Dahan: A 100-year-old veteran, I will build the strongest family

After Yuan Shu found Yuan Kui's army, he immediately marched quickly towards Luoyang City.

However, even though Yuan Kui's army sped up, the distance was still not short. When the army really poured into Luoyang City, Dong Zhong, Yuan Shao and civil and military officials had been leading their men to besiege the imperial palace for a full day.

In front of the palace walls, shouts of killing shook the sky.

Many siege weapons in the arsenal were transported to attack the palace.

Dong Chong wanted to rescue Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie who were being held hostage by Empress Dowager He.

However, the officials from the aristocratic families were trying to rescue Empress Dowager He and Emperor Liu Bian, and to kill the Ten Eunuchs.

Zhang Rang and the other ten eunuchs became the target of public criticism and naturally could not open the city gates.

Dong Zhong's soldiers and the private armies of the aristocratic officials climbed up the ladders to attack.

"Emperor, Emperor, we can't stop them anymore. The imperial city is about to be breached!"

A eunuch guard ran up to Zhang Rang with a terrified look on his face and shouted to him in a sad voice.

Zhang Rang watched as more and more people climbed up the city wall and suppressed his men. It was only a matter of time before the city was captured. A hint of despair appeared in Zhang Rang's eyes.

"God is not going to let Zhang Rang live! That's all!"

Zhang Rang was heartbroken at this moment.

All the noble families and officials wanted to kill him, and not only did they mobilize foreign troops to come to the rescue.

Moreover, the noble families and officials wanted to kill Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian because he killed He Jin, and they had already mobilized the private army in the palace to kill him.

The imperial city is about to fall.

There is no way for them to survive.

"You wait and come with us!"

Zhang Rang, with a team of guards, ignored the city gate and went straight to Changle Palace.

When Zhang Rang returned to Changle Palace, he was followed by two hundred eunuchs and guards.

This was all the strength he could muster.

"how is it now?"

As soon as they saw Zhang Rang coming, Xia Yun, Guo Sheng, Sun Zhang, Bi Lan and other eunuchs who were guarding outside Changle Palace immediately surrounded Zhang Rang anxiously and asked questions in a flurry.

Hearing the deafening shouts and cries of killing outside the palace, they were all terrified.

"There is no way out. In less than a quarter of an hour, the palace gates will be breached. If we are caught by the officials, we will die!"

Zhang Rang said this with a look of frustration and despair on his pale face.

"what?"

Xia Yun, Guo Sheng, Sun Zhang, Bi Lan and others were all shocked, their faces looked ashen.

"We may not die. We can take Empress Dowager He and His Majesty hostage and flee, leaving Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie behind. As long as Empress Dowager He and His Majesty are gone, Dong Zhong will definitely support Liu Xie to ascend the throne. By then, if there is no direct evidence that we killed He Jin and wanted to kill Empress Dowager He and His Majesty, Dong Zhong may forgive us!"

Just when Xia Yun, Guo Sheng, Sun Zhang, Bi Lan and others looked dejected, Zhang Rang's resolute voice sounded again, which startled them all. They immediately understood what Zhang Rang meant, and their eyes suddenly lit up.

"Attendant Zhang is right."

"You can give it a try!"

"Fight!"

A group of eunuchs expressed their opinions one after another, speaking with gritted teeth.

Indeed, they had no other way to go. If they kidnapped Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian and left Liu Xie behind, Dong Chong would definitely support him to ascend the throne. At that time, he might even spare their lives. Although the probability of doing so was still very small, it was better than waiting to die.

Zhang Rang reached a consensus with several people and immediately led hundreds of eunuchs directly into Changle Palace.

"Stand back, everyone, if anyone dares to come in, I will kill Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie!"

When they saw another large number of eunuchs rushing in with weapons and bows and arrows, Li Meng and a dozen other guards immediately became alert and placed their swords not far from Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie, Empress Dowager He shouted.

"Kill? Go ahead and kill us. We will die together. The gates of the palace will be breached soon anyway. We eunuchs will die anyway, and we will perish together!"

