Raid on the Camp

Dong Zhuo agreed to Li Ru's idea of sending Xu Rong back to Xiliang almost without a second thought.

For one thing, his trust in Li Ru was absolute. For another, Li Ru had already explained his subsequent plans to him in full. Luoyang might be magnificent—the greatest city under heaven—but it was not Dong Zhuo's territory.

Compared to prosperous Luoyang, his old home of Xiliang was poor and wretched. But Dong Zhuo, who had not yet become completely addled, could still distinguish which one mattered more.

With Xu Rong returning to their old home, he could finally rest easy.

Xu Rong might not have much of a reputation, but he had truly risen from the ranks of ordinary soldiers to become a Commandant. His position did not rest on overwhelming personal martial strength, but on his ability to lead troops in battle. Now commanding an army of his own, with nearly fifty thousand men under him, he could still direct them as effortlessly as moving his own arms. With Xu Rong holding down the rear, Dong Zhuo could finally indulge in eating, drinking, and pleasure without a care!

Li Ru did not yet know that he and Dong Zhuo had reached the same conclusion, but their objectives had clearly diverged.

"Then we'll do as Wen You suggests!" Dong Zhuo rose from his high couch, twisted his massive body, and waved a hand. With tremendous authority, he roared, "All soldiers and generals, set out with me!"

"Yes!" the assembled soldiers and generals answered in unison.

Though wine, women, wealth, and power had clouded his judgment, his imposing spirit had not diminished from its former days. With the strongest cavalry under heaven and the greatest warrior in the world at his side, what did he, Dong Zhuo, have to fear?

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