My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

The main tent inside Hulao Pass.

Yuwen Chengdu knelt on one knee, his golden chainmail still damp with rain, mixed with bloodstains seeping from his shoulder, appearing mottled under the lamplight.

The Shu brocade red robe was covered in mud, and the pattern of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix had lost its luster.

He lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Father, I am incompetent and have failed to defeat Xiang Yu. Instead, I have caused you worry."

Dong Zhuo did not sit on the tiger-skin chair, but strode over to Yuwen Chengdu, bent down to help him up, and said, "My son, why do you say such things? Get up quickly!"

He touched Yuwen Chengdu's shoulder armor with both hands, feeling a warm, damp patch beneath the armor plates, and his expression changed drastically: "How badly are you injured?"

Before Yuwen Chengdu could answer, Dong Zhuo turned and shouted angrily, "Imperial physician! Where is the imperial physician?! Quickly summon the imperial physician to treat my son's wounds!"

"immediately!"

The sound was like thunder, causing the candlelight in the tent to flicker.

The servants scrambled out of the tent.

Dong Zhuo personally removed Yuwen Chengdu's shoulder armor, his movements somewhat clumsy. He had spent half his life on the battlefield, killing countless people, but now, as he removed the armor from his adopted son, he acted like an ordinary old father, careful and cautious, as if afraid of hurting the child.

The shoulder armor was removed, revealing a bloody and mangled wound underneath.

That was a wound left by the Heavenly Dragon City-Breaking Halberd. Although it did not reach the bone, it was deep enough to see the flesh. The edges turned white after being soaked in rainwater.

Dong Zhuo gasped, his eyes filled with pity: "That Xiang Yu... he actually injured you so badly!"

Yuwen Chengdu shook his head: "It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious, but..."

He paused, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes: "It's just that we failed to win, which tarnished my father's reputation."

"What reputation or fame!" Dong Zhuo slammed his fist on the table.

"My son fought Xiang Yu for a hundred rounds today, causing extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth. It was a battle that has shaken the world to the core! Who is Xiang Yu? He is the fiercest general under Ji Xuanyuan, who once defeated an army of five thousand with only twenty-eight riders! Your ability to fight him to such an extent is unparalleled in the world!"

These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity.

Dong Zhuo witnessed the battle firsthand from the city wall today. It was no ordinary battle. Amidst the wind, rain, and thunder, the two peerless warriors were like ancient gods and demons reborn. Ordinary generals, let alone participate, would feel their hearts tremble even if they just watched them.

The imperial physician rushed into the tent to clean Yuwen Chengdu's wounds, apply medicine, and bandage them.

Dong Zhuo stayed by his side the whole time, asking questions from time to time. His manner left Li Ru, Li Jue and the others in the tent looking at each other in bewilderment. They had never seen the prime minister like this before.

That night, a grand banquet was held inside the pass to celebrate Yuwen Chengdu's "fight to a draw with Xiang Yu".

In the eyes of the Xiliang army, being able to "fight to a draw" with a figure like Xiang Yu was already a tremendous victory.

Dong Zhuo sat high in the main seat, with women on his left and right, and several palace maids and concubines he had brought from Luoyang were being teased and joked with in his arms.

After several rounds of drinks, he looked up and saw Yuwen Chengdu sitting at the table below him, looking depressed. He raised his wine cup and put it down again, clearly preoccupied with something.

"Chengdu," Dong Zhuo called out.

Yuwen Chengdu suddenly snapped back to reality: "My son is here!"

Dong Zhuo shook his head and chuckled, pointing at him and saying to those around him, "Look at my son. At such a young age, he is already a top-tier general in the world. Today's battle shook the entire land, yet he is still depressed over a single victory or defeat."

He pushed away the palace maid in his arms, picked up his wine cup, walked to Yuwen Chengdu's desk, and patted him on the shoulder: "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war, why worry about them? Look at these."

