Chapter 4: Entering the Capital

As soon as Li Ru finished speaking, the generals all knelt down in unison, saying: "Heaven has granted us a great opportunity, may the lord rise to arms!"

Hehe... Li Ru smiled and, seeing the confusion among the generals, said: "Captain Xu's considerations are correct, but he has overlooked one point"

The soldiers of both armies quickly clashed together, the sounds of killing resounding through the heavens. Xu Cheng, being in the rear guard, could not rush over for the moment, and he was not anxious; after all, this battle was destined to end in defeat, so what was the hurry

Oh, it's nothing," Xu Cheng replied, "Tell everyone to stay alert and not to lose their composure. Anyone who dares to act recklessly will be dealt with mercilessly!

Lü Bu

However, Xu Cheng knew that the time for change had come. Indeed, not long after, news arrived from the capital that Emperor Ling had passed away, and General He Jin had supported the ascension of the young Emperor Sha. Soon after, Dong Zhuo received a military order from He Jin, commanding him to raise troops, enter Luoyang, and eliminate the eunuchs. Dong Zhuo immediately summoned the generals to discuss this matter.

Next, the discussion turned to how to raise troops, and all the generals were eager to join, but there had to be some left behind to guard the place! Everyone was arguing passionately, creating a chaotic scene, which caused a momentary annoyance for Dong Zhuo. At that moment, Dong Zhuo noticed that one person had not joined the debate; instead, he frowned, which displeased Dong Zhuo. He said, "Xu Cheng, what do you think should be done?"

Of course not, Pang Pei sent a message back and happened to hear Xu Cheng's question, responding immediately.

No, but he is going to oppose Lord Dong, he must at least put on a show of it

Along the way, the Xiliang army engaged in burning, killing, and looting, and Dong Zhuo did not intervene. Only the troops led by Xu Cheng followed Dong Zhuo, claiming that the world was unstable and that they were protecting their lord's safety. They refrained from indulging in rampant looting, which won Dong Zhuo's favor. Even Li Ru nodded in approval, believing that Xu Cheng was grateful and loyal, fulfilling his duties commendably. Little did they know that this person, whom they perceived as having no background and posing no threat, was already contemplating how to betray them.

Of course, Xu Cheng would not think this way. His troops were positioned at the rear of the entire army, which made him feel much more at ease. After all, although on the surface, the Xiliang army surpassed the Bingzhou army in terms of troop numbers, equipment, and morale, and Xiliang has always been known for producing elite soldiers with superior individual qualities, there was one significant drawback: the commanders. Especially at this moment, the capable generals in the Xiliang army, Xu Rong and Zhang Ji, were both absent—one had gone to Xinyang to serve as governor, and the other had gone to Hongnong. The virtues of the remaining commanders were lacking; apart from flattering their superiors, they could only bully the weak. Ironically, they were now tasked with confronting the greatest general of the Three Kingdoms—Lü Bu! Thinking of this, Xu Cheng could not help but mutter: 'A group of sheep, even if led by a pack of lions, cannot possibly defeat a single lion leading a flock of sheep!'

Looking at the two individuals, Xu Cheng felt a deep sense of admiration for himself. In just three short years, he had taught these two country bumpkins, who could not even recognize two characters, to surpass many self-important generals. After all, it is not an easy feat to accomplish

Here! All the generals responded with a loud cheer

Think carefully, do not always ask me, you should learn to consider the issues yourself

"Here!" Pang Pei was startled, exchanged a glance with Yang Er, and went to deliver the order. Yang Er then asked Xu Cheng, "My lord, you have never issued such an order during wartime before! This is..."

After hearing Xu Cheng's words, everyone's fervent hearts cooled by half, and they fell into silence

Faced with the questions from his subordinates, Xu Cheng took a deep breath and said: "Yes, in the past, I always told you to pay attention to preserving your own lives and not to get killed, but this time is different; we are on the defensive." Seeing Yang Er's puzzled expression, Xu Cheng chuckled lightly and continued: "Tell me, is Ding Yuan a fool?"

I understand, " Yang Er pondered for a moment and said: " Just as the adult mentioned earlier, even if a lion is led by a sheep, it cannot defeat a sheep led by a lion! "

Indeed, it is him! The winning weapon of the Bingzhou army! Lü Bu!" Xu Cheng gritted his teeth, realizing that he was about to work with this guy, which was truly bothersome

One day, Dong Zhuo once again summoned the generals to discuss the matter of succession. He said: "The Prince of Chenliu is young and intelligent, far surpassing the Young Emperor. I wish to establish the Prince of Chenliu as the emperor. What do you all think?"

