Let's split the narrative and cover two different threads.
On this side, Zhong Ji and Wang Zifu, having received Dong Zhong's orders, quickly went to the Spirit Emperor's bedchamber to carefully check for any unusual circumstances.
At the same time, under the guise of protecting the Spirit Emperor's safety, they approached and tightly sealed off the area around the Spirit Emperor.
The two, leading a group of soldiers, hurried to the bedchamber, only to see a scene of busy clamor, with no unusual situations whatsoever.
When they tried to enter the bedchamber to investigate, they were firmly blocked by a young eunuch.
At this moment, Zhong Ji and Wang Zifu were full of doubts, and their suspicions, far from diminishing, grew even stronger.
He was naturally eager to go in and confirm if the Spirit Emperor was safe, but alas, the Emperor's bedchamber was a sacred place, and how could one easily enter without an imperial decree?
For a time, the two found themselves in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat, their hearts burning with anxiety, like ants on a hot pan.
The two were now in a state of indecision, unable to make a clear choice.
Ultimately, they were purely military generals and did not fully understand many of the complex situations at hand.
Now that the Emperor was seriously ill, it was no problem for them to be responsible for the security of the palace.
But if they were to force their way in, going against the Emperor's wishes, that was something they absolutely dared not do.
After some discussion, still without a result, they had no choice but to go to Empress Dowager Dong and let Dong Zhong make the final decision.
Dong Zhong's brows were tightly furrowed, and a deep look of worry appeared on his face; he constantly rubbed his forehead with his hand, seemingly deep in thought.
His heart was filled with contradiction and struggle, knowing the great significance and potential dangers of this trip.
Dong Zhong solemnly reported the matter in detail to Empress Dowager Dong.
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Dong's face flashed with a hint of anger; she and the Spirit Emperor had long had disagreements in their philosophies, and she had long been dissatisfied with the Spirit Emperor's way of governing.
At this moment, her eyes revealed determination and resoluteness; she was absolutely determined to pass the throne to Liu Xie.
The Spirit Emperor was now critically ill, his life force waning, and in Empress Dowager Dong's view, there was no need to consider his opinion anymore.
Empress Dowager Dong stared intently at Dong Zhong, her voice resolute as she demanded, “Dong Zhong, you must keep a close watch on the Emperor for me; the throne absolutely cannot be passed to Liu Bian, it must be Liu Xie!”
Dong Zhong felt Empress Dowager Dong's resolve.
Empress Dowager Dong frowned tightly and said sternly, “Dong Zhong, don't mind what others think; you must firmly control the Emperor and there can be no mistakes!”
Dong Zhong nodded slightly, his face showing difficulty, and said, “Aunt, this matter is extremely risky, what if…”
Empress Dowager Dong interrupted him, saying sharply, “There is no ‘what if’! Since you have chosen this path, then it is either a great achievement if you succeed, or utter defeat if you fail.
Moreover, with me here, even if Liu Bian ascends the throne, there will be no danger to your life; at most, your power will be taken back.”
Dong Zhong gritted his teeth and said, “Aunt is absolutely right, Dong Zhong understands.
It's just…”
Empress Dowager Dong stared at Dong Zhong and pressed, “Just what?”
Dong Zhong took a deep breath and said resolutely, “Dong Zhong will do his utmost and not fail Aunt's expectations!”
Empress Dowager Dong nodded slightly, her tone softening a bit, “Good, go now, and be sure to act carefully.”
He slowly raised his head, looking in the direction of Empress Dowager Dong, his eyes containing both determination and a hint of helplessness.
Although he knew this was Empress Dowager Dong's decree, he understood that this matter involved the succession of the throne, and a slight misstep could lead to eternal damnation.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.
Dong Zhong, surrounded by a crowd of soldiers, hurried to the Spirit Emperor's bedchamber.
The bedchamber doors were tightly shut, and the soldiers loudly called out to those inside, but there was no response, and the surroundings were silent.
Dong Zhong sensed something unusual and turned to ask Zhong Ji and Wang Zifu, “Since you arrived here, has no one entered or exited?”
Zhong Ji bowed and said, “Since this subordinate arrived here, I have sealed off the surroundings; indeed, no one has entered or exited.”
The imperial attendants and Imperial Maids in the bedchamber were all kneeling on the ground, their bodies trembling, each as silent as a cicada in cold, not daring to move in the slightest.
In a corner of the bedchamber, two bodies of young eunuchs were conspicuously laid out.
