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Empress He held Emperor Shao tightly, both of them weeping in each other's embrace, their tears soaking their garments. Emperor Shao's voice was hoarse as he said, "Mother, I don't want to die..."
Li Ru stood coldly to the side, his gaze sharp as a knife directed at the two. The sword in his hand was slightly raised. "The Prime Minister is waiting for a report. Do you still hope for someone to come and save you? End this quickly!"
Empress He suddenly lifted her head, her eyes filled with fury as she glared at Li Ru. "That scoundrel Dong Zhuo has forced my son and me into this situation; it is an affront to heaven! And you who assist him in his tyranny will surely face retribution; your entire clan will be annihilated!"
Li Ru was enraged, his face contorted with fury. He seized Empress He's arm and roughly dragged her away from Emperor Shao, disregarding her status, and pushed her down the stairs. Empress He fell onto the stone steps, curling up in a ball, yet she still gritted her teeth and cursed, "That demon Dong Zhuo will one day be slain by those loyal and righteous! You thieves will not escape divine punishment!"
Li Ru could no longer contain himself; he turned back to glance coldly at Emperor Shao, his tone as sharp as a blade. "Since the Empress Dowager loves to curse so much, let her be quiet!" He then gestured for a warrior to step forward, who used a white cloth to choke Consort Tang, forcing her struggles down to the ground. Emperor Shao lunged forward, shouting hoarsely, "No! Let her go! I beg you!"
Tears streamed down Consort Tang's face like scattered pearls as she gasped weakly. Finally looking at Emperor Shao, she struggled to say, "Your Majesty, I can no longer accompany you..." Her body trembled before she lowered her head.
Emperor Shao collapsed on the ground, his cries filled with helplessness and despair. Li Ru remained unmoved as he shoved a pot of poison wine into his hands, coldly saying, "It’s your turn now, Your Majesty. This is your last mercy." The warriors stepped forward in unison, their blades glinting ominously as they cornered Emperor Shao.
With no strength left to resist, Emperor Shao raised the poison wine to his lips and drank it all in one go. Slowly kneeling on the ground, his gaze began to fade as he murmured softly, "I only wanted to be a good emperor... but this world does not allow me..."
Before long, the bodies of Empress He and Emperor Shao were hastily placed into crude coffins and carried out of Yong'an Palace by soldiers. Li Ru returned with a cold smile to report to Dong Zhuo: "Everything is taken care of."
Dong Zhuo laughed heartily upon hearing the news. "These ignorant fools should have met this fate long ago!" He then ordered that Emperor Shao and Consort Tang be buried in a desolate area outside the city where no one would care.
A few days later, Dong Zhuo once again displayed his brutal nature. Leading his troops out of the city for inspection, he arrived at Yang City just as local villagers were holding a festival; men and women of all ages were engaged in worship and celebration. Dong Zhuo sat high above, coldly observing everything before him when he suddenly smiled sinisterly. "Surround these people."
At his command, soldiers surged in like a tide, armed with swords and spears, encircling the innocent villagers. The screams shattered the night sky as blood stained the fields. Dong Zhuo watched impassively as corpses littered the ground; instead of feeling remorseful, he ordered his soldiers to capture young women and plunder all valuables from the village.
Hundreds of heads were severed and hung from the axles of the carts as they made their way. Dong Zhuo proudly declared, "Send word back to Luoyang, saying this is the result of our great victory over the bandits."
The procession returned to Luoyang in grand fashion, where they burned the "enemy heads" at the city gates and distributed the plundered women and goods among the soldiers as rewards. The soldiers cheered loudly, while the common people dared not voice their anger, shedding tears in silence. The city was shrouded in fear and oppression, with the populace aware that an even greater storm of bloodshed was brewing.
In the face of Dong Zhuo's outrageous deeds and tyrannical rule, Colonel Wu Fu had long reached his breaking point. He could hardly sleep at night, gripping a dagger hidden in his sleeve, his gaze icy as he resolved, "If I cannot capture this beast alive, I will exchange my life for a moment of peace for the world."
That morning, Dong Zhuo entered the court with an imposing presence, riding high on his horse surrounded by guards swirling around him like satellites, his face full of arrogance. Wu Fu stood at the court gate, holding a jade tablet with a facade of respect, yet his eyes pierced like blades directed at Dong Zhuo.
As Dong Zhuo stepped into the hall, Wu Fu suddenly lunged forward, drawing out a gleaming dagger from beneath his ceremonial robes. He rushed to Dong Zhuo's side and shouted, "The chaos in the world today is all because of you, Dong Zhuo! Prepare to die!"
