Chapter 215: Sowing Discord

In a luxurious mansion in Rome, the opposition senators gathered together, their faces grim.

The leading senator, Luxiusi, his eyes gleaming with calculation, said in a low voice: "Gaiwusi Malue has been too prominent lately; if he succeeds in allying with the Great Han and wins great military fame, our position in the Senate will be precarious. We must find a way to stop this."

Everyone nodded in agreement; after discussion, they decided to start by driving a wedge between Gaiwusi Malue and Dong Zhongshu.

A few days later, Luxiusi, accompanied by two of his confidants, went to Gaiwusi Malue's residence.

Upon seeing Gaiwusi Malue, Luxiusi feigned concern, sighed, and said: "Consul, I have heard that you are negotiating an alliance with the Great Han envoy Dong Zhongshu. I ought not to meddle, but I am genuinely worried about your safety."

Gaiwusi Malue furrowed his brows, puzzled, and asked: "What do you mean by that?"

Luxiusi stepped forward, lowered his voice, and said: "Consul, you may not know that the Great Han have always been cunning; this time they came, they may not be sincerely seeking cooperation with us. As I understand, they have secretly been in contact with Parthia, perhaps hoping to reap the benefits without effort. And that Dong Zhongshu, though appearing refined and courteous, actually harbors ulterior motives. The alliance proposal he put forward may conceal a trap."

One of his confidants also chimed in: "Exactly, Consul. The Great Han are so far away; whether their troops can arrive on time at the battlefield and obey Rome's command is uncertain. If they defect in the midst of battle, we will be in danger."

Gaiwusi Malue's face gradually darkened as he recalled Dong Zhongshu's alliance proposal; although it seemed reasonable, the issues of benefit distribution and the like truly required careful consideration.

Seeing Gaiwusi Malue waver, Luxiusi continued: "Consul, you have earned great military fame for Rome; you must not, through a moment's carelessness, be deceived by the Great Han's honeyed words. Should the alliance fail, your reputation will suffer severe harm."

Gaiwusi Malue pondered for a moment and said: "I will handle this matter myself. However, I will pay close attention to the information you have provided."

Seeing that their goal had been achieved, Luxiusi and his companions felt smug inside, yet respectfully said: "Everything is for Rome; we are merely worried that the Consul might be deceived by the Great Han."

After leaving Gaiwusi Malue's residence, Luxiusi gazed at the sky, a cold smile curling his lips: "Gaiwusi Malue, let's see how you respond this time. As long as we sabotage your cooperation with the Great Han, your prestige will surely plummet."

At that moment, Gaiwusi Malue's heart was filled with doubt, and he decided to reexamine his cooperation with Dong Zhongshu.

He had never been a scheming strategist; although he did not see eye to eye with those senators, they were ultimately his own people?

After Luxiusi and his companions departed, Gaiwusi Malue's doubts proliferated like weeds.

Although Dong Zhongshu's alliance plan was highly strategic, Luxiusi's words and the echoes of his confidants were like shadows that lingered in his mind.

For several days straight, Gaiwusi Malue lost his appetite, could not sleep at night, and repeatedly weighed the pros and cons of allying with the Great Han.

That day, just after Gaiwusi Malue concluded a military council, a guard hurriedly reported: "Consul, we have apprehended several suspicious individuals; upon interrogation, they claimed to be members of the Great Han delegation, gathering intelligence on the deployment of Roman forces."

Upon hearing this, Gaiwusi Malue's face instantly turned ashen, and the words of Luxiusi and his companions echoed in his ears again.

"What a Dong Zhongshu, daring to deceive me!"

Gaiwusi Malue flew into a rage and kicked over the chair beside him.

In his fury, Gaiwusi Malue, accompanied by a squad of guards, rushed straight to Dong Zhongshu's residence.

At that moment, Dong Zhongshu was studying a parchment scroll indoors, plotting the next step of the negotiation strategy.

Hearing the hurried footsteps outside, he had not yet had time to rise when Gaiwusi Malue burst in, seething with anger.

"Dong Zhongshu, you have the gall!" Gaiwusi Malue's eyes bloodshot, like a mad Iberian bull, he roared: "You propose an alliance on the surface, yet secretly send men to gather intelligence on my Roman forces—are you colluding with Parthia to harm Rome?"

Dong Zhongshu, stunned by this sudden turn of events, stared speechlessly; after regaining his composure, he hurriedly explained: "Consul Gaiwusi Malue, there must be a misunderstanding. The Great Han wholeheartedly seeks cooperation with Rome; how could we do such a thing?"

"A misunderstanding? With both human and documentary evidence present, you still want to make excuses?"

Gaiwusi Malue utterly ignored Dong Zhongshu's explanation, waved his hand, and bellowed: "Seize him!"

Several guards lunged forward like wolves and threw Dong Zhongshu to the ground.

