Story of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 6
Story of the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 6
Burning the Capital Dong Zhuo Committed More Crimes
Hiding the Jade Seal Sun Jian Broke the Agreement
Zhang Fei rode the horse toward Hulao Pass, wanting to capture Dong
Zhuo. The defenders of the pass shot arrows at Zhang Fei. He was not
able to get close to the pass and had to return. The report of Liu
Bei's victory was sent to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao ordered Sun Jian to
move forward. Sun Jian went to the headquarter of Yuan Shu. He said
to Yuan Shu, "I have no personal hatred towards Dong Zhuo. I led my
army to fight him, and I put my own life at risk and went to the
battles in person. That was all for the good of the country. In
addition it was also for your brother's sake. Yet you withheld the
supply, which led to my defeat. Where is your conscience?" Yuan Shu
could not answer him, and had to order the execution of the advisor
who made the suggestion, as an apology to Sun Jian.
As Sun Jian returned to his own headquarter, he was told, "There is
a general from Sishui Pass to see you." Sun Jian met him, it was Li
Jue. Sun Jian asked, "What do you want?" Li Jue said, "The Prime
Minister respect you dearly. He asked me to come here, to ask your
permission for the marriage of his daughter and your son." Sun Jian
replied, "Dong Zhuo is the traitor of the Han Emperor. I want to
kill everyone in his family. I'll let you return to the pass and
surrender the pass. If you don't you will be dead."
Li Jue returned and reported to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo asked Li Ru
what to do next. Li Ru said, "Luu Bu just lost a battle, and no one
else wants to fight any more. The only thing we can do now is to
move the Capital from Luoyang to Changan." Dong Zhuo said, "Good
idea." He and Luu Bu returned to Luoyang that night. Dong Zhuo called
a meeting of the ministers. He said, "Han dynasty's Capital has been
at Luoyang for more than two hundred years. It is time now to move
the Capital back to Changan. The Emperor and the Ministers should
pack immediately and prepare to move." Minister Yang Biao said,
"Changan old city is very run down. There is no reason to abandon the
Temple, the Tomb, and to move people. It is very easy to disturb a
country, it is very hard to secure a country. Please Prime Minister
consider it carefully." Dong Zhuo said, "Are you going to sabotage
national security?" Minister Huang Wan said, "I agree with Minister
Yang. Back when traitor Wang Mang usurped the Han dynasty, and then
the Red Eyebrow rebellion burnt down Changan. Most people have left
Changan since then. The population is only about one percent of what
it used to be. It is not a good idea to abandon the palace here to
move to a burnt down place." Dong Zhuo said, "The rebels are near
Luoyang now. Changan is protect by Hangu Pass. It is also close to
the mountains so it is easy to get lumber and stones for building
materials. The palace will be built in a month. Stop talking these
nonsense." Minister Xun Shuang said, "Moving the Capital will cause
the suffering of the people." Dong Zhuo said, "I care for the
country, I don't care for the people." Dong Zhuo ousted Ministers
Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and Xun Shuang. As Dong Zhuo left the meeting,
his carriage was stopped on the road by someone. Dong Zhuo looked and
saw his two generals, Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong. Dong Zhuo asked what was
the matter. Zhou Bi said, "We want to persuade Prime Minister not to
move the Capital." Dong Zhuo was enraged, "It was your idea to give
Yuan Shao a governorship. Now Yuan Shao rebels, you two must be in
it also." He ordered the guards to get them out and execute them
immediately. No one dared to stop him now. Li Ru said, "We need
money for the move. There are many rich people in Luoyang. We can
confiscate their properties. All the relatives and friends of Yuan
Shao, we should execute them and take their properties. That should
be enough."
Dong Zhuo sent five thousand cavaliers to the Capital. They arrested
all the rich people in Luoyang, thousands of families, each person was
labeled on the head, stating "Rebels". They were all brought outside
the city and executed. Li Jue and Guo Si led the army to drive the
entire population of Luoyang, several millions, out and move toward
Changan. Each team of soldiers was in charge of a team of civilians.
The soldiers murdered, raped and robbed people at will. The sound of
crying was heard everywhere on the road. Many people died. At the end
of the line there were three thousand troops with bayonets. Anyone
who walked too slowly was immediately stabbed to death. Dong Zhuo
ordered to set the Capital on fire before he left. The entire city
was consumed by blaze. He also sent Luu Bu to excavate the Emperors'
tombs and take the jewelries from the tombs. The soldiers took the
opportunity and dugged open any the tomb that they could find. Dong
Zhuo loaded the goods on a thousand carriages, and took the Emperor
and the Empress to Changan.
The defender of Sishui Pass, General Zhao Cen, after learning that
Dong Zhuo left Luoyang, surrendered the pass to Sun Jian. The Liu
Bei brothers charged into Hulao Pass. The other armies followed them
and took the pass.
