Mythical Three Kingdoms

Fa Zheng turned around and handed over all the documentation about this matter to Chen Gong, and then the entire Lyu Bu’s army sprang into action.

How to put it, it was advantageous, easy, and just; carrying out the task naturally didn’t involve any psychological pressure. Even the always orthodox and doctrinal Gao Shun, after reading those incriminating documents, experienced no qualms about clamping down on the fleeing aristocratic clans. Leading half of the Vanguard Camp with their astonishing mobility, they began fervently striking at the aristocratic clans escaping southward.

As for Zhang Liao, he mainly dealt with aristocratic clans advancing northwards, while Lyu Bu handled those moving westwards.

At first, Lyu Bu would still show some leniency to the blockaded aristocratic clans by announcing their misdeeds and sparing those willing to support the northern campaign by confiscating only half of their assets. However, once he started reading the documentation of their treachery, Lyu Bu could hardly resist the urge to eliminate those people on the spot. He realized a fact, that it seemed as if all the aristocratic clans had chosen their path to death; not one was clean.

The straightforward and simple-minded Lyu Bu eventually couldn’t be bothered to stop and inquire about the damning evidence against each clan anymore. In his eyes, it seemed like these aristocratic families had all committed terrible acts. Therefore, he saw no need to waste time; upon encountering them, he went straight for the kill, looting what was necessary afterward.

As for Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, they at least understood that once a family grew large, it was natural to have some grey areas. So unless they saw something that truly upset them or encountered a clan guilty of heinous crimes, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun would not completely annihilate them. However, there weren’t many aristocratic clans that could survive by paying a bribe, as their reputations had to be good enough to be spared.

Such actions naturally infuriated the great aristocratic clans. Upon receiving the news, their movements often involved banding together, arming their servants and slaves, and mustering several thousand private soldiers to advance southward, for compared to Lyu Bu and Zhang Liao’s forces, Gao Shun’s manpower barely reached a thousand.

The result was as expected. Despite Gao Shun having only around eight hundred men, they effortlessly slaughtered the inferior private soldiers numbering over three thousand. Naturally, their properties were thoroughly plundered, and there was no need for negotiations anymore.

As for the sides of Lyu Bu and Zhang Liao, the first onslaught managed to scatter one of their reconnaissance squads. Afterward, once Lyu Bu and Zhang Liao were informed and rallied their troops, it was another swift dispatch of their adversaries.

In the aftermath, the aristocratic clans wised up. The direct lineages of the families traveled alone, aggregating their wealth and servants in one place to move towards their intended destinations. With this approach, although their fortunes were lost, at least the direct lineage of the families were preserved, making a future resurgence not too difficult.

However, this strategy was soon detected by Lyu Bu and the others, leading to a widespread net being cast to blockade the main bodies of the aristocratic clans while addressing the direct lineage troops individually.

Given that the escaping aristocratic clans wouldn’t have many people with them, with fewer numbers, figures like Lyu Bu and Zhang Liao had the potential to decapitate the leadership, leading groups of twenty to thirty men to rove and execute those they found.

There were basically no horses faster than Red Hare, so it was easy for Lyu Bu to cut people off, especially with the borders of Yanzhou completely sealed.

”Marquis Wenn,” Guan Yu, who had just occupied Jiyin County, encountered Lyu Bu, who was only leading a little more than thirty men on the main road. Seeing this, Guan Yu’s understanding of Lyu Bu’s lack of guile deepened—as the Marquis dared to meet him, commanding a mighty force, with barely more than thirty men. This wasn’t confidence in his own strength; it was simply an unthinking belief that Guan Yu wouldn’t strike against him.

”I’m looking for someone. Have you seen any suspicious aristocratic families passing through here, probably numbering around a thousand?” Lyu Bu asked with a gloomy face after reining in his horse.

”What is this, Marquis Wenn?” asked Guan Yu, puzzled. Lyu Bu had hurried over just to ask such a question—was it madness?

”There’s a Great Clan that took advantage of my departure for military scouting to ambush and kill several of my men; I’m going to wipe them out,” Lyu Bu said furiously.

”Hold on while I round up all the scouts in our army and have them report to Marquis Wen,” Guan Yu replied with a look of speechlessness, but he did not refuse. He was also surprised that there were still people bold enough to provoke Lyu Bu.

Under Lyu Bu’s impatient gaze, Guan Yu quickly found all his subordinate scouts, and sure enough, one of them pointed out that they had seen a private army of over a thousand men on the abandoned official road leading to Chenliu Commandery.

As for Guan Yu, he hadn’t been paying attention to the stealthy actions of these Aristocratic Clans, so although he learned of the private army of more than a thousand, he wasn’t interested in intercepting them.

”I’m going to chop down those bastards,” Lyu Bu said as he reined in his horse and saluted Guan Yu with a fist, then took his troops and left without waiting for a response.

As they were about to return to Bingzhou, Lyu Bu grew increasingly fond of the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry under his command, each one a part of his sworn promise; yet carelessly, six or seven Wolf Cavalry had been killed, and their horses seized. In a rage, Lyu Bu personally led a charge over.

Guan Yu stood there, somewhat stunned. Lyu Bu’s sudden comings and goings were too impetuous; after all, they were allies at the moment. Shouldn’t he extend a hand to help?

After some thought, Guan Yu realized that Lyu Bu charging into a Great Clan’s army of over a thousand men with just twenty or thirty of his own was not really a problem. Offering to help might even arouse suspicion in Lyu Bu’s heart, so he lost interest in the matter, unaware that even Aristocratic Clans had their solid defenses, and this time Lyu Bu had kicked against a steel plate.

”Mano Cheng, order the soldiers to form up; Lyu Bu has actually caught up with us. You take command, and I’ll be the Charging General,” Li Jin said as he pulled on the reins, bringing the marching army of the Li Family of Shanyang to a halt.

”Lyu Bu?” Li Dian’s expression was one of panic, ”How could he have caught up with us?”

”Probably because we killed his men, but none of that matters now. Get ready for defense. Lyu Bu doesn’t have many men with him; if we can just hold off this attack, by the next time Lyu Bu wants to cause trouble, we will already have entered Chenliu Commandery,” Li Jin said calmly, and his composure helped stabilize the somewhat panicked Li Dian.

”All right, cousin, be careful,” Li Dian said without further hesitation, quickly ordering his private soldiers into a diamond-shaped defensive position, protecting the family members in the center while in front was Li Jin leading the most elite private soldiers of the Li Family.

”Hya!” Lyu Bu charged ahead, his horse taking him within a hundred paces of Li Jin; he looked coldly at Li Jin, ”Was it you who killed my men?”

”He who kills shall be killed; is not the way of the world one where you kill me, I kill you,” Li Jin replied calmly.

”An eloquent tongue indeed, but do you think these Miscellaneous Soldiers will be able to stop me?” Lyu Bu scanned the private soldiers of the Li Family coldly. With his insight, he naturally understood that the Li Family’s private soldiers were no less capable than the guards of an average officer. However, since they killed his men, they must all stay.

”Whether I have an eloquent tongue is irrelevant; what’s important is whether you have the ability to achieve what you claim,” Li Jin drew his Three-foot Green Blade, a faint yellow Inner Qi extending from his body, ”Perhaps today, Marquis Wen might leave his head here.” (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes at Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users can read at m.qidian.com.)