Chapter 2 Talents and Abilities
The sound of hooves hitting the long street sounded like thunder.

The accompanying guards lifted the curtain of the carriage, and Cao Cao saw a small cavalry team of four or five people galloping past.

The first impression is that the horse is incredibly fast.

This small team riding horses along the long street was none other than the Xiyuan Army, carefully selected by the central government of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Cao Cao was one of the leading officers of the Xiyuan Army. He leaned forward and asked, "Why are you so fast?"

The officer on horseback recognized Cao Cao but did not dismount. He responded loudly, "General, this is an urgent matter. We need to inform the Minister of Justice."

These are Yuan Shao's men.

The Xiyuan Army was established by Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, Liu Hong, to consolidate imperial power. In name, the emperor himself was in command, but the eunuch Jian Shuo was in charge of the troops.

The third in rank in the army is Yuan Shao, followed by Cao Cao and other captains.

When Liu Hong passed away, Jian Shuo wanted to kill He Jin and support another prince Liu Xie to succeed to the throne, but he failed and was killed by He Jin instead.

The actual control of the Xiyuan Army fell into the hands of He Jin, Yuan Shao, and even Cao Cao.

At this time, the elite troops of Xiyuan were riding on horseback late at night, looking panicked.

Cao Cao quickly assessed the situation and thought to himself: Something has really happened.

Outside his carriage was a small group of personal followers, a total of seven people, fully armed and equipped, also from the Xiyuan Army. However, they were the team he brought from home, left behind by his father Cao Song, and they were his absolute confidants.

"Go to the palace."

The group immediately headed north and headed straight for the palace.

----

The troops riding along the long street arrived at Yuan Shao's mansion and brought shocking news.

Someone sent a secret message from the palace in time, saying that the once powerful general He Jin had died.

He was lured into the palace by eunuchs including Zhang Rang and hacked to death.

Yuan Shao felt a chill in his heart. These eunuchs actually dared to take action first and kill He Jin directly!
This forced Yuan Shao to take action immediately.

Otherwise, he might be the next target of the eunuchs.

"Gather all the troops, kill all the eunuchs tonight and restore the court to a clear and bright state."

In the night, Yuan Shao's mansion was brightly lit.

"Go send a message to Ding Yuan and ask him to send a team of elite troops as well."

Ding Yuan was also the general that Yuan Shao and He Jin discussed summoning to Luoyang to stabilize the situation.

Inside the palace, Zhen Xin raised her eyebrows slightly: "Zhang Rang and other eunuchs dared to kill the general first. They are so bold. If they dare to do this, Sili must be on guard against some things."

Yuan Shao nodded.

Only when their plan to let Dong Zhuo enter Luoyang and kill the eunuchs was leaked could Zhang Rang and others be forced to fight to the death and take action first.

Who leaked their conspiracy to Zhang Rang and others?

Zhen Xin analyzed: "The eunuchs took action first, and all subsequent events were disrupted. I'm afraid there are eunuchs' accomplices among us." After saying that, she glanced in the direction where Cao Cao left.

The Cao family and eunuchs have always had an inseparable connection.

Yuan Shao did not doubt Cao Cao: "I have known Meng De for many years. Although I cannot figure out his personality sometimes, it is not him who leaked the matter."

After thinking for a while, he added, "If it is really him, he will take the initiative before anyone suspects him. He is much braver than Zhang Rang and others."

"Si Li is not a mean person, but Cao Cao may not be honest."

Zhen Xin disagreed and said, "I am from a family of eunuchs, and only Si Li is magnanimous. I am willing to trust him. My judgment is rarely wrong."

Before she finished her words, she noticed Zhen Yan standing up and walking out of the hall: "Where are you going, sister?"

"After something like this happened, the situation in the palace is crucial. I'll go take a look."

"You stay and follow Si Li's instructions."

When Zhen Yan's magnetic voice sounded, everyone had already left the main hall.

Zhen Yan is practicing cultivation and is a disciple of Guan Ziqi, a master of the Yin-Yang school.

She came into the courtyard and took out a bamboo scroll, which seemed to absorb the light of the stars and the moon and merge it into her body. Her figure became a little hazy, and she floated up, tapped the wall lightly, and rushed north quickly.

Zhen Yan was extremely fast and arrived at the south gate of Luoyang Palace from Yuan Shao's mansion in a quarter of an hour.

Luoyang has more than a hundred markets and is a huge city.

The imperial palace is located in the north of the city, which means that the emperor resides in the north, which means that the emperor is above.

The palace city is divided into the South Palace and the North Palace, seven miles long, with three main roads in parallel. The middle one is the imperial road exclusively for the emperor.

The South Palace and the North Palace are opposite to each other, and the palace city is in the shape of a "Lu" character in plan.

The south-facing gate is called Pingcheng Gate, and outside the gate there is a tall building like a fortress, called Que.

The two towers stand on the east and west sides, forming an alley protecting the palace gate.

When Zhen Yan arrived outside the south gate, she happened to see Cao Cao's back as he entered the palace.

