Dong Zhuo, courtesy name Zhongying, was from Linxia in Longxi. He was brutal and fierce in character, but very strategic. When he was young, he often traveled in the Qiang region and became familiar with the local heroes and leaders. Later, he returned to his hometown to farm. Some Qiang heroes came to seek refuge with him, and Dong Zhuo slaughtered a plowing ox to celebrate with them. Moved by his generosity, these heroes gathered over a thousand livestock to present to him. From then on, Dong Zhuo became famous as a hero.
He served as a military official in the province, often patrolling and guarding the border areas. Dong Zhuo was exceptionally strong, able to carry two bows and arrows at once, shooting accurately with great skill, making the Qiang and Hu people fear him. During the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, the court recruited young noblemen from six counties to serve as the Imperial Guards. Dong Zhuo was selected and followed General Zhang Huan as the army's sergeant to suppress the Qiang rebellion in Hanyang. After a victorious battle, Dong Zhuo was promoted to the rank of Langzhong and awarded nine thousand bolts of silk. Dong Zhuo said, "We achieved this success together, so we should share the rewards equally." He then distributed all the rewarded silk to his subordinates and soldiers without keeping any for himself. Later, he was promoted to the position of Colonel of the Western Regions but was dismissed for an offense. He then became the Inspector of Bingzhou and the Prefect of Hedong.
In the first year of the Zhongping era, Dong Zhuo was appointed as the General of the East of the Center and was ordered to lead the army to replace Lu Zhi in attacking Zhang Jiao in Xiyang. The army was defeated, and Dong Zhuo was subsequently punished. That winter, the Xianbei Qiang from the north, along with bandits from Fuhang and Huguan areas, rebelled. They supported the Hu generals of the Yicong, Beigong Boyu and Li Wenhou from Huangzhong, who killed the Protector of the Qiang, Ling Zheng. Beigong Boyu and others then forced the people of Jincheng, Bian Zhang and Han Sui, to take charge of military affairs and together killed the Prefect of Jincheng, Chen Yi, and attacked and set fire to the counties.
Next spring, oh my goodness, tens of thousands of cavalrymen are going to attack the Sanfu region. They even dare to come near the imperial mausoleum, claiming they were avenging the eunuchs. The court sent Dong Zhuo to be a mid-ranking general, assisting the Left Chariot Cavalry General Huangfu Song in battle. As a result, Huangfu Song returned home without any achievements, while Bian Zhang, Han Sui, and others became increasingly arrogant. The court had no other option but to appoint Zhang Wen as the Chariot Cavalry General, giving him command authority, with Yuan Pang as his deputy. Then Dong Zhuo was appointed as the General for Pacifying Enemies, working alongside the General for Suppressing Bandits, Zhou Shen, both under the command of Zhang Wen. They brought together over a hundred thousand infantry and cavalry, stationed in Meiyang to protect the imperial mausoleum. Bian Zhang and Han Sui also led troops to Meiyang. Zhang Wen and Dong Zhuo fought against them several times, but were defeated each time. In November, a meteor suddenly appeared in the sky at night, shining like fire, with a light that was over ten zhang long, illuminating the camps of Bian Zhang and Han Sui, causing the horses and donkeys to panic. The rebels considered this an ominous sign and wanted to return to Jincheng. Dong Zhuo was delighted to hear this! The next day, he joined forces with Bao Hong of Youfufeng to launch an attack, scoring a major victory and taking the heads of several thousand enemies. Bian Zhang and Han Sui fled to Yuzhong, where Zhang Wen dispatched Zhou Shen with thirty thousand troops to chase them. Sun Jian, a staff officer under Zhang Wen, told Zhou Shen, "The rebels in the city are out of food and will definitely need to bring supplies from outside. I request to lead ten thousand troops to intercept their supply route, while you lead the main army behind. They'll definitely be too scared to fight because they’re running out of supplies. If they escape into the territory of the Qiang people, we can join forces to pursue and eliminate them, thus pacifying Liangzhou." But Zhou Shen ignored him and chose to besiege Yuzhong instead. Consequently, Bian Zhang and Han Sui set up their troops in the narrow Kuiyuan Valley, cutting off Zhou Shen's supply route. Worried about the situation, Zhou Shen had no option but to leave his supplies behind and pull back.
At the same time, Zhang Wen also sent Dong Zhuo with thirty thousand troops to attack the Xianling Qiang. Dong Zhuo was surrounded by the Qiang and Hu tribes in the north of Wangyuan, running out of food and in a difficult situation. He came up with a clever plan, pretending to set up a fish net in the river they had to cross, claiming it was for fishing, and then secretly crossed the river from underneath the fish net. By the time the Qiang and Hu tribes chased after them, the river had risen, and they couldn't cross. Many armies were defeated at that time, but Dong Zhuo managed to safely retreat with his entire army back to Fufeng, where he was appointed as the Marquis of Baixiang with a fief of one thousand households.
In the spring of the third year, the court sent an envoy with the emperor's letter to Chang'an to appoint Zhang Wen as Grand Commandant. This was one of the three highest offices in the court, and Zhang Wen was the first person from outside to hold this position. In the winter of that year, the court summoned Zhang Wen back to the capital. By then, Han Sui had killed Bian Zhang, Bo Yu, and Marquis Wen, raised an army of over one hundred thousand, and surrounded Longxi. The Prefect of Longxi, Li Xiangru, also rebelled and joined forces with Han Sui, together killing the Liangzhou Governor, Geng Bi. Geng Bi's deputy, Ma Teng from Fufeng, also rebelled with his troops. In addition, the Prince of Hanyang, who self-styled himself as the "General of United Forces," joined forces with Han Sui. They elected the Prince of Hanyang as their leader, who then led the armies to pillage and wreak havoc across the region.
