40. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (1)
40. Storm Clouds Over Luoyang (1)
Luoyang turned into a living hell because of the Dong Zhuo army soldiers, who were drunk on their victory.
Plundering, rape, and murder occurred in broad daylight, turning the place into a lawless wasteland. Dong Zhuo condoned all their evil deeds and crimes under the pretext of satisfying the morale of the soldiers who had won the war.
"Aaaagh!"
"Stay still! Hehe, though I'm sure there are dozens of guys behind me!"
The soldiers began their rapes.
Not only married women, but also virgins about to be married. And even young girls who hadn't even gone through their coming-of-age ceremonies became targets of rape.
A world without law or justice had arrived.
In Luoyang, which had become a city of lawlessness, women were treated most cruelly. Like hunters on a hunt, the soldiers rode their horses around, scouting for virgins to satisfy their lust.
"Oh, my lords! If you take even this, what are we supposed to eat?"
"We protected you from those Guandong bastards! So pay us back for the favor with this!"
The soldiers raided the civilian houses.
From commoners to the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers.
Regardless of rank, if they found a house that looked like it had wealth, they raided it without mercy, turning it into a mess and extorting their property.
"My daughter is a new bride to be married next month!"
The soldiers tried to take the daughter away.
The daughter, who was about to be married, screamed and cried for help. Seeing this, the daughter's father rubbed his hands together and begged for mercy.
But there was no way the soldiers would listen to him.
Instead, they just burst into giggles, saying they could ravish a new bride who was about to be married.
"Then we'll taste the virgin first. Don't worry, we're just giving her some pre-marital training!"
"I feel sorry for the groom, though? Once we're done with her, she'll be all loose, so it won't feel very good, uwhahahaha!"
When the Coalition Army was blocked at Sishui Pass and retreated, the people sighed in relief, thinking that Luoyang had avoided becoming a fierce battlefield for the two armies.
But hell had arrived in Luoyang.
The Dong Zhuo army soldiers, intoxicated by victory, drank alcohol and acted violently, committing murder and rape against the people, spewing out madness that could explode at any moment.
"I, I am the adopted son of Minister of Education Wang Yun-nim!"
Diaochan was caught by the soldiers.
While she was on her way back after checking the long-distance market, she had been caught by soldiers who were plundering the people on the street.
The soldiers exchanged glances.
They seemed to be deliberating on how to handle Diaochan's claim of being the adopted son of Minister of Education Wang Yun-nim.
"Minister of Education Wang Yun-nim is that old man the Old Master favors. If we touch him, won't we die?"
"But he said he's a son? Not a daughter? A kid who looks more beautiful and cute than ordinary girls is a man with a dick...?"
Some of the soldiers swallowed their saliva.
Perhaps they were even aroused by the boy who looked like a girl, as they grabbed their pants and started preparing to strip them off at any moment.
"Who would know if we kill him after we're done?"
"Luoyang is already full of dead bodies. If we just toss him there, no one will know who he is."
At the moment Diaochan was being detained by the soldiers, Lee Seong-hwi came out of Minister of Education Wang Yun-nim's residence and approached the soldiers.
Lu Bu's army's General of the Feathered Forest, Lee Seong-hwi.
The soldiers who saw him started to think something was wrong.
Their heads sent them a warning.
But their hearts were filled with the desire to molest the boy who was cuter than a girl.
Seureung.
He drew his sword.
The soldiers tried to respond, but before they could, Lee Seong-hwi cut down all the Dong Zhuo army soldiers.
"Y-you bastard... We are the Dong Zhuo army...!"
"Like you said, if I toss you into a pile of corpses, who would know who you are?"
In an instant, he killed about 10 soldiers.
Diaochan, who had been watching, trembled with both shoulders, clung to Lee Seong-hwi's back, and grabbed his sleeve tightly.
"M-My Lord..."
"It's dangerous here. There are nothing but beasts everywhere."
The surrounding soldiers all ran away.
They saw their comrades being killed. Deciding that Lee Seong-hwi, at least, was someone they shouldn't touch, they fled in a hurry.
