Winter's End: Dong Zhuo's Thirst for the Throne
At the tail end of that brutal winter, Cao Cao mobilized his forces to wipe out the Black Mountain Bandits.
The warlords across the land were each making their moves.
The new capital of the Han dynasty, Chang'an.
"Urk."
A massive man so obese he could barely control his own bulk—Dong Zhuo—lay sprawled on his bed, clutching his belly.
At his side lay a sword ready to be drawn and thrust into anyone at a moment's notice, and a golden cordon kept all at bay.
"Prime Minister."
A sharp-featured man approached cautiously, bowing low. His narrow, slanted eyes gave him a serpentine, cunning air.
"Yes, Li Ru. What brings you to me today?"
Li Ru, Dong Zhuo's longtime advisor, was a master schemer who had orchestrated countless plots at his master's side. Dong Zhuo himself called him his "bag of tricks"—it was Li Ru's suggestion that led to burning Luoyang to the ground and relocating the capital to Chang'an.
Dong Zhuo made the choices and decisions, but Li Ru crafted the options.
"It's been a long time since I began serving you, Prime Minister."
Dong Zhuo wondered what proposal this man had in store. Li Ru always prefaced his words like this when broaching grand schemes.
When news came of the Ten Attendants' chaos and they rushed from Chang'an to seize Luoyang, when they deposed the emperor and enthroned a new one, when they fled the rebels and abandoned Luoyang for Chang'an—it was always with this preamble.
"Your grace runs deep, and all the ministers revere you..."
"Enough. Get to the point."
"......The time has come."
Li Ru straightened his back and dropped to his knees before Dong Zhuo.
"The Han imperial house is finished. It is time for you, Prime Minister, to claim the Mandate of Heaven."
"The throne!" Dong Zhuo slapped his belly and hauled himself upright.
"What a tempting notion. Indeed, the moment has arrived. I've been waiting for it—waiting for you to say it."
Creak.
The chair groaned as Dong Zhuo rose, donning his outer robe and smacking his lips.
"But will the court officials and bureaucrats stand idly by? The emperor still lives. The imperial bloodline endures."
"The people's hearts have already turned. Ascend the throne, Prime Minister, and crush the remaining rebels in the Central Plains."
"Hm..."
Dong Zhuo paced within his golden cordon, sword in hand, deep in thought.
"Objectively speaking, can we seize the realm with just the strength of Chang'an and Yang Province?"
"We can. You've watched their downfall, haven't you? They feign alliances, but in truth, they're desperate to protect their own domains. Once you take the throne, Prime Minister, dazzle them with offices, gold, and silk—who wouldn't bend the knee?"
"Once one falls, the rest will tumble like dominoes?"
"Yes. Whether to save their clans or their own necks, once you pacify the Central Plains, they'll all bow. You need only crush two."
"Two! Those rotten bastards. You mean Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, right?"
"Precisely."
Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. Dong Zhuo ground his teeth at their names. Cao Cao especially—every time he saw that golden cordon, he itched to tear her apart.
"Those scum are arbitrarily claiming titles in the provinces, calling themselves Governor of Ji Province or Governor of Yan Province. Yuan Shao even tried to enthrone Liu Yu as emperor."
"What? Ha! So the emperor I installed is just a puppet, eh?"
Crack!!
"Who do they think they are? Lowborn slaves' whelps with no sense of propriety. That eunuch's daughter is no different."
Dong Zhuo tore down the golden cordon with his bare hands.
"Very well. The throne it is. Liu Bang refounded the Han from nothing—why not me? Li Ru! Summon all the high ministers to court. I'll deal with them myself."
"As you command."
That very day.
Jang On, the Minister from Jing Province, was beaten to death by Dong Zhuo's fists before the assembled court officials.
Li Ru had colluded with Yuan Shu.
Whether he truly had or not was unknowable, but Dong Zhuo, fists dripping blood, raged that any who dared defy him would join Jang On in the afterlife.
Slice.
A handsome young officer lopped off Jang On's head, which was then displayed at Chang'an's gates.
The people of Chang'an cowered in greater terror, their gaze toward the imperial house one of utter despair.
Someone.
A hero to end Dong Zhuo's tyranny.
The masses endured the humiliation of surrendering even their rice bowls, enlisting in Dong Zhuo's army just to scrounge grass for their children.
Even high officials like the late Jang On scraped by on barely one meal a day.
They weathered the cold winter under Dong Zhuo's reign of terror.
"Urgh!!" The old man vomited into the dirt. Blood filled his mouth, and beside him, a woman so stunning she could be called a peerless beauty soothed him.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Truly... a horrific affair."
Wang Yun, the Minister of Justice, his eyes bloodshot, glared at the sky.
"Is that monster heaven's jest, sent to end the Han? Even Jang On—Jang On himself..."
"Please, regain your strength. Someday, someone will surely succeed."