By the fifth year, they had besieged Chencang. The court promptly appointed Dong Zhuo as the General-in-Chief and sent him along with General Huanfu Song to defeat Han Sui and his allies. Han Sui and his allies deposed the Prince of Hanyang, and then kidnapped the former Commandant of Xindu, Yan Zhong, forcing him to lead the various armies. Yan Zhong felt humiliated and was pressured by them, ultimately dying from the stress. Power struggles and infighting erupted among Han Sui and his allies, resulting in mutual killings and the disbanding of their troops.
After six years, the court again summoned Dong Zhuo to serve as the Minister of the Treasury, but Dong Zhuo refused to go. He wrote to the emperor, saying, "The followers from Huangzhong and the Qiang and Hu soldiers I brought with me have all come to me saying: 'We have not received our pay, rewards have been cut off, our wives and children are starving and freezing to death!' They have stopped my carriage and are not letting me leave. These Qiang and Hu people are unruly and difficult to manage; I cannot control them. I can only appease them first and then report to the court." The court was unable to do anything about Dong Zhuo, and they were quite worried. Just then, Emperor Ling fell seriously ill, so the emperor hastily issued a decree appointing Dong Zhuo as the Governor of Bingzhou and ordered him to hand over the army to Huangfu Song for command. Dong Zhuo wrote again, saying, "I possess neither extensive experience nor notable achievements, yet Your Majesty has shown me such favor by allowing me to command the army for ten years. The soldiers have been under my command for a long time; they are attached to me and follow my orders. I wish to lead the army to the northern border to serve the empire." So Dong Zhuo stationed his troops in Hedong to observe the situation.
After the emperor's death, the Grand General He Jin and the Prefect of the Imperial Guards Yuan Shao planned to get rid of the eunuchs, but the Empress Dowager opposed their plan. So He Jin secretly called Dong Zhuo and asked him to lead his troops into the palace to intimidate the Empress Dowager. Dong Zhuo received the order and immediately set out. He also wrote a memorial, stating, "The eunuchs led by Zhang Rang have stolen the emperor's favor, throwing the country into chaos. I have heard that it is better to cut out the rot than to just stir the pot; though the festering sore is painful, it is better than the rot inside. Previously, Zhao Yang rebelled in Jinyang to eradicate the bad people around the king. Now I am marching into Luoyang with drums and trumpets, requesting the arrest of Zhang Rang and others, to eradicate the corruption." Before Dong Zhuo could reach Luoyang, He Jin had already met with defeat. The Tiger Guard General Yuan Shu set fire to the Southern Palace in an attempt to take down the eunuchs, but the eunuchs led by Duan Gui seized the young emperor and the Prince of Chenliu and fled to Xiaopingjing under the cover of night.
Dong Zhuo saw the sky lit up by flames in Luoyang from a distance, so he hurriedly led his troops to speed up. He arrived at the western gate of Luoyang before dawn. Hearing that the Young Emperor was in the North at Beimang, he immediately rushed over to meet him. When the Young Emperor saw Dong Zhuo leading the troops, he was so frightened that he burst into tears. Dong Zhuo tried to talk to him, but the Young Emperor couldn't say a word. During his conversation with the Prince of Chenliu, they discussed the ongoing chaos. Dong Zhuo considered the Prince of Chenliu to be wise, and since he had been raised by Empress Dowager Dong, a member of his own clan, he began to contemplate deposing the emperor.
When Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he brought only three thousand soldiers with him. He felt that this was too few troops and feared that he wouldn’t be able to control the situation. So, for several nights in a row, he secretly led his troops to the military camp near Luoyang, and then returned to camp the next morning, pretending that the Western Liang soldiers had attacked again, deceiving the people of Luoyang. It wasn't long before the armies of brothers He Jin and He Miao also pledged their allegiance to Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo ordered Lu Bu to kill the Commandant of Justice, Ding Yuan, and took control of Ding Yuan's troops, which significantly bolstered Dong Zhuo's forces.
Next, Dong Zhuo incited the court to dismiss the Minister of State, Liu Hong, and took his place. Then, Dong Zhuo took the opportunity to encourage everyone to depose the emperor. All the officials gathered for a meeting, and Dong Zhuo loudly slapped the table and said, "The most important things in this world are heaven and earth, followed by the relationship between ruler and subjects. Governing a country relies on this. The current emperor is incompetent and unable to properly pay respects to his ancestors or fulfill his role as a ruler. I propose to follow the examples of Yi Yin and Huo Guang and establish the King of Chenliu as the new emperor." None of the ministers dared to speak. Dong Zhuo boasted, "When Huo Guang made his decision back then, he still held a sword! Anyone who dares to oppose will be dealt with according to military law!" The ministers present were terrified. Only the Minister Lu Zhi stood up and said, "In the past, when Emperor Taijia ascended to the throne and performed poorly, King Changyi committed thousands of crimes; that's why there was the matter of deposition. Now the current emperor is still young and has committed no offenses; it cannot be compared to past situations!" Dong Zhuo was furious and left in a rage. The next day, Dong Zhuo summoned the ministers to the Chongde Hall, threatened the Empress Dowager, and forced her to issue a decree to depose the young emperor. Dong Zhuo said, "The emperor lost his father at a young age, lacking filial piety, and his behavior is not befitting of an emperor. Now we will depose him and confer him the title of King of Hongnong!" Dong Zhuo then declared the King of Chenliu as the new emperor, who became known as Emperor Xian of Han. He also forced the Empress Dowager to move to the Yong'an Palace, which led to her death as a result of her grief. Dong Zhuo was ultimately responsible for the death of the Empress Dowager.
Dong Zhuo was appointed Grand Marshal, also holding the title of General of the Front, and was granted a scepter, a battle-axe, and the Tiger Guard, and was further enfeoffed as Marquis of Mei. Dong Zhuo, together with Huang Wan and Yang Biao, went to the palace gate wielding their battle-axes to submit a petition requesting the restoration of the official positions of Chen Fan, Dou Wu, and their supporters to win over public support. As a result, Dong Zhuo restored the original titles of Chen Fan, Dou Wu, and their supporters, and promoted their descendants.
