Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3952: Lü Bu's Story
When the yellowish-gray left behind and a glimmer of green, representing hope for survival, appeared before them, especially when the air was no longer filled with the aura of dryness and death, but rather with the scent of damp water plants, Lu Bu's army finally emerged from the desert.

They left death in the dunes and welcomed new life.

The sparse reeds and the faint water in the distance are the most beautiful scenery at this moment!

The entire expeditionary force, even the formidable Lü Bu, was exhausted and nearly collapsed.

This march left both men and horses exhausted.

Everyone looked like they had been pulled out of the sand; their heads, faces, bodies, clothes, and armor were covered in thick layers of dust and sand, which would fall off with a thud if they shook them!
Its mouth and nose were dry, its lips were chapped, and even its eye sockets and cheeks were sunken and shriveled due to dehydration...

Many people, upon seeing a body of water, immediately crawl over, only to collapse on the water's edge, unable to get up for a long time.

The past ten days or so of traversing the desert on the eastern shore of the Aral Sea felt like a brush with death. Non-combat casualties reached as high as 30%, and morale and physical strength plummeted to rock bottom.

After resting briefly by the water for a day, Lü Bu ordered his troops to advance.

Cao Xing licked his lips, which still bore traces of blood, and pleaded with some difficulty, "My lord, the brothers... are all exhausted, I'm afraid they can't hold on... Should we... rest here for a few days? Even just three or five more days would be good, to let everyone catch their breath and regain some strength..."

Lu Bu was actually very tired.

He was not young, and he was also unable to withstand such a long march across the desert.

He also longed for rest, but he forced himself to stay awake and refused Cao Xing's request.

"We can't stop! If we stop now, this momentum will dissipate, and it will be difficult to pick it up again!" Lü Bu looked at his soldiers and said in a deep voice, "I know my men are tired, hungry, and thirsty... but the Kangju people will never imagine that a Han army could crawl out of this deadly land! Their king is probably still in his felt tent drinking mare's milk wine, arguing with his leaders about whether to send troops! They have no idea that we have defeated the vultures and scorpions of the desert and are right under their noses!"

Lu Bu raised his voice, hoarse yet filled with the aura of iron and blood.
"They are completely unprepared! The troops around the royal tent certainly haven't had time to regroup! Yes, we are exhausted! But we are ghosts who have crawled out of this deadly place, from the depths of hell! The Kangju people have been too comfortable for too long; they've long forgotten what the Han sword feels like! Let's press on, storm the royal tent, and capture or kill the Kangju king! Once we take the royal tent, the Kangju tribes will be thrown into chaos! If we stop to rest now, and wait for the Kangju to react and mobilize their forces, even if we're well-rested, we'll be surrounded and killed by them!"

Lu Bu raised his hand, pointing to the desert they had just emerged from. "Did we risk our lives to leave this place only to be surrounded and then flee back?!"

Cao Xing and the others fell silent.

A moment later, someone gritted their teeth and got up from the ground, silently inspecting their swords, spears, and armor.

Cao Xing also took a deep breath, cupped his hands in acceptance of the order, and began to prepare the troops in a hoarse voice.

Aygul walked over, her once youthful face, full of collagen, now cracked and chapped in the desert.

"I'll go with you!" she said, then emphasized again, "I'll go with you! I told you, whoever you want to kill, I'll get the knife for you!"

Lu Bu looked at Ayiguli for a moment, then suddenly smiled and nodded, "Good!"

……

……

Just as Lü Bu had predicted, the Kangju royal court was extremely lax at this moment.

News of the upheavals in Wusun to the east, the ferocity of the Han army, and the killing of envoys reached Kangju. Although it angered the King of Kangju and caused a stir within the kingdom, most of the Kangju people, like the King, believed that the vast and desolate desert was an insurmountable barrier and a protective shield for Kangju.

