Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, and their allied forces raced from Hulao Pass to Luoyang without stopping. Along the way, the clatter of horses' hooves was as rapid as a torrential rain, raising clouds of dust. The soldiers were terrified, hoping to reach Luoyang as quickly as possible.

When they finally arrived in Luoyang, they saw Sun Jian's soldiers battling the blaze amidst billowing smoke. Seeing this, Yuan Shao's admiration for Sun Jian deepened. Turning to Gongsun Zan and the other princes, he exclaimed, "Look! General Sun Jian's men fought with such valor and courage, and now, facing this raging fire, they stand unflinching. Their bravery is a true role model for us all! See how they are actively extinguishing the fire in the Luoyang Imperial Palace and saving the city from ruin. Their achievements will be etched in history!"

Sun Jian stood aside, his conscience a secret. Having just received the Imperial Seal, he feared being noticed. He responded vaguely to Yuan Shao's endless praise. His gaze wandered, not daring to meet their gaze. His face paled slightly, and his voice trembled slightly. "Mr. Yuan, you are too kind. This is our duty."

Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, and their fellow princes gazed upon the devastated, fire-ravaged Luoyang, their faces filled with sorrow. The once prosperous city of Luoyang was now a scorched earth, its ruins barely visible amidst the smoke and flames, a truly heartbreaking sight.

They discussed and decided that after a short rest, they would continue to pursue Dong Zhuo, completely kill this traitor who had brought disaster to the country and the people, and rescue the civil and military officials who were held hostage by Dong Zhuo.

Emperor Liu Bian's carriage, along with Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Lu Zhi, and others, followed the allied forces. Along the way, they saw from afar billowing black smoke rising into the sky from the direction of Luoyang, their hearts ablaze with anxiety. Liu Bei frowned, his brow thick with worry; Guan Yu's eyes widened, his Green Dragon Crescent Blade clutched, eager to fly there immediately; Zhang Fei, furious, roared, "That old scoundrel Dong Zhuo has burned Luoyang to this!" Lu Zhi, distraught, urged his troops to hasten.

However, with the allied forces ahead, they had to suppress their anxiety and advance step by step in order to maintain the emperor's composure and protect his safety.

Meanwhile, after a half-day's rest, Emperor Liu Bian finally arrived in Luoyang. Lu Zhi gazed upon the engulfed city, his body trembling, his lips quivering, as if he had aged ten years in a flash. He stumbled forward a few steps, his hands trembling as he reached toward the flames, crying out in grief, "The imperial capital of two hundred years has been destroyed in a single blaze. The traitor Dong Zhuo is truly detestable! Such crimes are beyond the reach of Heaven!" Tears streamed from his clouded eyes, his expression of deep grief moving everyone present.

His voice was hoarse as he continued shouting, "What was once prosperous is now only ruins. These majestic palaces and these bustling streets have all turned to ashes. The foundation laid by our ancestors has been burned down!" Lu Zhi beat his chest and stamped his feet, almost fainting.

Seeing this tragic scene, Liu Bei was filled with grief and indignation, and hurried forward to support Lu Zhi. Emperor Liu Bian, looking at the devastated Luoyang, his eyes filled with sorrow, said in a trembling voice, "My capital has suffered such a disaster. I feel ashamed of my ancestors."

Liu Bei quickly consoled him, saying, "Your Majesty, please do not grieve too much. We must work together to restore the Han Dynasty's glory, recover lost territory, and bring peace to the world." Liu Bian nodded slightly, tears streaming down his face. "I hope you can help me revive the government and restore Luoyang City to its former glory."

At this moment, everyone was immersed in endless grief and anxiety about the future. Seeing victory in sight, the princes also pretended to be sympathetic to the emperor, wailing together. They gathered around Emperor Liu Bian and offered false, sincere advice: "Your Majesty, do not grieve excessively. With you, the emperor, you will surely turn the tide. Now that the traitor Dong has fled in panic, the allied forces are at full strength. With your loyal assistance, we will surely revive the Han Dynasty, rebuild Luoyang, and restore the Han Dynasty's 400-year glory."

Everyone chatted earnestly, seemingly each harboring a sincere heart of loyalty. However, a subtle glint of cunning and calculation occasionally flashed in their eyes.

Before they knew it, it was already dark. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky blood red, as if weeping for the tragic situation in Luoyang. Seeing that it was getting late, everyone agreed to set out early the next day to continue pursuing Dong Zhuo, and then each of them set up camp to rest.