Not long after, Dong Zhuo was appointed Chancellor, which allowed him to attend court without bowing as per etiquette, and he could even wear his sword and shoes while in court. He also ennobled his mother with the title of Lady Chiyang and assigned officials to serve her.
At that time, in the city of Luoyang, the mansions of officials and nobles were lined up like rows of houses, with mountains of gold and silver treasures piled high in every household. Dong Zhuo unleashed his soldiers, who stormed into their homes, raped women, and looted valuables, a brutal practice known as "searching the prisons." The common people were in a state of panic, fearing for their lives every day, unsure if they would survive tomorrow. When Empress He was buried and the tomb was opened, Dong Zhuo took away all the treasures from the tomb. He also raped princesses, seized palace maids, abused punishments, and killed people at will, leaving no minister in the court able to protect themselves. Dong Zhuo once dispatched troops to Yangcheng, where villagers had gathered at the ancestral temple. He ordered them all to be killed, and then filled their carts with the captured women, tying their heads to the cart shafts as they sang and cheered triumphantly on their return. He also destroyed the five-zhu coins, minted small coins, and confiscated all the bronze statues, bells, flying coins, bronze horses, etc. in Luoyang and Chang'an to mint coins. As a result, while everyday items were cheap, goods were exorbitantly priced, with tens of thousands of stones of grain being out of reach. Furthermore, the newly minted coins lacked any outline or pattern, making them quite inconvenient to use. At that time, it was said that Qin Shihuang encountered tall figures in Linzhao, so he minted bronze statues. Dong Zhuo hailed from Lintao, yet he has now destroyed the bronze statues. Though the eras were different, their cruelty and brutality bore a striking resemblance.
Dong Zhuo had long heard that people everywhere despised eunuchs for killing loyal and virtuous individuals. After he came to power, although his actions were morally questionable, he still pretended to be patient and restrained on the surface, promoting a number of talented individuals. He appointed Zhou Bi from Hanyang as the Minister of Personnel, Wu Qiong from Runan as the Chamberlain, Zheng Gongye as the Minister, He Yong as the Grand Historian, and so on. He even let Xun Shuang, a hermit, become the Minister of Works. Those who were implicated because of the party's imprisonment, such as Chen Ji and Han Rong, also became high-ranking officials. Many talented individuals who had been suppressed were promoted and given new opportunities by him. He appointed Han Fu as the Governor of Jizhou, Liu Dai as the Governor of Yanzhou, Kong Zhuo as the Governor of Yuzhou, and Zhang Zi as the Administrator of Nanyang. Dong Zhuo's close associates were not assigned to prominent official posts; instead, they served only as military officers. In the first year of the Chuping era, after Han Fu and others took office, over ten individuals, including Yuan Shao, raised armies, formed an alliance to attack Dong Zhuo, while Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi secretly helped him.
It is said that when Emperor Ling of Han was dying, the remnants of the Yellow Turban Army, led by someone named Guo Tai, caused trouble in Baipo Valley, located in Xihe. They fought all the way to Taiyuan, then broke through Hedong. The common folk fled to the Sannong region, referring to them as the "Baipo bandits," with their numbers exceeding 100,000! Dong Zhuo sent the General of the Household, Niu Fu, to fight, but he was defeated. Dong Zhuo also heard that there were people rebelling in the east, so he quickly poisoned Prince Hongnong and even considered relocating the capital to Chang'an.
The ministers in the court started discussing this matter, with Grand Commandant Huang Wan and Minister of Works Yang Biao strongly opposing, but it was no use. Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi also pleaded with Dong Zhuo, but Dong Zhuo exploded with anger, saying, "When I first entered the capital, you both advised me to employ good people, so we got along well. But now that you are in office, you are thinking of rebellion. You two have sold me out, Dong Zhuo. Why should I still treat you well?" After that, he had Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi executed. Terrified, Huang Wan and Yang Biao rushed to apologize to Dong Zhuo, saying, "We were just thinking of our old ties, not intending to harm state affairs. Please punish us!" After killing Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi, Dong Zhuo had second thoughts and promoted Huang Wan and Yang Biao to high positions. Afterwards, Dong Zhuo moved the emperor to the western capital of Chang'an.
Chang'an had been devastated by the Red Eyebrows army before, with palaces and temples that had been burned down. At that time, only Gaomiao and Jingzhao Prefecture were habitable, so the emperor stayed there at first. Later, he moved to the Weiyang Palace. Dong Zhuo relocated millions of people from Luoyang to Chang'an, leading to overcrowding, trampling, starvation, and rampant looting everywhere. The roads were filled with corpses. Dong Zhuo himself lived in Bigui Park, setting fire to palaces, government buildings, and commoners' homes within a radius of two hundred miles. He even ordered Lu Bu to dig up the emperor's tomb and the tombs of the ministers, taking all the treasures inside.
At that time, Sun Jian, the Administrator of Changsha, also led troops to attack Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo first sent generals like Xu Rong and Li Meng to loot. Xu Rong fought against Sun Jian in Liangdi, defeating him and capturing Li Min, the Administrator of Yingchuan. The rebel soldiers captured by Dong Zhuo were wrapped in cloth, turned upside down, and then scalded to death with boiling oil.
At that time, it is said that Wang Kuang, the Prefect of Henei, stationed his troops at the Heyang ferry crossing, preparing for an attack on Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo sent some soldiers to challenge them, pretending to be fierce, but secretly sent elite troops to cross the Yellow River at Xiaopingjing ferry crossing and launch a surprise attack on Wang Kuang from behind, almost completely annihilating his forces.
