Chapter 507: A Stern Rebuke
Chapter 507: A Stern Rebuke
Lu Hai Kong sat at the end of the row, his posture rigid and unmoving, as if he were determined to remain silent no matter what was said.
In this situation, Lu Zhi and his troops had no choice but to continue their meeting.
In Wu Cheng, Zhang Liang, after Lu Hai Kong's powerful assault, had not launched another attack on Wu Cheng in the past few days. It seemed like they were brewing something.
Lu Hai Kong's powerful presence not only boosted the morale of the Wu Cheng soldiers but also gave the generals within Wu Cheng the impression that Zhang Liang's army was not as formidable as they thought.
A message arrived in Wu Cheng today, and the court was deeply disappointed and even a little terrified by the consecutive failures of Lu Zhi's army in recent times.
After all, the Yellow Turban Army was about to break through the gates of Silizhou. In this situation, the bigwigs in the court could no longer sit idly by.
On one hand, Gongsun Zan and Huangfu Song led their troops to Ji Province, while on the other, they summoned Dong Zhuo from Liang Province.
In this situation, the high-ranking officers in Wu Cheng found themselves in an awkward position. With the rest of the country doing well, their repeated failures stood out.
In this situation, they needed a victory to restore their reputation.
If it weren't for Lu Hai Kong's arrival, they would never have had this idea. But after witnessing Lu Hai Kong's ability to repel an army of 30,000 with just 1,000 troops, this thought had somehow crept into their minds.
There was no reason why Lu Hai Kong could do something they couldn't. In terms of soldiers, they had the most elite troops, and in terms of generals, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's bravery was known even to Lu Zhi. They were no less impressive than Dian Wei, who had shone in the previous battle. Of course, if they could also mobilize Lu Hai Kong, their chances of success would greatly increase.
This was why Lu Zhi invited Lu Hai Kong today and designed the plan to involve him from the start.
After Lu Hai Kong arrived, Lu Zhi briefly introduced his battle plan and turned to Lu Hai Kong: "Governor Lu, what do you think of our battle plan? You're an expert in this area, so please give us your opinion."
Lu Hai Kong's eyes flashed with determination, and he shook his head: "I'm just a brawler, and I can't understand your battle plan."
Lu Hai Kong waved his hand, deflecting the question Lu Zhi had thrown at him. He knew that if he responded, Lu Zhi would steer the conversation towards him, eventually leading to him taking action.
Lu Hai Kong had known what Lu Zhi was up to since he was invited. Currently, the only force under Lu Hai Kong that Lu Zhi could scheme against was his cavalry, but at this time, the Bloodbath Legion was still in its five-day weakness period. Lu Hai Kong wasn't going to take the bait.
However, Lu Hai Kong underestimated Lu Zhi's thick skin. After entering the camp, Lu Zhi kept trying to engage Lu Hai Kong in conversation, and eventually, Lu Zhi spoke up: "Governor Lu, you're too modest. Your performance three days ago was unforgettable, and with your cavalry's assistance, we're sure to succeed this time!"
Lu Zhi's words were like a switch, and the mouths of the high-ranking officers in the camp started moving. Initially, they had been indifferent towards Lu Hai Kong, but now they couldn't praise him enough.
Even Ding Yuan, who had a falling out with Lu Hai Kong, spoke up, saying that Lu Hai Kong was the best choice for this task.
Witnessing this scene, Lu Hai Kong couldn't help but sigh.
Lu Hai Kong initially believed that Lu Zhi, a figure in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, was a man of integrity, given his positive portrayal in history. But now, he realized that Lu Zhi was just another official with no moral boundaries, slightly better than the rest.
To capture Zhang Liang and secure victory, Lu Zhi employed all sorts of tactics.
Lu Hai Kong sighed, but the officers in the main camp praised him, and he remained unmoved.
He was well aware of his soldiers' condition, which was not suitable for battle. He wouldn't be swayed by their compliments and rush into combat.
"Has Lu, the official, misunderstood something? When did I ever say that my troops would participate in this operation?"
As Lu Hai Kong spoke, the entire camp fell silent.
"My legion marched south from Bingzhou half a month ago. Along the way, they engaged in numerous battles, big and small. When they set off, they were six thousand strong, but upon reaching Wucheng, only less than seven hundred remained, and each of these soldiers was injured and exhausted. Especially after the battle three days ago, which drained their potential, they couldn't recover with just three days of rest."
"If it weren't for the battle three days ago, I might have been interested in this operation. But today, I'm sorry, the Bloodbath Legion cannot fight."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhi's face turned grim.
"Governor Lu, this battle concerns the safety of Wucheng. Please reconsider. Don't ruin the situation because of a momentary impulse. If you think that I, the old man, should have opened the gates earlier to let you in, then after this battle, I can apologize to you by carrying a bundle of twigs!"
When Lu Hai Kong heard this, his eyebrows furrowed, and his left hand slammed the table in anger.
Lu Hai Kong's anger erupted, and the table in front of him shattered into pieces. At that moment, a terrifying aura rose from him, transforming his previously gentle demeanor into that of a ferocious beast ready to devour anyone in its path.
As Lu Hai Kong's aura surged, the originally oblivious Dian Wei, standing behind him, revealed a fierce expression, and a formidable presence akin to a ghost or a god soared into the sky.
The simultaneous release of auras from these two top-tier generals startled every warrior present, causing them to break into a cold sweat, except for a few who managed to remain calm.
"Prioritizing the overall situation? What a noble consideration!
Apologizing with a bundle of twigs? How admirable!
What a wise and understanding Confucian scholar!" Lu Hai Kong's lips curled into a cold smile. "Are you saying that everything is my fault, Lu Hai Kong?
Is the loss of Ye City my fault?
Is the near fall of Wucheng also my fault?
Is it my fault that after leading your army in battles for months, your troops have dwindled, and the Han territories have been increasingly occupied?
Is it my fault that I have six thousand cavalry under my command, rushing a thousand miles to aid you?
Is it my fault that we burned the supplies of Liang Qi's million-strong army?
Is it my fault that we killed the Yellow Turban rebel, Zhang Jiao?
Is it my fault that outside Wucheng, a thousand defeated three million?"
"Are you implying that I, Lu Hai Kong, have done nothing? Can you ever stop blaming me?"
After saying this, Lu Hai Kong waved his hand, turned around, and left with Dian Wei!
(End of Chapter)
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