Double penetration: This Three Kingdoms has dragon energy

Chapter 180 Three Points to Note
After all, no one is completely naked.

Often, one's perspective is determined by one's social standing, and one's class determines one's stance.

However, conflicts vary in degree, and can be categorized as primary or secondary.

When the primary contradiction emerges, the secondary contradictions can be suppressed.

In the current situation, the crisis of the royal family's extinction is clearly greater than the struggle for interests.

This is the basis for the cooperation between the powerful families and Ji Qiu.

At the same time, Cai Yong was actually facing a more real crisis.

Political purges are a sword of Damocles constantly hanging over his head.

Historically, after Dong Zhuo's death, Wang Yun immediately began to purge the court, and the forces led by Cai Yong were almost completely wiped out.

His methods were even more ruthless than those of Dong Zhuo.

Therefore, Wang Yun is also known in history as the second Dong Zhuo.

Of course, these are all things for the future.

At present, no one knows Cai Yong's future fate.

Even if Ji Qiu said it, Cai Yong might not believe it; he would only think that Ji Qiu was trying to sow discord.

However, the recent riot by displaced people offers a glimpse into the underlying issues.

Ji Qiu has already captured the executor of the refugee riot. Although he has not interrogated him, he can basically guess the identity of the planner.

If nothing unexpected happens, they should be from a prominent family in Chang'an.

The fact that powerful families in Chang'an were actually plotting a peasant uprising at the very spot where Cai Wenji was distributing porridge speaks volumes.

They already regarded Cai Yong as an enemy.

Once they are given power, Cai Yong will inevitably face retribution!

Cai Yong pondered for a moment and said, "It seems that I have no choice."

“Of course there are options, but for Mr. Cai’s sake, cooperating with me is the best choice!” Ji Qiu said with a smile.

Cai Yong pondered for a moment, then said, "In that case, I agree to this matter."

“Excellent! Lord Cai will surely be proud of his wise decision today!” Ji Qiu said with a smile.

He was not surprised that Cai Yong would agree to this.

Firstly, from the perspective of the interests of the world, the Ji Qiu faction actually has the best chance of saving the human race of the Nine Provinces.

Secondly, from the perspective of power and interests, cooperating with Ji Qiu is the only option to protect their own disciples.

Thirdly, from the perspective of family interests, the marriage between Cai Zhenji and Ji Qiu has already bound the Cai family and Ji Qiu together.

For prominent families, daughters from the maternal side are usually not considered as heirs of the family.

But the Cai family was different; they rose to power starting with Cai Yong, who only had two daughters.

Therefore, the future of the Cai family is actually the future of Cai Wenji and Cai Zhenji.

Regardless of whether it is officially acknowledged or not, Cai Zhenji is already Jiqiu's wife.

As husband and wife are one entity, the interests of their two families are now inextricably linked.

When making various choices, Cai Yong had to consider these factors.

This is why Ji Qiu came to the door from the very beginning under the name of Cai Zhenji's husband.

"However, it may be difficult to completely bind the Cai clan to our side with just Cai Zhenji alone."

Cai Yong's true successor was actually Cai Wenji.

"Why don't we take Cai Wenji as well? That way, both of Cai Yong's daughters will be in our hands, and he certainly won't be able to escape our grasp."

Ji Qiu glanced at Cai Wenji beside her, and a thought suddenly struck her.

In terms of historical reputation, Cai Wenji is far more famous than Cai Zhenji.

Moreover, in terms of appearance and temperament, Cai Wenji was superior to Cai Zhenji.

With such a beautiful woman right in front of you, it would be a shame not to eat her.

However, now is clearly not the time to discuss this matter. We need to give Cai Yong some breathing room. Pressuring him too much could lead to a rebellious attitude.

Therefore, Ji Qiu decided to postpone discussing this matter.

After dealing with Cai Yong, Ji Qiu left the Cai residence.

Next, he was going to see Lü Bu.

Lü Bu lived in the Lü Mansion, which was even more luxurious than the Cai Mansion!
The vermilion-lacquered gate was over three zhang tall, and the gilded beast heads holding rings were dazzling in the sunlight. The nine rows of copper nails on the lintel were arranged according to the regulations for the emperor, demonstrating the owner's ambition to disregard etiquette.

Passing through the archway, a white marble screen wall with a relief of a dragon blocks the view, its dragon eyes inlaid with luminous pearls that gleam with a cold, eerie light even in the daytime. The winding corridor is lined with golden nanmu pillars, their bodies entwined with gilded bronze dragons that bar their fangs and claws, their whiskers inlaid with tiny pearls that clink together in the wind, producing a clear, melodious sound.

The ground is not paved with ordinary blue bricks, but with whole pieces of Xiuyan jade, with textures like flowing clouds and waterfalls, reflecting people's shadows with every step.

