Lu Bu: My wife comes from two thousand years later

Chongde Hall.

"The person you want is here, Minister Yang. If you have anything you want to ask, just ask it now." Dong Zhuo said impatiently.

Yang Zan first looked at Niu Li and asked, "Tell the Prime Minister what the characteristics of the Black Mountain Army that helped the General of the Cavalry pacify the Southern Xiongnu in Xihe County were. From the generals to the soldiers, from the war horses to the weapons, don't leave out a single one."

Although Niu Li has been promoted to the position of military officer, he has never been to the palace, nor has he seen Dong Zhuo at such a close distance. He was so nervous that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. He didn't know why Minister Yang suddenly called him to ask this question. Was he going to reward the team that surrendered?

Niu Li didn't dare to hide anything and said with great fear, "The leaders of that team all wore armor made of a single piece of iron plate. The soldiers' armor looked like cloth on the outside, but was made of a single piece of iron plate on the inside. The weapons used by the cavalry were all very sharp sabers. As for the war horses..."

Niu Li thought about it carefully and said, "It's no different from ours..."

Hearing this, Dong Zhuo's face turned very ugly. He would never forget the group of bandits who almost killed him in Beimang Mountain last year. The equipment of those people was almost exactly the same as what Niu Li said.

Yang Zan bowed and looked at Li Su. "General Li, may I ask, are the bandits who assassinated the Prime Minister in Beimang Mountain last year the same group that killed you in Shangdang the same year before?"

Li Su nodded, "Indeed, I have already reported this matter to the Lord."

Yang Zan asked again, "Are the bandits' attire the same as what Niu Li described?"

Li Su nodded again. Niu Li's face changed when he heard this. What was going on? The people who assassinated the Prime Minister in Beimang Mountain were the same group that pacified the Southern Xiongnu? Did General Lu know about this?

Yang Zan looked at Dong Zhuo again and explained, "Prime Minister, I recently overheard two soldiers discussing the pacification of the Southern Xiongnu last year. Learning that a Black Mountain ally was assisting them, I inquired a few more questions. Yesterday, while drinking with General Li, I casually mentioned the powerful Black Mountain Army. As the conversation progressed, General Li told me about his previous encounter with bandits. From General Li's description, I realized the two groups might be the same. After further questioning, I can conclude that the pacification of the Southern Xiongnu and the assassination attempt on the Prime Minister are the same group. That's why I'm here to report this to you."

But in fact, Yang Zan went to the army to ask the soldiers after Wang Yun reminded him that Li Su had the intention to betray Lü Bu. Yang Zan thought that Wang Yun also wanted to alienate Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu, so he did not show any mercy to Lü Bu.

Dong Zhuo's face turned pale. He asked Niu Li again, "Is everything you just said true? Did someone instruct you?"

Niu Li was dumbfounded. Although he was not very smart, his words were so simple that even a dumb man would know that Prime Minister Dong suspected that General Lu was colluding with the bandits to assassinate him.

Niu Li didn't dare to lie and stammered, "Xiao-xiao-xiao's words... every word is true."

Yang Zan said, "If the Prime Minister doesn't believe me, you can call up other soldiers and ask them. In addition to the Liangzhou army, there was also the Bingzhou army that went to pacify the Southern Xiongnu last year. There is a group of soldiers in Luoyang who went to Bingzhou last year, and many of them have seen the bandit army."

At this time, Li Su stood up and pretended to defend Lu Bu. "Even if that's the case, it doesn't mean Fengxian wanted to harm the Prime Minister. The Black Mountain Army from Bingzhou helped Fengxian repel the enemy and then left. How could Fengxian have known they would actually come to assassinate the Prime Minister? Moreover, it was Fengxian who saved the Prime Minister at Beimang Mountain. If he wanted to kill him, why would he have saved him?"

Yang Zan said, "This is Lü Bu's insidious nature. Back then, he hadn't even commanded many troops yet, yet he deliberately colluded with the rebels to assassinate the Prime Minister, and then stepped forward to rescue him, in order to earn the Prime Minister's trust and respect."

"I have also heard about his affair with the daughter of Minister Wang. It is said that they met when they were young and were deeply in love. He even offered her a marriage as his concubine."

Yang Zan said, looking at Li Su, "Lü Bu wanted to be with that woman, so he sent people to kill the Prime Minister's daughter halfway."

"Also, Dong Yue was killed in battle at Beimang Mountain. General Niu and General Hu were also killed this time. I suspect this is Lü Bu using the enemy to eliminate his enemies."

