The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 by Luo Guanzhong Read Free Book Online Page A

will surely harm you.”
    “I have decided,” said He Jin coldly. “Say no more.” Then all the other officials withdrew.
    The next day He Jin was promoted to an even higher rank and all those who helped him received new offices.
    Meanwhile Empress Dowager Dong became worried. Summoning the ten eunuchs to a council, she said: “I was the one who first brought her forward. Now that her son is on the throne and all the officials are on her side, her influence is enormous. What should I do?”
    “Your Highness, you can administer the state affairs by sitting behind the curtain in court. You should create Prince Xie head of a fief and give your brother, Dong Zhong, a high rank and place him at the command of the army and also put all of us in important positions. That will help you achieve everything.”
    The Empress Dowager was very glad to hear this. The next day in court she did just as she was advised, creating Prince Xie as Prince of Chenliu and her brother Dong Chong as a general of a very high rank, and allowing the ten eunuchs to participate in running state affairs.
    When Empress Dowager He saw this she gave a banquet to which she invited her rival. In the middle of the feast, she rose and offered her guest a cup of wine, saying, “Both of us are women. It is not suitable for us to meddle in state affairs. In the old days, Empress Dowager Lu’s * whole clan were put to death because she had tried to seize supreme power. Now we ought to content ourselves with living in the palace and leave the state affairs to the ministers. That would be best for the country and I hope you will act accordingly.”
    Empress Dowager Dong flared up. “You poisoned Lady Wang out of jealousy. Now you think you can say such nonsense to me because your son sits in the throne and your brother is powerful. In fact I can have your brother beheaded as easily as I turn my hand.”
    Now it was Empress Dowager He’s turn to become angry. “I tried to persuade you with well-intended words—why are you so unreasonable?”
    “You low-born daughter of a butcher, what do you know of state affairs?” retorted the other lady.
    And the quarrel went on and on until at last the eunuchs managed to persuade them to retire to their separate palaces. However, that very night Empress Dowager He summoned her brother into the palace and told him about what had happened. He Jin then sought counsel with the principal ministers.
    The next morning a petition was presented in court which said that the late Emperor’s mother, being originally the consort of a “frontier” prince, was not fit to live long in the palace, but should be resettled in Hejian without delay. As the late Emperor’s mother was being escorted out of the capital, her brother’s house was surrounded by imperial guards and his seal of office demanded. Knowing this was the end, he committed suicide in his private chamber. The soldiers only left when his family started wailing over his death.
    When they saw that Empress Dowager Dong’s line was destroyed, two of the ten eunuchs bribed He Jin’s brother, He Miao, and his mother with expensive gifts, asking them to speak on their behalf with the Empress Dowager He now and again. So once more The Ten won favor in court.
    Two months later He Jin sent his men to murder Empress Dowager Dong in her residence in Hejian. Her remains were brought back to the capital and buried in the imperial graveyard. He Jin feigned illness and did not attend the funeral.
    Yuan Shao went to see him and said: “The eunuchs are spreading the rumor that you caused the death of the late Empress Dowager, and that you are aiming for the throne. If you don’t take this opportunity to put them out of the way, they’ll become a real menace to you.” He also reminded him of how in the past Dou Wu had missed his chance and was later murdered by the eunuchs because the secret had not been kept. Then he said: “Now the officers under the command of you and your brother