Dong Zhuo was furious and pointed at Xun Shuang, saying, "You old fool, you dare to disobey the Empress Dowager's decree? Are you planning a rebellion?"
"presumptuous!"
Xun Shuang flew into a rage and said, "I am a Confucian scholar, how dare you spout such nonsense and slander me?"
"Hmph, you old fool, since you're so stubborn, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Dong Zhuo waved his hand and said coldly, "Men, seize this old scoundrel!"
"I'd like to see who dares!" Xun Shuang shouted fearlessly.
"Guards! Seize Xun Shuang!" Dong Zhuo shouted again.
Immediately, several soldiers rushed forward, attempting to capture Xun Shuang.
Although Xun Shuang was old, the Xun family of Yingchuan was not just talking. Many civil and military officials immediately stood in front of Xun Shuang to protect him.
Dong Zhuo was furious and said coldly, "Are you all going to follow this old bastard down this dark path?"
"We swear to serve the Han Dynasty to the death, what does it matter if we die?" the civil and military officials shouted in unison.
Dong Zhuo was furious, never expecting Xun Shuang's influence to be even greater than he had imagined.
Xun Shuang looked at Dong Zhuo, his eyes gleaming, and said loudly, "Dong Zhuo, as a minister of the Han Dynasty, you should know what it means to have the emperor's grace as vast as the sea and to never forget the emperor's favor. What you are doing now is nothing short of rebellion!"
"Hmph, don't try to intimidate me with the Emperor's favor!" Dong Zhuo shouted.
"The matter of His Majesty acknowledging his father was decreed by the Empress Dowager, and I was merely following her orders!"
Dong Zhuo glanced at Empress Dowager He, his eyes cold.
Empress Dowager He's heart tightened, and she said, "The Prime Minister is right. It was my decree that led to the Prime Minister's defeat of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the execution of the Ten Attendants. He has done a great service to the Han Dynasty and deserves to be Your Majesty's second father!"
Empress Dowager He's words enraged Xun Shuang, who pointed at her and cursed, "A hen crowing at dawn, misleading the ruler and the country!"
Empress Dowager He was furious and said sternly, "Xun Shuang, how dare you insult me?"
All the civil and military officials present were also frightened. How dare Xun Shuang be so bold as to directly insult the Empress Dowager?
Isn't this courting death? No matter how powerful your Xun clan is, you can't be this arrogant.
"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Several of Xun Shuang's disciples quickly stepped forward to plead for him, while simultaneously pulling at Xun Shuang.
Xun Shuang shook off their attempts to pull him away and roared, "Even if I die today, I will never submit!"
"You old scoundrel!"
Empress Dowager He roared and ordered, "Seize this old scoundrel, take him out, and behead him as a warning to the public!"
Empress Dowager He's order immediately silenced the main hall.
No one moved, because these soldiers only obeyed Dong Zhuo's orders, and the orders of others were ignored by them.
"Prime Minister...!" Empress Dowager He looked at Dong Zhuo with an unfriendly expression.
"Take him down!" Dong Zhuo finally shouted with satisfaction.
Immediately, dozens of soldiers rushed towards Xun Shuang, and even if Xun Shuang tried his best, he could not escape.
Xun Shuang was immediately apprehended and escorted out of the palace, where he was to be beheaded.
But no one dared to stop the whole process.
Empress Dowager He witnessed this scene, a smile appearing on her lips, and said, "Gentlemen, who among you still objects?"
At this moment, Yuan Wei stepped forward, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, "We respectfully obey the Empress Dowager's decree!"
The civil and military officials behind him stared at each other in disbelief. Even Grand Tutor Yuan had given his support; what could they possibly say?
They all bowed and said, "We respectfully obey the Empress Dowager's decree!"
"Haha...Good, good, good!"
With the support of numerous civil and military officials, Empress Dowager He was overjoyed, knowing that she had firmly grasped the overall situation.
Moreover, Dong Zhuo promised her that after becoming Liu Bian's adoptive father, he would do his best to assist the emperor.
Although Dong Zhuo was extremely ambitious, Empress Dowager He was very confident that she could control him with her beauty.
"Then, let's begin the matter of recognizing the father!" Empress Dowager He said with a smile.
The process of the emperor recognizing his father was extremely complicated, requiring sacrifices to ancestors, burning incense and praying, and finally inviting the Empress Dowager to read the proclamation by a eunuch.
Liu Bian immediately knelt down and kowtowed, shouting, "Son greets Uncle!"
This matter was considered settled, and Dong Zhuo transformed into the emperor's adoptive father! He was now incredibly powerful and influential!
After Xun Shuang was taken away, Dong Zhuo did not order his men to execute him. He was not stupid; why should he be made to take the blame for Empress Dowager He?
The guards drove Xun Shuang out of Luoyang and sent him back to his hometown of Yingchuan.
Xun Shuang was furious, but there was nothing he could do. After all, Dong Zhuo held military power, and his 200,000-strong army was his asset.
.................
On the other side, in Yizhou.
Lu Li has been in a coma for nearly a month, but there is no sign of him waking up, which makes Leifu extremely worried.
But then she thought back to the time when Lu Li was also struck by heavenly lightning and took four hundred years to come back to life.
Leifu knew that his master possessed an immortal body, but did he really have to wait another four hundred years?
At that time, they didn't even know if the Han Dynasty still existed. Could their shared ideals still be realized?
Leif sighed and continued to guard Lu Li's side.
Suddenly, news came from the Black Ice Guard that Dong Zhuo had become Liu Bian's adoptive father, an event that shocked the entire world.
Lai Fu immediately summoned Xi Zhicai and others to discuss countermeasures.
"Dong Zhuo becoming the emperor's adoptive father? How is that possible?" Xi Zhicai exclaimed in astonishment.
"Where did you get this information from?"
"The Black Ice Guard just discovered that it's an imperial edict personally issued by Empress Dowager He," Leifu said in a deep voice.
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