Chapter 78 Who can stop Lü Bu?

Half a month before the fall of Chang'an, Liu Liang took Tang Ji and Diao Chan and left under the moonlight.

Two horses, one cart.

Two women were sitting in the car, the curtains completely drawn, making it impossible to see inside.

Zhou Cang leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, are we really leaving? What about Dong Zhuo..."

Liu Liang mounted his horse: "Let's go. It'll be too late if we don't leave now."

The horses' hooves shattered the night, and the group of five disappeared outside the east gate of Chang'an.

After walking forty or fifty li, it was just beginning to get light.

Liu Liang reined in his horse and glanced back.

The fire hadn't started yet in the direction of Chang'an, but the smell was already wafting over.

The taste of a chaotic world.

Diao Chan lifted the carriage curtain, revealing her face: "Sir, where are we going?"

Liu Liang said, "Let's find a place to settle down first. This battle will last for a while."

He didn't say where he was going or how he was going to fight.

The carriage curtain slowly fell, and Tang Ji's soft voice came from inside, gentle and soothing, as if she were coaxing someone.

Diao Chan responded occasionally, her tone soft and gentle, no longer as tense as before.

The two have been getting along quite well lately.

This actually put Liu Liang at ease.

In terms of background, Tang Ji was a concubine of the late emperor, and Diao Chan was a courtesan in the Situ family. Neither of them were women from ordinary families.

But in this world, whether it's a princess or a beauty, they are all just drifting duckweed in a chaotic world.

Being able to escape alive from Luoyang and Chang'an is already a blessing from our ancestors; why would we have the mind to fight over anything or be jealous?

This also shows from another perspective that although both of them are stunningly beautiful, they are definitely not the kind of women who are "all looks and no brains".

Knowing when to stand tall and when to let go, understanding that survival is more important than saving face.

Liu Liang glanced back at the hanging curtain and felt a sense of comfort.

A woman like that is worry-free.

Zhou Cang rode up at that moment: "Brother, aren't we going back to Luoyang? What about Lord Xuande's situation..."

Liu Liang said directly, "Luoyang cannot be defended. I have already written to Xuande, instructing him to be prepared to retreat at any time."

Zhou Cang's eyes widened: "Can't hold out? Lord Xuande has 20,000 men! General Guan, General Zhang, aren't they all capable of taking on ten thousand men? We've fought that bastard Lü Bu at Hulao Pass before!"

Zhao Yun asked, "Brother, do you mean that there are people in Luoyang who are a burden?"

Liu Liang nodded helplessly: "Although it's harsh, it's the truth."

"More than 200,000 people. Two meals a day, just thinking about it gives me a headache. The earthenware jars in the granary can last for three or four months, but what about after three months? If Lü Bu besieges the city for a month, the grain from outside will stop coming in, and people will starve to death inside. After two months, people will start eating each other. After three months, the city will fall without even a fight."

Zhao Yun remained silent.

Liu Liang continued, "Xuande is benevolent and righteous; he won't abandon the city. But benevolence and righteousness can sometimes be a weapon. You hold the handle of the weapon in your own hand, but the tip is pointing at your own heart."

Zhao Yun didn't ask any more questions.

The group continued eastward.

After walking for three days, we stopped to rest in a mountain valley.

Liu Liang sent Zhou Cang to gather information, while he and Zhao Yun sat by the fire.

Zhou Cang returned at nightfall, bringing back a lot of news.

Dong Zhuo has entered Chang'an.

The emperor has fallen into the hands of the traitor Dong Zhuo once again.

All of this was within Liu Liang's expectations.

However, to Liu Liang's surprise, Lü Bu was granted the title of Marquis of Wen and led his troops eastward. His three armies had already occupied Mianchi, Yima, and Xin'an.

The defending troops along the way either fled or surrendered; the army, numbering 300,000, marched straight toward Luoyang.

Cao Cao retreated to Yanzhou, gathering his remaining troops along the way, which reportedly numbered 30,000.

Yuan Shao still had at least 50,000 troops stationed in Hanoi, Wen County, and Qinyang.

South of the Yellow River, Yuan Shu's main force retreated to Nanyang, but there were still more than 30,000 troops guarding Wancheng along the Ruyang, Shilong, and Baofeng line.

After Zhou Cang finished speaking, he scratched his head and said, "Brother, this situation is a complete mess."

Liu Liang didn't speak, staring blankly at the fire.

Zhao Yun asked, "What are you thinking about, brother?"

Liu Liang looked up and suddenly smiled.

"I'm wondering who can stop Lü Bu."

Zhao Yun asked, "Cao Cao?"

Liu Liang said, "Cao Cao's strength is insufficient. He has just retreated, the people's hearts are not yet won over, and his supplies are insufficient. Sending him to fight Lü Bu head-on is sending him to his death."

Zhou Cang asked, "And what about Lord Xuande?"

Liu Liang shook his head again: "Xuande can't hold out. As I just said, those two hundred thousand people in Luoyang are people who need to survive, but also people who need to die. Xuande won't abandon them, so he can only be dragged down to his death by them."

Zhao Yun's face was stern as he said, "Then it can only be the Yuan brothers."

Liu Liang nodded slightly: "North of the Yellow River is Yuan Shao. South of the Yellow River is Yuan Shu. Together they have over 100,000 men. If they attack from both the north and south, even if Lü Bu is a formidable fighter, he'll have to think twice."

Zhou Cang glared: "Do you think those two will listen to us? That Yuan Shu, his legs go weak at the sight of Lü Bu. Ask him to send troops to fight Lü Bu? Does he dare?"

Liu Liang said, "Yuan Shu dares to do that. Xuande is wise to offer the Imperial Seal to Yuan Shu voluntarily; it's a brilliant move. Now that Yuan Shu has the seal, his ambition to become emperor has already been ignited. Dong Zhuo is powerful now, and Lü Bu is advancing eastward; his next target will be Nanyang. He has no choice but to fight."

Zhou Cang asked, "What about Yuan Shao?"

Zhao Yun said, "Yuan Shao is in trouble."

Liu Liang said, "Yuan Shao has the natural barrier of the Yellow River, making it difficult for him to send troops to confront Lü Bu head-on. It's not difficult for Yuan Shao himself, but for his advisors. Ju Shou, Tian Feng, and Shen Pei—which of them is easy to deal with? They won't let Yuan Shao risk crossing the river to fight Lü Bu."

Zhou Cang asked, "Then what should we do?"

Liu Liang stared at the fire, remaining silent for a long time, his mind racing with countless thoughts.

Yuan Shu is greedy and can be taken advantage of.

Yuan Shao was cautious and difficult to persuade.

However, Yuan Shao's men were not a monolithic group.

Feng Ji, Guo Tu, Ju Shou, and Tian Feng have always been outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds.

If we could pry open a crack from the inside...

Liu Liang said, "Zilong, send someone to Hanoi tonight to find out what weaknesses Feng Ji and Guo Tu have, what their likes and dislikes are, and who they usually associate with. The more details the better."

Zhao Yun accepted the order: "I will go and do it immediately!"

Seeing Zhao Yun turn and leave, Zhou Cang was puzzled and scratched his head in frustration.

"Brother, what are we doing? Should I befriend these two?"

Liu Liang didn't try to be mysterious and explained to Zhou Cang, "The strongest fortress is conquered from within. We won't go to Yuan Shao's side ourselves, but someone else needs to go in our place. Our most urgent task is to find that person."

Zhou Cang gave a muffled "hmm" and murmured, "I think I understand..."