Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 263 Pay with Your Life
Dong Zhuo glanced at the battlefield where He Jin was besieged and knew that there was no way to pose any threat to Bei Gong from here. So he led the main force to rescue Nan Gong, leaving Niu Fu to besiege He Jin.

But by the time Dong Zhuo arrived at Nangong, Yuan Shao's troops had already withdrawn.

Inside the Southern Palace, guards and eunuchs lay dead on the ground.

The emperor's body, however, remains in the Chongde Hall.

No one dared to touch the emperor's remains.

Now that the emperor is dead, the cause of death must naturally be pinned on Yuan Shao.

Actually, the claim that Liu Hong died from shock due to Yuan Shao's attack on Nangong was something Liu Bei had already instructed Zu Mao to do—as long as someone attacked Nangong, this blame should be placed on them.

This is also the real reason why Liu Bei ordered Zu Mao to withdraw immediately after going to meet him, without paying any attention to Liu Bian.

Nangong can be breached, and Liu Bian can be captured, but the blame must be placed on both sides...

If we don't completely discredit Yuan Shikai, with his numerous protégés and scribes, it would be easy for him to distort the truth.

The dead are often more useful than the living.

Yuan Shao actually knew the emperor was dead, because Zhang Yang had been following Jian Shuo to set up defenses in the Southern Palace.

It was precisely because he knew that the emperor had long since died that Yuan Shao launched a strong attack on Nangong and captured Liu Bian.

But who would have thought that Liu Bei could use a dead person?
Guo Si, who stayed outside the palace, had never entered the Chongde Hall, and he truly did not know whether Liu Hong was alive or dead...

After all, Liu Hong did not have a formal funeral, and Liu Bei said in court that he was seriously ill and on his deathbed.

Dong Zhuo had news of Dong Min, knew about Liu Hong's illness, and also knew that Liu Hong had not died before being transferred to Chongde Hall—but Dong Min was not in the palace when Zhang Rang transferred Liu Hong to the Southern Palace.

After all, Dong Min was not a palace attendant, and it was early morning, so he could not enter the palace.

Unsure of Yuan Shao's troop strength, Dong Zhuo refrained from pursuing him rashly. Instead, he ordered his troops to temporarily garrison the Southern Palace, and also to take some valuable items from the palace for his own use...

Anyway, Yuan Shao is the scapegoat. Since Yuan Shao has already stormed the Southern Palace, causing the emperor's death, killed so many palace servants, and kidnapped Marquis Shi Liu Bian, it's normal for him to plunder more palace treasures...

Dong Zhuo certainly wouldn't mind framing Yuan Shao with a few more minor crimes; after all, the more debts one has, the less one has to worry about...

……

Yuan Wei did survive the battle at Zhuque Gate, but He Jin…

He Jin surrendered to Dong Zhuo, but Dong Zhuo happened to be away, so he ended up in Niu Fu's hands.

Niu Fu was both surprised and delighted, and detained He Jin to await Dong Zhuo's return and punishment.

And Yuan Wei...

Niu Fu did not recognize him and only regarded Yuan Wei as He Jin's retainer, so he detained him along with He Jin's soldiers as prisoners.

But people from all sides were gathered in the square outside the Vermilion Bird Gate. He Jin was shouting and demanding to surrender, and the soldiers of the Northern Lieutenant under He Miao's command also saw this.

The Northern Commandant was the most concerned about He Jin because He Jin had framed them, and the charge against them was plotting to assassinate Liu Xie, a crime punishable by the extermination of three generations of their family.

He Miao also did not want He Jin to live. Enemies meeting are especially hostile, and he hoped to kill He Jin on the spot to avoid any further complications.

So He Miao went to Niu Fu to ask for people.

Niu Fu was naturally unwilling to hand He Jin over to He Miao, after all, everyone has their own selfish motives.

This is He Jin, the Grand General, the chief traitor just identified by the court... Capturing He Jin is the greatest achievement. How could Niu Fu possibly give the credit to anyone other than Dong Zhuo?
However, the soldiers under He Miao's command in the north were indeed unwilling to let He Jin live any longer.

