Three Kingdoms Mythology World.

Chapter 2645 Dong Zhuo Deposes the Emperor, Yuan Shao's Famous Scene!

"Lin Mu..." Dong Zhuo murmured Lin Mu's name several times.

Just now, Lin Mu found him alone and handed him the dragon-shaped jade seal.

The price... is to erase the crimes of all the extraordinary individuals who participated in the plot to harm the national guardian beast, the Crimson Dragon, including Ji Beiqin's!

In short, all past grievances are forgiven and forgotten, and all past grievances are vanished like smoke!

Dong Zhuo got what he wanted, agreed to Lin Mu's request, and even bestowed upon Ji Beiqin the position of county magistrate.

It's important to know that Jiang Chenglong, Zhu Xuan, Xuan Yuan Changying, and others have all been stripped of their official positions. Previously wanted criminals, they are now commoners. All their previous efforts have been in vain.

Therefore, Dong Zhuo's plot to kill was truly an epic disaster for all players in the Chinese region!

Of course, there were also some players with official positions who did not participate in the attack on the Crimson Dragon, but they were very few.

In terms of social status, players in the Chinese region have regressed by nine years!
Lin Mu did not actively seek official positions for Jiang Chenglong and Xuan Yuan Changying. Ji Beiqin's deal only resulted in Dong Zhuo giving him a county magistrate position, so the others would at most reach the same level. It would be better not to do it and to waste favors.

A county magistrate, given Jiang Chenglong and Zhu Xuan's connections, could be easily obtained. As for a prefect, that might be more difficult…

Dong Zhuo appeared generous in bestowing official titles, but that was only for his confidants and certain special individuals. He was among the most wary of the indigenous people of any kind; otherwise, he wouldn't have orchestrated that incident!
Later, he always kept his promises regarding the rewards (official positions) bestowed upon the players aloof, unwilling to grant them real power while deliberately creating conflict to weaken their influence. Dong Zhuo did the same thing in his previous life.

Even seemingly prestigious official positions were rendered meaningless, holding only nominal titles with no real power. This practice of apparent promotions but actual demotions gradually marginalized most players in the court. Therefore, from the very beginning (in that notebook), Lin Mu had never planned to serve under Dong Zhuo.

Actually, it's not uncommon for players to have adopted someone as their godfather. Players like Ding Yuan, Dong Zhuo, and even Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, Huangfu Song, and Wang Yun all encountered strange individuals who came to their door to formally establish a godfather relationship, but they all refused.

Players are shameless; what's a godfather to them? And if they can't have a godfather, they'll become a teacher, form a sworn brotherhood, marry the daughter of a powerful family member, or marry the son of a powerful family member... In short, many players dream of instant success.

However, the chances of success are very low, but there are lucky ones...

"Father, Lin Mu has been arranged." At this moment, Lü Bu came over and reported.

"Father, Lin Mu came alone. Why not just..." Lu Bu gestured with his right hand as if cutting with a knife, lightly slicing across his neck, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

“No, now only Lin Mu can stand against us… If we kill Lin Mu, the National Protection Army and the National Defense Army will be leaderless and easily manipulated by Yang Biao and Huangfu Song…” Dong Zhuo was not a fool. Killing Lin Mu or not made a big difference.

"Furthermore, Lin Mu dared to venture into the tiger's den alone. Did he not make any preparations? We must not easily alert the enemy."

"Father is indeed wise; I am foolish," Lü Bu nodded upon hearing this.

Lu Bu's flattery was very effective, and Dong Zhuo was very pleased to hear it.

"Actually, we still need to test Lin Mu. Tonight's banquet will depend on whether he will support me..." Dong Zhuo said in a low voice, his eyes slightly narrowed and a murderous aura appearing on his face.

"Fengxian, tonight you will lead 100,000 elite troops to hide around the banquet hall. If anything unexpected happens, draw your swords immediately!"

“Even if Yang Biao objects, he can be… killed!!!” Dong Zhuo said with a murderous look on his face.

The contract he signed with Yang Biao did not stipulate that he would not kill the other party.

"Tonight, we must both establish our authority and achieve our goal of deposing the emperor!" Dong Zhuo declared forcefully.

