My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

In the sixth year of Zhongping, in June.

Early summer in Luoyang should be a time of blooming flowers and shady willows.

However, at this moment, Luoyang was shrouded in an invisible gloom.

After the Dong family, relatives of the empress, were eliminated, the balance of power completely shifted to General He Jin and Grand Tutor Yuan Wei.

But everyone knows that this balance is temporary.

Because there is still a group of people who still wield enormous power and occupy the core of the empire.

eunuch.

West Garden, the residence of the Upper Army Commandant.

Inside the secret room, the candlelight flickered.

Jian Shuo sat in the main seat, his face gloomy.

The head eunuch to whom Emperor Ling entrusted important matters before his death had eyes that gleamed with a fanatical light.

At the lower end sat the remaining eleven eunuchs: Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Duan Gui, Bi Lan, Song Dian, Xia Yun, Guo Sheng, Sun Zhang, Li Song, Gao Wang, Zhang Gong, and Han Kui.

Which of these people wasn't once incredibly powerful?

Which one of them wasn't incredibly wealthy, with students and friends all over the world?

But now, they are all on tenterhooks.

"Gentlemen!"

Jian Shuo spoke, his voice hoarse: "He Jin's knife is already at our throats."

The room was deathly silent.

Zhang Rang twirled the prayer beads in his hand, slightly raising his eyelids: "Lord Jian, why go to such lengths? Although the Grand General holds power, the Empress Dowager is still alive. We have served her for many years, so there must be some bond between us..."

"Affection?" Jian Shuo sneered.

"Empress Dowager Dong was His Majesty's birth mother! Didn't she also 'die of worry and fear'? He Jin could even force Dong Ren to his death, let alone us eunuchs?"

He looked around at everyone and said, word by word, "What He Jin wants is to seize absolute power. Now that the imperial relatives have been eliminated, it's our turn next. Do you gentlemen really think that handing over power and retiring to your hometowns will save your lives?"

Zhao Zhong sighed, "What can we do? Although the Western Garden Army is in Jian Gong's hands, He Jin controls the five schools of the Northern Army, the Tiger Guard and the Feathered Forest Guard, and has the support of powerful families like Yuan Wei. If things really come to a head..."

"So we must catch them off guard!" Jian Shuo slammed his hand on the table.

"He Jin is now complacent and thinks that the overall situation is settled. He will surely relax his defenses. We still have four of the eight colonels of the Western Garden. I am in charge of the Upper Army, Zhao Gong is in charge of the Right Assistant Colonel, Xia Gong is in charge of the Left Colonel, and Guo Gong is in charge of the Army Commander."

He stood up, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "As long as we unite, summon He Jin to the palace in the name of the Empress Dowager, ambush him in front of the Jiade Hall, and kill this villain in one fell swoop! Then we will support the Empress Dowager to rule the court, eliminate He Jin's cronies, and this world will still be ours!"

These words sounded menacing.

But few people responded inside the sealed room.

Duan Gui frowned: "Lord Jian, this matter is of utmost importance. What if we make a mistake..."

"There's no room for 'what if'!" Jian Shuo said sternly.

"It's either success or death! Do you gentlemen think that waiting for He Jin to make a move will save your lives?"

He looked at Guo Sheng, who had remained silent, and asked, "Master Guo, what do you say?"

Guo Sheng raised his head, a smile spreading across his face: "What Jian Gong said is very true. If He Jin is not eliminated, we will all die sooner or later. I, Guo, am willing to follow in his footsteps."

Jian Shuo nodded in satisfaction.

He then looked at the other people.

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and the others exchanged glances and finally nodded slowly.

"Good!" A fervent glint flashed in Jian Shuo's eyes.

"Then let's..."

Before he could finish speaking, Guo Sheng suddenly stood up: "Lord Jian, this matter still needs careful planning. I suddenly remembered that we might be able to win over Cao Cao, the Commandant of the Imperial Guards. He is not of one mind with He Jin, and he also has a past relationship with Ji Xuanyuan. If we can persuade him..."

Jian Shuo frowned: "Cao Cao? This man cannot be trusted."

"I, Guo, am willing to test the waters," Guo Sheng said, bowing.

"If it succeeds, we'll have a better chance of winning; if it fails, we'll suffer no loss."

Jian Shuo pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Very well, Lord Guo, please be careful."

Guo Sheng took his leave.

As soon as he stepped out of the secret room, his face darkened instantly.

Upon returning to his residence, Guo Sheng immediately summoned his trusted aides: "Prepare the carriage; we're going to the General's residence."

"Father-in-law, this..." The confidant was taken aback.

"Go now!" Guo Sheng roared.

"No matter how late it is, we'll all be buried with Jian Shuo!"

The General's Mansion.

Upon hearing Guo Sheng's secret report, He Jin was first taken aback, then burst into laughter: "That eunuch dog Jian Shuo dares to plot against this general?"

