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After Dong Zhuo's execution, the people in the hall had not yet dispersed. Lü Bu raised his Decorated Halberd high and thundered, "Though Dong Zhuo is dead, his accomplice Li Ru is a trusted aide, guilty of numerous crimes! Who is willing to go and capture him?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Su stepped forward and clasped his hands in salute, saying, "Li Ru's crimes, I, Li Su, am willing to apprehend him!"
At that moment, shouts suddenly came from outside the court, followed by soldiers entering to report, "Reporting to the Minister, Li Ru's servants have seen that Dong Zhuo is dead and have bound Li Ru, bringing him outside to present as a prisoner!"
Wang Yun heard this and let out a cold laugh. He stood up and commanded, "Take Li Ru to the market and execute him publicly to uphold the law of the land!"
Before long, Li Ru was brought to the market and knelt on the execution platform. His face was filled with terror as he trembled and pleaded, "Minister! I have served the Grand Tutor wholeheartedly; I was merely fulfilling my duties as a subject. I beg you to spare my life!"
Wang Yun stood below the platform with a stern expression and unwavering tone. "The traitor Dong Zhuo is dead. You assisted him in his tyranny; your crimes are unforgivable!" He then waved his hand to order the Assassins to behead Li Ru on the spot. The citizens were filled with righteous anger and applauded in approval.
At the same time, Wang Yun ordered that Dong Zhuo's corpse be dragged to the streets of Chang'an for public display. Dong Zhuo's corpulent body was set ablaze with a torch inserted into his navel. The flames flickered ominously as the greasy substance flowed out, filling the air with a foul stench. The citizens surged forward; some threw stones at Dong Zhuo's head while others trampled his corpse, shouting curses without end.
"Traitor Dong Zhuo! You caused my family to be destroyed; today you finally get your comeuppance!" an elderly man cried out in anguish.
"Justice prevails! Justice prevails!" The crowd gathered, with more and more people joining in their spitting and trampling of Dong Zhuo's body.
Not long after, Wang Yun issued another order summoning Lü Bu, Huangfu Song, and Li Su into the hall. He said solemnly, "Dong Zhuo is dead, but his remaining followers are still at large. There are vast amounts of his wealth and supporters in Maiwu. I command you three to lead an army of fifty thousand to thoroughly investigate Maiwu and seize all his property and people for the court!"
Lü Bu and the other two clasped their hands in salute and promptly assembled their troops before setting off under cover of night towards Maiwu.
When news of Dong Zhuo's death reached Maiwu, Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Fan Chou were all filled with fear and unease. The four generals gathered in the city to discuss matters. Li Jue was the first to slam his hand on the table in anger and said, "Duke Dong is dead! Lü Bu is coming with an army; he will not spare us! At this point, there is only one path left to take."
Guo Si let out a cold laugh and said, "Indeed, leaving only a dead end. We can only lead our troops to retreat to Liangzhou and plot our next move!"
Zhang Ji and Fan Chou exchanged glances and silently nodded. That night, they hurriedly gathered the Fei Xiong Army, packed their belongings, and under the cover of darkness, retreated from Maiwu, heading straight for Liangzhou.
The next day, Lü Bu arrived at the gates of Maiwu. The city gates were wide open, and he encountered no resistance. With a command from Lü Bu, the army entered the city and swept away the remaining forces. Once inside, Lü Bu headed straight for Dong Zhuo's residence and ordered someone to bring Diao Chan out.
Diao Chan was dressed in plain clothes, her face pale. When she saw Lü Bu, tears filled her eyes as she softly said, "General, you have come too late. I thought I would never see you again in this life..." Seeing her pitiful appearance only fueled Lü Bu's anger further. He turned around and shouted, "All those associated with Dong Zhuo, regardless of age or gender, must be exterminated!"
Huangfu Song entered the city with the army and saw Lü Bu in a rage. He quickly stepped forward to advise him, "General, Dong Zhuo is dead; his remaining forces are not a threat. There are many good families in the city; they should be released without harm to the innocent."
Lü Bu nodded in agreement but showed no mercy towards Dong Zhuo's relatives. Dong Zhuo's mother was executed along with his brother Dong Min and his nephew Dong Huang. Anyone related to Dong Zhuo within the residence—regardless of age or gender—was put to death.
Afterward, Lü Bu and Huangfu Song ordered the soldiers to inventory the treasures in Maiwu. They discovered hundreds of thousands of taels of gold, countless silks and jewels, exquisite vessels, and mountains of stored grain. Lü Bu commanded that all resources be documented and immediately sent envoys to report their achievements back to Chang'an.