The thought of deposing Liu Bian, seizing the Dragon Luck and the Yongzhou Cauldron from him, and simultaneously becoming a force to be reckoned with throughout the world filled him with excitement.

He reached the pinnacle of his life!

Preparations for the banquet were in full swing. Thousands of seats were spread throughout the huge banquet hall, and thousands of servants bustled about, busy setting up the hall. The Dong Zhuo residence was a scene of bustling activity.

In the afternoon, civil and military officials began to arrive one after another. Those who arrived early were arranged to rest in side rooms or gather in a small meeting hall.

Unfortunately, this scene was not for those players... They thought they would live a life of luxury by following Dong Zhuo, but they never expected to be outmaneuvered...

In addition to civil and military officials, the guests included former ministers of the court, heads of powerful clans, and influential figures from various regions. Even the captured Lu Zhi and Zhu Jun attended the banquet in their finest attire.

Many harbored their own agendas. Some hoped to curry favor with Dong Zhuo at the banquet and gain more benefits; others were filled with anxiety, wondering what kind of trouble Dong Zhuo would stir up this time. They knew that the core purpose of Dong Zhuo's banquet tonight—to re-discuss the deposition of the emperor—would certainly have many opponents. It all depended on how the host, Dong Zhuo, would react…

After resting at Dong Zhuo's residence, Lin Mu also attended the banquet in full regalia.

Upon seeing Lu Zhi and Zhu Jun, whose faces showed a hint of dejection, he hurried over.

"Lin Mu, why did you come back alone?!" Lu Zhi sighed softly upon seeing Lin Mu.

"Lin Mu, how could you come back alone?!" Zhu Jun sighed softly upon seeing Lin Mu.

The two men spoke in essentially the same words, but the addition of the word "can" revealed a different attitude.

Zhu Jun's words were full of reproach from an elder.

"Didn't you all say that Dong Zhuo wouldn't make any big moves...? Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble...? I completely agree with that. Even if he takes down Ding Yuan, it will be very difficult for Dong Zhuo to overthrow the regime!" Lin Mu shrugged, speaking meaningfully.

The two men looked slightly embarrassed upon hearing this. They had previously tried to dissuade Lin Mu, telling him that Dong Zhuo was merely a minor ailment they could handle. Instead, they feared Lin Mu might harbor some ill intentions, which was why they advised him to leave.

Now... it's not Lin Mu who's out of control, but Dong Zhuo.

"Minister Lu, did Dong Zhuo not imprison you?" Lin Mu asked in a low voice.

"No... I was spared after being persuaded by a group of high-ranking officials." Lu Zhi sighed softly.

"Hmph! Would Dong Zhuo be so kind? Would he listen to the advice of his officials? Impossible... He spared you for other purposes. For example, to announce that you have abandoned the darkness and joined him, Dong Zhuo, thus setting an example and attracting more people to follow him!" Lin Mu immediately analyzed for the two of them.

Upon hearing this, the two sighed softly and remained silent. They hadn't considered this possibility... but their lives were in someone else's hands; what could they do?

"He also summoned my two fathers-in-law, Xun Shuang and Cai Yong, wanting them to return to the capital to serve as the Three Dukes and take charge of the academy, to show his great favor and attract more talented people to join him." Lin Mu dropped another bombshell.

"Two great scholars, shall we comply?" Lu Zhi asked, slightly surprised.

"The depth of my conflict with Dong Zhuo cannot be explained in a few words, so they definitely won't come back," Lin Mu said, shaking his head.

"Lin Mu, you are now the General Who Defends the Country, with millions of elite troops under your command. You must save the Han Dynasty!!" Lu Zhi still wanted to grab Lin Mu as if he were a lifeline and make him deal with Dong Zhuo.

"Rest assured, my two meritorious officials of the Han Dynasty, Dong Zhuo will not succeed. The emperor is the emperor, and the subject is still the subject!" Lin Mu said meaningfully.

Dong Zhuo remained a subject until his death, never declaring himself king or emperor.

"With your promise, we feel much more at ease." Zhu Jun breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, a rather thin figure walked over.

It's Wang Yun!
“Generals, Dong Zhuo entered the palace the night before last,” Wang Yun said in a low voice as soon as he arrived.

