Chapter Nine, Building Momentum

Upon arriving at the destination, Xu Cheng immediately began his plan. First, Yang Er, Pang Pei, Xu Huang, and Wang Yue each assigned tasks. The four of them were either of commoner origin, having suffered discrimination, or held lowly status, unable to achieve anything significant. Xu Cheng provided them with an opportunity, and naturally, they were dedicated to serving him.

Xu Cheng felt a sense of pride in his heart, yet he maintained a composed demeanor on his face, cautiously expressing his gratitude. At that moment, under Dong Zhuo's instruction, several officials approached to cultivate a relationship with Lü Bu, providing Xu Cheng with the opportunity to withdraw.

When everyone saw Dong Zhuo arriving, they ceased their clamor. Yuan Shao could only swallow his anger and wait for a later opportunity to act.

However, who is Xu Cheng, and how could he not be grateful? He suggested to Dong Zhuo, saying: "After the deaths of the Ten Eunuchs, a large number of their fertile fields have become desolate, and they originally had tens of thousands of household slaves. These people are now idle; it would be better to organize them for farming, which would allow us to have a large supply of grain in due time." Dong Zhuo deeply agreed and sought the opinions of his subordinates. All the generals thought this suggestion was excellent, but who should be sent? Who would be willing to leave the bustling city of Luoyang? In the end, Xu Cheng generously offered to carry out his own idea, stating that as long as he took a contingent of the Imperial Guards with him, he could manage both farming and training.

Xu Cheng, however, smiled and said: "Among the three hundred thousand troops of Xiliang, indeed no one can rival Lü Bu. But, Lord Yuan, do you not think that this is heaven's gift of Lü Bu to our Lord Dong? Our Lord Dong gaining Lü Fengxian is precisely like adding wings to a tiger"

Yang Er was tasked with training an infantry corps, where soldiers were equipped with shields and short swords, emphasizing maximum lethality in close combat. Pang Pei had a somewhat impulsive personality, and Xu Cheng ordered him to train a rapid response unit, specifically cavalry. This unit was to be equipped with long sabers and light steeds, along with hundreds of arrows, forming a light cavalry. Xu Huang was an exceptional archer, and his soldiers were bowmen, each also carrying a long sword. His mission was to train a unit capable of both ranged and close combat. Wang Yue was a master of swordsmanship and had considerable battlefield experience. Xu Cheng required him to train a "martial army," which was also cavalry, with each member equipped with long sabers and light steeds, along with hundreds of arrows, forming a light cavalry. Xu Huang's archery skills were outstanding, and his soldiers were bowmen, each also carrying a long sword. His task was to train a unit capable of both ranged and close combat. Wang Yue's swordsmanship was exceptional, and he had considerable battlefield experience. Xu Cheng required him to train a "martial army," while also enhancing the soldiers' individual abilities and mastering combined attack techniques for effective engagement on the battlefield.

Now that the objective had been achieved, Xu Cheng felt at ease to attend the banquet. Once Dong Zhuo finished his speech, everyone began to indulge in food and drink. Naturally, Xu Cheng immediately sought out Lü Bu to express his admiration and respect, hoping that General Lü Bu could offer guidance whenever he had the time. After several exchanges, Lü Bu found himself at a loss. Moreover, as Lü Bu was new to the scene and most people looked down on his character, Xu Cheng's overtures became particularly significant. Lü Bu promptly responded, "If you have any matters, just speak up, old Xu. We brothers will support you."

Subsequently, Xu Cheng sought out Lü Bu, expressing his great admiration for Lü Bu's ability to train such a formidable army as the Xianzheng Camp. He remarked that during their last battle, had it not been for the advantage of numbers and terrain, he would certainly have lost. At a time when Lü Bu was feeling pleased with himself, Xu Cheng proposed that he hoped Lü Bu could frequently send his elite soldiers and fierce generals to his camp for guidance. Lü Bu naturally agreed without hesitation.

Xu Cheng secretly clenched his fist and said: "It seems that Lord Yuan does not understand military affairs. I truly do not know how your central army lieutenant was appointed. You must understand that we have three hundred thousand men. Can General Lü Bu charging into the rear guard I am defending not illustrate the issue? It appears that I must suggest to the Chancellor that you be assigned to other duties, lest you lose your life in future battles and on the battlefield in vain."

