As Sun Jian returned to his own headquarter, he was told, "There is a general from Sishui Pass to see you." Sun Jian met him, it was Li Jue. Sun Jian asked, "What do you want?" Li Jue said, "The Prime Minister respect you dearly. He asked me to come here, to ask your permission for the marriage of his daughter and your son." Sun Jian replied, "Dong Zhuo is the traitor of the Han Emperor. I want to kill everyone in his family. I'll let you return to the pass and surrender the pass. If you don't you will be dead."
Li Jue returned and reported to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo asked Li Ru what to do next. Li Ru said, "Luu Bu just lost a battle, and no one else wants to fight any more. The only thing we can do now is to move the Capital from Luoyang to Changan." Dong Zhuo said, "Good idea." He and Luu Bu returned to Luoyang that night. Dong Zhuo called a meeting of the ministers. He said, "Han dynasty's Capital has been at Luoyang for more than two hundred years. It is time now to move the Capital back to Changan. The Emperor and the Ministers should pack immediately and prepare to move." Minister Yang Biao said, "Changan old city is very run down. There is no reason to abandon the Temple, the Tomb, and to move people. It is very easy to disturb a country, it is very hard to secure a country. Please Prime Minister consider it carefully." Dong Zhuo said, "Are you going to sabotage national security?" Minister Huang Wan said, "I agree with Minister Yang. Back when traitor Wang Mang usurped the Han dynasty, and then the Red Eyebrow rebellion burnt down Changan. Most people have left Changan since then. The population is only about one percent of what it used to be. It is not a good idea to abandon the palace here to move to a burnt down place." Dong Zhuo said, "The rebels are near Luoyang now. Changan is protect by Hangu Pass. It is also close to the mountains so it is easy to get lumber and stones for building materials. The palace will be built in a month. Stop talking these nonsense." Minister Xun Shuang said, "Moving the Capital will cause the suffering of the people." Dong Zhuo said, "I care for the country, I don't care for the people." Dong Zhuo ousted Ministers Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and Xun Shuang. As Dong Zhuo left the meeting, his carriage was stopped on the road by someone. Dong Zhuo looked and saw his two generals, Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong. Dong Zhuo asked what was the matter. Zhou Bi said, "We want to persuade Prime Minister not to move the Capital." Dong Zhuo was enraged, "It was your idea to give Yuan Shao a governorship. Now Yuan Shao rebels, you two must be in it also." He ordered the guards to get them out and execute them immediately. No one dared to stop him now. Li Ru said, "We need money for the move. There are many rich people in Luoyang. We can confiscate their properties. All the relatives and friends of Yuan Shao, we should execute them and take their properties. That should be enough."
Dong Zhuo sent five thousand cavaliers to the Capital. They arrested all the rich people in Luoyang, thousands of families, each person was labeled on the head, stating "Rebels". They were all brought outside the city and executed. Li Jue and Guo Si led the army to drive the entire population of Luoyang, several millions, out and move toward Changan. Each team of soldiers was in charge of a team of civilians. The soldiers murdered, raped and robbed people at will. The sound of crying was heard everywhere on the road. Many people died. At the end of the line there were three thousand troops with bayonets. Anyone who walked too slowly was immediately stabbed to death. Dong Zhuo ordered to set the Capital on fire before he left. The entire city was consumed by blaze. He also sent Luu Bu to excavate the Emperors' tombs and take the jewelries from the tombs. The soldiers took the opportunity and dugged open any the tomb that they could find. Dong Zhuo loaded the goods on a thousand carriages, and took the Emperor and the Empress to Changan.
The defender of Sishui Pass, General Zhao Cen, after learning that Dong Zhuo left Luoyang, surrendered the pass to Sun Jian. The Liu Bei brothers charged into Hulao Pass. The other armies followed them and took the pass.
Sun Jian quickly advanced toward Luoyang. By the time he got there, the whole city was on fire, and there was not a single person within a hundred miles. Sun Jian ordered the troops to first put off the fire. The other armies also arrived. They each found place to set up camps. Cao Cao asked Yuan Shao, "Dong Zhuo is headed west. We should pursue him. Why are we waiting here?" Yuan Shao said, "The troops are tired. We need rest." Cao Cao said, "Dong Zhuo burnt the Capital, kidnapped the Emperor. The whole country is in shock. This is the time we need to be determined. Let us pursue Dong Zhuo. Don't stop here." None of the leaders was willing to go with him. Cao Cao said, "These are idiots." He led his own ten thousand men, with generals Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian, and Yue Jin, and rushed toward Changan.