"I want to evacuate the surrounding people into the residence."
"Yes! Father will surely give his permission."
"Release the private soldiers to save the people."
There is no one who doesn't know that Wang Yun is a high-ranking official favored by Dong Zhuo.
All the surrounding people were evacuated to the Wang Household. The people whose lives were being targeted by the soldiers were protected by Wang Yun's private soldiers and were able to enter the residence.
'Plundering after war? You goddamn bastards.'
The soldiers were possessed by madness.
Like master, like servants, even Dong Zhuo's relatives and close aides considered it an opportunity to inflate their wealth by committing plunder.
Luoyang became hell.
As long as the Dong Zhuo army occupies it, Luoyang will continue to be a crucible of hell.
Dong Zhuo must be killed.
Lee Seong-hwi glared at the Imperial Palace, his fists trembling.
Dong Zhuo shouted at Li Ru's report.
"What, Lu Fengxian has a cold? You want me to believe that! There's no way that wild boar of a woman could catch a cold!"
Dong Zhuo had ordered Lu Bu to rob the tombs of past emperors and even dig up the graves of their empresses and concubines.
But Lu Bu refused, citing a "cold" as the reason.
To be precise, she had conveyed that she was uncomfortable moving because she had a cold, so she asked for someone else to do it instead.
Dong Zhuo reacted with disbelief at the transparent excuse.
"I'll send my soldiers to drag that wench out of her lying sickbed!"
Lu Bu stayed holed up in her residence.
It was unknown whether she was actually sick or not, but Dong Zhuo spoke as if he were certain she was lying because she didn't want to follow his orders.
Seeing Dong Zhuo's radical behavior, Li Ru spread his arms and stepped in to restrain him.
"Lu Bu is Unrivaled Under Heaven. The reason the Guandong Warlords dare not act up is because we have Lu Bu in our army. Keep Lu Fengxian close, Father-in-law."
"Even so, are you telling me to coddle a wench who runs wild like a foal? This is a matter of my dignity! I accepted her as an adopted daughter, and her arrogance is extremely unpleasant!"
The relationship between Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu was not good.
Even without anyone specifically employing a Strategy of Alienation, their relationship was already cracked like a spiderweb.
Lu Bu detests Dong Zhuo.
And Dong Zhuo also hates Lu Bu. Because they knew that they hated and despised each other, the rift in their emotions could only deepen.
"Then I will order Colonel Niu Fu."
"Do whatever you want!"
They decided to entrust the role of digging up the tombs to Niu Fu.
Dong Zhuo shouted irritably at Li Ru's words. Perhaps thinking that Lu Bu was ignoring him, he openly showed his discomfort and let out a dissatisfied groan.
"By the way, Old Master, what do you think of the plan I mentioned earlier?"
Li Ru asked.
Dong Zhuo nodded at that.
"You mean the proposal to move the capital to Chang'an. Chang'an is very close to Xiliang, and since it was the former capital of the Han Dynasty, it would be perfect as a new base."
Let's abandon Luoyang and move the capital to Chang'an.
Li Ru's proposal had no loopholes. If they moved to Chang'an, they could escape from all dangerous things and enjoy a Wine Pool and Meat Forest until they died.
What would there be to fear?
To the west, there is Xiliang, and to the east, there is Luoyang, which is protected by numerous passes. With nothing to worry about in the north or south, Chang'an was truly a blessed city for Dong Zhuo.
'I entered Luoyang to seize power, but the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable this place is. From the high-ranking officials in the Imperial Palace to the common people, they are all ignorant fools who cannot understand my profound intentions. I was already sick of living and rubbing shoulders with those bastards anyway!'
Countless traitors are looking for an opportunity.
He already knew that they were secretly calling him a traitor behind his back and were preparing to raise an army at any time by colluding with the Guandong Warlords.
"They don't even know who they owe their lives to. If I hadn't led my army into Luoyang, they would have all been slaughtered by Ding Yuan, who had joined hands with lowly bandit gangs!"
"How could I not know that?"
