Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Li Ru conveyed the news to Dong Zhuo very quickly. Hearing this, Dong Zhuo slapped his thigh and shouted angrily: "Damn it, why don't you send people to chase him!" At this time, Li Ru hurriedly said: "Prime Minister, please be patient. I have already sent soldiers to chase him. But even if we catch up now, it may not make much sense. The key is how to deal with Yuan Wei?" After hearing this, Dong Zhuo walked back and forth angrily, and said angrily: "Since we came to the court in Luoyang, although I am just a warrior, I have always maintained enough respect for them. Even though Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu of his Yuan family openly opposed me and betrayed me, I have never treated them unfairly and still gave them high positions and titles. But he is so impatient for my defeat and can't wait for me to die. Since he is determined to kill me, then... Don't blame me for being ruthless." Dong Zhuo became more and more angry and roared, "Come on, capture the entire Yuan family and bring them back to me!" Li Ru hurriedly tried to persuade him, "Prime Minister, please don't be angry. If we can capture Yuan Wei, it will make Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and others hesitate and not act rashly." Dong Zhuo said, "I can't think too much about it. My family has won merit on the battlefield, while these corrupt scholars can only play tricks behind the scenes. I must wipe out this entire family and let them know that I am not someone to be trifled with. Besides, killing the entire Yuan family will just be a deterrent to the many officials in the court, letting them know what the consequences of betraying their own people will be." Li Ru was about to persuade him again, but Dong Zhuo waved his hand and said, "Wenyou, don't say anymore. I have made up my mind."

After sending his retainers to deliver the news, Yuan Wei could hardly conceal his joy at the thought of Dong Zhuo's imminent demise. He was enjoying himself at home, drinking and enjoying himself, when suddenly, groups of soldiers from Xiliang swarmed into Yuan's mansion, arresting people without even explaining anything. Yuan's retainers hurried to report the situation to Yuan Wei, and he angrily stepped forward to confront the soldiers. However, the soldiers refused to give him any respect. Yuan Wei ordered the generals to come out and argue, but the generals also refused to give him any respect. They simply ordered the soldiers to continue the arrests and said to Yuan Wei, "Master Yuan Wei, I'm so sorry." Then he signaled the soldiers to arrest Yuan Wei. Yuan Wei was furious, shouting, "How dare you! I am the Grand Tutor. How can I allow such a treacherous act like you?" But the soldiers paid no heed, and neither did the generals, who continued to signal the soldiers forward. Yuan's retainers, understanding the principle that a servant who insults his master must die, drew their swords and raised their weapons, confronting Dong Zhuo's forces. Dong Zhuo's soldiers showed no mercy and proceeded to surround and slaughter the retainers. Yuan Wei, observing the chaos and commotion in his mansion, where his sons and daughters, as well as his family members, were being brutally captured by Dong Zhuo's troops, ordered his retainers to cease resistance and declared he would meet Dong Zhuo to discuss matters.

Like wolves and tigers, the soldiers roughly and violently rounded up all 200 members of the Yuan family, young and old, without explanation. They violently escorted them, shoving them along the way as they reported to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo, his face gloomy, coldly ordered them to be imprisoned.

When the court convened the next day, the important officials attended as usual, their expressions somewhat bewildered. Dong Zhuo narrowed his eyes slightly, one hand firmly grasping the hilt of his longsword. He then slowly raised his other hand and, with a powerful gesture, invited the emperor and his officials to the Meridian Gate. Emperor Liu Xie's eyes widened in horror, his body trembling slightly. Before he could react, Dong Zhuo lunged forward. His rough, powerful hand gripped Liu Xie's delicate arm like a vise, almost violently pulling him towards the Meridian Gate. Liu Xie stumbled and nearly fell. Some of the officials behind him wanted to call out Dong Zhuo's outrageous behavior. They opened their mouths, their throats moved, their hands raised slightly, but ultimately remained silent, their faces filled with fear. These officials were also pushed and driven mercilessly by the Xiliang soldiers. The soldiers' actions were extremely rough. They pushed the officials around like driving livestock and forced them to come to the Meridian Gate.

At this time, above the Meridian Gate, more than 200 members of Yuan Wei's family all had their hands tightly tied. Their faces were filled with fear, their bodies trembling slightly. They were forcibly escorted to the Meridian Gate, waiting in panic for Dong Zhuo's decision.

