45. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (6)
45. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (6)
As planned, Dong Zhuo departed for Chang'an with the Emperor.
From now on, the capital of the Han Dynasty is Chang'an.
Having declared this, Dong Zhuo, escorted by Hua Xiong and Xu Rong, took all the court officials with him and proclaimed that he would establish a new court in Chang'an.
"Move it!"
"Anyone who drops even a single item from the carts will be whipped until their flesh is torn off!"
The mounted military officers shouted.
Many Luoyang citizens were mobilized for forced labor.
It seemed that almost everyone, regardless of age or gender, who could pull a cart even a little bit had been conscripted. The people had to pull carts piled high with gold and treasures, straining their trembling limbs.
If they secretly stole a gold coin, they were beheaded, and even if they dropped one on the ground and it got dirty, they were executed.
"Argh!"
"P-please, spare me!"
The wailing of the people never ceased.
Above them, the whips swung by the military officers fell, filling the air with screams.
The Young Emperor covered both his ears.
He didn't want to see anything, and he didn't want to hear anything. All the wailing he heard now continued to torment his heart.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...! I'm sorry!!"
The young girl burst into tears.
She couldn't bear to lift her head in a situation where the people were suffering due to her own incompetence.
She wrapped her hands around her head.
Forcing herself to hold back a cry that was close to a scream, she bit her lip hard, vowing to remember this humiliation to the end.
"Gwahahaha! What a spectacle, truly a spectacle."
Dong Zhuo, standing at the center, burst into loud laughter.
Dong Zhuo, riding in a carriage even more splendid and magnificent than the Emperor's, was wearing golden armor.
He was in a very good mood right now.
Although the screams of the people could be heard, Dong Zhuo didn't care at all. Instead, he even urged his generals on, ordering them to increase the speed of the procession.
'Chang'an! My great new capital where my grand ambitions will unfold! I shall establish the Dong family's reign in Chang'an and let it shine for ten thousand generations!'
A place where all wealth and glory were permitted.
Dong Zhuo held bizarre fantasies about Chang'an, the new capital he had selected, as if he were leaving for a paradise.
Sacrifice is always a matter of course.
Dong Zhuo conscripted over hundreds of thousands of people and mobilized them to transport supplies.
Numerous casualties might occur.
However, he accepted it as an inevitable and natural sacrifice for the empire he would unfold in Chang'an.
Jia Xu nodded.
"This is certain."
A document stamped with the seal of the Minister of Education, Wang Yun.
The document contained a promise that if she joined the grand undertaking, Colonel Who Pacifies the Caitiffs Jia Xu would be granted a position below the Nine Ministers, with a salary of at least 3,000 shi.
As expected, was he in close contact with the imperial officials?
Seeing the document, Jia Xu realized that Lee Seong-hwi was a person skilled in calculation and logic.
'His martial prowess is greater than Sun Jian's, and his wisdom and political skills are top-tier. Truly, he has the abilities befitting the person who will eliminate Dong Zhuo. Perhaps he might even become the new lord of this Jia Wenhe?'
Good.
You are worth betting on.
Dong Zhuo, who lacked restraint in his actions and had no design for the future, not even the slightest plan, was destined to perish someday.
So, Jia Xu decided to bet on Lee Seong-hwi.
At the very least, he had a sense of direction for the future, and above all, he was a handsome young man, so it was a treat for the eyes.
'Dong Zhuo won't last long anyway. How could a ruler without even a plan for the future survive more than three years? A ruler who is only satisfied with their own Wine Pool and Meat Forest will eventually just become a sacrifice swallowed up by the chaotic times.'
She liked Lee Seong-hwi very much.
Whenever he explained his plans in detail, Jia Xu would nod or smile, showing her agreement.
However, even though she liked this man, there was one thing... she didn't like.
"Are you going to fight for the Han Dynasty imperial family? What a boring person. This humble one doesn't really like boring men..."
Jia Xu said in a joking voice.
Covering her mouth softly with a fan, she let out a giggle and gave a coy smile.