Sun Jian quickly advanced toward Luoyang. By the time he got there,
the whole city was on fire, and there was not a single person within
a hundred miles. Sun Jian ordered the troops to first put off the
fire. The other armies also arrived. They each found place to set up
camps. Cao Cao asked Yuan Shao, "Dong Zhuo is headed west. We should
pursue him. Why are we waiting here?" Yuan Shao said, "The troops are
tired. We need rest." Cao Cao said, "Dong Zhuo burnt the Capital,
kidnapped the Emperor. The whole country is in shock. This is the
time we need to be determined. Let us pursue Dong Zhuo. Don't stop
here." None of the leaders was willing to go with him. Cao Cao said,
"These are idiots." He led his own ten thousand men, with generals
Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian, and Yue Jin,
and rushed toward Changan.
When Dong Zhuo reached Xing Yang, the Governor Xu Rong greeted him.
Li Ru said, "We need to prepare for the pursuing armies. Xu Rong
should bring some troops to hide outside the city in the hills. You
can let the pursuers pass. When we stop them here, you can attack
from behind. This way if we defeat the first ones the others will
not come." Dong Zhuo followed the plan, and also asked Luu Bu to
guard the behind. Cao Cao's army caught up with Luu Bu very soon.
Luu Bu set the formation up. Xiahou Dun took on Luu Bu. On both
flanks, Li Jue attacked from the left and was countered by Xiahou
Yuan, Guo Si attacked from the right and was countered by Cao Ren.
Xiahou Dun could not hold back Luu Bu, and retreated. Luu Bu's men
attacked from three sides, and Cao Cao was completely defeated.
They fled towards Xingyang. Cao Cao finally was able to gather the
remnants of his troops and stopped at a wilderness at about two
hours before midnight. As they prepared their meal, shouts arose
from all sides, and Xu Rong's hidden army attacked. Cao Cao
hurriedly got on his horse. Xu Rong saw him and shot an arrow. The
arrow hit Cao Cao's shoulder. Cao Cao carried the arrow and fled
down hill. There were two soldiers hiding in the grass. As Cao Cao
passed by them, they pricked their spears and killed Cao Cao's horse.
Cao Cao fell on the ground and was captured by the soldiers. Just
then Cao Hong rushed there by horse. He killed both soldiers and
saved Cao Cao. Cao Cao said, "I'm dying. Brother, run, quick." Cao
Hong said, "Take my horse. I can walk." Cao Cao said, "They will
catch you." Cao Hong said, "The country can be without me, but
cannot be without you." Cao Cao said, "If I get out of this alive,
I owe all of it to you." Cao Cao mounted the horse. Cao Hong
removed his armors, and ran after the horse. They ran for about
four hours, when they were stopped by a river. They could hear the
sound of the pursuing army getting closer and closer. Cao Cao said,
"We are hopeless now." Cao Hong helped Cao Cao off the horse, and
carried him across the river on his back. The pursuers got there
just as they reached the other side. By daybreak they went for
another twenty miles. They stopped to rest. Suddenly a group of
cavaliers came towards them. It was Xu Rong who crossed the river
up stream. Luckily Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan arrived with a few
men just in time. They intercepted Xu Rong. Xiahou Dun killed Xu
Rong in a few rounds. The rest of the soldiers scattered. Cao Cao
managed to find Cao Ren, Li Dian and Yue Jin, collected the
remaining five hundred soldiers, and returned Henei. Dong Zhuo was
able to get to Changan without further challenge.
Sun Jian put off the fire in Luoyang. He camped the army inside the
city, and set up his headquarter on the ruin of Jianzhang Hall. He
ordered his soldiers to clean up the ground, and sealed all the tombs
that were dug open by Dong Zhuo. They quickly built three small rooms
on the ruin of the Temple, and held a religious ceremony to set up
the positions of the gods. That night, Sun Jian returned to his
quarters. As he sat outside and looked at the night sky, he wondered
how this all had happened. The entire Capital was now empty.
A soldier said, "There seems a dim light coming from that well."
Sun Jian asked for torches. A few soldiers went down the well, and
came up with a woman's body. From the dress one can tell that she
was someone in the Palace. There was a small silk bag on her neck.
In the bag there was a red box, locked by a gold lock. Sun Jian
opened it. In the box was a jade seal, about four inches on each
side. There was a pattern of five dragons on the top of the seal.
One corner of the seal chipped off a piece, and was filled in with
gold. The seal had the inscription, "Mandate of Heaven, Prosper
Forever." Sun Jian took the seal and asked Cheng Pu. Cheng Pu said,
"This is the National Seal. This goes back to the time of Bian He.
He saw a phoenix sitting on a stone under Mount Jing. He took the
stone and gave it to the King of Chu, Wen King. They opened the stone
and got the jade. Twenty-sixth year of Qin dynasty, the emperor
ordered it made into a seal. The prime minister Li Si carved these
words on the seal. Twenty-eighth year of Qin dynasty, the emperor
was on Lake Dongting, when a storm rose and the boat was going to
sink. The emperor threw the seal into the lake and the storm stopped.