Hearing Empress Dowager He's threat, Zhang Rang did not stop, but shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Go! Capture Empress Dowager He and Your Majesty, don't rob them!"

Zhang Rang waved his hand, and the eunuchs and guards who had originally dared not move forward, rushed forward resolutely like a tide.

Empress Dowager He and Li Meng were both dumbfounded. Zhang Rang had no way out and had to recklessly ignore the consequences. However, they could not kill Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie directly. As soon as they hesitated, a large number of eunuchs came over with weapons in hand.

Li Meng and other guards were all shocked. They made a prompt decision and stepped back, protecting little Liu Yu behind them.

Zhang Rang and others targeted Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian.

It’s not Xiao Liuyu.

But their main task is to try their best to protect little Liu Yu.

As for Empress Dowager He, Li Hong's original order was to protect her as much as possible if possible.

Within a few breaths, Zhang Rang and others captured the frightened Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian.

Zhang Rang glanced at Liu Yu who was protected by Li Meng and others, and hesitated slightly. Since Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian were already in his hands, he did not get entangled with Li Meng.

Zhang Rang looked at Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie, who were still in shock, and pleaded:

"Grand Empress Dowager, I am doing all this for my life, for you and the Second Prince. Let's take Empress Dowager He and Your Majesty away now. Now that He Jin is dead, the Grand Empress Dowager can take this opportunity to support the Second Prince as the Emperor. I only hope that the Grand Empress Dowager and General Wei can spare the lives of eunuchs like me."

After saying this, Zhang Rang did not wait for Empress Dowager Dong to speak, and shouted in a shrill voice:
"I know a secret passage that leads out of the palace. All of you come with me!"

Zhang Rang and other eunuchs left one after another.

"Young Master Yu, Meng will protect you and help you get out of the palace!" Li Meng and Empress Dowager Dong stared at each other for a while, then Li Meng called on all the guards to carry the crying little Liu Yu and prepare to leave the palace.

"Wuwuwu, no, save my mother, she has been abducted by the eunuchs..."

Li Meng and others immediately took little Liu Yu out of the palace.

At this time, the Imperial Gate had been breached by the all-out attacks from all sides and was wide open.

"Go in and kill the eunuchs. The Ten Eunuchs have disrupted the government, imposed heavy taxes, sold official positions, and killed the generals. They also want to kill the Empress Dowager and the current emperor. All heroes, we must kill the eunuchs today. Kill them!"

In front of the imperial gate, Yuan Shao saw that the imperial gate had been breached, his face flushed, and he shouted excitedly.

"Kill!"

Not only Yuan Shao, but all the noble families and officials had flushed faces, thinking that they could finally eradicate the eunuch problem today, and their murderous intent surged.

Countless noble families, officials, servants and guards, armed with weapons, rushed in madly.

Along the way, any eunuchs they encountered who were white-faced and beardless were killed without even asking any questions.

Dong Zhong looked at the crazy aristocratic officials and shuddered. However, Dong Zhong did not hesitate and led his troops to the Changle Palace to save the Empress Dowager Dong.

……

On this day, the palace was filled with blood, a fire broke out, and the palace burned down.

Zhang Rang took Empress Dowager He and Emperor Liu Bian hostage and fled all the way north.

Yuan Kui led an army of 50,000 into the city, but could not find Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian.

Another part of the troops was sent to search for Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian outside Luoyang, but they could not find them.

But, at this time.

Empress Dowager Dong's nephew Dong Chong stood up and said that Empress Dowager He and Emperor Liu Bian were unjust. They even kidnapped Empress Dowager Dong and attacked Changle Palace, which was a great treason. They should be deposed and the second prince Liu Xie should be enthroned.

Civil and military officials were all in an uproar and opposed it.

After all, He Jin died first, and Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and other ten eunuchs were in the same camp as Empress Dowager Dong, and they wanted to kill Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian. They were forced to attack Changle Palace to save their lives, which was completely understandable in the eyes of many officials from aristocratic families.

After all, joining forces with the Ten Eunuchs to kill the current emperor is truly treasonous.

