My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

August.

The late summer wind, carrying a scorching atmosphere, swept across the open fields of Yin in Henan.

Thick smoke rising from the direction of Luoyang has lingered for days, turning half the sky a murky grayish-yellow.

That was not just the smoke from the burning palace, but the embers of an era collapsing.

On the official road, an army was marching swiftly towards Luoyang.

In the center of the army formation was a rather large carriage.

Inside the carriage sat Dong Zhuo, the governor of Bingzhou and Marquis of Aoxiang, dressed in military attire, with a ruddy face and a bushy beard like a halberd.

Although his brows were furrowed, his eyes gleamed with barely concealed excitement and greed.

Beside the carriage, a rider rode alongside.

The general was about twenty years old, but he was over ten feet tall, with broad shoulders and a powerful physique like a tiger.

He had the striking features of a Xianbei man, with a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes, but there was no trace of barbarity in his expression. Instead, he was exceptionally handsome, a rare beauty in the world.

The warhorse beneath him was entirely blood-red, without a single stray hair, and its mane was fluttering with a hint of firelight; it was none other than the famous steed from the Western Regions, "Red Hare".

The weapon in his hand was even more terrifying, measuring twelve feet in length, entirely gilded, with the top cast in the shape of a phoenix wing, and its blade gleaming coldly.

This is a phoenix-winged gilded halberd, weighing 178 jin (approximately 84.5 catties). Ordinary military generals would find it difficult to even lift it, let alone wield it.

This man was Dong Zhuo's adopted son, Dong Chengdu, courtesy name Bowei.

His original name was Yuwen Chengdu, the son of the leader of the Xianbei Yuwen tribe.

During the Xiping era, after Tanshihuai unified the Xianbei, he purged the various tribes, and the Yuwen tribe suffered a devastating blow.

Yuwen Chengdu, only eight years old, was sent away by his parents at great risk, and fled all the way to Bingzhou.

On the way, he fought a hungry tiger and almost lost his life, but was rescued by Dong Zhuo and his army.

When Dong Zhuo saw that he was able to fight a tiger at such a young age, with amazing strength and exceptionally handsome appearance, he immediately took a liking to him and adopted him as his son, changing his surname to Dong and bestowing upon him the courtesy name Bowei.

Over the years, Dong Zhuo treated him like his own son and even intended to make him his successor.

Everyone in the army knew that this "Young Master Bowei" was not only Dong Zhuo's sharpest blade, but also the future of the Dong family.

"Chengdu."

Dong Zhuo lifted the carriage curtain and looked towards Luoyang: "Why haven't we heard anything from the young emperor yet?"

His tone was anxious, but deep in his eyes was an barely suppressed excitement.

Several months ago, He Jin summoned him to the capital to "purge the court of corrupt officials," and he keenly sensed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

However, He Jin changed his mind before he was about to leave and ordered him to "stay put and await further orders".

The butcher must have realized Yuan Shao and the others' scheme.

But would Dong Zhuo give up?

He's already gone this far; there's no turning back!

So he took it upon himself to lead three thousand Xiliang cavalrymen eastward. When they reached the territory of Henan Yin, they saw thick smoke rising from Luoyang.

A palace coup has occurred!

A golden opportunity!

"Father, don't worry," Yuwen Chengdu said in a clear voice.

"The palace is in chaos, and the young emperor must have been taken hostage by the eunuchs and forced to flee. Beiman Mountain is a vital route north of Luoyang, and they will definitely pass through this area. I have already sent scouts to investigate, and news will be available soon."

Dong Zhuo nodded; he was extremely satisfied with this adopted son.

He possesses unparalleled martial arts skills, a meticulous mind, and, most importantly, unwavering loyalty.

With a son like this, how can one not achieve great things?

Just as I was pondering this, the sound of hooves approached rapidly ahead.

"Report!" A scout galloped in to report.

"General! A carriage has been spotted to the north! About a hundred people, carrying the Emperor's banners, are heading this way!"

Dong Zhuo's eyes gleamed: "They're here!"

He immediately ordered: "All troops, form ranks! Maintain discipline! Chengdu, follow me to welcome the Emperor!"

"promise!"

Three thousand Xiliang cavalrymen quickly formed ranks on both sides of the official road.

The armor was gleaming, the swords and spears were like a forest, and a chilling aura of killing intent rose to the sky.

Before long, from where the dust rose in the north, a disheveled troop slowly appeared.

In the center of the procession, two damaged carriages stood out conspicuously.

