In the second chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, He Jin intended to exterminate the Ten Regular Attendants but hesitated due to indecisiveness. Despite repeated persuasions from his subordinates, he delayed taking action. Forced by circumstances, Yuan Shao suggested summoning local troops to the capital to eliminate the eunuch faction. Thus, He Jin secretly issued edicts to various local forces to enter the capital.
Dong Zhuo, the Governor of Xiliang, had long harbored ambitions to usurp power.
Dong Zhuo, general of the Forward Army, lord of Aoxiang, and imperial inspector of the westernmost province of Xiliang, had escaped the court’s penalties for his losses to the Yellow Scarves by bribing the Ten Eunuchs. After that, through the good offices of certain highly placed courtiers, he secured a notable appointment as the commander of two hundred thousand men farther west in Xizhou. But despite such favors, he had no loyalty to the Emperor.
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 3
When Dong Zhuo received He Jin’s secret summon inviting him to the capital, he saw it as a rare opportunity and immediately mobilized his troops to march toward Luoyang. His advisor, Li Ru, then proposed sending a petition to the court to make it legal.
Li Ru, another son-in-law and an adviser, said to Dong Zhuo, “The summons we have received contains much that is unclear. Let us present a statement to the throne legitimating our position. Then we can bid for higher stakes.”
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 3
What considerations led Li Ru to propose this strategy?
The Rationale Behind Li Ru’s Strategy
To understand Li Ru’s suggestion, one must first recognize the core contradiction Dong Zhuo faced—the legitimacy and limitations of He Jin’s secret edict.
As Grand General, He Jin had the authority to mobilize external troops and local forces, but entering the capital was an exception unless approved by the emperor.
Thus, if Dong Zhuo merely used He Jin’s secret edict as an excuse to lead troops into the capital, it would lack legal basis. This legitimacy deficit could trigger a political crisis at any time, directly motivating Li Ru’s advice to submit a petition to the court.
On the other hand, Dong Zhuo dared not disobey He Jin’s order and was unwilling to miss this opportunity to pursue private gains under the guise of public duty.
To help Dong Zhuo avoid the dilemma of lacking justification and legitimacy, Li Ru proposed sending a petition to the court to make it legal. The core of this strategy was to transform He Jin’s private secret edict into an open court decree through his public petition. This would bestow a veneer of legality upon Dong Zhuo for his entry into the capital and control of the court while avoiding potential opposition from the outer court and other warlords.
Behind Li Ru’s suggestion lay his deep insight into the power logic of the late Han chaos: military force is the means to seize power, but legitimacy is the foundation for holding power.
Historical Significance and Tactical Legacy
This strategy set up a classic template for usurping power in ancient China. Later, Cao Cao’s holding the emperor hostage to command the nobles and warlords followed the same path. Although Li Ru’s plan was aiding a tyrant, it profoundly revealed the cruel logic of political power operations.
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