He Jin's transformation caught everyone off guard.
Not long ago, he had been the same hesitant man—easily swayed by the likes of Yuan Shao and Yuan Wei, always mindful of reputation, always afraid of offending the powerful. But now, something had changed.
Ever since learning that Zhang Xin held the late emperor's secret edict—and might truly raise an army—He Jin's priorities had shifted.
Reputation? That could wait.Survival came first.
At court, the debate over the posthumous title of Emperor Ling of Han quickly turned heated.
The officials pushed for "Ling"—a title that implied chaos and misrule. It was the perfect verdict to condemn the late emperor and justify their political stance.
But He Jin stepped forward.
"The Grand Tutor's words are inappropriate," he said firmly.
The court fell silent.
No one expected this. Least of all Yuan Wei.
He Jin continued, listing Liu Hong's achievements—territorial expansion, the establishment of the Xiping Stone Classics—and concluded:
"The late emperor should be honored as Emperor Xiang."
Even Liu Bian was surprised. But after a brief hesitation, he made the decision.
"My mind is made up. Court is adjourned."
Just like that, the matter was settled.
But the real storm came after.
At the Ministry of Personnel, He Jin personally supervised the drafting of the imperial edict. He refused to leave, unwilling to give the Yuan faction any chance to interfere.
Then came Yuan Shao.
"General," he said with a smile, "should we not reconsider the posthumous title? Such matters usually take months, even years—"
He Jin cut him off.
"When you proposed 'Ling,' why didn't you say that?"
Yuan Shao's smile stiffened.
He pressed on, invoking reputation, public opinion, the judgment of the world.
This time, it didn't work.
He Jin glanced outside, spotted a passing patrol, and called them over.
"This man is obstructing official business," he said coldly. "Throw him out."
The guards hesitated. Yuan Shao was no ordinary man—his lineage alone made him untouchable.
Seeing their reluctance, He Jin's temper flared. Then his eyes landed on another group nearby.
"You—come here!"
The officer stepped forward and bowed.
He Jin squinted at him for a moment, then nodded. "You're… Zhao something, from Ziqing's command?"
"Yes," the man replied calmly. "This humble general is Zhao Yun."
He Jin pointed at Yuan Shao.
"Remove him."
Yuan Shao stood there, stunned.
This was no longer the same He Jin he once manipulated with ease.
And for the first time, he realized—
The balance of power in Luoyang had begun to shift.