The Three Great Han Dynasties: Awaken Liu Bei with a scolding; you weave mats and sell sandals.

Cao Cao was just a little pleased, thinking that the He family would be an asset to his foothold in Luoyang. But now it seems that they are not an asset at all, but rather a means to send him to the Yellow Springs.

In an instant, Cao Cao looked at the Seven Star Sword on the table again. It was no longer a sword that could cut through iron like mud; it was clearly a deadly blade meant to kill him, Cao Cao.

Thinking of Dian Wei, Xu Chu, and the others in the General's Mansion, each one a fierce warrior with the strength to lift a tripod and no one able to withstand ten thousand men, Cao Cao felt that at this moment, he was not much different from a dead man.

"Your Excellency, you may not know this, but the General's Mansion is filled with countless fierce generals, each with the strength of ten thousand men. It is a place where strategists are as numerous as clouds and warriors are as plentiful as rain."

Cao Cao swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "Otherwise, how could we have quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion that swept across the country in just a few months?"

On those battlefields.

They have subdued a considerable number of Yellow Turban rebels. Mengde alone could not possibly accomplish this. I implore Your Majesty to rescind your order.”

Despite Cao Cao's words, He Jin showed no sign of changing his mind.

After all, if Sun Jian, this future threat, isn't dealt with today, then it's likely that He Jin himself will be sent to the executioner's block tomorrow. "If it wasn't the assassination of this great general, but rather the assassin Sun Jian?"

He Jin spoke slowly, glancing at the outside of the side hall as he spoke.

Cao Cao followed his gaze and his heart tightened.

Before anyone knew it, hundreds of axemen had been lying in ambush outside the mansion, each clad in heavy armor, wielding sharp blades, and exuding a murderous aura.

At this point, he had already revealed the secret.

If Cao Cao still doesn't agree, then we can only apologize.

After all, the person who knows this secret must either be one of their own or be dead.

"Mengde, think it over carefully before you speak."

He Jin's voice was like a cold, venomous snake coiling around Cao Cao's neck.

This made Cao Cao swallow back the words of refusal that he was about to blurt out.

He couldn't help but glance at the executioners around him, and his heart skipped a beat. It seemed that at that moment, he felt utterly cold.

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency."

"I, Cao Mengde, will definitely return on my journey and bring good news to the Imperial Brother-in-law."

Cao Cao took a deep breath and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

He paused, then quickly added, "However, today, Mengde could ask the Imperial Uncle who else is going with us besides me? Otherwise, even if it's not to assassinate Liu Hong, but just to assassinate the assassins in his residence, it certainly won't be that easy."

When Cao Cao finally agreed, He Jin's gloomy face finally broke into a deep smile.

He burst into laughter: "Hahahaha. Indeed, no one understands my heart but Mengde."

"Of course we do. How could we let Mengde go alone?"

He Jin waved his hand and said loudly, "Guards, summon the generals inside."

"Oh? Then who exactly are these people? I hope Your Excellency will speak clearly, otherwise, I, Mengde, am truly filled with unease."

Cao Cao quickly pressed for more information.

"Mengde's bravery is known to everyone in Luoyang. In the past, his five-colored cudgel made the eunuchs of Luoyang cry for their fathers and mothers. Mengde was famous in Luoyang for a time."

He Jin smiled and flattered him, then shouted loudly, "Hurry up and come in!"

The next moment, several people filed into the main room.

Leading the group were the brothers Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, followed closely by Ding Yuan, the governor of Bing Province, and Dong Zhuo, the newly arrived prefect of Xiliang. Finally, his younger brother He Miao stepped through the threshold.

These people were basically all generals who had previously quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion in various places.

It must be said that He Jin's ability to gather all these people in one go is quite remarkable; an ordinary person would certainly not be able to do that.

"Brother Benchu, Brother Gonglu, and a few other brothers. You all actually came."

At this moment, Yuan Shao, with his back to He Jin, looked at the large group of people in front of him, and couldn't help but slowly raise the corners of his mouth.

As for He Miao, he should be the leader of this assassination operation.

However, Cao Cao didn't take him seriously.

If he were alone, he would probably have met a terrible end.

With so many people gathered together, it's impossible to know who will ultimately die.

Upon thinking of this, Cao Cao was overjoyed, truly delighted and ecstatic.

"Ha ha ha ha."

Seeing the bright smile on Cao Mengde's face, Yuan Shao secretly shook his head at him.

Immediately afterward, Cao Mengde's smile vanished.

He realized it instantly.

The time is not yet right. Even if Cao Cao realized something, he still had to put on a show here so that he could achieve great things.

Otherwise, the assassination attempt would not have even begun.

They were all exposed one by one. "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Our assassination of the Sun family members will be foolproof."

Yuan Shao stepped forward steadily, his eyes gleaming, and spoke loudly.

Not to be outdone, Yuan Shu behind him immediately chimed in, "Brother is absolutely right. We will certainly not fail the trust placed in us by the Imperial Uncle."

Immediately afterwards, Dong Zhuo, Ding Yuan, and their various fierce generals all made their own pronouncements.

"General, rest assured. We will do our utmost. Even if we fail to assassinate Liu Hong, we are already among the few capable of defeating him in Luoyang. We will certainly not disappoint you."

"General, we will surely achieve our goal and will not disappoint you."

A series of loud sounds rang out, making the roof beams seem to tremble slightly.

Seeing so many people standing on his side, He Jin felt reassured.

He waved his hand, then suddenly swung his fist, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Good. This kind of future trouble must be eliminated. Traitors must die."

"Yes, General."

The people in the main room answered in unison once again, their voices echoing throughout the room, as if everything would be resolved according to He Jin's wishes. They were going all out and doing everything they could.

Soon, everyone left the He residence.

The agreed-upon date for starting the operation is today, and it's no other day than this.

After all, Liu Hong was to bring the assassin Sun Jian to the imperial court early tomorrow morning to reveal the truth in front of all the civil and military officials. Naturally, he needed to hurry.

He Miao was still inside, continuing to discuss specific action plans with He Jin and his brother.

At this time.

Inside the courtyard of the He residence, at Yuan Shao's mere glance, the two generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou immediately spread out to the left and right to stand guard, ensuring that no one could hear their conversation.