He pointed to the palace maids and concubines in the tent: "These are all beauties carefully selected from the palace. Whichever one you like, I will bestow upon you! Young hero, why trouble yourself?"

Yuwen Chengdu rose, bowed, and said, "Father, I appreciate your kindness, but with a formidable enemy at hand, I have no time for anything else. When we fight Xiang Yu again in the future, I will surely capture him alive and present him to you!"

He spoke with unwavering resolve, his eyes burning with renewed fighting spirit.

Dong Zhuo laughed heartily: "Good! That's spirited! Come, drink this cup to the brim!"

The two drank together.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the tent.

The envoy sent by Li Ru to Sun Jian's camp for "marriage alliance" returned, disheveled and looking terrified.

"How is it?" Li Ru asked.

The envoy knelt down: "That scoundrel Sun Jian... drove me out, and even... even threatened to kill me as a sacrifice to his flag..."

The atmosphere inside the tent froze.

Dong Zhuo's face darkened, and he smashed his wine cup: "That brat Sun Jian, how dare he do this!"

Li Ru remained calm, stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before rising and saying, "Prime Minister, please calm down. The failure of the marriage alliance was within my expectations."

"Oh?" Dong Zhuo looked at him.

Li Ru slowly said, "Young Master's defeat today has dampened the morale of our army. On the other hand, the allied forces must be overjoyed and their morale is greatly boosted. Moreover, I have heard that in addition to Xiang Yu, Ji Xuanyuan also has two other generals under his command, Li Cunxiao and Yang Zaixing, both of whom are no weaker than Xiang Yu and are capable of defeating ten thousand men."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "Although Hulao Pass is dangerous, the allied forces number 300,000. If they were to launch a full-scale attack, a prolonged defense would inevitably lead to its loss. It would be better to..."

"Not as good as what?"

"Lead the troops back to Luoyang temporarily and move the capital to Chang'an."

"Move the capital?" Dong Zhuo exclaimed in surprise.

"Exactly." A glint flashed in Li Ru's eyes.

"Chang'an is the capital of emperors throughout history. It is a land with a large population and abundant resources. More importantly, the Prime Minister has been operating in Xiliang for many years and has a deep foundation. Moreover, Chang'an has the natural barrier of Tongguan Pass, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It can be said that 'one man can hold the pass against ten thousand men.'"

He stepped forward, his voice even lower: "Has the Prime Minister heard the nursery rhyme circulating in Luoyang recently?"

"Nursery rhymes?"

"If there's a Han man in the west and a Han man in the east, and a deer runs into Chang'an, then this trouble will be over."

Dong Zhuo frowned: "What do you mean?"

Li Ru smiled and explained: "'One Han in the west' refers to Emperor Gaozu, who rose to power in the western capital Chang'an and ruled for twelve emperors; 'One Han in the east' refers to Emperor Guangwu, who rose to power in the eastern capital Luoyang and ruled for twelve emperors as well. The cycle of destiny repeats itself. The 'deer' here represents wealth and power, signifying the authority over the world. Only by moving the capital to Chang'an can the Prime Minister be free from worry and avoid this calamity."

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter!

"Hahaha! Excellent! What a wonderful 'Deer Enters Chang'an'! If it weren't for Wenyou's explanation, I really wouldn't have grasped its deeper meaning!"

He slammed his hand on the table: "Issue the order! After the banquet tonight, the army will march back to Luoyang! To discuss the important matter of moving the capital!"

"promise!"

The generals in the tent responded in unison.

A few days later, news of Dong Zhuo burning Luoyang and abducting the emperor reached the allied forces' camp.

Inside the central command tent, a commotion erupted.

"Dong Zhuo burned down the palace and kidnapped the emperor to the west?!" Yuan Shao suddenly stood up, his face ashen.

"This...this traitor! How dare he do this!"

The feudal lords looked at each other, their expressions varied.