Li Ru bowed his head, showing a flustered appearance at Dong Zhuo's angry demeanor.
"Ungrateful beasts."
I don't like Luoyang anymore.
I want to leave it to someone else and leave for Chang'an.
Chang'an is close to Xiliang and also has a friendly disposition toward them.
Perhaps Dong Zhuo had already been planning to move the capital to Chang'an from the moment Li Ru first proposed it.
"Then who should I entrust Luoyang to?"
"I have already selected a perfect person."
"I like that you are quick to handle things."
First, after moving the capital to Chang'an, he intended to entrust Luoyang, which would remain as the old capital, to a newly selected Governor of Henan.
In the past, He Miao, Wang Yun, Wu Bu, and others had served as Governor of Henan, but since the position was currently vacant, Li Ru selected one person from among those loyal to the Dong Zhuo army.
"Chancellor of State-nim, I am Yang Yi."
Yang Yi was a person from Liang Province, just like Dong Zhuo, and was a corrupt official who had even colluded with the Ten Eunuchs in the past.
He is hated by many of the court officials.
And Yang Yi also hated those court officials very much, and Li Ru had seen through that and intended to entrust the position of Governor of Henan to Yang Yi.
He is definitely not a person who would betray them.
He intended to delegate full authority over Luoyang to him, who would be appointed as Governor of Henan, to keep the Guandong Warlords coming from the east in check.
"I am from Longxi, just like Chancellor of State-nim."
"Oh, is that so! Longxi, to think I'd see a hometown friend in this faraway Luoyang."
Dong Zhuo patted Yang Yi on the shoulder.
He has a sturdy build and a manly appearance.
Although he had a shabby appearance with a hooked nose and torn lips, Dong Zhuo burst into laughter, saying that a man should originally have dignity.
"Chancellor of State-nim! If you trust me and entrust it to me, I will do my best to protect Luoyang."
"Luoyang is a place with a large population and overflowing with very abundant supplies. Entrusting such a Luoyang to you has a very great meaning."
"How could there be any doubt? I will do my best not to disappoint your expectations."
"Haha, this fellow. I like the way you talk."
Dong Zhuo has a personality that likes flattery.
He felt quite good when a person from a bureaucratic background, and one from his own hometown at that, swore loyalty so reliably.
"But son-in-law, isn't Chang'an inferior compared to Luoyang?"
"If you bring all the people of the nearby Sanfu into Chang'an and have Luoyang procure and send supplies, Chang'an will surely be able to become a wealthy and prosperous new capital of the Han Dynasty within 3 years."
The people are filled from the areas near Chang'an, and the supplies to be used for construction and forced labor are to be filled by plundering from Luoyang.
Li Ru's words were unhesitating.
Perhaps he had been planning to move the capital to Chang'an for a long time, as he reported the process of moving the capital in detail, starting with the appointment of the Governor of Henan.
"The Luoyang Imperial Palace is a waste. It was very nice to live in. Our Dong Bai also liked it."
"Couldn't you build an Imperial Palace in Chang'an that is bigger and more splendid than Luoyang's? I mean an Imperial Palace for Chancellor of State-nim alone, not for the Liu family emperor."
"My Imperial Palace? Hahaha! Guhahahaha! That's a very pleasant thing to hear!"
My power has already surpassed the emperor.
What does a young emperor who is nothing but a bloody infant know? Dong Zhuo had already declared that he would rule the Han Dynasty on behalf of the emperor.
And someday, he would become the new master who ascends to the throne in place of the Liu family emperor.
'The Liu family has been eating well for 400 years. It's possible for the Dong family to become the new master after that. I will knock down the 400-year-old withered tree and take over after it.'
Dong Zhuo was dreaming of becoming emperor.
Even though he was in the position of Chancellor of State, he was not satisfied with that and was trying to step into the supreme realm of the emperor, which he couldn't even look at.
Liu Bang, who founded the Han Dynasty, was also of humble origin.
Even such a person became emperor and founded the Han Dynasty, so he came to think that there was nothing he couldn't do, as he led a 100,000-strong army and ruled the order of the world.