Dong Zhuo in Three Kingdoms

"Father-in-law, we've dealt with all the troublemakers in the palace and the streets of Luoyang. We threw them into prison and gathered the evidence of their crimes—the looting and the rape victims have all been handled," Li Ru reported with a wicked grin as he presented the evidence to his father-in-law, Dong Zhuo.

The glistening jewelry, gold, and books were all piled into treasure chests before them.

His Xiliang troops had also indulged in the looting while maintaining order at the same time. They seized the stolen goods from others and captured the troublemakers, making them scapegoats for their own actions.

Meanwhile, Li Ru and Dong Zhuo quietly hoarded the largest share of the loot and treasures for themselves.

"Excellent work, Li Ru. With this wealth, we can recruit more troops for our cause and smoothly absorb the remnants of He Jin's men," Dong Zhuo said, his face splitting into a malicious smirk.

Luoyang was a wealthy place, and simply participating in the chaos of looting had brought Dong Zhuo far more riches than he had anticipated. Recruiting additional soldiers for his ambitions would no longer be an issue.

Looting the palace had proven just as fruitful. His troops rounded up the troublemakers, seizing the fruits of their pillaging. Liu Hong's immense wealth, previously unimaginable, now belonged to Dong Zhuo.

The treasure room was completely secured, and anyone who dared to approach it was killed on the spot.

Even Empress He was blissfully ignorant of the carnage, still sound asleep in her chamber while Dong Zhuo and his men ransacked every corner of Luoyang. All the blame was conveniently placed on the troublemakers.

Even Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, who had joined the looting of the palace and slaughtered the eunuchs, weren't spared the fallout.

"Speaking of which, Father-in-law, we've captured Yuan Shao and thrown him into prison. Do you think this will provoke the wrath of Grand Tutor Yuan Wei?" Li Ru asked, his voice tinged with concern.

For now, their strength wasn't yet enough to challenge the aristocracy outright. With only 30,000 troops, they couldn't yet afford to flip the balance of power dominated by the gentry.

The gentry weren't just confined to the court—they controlled nearly every aspect of life in the Han Dynasty.

These aristocratic families monopolized land, books, the economy, and even the military, their influence spreading across the entire dynasty, not concentrated in Luoyang alone.

Dealing with them one by one would be a grueling process.

The Yuan family was the most powerful of them all. Dong Zhuo himself was one of their protégés and henchmen.

In fact, it was Yuan Shao who had recommended him to He Jin, summoning him to Luoyang to deal with the eunuchs in the first place.

"What solutions do you have in mind, Li Ru? You're my advisor, aren't you?" Dong Zhuo asked, his tone sharp and probing.

Li Ru paused, deep in thought, before replying. "Let's consult Jia Xu, Father-in-law. He might have the solution we need."

"Lead the way," Dong Zhuo said, nodding decisively as they made their way to Jia Xu's camp.

Seeing Dong Zhuo and Li Ru, Jia Xu immediately stood up, saluted, and bowed respectfully. "General, is there anything I can do for you, coming to visit me in the middle of the night?"

"Yes, indeed," Dong Zhuo said calmly, his tone measured. "Li Ru, repeat to him what I asked earlier."

Li Ru nodded and recounted the question his father-in-law had posed to him earlier, voicing their concerns regarding the Yuan family and their current situation.

"Since the General has a close relationship with Empress He and is about to be promoted by her," Jia Xu began thoughtfully, "then the General can place all the blame squarely on her shoulders. All you need to do is inform Grand Tutor Yuan Wei that you are merely following orders from the Imperial Family and the Emperor himself. Emphasize that Empress He is deeply dissatisfied with the actions of their family members—ransacking the palace, killing eunuchs indiscriminately, causing chaos, and, worst of all, leading to her brother's death. These same actions resulted in her and the Emperor being taken hostage by mere eunuchs."

Jia Xu paused, letting his words sink in before continuing, "Then, claim that it was on her direct orders that you captured Yuan Shao and threw him into prison. The Yuan family's anger will immediately shift toward Empress He, leaving you out of their crosshairs."

