Chapter Three: At Wenming Garden, Dong Zhuo Rebukes Ding Yuan; With Gifts of Gold and Pearls, Li Su Persuades Lü Bu

　　Dong Zhuo, answering the imperial summons, entered the capital and set off a palace coup. He Jin was slain, and the Ten Regular Attendants seized the Young Emperor. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao unleashed a bloody purge of the palace, while the Young Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu fled into the wilderness—thus the curtain rose on the age of chaos that was the Three Kingdoms.

　　Now, on that day, Cao Cao had said to He Jin: "The scourge of eunuchs has existed in every age, ancient and modern. But it is only when sovereigns wrongly entrust them with power and favor that matters come to such a pass. If you wish to punish them, it is enough to remove the chief culprits—a single jailer could handle it. Why summon troops from all quarters in such a commotion? If you try to exterminate them all, the plan will surely leak out. I foresee that this will fail." He Jin replied angrily, "Mengde, are you also harboring selfish motives?" After withdrawing, Cao Cao said to himself, "The one who will throw the realm into chaos is none other than He Jin." He Jin then secretly dispatched envoys bearing secret edicts, who set out by night for the various provinces.

　　Now, Dong Zhuo—the Former General, Marquis of Ao Township, and Inspector of Liangzhou—had previously achieved no merit in suppressing the Yellow Turbans, and the court had debated punishing him; but he escaped by bribing the Ten Regular Attendants. Later, he cultivated connections with powerful ministers at court and was thus appointed to a high office, commanding two hundred thousand troops in the western provinces. He had long harbored treasonous ambitions. When he received the edict, he was overjoyed. He mustered his forces and set out in succession, leaving his son‑in‑law, Commandant Niu Fu, to guard Shaanxi, while he himself led Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Fan Chou, and others with their troops, marching toward Luoyang.

　　Dong Zhuo's son‑in‑law and advisor, Li Ru, said, "Although we now have the imperial summons, there are many obscure aspects to this matter. Why not send someone to present a memorial to the throne, so that our actions may be justified and our great plan carried out?" Dong Zhuo was greatly pleased and immediately submitted a memorial. The gist of it was:

　　"I have heard that the reason the realm is in endless turmoil and rebellion is all because the Yellow Gate eunuchs and Regular Attendants—Zhang Rang and the like—have flouted the natural order. I have heard that to stop boiling water by stirring it is not as effective as removing the fuel from beneath; and though lancing a festering sore is painful, it is better than nurturing the poison. I dare to sound the drums and bells and march into Luoyang, begging permission to eliminate Zhang Rang and his ilk. Thus the altars of state shall be preserved—and the realm shall be blessed!"

　　When He Jin received this memorial, he showed it to his ministers. The Imperial Censor Zheng Tai remonstrated, saying, "Dong Zhuo is a wolf by nature. If you bring him into the capital, he will surely devour men." He Jin replied, "You are overly suspicious—you are not fit to plan great affairs." Lu Zhi also remonstrated, saying, "I have long known Dong Zhuo's character: he has a gentle face but a cruel heart. Once he enters the palace, calamity will surely follow. It would be better to stop him from coming, to avoid chaos." He Jin would not listen. Zheng Tai and Lu Zhi both resigned their posts and left. More than half of the court officials departed. He Jin then sent men to welcome Dong Zhuo at Mianchi, but Dong Zhuo held his troops in place and did not advance.

　　Zhang Rang and the others, learning that troops from outside the capital had arrived, discussed among themselves: "This is He Jin's scheme. If we do not strike first, our entire clans will be wiped out." They then concealed fifty axe-wielding guards inside the Jiade Gate of Changle Palace, and went in to report to Empress Dowager He, saying, "The General‑in‑Chief has now forged an imperial edict to summon troops from the provinces to the capital, intending to destroy us. We beg Your Majesty to have pity and save us." The Empress Dowager said, "You may go to the General's residence and apologize for your offenses." Zhang Rang replied, "If we go to his mansion, our bones will be ground to powder. We beg Your Majesty to summon the General‑in‑Chief to the palace and order him to stop. If he will not comply, we shall only ask to die here in Your Majesty's presence." The Empress Dowager then issued an edict summoning He Jin.

