Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

After Zhang Fei had walked a distance, Cao Cao stroked his beard and said to Lu Feng, "I originally thought Zhang Fei was just a reckless brute, but I didn't expect him to be so perceptive! He saw through all the entanglements quite clearly. However..."

"Although this man verbally complains about Liu Bei, and harbors considerable resentment, it would be extremely difficult for him to betray his former master and join another. What a pity!"

At this point, Cao Cao suddenly seemed to remember something and added, "If we're talking about regrets, Guan Yu is even more of a pity..."

If Zhang Fei could express his dissatisfaction so openly, did Guan Yu also harbor resentment?

Cao Cao pondered this in secret, believing that there might be great potential in it.

He admired Guan Yu's character more than Zhang Fei's recklessness.

This may be due to compatible personalities.

"That's absolutely right!" Lu Feng agreed. "This kid is clearly just here to vent and get a free meal! Maybe he's even hoping to settle old scores with me."

Of course, Zhang Fei's statement represents only his personal opinion.

"Hahaha! I think so too!" Cao Cao laughed heartily upon hearing this, teasingly saying, "This fellow is probably just trying to curry favor so he can find another opportunity to come and beg for wine from you later!"

"It's because Liu Bei was truly strapped for cash! Zhang Fei followed him, and he must have suffered quite a bit!"

This rough and tumble man, who was fond of drinking and eating, remained loyal to Liu Bei all the time, which shows his loyalty and righteousness.

This was a mutual appreciation between Cao Cao and Cao Cao, both being gourmands.

"Haha!" Lu Feng laughed, "Judging from his quick wit these past few days, it's quite possible!"

Inside the central command tent, Yuan Shao roared for a long time before gradually calming down.

The high-ranking official, who had been waiting outside the tent, finally dared to enter and report: "My lord! Lu Ziyi arrived half a day ago and is now settled in the camp. Do you have any other instructions?"

Yuan Shao raised his bloodshot eyes, which made Gao Gan's heart tremble, and he hurriedly lowered his head.

"They've arrived already? That's fast enough. Looks like he still knows to give me, the alliance leader, some face!"

As he spoke, Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes.

Such a rapid march must have been achieved by traveling day and night.

"What exactly is he planning?"

Yuan Shao secretly pondered this in his heart.

Is it really because they respect him that they responded so enthusiastically?

This is utterly absurd!

If they truly respected him, they wouldn't have swindled him out of a large amount of grain and salary in the past.

Besides, in terms of official rank and title, Lu Feng is clearly superior to him now, so why should he bow and scrape to him?

Yuan Shao was completely baffled and had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.

However, he remained wary of Lu Feng and waited to see how things would develop.

Little did Lu Feng know that his eagerness stemmed from his desire to witness the epic battle between the three heroes against Lü Bu.

He wanted to find a way for fierce generals like Zhao Yun and Dian Wei to rise to prominence and replace the three Liu brothers.

This arrangement is of great benefit to the generals leading their troops.

Yuan Shao's suspicions and precautions were nothing more than needless worry.

"The leader of the alliance is so imposing, who would dare to disrespect him?" Although Gao Gan was Yuan Shao's nephew, he did not know what Yuan Shao was thinking, so he quickly responded with a smile.

Yuan Shao sneered and waved his hand: "Go prepare for tomorrow's meeting of the warlords and get ready to attack Sishui Pass."

"We vow to swiftly breach the passes, seize Luoyang, and personally avenge our clan by killing Dong Zhuo!"

Dong Zhuo used Yuan Wei and others as sacrifices to his flag, openly trampling on the dignity of the Yuan family.

Only by killing this traitor can we restore our family's reputation.

After the high-ranking officials left the tent, Yuan Shao sat alone inside, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Uncle, elder brother, please don't blame me. Blame this world's system of hierarchy, where legitimate and illegitimate children are treated as superiors and inferiors."

"Yuan Gonglu was also an accomplice; this is not my fault alone."

"How ironic! He calls himself the legitimate son, but he's just a second son. How much more noble is he than me, a son born out of wedlock?"

"As long as my elder brother is alive, neither he nor I can take control of the Yuan family."

"You deserve to die! Go in peace! I will avenge you and kill Dong Zhuo!"

Yuan Shu is a fool and not worth worrying about.

But Yuan Wei was different from Yuan Ji.

Now these two have finally vanished into thin air, their entire families wiped out.

The two mountains weighing on Yuan Shao's heart finally collapsed, and he felt completely refreshed and full of lofty ambitions.

But for now, I must feign grief.

At the same time, the Yang people gathered inside the pass.

Yuan Shu was shocked to hear that Dong Zhuo had beheaded Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji's entire family as a sacrifice to his banner.

"The traitor Dong Zhuo deserves to be executed!"

"How dare you insult the Yuan family like this?"

After roaring for a while in the tent, Yuan Shu dismissed everyone.

