aspects, the latter reason held little significance. Although Cao Cao didn't want to take action against Lu Hai Kong, who had become a hero among the people, he also understood that this might be his only chance to turn the tables.
In the face of such an opportunity, Cao Cao could suppress his emotions and rationality.
Therefore, the primary reason for Cao Cao's restraint was likely his suspicious nature. He couldn't bring himself to believe that Lu Hai Kong had been defeated by the foreign evil demons, so he consistently acted with caution.
Of course, while he restrained himself, he wasn't completely inactive. He was well aware that taking action against Lu Hai Kong was no longer a decision he could oppose. With various warlords revealing their hostility towards Lu Hai Kong, Cao Cao only had two choices: to act against Lu Hai Kong or to side with him.
Among these two major choices, Cao Cao ultimately chose the former. Thus, Lu Hai Kong did not forget about him either. When Lu Hai Kong wrote letters to the various warlords across the land, Cao Cao was also on the recipient list.
So, while the other warlords were gathering their confidants upon receiving Lu Hai Kong's letters, Cao Cao was doing the same!
However, compared to the excitement of the other warlords upon receiving Lu Hai Kong's letters, the atmosphere on Cao Cao's side was much more somber. Not only did the ever-suspicious Cao Cao find this matter eerie, but even his advisors furrowed their brows at this moment.
"You've all read the letter, and you're aware of the situation. What are your thoughts? Should we go on the 15th of October or not?" Cao Cao looked at his advisors, Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, and Chen Qun, and after a moment of contemplation, he asked.
As Cao Cao spoke, his advisors also broke their silence. They glanced at each other, and finally, Cheng Yu stood up first.
However, at this moment, Cheng Yu didn't answer Cao Cao's question. In fact, everyone present was well aware that they had no choice regarding whether to go on the 15th of October or not; he was talking about another aspect.
Please...You...Collect_6_9_Book_Bar (Six//Nine//Book//Bar)
"My lord, for some time now, I've been investigating the situation in Jin Wang's territory, especially regarding Lu Hai Kong's military strength. I've put in a lot of effort to gather information!"
Upon hearing Cheng Yu mention this, Cao Cao immediately became alert, his tiger-like eyes gleaming as he looked at Cheng Yu, "What did you find out?"
"A significant discovery!" Cheng Yu's face darkened as he spoke, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Based on the intelligence we previously obtained, Lu Hai Kong has four field armies under his command, each with 250,000 elite troops, totaling one million regular troops. In that battle, he lost over 800,000 soldiers, leaving only a few tens of thousands under his command!"
As Cheng Yu spoke, no one in the room seemed to react, as this was information they had already known for some time.
At this moment, everyone's eyes were on Cheng Yu, waiting for him to continue, and he didn't keep them waiting.
"If we only consider this data, it's true that Jin Wang suffered heavy losses. However, we can and must disregard this information!
We all know that, in addition to this one million regular troops, Lu Hai Kong has two other forces under his command. One is the county troops stationed in various counties, and the other is his most elite soldiers!
There's no need to elaborate on the county troops. Jin Wang's county troops are exceptionally elite and are not inferior to our main forces in the slightest. If Jin Wang were to gather them, he could easily command a few hundred thousand troops.
Of course, these few hundred thousand troops are not a significant threat to the various warlords. But Jin Wang also has elite legions, such as the Iron Blood and Black Wind Legions. These legions may not have large numbers, but each one is extremely powerful. If utilized well, their impact can surpass that of a hundred thousand troops. As far as I know, Jin Wang's elite legions have not suffered any significant damage!"
Upon hearing Cheng Yu's words, Cao Cao's eyebrows furrowed, but not too deeply, "We don't need to worry too much about the elite legions. Over the years, the various warlords have also made progress in this regard. For example, we have the Tiger Leopard Cavalry, Liu Bei's White Plume Guard, Dong Zhuo's Black Demon Army, and so on. Even if Lu Hai Kong's elite legions are not completely wiped out, we don't need to be overly cautious."
Cheng Yu continued, "That's true, but the real focus is not there! The real key has been hidden by Jin Wang!"
"In fact, for these past few days, Jin Wang has been showing signs of weakness, appearing to lack both military strength and confidence. But in reality, he has another layer of power.
Several years ago, Jin Wang established many militia training camps in Bing and You provinces. Over the years, if he were to mobilize these provinces, he could easily gather several million troops.
Although these several million troops may not be as elite, they are not just a bunch of rabble.
With several million troops at his disposal, along with his top-notch generals, it can be said that despite being injured by the foreign demons, Jin Wang's foundation is still incredibly formidable, far beyond the weakness he has been displaying.
In this situation, his show of weakness is clearly an attempt to feign weakness. So, the question arises: what is his purpose in doing so at this moment?"
Cheng Yu's words shocked everyone present, and Cao Cao's eyebrows furrowed even deeper.
As everyone frowned, Xun Yu, who had been silent until now, spoke up, "There are only two possibilities for this show of weakness. One is that he has indeed suffered a severe blow from the foreign demons, even more severe than we anticipated, and he doesn't want to fight.
He wants to reveal his true strength on the 15th of October, intimidate the other warlords, and buy time to recover."
His words immediately eased the tension in Cao Cao's manor.
Indeed, there was a possibility of this. Lu Hai Kong had faced incredibly powerful foreign demons this time, who had annihilated his million-strong army in just four days, and even Luoyang was on the verge of collapse.
Combining this with the intelligence from Dong Zhuo, it was highly likely that Lu Hai Kong had such intentions at this moment.
However, just as Cao Cao and the others began to relax, Xun Yu spoke again, "Besides that possibility, there's another possibility. His show of weakness is to gather all the warlords together and eliminate them all at once!"
Xun Yu's tone was calm, but his words struck like thunder, leaving everyone in the room stunned.
In fact, not only Xun Yu but almost simultaneously, the various warlords across the land had also received similar responses.
These two possibilities were presented to the warlords, and interestingly, everyone unanimously chose to believe the first one.
Because this was the only possibility they could believe in!
(End of Chapter)
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