After passing through the winding corridor, twenty-four pure gold palace lanterns hang on the eaves of the main hall. The lantern shades are made of silk woven by mermaids from the South China Sea, and the flickering candlelight seems to shimmer with starlight.

The main seat is carved from a single piece of rosewood, with the back of the chair decorated with a design of a hundred beasts paying homage to the phoenix. It is inlaid with emeralds and red corals, and the eyes of the beasts are even inlaid with cat's-eye stones the size of a living person's pupil, so that when you look directly at them, it feels as if you are being stared at by a ferocious beast.

The back garden was even more extravagant, with an artificial lake fed by the Yellow River. The lakebed was covered with glazed tiles and luminous pearls, sparkling during the day and resembling an inverted Milky Way at night.

The pavilion in the middle of the lake is carved from a single piece of Hetian jade, with luminous amber wind chimes, a tribute from the Western Regions, hanging from its four corners. When the wind blows, they produce heavenly sounds. The shore is planted with peonies that bloom in all seasons, their petals dyed with gold leaf and rouge by craftsmen, so that they are as beautiful as clouds even in the cold winter.

Cai Yong's power came from Dong Zhuo, and he was able to possess the luxurious Cai Mansion because of Dong Zhuo's favor.

Lu Bu's power, however, stemmed from his strength.

Whether in terms of personal strength or the strength of his troops, he is undoubtedly the number one person under Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo could not afford to underestimate it.

This situation has both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was that Lü Bu had the possibility of getting rid of Wang Yun and achieving the result of assassinating Dong Zhuo on his own.

The downside was that both Dong Zhuo and Wang Yun were wary of him and dared not regard him as a simple brute.

The maidservant that Wang Yun used to employ a honey trap was easily given to Lü Bu by Dong Zhuo. This was partly because the maidservant's abilities were not as great as Diao Chan's in history, and she was unable to completely bewitch Dong Zhuo.

There was also the reason that Lü Bu's power was different from that of the historical Three Kingdoms, and Dong Zhuo dared not underestimate him.

Now, Dong Zhuo would never dare to make Lü Bu his bodyguard as he did in the Three Kingdoms period. "Your subordinate pays respects to your lord!" In the backyard of the Lü residence, Lü Bu knelt down as if a mountain of gold and jade pillars were collapsing, and bowed to Ji Qiu.

Ji Qiu looked at Lü Bu and saw that his sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards into his temples, and his brow bones were as high as if they were carved by a knife. A fierce aura that could kill was faintly revealed between them.

His phoenix eyes were slightly upturned, with pupils as black as a poisonous, icy pool. Sharp lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, and when he looked up, his sharpness was revealed, as if he could see through people's hearts.

His nose was high and straight, his thin lips were tightly pursed, and the corners of his lips often carried a hint of disdain. His cheeks were well-defined, with sharp edges like those of cast iron, exuding a wildness within their ruggedness.

Beneath his bronze skin, the veins bulged slightly, highlighting his powerful, surging blood. A few strands of black hair fell by his temples and swayed gently in the wind, contrasting with the long, dark braid tied up on his head. The red jade beads embedded in his hair swayed gently with his movements, reflecting a blood-red light in the sunlight.

Clad in silver-scaled soft armor and a scarlet cloak draped over his shoulders, the halberd at his waist, though still sheathed, exuded a chilling aura, making him appear like a war god, imposing without anger, as if he could stir up the winds and clouds with a mere gesture.

Ji Qiu nodded inwardly, thinking to himself, "As expected of Lü Bu, he is indeed extraordinary."

However, the appearance is secondary; the key is the change in temperament.

Ji Qiu still remembers when he first met Lü Bu in Luoyang two years ago. At that time, Lü Bu was full of arrogance, like an unruly wolf, running rampant.

Today's Lü Bu still possesses the ferocity of a wolf, but he has also gained a touch of cunning.

His sword-like eyebrows, slanted upwards towards his temples, still possessed a sharp, knife-like outline, but the slight furrow in his brow now concealed a thoughtful expression that Ji Qiu had never seen before.

The veins on his bronze face rose and fell with his breath, his thin lips were pressed into a straight line, and the signature disdain at the corner of his lips turned into a faint sneer, as if he was mocking something, or as if he was plotting something.

The swaying trajectory of the red jade bead pendant in her hair was no longer the flamboyant rhythm of the past, but a steady and rhythmic sway.

He became more composed and started to develop a sense of composure.

Indeed, people need experience to grow.

Especially in the last two years, with 30,000 Bingzhou wolf cavalry under his command, and as a regional warlord, he has been able to grow even faster amidst the intrigue and treachery within Dong Zhuo's forces.

The current Lü Bu is no longer a simple brute.

He has already begun to possess the qualities of a ruler, though he may not yet reach the level of top-tier rulers like Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao.

But at least they had the abilities of Yuan Shu and Sun Ce.