When the uprising began, the nineteen warlords had a secret agreement: whoever led his army into Luoyang first would be appointed Grand General and given control of the government.

But now...

Luoyang has been burned to the ground, and the emperor has been abducted to Chang'an.

Advancing now would not only be unprofitable, but would also waste money and supplies, and might even lead to an ambush by Dong Zhuo.

"Gentlemen!"

Cao Cao rose to his feet, his voice rousing: "Dong Zhuo burned down the palaces and abducted the emperor, causing widespread panic and displacement of the people! This is a critical moment for the survival of the nation; how can we remain inactive? We must immediately raise a large army, pursue Dong Zhuo, and rescue the emperor!"

Yuan Shao shook his head: "Mengde, you are mistaken. The armies of the various lords have been fighting for days and are already exhausted. Moreover, Dong Zhuo has gone west and will surely set up an ambush to cover his retreat. If we advance rashly at this time, we may fall into a trap."

"Yeah yeah."

"What the Lord God said makes sense."

"Do not act rashly..."

The feudal lords echoed his sentiments, and Tao Qian, Han Fu, Liu Dai, and others all showed signs of retreat.

Liu Bei sat at the end of the table, his fists clenched, while Sun Jian's eyes widened, hesitant to speak.

Ji Xuanyuan slowly stood up.

The tent fell silent instantly.

His gaze swept over the crowd, his voice clear and resonant, yet each word struck like a hammer: "The traitor Dong Zhuo burned down the palaces, abducted the emperor, caused the ancestral temples to be covered in dust, and brought the state to the brink of collapse. This is not a matter of gain or loss in a single battle, but a matter of the rise and fall of the nation."

He paused, then continued, "Dong Zhuo fortified Hulao Pass with the intention of blunting our army's morale. However, Dong Cheng was defeated in the battle, and the morale of the Xiliang army has collapsed. On the other hand, our army is in high spirits, and our soldiers are fighting with all their might. If we pursue them with all our might now, we may be able to conquer the world in one fell swoop, welcome back the emperor, and restore order to the court!"

These words resonated deeply with Cao Cao, who clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Brother Wenlie, what you say is exactly what I've been thinking! At this critical juncture, hesitation would be tantamount to letting the enemy escape!"

Liu Bei also rose, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Although I have few soldiers and generals, I am willing to follow our leader and Cao Cao in pursuing the traitor Dong Zhuo!"

Sun Jian's eyes gleamed, and he finally stepped forward: "I am also willing to go!"

However, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Tao Qian, Han Fu, and others remained silent.

Yuan Shao said slowly, "Brother Wenlie's ambition is commendable, however... the allied forces number 300,000, and the transportation of supplies is difficult. If we rashly advance westward, there may be unforeseen circumstances. It would be better to temporarily station ourselves at Sishui and Hulao Pass, reorganize our troops, and make further plans."

"Let's take a long-term view?" Cao Cao laughed angrily.

"By the time you finish your discussions, the Emperor will have arrived in Chang'an, and Dong Zhuo will have consolidated his power! At that point, another battle will be difficult!"

Yuan Shu sneered, "If Mengde wants to pursue, then go ahead and do it. Why bother making such a racket here?"

The atmosphere inside the tent was stiff and cold.

Ji Xuanyuan watched this scene, his sneer growing even stronger.

Nineteen warlords?

They're nothing but a motley crew, each with their own ulterior motives!

He took a deep breath and declared loudly, "Since you gentlemen are unwilling to go, Ji Xuanyuan will not force you. Those who are willing to follow me to pursue Dong Zhuo and rescue the Emperor!"

He looked around the tent: "Come with me!"

Cao Cao was the first to step forward and stand beside Ji Xuanyuan.

Sun Jian strode after him.

Gongsun Zan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Liu Bei.