　　He Jin, upon receiving the edict, prepared to go. The Chief Secretary Chen Lin remonstrated, saying, "This edict from the Empress Dowager is surely a scheme of the Ten Regular Attendants. You must not go—if you do, disaster will surely follow." He Jin said, "The Empress Dowager summons me—what disaster could there be?" Yuan Shao said, "Now that the plot has been leaked and the matter is already exposed, do you still wish to enter the palace?" Cao Cao said, "First summon the Ten Regular Attendants out, and only then may you enter." He Jin laughed and said, "This is a child's view. I hold the power of the realm—what dare the Ten Regular Attendants do to me?" Yuan Shao said, "If you are determined to go, we will lead armored guards to escort you, as a precaution against any mishap." So Yuan Shao and Cao Cao each selected five hundred elite troops and placed them under the command of Yuan Shao's younger brother, Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu, fully armored, arrayed his troops outside the Green‑Lacquer Gate. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, bearing swords, escorted He Jin to the front of Changle Palace. The Yellow Gate eunuch conveyed the imperial order, saying, "The Empress Dowager has summoned the General‑in‑Chief alone—no others are permitted to enter." So Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and the rest were all stopped outside the palace gates.

　　He Jin strode boldly in. When he reached the gate of Jiade Hall, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui came out to meet him, and the guards closed in on all sides. He Jin was greatly alarmed. Zhang Rang, in a stern voice, rebuked him, saying: "What crime did Empress Dowager Dong commit, that you recklessly poisoned her to death? When the Empress Dowager died, you feigned illness and did not attend her funeral! You are nothing but a butcher's brat, and it was we who recommended you to the Son of Heaven, giving you honor and wealth. Yet instead of showing gratitude, you plotted to destroy us. You call us corrupt—but who then is pure?" He Jin, in panic and haste, tried to find a way out, but the palace gates were all shut. The concealed guards sprang out and hewed He Jin to pieces. Later generations had a poem lamenting him:

　　The Han house toppled—fate's course was run;

　　He Jin, no strategist, held power as one of Three.

　　Time and again he spurned the loyal men's pleas,

　　And thus fell to the sword within the palace walls.

　　After Zhang Rang and the others had killed He Jin, Yuan Shao, seeing that He Jin did not emerge for a long time, shouted loudly outside the palace gates: "Let the General board his carriage!" Zhang Rang and his associates then threw He Jin's head over the wall and issued an announcement: "He Jin plotted treason and has been executed! All those who were coerced into following him are hereby pardoned." Yuan Shao shouted back in a stern voice: "Eunuchs have murdered a high minister! Let all who would punish these traitors come forward and join the fight!" Wu Kuang, a commander under He Jin, then set fire outside the Green‑Lacquer Gate. Yuan Shu led his troops storming into the palace, and wherever they saw eunuchs—regardless of rank—they slew them all. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao broke through the gates and entered. Zhao Zhong, Cheng Kuang, Xia Yun, and Guo Sheng were chased to the front of Cuihua Tower, where they were hacked to mincemeat. Flames shot up into the sky throughout the palace.

　　Zhang Rang, Duan Gui, Cao Jie, and Hou Lan seized the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince, and the Prince of Chenliu and took them to the Inner Secretariat, then fled through the rear passage to the North Palace. At that time, Lu Zhi, though he had resigned his post, had not yet left the capital. Seeing the upheaval in the palace, he donned his armor and took up his spear, standing beneath the pavilions. From afar, he saw Duan Gui driving Empress Dowager He along, and Lu Zhi shouted loudly, "Traitor Duan Gui! How dare you seize the Empress Dowager!" Duan Gui turned and fled. The Empress Dowager leaped out through a window, and Lu Zhi hurriedly rescued her, saving her life.

