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Li Jue returned to Luoyang, his face flushed with indignation, and knelt before Dong Zhuo, whispering, "Chancellor, I went with utmost sincerity, yet was insulted and threatened by Sun Jian, nearly losing my life! This man has no regard for the law and does not take you seriously at all!"
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo's anger flared. He suddenly rose, smashing the table beside him with a palm and roaring, "That scoundrel Sun Jian dares to be so disrespectful! If we do not kill him, how can we demonstrate our authority?"
Li Ru stepped forward and quietly advised, "Chancellor, please calm your anger. Right now, Wen Hou has just suffered defeat; the morale of the army is shaken. It would be difficult to achieve a complete victory in another battle. In my opinion, we should consider a different strategy."
Dong Zhuo suppressed his fury, his gaze sharp as he asked, "Ru, do you have a brilliant plan?"
Li Ru cupped his hands and bowed his head, responding steadily, "Recently I heard a children's rhyme in the marketplace: 'One Han in the west, one Han in the east. When the deer enters Chang'an, only then will this difficulty cease.' I pondered this repeatedly; it must be heaven's will. 'One Han in the west' refers to Emperor Gaozu establishing Chang'an as the capital and passing down twelve emperors; 'one Han in the east' should be Guangwu establishing the eastern capital Luoyang, also passing down twelve emperors. Now that the heavenly mandate has arrived and the fortunes of the eastern capital have run out, Chancellor should move the capital to Chang'an to comply with heaven's will and seek stability."
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily, saying, "Li Ru, indeed a brilliant strategy! If it weren't for your reminder, how could I have grasped this profound truth?" He turned around and commanded his men to issue orders: "Immediately prepare supplies; we shall return to Luoyang tonight to arrange for the relocation of the capital!"
Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu hurried back to Luoyang that night and summoned all officials to the court. Dressed in resplendent robes and sitting high above them, Dong Zhuo's gaze was piercing as he spoke in a deep voice: "Luoyang has been the capital for over two hundred years; its heavenly mandate has waned. I observe that prosperity has shifted to Chang'an; this is a sign from heaven. I am determined to move westward to comply with heaven's will and restore our glory. You all must prepare immediately to accompany me."
The officials exchanged glances in confusion; the atmosphere grew tense. Some older ministers frowned deeply, hesitant to speak; while younger officials bowed their heads in silence, afraid to contradict Dong Zhuo's orders. For a moment, only Dong Zhuo's authoritative voice echoed in the hall: "If anyone has dissenting opinions, speak openly now; I am willing to listen."
Minister Yang Biao rose steadily and fixed his gaze on Dong Zhuo with determination. He spoke firmly: "Chancellor, Guanzhong is devastated and in need of rebuilding. To abandon our ancestral temples and forsake imperial tombs without cause may alarm the people. The world is easily stirred but difficult to stabilize; I urge you to reconsider."
Dong Zhuo leaned slightly forward from his originally seated position; a cold light flashed in his eyes as he coldly replied: "Minister Yang, are you trying to obstruct our national plans?"
Grand Commandant Huang Wan took up the conversation next to Yang Biao with a pained expression: "Chancellor, what Minister Yang said comes from the heart. In the past when Wang Mang usurped power during the Xin dynasty and Red Brow entered Chang'an burning cities and causing devastation everywhere—Chang'an has yet to fully recover; its people are displaced with only ten or twelve percent remaining. If we abandon prosperous Luoyang for this desolate place where palaces are yet unbuilt, how will the people find a home? Such a decision may not be wise."
Hearing this, veins bulged on Dong Zhuo's forehead as he slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and shouted fiercely: "Huang Wan, do you also wish to stop me? The bandits of Guandong are rising everywhere; chaos reigns across the land! Luoyang has already lost its defenses! In contrast, Chang'an is fortified by Mount Xiaoshan and Hangu Pass and is closer to abundant resources from Longyou. With sufficient effort in construction, we could have new palaces built within a month. You scholars only engage in empty rhetoric without any foresight!"
Yang Biao furrowed his brow, took a deep breath, and spoke candidly once more, "Chancellor, even if Chang'an is easy to defend but hard to attack, the common people cannot bear the suffering of relocation. If we lose the people's hearts, it will lead to endless troubles."
Before his words could fade, Xun Shuang stepped forward as well, his tone sincere yet resolute. "Chancellor, the matter of relocating the capital is not trivial. The unrest among the people and instability of their hearts will ultimately bring greater crises to the nation. I implore you to reconsider your orders, for the sake of the common people and for the Han Dynasty."
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo's face contorted with rage. His expression was fierce as he pointed a finger at Xun Shuang and shouted, "The people's hearts? The grand plans of the world are not decided by commoners! I am planning for the nation's future; how could I retreat just because a few commoners suffer some hardship? You corrupt fools have such narrow vision that you do not deserve to hold high positions!"
He suddenly stood up, his voice booming like thunder, intimidating everyone in the hall. "Come here! Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and Xun Shuang are to be stripped of their titles and immediately expelled from the court! Anyone who dares to voice dissent shall not blame me for being ruthless!"
Several warriors surged forward and dragged the three ministers out of the hall. Undeterred, they shouted loudly, "Dong Zhuo's relocation of the capital will surely invite divine wrath and public outrage, leading to endless consequences!"
Dong Zhuo coldly watched them recede into the distance before returning to his seat. He scanned the room with a stern gaze and spoke in a low voice laced with threat, "Does anyone else have objections?"
