Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Dong Zhuo escorted the Empress Dowager's carriage as it slowly advanced. Suddenly, he spotted the Emperor, Liu Bian, also being escorted forward by soldiers. Dong Zhuo frowned slightly and whispered to Empress Dowager Dong, "Aunt, look, Emperor Liu Bian is there too." Empress Dowager Dong, sitting in the carriage, snorted coldly across the carriage, her tone filled with disdain and contempt: "Hmph! What emperor? He's nothing but a puppet propped up by that butcher, He Jin! In terms of talent, he's far inferior to Liu Xie. He's nothing more than a child, a puppet at the mercy of others!"

Empress Dowager Dong made no effort to conceal her disgust. She raised her voice so high that even those around her could hear it clearly. Her tone was filled with contempt and disdain.

Lu Zhi and Emperor Liu Bian, escorted by Zhao Yun, were also forced forward. The situation was pressing, and the dozen or so White Horse Volunteers offered no resistance, following the escort. Upon hearing this, Lu Zhi and Liu Bian's faces changed drastically, and they quietly discussed their countermeasures.

Liu Bian said anxiously, "Master Lu, the general has been framed by the eunuchs, and these eunuchs were directly executed by Dong Zhuo. The current situation in the court is likely to allow the Empress Dowager and her family to dominate. If we return like this, I'm afraid there will be no good results."

Lu Zhi responded worriedly, "Now that the throne has been decided, even if they have any ideas, they are just trying to control the government."

Liu Bian lowered his voice again and said, "Master Lu, look at their attitude. How can they even consider me the emperor? Before I officially ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager wanted my father to make Liu Xie the emperor. Currently, the Dong family prioritizes their family. If I were to follow the example of my predecessors and depose and enthrone an emperor, I doubt they would be able to do it."

Lu Zhi said, "The emperor has done nothing wrong. Aren't they afraid of the people's gossip?"

Liu Bian went on, "Look at Dong Zhuo. He is decisive and unscrupulous in killing people. He is extremely ambitious and doesn't even take any rules into consideration. If he forces me to do something indecent, I'm afraid I will really die." After saying that, Liu Bian's face was full of fear and worry.

Lu Zhi pondered silently, then gritted his teeth and whispered to Liu Bian, "Your Majesty, have you ever heard the story of Chong'er, who was born in exile? During the Spring and Autumn Period, Chong'er, son of Duke Xian of Jin, was persecuted during the Li Ji Rebellion and forced into exile. During his nineteen years in exile, Chong'er endured all kinds of hardships and traveled through many countries. He was coldly treated and faced desperate situations, but he never gave up. Ultimately, Chong'er returned to Jin with the support of Duke Mu of Qin and ascended the throne, becoming Duke Wen of Jin. He worked tirelessly to strengthen Jin and became one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bian's expression became slightly bewildered. He asked, "Master Lu, what do you mean..." Lu Zhi gritted his teeth and said, "Even if they don't commit such a heinous act as dethroning Your Majesty, they will continue to control the government and treat Your Majesty as a puppet. Rather than this, Your Majesty should give up this illusory throne for the time being. I will escort you to Gongsun Zan, and we will discuss the matter further."

After hearing this, Liu Bian's face lit up with a hint of hope, but also a hint of fear. He struggled for a moment, but ultimately made a decision and said, "I'll follow Master Lu's instructions." His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, revealing his complex emotions.

After Liu Bian and Lu Zhi had finalized their plan, they no longer had any other thoughts. The most important thing now was to escape Dong Zhuo's army and secretly search for the right opportunity. Their expressions were solemn, as they secretly plotted their next steps.

Dong Zhuo led a mighty army, gradually approaching the city of Luoyang, his heart filled with anticipation for his imminent capture of the capital. Suddenly, Dong Zhuo spotted a group of cavalrymen galloping towards him from afar. His face suddenly changed, and he shouted, "Attention! All troops, alert!" His generals, their nerves tense, watched the approaching cavalry with intense anxiety, as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

It turned out that these cavalrymen were Gongsun Xu, who had rushed to protect the emperor after receiving the notice. However, because Gongsun Xu's army was stationed in a remote and secluded area, it took them a long time to arrive, allowing Dong Zhuo to gain the upper hand.

The two armies quickly deployed, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. Before any formal dialogue could take place, Gongsun Xu rode out, shouting in a resounding voice like a bell: "I am Gongsun Xu, a subordinate of Gongsun Zan, the Governor of Youzhou. I have come to protect Your Majesty!" His voice echoed across the battlefield, filled with determination and heroism.