"Dong Zhuo entered the palace without being summoned?!" Lu Zhi and Zhu Jun's expressions darkened slightly.

"Yes... the imperial guards have been largely controlled by Dong Zhuo... Empress Dowager He and the Emperor are in grave danger!!!" Wang Yun sighed with a look of profound sorrow.

"Did Dong Zhuo do anything outrageous the night before last?" Lin Mu asked in a low voice.

"He didn't disturb the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, but he insulted several palace maids who were selected by the late Emperor but not favored!" Wang Yun said solemnly. "But judging from his appearance and domineering personality, he will definitely commit adultery in the harem... My Great Han Dynasty will lose all face!!!" Wang Yun said with a sigh.

Inside the palace, it's currently mostly filled with the elderly, women, and children, Empress Dowager He, the late emperor's concubines, and some princesses... Given Dong Zhuo's character... once he completely controls the palace, none of them will escape his clutches!

Lin Mu's face showed shock upon hearing this, but his heart remained calm.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhi and the other man's expressions darkened even further...

Treason is an understatement to describe Dong Zhuo's actions!

As night fell and the lanterns were lit, Dong Zhuo's mansion was brightly decorated and bustling with activity. Dong Zhuo's men, dressed in magnificent attire, entered the banquet hall one after another. As soon as they appeared, Lin Mu and the others stopped talking and were led by their attendants to their seats.

Lin Mu's seat was not at the back, but the first seat to the left of the main seat.

The importance of this position is self-evident... Lin Mu was not surprised by this and accepted it calmly.

Behind the main seat, there were some auxiliary seats, which were probably where Li Ru and the others sat.

The tables in front of the seats in the hall were soon filled with delicacies and the aroma of wine filled the air.

Thousands of seats were distributed on both sides, with dozens of rows on each side and about thirty seats in each row. Such a large number of seats were quickly filled up...

Despite the large number of people in the venue, it was remarkably quiet, without a trace of noise...

After sitting down, Lin Mu observed the surrounding situation.

Not far below him sat Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and others. None of the older generation of Yuan clan leaders, such as Yuan Kui, were present… no, it should be said that only Yuan Shao, one of the core members of the Yuan clan, had come; even Yuan Shu hadn't come to join the fun… Interesting!

After the seats were filled, Lin Mu observed that the first two rows were occupied by younger people. For example, Lin Mu, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, etc., Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, etc., were all seated in the second and third rows... Even Yang Biao was arranged by Dong Zhuo to sit in the second row. Yet, even so, Yang Biao remained silent after sitting down, his expression calm and composed...

After waiting for a while, Dong Zhuo, dressed in full regalia, slowly walked in with his two generals, Hua Xiong and Lü Bu.

Along the way, he greeted everyone with a smile, appearing kind and amiable. Everyone stood up to welcome Dong Zhuo.

It took Dong Zhuo quite some time to finally reach the main seat. Standing beside him was Lü Bu, whose gaze swept over the crowd below, exuding an imposing aura.

Then, he picked up his halberd and, step by step, surveyed all the officials from the main seat, his words carrying a strong warning. Afterward, he moved from the main seat to the last seat, and then back to the main seat, standing beside Dong Zhuo, his eyes blazing with murderous intent as he stared at everyone.

This abrupt move made everyone realize that today's banquet was a trap!
Dong Zhuo waved his hand lightly, and Lu Bu, who was standing, left his side and went outside to wait.

"Welcome everyone to the banquet hosted by me, Dong Zhuo. Today, everyone is present!" Dong Zhuo said meaningfully, glancing around.

"Gentlemen, please have a seat!" Dong Zhuo said, sitting down and gesturing for everyone else to sit as well.

Afterwards, the banquet officially began, and a group of dancers dressed in sexy and alluring gauze dresses entered and performed an opening dance...

Afterwards, Dong Zhuo began drinking with everyone, and the beginning was a scene of singing and dancing.

Feeling that it was about time, Dong Zhuo picked up his wine cup and stood up.

Seeing this, everyone put down their wine cups, quieted down, and focused their attention on Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo cleared his throat, his face darkening slightly, and said loudly, "Gentlemen, the current emperor is weak and incompetent, unfit to serve the ancestral temples. I will follow the example of Yi Yin and Huo Guang, deposing the emperor and making him the Prince of Hongnong, and installing the Prince of Chenliu as emperor. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!!!"

His voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the hall.

When Dong Zhuo said this, there was no uproar in the room. Instead, everyone looked thoughtful and waited for someone's reaction.

Lin Mu, Cao Cao, and the others had inscrutable expressions, their eyes slightly lowered, as if they too were waiting for something...

At this moment, Lü Bu led his troops in from outside and immediately surrounded the banquet hall.

Seeing Lü Bu's imposing figure, Dong Zhuo smiled with satisfaction.

Today, anyone who disobeys may truly face mortal danger!

Many officials who had pledged allegiance to Dong Zhuo looked on with delight and pride at the others who had more subtle expressions.

"Clang!!!" At this moment, Lü Bu gently lowered his halberd, a resounding clang echoing throughout the hall. He then walked to Dong Zhuo's side, his face flashing with a fierce light as he glared at the crowd, giving Lin Mu a second look…

Upon seeing this, many civil and military officials looked towards Yang Biao, Lu Zhi, and other key figures, only to find that none of them reacted.

They... tacitly approved of Dong Zhuo's act of deposing the emperor!

What do we do now?!
"Bang!!" A very loud sound rang out.

Yuan Shao, who was sitting in the front row, stood up, walked to the middle, put his left hand on the ceremonial sword at his waist, and stared fiercely at Dong Zhuo.

After a long silence, Yuan Shao stared at Dong Zhuo with a grim expression and said, "The court has just been established, and I have summoned you all to the capital to assist the emperor and stabilize the people! Yet you have repeatedly and presumptuously proposed deposing the eldest son and installing a younger one in his place. Isn't this tantamount to plotting a rebellion?!"

Yuan Shao, in a passionate outburst, pointed directly at Dong Zhuo and began to berate him.

Everyone in the room stared at Yuan Shao in astonishment, never expecting him to have such courage to defy Dong Zhuo. To be honest, all of this was basically brought about by the Yuan family; otherwise, things wouldn't have come to this point. Now, he was standing up to resist—it was truly laughable.

"Hmph!!! The fate of the world rests in my hands. I will do it now, and who dares to disobey!!!" Dong Zhuo roared in anger, slamming his fist on the table and rising to his feet.

"Hmph! The affairs of the world are in the hands of the emperor and your loyal ministers. You are nothing but a usurper, so what?!" Yuan Shao waved his hand righteously, pointing at the civil and military officials, staring intently at Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo did not expect Yuan Shao to resist him so fiercely. He had thought that there would be people who opposed him, such as Yang Biao and Lu Zhi, Lin Mu, or other old officials who were loyal to the Han Dynasty, but he did not expect it to be Yuan Shao!
"Clang!!!" Dong Zhuo was furious. He drew his sword and glared at Dong Zhuo, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. "Do you want to test the sharpness of my sword?"

"My sword is no less effective!!!" Yuan Shao shuddered, drew his sword, pointed it at Dong Zhuo, and stared at Dong Zhuo with a solemn expression.

This scene took everyone by surprise, except for Lin Mu.

This famous scene can be considered one of Yuan Shao's shining moments.

At this point, he completely embarked on the path of opposing Dong Zhuo, and at the same time, he also brought about the downfall of the Yuan family at Dong Zhuo's hands...

Seeing that the two men were pointing their swords at each other with fierce glints in their eyes, everyone was stunned and couldn't react for a moment.

Is Yuan Shao really that brave? And that loyal to the Han Dynasty?!
This is so unusual...

"You're courting death!!!" Lu Bu roared, brandishing his halberd and preparing to take down Yuan Shao.

At this moment, Li Ru, as if just realizing what was happening, hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade them, saying, "The matter is not yet settled; we must not kill indiscriminately!!!"

Li Ru directly stopped Lü Bu.

Among the crowd, some officials close to Yuan Shao stepped forward and pulled him back, saying, "Benchu, Benchu, calm down, calm down..."

If Dong Zhuo truly intends to kill, they will surely not escape this calamity either! We mustn't harm our teammates!!!

Yuan Shao was pulled back, and at this moment he seemed to realize what was happening. After letting out a cold snort, he also sheathed his sword.

(End of this chapter)