Three Kingdoms Mythology World.

Chapter 2665 Cai Yong, Governor of Youzhou, and Xun Shuang, Governor of Qingzhou!
The fact that Lin Mu still needs to consider these conditions means that the weight on the other side of the scale is no less than that of the two governors he proposed!

Lin Mu definitely knows certain secrets of the world, and he knows the significance and outcome of this purge of the court of corrupt officials.

Would Dong Zhuo really make an enemy of the world?

Dong Zhuo kept thinking...

Will all the governors, prefects, and high-ranking generals of the realm join forces to enter the capital, Luoyang, and purge the emperor of his corrupt advisors?!

Has his recent behavior been too brutal, causing public outrage?
Or perhaps, his fate has been sealed?!

As if sensing something, Dong Zhuo felt a chill run through his body. Fate...fate...

The Han dynasty lost its mandate of heaven, and all the feudal lords of the land vied for it?!
Dong Zhuoyue felt increasingly uneasy, cold sweat pouring down his forehead and soaking his back. He felt as if he had already reached the end of his life.

After that, disregarding whether Lin Mu was still there, he began pacing anxiously, pondering... Each step he took was heavy and disordered, as if it were the rhythm of his panicked heart.

His left hand was gripping the sword hilt tightly without him noticing. His hands were white from gripping so hard that his knuckles were faintly blue, but he still couldn't shake off the fear in his heart.

His mind kept replaying the scene of all the feudal lords gathering together, their vast armies converging into a mighty torrent, heading straight for Luoyang. The shouts of battle and the sound of horses' hooves were deafening, as if they were right next to him.

He could almost see his Flying Bear Divine Army and the Xiliang Iron Cavalry beginning to crumble...

Those officials who usually fawned over him were probably secretly plotting how to overthrow him and how to divide his power and troops among themselves.

We're surrounded by enemies, inside and out!
Thinking of this, Dong Zhuo's eyes turned bloodshot, filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"No, we absolutely cannot let this happen!" Dong Zhuo said through gritted teeth, his voice tinged with madness.

Upon returning, he planned to thoroughly investigate all officials and purge those with ill intentions.

"It seems that Your Excellency the Prime Minister has already understood the will of Heaven and Earth..." At this moment, Lin Mu's voice slowly rang out.

"Are you absolutely determined to participate?" Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo turned to look at Lin Mu, his eyes bloodshot as he stared intently at Lin Mu.

Upon hearing this, Lin Mu frowned slightly, but he was not afraid of Dong Zhuo's threat at all. He was considering the matter of the eighteen warlords.

Lin Mu actually only had a vague understanding of the true meaning of the story of the eighteen warlords' campaign against Dong Zhuo.

Besides gaining reputation and prestige, dividing up the fortune of the Han Dynasty and increasing the fortune of the feudal lords, and climbing the list of feudal lords, Lin Mu had no idea if there were any other deeper meanings.

But he had a premonition that he had to participate in the storyline of the Eighteen Lords' Campaign against Dong Zhuo, and he had to excel in it!

This situation is why he hesitated when faced with both governors.

"Definitely...no...if I really insisted on responding to Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's call, I would have left Luoyang long ago."

"My risky scheme in the palace was actually to fulfill the late emperor's last wish... For me, it was still a mission!"

"I don't want to get involved in those disgusting and hypocritical things... Unfortunately, you've pushed me right into their clutches," Lin Mu said meaningfully.

"I won't pursue the matter of you pinning the crime of killing Liu Bian on me. If I join the coalition to purge the emperor's inner circle, I promise you that I will not send a single soldier into Luoyang. How about that?" Lin Mu said, taking a step back.

He certainly wouldn't give up one of the eighteen warlord positions. But he still wanted to compete for the governorships of Youzhou and Qingzhou.

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo's face darkened considerably... Lin Mu's refusal to withdraw from the campaign to purge the court of corrupt officials carries a profound meaning... perhaps it signifies a qualification for vying for the throne!

Actually, whether he agrees or not is unimportant. If he is killed in this campaign to purge the court of corrupt officials, then the governorships of Youzhou and Qingzhou will be nothing more than fleeting clouds; if there is no defeat, then the aftermath can be dealt with later…

Even if they can't handle it, Lin Mu's faction, with its status, will definitely become a target of public criticism. That might cause those guys to fight amongst themselves, resulting in mutual destruction... It feels like I could agree to that... But if Lin Mu withstands the subsequent variables and safely weathers a series of crises, his power will expand even further...

