Human nature is a complex process of scheming; you must anticipate your enemy's anticipation.
If the anticipation is accurate, it's a brilliant strategy; if it's inaccurate, it's laughable.
Through in-depth discussions with Jia Xu, Lu Ming discovered that Jia Xu was indeed exceptionally intelligent, especially in scheming.
His military and political strategies might not be top-notch, but they were more than sufficient for dominating the Western Liang region.
Lu Ming never thought further; he only wanted to consolidate his position.
More than ten years of living in ancient times had taught him many lessons. This was a feudal society, a society where people preyed on each other.
The common people at the bottom had no voice; it was a stage for powerful clans.
These powerful clans monopolized knowledge and talent, allowing them to remain unmoved and stable despite changes in power.
In an era without telephones and computers, ruling a region relied solely on local families for checks and balances.
This family was naturally a wealthy and powerful local gentry. Even a small clan like Lu Ming's, though few in number, lived quite comfortably.
An outsider magistrate trying to govern a county without the help of local tycoons is useless; he'll only slink away, his orders unable to even leave the county office.
Currently, getting rid of Dong Zhuo is unrealistic. Lu Ming isn't capable of leading independently yet, and his talent pool is far from sufficient.
Only when Dong Zhuo enters the capital will he have the time and the stage. Until then, he only needs to gather talent and develop steadily.
The most urgent task is to improve his personal guard's abilities. Each type of soldier is strong; if improved, they could almost all be worth ten men. With further advancement, it's not impossible for one to be worth a hundred. Anything is possible, as long as the system is there.
The next day, Tu Long Slope.
A marching Han army was suddenly cut in two by charging cavalry, causing immediate panic.
Originally intended to annihilate the rebel army, the plan was leaked, leading to the rebels turning on the encircling force and trapping 50,000 men in an area less than twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers) wide.
Cavalry constantly harassed the flanks, while infantry engaged the Han army in battle, with sporadic arrows falling from the sky.
Every second, a life was lost. Screams, cries of battle, and roars filled the air, rising and falling incessantly. On the battlefield, there was never a peaceful struggle for survival.
Ancient warfare was this brutal; blood splattered everywhere. Some were killed out of fear, by swords and axes.
Others, their adrenaline surged, unleashing their potential and causing widespread slaughter. In short, to survive, one had to kill the enemy!
Despite the suddenness of the situation, the Grand Commandant Zhang Wen, the commander-in-chief, seemed somewhat at a loss.
He had already amassed a considerable fortune and sent it to Luoyang to bribe the Ten Attendants and secure the position of Grand Commandant.
Now, if the rebellion failed, the money he had sent would likely be wasted, and he might become a scapegoat!
Communication in the Eastern Han Dynasty was slow, and roads were riddled with potholes, lacking paving and concrete.
This led to a system where imperial power did not extend to the county level, and below the county level, only clans held autonomy.
Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, powerful aristocratic families had gradually risen in influence, monopolizing social, cultural, and educational resources, allowing many to become "hereditary nobles."
At this time, attempting to move against local clans was extremely difficult, which is why Zhang Wen rejected Sun Jian's suggestion to kill Dong Zhuo.
Firstly, out of cowardice; secondly, because killing Dong Zhuo would mean losing control of the army, and failure would still be his responsibility.
While Zhang Wen possessed some literary talent, he lacked practical skills in battlefield warfare. This left him speechless with shock. The original plan wasn't like this at all; appointing a scholar-official as commander was utterly ridiculous!
Fortunately, this force was led by Sun Jian. With the fierce courage and tenacity of the Jiangdong men, they managed to halt the Han army's rout.
They held off the rebel offensive; otherwise, if the rebels had been allowed to charge in, their morale would have collapsed, and they would have scattered like birds and beasts. Even the Emperor himself wouldn't have been able to reverse the tide.
However, although Sun Jian was a fierce general and had made significant contributions in suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he couldn't fight against overwhelming odds. The rebels were currently deploying almost their entire force against Zhang Wen's troops, and news couldn't get out. Dong Zhuo couldn't provide support either, and was helplessly watching the rebels attack. He was fighting a defensive battle; how could he possibly come to their aid?
This resulted in the Han army, while holding off the offensive, being at a disadvantage. If losses continued, their morale would collapse at a certain point.
The rebel army had many fierce generals. Although their martial prowess wasn't high, their tall stature, glaring eyes, and bearded faces intimidated many ordinary soldiers.
A fierce appearance was a form of suppression; the competition involved not only strength and endurance but also morale.
"My lord, if this continues, the situation will likely become very dire!" A strong, tall middle-aged man wielded two iron whips, each strike whistling through the air. These whips, when they struck rebel soldiers, would cause them to vomit blood and die.
Such powerful blunt force blows could rupture internal organs even through the skin!
Those who served Sun Jian were presumably his retainers who had risen to power.
Sun Jian wielded his ancient sword with incredible skill; even the fiercest and most brutal rebel men trembled at his sight.
The Tiger of Jiangdong, his reputation is well-deserved!
Unfortunately, the rebels are too numerous, and this is fighting on foreign soil; this is rebel territory.
Even if Sun Jian is incredibly skilled, he can't fight four fists with two hands. Even the Hegemon-King Xiang Yu couldn't defeat ten thousand men; how could he possibly turn the tide?
In the distant dense forest, Lu Ming and Jia Xu were waiting. Lu Ming was sharpening his spear, while Jia Xu was deep in thought, stroking his beard as he studied the map.
"Wenruo, why do you think Xiang Yu would commit suicide at the Wujiang River?" Lu Ming sharpened his spear, making it even sharper, his eyes gleaming. He wanted to be a hegemon, but also a king!
"Stubborn and self-willed, lacking any foundation, short-sighted, possessing the courage of a common man but lacking the heart of a king," Jia Xu commented briefly, somewhat surprised.
This wasn't a difficult question; how many years had passed since the Western Han Dynasty?
The Western Han Dynasty rose to power by stepping on the head of the Chu state. The five-year Chu-Han Contention is a topic that people love to talk about, whether in military or historical records.