English Original
While the Han court was in chaos, Dong Zhuo marched his 200,000 battle-hardened Xiliang troops into the capital, Luoyang. He forced Emperor Liu Bian to abdicate, installed Liu Xie as Emperor Xian, and appointed himself Prime Minister. As he rode roughshod over the emperor, manipulated power for personal gain, and acted with extreme cruelty, all ministers and generals sought to eliminate him.
Cao Cao, a resourceful military officer, had long plotted to assassinate Dong Zhuo. One day, he visited Dong Zhuo with a borrowed dagger. Dong was sitting in his bedroom, with his formidable stepson, Lü Bu, standing guard nearby. When Dong Zhuo inquired about his lateness, Cao Cao replied, "My horse was slow." Cao Cao thought, "Now is your time to die," but fearing resistance from the still-powerful Dong Zhuo, he waited for the right moment.
Dong Zhuo, being a large man, grew tired from sitting and lay down facing inward. Seizing the opportunity, Cao Cao unsheathed the dagger. However, Dong Zhuo happened to see the movement in a mirror. He turned and asked Cao Cao what he was doing. Just then, Lü Bu returned with a horse. Thinking quickly, Cao Cao fabricated a story: "I chanced upon an extraordinary blade and wished to present it to you, Prime Minister." The dagger was indeed extremely sharp and about twenty centimeters long. Pleased, Dong Zhuo instructed Cao Cao to inspect a newly selected horse.
Outside, Cao Cao requested a test ride. He then leaped onto the horse and galloped away. "He must have come to murder me," Dong Zhuo said to Lü Bu. "I agree," Lü Bu echoed. They immediately dispatched soldiers in pursuit, but by then, Cao Cao had already fled through the eastern gate.
中文翻译
汉室朝廷动荡之际，董卓率领二十万久经沙场的西凉军进驻都城洛阳。他逼迫少帝刘辩退位，立刘协为汉献帝，并自封为相国。由于他欺凌皇帝、滥用职权谋取私利且行为极其残暴，朝中大臣和将领都想除掉他。
足智多谋的军官曹操早已图谋刺杀董卓。一日，他借了一把宝刀前去拜见董卓。董卓正坐在卧室中，其勇猛的义子吕布侍立在旁。董卓问曹操为何来迟，曹操答道：“马行迟缓。”曹操心想：“今日便是你的死期。”但因忌惮年迈却依然强健的董卓反抗，他等待着一个合适的时机。
董卓体态肥胖，坐了一会儿便感到疲倦，于是转身向内躺下。曹操抓住机会，拔出了宝刀。不料，董卓恰巧从镜中看到了他的举动。他回头问曹操在做什么。此时，吕布正好牵着一匹马回来。机智的曹操立刻编造了一个理由：“我偶然得到一把宝刀，特来献给相国。”此刀果然极其锋利，长约二十厘米。董卓很高兴，便让曹操去看一匹选好的马。
到了外面，曹操请求试骑。他随即跃上马背，疾驰而去。董卓对吕布说：“他一定是来行刺我的。”吕布附和道：“正是。”他们立刻派兵追赶，但曹操早已从东门逃走了。