Fan Li arrived at Grand Tutor's residence, only to find it was already full of distinguished guests. Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo held a banquet, inviting all the important ministers of the Han court.
"Duke Jin of Great Chu arrives!" As the attendant announced, Fan Li immediately felt dozens of gazes turn towards him.
Some were admiring, some were doubtful, some were puzzled, but what he could clearly feel the most was disgust and rejection.
Fan Li wondered to himself. He had just arrived in Great Han, it seemed he hadn't offended anyone yet, right?
"Duke, you really kept me waiting!" Suddenly, a loud and unpleasant voice like thunder came from the host's seat.
Fan Li also recognized the other party's identity. Wearing nine crowns and a black gown, corpulent in stature with a fierce look, it was none other than Grand Tutor of Han, Dong Zhuo!
Dong Zhuo stood up and strode mightily to Fan Li, grabbing Fan Li's right hand. "Duke Jin, you and I are brothers!"
Fan Li thought he was hearing things.
Brothers with Dong Zhuo?
Was this the kind of disastrous misfortune that only happened if your ancestral grave got dug up?
The group of Han ministers present also stirred restlessly upon hearing this.
Fan Li understood instantly, his gaze immediately turning cold. Dong Zhuo was trying to drag him down, making the Han ministers mistakenly think the two most influential men in Chu and Han had some unknown private ties.
He silently withdrew his hand, his tone calm, "This duke is meeting the Grand Tutor for the first time today, yet I've even forgotten to prepare gifts for our first meeting, please excuse me."
After Fan Li spoke, the restless ministers seemed to have calmed down somewhat.
Indeed. Those qualified to attend this banquet were all sly old foxes. Fan Li's words just now actually conveyed two layers of meaning.
First, we're meeting for the first time so we don't know each other at all.
Second, without any gifts, there is no goodwill.
The gazes from the Han ministers towards Fan Li indeed held less hostility now.
"Oh? Hahaha, it's nothing, nothing!" Seeing that forcing a connection with Fan Li was unsuccessful, Dong Zhuo was not angry either, only letting out great laughter to forcibly flip the page.
"I have an important matter to discuss with Duke Jin."
Fan Li knew that if he did not give Dong Zhuo some face now, relying on the other side's rumored Great Vehicle Realm cultivation coupled with his notoriously cruel temper, he might flip out on the spot.
He nodded, "This duke is all ears."
"There's no hurry." Dong Zhuo was very satisfied with Fan Li's attitude. "The duke is an esteemed guest, you should sit together with me in the host's seat. Let me handle a trivial matter first, then we can talk in detail."
He then said to Cao Cao behind Fan Li, "Mengde, you can just take any seat."
"Yes, Grand Tutor." Cao Cao was originally here to protect Fan Li. But seeing that Dong Zhuo did not intend to harm Fan Li, he was slightly more at ease.
"Trivial matter? Doesn't seem like it."
Fan Li muttered inwardly.
To hold such a grand occasion, inviting dozens of Han's important ministers, Fan Li did not believe Dong Zhuo was just handling some minor matter.
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Dong Zhuo clapped his hands, calling to the outside of the hall, "Bring him in!"
Fan Li only saw a silver armored general stride in. He had an imposing heroic appearance, but his aura also brimmed with violence.
The silver armored general held a Fangtian halberd in his right hand. Fan Li immediately recognized the other party's identity.
But what really caught Fan Li's curiosity was the male spotted deer Lü Bu was leading with his left hand.
Hold on! A male spotted deer?
"Gentlemen. I recently happened to obtain an exceptional stallion, please gentlemen, appraise it for me."
After Dong Zhuo insipidly finished speaking, he also deliberately took a glance at Fan Li.
‘What the f*ck!’ Fan Li inwardly cursed, "’Pointing at a deer and calling it a horse? You shamelessly copied my content?’
The group of Han ministers were also stunned silly to see Dong Zhuo pointing at a deer and calling it a horse.
The matter of Fan Li pointing at a deer and calling it a horse was already well known across the Three Kingdoms of Chu, Han and Ming.
For Dong Zhuo to publicly recreate that famous scene, it was nothing short of an outrageous humiliation to the Han ministers there!
‘Dragged into the water again.’ Fan Li helplessly thought.
Sitting beside Dong Zhuo now, he was definitely unable to wash himself clean no matter which river he jumped into.
