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The Gengshi Emperor’s Downfall Begins In early 24 CE, Liu Xuan, the Gengshi Emperor, moved his capital from Luoyang to Chang’an, likely seeking greater security (sidenote: Dong Zhuo did the same in the end of the Easter Han). At first, he governed with surprising competence: he forbade looting, restored order, rewarded loyalists, reinstated Han…
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A Foothold in Xindu After their grueling flight through Hebei, Liu Xiu and his exhausted band were warmly welcomed into Xindu by Governor Ren Guang and Pi Tong of Hucheng. There, they convened to plan the campaign against the false emperor Wang Lang. Pi Tong urged bold action: “If the Grand Marshal raises his…
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The Last Stand of a Doomed Regime By late 23 CE, Wang Mang’s Xin dynasty was on the brink of collapse. The Gengshi Emperor Liu Xuan had dispatched Grand Duke Wang Kuang to attack Luoyang, while Generals Shen Tu Jian and Li Song marched on Wuguan Pass (in modern Danfeng, Shaanxi). Panic-stricken, Wang Mang…
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In Chapter 6 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yuan Shao organizes an alliance of 18 warlords to jointly attack Dong Zhuo. The coalition’s forces vastly outnumbered Dong Zhuo’s garrison in Luoyang, and generals like Sun Jian posed a significant threat. Consequently, Dong Zhuo chose to burn down the current capital, Luoyang, and relocate…