The following year, Sun Jian consolidated the remaining soldiers of Wang Kuang and stationed them in Yangren, Liang County. Dong Zhuo sent the generals Hu Zhen and Lu Bu to attack Sun Jian. Lu Bu and Hu Zhen did not get along, causing unrest in the ranks, leading to disarray among the soldiers. Sun Jian seized the opportunity to pursue them, and Hu Zhen and Lu Bu were beaten and fled. Dong Zhuo then sent Li Jue to negotiate peace with Sun Jian, but Sun Jian ignored him and continued to advance, reaching Daguan, just ninety li from Luoyang. Dong Zhuo personally led his troops to fight Sun Jian between the tombs, but he was defeated and fled back to Mianchi, where he regrouped his forces in Shan County. Sun Jian attacked the Xuan Yang city gate in Luoyang, once again attacking Lu Bu, who was driven away. Sun Jian then restored the ancestral temple, pacified the area surrounding the tombs, and sent troops to Hangu Pass, reaching Xin'an and Mianchi, closely pursuing Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo said to his Chief Clerk, Liu Ai: "The eastern generals have all been defeated by me; they're not very competent. Only Sun Jian is somewhat reckless, so all the generals need to watch out for him!" Dong Zhuo then stationed Dong Yue, the General of the East Central Army, in Mianchi, General Duan Wei in Huayin, and General Niu Fu in Anyi, while the other generals and colonels were deployed in various counties to guard against the eastern forces.
Dong Zhuo deceived the court and had the Grand Master of Ceremonies, Xuan Fan, hold the emperor's seal and bow to Dong Zhuo as Grand Preceptor, a position even higher than that of a king. Then Dong Zhuo returned to Chang'an in high spirits. All the officials came out to welcome him, kneeling and bowing along the way. Dong Zhuo became even more arrogant, bringing lavish carriages and extravagant clothing, riding a golden carriage with a green canopy, adorned with a dragon motif, which was referred to as the "Ganmo Carriage," with people saying his attire was almost as grand as the emperor's. He appointed his brother Dong Min as Left General and Marquis of Hu, and his nephew Dong Huang as Court Attendant and Colonel of the Central Army, entrusting them with military command. Thus, Dong Zhuo's family and relatives held important positions. Even his toddlers, some still nursing or just beginning to talk, were made marquises if they were boys and princesses if they were girls.
Dong Zhuo hosted lavish banquets with the officials, indulging in excess. Then, he set up a stronghold for himself at the eastern edge of Chang'an and constructed a massive fortress in Meixian, seven-zhang tall, named "Fortress of Eternal Life." He stored enough food for thirty years, muttering under his breath, "If I succeed, I'll rule the world; if not, I can just stick around here and live out my days."
Once, Dong Zhuo went to Meixian to inspect his stronghold. From high officials to low-ranking officials, they all went outside the gate to greet him. Dong Zhuo set up tents, prepared a feast, and lured hundreds of rebels from the north who had surrendered. However, during the feast, he had them all killed. He first cut off their tongues, then their hands and feet, dug out their eyes, and finally threw them into a large pot to boil. The rebels were still struggling in the pot, creating chaos among the dishes and utensils. The guests present were trembling in fear and dropping their chopsticks and spoons. Dong Zhuo, on the other hand, ate and drank as if nothing were amiss. If any general said something slightly inappropriate, he would be executed on the spot. He also gradually executed some prominent families in Guanzhong, framing them for treason.
At that time, the court astrologer predicted that a high-ranking official would be executed. Dong Zhuo then falsely accused Zhang Wen, the Commandant of the Guards, of colluding with Yuan Shu. He then beat Zhang Wen in the bustling streets and ultimately had him executed, claiming it was to calm the celestial phenomena. Previously, Zhang Wen had been stationed in Meiyang with Dong Zhuo, Bian Zhang, and others, and had not achieved much in battle. Dong Zhuo often ignored Zhang Wen's orders, and when Zhang Wen arrived, he spoke rather disrespectfully. At that time, Sun Jian was Zhang Wen's aide. He advised Zhang Wen: "Just kill Dong Zhuo outright!" Zhang Wen replied, "Dong Zhuo is quite powerful right now, and we still need him for the western expedition." Sun Jian said, "You are a great general of the court, with great power; why are you still depending on Dong Zhuo? I heard that in ancient times, renowned generals with power would eliminate a few to assert their authority. Rangju killed Zhuang Jia, and Weijiang killed Yang Gan. If you let him go now, your reputation will be ruined, and you'll regret it later!" Zhang Wen did not listen to Sun Jian, and Dong Zhuo held a grudge against him, eventually causing his downfall.
Zhang Wen, styled Boshen, was very famous when he was young and later became a high-ranking official. He conspired with Wang Yun to assassinate Dong Zhuo, but was killed before they could act. Captain of the Cavalry Wu Fu, from Runan, wanted to kill Dong Zhuo himself because he was too cruel. He wore court attire and carried a dagger to meet Dong Zhuo. After speaking, Wu Fu was about to leave when Dong Zhuo stood up to see him off, even patting his back. Wu Fu took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Dong Zhuo, but missed. Dong Zhuo struggled to escape and quickly ordered his men to capture and kill Wu Fu, angrily accusing him of attempting rebellion. Wu Fu shouted loudly, "I wish I could chop this traitor into pieces and display him in the market to thank the heavens and earth!" before dying without finishing his sentence.
Wang Yun, along with Lu Bu and Shi Sun Rui, conspired to get rid of Dong Zhuo. They wrote the character "吕" on a piece of cloth and paraded it in the marketplace while chanting "Lu Bu! Lu Bu!" Someone informed Dong Zhuo about this, but he did not understand the situation.
Three years later, in the fourth month, Emperor Xian of Han fell ill and a grand court meeting was held in the Wenyang Palace. Dong Zhuo, dressed neatly, climbed into his carriage to depart. However, his horse was startled and fell into a mud pit. Dong Zhuo returned to the palace to change into dry clothes, where his concubine advised him not to go, but he was adamant about going. Dong Zhuo then set out, with soldiers arranged in military formation from the palace to the gate, with infantry on the left and cavalry on the right, heavily guarded by Lu Bu and his men. Wang Yun and Shi Sun Rui secretly shared the plan with Lu Bu, and Shi Sun Rui personally wrote a decree for Lu Bu. Captain Li Su and Lu Bu, along with a dozen loyal warriors disguised as guards, ambushed Dong Zhuo at the back gate, waiting for his arrival.
