Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

Page 338

"Knock knock knock," a soft knocking came from outside. Cai Shizhong was startled, nearly knocking over the small candlestick. Who could be visiting so late? Cai Shizhong rose to open the door, but the knocking continued, seemingly impatient. Cai Shizhong hesitated. Martial law was in effect in the capital; everyone, including officials, was forbidden from going out at night. Who was this person? A chill ran down Cai Shizhong's spine. The world was in turmoil… "Who is it?" he asked, trembling. "It's me, Lü Bu," the person outside replied impatiently.

Lü Bu? Dong Zhuo's top general? No, both Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu are acting strangely now; they might not be the same people they used to be, Cai Shizhong reminded himself. But he still opened the door with trembling hands, sensing that it wasn't Lü Bu who wanted to see him, but someone else. Sure enough, a young man slipped in, and Lü Bu, behind him, carefully checked to see if anyone was following, then closed the door. This young man was none other than the leader of the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the Grand Tutor's mansion.

"May I ask..." Cai Yong hesitated for a moment, then decided to feign ignorance, "General Lü and this young master I've never met before, what brings you here so late at night?" "How could I not know our lord!" Lü Bu said impatiently. Cai Yong felt the young man give him a calm look, as if a single glance could see right through him. "I have long admired your erudition, sir, and consider you the foremost scholar of our time. I have something to ask you." The young man bowed deeply. At the same time, he stepped forward and leaned close to Cai Yong's ear, "Today at the Grand Tutor's residence, all the officials paled, but you alone remained calm and composed. You must have some profound insights, and I have come to seek your guidance."

Cai Yong was startled; he hadn't expected the young man to be so frank. Seeing his silence, the young man seemed quite anxious and bluntly stated in Cai Yong's ear, "I suspect I possess some special abilities. Please explain, sir." Cai Yong immediately broke out in a cold sweat; it seemed the matter was true. He glanced at Lü Bu, hesitating, "Young master, could we speak in private?" The young man immediately agreed and followed Cai Yong into the secret chamber.

Cai Yong composed himself. This man was now a force to be reckoned with; if he deceived him, his own fate would be grim. It was better to take advantage of the situation now and join the ranks so he could retreat to the mountains to write history and avoid further harassment. He said, trembling, "Your blood, sir, is probably extraordinary." The young man nodded. "Indeed," he said, "I suspect that Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu only submitted to me because they drank my blood." The young man fell into deep thought. "But I don't understand why I possess this ability. Furthermore, I thought death would be the end of my life, but I've unexpectedly found myself in this predicament. I seem capable of wielding great power, but I know how dangerous the court is."

"It is said that the Yin and Yang energies occasionally converge and condense, and by chance, a person is born with extraordinary abilities that ordinary people do not possess. But I really do not know the specifics. Young master is an extraordinary person, and his ambitions are immeasurable, but the court is dangerous, so please remember to be careful."

The young man nodded thoughtfully.

“By the way, sir, you do not yet know my name. My name is Luo Chen.” The young man bowed deeply again. “I am young, and I wonder if you would be so kind as to offer me advice.” Cai Yong was taken aback and immediately refused. “My lifelong ambition is only to organize the classics and continue the history books. I have neither the ambition nor the learning of Zhang Liang.”

Luo Chen stopped insisting and fell into deep thought again, murmuring, "I don't know where I was born, who my parents are, or even if this body is mine. My earliest memories are of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. The world is plagued by disasters, the court is corrupt, and the people are suffering. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was justified, but they were outnumbered and captured. My brothers were all killed by Dong Zhuo." Tears welled in his eyes as he finished speaking. "I wanted to die, but Heaven has shown me mercy… Who else but me can protect the country and its people!"

Cai Shizhong was deeply moved. "If Young Master Luo can think this way, the world will be fortunate. However..." Cai Shizhong hesitated. "Today, Wang Yun and Li Ru know seven or eight parts of your situation, especially Li Ru, whose expression was not friendly. Young Master, please be careful. Your most urgent task is to establish a close guard of iron. They must all drink blood to ensure their loyalty. Right now, only Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu obey you. If someone instigates a mutiny in the capital's army, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Luo Chen nodded. "I have already ordered martial law, and I will carry out your suggestion immediately. Then you may stay by my side." Cai Yong shook his head again. "If you go straight north from Luoyang for a hundred li, you will reach the Yellow River. There is a small island on the Yellow River there called Longzhou. I will go there tomorrow to compile historical records. If you have any questions, you may come and ask me. As for other matters, you are an extraordinary person and should have your own ideas."