This was also the main reason why Ji Qiu decided to persuade Cai Yong to assist Lü Bu and let Lü Bu control the Guanzhong region in the future.

The core of this plan lies with Lü Bu.

If Lü Bu did not possess the ability to become a ruler and could not truly govern a region, then it would be completely unfeasible!

"Get up. I've already spoken to Cai Yong. He's agreed that as long as you can control Chang'an, he's willing to pledge allegiance to you!"

With Cai Yong's support, you can take over all the civil officials in the court who are part of Dong Zhuo's faction.

"That's enough for you to accept the Chang'an court after Dong Zhuo's death," Ji Qiu said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you for your appreciation, my lord. I will certainly live up to your expectations and will definitely manage the Guanzhong region for you in the future!"

"I believe you can definitely do it, but now is not the time to discuss this."

Although Cai Yong has decided to pledge allegiance to you, there are still a few things to keep in mind if you want to successfully take over the Guanzhong region.

The first thing to note is that in the assassination plan, you cannot take direct action, and you cannot let Dong Zhuo die at your hands!
"Because after Dong Zhuo's death, I need you to take over the 200,000 Xiliang cavalry under Dong Zhuo's command. If you kill Dong Zhuo with your own hands, those 200,000 Xiliang cavalry will definitely regard you as an enemy. How can you accept them then?" Ji Qiu said.

In the Three Kingdoms period, after killing Dong Zhuo, Wang Yun did consider taking over the Xiliang army.

However, he and the Xiliang army could not trust each other, which ultimately led to the Xiliang army, under Jia Xu's instigation, launching a counterattack on Chang'an.

Then Chang'an fell, and Wang Yun met his end with his death and the extermination of his clan.

In the current situation, if Lü Bu were to take control of Chang'an, the Xiliang Iron Cavalry would likely be unable to breach the city with his 30,000 Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry under his command.

Even if the Xiliang cavalry cannot breach Chang'an City, if they scatter and plunder everywhere, it will cause great damage.

Although the Guanzhong region has been almost completely emptied by Ji Qiu.

But there are still millions of people living there.

Most importantly, wouldn't this mean that the 200,000 Xiliang cavalry would be wasted?

Although the average level of these 200,000 Xiliang cavalry is only the ninth rank high-level, they were built by Dong Zhuo at the cost of countless amounts of money and grain.

He plundered most of the wealth from the Guanzhong region and poured it into this army.

Since it is the people's hard-earned money, how can we let it disappear?
Lu Bu pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, you can rest assured about this matter. When Wang Yun was trying to win me over, he did not require me to personally kill Dong Zhuo. He only asked me to stabilize the situation in Chang'an and contain Dong Zhuo's reinforcements."

In this assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu's role is completely different from that in the historical Three Kingdoms period.

In the Three Kingdoms period, Lü Bu was Dong Zhuo's personal bodyguard, so his role was to be a tool to assassinate Dong Zhuo, responsible for directly killing him.

However, Lü Bu is no longer Dong Zhuo's personal bodyguard, and he now controls a large army.

Although he could still break through Dong Zhuo's defenses and kill him with his unparalleled martial prowess.

But Wang Yun was unwilling to do so.

Because if that were the case, Lü Bu's contribution would be too great.

It might even surpass him.

This is not conducive to his future control of the Chang'an court.

Therefore, when contacting Lü Bu, Wang Yun did not tell him to personally assassinate Dong Zhuo. He only told him to restrain Dong Zhuo's Xiliang cavalry and prevent them from aiding Dong Zhuo.

Ji Qiu nodded and said, "Wang Yun did not ask you to kill Dong Zhuo personally, which is good."

However, it's also important to note that without directly intervening, how can you ensure Wang Yun can kill Dong Zhuo?

After all, Dong Zhuo was quite powerful, and he had already faced many assassination attempts in the past two years.

But it never worked out.

Historically, Lü Bu was able to succeed because he was Lü Bu.

But others may not possess the strength of Lü Bu!
Lu Bu said, "I also inquired about this situation with Wang Yun indirectly. Wang Yun seemed quite confident, so he must have some trump card."

"Wang Yun certainly has his trump cards, but he is ambitious but incompetent, so his trump cards may not actually be useful."

"To be on the safe side, we need to make an extra layer of preparation. I will bring several experts to lie in ambush. If Wang Yun's assassination attempt fails, we will immediately carry out the second assassination plan against Dong Zhuo and make sure that Dong Zhuo is killed on the spot!" Ji Qiu said.

Lu Bu hesitated and said, "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, my lord? Why don't I lead a group to ambush you? I can conceal my appearance so that no one can tell it was me."

“No need. It’s very difficult to keep your tracks secret. If you don’t want people to know, then don’t do it in the first place. Besides, you had a very important thing to do that day, so it’s impossible for you to be in two places to assassinate Dong Zhuo,” Ji Qiu said, shaking his head.

(End of this chapter)