　　Wu Kuang burst into the inner court and saw He Miao coming out, also carrying a sword. Wu Kuang shouted, "He Miao conspired with the others to kill his own brother—let us all slay him together!" The crowd all cried out, "We will cut down this traitor who murdered his brother!" He Miao tried to flee, but was surrounded on all sides and cut to pieces. Yuan Shao then ordered his soldiers to spread out and kill the families of the Ten Regular Attendants. They slaughtered them all, regardless of age or rank, and many who had no beards were mistakenly killed in the frenzy. Cao Cao, meanwhile, worked to extinguish the flames in the palace. He asked Empress Dowager He to temporarily oversee the affairs of state, and sent troops in pursuit of Zhang Rang and the others, while also searching for the Young Emperor.

　　Now, Min Gong caught up with Duan Gui, seized him, and demanded, "Where is the Son of Heaven?" Duan Gui replied, "We lost him on the road—I do not know where he has gone." Min Gong then slew Duan Gui, hung his head from his horse's neck, and dispatched his troops in all directions to search. He himself rode alone, following the road in pursuit. By chance, he arrived at Cui Yi's farmstead. Cui Yi, seeing the severed head, asked what had happened, and Min Gong told him the full story. Cui Yi then led Min Gong to see the Emperor, and sovereign and subject wept together in grief. Min Gong said, "The realm cannot be without a ruler, even for a single day. I beg Your Majesty to return to the capital." In Cui Yi's farmstead there was only one thin horse, which was prepared for the Emperor to ride. Min Gong and the Prince of Chenliu shared a single horse. They had gone less than three li from the farmstead when they encountered a retinue of several hundred men on horseback, led by Minister over the Masses Wang Yun, Grand Commandant Yang Biao, Colonel of the Left Army Chunyu Qiong, Colonel of the Right Army Zhao Meng, Colonel of the Rear Army Bao Xin, and Colonel of the Central Army Yuan Shao. They received the imperial carriage, and sovereign and subjects all wept together. They first sent men to display Duan Gui's head in the capital as a public warning, then exchanged the Emperor's mount for a good horse, and gave the Prince of Chenliu another fine horse to ride. Surrounded by their escort, they returned to the capital.

　　Now, earlier, a children's rhyme had circulated in Luoyang: "He is not Emperor, he is not King—a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen ride to Mount Beimang." And now indeed this prophecy came true.

　　The imperial carriage had traveled less than a few li when suddenly they saw banners blotting out the sun, and dust filling the sky—a great force was approaching. The officials all lost their color, and the Emperor himself was greatly alarmed. Yuan Shao spurred his horse forward and called out, "Who goes there?" From among the embroidered banners, a general charged out and shouted in a stern voice, "Where is the Son of Heaven?" The Emperor trembled and could not speak. The Prince of Chenliu reined his horse forward and rebuked him, saying, "Who are you?" Dong Zhuo replied, "I am Dong Zhuo, Inspector of Liangzhou." The Prince of Chenliu said, "Have you come to protect the Emperor, or have you come to seize him?" Dong Zhuo answered, "I have come specifically to protect him." The Prince of Chenliu said, "If you have come to protect the Emperor, the Emperor is here—why do you not dismount?" Dong Zhuo, greatly startled, quickly dismounted and knelt by the side of the road. The Prince of Chenliu then spoke words of comfort to Dong Zhuo, from beginning to end without a single misstep. Dong Zhuo secretly marveled at him, and already harbored thoughts of deposing the Emperor and establishing a new one.

　　That day they returned to the palace and met with Empress Dowager He, and all wept together. When they inventoried the palace, they found that the Imperial Seal of State was missing.

　　Dong Zhuo camped his troops outside the city. Every day he led his armored cavalry into the city, swaggering through the streets, and the people were filled with fear and unrest. Dong Zhuo came and went in and out of the palace without the slightest restraint. Colonel of the Rear Army Bao Xin came to see Yuan Shao and said, "Dong Zhuo surely harbors treasonous designs—he must be eliminated at once." Yuan Shao replied, "The court has just been settled—we cannot act rashly." Bao Xin then went to see Wang Yun and spoke of the same matter. Wang Yun said, "Let us consider this further." Bao Xin then led his own troops and departed for Mount Tai.

