14. The Era of the Tyrant Arrives (4)
14. The Era of the Tyrant Arrives (4)
Dong Zhuo, having entered Luoyang, acted without hesitation.
After framing the General of Chariots and Cavalry, He Miao, for the assassination of General-in-Chief He Jin and executing him, he put his younger brother, the Commandant of the Imperial Carriages Dong Min, at the forefront to co-opt the factions that had followed He Jin.
First, he extorted the wealth of the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers, noble families, and the households of the Eunuchs, then bestowed that wealth upon the soldiers of Luoyang.
The soldiers, who had long been denied proper treatment by the court and had even had their salaries delayed, cheered at Dong Zhuo's unconventional financial support.
"Ihihi! You are truly impressive, -nim."
Li Ru, Dong Zhuo's son-in-law, stroked his catfish-like mustache and offered praise.
In an instant, he had captured the hearts of the Luoyang soldiers.
Dong Zhuo was a commander who had spent half his life stationed on the frontier, living alongside his troops. Because of this, he knew how to understand the hearts of soldiers better than the imperial bureaucrats lost in armchair theories.
"Soldiers are all the same. In times of chaos like this, they don't even get treated properly, yet they risk their lives and take on dangerous tasks just because the higher-ups tell them to. Do you really think this Dong Zhongying doesn't know their dissatisfaction and rage?"
Dong Zhuo's ability to employ people was so excellent that one wouldn't think he was from the frontier.
It was no coincidence that he possessed many renowned generals like Hua Xiong and Xu Rong. Dong Zhuo clearly possessed the qualities of a 'political soldier.'
"Draft the princesses and court ladies of the Imperial Palace and bestow them as wives and concubines to the military officers. The same goes for the daughters of noble families. For a man, there is nothing better than a woman to soothe his heart."
"Yes, understood."
Clearly, this order from Dong Zhuo was an act bordering on tyranny and barbarity.
However, for the military officers who had been hesitating after He Jin's death, unable to find a place to rely on, such measures by Dong Zhuo were actually greatly welcomed.
Arrogance like someone who looks down on everyone.
Even the violence that suppressed the haughty Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers and nobles.
The military officers, having been provided with much wealth, official posts, and women by Dong Zhuo, all came forward to support the Xiliang army.
"Please take us in!"
"The only person who can calm the chaos in Luoyang is you, Governor of Bing Province -nim."
The Luoyang army lined up on the left and right.
When Dong Zhuo and his subordinate warriors appeared, they raised their hands high and cheered.
Dong Zhuo burst into wild laughter.
Once he realized their primal desires and cravings, they changed their minds and began to follow him, as if they had never followed General-in-Chief He Jin.
'As expected, the Luoyang bastards are easy to handle. Yuan Shao, was it? You lady of the prestigious Yuan clan, this is how one handles the hearts of men. What you speak of is nothing more than empty pretension that grates on the ears of greedy soldiers.'
Even the soldiers who had sworn to follow Yuan Shao joined the Dong Zhuo army in large numbers.
Yuan Shao had certainly promised official posts and rewards.
But those promises were not satisfactory proposals to the greedy soldiers of Luoyang.
General-in-Chief He Jin was a man who was the incarnation of greed.
And that was the same for the generals and military officers who followed He Jin.
Rather than invisible causes,
people naturally prefer what they can see and clearly grasp in their own hands.
Yuan Shao still lacked experience.
Her ability to employ people, which was inferior to Dong Zhuo's, brought her a desperate trial.
"The young lady of the Yuan clan must be crying her eyes out by now. Guhahaha! In the end, didn't you end up handing over your army to this Dong Zhongying on your own? Even the Imperial Army led by He Miao has fallen into my grasp, so what do I have to fear!"
Dong Zhuo mocked Yuan Shao and spoke loudly.
The loser of a fight is bound to lose everything.
However, even such a Yuan Shao was a talent with some use. Dong Zhuo promised that if she admitted defeat and joined his ranks, he would treat her well.
"Older brother!"
The Commandant of the Imperial Carriages Dong Min approached.
Dong Zhuo welcomed his younger brother's appearance with open arms.