Hearing this, Dong Zhuo couldn't help but recall what Dong Qing had told him, that she and Lu Bu had not consummated their marriage, and that Lu Bu had been deceiving her. Combining all of the above, Dong Zhuo already believed it to about 70%.

"Lü Bu is a skilled warrior, as evidenced by his capture of Wangyuan and the pacification of the Southern Xiongnu last year. However, this time, against the Guandong coalition, the battle has been stalemated for over two months and he hasn't yet defeated them. Instead, he allowed Sun Jian to enter Luoyang. This clearly shows that Lü Bu isn't truly fighting the enemy, but simply wants to use the enemy to eliminate those who dissidents."

"Now he has asked the Prime Minister to confer official titles on those people in Guandong. He wants to befriend them and then turn around and kill his relatives for the sake of justice."

With each thing before his eyes, Dong Zhuo had no choice but to believe that the person he had always trusted had harbored evil intentions from the very beginning?

Dong Zhuo's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. There seemed to be flames burning in his heart, and there seemed to be a breath of hot air stuck in his chest that couldn't come out.

"puff--"

A mouthful of blood spurted out, Dong Zhuo covered his chest, and his fat body was shaking.

"Xiangguo..."

"Lord..."

Yang Zan and Li Su rushed forward to support him. Together, they helped Dong Zhuo to the couch beside them. Li Su shouted outside, "Doctor, call the doctor!"

"Prime Minister, please don't be angry and take care of yourself! It's not worth it for such an ungrateful person!" Yang Zan comforted Dong Zhuo while calming him down.

Dong Zhuo sat on the couch, taking a long time to catch his breath. He turned to look at Li Su, "You are from the same hometown as Fengxian. Did you know about his evil ambitions?"

Li Su hurriedly said, "Prime Minister, I know nothing about this. I didn't follow him to pacify the Southern Xiongnu last time, so I had no idea that the bandit army was actually related to Fengxian. Moreover... in my opinion, Fengxian would never be such a sinister villain."

"Then why didn't you die when eight hundred soldiers died in Beimang Mountain?"

Li Su said in panic, "That day, General Hua and I fought to the bitter end, and we were almost unable to hold on. It was Fengxian's timely appearance that saved my life... Moreover, when I went to Jinyang to pick up the monarch, I almost died at the hands of those bandits..."

Dong Zhuo nodded, all the doubt in his eyes disappeared. Indeed, if Lu Bu really showed mercy to Li Su's men, he would not have sent people to kill them halfway. If it weren't for Li Su, Qing'er would have been killed by Lu Bu that time. But... if Lu Bu really wanted to kill Qing'er, why would he go to so much trouble and even kill his own trusted soldiers?

Thinking back on Lü Bu's actions over the years, Dong Zhuo's anger gradually subsided and his mind cleared. He said to Li Su, "Send someone to Shangdang to ask Yu Fuluo if he knows where the bandits are and to find out if Lü Bu is really colluding with them."

Yang Zan's subsequent words were all his personal inferences, and did not prove that Dong Yue and others were killed by Lu Bu. Moreover, it was Dong Zhuo's own order to let Niu Fu cross the river to fight, and it was Hu Zhen who went out to fight Sun Jian on his own. It was unreasonable to blame Lu Bu for the deaths of these two people.

Now, as long as we find out whether Lu Bu really has any connection with that group of bandits, we can determine whether Lu Bu is loyal or treacherous.

As for the fact that Lü Bu and Dong Qing had been married for a long time but had not yet consummated their marriage, Dong Zhuo actually preferred the reason that Lü Bu was inhumane. Even if he was not completely incompetent, he was at least not very capable.

"Also, before the matter is thoroughly investigated, you cannot reveal a single word about what happened today."

Dong Zhuo looked at the three people present coldly, "If Lu Bu gets wind of this, no matter who leaks it, all three of you will be punished."

Yang Zan hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Prime Minister. I have exposed this matter and will never inform Lü Bu of it."

Niu Li also kowtowed repeatedly to indicate that he absolutely dared not.

Dong Zhuo looked at Li Su again, "You have been speaking for Fengxian just now, and you are loyal to him..."

Li Su hurriedly said, "I have always been loyal to the Prime Minister. If Fengxian really does such an ungrateful and treasonous act, I will never show favoritism. If the Prime Minister is worried, you can send someone to go to Shangdang with him."

Dong Zhuo nodded and said to Yang Zan, "Send someone to go with his men and make sure to investigate thoroughly for me."

"Yes!" Yang Zan bowed in response.