Luo Chen sighed, nodded, and took his leave.

Chapter Three: Control and Inner Cultivation

Because of the strength of the Shandong army, Zhuo wanted to move the capital to Guanzhong. He summoned his ministers and said, "Emperor Gaozu ruled from Guanzhong for eleven generations. Later, during the Han Dynasty, the capital was moved to Luoyang. From Emperor Guangwu to the present, there have been twelve generations. According to the prophecy in the Shi Bao Chamber, it is appropriate to return the capital to Chang'an." None of the officials dared to agree.

—From the Annals of the Later Han Dynasty, Annals of Emperor Xian

Luo Chen has been recuperating from his injuries for the past few days. He lost too much blood the day before yesterday, and because he wanted to understand his special ability, he visited Cai Yong late at night, leaving him quite weak.

Following Cai Yong's advice, his blood dripped into the wine vat. Lü Bu then hosted a banquet for five hundred elite soldiers from the Grand Tutor's mansion. Now, they are guarding the Grand Tutor's mansion, loyal to Luo Chen.

The day before yesterday, his visit to Cai Yong prompted Luo Chen to begin recalling his identity. These past few days, he vaguely remembered being in a spacious, brightly lit, modern hall filled with books. He was reading in a corner, and in that instant, he seemed to become the leader of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Just thinking about that instant gave him a sharp headache. He was certain that he didn't belong to this era.

"My lord!" Dong Zhuo rushed into the room, interrupting his recollection, "Something terrible has happened! Hua Xiong has been beheaded, and it's said that the general who killed him..."

"His name is Guan Yu?" Luo Chen answered subconsciously.

"How did you know, my lord?" Dong Zhuo was greatly surprised. "What's more serious is that General Lü Bu was actually defeated by three fierce-looking guys. Now our army has retreated to Hulao Pass, and the situation is critical."

153 Luo Chen fell into deep thought: Right, how would I know? Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head. He remembered! It seemed... his memory became clear in an instant. He was an ordinary college student. That day, as usual, he was studying history and philosophy in the library. In an instant... So, he had arrived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty?

Luo Chen was overjoyed; he finally knew his origins! Suddenly, a "ding" sounded in his mind, followed by a sharp pain in his head. Then, something resembling a computer screen appeared before him. "This system has been activated. You can open it at any time," a hollow voice echoed in his mind. Luo Chen was startled. He steadied himself. The screen was divided into two columns. One column read "Control Power," with a value on the order of 1. Below were portraits of powerful generals and strategists from various periods. Generals included Meng Tian, ​​Xiang Yu, Fan Kuai, Zhou Bo, Chen Ping, Qin Qiong, Luo Cheng, Yuchi Gong, Lin Chong, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and so on; strategists included Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Xu Maogong, Liu Wen, and so on. No figures from his own era were included among the generals and strategists. The other column read "Internal Cultivation Power," with a note below: Internal Cultivation Power consists of knowledge, experience, and thinking ability; its value is also on the order of 1. Under the category of internal cultivation power are various abilities, such as: armored guard, unconsciousness, temporary invisibility, and heart-piercing, etc.; as well as various books, such as "Gunpowder Manufacturing", "Firearms", "Artillery", "Modern Shipbuilding", "Modern Steelmaking", etc.

Luo Chen glanced at the two sections and found that only "Armored Guard" in the Internal Repair section was marked with a value of 1. He clicked on it, and a bright light flashed, causing Luo Chen's head to throb again. "My lord! My lord!" Luo Chen felt Dong Zhuo shaking him urgently. "Armored Guard!" he shouted, and a hard shield appeared in front of him, slamming Dong Zhuo against the wall with a "thud." Dong Zhuo was so frightened that he lay prone in the corner, too afraid to move.

