Volume One: The Hidden Dragon Beneath the Surface Chapter Thirty-One: Flames Erupt in Luoyang, Dong Zhuo Flees Westward

Liu Heng pondered for a moment, recalling what Xun Yu had conveyed through Zhao Yun the previous night.

"First, surround without attacking, and wait for the enemy to exhaust themselves."

Liu Heng pointed to the map: "Dispatch elite troops to guard the key thoroughfares and ferries leading from Sishui Pass. Dig deep trenches, build high ramparts, and deploy plenty of caltrops and chevaux-de-frise. The main force should establish fortified camps in strategic positions outside the pass and spread rumors of reinforcements. Every day, send small squads of elite cavalry to challenge and harass the enemy beneath the walls to wear down their morale. Seeing us surround but not attack, Dong Zhuo will surely suspect a trap and dare not easily sally forth for a decisive battle. This will allow our army to recuperate and secure our rear supply lines."

"Second, attacking the heart is superior; divide and conquer."

Liu Heng’s voice dropped, carrying a hint of chill: "Dong Zhuo acts against the will of heaven and man. Among the officials in Luoyang and the Xiliang army, are there no resentful souls or those looking for an exit? Since entering the capital, Dong Zhuo has neglected his old Xiliang subordinates to curry favor with the noble clans. I hear his son-in-law, Li Ru, has also been sidelined, to say nothing of the others. We must send agents into Luoyang and Sishui Pass to spread rumors. First, claim that the Guandong coalition is a million strong and unstoppable, and that Dong Zhuo’s defeat is imminent. Second, claim that Dong Zhuo intends to relocate the capital, burn Luoyang, and drive the people westward! Once these rumors take hold, the court and the public will be shaken, and the morale of the Xiliang army will crumble. When the time comes, those seeking survival or wishing to protect their property may secretly defect to us. Is that not a hundred times better than a forced assault?"

Silence filled the tent as the warlords ruminated on Liu Heng’s words. Surround without attacking to preserve strength; attack the heart to divide the enemy. The strategy sounded mature and steady—capable of both offense and defense—and was indeed far superior to a reckless assault. This Marquis of Yangwu... he was truly no mere name.

Cao Cao’s eyes shone with brilliance as he clapped and praised: "Boyu’s strategy captures the essence of military deception! Besiege the point to strike the reinforcements, and prioritize the psychological assault! I second this!"

Yuan Shao pondered for a moment and found the plan prudent and low-risk, capable of maintaining the coalition's facade of unity. He nodded slowly: "The Marquis of Yangwu’s plan is that of a seasoned statesman. We shall proceed as such! Governor Wang and Governor Qiao, you two are responsible for the challenges and harassment before the pass; Mengde and Gonglu, you two are responsible for guarding the rear supply lines and blockading the routes toward Luoyang. All other units, reinforce your camps, drill your troops, and deploy scouts! As for spreading rumors and sowing discord..."

He looked at Liu Heng: "This task requires someone with a meticulous mind and capable hands. Since the Marquis of Yangwu proposed it, he must already have a plan in mind. I shall trouble you to take charge of this matter!"

"As the Alliance Leader commands, I shall do my utmost." Liu Heng cupped his hands, his expression calm and unruffled.

After the meeting dispersed, Cao Cao caught up to Liu Heng and whispered: "Boyu’s plan is brilliant! Yet, by surrounding without attacking, I fear time will drag on, and the warlords will grow lax."

Liu Heng did not stop, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Brother Mengde’s concerns are valid. Alas, Dong Zhuo... he cannot afford to wait."

Liu Heng turned his gaze westward: "As long as Tong Pass remains under my control, every day he stays in Luoyang adds to his anxiety. Once the rumors take root, it will be like pouring oil on fire. Brother Mengde, just wait and see. Before long, Dong Zhuo... will make a desperate move!"

Cao Cao looked at Liu Heng’s resolute gaze, feeling a chill in his heart. He vaguely sensed that the young Marquis’s layout went far beyond the current standoff at Sishui Pass. Tong Pass... Cao Cao’s eyes also drifted involuntarily toward the west, that vital throat held by Liu Heng.

***

A few days later, Luoyang, the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.

"Useless! A bunch of useless fools!"

Dong Zhuo’s roar echoed through the room. His obese frame trembled with rage, and he smashed his wine goblet to the floor, sending liquid splashing everywhere.

"Can you not even hold a mere Sishui Pass? Were they not supposed to be a rabble? Why, first Hua Xiong and then Lu Bu—successive defeats have crushed our momentum! And that grain... why was so little burned? Why not burn the coalition’s supplies to the ground?"

Li Ru stood below, his face pale but composed: "Grand Preceptor, calm yourself. Though Fengxian was defeated, it did not break our bones; Sishui Pass remains as firm as a fortress. As for the supplies... the coalition’s defenses were tight, and our raiding party suffered heavy losses. It was truly beyond our control."

"Beyond your control? I see only your incompetence!"