And Dian Wei, holding his twin iron halberds, like a guardian god, stared intently at the main entrance, his weapons seemingly still stained with wet blood, dripping down drop by drop.
The knocking and whispering outside were incessant; with each sound, the concubines inside grew more nervous.
Liu Bian looked worried and turned to Lu Zhi, saying, “Lu Shi, in this situation, what should we do?”
Lu Zhi said, “Since that is the case, we can only stall for time.
I will go and deal with them first.”
Then he turned to Empress He and said, “Please have Empress He and the concubines gather around the dragon bed, trying to prevent them from seeing the situation inside clearly.”
Empress He said with a hint of panic, “Lu Shi, can we really hide it?”
Lu Zhi took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady, and said, “Empress He, do not panic.
Things have come to this, we can only try our best.
Just do as I say for now, while I go and deal with the people outside.”
Empress He tightly clutched her clothes, her voice trembling, “Alright… alright.”
At this moment, Liu Bian stepped forward, his young face full of determination, and said, “Mother, Lu Shi, there is no need to panic.
The situation is critical now; we must work together to overcome this difficulty!
I believe Lu Shi will surely come up with a solution!”
Lu Zhi looked at Liu Bian, a hint of comfort welling up in his heart, and secretly resolved to protect them well.
Lu Zhi straightened his attire, gave Dian Wei a meaningful look, signaling Dian Wei to put away his weapons and stand behind him.
Then, Lu Zhi slowly opened the bedchamber door.
Just then, the soldiers outside were about to rush forward, when Lu Zhi suddenly raised his hand and roared, “Presumptuous! What do you want to do?!”
His gaze was sharp, and his voice carried authority, forming a stark contrast with his previous composure.
Empress He, meanwhile, hid deep within the bedchamber, watching this scene nervously, her heart filled with worry.
Liu Bian stood beside Empress He, clenching his fists tightly, his gaze fixed on Lu Zhi, his face also showing a resolute expression, ready to respond to any possible situation at any time.
Lu Zhi stood tall at the entrance of the bedchamber, his gaze fixed on Dong Cheng, his expression grim.
A person's reputation precedes them, and Lu Zhi's prestige in the Han Dynasty was indeed extremely high; his roar of anger startled the surrounding soldiers, making them momentarily dare not act rashly.
Dong Zhong was escorted forward, and he cupped his hands, saying, “I am here by Empress Dowager Dong's order to protect the Emperor's safety.
Please, Lu Shi, step aside and let us enter.”
Although he said this, he was still quite wary of Lu Zhi in his heart.
Lu Zhi frowned and said displeasedly, “Does Empress Dowager Dong want you to disturb His Majesty's rest?
Protecting His Majesty's safety is sufficient outside the palace.
Inside are the Empress and the Imperial Prince; if you force your way in and offend the noble ones, what then?”
Dong Zhong suppressed the anger in his heart, trying to make his voice sound calmer, and said, “Lu Shi, you misunderstand; we are also loyal and only concerned about His Majesty's safety.
If you don't let us in, and something happens, how can we explain it to Empress Dowager Dong?”
Lu Zhi's attitude remained firm, saying, “I will report to Empress Dowager Dong myself; there is no need for you to worry.
This is a sensitive area of the inner palace; no one is allowed to enter without His Majesty's decree!”
Seeing Lu Zhi's insistence, Dong Zhong dared not force his troops in for a while, and could only remain in a stalemate, secretly calculating how to respond.
Han Xian, the general guarding the city gate, sent his subordinate to report to Dong Zhong in a hurry, “Reporting, sir, several people are causing chaos in the city, and some imperial attendants are assisting them.
They took advantage of the chaos to escape the palace gate, seemingly to spread the news!”
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhong's face grew even uglier; he widened his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead, his hands tightly clenched into fists, his fingernails almost digging into his palms.
He stomped his foot fiercely, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly, as he angrily said, “This is utterly despicable!
These people actually dare to be so presumptuous!”
His mood became extremely urgent, and he no longer remained in a stalemate with Lu Zhi, directly telling his subordinates, “Quickly go and invite Empress Dowager Dong here!”
At the same time, the atmosphere outside the bedchamber became increasingly tense and oppressive.
Soldiers held their weapons, their expressions nervous and vigilant, their gazes constantly shifting between Lu Zhi and Dong Zhong, as if a conflict could erupt at any moment.
A chilling aura permeated the air, making it almost impossible to breathe.
The faint sounds of commotion from afar added to the unease and apprehension.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, as if a storm could arrive at any moment, mirroring the tense situation outside the bedchamber and creating a sense of impending crisis.