　　Dong Zhuo recruited and won over the troops of He Jin's brothers, and they all came under his control. Privately, he said to Li Ru, "I wish to depose the Emperor and establish the Prince of Chenliu—what do you think?" Li Ru replied, "Now that the court has no sovereign, if we do not act at this moment, delay will bring complications. Tomorrow, at Wenming Garden, summon all the officials and announce the plan of deposing and establishing. Whoever refuses shall be executed. Then your authority and power will be established—and today is the day for it." Dong Zhuo was pleased.

　　The next day, he prepared a great banquet and invited all the high ministers. The ministers were all afraid of Dong Zhuo—who would dare not to come? After they had all arrived, Dong Zhuo then slowly entered the garden gate, dismounted, and came to the table wearing his sword. After several rounds of wine, Dong Zhuo ordered the wine to stop and the music to cease, then said in a stern voice, "I have something to say; all of you listen carefully." Everyone pricked up their ears. Dong Zhuo said, "The Son of Heaven is the lord of all the people; without dignity and authority, he cannot serve the ancestral temples or the altars of state. The present Emperor is weak and incompetent—he is not as good as the Prince of Chenliu, who is intelligent and fond of learning, and worthy of the great throne. I wish to depose the Emperor and establish the Prince of Chenliu. What do you, the ministers, think?" After hearing this, none of the officials dared to speak.

　　One man at the table pushed his table aside, strode out, and stood before the banquet, crying out loudly, "No! No! Who are you, to speak such presumptuous words? The Son of Heaven is the legitimate eldest son of the late Emperor—he has committed no fault. How dare you recklessly discuss deposing and establishing? Are you plotting treason?" Dong Zhuo looked and saw that it was Ding Yuan, the Inspector of Jing Province. Dong Zhuo angrily rebuked him, saying, "Those who obey me shall live; those who defy me shall die!" He then drew his sword and was about to slay Ding Yuan. At that moment, Li Ru noticed behind Ding Yuan a man of commanding presence and awe-inspiring bearing, holding a Square‑Heaven Halberd, staring fiercely with angry eyes. Li Ru quickly stepped forward and said, "This is a banquet—we should not discuss state affairs here. It will not be too late to have a public debate at court tomorrow." Everyone urged Ding Yuan to mount his horse and leave.

　　Dong Zhuo then asked the officials, "Is what I have said just and reasonable?" Lu Zhi replied, "My lord, you are mistaken. In ancient times, when Tai Jia was unenlightened, Yi Zhong banished him to Tong Palace. When King Changyi had been on the throne for only twenty‑seven days and had committed over three thousand misdeeds, Huo Guang reported to the ancestral temple and deposed him. The present Emperor, though young, is intelligent, benevolent, and wise—he has committed not the slightest fault. You, my lord, are merely an inspector of an outer commandery; you have never participated in state affairs, nor do you possess the great talent of Yi or Huo. How can you forcibly decide the matter of deposing or establishing? The sage said: 'If one has the will of Yi Zhong, it is permissible; without it, it is usurpation.'" Dong Zhuo flew into a rage, drew his sword, and advanced to kill Lu Zhi. The Attendant Cai Yong and the Gentleman Consultant Peng Bo remonstrated, saying, "Minister Lu is a man of great expectation in the realm. If you harm him now, I fear the whole empire will be thrown into terror." Dong Zhuo then desisted. Minister over the Masses Wang Yun said, "Matters of deposing and establishing cannot be decided over wine. Let us discuss it another day." Thereupon, all the officials dispersed.

　　Dong Zhuo stood at the garden gate, his hand on his sword, when he suddenly saw a man on horseback, brandishing a halberd, galloping back and forth outside the gate. Dong Zhuo asked Li Ru, "Who is that man?" Li Ru replied, "He is Ding Yuan's adopted son—surnamed Lü, given name Bu, and courtesy name Fengxian. My lord should avoid him for now." Dong Zhuo then retreated into the garden and hid.

