Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Inside the Chengde Hall, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.

When Liu Bian pushed open the door, Xun Yu was sitting at his desk reading. Upon seeing him enter, Xun Yu put down his book and stood up.

"Your Highness."

Liu Bian looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Wenruo, it's done."

Xun Yu's eyes flickered slightly: "The Party Prohibitions have been lifted?"

"It's solved."

Xun Yu remained silent for a moment, then suddenly took a step back and bowed solemnly.

Liu Bian quickly helped him up: "What are you doing?"

Xun Yu straightened up, looked at him, and his eyes held something that Liu Bian couldn't understand.

"Your Highness," he said softly, "from this day forward, all scholars in the world will be Your Highness's disciples."

Liu Bian paused for a moment, then laughed.

"I don't care about being a disciple or not." He walked to the window, pushed it open, and a cold wind rushed in, snowflakes hitting his face.

"All I care about is Luoyang and this Han Dynasty."

-

The chill of early spring lingered, yet the court assembly proceeded as usual.

On this day, in the Deyang Palace of the Southern Palace.

As soon as the palace doors opened, a gust of wind swept up from below the steps, carrying the scent of snow, causing the banners and curtains inside the palace to sway gently.

The civil and military officials stood in rows, their hats tassels like a forest, their armor plates like scales, and they even breathed very softly.

Emperor Ling of Han sat upright on his throne, his face looking more tired than usual, yet he was forced to stay awake by the urgent reports he had received over the past few days.

Liu Bian stood beside the throne, remaining silent according to etiquette, but listening clearly to each report.

"Kanto Express—"

The Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat unfurled the seal, and the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat took the bamboo slips; their voices echoed throughout the hall:

"In Julu, Jizhou, the rebel Zhang Jiao gathered a crowd and started an uprising, claiming to be in the Thirty-Six Regions... Many counties and prefectures responded."

"Yellow Turban rebels rose up everywhere in Qingzhou, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou... attacking cities and seizing territories, burning and looting government granaries..."

Every sentence was filled with the words "trapped," "broken," and "in dire straits."

The palace was no longer filled with the usual strife for fame and gain; only battle reports fell like rain.

"—General Huangfu and General Zhu led their troops to Changshe, defeated the bandit Bo Cai, beheaded tens of thousands, and burned his camp."

Upon hearing the words "Changshe," the hall finally came to life.

Bo Cai's army, numbering 100,000, besieged Zhu Jun in Changshe City for half a month.

Huangfu Song set fire to the city at night and took advantage of the chaos to break out. Zhu Jun also opened the city gate and rushed out, attacking from both sides. Half of Bo Cai's men were trampled to death.

Emperor Ling tapped his fingers lightly on the table; the sound was soft, yet it sent a shiver down one's spine.

"Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun are good."

Immediately, another person stepped forward from inside the hall.

"The eunuch Zuo Feng has an urgent report."

Emperor Ling of Han raised his eyes:

"explain."

"Lu Zhi, the General of the Northern Army, built high walls but did not fight, allowing the enemy's strength to run rampant, and thus demoralized his troops."

"I was ordered to supervise the army, and I have witnessed the discontent among the soldiers. I fear that the enemy's power is growing stronger."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you issue an edict to arrest him, imprison him, and bring him back to the capital in a prison cart."

A slight commotion immediately arose in the hall.

Some people frowned, some lowered their heads, and some secretly glanced at the Crown Prince beside the throne—wanting to see if Liu Bian would speak up.

Liu Bian didn't move, not even a flicker of his eyelashes.

He knew that if he opened his mouth now, he would be labeled as "the Crown Prince's Protector."

He also knew that what his father hated most these past two days was "a protracted war".

Zuo Feng's blade was aimed at Lu Zhi, and also at His Majesty's irritability.

Sure enough, Emperor Ling of Han frowned:

"Well done, Lu Zhi! Issue the order to have Lu Zhi detained in the capital immediately."

Liu Bianxiu's middle finger tightened slightly, but he still held it down.

Because he knew better than anyone else that once the decision was made, it was no longer something that could be saved by "pleading".

To save them, we need to get the Emperor to issue a second edict—a stronger order to suppress the first one.

Now he was thinking, if Lu Zhi were imprisoned, who would replace him? He remembered that historically, Dong Zhuo had succeeded Lu Zhi. But that was in the future; now…

Just as the thought crossed my mind, another military report was handed in.

