Chapter 512: Intercepted
Chapter 512: Intercepted
September 25, 2017
Jiuzhou, Wucheng.
Lu Hai Kong had planned to leave Wucheng and return to Bingzhou, but his departure was delayed due to the arrival of Dong Zhuo.
Although Lu Zhi did not particularly like Dong Zhuo, he was still better off than Lu Hai Kong, a former mountain bandit who was not a eunuch. On the day of Dong Zhuo's arrival, Lu Zhi even held a banquet in his honor and invited Lu Hai Kong to join.
Lu Hai Kong also wanted to meet Dong Zhuo, the man who would later bring chaos to the world, so when Lu Zhi sent someone to invite him, he went without hesitation.
It was the same large camp as before, where the long table had been shattered by Lu Hai Kong's palm strike. It had been replaced by smaller tables, and simple food was served, but there was no wine.
It wasn't that Lu Zhi intended to slight Dong Zhuo, but the situation in Wucheng was not ideal. The supplies were barely sufficient, and Lu Zhi had already done his best to prepare this simple meal. As for wine, it was strictly prohibited in Lu Zhi's army.
When Lu Hai Kong arrived, everyone under Lu Zhi's command was already present. Lu Hai Kong noticed Liu Bei sitting on the right side of Lu Zhi.
Speaking of Liu Bei, Lu Hai Kong had been in Wucheng for six or seven days and had seen him several times. However, they had never really interacted, so Lu Hai Kong was unsure of what kind of person Liu Bei was. He didn't know if Liu Bei was as benevolent and virtuous as depicted in historical legends or as cunning and scheming as described in many novels.
After Lu Hai Kong arrived with Dian Wei, even though they were not well-received, Lu Zhi and his men stood up to greet them.
Lu Hai Kong waved his hand dismissively and casually chose a seat. Coincidentally, the seat he chose happened to be right next to Liu Bei.
As soon as Lu Hai Kong sat down, Liu Bei immediately felt a gaze upon him. The stare seemed filled with curiosity and aggression, making Liu Bei's scalp tingle. However, he turned and nodded at Lu Hai Kong.
Lu Hai Kong smiled and was about to say something when the door opened. A tall and robust man with a dark face entered, surrounded by several others.
The dark-faced man was undoubtedly Dong Zhuo. What surprised Lu Hai Kong was the two familiar figures by Dong Zhuo's side. One was his old rival Ding Yuan, and the other was Lu Bu, the legendary first general of the Three Kingdoms, who had recently fled from Qiangyin City in defeat.
It seemed that Lu Bu had now joined Dong Zhuo, while Ding Yuan had only tagged along after Dong Zhuo's arrival.
Seeing this combination, Lu Hai Kong narrowed his eyes and glanced at Lu Zhi, revealing a hint of amusement. He felt that he was about to witness an interesting scene.
Indeed, after Dong Zhuo entered, although Lu Zhi stood up to greet him, Dong Zhuo ignored him and strode in with his men, sitting down at the main seat. He glanced at the simple food on the table, then suddenly kicked it over.
Lu Zhi's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Dong Zhuo took out an imperial edict from his robe.
"By the will of Heaven and the Emperor, it is decreed:
The Northern Commander, Lu Zhi, has led his troops to suppress the Yellow Turban rebels for several months without any significant achievements. Tens of thousands of soldiers have died, and the rebels have defeated us repeatedly, almost allowing them to invade the capital. This is an unforgivable offense.
Therefore, I order the Conquering General, Dong Zhuo, to enforce the law, strip Lu Zhi of his official position, and send him back to Luoyang for trial!"
After reading the edict, Dong Zhuo put it away and glared at Lu Zhi with his large, copper bell-like eyes.
"General Lu, I am also acting under orders! Take Lu Zhi away!" Dong Zhuo commanded, and the people in the camp stared at each other in shock, but no one made a move. On one hand, the situation was too sudden, and on the other, most of the officers in the camp were Lu Zhi's men.
Liu Bei, sitting next to Lu Hai Kong, quickly reacted and stood up. "General Dong, there must be some misunderstanding. Our army recently defeated..."
"How dare you!" Liu Bei's words were cut short by a furious shout, directed not at Dong Zhuo, but at Lu Zhi, who had just read the edict and was standing in a daze. "This is the Emperor's decree. How dare you question it? I am indeed guilty, and I have no words to defend myself against the Emperor's punishment."
Lu Zhi, despite his affection for Liu Bei, his cheap disciple, was disappointed when Liu Bei stubbornly confronted Dong Zhuo, taking the blame and ruining what could have been a grand spectacle for Lu Hai Kong.
Lu Zhi was then escorted out by Dong Zhuo's men, and Dong Zhuo successfully asserted his dominance over Lu Zhi in the main camp.
The subsequent banquet lost its significance, becoming a stage for Dong Zhuo's performance. After capturing Lu Zhi, Dong Zhuo began to consolidate his authority by gathering Lu Zhi's soldiers under his command.
However, an interesting development caught Lu Hai Kong's attention. He noticed that Liu Bei had gained some influence within the military, and many of Lu Zhi's former subordinates had subtly gathered under Liu Bei's command.
It seemed that Liu Bei was doing better than history recorded, but Lu Hai Kong didn't pay it much mind and continued to observe Dong Zhuo's performance.
During this time, Lu Hai Kong and Dong Zhuo did interact, and at this point, Dong Zhuo had not yet fully risen to power. As a eunuch from a mountain bandit background, Lu Hai Kong felt Dong Zhuo didn't dare to treat him too lightly. Instead, Lu Hai Kong sensed a hint of playfulness in Dong Zhuo's eyes, and behind Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu's eyes were filled with a hidden murderous intent when they landed on Lu Hai Kong.
Lu Hai Kong had a vague feeling that the situation in Wucheng might become delicate after Dong Zhuo's arrival. He furrowed his brows slightly.
The banquet ended, and Lu Hai Kong, accompanied by Dian Wei, returned to their camp, preparing to leave. Dong Zhuo's gaze made Lu Hai Kong uneasy, so he decided it was best to depart.
The camp was already prepared for their departure, and soon after Lu Hai Kong's return, the legion was ready to move out, leaving Wucheng to return to Bingzhou.
"Lu Hai Kong, stop!"
What Lu Hai Kong didn't expect was that shortly after his army left the city gates of Wucheng, a cavalry unit surrounded them, led by none other than Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo's right-hand man.
Lu Hai Kong was surprised that Lu Bu dared to make such a move, and even more so by the swiftness of his actions. Sitting on his small horse, Lu Hai Kong narrowed his eyes slightly.
Lu Bu stepped forward, pointing his Divine Halberd at Lu Hai Kong, "Lu Hai Kong, tell your men to hand over my wife and daughter, or you won't leave this place alive today!"
"How dare you!" Lu Hai Kong's brows furrowed, and Dian Wei, standing by his side, stepped forward to block Lu Bu's path.
"It seems you don't understand the difference in our statuses. You're just a mere commander, and you dare to challenge me? This is treason! Even if I kill you, no one will dare to speak up!"
"If you have the skills, then come and try!" Lu Bu said disdainfully.
The atmosphere instantly froze, thick with the smell of gunpowder. Dian Wei's eyes turned red, and he charged forward with his twin halberds.
Dian Wei was eager to fight Lu Bu, as this was the only opponent he had ever lost to in front of Lu Hai Kong. He wanted to defeat this enemy to prove his strength to Lu Hai Kong.
Seeing Dian Wei's eagerness and Lu Bu's swift encirclement, Lu Hai Kong smiled slightly, "Go ahead, beat him to a pulp!"
(End of Chapter)
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