Dong Zhuo gasped for air, his eyes bloodshot. The string of bad news had left him restless: "Those Guandong rats, relying on their numbers, dare to besiege Sishui Pass! And that brat Liu Heng—was he not in the Three Auxiliary Provinces? Why is he under the walls of Sishui Pass? Did you not say that making him Colonel of the City Gates would appease him? Now he has completely seized the Three Auxiliaries! Tong Pass is in his hands! He even sent that butcher Dian Wei to slay Hua Xiong, and then joined those nobodies, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, to attack Fengxian! I swear I will not rest until this debt is repaid!"

"Also, when will that old man Huangfu reach Luoyang?"

Dong Zhuo’s barrage of questions left Li Ru struggling for an answer. After a moment of deliberation, Li Ru said respectfully: "Grand Preceptor, once Huangfu Song arrives in Luoyang, we can strip him of his command and then attack Tong Pass. Liu Boyu has fewer than ten thousand troops at Tong Pass; he is no insurmountable threat. As for the Guandong..."

Li Ru hesitated, finally suppressing his inner concern. *My father-in-law, now that Liu Heng controls Tong Pass, will Huangfu Song even come to Luoyang obediently? Can he even get here?*

*Ever since we entered the capital, you have neglected your old Xiliang subordinates. Was it not I, Li Ru, who first suggested courting these people? Do you truly believe that by showering these clan members and noble families with high office and wealth, they will stand with you? Now that the situation has turned, the blame falls on us old followers...*

Just then, a personal guard rushed in, trembling, and knelt to report: "Report to the Grand Preceptor! In the city of Luoyang... rumors are everywhere!"

"What rumors now?" Dong Zhuo roared impatiently.

The guard’s voice was filled with fear: "They say... they say the coalition is mighty, and you, Grand Preceptor... you intend to move the capital to Chang'an, to imitate Xiang Yu of old, burn Luoyang, and drive millions of people westward..."

"What?"

Dong Zhuo felt as if struck by lightning. He jolted from his seat, his fat shaking with shock and rage. "Who? Who is spreading such妖言惑众 (seditious) nonsense? When did I ever say I would move the capital? When did I say I would burn the city?"

He was secretly terrified. The thought of moving to Chang'an to avoid the coalition's锋芒 (sharp edge) and rebuilding from the foundation of the Guanzhong region had indeed been lingering in his mind for a long time. But he had never spoken of it to anyone, not even Li Ru! This rumor struck directly at his most secret intentions!

Li Ru’s face turned ghastly pale. He gasped: "Grand Preceptor! This is a poisonous scheme meant to kill the heart! The person spreading this intends to shake the foundations of Luoyang and sow discord between you and the ministers and the people!"

Alarm bells rang in his mind. He had harbored such thoughts, but had not yet advised Dong Zhuo. Why were these rumors circulating in Luoyang? This was not without cause!

As if to confirm Li Ru’s words, another official rushed in: "Grand Preceptor! Grand Preceptor! It is terrible! Situ Wang Yun, Taiwei Yang Biao, and dozens of other high ministers are kneeling together outside the palace gates, weeping blood and begging His Majesty... imploring you to clarify the rumors and declare that there is no intention to move the capital or burn the city, to appease the hearts of the people! Outside the palace gates... thousands of scholars and commoners have gathered, and the crowds are surging!"

"Scoundrels! Rebellion! It’s all a rebellion!" Dong Zhuo shook with rage, kicking over the table in front of him. "I have exhausted myself for the Han, yet these corrupt scholars and unruly mobs dare to pressure me like this!"

Li Ru suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said urgently: "Grand Preceptor! The rumors are raging; clarification will not suffice! This must be a venomous scheme by the Guandong coalition, likely by that Liu Heng! They intend to force you into a state of chaos! The current plan is..."

A flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. He waved for the others to leave, then leaned close to Dong Zhuo’s ear, whispering: "Grand Preceptor! Luoyang has become a place of trouble! The hearts of the people are adrift, and the foundation is unstable. The coalition is besieging Sishui Pass; though their progress is slow, their intent is firm! Moving the capital to Chang'an, retreating to Guanzhong, and relying on the natural barrier of Tong Pass and our Xiliang roots to rebuild—this may be our only path to survival! Delay will only bring change! If we wait for the rumors to explode in Luoyang, or for Tong Pass to fall... it will be too late! We must act accordingly!"

Dong Zhuo gasped, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Li Ru. The thought of moving the capital had been forced into the open by this vicious rumor. A cold chill surged from Dong Zhuo's spine to his skull.

"Liu Heng... that brat Liu Heng!" Dong Zhuo spat the name through gritted teeth.

He slumped back into his seat, his eyes shifting between fear, rage, and unwillingness. After a long while, he looked up sharply: "Pass the orders!"

"Seize the wealth of all the wealthy families in Luoyang and confiscate their property!"

"Conscript laborers to transport the gold, grain, and treasures from the Luoyang treasury. Load them all! Load everything!"

"Order Li Jue to lead the elites to clear the way and take Tong Pass! Ensure the path westward is secure."

"Deploy Guo Si’s troops to guard the center!"

"Order Fan Chou to collect the wealth; kill anyone who resists!"