Guo Sheng knelt on the ground and flattered, "The Great General is blessed with boundless good fortune and divine protection. Jian Shuo's tricks are nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

He Jin's smile vanished, and a murderous glint flashed in his eyes: "I will remember your merit today, Lord Guo. Rest assured, I will not fail you once Jian Shuo is eliminated."

"Thank you, General!" Guo Sheng kowtowed repeatedly.

That night.

The Xiyuan Army was suddenly mobilized.

Colonel Jian Shuo of the Upper Army died suddenly from an illness.

When the body was discovered, it was bleeding from all seven orifices, clearly indicating poisoning.

In the Xiyuan Army, the generals of Jian Shuo's faction were all purged.

He Jin regained control of the Xiyuan Army without bloodshed.

However, the matter did not end there.

"General, although Jian Shuo is dead, the other eunuchs are still alive." Yuan Shao stood in front of He Jin, his expression impassioned.

"Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and others served Emperor Ling, wreaking havoc on the court, selling official positions and titles. The people of the world hate them to the bone. We should seize this opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop!"

He paused, then added, "In this way, the General will not only completely clear away the obstacles, but will also gain the reputation of 'eliminating harm for the world,' further enhancing his prestige!"

He Jin hesitated for a moment: "But what about the Empress Dowager..."

"The Empress Dowager lives deep within the palace and is unaware of external affairs," Yuan Shao said.

"As long as the Grand General uses the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials and rectifying the administration,' why would the Empress Dowager object?"

He Jin was tempted.

However, when he entered the palace to meet Empress Dowager He, he was met with strong opposition.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Empress Dowager He's voice, tinged with anger, came from behind the beaded curtain.

"Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and others served the late emperor for many years; even if they didn't achieve great merit, they certainly deserve credit for their hard work. You've already executed Jian Shuo; isn't that enough?"

"Your Majesty, these eunuchs are bringing disaster to the country and its people..."

"Enough!" Empress Dowager He interrupted him.

"I know what you're thinking. The Dong family, the powerful maternal relatives, has just been eliminated, and you're already in a hurry to eliminate the eunuchs. Is your next step to sideline me and seize power for yourself?"

Her voice turned cold: "Yuan Shao suffered heavy losses and lost face during his pursuit of Ji Xuanyuan last time. Does such a person deserve to participate in politics? Brother, don't let yourself be used as a pawn!"

He Jin's face was grim, but he dared not contradict him.

After all, he owes his success to his younger sister.

When the news reached them, Yuan Shao was furious and his face turned ashen.

"A woman's view! Utterly short-sighted!" He smashed a teacup in his house.

The strategist Feng Ji whispered, "Benchu, since the Empress Dowager disagrees, this matter is difficult to resolve. It would be better to endure it for now..."

"Endure?" Yuan Shao sneered.

"He Jin is indecisive, and the Empress Dowager is short-sighted. Once the eunuchs recover, they will surely turn around and bite us! At that time, we will both be dead without a burial place!"

His eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he suddenly said, "Since we can't act in Luoyang... let's borrow external forces!"

"external force?"

"Dong Zhuo," Yuan Shao said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Dong Zhuo commands a large army and has long been stationed on the frontier. If we summon him to the capital under the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials,' and execute the eunuchs, how dare the Empress Dowager stop us?"

Feng Ji was greatly alarmed: "Benchu, this plan is too risky! Dong Zhuo is a ruthless and cunning man. If we lure him into the capital, I fear..."

"I can't worry about that now!" Yuan Shao said, flicking his sleeve.

"It's better than sitting and waiting to die!"

Military Commandant's Office.

After hearing the scout's report, Cao Cao was first taken aback, then sneered.

"Yuan Shao has lost his mind from anger," he said, shaking his head at Xiahou Dun beside him.

"If you want to kill a eunuch, sending a prison guard would suffice. Why summon a general from outside the capital? Such a grand display will inevitably be exposed sooner or later."

Xiahou Dun frowned: "Mengde, if we really let Dong Zhuo enter the capital..."

"That would truly be like inviting a wolf into the house," Cao Cao sighed.

"Unfortunately, He Jin wouldn't listen to me."

really.

Several days later, the news was leaked.

When Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and other eunuchs learned that Yuan Shao intended to summon Dong Zhuo to the capital to kill them, they were terrified.

Everyone gathered at Zhang Rang's residence.

"What should we do? He Jin is trying to wipe us out completely!"

"That traitor Guo Sheng! He must have betrayed us again!"

"What's the use of saying all this now? Let's think of a solution!"

Amidst the chaos, Zhang Rang slowly spoke: "Gentlemen, do not panic, we... shall go and beg the Great General."

"Ask him?" Zhao Zhong was taken aback.

"He's going to kill us..."

"That was Yuan Shao's idea." Zhang Rang's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"He Jin is indecisive and easily swayed. If we go and apologize with thorns on our backs, weeping bitterly, there might still be a chance for a turnaround."

That afternoon.

An astonishing scene unfolded in front of the General's Mansion.

Eleven eunuchs, led by Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, removed their official robes, let their hair down, went barefoot, and knelt in front of the mansion carrying bundles of thorns on their backs.

