Chapter 16 Chapter 3 A Good Plan Difficult to Reveal a Hero's Helplessness (3)

In the fifth year of Guanghe, that is, 182 A.D., that is, the 14th year of Liu Hong's reign at the age of 26, there was a severe drought and epidemics, and the situation was quite bad.Liu Hong personally prayed to heaven and asked the reason for the disaster. At that time, Cao Cao was serving as Yilang, and he took the opportunity to write a letter saying: "Natural disasters come from human affairs. Today's Sangongs have false names, do not fulfill their duties, and cover private parties everywhere. Lawless eagles run amok, and virtuous people are instead punished." Imprisoned in prison... social chaos is worse than natural disasters..."

Liu Hong understood the shortcomings that Cao Cao pointed out, and immediately dismissed Situ Chen Dan, the leader of the three princes, and promoted Taichang Yuan Wei to Situ; He was transferred back to Luoyang and appointed as Yilang.For a while, the government and the opposition were in great turmoil, and there was a momentum of reform and rejuvenation. In the fifth year of Zhongping, that is, in the winter and October of 188 A.D., half a year before his death, Liu Hong accepted the suggestion of General He Jin and presided over the military parade in full armor. After the ceremony, Liu Hong asked Gai Xun, the commander of the military parade, who participated in the military parade: "With such a strong military appearance, why would anyone want to rebel?"

Gai Xun took the opportunity to reply: "That means there is something wrong with your Majesty's confidants." At that time, the eunuch Jian Shuo, who was above the military academy lieutenant, had the strongest military force, and he was also worthy of being the emperor's confidant eunuch.Therefore, Liu Hong naturally turned his head to look at Jian Shuo with a questioning expression. Jian Shuo was stunned for a moment, so he had to avoid it boringly. Liu Hong asked Gai Xun further: "If I find a way to increase the treatment of the army and strengthen the inspection training, what do you think?"

Gai Xun said: "I heard that the wise kings in the past never held military parades. Because the thieves and rebels are all in the states and counties far away from the capital. If the emperor concentrates his troops around him, it is not enough to show the military power, but it will harm the normal military. operation of the job." After hearing this, Liu Hong couldn't help sighing and said: "You are right, but unfortunately I know you too late. How come no one has ever told me this kind of truth before?" Afterwards, Gai Xun said to Yuan Shao, the deputy commander of the Fifth Army in the capital, Lieutenant Lieutenant of the Chinese Army: "I think the emperor is quite smart, but he has been deceived by the left and right for a long time."

Therefore, Gai Xun suggested that Yuan Shao unite with people with lofty ideals to wait for an opportunity to kill eunuchs and put them on the side of the Qing emperor. Indeed, as he grew older, Liu Hong also seemed to find that the eunuchs around him had serious problems.In addition, after the second bloody incident of the party's scourge occurred, it aroused great resentment among scholars and common people, and the actual influence of eunuchs had already flourished and declined.In the first year of Zhongping, that is, 184 A.D., the Yellow Turban Uprising broke out, and Liu Hong took the opportunity to appoint a large number of "Qing School" celebrities to take charge of military and political power to fight against the eunuchs.Huangfusong, Zhu Jun, and Lu Zhi, the commanders of the Sili Military Region, and Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Xia Mou, and Chun Yuqiong, the commanders of the newly established Eighth Army in Beijing, were all well-known anti-eunuchs at the time.

Perhaps because the eunuchs felt the pressure, in order to protect themselves, they played tricks on Liu Hong.Six months after this incident, Liu Hong, Lingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty, suddenly fell ill and died in the Jiade Hall where he worked.This is of course very strange. Liu Hong's condition after the onset of illness was very critical, so he immediately summoned General He Jingong to discuss the funeral, especially the issue of inheritance.He Jin was originally a big butcher in Luoyang City, his family was wealthy, his sister entered the palace as a nobleman, and later gave birth to Prince Bian.So under the advice of Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, she became the queen, and He Jin became rich because of this.He once served as the governor of Luoyang. After the Yellow Turban Uprising, He Jin was called to serve as a general, leading the military and political power.

