Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Liu Ce suddenly remembered Liu Hong's dying words:

"I hope that, regardless of whether Bian'er or Xie'er succeeds to the throne in the future... if they can still assist you, you should do your best to assist them."

"If they are all incompetent, Bolu, you shall take their place."

Liu Ce let out a soft breath.

My brother, you asked me to take your place, but you didn't say I should just stand by and watch you die.

Then I'll choose the third option.

They were rescued and raised in Youzhou.

Let them live, let them live in peace.

As for the future... we'll talk about that later.

He snapped out of his thoughts, turned around, and put on that lazy smile again:

"Alright, let the Embroidered Uniform Guard keep an eye on things in Luoyang. Let's just go about our business."

Once the topic shifted, the council chamber returned to its usual rhythm.

......

Luoyang, Yong'an Palace.

He Lian is under house arrest here.

She was served meals by a dedicated person every day and had palace maids to attend to her daily needs; on the surface, her treatment seemed normal.

However, the palace gates were locked, and no outsiders were allowed to visit, nor was she allowed to step out of the courtyard.

She was unaware of what was happening outside...

She just sat blankly by the window, staring at the locust tree in the yard that was beginning to lose its leaves.

Occasionally, unfamiliar palace maids or eunuchs would walk past the window, their footsteps extremely light and their eyes fixed straight ahead.

No one knew that some of these people had recently been transferred to Yong'an Palace.

Their faces were expressionless as they swept and cleaned, but their eyes would always inadvertently scan every corner of the palace walls, every gate, and every possible path of entry and exit.

In the inconspicuous pouches at their waists, they carried steel needles as thin as cow hair and powders that could instantly render someone unconscious.

They never took off their clothes while sleeping at night, and always kept their weapons under their pillows.

They are waiting.

When Dong Zhuo finally couldn't hold back any longer, he waited for that cup of wine, that white silk ribbon, and that sharp blade.

Waiting for the right opportunity.

Then, they dragged the mother and child, whose lives were hanging by a thread in the wind, back from the gates of the underworld.

All the way north.

......

That old bastard Dong Zhuo has been walking on air lately.

Ever since he ousted Liu Bian from the throne and installed Liu Xie as the young emperor, he appointed himself as prime minister, and his lavish lifestyle was so grand that it could lift the roofs off the city of Luoyang.

They didn't need to announce their names when attending court, walked with a swagger, and could even carry a knife around the palace, making them more arrogant than the emperor.

Even the young Emperor Liu Xie had to address him as "Prime Minister".

Every day at court, when Dong Zhuo sat down, the young Emperor Liu Xie sat on the dragon throne like a mascot, not daring to breathe loudly.

The entire court of officials kept their heads down, eyes downcast, afraid of making eye contact with Dong Zhuo and being dragged out and beheaded.

Dong Zhuo smugly thought: This is what life is all about! I have money, I have power, I can kill whoever I want, and I can rob whoever I want.

The people in Luoyang were in a terrible state.

Dong Zhuo's Xiliang soldiers were like bandits, robbing one house today and another tomorrow.

An old man, dissatisfied, cursed a couple of times and was immediately dragged out and beheaded, his head displayed on the city gate.

From then on, no one dared to utter a sound.

Dong Zhuo moved into the Prime Minister's mansion, where he indulged in lavish feasts every day and night, living a life of unparalleled luxury.

But his happiness lasted only a few days before a malignant tumor began to grow in his heart.

That night, he lay on the dragon-patterned bed moved from the palace in the Prime Minister's residence, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The images of two people kept flashing through his mind...

Empress Dowager He, Liu Bian.

Although this mother and daughter have been deposed and imprisoned in Yong'an Palace, their very existence is a source of trouble!

What if one day some blind feudal lord, under the guise of "purging the court of corrupt officials and restoring the old ruler," brings out this mother and daughter as a figurehead? Would I still be able to hold onto my position as prime minister?