Outsiders only thought he was in unbearable pain, but little did they know he was celebrating alone with a drink.

"Wow—Lu Ziyi's gift is truly excellent wine!"

He chuckled, swirling his wine cup slightly. "Uncle, Yuan Ji, you're finally dead."

"That butcher Dong Zhuo is too slow; I almost had to do it myself."

"Now it's perfect; he'll bear the infamy, and I'll reap the benefits."

"From this day forward, the Yuan family shall be supreme!"

"Rest assured, I will carry on your 'legacy' and allow the Yuan family... to ascend the throne."

"The Liu family, born of scoundrels, ruled the country for four hundred years; it's time for the Yuan family to take over."

As for Yuan Shao?

Yuan Shu looked down on Yuan Shao.

In his eyes, after the deaths of Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji, he was the only direct descendant of the Yuan family.

If the elders in the family don't support him, are they going to support Yuan Shao, who was born out of wedlock?

It's ridiculous!

Outside Sishui Pass,

the next morning,

The various warlords gathered in the central command tent to discuss military affairs.

After everyone was seated, Yuan Shao, sitting in the main seat, glanced at everyone and then stood up and said in a loud voice:

"As you all surely know, Dong Zhuo, fearing the power of the allied forces, slaughtered my uncle Yuan Kui and my elder brother Yuan Ji, along with more than twenty members of their entire family!"

"He wants to intimidate me and force me to back down, but I, Yuan Shao, will not let him succeed!"

"The death of my loved one has caused me grief, but it has also fueled my anger!"

"Therefore, I have decided to launch a full-scale attack on Sishui Pass today, and it must be breached within three days! Does anyone have any objections?"

Seeing Yuan Shao's impassioned words, none of the other lords in the tent dared to object.

Tao Qian, Kong Rong, and others were the first to express their support, and the other feudal lords, including Lu Feng, followed suit.

"Good!" Yuan Shao waved his hand in satisfaction. "Prepare for battle immediately!"

"However, who will lead the attack this time?"

He looked around, his gaze finally settling on Lu Feng.

However, Lu Feng didn't even look up, continuing to fiddle with his nails.

He certainly noticed Yuan Shao's gaze.

But what does that have to do with him?

His troops are all cavalry; does he intend to send them to attack the city?

If Yuan Shao really dared to give such an order, he would not hesitate to immediately break away from this so-called alliance and launch a campaign against Dong Zhuo on his own.

Yuan Shao was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead when he saw Lu Feng ignoring him.

I intended to use this as an excuse to make an example of someone.

But considering that Lu Feng might turn on her, she ultimately held back.

Qiao Mao sensed the hint, nodded slightly, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and announced loudly, "This humble general will lead the charge!"

"Excellent! Thank you so much, General Qiao!" Yuan Shao clapped his hands and laughed, waving his hand to signal, "Everyone, go and make preparations immediately!"

All the feudal lords responded in unison and dispersed to prepare their troops.

At dawn, the war drums thundered. Qiao Mao led his vanguard in a fierce attack on Sishui Pass, but after a day of arduous fighting, he suffered heavy losses and had to sound the retreat. Subsequently, other warlords such as Gongsun Zan and Kong Rong took turns leading the charge.

Seeing that all the generals had gone into battle, Lu Feng led his fierce generals, including Dian Wei and Zhao Yun, to the front lines. After several charges, his personal guards were unharmed, while the defending army suffered heavy casualties.

The battle had been deadlocked for more than seven days, and the allied forces, unable to break through, were losing morale. The various lords each had their own agendas, and many were considering avoiding further fighting.

A treacherous atmosphere gripped Luoyang. Dong Zhuo, feigning reinforcements to Yique while secretly dispatching Li Ru to monitor the court, planned to eliminate any dissent upon returning to Luoyang. In an instant, Zhuque Street was awash in blood, with officials and nobles falling victim to his schemes.

"That's great! That's really great!" Wang Yun laughed heartily upon hearing the news, all the pent-up frustration of the past few days vanished.

As his emotions surged, his face darkened again.

"Hasn't that vile maid Diao Chan been found yet?" he suddenly demanded of the steward.

The butler, trembling with fear, bowed his head and replied, "Master, it hasn't been..."

He didn't dare raise his head, and continued in a trembling voice, "There's really no trace of them."

"Useless idiots! A whole bunch of useless idiots!" Wang Yun roared, grabbing a soft pillow and hurling it at the steward. "Send more men! Find them even if you have to dig three feet into the ground! Do you hear me?"

The steward took the blow head-on and bowed repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! I'll take care of it right away!" As he hurriedly retreated, he vaguely noticed that his master's voice had become much higher-pitched.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, an urgent military report broke the silence.

"My lord, the Sishui Pass is under attack!" The captain knelt on one knee. "The allied forces of the feudal lords have been launching fierce attacks recently, and Lu Feng has even led his troops in a surprise attack on the city walls, nearly breaching the pass! General Xu Rong requests immediate reinforcements, especially a valiant general!"

