In the imperial bedchamber of Emperor Xian of Han, the palace gates were tightly guarded by Cao Cao’s Tiger Guards. Inside, the halls were brightly lit, yet a terrifying silence hung in the air.
Emperor Xian, Liu Xie, nearly toppled from his bed in fear. Dressed only in his nightclothes, his face was pale as paper, his body trembling, consumed by terror.
Before him knelt Dong Cheng, Zhong Ji, Wu Zilan, Wu Shuo, and others, bound hand and foot, their mouths gagged. Cao Cao sat high on the main throne, flanked by Cao Zhi and Cao Pi, with loyal ministers like Xun Yu and Guo Jia present. Xu Chu stood at the door, sword in hand, like a guardian deity.
Liu Xie’s voice quavered: “Wei… Wei Gong… what… what is the meaning of this?” He pointed at Dong Cheng and the others. “This… this is…”
Cao Cao bowed slightly, his tone cold and devoid of warmth: “Your Majesty, forgive the late-night disturbance. I merely wish to present you with a… spectacle.”
Liu Xie hesitated. “A spectacle?”
Cao Cao glanced at Xu Chu, who removed the gags from Dong Cheng and the others.
Dong Cheng cursed wildly: “Cao Cao! You’ve brought a nation’s ministers here for no reason! Do you still respect the law, do you still respect the emperor?”
Cao Cao laughed. “No reason? You brought them here yourselves.”
At that moment, Consort Dong was dragged in roughly by two armored guards. Her hairpins scattered, her body trembling.
Cao Cao sneered: “Guojiu Dong Cheng, look at this. I retrieved this from your beloved daughter’s chambers.” He threw a copy of the Edict of the Clothes-and-Belt onto the table.
Cao Cao’s voice rang cold: “Dong Cheng, you conspired with the Xiliang forces under Ma Teng, plotting rebellion and chaos in the capital, and yet you dare question me?”
Dong Cheng paled. “Cao bandit! Our actions were secret! How did you know?”
Cao Cao glanced at Cao Zhi with approval and loudly declared: “Fools! You thought your plots were hidden, yet my son Jian saw through them all! When you met, whom you conspired with, your plans, even your attempt to set fire in the palace—Jian investigated everything and reported it to me!”
Boom! His words struck like thunder.
All eyes turned to the young, handsome Cao Zhi. Xun Yu and Guo Jia looked astonished and thoughtful. Cao Pi’s face went white, fingers digging into his palms with jealousy. Dong Cheng and the others were struck dumb, unable to believe that their most secret plans were exposed before this young man as if they were child’s play.
Wu Shuo stammered: “Impossible… how… how could you know about the Edict…”
Cao Zhi stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the ministers, voice calm but commanding: “To keep a secret, one must not act. Your father saved you from Dong Zhuo, yet you, Han ministers, repay loyalty with danger, threatening the realm with war. This is not loyalty, but folly! My father assisted Your Majesty and stabilized the north—it is the way of the times. You opposed him like an insect trying to block a chariot; this is your fate!”
Dong Cheng and the others turned ashen, utterly broken, unable to speak further.
Even in defeat, Dong Cheng spat curses: “Cao Cao! Treacherous villain! You eunuch’s spawn! You hold the emperor to command the lords, your crimes are endless! I curse you to die miserably!”
Xu Chu, enraged, struck Dong Cheng down with a single blow.
Consort Dong collapsed to the floor, crying: “Father…”
After Dong Cheng’s death, Cao Cao approached Emperor Xian. He slammed the blood-stained Edict of the Clothes-and-Belt before him. “This edict—was it written by Your Majesty? To execute these ‘traitors’—me, Cao Cao?”
The emperor, seeing the blood, was drained of all strength, collapsing in despair, incoherently weeping: “N-no… I was forced… Dong Cheng! Yes! Dong Cheng forced me to write it! Wei Gong, you must believe me! I… I never intended to harm you!”
Cao Pi sneered openly from the side, full of contempt.
Cao Cao ignored him, turning his gaze to Consort Dong, tone now harsher: “The emperor was forced? And the consort? She, your woman, not only knew but aided in passing the rebellious edict, framing ministers. What crime does she deserve?”
Consort Dong lifted her head with a fierce hatred: “Cao bandit! You hold the emperor, disrupting the court! My father acted for the nation! I only regret failing! Now in your hands, do as you will!”
Cao Cao’s gaze hardened, but he did not look at her; he forced the emperor’s attention: “Your Majesty, you’ve heard. The rebels remain unrepentant. By Han law, treason is punishable by extermination of three generations. Dong Cheng and his followers will be executed at the city gates at noon to uphold the law.”
He paused, each word piercing like an ice spike: “As for the palace conspirators… Your Majesty, what say you?”
This was a barefaced coercion of the emperor—he was forcing him to order the execution of his own consort and unborn child.
Emperor Xian, broken, crawling and weeping, reached for Cao Cao’s robe, but Cao Cao coldly evaded him. “Wei Gong! Show mercy! I beg you—Consort Dong… she is with child! That is my heir! Show mercy for—”
Cao Cao’s voice rose, commanding and unyielding: “Precisely because she carries the dragon seed, she cannot remain! Shall we allow the rebels to raise a puppet for the future, continuing to oppose the court? Your Majesty! If you do not order her death, how can all present believe you are innocent?!”
Cao Cao gave a signal. Xu Chu drew his sword with a metallic “clang,” its gleam cutting across the emperor’s eyes.
Cao Cao’s tone softened slightly, but the threat was more chilling: “Your Majesty, hesitation breeds chaos. A cup of poison or a white silk cord—give her a dignified death. This is for your own good, for the stability of the Han. I do this for Your Majesty.”
Emperor Xian looked at the sword, at the despairing and furious Consort Dong, and at Cao Cao and his Tiger Guards. He was utterly crushed. Trembling, he pointed to the wine cup on the desk, closing his eyes, tears streaming, barely able to whisper: “…Grant… grant… grant death… grant death to Consort Dong…”
Consort Dong let out a piercing, bitter laugh: “Liu Xie! Coward! Emperor in name only! You are a father in name only! I will watch you from the afterlife! See how long you can remain emperor! The Han is doomed!”
She then violently broke free from the guards, smashing herself against a palace beam.
Cao Cao waved his hand: “The remaining conspirators, all participants, be taken away! Guard them strictly! At noon, execute all family members at the city gate, to serve as an example!”