"Then, the very act of me asking you what you want would be even more boring. I decide my own affairs. Whether it's the Han Dynasty or whatever. Because I am the center of this world."
"Oh my, how radical. Are you planning to make my body heat up by exuding beast-like charm? You beast."
Jia Xu giggled.
She used her fan to stroke her voluptuous breasts, or pointed past her slender waist to her ripe buttocks, showing lewd provocations.
One could say she was sex appeal itself.
Jia Xu, who had an excellent talent for bewitching men, looked almost like a lewd demoness craving people's essence.
"That arrogant look, this Jia Wenhe likes it."
Arrogant and selfish.
Those were some of the essential virtues for a ruler.
The reason Jia Xu disliked Dong Zhuo wasn't because he was a villain. In these chaotic times, good people are not needed. Only a ruler with selfish leadership would be qualified to subdue the chaotic times and open a new dynasty.
"You keep the Luoyang Quartet (Zhang Ji, Zhang Xiu, Wang Fang, Li Meng) tied up. I will train the elite troops to strike Luoyang together with the Lu Bu army's warriors. Depending on the situation, I might even get help from the Guandong Warlords."
"Is there someone you know among the Guandong Warlords? Ah, I think I know even without you telling me. Surely a female warlord. You must have bewitched her, right?"
How did she know?
As expected of Jia Xu, the woman called the Goddess of Strategy.
Lee Seong-hwi had Cao Cao in mind.
But he decided to forget it soon after. Because it was too dangerous to drag the Cao Cao army, which had unified Yan Province and become a warlord, into the grand undertaking.
It wasn't because of the success probability.
If Cao Cao participated, the probability of successfully assassinating Dong Zhuo would increase dramatically. Lee Seong-hwi was concerned that this Luoyang might be swallowed up by the Cao Cao army just like that.
'The assassination of Dong Zhuo and the protection of Luoyang, that must be the achievement of our Lu Bu army. If I drag Cao Cao in, I'll end up having all the achievements stolen instead. Cao Cao is certainly capable of that.'
Cao Cao might end up installing the Emperor.
Originally, the strategy of 'Holding the Emperor to command the warlords' was something the Cao Cao army came up with.
"Bewitching men is this Jia Wenhe's specialty among specialties, so do not worry. I trust that the Commandant of Xingyang will also make full preparations. The most important thing is..."
"Chang'an."
Lee Seong-hwi replied to Jia Xu's words.
Chang'an, where Dong Zhuo is planning a new dynasty. The variable was having the high-ranking officials of Chang'an deceive Dong Zhuo and bring him to Luoyang.
Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an.
As that news spread widely, all the warlords of Guandong came to know of it.
However, no one brought up the story of attacking Luoyang again.
Unlike Dong Zhuo, who had cut off his attachment to the Central Plains, the warlords and local officials fought repeatedly day after day to seize control of the Central Plains. As new powers were born and old powers perished repeatedly, the era of warlord rivalry continued.
"They shouted about the great cause until I was sick of it, but in the end, those guys were just worthless scum after all."
Lu Bu said, as if dumbfounded.
The traitor Dong Zhuo took the Emperor and moved the capital to Chang'an. Surely the warlords must have heard the news. Yet, not a single person stepped forward.
This is why I hate them.
Petty people who call themselves loyal patriots but immediately change their stance if their own interests are at stake. They are stinking bastards.
"Bong-seon-nim, I have returned after finishing the soldiers' training."
Zhang Liao returned, soaked in sweat.
Her whole body was soaked, revealing her slender figure as it was.
Her large breasts, slender waist, and voluptuous buttocks were the perfect body that only well-trained female warriors could possess.
"What about Dong Zhuo's stooges?"
"There are five in total. If the grand undertaking takes place, they must be killed first. I have drawn up a list."
Dong Zhuo did not trust his adopted daughter, Lu Bu.
He had made Lu Bu his adopted daughter to promote Lu Bu, who was called Unrivaled Under Heaven, not because he had any intention of truly treating her like a daughter.
Lu Bu knew that well too.
Rather, she thought it was fortunate.
