Facing the aggressive question Dong Zhuo had just posed, if He Xian were to immediately blurt out his true thoughts, he would undoubtedly be an idiot among imbeciles, a disgrace among the transmigrated masses.
Therefore, with an extremely earnest expression, he replied, "The Han Dynasty is beset by misfortune, with treacherous villains causing chaos. My Late Father, though filled with the desire to serve the country, was murdered by these traitors, leading to great turmoil within the palace—a crime of the highest order. Fortunately, the Grand Commandant, with his immense authority and thunderous might, worked diligently to support the sovereign and managed to quell the disorder. Now, the Grand Commandant wields imperial power, commands the military, strides forward with dragon-like majesty and tiger-like vigor, revitalizing the state and upholding the nation. When I see the Grand Commandant, I see my benefactor. How could I possibly harbor any resentment?"
He Xian's voice was grave and measured, neither subservient nor arrogant. Each word was clear and distinct. Not only did he skillfully avoid mentioning Cao Cao's descent from Eunuchs, vaguely referring only to 'treacherous villains' causing chaos instead of 'Eunuchs,' but he also shamelessly portrayed Dong Zhuo as a great hero of the Han Dynasty. This clever and slick response was truly seamless.
Several literati seated on either side couldn't help but nod in silent approval, while Cao Cao, standing nearby, also revealed a faint smile, letting out a soft sigh of relief.
The stern expression on Dong Zhuo's face at the head of the hall softened slightly. Having spent long years on the frontier, when had he ever enjoyed such masterful flattery? For a moment, the gaze he cast toward He Xian couldn't help but become much more amiable.
But at this moment, Dong Huang could no longer remain still. He couldn't understand how his uncle could be so swayed by a single sentence from He Xian. Unable to contain his shock and anger, he stepped forward and said, "Uncle! This man is silver-tongued and fawning, and he must have ulterior motives. If he truly regarded our Dong Family as benefactors, how could he have humiliated me so?"
As soon as Dong Huang finished speaking, the amiable look in Dong Zhuo's eyes indeed receded, replaced by an expression tinged with the shame and annoyance of being toyed with. "He Xian! How do you explain today's events?"
"Grand Commandant!" At this point, He Xian's performance became even more impassioned than Dong Huang's. He couldn't help but take a step forward. However, the blade at his neck forced him to retreat again, though his tone grew noticeably more agitated. "Grand Commandant, you must uphold justice for me in this matter!"
"Hmm?" From the very beginning, seeing He Xian's disheveled state, Dong Zhuo knew He Xian would inevitably try to argue his case. But he hadn't expected He Xian to be so presumptuous as to actively request that he, Dong Zhuo, take his side.
However, just as Dong Zhuo thought He Xian was about to play the victim card, He Xian suddenly became sorrowful and indignant again, sighing, "Forget it. It seems this matter is still my fault. The Grand Commandant handles countless affairs of state daily, yet I must trouble him with such trivial matters. I truly deserve death."
He Xian's feigned hesitation not only made him appear very considerate but also immediately piqued Dong Zhuo's curiosity. Dong Zhuo couldn't help but ask, "Huang'er led troops on patrol, yet you dispatched assassins to ambush him and even called this old man a traitor to the Han Dynasty. How dare you still act so self-righteous?"
"Grand Commandant, I've been wronged!" Hearing that Dong Huang had fabricated such a clumsy lie, He Xian felt it would be a disservice to Dong Huang's idiocy not to put on an act. Instantly, his expression became one of extreme grief and indignation, as if he were a young girl violated a hundred times by a hundred brutes. Tears and snot streamed down his face as he cried, "Grand Commandant, this matter clearly began with Colonel Dong allowing his troops to plunder the Generals Residence! I was quietly sitting in my residence, mourning my Late Father, when disaster struck out of nowhere!"
As soon as He Xian finished speaking, Dong Zhuo's face instantly changed, turning extremely dark and cold. He immediately berated Dong Huang, "You Imprudent Boy! How dare you deceive this old man?"
"Uncle, I am your own nephew! Blood is thicker than water. Do you believe this outsider over me, your Huang'er?" Dong Huang was utterly brazen. Even after He Xian revealed the truth, he refused to admit defeat until he saw his own coffin. Shamelessly, he even thrust forward his bruised, pig-like face and wailed, "Uncle, look at my face! Isn't this evidence enough?"
"This..." Dong Zhuo was, after all, just a frontier military man. He lacked not only the ability but also the patience for such a confusing dispute, and he gradually grew agitated again.
