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The next morning, the atmosphere in the court was heavy. He Jin was appointed as the Minister of Personnel, further increasing his power. The officials accompanying him dared not speak much, only bowing their heads to congratulate him. Meanwhile, the eunuchs who had been promoted, such as Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, were smugly exchanging whispers, their eyes filled with scheming.
At this moment, Empress Dong was gathering her trusted confidants, including Zhang Rang, in the inner palace for a secret discussion. A hint of unease and resentment flickered across her face as she addressed them in a low voice: "In the past, I supported the He family, which has led to our current position. Now the He family wields too much power; with He Jin commanding the military and a son of the He family ascending the throne, their influence permeates the court. What should I do?"
Zhang Rang stepped forward with a bow, his tone obsequious: "Your Majesty need not worry; there are solutions to every problem. You only need to oversee governance from behind the curtain and regain control of the situation to counterbalance the He family. Furthermore, Prince Liu Xie is benevolent and wise; if you confer upon him the title of King of Chenliu, it will solidify our foundation. Additionally, if we promote Uncle Dong Zhong to General of Agile Cavalry and grant him military authority while employing loyal ministers like us, great things can be achieved."
Empress Dong pondered for a moment before finally breaking into a smile: "This plan is excellent! If we can stabilize the situation, I will certainly reward you well."
The following day, during court proceedings, Empress Dong presided over matters from behind a curtain and issued decrees promoting Liu Xie to King of Chenliu and Dong Zhong to General of Agile Cavalry. Zhang Rang and other eunuchs were once again summoned into governance, and this subtle shift in power immediately alarmed the He family.
When news reached Empress He's ears, she let out a cold laugh. Her expression remained calm, but it could not hide the fury in her brows. She ordered a banquet in the palace to entertain Empress Dong, intending to probe her intentions. As music played softly and jade cups clinked with clear sounds, Empress He raised her cup and stood up with an air of humility: "Sister, as women, we should not interfere in state affairs. In ancient times, Empress Lü wielded power but ultimately led her clan to ruin. If we remain secluded in the palace and allow court officials to manage state matters on their own, it would be for the betterment of our country."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dong's expression darkened immediately. She coldly set down her cup and replied with scorn: "A daughter of the He family speaks of not meddling in politics while having poisoned Consort Wang out of jealousy. Today you still rely on your son and brother to lecture me; is that not overly presumptuous?"
Empress He could no longer contain her anger at such disrespectful words and retorted sharply: "I offered you friendly advice, yet you respond with such rudeness! With Dong Zhong commanding troops and Zhang Rang wielding power behind the scenes, do you really intend to defy fate?"
Empress Dong slammed her hand on the table and laughed coldly: "I rely on loyal ministers and virtuous scholars; your He family is nothing but a bunch of butcher’s offspring—what right do you have to dictate state affairs?"
The two empresses exchanged sharp words, causing an immediate chill in the banquet atmosphere. Zhang Rang and others hurriedly stepped forward to mediate, assisting both empresses back to their respective palaces. However, beneath it all, mutual animosity had already begun to brew between them, heightening tensions further.
After returning to her palace that night, Empress He summoned He Jin urgently and recounted Empress Dong's words and actions during the banquet with palpable anger: "General, they have shown their claws; if we do not take preemptive action soon, disaster will surely follow!"
He Jin clenched his fists in agreement and immediately called for his trusted ministers to discuss strategies. The next day during morning court sessions, he proposed that officials submit memorials stating: "Empress Dong was originally a consort; it is inappropriate for her to meddle in state affairs from deep within the palace. She should be relocated to Hejian to distance her from court matters for the stability of our nation."
He Jin immediately ordered the transportation of Empress Dong and secretly mobilized the Imperial Guards to surround Dong Zhong's residence, seeking to reclaim military authority and seals. At this moment, Dong Zhong learned of the news and felt powerless. Dressed in military attire, he sat in the back hall, his face pale, gripping his sword, and sighed, "The situation is lost; how could the the Dong Family end up like this!" With that, he drew his sword and took his own life, blood staining the ground.
The family members within the residence were overwhelmed with grief upon hearing the news, and the Imperial Guards confirmed Dong Zhong's death before withdrawing their forces.
Zhang Rang, Duan Gui, and others saw that Empress Dong's faction had been destroyed and immediately changed their strategy. They used gold, jewels, and precious items as bait to befriend He Jin's brother He Qu and their mother Wu Yang Jun, flattering them day and night to gradually dissipate He Jin's wariness towards the eunuchs. The Ten Eunuchs regained their influence, appearing submissive while secretly plotting a more significant counterattack.
In June, the night sky over Hejian Posthouse was thick with clouds, and a few crows' mournful cries broke the silence. Outside the posthouse, several spies cloaked in black anxiously waited, their eyes flickering as they occasionally glanced back at the building. They had received secret orders from He Jin and had delivered poisoned wine into Empress Dong's hands.