If he had truly treated her like a daughter, she would have hesitated to cut off his head. As if to show consideration for such a Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo did not try to build up even a shred of affection.
"The Adjutant must have headed to Sishui Pass."
"He's probably got another new woman tucked under his arm. Since he had a romantic connection with that bitch Cao Cao Mengde from Yan Province. Anyway, he's a guy with absolutely no integrity. Wait! If it's the Xingyang Commandant region where Sishui Pass is... it's close to Yan Province, damn it!"
Lu Bu revealed her jealousy to the fullest.
Perhaps because she had become separated from Lee Seong-hwi, she openly showed her jealousy.
Before they parted, they kissed several times.
They whispered love and even promised to meet again in the future. But even so, perhaps because Lu Bu couldn't trust Lee Seong-hwi, she expressed her anger, saying it was obvious he would seduce another woman.
However, Lee Seong-hwi did not keep another woman.
Contacting Jia Xu was only to get her to join, and Lee Seong-hwi was not bold enough to make Jia Xu, who was full of evil schemes, his own woman.
"Bong-seon-nim, you really miss the Adjutant, don't you?"
Zhang Liao asked with a smile.
At those words, Lu Bu turned her head, blushing.
She still had a shy personality.
Watching her lord who was not honest with her own heart, Zhang Liao cheered for the relationship between Lu Bu and Lee Seong-hwi.
"If I meet that guy often, Dong Zhuo will get suspicious. It might affect the grand undertaking. So I have to wait. I'm the one who's going to cut off that bastard Dong Zhuo's head. If I can cut off Dong Zhuo's head, this much waiting is nothing."
Lu Bu had become more mature.
Unlike back then when she seemed like an arrogant, simple-minded person, she had learned to distinguish right from wrong. Of course, she was still simple-minded... but she had learned to bow temporarily for a greater goal.
That was a huge step forward.
Because Zhang Liao had watched Lu Bu for a long time, she knew that the existence of Lee Seong-hwi was having a profound influence on Lu Bu.
"But really... will Dong Zhuo, who went to Chang'an, come back to Luoyang?"
Lu Bu asked Zhang Liao.
Dong Zhuo is a guy who is very slow to move.
Wasn't he the guy who held out in Luoyang until the end even when the Guandong Warlords led an army of 100,000? After entrusting everything to his generals, he remained in Luoyang himself, guarding against internal rebellion and holding his position until the end.
It was a very excellent strategic choice.
In line with the warlord army's attack, the court officials inside planned a rebellion, but because Dong Zhuo remained in Luoyang, the rebellion could not be put into action.
"It's difficult. Very difficult. Besides, the Adjutant isn't in Chang'an. You entrusted that task to the court officials."
"That's the problem! What can those nerds who sat at their desks reciting scriptures all day long do to be entrusted with such an important mission! Lee Seong-hwi, that bastard. Is he really going to succeed? I, Lu Fengxian, have staked my life on that guy!!"
Lu Bu shouted and clutched her head.
Can I really trust this bastard?
Lu Bu had always trusted Lee Seong-hwi, but this time, she was confused, saying she really didn't know.
She still trusted Lee Seong-hwi.
What she really couldn't trust were the court officials who had to deceive Dong Zhuo and drag him to Luoyang.
"By the way, Bong-seon-nim."
"Why?"
"Did you... do it...? With the Adjutant...? That thing..."
Shuk shuk shuk.
Zhang Liao drew a circle with her thumb and index finger.
Then she poked her finger from the other hand in and out of the circle.
At that blatant act, Lu Bu had to blush until her face felt like it would explode.
"I, I didn't! I didn't! I'm still a virgin! What do you take me for!!"
Lu Bu shouted.
Even an ignorant country girl from the frontier knows basic common sense.
She knew well enough that she had to give it to the person she loved most, the person she could entrust her life to. That was why Lu Bu didn't give her virginity away carelessly to just anyone.
I am the Unrivaled Under Heaven, Lu Fengxian.
To be my man, to be the one to have Lu Bu's first experience... he must be a hero who makes his name known to the world.