Neither the Kangju people nor their king believed that the Han army had the courage or ability to cross this desert, so they only considered attacking the Wusun and the Han people when they were ready, without expecting any counterattack from the Han.

Although the Kangju people felt they were under one-way protection, crossing the desert to attack the Wusun was no easy task for them either; the costs and dangers were considerable. Therefore, the opinions of the several major tribal leaders in Kangju differed...

The threat of war exists, but how and when to fight it still needs to be determined through consultation.

Therefore, the King of Kangju is currently only summoning the tribal leaders scattered across various grasslands, preparing to assemble troops, supplies, and provisions, and also planning to use the name and troops of the Kushan Empire...

All of this will take time.

The King of Kangju sent messengers to urge several chieftains who lived far away to come to the royal court for a meeting as soon as possible.

In their view, the war had not yet begun, and they still had plenty of time.

Until that early morning, when the sky was just before dawn...

On the eastern horizon, a hint of blood appeared amidst the pale white of dawn.

The pastures surrounding the royal court were still shrouded in mist and silence, with only early-rising herdsmen slowly fetching water, cooking, and checking the cattle and sheep inside the fences, preparing for a new day of grazing...

Suddenly, a muffled rumble of thunder came faintly from the horizon!
At first, no one in the Kangju royal court reacted.

The Kangju soldiers responsible for patrolling outside thought it was a tribal chief who had received a messenger and brought his troops...

But soon, the rumbling thunder grew louder and more urgent!
When the torrent surged forth as if it had burst forth from the underworld, and the tricolor battle flags and Han army banners, stained with sand and tattered yet still brimming with murderous intent, shattered the peace of the royal court, the people of Kangju realized that something terrible was about to happen!

The tattered yet still fluttering Han flag instantly shattered the illusions of all Kangju residents!
War never happens when someone is ready!

"Enemy attack!!!"

"They're Han Chinese! The Han Chinese are attacking!"

The piercing alarm horn sounded, accompanied by chaotic and distorted shouts, completely disrupting the peace of the royal court.

The Kangju people were completely unprepared. Many of the royal guards didn't even have time to put on their armor. They frantically searched for their warhorses, bare-chested or wearing only fur coats, carrying spears and scimitars, or even just bows with missing arrows, and went into battle!

Lu Bu did not pause or hesitate at all!

Lu Bu took the lead and raised his halberd!
The halberd's blade trailed a cold arc of light in the dim morning light...

He squinted and quickly locked onto his target amidst the chaos.

The largest and most magnificent felt tent in the center of the royal court!
"Follow me to break through the enemy lines! Shoot straight for the royal banner!" Lu Bu's roar drowned out the chaotic clamor. "Those who stand in my way shall die!"

From a certain perspective, Lü Bu and the Han army did indeed only have the strength to launch a single attack. If the Kangju people could withstand and block them, it was because the Han cavalry were already exhausted and did not have the resources to continue fighting.

But at this moment, frontline generals like Lü Bu demonstrated their greatest value!
In China, many times, we don't need slogans or grand promises; all we need is a simple phrase: "Follow me!"

At this moment, the Han soldiers, following Lü Bu, turned all their remaining strength and will into a desperate charge!

They no longer considered formation or spared no effort in driving, but simply followed closely the figure in front, who was like a god of war, transforming into an incomparably sharp dagger, fiercely stabbing towards the heart of the Kangju royal court!

The guards of the Kangju royal tent reacted quickly, with about a thousand elite royal cavalrymen hastily assembling to try to stop them.

They were the direct forces of the Kangju King, better equipped and more valiant than ordinary tribal soldiers.

However, their hasty engagement was not against an ordinary nomadic tribe, but against Han Chinese soldiers who had struggled to survive!
The scales of victory began to tip the moment the two sides made contact...

Lü Bu charged at the forefront of the Han army.

The halberd in his hand became a symbol of death.

Perhaps only with such a unique weapon could Lu Bu's superb martial arts skills be fully displayed.

