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As Liu Bei and his companions began their wandering, the Eastern Han Dynasty grew increasingly precarious. In the court, the Ten Eunuchs held power, with Zhao Zhong and Zhang Rang colluding with one another, seeking to eliminate anyone who opposed them. They dispatched agents to various regions, demanding gold and silk from t General He s fighting against the Yellow Turbans; those who refused were stripped of their official positions. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun were both impeached and dismissed for refusing to engage in bribery, reduced to idleness. In contrast, Zhao Zhong and others were appointed as General of Cavalry, while Zhang Rang and thirteen others were made marquises, leaving the officials in the court too afraid to voice their anger.
The people lamented in despair as bandits rose amid the chaos. Qu Xing from Changsha, along with Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun from Yu Yang, rebelled one after another; Zhang Ju even proclaimed himself emperor, while Zhang Chun declared himself a great general. Urgent reports flooded into the capital but were concealed by the Ten Eunuchs, who delayed presenting them.
One day, Emperor Ling was feasting in the rear garden with the Ten Eunuchs, enjoying music and dance. Suddenly, the advisor Liu Tao burst in, disheveled and filled with grief. He knelt before Emperor Ling and cried out loudly, "Your Majesty, a great calamity is upon the world, yet you revel with these eunuchs! It is truly heartbreaking!"
Emperor Ling was taken aback, setting down his wine cup and frowning as he asked, "What do you mean that there are urgent matters concerning the realm?"
Liu Tao replied sorrowfully, "Bandits are rising from all directions; provinces are falling; the people are displaced and suffering. All of this is due to the Ten Eunuchs selling offices and deceiving both the people and the emperor. The loyal officials of the court have been nearly eliminated. If Your Majesty does not clear your inner circle soon, disaster will surely follow!"
Seeing this, the Ten Eunuchs all knelt down, removing their hats and weeping profusely. "Your Majesty," they said, "we have no achievements to our name; we only serve at your side out of your grace. Now we are falsely accused! We are willing to resign our posts and return to our fields, offering all our wealth as military supplies—just asking for our lives!"
Emperor Ling felt pity at their pleas but turned angrily to Liu Tao: "You are also a minister of the court; how can you not tolerate those close to me? You clearly harbor ill intentions!" He then ordered soldiers to drag Liu Tao out for execution. As Liu Tao was pulled away, he cried out to the heavens: "My death is of no concern! But what a pity it is that the Han Dynasty's four hundred years of foundation will be destroyed today!"
At the execution ground, just as the soldiers were about to carry out their orders, a voice rang out: "Stop! Let me enter the palace to advise!" Everyone turned to see Chen Dan, the Minister of Works. He hurried into the palace and faced Emperor Ling directly on his knees: "Though Liu Tao's words are harsh, they are all true. Why does Your Majesty seek to punish him?"
Emperor Ling coldly replied, "He dares slander my close attendants without cause!"
Chen Dan sighed deeply: "Your Majesty, do you know that the common people wish nothing more than to devour the flesh of these Ten Eunuchs? They possess neither virtue nor merit yet are made marquises; some even collude with the Yellow Turbans to incite internal strife. If Your Majesty does not reflect on this, the state will surely collapse!"
Emperor Ling retorted angrily: "There is no evidence that Feng Xie has colluded with the Yellow Turbans; how can I unjustly accuse him? Among these Ten Eunuchs, is there truly not one or two loyal ministers?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Dan prostrated himself until his forehead bled and lamented: "The world is on the brink of destruction, yet Your Majesty remains so stubborn!" Enraged beyond measure, Emperor Ling ordered Chen Dan to be imprisoned as well. That night, the Ten Eunuchs secretly sent someone to poison Liu Tao and Chen Dan in prison before suggesting that Emperor Ling appoint Sun Jian as Governor of Changsha to suppress Qu Xing.
Sun Jian quickly quelled the rebellion in Jiang Xia, bringing great joy to the court, which conferred upon him the title of Marquis of Wucheng. At the same time, Liu Yu was appointed as the Youzhou Prefect and led an army to suppress Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun. Liu Yu summoned Liu Bei to assist, and upon meeting, they were overjoyed. Liu Bei was appointed as Commandant and marched with the troops directly towards the bandits' lair.
Zhang Chun was cruel and tyrannical, ruling his troops with an iron fist. After a prolonged battle with no success, discontent grew among his soldiers. One night, a leader under Zhang Chun assassinated him and presented his head to Liu Yu, leading his men to surrender. Seeing the tide had turned against him, Zhang Ju took his own life, and the rebellion in Yu Yang was quelled. Liu Yu reported Liu Bei's contributions to the court, which pardoned him for the punishment of Supervisor and appointed him as a minor official. Soon after, he was promoted to Chief of the High Hall.
Hearing this news, Gongsun Zan once again recommended Liu Bei to the court, which appointed him as Adjutant of a Separate Unit, commanding Pingyuan County. Upon taking office, Liu Bei reorganized his old troops, gathered supplies, and his military strength grew day by day, enhancing his reputation.