He is not a fool. So do you think a normal person would use 30,000 people to fight against 300,000? The premise is that he could escape

Upon hearing this, all the generals ceased their quarrels and turned their gazes towards Dong Zhuo, who also fell into deep thought. After all, a force of 130,000 troops is not a small number, and it seems that this court is not easy to deal with

You see, what should we do? Dong Zhuo got straight to the point, since they were all his trusted confidants, there was no need for pleasantries

"Not just 130,000," Xu Cheng continued, "After all, we do not know whether He Jin has also issued orders to other warlords, and we must prepare to contend with them!" At this point, he thought to himself, "Old Dong! With your departure, death is not far away! Since I cannot stop it, I might as well take the opportunity to achieve some merits and then be careful to cover my tracks later!"

Everything unfolded as Xu Cheng remembered, the Ten Eunuchs lured and assassinated General He Jin. Upon receiving the news, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and others immediately led their troops into the imperial palace, nearly exterminating the eunuchs. Among the Ten Eunuchs, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui took the young Emperor and Prince of Chen Liu hostage and fled, causing chaos in the capital. Dong Zhuo received the news and rode swiftly, finally encountering Zhang Rang and Duan Gui on the way to Luoyang. Seeing that they were blocked in front and pursued from behind, with no way to escape, Zhang Rang and the others drowned themselves. Dong Zhuo brought the young Emperor and Prince of Chen Liu back to the capital, seizing the opportunity to absorb He Jin's subordinates. With the support of a large army, he quickly grasped the power of the court. As everything proceeded beyond imagination, Dong Zhuo believed that it was heaven's will in his favor, becoming even more arrogant.

"Who is that? So impressive!" Yang Er gasped and asked

Upon hearing Dong Zhuo's inquiry, Xu Cheng immediately replied respectfully: "My lord, I was merely contemplating how many troops we should bring"

At this moment, the generals of the two armies were engaged in battle in the arena. The general of the Bingzhou army was Lü Bu, while the Xiliang army had three generals, Li Cui, Guo Shi, and Hua Xiong, surrounding Lü Bu. Xu Cheng watched with amusement, "Three heroes battling Lü Bu? Hehe, no, it should be three bears! Haha!"

At this moment, the generals of Xiliang, except for Xu Cheng, had already become overly confident. Moreover, Luoyang was a hundred times more prosperous than Xiliang, so how could they be willing to leave? Upon hearing Dong Zhuo's words, they did not hesitate to agree, all nodding in unison. Li Ru also believed that this could elevate Dong Zhuo's status and allow him to fully grasp power, as his previous suggestions had all been successful. Seeing that he was in favor, everyone became even more enthusiastic about deposing the old emperor and establishing a new ruler. Xu Cheng did not waste words; if he could not oppose it, he might as well agree, for the blame would fall on Dong Zhuo. What did it matter to him, a mere Zhechong Xiaowei?

There are many ways to oppose, do not forget that scholars, especially those in the court, are more adept at playing subtle games. Even if he is wholeheartedly loyal to the young emperor, he should be aware that he is striking a rock with an egg, merely showcasing the authority of Lord Dong

"Could it be that the adult is saying, he has ... ..." Pang Pei suddenly realized, "He has a winning strategy, or rather, a method he believes can defeat us!" Yang Er continued.

Xu Cheng was contemplating the situation of the world following Dong Zhuo's arrival in the capital. Over the past three years, he had displayed a demeanor of trepidation and caution, diligently training his troops as if he were deeply grateful to Dong Zhuo. He also made efforts to curry favor with others, often seeking to please them, yet he managed to maintain a fine balance, leading people to feel that he was expressing respect rather than flattery. This approach endeared him to many, and coupled with the excellent training of his soldiers, he had formed a unit that could be regarded as an elite force within the Xiliang army. Consequently, Dong Zhuo allowed him to join his personal guard as a sign of favor, which was also the reason he was able to stand here.

At this point, the three fell silent, focusing intently on what lay ahead. However, rather than being concerned about the battle situation, it would be more accurate to say they were observing their own analytical results, even though Xu Cheng had already been aware of them.

"Adult, that is not right!" Pang Peidao said, "Even if Lü Bu is brave and invincible, he cannot defeat hundreds of thousands of people!"

In just a short while, the situation on the battlefield changed dramatically. Li Cui was struck down from his horse by Lü Bu, fortunately surviving the encounter, and he staggered back in retreat. Guo Si was injured in his right arm and also fled back to the formation. Only Hua Xiong remained there, fighting desperately, and judging by the circumstances, he too was on the verge of collapse.

Originally, Dong Zhuo had brought with him 200,000 troops from the Xiliang army, and with the addition of the Imperial Guards he had incorporated and the forces of He Jin, he already commanded over 300,000 soldiers. Therefore, in the eyes of him and the other generals, victory in this battle was almost certain, which led everyone to compete to be the first to engage.

