Dong Zhuo was very interested and after a moment's thought, he said, "Very well, I will go to the palace now. Bo Qiu will accompany me. If this matter succeeds, Bo Qiu will surely be among the Three Dukes in the future."
"Thank you, Grand Tutor," He Yong said hastily, bowing.
"Fengxian, accompany this Grand Tutor to the palace to meet His Majesty," Dong Zhuo commanded.
Lü Bu clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Yes, sir."
Upon hearing Dong Zhuo's words, He Yong's heart sank. Lü Bu's bravery was renowned throughout the world. With Lü Bu by his side, there would likely be many unpredictable changes. However, considering that there were many of Dong Zhuo's generals and soldiers in the palace, He Yong could only remain silent.
Assassinating Dong Zhuo was of paramount importance. When He Yong first learned of this plot, he found it hard to believe. However, after hearing the words of Sikong Xun Shuang, He Yong chose to believe.
What worried He Yong the most was the emperor's safety. If the assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo failed, what would Dong Zhuo do in his rage?
When Dong Zhuo seized control of the court, he certainly needed the assistance of some officials. Many officials from the aristocratic families who had suffered from the Party Prohibitions were promoted. However, Dong Zhuo could not absolutely trust these officials when he appointed them, as can be seen from the successive changes in the court.
There were still many officials loyal to the Han Dynasty, and they naturally hoped to assassinate Dong Zhuo. However, after the warlords of Guandong captured Luoyang, they all withdrew and did not put the attack on Dong Zhuo on the agenda. Although there were many loyal ministers in the court, they had no military power, so it was extremely difficult to succeed.
As night fell, Chang'an remained as quiet as ever, the stillness of the night carrying an undercurrent of solemnity.
A troop of cavalry broke the silence.
"Grand Tutor has arrived! Open the palace gates immediately!" Lü Bu shouted as he rode forward.
Upon seeing Lü Bu illuminated by the firelight, the general guarding the palace gates dared not slacken his vigilance and hurriedly opened the gates.
As the carriages and horses entered the palace, the soldiers guarding the palace stood at attention.
Dong Zhuo pulled He Yong by the hand, stepped down from the carriage, and laughed loudly, "Boqiu, let's go!"
Seeing He Yong being treated with such courtesy by Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu, who was standing beside Dong Zhuo, had a strange look in his eyes.
The elite soldiers who accompanied the emperor quickly took control of the palace where the emperor was located; they were extremely familiar with such matters.
Wearing armor and wielding a halberd, Lü Bu followed behind Dong Zhuo.
Inside the palace, the lights were bright. The emperor, sitting at the head of the table, looked desolate amidst the dilapidated palace. Where the officials should have been, there were soldiers in full armor.
"I am already aware of His Majesty's intentions," Dong Zhuo stepped forward and said.
Liu Xie said in a slightly low voice, "The Han Dynasty has been in my hands, but it has experienced turmoil. I am uneasy. After much thought, I believe that only the Grand Tutor can revive the Han Dynasty. I hope that the Grand Tutor can shoulder this heavy responsibility and turn the tide."
"Your Majesty, I will certainly do my utmost. However, the matter of abdication is of great importance, and we will discuss it further in court tomorrow," Dong Zhuo said with a smile, clearly satisfied with Liu Xie's performance.
Upon hearing this, Lü Bu's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected that Dong Zhuo's late-night visit to the palace was about the emperor's abdication.
Dong Zhuo harbored rebellious intentions, a fact known to all officials in Chang'an. However, Dong Zhuo hesitated to take this step because of prestige. The alliance of warlords from Guandong to attack Dong Zhuo had just ended, and if Dong Zhuo were to take power, it would certainly arouse the warlords' suspicion.
"Grand Tutor, this is the abdication letter I wrote. Please take a look. I only ask that you treat me well after I abdicate the throne. I ask for nothing else but peace and stability." Liu Xie's voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
Dong Zhuo sighed deeply, his heart filled with many emotions. Who could have imagined that he, originally a border general, would rise to such a position? His support for Liu Xie's ascension to the throne was not only due to Liu Xie's intelligence, but also related to Dong Zhuo's desire to establish his authority.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, as long as I, the Grand Tutor, am here, no one can threaten Your Majesty," Dong Zhuo said.
After speaking, Dong Zhuo stepped forward and took the imperial edict from Liu Xie's hands.
The moment the imperial edict was opened, Dong Zhuo's pupils suddenly contracted. The edict clearly stated the four large characters "Dong Zhuo shall be executed."
Just then, a flash of light appeared, and Liu Xie's lips curled into a cold smile. Although the Fish Intestine Sword encountered resistance, it still pierced Dong Zhuo's heart.
Dong Zhuo's expression flashed with disbelief. He was a fierce general who had dominated the frontier. Although his martial arts skills had declined somewhat after he took control of the court, Dong Zhuo was still confident in his ability to face Liu Xie. Besides, Liu Xie was only a nine-year-old child. What threat could he pose?
Moreover, Dong Zhuo was extremely concerned about his safety, and even the soft armor he wore close to his body could not withstand the power of the Fish Intestine Sword.
However, things took an unexpected turn, and he was successfully assassinated by the nine-year-old Liu Xie.
"You, you..." Dong Zhuo felt the power within his body gradually dissipating, and the imperial edict slipped from his hand, revealing the four characters "Dong Zhuo shall be executed" spread out on the ground.
Dong Zhuo turned his head with difficulty to look at Lü Bu and the others, seemingly wanting to get an answer from them, but in the end he could not resist the onslaught of death and collapsed to the ground.
Blood splattered, staining Liu Xie's youthful face.
"Dong Zhuo is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!" Liu Xie shouted with all his might.
Lu Bu stared in disbelief at the entire process. Known as the "Flying General," he watched as Dong Zhuo was assassinated by the nine-year-old Han Emperor right before his eyes, and the result was so unbelievable—Dong Zhuo had actually succeeded in assassinating Liu Xie.
"Dong Zhuo is dead! Why don't you all put down your weapons at once!" Liu Xie shouted again.
Although his martial prowess had increased to 81, he didn't have enough confidence to face a formidable opponent like Lü Bu. Besides, the soldiers in the palace were under Dong Zhuo's command; what would they do after Dong Zhuo's death?
Liu Xie had considered this matter beforehand, but it was worth the risk to assassinate Dong Zhuo. Besides, Dong Zhuo was the commander of the army, and after his death, his generals would definitely be in chaos. At that time, Zhang Liao's three thousand wolf cavalry would become the main force.
The key is dealing with Lü Bu and figuring out how to overcome the difficulties.
"Kill this man and avenge the Grand Tutor!" shouted a Liangzhou army general as he charged toward Liu Xie.
The soldiers, realizing what was happening, advanced towards Liu Xie.
He Yong shouted, "How dare you! This is His Majesty the Emperor! Who would dare to offend him!"
"Report! General Zhang Liao has led his cavalry into the palace!" a soldier shouted as he rushed into the hall.
Outside the main hall, shouts of battle rang out, clearly indicating that Zhang Liao's operation was progressing smoothly.
Lu Bu's expression kept changing. At this moment, how could he not see that this was Liu Xie and He Yong's scheme? And using a nine-year-old emperor to assassinate Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo was something he could hardly imagine.