Inside the posthouse, Empress Dong sat cross-legged at a table, her tea cup still in hand. As the candlelight flickered, her gaze was cold; she was not oblivious to her surroundings. She quietly asked a nearby maid, "Where did this wine come from?" The maid hesitated, unable to meet her eyes, and finally knelt down in tears, saying, "Your Majesty... it is General He's secret intention."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dong set down her tea cup with a cold smile forming at the corners of her mouth. Her tone was chilling: "I supported the He family to this point; today I am treated like this by these butcher families!" She closed her eyes for a moment as if suppressing her anger before breaking into a smile again. Raising the poisoned wine cup, she whispered, "If the world is like this, then let it accompany my life." With that, she drank it all in one go.
The next day, Empress Dong passed away. Her coffin was sent back to the capital for burial in Wen Ling. He Jin claimed illness and stayed hidden in his residence, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Although events had transpired as they did, he remained anxious deep within.
A few days later, Colonel Yuan Shao entered He Jin's residence without hesitation and barged into his study. Seeing He Jin deep in thought with an unfinished wine jug on the table, Yuan Shao's gaze was sharp as he stated directly: "General, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui have been spreading rumors that you poisoned Empress Dong with malicious intent. If this matter continues to drag on, disaster will be unavoidable. If you do not take this opportunity to eliminate the eunuchs today, future troubles will be endless!"
He Jin frowned as he set down the wine jug and spoke in a low voice: "Yuan Benchu, if it were so simple, would I hesitate? However... the Empress has repeatedly obstructed me; there are many constraints within the court."
Yuan Shao impatiently stepped forward and pressed his hands on the table with urgency: "Do you remember Dou Wu? Back then Dou Wu wanted to eliminate the eunuchs but was thwarted due to insufficient planning and ended up perishing along with his entire clan. Today you control the military forces in the capital; your brothers are all elite troops. With just a command, the eunuchs will surely meet their end! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; if missed, there will be no turning back!"
He Jin looked up at Yuan Shao; a flicker of wavering crossed his expression but he still replied softly: "This matter is not trivial; we must deliberate further."
Hearing this, Yuan Shao gritted his teeth in frustration and left angrily. At that moment, however, He Jin's spies conveyed this information to Zhang Rang’s ears.
Upon receiving the news, Zhang Rang's face showed a hint of panic as he immediately summoned the Ten Eunuchs for a secret meeting. Duan Gui frowned and said, "If the Grand General is determined, how can we protect ourselves?" A glint of cunning flashed in Zhang Rang's eyes as he sneered, "He Jin is indecisive; he may not truly dare to take action. Rather than waiting for our doom, it would be better to strike first."
The next day, Zhang Rang sent someone with lavish gifts to secretly visit He Jin's brother, He Miao, in an effort to ingratiate himself. He Miao, greedy for wealth and profit, was overjoyed to see chests overflowing with gold and jewels. He quickly spoke on behalf of the Ten Eunuchs to He Jin: "The Grand General currently holds the highest position under heaven and should implement benevolent governance to soothe the hearts of the people. Yet now, instead of showing mercy, he continues to kill indiscriminately and intends to act against the eunuchs. Such actions will surely throw the world into chaos; I urge you to reconsider, Your Highness."
He Jin listened intently, his brow furrowing as he murmured to himself, "When my father was alive, the eunuchs were pivotal within the palace; how could one simply remove them? This course of action seems too extreme."
That day, He Jin entered the palace to meet with He Miao and proposed a plan to eliminate the eunuchs. He Miao coldly rejected him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "The eunuchs oversee the imperial treasury; this is a long-standing tradition of the Han. The nation is still in mourning; how can you contemplate executing former ministers? This is not the way to honor our ancestors or protect our state."
Upon hearing this, He Jin displayed an awkward expression as he clasped his hands and withdrew, feeling increasingly conflicted inside.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shao was waiting outside the residence. Upon seeing He Jin emerge, he hurriedly approached and asked, "Has anything been accomplished?"
He Jin sighed deeply and replied in a low voice, "The Empress Dowager does not permit it; it is difficult to proceed."
Yuan Shao's eyes widened in anger as he retorted, "If the Grand General continues to be so indecisive, he will bring about his own downfall! If the Empress Dowager does not agree, why not summon heroes from all corners to gather troops in the capital and force her hand? The situation is urgent; we cannot delay any longer!"
He Jin furrowed his brow deeply and pondered for a long time before finally nodding. "This plan is excellent! Immediately issue a proclamation summoning troops from all regions to come to the capital." Hearing this, Yuan Shao smiled faintly and turned to leave quickly, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
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