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Chapter 990: The Great Battle Approaches
Chapter 990: The Great Battle Approaches
September 25, 2017
Lu HaiKong was unaware of the rift between Ye Junru and Zhang Yan in Guangyang Prefecture.
For some time now, Lu HaiKong had been preparing for war.
Although Lu HaiKong didn't wish to fight at this moment and preferred a peaceful development, if others insisted on provoking him, he wouldn't back down. While he lacked the depth to control all four directions, his strength didn't solely lie in military might.
If they insisted on pushing their luck, Lu HaiKong had no reason to stop them, right?
With the current situation, a fight was inevitable. Lu HaiKong's three-day ultimatum was more of a tactic to buy time for his war preparations.
The war was almost unavoidable.
However, Lu HaiKong couldn't target everyone, as the cost of war would be too high. He had to take down at least one opponent.
As for whom to strike, Lu HaiKong had already made his choice from the beginning.
Among the three, the relationship between Dong Zhuo and Lu HaiKong was the most complex. Initially, they intended to form an alliance and expand together.
Unfortunately, this plan never got off the ground. When they formed the alliance, both were in their developmental stages and couldn't fully commit. They mutually agreed to develop further before taking action.
However, this development plan hit a snag. Lu HaiKong's progress was astonishingly rapid, akin to launching a rocket. In less than a year, Bingzhou's economy had multiplied several times.
Such a development pace was intimidating. The balance between the initially evenly matched Lu HaiKong and Dong Zhuo began to tilt in Lu HaiKong's favor.
Witnessing Lu HaiKong's rapid growth, Dong Zhuo naturally became restless. How could this continue? If things proceeded this way, Lu HaiKong would undoubtedly become the dominant force.
Dong Zhuo's actions were somewhat understandable. More importantly, his military strength was on par with Lu HaiKong's, with little disparity. Lu HaiKong intended to make an example, and once he took action, he would strike hard and leave a lasting impression.
Confronting Dong Zhuo directly would be too costly, so Lu HaiKong had to choose between Yuan Hong and Zhang Yan.
Regarding Yuan Hong, his base was in Bohai, a slightly distant location, making an attack more challenging. Moreover, Yuan Hong had been at the receiving end of Lu HaiKong's bullying. If not for Lu HaiKong, Yuan Hong might have already unified Jizhou by now.
Yuan Hong's reasons for standing up were more compelling than Dong Zhuo's, so Lu HaiKong decided not to target him.
Consequently, Lu HaiKong's focus narrowed down to Zhang Yan.
Although they were once allies, and their current collaboration wasn't entirely harmonious, Lu HaiKong didn't owe her anything.
In Lu HaiKong's eyes, her immediate response without a hint of sentiment was a blatant betrayal. Among the three, Zhang Yan was the weakest in terms of both geographical advantage and inherent strength, making her an obvious choice for Lu HaiKong's attack.
During these three days, Lu HaiKong's legions mobilized, with the Second Army, previously training new recruits, frequently drawing elite troops. Beifeng dispatched several genuinely elite forces, while the blacksmith and carpenter camps prepared various engineering equipment.
As the war atmosphere intensified, Lu HaiKong quietly awaited responses from the aristocratic families and the three major powers.
In reality, Lu HaiKong's wait was in vain. In the current situation, the odds were stacked against him.
Lu HaiKong was once overwhelmingly powerful, an unspoken leader in the Central Plains. However, when the second-in-command led a group of subordinates in a strong assault, no one would favor Lu HaiKong.
It was no secret that Dong Zhuo alone could rival Lu HaiKong. One Dong Zhuo was enough to keep Lu HaiKong on his toes, let alone with Yuan Hong and Zhang Yan also in the mix.
While knowledge of Zhang Yan's strength was limited, many were well-informed about Yuan Hong's capabilities. They understood that Lu HaiKong was currently caught between a rock and a hard place. In such a situation, the aristocratic families wouldn't return Lu HaiKong's confiscated goods willingly.
Of course, some aristocratic families were more adaptable. These skilled two-faced individuals, while publicly severing ties with Lu HaiKong, secretly returned his confiscated goods.
Dong Zhuo and Yuan Hong turned a blind eye to these double-dealing actions, allowing them to play both sides. However, Zhang Yan's approach was entirely different.
Anyone who played both sides or sided with Lu HaiKong during this time would face the full force of Zhang Yan's wrath, with no mercy shown.