Hearing this furious shout, Dong Zhuo's face flashed with surprise, but his instinctive reaction was swift. He immediately grabbed Wu Fu's blade with both hands; the edge sank into his palms, blood oozing out. With a loud roar, he called out, "Someone! Save me!"
Wu Fu's eyes were fierce like a tiger as he desperately pressed down on the blade. His mouth twitched from exertion as he gritted his teeth and whispered, "Today is your end! If I do not kill you, how can I face the suffering people of this world?"
Just as the blade drew closer to Dong Zhuo's chest, Lü Bu suddenly burst into the tent like thunder and struck Wu Fu aside with his halberd. Grabbing Wu Fu by the collar from behind, he forcefully dragged him away from Dong Zhuo and threw him to the ground. The dagger slipped from Wu Fu's hand with a sharp clatter. Lü Bu kicked him hard and shouted, "Rebel! You dare to assassinate the Prime Minister!"
Dong Zhuo covered his blood-stained hands and stumbled back a few steps, panting heavily. His rage burned like a raging fire as he bellowed, "Who sent you to assassinate me? Speak!"
Wu Fu knelt on the ground, sitting upright without a hint of fear in his eyes. He shouted angrily, "Dong Zhuo! You are worse than a beast; your crimes are countless! I kill you without needing anyone to instruct me! It is the common people who hate you; everyone wishes to see you dead! Unfortunately for you, your dog life is tough; today you still breathe!"
Dong Zhuo's face turned ashen with fury; veins bulged on his forehead as he drew his sword and commanded angrily, "Drag this rebel out and execute him! I want everyone to know that opposing me leads only to death!"
Though Wu Fu was restrained by soldiers, he held his head high and laughed loudly. "Dong Zhuo, laugh while you can! Your end is near! You have committed countless crimes; heaven will not tolerate you! There will be righteous men who will bring you down under a rain of blades!"
Dong Zhuo's anger surged as he staggered closer to Lü Bu, gritting his teeth and declaring, "This madman must not be left alive! Execute him immediately!"
The soldiers dragged Wu Fu out, and along the way, he continued to shout in fury, his voice echoing through the court: "Dong Zhuo, the Loyal Minister will avenge me! You traitor! The heavens are just, and retribution is inevitable!"
Soon after, at the execution ground, blades fell and blood stained the earth. Wu Fu remained dignified and resolute, his gaze fierce until the very end, showing no sign of fear. His cries pierced the palace walls and lingered long after his death. Meanwhile, Dong Zhuo grew increasingly uneasy; the blood on his palms was a mix of wounds and the terror of fate.
Since Wu Fu's assassination attempt, Dong Zhuo had become more vigilant. Whether entering or leaving the palace or patrolling the city, he was always accompanied by fully armed guards, like a startled beast ready to pounce on anyone who approached. The common folk would see his carriage coming and flee into alleys like they were escaping a ferocious tiger, too afraid to look up.
Far away in Bohai, Yuan Shao learned of Dong Zhuo's deposition of the emperor and the installation of a new one. Enraged, he smashed his teacup, shards scattering everywhere. He paced back and forth in anger before finally picking up a pen to write a secret letter, instructing it to be delivered swiftly to Luoyang for Wang Yun.
The letter was sharp in its words:
"Dong Zhuo, this traitor, defies heaven by deposing our sovereign and acts lawlessly—he is reviled by all! As a high minister of the court, how can you allow him to wreak such havoc without feeling ashamed for your country? Yuan Shao is gathering troops to cleanse the royal family, but without internal support, I dare not act rashly. If you are willing, now is the time to join forces against this villain. Should you need assistance, Yuan Shao will respond immediately."
When Wang Yun received the letter, his expression turned grave as he furrowed his brow tightly. He unfolded the letter and read it multiple times, feeling a tumult of anger and anxiety within him. A maid noticed his distress and cautiously asked, "My lord, is there an urgent matter?"
Wang Yun replied solemnly, "Urgent? This is a matter of great importance! Dong Zhuo is a rebel who has destroyed our royal family and disrupted our laws, plunging the people into chaos! Yuan Benchu's letter aims to eliminate Dong Zhuo; it aligns perfectly with my own intentions." He clenched the letter tightly in his hand as if making a firm resolution and murmured to himself, "The time is not yet ripe; I must seek more allies and proceed cautiously..."
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