Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 692 Jia Changsheng Occupies Luoyang

Under the careful governance of Jia Changsheng, Luoyang City gradually recovered from the trauma of war. At the same time, Dong Zhuo and the eighteen princes were also busy reorganizing their forces in their respective territories and preparing for the next round of competition. The situation in the whole world was like a taut bowstring, ready to explode at any time.

In Chang'an, Dong Zhuo sat in the gloomy hall of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, with carved beams and painted buildings, his brows furrowed, and his face trembled slightly with anger and anxiety. The disastrous defeat and embarrassing retreat in Luoyang had seriously damaged his vitality, but his ambition and unwillingness were still running rampant in his chest like a trapped beast.

"Lü Bu!" Dong Zhuo slammed the table and roared, "Tell me, how did this battle turn out like this?"

Lu Bu knelt on one knee. Although he was dissatisfied in his heart, facing Dong Zhuo's anger, he could only bow his head and said, "Father, calm down. The eighteen princes are cunning and scheming. This defeat is my fault."

"Hmph, what's the point of saying this now!" Dong Zhuo stood up and paced back and forth, "Now that we are trapped in Chang'an, we must find a way to regroup as soon as possible."

At this time, Li Ru stepped out from the side and said, "My Lord, we should first consolidate the defense of Chang'an. Chang'an is in a strategic location and is easy to defend but difficult to attack. As long as we strengthen the city walls and store enough food and weapons, the coalition forces of the princes will not be able to attack for a while."

Dong Zhuo nodded slightly and said, "I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure it's completed as soon as possible."

"Yes." Li Ru took the order and left.

"Also," Dong Zhuo continued, "we need to recruit new soldiers and expand the army. Pass my order to recruit soldiers in Chang'an and the surrounding counties. No matter whether they are men, women, young or old, as long as they can hold a weapon, recruit them!"

Lu Bu looked embarrassed: "Father, I'm afraid that recruiting soldiers like this will cause dissatisfaction among the people..."

"I don't care if he's satisfied or not!" Dong Zhuo interrupted Lu Bu and said viciously, "Now is a matter of life and death, I can't care about so much. Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!"

In addition to military preparations, Dong Zhuo also took a series of political measures. In order to consolidate his rule in Chang'an, he lavishly rewarded his confidants and replaced important positions in the court with his confidants. In the court, there was a lot of flattery, and anyone who had a slight dissenting opinion was executed by Dong Zhuo on various charges. For a time, everyone in Chang'an was in danger.

After Yuan Shao returned to Jizhou, he began to reorganize his army. He knew that in the process of attacking Dong Zhuo, he, as the leader of the alliance, failed to effectively unify the princes, which led to the final disintegration of the coalition, which greatly damaged his prestige. In order to save the situation, on the one hand, he strengthened his rule over Jizhou, extorted the people's money and increased military pay; on the other hand, he recruited talents, hoping to find talents who could give him advice and command troops in battle.

"My lord, although we have retreated to Jizhou, our strength remains." The counselor Feng Ji said, "The most urgent task is to repair relations with the surrounding princes and fight against Dong Zhuo together."

Yuan Shao nodded and said, "You are right. Send someone to contact Cao Cao, Sun Jian and others, and tell them that I, Yuan Shao, am willing to put aside our past grudges and discuss with them the matter of attacking Dong Zhuo."

After Cao Cao returned to Yanzhou, he was not as eager to expand his territory as other princes, but devoted himself to rectifying internal affairs. He knew that a stable rear was the foundation for achieving great things. Cao Cao implemented the military farming system and recruited refugees to reclaim wasteland, which not only solved the livelihood problems of the people, but also provided sufficient food and grass for the army. At the same time, he also actively recruited talents and issued a decree of "only talents are promoted". For a time, Yanzhou was full of talents, and many knowledgeable people came to join him.

"Meng De, now that the princes are ruling their own territories, what should we do next?" Xun Yu asked.

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and said, "Although Dong Zhuo has retreated to Chang'an, his strength should not be underestimated. What we need to do now is to accumulate strength and wait for the opportunity. At the same time, we should pay close attention to the situation in the world and look for opportunities to take advantage of."

After Sun Jian returned to Jiangdong, he gained a lot of prestige in the Jiangdong region with the imperial seal. He took this opportunity to actively expand his power, annexed some small forces around him, and gradually consolidated his position in Jiangdong. He knew that the imperial seal was both his capital for fighting for the world and a hot potato, which he had to handle with caution.

