"Get Colonel Dong out of here, now!"
Though Cao Cao's true intentions remained unclear, his blatant favoritism was evident. He waited until He Xian had thoroughly beaten Dong Huang before shouting at the groaning and moaning Qiang and Hu Cavalry lying on the ground.
Instantly, the Qiang and Hu Soldiers scattered across the courtyard, who had been feigning injury and groaning, snapped back to reality. Gritting their teeth against the pain, they scrambled up to help Dong Huang. By now, He Xian knew the situation was beyond his control. He shot a glance at the Nameless Strongman, who finally released Dong Huang, delivering a kick that sent him flying toward the main gate. "Get lost! If I ever see you again, I'll beat you again!"
"You lowly scum! You reckless fools! I, Dong Huang, will have you torn limb from limb to vent my hatred!" The poor Dong Huang was so badly beaten his words were slurred. Yet, as a scion of a military family, he refused to lose face completely. Before leaving, he couldn't resist uttering a final threat.
He Xian's fiery temper flared. He immediately started to take off his shoe to hurl at Dong Huang. At this point, it seemed Dong Huang finally remembered that this guy was a tough nut to crack. Terrified, he covered his head and was hastily escorted away by the Qiang and Hu Cavalry, fleeing the perilous scene in disgrace. However, even as his figure reached the street, he brazenly shouted, "He Xian! The day you meet my uncle will be the day you die without a grave!"
"Pah! What a worthless piece of trash! Can't win a fight, so you run to your elders. With skills like that, you dare show your face?" He Xian slowly pulled his boot back on, utterly dismissive of a small-time thug like Dong Huang.
Seeing the situation finally calm, Cao Cao's expression turned stern. He abruptly waved his hand and ordered the Soldiers behind him, "All of you, withdraw! No one is to enter without my command!" After the Soldiers had all exited the Generals Residence, Cao Cao dismounted from Zhao Huang Feidian, revealing a genuinely worried expression as he addressed He Xian. "Young Master, in the current situation, the He family is in grave danger..."
"More than just 'grave danger'—it's like an overturned nest; how can any egg remain intact?" With no outsiders present, He Xian dropped the formalities with Cao Cao and spoke bluntly. "Dong Zhuo is a jackal. His entry into Luoyang marks the beginning of chaos for the Han Dynasty. My He family, as Empress's Relatives of the Han, once held immense power. If Dong Zhuo wishes to seize military authority, he will inevitably target the He family first."
Though somewhat shocked by He Xian's interruption, Cao Cao couldn't help but feel a sliver of relief upon hearing these words. "Young Master, with such insight, you truly are a scion of a military family. It's a pity the Grand Marshal did not heed my advice, allowing Dong Zhuo to enter the capital... Alas!"
Hearing the sigh from the future master strategist Cao Cao, He Xian's heart grew even heavier. Indeed, the fact that Dong Zhuo had sent Cao Cao to summon him now meant he wouldn't simply be executed outright. But that didn't mean his future days would be easy. On the contrary, Dong Zhuo's very discernment made He Xian's head ache more.
First, for Dong Zhuo, the new powerful faction that had just taken control of Luoyang, He Xian—a representative of the old regime—was a figure that had to be suppressed. Moreover, it had to be suppression of the kind that killed without drawing blood.
Furthermore, He Xian couldn't fully discern Dong Zhuo's true intent in wanting to see him. Perhaps Dong Zhuo wouldn't kill him during this meeting, but was this mercurial, bloodthirsty butcher, Dong the Slaughterer, a reputation earned for nothing?
If, during this meeting, Dong Zhuo deemed him to have no value whatsoever, he would naturally proceed to obliterate the He family without the slightest hesitation.
Betting his own life on Dong Zhuo's character was a wager He Xian would never dare make.
Not to mention, before even meeting Dong Zhuo, this whole mess with Dong Huang had occurred. After all, Dong Huang was Dong Zhuo's nephew. He would certainly run to complain to his uncle. If Dong Zhuo happened to be in a foul mood, ordering He Xian's execution on the spot was entirely possible.
Thinking this, He Xian suddenly realized time was of the essence. He had to see Dong Zhuo before Dong Huang could lodge his complaint, or at the very least, see him immediately after Dong Huang did.
Though his heart was in turmoil, He Xian didn't lose his composure. At this point, he didn't even understand Dong Zhuo's intentions. Rushing to see him blindly would not only be futile but might very well be like a lamb walking into a tiger's den!
