Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The sudden death of Emperor Ling filled the palace with grief, and the concubines and maids were filled with weeping. The entire palace was filled with sorrow. The sight of their tears was unbearable to watch. Even Empress He was panicked by this sudden change. Her face was pale and she was in a state of panic, as if she had lost her nerve.

In the midst of this chaos, Liu Bian, with a sad face, shouted softly in a slightly childish but firm voice: "Stop crying!" This shout stunned everyone, and they looked at Liu Bian in astonishment.

Liu Bian turned to look at Empress He and said earnestly: "At this critical moment of life and death, is it the time to cry? Mother, you should calm everyone's emotions." Empress He nodded in agreement and restrained the concubines and palace maids around her.

Then, Liu Bian turned to Lu Zhi, bowed respectfully, and said earnestly: "Master Lu, given the current situation, please teach me how to deal with it." His eyes were full of trust and expectation for Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi's face showed admiration, expressing satisfaction with Liu Bian's composure. He said, "Your Highness, it is rare that you can respond so calmly at this time. The situation is critical now, and we must work together to overcome this difficult time. In my opinion, as Your Highness said, the only way to stabilize the situation is to keep the death a secret and proceed as usual."

Liu Bian nodded in agreement. Lu Zhi then summoned Pang De and Dian Wei and continued, "We need to create chaos to give Ma Chao and Sun Ce an opportunity to deliver the message. Pang De, you are quite skilled. You can create some noise in the palace at night to attract the enemy's attention. You must be tactful and try not to be spotted. Then, pretend to flee towards the palace gate to draw them in. This will buy Ma Chao and Sun Ce more time."

After hearing this, Pang De bowed and accepted the order, saying, "I understand. I will do my best to complete the task!"

Liu Bian added, "Pang De, you must be careful and cautious, and never put yourself in danger. We all hope that you can successfully create chaos and bring hope to everyone."

Pound retreated and made preparations.

Lu Zhi turned to Dian Wei and said, "Dian Wei, you don't need to do anything at this moment. You are solely responsible for protecting His Highness's safety. Keep a close eye on everyone in this palace. Don't let anyone leave." A resolute look crossed Lu Zhi's face. "Anyone who moves will be killed immediately. If anyone leaves and reports us, our plan could be ruined."

Dian Wei bowed and replied, "Understood, sir! I will do my utmost to protect Your Highness and not let anyone leave!"

Liu Bian looked at Lu Zhi and Dian Wei, feeling a sense of relief. He knew their presence would provide a further layer of security. But he also understood that the situation remained dire, and every step was filled with challenges.

The palace was filled with a tense atmosphere, and security was tightened everywhere. Ma Chao and Sun Ce frowned, thinking of a way to escape the palace.

They knew they couldn't act rashly, as the consequences would be disastrous if they were discovered. After some discussion, the two men finally decided on a plan.

Because both of them were young men and had not yet grown beards, they decided to disguise themselves as young eunuchs in Empress Dowager Dong's palace and leave the palace under the pretext of conveying an imperial edict.

After everything was ready, the two of them cautiously walked towards the palace gate, secretly praying that Dong Zhong's men wouldn't discover their flaws...

--split line--

During the time when Emperor Lingdi was seriously ill, the entire palace was shrouded in a gloomy haze. The Ten Eunuchs, a major force within the palace, were also plunged into deep panic and anxiety.

They had originally relied on Emperor Ling's support, their power was immense, and they had begun to feign obedience to him, but now that he was seriously ill, it was as if their support had collapsed, leaving them feeling extremely apprehensive. Although they had become a force to be reckoned with, they knew that their power ultimately came from the Emperor and the royal family.

Under these circumstances, the Ten Eunuchs lost their usual composure, each appearing to be at a loss. After a brief and urgent discussion, they ultimately decided not to take action for now, remaining inactive and closely monitoring the situation, watching for any signs of trouble. They intended to wait until the throne was confirmed, and then decide on their allegiance based on the new emperor's circumstances. After all, with their power, no matter who became emperor, they would be unable to easily ignore their presence; they held considerable value.

During this period of uncertainty, the Ten Attendants were on pins and needles and kept a close eye on everything in the palace.

That afternoon, the Ten Eunuchs were gathered to discuss countermeasures. Suddenly, a young eunuch who was watching outside the Emperor Ling's bedroom came to report in a panic, saying that he had heard a burst of crying.

The crying sound came suddenly and disappeared just as quickly, and everything returned to its usual calm. However, this sudden change made the Ten Attendants feel strange.

At the same time, another young eunuch came to report. Sun Ce and Ma Chao, who had come with Lu Zhi, knocked out the two young eunuchs, took off their clothes, and hurried away.

They looked at each other, wondering what this crying meant. Was Emperor Ling's condition worsening? Or was something else unusual happening?

Why did Lu Zhi arrange for the two to leave?

Is it to convey a message?

Their hearts were filled with doubts and uneasiness, and they felt that there seemed to be some secret hidden in it.

For a moment, a tense atmosphere permeated among the Ten Attendants. They all realized that the situation might be more complicated and serious than they had imagined...

Finally, after a heated debate and discussion, the eunuchs came to a conclusion. They first decided to reveal the news of the crying to the Queen Mother, hoping to attract her attention and concern.

Then, they specially arranged for a high-ranking eunuch to pretend to walk casually towards the east gate of the city. On the surface, it was a routine inspection, but in fact it was to cover the escape of Ma Chao and Sun Ce.

The eunuchs' arrangement was indeed well thought out. They knew that in this turbulent situation, they had to leave a way out for themselves.

By revealing their crying to the Queen Mother, they could show their "loyalty" to her and leave a certain impression on her. Arranging the eunuch to check the east gate of the city was to create an opportunity for Ma Chao and Sun Ce to escape, and also to show them that they were not completely on one side.

In this way, no matter which side wins in the end, the eunuchs will have some excuses to avoid being easily eliminated. They strive to find a way to survive in the cracks of power, trying to maintain their status and interests in this chaotic situation...