Dong Zhongshu struggled and shouted: "Consul Gaiwusi Malue, this is clearly a frame‑up against me and the Great Han! You must not fall for the schemers' tricks!"

But Gaiwusi Malue, at this point, had his mind clouded by anger and turned a deaf ear to Dong Zhongshu's cries.

Afterwards, Dong Zhongshu was escorted to prison.

The heavy iron door clanged shut, cutting him off from the outside world. In the dark, damp cell, Dong Zhongshu leaned against the wall, his heart brimming with sorrow and resentment.

"Who exactly is pulling the strings behind the scenes? How could Gaiwusi Malue so readily believe rumors?"

Faced with the trap, Dong Zhongshu kept his composure and pondered silently.

Meanwhile, Gaiwusi Malue, though he had locked Dong Zhongshu away, felt no inner peace; he also sensed something was amiss, but his fury ultimately overrode that feeling.

Meanwhile, in the damp, dim prison, a foul stench lingered like a shadow, and mice scurried in the corners, emitting sounds that made one's skin crawl.

Dong Zhongshu was imprisoned in this cramped cell, his hands and feet weighed down by heavy shackles; every slight movement was accompanied by the harsh grating of chains.

Not long after, several jailers brandishing whips stormed in aggressively.

The head jailer, his face menacing, snarled: "Hmph, you think you're tough? Today I'll show you who really calls the shots in this prison!"

No sooner had he spoken than the whip lashed out like a venomous snake, striking Dong Zhongshu heavily. His long robe tore instantly, blood seeping out, leaving horrifying wounds across his skin.

Despite the excruciating pain, Dong Zhongshu straightened his back, glared furiously, and shouted: "You abettors of tyranny! I, Dong Zhongshu, come as an envoy of the Great Han, bearing the mission of peace between the two nations; your conduct is a desecration of justice!"

Seeing this, the jailers not only did not relent, they redoubled their efforts, the whips falling like rain.

After days of relentless torture, Dong Zhongshu's face grew gaunt, his eyes bloodshot, his cracked lips oozing thin streaks of blood.

Yet even when his body was weakened to the extreme, his gaze remained steadfast, showing no sign of surrender.

Each time the jailers threatened and tempted him to admit the so‑called "crimes," he fearlessly rebutted:

"I have a clear conscience; you who frame Han envoys will surely meet retribution! If Rome, because of you petty scoundrels, misses the chance to cooperate with the Great Han, it will regret it forever."

In the dead of night, with all sounds hushed, Dong Zhongshu leaned against the cold wall as the pain from his wounds surged in waves.

This made his already aged body even harder to endure!

But he could not collapse; the Great Han's mission remained unfulfilled, and I must find a way to make Consul Gaiwusi Malue see the truth and bring about the alliance between the two nations."

Inside the central commander's tent of Mojietuo, the atmosphere was solemn.

A messenger, covered in dust, dropped to one knee and tremulously reported to Emperor Wu of Han Liuche, Li Guang, and Huo Qubing:

"Your Majesty, Lord Dong, while negotiating with Rome, was obstructed by Gaiwusi Malue—he was not only imprisoned but also subjected to utter humiliation……"

Liuche's originally profound eyes instantly clouded over; beneath his dragon robe, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles whitening, and the wine cup on the table trembled slightly.

"Gaiwusi Malue, what gall!"

He shouted in anger, his voice reverberating within the great tent.

"Venerable Dong, representing the Great Han in his mission to Rome, has dared to be so rude—this is an outright affront to the dignity of the Great Han!"

Li Guang's beard trembled with rage; with a "whoosh" he drew his sidearm and slammed it into the nearby wooden post, sending wood chips flying.

Your Majesty! Gaius Marius's conduct such as this cannot be lightly forgiven! This humble general is willing to lead the iron cavalry, flatten Rome, rescue Lord Dong, and make them pay for what they have done!

His eyes were blood-red, as if burning flames, and his whole body exuded a fierce killing intent.

Huo Qubing clenched his lower lip, veins bulging on his forehead.

"If Rome does not give a reasonable explanation, our Great Han iron cavalry will surely make them know the cost! Lord Dong, for the sake of the alliance between the two nations, has labored without complaint, yet suffered such humiliation; we cannot stand by and do nothing!"

Liuche took a deep breath, strove to calm the anger in his heart, and paced back and forth inside the big tent.

After a moment, he stopped, his eyes blazing: "First, hold the troops; send someone to Rome to negotiate firmly with Gaius Marius, demanding he immediately release Dong Aiqing and publicly apologize. If Rome refuses to cooperate……"

A flash of resolve crossed Liuche's eyes as he said: "Our Great Han will surely make them pay a heavy price for their foolish actions!"

Inside the big tent, everyone's eyes were filled with anger.