　　The next day, word came that Ding Yuan had led his troops outside the city and was offering battle. Dong Zhuo, enraged, led his forces out with Li Ru to meet him. The two armies drew up in battle array. There they saw Lü Bu, wearing a golden hair‑pin crown, a robe embroidered with a hundred flowers, clad in Tang‑Ni armor, and girded with a lion‑and‑leopard jeweled belt. He spurred his horse and leveled his halberd, riding out with Ding Yuan to the front of the formation. Ding Yuan pointed at Dong Zhuo and cursed him, saying, "The state has been unfortunate—eunuchs have usurped power and brought the people to misery. You have not the slightest merit, yet you dare to recklessly speak of deposing and establishing, and throw the court into chaos!" Before Dong Zhuo could reply, Lü Bu galloped straight toward him. Dong Zhuo fled in panic, and Ding Yuan's forces fell upon them in pursuit. Dong Zhuo's army suffered a great defeat and retreated more than thirty li to make camp, where he assembled his officers to discuss the matter. Dong Zhuo said, "I see that Lü Bu is no ordinary man. If I could win him over, what would I have to fear in the realm?" One man stepped forward from before the tent and said, "My lord, do not worry. I am from the same county as Lü Bu, and I know that he is brave but lacks strategy, and is easily swayed by profit. With my glib tongue, I can persuade him to surrender to you with folded hands—what do you think?" Dong Zhuo was overjoyed. He looked and saw that it was Li Su, the Commandant of the Imperial Guard. Dong Zhuo said, "How will you persuade him?" Li Su replied, "I have heard that my lord possesses a famous steed called the Red Hare, which can travel a thousand li in a day. I will need this horse, along with gold and pearls, to win his heart with profit. Then I will press my argument, and Lü Bu will certainly turn against Ding Yuan and come over to your side." Dong Zhuo asked Li Ru, "What do you think of this plan?" Li Ru said, "My lord, if you wish to conquer the realm, why begrudge a single horse?" Dong Zhuo gladly gave him the horse, along with a thousand taels of gold, scores of bright pearls, and a jade belt.

　　Li Su, bearing the gifts, made his way to Lü Bu's camp. The sentries surrounded him. Li Su said, "Report quickly to General Lü that an old friend has come to see him." The report was conveyed, and Lü Bu ordered him in. When Li Su entered, he said, "My worthy younger brother, it has been long since we last met—I trust you are well!" Lü Bu bowed and said, "We have not seen each other for a long time. Where are you now?" Li Su replied, "I currently hold the post of Commandant of the Imperial Guard. I heard that you are supporting the state, and I am overjoyed. I have a fine horse that can travel a thousand li in a day, crossing rivers and climbing mountains as if on level ground. It is called the Red Hare, and I present it to you to enhance your tiger‑like might." Lü Bu ordered the horse brought forward to look at it. Indeed, the horse was fiery red all over, without a single hair of another color. From head to tail it measured ten feet; from hoof to neck it stood eight feet. Its neighing and snorting had the aspect of one who could soar through the sky or dive into the sea. Later generations had a poem praising the Red Hare:

　　Galloping a thousand li, it clears the dust,

　　Through rivers and mountains, in purple mist it trusts.

　　With silken reins and jade‑studded bit,

　　A fiery dragon from the ninth heaven descends.