When Dong Zhuo arrived, the horse was startled once more and wouldn't budge. Dong Zhuo was both alarmed and frightened, wanting to retreat. Lu Bu persuaded him to continue forward, and Dong Zhuo finally entered the palace gates. Li Su stabbed Dong Zhuo with a halberd, but Dong Zhuo was wearing armor and the halberd did not penetrate, only injuring his arm. Dong Zhuo turned around and shouted, "Where is Lu Bu?" Lu Bu said, "I am here to carry out the imperial decree to eliminate the traitor!" Dong Zhuo spat back at him, and Lu Bu immediately stabbed Dong Zhuo with a spear, then signaled the soldiers to kill him. Dong Zhuo's secretary Tian Yi and his warehouse manager tried to protect Dong Zhuo's body but were also killed by Lu Bu.
After that, Lu Bu sent people to spread the news of amnesty, declaring that the palace was safe inside and out. The soldiers cheered "Long live the Emperor," while the common folk sang and danced in the streets. In Chang'an City, men and women sold their jewelry, clothes, and accessories to buy wine and meat to celebrate. The city was alive with activity, as taverns and inns overflowed with patrons. Later, Huangfu Song was sent to attack Dong Zhuo's brother Dong Min, and they killed Dong Min's mother, wife, and children, utterly annihilating Dong Zhuo's family. Finally, Dong Zhuo's body was left exposed on the streets.
At that time, the weather was just getting warm, and Dong Zhuo usually ate well, resulting in his body being fat. The grease from his body oozed onto the ground. The officials tasked with guarding the body ignited a fire at Dong Zhuo's navel, and the fire burned until dawn, lasting for several days. Dong Zhuo's enemies gathered the bodies of his family, burned them to ashes, and scattered them on the roads. In Dong Zhuo's mansion, they uncovered approximately 20,000 to 30,000 catties of gold, 80,000 to 90,000 catties of silver, as well as various precious silks, fabrics, and treasures, piled up like a mountain.
Initially, Niu Fu was Dong Zhuo's son-in-law; Dong Zhuo had great trust in him, so he sent him to station troops in Shan County. Niu Fu sent his subordinates—Li Jue, Guo Si, and Zhang Ji—with tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry, and defeated Zhu Jun, the Governor of Henan, in Zhongmou. They then proceeded to loot the counties of Chenliu and Yingchuan, killing and plundering men, women, and children, leaving no survivors in their wake. Lu Bu dispatched Li Su with an imperial decree to Shan County to confront Niu Fu and his men. Niu Fu and his men fought against Li Su, but Li Su defeated them, forcing them to flee to Hongnong. Eventually, chaos inexplicably erupted in Niu Fu's camp. Fearing for his safety, Niu Fu secretly escaped over the wall with a hoard of gold and silver. Seeing him laden with treasure, his companions turned on him, killing him and sending his head to Chang'an.
Li Jue and Guo Si, due to Wang Yun and Lu Bu's killing of Dong Zhuo, especially hated the people of Bingzhou and killed hundreds of Bingzhou men, women, and children in their army. After Niu Fu's defeat, his army lost all support and wished to disperse. Li Jue and the others were afraid, so they sent a messenger to Chang'an to plead for forgiveness. Wang Yun believed he could not grant them clemency twice within a year, so he refused. Li Jue and the others were even more afraid and didn't know what to do. At that time, a man from Wuwei named Jia Xu was in Li Jue's army, who advised them, stating, "I’ve heard that the court in Chang'an intends to eliminate all Liangzhou people. If you abandon the army and flee alone, any village chief could capture you. It would be wiser for us all to head west together, attack Chang'an, and avenge Dong Zhuo. If we succeed, we can assist the court and restore order to the realm; if we fail, there will still be time to escape." Li Jue and the others thought it made sense, so they discussed and said to each other, "If the capital refuses to forgive us, we will fight to the bitter end. If we capture Chang'an, we can seize control of the realm; if we fail, we can plunder the women and riches of the Sanfu region, then return to our homeland and survive." Everyone thought it was feasible, so they formed an alliance and set off westward with thousands of troops, traveling day and night.
Wang Yun heard about what happened and sent Dong Zhuo's former generals Hu Zhen and Xu Rong to attack Lu Bu in Xinfeng. Unfortunately, Xu Rong died in battle, and Hu Zhen led his troops to surrender to Lu Bu. Lu Bu gathered his forces, and by the time he reached Chang'an, he had over one hundred thousand men. He then joined forces with Dong Zhuo's former subordinates Fan Chou and Li Meng to besiege Chang'an. The city walls of Chang'an were high, and they could not be captured for a while. After besieging the city for eight days, some of Lu Bu's soldiers betrayed Lu Bu and let Li Jue and his men into the city. The city fell, and Li Jue's men looted, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians. Zhong Fu and others were killed too. Lu Bu was defeated and fled. Wang Yun took the emperor with him and hid in the Xuanping Gate tower. He then declared a general amnesty. Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou were all promoted to generals. They then surrounded the tower and demanded that Minister Wang Yun come out, asking him, "What crime did you commit, Minister?" Wang Yun had no choice but to come down and was killed a few days later. Li Jue buried Dong Zhuo in Meixian, collected the ashes of Dong Zhuo's family members, put them in a coffin, and buried them together. The day of the burial, a fierce storm hit, and lightning struck Dong Zhuo's grave, which flooded the tomb and washed away the coffin. Li Jue was promoted to Chariots and Cavalry General, built a mansion, became a Colonel, and was given the authority of a false command. Guo Si became a Rear General, Fan Chou became a Right General, and Zhang Ji became General Who Guards the East, and they were all given marquis titles. Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou jointly controlled the court. Zhang Ji was sent to Hongnong to station troops. Li Jue wanted Jia Xu to become the Left Fengyi and even wanted to grant him a marquis title. Jia Xu said, "This is a way to save your life, what good would that do?" and he firmly declined. Eventually, Li Jue appointed him as the Secretary of Selection.
