Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Those eunuchs were all shrewd and calculating; they could sense impending doom just by smelling the danger.

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Duan Gui, these old foxes, haven't been sleeping well these past two days, and they keep dreaming that they have knives riding on their necks in the middle of the night.

"We're doomed! That pig-slaughtering He Jin is really going to wipe out our entire family!" Zhang Rang paced anxiously. "We're doomed! We might as well... strike first!"

"How can we make a move?" Duan Gui's face turned deathly pale. "The palace is surrounded by He Jin's soldiers, and we're just a bunch of old bones..."

Zhang Rang had been in the palace for decades; what storms hadn't he weathered? He escaped when Dou Wu killed the eunuchs.

Cao Jie killed Dou Wu; he chose the right side.

When the late emperor was on the throne, he served him perfectly.

I never imagined that I would be driven to this point by He Jin, that pig butcher, when I'm old!

Zhang Rang paced around the room a few times, when suddenly an idea struck him!

Isn't his daughter-in-law Empress Dowager He's younger sister? Why not take advantage of that connection!

Then, Zhang Rang revealed a sly smile and said, "A direct confrontation won't work; we have to resort to underhanded tactics."

Zhang Rang ran to his son's house, and as soon as he entered, he saw his daughter-in-law embroidering.

Since the daughter-in-law married into the Zhang family, she has been related to both sides and communicates with both.

Without saying a word, Zhang Rang lifted his robe and, with a "thump," knelt down on both knees, straight in front of his daughter-in-law!

The daughter-in-law was so frightened that she pricked her hand with the needle: "Father-in-law! What are you doing?!"

Zhang Rang didn't care about any of that and started kowtowing loudly, his forehead hitting the floor tiles with a resounding thud.

"Daughter-in-law!" He grabbed his daughter-in-law's leg, tears streaming down his face, snot almost dripping down his chin, his voice filled with sorrow, "I, Zhang Rang, am guilty, I deserve to die a thousand deaths. I should have gone back to my hometown with you to farm and live out my remaining years... But... but my family has received the Emperor's favor for generations, serving the late Emperor for over twenty years. I really can't bear to leave these palaces! I have no other request, I only ask to be able to enter the palace one more day to serve the Empress Dowager one last time, to kowtow to the late Emperor's memorial tablet, and even if I die, I can close my eyes in peace!"

This acting skill would definitely be Oscar-worthy in modern times!

The tears came so suddenly, like a tap being turned on, he cried his heart out, and anyone who didn't know better would have thought that He Jin had killed his entire family.

The daughter-in-law was young and had never seen anything like this before.

She immediately softened, her eyes reddened, and she helped Zhang Rang up, saying, "Father-in-law, please don't do this... I'll go tell Mother."

Turning around, the daughter-in-law told Lord Wuyang everything about it.

Lord Wuyang was easily swayed, after all, he had received half a lifetime of favors from Zhang Rang. As he listened, his eyes reddened: "This old eunuch... he is indeed a loyal servant..."

He immediately went to the palace and, to his daughter He Lian, exaggerated and exaggerated the situation:

"Your Majesty, Zhang made them cry their eyes out, saying they were willing to give up all their wealth to atone for their sins, just to be able to come back and serve you for one more day... Look, they're quite pitiful, but it's better than replacing them with a bunch of unknown officials, isn't it? What if those officials have dirty hands..."

As He Lian listened, her heart softened again.

To put it nicely, she's sentimental; to put it bluntly, she's forgetful.

She had just been scared half to death by Zhang Rang and his men, but after a few kind words and a few tears from them, she forgot how she had been forced to give in in the first place.

"Enough, enough..." Empress Dowager He sighed. "Although Zhang and his men have made some mistakes, they have served the late emperor for many years. Even if they haven't made any great contributions, they have certainly put in a lot of hard work. Since they know they were wrong, then... let them come back."

Therefore, an imperial edict was issued: all eunuchs and palace attendants were to return to the palace to be on duty!

The jackals we just chased away have been brought back by our own hands.

What does it mean to be utterly courting death? This is what it means to be utterly courting death.

...

When He Jin heard that the Empress Dowager had recalled the eunuchs, he was so angry that he slapped his thigh and cried out, "Sister! You're trying to get your brother killed!"

But the Empress Dowager is the Empress Dowager. He is indeed a Grand General, but she is also his sister. However, his sister is now the mother of the nation, and he dares not directly oppose her.

After thinking it over, He Jin decided to go and talk to He Lian face to face again.

In late August, on this sweltering day, He Jin, dressed neatly, entered Chang Le Palace.

Upon seeing He Lian, he cut to the chase: "Empress Dowager, why have you summoned those eunuchs back again? These people are wreaking havoc on the court; they must be killed to appease public anger! You should immediately issue an edict to kill all the eunuchs in charge of the court!"

He Lian was drinking tea when she heard this, and she slammed her teacup heavily on the table.

"Brother, didn't I already say it's not allowed?"

"Your Majesty, you don't understand, these people..."

"I don't understand?" He Lian raised an eyebrow. "Am I the Empress Dowager or are you? Eunuchs are my people; whether they live or die is up to me!"

He Jin wanted to persuade her further, but Empress Dowager He waved her hand dismissively, saying, "Alright, alright, I'm tired. You may leave."

He Jin was rebuffed and withdrew in frustration.

During this time, the curtain behind He Jin moved slightly.

He didn't see it.

He Lian didn't notice either.

But behind the curtain, two people were hiding.

Zhang Rang and Duan Gui.

The two eunuchs were originally on duty in the palace, but when they heard that He Jin had come in, they instinctively hid.

As a result of this dodge, he overheard He Jin's murderous words...

"Kill all the eunuchs who serve as personal attendants!"

Zhang Rang and Duan Gui exchanged a glance, their pupils dilating simultaneously.

It’s over.

He Jin really wants to kill us.

This isn't intimidation, this isn't negotiation, this is a real killing!

The two of them crept out from behind the curtain, barely daring to breathe.

I ran all the way to the side hall, my legs trembling.

Zhang Rang gritted his teeth, lowered his voice, and exchanged a glance with Duan Gui: "We're finished. He Jin really wants us dead. The incident of Dou Wu killing the eunuchs is going to happen again!"

Duan Gui's face turned pale as he asked, "Then... what should we do?"

Zhang Rang took a deep breath, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "If he doesn't want us to live, then he shouldn't live either! Strike first, attack!"

With a wave of his hand, Duan Gui understood immediately and called upon dozens of loyal followers to pull out short knives and daggers from their sleeves, boots, and bosoms. Under the cover of night, they silently made their way to the corner of the palace gate.

He Jin swaggered to the palace gate, and just as he was about to step out, a eunuch chased after him from behind: "General! The Empress Dowager has issued an edict, requesting you to return again to discuss important matters!"

He Jin didn't suspect a thing; his sense of conspiracy was duller than a pig's sense of poison.

The Empress Dowager didn't agree to kill the eunuchs earlier, probably because there were too many people present. Now she's summoning them alone, so she probably wants to give them instructions privately.

"Oh? Does the Empress Dowager have something else to say?" Caught off guard, he cheerfully followed the eunuch and stepped into the small side door next to the Jiade Hall.

The door behind me creaked shut.

He Jin looked up and, good heavens! Zhang Rang, Duan Gui, Qu Mu... dozens of eunuchs surrounded him, their knives gleaming coldly in the candlelight.