　　When Lü Bu saw this horse, he was overjoyed and thanked Li Su, saying, "Brother, you have given me this noble steed—how can I repay you?" Li Su said, "I came for the sake of friendship, not for reward." Lü Bu set out wine to entertain him. When the wine had warmed him, Li Su said, "I have not seen you often of late, but I have met your father often." Lü Bu said, "Brother, you must be drunk! My father passed away many years ago—how could you have met him?" Li Su laughed heartily and said, "No, I meant the present Governor Ding." Lü Bu looked uneasy and said, "I am under Ding Yuan's command only out of necessity." Li Su said, "You, my worthy brother, have talents that could prop up the heavens and cross the seas—who in the realm does not respect you? Fame and fortune are as easy to obtain as taking something from a bag. Why speak of necessity, as if you should remain under another?" Lü Bu said, "I only regret that I have not yet found a worthy lord to serve." Li Su smiled and said, "A fine bird chooses the tree on which to perch; a worthy minister chooses the lord he will serve. If you do not seize the opportunity early, you will regret it later." Lü Bu asked, "Brother, in the court, whom do you consider the true hero of the age?" Li Su said, "I have observed all the ministers, and none can compare with Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo honors the worthy and respects the learned; he rewards and punishes with fairness, and in the end he will accomplish great things." Lü Bu said, "I would like to follow him, but I have no way to approach him." Li Su then laid out the gold, pearls, and jade belt before Lü Bu. Lü Bu, startled, asked, "Why do you have these?" Li Su ordered the attendants to withdraw and said in a low voice, "These are gifts from Lord Dong, who has long admired your great reputation and sent me to present them. The Red Hare is also his gift." Lü Bu said, "Lord Dong thinks so highly of me—how can I repay him?" Li Su said, "Even a man of little worth like myself holds the post of Commandant of the Imperial Guard. If you, sir, go to him, your honor will be beyond measure." Lü Bu said, "I regret that I have not done even the smallest service to offer as a token of my homage." Li Su said, "A service is within the turn of a hand—it is only that you are unwilling to do it." Lü Bu pondered for a long while, then said, "I would like to kill Ding Yuan and lead his troops over to Dong Zhuo—what do you think?" Li Su said, "If you, worthy brother, can do that, it would be a truly great service! But this must not be delayed—you must decide quickly." Lü Bu and Li Su agreed that he would surrender on the morrow, and Li Su departed.

　　That night, at the second watch, Lü Bu took his sword and went straight into Ding Yuan's tent. Ding Yuan was reading by candlelight. Seeing Lü Bu arrive, he said, "My son, what brings you here?" Lü Bu said, "I am a man of true stature—how could I ever be your son?" Ding Yuan said, "Fengxian, why have you changed your heart?" Lü Bu stepped forward and, with one stroke of his sword, cut off Ding Yuan's head. He then called out to the attendants, "Ding Yuan was unrighteous, and I have killed him. Those who will follow me, stay; those who will not, leave!" More than half of the soldiers dispersed.

　　The next day, Lü Bu took Ding Yuan's head and went to see Li Su. Li Su then led him to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed and set out wine to entertain him. Dong Zhuo first bowed and said, "Now that I have gained you, General, it is like a parched seedling receiving sweet rain." Lü Bu then made Dong Zhuo sit and bowed to him, saying, "If you do not reject me, I beg to be your adopted son." Dong Zhuo gave Lü Bu a suit of golden armor and a brocaded robe, and they drank happily before parting. From this time, Dong Zhuo's power and influence grew even greater. He took the title of Former General himself, enfeoffed his younger brother Dong Min as Left General and Marquis of Hu, and appointed Lü Bu as Cavalry Commandant, Commandant of the Imperial Guard, and Marquis of Duting.

　　Li Ru urged Dong Zhuo to decide the matter of deposing and establishing without delay. Dong Zhuo then held a banquet in the Secretariat, summoning all the high ministers, and ordered Lü Bu to have more than a thousand armored soldiers guard the surroundings. On that day, Grand Tutor Yuan Wei and all the officials arrived. After several rounds of wine, Dong Zhuo pressed his hand on his sword and said, "The present Emperor is weak and foolish—he is not fit to serve the ancestral temples. I shall follow the precedents of Yi Yin and Huo Guang, depose the Emperor and make him Prince of Hongnong, and establish the Prince of Chenliu as Emperor. Whoever refuses shall be put to death!" The ministers were all terrified and dared not reply. Colonel of the Central Army Yuan Shao stepped forward and said, "The present Emperor has been on the throne only a short time and has committed no fault. You wish to depose the eldest son and establish a younger one—is that not rebellion?" Dong Zhuo raged, saying, "All under heaven is in my hands! I will do as I please—who dares to disobey? Do you think my sword is not sharp?" Yuan Shao also drew his sword and said, "Your sword may be sharp, but mine is not dull either!" The two confronted each other at the banquet. And so it is said:

　　Ding Yuan, upholding righteousness, was the first to fall;

　　Yuan Shao, crossing swords, now faces peril as well.

　　If you wish to know what became of Yuan Shao, you must read on in the next chapter.