At night, all was still, and a serene silence reigned outside Yuan Shao's tent. Suddenly, a figure approached stealthily and silently. The eagle-eyed night watchman quickly spotted and decisively stopped him. The man, nervous and eager, declared, "I request to see Lord Yuan. I have a profound secret to share." A patrolling officer took a closer look and realized he was a former comrade Yuan Shao had assigned to Sun Jian. Mindful of their former friendship, they offered him no further embarrassment, escorting him on his way to meet Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was soundly asleep on his couch, lost in his dreams, when the commotion suddenly and mercilessly jolted him awake. A hint of irritation crossed his face, his sleepy eyes still lingering. But when he rubbed his eyes and saw that the newcomer was a former subordinate, he hesitated to be too harsh, mindful of their past friendship. Frowning, he asked in confusion, "You're not on duty with Sun Jian at this late hour. What brings you here in such a hurry?"

The officer looked embarrassed and looked around cautiously, then said, "General, we kindly ask you to let everyone else in the camp leave first. This matter is extremely confidential and only you know about it." When Yuan Shao heard this, he felt that there must be something fishy about this matter. He pondered for a moment, then waved his hand decisively. Except for a few personal guards, all the other soldiers and generals obediently left the tent.

At this moment, the soldier felt relieved. He lowered his voice and spoke mysteriously, "Sometimes, while Sun Jian was fighting a fire in the palace, he unexpectedly found a woman in a deep, dry well. In her arms, she held a precious treasure." Yuan Shao's eyes lit up, and he was filled with interest. He couldn't wait to ask, "What treasure is it?" The soldier tried hard to recall the treasure's appearance and described it in detail. Since he didn't recognize it as a jade seal, he did his best to describe its appearance and the writing on it, saying that it resembled ancient seal script.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's heart instantly burned with a burning fire. As a descendant of three high officials for four generations, he was well-informed and learned. How could he not know that this was the imperial seal, the symbol of supreme power? And what had Sun Jian dared to hide the seal? Yuan Shao pondered for a moment, then ordered his personal guards to lead the troops down to receive the generous reward. Then, he paced anxiously in his tent, thinking to himself: If Sun Jian had hidden the seal, he must have ulterior motives and be extremely ambitious. Even a crude warrior like Sun Jian, fighting on the battlefield, had such ambitions. And my family, three high officials for four generations, has been honored for generations. If I could obtain the seal... Yuan Shao's mind grew more and more excited, and he couldn't calm down for a long time. He tossed and turned that night, unable to fall asleep.

The next morning, just as the eastern sky was beginning to turn pale, the princes eagerly packed their bags, rubbing their hands and eagerly staring at Yuan Shao's tent, waiting for his order to pursue Dong Zhuo. However, time passed slowly, and there was no movement from Yuan Shao's tent. The soldiers waited outside the tent anxiously, unable to resist repeatedly urging him to come.

After a long moment, Yuan Shao finally stumbled out of the tent, his eyes half bleary and sleepy, his steps unsteady. His face was pale as a sheet, his eyes hazy, as if he were truly tormented by a serious illness. He weakly raised his hand and said in a feeble voice, "To be honest, everyone, I was struck by a sudden and severe illness last night. Now I feel completely exhausted and dizzy, and it's difficult for me to lead the army forward. I hope you will go ahead and not let me delay the pursuit of Dong Zhuo." His sickly appearance was truly convincing.

At this moment, a subtle cunning flashed in Sun Jian's eyes. Although he didn't know what Yuan Shao was planning, he was anxious to escape and return to his territory as soon as possible. So, he immediately feigned a look of deep concern and affection, saying, "Alas, Lord Yuan has been so kind to me, and now he's suddenly fallen seriously ill. How can I, Sun Jian, have the heart to leave? I certainly can't participate in this pursuit. I am willing to stay and care for Lord Yuan wholeheartedly in return for his past kindness." Sun Jian's expression and tone were so sincere as to make it hard to tell this was just an excuse.

After hearing the two's explanation, the other nobles, though feeling somewhat suspicious, did not overly suspect anything. After all, Dong Zhuo had already fled in panic, like a stray dog. With victory in sight and the emperor's carriage approaching, everyone felt that now was the perfect time to perform well and gain greater benefits. They no longer paid much attention to Yuan Shao and Sun Jian.

Then, the other princes led their respective troops, surrounded the emperor's carriage, and continued on their journey to pursue Dong Zhuo in a mighty force. The sound of horses' hooves was like thunder, the shouts of killing shook the sky, and the flags fluttered, covering the sky and the sun.