'Calm down, I must calm down first!' Right in front of Cao Cao, He Xian began slapping his own cheeks forcefully, trying to regain his composure. But when he turned and saw Cao Cao's look of utter bewilderment, a thought suddenly struck him. "Brother Mengde, do you think it's too late for me to run away now?"
Indeed, even though he hadn't killed Dong Huang, his escape plan was still unaffected. Even ants cling to life; animals flee at the first sign of danger—it's biological instinct. He Xian felt no psychological burden about it.
Although the system had indicated his probability of escaping Sili Province alone was zero, the problem was, the system didn't know he had Cao Cao by his side!
In the history of the Three Kingdoms, the long-distance running champion was undoubtedly Liu Bei. But Lord Cao was clearly a master in this field as well. Historically, it was he who broke away from Dong Zhuo, fleeing all the way from Sili Province to his hometown. It was during this escape that he mistakenly killed Lü Boshe's entire family, leaving behind the infamous quote, 'I'd rather betray the world than let the world betray me.'
However, as He Xian looked at Cao Cao with hopeful eyes, expecting him to thump his chest heroically and assure him it was all a minor matter, Cao Cao gave him another strange look. Then, with a slow sigh, he said, "He Xians courtesy name, you are the descendant of the Grand Marshal, a thorn in Dong Zhuo's side. A tall tree catches the wind. How could he not keep you under strict surveillance?"
He Xian nodded sadly, fully agreeing with Cao Cao's point. Historically, those who successfully escaped from Dong Zhuo's sphere fell into only two categories.
The first were those like the brothers Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu—members of powerful aristocratic families with disciples and former subordinates spread across the land, figures whose very footsteps could make the ground tremble in the Sili region. It was this backing that gave Yuan Shao the confidence to defy Dong Zhuo and then flee safely to the Hebei region.
The second category was people like Cao Cao. They feigned submission to Dong Zhuo, and when Dong Zhuo was feeling complacent and off-guard, they suddenly dashed out of Sili Province at breakneck speed. This method naturally involved Cao Cao's clever deception, but the bigger reason was that Dong Zhuo simply didn't view Cao Cao as a significant threat.
But he, He Xian, was in a truly miserable position.
First, the He family was merely an upstart clan, and now it had collapsed, with its followers scattered. Yet, the He family had once held immense power and controlled the military. This made Dong Zhuo I wish keep both eyes fixed on He Xian. It was likely that the moment He Xian stepped out of his mansion, Dong Zhuo would receive a report.
In fact, today's incident with Dong Huang causing chaos at the Generals Residence probably had this very factor. Otherwise, why would Dong Huang, with the wealthy and opulent mansions of Yonghe Lane and Buguang Lane in Luoyang—all richer targets for the Qiang and Hu Cavalry to plunder—choose to come specifically to the Grand Marshals Mansion?
As for the idea of firmly believing that, as a time-traveler destined to change history and stir up storms, he should immediately confront the immensely powerful Dong Zhuo head-on... He Xian thought about it. That wasn't bravery or confidence; it was idiocy.
Since escape was impossible, the only remaining strategy was'steady, we can win'—meaning he, He Xian, had to temporarily remain under Dong Zhuo's watchful eye and, moreover, make Dong Zhuo believe he was highly valuable.
Finally, that value had to be significant enough to make Dong Zhuo tolerate the fact that He Xian had beaten his nephew...
'How the hell is that possible? It's a hellish multiple-choice question with no solution!' But the moment he thought about needing to provide such immense value, He Xian couldn't help but grab his own full head of hair fiercely, looking as if he'd gone mad.
The Nameless Strongman and Cao Cao, standing nearby, felt a pang of pity and were about to offer words of comfort. But before either could speak, He Xian suddenly stopped his frantic motion and looked at Cao Cao with a peculiar expression. "Brother Mengde, tell me, what does Dong Zhuo need most right now?"
This question gave Cao Cao pause.
Although he possessed peerless wisdom, his mind these past days had been filled with worries about the survival of the Han Dynasty, the suffering populace, court intrigues, and the safety of the Cao family. Suddenly being asked by He Xian to view the problem from the perspective of the rebel Dong Zhuo left him momentarily unable to react.
However, Lord Cao was, after all, a lord. After only a brief moment of stunned silence, he hesitantly began, "If we look through the eyes of that frontier warrior Dong Zhuo, what he likely needs most right now is to firmly grasp military power, isn't it?"
"Exactly! Firmly grasping military power means stability!" He Xian's expression finally cleared a little, as if he had glimpsed a ray of light through thick fog. "Stability overrides everything. And stability achieved through legitimate means is far more reliable than that gained through intimidation and bribery."