You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 194: Either hand over the military command or die.
The Zhenbei Army Camp.

As soon as Lü Bu and his men entered the military camp in Hezhou, the atmosphere inside the camp became inexplicably tense.

After the drumbeats stopped.

The generals of the Zhenbei Army all gathered at the main tent.

Inside the main tent, Hezhou sat in the main seat, with King Zhou Zhan and Lü Bu sitting on his left and right sides, respectively.

When the generals of the Zhenbei Army entered the main tent, they were all taken aback to see that, in addition to Hezhou, the commander-in-chief of the Zhenbei Army today, there were two other people sitting there.

Lu Bu was a complete stranger.

None of the generals of the Zhenbei Army had ever seen it before.

However, Prince Zhou Zhan was a veteran of three dynasties, and many of the generals of the Zhenbei Army had met him.

The moment the generals of the Zhenbei Army recognized Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kaoshan, sitting in the main tent, their hearts skipped a beat and their faces turned solemn.

How did Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, end up in the Zhenbei Army camp?
Who was that other unfamiliar general sitting there?

Those Zhenbei Army generals who recognized Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kaoshan, couldn't help but speculate.

Soon, the main tent was filled with generals of the Zhenbei Army.

"General He, who are these two generals, and why are they sitting at the head of the main tent?"

A general who neither knew Lü Bu nor had ever met King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan glanced at Lü Bu and King Zhou Zhan sitting next to Hezhou and asked a question.

"Also, what happened to General He's drumming rally of generals?"

"A soldier just came to report that faint sounds of fighting can be heard coming from inside the city?"

"Could something have happened in the city?"

The general then asked another question.

Upon hearing the general's words, some of the Zhenbei Army generals present who had never met Prince Zhou Zhan looked at He Zhou, who was in the main seat, with suspicion.

They were all very curious as to who Lü Bu and the Prince of Kao Shan were, that they could sit on equal footing with Hezhou, one of the four main generals of the Zhenbei Army.

You must understand that this is the Zhenbei Army. Apart from the Zhenbei Marquis and the other three of the four main generals, no one else can be considered equal to Hezhou.

Having met the generals of King Zhou Zhan, a shadow fell over his heart.

He Zhou glanced indifferently at the general who had spoken, then scanned all the generals present and said loudly, "I know that some of you may not be familiar with the two people sitting next to me, while others may be."

"I won't beat around the bush. The general sitting to my left is probably unfamiliar to you all. He is General Lü Bu from the imperial court."

what?
Lu Bu?

Hezhou's words caused the expressions of the Zhenbei Army generals present to change.

Who is Lü Bu?

Perhaps no one knew before, and Lü Bu's reputation had not spread.

However, after the chaos in the four northern provinces, Lü Bu's fame had already spread.

This is a man who, with only three thousand Bingzhou wolf riders, was able to wipe out the rebels in the four northern provinces and pacify them.

Even two of the half-step Celestials of the Yellow Heaven Sect were killed by Lü Bu with a single halberd strike.

It can be said that Lü Bu alone dominated the entire four northern provinces.

Ignoring the changed expressions on the faces of the generals below, He Zhou continued, pointing to the Prince Kao Shan sitting on his right, "Some of you should be familiar with the man sitting to my right. He is the Prince Kao Shan, a veteran of three reigns of the imperial court."

what?
The old prince who relies on his mountain?
Hezhou's words once again caused the generals below to change color.

Who is Zhou Zhan, the "King of the Mountain"?
This is a veteran of three reigns of the Great Zhou Dynasty, one of the two pillars of the Great Zhou.

He held a high position and prestige within the Zhou army.

Take the generals of the Northern Garrison present here, for example. Those who have met Prince Kaoshan have basically served under him.

None of the generals of the Zhenbei Army expected that the two people sitting next to Hezhou were actually Lü Bu and Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kaoshan.

So how did Lü Bu and Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, end up in the Zhenbei Army camp?
I heard that an imperial envoy came to the northern frontier today. Could it be that Lü Bu and the Prince of Kao Shan are imperial envoys?
But this shouldn't be happening! Shouldn't the imperial envoys go directly to the Marquis's residence inside the city? Why did they come to the Zhenbei Army camp?

Besides, if the imperial envoy comes to the Zhenbei Army camp, why is the Marquis and the other three generals not seen accompanying him?
In a flash, the thoughts of these Zhenbei Army generals were racing.

"Why haven't you all paid your respects to the old prince yet?"

Hezhou glanced at the Zhenbei Army generals below and said.

"I have met the Prince of Kao Shan."

Upon hearing He Zhou's words, all the generals of the Zhenbei Army below rose and paid their respects to Prince Zhou Zhan.

King Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, was a veteran of three dynasties and a royal prince, holding a highly respected position.