The hall fell silent as all officials bowed their heads in silence. Dong Zhuo sneered and waved his hand in command. "Send orders to all departments to prepare for the relocation to Chang'an immediately. No one is allowed to delay; those who do will face military law!"
As Dong Zhuo stepped onto his carriage, he noticed two figures hastening toward him from afar, bowing deeply before the vehicle. Upon closer inspection, he recognized them as Minister Zhou Bi and Colonel Wu Qiong. Dong Zhuo's brow furrowed in displeasure as he coldly asked, "What brings you two here?"
Zhou Bi cautiously approached and clasped his hands in salute. "Chancellor, we have heard that you intend to relocate the capital to Chang'an and have come to advise against it. This matter concerns the foundation of our nation; please think it over carefully."
Wu Qiong quickly added with a hint of urgency in his voice, "Chancellor, Luoyang is the foundation of the Han Dynasty; abandoning it recklessly may shake the people's hearts and provoke resentment across the realm."
Dong Zhuo's expression shifted dramatically upon hearing this. His fists clenched tightly as he lashed out with words like daggers at both men. "I should have anticipated this! I was misled by your recommendation of Yuan Shao, claiming he was loyal and righteous—what has that led to? Now Yuan Shao turns against me; clearly, you two are in league with him, aiding tyranny!"
His fury blazed like wildfire as he suddenly shouted, "Come here! Drag them out! Execute them at the city gates immediately!"
The warriors responded immediately, dragging Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong out of the carriage. In their panic, they shouted loudly, "Chancellor, relocating the capital is a grave mistake! If we lose the people's hearts, the world will be in chaos! The Chancellor must assess the situation for the sake of the Han Dynasty and not act recklessly!"
However, their cries were soon silenced by the deadly blade. Blood splattered across the city gates as Dong Zhuo coldly watched, his face betraying no emotion. With a wave of his hand, the carriage set off again.
As they traveled halfway, Li Ru stepped forward quickly, leaning close to the side of the carriage and whispering, "Chancellor, relocating the capital will incur immense costs, and resources are severely lacking. Luoyang has many wealthy families; if we confiscate their assets, it could alleviate our urgent needs. Moreover, Yuan Shao's faction is deeply entrenched; if we eliminate his supporters and seize their properties, it would yield a fortune."
Dong Zhuo's eyes brightened at these words, a cold smile creeping onto his lips. He lightly tapped on the carriage door and murmured, "A good plan! It will not only replenish the national treasury but also eliminate my greatest threat. Issue an order to target Yuan Shao's relatives first tomorrow; anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!"
Li Ru bowed respectfully and quickly withdrew to arrange this matter. Inside the carriage, Dong Zhuo leaned against the soft cushions, half-closing his eyes while lightly tapping his fingers on the carriage wall, as if everything was under his control.
Dong Zhuo ordered five thousand iron cavalry to storm into Luoyang like demons, searching house by house for wealthy families. They held lists in their hands; upon finding a household, they planted flags at their doors marked with blood-red characters reading "Traitorous Rebels." Before these families could defend themselves, the cavalry dragged them out—some forced with blades, others driven with long spears—marching them out of the city in a grand procession. At a single command, blades flashed like snow as thousands of heads rolled onto the yellow earth, blood flowing like rivers. With each swing of the sword came cries and wails, but the soldiers remained expressionless, focused solely on executing orders and plundering gold and jewels from within homes to fill carts bound for Dong Zhuo's residence.
Meanwhile, Li Jue and Guo Si were ordered to drive millions of Luoyang's citizens westward to Chang'an along a path soaked in blood and tears. The people were divided into groups of hundreds, each flanked by fully armed soldiers. The soldiers brandished swords and spears with fierce glares like wolves eyeing sheep. Those who lagged behind due to age or weakness were swiftly kicked down by soldiers; without hesitation, blades fell mercilessly upon them as their bodies were carelessly tossed into roadside ditches. The ditches became grim landmarks of this brutal march.
The journey was long; starving and freezing citizens dragged their numb bodies forward step by step, none daring to stop. If anyone fell behind, nearby soldiers would bark coldly, "Do you want to die? Get up!" Before they could finish speaking, a blade was already poised at their throats. For those who slowed down the procession, soldiers simply ended their lives with a single stroke and showed no interest in clearing away the corpses—just kicking them aside into the ditch.
Some soldiers took advantage of the chaos without restraint. With lewd glints in their eyes, they targeted women whose clothing still appeared decent. The women screamed while children cried out; however, their voices quickly faded under the soldiers' control. If husbands or brothers dared to resist, they would be dismembered before everyone’s eyes with blades raining down upon them—body parts scattered along the roadside. The soldiers ruthlessly looted food supplies, stripping even the last piece of dry bread from citizens' pockets until the entire group moved like walking corpses.
All along the way, cries echoed like waves through heaven and earth. A young woman fell to her knees pleading with a soldier to spare her child: "General, please let us go; this child is only five years old; he knows nothing!" The soldier sneered as he used his blade to tear the child from her arms; mother and child wept uncontrollably but received only a cold retort: "Cry more and you’ll die too!" Those words were as sharp as a knife that completely shattered her last hope.
By nightfall, citizens were forced to sleep in the wilderness. The cold wind blew through as cries and laments intertwined like wails from hell itself. Yet for Dong Zhuo, all this was merely "necessary for the greater good." He sat within Hu Lao Pass enjoying fine wine and delicacies under candlelight; occasionally looking up, he could faintly hear distant cries that seemed weak and far removed from his indulgence.
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