At this tense moment, Lu Zhi also shouted at the top of his voice, "Your Majesty is here, come to your rescue!" With his cry, Zhao Yun and a dozen of his White Horse Volunteers took the lead like arrows from a bow, brandishing their weapons and charging towards the troops guarding Dong Zhuo's army. For a moment, shouts of killing filled the air, and the sound of metal clashing resounded through the sky.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Lu Zhi's call, Gongsun Xu unhesitatingly commanded his White Horse Volunteers to charge Dong Zhuo's army. The sudden onslaught threw Dong Zhuo's troops into a state of panic. Zhao Yun was unstoppable. His agility and swiftness saw him dash left and right through the enemy lines, his spear wielding impenetrable fire, each strike a life-threatening blow. His fearlessness intimidated Dong Zhuo's army, who were unable to effectively stop him.

Dong Zhuo, observing this situation, felt a sense of foreboding. His first move was to quickly distance the Emperor from the Empress Dowager's carriage. He then dispatched his most capable generals to capture the Emperor. However, Zhao Yun's fighting prowess was too great, and Dong Zhuo's generals were unable to gain an advantage over him, leading to a stalemate between the two sides.

Gongsun Xu's goal was clear: to attack the emperor directly. Under his command, the White Horse Volunteers surged forward like a white torrent, unstoppable and charging towards the emperor. The clatter of their hooves echoed across the earth, as if crushing all obstacles. In this fierce battle, soldiers on both sides displayed tenacious fighting spirit and fearless courage, and the battlefield was filled with thick smoke and the smell of blood.

In the fierce battle, Zhao Yun, like a ferocious beast, charged through the enemy lines with unbridled abandon. His spear swung like a whirlwind, sending foes reeling, unable to penetrate his defenses. Gongsun Xu led his White Horse Volunteers in a valiant struggle against Dong Zhuo's forces.

Despite the sheer number of Dong Zhuo's troops, Zhao Yun, Gongsun Xu, and their companions remained undaunted. With their unwavering resolve and exceptional martial arts, they gradually broke through the enemy's defenses. After a bitter battle, Zhao Yun and Gongsun Xu finally managed to reunite.

Seeing that he had met up with Zhao Yun, Gongsun Zan stopped fighting and shouted, "Protect the emperor and Master Lu, and retreat with me!" The White Horse Volunteers responded immediately, surrounded the emperor and Lu Zhi, and quickly fled into the distance.

Dong Zhuo was furious when he saw this. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Send out a group of soldiers and horses to chase them! We must not let them escape!" As his order was given, a group of elite soldiers and horses chased in the direction where Gongsun Xu and others fled like a tide.

The pursuers were hot on their heels, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air. Gongsun Xu and his companions fled with all their might, fending off the pursuers' attacks. They knew the consequences would be disastrous if they were caught. In this life-or-death moment, they unleashed an even greater force, engaging the pursuers in a thrilling battle of escape and pursuit.

However, while Dong Zhuo harbored the intention of pursuing the enemy, he did not dare to unleash his full might. After all, Ding Yuan's Bingzhou corps, still lurking outside Luoyang, was watching closely. Dong Zhuo knew the urgent need to stabilize the government and could not afford to lose sight of the greater good.

He discussed the matter with the Grand Empress Dowager, who indifferently said that Liu Bian's life or death was nothing to worry about, as he was just a puppet at the mercy of others. The most important thing now was to stabilize the court, and nothing else mattered.

To the court officials, the Grand Empress Dowager instructed Dong Zhuo to lie that Lu Zhi had abducted the emperor without authorization and that his fate was now uncertain. This gave them a pretext and saved Dong Zhuo and his men the trouble of deposing and enthroning him. They then announced that the emperor had suffered a great disaster and his fate was unknown. To stabilize the court, they had no choice but to appoint another emperor. The Grand Empress Dowager's words revealed her ruthlessness and her obsession with power.

Dong Zhuo, upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, was secretly shocked by her coldness and ruthlessness. He also understood that the most important thing at the moment was to stabilize the court and maintain control of the situation. So, Dong Zhuo abandoned his concerns and, instead, left a portion of his troops behind to form a pursuit force, continuing the pursuit.

Dong Zhuo, escorting the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince Liu Xie, and other nobles from the palace, returned to Luoyang to take charge of the situation. Dong Zhuo meticulously plotted his next move, aiming to consolidate his position amidst this turbulent situation and realize his greater ambitions.