Chapter 861: Lü Bu

The situation developed rapidly, and news kept pouring out.

They had just received word that Dong Zhuo was gone, and less than half a month later, they heard that Li Jue and Guo Si had gathered Dong Zhuo's remnants and besieged Chang'an. Then came reports of Lü Bu's ferocity: he held the city so firmly that Li Jue and Guo Si could not force a breach; when they tried open battle, Lü Bu personally led his troops and routed them, sending them fleeing in panic—even though their forces outnumbered his by several times, they were helpless.

Before the world could marvel at Lü Bu's valor, another message arrived: Lü Bu held the city for only eight days before Chang'an fell, and Wang Yun and others, who had enjoyed glory for less than three months, were all killed. Later, people learned it was because one of Lü Bu's subordinates colluded with the enemy and opened the city gates.

The warlords, like Guo Jia, were much the same—as Guo Jia had boasted when he volunteered for Liaodong: he possessed the art of slaying dragons. In truth, every warlord of this era had that art; the knowledge existed, it was merely a matter of whether they put it into practice.

They were eliminated by the rapidly shifting situation, yet they also grew. The more they experienced, the more they inevitably gained—whether good or bad, the gains were real.

Just as Wang Zhai had seized Youzhou, not only Gong Sun Zan learned from the experience—how to interrupt Wang Yan's spellcasting, denying him the chance to speak—he others learned too, each using different methods to tighten control over their troops, so that Wang Yan could no longer sway them with mere words at the battlefield.

This time, people learned the same lesson: martial prowess alone cannot be sustained; holding territory depends on unity, strengthening troop morale, and preventing defections or betrayals during hard battles.

Thus, Li Jue and Guo Si seized Chang'an and enjoyed the sweet life of holding the Son of Heaven hostage to command the warlords. At one point, they even considered killing Liu Xie, but Jia Xu blocked them. Jia Xu was not loyal to the Han dynasty, nor would he be loyal to an emperor with no power. He merely associated with Li Jue and Guo Si; if he truly killed Liu Xie, he, the man who had incited Li Jue and Guo Si to attack Chang'an, would have no future left.

After all, if one dares kill the Emperor, what else would he dare not do? He was no Li Ru. Moreover, he was certain Li Ru had died horribly. Brief glory versus long-term survival—this was not a choice. He cherished his life most of all; he would never do such a thing.

Li Jue and Guo Si enjoyed themselves in Chang'an, while Lü Bu wandered nearby for several days, waiting until his wife, children, and the very Diaochan who had helped him achieve his great deed were escorted out. With a few hundred remnants, Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and other officers, ragged and utterly spiritless, he began his life as a wanderer.

Lü Bu had truly lost his spirit. He had been truly happy only three times in his life: first, when he made his name in Wuyuan, gained recognition, and rose step by step to the post of Chief Clerk; second, when he killed Ding Yuan and defected to Dong Zhuo, enjoying immense power; third, when he killed Dong Zhuo, purged the traitor to the state, and was appointed General Who Inspires Might, granted authority to act in the Emperor's name, granted ceremonial parity with the Three Excellencies, enfeoffed as Marquis of Wen, and shared governance of the court with Wang Yun—reaching the peak of his life.

But alas, the peak could not last. He had enjoyed it for only two months before being driven out by Li Jue and Guo Si. Now he had only a few hundred soldiers, reduced to such ruin. Lü Bu could not accept this outcome, but he had no choice but to accept it.

Dejected, he rode his Red Hare up a hillside, gazing at the distant, massive Chang'an, once his own.

Zhang Liao rode up beside him and asked: "General, where shall we go?"

Lü Bu fell silent, still staring at Chang'an—the Chang'an that had once been his.

After a long while, he asked in return: "What do you think, Wenyuan?"

"In this chaotic age, warlords rise everywhere. I believe only the Yuan family and Wang Yan have any hope of ruling the realm. Yuan Shao seized Jizhou, Yuan Shu dominated Huainan; both were young playboys who cultivated wide alliances. But they were born into the Yuan clan, a noble and illustrious house. We, however, come from the common folk, humble origins. You, General, first betrayed Ding Yuan, then betrayed Dong Zhuo. If we submit to them, they will surely look down on us, fear us, guard against us, and never entrust us with real power."