"—Dong Zhuo of Liangzhou led the elite cavalry of Xiliang to reinforce Yingchuan, defeating the enemy in the field, beheading more than 10,000, capturing enemy generals alive, seizing thousands of weapons, and lifting the siege of three cities. The army sang: 'Where the iron cavalry of Xiliang goes, the enemy is like grass.'"

Liu Bian's thoughts suddenly stopped.

This person shouldn't have made such a contribution at this time.

Historically, Dong Zhuo succeeded Lu Zhi after Lu Zhi was imprisoned, and his military performance was lackluster; he besieged Quyang for two months without success. But this time, why is it different?

This time, Dong Zhuo didn't come to replace Lu Zhi. He brought his own troops, fighting his way from Liangzhou, and along the way, he also dealt with several small groups of Yellow Turbans. When he arrived in Yingchuan, he directly clashed with Zhang Jiao's men and even won.

Emperor Ling's eyes also lit up—the light of rain after a long drought.

He placed the memorial on the table, his voice carrying a rare hint of satisfaction:

"Dong Zhuo... could be used."

"Reward him." Emperor Ling of Han waved his hand, "Give him gold and silk, increase his troops, and still allow Dong Zhuo to command his forces, under the command of the Grand General."

"Let him handle Lu Zhi's side."

"Here you are."

That phrase, "subject to the general's command," sounds like a pair of pliers.

But Liu Bian knew that pliers can catch a dog, but not a wolf.

He suddenly understood:

He flapped his wings not merely to slow the Yellow Turban wave.

He is also changing other trends—

Some waves will come earlier and be higher.

Amidst the turmoil in my mind, another battle report arrived:

"—In Zhuojun, Youzhou, there was a righteous leader named Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande, who gathered more than a thousand local warriors and followed the Commandant to suppress bandits. Under him were Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, both exceptionally brave and fierce, who had distinguished themselves in several battles."

Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu.

When these three names fell from the mouth of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, they were like three nails driven into Liu Bian's heart.

He could almost hear their echoes in history—not those of "a leader of a righteous army in a certain county," but flags and swords that would one day turn the world upside down.

Liu Bian stood beside the throne, his face still respectful, but his fingers slowly tightened in his sleeves.

He couldn't stop Dong Zhuo's rise to power.

He had already seen the wolf grow its fangs, bearing the honor and imperial decree, and even though it was currently bound by the phrase "obey the general's command," it was only temporarily bound.

But there's one more thing he can do.

First, recruit talent.

They took the initiative to bring the future swords and flags to the side of the Crown Prince.

Right now, the first knife to be drawn lies in Zuo Feng's statement, "High walls are not for fighting."

—Lu Zhi.

When the court session ended, the wind outside the hall was a bit colder, and the thin frost on the stone steps had not yet melted.

Liu Bian descended the steps with steady steps, but he kept his hand clenched in his sleeve—clutching the phrase "the prison cart is being returned."

Upon returning to Chengde Hall, he didn't even remove his cloak before instructing Wang Ming to summon Xun Yu.

Xun Yu entered the hall and bowed as usual: "Your Highness."

Liu Bian raised his hand to decline the formalities and got straight to the point:

"At today's court assembly, Zuo Feng reported that Lu Zhi was neglecting his duties with the army."

Xun Yu's eyes flickered, but he did not express his opinion first. He only asked:

"What does Your Highness think?"

Liu Bian looked at him, his voice low, yet every word sharp and incisive:

"Lu Zhi was a loyal and virtuous official of the Han Dynasty."

"He besieged Guangzong, built high walls and did not fight, thus prolonging the siege of the enemy and cutting off their supply lines. This was not cowardice, but prudence."

"Zuo Feng is a corrupt and lawless man. Lu Zhi refused to offer bribes, which is why Zuo Feng framed him out of personal interest."

Xun Yu nodded slightly, as if he had thought the words through in his mind.

"Your Highness wishes to save Lu Zhi?"

Liu Bian nodded: "Exactly."

"But Zuo Feng is His Majesty's envoy, and his words carry the Emperor's authority; Lu Zhi is far away, in the army thousands of miles away. If we only argue about loyalty and treachery, Father Emperor may not be willing to listen."

He looked at Xun Yu, his tone restrained, yet tinged with urgency:

"Sir, do you have a solution?"