Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

What does a nine-year-old know?

When the time comes, I, Jian Shuo, will be the most meritorious minister in supporting the new emperor! Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong will all have to step aside!

The power of the court is ultimately controlled by our family.

From now on, this Luoyang city will be under our control!

Hehehe... Jian Shuo almost burst out laughing as he thought about it.

He felt his plan was flawless, even more brilliant than what was sung in a play.

Just do it.

He immediately found a pen and ink, imitated Liu Hong's handwriting. He had served Liu Hong for more than ten years and was an expert at imitating handwriting. He wrote an "Imperial Edict", stamped it with the jade seal that he had secretly hidden long ago, and then sent a young eunuch he didn't know to deliver it to the General's Mansion.

"Remember this," Jian Shuo instructed the young eunuch, "You must act flustered and anxious, and say that His Majesty is seriously ill and has entrusted the Grand General with an important matter, and that he must come to the palace immediately!"

The eunuch accepted the order and left.

Jian Shuo wasn't idle either.

He summoned two hundred trusted imperial guards, fully armed, and had them lie in ambush in the side halls on both sides of the Jiade Hall.

The knife was sharpened to a gleaming shine, the bowstring was drawn taut, all they were waiting for was He Jin's arrival so they could trap him like a turtle in a jar.

"Then... what about He Jin's personal guards?" his subordinate asked.

"Stop him at the palace gate!" Jian Shuo sneered. "Tell him that His Majesty has decreed that only the Grand General is allowed to enter."

"He Jin, He Jin," Jian Shuo sat in the hall, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and sneered, "you, a pig butcher, dare to fight with us? Today I'll show you what the power of eunuchs really is!"

After that, Jian Shuo began to fantasize about He Jin's execution and his own glorious future of wielding power over the court.

...

Inside the General's Mansion, He Jin had just finished breakfast and was picking his teeth, pondering which newly opened restaurant he should try today.

He was quite comfortable in his position as a general.

His sister is the empress, his nephew is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and all the civil and military officials in the court have to respectfully call him "General".

Apart from those few ambiguous and scheming eunuchs in the palace who occasionally annoyed him, and the Prince of Yan... otherwise, his life was wonderful!

Just then, the gatekeeper came to report that someone from the palace had arrived, and it was an imperial decree. He quickly straightened his clothes and went out to receive the decree.

The young eunuch, holding the imperial edict, said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is seriously ill and has... has an important matter to entrust to the General. Please, General, come to the palace immediately for discussion!"

Upon hearing this, He Jin's heart skipped a beat: His Majesty is dying? Is he about to make his final arrangements? Could it be... that he wants me to assist in governing?

He immediately became excited, stroking his mustache and beaming, saying, "Your Majesty, I obey! I will go to the palace immediately!"

He quickly ordered his servants, "Quickly! Help me change! My court robes! The newly made ones!"

"Big brother," the younger brother He Miao leaned closer, "Is this summons at this time a trap?"

"What's the trap?" He Jin said dismissively. "His Majesty has been acting like this lately, and besides, he's my nephew's father. Why would he harm me?"

He Jin hurriedly put on his elaborate court robes, looked at himself in the bronze mirror from left to right, and even smoothed the few strands of his specially grown mustache. Feeling very imposing, he then went out, mounted his horse, and leisurely rode towards the palace with more than a dozen personal guards.

Riding a brisk and triumphant journey, He Jin was already mentally planning how to demonstrate his loyalty and showcase his governing abilities when he met the Emperor...

As he approached the palace gates, the towering palace walls and imposing armored soldiers did not arouse any suspicion.

The guards stopped the personal guards, saying, "His Majesty has decreed that only the Grand General is allowed to enter."

"Of course, of course!" He Jin said with a smile.

Just as he was about to dismount, suddenly, a person rushed out from the side.

The newcomer was dressed as a military officer, in his thirties, and looked anxious. He grabbed He Jin's horse reins and pulled him to the side with all his might!

"Whoa!" The horse was startled and reared up.

He Jin was nearly thrown off, and in his anger, he cursed, "Which bastard...?"

Upon closer inspection, he recognized him as Pan Yin, the cavalry captain and his trusted confidant.

He Jin was taken aback and said, "Commander Pan, what are you doing...?"

Pan Yin's face was deathly pale, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was gripping the reins tightly.

He dared not utter a sound, but desperately tried to wink at He Jin with his eyes wide open, filled with fear and warning.

Taking advantage of the moment when the horses were restless and the surrounding soldiers' vision was blocked, Pan Yin's lips moved very slightly. Judging from the shape of his mouth, it was clear that "there is an ambush"!

"!!!"

He Jin's entire body of fat trembled violently! The leisurely and comfortable feeling he had just had after a hearty meal was instantly extinguished by a bucket of ice water!

Although he wasn't very politically astute, he was by no means a fool. He understood Pan Yin's desperate hint!

Oh my god! Someone in the palace wants to kill me!

Was there an ambush in the palace? Who arranged it? Jian Shuo? Zhang Rang? Or...? He dared not think any further, only feeling the cold sweat on his back instantly soak through his inner clothes, sticking coldly to his flesh.

My legs started to cramp up uncontrollably, and I almost slipped off the horse.

Run! Run now!

The instinct to survive overwhelmed everything.

He Jin disregarded everything else, shoved Pan Yin aside, pulled on the reins with all his might, turned the horse around, and whipped it hard across the rump: "Giddy up!"

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Go!"

The horse, in pain, let out a long neigh and galloped off like lightning towards the General's Mansion.

He Jin lay prone on the horse's back, clinging tightly to its neck, with only one thought in his mind: Run! Once he got back to his residence, he would be safe!

The guards also realized what was happening, but seeing their lord like this, they hurriedly followed.

Pan Yin watched He Jin's disheveled retreating figure, breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and quietly slipped away as well.

Only a group of Imperial Guards guarding the palace gate were left looking at each other in bewilderment, wondering why this usually aloof general was in such a panic today, as if he had been chased by a ghost.

He Jin rode his horse at breakneck speed, faster than a rabbit being chased by wild dogs.

Pedestrians on the road quickly made way for him, and some who recognized the general wondered: "Is the general in such a hurry to be reincarnated today?"

He Jin galloped back to his residence, scrambling off his horse. He rushed through the gates, shouting, "Close the gates! Close the gates now! Close all the gates! Where are the personal guards? Bring them all here to stand guard! Draw your swords! Nock your bows!"

The General's Mansion was instantly thrown into chaos.

The guards didn't know what had happened, but seeing their master so terrified, they knew things were serious.

They were all on high alert, guarding the mansion like an iron barrel.

He Jin slumped in the chair, panting heavily, and it took him a long time to recover.

He touched his pounding heart, still shaken: "That was close...that was close...I almost died..."

Inside the palace, Jian Shuo waited and waited, craning his neck, but He Jin never appeared.

"What's going on?" He paced anxiously. "We should have arrived by now..."