Dong Zhuo in Three Kingdoms

"Father-in-law... Are you still there, father-in-law?" The Chinese man, dressed in the traditional scholarly attire of ancient times, asked with concern as he gazed at the bloated man before him, who appeared to be staring blankly at the carriage wall in a daze.

"Li Ru, do you really think we can control the Han Court with such a small number of men?" Dong Zhuo asked with a worried tone, his eyes narrowing as he addressed his subordinate.

He wasn't sure how many troops Dong Zhuo had when he first arrived in Luoyang, the capital of the Han Dynasty, but it seemed he only had around 30,000 soldiers from Xiliang when he was summoned to the city by He Jin.

In the TV series, it was mentioned that Dong Zhuo had somewhere between 200,000 to 300,000 troops when he dominated the Han Court.

Li Ru, taken aback by his father-in-law's statement, frowned deeply, his brow furrowing with concern.

He spoke in a hushed tone, his voice cautious and deliberate. "Father-in-law, we came here to kill the Eunuchs in the name of General He Jin. Why are you suddenly talking about trying to dominate the entire Han Court? There are many who wouldn't agree with such an idea, and He Jin is one of them."

Li Ru's cautious tone was not without reason. Dong Zhuo, at this moment, was not at the peak of his power. His current role was that of the Governor of Xiliang and the Frontier Commander who guarded the western border.

To put it simply, he was just a border guard commander—not even close to the status of He Jin, who held the Emperor's favor and commanded a well-trained and fully equipped army of 100,000 men.

The idea of dominating the Han Court was considered highly unrealistic in Li Ru's eyes.

Dong Zhuo chuckled darkly, dismissing Li Ru's cautious tone with a knowing smile.

He understood better than anyone the limitations of He Jin—his brain was as slow as a pig's, his humble origin as a butcher, and his lack of education made him an easy target for manipulation.

The likes of Yuan Shao and the Eunuchs had already begun to deceive him, and in the end, it was the Ten Regular Attendants, the Eunuchs themselves, who would orchestrate his downfall.

He Jin's troops would be scattered between Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and several other warlords, and Dong Zhuo would, ironically, benefit from this division of power.

His so-called 100,000 troops would be whittled down, weakening the Imperial powers and leaving both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager in a state of powerlessness.

Before his transmigration into the body of Dong Zhuo, he had been just a humble painter from Vienna, living a quiet life away from violence and politics.

He had never imagined a life so fraught with chaos and power struggles. But now, with the memories of Dong Zhuo flooding his mind, he had inherited all that came with it.

He knew that the peaceful life he once knew would never return, but he felt no regret. In fact, he had come to embrace the life he now led.

This was the life he had always wanted—a life where he could dominate, plunder, and take whatever he wanted, whenever he pleased.

There was no turning back now, and he welcomed the power and bloodshed that lay ahead.

Dong Zhuo then turned his attention to Li Ru and commanded calmly, his voice steady but filled with authority. "Take a contingent of scouts and lead the front. We need to figure out the details about Luoyang before we rush forward blindly. I don't want mistakes."

"Yes, father-in-law," Li Ru replied with a respectful bow. He swiftly exited the carriage, determination written all over his face, and prepared to carry out the orders without delay.

As Li Ru left, Dong Zhuo leaned back with a grin of satisfaction, his eyes brimming with unrestrained ambition as he gazed toward the distant capital of the Han Empire, Luoyang.

The city that symbolized power and control was now within his grasp, and the thought of it ignited a fierce ambition within him.

After two hours of travel, Li Ru returned to the carriage. His face was flushed with excitement, his steps hurried as he approached.

Without waiting for formalities, he spoke, his voice carrying an edge of triumph. "Father-in-law, great news! He Jin has been slain by the eunuchs. The capital is in complete chaos and utterly leaderless. Right now, the only warlords with a significant number of troops are you and Ding Yuan."

He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone filled with calculation. "This chaos presents us with a golden opportunity. We can seize the vast number of troops previously under He Jin's command and use them to bolster our forces. But for now, we need to position ourselves as the saviors. We must rescue the Emperor from this turmoil while the rest of the Han ministers are preoccupied—hunting down eunuchs and looting the palace like rats. By doing so, we'll claim the righteousness to take control of He Jin's former forces without opposition."

Li Ru's grin widened as he delivered the final piece of his report. "Our scouts have already located the Emperor. All we need to do is retrieve him and return him to the palace. With this act, we'll secure our legitimacy and take all the credit, father-in-law."

Dong Zhuo's grin spread across his face, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Excellent. You've never once disappointed me, Li Ru. Lead the way and have my armor and sword brought to me at once."

With a nod, Li Ru stepped away, barking orders to the men. Dong Zhuo exited the carriage, his imposing figure emanating authority.

Two of his Xiliang soldiers quickly began outfitting him with his armor, the heavy metal plates gleaming under the faint light.

They handed him his sword and brought forth his warhorse—Red Hare—the legendary steed that would later gain fame under Lu Bu in the chronicles of the Three Kingdoms.

Once fully armed, Dong Zhuo sat astride his horse, exuding the air of a true warlord.