So, you can use the above order of magnitude to exchange for the following characters and abilities? Luo Chen understood, overjoyed: It must be because I'm naturally good at deep thinking that my internal cultivation power is at one order of magnitude. Then, controlling five hundred elite warriors and one fierce general requires a control power of one order of magnitude… Luo Chen searched for a long time and finally found “one order of magnitude available” under Yan Qing. The required values ​​for other fierce generals and strategists were far higher than one order of magnitude. Yan Qing is the lowest-ranking of the Heavenly Stars in *Water Margin*, skilled in short arrows and decent at wrestling, so he'll make do. After all, Lü Bu is leading troops in the field, and this man's identity is public; he's not suitable to be his constant bodyguard…

Luo Chen clicked on Yan Qing, and another bright light appeared, instantly revealing a handsome young man in a green robe, carrying a short bow and a broadsword. "My lord," he said humbly, kneeling on one knee. "Very good," Luo Chen nodded with satisfaction. "From now on, you will be my personal bodyguard, responsible for my safety, especially in emergencies. Be alert." "Understood," Yan Qing replied, standing behind Luo Chen. After the exchange, both his control and internal cultivation values ​​were reset to zero.

Dong Zhuo stared dumbfounded at the person who had appeared out of nowhere, rubbing his eyes frantically. "My lord..."

"Oh, Dong Zhuo, your official title is Grand Tutor of the court. Don't keep calling me 'Princess' or 'Queen' in public." Luo Chen was plotting how to expand his power, which would inevitably increase his control. "How about this, I won't interfere with you too much for now. As for the current situation, you should act according to your own ideas. My public identity... will be your strategist."

"Yes, sir." Dong Zhuo bowed and slowly withdrew.

Luo Chen fell into deep thought again. He knew what was going to happen next: the cunning Wang Yun had used Lü Bu to eliminate Dong Zhuo. Should he stop him? Well, let nature take its course. Although it would be easy to seize power now by using Dong Zhuo, he was cruel, and everyone wanted him dead. Any power built using him would lack influence and be vulnerable to being ganged up on. The Eastern Han emperor, on the other hand, would be much more useful… Haha, before Cao Cao even realized this, the emperor would be his. Right now, Cao Cao is still toiling away, fighting Dong Zhuo's army.

A few days later, Dong Zhuo ordered the capital to be moved to Chang'an.

"Generals, gentlemen," Dong Zhuo glanced uneasily at Luo Chen, "the Yellow Turban leader the other day, Mr. Luo, was one of my saviors years ago..." "Oh," everyone exclaimed in realization, "I see." "To ensure the safety of the capital relocation process, what are your suggestions regarding military arrangements?"

"We must guard against enemy pursuit," said Li Su, the General of the Central Army.

"These past few days we've been fighting against the feudal lords, and these people are utterly useless and don't cooperate with each other. Now that we're retreating, they're probably overjoyed, how dare they pursue us? Hahaha!" Lü Bu laughed loudly.

"Then why did you retreat in such a panic at Hulao Pass?" Li Su retorted. Lü Bu was furious and was about to draw his sword.

"Generals, please don't be hasty," Li Ru said slowly. "May I ask what Mr. Luo's insightful opinion is?"

Luo Chen smiled slightly: "The other warlords are all self-serving and not worth fearing. Only Cao Cao might take the shortcut to Xingyang and head straight for Xingyang, attempting to attack our army from the side."

“That’s right! Lord… oh no, Mr. Luo is right!” Dong Zhuo echoed repeatedly.

Li Ru sneered, "Mr. Luo is, after all, a member of the Yellow Turban Army... The Yellow Turban Army has no iron cavalry or supplies; they are just refugees and a motley crew. Of course, they would take the rugged Xingyang trail. But Cao Cao's army is equipped with iron cavalry. Wouldn't they be a hundred times faster on the main road? I wonder why our lord has been so respectful to Mr. Luo lately." After speaking, he glanced at the generals.

Luo Chen laughed inwardly. Where Cao Cao was going? Didn't I know? It's all written in the history books. Li Ru's cunning was no match for Cao Cao's. Cao Cao deliberately placed his heavy cavalry and supplies in front of the battle lines to mislead... He would surely use light cavalry to rush to Xingyang via the side roads! But then Luo Chen thought again, this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate this man, to save him from his sarcastic and incessant chatter.

Chapter Four: Cao the Villain

Cao Cao went to Shao and asked him, "What kind of person am I?" Shao despised his character and did not answer. Cao Cao then kidnapped him, and Shao said, "You are a capable minister in times of peace, and a treacherous hero in times of chaos." Cao Cao was overjoyed and left.

—From *Zizhi Tongjian*, Volume 58

Having made up his mind, Luo Chen bowed to Li Ru and said, "Sir, your insight is brilliant. Then I'll make a bet with you. I'll wait for the enemy on the side road in Xingyang. Do you dare to ambush Cao Cao on the main road in Xingyang? Let's see which way Cao Cao comes from!"