From any perspective, these generals of the Northern Garrison had to pay their respects to King Zhou Zhan.

"No need for formalities, generals."

Prince Zhou Zhan stood up, stepped forward, and looked at the generals of the Zhenbei Army below, saying loudly, "I have come to the Zhenbei Army to deliver a decree on His Majesty's orders. Generals, please listen to the decree!"

After King Zhou Zhan finished speaking, he took out a golden imperial edict.

This was the decree issued by Zhou Chen as planned when he left Luoyang.

Having captured the Marquis of Zhenbei, and wanting to take over the Zhenbei Army, this imperial decree was the most legitimate and powerful tool.

"Your Highness, I have a question."

"Since Your Highness came to Zhenbei Army to deliver the imperial decree on His Majesty's orders, why are the Marquis and the other generals not seen accompanying you?"

"This humble general believes that we should immediately send someone to inform the Marquis and the other generals."

"It won't be too late for Your Highness to convey His Majesty's decree after the Marquis and the other generals arrive."

A burly general stepped forward and spoke.

This rugged general had never met Prince Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan before, but he had heard of his reputation and knew of his influence in the army.

However, as a trusted general promoted by Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei, this rough and unruly general did not care about the prestige and influence of Prince Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan.

He was loyal to Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei, and he only recognized Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei.

Now, if Prince Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan wants to issue an imperial edict while Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei is not present, he will not agree.

The words of this rough-looking general caused some of the other generals nearby to exchange glances.

"Your Highness, I also think we should wait until the Marquis arrives before conveying His Majesty's decree."

"After all, the Marquis and the other three commanders are the leaders and generals of the Zhenbei Army. If the leaders and generals are no longer here, how will the Zhenbei Army receive the imperial decree?"

Another general stepped forward and spoke.

Upon hearing this, Prince Zhou Zhan glanced indifferently at the two generals, and without saying a word, shouted outside, "Someone come here."

"Seize these two men and drag them out to behead them."

"I'm backed by King Zhou Zhan," Zhou Zhan said coldly.

Zhang Liao immediately led a squad of Divine Martial Guards in from outside, and they captured the two generals.

The two generals originally wanted to put up a fight, but they had no strength to resist at all in the hands of Zhang Liao, a mid-stage Grandmaster.

"Your Highness, what crime have I committed? Why do you want to kill us two?"

“This is the Zhenbei Army. Even a prince doesn’t have the right to kill us two.”

The two generals captured by Zhang Liao struggled and shouted angrily.

King Zhou Zhan, with a dignified expression, didn't say a word and simply waved his hand.

Zhang Liao dragged the two generals out of the main tent. "General He, are you really going to just stand by and watch the Prince of Kao Shan indiscriminately slaughter the Zhenbei Army?"

"This is the Zhenbei Army. If the Marquis finds out, how will you explain it to him?"

The two generals shouted towards Hezhou, but Zhang Liao still dragged them out.

Hezhou remained silent throughout, without uttering a single word or making any other statement.

The other generals below all changed their expressions upon seeing this.

These two fellow generals only said they would wait for the Marquis to arrive before he would deliver the decree, but the Prince of Kaoshan directly ordered them to be arrested.

In particular, Hezhou, one of the four main generals of the Zhenbei Army and the commander of the garrison camp, did not show any intention of stopping them.

This shows what?
Even the most foolish of the Zhenbei Army's generals realized that something was amiss.

One of the four main generals of the Zhenbei Army in Hezhou actually joined forces with the Prince of Kaoshan, who was a member of the imperial court.

This was something none of the Zhenbei Army generals present had expected.

So, does the Marquis know about this? Do the other three commanders know about it?
A sense of foreboding arose in the hearts of these Zhenbei Army generals.

No one dared to stand up and stop the two generals from being dragged out.

Because these generals of the Zhenbei Army had already realized that if any of them dared to stand up and stop it, they would be dragged out and beheaded just like those two generals.

After the two generals were dragged away by Zhang Liao, Prince Zhou Zhan of Kao Shan did not hesitate, holding up the imperial edict in his hand and opening it directly.

"His Majesty has decreed..."

King Zhou Zhan glanced at the generals of the Zhenbei Army below.

Upon hearing this, all the generals of the Zhenbei Army knelt down.

The two generals who were dragged out serve as a warning; at this point, if anyone still dares to stand up and object, it will be a serious matter.

That would be absolutely suicidal.

These generals of the Zhenbei Army were well aware of this.

Therefore, wise men don't suffer immediate losses, so they all knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

"His Majesty has decreed that Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei has twice disobeyed the imperial decree, defied His Majesty's will, acted as a mercenary, obeyed summons but not orders, secretly colluded with the remnants of the Fan family and other rebels, and secretly communicated with foreign tribes beyond the Great Wall. His crimes are heinous..."