In his later years, Liu Hong loved Wang Meiren and gave birth to Prince Xie, who was raised by Liu Hong's adopted daughter, Empress Dowager Dong, wife of Emperor Huan of Han.Empress Dowager Dong once asked Liu Hong to change Liu Xie as the crown prince, but Liu Hong hesitated because it was not appropriate to destroy the principle of the Han royal family's establishment of the eldest son and the establishment of the first son.Therefore, when the disease occurred, what Liu Hong was most worried about was the issue of inheritance. Since Liu Hong could no longer see things, Empress Dowager Dong discussed with Jian Shuo, the eunuch of the Shangjun Lieutenant, advocating the abolition of the Prince's argument and the establishment of the Prince's Association.However, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, who were closer to Empress He, did not agree.

Jian Shuo was single, so he secretly discussed with Queen Mother Dong: "If you want to establish a prince's association, you must kill He Jin first, so as to avoid future troubles." He Jin, who discussed the succession with Liu Hong. Pan Yin, the head of the emperor's bodyguard, had a good personal relationship with He Jin on weekdays. After learning of Jian Shuo's plot, he hid himself in front of the Nangong Gate and waited for He Jin.Not long after, He Jin entered through the Pingcheng Gate with a small number of personal guards. Before reaching the palace gate, he saw Pan Yin winking at him at the palace gate, and looking at the sword with his eyes.He Jin immediately understood what he meant, stopped immediately, turned around and said to several guards: "There is a fraud, let's go!"

So, surrounded by guards, He Jin ran out from the gate of the small garden and arrived at a private house in the suburbs. He asked the guards to take precautions, and immediately summoned Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and other anti-eunuch groups to discuss major issues. Yuan Shao advocated that it is better to strike first, lead the army into the palace, and punish the eunuchs.However, Cao Cao said that there were a large number of eunuchs in the palace, and not everyone did evil without authorization, and all jade and stone were destroyed, and there was no basis for the law.What's more, Jian Shuo and others have the forbidden army, and the two sides are fighting with swords and swords in the forbidden palace, which is even more outrageous.

While the two sides were arguing, Pan Yin sent another envoy to secretly report that Liu Hong had passed away and the issue of succession was urgently needed. For example, Empress Dowager Dong and Jian Shuo seized the opportunity to seize power, and the lives of Prince Bian and Empress He were in danger. Cao Cao immediately stood up and said: "The situation is critical. For today's plan, we should first seek the throne. Please summon the three princes and ministers of civil and military affairs in the name of Empress He, and first help the prince to become the Ninth Five-Year King. In order to prevent Jian Shuo from obstructing by force, It is advisable to mobilize the imperial guards of the capital nearby to escort the ministers into the Nangong Palace and complete the inauguration ceremony of the new emperor. On the one hand, it is better to send people to persuade Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, who have always been close to the queen, to remain neutral and cause the eunuch group to split. In this way, Jian Shuo can be isolated first, and then the disadvantages of eunuchs arbitrarily interfering in politics can be eliminated with the national laws and systems."

When Cao Cao was in crisis, everyone present accepted this timely strategy.He Jin immediately mobilized 5,000 soldiers from the Forbidden Army Corps in the name of the General, led by Lieutenant Yuan Shao of the Central Army, Cao Cao of the Dianjun, and Chunyu Qiong of the Right, respectively, from the Pingcheng Gate, Shuiwan Gate, and Jinmen in the south of the city. Enter and set up defenses around the Nangong Palace, strictly prohibiting other troops from approaching the palace. When Jian Shuo heard the news, it was too late and he was shocked.This incident was too sudden, and the great eunuchs Guo Sheng and Zhao Zhong turned against each other, forming a confrontation in the inner palace. Zhang Rang and Duan Gui remained silent and did not want to participate in this matter.Jian Shuo knew that he was weak, so he quickly retreated to the North Palace temporarily.