The Rebellion of the Ten Eunuchs (5)
As soon as he received the post of Colonel Director of Retainers and the imperial tally from Ha Jin at the outer walls of the Luoyang Imperial Palace, Won So moved without the slightest hesitation.
“Imperial Guard, all units stand by.”
“Withdraw the existing forces to the outskirts of the imperial palace.”
“Transfer the keys to the armory to officers of the Grand General’s office, effective immediately.”
The deployment of the Imperial Guard inside the palace was completely overhauled in mere hours. Those who had once protected the emperor under the control of the Ten Eunuchs were dismissed or removed one after another, and soldiers under Ha Jin swiftly took their places.
“Seal off the area around the Empress Dowager’s Hall. Verify the identity of every palace servant or eunuch before allowing passage.”
The officers commanding the Imperial Guard carried out Won So’s orders with crisp precision. Soldiers bearing spears took up positions before the gates of every palace building. In just a few hours, the entire atmosphere of the imperial palace had changed.
The footsteps of the court ladies and eunuchs who usually moved freely around the Empress Dowager’s Hall grew scarce. Even the low murmurs that once filled the corridors fell silent. Won So personally donned his armor and established a command post near the Hall with his senior officers. Soldiers stood at attention with spears held upright at their chests, while passing eunuchs and ministers hurried by with their heads lowered, daring not to meet anyone’s eyes.
“This is surveillance, isn’t it?”
Rumors spread like wildfire even within the palace walls. Court ladies passing the Empress Dowager’s Hall exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, while the inner officials swallowed their words. The doors to the Hall remained tightly shut, and not a single sound emerged from within.
“The Grand General has ordered the Empress Dowager to be watched?”
“They say Won So now controls the military… the Empress Dowager’s Hall is essentially under siege.”
Fear seeped into every corner of the court. No one dared speak carelessly. The flow of ministers in and out of the palace halted completely. The authority Empress Dowager Ha had wielded only a day earlier—as the emperor’s mother who could sway the entire court—had suddenly lost its footing.
And at the center of all these movements stood Colonel Director of Retainers Won So. He stationed troops, reinforced inspections at every passage within the palace, and sealed the grounds without a trace of hesitation.
“These measures were taken by the Grand General out of concern for His Majesty’s safety. I will accept no objections.”
With those words, Won So had effectively placed the entire imperial palace in the palm of his hand.
Beyond the doors of the Empress Dowager’s Hall, the faint clang of spears and the sound of marching feet echoed softly. The paths that Empress Dowager Ha had walked freely only yesterday now lay under heavy surveillance.
Empress Dowager Ha slowly lifted her gaze toward the outside. At this hour the Imperial Guard would normally be standing watch while eunuchs and court ladies quietly lit the lanterns. But today was different.
When a single court lady approached cautiously with a tea cup, Empress Dowager Ha raised her hand to stop her. Her eyes were sharp, her lips pressed into a firm line.
“Take it away. My insides are burning—what use is tea?”
Her voice was low, yet filled with fury. The court lady could say nothing. She bowed deeply and withdrew.
At that moment, the glint of a soldier’s armor flashed through a gap in the window. The emblem of the Grand General’s office was clearly stamped upon it. The sight made Empress Dowager Ha realize she could not even draw a single easy breath.
“His Majesty’s Imperial Guard… has completely fallen into my brother’s hands.”
Empress Dowager Ha rose slowly from her seat. Cold sweat ran down her spine with every movement, soaking the collar of her robes. The Empress Dowager’s Hall, which should have been the safest place in the entire palace, had become nothing more than a prison.
And outside that prison sat Won So—wearing an expression she had never seen before. His eyes were razor-sharp, and the silence around him spread like killing intent. A wordless threat.
Unable to endure it any longer, Empress Dowager Ha slammed the window shut with both hands.
“If these men are not traitors, then what are they!”
Her cry shook the floor. The court ladies and eunuchs held their breath and prostrated themselves. A moment later, as if all strength had left her, she collapsed back into her seat with her head bowed.
“Ah… His Majesty has fallen into the hands of a powerful minister…”
Those words were resignation, a sigh, and above all… despair directed at herself.
Empress Dowager Ha closed her eyes in silence. Then, so quietly that no one could hear, she murmured to herself.
“Brother… even you have betrayed me and His Majesty.”
Empress Dowager Ha pressed her trembling lips tightly together, swallowing the rest of her words. Before her, the tea that had yet to cool still gave off its warmth, but behind her the walls of the Hall breathed a chilling cold. That icy touch now reached even her heart.
A short while later, she quietly raised her hand and summoned a maid.
“…Call Jang Yang and the rest of his group.”
The maid looked up in surprise but soon bowed without a word. Empress Dowager Ha remained seated, staring into empty space, until the sound of her footsteps faded. There was neither hope nor anger left in her eyes.
Before long, Jang Yang led the Ten Eunuchs into the Empress Dowager’s Hall. They wore no smiles, nor their usual lavish robes. They prostrated themselves, foreheads pressed to the cold floor in utmost deference.
