After reading the letter, Dong Zhuo did not react immediately. Instead, he fell into a long silence, his brows slightly furrowed as he weighed every word.
At last, he beckoned over a scholar in his early forties and handed him the letter.
"Wenhe, what do you think?"
The man was none other than Jia Xu. Taking the letter, he read it carefully from beginning to end, his expression calm and unreadable.
After a while, Jia Xu slowly raised his head.
"My lord, Zhang Xin's words may sound blunt—even disrespectful—but they are not without reason."
Dong Zhuo narrowed his eyes slightly. "Explain."
Jia Xu tapped the letter lightly.
"On the surface, he appears to be declining your summons out of fear of the factional officials. But in truth, he is doing three things at once."
"First—he refuses to come to Luoyang, which shows he does not trust the current court situation."
"Second—he warns you to return to Guanzhong. That is not superstition, but strategy. Guanzhong is easy to defend and difficult to attack. If you withdraw there, you hold the initiative."
"Third—he declares he will remain in Shandong and not oppose you. This is a way of reassuring you… while also keeping his independence."
Dong Zhuo snorted. "So he wants to sit back and watch the chaos unfold?"
Jia Xu shook his head.
"Not merely watch. He is waiting."
"Waiting to see whether you can truly suppress the court and control the realm… or whether you will fall like He Jin."
At the mention of He Jin, Dong Zhuo's expression darkened slightly.
Jia Xu continued calmly:
"Zhang Xin is testing you. If you succeed, he will ally with you. If you fail, he will remain untouched."
Dong Zhuo let out a low laugh.
"Clever… very clever."
He leaned back, gripping the armrest.
"And what do you think? Should I return to Guanzhong as he suggests?"
Jia Xu paused briefly before answering.
"My lord has just entered Luoyang, holds the Son of Heaven, and commands the armies of the capital. If you retreat now, all under heaven will think you fear the court."
He lowered his voice slightly.
"However… what Zhang Xin said is not entirely wrong."
"The court is unstable. The factional officials are not to be trusted. Even now, they may already be plotting against you—just as they did against Yuan Shao's enemies before."
Dong Zhuo's fingers drummed slowly against the armrest.
"So in your view?"
Jia Xu folded his hands.
"Do not retreat—but do not trust anyone either."
"Strengthen your control over the army. Consolidate power. And if the situation turns unfavorable… then withdraw to Guanzhong without hesitation."
Dong Zhuo fell silent again.
After a long moment, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Good! Well said!"
He slapped his thigh.
"This Zhang Xin thinks he can frighten me with a few words? And yet… he dares to speak so boldly."
There was even a trace of admiration in his tone.
"Very well. Since he wishes to stay in Shandong, let him stay."
Dong Zhuo's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing within.
"But whether he becomes an ally… or an enemy… will depend on what happens next."
He folded the letter and placed it beside him.
"Wenhe, keep an eye on the court."
Jia Xu bowed slightly.
"As you command."
Outside, Luoyang remained calm on the surface—but beneath it, currents of ambition and suspicion surged ever more violently.