The chaos in Luoyang City stems from Dong Zhuo's order to set the city on fire, and now Empress Dowager He's order for the imperial troops to join forces with Dong Zhuo and retreat eastward.
The unrest has been going on for three or four hours since nightfall.
At this moment, torches stretched like a long dragon outside Luoyang, as if countless troops were pouring in. Dong Zhuo knew it was time to leave quickly.
At a single command, 50,000 Bingzhou soldiers reluctantly left Luoyang, leaving behind a scene of devastation.
Countless official families were looted, and all their valuables were stolen.
Countless men, women, and children fell in pools of blood, and the mansion was engulfed in flames, billowing thick smoke.
Women with even a little bit of beauty were raped, while those who were exceptionally beautiful were simply abducted.
No sooner had the Bingzhou army left than the city's unruly youths and hooligans seized the opportunity to cause trouble again.
The imperial army also took advantage of the chaos and made a lot of money.
Yuan Wei and others were taken away by Dong Zhuo and the young emperor.
However, Yuan Shu still had more than 20,000 troops at his disposal, and more and more were continuously entering the city. But Yuan Shu did not take action to rescue Yuan Kui and others, nor did he follow Dong Zhuo to Yanzhou.
He led his troops away quietly, without anyone noticing.
When the messenger sent by Yuan Wei to Liu Wei's 100,000-strong army camp outside the city arrived at the camp, Xue Rengui thought he was a spy and ignored him.
Xue Rengui led an army of 100,000 men, located just 20 li outside Luoyang.
He was already fully aware of the situation in Luoyang.
However, the Central Military Commission sent him an urgent order, instructing him to remain inactive regardless of the situation in Luoyang, and to wait for further orders before entering the city to clean up the mess and appease the people.
Meanwhile, Li Siye's 1,000 Mo Dao soldiers, 2,000 Xuanjia soldiers, and 5,000 elite cavalrymen of the Baipao army, each with two horses, bypassed Luoyang City from the south and headed towards the vicinity of Xuanmen Pass.
Therefore, when Yuan Wei and his men sent messengers to plead with Xue Rengui to bring his troops into the city, Xue Rengui naturally refused.
Thus, in Luoyang, although the Bingzhou army, the imperial army, the Yuzhou army, Yuan Shu's army, and hundreds of princes and ministers had followed the young emperor in his retreat, the city fell into a state of anarchy.
The killings, looting, and rapes continue.
The fire not only did not subside, but instead grew larger.
Fifty miles to the north, every move in Luoyang was constantly being reported to Liu Wei.
"My lord, the Bingzhou army has withdrawn..."
"The imperial troops have withdrawn..."
"The Empress Dowager, the young emperor, and hundreds of civil and military officials were taken away by them."
"......"
"The troops in the city have been withdrawn one after another, but the fire and riots continue, and the people are suffering."
Liu Wei's face remained calm and unmoved.
It seems that Dong Zhuo killed many noble families and powerful clans, and also took many others with him.
A large number of official families were purged in Luoyang, and many ordinary people also suffered.
This is cruel and heartless!
"Nephew, send troops immediately! Otherwise, Luoyang will truly be reduced to ruins!"
Hearing reports from scouts, Liu Hua and Liu Yu couldn't bear it.
They may have understood the deeper meaning behind Liu Wei's actions, but seeing the people suffering, they still couldn't bear it and advised Liu Wei against it.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Aunt!"
"These things were all done by Dong Zhuo. The young emperor, the empress dowager, and the imperial army not only did not stop him, but also colluded with him."
"What does it have to do with me?"
Liu Wei smiled coldly, “In the future, the people and historical records will only say that Dong Zhuo was a tyrant who not only set fire to Luoyang but also committed all sorts of evil deeds.”
"He also kidnapped the Empress Dowager and the young emperor, as well as civil and military officials."
"The root cause of all this is the incompetence of the young emperor and the empress dowager."
"What does it have to do with me?"
Liu Hua and the other person stopped talking.
The corruption of the Han Dynasty to this extent was inseparable from the land grabbing by powerful families and the corruption and embezzlement of officials.
Liu Hua himself owned more than 100,000 property outside Luoyang and in Hanoi, and his businesses were countless.
Back when Liu Wei handed over the coal management rights in Zhongyuan to her, he had told her that all these farmlands would be taken back sooner or later.
Seeing Liu Wei's attitude towards these aristocratic families, Liu Hua suddenly felt a tightness in his legs.
Even if she becomes the empress's mother and the emperor's aunt in the future, she might still target her!
It seems I need to make plans early, otherwise it will be awkward later.
Liu Wei forced Dong Zhuo to bear the blame for bringing disaster to the country and the people, which was worthwhile for his cultivation of Dong Zhuo since the time of Hetao.
In retrospect, Dong Zhuo has achieved great success and successfully completed his historical mission.
"Royal Aunt, Royal Uncle!"
“We should go and fetch my second brother now. It’s time to protect him as we enter Luoyang.”
"Ha ha!"
Liu Wei gently waved his sleeve, a surge of heroic spirit welling up in his heart.
Six months later, I entered Luoyang again, a city brimming with imperial grandeur!
Although Liu Wei was willing to build a city in Youzhou, the current situation of the Han Dynasty and the fact that the economic center was still in the Yellow River and Huai River basins and the Central Plains meant that forcibly going to Ji County would not be in line with the actual situation.
One stage at a time!
In a previous life, a pioneer in modern times once said that establishing the capital in Beiping was not the best choice.
He suggested establishing the capital in Yili, Xinjiang, so that it could radiate throughout Asia!
Liu Wei wholeheartedly agreed, but not now.
At the very least, we must wait until he ascends the throne and becomes the Emperor of Hanzhong.
Then, after taking over the northern deserts, the outer northeast, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the Indochina Peninsula, Central Asia west of the Western Regions, the Caucasus Mountains and the territory east of the Caspian Sea, it wouldn't be too late to establish a sub-center in Ili.
The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will persevere in my pursuit!
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