"Exterminate the nine clans of Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei, reclaim the title of Marquis of Zhenbei, remove all military power from Marquis of Zhenbei, and let General Lü Bu take over the Zhenbei Army, with King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan supervising and assisting from the side..."

Prince Zhou Zhan loudly read aloud the imperial edict in his hand.

The evidence against Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei was read out one by one.

The faces of the Zhenbei Army generals kneeling below changed drastically upon hearing the decree read out by the Prince of Kaoshan, and their hearts sank to the bottom.

They had just realized that something was wrong.

Now, upon hearing the imperial edict, it is indeed so.

The entire clan of Marquis Xue Shaowen of Zhenbei was exterminated, his title of Marquis of Zhenbei was revoked, and his military power was stripped away.

This means the imperial court has taken action against the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion and their Zhenbei Army.

In an instant, the kneeling generals of the Northern Army all sensed that the situation in the northern frontier was about to change.

After reading the imperial edict, Prince Zhou Zhan looked at the kneeling generals of the Zhenbei Army and said silently, "You have all heard His Majesty's decree."

"I tell you, the Zhenbei Army is the Zhenbei Army of the imperial court, and also the Zhenbei Army of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is not the private army of any one person or force."

"You have guarded the northern border and resisted the northern barbarians. I acknowledge that you have rendered meritorious service to the Great Zhou."

"But this is not your basis for defying the imperial edict, ignoring the court's orders, and holding military power for your own benefit."

"The Marquis of Zhenbei and the other three main generals of the Zhenbei Army, as well as more than ten other generals, have been captured and executed by Cao Zhengchun, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot. The Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion has also been destroyed, and Zhenbei City has been taken over by the Shenwu Guard."

"Now, I'm giving you a chance. Hand over your military tallies and hold them in custody for now, pending the court's investigation."

"If you haven't committed any serious crimes, the court will release you after an investigation and restore you to your original positions."

King Zhou Zhan, with his sharp, round eyes, surveyed the kneeling generals of the Zhenbei Army below.

King Zhou Zhan of Kao Shan has made it very clear: if these generals hand over their military seals now, they will be temporarily detained without any danger to their lives.

But if they don't hand over the military tally, the consequences are obvious.

The general of the Zhenbei Army kneeling below had already felt a huge storm churning in his heart when he heard what King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan said.

Xue Shaowen, the Marquis of Zhenbei, has been captured and executed by the Eastern Depot. The other three main generals of the Zhenbei Army and more than ten high-ranking generals have also been killed by the imperial court.

Such news is nothing short of shocking.

None of the generals of the Zhenbei Army expected that their lord, three main generals, and more than ten high-ranking generals had been executed by the imperial court.

In this way, the leaders and high-ranking generals of their Zhenbei Army were basically wiped out by the imperial court.

Upon thinking of this, the kneeling Zhenbei Army generals turned pale, and cold sweat poured down their backs.

Especially the last sentence from the Prince of Kao Shan, demanding that they hand over their military seals, made the hearts of these Zhenbei Army generals clench tightly.

The military tally represents military power.

Only with the military tally can one mobilize the various troops of the Zhenbei Army.

This was also the capital upon which these generals of the Northern Garrison relied for their survival.

If they hand over the military tally, it would be tantamount to surrendering the power they currently hold, which means handing over the lives of their families.

These generals of the Zhenbei Army hesitated.

But if they don't hand over the military tally, they probably won't be able to leave this main tent today.

They might soon follow in the footsteps of those two generals and be beheaded.

"Your Highness, we all accept the imperial decree and will cooperate in the investigation of the Zhenbei Army."

“If we hand over the military command, without us generals, the Zhenbei Army will fall into chaos.”

"I urge Your Highness to reconsider."

The general who first asked about the identities of the Prince of Hezhou and his men pondered for a moment before speaking.

The military tally is their greatest asset right now.

Once they hand them over, they'll all be meat on the court's chopping block, ready to be slaughtered at any moment.

Therefore, none of these generals were willing to easily hand over their military command.

"puff."

No sooner had the general finished speaking than his head flew off and rolled to the ground.

Lu Bu had somehow moved to the front, the halberd in his hand gleaming with a menacing light.

"act recklessly."

"His Highness has made his words very clear. You now only have two choices."

"Either hand over the military command, or die."

Lu Bu coldly looked at the generals of the Zhenbei Army below and spoke.

The aura of a half-step celestial being pressed directly towards these generals of the Zhenbei Army.

The generals of the Northern Garrison, seeing the head roll to one side and the blood-dripping halberd in Lü Bu's hand, all abandoned any thought of resistance.

(End of this chapter)