Wang Yan differs from the Yuan family. He was born of the common folk, treats soldiers and civilians well, and deeply despises the powerful clans. Now he holds Liaodong and Youzhou. Last month, his general Tai Shi Ci led six thousand troops and crushed Zhang Yang's twenty thousand, seized the strategic Yanmen Pass, controlled the northern steppes to the north and blocked the Central Plains to the south. With Yanmen's support and access to Youzhou's grain routes, his momentum is already established.

I've also heard Wang Yan is desperate for talent, treats soldiers and civilians generously, and has a broad mind—he will surely accommodate us. With your martial prowess, you will surely be entrusted with great responsibility. I've heard of Liao Hua, who commands six thousand elite cavalry, drove the Xiongnu and Xianbei over thirteen hundred li, and pacified the steppes—Wang Yan's achievements surpass even those of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. If we join Wang Yan, we may petition to lead campaigns on the steppes, expand territory, and earn eternal fame."

Zhang Liao spoke plainly enough, but Lü Bu was not pleased, for Zhang Liao bluntly reminded him of his betrayals of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo—his scars. Though he stubbornly insisted he had abandoned darkness for light, acting for the greater good by slaying traitors, he knew deep down his deeds were not honorable.

Yet though he was not pleased, he could not deny Zhang Liao was right. Zhang Liao's family, though fallen, had once been glorious; he himself came from a modestly wealthy household—better than the common folk, but not by much. He knew better than anyone how many hardships he had endured. And with his history of betraying lords—not once, but multiple times—no one, not even himself, trusted him.

It now seemed, truly, only Wang Yan—the greatest rebel—could tolerate him. Though Wang Yan killed powerful clans and officials, Lü Bu felt he himself was still acceptable. Of course, his troops plundered—how else to feed a large army? But he was far away; Wang Yan would never hold him accountable for such deeds.

In truth, he had studied Wang Yan in great detail. He had to admit—he admired Wang Yan's abilities. He himself could never do such things. If he could, why had he ever taken Ding Yuan as his adoptive father and served as his bodyguard?

After a moment of silence, Lü Bu nodded: "Very well. There is no place for us left in the Central Plains. We shall join Wang Yan."

His voice carried endless lamentation—he had ruled for less than two months, and now he was again going to serve another. The fall was too great; he could not accept it.

Whether Lü Bu could accept it or not, he led his men northward, taking back roads. Though they still plundered, knowing they were joining Wang Yan, his soldiers became increasingly cautious and obedient—no need for orders; they took only enough grain to sustain them, and occasionally hunted in the hills. Thus they traveled steadily toward Yanmen Pass…

As Zhang Liao had told Lü Bu, Yanmen Pass was now under Wang Yan's control.

Dong Zhuo had issued an edict to Zhang Yang, who naturally sought to expand his territory, so he reinforced Yanmen Pass with five thousand troops. But before those troops had even settled, Dong Zhuo was killed by Lü Bu, and Zhang Yang turned back to ally closely with Yuan Shao—or perhaps he had always been close to Yuan Shao.

Barely had Zhang Yang's five thousand arrived when Tai Shi Ci led men over the mountains and blocked Yanmen Pass from the south. Zhang Yang was stunned—he never imagined Wang Yan was so bold, sending troops over mountain paths to seize Yanmen.

At this time, Shangdang and Taiyuan were still unstable, for the Yellow Turbans had not yet vanished. Whenever a village could no longer survive, a bold man would rally others, hide on a hill, take any name, and declare himself a Huang Jin. The largest force here was the Heishan bandits; because Heishan was powerful, all local rebels became known as Heishan.

But Heishan's main force lay in the mountains along Jizhou's border—Yuan Shao's territory. Since securing Jizhou, Yuan Shao had been fighting Heishan. In normal history, when Lü Bu fled Chang'an and wandered, he once joined Yuan Shao and helped defeat Heishan, expanding his forces.

But Zhang Yang paid no heed—he only needed to hold Yanmen Pass, trap Heishan like dumplings, and claim all of Shangdang and Taiyuan. With the terrain as his advantage, he could advance or retreat at will. Though the land was poor and not wealthy, it offered opportunity. So he sent twenty thousand troops north to confront Tai Shi Ci.