When Dong Zhuo reached Xing Yang, the Governor Xu Rong greeted him. Li Ru said, "We need to prepare for the pursuing armies. Xu Rong should bring some troops to hide outside the city in the hills. You can let the pursuers pass. When we stop them here, you can attack from behind. This way if we defeat the first ones the others will not come." Dong Zhuo followed the plan, and also asked Luu Bu to guard the behind. Cao Cao's army caught up with Luu Bu very soon. Luu Bu set the formation up. Xiahou Dun took on Luu Bu. On both flanks, Li Jue attacked from the left and was countered by Xiahou Yuan, Guo Si attacked from the right and was countered by Cao Ren. Xiahou Dun could not hold back Luu Bu, and retreated. Luu Bu's men attacked from three sides, and Cao Cao was completely defeated. They fled towards Xingyang. Cao Cao finally was able to gather the remnants of his troops and stopped at a wilderness at about two hours before midnight. As they prepared their meal, shouts arose from all sides, and Xu Rong's hidden army attacked. Cao Cao hurriedly got on his horse. Xu Rong saw him and shot an arrow. The arrow hit Cao Cao's shoulder. Cao Cao carried the arrow and fled down hill. There were two soldiers hiding in the grass. As Cao Cao passed by them, they pricked their spears and killed Cao Cao's horse. Cao Cao fell on the ground and was captured by the soldiers. Just then Cao Hong rushed there by horse. He killed both soldiers and saved Cao Cao. Cao Cao said, "I'm dying. Brother, run, quick." Cao Hong said, "Take my horse. I can walk." Cao Cao said, "They will catch you." Cao Hong said, "The country can be without me, but cannot be without you." Cao Cao said, "If I get out of this alive, I owe all of it to you." Cao Cao mounted the horse. Cao Hong removed his armors, and ran after the horse. They ran for about four hours, when they were stopped by a river. They could hear the sound of the pursuing army getting closer and closer. Cao Cao said, "We are hopeless now." Cao Hong helped Cao Cao off the horse, and carried him across the river on his back. The pursuers got there just as they reached the other side. By daybreak they went for another twenty miles. They stopped to rest. Suddenly a group of cavaliers came towards them. It was Xu Rong who crossed the river up stream. Luckily Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan arrived with a few men just in time. They intercepted Xu Rong. Xiahou Dun killed Xu Rong in a few rounds. The rest of the soldiers scattered. Cao Cao managed to find Cao Ren, Li Dian and Yue Jin, collected the remaining five hundred soldiers, and returned Henei. Dong Zhuo was able to get to Changan without further challenge.
Sun Jian put off the fire in Luoyang. He camped the army inside the city, and set up his headquarter on the ruin of Jianzhang Hall. He ordered his soldiers to clean up the ground, and sealed all the tombs that were dug open by Dong Zhuo. They quickly built three small rooms on the ruin of the Temple, and held a religious ceremony to set up the positions of the gods. That night, Sun Jian returned to his quarters. As he sat outside and looked at the night sky, he wondered how this all had happened. The entire Capital was now empty.
A soldier said, "There seems a dim light coming from that well." Sun Jian asked for torches. A few soldiers went down the well, and came up with a woman's body. From the dress one can tell that she was someone in the Palace. There was a small silk bag on her neck. In the bag there was a red box, locked by a gold lock. Sun Jian opened it. In the box was a jade seal, about four inches on each side. There was a pattern of five dragons on the top of the seal. One corner of the seal chipped off a piece, and was filled in with gold. The seal had the inscription, "Mandate of Heaven, Prosper Forever." Sun Jian took the seal and asked Cheng Pu. Cheng Pu said, "This is the National Seal. This goes back to the time of Bian He. He saw a phoenix sitting on a stone under Mount Jing. He took the stone and gave it to the King of Chu, Wen King. They opened the stone and got the jade. Twenty-sixth year of Qin dynasty, the emperor ordered it made into a seal. The prime minister Li Si carved these words on the seal. Twenty-eighth year of Qin dynasty, the emperor was on Lake Dongting, when a storm rose and the boat was going to sink. The emperor threw the seal into the lake and the storm stopped. Thirty-sixth year of Qin dynasty someone returned the seal to the emperor. Next year the Qin emperor died. Later Ziying surrendered the seal to Gaozu Emperor (first emperor of the Han dynasty). At the time of the usurpation of Wang Mang, the Empress threw the seal at Wang Xun and Su Xian, and chipped off a corner of the seal. Later it was repaired with gold. The Guangwu emperor obtained the seal at Yiyang, and it was passed on to each emperor since then. Recently when the Ten Eunuches kidnapped the Emperor to Mount Beimang, the seal was lost when the Emperor returned. Today you get this seal. It is a good sign. We shouldn't stay here anymore. Let's return to south China." Sun Jian said, "Yes. Let's leave tomorrow." And he told the soldiers to keep this a secret.