Although there were ceremonial guards in front of the carriage, they were all crooked and broken, and the Imperial Guards protecting the emperor were all injured, their armor stained with blood.

It was Emperor Shao Liu Bian and Prince Chenliu Liu Xie who were with him!

Accompanying him were Grand Commandant Cui Lie, Minister of Works Wang Yun, Governor of Henan Wang Hong, and other ministers, as well as dozens of eunuchs and palace maids who had luckily escaped Yuan Shao's massacre.

The crowd was initially surprised to see the well-organized military formation ahead.

Upon seeing the large banner bearing the character "Dong," Wang Yun and the others' expressions eased slightly, but immediately turned into deeper worry.

The car stopped.

Dong Zhuo hurriedly got out of the carriage and, with Yuwen Chengdu and a group of generals, quickly stepped forward.

"Your subject is Dong Zhuo, Marquis of Aoxiang and Governor of Bingzhou."

He lifted his robe and knelt down, followed by all the generals behind him.

"I am late to Your Majesty, and deserve to die! Long live the Emperor!"

The sound was loud and echoed across the wilderness.

The carriage curtain was lifted.

The first to peek out was Liu Xie, the Prince of Chenliu, who was only nine years old.

Although his clothes were dusty and his face was pale, his eyes were clear and calm, which was very different from his age.

Then, the fourteen-year-old Emperor Liu Biancai shakily peeked out, his eyes filled with terror, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word.

Seeing this, Liu Xie gently nudged his elder brother.

Liu Bian then seemed to wake from a dream and stammered, "Get...get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Dong Zhuo stood up, his gaze quickly sweeping over the two princes, already having made his decision.

Liu Xie stared directly at Dong Zhuo, his childish voice carrying a dignity beyond his years: "You are Dong Zhuo?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Liu Xie nodded slightly and continued, "His Majesty said that when the Yellow Turbans rebelled, you suffered a defeat in your campaign, losing many soldiers and generals. Do you know your crime?"

These words came out of the blue, but Liu Xie was testing Dong Zhuo's attitude and whether he still respected imperial power.

Dong Zhuo sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained obsequious: "Your Majesty, I know my crime. I failed in my command of the army and missed the opportunity to win the battle. I am willing to accept punishment."

A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Xie's eyes, and he immediately replied, "The court is newly established, and your timely rescue is a great achievement. You must make amends for your past mistakes and behave yourself well."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Dong Zhuo bowed.

"Your Majesty's grace is deeply appreciated; how could I not devote myself wholeheartedly to repaying the court?"

He paused, then looked up and said, "This is no place to linger. Your Majesty and Your Highness, please return to the palace immediately! I am willing to lead the army to protect you!"

"Granted." Liu Xie nodded and lowered the carriage curtain.

Wang Yun and the others exchanged glances, all seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

Returning to the palace?

Where is the palace located?

At this moment, Luoyang is probably already under Yuan Shao's control!

But they had no choice.

Dong Zhuo turned and ordered, "All troops, listen to my command! Escort His Majesty and His Highness back to the palace! Chengdu, you lead the vanguard to clear the way; anyone who obstructs us, kill them without mercy!"

"Yes, sir!" Yuwen Chengdu mounted his horse, his phoenix-winged halberd pointing diagonally forward.

"Frontline troops, follow me!"

Red Hare neighed and shot out like an arrow.

Three thousand iron cavalry escorted the carriage, turned around, and slowly headed towards Luoyang.

Inside the carriage, Liu Bian finally regained his senses and asked his younger brother in a trembling voice, "Brother Xie, what about Dong Zhuo...?"

"Brother, don't be afraid." Liu Xie grasped his hand, his voice soft yet firm.

"Dong Zhuo is a subject, and you are the ruler. As long as we don't cause trouble, he won't dare to act recklessly."

Even so, his tender palms were sweating profusely.

Dong Zhuo returned to his carriage and exchanged a glance with a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar beside him.

This man had a thin face and three short wisps of beard. He was Li Ru, courtesy name Wenyou, who was Dong Zhuo's son-in-law and the chief strategist of the Xiliang Group.

"Wenyou".

Dong Zhuo lowered his voice, his ambition no longer concealed: "What do you think of this young emperor?"

Li Ru stroked his beard and smiled: "A weak and incompetent ruler is unfit to be emperor. Although the Prince of Chenliu is young, he is intelligent and decisive, and has the appearance of a wise ruler."

"Exactly!" Dong Zhuo clapped his hands.

"He Jin is dead, Yuan Shao has massacred the palace, and there's no one left in the court. This is a golden opportunity!"

