Dong Cheng

Dong Cheng (onyomi: Tō Shō) is an official of the Han Empire and probable cousin of Emperor Ling. When Emperor Xian fled Chang'an, Dong Cheng helps him reach the protection of Cao Cao. Cheng remains loyal to the emperor over Cao Cao, eventually planning an assassination attempt on Cao Cao for his abuses of the Emperor, only to be found out and killed.

Role in Games
Dong Cheng first appears in Dynasty Warriors 6 as one of Dong Zhuo's many lieutenant officers. He helps protect the main camp, remaining Dong Zhuo's direct subordinate until the other sub-officers have broken off to make their own units. Cheng returns to Hulao gate in Dynasty Warriors 8, this time blocking the way to the archer garrison firing down on the coalition between the Sishui and Hulao gates.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, Dong Cheng possesses middling abilities, typically between the 50-60s. He favors governance above other tasks, but truly performs all tasks at a basic, standard success.

Historical Information
The exact origins of Dong Cheng are uncertain. Some claim Cheng came from the same clan as Dong Zhuo, but Pei Songzhi believed Cheng was related to the imperial family, by virtue of Empress Dowager Dong, Emperor Ling's mother. What is known more certainly is that Dong Cheng remained a part of the Han Empire even after Dong Zhuo took over the government in 189. Specifically, Dong Cheng served as a subordinate of Niu Fu. Dong Cheng followed the Han court to Chang'an when Dong Zhuo moved it to escape the coalition aligned against him.

Factional conflict broke out in Chang'an in 192 over who would succeed the assassinated Dong Zhuo. Dong Cheng lost his superior to assassination as well, since Niu Fu was son-in-law to Dong Zhuo. After three years of turmoil, Dong Cheng helped lead Emperor Xian's desperate flight from Chang'an for Louyang. Dong Cheng was aided by the minor warlord Zhang Yang, the bandit turned officer Yang Feng,  and White Wave Bandits (former Yellow Turban rebels).

Much confusion took place during this flight. Much of the confusion came from Li Jue and Guo Si, the two strongest factions at the time, allowing them to leave freely, only to almost immediately turn on  the emperor's entourage. The ensuing conflict was bloody and intense, with one of Dong Cheng's subordinates killing Emperess Fu's, Emperor Xian's principle wife, attendants right in front of her and splashing her with their blood. Eventually the remnants of the Han court reached Louyang.

Initially things looked better for Dong Cheng and the emperor, as Zhang Yang fulfilled his promise to establish lodgings for the Emperor one they reached the former captial's ruins. However, Zhang Yang had to return to his own lands, leaving Dong Cheng massively outnumbered by the White Wave Bandits, who took advantage of the situation. Dong Cheng was unable to rally any of the regional warlords to the Emperor's aid and the bandits ensured the emperor and his retainers were malnourished and disheveled. Desperate, Dong Cheng turned to Cao Cao for help, and the warlord agreed to house the Emperor at his own captual, Xuchang.

Cao Cao also abused the power of Emperor Xian for his own gain, much to Dong Cheng and the emperor's frustration. Dong Cheng gave his daughter as concubine to the emperor to strengthen their ties. In 199, the emperor furthered Dong Cheng's position by appointing him as General of Chariots and Cavalry, a rank that rivaled Cao Cao's own. Emperor Xian also granted Dong Cheng the rights that Cao Cao had given himself in a bid to ensure Dong Cheng remained a check on Cao Cao's power.

In the following year, Dong Cheng received a private message begging him to raise a rebellion against Cao Cao. Dong Cheng managed to gather a number of supporters, including Zhong Ji, Wang Zifu, Wu Zilan, and Liu Bei. Unfortunately for Cheng and his conspirators, Cao Cao learned about the plan and arrested everyone involved, except Liu Bei, who had managed to escape by fleeing earlier. Dong Cheng and his family were executed, including his daughter, the concubine of Emperor Xian, who was pregnant at the time.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