The two sides engaged in a grueling stalemate at Yanmen Pass, trading blows for nearly a month. Tai Shi Ci's six thousand held firm against twenty thousand, expanded the battlefield, stretched the front lines, and picked off enemies one by one, fighting evenly and even gaining the upper hand. But due to insufficient numbers and lack of reinforcements, he dared not launch a full-scale six-thousand charge against twenty thousand—otherwise, with his troops' superior discipline, he might have won outright.

After holding out for a long time, Tai Shi Ci received eight thousand reinforcements carrying grain, and then Yanmen Pass was taken.

Six thousand against twenty thousand, lacking reinforcements, dared not attack. Now, with over ten thousand against twenty thousand, Tai Shi Ci declared he must crush them. After a month of fighting, casualties reached five thousand. This figure included both the dead and those too injured to return to combat. In truth, the number of dead was not high—only thirteen hundred and some—within an acceptable range.

Moreover, most of the dead were Youzhou soldiers, for they had been formed into units too recently and lacked combat discipline.

The remaining seriously wounded still had good chances of survival. After all, Wang Yan had long been pushing to produce penicillin by folk methods; Hua Tuo had nearly gone bald trying to figure out how to cultivate the fungus on a large, efficient scale, and how exactly it worked to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria.

In truth, the hardest-working man under Wang Yan was old Hua—but he was always radiant, living in his own world, fighting for the cause he loved, endlessly spirited.

In the eighth month, it was once again the annual autumn harvest. This year, Liaodong fared poorly—grain yields declined. Youzhou fared no better, also suffering reduced harvests. But this was only relative to the previous years of bountiful harvests; in absolute terms, this year's "shortfall" was still a bountiful yield—thanks to the agricultural doctor's efforts.

Conditions here under Wang Yan were not good, let alone elsewhere. In history's cold records, famine—"people ate each other"—reappeared on this land once more.

But in Liaodong, none of this was felt. Lü Bu had crossed Yanmen Pass and met Guo Jia in Yanmen Commandery. After resting for a while, he set out again, passing Juyong to reach Jicheng.

Lü Bu understood Wang Yan had already accepted him; the time he spent resting in Yanmen was precisely the time Guo Jia had spent exchanging letters, and only after receiving Wang Yan's orders had Lü Bu's party been permitted to proceed to Jicheng.

Lü Bu traveled with a merchant caravan—this time, they dared not plunder civilians. Elsewhere, soldiers were met with panic, people fleeing far away. Here, people merely glanced once, then ignored them. Along the way, he noticed many men had fine physiques—excellent recruits. Yet here, they were all farming, all working.

He had departed Yanmen just as the harvest began, and every day he saw scenes of abundance, further deepening his impression of Wang Yan's greatness. He had observed crops along the route—most were poor. Only Wang Yan's lands showed true abundance.

But what puzzled him was why the peasants by the roadside seemed so unjoyful.

Traveling the main road, passing Juyong, they arrived at Jicheng. Lü Bu saw a scene more prosperous and wealthy than Luoyang—he had never seen such splendor.

Of course, this was normal. Wherever Wang Yan was, there lay the political and economic center. Now his territory was larger, his resources richer, trade more frequent—Jicheng could not help but flourish.

Lü Bu and his officers were lodged at the guesthouse for a day. On the third day at noon, Lü Bu finally entered the General's Mansion with his officers and the guesthouse attendants.

In a spacious, lavishly decorated dining hall, he met the Grand General, seated cross-legged at the head.

Seeing Wang Yan's physique, Lü Bu found it hard to believe this man could be stronger than him. He had fought Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—he knew their strength. Wang Yan's build clearly looked unfit for combat. But he knew Liu, Guan, and Zhang's power well—if all this were false, they would have spoken up long ago.

Though he harbored doubts, on another's territory, Lü Bu relied on his years of experience in defecting—he and his officers bowed deeply.

"Lü Bu pays his respects to the General. I am at my wit's end, and I am deeply grateful the General has not rejected me. I swear to serve you with my life."

Wang Yan did not return the bow; he laughed heartily and waved casually: "No need for formalities. Sit, let us eat and talk."

Finally meeting Lü Yun… Lü Fengxian, Wang Yan felt satisfied. After all, since childhood he had heard "the finest man is Lü Bu, the finest horse is Red Hare." Lü Bu's appearance, though similar to Zhang Guangbei's, had been refined—taller, more heroic, true to life. He stood even taller than Watching Watching Dian Wei, less bulky, yet still formidable. Without such a frame, one could never be the greatest under heaven.

