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Lu Bu led his army to the camp of the former Colonel of the Upper Army, Jian Shuo, after he was eliminated by He Jin. Since then, the over 2,000 soldiers of the Upper Army had been leaderless, in a state of chaos. Surrounding the Upper Army camp, Lu Bu, after reading the decree from the Empress Dowager, swiftly executed those who refused to obey the decree, effectively intimidating the remaining 1,000-plus soldiers and reorganizing them smoothly.

Lu Bu then proceeded to the camp of the Assistant Colonel of the Left, Zhao Rong.

Zhao Rong, also known as Zhi Chang, was from Hanyang County in Liangzhou. He was a robust man with a big build and a hearty appetite. Nie Heng once scolded him as "Zhao Jian, the meat eater," indicating Zhao Rong's talent for consuming meat. In modern times, he might have won titles such as "Big Eater" in a food competition. Paired with another officer who enjoyed drinking, Chun Yuqiong, they were the perfect match for feasting.

With no remarkable abilities of his own, Zhao Rong had obtained the position of Assistant Colonel of the Left by leveraging his influence with Zhang Rang, the most powerful among the Ten Attendants and a significant figure in Emperor Ling's court. The incident of Colonel of the Upper Army Jian Shuo being executed by He Jin had left him terrified. Currently, Yuan Shao was busy dealing with the purge of the Ten Attendants, and Zhao Rong, fearing neglect, nervously commanded his subordinates to close the camp gates, maintaining a defensive position. Meanwhile, he hid in his tent, relieving tension by indulging in meat consumption.

At Lu Bu's command, his forces surrounded the camp of the Upper Army.

Riding on his Green-Maned Horse and wielding the Sky Piercer, Lu Bu shouted loudly at the camp walls, "By the decree of the Empress Dowager, Assistant Colonel of the Left, Zhao Rong, receive the order!" Perceiving the unwelcoming presence of Lu Bu's army, a soldier rushed down from the wall to report to the central command tent.

A greasy-faced, obese man climbed up the wall, panting heavily, and inquired, "Which distinguished guest is here to deliver the decree?"

Disgusted by the visible pork hairs and greasy shine around the man's mouth, Lu Bu presented the Empress Dowager's secret decree and read it aloud. The decree did not strip Zhao Rong of his military authority but rather instructed him to obey the Empress Dowager. It appointed Lu Bu to lead him, along with Feng Fang and Xia Mou.

Although Zhao Rong verbally expressed gratitude and obedience, he retained some doubts. Reluctant to open the gates, he feared that aligning with the Empress Dowager might not provide sufficient strength to confront Yuan Shao's faction. Afraid of making a futile decision, he remained hesitant.

Observing Zhao Rong's expression, Lu Bu understood his concerns. Ordering the dispersal of his forces, Lu Bu, accompanied by a single rider, requested entry into Zhao Rong's camp for a private conversation.

Seeing only two individuals, Zhao Rong consented to open the gates for Lu Bu and his companion.

Once inside the central command tent, Lu Bu instructed Zhao Rong to dismiss other officers and urged his companion to remove his helmet and beard. Witnessing this, Zhao Rong immediately knelt down and exclaimed, "Zhang Gonggong, you are still alive!"

With a hoarse voice, Zhang Rang replied, "Zhao Rong, our old man is still alive. We must remain loyal to the great Han Dynasty. We cannot allow the foundation of our Han state to fall into the hands of Yuan Shao and his allies. Our reliance now is on the Empress Dowager and General Lu. You must not foolishly join Yuan Shao; those guys are experts at betraying their benefactors. Follow General Lu, protect the Empress Dowager. Only with her safety can our heads remain secure."

Although Lu Bu had considered removing this burden, he realized the urgency of stabilizing military morale. If Zhao Rong did not reject the responsibility, Lu Bu decided to let him retain his position temporarily and make a final decision later.

While temporarily retaining Zhao Rong's position, Lu Bu, following the assembly of the two thousand soldiers of the Upper Army, executed the Empress Dowager's decree. With guidance from Zhao Rong, they executed several mid-level officers suspected of being associated with Yuan Shao, inserting trusted confidants from Bingzhou among the commanders.

Observing the strategic significance of the Upper Army stationed between the North Gate and the Imperial City, Lu Bu ordered Gao Shun to lead the Northern Army's two divisions to support them, with Gao Shun as the primary commander.

Lu Bu then led his forces to the camp of the Assistant Colonel of the Right, Feng Fang, at the Right Army of the West Garden.