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo flew into a rage: "It's Lu Ziyi again! This scoundrel is always going against us!" Turning to his advisor beside him, he gritted his teeth and said, "Wen You, do you have a good plan to deal with this brat? I think he's even more hateful than Sun Jian!"

Li Ru gave a helpless, bitter smile: "Father-in-law, you are wise. Lu Feng's base is far away in Qingzhou, and we in Luoyang are simply too far away to reach him. The most urgent task is to rush to the aid of Sishui Pass." He then changed the subject, lowering his voice, and said, "The matter of moving the capital should also be decided as soon as possible."

Okay, I understand your request.

Luoyang is not a suitable place for long-term defense; a continuous garrison would only waste our military strength and resources. This is clearly a losing proposition.

Lu Feng had indeed considered everything carefully. He not only sold the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Luoyang at a high price but also had the Lu Clan Chamber of Commerce withdraw from Luoyang ahead of schedule. At least on the surface, that was the case. As for the hidden arrangements, Li Ru had no way of verifying them.

"Must we move the capital?" Dong Zhuo frowned, his tone revealing his unwillingness. He couldn't accept this decision to retreat voluntarily, as if it were an admission of defeat.

"We must move the capital!" Li Ru replied decisively. "Luoyang will fall sooner or later. Only by moving to Chang'an, relying on the natural defenses of Hangu Pass and the Longshan Mountains, can we gain a chance to regroup. Once the relocation is complete, the alliance of feudal lords will inevitably collapse. At that time, they will fight among themselves, and we won't even need to lift a finger."

Dong Zhuo nodded in agreement: "Indeed. These warlords are ostensibly fighting against me and rescuing the emperor, but who among them doesn't want to take my place? They all harbor evil intentions yet pretend to be something they're not. It's laughable!" He had always despised these hypocrites.

Li Ru smiled approvingly and said, "Father-in-law, you are wise. Moving the capital is actually a strategy of retreating to advance: firstly, it allows us to use Chang'an's advantageous location to solidify our defenses; secondly, it can cause the other warlords to fall into disarray; and thirdly, it allows us to remain in Guanzhong, observe the changing situation, and wait for them to wear each other down before launching an attack to unify the world."

"If my father-in-law seizes the opportunity, he will surely establish a new dynasty and achieve lasting glory!"

"I implore my father-in-law to make a decisive decision!"

Every day of delay reduces the chances of winning.

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo finally made up his mind, slamming his fist on the table and declaring, "Very well! Move the capital immediately! Announce this at tomorrow's morning court! The specific details will be handled by Li Ru!"

"All gold, silver, and treasures, as well as the entire population, must be transported to Chang'an!"

Suddenly remembering something more important, he added, "All the burial goods in the imperial tombs must be excavated! Not a single copper coin should be left for the enemy!"

"We'll have plenty of expenses in the future! We can't afford to waste a single penny!"

This person was so ruthless that he even targeted the imperial tombs of the Han Dynasty.

Li Ru broke out in a cold sweat, but still forced a smile and bowed, replying, "Yes, sir! I'll do it right away!"

"very good!"

Dong Zhuo continued his deployment: "As for reinforcements at Sishui Pass, I already have arrangements."

"Send Fengxian there first!"

"With his martial skills and the iron cavalry of Bingzhou, they will surely be able to hold the enemy off beyond the pass!"

Dong Zhuo remained resentful of not engaging in a confrontation with the allied forces of the feudal lords.

However, the relocation of the capital is a done deal, and the westward relocation plan will not change regardless of the situation on the front lines.

Li Ru's blueprint for relocating the capital is truly captivating.

"Yes, sir!"

Li Ru hesitated for a moment, then finally accepted the order and left.

Dong Zhuo then summoned Lü Bu and ordered him to immediately reinforce Sishui Pass.

Lu Bu, who had been waiting impatiently, gladly accepted the order and set off on the expedition.

"The opportunity to make a name for myself has finally arrived!"

"Brother Ziyi, I'm bothering you again!"

That day, Cao Cao once again wandered over to Lu Feng's residence to freeload a meal.

"You! Shouldn't you at least bring a small gift when we meet?"

Lu Feng chuckled and joked, then gestured for Cao Cao to sit down opposite him.

Guo Jia then moved aside to make room for Cao Cao to sit.

"Hehe!" Cao Cao grinned after sitting down. "Why bring a gift? We're practically family! Giving a gift would be too formal, wouldn't it?"

"Besides, where am I supposed to find you gifts for the front lines? Come on, let's drink and eat!"

As they spoke, Cao Cao expertly poured wine for himself and Lu Feng and the others, and began to bustle about making arrangements.

Lu Feng gave him a disgruntled look: "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were the host! You're quite adept at playing the role of the guest of honor."