He Jin immediately turned grim and ordered Yuan Shao to arrange the hunt.
To ensure absolute safety and avoid alerting the enemy, Yuan Shao advised Chunyu Qiong, Bao Xin, and Zhao Hong to keep their troops stationary.
Two hundred elite soldiers were selected from each of the three battalions, totaling six hundred men, and they set out under cover of darkness to attack the mountain from three directions.
Then, Yuan Shao had someone bring him a map of Luoyang, and with a gesture, he clearly saw Liu Wei's villa in Beiman Mountain.
"The three armies changed into night clothes, equipped with powerful crossbows and bows, and stormed into the villa while the king was asleep, killing the king and his guards in one fell swoop."
"King Yunzhong and his guards number only a hundred. We can capture them in less than half an hour!"
"Then they set it on fire, and even when the emperor and the emperor questioned them, they simply claimed it was an accidental fire."
"Upon seeing the fire break out in the mountains, the three battalions of men at the foot of the mountain dispatched light cavalry to patrol the area around Beiman Mountain and the main passages to prevent any escapees!"
He Jin nodded: "Tonight's operation will be under the full command of Benjamin Butler!"
"I and the others will don our armor and go there, determined to personally cut off Liu Wei's head and present it to the Empress."
Upon hearing this, He Miao realized that the thousand private soldiers he had recruited had not been of any use.
The eldest brother is planning to keep all the credit for killing Liu Wei for himself.
He Miao felt dissatisfied, but his face remained expressionless.
"Once Liu Wei is beheaded tonight, I will send swift cavalry to order Dong Zhuo to advance towards Hetao and Ding Yuan to advance towards Hexi!"
"Without a leader, Liu Wei's troops will inevitably fall into chaos. We should take this opportunity to incorporate them into our forces."
"In this way, not only can we eliminate the great threat and recover the Hexi Corridor, but we can also gain 50,000 brave and capable soldiers."
He Jin looked smug and full of confidence.
If this succeeds, he will be honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple!
He will also wield immense power, rivaling Huo Guang and Dou Xian, becoming another powerful figure among the imperial relatives of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
From then on, the He family would also be a prominent and wealthy family.
"General, these border soldiers probably won't surrender so easily."
"If we kill the King of Clouds, they will not only refuse to submit, but will also rebel. We must consider this situation!"
Cao Cao, however, stepped forward and advised against killing Liu Wei.
"Mengde, I will consider this matter."
He Jin waved his hand dismissively.
Liu Wei's border soldiers, relying on the weapons and equipment of the Han Dynasty and carrying the prestige of their previous lives, naturally had no trouble dealing with those foreign tribes.
However, when they rebelled, they faced the army of the Han Dynasty and the heavily guarded city.
If they want to cause trouble, they can only do so in the border areas; they will never be able to reach Luoyang!
This is also a good opportunity for Dong Zhuo and Ding Yuan to practice their military skills!
However, if Liu Hong and the imperial clan knew that Liu Wei was still alive, they would definitely come to his rescue.
At that point, killing them won't work, and letting them go won't work either!
"Let's storm Beiman Mountain tonight. Liu Wei is in our hands; whether we kill him or torture him is up to us!"
Upon hearing He Jin's words, Cao Cao and the others fell silent.
After all, we're all on the same side now.
He Jin then discussed other important matters, such as the measures taken against the imperial family after Liu Wei's execution.
The main issue is how to strip these royal family members of their power as governors and put their own people in charge.
Shortly afterward, just as everyone was preparing to disperse and wait for nightfall to carry out their plan, someone came running in with the news:
"General, His Majesty has learned that Liu Wei is going on a long journey tomorrow and has sent an imperial edict to have him come to the palace tonight to speak with him."
He Jin had eyes and ears everywhere in the palace, and he knew everything that happened inside.
Liu Honggang had just sent an envoy out of the palace to Beiman Mountain when someone relayed the information to He Jin.
What!
Plans really do never keep up with changes!
If Liu Wei enters the palace tonight, how can we kill him?
The palace guards are only authorized by the emperor; no one else can mobilize or command them.
It's even more impossible that they would lead troops to ambush the palace!
"Then let's hold back for tonight! We can only wait for Liu Wei to return from the palace before proceeding with the original plan."
He Jin frowned.
"His Majesty summoned Liu Wei last night, so he probably won't let him return to Beiman Mountain tonight."
"Then let's change the night raid to a field attack! These six hundred brave warriors will lie in wait in the mountains for the night!"
Yuan Shao remained calm, unaffected by the sudden change. "The King of Yunzhong will suddenly appear as soon as he returns to Beiman Mountain tomorrow morning."
He Jin said, "Then this is the only way to plan it!"
"However, Liu Wei only has a hundred guards. Taking him down is a piece of cake. Just order six hundred elite troops to fight bravely."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
He Miao, however, had a sudden thought and, after leaving the General's Mansion, went to Yong'an Palace to request an audience.
"Liu Wei's arrival at the palace tonight presents a perfect opportunity to strike. Why does my elder brother insist on making his move at Beiman Mountain?"
Empress He looked displeased upon hearing He Miao's report.
Now that Liu Bian's struggle for the crown prince position has been settled, a group of his cronies who believe they have contributed to the succession are demanding that their promises be fulfilled at the grand court assembly.
In the ten days or so following the conclusion of the grand court assembly, the conflict between Empress He and He Jin gradually escalated.
Especially in dealing with the Ten Attendants, He Jin listened to Yuan Shao and insisted on killing them!
Empress He, however, believed that it would be sufficient to win over the Ten Attendants and make them her own.
The two siblings had a very unpleasant argument.
Empress He and He Jin reached an agreement in order to kill Liu Wei.
However, He Miao's private report displeased Empress He.
"Your Majesty, I have a hundred assassins under my command in Luoyang. If Your Majesty wishes to take action within the city, I can make the arrangements."
Empress He was overjoyed: "There is no time to lose, so please make the arrangements quickly, Second Brother. I will also send someone to communicate with you."
He Miao was overjoyed to have received Empress He's approval.
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