In terms of military affairs, Xu Cheng does not possess much ability, but he excels in having a broad perspective and extensive knowledge. He is familiar with various methods of warfare. At the same time, he has Xu Huang, a future great general, who, although still young, has evident potential. As long as Xu Cheng provides some guidance, Xu Huang can be inspired immediately and soon engage in discussions with Xu Cheng about the merits and demerits of various tactics, which greatly benefits both Xu Cheng and Yang Er. Of course, in addition to Xu Huang, Xu Cheng also employed competitive methods, such as military pentathlons and military competitions, to select a large number of elite soldiers and generals. Most of these individuals are just ordinary commoners, but their potential is evident. As long as Xu Cheng offers some pointers, they can be inspired immediately and soon engage in discussions with Xu Cheng about the merits and demerits of various tactics, which greatly benefits both Xu Cheng and Yang Er. Furthermore, aside from Xu Huang, Xu Cheng also utilized competitive methods, such as military pentathlons and military competitions, to select a large number of elite soldiers and generals. Most of these individuals are just ordinary commoners or so-called wandering heroes whom Xu Cheng swept out of the city when he left. Among these individuals, Xu Cheng selected a group of capable and influential individuals to serve as leaders at various levels. As for the generals previously appointed by the court, Xu Cheng had long since dismissed them, leaving them to guard the military camp in Luoyang.

Thus, everything was settled. Xu Cheng left his original subordinates, a group of ruffians and thugs, to Dong Zhuo, under the pretext of guarding the Chancellor on his behalf. He took only three hundred personal soldiers, along with more than eighty thousand imperial guards and nearly two hundred thousand conscripted soldiers, and set out from Luoyang in grand fashion.

At this point, Xu Cheng fell silent, but it was already sufficient. The individuals he had just mentioned, such as Hua Xiong, naturally felt proud and honored, and they all began to speak highly of him to those around them. In an instant, the hall was thrown into chaos again

Moreover, in Xu Cheng's view, he truly has too few subordinates, with only one capable general, Xu Huang. The others, Yang Er and Pang Pei, have followed him for quite some time and have learned a great deal from him; they may have the potential to stand on their own. Wang Yue is purely a martial arts master; although he is claimed to be the best in the world, it is difficult to determine who is more formidable when compared to Lü Bu. However, one thing is certain: he cannot compare to Lü Bu in terms of military command. Consider this: no matter how inadequate Lü Bu may be, he has managed to defeat Cao Cao multiple times with a smaller force, especially in his use of cavalry, where Lü Bu can be regarded as the foremost figure of the Three Kingdoms. Reflecting on the time I read about Lü Bu's capture, Cao Cao was also quite reluctant to part with Lü Bu's cavalry command skills. If it weren't for Liu Bei whispering in his ear, it is possible that in the future, Cao Cao's cavalry would have been led by Lü Bu.

Moreover, after Dong Zhuo gained the allegiance of Lü Bu, his power surged, and he no longer had any reservations. Consequently, he promoted himself to the position of Prime Minister, conferred the title of Marquis of Mai, and received worship without a name. He ascended to the court wearing a sword and also bestowed the title of Lady of Chiyang upon his mother, appointing family officials and ministers. Following this, he granted significant titles to his subordinates, among whom Lü Bu was made General of Fierce Might, with the authority of a deputy, comparable to the three ministers, and was promoted to the title of Marquis of Wen, jointly managing state affairs. From this point on, Dong Zhuo controlled the armory and weapons, the national treasures, and his power shook the world.

Well said! Hahaha! A tremendous voice echoed, and Dong Zhuo has arrived

Xu Cheng was gazing at a white-robed general behind Dong Zhuo: Lu Bu! Indeed, he was the Lu Bu among men. Xu Cheng sighed inwardly, truly a case of gold and jade on the outside, but rotten and tattered on the inside. It is evident that among the young dandy types in the world, there are few good ones, and he took a certain pride in his own dark complexion.

Dong Zhuo arrived when Yuan Shao and Xu Cheng were clashing, listening intently to the entire scene. Seeing Xu Cheng infuriate Yuan Shao to the point of near death brought him great satisfaction. He had long harbored resentment towards the Yuan family, who, relying on their prestigious lineage of four generations and three dukes, constantly obstructed his endeavors. Especially that arrogant Yuan Shao; had it not been for his fear of the Yuan family's numerous former officials spread across the land, most of whom held real power locally, he would have long since subdued the Yuan family. Now, Xu Cheng had somewhat avenged him, and Xu Cheng's final remark, "Heaven has bestowed Dong Zhuo upon him through Lü Bu," resonated deeply with him, prompting him to involuntarily exclaim in approval.

