Treason

In the year 189, outside the city of Luoyang, within the grand encampment of Lü Bu.

Lü Bu interrupted Li Su, cutting him short: "Are you acting as a lobbyist for Dong Zhuo?"

Faced with Lü Bu’s piercing glare, Li Su did not retreat a single step. "My brother's martial prowess is peerless under heaven, yet Ding Yuan is thoroughly incompetent, treating you merely as a chief clerk. That is nothing less than burying your boundless talent."

Lü Bu frowned. "He is my adoptive father. Do not speak such words."

"As the saying goes, a fine bird chooses its tree to nest in, and a wise minister chooses his lord to serve. Since Lord Dong cherishes my brother's extraordinary talents, and since I have come to speak on his behalf, he naturally intends to reward you with a position of the highest eminence."

Noticing that Lü Bu's tone had softened, Li Su pressed his advantage while the iron was hot.

Lü Bu sighed. "Ding Yuan is my adoptive father; I cannot bear to betray him."

Li Su clapped his hands, signaling his attendants to bring forward chests of gold, silver, and precious treasures. "This is a token of Lord Dong's sincere regard. Outside, there is also a steed of peerless renown known as the Red Hare. It can gallop a thousand li in a single day. Knowing that my brother lacked a steed worthy of your might, Lord Dong specially commanded me to present it to you."

A conflicted expression appeared on Lü Bu's face. "Ding Yuan is my father, and he has treated me with great generosity."

Li Su’s attendants led the Red Hare into Lü Bu's tent.

Lü Bu looked toward the tent flap and beheld a horse whose coat was the deep, fiery red of glowing charcoal, without a single stray hair of another color. From head to tail, it measured a zhang in length.

From hoof to shoulder, it stood eight chi high, snorting and roaring with such majestic vigor that it seemed ready to leap into the sky or plunge into the sea.

Seeing the longing in Lü Bu's eyes, Li Su knew he had won. "My brother is mistaken. Your surname is Lü; how could Ding Yuan truly be your father?"

Lü Bu hesitated, struggling internally. "Yet he is my adoptive father. How could I possibly..."

Even so, his gaze remained fixed upon the Red Hare, clearly captivated by the magnificent creature. Seeing this, Li Su felt a wave of relief wash over him; it was time to fan the flames further.

The way to judge a man is to listen to his words and observe his deeds.

Regardless of Lü Bu's initial intentions or hidden grievances, the very moment he decided to murder his adoptive father Ding Yuan, his ultimate fate was sealed. It was an established reality.

One might understand his plight, one might even sympathize with his predicament. But no one would ever truly wish to have a man like Lü Bu as their companion, for the stakes are simply too high to gamble upon.

With a rapid shift of thought, Li Su stoked the fire once more. "Furthermore, although Ding Yuan knows your martial arts are peerless in this generation, he has kept you confined to a minor civilian post as a chief clerk. In my view, Ding Yuan is merely consumed by jealousy of your genius, wishing to prevent you from leading troops into battle and achieving glorious renown."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu fell into a deep silence, his eyes shifting with uncertainty.

Li Su added yet another layer of persuasion. "Look upon my lord, Dong Zhuo. Ever since he entered Luoyang, he first rescued the carriages of the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu. Amidst the chaos within the city, he restored public order, sparing the common people the suffering of war and devastation. Thereafter, he broadly promoted the renowned scholars and Confucian grandees of our age. Men like Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and Xun Shuang all attained lofty positions in the imperial court solely due to Dong Zhuo's generous recommendations."

"This, this, this..." Lü Bu's heart was torn with fierce turmoil.

Pressing his advantage to the utmost, Li Su declared, "If my brother were to abandon Ding Yuan and assist Lord Dong, Lord Dong would naturally grant you command of the armies to subjugate the northern tribes, striking terror throughout the frontier. By then, you would achieve immortal military glory, rivaling Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, and your name would be eternally etched in history."

***

Having listened intently, Lü Bu remained silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Then why did Lord Dong previously advocate for the deposition of the Emperor? Would such an act not be grossly treasonous?"

"Lord Dong's execution of the deposition and enthronement was done entirely in accordance with the late Emperor's secret edict. It is known to all under heaven how deeply the late Emperor favored the Prince of Chenliu. Why, then, was the Prince of Chenliu not allowed to ascend the throne? It was solely because He Jin and his sister arbitrarily altered the late Emperor's final decree, forcing Prince Bian to ascend the throne as emperor."

Li Su blended truth with falsehood as he explained the intricate background to Lü Bu.

Lü Bu gasped in astonishment. "Could there truly be such hidden secrets?"

Li Su continued, "Presently, Lord Dong's actions regarding the succession are strictly in obedience to the late Emperor's dying command; there is nothing improper about them. Moreover, the Prince of Chenliu is exceptionally intelligent. Should he ascend the throne with Lord Dong's assistance, he will undoubtedly become a brilliant monarch of a new era, akin to Emperor Xuan of the former dynasty."

Lü Bu fell silent once again upon hearing this.

Then, letting out a long, heavy sigh, he murmured, "Ah, what my younger brother says is reasonable. Very well, let me pen a letter of farewell, and I shall accompany you to pay my respects to Lord Dong."

Just as Lü Bu turned to prepare his brush and paper, Li Su hastily stopped him. "My brother, do not be in such haste. Since this is your first time meeting Lord Dong, why not present a proper token of allegiance?"

Curiosity piqued, Lü Bu asked, "A token of allegiance?"

A cold glint flashed in Li Su's eyes as he spoke in a deep, chilling voice: "The head of Ding Yuan."

