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Wang Yun stood beside Emperor Xian, his expression resolute. Though there was a hint of reluctance in his eyes, a greater determination to face death shone through. He listened calmly to Li Jue's request, then took a step forward, bowing deeply to Emperor Xian. His voice was steady but carried an immense weight: "Your Majesty, all that I have done is for the sake of the state, and I have no regrets. Now that matters have come to this point, please do not let your concern for me jeopardize the safety of the nation. I am willing to descend into the city and confront the two bandits to quell the chaos."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xian was filled with inner turmoil, pacing back and forth. His voice was low and pained: "The Minister of Works is loyal to the country; how can I abandon you? If it weren't for your counsel to execute Dong Zhuo, how could Chang'an be as it is today... I cannot bear to watch you walk to your death!"
Wang Yun gently shook his head, his tone calm: "Your Majesty, as a loyal minister, I have long set aside concerns of life and death. If I were to retreat at this moment, it would be a betrayal of the name 'Loyalty and Righteousness.' Please do not hesitate any longer." He turned away, not waiting for the Emperor to speak again, and resolutely walked toward Xuanping Gate.
Standing on the platform, Wang Yun took a deep breath and glanced back at the burning city of Chang'an, his gaze filled with sorrow. He shouted loudly and leaped from the platform, landing before Li Jue and Guo Si's military formation, dust flying up as gasps filled the air.
Wang Yun straightened up, his eyes blazing as he scanned the two men. He declared loudly: "Wang Yun is here!"
Li Jue and Guo Si drew their swords at once, angrily demanding: "Wang Yun! What crime has Grand Preceptor Dong committed that you dare conspire against him?"
Wang Yun's expression was grim; he did not flinch. He replied loudly: "Dong Zhuo's crimes are too numerous to list! He has murdered his sovereign, usurped power, oppressed the people, and ruled with tyranny. The citizens of Chang'an despise him; what is wrong with executing him? On the day he dies, the people will rejoice—have you not heard?"
Li Jue and Guo Si's faces turned dark with rage as they shouted: "If Grand Tutor is guilty, we acknowledge it! But what crime do we have? Why will Wang Yun not pardon us?"
Wang Yun sneered coldly, his gaze sharp as he pierced through them: "Traitors! Do not attempt to argue! You assist tyranny and bring disaster upon the nation; how dare you hope for clemency? I stand here today ready to die—there is no need for further discussion!"
Furious, Li Jue and Guo Si raised their swords and shouted: "Since you seek death, we shall grant it!" In a flash of steel, Wang Yun fell heavily into the dust, blood spreading around him. Yet his gaze remained steadfast until his last breath.
Afterward, Li Jue and Guo Si ordered that Wang Yun's entire family be captured and executed. The city of Chang'an was engulfed in grief; upon hearing the news, citizens covered their faces and wept.
Blood stained the gates of the palace as Li Jue and Guo Si exchanged glances filled with malice and greed. Li Jue coldly stated: "Now that we have come this far, we might as well go all in. If we do not seize control of the Emperor today and take power for ourselves, there will be no second chance!"
Guo Si nodded, drawing Pei Jian, his voice cold as ice. "You're right. What are we waiting for? Let's charge into the inner palace!" The two waved their hands, and the Bandit Army followed closely behind, the sounds of battle echoing once more through Chang'an.
Li Jue and Guo Si led the Bandit Army into the imperial city, where the halls were drenched in blood and chaos reigned. Soldiers brandished their weapons, their eyes gleaming with ferocity. The two men stepped over the bodies scattered across the ground, advancing deeper into the inner court, inching closer to Emperor Xian.
At that moment, Zhang Ji and Fan Chou rushed in, blocking their path. Zhang Ji's face was filled with urgency as he lowered his voice to advise, "Generals, you must not act rashly! If you assassinate the emperor today, it will shake the court and provoke a rebellion among the lords of the realm. The situation will become unmanageable."
Fan Chou took over, his tone insistent. "Killing the emperor now will not gain us support; instead, it will incite internal opposition. It would be better to feign loyalty for now, allowing him to remain as our figurehead while we gather strength against the lords of Kanto. Once we have eliminated their power, we can dispose of him at our leisure, and then the world will be under our control!"
