Three Kingdoms: Mistakenly Becoming Liu Bei's Adoptive Father at the Start

Outside Chang'an city, banners and flags obscured the sun.

Dong Zhuo sat on the makeshift platform, watching as groups of prisoners were led away. His face was contorted with grotesque features, and he grinned like a wild beast that had just devoured people.

Li Ru bowed and said, "Prime Minister, your victory in this battle has shaken the world. After this battle, the warlords of Guandong have not dared to look westward for ten years."

Dong Zhuo laughed heartily and turned to Lü Bu beside him: "Fengxian, you have rendered outstanding service in this battle. Tell me, what reward do you desire?"

Lu Bu stood below the stage, his body still wet with blood, his halberd resting on the ground. He looked up when he heard this.

"This humble general does not want any reward, only the head of Liu Da'er in Luoyang."

Dong Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then laughed again.

"Good! Good! That Liu Bei has been running wild in Luoyang; it's time to teach him a lesson. Li Ru!"

Li Ru stepped forward: "Here."

Dong Zhuo said, "Issue the order to appoint Lü Bu as Marquis of Wen, General of the Vanguard, and grant him the authority to command all armies in the eastern expedition. Divide the army into three routes: Lü Bu will lead the central army, with Li Su as his deputy, to capture Xin'an; Li Jue and Guo Si will lead the left army to capture Mengjin; and Zhang Ji and Fan Chou will lead the right army to capture Yiyang. The three routes will advance simultaneously to besiege Luoyang!"

Li Ru accepted the order.

Lü Bu clasped his hands in a respectful bow: "Thank you for your kindness, my godfather!"

Just as Dong Zhuo was about to speak, a servant came to report: "Minister Wang Yun has arrived."

Dong Zhuo waved his hand: "Let him come over."

Wang Yun stepped forward and knelt down to pay his respects.

Dong Zhuo didn't urge him to get up, but just glared at him with a forced smile and said, "Minister Wang, where have you been hiding these past few days? I thought you had died in the chaos of battle."

Wang Yun prostrated himself on the ground: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I have stayed in my residence and dare not disturb the Prime Minister."

Dong Zhuo snorted and narrowed his eyes.

"I've heard that you have an adopted daughter who is as beautiful as a celestial being. Is that true?"

Wang Yun froze.

Lu Bu's ears twitched.

Dong Zhuo revealed his cunning and said, "What's her name again? Diao Chan? I heard about it when I returned to Chang'an. There's a painting called 'Diao Chan Worshipping the Moon' circulating in the streets, which is said to depict your adopted daughter. It's a pity I've never seen it. Since we're in a good mood today, why not invite her to the banquet so that both I and Fengxian can see her."

Lü Bu spoke up, "This humble general has also heard of it. I have seen copies of that painting in the army..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times.

Wang Yun lay prostrate on the ground, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Prime Minister... this..."

Dong Zhuo's face darkened: "What? I can't persuade your adopted daughter to come?"

Wang Yun kowtowed repeatedly: "I dare not! It's just... but my daughter is already betrothed, so it's inconvenient for her to show her face in public anymore..."

"What?! You've promised her to someone? To whom?" Dong Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.

Lu Bu's expression changed, and he slammed his halberd hard on the ground, making the table creak.

Wang Yun prostrated himself on the ground, his voice trembling: "It is...it is Liu Liang, Mr. Liu Zishan, under Liu Bei's command..."

Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu exchanged a glance.

"Liu Liang?" Dong Zhuo murmured the name. "Is that the Liu Liang who has repeatedly thwarted my plans?"

Wang Yun dared not look up: "It's...it's him."

Dong Zhuo suddenly stood up, his belly jiggling a few times, and the fat on his face contorted into a grimace.

"Good! I was just worried about not being able to find this scoundrel, and he's already snatched the woman I've set my sights on!"

Lü Bu stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Prime Minister, this humble general is willing to lead troops to Luoyang, firstly to take Liu Bei's head, and secondly to capture Liu Liang and bring back Diao Chan..."

Dong Zhuo glanced at him and suddenly laughed: "Fengxian, my son, what a filial son!"

Lu Bu didn't speak, but everyone could see the unnaturalness on his face.

Dong Zhuo thought Lü Bu was going to offer Diao Chan to him, but Lü Bu actually wanted to keep her for himself.

That night, the city of Chang'an was brightly lit, and the three armies set off overnight.