Of course, his own condition was different—he was favored by his living father.

But truly speaking, as good sons go, Lü Bu had no skill compared to Wang Mou. Though a thousand years had passed, Wang Yan still kept his daily habit of praising his living father, thanking him for protection.

Not like Lü Bu, who killed Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo—two fathers in succession—then fled before Cao Cao, sought refuge with Liu Bei, and finally betrayed him to seize Xu Province.

From the perspective of self-interest and struggle, his actions were flawless. But as a man, Lü Bu was truly despicable—he had no principles.

Undoubtedly, a man without principles is unwelcome.

The original Lü Bu, after fleeing Chang'an, wandered endlessly, submitting to Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao, Zhang Yang. Later, when Cao Cao attacked Xu Province because his father had been murdered by Zhang Kai, Lü Bu seized Yan Province. Historically, Chen Gong and Zhang Miao invited him willingly; in the Romance, Chen Gong incited him—but the outcome was much the same.

Unfortunately, Lü Bu, who had seized Yanzhou, could not stand up to Old Cao, and was driven to Xu Province, where he sought refuge with Liu Bei and temporarily lodged in Xiao Pei. Then he seized Xu Province, became entangled in endless conflicts with Yuan Shu and others, and ultimately suffered defeat at Bai Men Lou, where Old Cao beheaded him.

Now that Wang Da General has rebelled and dominates the north, the defeated Lü Bu, after careful consideration, coming to him is the best choice—and appears to be the only path. After all, if he sought refuge with Yuan Shao and others, they would look down on him. But Wang Yan, being a rebel himself, does not care about such messy matters.

In fact, at this point, only Wang Yan dares to employ Lü Bu; everyone else distrusts him, fearing that one day Lü Bu might turn on them and cut them down.

And Wang Yan is not afraid for a simple reason: the troops are in his hands. When Lü Bu served others, he always sought command of troops, wanted more soldiers—but no one gave them to him. Why? Because once they gave away their troops, they could never get them back.

Here, with Wang Da General, it is different: even if he gave Lü Bu one hundred thousand troops, they could not stir up any real trouble. Any act of betrayal would immediately result in his own men binding him. This is not an issue of officers—it is an issue of every soldier. Ultimately, it is the superiority of the system.

After all, he has always promoted the idea that soldiers must protect their homeland and defend the people, and what he has consistently done is cultivate mutual trust between soldiers and civilians.

What the future holds is unknown, but as long as he lives, no one can lure away his troops.

Lü Bu paid no mind to Wang Yan's casualness. First, as a defeated general barely clinging to life, being taken in was already a mercy—what more could he ask for? Second, it was a matter of status: he believed Wang Yan came from the common folk and knew no propriety.

Immediately, he and his officers rose to thank the General for the seat, and he took his place at the lower end; Zhang Liao sat opposite him; the remaining men arranged their own seating.

Hierarchy was deeply ingrained and required no explanation.

Wang Yan smiled warmly at them. Lü Bu bowed his hands and introduced each of his subordinates to Wang Yan, lavishing praise on each one, claiming they were all more formidable than the last—Zhang Liao aside, there were Wei Xu, Wei Yue, Cheng Lian, Hou Cheng, Song Xian, Gao Shun, and others.

It was no wonder these men could fight—Lü Bu was a brute who relied on sheer bravery, and naturally admired brave men. Among those present, Zhang Liao belonged to the top tier; the rest could all pass as second-tier, and they were fierce in battle.

Especially Gao Shun—he had trained the Elite Assault Unit himself. This man could train troops and command them, and his personal combat ability was also adequate.

Overall, Lü Bu's defection was, for Wang Yan, like receiving a large package of elite generals—suddenly, a whole slew of them arrived.

Though each of these men had problems: Hou Cheng stole horses and defected to Cao Cao; Wei Xu and Song Xian seized Lü Bu while he was exhausted and bound him to surrender to Cao Cao. Especially Wei Xu—he and Wei Yue were both Lü Bu's relatives.

In fact, before coming here, each of them had surely been thoroughly corrupt.

Wang Yan had no interest in pursuing these past deeds, for there were no victims to complain. He killed people with impunity—better to use them for now. If they later broke military laws or regulations, they would come to understand their errors.

Wang Yan smiled warmly, cordially acknowledged each one, then ordered the dishes and wine to be served…