In the summer of the second year, there was over twenty days of relentless heavy rain, and many common people were swept away, while the wind howled as cold as winter. The emperor sent the censor Pei Mao to investigate the prison conditions, releasing more than two hundred prisoners. Many of them were wrongfully imprisoned by Li Jue. Li Jue was afraid that Pei Mao would pardon these people, so he filed a report accusing Pei Mao of unlawfully releasing prisoners, fearing he had some sinister motive, and requested that Pei Mao be arrested. The emperor issued a decree stating, "Disasters continue one after another, as the rain continues, envoys are dispatched to proclaim mercy, pardoning minor offenders; this aligns with the will of heaven. Do you wish to address grievances only to punish them for their crimes? This issue should not be pursued any further!"
Initially, after Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he sought to ally with Han Sui and Ma Teng to confront the feudal lords of Shandong. Han Sui and Ma Teng witnessed the chaos across the land and also wanted to rely on Dong Zhuo to take advantage of the situation. In the first year of the Xingping era, Ma Teng came from Longyou to Chang'an to meet the emperor, where he camped at Baqiao. At that time, Ma Teng privately pleaded with Jia Xu but was left unsatisfied, feeling very angry. He then allied with Palace Attendant Ma Yu, Right General Liu Fan, former Liangzhou Governor Zhong Shao, and General Du Bing to launch an attack on Jia Xu, fighting for several days without a clear victor. Han Sui heard about it and led his troops in an attempt to mediate the conflict between Ma Teng and Jia Xu, only to end up joining forces with Ma Teng. Jia Xu sent his nephew Li Jue, as well as Guo Si, Fan Chou, and others, to battle Ma Teng and his allies at Changpingguan. Ultimately, Han Sui and Ma Teng were defeated, resulting in the deaths of over ten thousand soldiers, including Zhong Shao, Liu Fan, and others. Han Sui and Ma Teng fled back to Liangzhou, pursued by Fan Chou and his men. Han Sui sent a messenger to Fan Chou, saying, "The situation in the world is unpredictable. We are all from the same place. Although there is some tension now, we need to unite in the end. I want to talk to you." So the two rode side by side, drawing closer as they talked and laughed for a long time. After the armies retreated, Li Jue told Jia Xu, "Fan Chou and Han Sui rode side by side on horseback, talking and laughing. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I felt their relationship was very close." This led Jia Xu and Fan Chou to start suspecting one another. Later, Jia Xu granted mansions to both Fan Chou and Guo Si, along with three other officials, making a total of six mansions, all involved in the selection of officials.
In Chang'an City, thieves were rampant, coming out to rob in broad daylight. Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou each divided their territories and were responsible for their respective areas, but they still couldn't control the chaos. Their followers were even more unruly and oppressed the people everywhere. At that time, a hu of grain cost fifty thousand coins, while beans and wheat cost twenty thousand coins. People were resorting to cannibalism, the streets were littered with bones, and the stench was unbearable. The emperor sent the Imperial Censor Hou Wen to distribute rice and beans from the granaries to the hungry people, but still many died of starvation every day. The emperor suspected that the reported relief food was inflated, so he personally inspected it. Finding the reports to be true, he ordered Palace Attendant Liu Ai to place the blame on the relevant departments. All officials below the Minister of Works were summoned to the court to offer their apologies and request an investigation into Hou Wen. The emperor decreed, "I cannot bear to punish Hou Wen too harshly, so he shall receive fifty strokes of the cane." From that point on, relief efforts improved, and fewer people starved.
The following spring, Li Jue actually assassinated Fan Chou at a gathering. This incident made everyone suspicious of one another and wonder who would be the next target. Li Jue and Guo Si immediately clashed again, gearing up for a showdown.
There was a man named Yang Ding at the time, who served as a general in the Anxi region and used to be a subordinate of Dong Zhuo. He was afraid that Jue would come after him, so he discussed with Si about bringing the emperor to his camp for a safer haven. Upon learning of their plan, Jue immediately sent his nephew Xian with thousands of troops to surround the imperial palace. They then used three carriages to transport the emperor and empress away. General Yang Biao said to Xian, "Throughout history, there has never been a reason for an emperor to stay in a subject's home. You should act in accordance with the will of heaven; how could you allow this?" Xian did not listen at all, only saying, "The general has already decided." The emperor had no choice but to follow to Jue's camp, and Yang Biao and the others followed as well. Consequently, looters stormed the imperial palace, plundering the belongings of the palace maids and eunuchs. Jue even took away the gold, silver, treasures, carriages, and goods from the palace, and finally set the palace on fire, leaving no one behind.
The emperor sent Yang Biao, Zhang Xi, and more than ten others to negotiate with Jue and Si. Si refused to go and instead held these court officials hostage. Yang Biao said to Si, "General, you should understand the ways of the world; how can you allow such infighting between the monarch and his ministers? One person kidnaps the emperor, another detains the officials—can this be tolerated?" Upon hearing this, Si was furious and wanted to kill Yang Biao on the spot. Yang Biao firmly said, "You do not abide by the laws of the country; how can I hope to survive?" Nearby officials quickly intervened, prompting Si to relent. Then, Si led his troops to attack Jue, arrows even reaching in front of the emperor and hitting Jue's ear. Yang Feng, who was originally the leader of the White Wave Army and now served under Jue, then came with troops to rescue Jue, and Si's army retreated.
