In mid-February, the cold still enveloped the land, and the esteemed scholars Dong Yanxing and Ying Shao ended their lives in a dark prison. They were cruelly tortured to death, yet it was publicly declared that they committed suicide out of fear of punishment—what an absurd excuse! The two hadn't even been formally charged before they supposedly committed suicide out of fear!
Their descendants, under fear and threat, dared not make the slightest sound, only silently enduring this immense grief, hastily burying them as required.
This news, like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, caused an uproar among the literati. They could not believe that two highly respected scholars had their lives so ruthlessly taken. Grief and sorrow permeated everyone's hearts; they felt immense indignation at this injustice but were powerless to resist under the suppression of strong authority. The entire scholar-official class fell into deep worry and unease; they seemed to see a dark shadow gradually enveloping the entire Imperial Court, and the future of the Han Dynasty became increasingly bleak.
Some ministers loyal to the Han Dynasty were struck dumb with fear after seeing the fate of Ying Shao and Dong Yanxing. They knew well that in the political environment at the time, expressing their views could be dangerous. Therefore, they only dared to secretly discuss the situation at gatherings, not daring to openly express their loyalty to the Han Dynasty.
A perplexing scene unfolded in the Imperial Court: He Jin, who should have been a maternal relative, had subordinates who were all scions of aristocratic families. Empress Dowager He, who should have been the maternal relative's greatest support, had subordinates who were all eunuch faction forces.
Under this backdrop, the conflict between Empress Dowager He and He Jin was inevitable.
Although Empress Dowager He was a maternal relative, having resided in the palace for a long time, she was deeply influenced by the eunuch faction and was more inclined to maintain her relationship with them to secure her own status and power.
He Jin, on the other hand, focused on the overall situation of the Imperial Court; he deeply understood the harm of the eunuch faction and wished to eliminate them to revitalize the government. This diverged from Empress Dowager He's intentions.
He Jin's subordinates were mostly scions of aristocratic families, and there were conflicts of interest and ideological differences between them and the eunuch faction. He Jin himself had little talent and, surrounded by these aristocratic scions who flattered him daily, he had long since become arrogant, not even considering Empress Dowager He and the Little Emperor. Together with these aristocratic families, he pushed for actions against the eunuch faction, which further exacerbated the conflict between him and Empress Dowager He.
Furthermore, Empress Dowager He might have worried that He Jin's power would grow too great and threaten her, thus she resisted He Jin in some decisions.
The conflict between the two was both a clash of different political stances and interests and a manifestation of the complex power struggles within the palace.
The young Little Emperor Liu Bian, who should have possessed supreme power as the Son of Heaven, found reality to be starkly inconsistent with his identity. In that magnificent palace, he seemed bound by invisible shackles, his power completely hollowed out, without an inch of space to act independently.
He was trapped deep within the palace, surrounded by watchful, covetous eyes. Those maternal relatives and eunuchs, each with their own designs, closely guarded him, as if watching over a precious yet dangerous treasure. His every move was under their surveillance; every subtle change in his expression was keenly captured, lest he make any move beyond their control.
He tried to struggle, tried to express his will, but his voice was drowned out in the clamor of power, unheard by anyone. His eyes were filled with helplessness and confusion, feeling deep sorrow and powerlessness about his predicament. He was like a caged bird, longing for the free sky, yet always unable to break free from that invisible cage. The power that should have been his had now become a distant dream, and he could only silently endure all of this in a life of being guarded against and sidelined.
The young Little Emperor Liu Bian seemed bound by invisible shackles, as if confined to the deep palace. In his world, besides the Imperial Maids and eunuchs who served him all day, he rarely saw any other outsiders. The only person who could accompany him every morning was Cai Yong, who came to teach him classics and history.
The Little Emperor was filled with longing and curiosity about the outside world. He inquired about external news from Cai Yong, and when he learned about Lu Zhi's recent situation, he was extremely anxious and urgent. He tried several times to leave the palace to investigate but was mercilessly stopped, able only to endure unspeakable helplessness and sorrow in this confined space. He was powerless to break free from these restraints, only able to watch himself being imprisoned here, yet helpless against it all.
However, in this complex situation, Cai Yong, the only one who had the opportunity to interact with the Little Emperor Liu Bian, also fell under the dual surveillance of both He Jin's and Empress Dowager He's factions. Cai Yong was like a bird in a cage, his movements heavily restricted.
Even though Lu Zhi was Cai Yong's close friend, they found it difficult to meet, separated by an invisible chasm. Only when Cai Wenji came to play with Lu Zhi's daughter, Lu Wan, could Cai Yong seize this rare opportunity to subtly convey external news to Lu Zhi.
After more than a month of careful recuperation, Lu Zhi's health gradually improved. During this time, he went to the imperial palace multiple times, requesting to meet the Little Emperor Liu Bian. However, He Jin and Empress Dowager He's factions implicitly excluded him, as if they had reached some unspoken agreement.
They clearly knew that Lu Zhi possessed extremely high prestige; once he advised the emperor, it would become extremely difficult for both of their factions to control the emperor. Although Lu Zhi was renowned, he was powerless in the face of absolute power. He tried everything, but he still could not see the emperor, which often made him extremely anxious and worried. He worried about the emperor's predicament and deeply felt anxious and helpless that he could not do his part for the Han Dynasty.
On this particular day, Cai Yong, as usual, completed his morning lecture for the Little Emperor. After the lecture, the Little Emperor seized the opportunity to ask Empress He if he could visit Cai Yong's residence to relieve his inner vexation, and Empress Dowager He finally agreed this time.
He Jin learned the news when the emperor left the palace, but it was already too late to stop him.
But to ensure nothing went wrong, both sides dispatched heavy troops to surround Cai Yong's residence like an impenetrable iron barrel. Under such difficult circumstances, the Little Emperor and Cai Yong left the palace together and, after many twists and turns, finally arrived at Cai Yong's residence.
Earlier in the morning, Lu Wan had already arrived at the Cai residence in a carriage. Around the carriage, Ma Chao and Pang De vigilantly guarded her. They came under the pretense of visiting Cai Wenji. Lu Zhi cleverly hid inside Cai Wenji's carriage, slipping in unnoticed. It should be known that this was, after all, the young lady's courtyard in the Cai residence, so when both factions rushed to control the Cai residence, they did not search Cai Wenji's dwelling. They merely deployed a large number of personnel around it, closely monitoring every corner.
General He Jin led a mighty army, aggressively launching a comprehensive and detailed carpet search of the Cai residence. The reason he was so tense and cautious was, on one hand, his extreme concern for the safety of the Little Emperor Liu Bian, fearing any mishap; on the other hand, he also feared that the Little Emperor might come into contact with others in the Cai residence, thus causing him to lose absolute control over the Little Emperor. In this complex and volatile situation, He Jin had no choice but to take such actions to ensure his power and status remained unchallenged, while also attempting to control the development of the entire situation.
After the Little Emperor Liu Bian and Cai Yong arrived at the Cai residence, they repeatedly tried to find ways to escape the restraints of those who were monitoring them. However, helplessly, both sides had sent numerous observers, and the strict surveillance made it almost impossible for them to find any opportune moment; even the resourceful Cai Yong felt helpless. So, they had no choice but to try to stall for time in the Cai residence's garden, hoping to find a glimmer of opportunity.