Even the simplest sweeping, thrusting, and slashing techniques can be transformed into a dazzling display of power that inspires fear in Lu Bu!
Where the halberd blade passed—

The scimitar in the hands of the guards of the Kangju royal court was easily knocked away!
His leather and iron armor were torn apart as if they were made of paper!
The warhorse neighed as it was slashed open on the side by a halberd, and the rider screamed as he fell to the ground!

Lü Bu was like a tiger among sheep; wherever he went, men and horses fell, and no one could withstand a single blow!
The Han cavalry followed closely behind, exacerbating their wounds and slaughtering the guards of the Kangju royal court. Although they had not yet fully recovered from their exhaustion, they gritted their teeth and, almost instinctively, covered each other as they charged forward, hacking and slashing. Their tactics were far more disciplined, efficient, and lethal than those of the Kangju.

Overwhelmed by both individual bravery and teamwork, the hastily assembled Kangju royal guard defenses were quickly breached by the Han army!

Some Kangju nobles attempted to organize a counterattack, roaring as they led their personal guards upstream, heading straight for Lü Bu.

Lu Bu didn't even glance at him; with a casual flick of his halberd, he cut the nobleman down from his horse, decapitating him...

Another Kangju warrior wielding an axe roared and swung at him, but Lü Bu merely deflected and parried with a deft flick of his wrist, then swiftly severed the Kangju warrior's arm...

Unstoppable!

The King of Kangju had originally planned to confront Lü Bu, but upon seeing this, his expression immediately changed. Looking at the demon-like Han general and the Han army behind him, which resembled mad tigers, he was terrified.

"Let's go, let's go!"

The King of Kangju immediately turned his horse around, making the most humane choice in the face of absolute power and death.

With the King of Kangju fleeing, the royal court was thrown into chaos.

What use are honors and loyalty without a core member?

With the defenses collapsed, the Kangju people in the royal court, regardless of age or gender, scattered and fled, completely losing their will to fight.

Lu Bu's gaze was fixed intently on the fleeing King of Kangju...

But Lu Bu soon realized that he couldn't catch up!

The warhorse's strength was almost completely exhausted, and it ran slower and slower...

Lü Bu immediately hung up his halberd, took out his bow and arrow, and shot!
The arrows whistled through the air, but Lü Bu couldn't help but click his tongue.

He himself was also extremely exhausted, and this arrow probably wouldn't be enough to kill the King of Kangju...

Sure enough, the arrow not only lacked power but also had some inaccuracy, failing to hit the King of Kangju's head and neck but instead piercing his back!

The King of Kangju had no idea that this arrow from Lü Bu had nearly exhausted his strength and might not be able to pursue him any longer. He only felt a sharp pain in his back, let out a howl, and almost fell off his horse. He quickly clung tightly to the horse's neck, not daring to look back, and fled for his life...

The morning light completely dispelled the thin mist, illuminating the grassland mired in bloodshed and chaos.

The people of Kangju were horrified to realize that the legendary mighty man had not disappeared with time.

The blades of the Han people can still traverse thousands of miles of yellow sand, shattering any arrogance that dares to challenge them in the most brutal and direct way.

The sharpest point on this Han-style ring-pommel sword today belongs to Lü Bu!

The Flying General who flew over the desert, bringing death to the people of Kangju, was Lü Bu!

……

……

The victory at the Kangju royal court was swift and decisive.

With his royal tent breached, the King of Kangju, protected by his trusted confidants, fled wounded and in a sorry state.

The wealth accumulated by the King of Kangju over many years, the cattle, sheep and horses scattered across the grasslands surrounding the royal court, and the mountains of furs, gold and silver utensils, jewels and jade, which were originally intended to recruit troops and attack Wusun, have now all become spoils of war for the Han army.

The scale of these riches far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.

Lü Bu set up camp in the royal court, gathered the prisoners, and reorganized his troops.