Today, Li Jue once again moved the emperor to the northern fortress, accompanied only by the empress and Lady Song. Li Jue sent a captain to guard the palace gates, separating the inner palace from the outer palace. Not long after, he wanted to move the emperor to Huangbai City in Chiyang, which terrified the emperor and his ministers. Minister Zhao Wen had to reason with Li Jue to defuse the situation. Then the emperor decreed that the courtier Puyi should go reason with Li Jue and Guo Si. Puyi first persuaded Guo Si, who readily agreed. He then went to see Li Jue, but Li Jue would not listen, saying, "Guo Si is just a horse thief; how dare he think he can stand on equal footing with me! I must kill him! Look at my strong army—dealing with Guo Si will be a cinch! Guo Si is holding so many court officials hostage. If he can do such things, do you expect me to get along with him?" (Guo Si, style name Duo). Puyi replied, "Guo Si is holding court officials hostage, and you’re holding the emperor—who's in the worse position here?" Li Jue flew into a rage and shouted Puyi away, then sent General Wang Chang to hunt him down. Wang Chang pretended he hadn’t caught up, letting Puyi escape. Li Jue then proclaimed himself Grand Marshal. He fought with Guo Si for several months, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands.
Zhang Ji rushed from Shaanxi to mediate between the emperor and his military leaders and also wanted to relocate the emperor to Hongnong. The emperor wanted to return to Luoyang, so he sent envoys to negotiate with Li Jue. After making the request several times, Li Jue finally agreed. The next day, the emperor departed. Li Jue was stationed in Caoyang. Zhang Ji was appointed as the General of Cavalry and returned to Shaanxi. Guo Si was appointed as the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Yang Ding as the Rear General, and Yang Feng as the General of Xingyi. Dong Cheng, a former subordinate of Niu Fu, was appointed as the General of Gathering Forces. Guo Si and his companions accompanied the emperor's procession. Guo Si wanted to take the emperor to Meiwu, but Yang Ding, Yang Feng, and Dong Cheng disagreed. Guo Si was afraid of causing trouble, so he abandoned his troops and returned to Li Jue. The emperor's carriage arrived in Huayin. General Ning Ji, Duan Wei, prepared the emperor's clothes, vehicles, and various supplies for the officials below the imperial court, inviting the emperor to stay in his camp. Initially, Yang Ding and Duan Wei were at odds, so Yang Ding falsely accused Duan Wei of plotting rebellion and laid siege to his camp for over ten days without success. However, Duan Wei still insisted on delivering food to the emperor and providing for the officials, with no ulterior motives.
Li Jue and Guo Si regretted letting the emperor go east, so they returned to rescue Duan Wei and planned to take the emperor to the west. Yang Ding was stopped by Guo Si, escaped, and went to Jingzhou. Zhang Ji had a bad relationship with Yang Feng and Dong Cheng, so he turned around and joined forces with Li Jue and Guo Si to chase after the emperor's carriage. A major battle occurred at Dongjian in Hongnong. Yang Feng and Dong Cheng's army was defeated, with countless officials and soldiers either killed or injured. Everyone left everything behind: their families, luggage, official seals, documents, and records. The archer commander Ju Jun fell off his horse, injured. Li Jue asked the people around him, "Will he survive?" Ju Jun cursed, "You ruthless traitors, forcing the emperor; you are simply traitors and villains. History has never seen anyone like you!" Li Jue ordered his execution. The emperor's carriage had no choice but to camp at Caoyang. Dong Cheng and Yang Feng deceived Li Jue by claiming they wanted to reconcile, but secretly sent people to invite the former White Wave Army leaders Li Le, Han Xian, Hu Cai, and the Southern Xiongnu Righteous King to Bei, leading a few thousand cavalry to join forces with Dong Cheng and Yang Feng in attacking Li Jue and defeating him, beheading thousands. The emperor's carriage was then able to continue forward. Dong Cheng and Li Le protected the emperor on the left, while Hu Cai, Yang Feng, Han Xian, and Bei guarded the rear.
After Dong Zhuo was killed, Ju and his men came back and fought with us, beating us badly. There were more dead bodies than the water in the Dongjian River. From Dongjian River all the way to Shanxian, the bodies formed a continuous line, about forty miles long. We finally managed to run to Shanxian and quickly set up camp to defend ourselves. At that time, the army was in disarray. The Huben and Yulin Army combined were less than a hundred men, and each one was thinking about escaping. Dong Chong and Fengxiao secretly discussed crossing the river to escape at night, asking Li Le to prepare boats and use fire as a signal. The emperor personally walked out of the camp and went to the riverbank to prepare to cross the river. However, the riverbank was terrifyingly high, over thirty feet high, and they could only slowly slide down with a silk rope. Some people crawled down slowly on the bank, while others jumped directly from above. Countless people were killed or injured, and it was impossible to tell who was who. Everyone scrambled to board the boat, completely out of control. Dong Chong used a spear to drive them away, and some people even had their fingers cut off on the boat, blood dripping, which was frightening to see. In the end, only the empress, Song Guiren, Yang Biao, Dong Chong, and Dong Chong's father-in-law, the Chief of Justice, and dozens of others crossed the river together. Most of the palace maids were taken away by the soldiers of Ju, and many died from freezing or drowning. After arriving in Dayang County, we temporarily rested at a commoner's house before heading to Li Ju's camp. The officials were famished, and the Prefect of Henei, Zhang Yang, sent thousands of people to deliver food. The emperor sat on an ox cart and then relocated the capital to Anyi. The Prefect of Hedong, Wang Yi, sent a lot of silk fabrics, which were distributed to all court officials. The emperor conferred the title of Marquis of Anyi on Anyi, appointed Hu Cai as General Conquering the East, and appointed Zhang Yang as General Pacifying the State. They were granted military authority and permitted to establish their own residences.
At one time, the mob all scrambled to become officials, in a rush to get their seals engraved, some even resorted to using a chisel to carve their names on the seals. Some people even threw banquets for the emperor. The emperor also sent Grand Coachman Han Rong to Hongnong to negotiate peace with the warlords Li Jue and Guo Si. Later, Li Jue released all the officials of the court and returned the palace maids, women, and imperial carriages and goods.
