Chapter 23: The promotion of national destiny [Seeking votes and follow-up reading]

Morning is approaching.

Inside the carriage, Diao Chan held the tiger cub in her arms.

Before Cao Cao got off the car, he left the young tiger with her.

Diao Chan lowered the curtain of the carriage, and in the turbulent Luoyang, her heart, which had been hanging since last night, suddenly calmed down.

The young tiger used its fat claws to try to escape from Diao Chan's arms.

It felt something was not right and wanted to go find Cao Cao.

Diao Chan reached out to touch its head, but the tiger cub shook its head to avoid her and opened its mouth to bite her finger.

"You are quite alert." Diao Chan said with a smile.

Outside the east gate of the palace.

Cao Cao thought to himself: After all, there are differences between this world and history.

According to historical records, when Dong Zhuo first entered Luoyang, he actually had few soldiers and horses. It was only after entering Luoyang that he cleverly took advantage of the situation and annexed various parties, and then he grew rapidly.

But after the incident in Luoyang last night, Dong Zhuo mobilized far more troops than expected.

I wonder if Xun Yu has figured out the details... Cao Cao's troops stopped in front of the palace gate.

A bloodstained face poked out from the top of the city wall and asked, "Who are these people coming?"

An officer nearby reminded: "It's the Xiyuan Army, led by the newly appointed Shangjun Captain Cao Cao, our people, open the door."

The general said, "Wait, haven't you suffered enough from last night's chaos? Go and inform Minister Lu immediately."

Cao Cao waited outside the palace for a while, and then someone on the top of the city wall looked down again. It was Lu Zhi.

After confirming that it was Cao Cao, Lu Zhi ordered the door to be opened.

The east gate slowly opened.

Lu Zhi came down from the city to greet him personally, with a sword in his hand: "Meng De."

What Meng De shouted was true.

The two men's friendship lasted only three or two days after Cao Cao killed Zhang Rang and rescued the emperor.

But great changes reveal people’s true character.

When Dong Zhuo attacked the city this time, all the civil and military officials in the court were panic-stricken.

However, Cao Cao responded calmly and made arrangements.

When Lu Zhi heard the guards say that Cao Cao went to seize the city gate first, he thought of the key point. The city gate was the lifeline of Luoyang at that moment.

Moreover, Cao Cao is now coming in person from the city gate, so Lu Zhi values ​​him even more.

"How about the city gate?"

"What's the situation in the palace?"

The two asked the question almost at the same time.

Lu Zhixian replied: "The response was quite timely.

Dong Zhuo's men entered the city and tried to force the palace. We withdrew our troops and defended the southeastern and inner palaces. The outer palaces were not lost. But Dong Zhuo's men occupied the area north of the palace defense, and the western line was broken two quarters of an hour ago. Meng De came at the right time. "

Lu Zhi glanced at the Xiyuan Army behind Cao Cao.

He entered the palace last night and took over the defense, giving priority to protecting the southeast line of the palace. This was a move that showed his familiarity with military tactics.

By protecting the southeast line, they could cooperate with Cao Cao and Ding Yuan who occupied the southeast city gate, making it more difficult for Dong Zhuo to blockade the palace.

If it were someone who did not understand the art of war, he would have withdrawn his forces in a panic and defended the inner palace, or even defended in the wrong direction and would have been unable to coordinate with Cao Cao, Dong Zhuo would have completely taken control of the palace.

Tonight in Luoyang, it is obviously not enough for Cao Cao to rely on himself.

Only through internal and external cooperation can we find a delicate balance and restrain each other.

This turmoil will bring about a new round of power reshuffle.

Cao Cao and Lu Zhi entered the palace together.

Some of Xiyuan's elite troops will help defend the palace.

There were also more than a thousand soldiers and horses who followed directly to the inner palace to protect the emperor.

On the way, Cao Cao informed Ding Yuan that he had joined forces with him and was guarding the city gates strictly.

Lu Zhi sighed, "The southeast gate is adjacent to the Luo River. If Dong Zhuo wants to completely block it, he won't be able to do it in the short term, even if he has a large army defending the upstream and downstream."

"He has more soldiers than expected, but not that many. He created chaos in the city just to make people think he has a large number of soldiers," said Cao Cao.

"The tactics of confusing the enemy."

Lu Zhi thought for a moment and continued, "If it weren't for Meng De today, Luoyang would be in danger."

Cao Cao: "If there is no Shangshu in the palace, it would be difficult to resist until now. With Shangshu, I dare to act outside the palace without worrying about the loss of the palace."

The two of them exchanged some commercial praises from the late Han Dynasty. As they talked, they entered from the east gate, headed west, and arrived at the Chongde Hall in the center of the North Palace.

There wasn't much impact here, and it managed to remain calm.