The camp was filled with the stench of blood and smoke, yet also with a frenzied, ecstatic excitement.

Even though the soldiers were exhausted, they couldn't help but cast their burning gazes at the mountains of wealth.

They knew they would receive a share as usual, but they didn't know how much...

Cao Xing, somewhat excited, found Lü Bu and reported: "My lord, a rough inventory has been done. We have over ten thousand head of cattle and sheep, and a full five thousand warhorses, enough to replace them! There are also gold and silver utensils, jewels, and furs piled up like mountains… What should we do with this? Should the warhorses be put into the army, and the rest of the wealth, according to old custom, go into the public treasury, with rewards given later based on merit?"

Cao Xing paused, glanced at Lü Bu, hesitated for a moment, and then added, "This time, the soldiers risked their lives, crossed a perilous place, and achieved this extraordinary feat. My lord... I think the reward should be quite generous..."

Cao Xing was somewhat worried that Lü Bu might relapse into his greedy ways...

Lu Bu leaned his cleaned halberd against his side, glanced at the soldiers in the camp, and after a moment of silence, suddenly whispered, "Forty percent..." "Forty percent?!" Cao Xing was somewhat surprised, then overjoyed: "My lord is wise! Sixty percent goes to the public, and forty percent is distributed among the brothers; they will surely be delighted!"

"Wrong!" Lü Bu shook his head. "I said forty percent would be kept for the army's public use... and the remaining sixty percent... would be distributed!"

Lu Bu's gaze swept over Cao Xing's surprised face. "Distribute the spoils according to rank within the army, plus the magnitude of their contributions in this battle. Divide them 60% immediately."

"Sixty percent?!" Cao Xing couldn't believe it.

During his later years in the Central Plains and in the Western Regions, Lü Bu valued wealth above all else; such a large proportion of his spoils was unheard of. "My lord, isn't...isn't this too much? Historically, even 30% of a reward is considered a great favor; this 60%...might drain the public treasury. What if there's an urgent need in the future..."

Lu Bu raised his hand, stopping Cao Xing's words. After a long while, he waved his hand and said, "I said, sixty percent! If it weren't for... explaining it to the men, if it weren't for needing to keep some as a reserve for what's to come, I would have loved to give it all away! Every man who survived the desert and fought his way here with me will immediately be able to touch real gold and silver, and eat delicious mutton! Let them know that this blood-soaked business was worth it!"

Cao Xing was stunned.

He looked at Lü Bu, and the man before him was completely different from the Lü Bu who had previously used his wealth to demonstrate his status in the Western Regions.

"...This subordinate understands." Cao Xing said no more, clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, and said, "Go and draft the regulations, and distribute them as soon as possible."

"Go, be quick, and be fair. Let everyone see." Lu Bu waved his hand.

Cao Xing turned and left, quickly spreading the news. Cheers erupted in the army, and many soldiers waved their arms in Lü Bu's direction...

Lu Bu responded briefly, then smiled, walked a few steps away, sat down on a sun-warmed stone, and tilted his head back to let the sunlight shine on his face.

Unlike in the desert, the sun on the grassland is still warm, but not harsh.

The distant cheers and excited voices, carried on the wind, brought him a strange sense of peace...

Lu Bu's thoughts drifted back to the past...

During my time in Bingzhou, the winds of the frontier were cold, but people's hearts seemed simpler.

He had also captured some items and received rewards at that time.

At that time, he would often generously distribute the gold, silver, cattle, sheep, and furs he acquired to his soldiers, colleagues, and even the poor people in the city.

It wasn't because Lü Bu was particularly noble at the time, but because he felt that being able to share with his brothers who had shared life and death, and to gain the support and joyful smiles of the masses, was enough.

When we have money, we eat and drink to our hearts' content; when we have no money, we huddle together and eat sweet potatoes—that's still a happy life...

Moreover, Bingzhou is harsh and cold, and there aren't many good things there. Even if you're rich, you can't buy anything good.