 * "A secret decree in a girdle sewn,
 * In red blood written, the Emperor's own,
 * To the staunch and faithful Dong Cheng addressed,
 * Who had saved him once when enemies pressed.
 * And who, sore grieved at his Sovereign's fate,
 * Expressed in dreams his ceaseless hate,
 * Carried misfortune and death in its train,
 * But glory to him who died in vain."
 * ― A poem remembering Dong Cheng's efforts to serve the Han Emperor, Xian

Dong Cheng first appears in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms during Emperor Xian's flight to Louyang in chapter 13. Dong Cheng arrives to rescue the emperor just as Guo Si's forces are overwhelming the emperor's, allowing them to escape. Dong Cheng works with Yang Feng to keep the emperor's court moving, but soon find themselves outmatched again by the combined forces of Li Jue and Guo Si at Dongjian. It is at this confrontation that the White Wave Bandits are brought in as allies to try and turn the tide of battle. Dong Cheng and Yang Feng use this added help to get the emperor and some of his courtesans across the Yellow River and eventually in the small town of Anyi.

It is at this small town that the White Wave Bandits turn from ally to threat, as they abuse the ranks the Emperor gave them and mistreat their ruler as well. Dong Cheng continues to push for Emperor Xian to be relocated to Louyang, and is only able to accomplish this by scattering the White Wave Bandits who tried to ambush them at Gu Pass. At Louyang, Dong Cheng could do little for the devastation and famine currently taking the land, and readily agreed to accept aid from Cao Cao. For his efforts, Cao Cao ensured Dong Cheng was promoted to a lordship rank.

In chapter 20, Dong Cheng reappears, this time summoned by Emperor Xian to provide a secret plea to save him from Cao Cao's tyranny. Emperor Xian gifts Dong Cheng a robe and girdle, with a document written in his blood sown into the girdle's folds. The document calls for help freeing the emperor rmo under Cao Cao's control. As the emperor was constantly being watched closely, he could only gift the clothes to Dong Cheng and tell him to inspect it closely. The hiding place proved effective, not even Cao Cao himself could find the document hidden in the girdle.

Dong Cheng takes all night to figure out where the document is hidden, and only succeeds when he accidentally burns a small hole in the girdle with candle drippings. He is also uncertain how to fulfill the instruction to defeat Cao Cao until he's called upon by Wang Zifu. Zifu arrives at Dong Cheng's home while the man is asleep due to worry and the late night. When Wang Zifu sees the decree, the two decide a pact should be formed to work to achieve the emperor's girdle decree. They eventually draw in Zhong Ji, Wu Shi, Wu Zilan, Ma Teng, and Liu Bei into their conspiracy.

Despite these new allies, Dong Cheng and his compatriots could not figure out a plan to destroy Cao Cao. The stress of his efforts caused Dong Cheng to fall ill, provoking Emperor Xian to send his personal physician, Ji Ping, to help treat his health. Ji Ping eventually learned the source of Dong Cheng's stress and revealed that he also wanted Cao Cao dead. The doctor happened to be the man that Cao Cao called upon when his terrible migraines would strike,giving him the chance to poison Cao Cao. Dong Cheng's spirits were lifted by this revelation, causing him to wander his gardens in high spirits.

As it so happened, Dong Cheng notices Quin Quington, one of his servants, whispering with Yu Ying, one of his concubines, in a corner. Cheng makes the expected assumptions about such behavior and orders the two killed, only reducing the sentence to beatings after his wife talked him down from his anger. Wanting revenge against his master, Quin Quington goes to Cao Cao with claims of the conspiracy to murder him afoot.

Betrayed by his servant, Dong Cheng is eventually cornered at his house after most of his co-conspirators are captured. While Dong Cheng denies his involvement, Cao Cao has his house searched and the girdle edit is found, incriminating Dong Cheng. As a result, Dong Cheng and four other companions are slain, with their entire households, a total given as over 700 people. Numbered among the dead is Dong Cheng's sister (historically his daughter), who is Emperor Xian's concubine and five months pregnant with his child.

Despite his death in chapter 24, Dong Cheng remains someone well remembered through the rest of the novel, constantly associated with the girdle edict and his efforts to kill Cao Cao. Even Cao Cao's descendant, Cao Fang, emulated Emperor Xian and Dong Cheng's efforts to try and stop Sima Shi from doing exactly what Cao Cao had done to the Han.