Dong Zhuo's goal was to seize power, not to kill the emperor and rebel.

Therefore, he restrained his troops and did not attack the inner palace after breaking the palace ban.

Cao Cao returned to the city because he saw through Dong Zhuo's intentions.

Lu Zhi led Cao Cao all the way into the Chongde Hall.

He Lingsi, the newly enthroned Liu Bian, Chenliu King Liu Xie, and even several concubines of the previous emperor, all the people in the inner palace gathered together for protection.

Including some ministers.

Panic.

He Lingsi sat in the hall with a pale face.

Previously, the eunuchs wanted to hold her and her son hostage, and staged a coup. The ugly and vicious Dong Zhuo now led his troops to attack the city.

Everything is reversed.

Empress Dowager He's fear had accumulated to the extreme due to the series of misfortunes.

When Lu Zhi and Cao Cao entered the palace, Empress Dowager He asked:
"Minister Lu, what's the situation?"

The Chongde Hall is vast in area. Its walls are made of shells ground into powder and mixed together, making it look like warm jade with a lustrous and smooth texture.

In the center of the hall was He Lingsi, with ministers on both sides.

The young Liu Bian sat with his mother, Empress Dowager He.

The next one in line was Chenliu King Liu Xie, who was only seven or eight years old.

In addition, all the ministers, including Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, Grand Coachman Yuan Ji, Yuan Shao, Gai Xun, and Grand Marshal Cui Lie, who was wearing general armor and had a frightened and angry face, were all there.

After Cao Cao entered the palace, he felt someone was staring at him. It was Concubine Yu.

She stood among several concubines left behind by the previous emperor, wearing a dark palace dress with a cross-collar and overlapping collar. It was a very normal style, but on her it exuded an alluring charm.

She gave Cao Cao a very subtle look without leaving any trace.

What does that mean... Cao Cao pondered.

On the other side, Yuan Shao also gave him a look.

"Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, please rest assured. Meng De is loyal, brave and resourceful, and he is leading troops to help. Moreover, when something unexpected happened last night, Meng De first seized the key point of the east gate. As long as the city gate is not lost, Dong Zhuo's rebellion will never succeed." Lu Zhi comforted the empress dowager and the emperor.

He was an upright person and did not seek credit for his achievements. He clearly stated Cao Cao's contributions.

Empress Dowager He's face turned a little redder, and she calmed down a little: "General Cao has made great contributions, and he will be rewarded generously later. But what should we do now? Where is it safe to go?"

"Don't panic, Queen Mother. Cao Shangjun and the Chief of the Imperial Guards Ding Yuan control the city gates. Even if Dong Zhuo wants to do something reckless, he will have to be cautious." Lu Zhi said.

At this time, Cao Cao discovered that his plug-in had undergone amazing changes.

[You have won the gratitude of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and the civil and military officials in the court are also moved and regard you as a good general and loyal minister who protects the country. Your reputation is rising...4517...4689...4799...4901...]

It was the first time that Cao Cao saw his reputation increase at such an astonishing speed.

Although the Han Dynasty encountered changes, the country was not destroyed after all, and the country was not lost. This was a change brought about by the fact that he received a little bit of national fortune and was regarded as a loyal and right-hand man by the emperor.

[Your reputation has exceeded 5000, 5179/10000. Talented Military Strategy: Listening to the battlefield has been improved...]

Cao Cao didn't have time to carefully observe the continuous changes in the plug-in, and a maid walked in quickly, "Queen Mother, Dong Zhuo wants to see you."

Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian were both shocked. How dare that evil man enter the palace!

"How many people did he bring?"

"Minister Lu, General Cao, Dong Zhuo is coming, can we stop him?" Liu Bian stood up from his seat.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Dong Zhuo is here to ask for forgiveness!"

Cao Cao stepped forward and said, "Just ask him to come in. Even if he is a little tough, it is just bluffing. He is here to ask for benefits, he will not do anything reckless."

Lu Zhi also agreed with Cao Cao's judgment: "The Queen Mother can let Dong Zhuo in."

Outside the palace gate, Dong Zhuo was wearing heavy armor. His tall figure was like a mountain of flesh, and his aura was terrifying.

Following him were Li Jue and another man named Dong Min, who was Dong Zhuo's younger brother.

A little further away, the powerful soldiers he brought with him stood in a row, confronting each other with the Xiyuan Army that accompanied Cao Cao when he entered the palace, and the situation was tense.

After a while, the palace servant came to call Dong Zhuo in.

Dong Zhuo, accompanied by Li Jue, Dong Min, and a team of personal soldiers, marched into the palace.

Clang clang!
Dong Zhuo was still quite far away, but the sound of his armor clashing could be heard from inside the hall.

(End of this chapter)