It is said that when the emperor first entered the capital, the Guanzhong region still had hundreds of thousands of people. However, since Li Jue and Guo Si started attacking each other and the emperor moved eastward, Chang'an City was empty for over forty days; the powerful fled, while the weak were preyed upon by the strong. Within two or three years, there were hardly any people left in the Guanzhong region. In the spring of the first year of Jian'an, the generals began squabbling for power and profit again. Han Xian attacked Dong Cheng, who took refuge with Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang told Dong Cheng to first fix up the palaces in Luoyang. In July, the emperor returned to Luoyang and stayed at Zhang Yang's An Palace. Zhang Yang believed he had made significant contributions, so he named the palace "Yang Palace." He told the other generals, "The emperor belongs to the world; the court has officials to govern. I, Zhang Yang, should be out there defending against external threats. Why should I stay in the capital?" So he returned to Yewang County. Yang Feng also stationed troops in Liang. Zhang Yang was appointed Grand Marshal, Yang Feng as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Han Xian as Grand General, while also serving as Prefect of the Masters of Writing, each wielding their own authority. Han Xian and Dong Cheng remained in Luoyang to protect the emperor.
Han Xian relied on his merits, abused his power in Sui territory, and intervened in court politics, causing Dong Cheng great concern. So he secretly invited the Governor of Yanzhou, Cao Cao. Cao Cao arrived at the palace gates, paid his respects, and met with officials of lower rank than the court ministers, and then reported Han Xian and Zhang Yang's crimes. Han Xian was afraid of being killed, so he fled alone to Yang Feng. The Emperor recalled Han Xian and Zhang Yang's service in protecting him and ordered that they not be held accountable. Therefore, Dong Cheng, General of the Guards, Fu Wan, and over ten others were granted the title of marquis, and Ju Jun was posthumously appointed as the Prefect of Hongnong. Cao Cao observed the desolation and ruin of Luoyang, so he suggested to the Emperor that the capital be moved to Xuchang. Yang Feng and Han Xian wanted to intercept the imperial carriage, but before they could do so, they were defeated by Cao Cao. The two fled to Yuan Shu and then caused chaos in the Yangzhou and Xuzhou regions. The next year, General of the Left Liu Bei lured and killed Yang Feng. Han Xian, in fear for his life, fled back to Bingzhou but was assassinated on the way. Hu Cai and Li Yue remained in Hedong; Hu Cai was killed by his enemies, and Li Yue died of illness. Zhang Ji, driven by hunger, led his troops to Nanyang, attacked Rang County, and was killed in battle. Guo Si was killed by his subordinate Wu Xi. Three years later, the court dispatched the official Pei Mao to command the generals in Guanzhong, including Duan Wei, to launch an attack on Li Jue and exterminate his entire lineage. Duan Wei was appointed General of Annan and granted the title of Marquis of Wengxiang. Four years later, Zhang Yang was killed by his subordinate Yang Chou. Dong Cheng was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry and granted a fiefdom.
Since Dong Zhuo's death, it is said that power has shifted to Cao Cao. Although the emperor may still sit on the throne, he is merely a puppet, and all the officials are merely figureheads. The emperor feared Cao Cao's growing power, so he secretly gave Dong Cheng a covert order to unite the righteous heroes across the land to get rid of Cao Cao. Dong Cheng conspired with Liu Bei, but before they could put their plan into action, Liu Bei set off. Dong Cheng then conspired with General Wang Fu, Colonel Zhang Ji, and Advisor Wu Shuo. The conspiracy was exposed, resulting in the deaths of Dong Cheng, Wang Fu, Zhang Ji, and Wu Shuo at the hands of Cao Cao.
Han Sui and Ma Teng returned from Liangzhou and started fighting each other, seizing Longxi and taking control of the Guanzhong region. At that time, Cao Cao was preoccupied with pacifying Hebei, worried that they would take advantage of the situation. Seven years later, he appointed Ma Teng as the General for the South and Han Sui as the General for the West, permitting them to set up their administrations. He later appointed Duan Wei as Grand Herald, but Duan Wei fell ill and died. Cao Cao then appointed Ma Teng as the Commandant of the Guards and made him Marquis of Huaili. Ma Teng accepted the summons but left his son Ma Chao to command his forces. In the sixteenth year of the Jian'an era, Ma Chao and Han Sui rose in rebellion against Cao Cao in Guanzhong. Cao Cao defeated them, and Han Sui and Ma Chao fled. As a result, Ma Teng and his entire family were annihilated. Ma Chao assassinated Wei Kang, the Inspector of Liangzhou, and took control of the Longyou region. In the nineteenth year of the Jian'an era, Yang Fu of Tianshui defeated Ma Chao, who subsequently surrendered to Liu Bei. Han Sui fled to the territory of the Qiang people in Jincheng and was killed by them. Earlier, Zong Jian of Longxi proclaimed himself king in Fuhan, taking the title "King of Han at Heshou," and established over thirty official positions, reigning as emperor for over thirty years. Cao Cao dispatched Xiahou Yuan to confront Zong Jian, resulting in his death, finally restoring peace to Liangzhou.
It is said: Dong Zhuo, relying on his fierce momentum at the beginning and taking advantage of the chaos in the world, was able to trample on propriety and destroy the order of the court. He was originally a cruel person, and the people could not appease his cruelty, yet he still hypocritically courted the scholars, hesitated to seize power, and retained some superficial rituals. As thieves took advantage of the turmoil, chaos engulfed the land, like a great fire on Kunlun Mountain, burning the entire country, and the tragedy of "Ban Dang" reached its climax. Alas, living is truly not easy! The heavens are not kind!
Praise: In the Hundred and Six, there is a gathering; "Guo" and "Bo" become disasters. Dong Zhuo is overwhelming, going against the three talents. Fang Xia is collapsing and boiling, the imperial capital is filled with smoke and dust. Even though there is no courtesy, the disaster is wide. The arrow extends to the king's carriage, and the Wei elephant is ensnared behind. The attire of the districts has been overturned, and both people and deities are in turmoil.