"But what if they go to her directly and ask whether it was her command, or if it was all my doing?" Dong Zhuo asked, his voice edged with doubt.

Jia Xu smirked slyly, his cunning eyes gleaming in the dim light. "They won't. How could they risk raising such a controversial issue in public? If they do, they'll only expose their own wrongdoings—the looting, the arbitrary killings. Why would they admit to such things just to question Empress He's motives? Doing so would confirm their guilt and give Empress He every reason to hate them even more."

He leaned forward, his tone dripping with confidence. "Empress He already has plenty of reasons to loathe the gentry. They killed her favored eunuchs, schemed against her, and ultimately caused He Jin's death. Not only did she lose her brother, but she also lost her influence and imperial power, only to be humiliated by being kidnapped by mere eunuchs. On the other hand, the gentry fear her and the Emperor retaliating for these very incidents. They'll never risk escalating this publicly."

Jia Xu straightened, his voice steady and deliberate. "In short, General, you have nothing to worry about. Stoke their mutual hatred and hostility—let them fight amongst themselves. While they're busy tearing each other apart, you can reap the benefits from the chaos."

Dong Zhuo clapped his hands, laughing heartily. "Excellent suggestion and analysis, advisor. You never disappoint."

His smirk grew wider, and he threw a knowing wink at Li Ru.

Li Ru immediately understood the unspoken command.

Without a word, he stepped forward and handed a treasure chest to Jia Xu.

"For now, take this, Jia Xu," Dong Zhuo said generously. "Spend it as you like. Tomorrow, I'll promote you and petition the Emperor to grant you an even higher position. Your talents deserve recognition."

Jia Xu bowed deeply, his expression humble. "Thank you, General. I am deeply grateful for your generosity."

With that, Dong Zhuo turned on his heel and gestured to Li Ru. "Let's go. It's time we paid Yuan Wei a visit."

"Yes, father-in-law," Li Ru replied, saluting as he moved to lead the way.

Soon after arriving at the Yuan Family Residence, Dong Zhuo smirked, his face brimming with confidence as he prepared himself to meet his so-called teacher in this world.

This man, the one who had plucked him from his humble beginnings, had elevated him to the position of General on the Western Border and Governor of Xiliang.

A grand title for someone like him—but, of course, nothing in this world came for free.

There was always a price. Always.

Take the Yellow Turban Rebellion, for instance. When chaos swept through the Han Dynasty, the Yuan Family ordered him to feign defeat time and time again at the hands of the Yellow Turbans.

This left him dangerously close to being thrown into prison by the late Emperor Liu Hong for his abysmal performance on the battlefield.

Each failure chipped away at his reputation, leaving him teetering on the brink of disgrace.

And what was his reward for following their orders so faithfully?

He was nearly thrown into prison by the late Emperor Liu Hong himself, accused of incompetence and stripped of his military command.

It was a miracle he hadn't been executed outright.

But Dong Zhuo wasn't saved by the Yuan Family in his time of need. Oh, no. They abandoned him, casting him aside like garbage when they thought he was useless—just another pawn they'd already wrung dry.

He barely avoided execution, not because of the Yuan Family's intervention, but because of his own cunning. He bribed the eunuchs with every scrap of wealth he had left to secure his release.

The betrayal cut deep. While he was risking his life and his reputation for them, they were already preparing to write him off as a lost cause.

The Yuan Family didn't lift a finger to help him as he clawed his way back from disgrace. When he finally managed to regain his position, it wasn't thanks to them. It was his flattery, his wealth, and his sheer grit that pulled him through.

They left him to rot, and now, here he was—standing before the very residence of the people who had betrayed him.

He had served them faithfully, executing their every order without question. And this was his reward? To be used and discarded like a tool?

No more.

Now, Dong Zhuo belonged to no one but himself.

His eyes gleamed with a dark, cold ambition as he strode into the Yuan Family Residence.

Hatred burned in his chest, hot and unrelenting, fueling his resolve.

He would burn them all to ash for their betrayal, every last one of them.

But for now, he would play his role—a dutiful student paying his respects to his esteemed teacher.

Let them think he was still their loyal dog.

It would make their downfall all the sweeter.

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