"Li Su! What is your true intention? Do you wish to plunge me into unrighteousness?"

Hearing this, Lü Bu slammed his hand upon the table, sprang to his feet, and glared furiously at Li Su.

Li Su shook his head calmly. "My brother is entirely mistaken. I regard Ding Yuan as a thief to the state. To rid the country of a traitor—how can that be termed unrighteous? I pray my brother will think on this three times."

"Though Ding Yuan has not treated me well, upon what grounds can he be called a traitor to the state?" Puzzled by Li Su's bizarre assertions, Lü Bu could not help but demand an explanation.

Li Su smiled faintly. "My brother, do not be impatient. Sit down and listen while I explain it to you in detail."

Lü Bu reluctantly sat back down, though his expression remained heavily overcast with displeasure.

Li Su proceeded methodically. "Did not He Jin and his sister, driven purely by selfish desires, arbitrarily tamper with the late Emperor's final decree to place Prince Bian on the throne? Can He Jin not be called a traitor to the state?"

Lü Bu nodded slightly, his mind momentarily struggling to keep pace, while Li Su pressed on. "And was Ding Yuan not formerly a trusted confidant of He Jin? Now that Ding Yuan opposes Lord Dong's efforts to honor the late Emperor's true will by establishing the Prince of Chenliu, does he not make himself a traitor as well?"

A sudden flash of insight seemed to strike Lü Bu, and he retorted, "The debate over deposition and enthronement is fraught with conflicting claims and murky motives. The full truth remains unclear."

Li Su brushed the objection aside. "Let us temporarily set aside the dispute over the succession. I have heard that when Ding Yuan mobilized his forces in Bingzhou and reached the banks of the Yellow River, he found himself without sufficient boats. Consequently, he forcibly seized the vessels of the local common folk. When the people refused, a violent clash broke out with his army, whereupon Ding Yuan gave the order to execute every civilian who dared resist the requisition of their boats. Did this event occur or not?"

A knot tightened in Lü Bu's chest, and he nodded in silent acknowledgment.

"Since Ding Yuan was stationed far away in Bingzhou, how is it that when he and Lord Dong both received He Jin's summons, Ding Yuan—despite having a much greater distance to travel—managed to arrive in the capital even earlier than Lord Dong?"

By this point, Lü Bu’s mind was thoroughly tangled; his mental processing power was on the verge of burning out.

***

Li Su afforded Lü Bu no time for contemplation. "It was precisely because of Ding Yuan’s brutality in seizing the commoners' boats that he was able to reach the capital ahead of time. His intent was to use his massive army to seize control of Luoyang and the imperial court, executing acts of treason. It was merely by the grace of Heaven that Lord Dong arrived in time."

Hearing this, Lü Bu stared blankly at the silver-tongued Li Su, completely bewildered.

Pausing briefly for effect, Li Su continued, "By contrast, look at Lord Dong. He came attended by a mere three thousand elite troops. Upon learning that the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu were wandering in distress near Mount Beimang, he immediately led his forces deep into the mountains to search for them and restore them safely. Such profound loyalty—how could Ding Yuan ever hope to compare?"

"This... this..." Lü Bu felt his psychological defenses rapidly crumbling.

Li Su relentlessly wove his narrative further. "Furthermore, throughout the entire march of Lord Dong's army from Hedong to Luoyang, they never once harassed the common people. When crossing the Yellow River, Lord Dong even compensated the ferrymen generously. The common folk received countless graces from Lord Dong. Such conduct is the definitive hallmark of a truly virtuous minister."

Lü Bu averted his gaze, unable to bear listening any longer as inner turmoil racked his soul.

Li Su drove home his final blow. "If my brother fails to execute Ding Yuan, Ding Yuan's army will inevitably move to obstruct Lord Dong in his righteous endeavors. Should the two armies clash, countless soldiers on both sides will needlessly perish."

"The soldiers of Bingzhou are my brother's brothers-in-arms; the soldiers of Xiliang will be my brother's brothers-in-arms in the days to come. By slaying a single Ding Yuan, you will save the lives of tens of thousands of your fellow soldiers. Such an act is far from unrighteous—it is the ultimate expression of supreme benevolence and loyalty. I earnestly entreat my brother to execute Ding Yuan and deliver us from this impending catastrophe. On behalf of the soldiers of both armies, I offer you my deepest gratitude."

Seeing Lü Bu fall into a profound silence, Li Su suddenly dropped to his knees with a heavy thud, tears streaming down his face as he wept uncontrollably.

Moved by a pang of unbearable sympathy, Lü Bu stepped forward to raise him up. Yet Li Su remained immovable as if rooted in iron, kneeling persistently before Lü Bu and kowtowing ceaselessly without stopping.

"Younger brother, your elder brother consents. Rise at once."

Left with no other choice, Lü Bu let out a long, mournful sigh of resignation.

"This bow is offered in gratitude to my brother for sparing the lives of millions of soldiers in both armies; my brother must not refuse it." Li Su refused to stand immediately upon hearing this.

Only after finishing his words did he bow his head and strike the floor once more in a respectful kowtow before finally allowing Lü Bu to help him to his feet.

Looking straight into Lü Bu's eyes, Li Su declared, "Go forth, my brother, and slay that Ding Yuan."

With a weary sigh, Lü Bu replied, "I shall take only the life of Ding Yuan alone."

With a faint, lingering echo, Li Su murmured, "Naturally."

To have a friend like Li Su was truly Lü Bu's lifelong misfortune.