He is here too...Zhen Yan thought.

The leader of the imperial guards guarding the south gate of the imperial city was Yuan Shao's cousin, Yuan Shu, the Tiger Guard General. Although Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu had their disagreements, they were still united in their camps and faced the outside world together.

It was not difficult for Cao Cao to enter the palace if he came at night.

Something unexpected happened in the palace, and Yuan Shu, who was on duty at the palace, also became alert.

"You want to enter the palace?"

Yuan Shu was tall and thin, dressed in an official robe. After receiving a report from his subordinates, he rushed over to see Cao Cao and said, "Is my brother finally going to take action?"

After a brief exchange of words with Yuan Shu, Cao Cao entered the palace through a side door.

As soon as he entered the palace, Zhen Yan also appeared outside the palace gate and showed a jade card: "I have something to report to the Queen Mother."

Cao Cao entered the palace with only one close follower, named Xiao Xiang.

His father, Cao Song, was once the Grand Marshal, the highest military commander in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Although he was able to become the Grand Marshal, half of it was obtained by donating money, which was not obtained through legitimate means, and he only served for half a year.

However, the Cao family had accumulated wealth through two generations of Cao Teng and Cao Song. Although the family was looked down upon by the aristocratic families, it did possess considerable power.

Xiao Xiang, who followed Cao Cao, was a direct descendant of the Cao family.

The practice of military strategists is divided into two directions. One is to cultivate military strategies and tactics, which is not based on personal force, but focuses on the "military strategy" among the four schools of military strategists.

The other approach focuses on fighting on the battlefield, with the enemy facing tens of thousands of enemies, and is more inclined towards the "military situation" approach among the four schools of military strategists.

Xiao Xiang was a spear-bearing soldier who dared to be the vanguard, fighting at the risk of his life and showing great skills.

After the two entered the palace, Cao Cao asked, "How many troops have you mobilized to guard the outer city gate?"

"As you ordered, I have secretly transferred over a hundred people, all of whom are trustworthy elites."

In addition to entering the palace, Cao Cao had other arrangements. He nodded slightly when he heard this.

Xiao Xiang lowered his voice and asked, "Sir, it's too dangerous for you to come to the palace in person at this time. Just tell me what you want me to do."

"The Ten Eunuchs have been causing trouble for the country for a long time. Entering the palace and beheading them will be the fastest way to suppress the subsequent unrest."

There was no need to hide anything from his own confidants, Cao Cao said: "It was not the right time to kill them before, but it is time now."

At this moment, Cao Cao sensed something and looked behind him.

From afar, Zhen Yan, who had just come in from the palace gate, also looked in the direction of Cao Cao.

The two looked at each other across the air.

Yuan Shao wanted to do something, so he invited Zhen Yan over. It seemed that this woman had quite good skills.

Cao Cao retracted his gaze and pushed forward his newly acquired abilities in his mind.

[You activated your innate military strategy of combining civil and military skills, listening to the battlefield and understanding the enemy and us.]

The entry passed quietly.

Cao Cao felt a force rising from his eyebrows, resonating with his dantian and flowing throughout his body.

His hearing seemed to be enhanced and greatly improved.

The architecture of Luoyang Palace is magnificent and majestic. The characteristics of Han Dynasty architecture are tall, magnificent and solemn.

Nangong is where the emperor and his ministers govern and handle state affairs. It is majestic and has checkpoints everywhere.

The amazing thing is that Cao Cao's hearing improved and all kinds of sounds came one after another.

The chirping of insects on summer nights, the swaying of vegetation in the palace, and the air currents formed by the wind blowing through the void are all clearly presented.

Cao Cao constructed a three-dimensional world of sound in his consciousness based on the sounds he heard.

Hearing is not hindered by buildings; it takes shape, expands, and becomes complete as quickly as radar.

They had just entered the palace and had no idea what was going on inside.

But with Cao Cao's insight through hearing, everything was presented clearly.

"Go to the Secretariat." Cao Cao said.

Xiao Xiang was stunned.

The Shangshu Tai is the center for issuing government decrees in the palace, but it is located on the west side of the Nangong Palace. If you want to go to the Shangshu Tai, it is most convenient to enter from the west gate of the Nangong Palace.

They entered the palace from the south gate and had to pass through many checkpoints where the imperial guards were stationed, which was time-consuming and laborious.

Cao Cao seemed to have sensed Xiao Xiang's doubts. "The Secretariat is the most important place in the palace. Since something has happened, Zhang Rang should have taken control of the Secretariat first. The West Gate is closest to the Secretariat, so it should be in the hands of Zhang Rang and other eunuchs at this time."

We should enter from the south gate so that the enemy won't know about it."

Xiao Xiang suddenly realized.

Zhen Yan saw Cao Cao and a guard going deep into the palace from behind, and then disappeared around the corner of the building in a blink of an eye.

She hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed.

[The event is ongoing...]

The entry reappeared before Cao Cao's eyes.

Ps: New book, please read and vote, thank you everyone
(End of this chapter)