Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

That night.

The western camp outside Guangzong City.

Inside the central command tent, Dong Zhuo donned a suit of armor.

Hua Xiong stood behind Dong Zhuo, helping Dong Zhuo bind his armor.

"Sigh..." Dong Zhuo sighed and said, "I've become lazier year by year."

“Back in Liangzhou, we rode horses and hunted together. We weren’t this fat back then. Now it’s hard for us to even put on armor.”

“Yi’er was still little then, and she often sat on my shoulders.”

"You were younger back then than you are now."

"Time flies, I've grown old."

"My lord is not old at all."

While helping Dong Zhuo put on his armor, Hua Xiong said, "If we were to actually ride into battle, there would be few among the civil and military officials who could compare to our lord."

"Even Lu Zhi is no match for our lord."

"Haha." Dong Zhuo laughed heartily and said, "I'm old, and I don't have any ambitions anymore."

"In the first two years, I was thinking about being promoted to a high-ranking position, but now I don't have those thoughts anymore."

“Yi’er’s child is all grown up now, and I haven’t even seen him yet. When I go back to Hedong this time, I’m determined to go back to Liangzhou to see him.”

"You... you've followed me for so many years, but you haven't gotten any benefits."

“Look at Li Jue and Guo Si. They’ve only been by Ziyi’s side for a short time, and they’re already commanders and captains. After Ziyi comes to Jizhou this time, and after I return to Hedong, you should go to Ziyi’s side as well.”

"Over there, Ziyi will definitely give you an important position."

After donning his armor, Dong Zhuo turned around and looked at Hua Xiong.

Hua Xiong immediately took half a step back, then knelt on one knee with his hands clasped: "My lord, what did I do wrong to displease you?"

"My lord Hua Xiong..."

"Hey!" Dong Zhuo quickly stepped forward to help Hua Xiong up.

"What are you saying? I just feel that I'm getting old and my life is almost over. When will you ever get a title here with me?"

"If we go to Ziyi's side, it won't be long before he grants us a title, which will be a good way to give our descendants something to remember us by."

Hua Xiong, who was kneeling on the ground, shook his head and said, "My lord, this humble general does not need any title."

"This humble general will only follow his lord."

"I am grateful to my lord for not abandoning me back then. If it weren't for that, Hua Xiong would still be herding horses. I am already grateful for my lord's grace to be where I am today."

Dong Zhuo chuckled and patted Hua Xiong on the shoulder: "Alright, alright, get up."

“I know you are loyal, otherwise you would have asked to stay there long ago after going to Ziyi’s side so many times.”

As Dong Zhuo was speaking, Li Ru, dressed in a black robe, walked in from outside.

"Wenyou's here." Dong Zhuo greeted Li Ru.

Upon entering, Li Ru said with a solemn expression, "My lord, there is something important."

Seeing Li Ru's expression, Dong Zhuo frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

“My lord, I think there’s something wrong with Lu Zhi’s sudden invitation to a banquet,” Li Ru said.

Ok?

has a problem?

Dong Zhuo raised an eyebrow: "Wen You, explain in detail."

Li Ru frowned and said, "My lord, I've been thinking about this all afternoon, and I feel like there's something wrong here."

"So in the afternoon, I sent scouts to Lu Zhi's eastern camp."

"And we discovered some clues."

"What clues?" Dong Zhuo asked suspiciously.

"The scouts discovered that Lu Zhi's two cavalry battalions were mobilizing their troops and were ready to leave the camp at any time."

Dong Zhuo rubbed his chin, then took a few steps back and sat down at the table in front of the main seat in the tent, saying, "Mobilize the troops?"

"There shouldn't be any problem with that. I guess Lu Zhi invited me today to discuss sending troops to attack Guangzong."

Li Ru shook his head and said with slightly narrowed eyes, "My lord, since you and Lu Zhi jointly launched an expedition to Ji Province, have you two even met once?"

Dong Zhuo was taken aback, then shook his head: "Not yet."

"My lord, you and Lu Zhi have besieged Guangzong for so long, have you ever met with Lu Zhi?"

Dong Zhuo shook his head again and said, "No, not either."

"Did Lu Zhi personally come to attack Guangzong on the several occasions that Lu Zhi had requested the lord to send troops?"

Dong Zhuo shook his head again.

"Does my lord know Lu Zhi?" Li Ru asked.

After a slight pause, Dong Zhuo said, "I think I understand it fairly well."

Lu Zhi was a renowned scholar and Confucian master who had achieved fame early on, and his reputation had long been known throughout the world.

Everyone knows that he was upright and incorruptible, and skilled in both literature and martial arts.

"Since you know Lu Zhi's character, you should understand that Lu Zhi is a man of strong character. Why would he invite you to a banquet just to gain military merit by attacking Guangzong?"

"Isn't this the same as currying favor with the lord?"

“Lu Zhi is a renowned scholar in the country, how could he do such a thing?” Li Ru said with great doubt.

Dong Zhuo had the same thought when he first heard that Liu Bei had come to invite him.

Yes, given Lu Zhi's reputation, why would he take the initiative to invite him?

Who is Lu Zhi?

He studied under Grand Commandant Chen Qiu and the great Confucian scholar Ma Rong, and was a fellow student of the great Confucian scholars Zheng Xuan, Guan Ning, and Hua Xin.

He was colleagues with renowned scholars such as Ma Ridi and Cai Yong.

And what is he?

First-rank border military officer.

They got to this point by giving gifts to the palace eunuchs and by relying on the Yuan family.

How could a renowned scholar like Lu Zhi, who shared the same name, be involved with him?

Not to mention trying to curry favor with him.

If this were to get out, it would be enough to bring shame upon Lu Zhi.

"Then... then, according to Wenyou, why did Lu Zhi invite me to the banquet?" Dong Zhuo asked, somewhat puzzled.

Li Ru said with a solemn expression, "My lord, I'm afraid... this banquet is not a good one."

"Our lord has refused Lu Zhi's request to join the attack on Guangzong several times. Lu Zhi must be bothered by this. Given Lu Zhi's integrity, I estimate that he should have already reported this matter to Luoyang."

"If Lu Zhi intended to report this matter to Luoyang, why wouldn't an order have been issued from Luoyang?"

"I suspect that Lu Zhi's sudden invitation to the lord is related to an order from the imperial court."

Li Ru boldly speculated: "As the saying goes, a general in the field may disobey orders sometimes; if..."

"If the imperial court wants to force our lord to relinquish military power, or even punish him, then... so what?"

hiss!

Dong Zhuo gasped, "No...no way?"

will not?

No?

Li Ru's eyes gleamed.

"My lord, this matter is probably not entirely aimed at you alone. It is likely that Xiang Zhuang's sword dance is actually a ploy against Liu Bang."

"Among them, someone is probably alluding to Ziyi."

Dong Zhuo, who had originally planned to set off for Lu Zhi's eastern camp, sat on his desk.

As Li Ru's speculations deepened, Dong Zhuo also realized that tonight might really be a trap.

"Wenyou, please explain in detail. If this is indeed a trap set by Hongmen Banquet, and it is aimed at Ziyi, then what should I do?" Dong Zhuo asked Li Ru.