At the foot of Mount Beiman, two armies faced each other, their banners fluttering and horses neighing in the wind.

On the imperial army side, Yuan Shao, Huang Qiong, Ding Yuan, and others each led their troops into battle, totaling 30,000 men.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shao had already arranged for other troops to launch a general offensive, which would sweep through Dong Zhuo's camp with overwhelming force.

On Dong Zhuo's side, only five thousand cavalrymen were dispatched, and they were arrayed in front of the camp.

However, the camp was surrounded by arrows, indicating that it had made thorough defensive preparations.

Both sides held their ground.

At this moment, Dong Zhuo, riding Red Hare and accompanied by Niu Fu and Li Ru, walked out from the army and went straight to Ding Yuan's army.

This puzzled Yuan Shao and his associates.

It's puzzling that Dong Zhuo didn't approach Yuan Shao and other high-ranking officials, but instead went directly to talk to Ding Yuan.

"Brother Ding Yuan, it's been more than half a year since we parted ways in Bingzhou. How have you been? Haha!"

Did you read the letter I sent you last night?

Dong Zhuo stopped fifty paces away from Ding Yuan and spoke loudly.

His voice was clear and loud, and Yuan Shao and the others nearby could hear it clearly.

What!

Did Dong Zhuo also write a separate letter to Ding Yuan?

This greatly surprised Yuan Shao.

Unexpectedly, the two people, who were sworn enemies, were secretly exchanging letters.

Ding Yuan didn't tell him about this.

Ding Yuan didn't think too much about Dong Zhuo's loud voice.

Because the letters Dong Zhuo wrote to him were nothing more than daily reminiscing, such as whether he had eaten, how his health was, whether his sex life was harmonious, and other such trivial matters!

There were many corrections and alterations in the letter.

Considering that Dong Zhuo was a mere warrior, it was normal for him to make mistakes in writing, so Ding Yuan didn't take it to heart.

"Dong Zhuo, your calligraphy is truly nothing to write home about!" Ding Yuan mocked.

Dong Zhuo then chatted about some everyday matters before changing the subject and turning to Lü Bu beside him:

"Fengxian is indeed brave. I wonder what you have thought about the matter I sent someone to tell you yesterday?"

"A fine horse is given to a martyr, and I ride Red Hare. I wonder if Fengxian would like that?"

"You old scoundrel Dong! You...you better watch your mouth!"

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu flew into a rage, "Stop trying to sow discord! If it weren't for the fact that we are both ministers of the court, I would have killed the envoy you sent yesterday."

"Hehe!" Dong Zhuo laughed heartily, then stopped talking and turned to leave.

"Fengxian, did Dong Zhuo send someone to deliver a letter to you last night? And also send an envoy to persuade you?"

Ding Yuan's face immediately darkened. "You actually kept this from me. Why didn't you report it to me?"

"That old scoundrel sent men to try and make me betray my adoptive father back in Bingzhou!" Lü Bu cried out in protest. "My adoptive father has treated me with the utmost kindness; how could I possibly agree to that?"

“I didn’t tell my godfather at the time. Bu had already refused and driven away the persuaders. I have a clear conscience.”

Lu Bu, with an arrogant expression, believed that under those circumstances, telling Ding Yuan would only arouse Ding Yuan's suspicion, so he took it upon himself to conceal it.

Now Dong Zhuo has sent people to poach him again, and Lü Bu once again chooses not to speak.

"You..." Ding Yuan was quite annoyed by Lü Bu's straightforwardness. "Let me see the letter Dong Zhuo wrote to you!"

"The letter was torn to shreds long ago!"

"What did he say in his letter?"

"He said he would give me his Red Hare horse and marry his granddaughter to me!" Lü Bu smiled contemptuously, "A true man should be loyal and righteous, how can he be tempted by fame, fortune and women?"

It wouldn't have mattered if Lü Bu hadn't said anything, but Lü Bu's words only fueled Ding Yuan's suspicions. However, he offered words of comfort:

"I believe in my son!"

When Dong Zhuo and his entourage arrived at Yuan Shao's side, their attitude was very sincere.

“Benchu, your uncle has been kind to me, and I have already sincerely apologized to the Grand Tutor in my letter!”

"I brought my troops to Luoyang under the orders of the General. I also saved the Emperor's life at Beiman Mountain. Why is it so difficult to give me a reward? Why must we resort to arms?"

"If it weren't for Ding Jianyang and me holding Bing and Liang, the King of Yunzhong's army would probably be at the gates of Luoyang by now."

"If the King of Yunzhong arrives, he will support the King of Chenliu. At that time, will your Yuan, Wang, Yang and other families still have the glory you have now?"

Dong Zhuo's casual words caused Yuan Shao to break out in a cold sweat.

He and Dong Zhuo were locked in a power struggle, while Liu Wei was making rapid progress outside, closing in step by step.

If they push Dong Zhuo too hard now, and he lets Liu Wei in, then uses the imperial edict to support the Prince of Chenliu as emperor, then all the efforts the Yuan family has made in the past few months will have been in vain.

Moreover, Dong Zhuo had just gone to Ding Yuan's place, and the two had exchanged letters.

The young emperor is in Dong Zhuo's hands. What if the two of them join forces and support the young emperor to establish their own court?

In the end, it was the Yuan family who were the most hurt!

The people around frowned.

Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Yuan Wei had some private dealings with Dong Zhuo, and they might even have reached some kind of private agreement.

Yuan Shao, however, insisted on fighting Dong Zhuo.

Does he still want the young emperor?

Among the group, only one person had clear eyes, seemingly seeing through Dong Zhuo's actions perfectly.

Yuan Shao wanted to ask more questions, but Dong Zhuo simply walked away.

Yuan Shao ordered an attack, but Ding Yuan's army did not move.

Arrows were shot from Dong Zhuo's camp, preventing Yuan Shao from advancing.

Before long, a sign of truce was hung up in Dong Zhuo's camp.

Yuan Shao could only return dejectedly. He pondered the matter deeply and, finding nothing amiss, immediately summoned Ding Yuan to ask:

"Dong Zhuo wrote you a letter in private? What did it say?"

Ding Yuan was already quite upset about Lü Bu's affair, and now that Yuan Shao had come to ask, he was even more displeased: "Didn't he also write a letter to the Grand Tutor!"

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