"This guilty subject Zhang Rang (Zhao Zhong, Duan Gui...) requests an audience with the Grand General!"

"We, your humble servants, have committed wrongdoings in serving the late Emperor, and we humbly request the Grand General to punish us!"

The cries were deafening.

Inside the mansion, He Jin watched this scene, and his hesitation returned.

Yuan Shao urgently said, "General, this is a ruse by the eunuchs! We must not be soft-hearted! We should seize this opportunity to capture them all and execute them on the spot!"

He Jin hesitated: "But they have served the late emperor for many years after all..."

"General!"

Yuan Shao almost roared, "Hesitation leads to disaster!"

However, when He Jin looked at the old eunuchs crying miserably outside the door, and recalled the scenes of them serving Emperor Ling and the Empress Dowager in the past, he finally softened his heart.

He walked out of the mansion gate.

"Gentlemen, please rise," He Jin sighed.

"You gentlemen have served the late Emperor with great merit and hard work; how could I, this general, possibly exterminate you all?"

Zhang Rang and the others looked up, their eyes filled with tears.

He Jin continued, "As long as you all relinquish your power and retire to your hometowns, I can guarantee that you will enjoy your old age."

"Thank you, General! Thank you, General!" Zhang Rang and the others kowtowed repeatedly.

He Jin breathed a sigh of relief as he watched them leave with gratitude.

He felt that he had made the most benevolent and righteous decision he could.

However, Yuan Shao was furious.

"Fool! Fool!" he roared in the mansion.

"That butcher He Jin is utterly hopeless!"

His eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he suddenly said, "Guards! Bring me my seal!"

"Benchu, what are you going to do?" Fengji asked urgently.

"He Jin is soft-hearted, but I am not!" Yuan Shao gritted his teeth.

"He's too afraid to kill, so I'll kill for him!"

That night, dozens of secret letters were sent from Yuan Shao's residence to various prefectures and counties.

In the letter, written in the name of "General He Jin," he ordered officials in various regions to arrest all the family members of eunuchs and send them to the capital for questioning!

When the news reached them, Zhang Rang and the others were utterly devastated.

"He Jin has gone back on his word! This is an attempt to eliminate him completely!"

"Let's fight him!"

"Yes! Let's give it our all!"

Despair turned into madness.

August 10th.

Jiade Hall.

He Jin received an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, summoning him to the palace for a meeting.

Yuan Shao advised against it, saying, "General, entering the palace at this time might be a trap."

He Jin dismissed the matter: "The Empress Dowager summoned us; could there be any trickery involved? Besides, Zhang and his men have already relinquished power; what trouble could they possibly cause?"

He entered the palace with a small number of guards.

The area in front of the Jiade Hall was quiet and deserted.

Just as He Jin stepped onto the steps, the palace doors suddenly swung open!

Dozens of eunuchs, armed with sharp blades, rushed out of the palace!

The leaders were none other than Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong!

"He Jin! You treacherous and disloyal scoundrel!" Zhang Rang shouted.

"Today is your death day!"

He Jin's expression changed drastically: "You...you dare!"

"Kill!" Zhao Zhong gave the order.

The blade flashed.

He Jin didn't even have time to draw his sword before he was hacked down by a flurry of blows.

Blood stained the white jade steps in front of the Jiade Hall.

This once all-powerful general stared wide-eyed at the sky, only understanding at the very last moment.

I was really wrong.

The news of He Jin's murder spread like wildfire throughout Luoyang.

Yuan Shao reacted immediately.

"The eunuch murdered the Grand General! This is an outrage against Heaven!" He donned his armor, drew his sword, and led his troops into the palace.

"By order of the Grand General, exterminate the eunuchs! Leave no one alive!"

The slaughter began.

The Tiger Warriors, the Feathered Forest Army, and the five Northern Army Schools, under Yuan Shao's command, massacred the palace.

Any man without a beard shall be killed without exception.

Some young officials were mistakenly killed simply because they were fair-skinned and clean-shaven.

Screams echoed throughout the palace, and blood flowed like a river.

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and others kidnapped Emperor Shao (Liu Bian) and Prince Chenliu (Liu Xie), and fled in panic through the North Palace Gate.

Yuan Shao led his army in hot pursuit.

Amid the chaos, Cao Cao stood atop the city wall, gazing solemnly at the imperial palace ablaze with flames.

"Mengde, we..." Xiahou Dun hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Cao Cao shook his head: "Wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Waiting for someone." Cao Cao looked north.

He paused, then muttered to himself:

"The weather in Luoyang is really about to change."

"And the price of this upheaval..."

He looked at the flames soaring into the sky from the palace and sighed, "It will be a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood."

In the distance, on the western horizon.

Smoke and dust billowed.

Dong Zhuo, leading three thousand Xiliang cavalry, is traveling day and night towards Luoyang.

The jackals have arrived at the door.

Inside the gate, there was no one guarding it.

The final death knell of the Han Empire tolled that night.