Bohai Commandery lay to the northeast of Pingyuan, at the edge of Ji Province, bordering the Bohai Sea—more than 1,600 li from Luoyang.
When Yuan Shao was sent there, Dong Zhuo's intention was obvious:
Go far away. Stay out of my sight.
But not long after Yuan Shao departed, Dong Zhuo began to sense something was wrong.
Every decree he issued was formally approved—but in practice, nothing moved.
When he sent people to inspect, officials would respectfully report, "It is already being carried out."The moment the inspectors left, everything stalled again.
At first, it seemed like mere inefficiency. But soon, a far more serious problem emerged:
Taxes were not being collected.
And without taxes, Dong Zhuo's army—over 100,000 strong—had no provisions.
Soldiers needed food. Without pay or rations, who would risk their lives?
Dong Zhuo grew frantic, like an ant on a hot pan.
It was the season for tax collection, yet revenues from the commanderies were still "on the way," while the national treasury stood empty.
With no alternatives left, his gaze turned somewhere dangerous—
The tomb of the late emperor, Emperor Ling of Han.
The Tomb Scheme
Imperial burials were filled with treasures beyond measure.
Coincidentally, the mourning period for Empress Dowager He had just ended. Her coffin was to be interred at Wenling—Liu Hong's mausoleum.
Dong Zhuo issued a secret order:
Officials were forbidden from attending the burial. His own men would handle it—and once the tomb was opened, they were to loot the burial goods.
The funeral procession set out.
But outside Wenling, they were stopped.
A group of burly men blocked the road.
"We are under the command of Marquis Xuanwei," their leader said calmly, producing a letter.
The name behind that title was Zhang Xin.
They added coldly:
"The Empress may only be buried after Lord Dong reads this letter."
Zhang Xin's Warning
When Dong Zhuo received the letter and opened it, his expression changed.
Zhang Xin wrote bluntly:
I know you're short of money.I know you intend to rob my elder brother's tomb.Do not do it.
He made it even clearer:
If Dong Zhuo dared to desecrate the tomb, Zhang Xin would ally with the factional officials and wage war against him.
Then came the twist—
Instead of pure threat, Zhang Xin offered an alternative:
"If you need money, take valuables from my residence in Luoyang."
And finally, a line both absurd and chilling:
"We're family. Don't touch my brother—or I'll beat you."
Shock and Calculation
Dong Zhuo was shaken.
Guessing he lacked money—that was understandable.
But guessing he intended to rob an imperial tomb?
That was terrifying.
For a moment, anger surged.
I command 100,000 troops—and he dares threaten me?
But the anger quickly cooled.
Dong Zhuo understood something crucial:
He did not truly control Luoyang.
The officials opposed him. If Zhang Xin marched, they would support him from within.
Starting a conflict now would be disastrous.
Then another thought struck him—
If Zhang Xin's mansion had wealth… then so did the mansions of every noble in Luoyang.
Why rob a tomb and provoke a powerful rival…
…when he could plunder the living?
Dong Zhuo slapped his thigh.
"Brilliant!"
Turning on the Nobles
He immediately reversed his orders:
Officials were now required to attend the burial. The tomb remained untouched.
But the next day—
Dong Zhuo lifted military discipline.
His soldiers flooded into Luoyang's noble estates.
They looted wealth, seized property, and violated households without restraint.
Luoyang, once the heart of the empire, became a city of terror.
The wealthy were stripped bare. The common people trembled.
Officials, already unwilling to cooperate, now withdrew even further.
Governance collapsed.
Power Without Control
Seeing no improvement, Dong Zhuo tightened his grip:
He made himself Chancellor. He gained privileges: no bowing in court, wearing swords in the palace. He promoted factional elites like Han Fu, Liu Dai, and Kong Zhou.
It was a strategy of carrot and stick.
But it failed.
The scholar-official class still refused to truly serve him.
Enraged, Dong Zhuo turned to terror:
Any slight offense meant execution.
Fear gripped the court.
Descent into Chaos
At night, Dong Zhuo remained in the palace.
His conduct grew increasingly depraved—violating palace women and princesses alike.
Discipline eroded.
Soldiers indulged in excess.
Officials stopped functioning altogether.
And thus—
Luoyang descended fully into chaos.