One of the soldiers was from the same town as Yuan Shao. He wanted to use this as a way of getting ahead. So he slipped to Yuan Shao's camp at night, and told it to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao rewarded him with money, and asked him to remain at Sun Jian's place. Next day, Sun Jian came to Yuan Shao and said, "I am not well. I need to return to Changsha." Yuan Shao smiled, "I know what your illness is. It's the disease of the Jade Seal." Sun Jian was surprised, and said, "Why do you say that?" Yuan Shao said, "We are together in this for the country. The Seal belongs to the government. Please leave the Seal with me, the chairman, and it will be returned to the Emperor after we kill Dong Zhuo." Sun Jian said, "what made you think that I have the Seal?" Yuan Shao said, "What was that thing that you got from the well at JianZhang Hall?" Sun Jian said, "I don't have the Seal. Don't force me." Yuan Shao said, "Please turn it over to avoid tragedy." Sun Jian swore, "If I hid the Jade Seal I will die under knives and arrows." Others said, "Sun Jian has sworn. He mustn't have it." Yuan Shao pointed at that soldier and said, "Was this man there when you got the seal?" Sun Jian pulled out his sword and wanted to kill that soldier. Yuan Shao also pulled out his sword and said, "Dare you kill him." Yuan Shao's generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, all took swords in their hands. Sun Jian's generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang, all took knives in their hands. Others separated them. Sun Jian immediately ordered his army to leave. Yuan Shao was very angry. He wrote a letter to Governor of Jing Province, Liu Biao, and asked him to stop Sun Jian at Jing.
Next day, Cao Cao returned and reported the defeat. Yuan Shao greeted him and gave a consolation banquet. Cao Cao said, "My original idea, was to ask Yuan Shao to take Mengjin, another army to guard Chenggao, and occupy Aocang, and a third army to take the three counties near Changan. All the armies only need to stay in their positions and not have to fight. This will show enough force of ours, and Dong Zhuo will capitulate. Now everyone is hesitating and staying here. The whole country is disappointed. I am ashamed of you all." Yuan Shao did not say anything. Cao Cao could not get them to fight, so he led his army for Yangzhou. Gongsun Zan also left. He let Liu Bei back to Pingyuan, and himself returned to his old territory. Governor of Yan Province, Liu Dai, asked Governor of Dongjun, Qiao Mao, for supplies. Qiao Mao refused. Liu Dai led an assault of Qiao Mao's camp, killed Qiao Mao, and took over all of his troops. Yuan Shao felt that there wasn't much more to do, and led his own army back to Guandong.
The Governor of Jing Province, Liu Biao, was a relative of the Han Emperor. He was a member of the "Eight Friends in the South." He was aided by three people, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, and Cai Mao. He received the letter from Yuan Shao, and ordered Kuai Yue and Cai Mao and ten thousand troops to intercept Sun Jian. Kuai Yue and Cai Mao was not able to stop Sun Jian. Sun Jian's army pushed through a pass. They came upon another army, led by Liu Biao himself. Sun Jian rode up to Liu Biao and saluted, "Governor Liu, why do you believe Yuan Shao's words, and fight with your neighbor?" Liu Biao said, "You are hiding the National Seal. Do you plan to rebel?" Sun Jian said, "If I have it, I will die under knives and arrows." Liu Biao said, "If you don't have it, will you let me search?" Sun Jian was angry, and ordered his troops to charge. Liu Biao immediately retreated. Sun Jian followed Liu Biao. Suddenly on the hills on both sides of Sun Jian Liu Biao's troops emerged and attacked. Cao Mao and Kuai Yue also came and attacked from the back. Sun Jian was surrounded. What was the fate of Sun Jian? Wait until the next chapter.