He paused for a moment, then said, "But... we only have three thousand soldiers. In Luoyang, there are still the Five Northern Army Schools, the Tiger Guards and Feathered Forest Guards, and troops from outside the capital, such as Ding Yuan and Qiao Mao, are arriving one after another. Our forces are insufficient."

A sly glint flashed in Li Ru's eyes: "Father-in-law, do not worry. I have a plan that will deter the officials of Luoyang from making any rash moves."

"Oh? Tell me quickly!"

"A bluff." Li Ru slowly uttered the four words.

"Starting tonight, order three thousand troops to enter the city in batches, entering during the day and leaving at night, then detouring and entering through other city gates, repeating this cycle to create the appearance of an endless stream of reinforcements from Xiliang."

He smiled slightly: "The officials in Luoyang are unaware of the true situation and will surely be wary. At that time, my father-in-law can use some means to divide and win them over, and this political situation... will be ours."

Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he laughed heartily, "A brilliant plan! A brilliant plan! Wen You is truly my Zhang Liang!"

He immediately issued an order to carry out the plan.

That night, in Luoyang.

Yuan Shao had just purged the remaining eunuchs in the palace and was discussing the aftermath with Yuan Wei, Cao Cao, and others.

Suddenly a soldier came to report: "General! Dong Zhuo has led his army into the city!"

"How many people?" Yuan Shao asked urgently.

"Approximately... about a thousand cavalrymen, but Xiliang troops are entering the city from the west and north, in an endless stream, and their total number is unknown!"

Yuan Shao's expression changed.

Cao Cao frowned: "Where did Dong Zhuo get so many soldiers? He has at most ten thousand in Bingzhou..."

Before he could finish speaking, another soldier reported, "Dong Zhuo has another group of troops entering the city through the east gate! About a thousand cavalry!"

Yuan Wei stroked his beard and pondered, "Could it be... that he has sent out his entire force?"

The group exchanged glances, all feeling a sense of apprehension.

What they didn't know was that the "new army" entering the city at this moment was the same group that had left the city during the day.

Dong Zhuo used this clumsy but effective trick to successfully deceive the officials in Luoyang.

As time went on, other foreign troops who had received He Jin's edict also arrived one after another:

Ding Yuan, the governor of Bingzhou, led 5,000 Bingzhou soldiers to garrison at Mengjin.

Qiao Mao, the governor of Dongjun, led three thousand soldiers to garrison east of the city.

Others, including Bao Xin, Zhang Yang, and Wang Kuang, each led hundreds to thousands of troops into Luoyang.

For a time, the imperial capital was filled with tens of thousands of foreign troops, a mixed bag of people, and the situation was unpredictable.

......

A thousand miles away, in Youzhou, Zhuojun.

The Jingnan Army's main camp, drill ground.

Lu Bu was directing his newly recruited soldiers in training formations.

The halberd gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and every swing it created a whooshing sound, leaving the new recruits mesmerized.

On the high platform, Ji Xuanyuan and Guo Jia stood side by side, gazing at the training ground.

After returning to Yan from the capital, he immediately began to reorganize his troops. Fortunately, Xiang Yu and Li Cunxiao also returned safely.

"General Fengxian is becoming more and more composed." Guo Jia chuckled, waving his feather fan.

"If it were in the past, he would probably have become impatient long ago if he had been asked to train troops."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He recalled that in the original history, Lü Bu, under Ding Yuan's command, was turned against his father by Dong Zhuo with a Red Hare horse and some treasure, and then killed his father to seize power.

Now, Lü Bu is Ji Xuanyuan's brother, and is the General of Valiant Might and Marquis of Wuyuan in the Jingnan Army.

Under Ding Yuan's command, there was no more Lü Bu.

Only generals like Zhang Liao and Gao Shun were present.

So how will the situation in Luoyang evolve?

"Filial piety."

Ji Xuanyuan suddenly spoke up: "Did you say those border troops have arrived in Luoyang yet?"

Guo Jia calculated with his fingers: "Judging by the journey, they should have arrived by now. If I'm not mistaken, Luoyang should be in complete chaos by now."

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: "My lord, we should prepare."

"Yes." Ji Xuanyuan looked south, his gaze deep.

"After preparing for so long, it's time to get moving."

"Pass on the order." Ji Xuanyuan turned around, his voice solemn.

"Each battalion should intensify its drills, ensure sufficient provisions and equipment, and once news from Luoyang is confirmed, we will..."

He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"By imperial decree, proceed to the capital!"