Yuan Shao's face turned pale; he had originally thought that Xu Cheng relied more on physical prowess than on intellect. Unexpectedly, the other party was also sharp-tongued, which was a significant miscalculation on his part. However, he was used to being in the limelight, and to have been bested by Xu Cheng twice in one day was something he could not tolerate. Thus, with a quick turn of his eyes, he said, "Lord Xu, you are truly too modest. Who doesn't know that yesterday you single-handedly forced back Lü Bu and his elite troops! Haha!"

Xu Cheng did not fail to seek out those so-called talents. Shortly after he arrived, he heard that Xun Yu, known as Xun Gongda, was serving as a palace attendant in Luoyang. He hurriedly went to pay a visit, but the result was that the other party merely exchanged a few polite words with him before asking him to leave. This was still courteous, yet Xu Cheng could clearly see the disdain in their eyes. After all, who was he? In the eyes of these individuals, he was merely a lackey of Dong Zhuo, with a background that was exceedingly lowly. One could say he had neither strength nor status, so why should anyone value him? After coming to this realization, Xu Cheng ceased to harbor fantasies about those talents. However, what was he to do in the future? Xu Cheng found himself at a loss and had no choice but to train himself.

As for Xu Cheng, he did not gain any benefits from this grand conferment. This was not because Dong Zhuo was unwilling to confer upon him, but rather because he himself declined the offer. His reason was that he felt his own abilities were lacking and did not dare to stand alongside the other generals. He only wished to serve Dong Zhuo well. Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo was even more moved and thus entrusted him with the entire Imperial Guard, which significantly increased his military power, allowing him to command forces comparable to several of Dong Zhuo's top generals.

In addition, regarding the屯田 affairs, Xu Cheng entrusted a bankrupt businessman, whom he had forcibly brought out from Luoyang City, to him, allowing him to proceed freely. As a result, everything was well-organized, earning the admiration of skeptics such as Yang Er and Pang Pei.

Lu Bu's gaze was also directed at Xu Cheng. Upon entering, Lu Bu immediately recognized this only general capable of standing in his way. Hearing Xu Cheng refer to himself as the world's number one warrior, even Lu Bu, with his pride, couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Initially, he had intended to compete with Xu Cheng, but after listening to Xu Cheng's words, he had already considered Xu Cheng to be his confidant. However, due to their respective statuses, he found it inappropriate to immediately form a friendship. After all, in his heart, although Xu Cheng was quite formidable, he still did not qualify to stand on equal footing with him.

Dong Zhuo granted him the title of a General of the Five Officials and permitted him to return to Luoyang at any time when he had free time

At the banquet, Dong Zhuo announced that Lü Bu had pledged allegiance to him, and borrowing the words just spoken by Xu Cheng, he deemed Yuan Shao's military capabilities inadequate and reassigned him to the position of Yilang. The position of Zhongjun Xiaowei was temporarily left vacant, and Xu Cheng was allowed to take command of the Imperial Guards. Meanwhile, Cao Cao was reassigned as Sili Xiaowei, responsible for maintaining public order in the capital, Luoyang, significantly increasing his military authority. For Xu Cheng, this was good news; all obstacles had been removed, allowing him to implement his own governance methods over the Imperial Guards. Seizing the opportunity, he suggested to Dong Zhuo that the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Guards was lacking and that elite soldiers were needed to lead. Dong Zhuo then permitted him to select some elite soldiers from all the troops to join the Imperial Guards, thus making the recruitment of Xu Huang entirely justified. This was all good news for Xu Cheng; all obstacles had been removed, allowing him to implement his own governance methods over the Imperial Guards. Seizing the opportunity, he suggested to Dong Zhuo that the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Guards was lacking and that elite soldiers were needed to lead. Dong Zhuo then permitted him to select some elite soldiers from all the troops to join the Imperial Guards, thus making the recruitment of Xu Huang entirely justified.

Yuan Shao was once again infuriated by Xu Cheng, was this not a clear indication that he was merely a fool who relied on his family? For someone like him, who always took pride in his lineage, this was absolutely intolerable. Thus, he retorted: "So, are you saying that the three hundred thousand Xiliang troops are no match for just one Lü Bu? How lamentable!"