The Brain Is a Wonderful Thing

Several people, including Zhang Rang, who were lying in ambush outside the empress's chambers, listened to He Jin and Empress He's conversation inside the palace. Their expressions grew uglier by the minute.

"Big Brother, those scholars can't be trusted. Zhang Rang and the others have done our siblings a great kindness. Besides, how much authority they have depends on the Emperor, doesn't it? Why kill them all? We may still need them in the future."

"Absurd!" He Jin flung his sleeve. "Yuan Wei, Yang Biao, and the others are all renowned scholars of the realm and important ministers of the court. They are utterly loyal to our Great Han. As for those eunuchs, since ancient times, has there ever been a eunuch who did no harm? The reason the Great Han has reached this point is entirely because of them. They incited the Emperor into making so many mistakes. I am the dignified Grand General—how could I associate with such people!"

"Am I supposed to ignore the words of all those renowned scholars and court ministers throughout the realm and instead believe a bunch of eunuchs who don't have the balls—no, eunuchs?" To be able to say such a thing aloud, one could only say that a brain was a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, He Jin had never possessed one.

A few words left Empress He speechless. It was true: every eunuch recorded in history had been guilty of heinous crimes. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, only Cao Teng, Cao Cao's grandfather, and Lu Qiang, Xun Yu's father-in-law, had somewhat better reputations. Even that was merely because they had made too many deals with the scholars and had not been smeared.

Zhang Rang and the others hiding outside the palace exchanged glances and completely abandoned the idea of negotiating with He