“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager… you summoned us?”
Their voices were low and trembling. After the Imperial Guard had been replaced, they already knew everything. All that remained for them was death.
Empress Dowager Ha rose slowly. Her expression was calm, yet countless emotions swirled within her eyes.
“You are men who have protected the imperial family for decades.”
Jang Yang bowed his head even deeper.
“That is correct, Your Majesty. We have served His Majesty—”
“Yet now you can protect him no longer.”
At her words the eunuchs’ shoulders trembled. She stepped quietly before them and continued.
“The Grand General’s blade already cuts through the air. Today his soldiers watch the Empress Dowager’s Hall, but tomorrow that blade may reach your necks.”
Jang Yang spoke in a shaking voice.
“Your Majesty… we have never acted according to our own will. We have only sought to follow the wishes of His Majesty and Your Majesty—”
“This is not the time to debate right and wrong.”
Empress Dowager Ha looked at Jang Yang and spoke with firm resolve.
“Immediately relinquish every office and title you hold. Lay down your power, your positions, and all your influence within the palace, then withdraw quietly. If you do so—”
She paused to steady her breath before continuing.
“—I will protect your lives.”
Silence fell. At the end of that silence, Jang Yang and the Ten Eunuchs remained prostrated, unable to raise their heads. Their eyes were red and bloodshot, their foreheads trembling against the cold floor.
“Thank you… Your Majesty the Empress Dowager…”
Watching them shed tears, Empress Dowager Ha quietly turned away. In a place where no one could see her face, she closed her eyes and whispered softly.
“Your Majesty… this mother will protect you… no matter what.”
A quiet tension hung over the meeting hall in the Grand General’s residence. Ha Jin sat leaning back in his chair beneath the lantern light. The wine cup reflected the glow, illuminating his face. Soon a soldier approached and delivered his report.
“Grand General, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has issued an edict stripping Jang Yang and all the Ten Eunuchs of their offices… and ordering them to return to their hometowns at once.”
The hall stirred. Ha Jin brought the wine cup to his lips. The drink slid down his throat, followed by a heavy sigh. He slowly raised his head.
Across from him sat his closest aides: Won So, Jo Jo, No Sik, Jin Rim, and others. Ha Jin spoke in a low voice.
“This should be… enough, should it not?”
Won So’s eyes flashed. His jaw was clenched tight, as if he wanted to say it was still far from sufficient. Yet he soon nodded and spoke.
“…Stripping them of office is indeed a heavy blow.”
Jo Jo, who had been quietly sitting with his arms folded, added his thoughts.
“The Ten Eunuchs are finished. They have lost their power and their voice in the court. This should help win back the hearts of the people.”
But one minister could not hide his discontent.
“Grand General. These men will bite and cling again the moment they see an opening. If we do not cut out the roots now, will they not rise again?”
Ha Jin gave a slight nod and set down his wine cup.
“I am not unaware of how you feel.”
He lifted the wine jar and refilled his cup.
“However, since Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has shown such resolve, if we swing the blade any further, how will the realm view me?”
His words were firm, yet complex emotions lay beneath them. Ha Jin knew how deep the wounds the eunuchs had inflicted on the world truly were. But here and now, he could not trample the last shred of Empress Dowager Ha’s dignity.
Won So pressed his lips into a thin line. His gaze was not on Ha Jin’s face but on the shadows dancing beneath the lantern light.
If we do not cut the roots, they will grow again…
He repeated the thought to himself but ultimately kept silent. He too understood. The “siege of the Empress Dowager’s Hall” they had carried out had already crossed a line. Now that she had offered the compromise of “stripping them of office,” pressing any further might turn the opinion of the realm against them, just as Ha Jin said.
Ha Jin seemed to read Won So’s thoughts and continued quietly.
“Bencao, now is not the time for you to step forward. Her Majesty has already yielded, and we have obtained the result we demanded. You know better than anyone that anything more would be excessive.”
“Then… will you reconcile with Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?”
Ha Jin nodded.
“Since every problem has been resolved, how could I remain at odds with her?”
Only then did Won So quietly nod. Jo Jo, who had been watching the two men, unfolded his arms and lowered his head. Though he had silently observed their decisions until now, he finally spoke what he truly felt.
“…The Grand General has made a wise judgment.”
No Sik also spoke cautiously.
“The people’s hearts should settle now. It was the right choice to resolve the situation before the provincial armies enter the capital.”
Jin Rim added his words a beat later.
“Even so, we must maintain surveillance. We should remain prepared to eliminate them the moment they seek another opportunity.”
Ha Jin nodded.
“I agree with that. However, we must consider Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s dignity, so do not keep too many eyes on them.”
Once those words were spoken, no one in the room said anything further. Outside, the wind blew. The breeze slipping through the thin windows carried not the early summer heat but only tension and cold.
That night, Luoyang fell into complete silence. Yet that silence may have been the final calm before the true storm arrived.