The death of Dong Zhuo in 192 AD triggered widespread celebration across the capital, as the tyrant who had terrorized the Han court was finally overthrown. Yet amidst the jubilation, one man—Cai Yong, a renowned scholar, historian, and musician—publicly sighed at the news. Worse still, he did so within earshot of Wang Yun, the…
When Cao Cao escorted Emperor Xian of Han to Xuchang in 196 AD and established a new imperial court under his control, he achieved more than a military victory—he secured a decisive moral and political advantage. By acting in the name of the Son of Heaven, Cao Cao positioned himself as the defender of…