"You've worked hard, little brother! Thanks to you sending word quickly, I was able to occupy Luoyang rapidly. But where is Wu Kuang?"
"The Buguo Zhang Wu Kuang is dead."
"What, dead?!"
Dong Zhuo made a surprised expression.
Wu Kuang, who had been like He Jin's vanguard commander, was dead.
To this, Dong Zhuo asked if he had died while fighting Yuan Shao, and Dong Min answered no.
"He was killed by a bastard named Gate Guard Colonel Lee Seong-hwi."
"Lee Seong-hwi? What is that guy?"
"He is the one who used the Imperial decree to kill Wu Kuang and drove out Yuan Shu, who had attacked the Southern Palace. Furthermore, that guy insolently even used Colonel of the Vanguard Cao Cao to block older brother's army."
"I think I have a rough idea."
He hadn't seen his face in detail.
But he had heard from Xu Rong that there was a bizarre guy in Luoyang.
A military officer who stood alone against a large army.
Even if he had a female warrior by his side, his action of blocking a large army was surprising even to Dong Zhuo.
"Kill him, older brother. Because that guy killed Wu Kuang, our plan almost went awry, didn't it? The guy who led from behind to quickly suppress the Rebellion of the Ten Eunuchs is that very guy."
"A mere Gate Guard Colonel using imperial bureaucrats to kill Wu Kuang, and on top of that, blocking my army... Guhahaha! That's quite funny."
Dong Zhuo burst into loud laughter.
It was amusing that the person who had tried to stop his uprising was a military officer who was only a Gate Guard Colonel.
It almost ended in failure.
He began to take an interest in the existence of Lee Seong-hwi, who had tried to topple him, the great warlord of Xiliang.
"Bring that guy here immediately. Let me see his face."
He wanted to see his face first.
Dong Zhuo had a very boisterous personality.
He was greedy, but he knew how to handle soldiers. That was why he made unconventional moves as soon as he arrived in Luoyang, and all the soldiers cheered at his appearance.
'There can never be too many useful generals. As long as I hold the sword firmly in this hand, there's no one who can mess with me. You high-ranking officials who have ignored our soldiers until now, you have sown the seeds of your own disaster.'
He had fought countless times against barbarians on the frontier.
He had led armies and fought the Yellow Turban Rebels everywhere, and each time he had keenly experienced the incompetence of the imperial court and government.
The cause that made the Yellow Turban Rebels run wild, and the mastermind that made the country collapse.
He thought it was something that happened because of the incompetent Emperor and bureaucrats who claimed to be the guardians of the court.
"Renowned heroes of the world, enter the ranks of this Dong Zhongying! I will trample the nobles who looked down on you, and I will bestow rewards commensurate with your hard work for the country!"
The dissatisfaction that soldiers held in their hearts.
By resolving that, Dong Zhuo ended up seizing all military power in Luoyang.
But not everything was over.
The Inspector of Bing Province, Ding Yuan. The confrontation with him, who had come down leading the Black Mountain Bandits and the Baibo Bandits, remained.
The Inspector of Bing Province, Ding Yuan, arrived.
Appearing with a powerful army, he threatened Dong Zhuo by putting forward the Flying General Lu Bu.
"You bastard, Dong Zhongying! Now that you've seized the army, do you think your world has come?"
The military officers of Xiliang hardened their expressions.
They gripped their sword hilts with one hand and confronted the troops from Bing Province.
The numbers were clearly superior for Dong Zhuo.
But the elite troops that Ding Yuan had brought were not to be trifled with. Like the battle-hardened veterans who had blocked barbarians on the frontier, they had outstanding martial arts and a bold temperament.
"You look like an old, worn-out lackey. Do you intend to oppose me by putting forward bands of thieves?"
"If you wish."
Ding Yuan gripped his sword hilt.
It seemed like he would draw it right away and fight Dong Zhuo to the death.
He was not afraid in the slightest.
Because Lu Bu was right beside him, and behind him were rows of military officers with outstanding abilities.
If it's a fight, he welcomes it.
Our Ding Yuan army has never lost a fight.
As always, they would seize the victory and reign as winners.
"Li Jue! Guo Si!"
Dong Zhuo set up his brave warriors.
