The Road to the Capital
The dirt roads of the frontier were behind them now.
Lü Bu rode at the front of his formation, flanked by Wei Yun and a dozen of his finest Iron Core soldiers. Their armor bore the marks of battle—dented steel, scorched fabric, dried blood. Yet they rode with discipline, with silence, with pride.
The closer they got to the capital, the more the world changed.
Gone were the quiet farmlands and wild forests. In their place rose paved roads, guarded trade routes, and noble estates that stretched across valleys. Banners of imperial gold fluttered in the wind. Merchants traveled in guarded caravans. Patrols of imperial soldiers looked at Lü Bu's group with confusion and unease.
He was not a noble.
Not a scholar.
Not a man born of privilege.
But his name had already reached them.
"They've heard of Zhaoling," Wei Yun muttered. "They know it was you."
Lü Bu gave no reply. He only rode on.
They passed the final hill, and then the capital came into view: Xu, the Heart of the Empire.
Tall walls. Crimson towers. Watchtowers that scraped the sky. It looked less like a city and more like a fortress built to house gods.
"And yet it rots from within," Lü Bu thought.
The Palace of Ten Thousand Echoes
Within the walls of Xu, everything was controlled—where you walked, who you spoke to, how long you were allowed to look at the palace guards. Even the air seemed different, as if it had passed through too many layers of silk.
At the imperial gate, a steward greeted them.
"General Lü Bu. The court awaits."
They led him through winding halls of stone and silk. Gold inlay glittered on pillars. Massive tapestries displayed past emperors slaying beasts or riding dragons—history bent to flatter power.
And at the heart of it all, beneath a thousand red curtains and polished jade floors, stood Chancellor Xuan Ren—the most powerful man in the Empire second only to the Emperor.
He stood beneath the imperial seal, hands folded.
"General Lü Bu," he said. "Protector of Zhaoling. Hero of the frontier. Welcome."
Lü Bu stepped forward. His voice was low but unshaking.
"I came to speak plainly. Not for titles. Not for ceremonies."
Xuan Ren smiled. That same smile every noble wore.
"Then we will speak plainly."
The Dance of Power
In the following days, Lü Bu was passed between ministries, generals, noble houses, and powerful advisors.
At every stop, he was met with feasts, music, laughter—and games.
A general asked if he would send his troops to guard a border province.
A noble offered to arrange a marriage between Lü Bu and a minor royal niece.
A minister hinted that Zhaoling's tax status might change if he "refused cooperation."
It was war, but not of swords—of influence.
Lü Bu did not answer with politics. He answered with silence. With presence.
At a military council, he stood as older generals scoffed at his youth.
"And what does a frontier boy know of real strategy?" one sneered.
Lü Bu stepped forward, placed his sword on the war map.
"I know how to win. Not in theory. In fire. You read scrolls. I bury comrades."
The room fell silent.
An Unexpected Ally
Not all in the capital sought to test him.
One evening, as Lü Bu walked through a quiet courtyard garden, he encountered a man seated beneath a magnolia tree. Young. Lean. Wearing scholar's robes.
"General Lü Bu," the man said with a bow, "my name is Han Jie. I've read your reports. I've studied your growth. I believe you're building something the Empire needs—something real."
Lü Bu looked at him. "You're a court scholar."
"I am. But not one of them."
Han Jie explained that he had grown up poor, but had clawed his way through the capital's examinations. He had no family to protect. No lord to serve. Only a mind—and a belief that the Empire had forgotten what real leadership was.
"If you'll have me," he said, "I'd serve your cause. Not for gold. But because I believe in what Zhaoling represents."
Lü Bu nodded.
"Then prove it. Bring me a plan to grow the Iron Core. To train more. Feed more. Build more."
"By morning," Han Jie promised.
The Poisoned Offer
Three days later, Lü Bu was summoned to a closed banquet hall—the Chamber of Crows, a private room used only for unofficial power dealings.
There, three of the most dangerous names in court waited:
Chancellor Xuan Ren
General Bao Jin, commander of the palace guard
Lady Zhao Mei, the emperor's spymaster
They drank. Spoke in riddles. Complimented Zhaoling, praised Lü Bu's ambition. Until at last:
"Join us," Xuan Ren said. "Swear allegiance to the Empire fully. We'll grant you resources. Armies. Legitimacy. A title of noble rank. Everything you need."
Lü Bu said nothing.
Lady Zhao Mei leaned in, smiling.
"You're strong, General. But strength alone is not enough. The court makes kings. Or breaks them."
Lü Bu stood.
"You want me to kneel. Smile while you leash me."
He stared at each of them.
"I built Zhaoling with mud and fire. Not politics. I answer to the people who bled beside me—not to cowards in robes."
Then he set down his wine goblet—untouched.
"If this was a test, you have your answer."
And he walked away.
Behind him, General Bao Jin crushed a porcelain cup in silence.
⚙️ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[Major Quest Completed: "Audience with the Empire"]
✔️ Withstood political pressure
✔️ Refused treacherous allegiance
✔️ Secured new ally: Han Jie (Strategist - Court Rank)
🧠 New Skill Tree Unlocked: "Political Mastery"
– Passive: Unbending Aura – Reduces manipulation chance in elite settings
– Active: Voice of Authority – Command presence during negotiations
– Trait: Rebel Flame – Greatly increases morale of lower-class citizens and soldiers
The Return of the Flame
Lü Bu left the capital under watchful eyes.
He had not bent. And that terrified them more than if he had attacked with swords.
Wei Yun rode beside him, the wind colder now.
"You've made enemies."
"Let them come," Lü Bu said. "Next time I return… it will not be for a feast."
They rode west—back to Zhaoling, where the next stage of their dream awaited.
The Iron Core would grow.
The city would expand.
The kingdom would rise.
And the Empire would feel the weight of a name they could no longer ignore—
Lü Bu.