Traveling Through Time as Lü Bu to Unify the Three Kingdoms.

Chapter 2: Waiting for the Opportunity

Lü Bu had always admired the unparalleled martial prowess he displayed in the Three Kingdoms, yet he realized that his strength was often exploited. He had been used as a pawn by Ding Yuan, Dong Zhuo, Wang Yun, and Yuan Shao, fighting for them and gaining nothing in return.

This time, Lü Bu would not be someone else's tool; he aimed to harness his extraordinary power to recruit more generals for his own cause. He admired the talents and martial skills of Zhang Liao, who had demonstrated his might at Xiaoyaojin, Gao Shun’s invincible spirit as the leader of the vanguard, and Chen Gong’s clever schemes that nearly vanquished Cao Cao. Yet, it pained him that Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and Chen Gong had not been utilized effectively.

This time, Lü Bu would not miss out on talent; he would not only promote Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and Chen Gong but also recruit heroes from across the land to serve him, combining wisdom and strength to create an enterprise comparable to that of Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu.

Previously, Lü Bu's unmatched martial prowess was evident, but he lacked administrative skills. The people under his rule suffered from starvation, and compared to Cao Cao’s efforts in resettling and stabilizing the region, Lü Bu was not a wise ruler.

This time, Lü Bu aimed to support the state to strengthen his power and to protect the common people, allowing them to escape the ravages of warlords and disasters. He wanted to ensure that the Five Barbarians would not disrupt the Han, sparing the Han people from further painful assimilations.

However, all of this could only be realized after he eliminated the two individuals in front of him. Lü Bu understood that now was not the right moment; he could not become the historical figure who served three masters, nor could he allow anyone to know that he had eliminated Ding Yuan. He needed to wait for the perfect opportunity to use others as a means to cover his tracks.

Once he could justifiably remove Ding Yuan and gain control over the 8,000 soldiers of Bingzhou, Lü Bu would be able to navigate this era freely, showcasing the knowledge accumulated over thousands of years, ensuring the Han people would always remain at the pinnacle of the world’s nations.

When Ding Yuan and Hao Meng exited the tent, Lü Bu slowly opened his eyes, surveying everything within. In the dark blue, coarse fabric of the tent stood a black wooden frame, atop which lay a stack of items.

Upon closer inspection, Lü Bu found that it was a set of bamboo slips inscribed with "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.

Cai Lun is credited with inventing paper, so why was Lü Bu still using bamboo slips for writing? As Lü Bu sorted through his memories, he recalled that during the Eastern Han period, the paper produced was very rough, even inferior to later grass paper, making writing unclear and quite expensive. As a result, most people still relied on bamboo slips and silk for their writing materials. It seemed that he needed to improve the papermaking technique soon, as bamboo slips hindered the spread of culture and education.

There was also something hanging on the wooden frame that resembled a small swing, with two cloth ropes tied to a wooden block in the middle. This was actually a stirrup, but it was a single-sided wooden stirrup.

It appeared that the double-sided iron stirrups relied on by cavalry in later times had not yet emerged. Additionally, high-backed saddles and horseshoes were also absent in this period. The single-sided stirrup was merely used to assist mounting and dismounting, while riders still had to grip the reins tightly and squeeze the horse's belly with their legs to stay on during a gallop. Prolonged riding could lead to fatigue, and it was difficult to effectively use a bow and arrow while galloping. In close combat, wielding swords and spears freely was also challenging; only a few valiant warriors could skillfully control their steeds to strike down enemies.

Although Lü Bu wished to create double-sided stirrups, high-backed saddles, and horseshoes immediately, he understood that doing so without having tens of thousands of cavalry would only benefit the northern Xianbei and Xiongnu. For now, he had to rely on single-sided stirrups in battle. Lü Bu was known as the "Flying General," not only for his unmatched martial skills, but also for his superb horsemanship. The Red Hare was not a horse that just any general could tame. Given his current overwhelming strength, there was no immediate need to upgrade cavalry equipment.

By the bedside leaned a spear, measuring about twelve feet long and made entirely of dark iron. The spearhead was sharp, flanked by crescent-shaped blades on either side, connected to the spearhead by small branches. A halberd with one crescent blade was called the Qinglong Halberd, while one with two crescent blades was called the Fangtian Halberd. This particular Fangtian Halberd was beautifully decorated with carvings, hence it was known as the Fangtian Painted Halberd. This weapon combined the functions of both heavy and light weapons, allowing Lü Bu to compete in strength with heavy weapons like maces and hammers, as well as in technique with light weapons like spears and swords.

As Lü Bu reached out to touch the Fangtian Painted Halberd, feeling the icy aura of death emanating from it, he suddenly felt a sense of reassurance. It was said that Lü Bu was invincible in the late Han dynasty as long as he wielded the Fangtian Halberd. With this halberd in hand, what did he have to fear? What he currently lacked was the Red Hare; Lü Bu knew that Dong Zhuo had already captured that prized steed in Xiliang, so he eagerly anticipated the arrival of Li Su.

He also wondered whether He Jin had recklessly entered the palace and been killed by the eunuchs. If He Jin survived, Dong Zhuo would not dare to rashly enter the capital, allowing Lü Bu to profit from the chaos.

Lost in thought, Lü Bu suddenly heard a heavy voice from outside the tent: "Qin Yi, has General Lü woken up?" Although Lü Bu was currently just a clerk, not even a captain, and certainly not a general, he was well-regarded in Bingzhou for his bravery and authority, and his colleagues referred to him as a general. Many believed he would eventually become a great general.

Lü Bu's loyal guard, Qin Yi, quickly replied, "Captain Gao, just a moment ago, Lord Ding and Captain Hao went in to check and said General Lü has not yet awakened."

The voice outside sighed deeply, sounding bleak: "If General Lü has any issues, I truly do not know where our Bingzhou army will go from here! Qin Yi, you must keep a close watch and not let anyone disturb General Lü."

From the tone, Lü Bu recognized that it was Gao Shun, who had always been loyal to him. He wanted to let Gao Shun in, but he realized that if Ding Yuan discovered he had awakened shortly after they left, it could work against him. So he decided to keep his eyes closed and lie still.

After a while, another bright, anxious voice rang out outside the tent: "Qin Yi, has my brother-in-law awakened?" Qin Yi replied, "Not yet. Would you like me to inform the general's wife?"

The person thought for a moment: "Let’s wait a few more days to tell my cousin. It’s better not to inform her; she’s not in good health and shouldn't worry too much. I believe my brother-in-law is destined to survive and will be fine."

Lü Bu knew that the person outside was Wei Xu, his wife Yan's cousin. Although historically Wei Xu betrayed him, at this time, Lü Bu could trust him completely, as they shared a bond of friendship and kinship. Lü Bu often entrusted Wei Xu with leading Gao Shun's troops. While Lü Bu would later limit Wei Xu's role, he still needed him, as he currently lacked many capable generals aside from Gao Shun and Zhang Liao.

In this manner, aside from Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang, who were currently recruiting soldiers in Bingzhou, other generals like Cheng Lian, Song Xian, Xue Lan, and Li Feng came to visit, while Lü Bu continued to feign unconsciousness.

Lü Bu vaguely recalled that Hou Cheng from the Eight Cavalry was still under the command of Zhang Miao in Chenliu, while the guerrilla warfare expert Zang Ba from the Eight Cavalry was still with Tao Qian in Xuzhou. He wondered if he would have the opportunity to recruit these two in the future.