WhiletheHancourtwasinchaosDongZhuomarchedhis 200，000 battlewiseXiliangtroopsintothecapitalofLoyang. HeforcesLiuBiantoquitthethroneandmadeLiuXietheEmperorXianandhimselftheprimeminister. Asheroderoughshodovertheemperor， manipulatedpowerforpersonalends， andhadactedextremelycruelly， allministersandgeneralswantedtogetridofhim.
CaoCao， awiseandresourcefularmyofficer， hadlongwantedtokillDongZhuo. Oneday， hecametoseeDongZhuowithaborrowedblade. Thelatterwassittinginhisbedroom， hisbravestep-sonLBustandingbyhisside. Inquiringwhyhehadbeenlate， CaoCaosaid， Myhorsewasslow. DongZhuo， nowitsyourtimetodie. ButfearfulofresistancefromtheoldbutstillstrongDongZhuo， CaoCaowaitedfortherightmoment. AsDongZhuowasaverylargeman， awhileofsittingtiredhimandhelaydownfacinginward. TakingthechanceCaoCaounsheathedtheknife. ItsohappenedthatDongsawhismoveinamirror. HelookedbackandaskedCaoCaowhathewasdoing. JustthenLBureturnedwithahorse. Thequick-wittedCaoCaomadeupastory， IchancedtosecureaveryunusualbladetheknifetoDongZhuo. Sureenough， thebladewasextremelysharp， andabouttwentysomecentimeterslong. Delighted， DongZhuotoldCaoCaotohavealookatthechosenhorse. Outside， CaoCaopleadedforatestride. Hethenleapedontothehorseandspedaway. Hemusthavecometomurderme， saidDongZhuotoLBu. Iagree， thelatterchorused. Theysentsoldierstogivechase， butbythen， CaoCaohadfledoutoftheeasterngate.