He Jin rushed into the palace in haste.
Inside Changle Palace, Empress Dowager He handed him a freshly written imperial edict, her expression cold and resolute.
"Yuan Shao and his faction show no respect for the throne," she said sharply. "General, arrest them at once!"
He Jin hesitated, gripping the decree. "Your Majesty… should we reconsider? There are still tens of thousands of troops stationed outside Luoyang…"
"What are you afraid of?!" she snapped, her voice rising. "There are soldiers outside—are there none inside? You are the Grand General, commanding tens of thousands, yet you would stand by and watch my son and me be overthrown by Yuan Shao?"
Her words struck him like a blow.
Coming to his senses, He Jin hurried back to the General's Mansion. Using the Empress Dowager's authority, he immediately ordered the military officers to arrest Yuan Shao and his associates.
These officers, much like later generations' armed enforcers, quickly mobilized. Hundreds were dispatched at once, heading straight for the Yuan residence.
At that moment, Yuan Shao was still in discussion with Xu You and the others when a sudden commotion erupted outside.
"What's going on?" Yuan Shao frowned.
Before anyone could answer, He Yong rushed in, pale with panic.
"Benchu, disaster! That butcher He Jin has sent men to arrest you!"
"What?!" Yuan Shao shot to his feet.
"He's obtained an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager—he's labeled us traitors! The officers are already at the gate!" He Yong said rapidly, barely catching his breath. "Our household guards are holding them off—quick, we must leave!"
For a moment, Yuan Shao froze.
He Jin had really overturned the table—was he not afraid of the armies outside the city?
"What do we do?" he muttered.
"No time to think—through the side gate!" He Yong urged.
Snapping out of it, Yuan Shao quickly summoned his trusted retainers, Yan Liang and Wen Chou. Under their protection, the group fled through a small side entrance.
Outside, several officers were waiting.
"Yuan Shao, traitor! Surrender now!" they shouted.
"Damn your ancestors!" Yan Liang roared, drawing his sword and charging forward.
Outnumbered, the officers tried to call for reinforcements—but in that instant of hesitation, Yan Liang struck, killing their leader in a single blow. The rest quickly lost heart and were cut down.
Yuan Shao and his men escaped to a temporary refuge, shaken but alive.
"What now?" Yuan Shao asked, still unsettled.
Fortunately, the Yuan estate had been too vast to fully surround—otherwise, none of them would have escaped.
Xu You remained calm. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke:
"He Jin only sent officers, not the main army. He underestimated us, thinking we have no forces in the city."
He looked around, voice firm.
"Our best option now is to act first—gather the retainers of every household, surround the General's Mansion before He Jin can react, cut off his ability to issue orders, and then summon the Western Garden troops from outside the city."
He paused, then added coldly:
"The Empress Dowager relies entirely on He Jin. Kill him—and this crisis ends."
Yuan Shao's eyes lit up. "Good… good! We'll follow Ziyuan's plan!"
"No!" He Yong cried out in alarm. "Benchu, this is open rebellion! If you do this, you will be branded traitors for generations!"
Yuan Shao hesitated.
For twenty years he had cultivated his reputation, presenting himself as a moral exemplar. To launch a mutiny now would destroy everything.
"Reputation?" Xu You snapped angrily. "There's a blade at your throat! He Jin has already branded us traitors—if we resist, we may yet survive. If we surrender, we are doomed to infamy regardless!"
He stepped closer, voice rising.
"Benchu! If we surrender today, tomorrow will be another partisan purge! Twenty years of effort—will you throw it all away?!"
In that life-or-death moment, Yuan Shao made his decision.
"Ziyuan is right," he said through clenched teeth. "We follow his plan."
The group quickly dispersed, each returning home to gather whatever soldiers and retainers they could muster.
Yuan Shao ordered Wen Chou to ride out to the Western Garden and bring in the Central Army and Chunyu Qiong's forces.
Xu You and the others went to allied families to borrow troops.
Only He Yong, unwilling to take part, quietly slipped away and went into hiding.
Meanwhile, at the General's Mansion, He Jin waited anxiously.
When the officers returned with only a handful of captives—among them Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji—he frowned.
"Where is Yuan Shao?"
"They killed several men and escaped," an officer replied bitterly. "Their estate is too large—we didn't have enough men…"
Tian Kai stepped forward. "General, why not deploy the Northern Army to assist in the capture?"
He Jin hesitated. "Wouldn't mobilizing such forces disturb the people…?"
"General, you are mistaken!" Chen Lin declared passionately. "Yuan Shao is a traitor—hated by all under heaven! If you let him escape out of misplaced mercy, that would be weakness unbefitting a leader!"
"Tian Kai agrees," Tian Kai added.
"Very well." He Jin nodded. "We'll follow Kongzhang's advice."
He wrote the order and handed it to Tian Kai, who immediately departed to mobilize the Northern Army.
Not long after, a minor official rushed in, panic-stricken.
"General—disaster! Yuan Shao has gathered over a thousand men and surrounded your residence!"
"What?!" He Jin sprang to his feet, face draining of color. "Kongzhang—what do we do?!"
Chen Lin, though composed, was inwardly at a loss. Strategy was not his strength.
Still, he asked, "What is the situation outside?"
"The gates have been shut," the official replied. "The guards are holding firm, but Yuan Shao's forces are attacking."
Chen Lin let out a quiet breath of relief.
"General, there is no need to panic. The mansion is well-fortified, and the guards are well-equipped. Yuan Shao cannot break through quickly. We need only hold out until reinforcements arrive."
He Jin nodded, slightly reassured. "Good. Go—tell the guards to hold the line. There will be generous rewards!"
"Yes, General!"
The order was relayed, and morale within the mansion surged. Though He Jin lacked ability, he was known for his generosity—many soldiers were willing to fight to the death for him.
Outside, Yuan Shao launched several assaults—but each was repelled.
His hastily assembled forces were poorly armed, many carrying only clubs and blades, lacking even armor. In contrast, the mansion's defenders were well-equipped, with bows, crossbows, and solid defenses.
Breakthrough was impossible.
"My lord," Yan Liang said, stepping forward, "the defenses are too strong. We cannot take the mansion. Let us withdraw—I will escort you safely out of Luoyang."
Yuan Shao drew his sword, eyes blazing.
"A true man fights to the death!" he roared. "Did I raise you for over ten years—only for you to speak of retreat?!"