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As Liu Bei and his companions began their wandering, the Eastern Han Dynasty grew increasingly precarious. In the imperial 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 the generals who had quelled 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, relegated to obscurity. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhong and his cohorts were appointed as Generals of Cavalry, while Zhang Rang and thirteen others were granted titles of nobility, leaving the officials too fearful to voice their anger.
Amidst this turmoil, cries of despair echoed throughout the land as bandits took advantage of the chaos. Qu Xing in Changsha, along with Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun from Yu Yang, rebelled in succession; 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 to the emperor.
One day, Emperor Ling was feasting with the Ten Eunuchs in the Rear Garden, reveling in music and dance. Suddenly, the advisor Liu Tao burst in, disheveled and filled with grief. He fell to his knees before Emperor Ling, weeping loudly: "Your Majesty, disaster looms over the realm while you indulge in merriment 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 by saying there are urgent matters concerning the realm?"
Liu Tao replied sorrowfully, "Bandits are rising everywhere; provinces are falling into enemy hands; the common people are displaced and suffering. All of this is due to the Ten Eunuchs selling offices for profit, harming the people and deceiving Your Majesty. The loyal officials have been nearly purged. If Your Majesty does not clear out those around you soon, calamity will be upon us!"
Seeing this unfold, the Ten Eunuchs fell to their knees, removing their hats and weeping: "Your Majesty, we have no merit of our own; we have only served you closely and received your favor. Now we are being falsely accused. We would willingly resign our posts and return to farming, offering all our wealth for military resources if only our lives could be spared!"
Emperor Ling's heart softened at their pleas. He turned angrily to Liu Tao: "You are also a minister of state; how can you not tolerate those who serve near me? You clearly harbor ill intentions!" He then ordered his guards to drag Liu Tao out for execution. As he was being pulled away, Liu Tao cried out to the heavens: "My death is of no concern! But it is a pity that the Han Dynasty's legacy of over four hundred years will be destroyed today!"
At the execution ground, just as the guards 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: "Although Liu Tao spoke harshly, everything he said is true. Why does Your Majesty seek to punish him?"
Emperor Ling coldly replied: "He dares to slander my close ministers and unjustly malign my heart!"
Chen Dan sighed deeply: "Your Majesty, do you not know that the common people wish nothing more than to devour the flesh of these Ten Eunuchs? These men possess neither virtue nor merit yet are granted titles and ranks; some even collude with the Yellow Turbans to incite internal strife. If Your Majesty does not reflect upon this situation, our state will surely collapse!"
Emperor Ling retorted angrily: "There is no evidence that Feng Xie colluded with the Yellow Turbans; how can I falsely accuse him? Among these Ten Eunuchs, is there not even one or two loyal ministers?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Dan prostrated himself until his forehead bled, lamenting: "The realm is on the brink of ruin yet Your Majesty remains so obstinate!" Enraged beyond measure, Emperor Ling ordered Chen Dan to be imprisoned as well. That night, the Ten Eunuchs secretly sent people to poison Liu Tao and Chen Dan in prison and subsequently proposed that Emperor Ling appoint Sun Jian as Governor of Changsha to lead an expedition against Qu Xing.
Sun Jian swiftly 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 troops to attack Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun. Liu Yu summoned Liu Bei to assist him, and upon meeting, they were both delighted. Liu Bei was appointed as Commandant and marched with the army directly towards the bandits' lair.
Zhang Chun was cruel and tyrannical, ruling his troops with harshness. After prolonged battles without success, discontent began to grow among his soldiers. One of his commanders took advantage of the night to assassinate Zhang Chun, presenting his head to Liu Yu and leading his men to surrender. Seeing the tide had turned against him, Zhang Ju committed suicide, 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 Deputy Minister of Secret Affairs; 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 then appointed him as Adjutant of a Separate Unit, tasked with guarding Pingyuan County. Upon taking office, Liu Bei reorganized his old troops, gathered provisions, and his military strength grew day by day, along with his reputation.
As night fell, Luoyang was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere. The palace lights flickered, casting ghostly shadows on the palace 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 and danger lurked everywhere.
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 sprang to his feet, his gaze fierce as he swept over the assembled officials: "Gentlemen, today’s 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 a determined look 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 and charge into the palace to slay these traitors!" This man was dressed in military attire with a Pei Jian at his waist; his tone was powerful—he was Yuan Shao.
He Jin's eyes lit up as he nodded: "Benchu's words are exactly what I think! You shall lead five thousand Imperial Guards with me into the palace to cleanse our ranks." He turned to look at the other officials, his tone sharpening: "Gentlemen, the rise and fall of our nation rests on 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 walked slowly 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 voice: "General, the eunuchs are deeply entrenched; they have spies both inside and outside the court. If we act without caution, we risk backlash. While eliminating eunuchs is indeed important, if handled improperly, it could lead to our families' destruction."
As soon as he spoke these words, silence fell over the hall. Yuan Shao sneered coldly: "Cao Mengde, how can you be so cowardly? If we do not cut down these weeds today, it will truly be our families that face destruction!"
Cao Cao met Yuan Shao's gaze fearlessly and replied calmly: "Benchu, if we act solely out of momentary anger, it will plunge the entire court into chaos. We must have a meticulous plan for eliminating these traitors rather than relying on reckless bravery."
He Jin furrowed his brow tightly and waved his hand angrily: "Mengde! You are but a mere Colonel; how dare you command matters of state? This decision has been made; there is no need for further discussion!"
Cao Cao listened and smiled slightly, retreating to the end of the hall while quietly saying, "I hope the General can foresee the situation accurately."
Not long after, Yuan Shao led five thousand Imperial Guards directly into the palace, supporting Emperor Ling's coffin and proclaiming Crown Prince Liu Bian as emperor, prompting all officials to kneel 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 the commotion, Jian Shuo fled in panic but was killed by the Chief Eunuch Guo Sheng. With their leader 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 eliminate them completely and ensure no future troubles!"
He Jin pondered for a moment but showed hesitation, waving his hand as he said, "Jian Shuo has already been executed; the remaining eunuchs have no intention of rebellion and do not need to be exterminated."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao furrowed his brows tightly, his tone becoming sharper. "General, this action 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 learning of Jian Shuo's execution, fell to their knees before Empress He in panic, pleading for mercy. "Your Majesty, we once assisted His Majesty and thus gained today's wealth. Jian Shuo's schemes have nothing to do with us! The General listens to Yuan Shao's words and wishes to annihilate our families; we hope Your Majesty will show compassion!"
Empress He was moved by their pleas and secretly summoned He Jin into the palace to inform him of the situation. She grasped He Jin's hand earnestly and said, "General, I come from humble beginnings. If it weren't for Zhang Rang and others supporting us, how could we enjoy such glory today? Jian Shuo is dead; why must we pursue the others to the end?"
After contemplating for a long time, He Jin finally returned among the officials and declared loudly, "The eunuchs who caused chaos have been dealt with; there is no need to pursue the rest. Do not act rashly!"
Yuan Shao's face showed anger as he coldly remarked, "If we do not take this opportunity to eliminate them completely today, future troubles will be endless." However, He Jin firmly stated, "My decision is made; everyone should refrain from further discussion!" Reluctantly, Yuan Shao left in frustration.
The next day, Empress He hosted a banquet to appease the officials. Meanwhile, Empress Dong secretly plotted to elevate Prince Liu Xie as King of Chenliu and promoted Dong Zhong to General of Agile Cavalry, further intensifying conflicts within the court.
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