“You low born daughter of a butcher, what do you know of offices?” cried Empress Dong.
And the quarrel waxed hot.
The eunuchs persuaded the ladies to retire. But in the night Empress He summoned her brother into the palace and told him what had occurred. He went out and took counsel with the principal officers of state. Next morning a court was held and a memorial was presented, saying:
“Empress Dong, being the foster mother of Liu Xian, Prince of Chenliu, a regional prince — only a
collateral — cannot properly occupy any part of the Palace. She is to be removed into her original fief of Hejian and is to depart immediately.”
And while they sent an escort to remove Empress Dong, a strong guard was placed about the Imperial Uncle Dong Chong's dwelling. They took away his seal of office and he, knowing this was the end, killed himself in his private apartments. His dependents, who wailed his death, were driven off by the guards.
The eunuchs Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, having lost their patroness, sent large gifts to He Jin's younger brother, He Miao, and his mother, Lady Wuyang, and thus got them to put in a good word to Empress He so as to gain her protection. And so they gained favor once more at court.
In the sixth month of that year, the secret emissaries of He Jin poisoned Empress Dong in her residence in the country. Her remains were brought to the capital and buried in Wen Tombs. He Jin feigned illness and did not attend the funeral.
Commander Yuan Shao went one day to see He Jin, saying, “The two eunuchs, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, are spreading the report outside that you has caused the death of the late empress and is aiming at the throne. This is an excuse for you to destroy them. Do not spare them this time, or you will pay like Dou Wu and Chen Fan, who in the previous reign missed their chance because the secret had not been kept, and they paid by their own deaths. Now you and your brother have many commanders and officers behind, so that the destruction of the eunuchs can be but an ease. It is a heaven-sent opportunity. Delay no further!”
But He Jin replied, “Let me think it over.”
He Jin's servants overheard the discussion and secretly informed the intended victims, who sent further gifts to the younger brother He Miao. Corrupted by these, he went in to speak with his sister Empress He and said, “The General is the chief support of the new Emperor, yet he is not gracious and merciful but thinks wholly of slaughter. If he slays the eunuchs without cause, it may bring about revolution.”
Soon after He Jin entered and told her of his design to put the eunuchs to death. She argued with him, “Those officials look after palace affairs and are old servants. To kill the old servants just after the death of their master would appear disrespectful to the dynasty's ancestral temple.”
And as He Jin was of a vacillating mind, he murmured assent and left her.
“What about it?” said Yuan Shao on meeting him.
“She will not consent; what can be done?”
“Call up an army and slay them; it is imperative. Never mind her consent.”
“That is an excellent plan,” said He Jin. And he sent orders all round to march soldiers to the capital.
But Counselor Chen Lin objected, “Nay; do not act blindly. The proverb says 'To cover the eyes and snatch at swallows is to fool oneself.' If in so small a matter you cannot attain your wish with covered eyes, what of great affairs? Now by virtue of the imperial prestige and with the army under your hand you may do as you please. To use such enormous powers against the eunuchs would resemble lighting up a furnace to burn a hair. But act promptly; use your powers and smite at once, and all the empire will be with you. But to summon forces to the capital, to gather many bold persons into one spot, each with one's own schemes, is to turn our weapons against our own person, to place ourselves in the power of another. Nothing but failure can come of it, nothing but confusion.”
“The view of a mere book-worm,” said He Jin with a smile.
Then one of those about He Jin suddenly clapped his hands, laughing, “Solving this issue is as easy as turning over one's hand! Why so much talk?”
The speaker was Cao Cao.
Wouldst thou withdraw wicked people from thy prince's side
Then seek counsel of the wise people of the state.
What Cao Cao said will be disclosed in later chapters.
CHAPTER 3. In Wenming Garden, Dong Zhuo Denounces Ding Yuan; With Red-Hare, Li Su Bribes Lu Bu
What Cao Cao said was this: “The eunuch evil is of very old standing, but the real cause of the present trouble is in the improper influence allowed them by the emperors and the misplaced favoritism they have enjoyed. But a gaoler would be ample force to employ against this kind of evil, and getting rid of the main culprits is quite enough. Why increase confusion by summoning troops from the regions? Any desire to slay all of them will speedily become known, and the plan will fail.”
“Then, Cao Cao, you have some scheme of your own to further,” said He Jin with a sneer.
Cao Cao left the meeting, proclaiming, “The one throwing the world into chaos is He Jin!”
Then He Jin sent swift, secret letters far and wide to several bases.
It must be recalled that Dong Zhuo had failed in his attempt to destroy the Yellow Scarves rebellion. He would have been punished if he had not bribed the Ten Eunuchs heavily for their protection. Later, he obtained the rank of Imperial Protector in the westernmost region of Xizhou and an army of two hundred thousand troops. But Dong Zhuo was treacherous and disloyal at heart. So when he received the summons to the capital, he rejoiced greatly and lost no time in obeying it. He left a son-in-law, Commander Niu Fu, to look after the affairs of Xizhou and set out for Luoyang. Dong Zhuo took with him a huge army and four generals — Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Fan Chou.
Dong Zhuo's adviser and son-in-law, Li Ru, said, “Though a formal summons has come, there are many obscurities in it. It would be well to send up a memorial stating plainly our aims and intentions. Then we can proceed.”
So Dong Zhuo composed something like this:
“Thy servant knows that the continual rebellions owe their origin to the eunuchs who act counter to all recognized
precepts. Now to stop the ebullition of a pot the best way is to withdraw the fire; to cut out an abscess, though painful, is better than to nourish the evil. I have dared to undertake a military advance on the capital, with thy permission, and now pray that Zhang Rang and the other eunuchs be removed for the happiness of the dynasty and of the empire.”
He Jin read this memorial and showed it to his partisans. Then said Minister Zheng Tai, “A fierce wild beast; if he comes, his prey will be humans!”
He Jin replied, “You are too timorous; you are unequal to great schemes.”
But Lu Zhi also said, “Long have I known this man; in appearance innocent, he is a very wolf at heart. Let him in, and calamity enters with him. Stop him, do not let him come, and thus will you avoid chaos.”
He Jin was obstinate, and both Zheng Tai and Lu Zhi gave up their posts and retired, as did more than half the ministers of state, while He Jin sent a warm welcome to Dong Zhuo, who soon camped at Shengchi Lake and stationed there without further action. The eunuchs knew this move was directed against them and recognized that their only chance for safety was to strike the first blow. So they first hid a band of fifty armed ruffians at the Gate of Grand Virtue in the Palace of Happiness, then they went in to see Empress He.
They said, “The General, feigning to act under command, has called up armies to the capital to destroy us. We pray you, Your Majesty, pity and save us!”