"Command Zhang Jue to lead troops to Sishui Pass to block the coalition, and have the Pijin Commandant Jia Wenhe accompany them to assist. Recall Fengxian to guard the center!"

"Choose an auspicious day... No! Prepare immediately! Move the capital! Move to Chang'an!"

"As for this city of Luoyang..." Dong Zhuo’s eyes filled with malice. "Burn it! Take what can be taken, and what cannot... burn it to the ground! We must not leave anything for those Guandong rats!"

***

The next day, following the orders from the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, the iron hooves of the Xiliang army shattered the gates of noble houses. Officers rode on tall horses, directing soldiers to crudely stuff mountains of gold, silver, silk, and antiques into ox carts. Within the once-illustrious mansions, there was nothing left but pleas, curses, and the clashing of blades.

"Dong, you thief! You will die a horrible death!" An old man was kicked to the ground by a soldier, who sneered as he tore a valuable jade pendant from him.

"Mother! Mother!" A child was ripped from his mother’s arms and thrown onto the cold ground. The mother screamed and lunged forward, only to be pushed back by a spear, forced to watch as her home was stripped bare.

"Move! Clear it all out! Don't leave a single hair behind!" The officers’ whips lashed out at the conscripted laborers. Countless commoners, under the threat of blades, carried heavy loads of grain and palace treasures. The streets and alleys of Luoyang were filled with wailing refugees and convoys overloaded with loot.

Outside the palace gates, Situ Wang Yun and Taiwei Yang Biao were present, but the remonstrating official Liu Tao was nowhere to be seen. The ministers, their hair disheveled and robes covered in dust, knelt and wept: "Your Majesty! Grand Preceptor! You cannot move the capital! The ancestral tombs are here, the foundation of the Han is here! Burning Luoyang and driving the people westward is an act of self-destruction that will leave a stench for ten thousand years!"

Their voices were quickly drowned out by the sorrowful cries of tens of thousands of scholars and commoners, and the coarse shouting of the Xiliang soldiers.

Dong Zhuo stood on the highest watchtower of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, coldly looking down at the city he was about to destroy with his own hands.

"Grand Preceptor," Li Ru stood behind him, "Li Jue has gone ahead to clear the path. Fan Chou’s troops are collecting wealth and driving the laborers. However... the officials are full of resentment and refuse to move, especially those whose wealth was confiscated..."

"Resentment?" Dong Zhuo’s mouth curled into a cruel grin. "Then let them see the consequences of resenting me! Pass the order: anyone who delays or resists, be they official or wealthy, kill them on the spot! Confiscate their property, and give their wives and daughters... to the meritorious soldiers!"

He paused: "As for those lowly commoners... tell them, if they want to live, they follow! If they can’t keep up, they stay here and be buried with Luoyang!"

"Also... the remonstrating official Liu Tao has disappeared. There are only servants in his residence, and no one knows where he and his family went. Liu Heng’s old subordinate, Zheng Wengong, has also disappeared. These two have deep ties to Liu Heng and may have already secretly fled Luoyang!" Li Ru added.

Dong Zhuo flew into another rage: "Liu Heng! It is that brat Liu Heng again! Issue a warrant: hunt down Liu Tao, Zheng Hun, and their families, dead or alive!"

The orders were given, and the slaughter began. The scent of blood grew thicker in Luoyang. Several mansions of wealthy families that tried to resist were set ablaze. Flames soared into the sky, mixed with shrill screams.

Under the threat of the Xiliang soldiers' blades, the ministers turned ashen-faced and were forced to pack up their families, rushing into the flood of migration. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps a million people, were driven by the spears of the Xiliang army like a flock of sheep, forced onto the road westward.

Dong Zhuo looked toward the west, where his only path to survival lay—Tong Pass.

"Brat Liu Heng..." he muttered the name through gritted teeth, as if to crush it: "Once I enter Chang'an and regroup, I will tear you into pieces to soothe my hatred!"

He waved his hand violently: "Light it! Burn this city of Luoyang to the ground!"

In an instant, the prepared Xiliang soldiers threw torches onto the palace, the storehouses, the civilian homes, and everything magnificent that could not be taken!

The flames, like a greedy beast, burst forth from all directions, licking the pavilions and swallowing a thousand years of history. Thick smoke billowed, blotting out the sun and shrouding the entire city in a sea of fire. The golden palaces collapsed, the carved beams turned to charcoal, and countless people who refused to leave their homeland wailed in the inferno.

The heart of the Han Empire, which had symbolized its glory and dignity, collapsed in the midst of Dong Zhuo’s mad roars and soaring flames, turning into a desolate wasteland.

Dong Zhuo took one last look at the sea of fire. His imperial carriage, escorted by Guo Si and Fan Chou’s elite troops, merged into the massive procession of despair and wealth, fleeing toward Tong Pass.

Outside Sishui Pass, the coalition camp.

When the massive, sky-blackening smoke from Luoyang drifted toward the horizon, the coalition camp erupted. Scouts galloped at full speed, shouting at the top of their lungs: "Report—! Luoyang... Luoyang is on fire! The smoke hides the sun! Dong Zhuo... Dong Zhuo has burned the city!"