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Wisdom is a fragile thing, sometimes beaten to the ground by emotions like greed.
On the walls of Yong'an Palace, a military officer from the Xiliang army stared with gleaming eyes at a large gold ingot. His greed was so palpable that even a blind man could sense it. He grabbed the ingot and even bit it to test its authenticity.
The officer failed to notice how flimsy the excuses of an old eunuch and a middle-aged eunuch were for wanting to leave the palace. Their claim that they needed to go home due to the chaos in the city was full of holes. His mind was completely captivated by the gold ingot, feeling its weight and allure, so he didn't think twice before agreeing to open the palace gate just a crack to let the two eunuchs out.
After all, they were just two castrated eunuchs—what trouble could they possibly cause?
But the moment the gate was opened, several more eunuchs appeared out of nowhere. Together with the two eunuchs, they swiftly killed the two or three guards who had opened the gate, seized control of the gate, and began signaling to the outside.
In an instant, thirty to forty burly men came rushing toward the palace gate from the street corner opposite Yong'an Palace, covering most of the distance in no time.
Only then did the officer realize what was happening. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Shoot arrows! Quickly, shoot arrows! Close the gate! Close the gate now!"
But it was too late. Before the guards on the wall could loose more than a few arrows, the group of men had already reached the gate. The eunuchs inside the gate fought desperately to keep it open, making it impossible to close in time. The men easily stormed in.
By the time Cao Cao arrived with his men, the old eunuch who had tempted the officer with gold was already lying in a pool of blood, having suffered multiple stab wounds. He was on the verge of death. When he saw Cao Cao, he managed a faint smile before his head tilted to the side, and he passed away.
Cao Cao gritted his teeth and divided his men into two groups: one to fight off the guards and the other to rush into the palace to find the deposed emperor. As he passed by the old eunuch, his steps slowed slightly, but he quickly pressed on.
Cao Cao recognized the old eunuch. His original name was Li Yi, but he had taken the Cao surname after following Cao Teng. When Cao Cao was a child, Cao Yi had even held him in his arms. By seniority, Cao Yi was like an elder of his father's generation. Cao Cao hadn't expected Cao Yi to survive the previous palace turmoil, only to meet his end here.
Yong'an Palace wasn't particularly large, but it wasn't small either. However, there were only a few suitable halls for the deposed emperor to reside in, such as Jingfu, Anchang, and Yanxiu. It didn't take long before someone reported that they had found the deposed emperor, Liu Bian.
When Cao Cao arrived, Liu Bian and his consort, Lady Tang, were huddled together, terrified, thinking it was another palace coup.
Cao Cao hurried forward, knelt, and kowtowed, saying in a deep voice, "Your servant, Cao Cao, has arrived late to protect Your Majesty! Please follow me out of the palace at once!"
"Are... are you here to kill me?" Liu Bian asked fearfully.
"I am here to protect you, not to harm you! Please hurry, Your Majesty!" Cao Cao urged, growing anxious. Every moment of delay increased the danger.
"Where... where are we going?" Liu Bian felt it was better to ask.
"I have made arrangements to ensure Your Majesty's safety! Please, let's go!" Cao Cao replied, thinking that any place would be better than staying here.
"Can... can Lady Tang come with us?"
"Yes!" Cao Cao gritted his teeth, stood up, and took Liu Bian by the hand, pulling him along. "Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness! The situation is critical. Follow me quickly!" As for Lady Tang, if she could keep up, she could come along.
Just as they reached the palace gate, Liu Bian suddenly stopped and said to Cao Cao, "Wait a moment! My mother is also here. Can she come with us?"
"Yes!" Cao Cao nearly choked on his frustration but managed to keep his composure. He ordered one of his men to find Empress Dowager He, then turned to Liu Bian and said, "The traitor Dong Zhuo's troops will be here any moment! Your Majesty, we cannot delay any longer!"
Finally, Liu Bian seemed to snap out of his daze and stopped making further requests. He followed Cao Cao as they ran out of the palace. Lady Tang, holding her skirts, stumbled along behind them as they fled.
***************
As Cao Cao and his men stormed into Yong'an Palace, several soldiers dressed in Xiliang army uniforms began patrolling the streets of Buguangli and Yongheli, shouting, "By the general's order! The city is in chaos! Martial law is in effect! All civilians must stay indoors! No one is allowed outside without permission! Violators will be treated as accomplices to the rebels!"
At the menacing shouts of the Xiliang soldiers, the few households that had opened their doors to see what was happening quickly retreated inside, bolted their doors, and hid in their homes, not daring to make a sound.
In no time, the streets were nearly empty.
The Xiliang soldiers exchanged glances and then dispersed, continuing to shout as they moved outward.
Meanwhile, Lü Bu was in his mansion's backyard, practicing with his halberd, the Sky Piercer. He was enjoying himself when he began to hear the growing commotion in the city. At first, he didn't pay much attention, as the city sometimes experienced similar chaos during emergencies. So, he continued practicing.
But after a while, he heard someone shouting that there were rebels in the city and that everyone should stay indoors to protect themselves. Only then did he realize that the current disturbance was caused by rebels.
While others might fear such a situation, Lü Bu did not.
"Perfect for some practice!"
Lü Bu happily grabbed his halberd and headed out. Seeing a Xiliang soldier shouting not far away, he quickly approached, grabbed the soldier, and demanded, "Where are the rebels?"
The soldier was startled and, under Lü Bu's impatient urging, pointed toward the Southern Palace.
Lü Bu spat in disgust and prepared to head toward the Southern Palace, cursing under his breath, "Whose soldiers are these, dawdling like this? If they were under my command, I'd whip them to death!"
Just as Lü Bu took a few steps, he heard the sounds of fighting coming from Yong'an Palace. "What? Are there rebels here too?" He turned and prepared to head toward Yong'an Palace instead.
Seeing that Lü Bu wasn't fooled, the Xiliang soldier following him quietly drew his weapon and aimed a stab at Lü Bu's back.
Lü Bu heard the movement behind him and sidestepped swiftly. Without a second thought, he swung his halberd backward. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that it was a Xiliang soldier attacking him. He quickly adjusted his grip, turning the slash into a blunt strike, sending the soldier flying like a folded sandbag. The soldier hit the wall with a loud thud before sliding to the ground.
Lü Bu walked over, lifted the soldier by his collar, and roared, "Who are you? How dare you ambush me?"
But the soldier, bleeding from his orifices and with severe internal injuries, could no longer speak. He gurgled, spat out a mouthful of blood, and died.
"Hmph!" Lü Bu tossed the dead soldier aside like a piece of trash. He glanced toward the Southern Palace, then back at Yong'an Palace, pondering for a moment before deciding to head to the closer Yong'an Palace. He strode off in that direction.
*****
A/N: In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Lady Tang dies... but historically, she lived a long life. Lady Tang was a remarkable woman of deep loyalty, never remarrying after Liu Bian's death.