"It's futile. You know who's at his side. Lü Bu is there. That human butcher who's gone through two foster fathers."
"Lü Bu..."
The woman fell silent at the name. Wang Yun clutched his bloodstained robes and wailed.
"He must be the reincarnated Xiang Yu, the Overlord, back to avenge himself on Liu Bang. Shielding Dong Zhuo to destroy the Han."
"How could that be? It's simply Dong Zhuo's evil."
"...Your words sound strange. Why do you defend Lü Bu?"
Under Wang Yun's piercing glare, the woman went quiet.
"Speak! What happened between you and him?!"
"My lord, a guest has arrived..."
"......Ahem. I'll interrogate you harshly on this later."
Wang Yun struggled to his feet, straightening his robes.
"Who is it?"
"......Lü Bu."
"......Pardon?"
"The very man you just mentioned—Lü Bu is here."
Thud. Wang Yun collapsed to the floor, clawing at his hair in agony.
"Ah, Dong Zhuo! He's sent the butcher to finish me off at last! He's already slain the high officials like Jang On—now he'll behead me in my own home!"
"Foster father."
"He'll disguise it as suicide! Make it look like I spat blood in rage over Jang On's death! No, if that's all, it's a mercy—he might just frame me as a traitor and lop off my head! Xian'er! Diaochan!"
Wang Yun seized the woman—Diaochan—by the shoulders.
"Flee! I'll buy time against Lü Bu—go out the back gate!"
"......General Lü Bu came to see me."
"What?"
"The truth is..." With a trembling voice, Diaochan confessed her dealings with Lü Bu to Wang Yun. How Lü Bu had secretly visited on days when Wang Yun was absent, meeting her in private. Unable to defy Dong Zhuo's adopted son, she had met him. Each time, he brought silk and grain as gifts, begging her to keep his visits secret from Wang Yun.
"......So we've been eating rice from Dong Zhuo's son all this time? Ha, ha ha..."
Wang Yun slumped back down.
"How could you hide it? Why didn't you tell me! What must the court think of me now? What must the emperor think?!"
"Forgive me, my lord."
"Now it looks like I'm in league with them! Next thing you know, we'll be in-laws with Dong Zhuo..."
Suddenly, Wang Yun's gaze turned to Diaochan. He stared long and hard, then dropped to his knees before her.
"Xian'er. Forgive me first. Forgive this father."
"What are you doing?! Please, stop...!"
Thud, thud.
Wang Yun kowtowed like a criminal confessing on the execution ground. Tears burst from Diaochan's eyes at the sight of the frail old man on his knees.
"Please, grant this father's request."
"......Thanks to you, foster father, I survived. My life is yours—do with it as you will."
Diaochan returned a deep bow. Wang Yun wiped his tears with his sleeve and rose shakily.
"......I'll fetch General Lü. Prepare yourself."
No more words were needed. Diaochan entered her room with a heartbroken expression to fix her makeup.
Moments later.
"The Minister welcomes me so warmly—I'm at a loss."
"Ha ha, how could I cold-shoulder a general of the realm? Come in."
Wang Yun, now composed, was followed inside by the tall, handsome youth—Lü Bu—who sat across from him. Lü Bu awkwardly craned his neck, searching for something.
"......I can guess why General Lü has come."
"Ahem, well..."
"The Prime Minister ordered you to kill me, didn't he?"
"Pardon?"
Lü Bu's eyes widened. Wang Yun knelt on one knee before him, serene.
"Kill me. But I have one request, General. I have an adopted daughter—spare her, please. If it pleases you, take her in."
"Minister, what is this? I didn't come to harm you today. I... er, ahem."
Lü Bu helped Wang Yun to his feet and back to his seat.
"......Impudently, I confess. I, Lü Fengxian, have secretly met with your daughter several times, keeping it from you."
"Pardon?"
"I feared you'd despise me. But I couldn't help myself..."
"......Ah, so that's how it is."
Wang Yun sank into his seat with a sigh—relieved, resigned, profoundly complex.
"......Fate, after all?"
Muttering to himself, he shook his head side to side, then rose.
"I'll fetch the girl. Wait here, General."
"My lord!"
Lü Bu's grin stretched ear to ear. Wang Yun bowed and stepped out to retrieve Diaochan.
In that instant—perhaps reflected in the garden's small spring—Wang Yun's face twisted in sorrowful lament.
That harsh winter passed over the Central Plains. As spring flowers bloomed and the earth warmed...
"Whoa, Yuan Shao beat Gong Sun Zan?"
I whooped at the news from the border post.
"With Yuan Shao winning, his allies Cao Cao and Liu Biao stabilize... which means my land's value shoots up naturally."
Sincere blessings for Yuan Shao's victory.
"As expected of Yuan Shao. A true son of the Three Excellencies—impressive skills."
How could I call the man boosting my property values a Yuan bastard?