His presence alone was enough to inspire confidence in his soldiers.

With a force of 30,000 Xiliang troops behind him, they began their march toward the mountains where the scouts had reported the Emperor's location.

As they neared, they spotted the luxurious carriage surrounded by the infamous Ten Regular Attendants, the eunuchs who had kidnapped the Emperor in a desperate attempt to retain power.

Dong Zhuo's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand to signal the attack.

"Kill them all," he ordered coldly. "Spare no one. Save the Emperor."

The Xiliang soldiers roared in unison, their war cries echoing through the mountain pass.

"Save the Emperor!"

The sound was deafening, a harbinger of death for the eunuchs.

Without hesitation, the soldiers charged, trampling the eunuchs beneath their blades and hooves.

None of the attendants were given the chance to flee or plead for mercy.

Dong Zhuo dismounted from his horse, brushing dust from his armor as he approached the carriage.

He expected to see the frightened face of the Emperor, but instead, he was greeted by someone—or something—entirely unexpected.

Standing before him was a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

Her long, jade-black hair cascaded like a dark waterfall over her shoulders, framing a face that was both elegant and dangerously alluring.

Her dress was daringly provocative, accentuating her curvaceous figure and leaving little to the imagination.

Her massive breasts strained against the fabric, her pale skin glowing under the soft moonlight, giving her an almost otherworldly allure.

Her eyes, sharp and calculating, sparkled with intelligence and a hint of mischief.

This was no ordinary woman—her presence radiated both power and seduction.

Dong Zhuo stood stunned, his thoughts momentarily clouded by the sheer sensuality before him.

Never in his life had he seen such a goddess-like figure.

Desire surged through him, a primal urge to claim this vision of beauty for himself once he solidified his control over the Han Court.

But Dong Zhuo, aware of the delicate moment, suppressed his carnal thoughts and lowered his head humbly, offering an apology for any unintended offense.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Empress He," Dong Zhuo said, clenching his fists in what appeared to be righteous fury.

However, the burning lust in his eyes for the woman before him never faded, not even for a moment.

Bowing low and humbly, his true thoughts were masked, and Empress He, oblivious to the desires swirling in his mind, praised him with a smile.

"There is nothing to forgive, my lord. You have saved us, saved the emperor. Such a contribution to the Han Dynasty cannot be understated. What is your name?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

She had never seen this man in court and didn't recognize him.

"Dong Zhuo, Governor of Xiliang," he replied with a respectful tone, his voice steady. "I have brought you thirty thousand soldiers. They are yours to command, Empress Dowager."

His words were humble, but his gaze lingered on her, betraying his true intentions.

Empress He grinned, clearly pleased. She liked the way Dong Zhuo spoke—humble, obedient, and seemingly loyal.

More importantly, he had brought a formidable number of troops that could tip the balance of power in her favor, allowing her to regain control of the court.

Since the death of her brother, she had lost almost all influence over the imperial troops. Her authority had been so diminished that she and the emperor could have easily been kidnapped by the eunuchs.

Now, with Dong Zhuo's forces at her disposal, she could finally secure her position.

"Your rank is too low, Lord Dong Zhuo," she said with a thoughtful expression. "Your contribution to the Han Dynasty is far too great to go unrewarded. I will appoint you as General-in-Chief, responsible for the safety of Luoyang."

Her tone was generous, but her thoughts were clear.

She believed she could secure Dong Zhuo's loyalty with this position, unaware of the dark ambition brewing in his heart.

Dong Zhuo, hiding his true feelings, appeared to be overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Long live Empress He! Long live!" he exclaimed loudly.

His troops from Xiliang echoed his chant with thunderous voices, "Long live Empress He! Long live!"

Empress He, visibly satisfied, grinned with confidence. "Escort us to the capital, General Dong Zhuo."

"Your will is my command, Empress He," Dong Zhuo responded, his voice booming with authority. "Men, protect the emperor!"

Without overstepping to question why he couldn't meet the emperor directly, Dong Zhuo roared his orders, ensuring Empress He, the emperor, and his younger brother, Liu Xie, were safely escorted.

His soldiers marched in a mighty display of strength, heading toward the capital.

Riding on his warhorse, Dong Zhuo smirked in satisfaction.

Everything was falling perfectly into place. Beside him, his strategist and son-in-law, Li Ru, chuckled with approval.

"Father-in-law, that was masterful. With this, we can smoothly take over the garrison in Luoyang. We have the Empress Dowager's approval, the Yuan family's protection, and our own powerful army. What could possibly stand in our way?" Li Ru said, his tone dripping with confidence.

But then, his expression turned cautious. "However, we must first gather an even larger force before we fully expose our ambitions."

"You're right, Li Ru," Dong Zhuo agreed, licking his lips in anticipation. "I can already taste it—the power to command the world."

His thoughts turned wicked, his lust for control merging with his desire for Empress He.

Once his plans were complete, he would make her surrender entirely to him, not just politically but physically.

The image of the emperor's mother in his bed, submitting to him and offering every inch of herself, sent a thrill through him.

The mere thought made his crotch bulge with excitement, the prospect of dominating her fueling his devious fantasies even further.

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