When Dong Zhuo marched to Gucheng, less than thirty miles away from Luoyang, the news reached the hands of the Empress Dowager He. So Empress Dowager He urgently summoned He Jin and Yuan Shao.

"Yuan Aiqing, didn't you go to persuade Dong Zhuo to withdraw his troops, why did he lead his troops to Gucheng now? Hongu gives you a chance to explain! Empress Dowager He angrily reprimanded, some unable to maintain the appearance of the past.

Yuan Shao faced the question of the Empress Dowager He, but behaved calmly: "Empress Dowager Qiqi, the minister has indeed completed his mission, and after Dong Zhuo promised to withdraw the army, he returned to Luoyang. ”

"Then why is he still here?"

"This minister doesn't know, maybe the Hangu guard will also feel the same deep hatred for the eunuchs, and Dong Zhuo's military advice moved him, so that he opened the city gate privately to let Dong Zhuo enter, and he can't say."

Empress Dowager He was very angry, Yuan Shao's tone of words did not take her in her eyes at all, and it felt like she was coaxing a three-year-old child. However, Yuan Shao came from the Yuan family of the fourth and third dukes, and if he insisted that he had indeed completed his mission, she would have no way to do anything with him.

He Jin opened his mouth at this time and said: "Queen Mother, the minister thinks that this is not the time to be held responsible, Dong Zhuo has successfully entered Gyeonggi with the help of the guards of Hangu Pass. This is already an indisputable fact, and it is better to solve the most critical matter at the moment than to pursue responsibility. ”

Empress Dowager He thought to herself, even you helped Yuan Shao speak, shirked responsibility for him, and insisted that it was the fault of the Hangu guard, so what else did she have to say.

"What is the most important thing that the general said?" Although Empress Dowager He knew what her brother meant, she still asked knowingly.

"The most important thing is, of course, to eradicate the eunuchs." He Jin said rhetorically, "The reason why Dong Zhuo entered Beijing is because the eunuchs are not removed, as long as the eunuchs are removed, then he will naturally retreat." ”

After listening to He Jin's words, Empress Dowager He suddenly calmed down, "In the end, that is to use soldiers to coerce the palace and coerce the court to make a decision, that is to rebel." Bengong saw that Dong Zhuo's state pastor had not yet taken office, and he was already about to do it. It is proposed that Dong Zhuo be deprived of all positions and titles from now on, and demoted to a commoner. ”

"Queen Mother, the minister thinks it's so inappropriate." He Jin retorted, "Dong Zhuo is also to get rid of the eunuchs and return the world to a prosperous world, if he is convicted and removed, wouldn't it chill the hearts of loyal and filial sons in the world?" ”

"He Jin!" Empress Dowager He was so angry that she called He Jin's name, "Privately brought troops into Beijing and coerced the imperial court, and you actually called this traitor who committed rebellion a loyal minister?" Hongu must be dizzy when he sees you. The removal of Dong Zhuo is still to protect him and save his life. If he is still stubborn, the palace will send a forbidden army to ask for his life! ”

He Jin saw his sister talking to him like this for the first time, and he was stunned for a while. He couldn't understand why his sister wanted to help the eunuch speak, and he didn't hesitate to turn his face with himself.

"The Queen Mother has always defended the eunuchs, have you accepted the benefits of the eunuchs?" This sentence in his heart was not processed by the brain, and he blurted out directly from He Jin's mouth.

Yuan Shao looked at He Jin in disbelief, he didn't expect He Jin to be so stupid at all. Although the Queen Mother is your own sister, the relationship between the monarch and the minister is much higher than the kinship. Now sitting in front of you is the queen mother, how can you say such words that are contrary to dignity and humility. If this spreads, even if you are a general or the eldest brother of the Queen Mother, you will still be punished.

"What did you just say!" Empress Dowager He stood up and looked at He Jin's eyes with cold and piercing eyes.

He Jin was stupid, but after all, he was not stupid, he immediately knelt down and pleaded guilty: "The minister lost his words for a while, and I hope that the Queen Mother will forgive him." ”

"Forget it this time, the general must remember not to be pampered and arrogant, if there is a next time, I'm afraid this palace will not be able to maintain you."

Empress Dowager He finally made up her mind, "The intention of the palace has been decided, so I will send a counselor to persuade Dong Zhuo to retire, if he does not comply, he will be punished for rebellion, and immediately send troops to conscript." You two stand down, this palace is tired. ”

"No." The two knew that if they persuaded them now, they would cause trouble for themselves, so they retreated with interest.

After He Jin and Yuan Shao left, a side door was pushed to the left side of the room and slowly closed.

The little eunuch, who had eavesdropped on the whole process, quickly ran back and reported the results to the ten permanent attendants. The Ten Standing Attendants gathered together again to discuss the next steps.

"Fortunately, this time there is no danger, the Queen Mother rejected He Jin's suggestion, it seems that the gifts we gave to He Jin's mother Wu Yangjun and his younger brother He Miao played a role, the Queen Mother listened to her mother and younger brother, and completely ignored He Jin's words."

"We have only escaped for the time being, and with the support of those sanctimonious scholars, He Jin will definitely find a way to get rid of us again and again. This time I privately summoned Dong Zhuo to Beijing, and I don't know what tricks will be next time. ”

"Sure enough, the most important way is once and for all, that is, we will strike first, as long as we get rid of He Jin, those scholars will have no object to rely on, and it will be difficult to set off any waves."