Not to mention that Dong Zhong now wants to take advantage of the situation after Liu Bian was abducted by the eunuchs to help the second prince Liu Xie become emperor.

Civil and military officials all cursed Dong Zhong for being a waste, saying that he had been blinded by power and his political skills were even worse than He Jin's. How come he was not killed by He Jin?
The Yuan family, headed by Yuan Feng and Yuan Kui, also opposed it.

In the Yuan family's view, Liu Xie and Dong Chong are in charge.

But after He Jin's death, Liu Bian had no one to take charge.

In Luoyang city, the officials and the Yuan family were temporarily distracted by the brainless Dong Zhong.

Dozens of miles north of Luoyang City, something big was happening.

Dong Zhuo galloped all the way with 50,000 Western Liang cavalry, and just like in history, he encountered the escaped Ten Eunuchs and others.

Dong Zhuo first killed Zhang Rang and other eunuchs, then invited the frightened Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian into the army, treated them well, and asked about the situation in Luoyang.

"What? The general is dead? Empress Dowager Dong and the Ten Eunuchs are trying to kill the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty?"

When Dong Zhuo learned from Empress Dowager He what happened in Luoyang, he was shocked.

Li Ru pulled Dong Zhuo aside.

"Father-in-law, since the general is dead, His Majesty and Queen Mother He have no one to use. I'm afraid it's a good opportunity for us to seize control of the government."

Under the instigation of Li Ru, Dong Zhuo's ambition grew greatly. He did not delay and led 50,000 Western Liang cavalry, protecting Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian, and headed towards Luoyang.

Relying on the merit of rescuing the emperor, the cavalry under his command, and the subsequent army, Dong Zhuo's military strength increased rapidly and he quickly gained a foothold in Luoyang.

Relying on the order of Empress Dowager He, Dong Zhuo first took in the troops of He Jin's former subordinates and attacked and killed Dong Chong. The number of troops under his command suddenly increased to 200,000.

With such a large number of troops, Dong Zhuo's ambitions also expanded rapidly.

Considering that he was only a local military commander and not powerful enough to dominate the government, and that Liu Bian was already 17 or 18 years old and difficult to control, Dong Zhuo decided to change the emperor.

Liu Xie was only nine years old, while Liu Bian was already about seventeen. Dong Zhuo thought that the young Liu Xie would be easier to control, unlike Liu Bian who had the uncertainty of adulthood.

By supporting Liu Xie as emperor, he could narrow the distance between himself and the royal family and enhance his status, which was very important for consolidating his power and status.

So, after Dong Zhuo returned to Luoyang with Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian and gained a foothold, he put forward a piece of news that shocked Luoyang.

Emperor Liu Bian was deposed and the second prince Liu Xie was made emperor.

Under Dong Zhuo's strong military and iron fist, Liu Bian was deposed, Liu Xie ascended the throne, and Dong Zhuo was promoted to the position of general.

The officials from aristocratic families, headed by the Yuan family, were all extremely indignant.

Yuan Kui led his troops to fight against Dong Zhuo outside the city of Luoyang.

As expected, Yuan's army was defeated in the first battle against the Xiliang army.

However, Dong Zhuo took into account the reputation of the Yuan family and just kept Yuan Kui in Luoyang without touching him.

Dong Zhuo deposed the emperor and established a new one, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among officials both at home and abroad. They suppressed the disobedience with a strong hand, and blood covered the Chengde Hall.

Just as all the officials in Luoyang were wailing and Dong Zhuo was rampantly encroaching on the government, a piece of news came back from the north, causing a sensation in Luoyang City.

He conquered the vast grasslands in the south and north of the desert, intimidated the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, suppressed the Wusun Kingdom, and unprecedentedly expanded the territory of the Han Dynasty. After dispatching troops for several years, Li Hong finally returned to the Han Dynasty and has now entered Bingzhou.

When the news came, Luoyang City was in an uproar. All officials were excited. Everyone cheered and shouted that the Han Dynasty was saved.

When Dong Zhuo heard the name Li Hong, he was also shocked and felt terrified.

(End of this chapter)