If you've broken up, so be it. Just keep enough for yourself.

When Lü Bu divided the money, he felt a sense of satisfaction, believing it to be the mark of a hero.

That's how it should be.

But after arriving in Heluo, everything changed...

First, there wasn't enough food, and then it became clear that even the food was of different grades...

When he followed Ding Yuan into Luoyang, the unprecedented prosperity and extravagance of the imperial capital severely impacted his understanding as a frontier warrior.

Surprisingly, the wine wasn't spicy or sour; instead, it had a mellow and lingering aroma!
The woman wasn't just strong and fierce; she could also sing and dance gracefully, with skin as smooth as jade and eyes sparkling with charm!
Even their clothing wasn't just a leather robe that served as a garment during the day and a blanket at night, but rather various dazzling silks and satins, so smooth they were intoxicating...

And then there are those exquisite artifacts, magnificent mansions…

Everything is clearly priced.

The price was so high that it left him speechless, making him feel inferior.

Money is so useful!

Money is never enough!
A wild boar in the countryside has lost its way...

He watched those scions of noble families, spending lavishly, indulging in excessive feasting, surrounded by beautiful women, discussing topics he couldn't understand but which seemed profound and unfathomable...

Across a vast land, amidst the affairs of countless nations, each man handled matters with effortless grace and irreverence, his demeanor dashing and charming, all while surrounded by the playful banter of beautiful women…

The financial and entertainment circles of the Han Dynasty are so magnificent!
For the first time, he realized clearly and painfully that he was very poor!

No matter where he is, he is an outsider!
It wasn't poverty from not having enough to eat or wear, but rather that in this new world where wealth and social status determined everything, the rewards and accumulations he received for his military achievements seemed so meager!

The sour soup of the small town is gone.

The metropolis's fine wines intoxicated me.

Envy, followed by an intense longing, burned within him like wildfire.

He no longer felt that sharing was a joyful thing, and began to seize every opportunity to make money!
He doesn't even have enough for himself, so how could he possibly give it away?

Gold and silver dazzled the eyes and clouded the mind.

He even once thought that as long as he had as much wealth as those aristocratic families, he could have their status and enjoy the same pleasures as them...

And gaining their approval...

But Lü Bu was ultimately wrong.

He amassed wealth, imitating the aristocratic families, purchasing luxurious clothes and mansions, keeping courtesans, and indulging in lavish feasts and entertainment...

But those scions of noble families still looked at him with disdain.

He thought that more money would bring him higher status and more respect, but his wealth came and went quickly!
A single defeat and escape can wipe out all the wealth one has painstakingly accumulated in an instant.

Then, he seemed to fall into a terrible cycle.

After losing his money, he became even more determined to get it back.

He became suspicious and stingy, and his rewards to his subordinates became increasingly harsh.

Then he almost reached his peak in the Western Regions...

The wealth gathered along the trade routes to the Western Regions and the rare treasures offered as tribute from various countries inflated his greedy appetite to the extreme.

He began to levy exorbitant taxes and plunder, his eyes fixed only on gleaming gold and sparkling gems.

It was this almost obsessive greed for wealth that blinded him, allowing the likes of Wei Xu to exploit his weaknesses. Using his name, they intensified their exploitation of the Western Regions, enriching themselves at the expense of others, ultimately igniting a fire of chaos that burned away all the wealth he had amassed…

Later, when Fei Qian's army pressed in, he became a prisoner.

Those friends who used to fawn over him and feast with him, those comrades who praised and flattered him, all changed their tune in an instant. Some distanced themselves from him, while others kicked him when he was down, and they all unanimously placed all the blame on him alone.

It's all his fault!
It's all his fault...

During those dark days of waiting for his final judgment, he finally saw things clearly.

The praise and smiles that once surrounded him were not actually for him, but for his money and power...