In Chang'an City, Wang Yun received the news with great joy. He immediately ordered a banquet at the hall and summoned civil and military officials to celebrate. That evening, the aroma of wine filled the air as candlelight flickered brightly. Wang Yun raised his cup with a beaming smile and proclaimed loudly to everyone, "Dong Zhuo has been executed; his followers have been wiped out! Today marks a clear dawn for the Han Dynasty! Gentlemen, let us drink this toast together to celebrate our nation's peace and prosperity!"
The hall was brightly lit with wine flowing freely as officials celebrated with Wang Yun, laughter echoing throughout. Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, a soldier rushed in hurriedly and knelt down to report, "I report to you, Minister! Dong Zhuo's corpse lies in the market; suddenly there is someone weeping over it loudly, causing great astonishment among the people!"
The joyous sounds abruptly ceased. Wang Yun's expression darkened as he slammed his cup down heavily. "Dong Zhuo is a traitor; his execution is a blessing for the world! This person dares to weep for a villain; this is clearly treasonous! Bring him here at once!"
The warriors took their orders and soon brought someone into the hall. The crowd gasped in shock when they saw that kneeling before them was none other than Cai Yong from within the court.
Cai Yong was disheveled and wore a sorrowful expression. He knelt on the ground without uttering a word, his eyes filled with deep guilt and regret. Wang Yun's gaze was sharp as he spoke coldly, "Cai Yong, as a minister of Han, you do not celebrate your nation's victory but instead weep for Dong Zhuo’s corpse! How can you still stand here in court?!"
Cai Yong lowered his head, his voice filled with deep remorse. "Sima Da Ren, although I am unworthy, I know that Dong Zhuo deserves to die a thousand deaths. However, in the past, he took me under his wing and allowed me to enter the court; I owe him a debt of gratitude. Today, seeing his corpse in the market brings me great sorrow, and in a moment of overwhelming emotion, I made this grave mistake. I know my crime is severe, and I have no face to argue."
Wang Yun snorted coldly, his eyes filled with anger. "You know he deserves to die a thousand deaths, yet you dare to weep for him? Is this your idea of loyalty and righteousness as a subject?"
Cai Yong suddenly raised his head, his face full of pleading. "Sima Da Ren, I am not defending the traitor; I am merely touched by past kindness. What I did today is indeed a great mistake, and my heart is like being cut by knives. If you would spare my life, I would bear any punishment without complaint, just hoping to survive long enough to complete the Han History and atone for my foolishness!"
The officials present were moved by his words; many whispered among themselves, their faces showing sympathy. However, Wang Yun's expression remained stern, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, and he did not respond immediately. The atmosphere in the hall became stifling.
Cai Yong knelt on the ground, his head bowed low, his face filled with pain and guilt. The officials exchanged glances in silence, but their eyes reflected more compassion and reluctance. Finally, several court ministers stepped forward and cupped their hands in salute to Wang Yun, urging him gently. "Minister, Cai Bojie is an extraordinary talent; how can we take his life for a momentary mistake? If we allow him to live and continue writing the Han History, it would be an act of great righteousness. We implore you to reconsider!"
At this moment, Grand Tutor Ma Rida also stepped forward, lowering his voice and speaking earnestly. "Minister, Bojie is known for his filial piety and is respected by many. If we were to kill him abruptly, it may lose the hearts of the people. In the past, Emperor Wu of Han did not execute Sima Qian but allowed him to complete the Records of the Grand Historian, which became a timeless masterpiece. Now that the court is chaotic and the nation is struggling, if we can let Cai Bojie continue writing the Han History, would that not leave a precious legacy for the Han Dynasty?"
Wang Yun cast a cold glance at him; a flicker of impatience crossed his eyes, yet his tone remained calm. "Am I unaware of your words? But while Emperor Wu left behind the Records of the Grand Historian, he also allowed Sima Qian's pen to criticize his policies and even become fodder for lat second brother nerations' attacks. Now that our nation is declining and our young ruler is still a child, how can we risk allowing someone like Cai Yong to write history? Who can guarantee he won't slander us in those records? This is a risk I cannot afford!"
Hearing this, Ma Rida took a deep breath, realizing persuasion was futile; he withdrew with a wave of his sleeve. Back at the foot of the hall, he whispered to an official beside him with a sigh. "Wang Yun's actions may very well sever our future. Talents like Cai Yong are the pillars of our state; compiling history is fundamental for our nation. To eliminate virtuous men and discard traditions—how can a country endure?"
However, Wang Yun was resolute and ordered soldiers to take Cai Yong into custody. That night, Cai Yong was hanged in prison. A generation of literary talent lost their life here; news spread quickly throughout the court and beyond. Many scholars upon hearing this could not help but cover their faces and weep in anger.
Cai Yong died for mourning Dong Zhuo; although it sparked discussions among people everywhere, Wang Yun's intolerance towards dissenting voices and execution of talented individuals left behind endless sighs and controversies for future generations.
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