Feng Fang was handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, presenting a dignified and impressive appearance. Due to his attractive exterior, he had caught the eye of Cao Jie among the Ten Attendants and became Cao Jie's son-in-law.

Lu Bu was puzzled, "Cao Jie is a eunuch without certain attributes, how could he have a daughter?"

Having completed the investigation of the ministers' homes and in a good mood, Cheng Lian, who was present, chuckled and said, "Cao Jie's family was impoverished, and he struggled to make a living. At the age of eighteen, he was reluctantly forced into the palace. However, before entering the palace, he was already married and had a daughter."

Lu Bu immediately thought of Wei Zhongxian from the Ming Dynasty, who also had a daughter, and had sold both his wife and daughter due to gambling debts. Later, after becoming a eunuch, he recognized them.

Cheng Lian continued with a smile, "Although Feng Fang looks good, he has a narrow-minded character. When he served as the Ministry of Personnel, his colleague, Huan Bin, never drank with him. Instead, Huan Bin drank with other colleagues, and Feng Fang felt that Huan Bin looked down on him. So, he reported to the higher authorities, accusing Huan Bin of being part of a drinking clique, indulging in alcohol and neglecting official duties. Huan Bin was removed from his position."

After gaining a clear understanding of Feng Fang, Lu Bu ordered someone to announce his presence.

Since the news of the Ten Attendants' execution reached Feng Fang's ears, he had been hiding in the military camp, afraid to leave for fear of being killed by Yuan Shao's faction. Seeing the Yuan clan gaining power, he anticipated his own demise once they controlled the court. Helpless and resigned, he spent his days intoxicated, awaiting his inevitable fate.

Feng Fang staggered up to the camp wall, slurring his words, "Is Yuan Shao coming to take my head? Let him have it. But spare my wife and daughter, or even in death, I won't spare him."

Lu Bu, with bowstring drawn, shot an arrow that knocked the wine jug out of Feng Fang's hand, and sternly shouted, "The Empress Dowager's decree is here. Feng Fang, if you want to live, accept the order quickly!" Startled and drenched in cold sweat, Feng Fang sobered up immediately. Seeing his subordinates with bows drawn and aimed below, he hastily, in panic, ordered, "Put down your bows and arrows; they are here to rescue me."

Lu Bu, still accompanied by Zhang Rang, entered Feng Fang's central command tent.

As the elder brother of Feng Fang's father-in-law, Cao Jie, Zhang Rang had always been respected by Feng Fang. Considering his dire situation and Lu Bu's arrival on the Empress Dowager's orders, Feng Fang saw it as a lifeline. Without hesitation, he agreed to join.

With Zhang Rang's influential support, the incorporation of Xia Mou's army, the Assistant Colonel of the Left, also proceeded smoothly.

Xia Mou, a graduate of Emperor Ling's Hongdu School, faced prejudice due to the elite's disdain for the academy. The Hongdu School was established by Emperor Ling to counter the monopoly of cultural education and career opportunities by noble families. It aimed to cultivate intellectuals supportive of the emperor from commoner backgrounds. However, upon Emperor Ling's death, the school suffered suppression and many graduates were executed on various pretexts by the aristocratic youth.

Due to the biased view of the noble families, Xia Mou's attempt to deliver a letter seeking employment to Yuan Wei was rejected. Facing desperation and relying on the hope that Empress Dowager and the young emperor could save him, Xia Mou found himself in a state of despair. His fate seemed sealed as long as Yuan Shao and the Ten Attendants were in power. Without the support of Empress Dowager, he saw no means of salvation.

In the midst of Xia Mou's desperate struggles, a loud shout from outside the camp gate reached his ears: "The Empress Dowager's decree is here. Xia Mou, accept the order!" Like a drowning man suddenly finding a piece of driftwood in the vast sea, Xia Mou hurriedly ran to the camp wall.

As Zhang Rang had previously overseen the Hongdu School, Lu Bu brought him along to enter Xia Mou's camp.

Without hesitation, Xia Mou agreed to join the camp against Yuan Shao and Dong Zhuo, safeguarding the Empress Dowager.

After a brief conversation with Xia Mou, Lu Bu found him lacking in martial skills but knowledgeable in military strategies, having studied some military treatises. He had his own understanding of military matters, far surpassing Feng Fang and Zhao Rong. Pleased with Xia Mou's potential, Lu Bu appointed him to command the four armies of the West Garden.

Having incorporated the forces of He Jin and He Miao, as well as the four armies of the West Garden, Lu Bu disrupted Dong Zhuo's plan of advancing into the capital with his three thousand elite cavalry. Unintentionally, Lu Bu had bought himself several days to make careful arrangements.