At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, treacherous court official Dong Zhuo monopolized the imperial court. Dong Zhuo had an adopted son named Lu Bu who was a master of martial arts and 100 percent doted by Dong Zhuo. With Lu Bu's support, Dong Zhuo was even more domineering. One day, during a palace banquet, Dong Zhuo leveled false accusations against Situ Zhangwen, an official. All the eminent officials who had gathered for the feast watched in horror as Situ Zhangwen was dragged outside to be beheaded. Each man feared that the fate of the Han duke might well be his own.

When Prime Minister Wang Yun returned home, he was so disturbed by what he had seen at the palace that he was unable to sleep. He went for a stroll in the garden. Suddenly, he heard someone praying behind a clump of peony trees. Stepping over, Wang Yun found that it was Diaochan, a singing girl who had been turned to the Wangs as a child. Wang Yun had always regarded her as his own daughter.

He asked her: "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

She answered him, "Ever since I came here, you treated me like your own child. I have often wondered how I may one day repay your kindness. Recently you have been so sad and disturbed; yet I do not know how to alleviate your suffering. That is why I am sighing. Please tell me how I can help you. I will do whatever I can!"

Wang Yun led Diaochan into an inner room and, having dismissed the servants, went down on his knees before her. Shocked and flustered, Diaochan begged to know what was troubling him. Wang Yun spoke to her earnestly, "Our country is in great peril. I think you may be our only salvation. The despot Dong Zhuo wants to see himself enthroned as the Son of Heaven while the court officials can only look on helplessly. I have a plan to end his scheming. With your wit and charm we may be able to drive a wedge between Dong Zhuo and his adopted son Lu Bu. If we can end their alliance and cause them to fight against each other, we may be able to eliminate them both."

Diaochan agreed at once to do her best. The next few days, Wang Yun took the earliest opportunity to betroth Diaochan to Dong Zhuo; at the same time presenting her to Lu Bu as a concubine. Both Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu took to her at first sight and could not decide how to settle the matter. As the hostilities grew, Diaochan took every opportunity to add fuel to the fire and the two men became fiercely jealous of each other. Eventually, Wang Yun was able to gain Lu Bu's assistance in assassinating Dong Zhuo.