Liu Bei nodded slightly to him. Gongsun Zan, remembering the kindness shown to him when he was besieged at Guanzicheng and rescued at Hulao Pass, finally sighed and said, "Zan is willing to give two thousand soldiers to accompany Xuande."

Liu Bei clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Brother Bogui."

In the end, only Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei stepped forward.

Ji Xuanyuan said no more and turned to walk out of the tent. Cao Cao grabbed his hand and then Liu Bei's, and the three of them went out side by side, with Sun Jian following closely behind.

Upon reaching the camp gate, Cao Cao turned back to look at the central command tent and suddenly roared, "You worthless scoundrel! You're not worth discussing things with!"

The sound was like thunder, echoing throughout the camp.

The princes in the tent all looked grim, but none of them uttered a word of rebuttal.

On that day, Ji Xuanyuan, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian led their troops, lightly armed and simple, and rushed westward, heading straight for Luoyang.

On the way, Ji Xuanyuan summoned his generals for a meeting.

"When Dong Zhuo goes west, he will surely leave behind an army to cover his retreat. If our forces unite, we may be slowed down." Ji Xuanyuan spread out the map and traced it with his finger.

"My plan is to divide our forces into two groups: one to go to Luoyang, take control of the capital, pacify the people, and extinguish the remaining flames; the other to pursue Dong Zhuo, keep him at bay, and seize the opportunity to rescue the Emperor."

He looked at Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei: "The three of you, which route do you wish to take?"

Anyone with eyes to see knows that going to Luoyang is a lucrative post; one can control the capital without a hard fight and reap both fame and fortune.

Pursuing Dong Zhuo was a difficult and extremely dangerous task, and there was no guarantee of success.

Sun Jian was tempted, but not wanting to say it directly, he said, "I have mostly infantry under my command, and only three thousand cavalry. It would be difficult to catch up if we pursue them. If we go to Luoyang, we might be able to help the alliance leader stabilize the capital."

He said it well, but in reality he had already handed over the choice.

Cao Cao laughed loudly: "I am willing to follow Dong Zhuo! The emperor is in distress, how can his subjects sit idly by?"

Liu Bei also said solemnly, "I am also willing to go."

Sun Jian was taken aback, not expecting the two to be so agreeable. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he simply said, "In that case, I will allocate all three thousand cavalrymen to Mengde and Xuande to assist you in the pursuit. I will personally lead the infantry and accompany the generals under Ji Hou to Luoyang."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded: "Okay."

He immediately divided his troops, ordering Yang Zaixing, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhou Yu to lead two thousand elite Jingnan Army soldiers to accompany Sun Jian to Luoyang.

He personally led the remaining troops, joining Cao Cao and Liu Bei in pursuing Dong Zhuo.

Before leaving, Ji Xuanyuan called Yang Zaixing aside and whispered, "Zaixing, there is one thing you must remember after entering Luoyang."

"Brother, please give your orders."

"Take men and thoroughly search the wells in all the halls of the Southern Palace." Ji Xuanyuan's gaze was deep.

"Every well must be retrieved and inspected; there will surely be something to be gained."

Although Yang Zaixing was puzzled, he replied without hesitation, "I will remember this."

"Remember," Ji Xuanyuan added.

"This matter must be carried out in secrecy, so that Sun Jian does not find out."

"clear."

With the division of forces decided, the two groups set off separately.

Ji Xuanyuan gazed at the westward drifting dust, then turned back to look towards Luoyang, his mind churning with thoughts.

Pursuing Dong Zhuo is fraught with peril and unpredictability.

Meanwhile, in Luoyang...

If history hadn't changed, the Imperial Seal of the State should have been hidden in that well.

Sun Jian, Sun Jian, in this life, do you still have that "destiny" to obtain this item?

He stopped thinking about it and spurred his horse westward.

Ahead lay a vast and arduous journey, Dong Zhuo's rearguard army, and the possibility of ambushes and bloody battles.

This battle must be fought to save the Emperor.

We must end this chaotic era.