Li Ru laughed even more contemptuously: "Mr. Luo, Mr. Luo, Cao Cao has gathered the strength of his entire army, with many fierce generals under his command, such as Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and Yue Jin. Our main force is moving the capital to Chang'an, and only a small force is covering the rear. You still want to divide the troops? That's ridiculous! Do you want to split General Lü Bu in two?" The generals also burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Luo Chen laughed heartily: "The rearguard will all be handled by Mr. Li Ru. I will only lead the five hundred elite soldiers from the Grand Tutor's mansion. As for General Lü Bu, and generals like Li Su, Li Jue, and Guo Si, Mr. Li can take them all with him; I don't need them." Li Ru was immediately dumbfounded, his mouth agape as if he had swallowed something he couldn't swallow. After a long while, he murmured, "Has this man gone mad..." But then Li Ru's mind raced: Since you've chosen to die, you can't blame me... Even if you don't die, you've lost all face. If I spread rumors that you have intellectual problems and are mentally unstable... let's see how you maintain your position in the court.

Luo Chen watched as Li Ru's expression slowly shifted from shock to malice, as if he were watching his mind slowly turn. He couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Since you have no objections, sir, let's split up and make preparations. The 10,000 men covering the rear are all entrusted to you, sir." With that, he rose and took his leave.

Luo Chen ordered five hundred elite warriors to set off immediately and ambush in the mountains on both sides of the Xingyang trail. Yan Qing said with considerable worry, "My lord, since you judged that Cao Cao would come by the trail, why bring only this few soldiers and no generals? Aren't you courting death?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention, Cao Cao appeared on the side road near Xingyang. No one is allowed to attack," Luo Chen ordered. "Cao Cao is a cunning and ruthless man. After occupying Xingyang via the side road, he will surely attack Li Ru on the main road from behind. Let's watch the show first, and attack Cao Cao after Li Ru is dead." "My lord, you have a brilliant idea," Yan Qing said admiringly. Luo Chen, however, fell into deep thought: Should he kill Cao Cao? Then who would deal with Yuan Shao in the north? Would he have to personally and painstakingly unify the north? But if he didn't kill him... this man would be a constant threat. After much deliberation, Luo Chen decided to kill Cao Cao. Killing the cunning and ruthless man would eliminate future troubles, and at the same time, it was a great temptation for him. He wanted to know what kind of cunning and ruthless man he really was, and whether Yan Qing could kill him with a single arrow.

At this moment, Cao Cao was leading his main force swiftly through the narrow path of Xingyang, heading straight for the city. Cao Cao's army had abandoned all their baggage and the armor of their cavalry, leaving only light cavalry. The horses were unbridled, their bells removed, and the entire army was deathly silent.

"My lord's insight is brilliant," Cao Ren said admiringly. "Dong Zhuo and Li Ru have indeed been deceived. Our reconnaissance has revealed that Li Ru is foolishly leading all his generals and more than 10,000 troops in an ambush on the main road."

Cao Cao laughed heartily: "So, Dong Zhuo's main force is currently holding the emperor and officials hostage, and fleeing to Chang'an with their wealth? And he has no fierce generals by his side?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Very good, the plan has been changed, Cao Ren! After capturing Xingyang, immediately lead five thousand light cavalry to attack Dong Zhuo's fleeing army. It would be best if we could recapture the Emperor!"

"Yes!" Cao Ren, though surprised, still agreed. "My lord's military tactics are unpredictable. However... my lord's forces will be reduced."

"Don't worry about it," Cao Cao said dismissively. "I don't take a scoundrel like Li Ru seriously!" As he spoke, Xingyang City came into view. The soldiers guarding the city walls were listless, and the gatekeepers were few in number. They thought Cao Cao would be ambushed by Li Ru. Cao Cao drew his sword: "Take Xingyang City as quickly as possible! Don't beat the drums, lest you alert Li Ru."

Without warning, Cao Ren's light cavalry suddenly appeared at the city gate, indiscriminately slaughtering the enemy. Chaos erupted at the city gate as Cao's infantry swiftly seized control and breached the gate. Tens of thousands of troops poured into the city with lightning speed. Xu Rong, the garrison commander of Xingyang, rushed out in a panic, spear in hand, but Xiahou Yuan spurred his horse and brandished his sword, instantly beheading Xu Rong.