And this was precisely the result Dong Huang wanted. As Dong Zhuo's nephew, he knew his uncle's temperament best. Once Dong Zhuo encountered such a troublesome mess, the final outcome would inevitably be decided by his whims. And a whimsical decision would naturally favor him, a family member, rather than an outsider like He Xian, who was still a stumbling block for the Dong Family.
The moment He Xian saw Dong Zhuo's angry and agitated state, he instantly understood Dong Huang's cunning and immediately wanted to argue his case. However, just before he could speak, a literatus wearing a high cap among those seated suddenly frowned, looked at Dong Huang with displeasure, turned to Dong Zhuo, and bowed. "Grand Commandant, this matter is simple. Since Colonel Dong claims the assassination attempt occurred during his patrol, the site of the fight must have been on the street. Yet Young Master He says it happened within the residence..."
Reminded by this literatus, Dong Zhuo immediately understood. Without needing to send anyone to investigate, he directly asked Cao Cao, "Cao Cao, when you arrived at the Generals Residence, did you see where the fight took place?"
"In reply, Grand Commandant, it was within the Generals Residence. The courtyard was in complete disarray. The Grand Commandant can send someone to verify," Cao Cao's reply was very brief, but he gave the speaking literatus a rather strange, puzzled look.
He Xian was naturally also surprised and similarly glanced at the literatus. The man wore dark robes, had a slightly long face, narrow eyes and eyebrows, and a thin mustache. He was lean and carried a silent shrewdness, his gaze particularly restrained, making one not dare to underestimate him. Moreover, this person seemed completely indifferent to Dong Huang's resentful glare, clearly indicating he was an extremely important figure in Dong Zhuo's eyes.
At first, He Xian thought this person might be an old official who had served under his Late Father. But after looking for a while, he still didn't recognize him. Nor did he understand why this person, as a Subordinate of Dong Zhuo, would speak up for him. Regardless, this man had helped him, so He Xian offered him a grateful smile.
However, the man's expression remained unchanged, completely ignoring He Xian's goodwill.
This was rather awkward.
Fortunately, for He Xian, it was only a minor awkwardness. For Dong Huang, however, he had to face Dong Zhuo's towering wrath. Hearing that Dong Huang had not only recklessly plundered the Generals Residence but also dared to deceive him to his face, Dong Zhuo was so furious his wild beard seemed about to fly off.
Dong Zhuo's massive frame suddenly leaned forward, roaring at Dong Huang like a lion. "Dong Huang! How many times have I told you? Sili Province and Luoyang are not like the frontier Liang Province! This place is a dragon's pool and a tiger's den; a single move affects the whole situation! Not only did you disobey my orders, but you also dared to deceive me after causing trouble! Do you truly believe that out of respect for my deceased brother, I wouldn't dare to punish you?"
"Uncle! Don't listen to their nonsense! The incident naturally started on the street. It was just a small-scale skirmish at the time, so it didn't alarm anyone and didn't leave any evidence. But when your nephew saw the thief flee into the Generals Residence, how could I not enter to investigate?"
Dong Huang now also wept and sniffled just like He Xian had, even prostrating himself in the hall and crying out his grievance. "But your nephew never imagined that once inside the Generals Residence, this dog thief would dare to lead his men in surrounding and attacking us! If he truly felt gratitude toward our Dong Family, how could he, upon learning my identity, still dare to act with such murderous intent?"
This speech gave He Xian a completely new understanding of Dong Huang. Before this, he thought Dong Huang was just a minor, insignificant character in history. But now it seemed that even those who left only a few words in the historical records were not to be trifled with.
In He Xian's view, the abilities required for great achievements primarily included, besides having brains, being bold, meticulous, and thick-skinned. And this Dong Huang already possessed two of these four traits. His daring to let his troops plunder the former general's residence proved his arrogance. And when someone questioned him, far from showing a guilty conscience, he could still refuse to admit defeat until he saw his own coffin. He was truly... well, shameless!
Fortunately, since He Xian had dared to come today, he had long been prepared with a response. If he couldn't even get past Dong Huang's level of twisting the truth, then what was the point of trying to get by...
"Grand Commandant, falsehoods remain falsehoods. No matter how cleverly one argues or deliberately distorts, a lie can never become the truth." He Xian's face was calm, even carrying a hint of regret. "Since Colonel Dong is so determined to have me killed, I have no choice but to fight back."
"Grand Commandant! At the time, Colonel Dong led over fifty cavalry to storm the residence. I don't believe Colonel Dong had time to coordinate his story with those Personal Guards and fierce soldiers before turning the tables. If the Grand Commandant has someone interrogate those Personal Guards, the truth of the matter will surely come to light!"
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo immediately slammed the table angrily and roared, "Yang Ding! Take your men and get to the bottom of this!"