Please, sir, teach me! Xu Cheng said with cupped hands, but in his heart, he was cursing the bastard.

Hua Xiong is indeed the foremost valiant general of my Xiliang! How could this happen..." Pang Pei's expression also turned somewhat grim

Luoyang has the Western Garden Imperial Guard consisting of eight divisions, totaling 80,000 men. In addition to the garrison troops, there should be no less than 130,000 soldiers in total

Upon learning of Ding Yuan's challenge, Dong Zhuo was greatly enraged, mustered his troops, and prepared to engage in battle

Time has flown by, and in the span of three years, Xu Cheng's troops have grown to five thousand men. Moreover, Xu Laoda, who is adept at flattery, has been promoted to the position of Zhechong Xiaowei. Coupled with the excellent training of his soldiers, he has received high praise and gained the trust of Dong Zhuo, who has incorporated his troops into his personal guard. He is also permitted to frequently attend the 'Gao Feng' meetings, which can be considered a significant achievement.

Li Ru certainly did not know what he was thinking. Seeing everyone eagerly awaiting, he said with pride: "The court is divided into two factions, and the imperial troops are also divided into two factions, which will inevitably lead to a lack of unity. Moreover, we hold the command of He Jin in our hands. As long as we wait for him to determine the outcome with the eunuchs, we can clarify the situation. If He Jin wins, we will retreat; if the eunuchs win, then due to their unpopularity, they will find it difficult to control the officials in the court, and naturally, they will also struggle to command the troops in Luoyang. We can take this opportunity to advance, using the pretext of 'clearing the court of corrupt officials' to execute them. At that time, we will have made great contributions and can naturally seize the power in the court. As for the other warlords, even if they rise up, how can they compare to our lord's Xiliang army?"

"He Jin is merely a butcher; to use this scheme to eliminate the eunuchs is truly foolish," Li Ru, in his thirties and possessing a rather refined appearance, firmly held the position of the foremost strategist of the Xiliang army. Observing that everyone was looking at him, he slowly said: "If someone were to lead a large army into Luoyang, using military might to coerce the court, then..." At this point, he glanced at Dong Zhuo's expression, bowed deeply, and continued: "This is a rare opportunity granted by heaven, bestowed upon the lord by the court. The lord should immediately raise troops to avoid falling behind others." He slowly said: "If someone were to lead a large army into Luoyang, using military might to coerce the court, then..." At this point, he glanced at Dong Zhuo's expression, bowed deeply, and continued: "This is a rare opportunity granted by heaven, bestowed upon the lord by the court. The lord should immediately raise troops to avoid falling behind others."

Good! Hahaha... Dong Zhuo was immensely pleased, as if he had already obtained the power of the court

Upon hearing Li Ru's analysis, Dong Zhuo and the generals breathed a sigh of relief. Dong Zhuo slapped the table and said, "Wealth and honor are sought through danger. I have decided to mobilize my Xiliang army and march towards Luoyang"

"Sir, what are you talking about?" asked Pang Pei, who was beside Xu Cheng. Since Xu Cheng was promoted, he and Yang Er had also experienced both hardships and joys, becoming Xu Cheng's personal guards. Now, he had been appointed as the deputy captain of Xu Cheng's personal guards, a military position. Today, both he and Yang Er were following Xu Cheng into battle.

Suddenly, both individuals turned to Xu Cheng simultaneously, "My lord! This ... ..."

At this moment, the situation on the battlefield changed again. Hua Xiong had already been defeated and was fleeing backward, while Lü Bu was pursuing him from behind. The troops from Bingzhou were closely following, rushing forward to attack. Dong Zhuo also waved his hand and ordered the Xiliang army to meet them.

The next day, Dong Zhuo took action, establishing a new emperor, namely Emperor Xian of Han, and proclaimed himself as the Grand Commandant. Both the young emperor and Empress He were placed under house arrest, and their fate was uncertain. The ministers, fearing Dong Zhuo's immense power, did not dare to oppose him. Only the Chief of the Imperial Guards, Ding Yuan, the former governor of Bingzhou, stood against him, leading to a conflict with Dong Zhuo. Due to the presence of Lü Bu, Dong Zhuo was unable to kill Ding Yuan on the spot and allowed him to leave. The following day, Ding Yuan surrounded Luoyang with his thirty thousand troops from Bingzhou.

All matters have been prepared. Dong Zhuo left Fan Chou to guard Xiliang. After the army arrived in Chang'an, he also left Niu Fu behind. According to Li Ru's suggestion, even if they could not establish a foothold in the capital, they could still carve out territories in Yong and Liang provinces, which is certainly better than having gained nothing at all