Soon, Dong Zhuo came with a menacing look on his face, followed by Emperor Liu Xie and all the officials of the court who also came to the Meridian Gate. Grand Marshal Zhang Wen and Minister of Rites Wang Yun looked at the bound Yuan Wei and his family, their brows furrowed in shock and confusion. Finally, unable to contain their anger and confusion, Zhang Wen was the first to speak, "Prime Minister Dong, what exactly do you mean?" Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo's face instantly filled with rage. He angrily loosened the arm of Emperor Liu Xie, who was holding him tightly, and began to speak loudly, "Ever since we came to Luoyang to support Emperor Liu Xie's succession to the throne, we have been working diligently and treating important officials in the court with great courtesy. But this Yuan Wei is a scoundrel, ignorant of his own life. Not only did his nephews rebel, he also secretly colluded with Liu Yan, the governor of Yizhou, and agreed to attack Chang'an. Yuan Wei's nephews, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, openly rebelled against the court. Yuan Wei is so ambitious and even secretly passed on information. He deserves to be killed!"

Yuan Wei knew at this time that he was in a desperate situation, so he could no longer endure it. His facial muscles trembled violently and he cursed hysterically: "Dong thief, Dong thief, you are a vicious and crazy thief who stole the country! You are tyrannical and authoritarian, disrupting the government, doing perverse things, causing chaos in the world and making the people live in misery! You are an unforgivable devil. Everything you do is to satisfy your ulterior desires and ambitions! You are treacherous, cruel, and sinister. You are the most evil existence in the world and everyone has the right to kill you! You are such a despicable and shameless person, you will definitely be punished, and being cut into pieces will not be enough to relieve the hatred of the people towards you!" The rest of his words were full of insults that were unbearable to hear.

Dong Zhuo laughed in anger, his chest heaving violently, and shouted: "I am a thief, so what about your Yuan family? I, Dong Zhuo, was just a small minion of the Dong clan in the beginning. You, the aristocratic families, all talk about benevolence, righteousness, morality, military and the world, but what do you actually do? You all serve your family and surname. The court is full of your disciples who have been officials for four generations. Have you ever cared about the lives of the people? Now everyone calls me Dong Zhuo." He paused here.

Then Dong Zhuo gnashed his teeth and looked at the officials outside the Meridian Gate, and said angrily: "You all call me, Dong Zhuo, a traitor to the country. Which of you officials in the court is not full of benevolence, righteousness and morality, but privately you all serve your own clans. How many of you are wholeheartedly for the Han court? You pretend to follow General He Jin, but in fact you all instigate He Jin to fight for power with the Ten Attendants, and each of you seeks benefits behind the scenes. Which one of you is wronged, and which one is loyal to the emperor and patriotic? Until now, you all accuse me, Dong Zhuo!" All the officials, big and small, were silent and dared not answer.

Yuan Wei stiffened his neck and roared angrily, "So what? My Yuan family has produced three high officials over four generations, and our students and former officials are spread all over the world. This is the foundation of our aristocratic family. How dare you, Dong Zhuo, a mere man from the border, attempt to covet the sacred artifact and change it?" Dong Zhuo drew his sword and asked Yuan Wei through gritted teeth, "Have you scolded me enough?" Yuan Wei continued to laugh, like a madman, "Have you scolded me enough? I will never scold you enough. I wish I could eat your flesh and sleep on your skin. My Yuan family has worked so hard for the stability of the court, you thief who stole the country!"

Dong Zhuo said sinisterly, "Do you really think I dare not kill you?" Yuan Wei replied, "I am the Grand Marshal and Grand Tutor of the Han Dynasty. What have I done wrong? Do you really dare to kill me?" Dong Zhuo was furious and thrust his sword into Yuan Wei's heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "Today I will send you, this traitor, to the west!" Yuan Wei fell to the ground. Dong Zhuo continued, "Kill his entire family and send his head to Hulao Pass for his nephews to see. This is the fate of those who oppose me, Dong Zhuo!"

The scene was briefly chaotic as the Western Liang army began to move. Suddenly, screams erupted from outside the Meridian Gate. The plight of Yuan Wei's family terrified the watching civil and military officials, their faces straining as if they had lost their parents. Some of the more timid even wet their pants. Dong Zhuo roared, "Look, look! This is what happens to those who betray our family and become our enemy." He then turned and strode away, leaving the terrified officials standing there, staring at the blood and corpses on the ground, filled with fear and sorrow. The bloody smell that permeated the air seemed to speak of the harsh reality and the ruthless nature of the power struggle.