"Grand Tutor, why are you back from court so soon?"

When Dong Zhuo hurriedly returned to the Grand Tutor's mansion from Luoyang, Li Ru and Niu Fu quickly came to greet him.

"Wenyou, Baiye! Come with me to the manor, there is something important!"

Dong Zhuo's face was gloomy, and he stepped into the Grand Tutor's mansion without turning his head.

As he walked, he looked around the Grand Tutor's mansion, his eyes seemingly filled with reluctance.

Seeing Dong Zhuo's frosty expression, Li Ru and Niu Fu sensed that something big was about to happen, and hurriedly followed behind without saying a word.

Before Dong Zhuo could even sit down after entering the room, he suddenly turned around and asked, "Have you received the latest military report about Liu Wei?"

Li Ru shook his head.

"I've been gathering blacksmiths in the city to forge iron chains, but I haven't heard anything yet!" Niu Fu also looked bewildered.

"Apart from Hangu Pass, Liu Wei's army has appeared at all seven other passes of Luoyang!"

Dong Zhuo said, enunciating each word clearly, "Do you know how many troops are stationed around Luoyang?"

Niu Fu and Li Ru looked at Dong Zhuo with surprise and doubt, and asked in unison, "How many?"

"One million!" Dong Zhuo gritted his teeth and uttered those three words!

"What? Father-in-law, how could Liu Wei have so many soldiers? I strongly suspect it's a feint!" Li Ru immediately shouted.

Niu Fu was even more exaggerated. He immediately jumped up and said, "That's absolutely impossible. If there really is a million-strong army, wouldn't we be in great danger right now, and could be wiped out at any moment?"

"Therefore, I've called you here to discuss our next steps!"

"If we stay in Luoyang and fight Liu Wei, we will only face certain death."

Dong Zhuo remained gloomy. "What suggestions do you two have?"

"Father-in-law, please allow me to think this over carefully!"

This sudden military intelligence caught Li Ru off guard, and he stammered.

He had access to Dong Zhuo's intelligence network, but he was slow to react to the sudden appearance of Liu Wei's million-strong army.

Li Ru never imagined that Liu Wei could muster such a large army in the capital region.

"I...I also need to go back and think about it!" Niu Fu looked at Dong Zhuo guiltily.

For something so mentally taxing, Niu Fu naturally had to consult that Commandant Jia!

Dong Zhuo nodded and waved for them to hurry up and go.

He gave Niu Fu a meaningful look, hoping that the man under Niu Fu who had devised the counter-espionage scheme and the iron chain across the river strategy could come up with a brilliant plan for him.

Before long, Niu Fu hurriedly returned to camp and immediately summoned Commandant Jia to ask for advice.

"Captain Jia, this time you really have to think of a way to save us!"

"The Cloud King's million-strong army is no pushover!"

"I estimate that within three to five days, they will all be gathered at the gates of Luoyang. Even if we wanted to run away, we wouldn't have a chance!"

Even the usually composed Commandant Jia was deeply moved.

"A million-strong army?"

Faced with absolute power, all schemes and tricks seem so pale and powerless.

"Yes, all the officials in the court should know about this. I see them all discussing which side to take!"

Niu Fu said bitterly, "Those who fawned over the Grand Tutor are now preparing to betray him!"

"The desire to seek advantage and avoid harm is human nature!"

Commandant Jia pondered for a moment, then smiled slightly, "I do have a plan, but it's too ruthless, and I'm afraid the Grand Tutor will blame me!"

"You...you actually have a brilliant plan!"

Niu Fu was overjoyed. "Whether it's ruthless or not is not important. What's important now is to figure out what means we can use to get out of this predicament."

"I only offer suggestions; whether the Grand Tutor adopts them or not is none of my business!" Commandant Jia said with a smug smile.

"Don't worry, no matter how vicious the scheme is, it will all be blamed on me, Niu Fu, and will have nothing to do with you, Commander Jia!" Niu Fu immediately patted his chest and assured him.

Commandant Jia said calmly, "This plan depends on the Grand Tutor's determination!"

"I'll go and persuade the Grand Tutor!"

“General Niu, go and tell the Grand Tutor this, and it will be fine…” Commandant Jia lowered his voice.

After listening, Niu Fu's eyes were glazed over, and his breathing became heavy.

This plan is too vicious!

However, given the current state of the Bingzhou army, this is the only option; it seems there is no better way.

"I'll go and report to the Grand Tutor right now!"

It took Niu Fu a while to come to his senses. When he noticed that Commandant Jia was looking at him with a half-smile, he hurriedly said, "Of course, don't worry, I will never mention Commandant Jia in front of the Grand Tutor!"

"General Niu, go and return soon." Commandant Jia smiled!

Niu Fu couldn't wait and headed straight for the Grand Tutor's mansion!

......

The news that a million-strong army had besieged Luoyang spread like wildfire to all the states and regions.

Jizhou, Yecheng.

"Hmph, they actually teamed up to kick me out of the game!"

"It's one thing for my uncle to do this, but now my father is doing it too. Is it just because I'm an illegitimate son?"

Yuan Shao cursed loudly towards Luoyang from his residence.

"Your Excellency, there's no need for this!"

Gao Gan, Yuan Tan, Yuan Shang, Zhang He, Gao Lan, Qu Yi, Shen Pei, Guo Tu, Xu You, Xun Kan, Chunyu Qiong and others all offered their advice.

Yuan Shao was stripped of his military power, dismissed from his position as Commandant of the Capital Region, and sent back to Ji Province, but he still served as Governor of Ji Province.

This was the result of a power struggle between the Yuan family and Dong Zhuo.

No matter how incompetent Yuan Shao was, he was still a member of the Yuan family, and all the past events proved that Yuan Shao was the most capable person of the new generation of the Yuan family.

Yuan Shu was still somewhat inferior to him, and as for Yuan Ji and Yuan Shuang, they were even less worthy of mention.

In order to maintain their influence in the region, the Yuan family retained Yuan Shao's position as governor of Ji Province.

The troops in Ji Province were still there, but Yuan Shao's dream of becoming a general was shattered.

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