"But what to do, now He Jin is in the General's Mansion day and night, and the mansion is heavily guarded, even if he goes out, he also brings all the armor guards to protect him, I am afraid it is more difficult to get rid of him than to ascend to the sky."

At this time, Zhang Rang, who had not spoken, suddenly spoke: "If you want to get rid of He Jin, you only need a few sword and axe hands." And isn't there such an opportunity right now? ”

……

After He Jin returned to the General's Mansion, the anger that he had forcibly suppressed finally erupted.

"Damn, damn! You are all my relatives, but you are all helping outsiders. I'm sure I'm not mistaken, you definitely have received the benefits of eunuchs! ”

With the sword in his hand, he kept slashing at the pillar in front of him, sword after sword, almost breaking the pillar. Behind him was the remains of furniture he had destroyed, and the ground was a mess.

Yuan Shao looked at He Jin quietly, and did not try to dissuade him, at this time, if he tried to persuade him, he would set himself on fire and transfer his anger to himself. Yuan Shao didn't dare to guarantee that He Jin, who had lost his mind, would not really kill himself with a sword.

After completely splitting the whole pillar, He Jin finally stopped, of course, not because his anger was gone, but because he was too tired.

He sat down breathlessly and asked Yuan Shao: "Originally, your plan failed, don't you want to say a few words?" ”

"This time it was a mistake by my subordinates, I didn't expect the Queen Mother to defend those eunuchs so much, and I don't know what kind of spell they used to bewitch the Queen Mother." Yuan Shao said helplessly.

"That's all?" He Jin's anger ignited again, "What's the use of talking about this now, what I want to listen to is the way, you talk about it, what should be done next." ”

Yuan Shao pondered for a while and replied; "Now the Queen Mother's attitude towards defending the eunuchs is very resolute, if we still try our best to ask the Queen Mother's consent and let her order to kill the eunuchs, I am afraid it will be as difficult to work as today. It's not as good as ......."

He Jin asked, "What's the better of what?" ”

"It's better to not have the consent of the Queen Mother, we will directly lead the troops into the palace and wipe out all the eunuchs!"

"This, this, how to make this! This is a rebellion, and leading troops into the palace is even heavier than the crime of privately summoning Dong Zhuo to lead troops into Beijing. ”

Yuan Shao was speechless, Jiaozhao and rebellion are undoubtedly capital crimes, how did you get here, it seems that Jiaozhao is an indifferent crime. But it's really true for He Jin.

"General, killing eunuchs is a major matter for the benefit of the country and the people, and it needs to be decided quickly. Otherwise, the eunuchs can make the queen mother protect them today, and the eunuchs can bewitch the queen mother and make them return to power, and then it will be too late to get rid of them. Then the power and status of the general will all be taken away and become a dispensable relative. ”

After listening to Yuan Shao's words, He Jin clenched his fists tightly, in fact, he also thought that if the Queen Mother really wanted to keep the eunuch, it would not be unacceptable. But if the result of keeping the eunuchs is to lose their power and status, then all the eunuchs must be exterminated no matter what.

Just when He Jin made up his mind, the porter recently reported: "General, there is a little eunuch outside the door, saying that the Queen Mother has something to summon you and let you go to the palace." ”

"Let that little eunuch wait outside the door, and then enter the palace after I bathe and change my clothes." After he finished venting just now, he was sweating, and it would be rude to go directly to the palace.

Yuan Shao stopped: "The general has just returned from seeing the Queen Mother in the palace, if there is something, why didn't the Queen Mother say it, but now re-summoned it, I'm afraid there is a problem." General, it's better not to enter the palace. ”

Seeing that Yuan Shao was so cautious, He Jin couldn't help but sneer: "I thought too much about it at the beginning, I just entered the palace to see the Queen Mother, where will there be anything." In my opinion, I think it was the Empress Dowager's words that were too intense, and this summons should be for good words and persuasion. Although we are kings and ministers, we are still brothers and sisters after all. ”

Yuan Shao was not as generous as He Jin, he faintly felt that something was wrong, so he continued to persuade: "Even so, then ask the general to bring all the guards to prevent trouble." ”

What the fourth and third dukes, after the famous family, are so timid. He Jin despised Yuan Shao's courage very much in his heart: "I am the eldest brother of the Queen Mother, the uncle of the Son of Heaven, this palace is like a family, who will take guards at home all the time." ”

Yuan Shao wanted to persuade again, but He Jin didn't listen, so he turned around and left. He had no choice but to comfort himself that he would be fine, he should have thought too much. 、

He Jin quickly finished bathing and changing clothes, and followed the little eunuch to the palace.

The little eunuch led him to the Jiade Hall and said to He Jin: "General, the Queen Mother is waiting in the palace now." ”

As soon as He Jin wanted to go in, the little eunuch stopped him, and pointed to the sword on his waist with a smile: "General, this rule is inevitable." Please forgive me, General. ”

He Jin snorted coldly, untied the sword and handed it to the little eunuch, then pushed open the door and walked in.

It's just that when he walked in, he didn't see the figure of the Queen Mother, but saw Zhang Rang with a sneering face. "General, I haven't seen you for many days, don't come unharmed?"

Just when He Jin was stunned, the door behind him was shut. Then dozens of eunuchs with weapons surrounded him.