Wang Yun and Yuan Wei were both reluctant to be the first to bring up the matter of Dong Zhuo. They circled around the topic like fencers, testing each other for several rounds before realizing they were evenly matched. If they continued to beat around the bush, they might never get to the main issue. So, they both fell silent at the same time.
For a while, the atmosphere in the room was heavy.
After a long pause, Yuan Wei broke the silence, saying, "The current situation is too powerful, and it's not a good thing." Although he didn't specify who he was referring to, both of them knew it was Dong Zhuo.
Wang Yun nodded. Both of them were aware of the situation, but the question was how to deal with it. "The west is cold and harsh, but wealth and luxury can corrupt it."—Dong Zhuo and his men were from the rural, backward regions of the west. They had never seen the grandeur of the capital. Could they be corrupted by wealth and luxury, weakening their resolve?
"In that case, I will contribute twenty singing girls and five thousand taels of gold," Yuan Wei agreed. This was a common tactic among the scholar-officials. But besides targeting Dong Zhuo himself, were there other avenues to explore?
"Under Dong Zhuo—Li Ru..." Yuan Wei began to list the key figures under Dong Zhuo. When he mentioned Li Ru, the two exchanged glances and shook their heads. Trying to outmaneuver Li Ru would be too difficult and might even backfire.
"Hua Xiong..." Yuan Wei counted off a second figure but again shook his head. "This man is one of Dong Zhuo's old subordinates, utterly loyal..."
"Li Jue and Guo Si are still outside the pass..." Wang Yun added two more names, then lightly tapped the table. "The newcomer is only Lü Bu..."
At the mention of Lü Bu, Yuan Wei sneered, his disdain evident. "A man who betrays his master can be easily tempted."
Wang Yun frowned. "But Dong Zhuo has treated him very well. He's been made Cavalry Commandant, General of the Household, and Marquis of Duting. He's already reached the pinnacle of wealth and status. What more can we offer him? We can't make him a full general without military achievements. Even if we were willing, the court wouldn't allow it."
Suddenly, Wang Yun's eyes flickered as he looked at Yuan Wei, who happened to be looking back at him. Simultaneously, they both said, "A beauty!"
The two men exchanged smiles, feeling a sense of mutual understanding.
Wang Yun stroked his long beard, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "I have a singing girl in my household, a true beauty, clever and charming, just sixteen years old..."—I've only just managed to nurture this tender young cabbage...
Yuan Wei chuckled knowingly. "If it's for a great cause, how can we begrudge one woman?"
Wang Yun cursed inwardly. Of course, Yuan Wei wouldn't feel any loss since it wasn't his household providing the girl. I'm the one doing the bribing and the tempting, while you, Yuan Wei, sit back and reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
"The troops in the Western Garden—nearly half are under the Yuan family's influence. If the situation becomes urgent, can they be used?" Wang Yun didn't hold back. Since I'm doing so much, you, Yuan Wei, need to contribute as well. My plans take time, but if things go south and we need military force, can your family step up?
Wang Yun directly pointed out that the Yuan family had been heavily involved in recruiting and influencing the new troops in the Western Garden. So, don't try to play dumb with me. I know exactly how much control you, Yuan Wei, have over those troops.
Yuan Wei glanced at Wang Yun. Fine, you know my resources well. Since that's the case, he didn't evade the question and said in a low voice, "If things go wrong, we can retreat..." Yuan Wei didn't finish his sentence but subtly pointed westward with his finger—if things really go bad, it's best to escape through the western gate. The other gates are out of my control.
Wang Yun nodded silently. He didn't want it to come to that, but knowing there was an escape route gave him some peace of mind.
At this point, the two had roughly settled on a general direction. The specifics would depend on how things unfolded. However, neither of them mentioned the young Emperor Liu Bian, as if they had both chosen to forget about his existence.
"The scholar-officials and the emperor rule the world together!"
What does "ruling together" mean? In modern terms, it's essentially a colleague relationship. The emperor is, at most, a boss. If the boss is about to fall, would subordinates risk their lives to protect him?
Of course, there might be a few who would, but the vast majority would simply watch quietly, being the epitome of a composed and elegant gentleman.
*****************
Meanwhile, at the Cai residence, Fei Qian encountered what could be described as an elderly version of a handsome gentleman—thick eyebrows, large eyes, white hair and beard, a ruddy complexion, and a dignified appearance.
When Fei Qian arrived at Cai Yong's residence and met Liu Yuanzhuo, he learned that this Liu Yuanzhuo was actually a master of mathematics and astronomy. While visiting Cai Yong, Liu Yuanzhuo had heard about someone creating a new system of numerical notation and was deeply intrigued, prompting Cai Yong to invite Fei Qian for a meeting.
In the Han Dynasty, mathematics was closely tied to astronomy and geography, and those who studied such subjects were a rare breed. Ordinary people would likely be overwhelmed by the dense astronomical charts and diagrams.
Liu Yuanzhuo, whose given name was Hong, was a prominent figure in the Eastern Han Dynasty. If Cai Yong was a giant in the literary world, then Liu Hong (Yuanzhuo) was a titan in the field of mathematics.
It was only after Cai Yong's introduction that Fei Qian recalled this figure from his memory. However, it was no surprise that he hadn't remembered him immediately. Most people's knowledge of the Three Kingdoms era was based on either intelligence rankings or martial prowess in games. Figures like Liu Hong, who didn't appear in the databases of Three Kingdoms games, were easily overlooked.
During Cai Yong's tenure as the Grand Historian, he had recommended Liu Hong to Emperor Ling of Han. After arriving in the capital, Liu Hong dedicated himself to the study of calendars. During this time, besides following the emperor's orders to "examine the sun and moon" and review the research submitted by others, Liu Hong also compiled his years of research into the *Annotations on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art*. However, after completing the book, Liu Hong was transferred away from Luoyang to a regional post and hadn't seen Cai Yong for over a decade. It was only at the beginning of the year that he had been recalled to the capital.
Thus, Liu Hong and Cai Yong had a very close relationship. After returning to the capital, Liu Hong often visited Cai Yong to discuss scholarly matters. It was during one of these conversations that he learned about a young man who had not only made some achievements in mathematics but had also created a new numerical system based on Indian and Arabic scripts. Intrigued, Liu Hong insisted on meeting him.
Cai Yong, being a gentleman of integrity, had no intention of claiming Fei Qian's numerical system as his own. Instead, he honestly called Fei Qian over and let him explain the system to Liu Hong in detail.
After listening to Fei Qian's explanation, Liu Hong felt as if a new door had been opened. Ancient numerical systems, constrained by the limitations of written characters, were often obscure and difficult to understand. But if they were replaced with Fei Qian's numerals and symbols, everything would become much more concise and comprehensible. For Liu Hong, who had devoted his life to mathematical research, this was like discovering a new and powerful tool.
Liu Hong looked at Fei Qian with great enthusiasm, thinking that such a promising young talent should not be missed. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
*****
A/N: In truth, beyond the characters of the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, there were many other elites of the era.