A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

The following day, Dong Zhuo held a grand banquet, inviting all the officials of the court.

Many officials from the court attended the banquet because Dong Zhuo had seized military power in Chang'an.

Yuan Kui, the head of the Yuan family, whose lineage had produced four generations of high-ranking officials, also personally attended the banquet.

After several rounds of drinks, Dong Zhuo put down his wine cup.

All the nobles put down their wine cups, knowing that the main event was about to begin.

"I have something to say; all officials, please listen attentively."

Dong Zhuo said sternly.

"The emperor is the master of all people; without majesty, he cannot uphold the ancestral temples and the altars of the state."

"Your Majesty is weak and incompetent, unlike the Prince of Chenliu, who is intelligent and studious and could have become the emperor. I have also heard that when the late emperor was alive, he said many times that the princes were not as eloquent as he was and that he wanted to establish the Prince of Chenliu as the emperor."

"When the late emperor was on his deathbed, he issued an edict to the Ten Attendants, ordering Prince Xie to be made emperor. However, He Jin was very powerful at the time, and the Ten Attendants concealed this edict."

"I, Dong Zhuo, have received imperial favor for generations and, in accordance with Your Majesty's dying wish, wish to depose the Emperor and install the Prince of Chenliu. What do you ministers think?"

The ministers were in uproar upon hearing this.

Dong Zhuo was indeed powerful, having seized military control in Chang'an.

However, in the 400 years since the founding of the Han Dynasty, no one has ever dared to kill high-ranking officials at will.

These ministers simply did not believe that Dong Zhuo would dare to kill them.

Immediately, someone saw this golden opportunity to gain fame, overturned the table in front of them, and shouted, "No way! Who are you to dare to speak so arrogantly!"

"His Majesty is the late Emperor's eldest son and has committed no wrongdoing. His throne is rightfully his, and how can anyone presume to depose or install a new emperor!"

"In the entire 400-year history of the Han Dynasty, I have never heard of such an absurd thing!"

"You intend to usurp the throne?!"

When Dong Zhuo looked up, he realized that the person in front of him was Yuan Shao.

His gaze fell on Yuan Wei, and he was secretly puzzled.

It was clearly an agreement between him and the Yuan family, so why did Yuan Shao suddenly object?

However, he still has a good relationship with the Yuan family, and he needs to rely on their influence to better control the court.

Of course, we can't just kill Yuan Shao like that.

"Drag him out of here!"

"These are all high-ranking officials and ministers; how dare a mere child like you speak!"

Seeing that Dong Zhuo had not killed anyone, but only forcibly removed the person, everyone felt that Dong Zhuo was all bark and no bite.

At this moment, Lu Zhi also stepped forward to persuade Dong Zhuo, "In the past, Tai Jia was unwise, and Yi Yin banished him to Tong Palace. Now, Your Majesty sits on the throne in the high hall. Although he is young, he is intelligent and wise, and has not made the slightest mistake. You are merely a governor of an outer prefecture, and have never participated in state affairs. Moreover, you lack the talent of Yi Yin. How can you force the emperor to depose and install a ruler?"

"As the sage said, 'If one has the ambition of Yi Yin, then it is permissible; if one does not have the ambition of Yi Yin, then it is usurpation!'"

Dong Zhuo was furious, but was stopped by Cai Yong, the Chamberlain, and Peng Bo, the Gentleman of the Palace, and other great Confucian scholars.

Knowing Lu Zhi's prestige in the Han Dynasty, and with so many great Confucian scholars speaking up for him, Dong Zhuo had no choice but to sit down with a dark expression.

Then someone else stepped forward to persuade Dong Zhuo.

This person spoke even more rudely.

"Dong Zhuo, you are nothing but a commoner from a remote prefecture. It is an honor for you to sit at the same table with us, yet you dare to speak so arrogantly!"

"Deposing and installing emperors is a major matter for the imperial court; how dare you have the right to speak on it!"

He had barely uttered the words when Dong Zhuo dragged him out and beheaded him.

Yuan Shao dared to refuse him to his face because he had an agreement with the Yuan family, and the Yuan family had held high office for four generations, making them very powerful.

Lu Zhi dared to refuse him to his face because Lu Zhi himself was well-known in the court, and his friends were all great scholars. He had a great influence in the entire Han Dynasty. If Dong Zhuo dared to kill him, his reputation would be ruined the next day.