As night fell, Luoyang was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere. The palace lights flickered, casting ghostly shadows on the walls, while a faint scent of blood lingered in the cold wind. The news of Emperor Ling's death had not yet been made public, but within the palace, dark currents surged with murderous intent.
He Jin sat in the main hall of his residence, his expression grim as he gripped his wine cup tightly. The officials before him bowed their heads in silence; the atmosphere was stifling. Suddenly, Sima Pan entered with a pale face and trembling voice, reporting, "General, Emperor Ling has passed away. Jian Shuo is conspiring with the Ten Eunuchs to forge an edict to summon you into the palace for harm!"
This news struck like thunder. He Jin slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, "What a pack of treacherous eunuchs! How dare they be so audacious!" He rose abruptly, his gaze fierce as he swept over the officials present. "Gentlemen, this matter is a matter of life and death! If we do not take action first, we will all perish at their hands!"
The officials exchanged glances in silence for a moment until one person stood up with determination and said solemnly, "General, the eunuchs have caused chaos for too long. If we do not eliminate them today, they will become a great threat in the future. I am willing to borrow five thousand troops to enter the palace and slay these traitors!" This man wore military attire and carried a sword at his waist; his voice was powerful—it was Colonel Yuan Shao.
He Jin's eyes lit up as he nodded and said, "Benchu's words are exactly what I mean! I hereby appoint you to lead five thousand Imperial Guards into the palace to purge the traitors." He turned to look at the other officials with an edge in his tone. "Gentlemen, the rise and fall of our nation rests upon this moment! Who among you is willing to join me in this perilous endeavor?"
Everyone nodded in agreement; however, one person seated at the end suddenly stood up and slowly walked into the hall. He was not tall but had piercing eyes and steady steps that drew everyone's attention. This man was Colonel Cao Cao. He clasped his fists in salute and spoke in a low yet clear tone: "General, the eunuchs are deeply entrenched; they have spies both inside and outside the court. If we act without caution, we risk backlash. While it is crucial to eliminate them, if handled improperly, it could lead to disaster for our families."
At these words, silence fell over the hall. Yuan Shao scoffed coldly and said sharply: "Cao Mengde, are you so cowardly? If we do not cut them down today while we have the chance, that would truly be a disaster for our families!"
Cao Cao met Yuan Shao's gaze fearlessly and replied calmly: "Benchu, if we act solely out of anger at this moment, it will plunge the entire court into chaos. To eliminate traitors requires careful planning rather than reckless bravery."
He Jin furrowed his brow tightly and waved his hand angrily: "Mengde! You are just a minor Colonel; how dare you dictate matters of state? This decision has been made; there is no need for further discussion!"
Cao Cao heard this and smiled faintly, retreating to the end of the hall, but softly said, "I hope t General He can foresee events as if by divine insight."
Not long after, Yuan Shao led five thousand Imperial Guards straight into the palace, supporting Emperor Ling's coffin and proclaiming Crown Prince Liu Bian as emperor, with all officials kneeling in reverence. Yuan Shao then commanded his troops to search for Jian Shuo, causing the palace to tremble as if facing a great enemy.
Upon hearing of the upheaval, Jian Shuo fled in panic but was killed by the Chief Eunuch Guo Sheng. With their commander lost, the Imperial Guards quickly disbanded and surrendered to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao, exuding a chilling aura, surveyed the palace and coldly said to He Jin, "The eunuchs have caused chaos for too long; today we must take advantage of this opportunity to eradicate them completely and eliminate any future threats!"
He Jin pondered for a moment but showed hesitation, waving his hand and saying, "Jian Shuo has been dealt with; the remaining eunuchs have no intention of rebellion and need not be exterminated."
Yuan Shao's brows furrowed tightly at these words, his tone becoming sharper. "General, this is akin to letting a tiger return to the mountain! If we do not eliminate them today, they will become a source of trouble tomorrow!"
Zhang Rang and the other Ten Eunuchs, upon hearing of Jian Shuo's demise, fell to their knees before Empress He in panic, pleading for mercy. "Your Highness, we once assisted His Majesty and thus gained today's wealth. Jian Shuo's schemes have nothing to do with us! T General He listens to Yuan Shao's words and wishes to exterminate our families; we implore you to show compassion!"
Empress He was moved by their plight and secretly summoned He Jin into the palace to inform him of the situation. She took He Jin's hand earnestly and said, "General, I come from humble beginnings; without support from Zhang Rang and others, how could we enjoy such glory today? Jian Shuo is dead; why must we pursue the rest of the eunuchs to their end?"
After a long period of contemplation, He Jin finally returned among the officials and declared loudly, "Those eunuchs who caused chaos—Jian Shuo has been dealt with; there is no need to pursue the others. Do not act rashly!"
Yuan Shao's face darkened with anger as he coldly replied, "If we do not take this opportunity to eradicate them completely today, future troubles will be endless." However, He Jin firmly stated, "My decision is made; I ask you all not to speak further!" Reluctantly, Yuan Shao left in frustration.
The next day, Empress He hosted a banquet to appease the officials while Empress Dong secretly plotted to elevate Prince Liu Xie as King of Chenliu and promoted Dong Zhong as General of Agile Cavalry, further intensifying conflicts within the court.
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