Li Jue and Guo Si were excellent renowned generals of the Dong Zhuo army, and their martial arts were so excellent that Dong Zhuo favored them.
But Ding Yuan had Lu Bu.
At the attack of Lu Bu, who was called the Flying General of Bing Province, Li Jue and Guo Si were unable to move and were knocked down.
"Keuheok!"
"Geuaak!"
Li Jue and Guo Si rolled on the floor together.
Not only were they surprised by Lu Bu's monstrous strength, but they also gasped in shock at the spear technique that was invisible to the eye.
They didn't even dare to think about fighting again.
How could they win against such a monster? As Li Jue and Guo Si's will to fight was broken, Dong Zhuo, who was watching, groaned.
"You bastards!"
Dong Zhuo drew his sword.
Then, the soldiers standing guard stepped forward in large numbers.
The Ding Yuan army also saw generals, including Zhang Liao, step forward, gripping their sword hilts and confronting them.
Two forces confronting each other in the Imperial Palace.
Dong Zhuo and Ding Yuan were even thinking of turning the Imperial Palace into a sea of blood.
They couldn't back down after coming this far.
They would definitely seize the regime of Luoyang, even if it meant a fight to the death.
"Sir, please calm down for now. As time passes, we will gain the advantage. That warrior named Lu Bu looks formidable, so let's withdraw for now. There's no reason to fight Ding Yuan right now, is there?"
Engaging in hand-to-hand combat in the Imperial Palace is a foolish act.
The odds of winning for each side are 50:50.
That was something Dong Zhuo never wanted.
A fight is something you do when the odds of winning are highest.
Dong Zhuo knew that through long experience. Therefore, he judged that it was not yet time to fight Ding Yuan.
He accepted Li Ru's suggestion and sheathed his sword.
Dong Zhuo retreated first, tucking his tail. At that sight, Ding Yuan acted arrogantly as if he had become the winner and raised his voice.
"Take your lackeys and disappear from Luoyang immediately. The person who will calm the chaos of Luoyang and stabilize the world is this Ding Yuan. If you return the military power and retreat to Xiliang, I will not take your life."
Ding Yuan bestowed 'mercy' as a winner upon Dong Zhuo. But that was the wrong choice.
No matter what damage occurred,
he should have disbanded the Dong Zhuo army and cut off the head of its leader, the Inspector of Bing Province Dong Zhuo. But Ding Yuan acted arrogantly as if he had already won, and that arrogant behavior gave Dong Zhuo an opportunity.
'That girl Lu Bu is quite impressive. Her martial arts are so outstanding that she's called the Flying General in Bing Province, and that old man Ding Yuan even adopted her as his foster daughter, right? First, I'll have to find a way to coax that bitch Lu Bu.'
Even if she is a girl, a soldier is a soldier.
Besides, isn't Bing Province, like Xiliang, the frontier of the frontier, receiving cold treatment from the court?
She must have received all kinds of discriminatory treatment.
She must not have received proper treatment while being persecuted until now. The more such a military officer is, the more greedily they will desire wealth and honor.
'Besides.......'
Dong Zhuo looked at Lee Seong-hwi standing next to Ding Yuan.
He looks like a guy good at calculating.
How much time has passed, and he has already betrayed the court and joined Ding Yuan?
He's a guy who catches my eye at every turn.
From the moment I heard he killed the Buguo Zhang Wu Kuang, my interest began to rise.
A possessor of a calculating personality.
Desk-bound scholars would criticize him as a petty person, but Dong Zhuo actually preferred such calculating people.
'The more such a guy is, if you treat him well, he will never betray you. If you just feed him the food called wealth and power on time, there's no one as obedient and well-listening as him.'
Dong Zhuo took a step back.
The great warlord of Xiliang gave instructions to Li Jue and Guo Si to withdraw the army, and then ordered Hua Xiong to comfort the soldiers.
As Li Ru said, now is not the time.
Opportunities are always there. Now, he is just waiting for the time.
Wealth and power do not run away.
Isn't this capital, where the Emperor resides, the place where all wealth and power come from? Dong Zhuo, who had already secured the Emperor's person, was full of confidence.