"Cao Ren, set off with five thousand light cavalry immediately! The rest of you, follow me!" Cao Cao said, then spurred his horse and galloped towards the main road.

Luo Chen, atop a mountain peak, saw thick smoke rising from the main road in the distance, accompanied by shouts of battle and the sound of drums. It turned out that Cao Cao's army had set fire to Li Ru's rear, launching a fierce attack on Li Ru's troops amidst the chaos. Because Cao Cao's army arrived so suddenly, Li Ru hadn't organized his forces properly, and Dong Zhuo's army was caught off guard and thrown into disarray. The generals were scattered, and the situation was critical.

The Tiger Warriors cautiously approached the battlefield, awaiting Luo Chen's order. "Capture Li Ru alive!" Cao Cao shouted. Luo Chen saw Li Ru, jumped off his horse in terror, put on soldier's clothes, and quickly ran up the mountain.

"Li Ru actually came over!" Yan Qing laughed loudly. "How will he die?"

Luo Chen couldn't help but chuckle: "Li Ru!" Li Ru looked up and saw Luo Chen: "Mr...Mr. Luo, please save me!" Li Ru hurriedly knelt down, "Mr. Luo, please forgive my mistake, I will follow your orders from now on!" Li Ru begged tearfully.

· 0 requests for flowers ··· 0

Luo Chen glanced at Yan Qing, who immediately raised his short bow expressionlessly. With a "whoosh," Li Ru fell to the ground, the short arrow striking him squarely between the eyebrows.

"See that Cao Cao in the red robe?" Luo Chen asked Yan Qing. "Can you shoot him dead?" "No problem," Yan Qing replied confidently.

With a "whoosh," the short arrow flew towards Cao Cao's forehead. The general in the scarlet battle robe beside Cao Cao caught sight of the arrow and shouted, "My lord, be careful!" In the blink of an eye, he raised his broadsword, and with a "bang," the blade blocked the arrow, sending sparks flying.

........ ... 0

"Damn it!" Yan Qing cursed.

"Attack!" Luo Chen ordered the Tiger Warriors. Five hundred Tiger Warriors pounced out instantly. The battle situation immediately shifted, turning against Cao Cao.

Luo Chen was somewhat worried. He had originally intended to assassinate Cao Cao in secret and did not want to fight Cao Cao's army head-on. He did not expect that there was such a sharp-eyed and quick-handed general in Cao Cao's army.

Yan Qing fired several more arrows at Cao Cao, but the general deflected them all. However, one arrow struck Cao Cao's right arm.

"My lord, be careful!" Yan Qing shouted. Luo Chen suddenly saw a sharp arrow flying rapidly towards him, and in the distance, a white-clad general was drawing his bow and releasing an arrow. "Armored guards!" Luo Chen shouted, and a shield immediately appeared in front of him. With a muffled thud, the arrow was deflected by the shield.

"Retreat!" Cao Cao ordered. The red-robed general and the archer on either side escorted Cao Cao in his retreat. At this moment, Dong Zhuo's army finally regrouped. "Pursue!" Luo Chen ordered Lü Bu, "Kill Cao Cao as much as possible." Lü Bu, seething with anger, had defeated two of Cao Cao's generals and was charging towards Cao Cao. The red-robed general of Cao Cao's army risked his life, wielding his sword fiercely against Lü Bu, displaying both divine skill and courage. Luo Chen inwardly praised him, "Truly a fine general!" Cao Cao seized the opportunity to escape far away.

"Yan Qing, Lü Bu has now tied up the Red-Robed General. Go and pursue Cao Cao immediately and kill him!" "Yes!" Just as Yan Qing was about to leave, a soldier came to report: "It's bad! Cao Ren has kidnapped the Emperor! He is currently fleeing eastward."

Luo Chen was shocked. "A cunning villain indeed! He truly lives up to his name!" He sighed. "Never mind, the Emperor is more important. Yan Qing, you must immediately follow me and lead the Tiger Warriors back to reclaim the Emperor."

Chapter Five: Transactions

He frequently held banquets with his officials, indulging in debauchery and unrestrained pleasure. He then built a fortified village east of Chang'an as his residence. He also constructed a fortified village at Mei, seven zhang high and thick, which he named "Wansuiwu" (Long Live Village). He stored grain for thirty years. He said to himself, "If I succeed, I will rule the world; if I fail, this place will be enough for me to live out my days."

—Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Volume 72

After Cao Ren kidnapped the emperor, he did not engage Dong Zhuo's army in battle. Faced with Dong Zhuo's army's fierce counterattack, which was relentless, Cao Ren's light cavalry suffered heavy losses, but they still managed to break away from the fighting. They fled at breakneck speed, their iron hooves charging directly through the checkpoints and heading towards Cao Cao and the Guandong allied forces' encampment.

Yan Qing climbed a tree. "That rider galloping ahead looks like Cao Ren, and so does the Emperor's carriage." With that, Yan Qing raised his short bow, and with a "whoosh," an arrow struck Cao Ren squarely between the eyebrows. Cao Ren fell from his horse and died instantly. The enemy army was thrown into chaos.

"Charge!" Luo Chen gave the order, and the Tiger Warriors charged forward in formation, snatching the emperor back and helping him onto Luo Chen's horse. Luo Chen led the Tiger Warriors back to Dong Zhuo's main force, hacking and slashing their way through the enemy lines.

Lü Bu and other generals also returned. Although Cao Cao's army suffered heavy losses, Cao Cao still managed to escape. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed to see that Luo Chen had safely escorted the emperor back.

"That idiot Li Ru! He almost killed us!" Lu Bu cursed. "Where is he? I'm going to kill him myself!"

"The soldiers cleaning up the battlefield reported that he was shot dead in the chaos," Li Su said. "He got off easy." He then cupped his hands in thanks to Luo Chen: "Mr. Luo, you are truly brilliant. Thank you for saving me."

Luo Chen smiled modestly: "You flatter me. The most urgent task now is to get to Chang'an as soon as possible and arrange the defense."

When Dong Zhuo's party arrived in Chang'an, Luo Chen was supposed to replace Li Ru as the chief strategist, but he rarely appeared in public, mostly lost in thought in his room. He checked the system in his mind; his internal cultivation had significantly improved. This battle had clearly enhanced his experience and ability to calmly analyze rapidly changing battle situations. Luo Chen had also arranged this battle quite cleverly. His internal cultivation level had risen two levels, but Luo Chen didn't plan to exchange it immediately, preferring to accumulate it first. As for his control, it hadn't increased. He instructed Dong Zhuo to appoint Yan Qing as a colonel, commanding two thousand light cavalry. Luo Chen once again mixed blood into the wine and hosted a banquet for these soldiers.

"My lord, Dong Zhuo is too cruel and utterly debauched. I heard he's recently started building some kind of fortified stronghold, Mei Wu, to stockpile grain and wealth," Yan Qing complained to Luo Chen one day. "Aren't you going to do anything about him? Every minister in the court hates him."

“Ignore him,” Luo Chen smiled and shook his head. “This man is no longer of any use, and his reputation is too bad. Not only will I ignore him, I will also use him to kill someone else, causing chaos in the court, and take the opportunity to officially seize power.”

"Won't you be able to officially take power soon? Anyway, Dong Zhuo listens to you," Yan Qing asked, puzzled.

"It's not a good time now. If the name of Confucius's teachings is not correct, his words will not be proper. If I were to take the throne now, it would easily cause a mutiny. Moreover, people would think that I am a treacherous minister who is trying to blackmail the emperor."

Yan Qing still didn't quite understand and scratched his head in confusion. Luo Chen chuckled, "Alright, now come with me to visit Wang Yun." Yan Qing followed Luo Chen out, even more confused.

They arrived at Wang Yun's residence, and soon Wang Yun came out in a fluster: "I was unaware of your visit, sir. I apologize for not welcoming you properly. I hope you will forgive me." "Not at all. I have long admired Minister Wang's name. I have come to pay my respects today to express my admiration."

The two entered the mansion. "In the battle of Xingyang, sir, your strategy was brilliant. Thanks to your merit in saving the emperor, the emperor wants to appoint you as a high-ranking official," Wang Yun said admiringly. He shrewdly sized up Luo Chen: This man had easily eliminated Li Ru. He had thought Luo Chen would wield great influence in the court, but he rarely showed his face. How strange!

"No, no, protecting the Emperor is my duty. Otherwise, if we were to harm the Emperor, we would deserve to die," Luo Chen said. He observed Wang Yun's expression; it seemed the man was quite suspicious of him.