But you, some nobody who just popped up out of nowhere, want to make a name for yourself by stepping on Dong Zhuo? Do you really think Dong Zhuo's reputation is fake?

Everyone was shocked. "Dong Zhuo, how dare you do this!"

"To execute high-ranking officials without imperial decree! What is the punishment?"

Minister Ding Guan stepped forward and roared.

Then Dong Zhuo dragged this person out and beheaded him.

The entire city of Chang'an is now in his hands, yet these people can't see the situation clearly and actually think that Dong Zhuo's blade is not sharp enough.

Afterwards, several people stepped forward to stop him, but they were all killed by Dong Zhuo.

Born on the frontier, Dong Zhuo believed in only one principle: power is the fist.

People in this world are all base and cowardly, fearing power but not appreciating virtue.

As long as you have a knife in your hand and a horse on your back, you can cut them all down.

Anyone who disagrees will be killed.

For 400 years, the Han Dynasty nurtured scholars, and even after being ruined by several emperors, eunuchs, and He Jin, the court still had a few loyal ministers.

But Dong Zhuo only wanted to depose and install emperors, seize the credit for supporting the new emperor, and control the court.

Relatives of the empress dowager are acceptable, eunuchs are acceptable, empress dowagers are acceptable, just add Dong Zhuo.

Moreover, the late emperor's intention to depose the eldest son and establish the younger son was almost an open secret. Although Dong Zhuo claimed to have no evidence, they all knew that it was indeed true.

As for the other officials, in their eyes, Dong Zhuo was still a protégé and former subordinate of the Yuan family, and Yuan Wei, that old fox, had not stood up.

They suspected that this was a pre-arranged plan between the Yuan family and Dong Zhuo, or that it was the Yuan family's intention, with Dong Zhuo merely acting as a front man.

I just don't know what Yuan Shao was trying to achieve with that? Was he trying to make a name for himself?

Moreover, the Wei family doesn't seem to have sent anyone. Even though most of the Wei family's direct descendants have left, some of their branches still remain.

None of them showed up, and recently, it seems that the Wei family has been withdrawing from the court.

Those who rise to high positions are all shrewd and astute; they sensed something unusual.

In this strange atmosphere at the court, Dong Zhuo facilitated the momentous event of deposing and installing the emperor.

The following day, at the grand court assembly in Weiyang Palace, both civil and military officials were present.

Standing in the center of the court, Dong Zhuo addressed the assembled ministers, saying, "The emperor's love for the weak is insufficient to rule the world. Each of you has a written plan, which should be read aloud."

Li Ru held the document in his hands and read it aloud in the court.

"Emperor Xiaoling abandoned his subjects early; the succession of the current emperor was met with widespread skepticism. However, the emperor was frivolous and lacked decorum, and was negligent in mourning: his lack of virtue was evident, and he was unworthy of the throne. The Empress Dowager lacked maternal virtue, and her rule was chaotic. Empress Dowager Yongle died suddenly, and the public was confused. Are the principles of the Three Cardinal Guides and the order of Heaven and Earth not in question? Prince Chenliu Xie is of great virtue and upright character; he was deeply grieved in mourning, and his words were never wicked; his good reputation is known throughout the land. He is fit to inherit the great legacy and rule for ten thousand generations. Therefore, the current emperor is deposed and made Prince of Hongnong, and the Empress Dowager is restored to power. We request that Prince Chenliu be made emperor, in accordance with Heaven and the people, to comfort the hopes of the people."

After reading it, Dong Zhuo had the young emperor of Han helped down from the palace, removed his imperial seal and ribbon, and made him kneel facing north, acknowledging his submission and obeying his orders.

"How dare you!"

Empress Dowager He couldn't accept it, exclaiming, "Where are the Imperial Guards?!"

"Drag this audacious treacherous minister out and behead him!"

Immediately, Imperial Guards came out, and Dong Zhuo smiled arrogantly.

"Is the Empress Dowager sure?"

"Right outside the palace, my 20-strong Xiliang army has already surrounded the palace."

"If I fail to leave the palace within half an hour, they will swarm in and raze the entire palace to the ground!"

Empress Dowager He had no desire to die together with this madman. She had only just ascended to the throne of Empress Dowager and was enjoying supreme power; she did not want to die like this.

But she couldn't possibly watch her son be crippled!

Empress Dowager He was caught in a dilemma.