Thirty-sixth year of Qin dynasty someone returned the seal to the
emperor. Next year the Qin emperor died. Later Ziying surrendered
the seal to Gaozu Emperor (first emperor of the Han dynasty). At the
time of the usurpation of Wang Mang, the Empress threw the seal at
Wang Xun and Su Xian, and chipped off a corner of the seal. Later it
was repaired with gold. The Guangwu emperor obtained the seal at
Yiyang, and it was passed on to each emperor since then. Recently
when the Ten Eunuches kidnapped the Emperor to Mount Beimang, the
seal was lost when the Emperor returned. Today you get this seal.
It is a good sign. We shouldn't stay here anymore. Let's return to
south China." Sun Jian said, "Yes. Let's leave tomorrow." And he
told the soldiers to keep this a secret.
One of the soldiers was from the same town as Yuan Shao. He wanted
to use this as a way of getting ahead. So he slipped to Yuan Shao's
camp at night, and told it to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao rewarded him with
money, and asked him to remain at Sun Jian's place. Next day, Sun
Jian came to Yuan Shao and said, "I am not well. I need to return to
Changsha." Yuan Shao smiled, "I know what your illness is. It's the
disease of the Jade Seal." Sun Jian was surprised, and said, "Why
do you say that?" Yuan Shao said, "We are together in this for the
country. The Seal belongs to the government. Please leave the Seal
with me, the chairman, and it will be returned to the Emperor after
we kill Dong Zhuo." Sun Jian said, "what made you think that I have
the Seal?" Yuan Shao said, "What was that thing that you got from the
well at JianZhang Hall?" Sun Jian said, "I don't have the Seal. Don't
force me." Yuan Shao said, "Please turn it over to avoid tragedy."
Sun Jian swore, "If I hid the Jade Seal I will die under knives and
arrows." Others said, "Sun Jian has sworn. He mustn't have it." Yuan
Shao pointed at that soldier and said, "Was this man there when you
got the seal?" Sun Jian pulled out his sword and wanted to kill that
soldier. Yuan Shao also pulled out his sword and said, "Dare you kill
him." Yuan Shao's generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, all took swords in
their hands. Sun Jian's generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang,
all took knives in their hands. Others separated them. Sun Jian
immediately ordered his army to leave. Yuan Shao was very angry. He
wrote a letter to Governor of Jing Province, Liu Biao, and asked him
to stop Sun Jian at Jing.
Next day, Cao Cao returned and reported the defeat. Yuan Shao greeted
him and gave a consolation banquet. Cao Cao said, "My original idea,
was to ask Yuan Shao to take Mengjin, another army to guard Chenggao,
and occupy Aocang, and a third army to take the three counties near
Changan. All the armies only need to stay in their positions and not
have to fight. This will show enough force of ours, and Dong Zhuo will
capitulate. Now everyone is hesitating and staying here. The whole
country is disappointed. I am ashamed of you all." Yuan Shao did not
say anything. Cao Cao could not get them to fight, so he led his army
for Yangzhou. Gongsun Zan also left. He let Liu Bei back to Pingyuan,
and himself returned to his old territory. Governor of Yan Province,
Liu Dai, asked Governor of Dongjun, Qiao Mao, for supplies. Qiao Mao
refused. Liu Dai led an assault of Qiao Mao's camp, killed Qiao Mao,
and took over all of his troops. Yuan Shao felt that there wasn't
much more to do, and led his own army back to Guandong.
The Governor of Jing Province, Liu Biao, was a relative of the Han
Emperor. He was a member of the "Eight Friends in the South." He was
aided by three people, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, and Cai Mao. He received
the letter from Yuan Shao, and ordered Kuai Yue and Cai Mao and ten
thousand troops to intercept Sun Jian. Kuai Yue and Cai Mao was not
able to stop Sun Jian. Sun Jian's army pushed through a pass. They
came upon another army, led by Liu Biao himself. Sun Jian rode up
to Liu Biao and saluted, "Governor Liu, why do you believe Yuan
Shao's words, and fight with your neighbor?" Liu Biao said, "You are
hiding the National Seal. Do you plan to rebel?" Sun Jian said, "If
I have it, I will die under knives and arrows." Liu Biao said, "If
you don't have it, will you let me search?" Sun Jian was angry, and
ordered his troops to charge. Liu Biao immediately retreated. Sun
Jian followed Liu Biao. Suddenly on the hills on both sides of Sun
Jian Liu Biao's troops emerged and attacked. Cao Mao and Kuai Yue
also came and attacked from the back. Sun Jian was surrounded. What
was the fate of Sun Jian? Wait until the
next chapter.