Chapter 536: Taking Control
Chapter 536: Taking Control
September 25, 2017
Despite Huangfu Song's strength being only in the eighties, the aura he exuded when enraged was still astonishing.
After all, this man had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, having fought countless battles for the Great Han Empire. When he unleashed his wrath, the iron-blooded aura he emanated made all the generals present avert their eyes, and it seemed to connect with the ten thousand troops under his command.
So, although Huangfu Song wasn't physically strong, the aura he unleashed was even more astonishing than top-tier generals like Lu Bu and Dian Wei. Under his overwhelming presence, some of the weaker generals had already begun to break out in cold sweat.
However, Lu HaiKong, who was at the forefront, remained calm and composed, even showing a puzzled expression at this moment.
"This is a normal tactic, why are you angry, Lord Huangfu?"
As soon as these words left his mouth, Huangfu Song felt as if he had punched a cotton bag with all his might, and the feeling of helplessness almost made him spit out blood.
"And you call this your tactic?" Huangfu Song's anger continued to rise.
On one hand, it was Lu HaiKong's carefree attitude that irritated Huangfu Song, and on the other, it was Lu HaiKong's deliberate use of a languid tone and a clueless expression to provoke him further.
For Huangfu Song, who had fought countless battles and valued military discipline above all else, Lu HaiKong's behavior was a challenge to his bottom line.
"Of course, Lord Huangfu only gave me four days, and my troops couldn't make it in time to Liangqi. So, I took a few thousand cavalry and attacked Liangqi, intending to lure them out for a battle. But who knew that my formidable presence would make those Yellow Turban rebels dare not leave the city to face me."
Lu HaiKong's attitude was as if he was invincible, further provoking Huangfu Song.
This time, Lu HaiKong succeeded, and a loud 'Peng' reverberated as he smashed the long table in front of Huangfu Song with a single palm strike.
"Lu HaiKong, don't try to argue! You're clearly afraid of battle!"
"As a governor of a province, you should be dedicated to suppressing bandits, yet you bring a few thousand cavalry to respond to the military order. What crime have you committed?"
Seeing that Huangfu Song had finally revealed his true intentions, Lu HaiKong's eyes narrowed with a hint of a smile, but his face sank slightly as he asked, "Lord Huangfu, what do you mean by this?"
"Since you're afraid to fight, you won't need to participate in the upcoming battles. Just stay in my camp and behave yourself!"
Huangfu Song was a decisive man, and he had already decided on a strategy regarding Lu HaiKong.
He couldn't kill him, nor could he beat him up. The most suitable approach was to confine Lu HaiKong and take over his troops.
Huangfu Song's decision was influenced by Lu HaiKong's apparent fear of battle, but more importantly, he wanted to utilize the hundreds of thousands of troops under Lu HaiKong's command as cannon fodder.
The reason Huangfu Song made this move was due to the intelligence report sent by He Jin not long ago, detailing Lu HaiKong's actions in Bingzhou during this period.
The most crucial information was Lu HaiKong's control over the three counties of Bingzhou and his military reforms in Yanmen Prefecture. Once this report reached Huangfu Song, he began to pay close attention to Lu HaiKong.
Lu HaiKong's actions were too bold; whether it was controlling three counties or reforming the military, in Huangfu Song's eyes, these were dangerous moves. Lu HaiKong seemed to harbor disloyal thoughts, and Huangfu Song immediately became wary of him.
In reality, many local officials had been doing similar things after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and Lu HaiKong's actions weren't extreme enough to warrant charges of rebellion. However, Lu HaiKong's background as a mountain bandit inevitably led others to view him with suspicion.
Unexpectedly, before Lu Haikong could respond, Dong Zhuo, who was standing nearby, immediately stepped forward.
"Lord Huangfu, is this not an appropriate decision?" Dong Zhuo challenged.
Upon seeing Dong Zhuo's intervention, Huangfu Song's eyes flashed with determination, and his imposing aura shifted to bear down on Dong Zhuo, "Inappropriate? What's inappropriate about it?"
Who was Dong Zhuo? He, too, had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Would he be intimidated by such a display of might?
"You say that Lu Haikong is reluctant to fight and defies military orders. I disagree! Previously, to lift the siege of Ye City, Lu Haikong led six thousand cavalry, fighting all the way from Shang Ai to Wucheng. Throughout the journey, they engaged in countless battles, large and small. In the end, the six thousand cavalry were reduced to less than a thousand, yet such a valiant person would not back down from a fight?"
"Furthermore, Lu Haikong burned down the Yellow Turban's granary in Liangqi, forcing the Yellow Turban Army to halt at Ye City. He beheaded Zhang Bao, one of the Yellow Turban leaders. Outside Wucheng, with only a thousand troops, he drove back an enemy force of thirty thousand. His achievements are so remarkable, yet you are letting him off so easily. This will surely dishearten the rest of us officers and soldiers!"
Due to the involvement of extraordinary individuals, the plot of the Yellow Turban Rebellion had deviated significantly from history and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. At this point, the situation within the Great Han Army was far more complex than in historical records, with more internal conflicts.
Amidst these struggles, Lu Haikong and Dong Zhuo were clearly individuals with similar backgrounds, and in the face of Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, they naturally became allies.
Under these circumstances, Dong Zhuo had to step forward. Today, he could watch Huangfu Song take action against Lu Haikong, but tomorrow, Huangfu Song would turn against him. He did not want his own army to be at Huangfu Song's mercy.
After Dong Zhuo stepped forward, Zhu Jun, who had been observing the situation, also came forward.
In the 16th chapter of the 19th book, there is no mistake!
"That's not how it is. He may have some achievements, but they do not outweigh his faults. Right now, Lu Haikong is clearly afraid to fight and defies military orders. He has already shown fear of battle. Since Lu Haikong is unwilling to continue fighting, why should we force him? Let him stop and rest. Let him hand over his army, and we'll fight in his place!"
Hearing this, Dong Zhuo's eyebrows furrowed, about to say something, when Lu Haikong stepped forward.
"Wait, wait, from the beginning, I haven't understood what you've been saying. What do you mean by being afraid to fight? Are you talking about me?" Lu Haikong pointed at himself, asking with feigned ignorance.
Huangfu Song looked at Lu Haikong with a cold gaze, remaining silent.
Lu Haikong took a few more steps forward, approaching Huangfu Song, "Are you sure I'm afraid to fight and defying military orders? I've explained that it was a tactical decision!"
"Tactical decision? That's just an excuse. With your few thousand cavalry, what tactics can you possibly employ? Liangqi City is defended by tens of thousands of Yellow Turban troops, led by the Yellow Turban Commander Zhang Mancheng. What results could your so-called tactics possibly achieve?" Zhu Jun sneered.
"Results? Am I not credited with capturing Liangqi?"
"Hmph, capture... what? What did you say?"
Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song were both startled, momentarily unable to process what they had heard.
"I captured Liangqi with those few thousand cavalry you mentioned!"
Lu Haikong raised his head, looking at Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, a cold smile appearing on his lips.
(End of Chapter)
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