Those of them, serving in Luoyang, knew all too well that anything could happen if they didn't kill their enemies on the spot.

Therefore, He Miao's men began to forcibly take people from Niu Fu.

Dong Zhuo took away the main force, and Niu Fu had few troops at his disposal. He also had to guard the prisoners and was hesitant to attack He Miao, so he was quite restrained. In the end, He Miao's men snatched He Jin away.

As a result, Niu Fu lost more than ten of his men and had no choice but to retreat to Nangong with the prisoners to find Dong Zhuo.

If either Liu Bei or Dong Zhuo were here, they would surely be able to stop He Miao.

Unfortunately, the others present didn't have that kind of influence. By the time Liu Bei arrived, He Jin's head had already been cut off by He Miao and hung above the Vermilion Bird Gate.

……

Late at night, the fighting had ceased in Luoyang City.

Liu Bei, Dong Zhuo, and He Miao met outside the Vermilion Bird Gate.

"Zhu Chariot Cavalry, give me an explanation for killing my men!"

Dong Zhuo gritted his teeth and stared at He Miao: "If you want to steal credit or seek revenge, I'll give it to you... but you led your troops to forcibly seize it and even killed my men. You're completely disregarding me!"

"General Dong, my men deeply resent He Jin, and in a moment of panic, they injured your son-in-law's troops..."

He Miao also felt somewhat apologetic: "I am willing to compensate. Since more than ten people from your department were injured, I am willing to compensate for the loss of a hundred people from your department..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei glanced at He Miao with some disgust but remained silent.

"Compensate the person?"

Dong Zhuo's face twitched: "How about I cut off your head first, and then give you ten heads in return?!"

"If General Dong feels it's not enough, he can name a price... We shouldn't let this small matter cause us to panic..."

He Miao does seem to genuinely want to settle things peacefully.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei frowned even more.

Dong Zhuo turned to Liu Bei and asked, "Xuande, what do you think we should do about this?"

"General Zhu, I only have one question for you..."

Liu Bei looked at He Miao and asked, "Now that He Jin has been captured, why kill him privately? Couldn't you wait even one night?!"

He Miao pondered for a moment and replied, "All the troops want him dead... and if He Jin doesn't die on the battlefield, in terms of his crimes... will I really not be implicated?"

That's certainly a very practical statement.

“Zhu Miao, I have always called you General Zhu, and General Dong has always called you Charioteer Zhu, but you don’t trust us…”

Liu Bei could understand He Miao's mentality, but he didn't like such a fool. He turned to Dong Zhuo and said, "Tomorrow we will hold a funeral for His Majesty. You and I need to control the gates of Luoyang tonight. Military affairs are of utmost importance... I don't care about your personal grudges. Murderers pay with their lives... You can decide for yourself."

After saying this, Liu Bei turned and left.

Behind him, Dong Zhuo drew his sword: "He Miao, it's fine if you kill He Jin, but you killed my comrade-in-arms, you must pay with your life!"

Liu Bei paused for a moment, but did not turn around, and continued walking off the field.

……

"My lord, will there be any repercussions regarding the killing of He Miao?"

Niu Fu looked at his subordinates who were incorporating prisoners and asked Dong Zhuo a question.

"Hmph... Why do you think Liu Bei didn't stop me from killing him?"

Dong Zhuo snorted: "Tomorrow the emperor will be in mourning, and there will surely be a great battle... but He Miao cannot be trusted. If we allow a fool like He Miao to control the gates of Luoyang, he might cause all the gates to fall... We need to quickly reorganize our troops and take control of the city gates one by one."

"That was General He Miao, who bravely fought to take He Jin's head and unfortunately died in battle... It's a pity that we lost General He's military merit."

Niu Fu said with some regret.

"You idiot, how could I have ever married my daughter to you..."

Dong Zhuo looked at Niu Fu with a face full of disappointment and frustration: "Right now, as long as we hold Luoyang and wait for the new emperor to ascend the throne, that will be the greatest achievement. What need is there for military merit?!"

"But...my lord, with the new emperor ascending the throne, the greatest contributor is not you, my lord..."

Niu Fu lowered his head and said timidly.

(End of this chapter)