Wealth comes and goes like flowing water, and power rises and falls like fleeting clouds.

They cannot buy true loyalty or genuine affection; in fact, at crucial moments, they can become a burden that drags you down and an excuse for others to attack you.

He had previously devoted himself to pursuing wealth, believing it could fill the void in his heart and gain the respect of others. In the end, he discovered that he was trapped by wealth, his greed alienated him from everyone, he lost his most valuable subordinates, and he almost ruined everything...

Now, he distributed 60% of the spoils captured in Kangju as rewards and 40% as public funds for the army, leaving none for himself.

Hearing the cheers gradually rising in the camp, Lü Bu felt no reluctance, but rather a sense of relief, as if a shackle that had been borne for many years had been removed...

He has carried this shackle for many years.

After taking it off, I realized it had already developed a patina...

"General."

A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

Lu Bu looked up and saw that Ayiguli had walked over at some point. She had changed out of her blood-stained armor and was wearing a clean set of Wusun civilian clothes. Her hair was simply tied back, and her eyes were bright.

She was holding a bowl of steaming goat milk soup.

"Here, I just cooked it..."

Lu Bu took the goat's milk, drank a sip, and felt the warmth flow down his throat.

Goat milk has a strong, pungent smell, but Lü Bu found it very pleasant.

"I've distributed most of the money I gained this time to my men," Lü Bu said, holding his bowl and looking into Ayiguli's eyes. "The rest will be kept for military use... There's not much left for you... Don't you feel... bad?"

"Feeling unwell? Why?" Aygul blinked, seemingly puzzled as to why Lu Bu would ask such a question.

"I don't have money for you, so I don't have money to buy new clothes or jewelry..." Lu Bu explained.

Aygul thought for a moment, then earnestly retorted, "Why should I be upset? Money, cattle, and sheep are like grass on the grassland—plenty here this year, plentiful there next year. If you distribute them to those who fought alongside you, they'll be happy, and more willing to fight for you next time. Isn't that better?"

She paused, then asked doubtfully, "Do Han Chinese women only feel happy when they have lots and lots of wealth around them? Should I do that?"

The question was simple and direct, yet it left Lü Bu speechless for a moment.

Seeing his silence, Aygul gently shook her head. "I don't like that. Wearing jewelry while riding a horse, I'd worry about it falling off; wearing new clothes while fighting, I'd be distracted and break them… And with more money, I'd worry about it being stolen from, robbed, and I wouldn't sleep peacefully… That wouldn't make me happy. I'm happy… I like it…"

Aygul raised her head, staring directly and boldly into Lü Bu's face. "I love you! My husband! You led us across the desert, you defeated powerful enemies, and you make me feel that with you, I have the strength to live and no fear of death! This gives me more peace of mind than mountains of gold..."

Lu Bu stared blankly into Ayiguli's clear and honest eyes.

This feeling seems so unfamiliar, yet so familiar...

Just like back then.

Lu Bu never imagined that all his words and actions over the years, all his deep thoughts, all his anxieties and uncertainties, would be less insightful than a single sentence from a woman from Wusun…

Suddenly, Lü Bu burst into laughter.

The laughter was loud and cheerful.

It was as if it wanted to shake off the dust that had accumulated on the armor for many years and cleanse the lingering smell of money from the heart.

This laughter lacked the arrogance of youth, the violence of disappointment, and the hypocrisy of putting on an act.

It was a sense of relief after clarity, a feeling of ease after letting go of a heavy burden, and perhaps even a touch of mockery for one's past obsessions.

Aygul blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed by Lu Bu's laughter. She didn't know what Lu Bu was laughing at, but seeing him laugh, she laughed along with him.

Inside the camp, the distribution of rewards was in full swing, filled with laughter and the soldiers' satisfied exclamations.

In the distance, the grasslands stretch out, and the sky is high and the clouds are light.

The road ahead is still long.

But this time, Lü Bu felt much lighter...