Dong Zhuoyue grew increasingly frightened, scrambled to his feet, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Someone! Bring Li Ru here!"

Li Ru was his strategist, quick-witted but also full of mischief.

A moment later, Li Ru trotted in wearing his clothes. He saw Dong Zhuo sitting shirtless on the edge of the bed with a murderous look on his face, and he immediately understood what was going on.

"My lord, you summoned me in the middle of the night, is it because of that mother and daughter?"

Dong Zhuo glared at him and said, "You're quite clever. Tell me, what should we do?"

Li Ru's eyes darted around, and he took a few steps closer, lowering his voice to say, "My lord, that deposed emperor Liu Bian is a ticking time bomb! We've only just seized power, and our foundation is unstable. What if the local warlords unite against us under the banner of 'saving the old emperor'? We won't be able to withstand it! In my opinion..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture and said, "Let's just nip it in the bud and get it over with!"

Dong Zhuo slapped his thigh and said, "Good! You're the cunning one! You handle this matter, and get it done quickly!"

Li Ru laughed and said, "My lord, rest assured, it's very simple. Just prepare a cup of poisoned wine."

Dong Zhuo waved his hand and said, "Go to the storeroom and pick out the best 'wine,' so that mother and daughter can leave in peace!"

......

The next day, Li Ru, carrying a pot of poisoned wine and accompanied by several ruthless subordinates, headed straight for Yong'an Palace with murderous intent.

Yong'an Palace was a secluded courtyard in Luoyang City, originally a place to house disgraced concubines.

The walls were peeling and the doors and windows were old. A crooked locust tree in the yard was shedding yellow leaves with a rustling sound, exuding a desolate and bleak atmosphere.

He Lian, Liu Bian, and Liu Bian's concubine, Lady Tang, were huddled in the room wiping away their tears.

Liu Bian was pampered by He Lian since childhood, and had never suffered such hardship.

Ever since he was deposed as emperor, he has been hiding in the Empress Dowager's arms and crying every day. He even cries out "Don't kill me!" in his nightmares at night.

"Mother...I'm scared..."

"Bian'er, don't be afraid, your mother is here..."

He Lian hugged him, her own eyes red and swollen from crying.

She regretted it all. She regretted not listening to her brother He Jin, and she regretted being soft-hearted and summoning Zhang Rang and his gang of eunuchs back to the palace. She regretted this and that, but what good was regret?

Now all we can do is wait to die.

Tang silently shed tears, occasionally handing He Lian a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

"Mother..." Liu Bian asked, sobbing, "What will Dong Zhuo do to us?"

He Lian wasn't sure herself, but she had to put on a brave face and comfort her son, saying, "Bian'er, don't be afraid. Your imperial uncle Liu Ce is in Youzhou. Dong Zhuo won't do anything to us. Your imperial uncle will definitely come to save us..."

That's what she said, but she didn't believe it herself. Youzhou was so far away, could Liu Ce really come?

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from outside.

With a "bang," the door was kicked open.

Li Ru led his men in, looking fierce and menacing. He slammed a pot of wine onto the table with such a loud thud that it could dent the table.

He Lian shuddered, looked up and saw Li Ru's forced smile, and her heart sank.

"What...what are you doing here?"

Li Ru gave a perfunctory bow, his smile insincere, and said, "By order of the Prime Minister, please have the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Hongnong drink this wine, and may they have a safe journey! May they no longer be an eyesore in this world!"

He Lian's face turned deathly pale. She pulled Liu behind her, her voice trembling as she cried out, "Dong Zhuo, you traitor! Bian'er and I have no power left; we are merely clinging to life. Why must you drive us to our deaths!"

Liu Bian was so frightened that he huddled in He Lian's arms, trembling all over, unable to speak, and tears streaming down his face.

Lady Tang rushed forward, standing in front of Liu Bian, crying and shouting, "You can't do this! He's the late emperor's son! If you're going to kill someone, kill me first!"

Li Ru, too lazy to waste words with them, waved his hand and said, "Pour it down!"