The first route was led by Lü Bu, who personally led 50,000 elite cavalrymen straight along the official road to Mianchi.

The garrison troops along the way fled at the mere sight of them.

Anyone who dared to resist was met with Lü Bu leading the charge; wherever his halberd passed, heads rolled to the ground.

Within ten days, he captured three cities in succession. The garrison commander of Mianchi was terrified and abandoned the city to flee. Lü Bu entered the city without losing a single soldier.

When the news reached Yima, Li Jue and Guo Si's left wing had just arrived at the city walls when the defending troops had already fled.

Li Jue cursed, "You run fast!"

Guo Si said, "It's good that they ran away; it saves us the trouble of fighting."

Two days later, Xin'an also fell into the hands of Zhang Ji and Fan Chou.

The three armies captured more than ten cities in ten days, and no one dared to stop their advance.

Those Cao troops who were originally stationed at key locations had already received Cao Cao's secret order to withdraw when Dong Zhuo launched his counterattack.

Those who can evacuate should evacuate; those who cannot evacuate quickly should surrender.

The general guarding Hangu Pass abandoned the pass and fled, and the garrison at Tong Pass retreated eastward overnight, with cities along the way surrendering without resistance.

Dong Zhuo's army grew like a snowball.

They started with 100,000 men from Chang'an, reached 150,000 by the time they reached Mianchi, and by the time they reached Xin'an, they were said to have 300,000 men.

Lu Bu halted his horse atop Xin'an City, gazing eastward toward Luoyang, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Liu Da'er, I, the Marquis of Wen, will personally take your head."

Behind him, messengers galloped back and forth between the three armies. Scouts kept reporting: the garrison in Luoyang numbered about 20,000, including 2,000 cavalry. Liu Bei distributed porridge to the people in the city every day, and the people supported him. The city's defenses were reinforced, with logs and stones piled up like mountains.

After listening, Lü Bu only said three words: "Not good enough."

......

Luoyang West Gate, afternoon.

Liu Bei stood on the city wall, with Sun Qian beside him, holding a stack of scouts' reports, his face solemn.

"My lord, Lü Bu's army has already occupied Mianchi, Yima, and Xin'an, and its vanguard is less than two hundred li from Luoyang. They claim to have 300,000 men, but in reality, they number at least 200,000."

Zhang Fei cursed from behind, "Damn it! Two hundred thousand! We only have twenty thousand, how are we supposed to fight this battle?!"

Guan Yu said, "Luoyang is a high-walled city with deep moats, and it has enough food to last three months. His 200,000-strong army can't hold out for long, with only men and horses eating and feeding themselves every day."

Sun Qian said, "General Yunchang, you are unaware of this. Dong Zhuo has been incorporating surrendered soldiers along the way, and cities have surrendered without resistance. His supplies have been plentiful. Three months? He doesn't need to fight for three months at all. A month's siege and we'll be out of food."

Zhang Fei glared: "Rather than sit and wait to die, I'd rather fight to the death! I, Old Zhang, swear to kill that traitor who served three masters!"

Liu Bei shook his head slightly and asked, "Where are my godfather and Zilong?"

Sun Qian said, "The last news was from Chang'an. After Dong Zhuo launched his counterattack, there was no further news."

Zhang Fei panicked: "Brother! Father and Zilong only took five hundred cavalry to Chang'an? I'm afraid they're in grave danger. We have to think of something!"

Liu Bei forced himself to remain calm and asked, "Think of a way? What way?"

Zhang Fei had no better ideas, so he could only hang his head dejectedly and stop talking.

Sun Qian said, "My lord, if all else fails, shall we abandon the city?"

Liu Bei shook his head: "There are nearly 200,000 people in Luoyang now. If we just leave, what will happen to them? Are we going to leave them for Lü Bu to kill?"

Everyone remained silent. Based on their understanding of their lord, they knew that Liu Bei would never abandon the city and its people.

Not to mention, Luoyang originally had only 70,000 people, and the remaining hundreds of thousands of people came to join him because of Liu Xuande's reputation for benevolence.

Liu Bei could not possibly abandon these people.

Liu Bei clenched his teeth and clenched his fist, pressing it against the blue bricks of the city wall.

"Defend! Defend until we can't hold on any longer!"

Below the city walls, the drums sounded as porridge was distributed.

The people lined up, holding their bowls, and waited quietly.

Unbeknownst to them, over two hundred miles to the west, three hundred thousand hungry wolves were silently approaching...