"Grand Tutor, this is clearly a male spotted deer. Why must you insist that it is a horse?" Unable to restrain his anger, one Han minister finally spoke the truth.
But before his voice faded away, a flash of silver cold light suddenly appeared!
It turned out to be Lü Bu wielding his halberd with astonishing cultivation, instantly slicing off that man's head on the spot!
"Minister Yang!" Someone cried out in grief.
Lü Bu held the halberd stained with blood, his gaze revealing murderous intent as he glared at the source of that exclamation.
"Villain! Brute! I will duel with you to the death!"
That man let out a roar. His entire body was wrapped up by azure-green mist, clearly a civil scholar cultivator who practiced the Righteous Qi.
But before he could make a move, the Fangtian halberd penetrated the azure-green mist around him as easily as bursting bubbles, effortlessly running him through.
Without the slightest change in his expression after killing two people, Lü Bu instead smiled as he surveyed everyone present.
"Ministers Yang and Huang intended to assassinate this old man at the feast, now that the two villains have been eliminated, there is no need for the lords to be alarmed," said Dong Zhuo finally.
He then added, "Many thanks to champion Lü Bu for protecting me. To reward you, I confer upon you the title [Marquis of Wen]. Lead the steed away first."
"Thank you, Father-in-Law!" Lü Bu kneeled down on one knee, his face revealing joy.
After this ridiculous farce of slaughter, Fan Li instead clearly saw through Dong Zhuo's methods.
Unlike how the Fan clan had nurtured Great Chu over many years to build monopolies in military affairs, governance and commerce, then granting favors to gain support from the masses. Dong Zhuo ruled only through force.
Having made clear this point, Fan Li instead felt very calm. The difference - the nouveau riche versus a family clan with thousands of years of heritage. There was ultimately an essential difference between them.
Fan Li looked down quite a bit on Dong Zhuo. He could only rely on such crude methods to consolidate his power after all.
"Mission issued: [The Greatest Treacherous Minister Under Heaven], also known as [Play the Emperor and Ministers False] Enhanced Version!"
"Mission introduction: The pinnacle of the pyramid of power should not have anyone casting their shadow there other than the host."
"Mission requirements: To be more treacherous than a treacherous minister, one must deceive foreign emperors instead. The host is required to deceive Han Emperor Liu Xi and leave Dong Zhuo with no emperor left to deceive!"
"Mission reward: [The Emperor's Undergarments]."
"Reward description: The dragon robe doesn't have to be worn outside. [The Emperor's Undergarments], a heaven-tier protection treasure. Requirements to be equipped: The Destiny of the Son of Heaven."
Fan Li felt completely speechless.
He merely looked down inwardly on Dong Zhuo a bit, so how did the system force him to compare who was taller?
This system was really somewhat competitive.
"What the heck are those [Emperor's Undergarments]? The Dragon underwear?"
"Nevermind, luckily it's not [The Emperor's New Clothes]."
While Fan Li was lost in thought, he saw Dong Zhuo smiling while staring at him. "Duke Jin, now that trivial matters have been dealt with, shall we speak in the inner hall?"
Fan Li followed Dong Zhuo into the inner hall. Before he even sat down, he heard Dong Zhuo say smugly with great satisfaction:
"Duke Jin's tactic of [referring to a deer as a horse] is truly ingenious. Now in the Han court whether civil officials or military officers, very few still dare to voice different opinions from this old man."
Fan Li really wanted to roll his eyes.
Was that how you use [referring to a deer as a horse]?
Dong Zhuo continued speaking shockingly, "Duke Jin, both you and I want to change the mandate of heaven and dynasties. In the future atop the throne of the Son of Heaven, I hope that our states will forever be sworn sibling nations, you must never let Zhu Houcong take advantage of any gaps to interfere!"
In this world, there was no causeless love, nor causeless hate either. Dong Zhuo actively sought ties with Fan Li, as his original motive turned out to be this!
Before Fan Li could answer, Dong Zhuo raised his hand indicating something. "A small gift, it can be considered my meeting present for Duke Jin."
Fan Li just started feeling somewhat expectant when he caught a bewitching fragrance like a hundred flowers. Next, a beguiling red shadow gracefully kneeled before him.
"Concubine Diao Chan...has the fortune to serve Duke Jin."