"Father, what should we do with this imperial seal?" Sun Ce asked.

Sun Jian frowned and said, "This jade seal should be kept safe for the time being. But do not let others know about it, so as not to bring about a fatal disaster. What we need to do now is to develop our own strength and wait for the right opportunity to achieve great things."

In Luoyang, Jia Changsheng is still working hard for the city's revival. He knows that Luoyang, as a famous capital, is not only a political center, but also a cultural and economic center. If Luoyang is to truly restore its former prosperity, it is necessary not only to rebuild the city, but also to restore commerce and culture.

Jia Changsheng first organized the people to repair the city walls and gates of Luoyang and strengthen the city defense. At the same time, he also vigorously improved public security, cracked down on thieves and lawless people, and allowed the people to live in peace. In terms of economy, he encouraged the people to resume commercial activities, reduced taxes, and attracted many businessmen to come to Luoyang to do business. For a time, the market in Luoyang became lively again, with a wide variety of goods.

"General Jia, the business in Luoyang City is gradually recovering, and people's lives have become much more stable," said an official.

Jia Changsheng smiled and nodded: "This is not enough, we also need to restore the culture of Luoyang. Luoyang is the capital of the Han Dynasty and has a profound cultural heritage. We must rebuild the Imperial College, recruit students from all over the world, and inherit and promote the culture of the Han Dynasty."

Therefore, Jia Changsheng ordered the reconstruction of the Imperial College and invited many famous scholars to teach there. He also set up a library in Luoyang City to collect and organize various books for the people to read and study. Thanks to Jia Changsheng's efforts, Luoyang City not only regained its former vitality, but also radiated new cultural vitality.

However, Jia Changsheng also knew clearly that his situation in Luoyang was not optimistic. Although he had the support of the people, he was weak after all, sandwiched between Dong Zhuo and the 18 princes, like a candle in the wind. He had to stay vigilant at all times and look for opportunities to expand his power in order to survive in this chaotic world.

As time went by, Dong Zhuo, the 18 princes and Jia Changsheng continued to grow and develop in their respective territories, and the situation in the world became more and more complicated. A new war seemed to be brewing quietly in the darkness, and no one knew what role Luoyang City, a city that had experienced many vicissitudes, would play in this chaotic conflict. The night in Luoyang City was quiet and deep, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman breaking the silence of the night. Jia Changsheng sat in the study of the mansion, with the flickering candlelight reflecting his slightly tired but thoughtful face. At this time, his deputy hurried into the study with a bit of eagerness and excitement on his face.

"General, something bad has happened!" The deputy general's voice broke the silence in the study.

Jia Changsheng frowned slightly, put down the military book he was reading, raised his head, and asked calmly: "Why are you so flustered? Tell me slowly."

The deputy general took a deep breath, calmed down, and said, "General, our spies in various princes have sent us news that the current situation is exactly the same as the plot in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms! Yuan Shao had a dispute with Sun Jian over the imperial seal, and Cao Cao was ambushed when he pursued Dong Zhuo alone and returned in defeat."

After hearing this, Jia Changsheng was shocked, but he remained calm on the surface. He waved his hand, signaling the deputy to continue speaking.

"After Yuan Shao returned to Jizhou, he was busy expanding his military and contacting various princes, trying to organize an alliance to attack Dong Zhuo again; Cao Cao implemented the military farming system in Yanzhou, recruited talents and accumulated strength; and Sun Jian returned to Jiangdong, relying on the imperial seal, he was gradually consolidating his sphere of influence." The deputy general reported the situation of all parties in detail in one breath.

Jia Changsheng stood up and walked slowly, with a wave of shock in his heart. He thought that his travel to this chaotic world was just an accident, but he didn't expect that everything was developing according to the established trajectory of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". He remembered that when he first entered the late Han Dynasty, he had the ambition to change the chaotic world and save the people, recruited soldiers and horses, and struggled forward in this complex situation.

"Is all this fate?" Jia Changsheng murmured to himself, "But how can I be content to be just a bystander of history?"