Indeed, the more familiar one is with betrayal, the darker the act. This situation further infuriated Lu HaiKong.
Zhang Yan's actions were not limited to this. On one hand, she purged the innocent two-faced individuals, and on the other, she was the first to publicly confront Lu HaiKong.
She vehemently criticized Lu HaiKong, harshly denouncing him from start to finish.
This behavior was not merely a reckless act, but a suicidal one.
As soon as the three-day deadline was up, Lu HaiKong's legions marched towards Youzhou.
Just as Lu HaiKong was about to make his move, his legions had barely started when Dong Zhuo's legions also began their advance.
In Sili, Dong Zhuo deployed a 200,000-strong army, openly declaring Lu Bu as the commander, with Hua Xiong, Zhang Xiu, Xu Rong, and Fan Chou among the generals under his command. Without any explanation, they headed towards Bingzhou.
On the other side, Yuan Hong also sent out an army of 100,000, marching north. The difference was that Yuan Hong did not openly declare his intentions and moved stealthily.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yan, who had recklessly challenged Lu HaiKong from the start, had long prepared for a battle. All checkpoints near Daiding Prefecture bordering Bingzhou were heavily guarded.
Thus, the stage was set for a dramatic showdown among the three powers against one.
This grand spectacle naturally attracted the attention of the entire realm.
To be honest, many viewed this war as an unjust one. The previous coalition against Dong Zhuo had at least some semblance of righteousness, but this battle had no such justification.
None of the four parties involved had a legitimate reason for their actions.
The three powers were solely focused on suppressing Lu HaiKong, launching the war without any valid cause. In the eyes of the loyal ministers of the Han Empire in Chang'an, this was an unjust war, a blatant disregard for the Han Empire.
However, they were indeed being disrespected, and there was little they could do about it.
At this moment, the Han Empire was but a shell of its former self, and this world was vastly different from the original. The aristocratic families had completely crushed the Han Empire's authority.
Under such circumstances, no one dared to speak up, regardless of their intentions.
The various warlords of the realm wished for nothing more than to see Lu HaiKong and Dong Zhuo, the two mighty tigers, tear each other apart. In such a situation, who would dare to speak out?
All eyes were on Lu HaiKong, eager to see how he would handle this three-way siege.
...
Ji Province, Bohai, Prefectural Governor's Office.
After sending out his army, Yuan Hong relaxed in his seat.
This was the most content he had felt since the southern Bingzhou rebellion and the economic development of Bingzhou under Lu HaiKong.
"Lu HaiKong, you've gone too far, and now you'll pay the price!"
...
Youzhou, Guangyang Prefecture, Zhang Yan's Daoist Temple.
Zhang Yan, who rarely left the temple, stepped out and gazed at Bingzhou with cold, indifferent eyes. A faint smile curved her lips.
"Didn't Ye Jun Ru say I would regret this? Lu HaiKong, if you have the ability, make me regret it!"
...
Chang'an City, Dong Mansion.
Scholar Li, rarely taking a break from his busy work, sat facing Dong Zhuo.
Before them were two cups of tea and a chessboard. Dong Zhuo looked at the chessboard and tea with a troubled expression.
Ever since returning from Luoyang, Scholar Li had forced Dong Zhuo to study the arts of the zither, calligraphy, painting, and chess to cultivate his mind. For over half a year, Dong Zhuo had not touched alcohol, instead drinking tea and reading books. He was on the verge of breaking down, but knowing the reason for this, he endured it.
At this moment, Dong Zhuo, with his robust physique, sipped his tea and played chess, appearing somewhat competent. However, he furrowed his brows, "Wen You, do you think we can succeed this time?"
Scholar Li understood what Dong Zhuo was referring to. He raised his head and smiled calmly, "Rest assured, I was able to outmaneuver Lu HaiKong in Luoyang, and this time, Wen He will also toy with Lu HaiKong like a puppet. Even if Lu HaiKong has a sage on his side, it won't matter. There are no more than five people in this world who can match Wen He's abilities."
As the three parties boasted, in Beifeng City, at the Northern Defense Tower.
Lu HaiKong stood atop the tower, overlooking the city with a surge of heroic spirit.
"If the tiger doesn't show its might, they'll think it's a sick cat. Come on, bring it on! Just don't regret it later!"
(End of Chapter)
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