Two states...that's no small area!
Youzhou and Qingzhou are not considered wealthy provinces, so there's still room for negotiation. However, if Lin Mu were to ask for the governorship of Yangzhou, Yuzhou, or Jingzhou, he would likely refuse outright...

"You cannot send out the National Protection Army or the Guardian Army; they must remain stationed in Youzhou!" After a moment's thought, Dong Zhuo agreed to Lin Mu's conditions.

"Yes!!!" Lin Mu was overjoyed.

In fact, he had anticipated that Dong Zhuo would deal with him in the palace, and that Dong Zhuo would pin the crimes of kidnapping or protecting Empress Dowager He on him. That way, he could legitimately confront Dong Zhuo and participate in the purge of corrupt officials.

But now, Dong Zhuo has offered such a great temptation that he has no choice but to change his strategy.

In truth, Lin Mu knew that this temptation was not proposed by Dong Zhuo, but rather by Li Ru after careful consideration. Youzhou… was practically already in Lin Mu's hands; even the governor of Youzhou, Liu Yu, had been thoroughly humiliated by Lin Mu.

Qingzhou... there the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion have resurfaced and bandits abound. The various prefectures and counties have long since applied to the imperial court for provisions, troops, and soldiers to suppress the bandits and deal with the Yellow Turban remnants. Qingzhou is no good place either.

Entrusting these two regions to Lin Mu for governance is a sound strategy. It would be beneficial for Lin Mu to invest countless resources in governing Qingzhou and transforming it. Because once they recover and their armies are strong, taking them back would be like getting something for nothing!

Danger and opportunity coexist!
"Your Excellency, if I were to truly participate in the campaign to purge the court of corrupt officials, I could promise that the number of troops deployed would not exceed one million. What do you say?"

"Six hundred thousand troops must not enter Luoyang. The National Protection Army and the Guardian Army must guard Youzhou. And... if necessary, you must provide information on the movements of the coalition forces that purge the emperor's inner circle!" Dong Zhuo bargained.

"You underestimate me, Prime Minister. I am no villain. As for providing intelligence, I cannot disclose that information," Lin Mu said, shaking his head.

"I am an extraordinary person, a rootless duckweed. My efforts over the years have all been based on loyalty and righteousness," Lin Mu said meaningfully.

"Your Excellency... In fact, Ji Beiqin, Jiang Chenglong, and others could serve as prefects... They could also participate in the allied forces..." Lin Mu said meaningfully.

Dong Zhuo was not a fool, and he immediately understood the hidden meaning in Lin Mu's words.

Just because Lin Mu can't be an undercover agent doesn't mean other superhumans can't... But given how he treated other superhumans before, will they still honestly provide him with intelligence? What if they give him a few false reports and he suffers a huge loss...?

Whether they can use it or not depends on you.

"Just a stick of incense was burning, weren't we mortal enemies? But a stick of incense burned, didn't we shake hands and make peace?"

"The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is in turmoil, all for profit!" Lin Mu said leisurely.

Lin Mu really knows how to understand people.

"Alright, I agree!" Dong Zhuo glared at him, his aura trembling as he replied.

Governor of Youzhou, Governor of Qingzhou... Good heavens, this is a truly unexpected delight!
If Guo Jia, Xun You, and Xi Zhicai heard about this unexpected gain, they would absolutely laugh their heads off.

These two positions are extremely important, playing a crucial foundational role in the wild growth of the Great Wilderness Territory!
Thus, Lin Mu and Dong Zhuo made a pact with Heaven and Earth, and reached a deal.

Lin Mu knew during the contract process that many restrictions on the positions of Governor of Youzhou and Governor of Qingzhou were not specified. For example, the duration of the term and how to avoid being dismissed were not mentioned, which left a lot of room for manipulation.

But does Lin Mu care? As long as he gets the governorships of Youzhou and Qingzhou, even if it's only during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, he can quickly and completely control both states in the Great Wilderness!

Bandits in Qingzhou... a minor problem... the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou are already one of our own...

In general, with Xun Shuang and Cai Yong as his fathers-in-law, their strength is sufficient to serve as governors of the two provinces. Furthermore, they have the support of the Great Wilderness territory. With Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and Xun You providing strategic advice, they will definitely be able to completely control the two provinces very quickly.

Once Dong Zhuo settles down in Chang'an, it won't matter if the two governors are dismissed. Even if the court sends new governors, it won't make a difference; they might not even be able to enter the governor's office.

(End of this chapter)