He recalled the shocking scene of the three heroes fighting against Lu Bu that he witnessed in front of Hulao Pass. At that time, he deeply felt that heroes emerged in this chaotic world, and everyone was fighting for their ideals and ambitions. Now, all forces are constantly planning to fight for the world, but he is trapped in Luoyang City. Although he tries hard to revive the city, he seems so insignificant in the face of the world's situation.

"General, what should we do?" The deputy general looked at Jia Changsheng, his eyes full of expectation and trust.

Jia Changsheng stopped and thought for a moment before saying, "Since everything is going according to the novel, we must be more careful. Send down the order to strengthen the defense of Luoyang City and pay close attention to the movements of the princes of all parties."

"Yes!" The deputy general took the order and left.

Jia Changsheng sat back in his chair, his eyes on the open military book, but his thoughts drifted far away. He remembered that when he was in modern times, he knew the story of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by heart, and the legendary experiences of those heroes made his blood boil. But now, when he was in it, he deeply realized the cruelty and helplessness of this chaotic world.

He thought of Yuan Shao, who was a descendant of a famous family and was elected as the leader of the alliance, but because of his narrow-mindedness, he was unable to unite the forces of the princes, which led to the disintegration of the coalition. In this chaotic world, fame and status are far from enough, and you also need a broad mind and outstanding leadership.

Cao Cao, this hero in troubled times, is undoubtedly one of the people Jia Changsheng admires the most. Although he suffered a disastrous defeat in the pursuit of Dong Zhuo, he was able to adjust his strategy quickly, focusing on developing domestic affairs, cultivating land to raise troops, and recruiting talents, laying a solid foundation for his future rise. Jia Changsheng knew that Cao Cao's success was by no means accidental. His wisdom, strategy and perseverance were the key to gaining a foothold in this troubled time.

Sun Jian, relying on the Imperial Seal, has established a firm foothold in Jiangdong. Although he seems to be in great glory, he is actually surrounded by dangers. Although the Imperial Seal has brought him a certain amount of prestige and capital, it has also attracted the covetousness and suspicion of all parties, becoming a time bomb on his road ahead.

"In this chaotic world, everyone is struggling for power and survival. If you are not careful, you will be crushed to pieces." Jia Changsheng was filled with emotion.

He thought about himself again, working hard to rebuild his home in Luoyang City and protect the people, but is all this really enough? With such limited power, how can he truly change the situation and realize his ideals in this chaotic world?
"I can't be passive like this anymore." Jia Changsheng clenched his fists and made up his mind, "I will use my understanding of the future to find opportunities, expand my power, and bring true peace to this chaotic world."

He began to carefully recall every detail in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, thinking about how to find information that would be beneficial to him. He knew that although he had knowledge beyond his time, he still needed to act cautiously and carefully in this chaotic world.

Jia Changsheng thought of the famous battles in the book, such as the Battle of Guandu and the Battle of Chibi. The victory or defeat of these battles often determined the rise and fall of various forces. He silently calculated in his heart that if he could make arrangements in advance and play a role in these key battles, he might be able to change the course of history.

"But how easy is that?" Jia Changsheng couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Behind every historical event, there are countless people and complex interests involved. The slightest mistake could trigger a chain reaction and lead to irreversible consequences."

However, Jia Changsheng was not intimidated by the difficulties. He knew that in this chaotic world, only by bravely facing challenges can he carve out a world of his own in the torrent of history.

It was late at night, and everything was quiet outside the study, but Jia Changsheng's heart was like a turbulent sea. He knew that his journey in troubled times had just begun, and the road ahead was full of unknowns and challenges, but he was ready to write his own glorious chapter in this legendary troubled time.

Chang'an City was filled with a depressing and tense atmosphere. After Dong Zhuo's embarrassing retreat from Luoyang, he was like a frightened bird, worried all day long, fearing that the allied forces of the princes would attack at any time. He paced back and forth in the Grand Tutor's Mansion, and his heavy footsteps echoed in the empty hall. Every step made the ground shake slightly, as if venting his inner uneasiness and anxiety.

"Lu Bu, Li Ru, both of you must think of a way to defend Chang'an." Dong Zhuo suddenly stopped, his eyes wide open, looked at the two people below, and shouted loudly.

Lü Bu, wearing silver armor and holding a halberd, took a step forward, knelt on one knee, and said, "Don't worry, foster father. I am willing to lead the army to set up a defense line outside Chang'an. If the allied forces of the princes dare to come, they will never return!"

(End of this chapter)