Li Jue halted, gazing intently at Fan Chou. After a moment, he sneered. "That's a clever plan! For now, we shall do as you say." He sheathed his sword and turned to Guo Si. "What do you think? Shall we spare this little emperor for now?"
Guo Si withdrew his blade and replied coldly, "Let him live; it matters little. He'll die sooner or later anyway. Let's see what benefits he can bring us first."
Having said this, they ordered their soldiers to stand down and hold their positions. At that moment, Emperor Xian stood atop a platform, looking down at the chaos below with a pale face but an unusually calm demeanor. "Now that Wang Yun has been executed and blood flows like rivers in the city, why do your troops not retreat?"
Li Jue knelt with his face raised towards the emperor, feigning submission in his tone. "Your Majesty, we have risked our lives for the royal family and exerted ourselves tirelessly but have yet to receive any rewards. Without titles granted by Your Majesty, how could we dare to withdraw our troops?"
Emperor Xian's gaze sharpened slightly; though he felt anger rising within him, he dared not show it. He asked in a calm voice, "Since you claim to have rendered service, what titles do you seek?"
Li Jue and Guo Si exchanged glances, a meaningful smile creeping onto their lips as they began to calculate how to seize control of the situation entirely.
In the court chamber, Emperor Xian sat on his throne, his face pale and weary. Below him stood Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Fan Chou—though they appeared respectful in demeanor, their eyes sparkled with pride and menace. They presented their respective titles for reward with an air that brooked no refusal.
Li Jue spoke up loudly. "Your Majesty, we have repeatedly risked our lives for the royal family; today we do not wish to make excessive demands. We only ask that Your Majesty grant us titles according to our ranks so that all under heaven may know that the court does not neglect its loyal subjects."
Guo Si let out a cold laugh and added, "If Your Majesty can treat us with benevolence and righteousness, we will naturally be loyal and protect the royal family." The implication in his tone was unmistakable.
Emperor Xian lowered his head to look at the memorial before him, his fists clenched tightly, yet he felt powerless to resist. Taking a deep breath to suppress the anger within, he slowly nodded, "Since you have contributed to the country, I shall grant your requests."
He turned to the attendant beside him and spoke in a low voice, "Convey the decree."
Soon after, the decree was issued: Li Jue was appointed as General of Cavalry and granted the title of Chi Yang Hou, leading the Si Li Xiao Wei, with a ceremonial axe; Guo Si was made Hou Jiangjun, also granted a ceremonial axe, sharing power with Li Jue; Fan Chou was appointed as Right General and given the title of Wan Nian Hou; Zhang Ji was named General of Agile Cavalry and granted the title of Pingyang Marquis, stationed with troops in Hongnong. Others such as Li Meng and Wang Fang were also promoted to Colonel. It was well known both inside and outside the court that these appointments were made under duress.
The four men received the decree with smug expressions, bowing in gratitude, "Your Majesty is wise; we shall do our utmost for the country until death." With that, they led their troops out of the city. The citizens of Chang'an watched as this band of marauding Bandit Army departed, all breathing a sigh of relief.
However, not long after Li Jue and the others left, they ordered a search for Dong Zhuo's remains, intending to hold a grand funeral for him. Soldiers searched for days in the desolate land of Maiwu but only found some tattered bones. Li Jue commanded them to carve Dong Zhuo's likeness from fragrant wood, piecing together the remains and dressing them in royal garments before placing them in a coffin. A favorable date was chosen for a grand burial in Maiwu.
On the day of the funeral, the sky suddenly changed; dark clouds gathered and fierce winds arose. Just as the coffin was being lowered into the ground, a thunderclap erupted, deafening in its intensity, followed by torrential rain that flooded the ground within moments. With a loud crash, the coffin was struck open by lightning, and the mangled corpse was thrown out into the mud.
Li Jue's face turned pale as he ordered that they wait for clear weather before attempting another burial. Days later, they held another funeral; however, that night they were again met with thunder and rain. The coffin was shattered once more, and the corpse was thrown out again, even charred by lightning fire. The third funeral met a similar fate; Dong Zhuo's remains were ultimately burned to ashes.
The people of Maiwu were filled with dread; rumors spread among them that this was a sign of divine retribution for Dong Zhuo's many misdeeds. Even Li Jue and his companions could not help but show fear upon hearing this news and dared not mention giving Dong Zhuo an elaborate burial again.
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