Wang Yun hosted a grand banquet for Luo Chen. Amidst the clinking of cups and the flowing wine, Wang Yun summoned singing girls to entertain the guests. Luo Chen noticed a young woman who was exceptionally beautiful and whose dance steps were quite graceful.

“This woman is wonderful,” Luo Chen said, pointing at her.

“If you like it, sir, how about I present it to you?” Wang Yun immediately said.

Luo Chen laughed heartily, "No need." After saying that, he sat down next to Wang Yun, "But I just remembered a story." Wang Yun looked at Luo Chen with great interest.

"In ancient times, there was a virtuous and loyal minister. But the country was unfortunate. After the old emperor died, a treacherous and cruel man controlled the young emperor and the court. The loyal minister wanted to get rid of this man, but this cruel man held a large army and his influence spread throughout the court. If he was not careful, he would be killed. Even worse, the treacherous minister had an extremely brave general under his command, who was difficult for ordinary people to match."

Wang Yun's expression changed drastically.

"But the treacherous minister and his general both had a fatal weakness: lust. A brave young courtesan under the loyal minister stepped forward and volunteered to sow discord between the treacherous minister and his general. As for the method, naturally, she started with lust..."

"Minister Wang, you don't look too well," Luo Chen asked with a smile.

"Mr. Luo, isn't Dong Zhuo under your command?" Wang Yun lost his composure. He immediately realized he had misspoke and pretended to be drunk, muttering incoherently, "This wine is quite delicious!"

“Minister Wang, there’s no need to pretend. Let’s talk frankly,” Luo Chen said coldly.

Wang Yun had no choice but to dismiss everyone and lead Luo Chen into the secret room.

"Dong Zhuo is cruel, how could he obey me?" Luo Chen said coldly. "If he obeyed me, would I need to stay at home and protect myself? The other day, he was only being polite to me because I had saved his life by chance before."

Wang Yun hesitated: Could it be that this Luo Chen was also deeply harmed by Dong Zhuo and wanted to get rid of him? Wang Yun was, after all, shrewd and calculating; this wasn't important. The biggest problem was who would hold power in the future. So he shrewdly said, "Sir, your brilliant plan coincides with my own thoughts. Dong Zhuo's death is not far off. But… after Dong Zhuo is eliminated, who will act as the Duke of Zhou and preside over the court?"

Luo Chen laughed heartily: "Of course it's Wang Situ, 5.8! I, Luo Chen, only want to protect myself. After eliminating Dong Zhuo, Wang Situ's prestige will greatly increase, and with the help of fierce generals like Lü Bu and Li Su, he will surely incorporate Dong Zhuo's Xiliang army." Luo Chen stood up, "At that time, I, Luo Chen, will retire to the mountains and forests; the life of an ordinary person is the safest..."

"What kind of good thing is this! You, Mr. Luo, are so selfless?" Wang Yun mocked. Luo Chen laughed loudly, "Since Minister Wang has spoken, I only have one small request: I want Yan Qing to be stationed at Mei Wu to protect the money and grain inside, so that they won't be looted and burned by the marauding soldiers."

"You want money and provisions?" Wang Yun mocked even more. "That doesn't seem like the way a wise person would act to protect themselves." But Wang Yun was still willing. Once he held power, even if Yan Qing was there guarding the borders, taking it back would be a piece of cake. So he readily agreed, "Alright! Let's do it!"

Chapter Six Behind the Scenes

Su thrust his halberd at Zhuo, but it did not penetrate his armor. Zhuo was wounded in the arm and fell off his chariot. He looked around and shouted, "Where is Lü Bu?" Lü Bu replied, "There is an imperial edict to punish the traitorous minister." Zhuo cursed, "How dare you, you worthless dog!" Lü Bu responded and thrust his spear at Zhuo, then ordered his soldiers to kill him.

—Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Volume 72

In the past month, Luo Chen had only summoned Dong Zhuo once. Dong Zhuo was quite nervous, thinking that Luo Chen was going to question him about his debauchery. "Dong Zhuo, how is the construction of Mei Wu going?" Luo Chen asked casually.

"It's...it's already been repaired. It's not a big project, just a small fortress..." Dong Zhuo hurriedly explained.

“Alright, don’t be nervous, you can do as you please,” Luo Chen said. “Captain Yan Qing has nothing to do, how about I send him to Mei Wu to assist the garrison?”