They took their men to join the army of Zhu Jun. Zhu treated them well, and they went along with Zhu to suppress Zhang Bao. By now Cao Cao had joined Huangfu Song battling Zhang Liang, and here Zhu Jun was attacking Zhang Bao. Zhang Bao's ninety thousand men were camped behind the mountain. Zhu ordered Liu Bei's men to spearhead the attack. Zhang Bao send out his captain Gao Sheng to challenge Liu Bei. Liu Bei ordered Zhang Fei to match him. Zhang Fei charged forward on the horse with his spear in the hand. He killed Gao Sheng in just a few rounds. Liu Bei ordered his men charge. At that moment, Zhang Bao loosened his hair, pulled out his sword, and on the horse he started his voodoo. Suddenly a storm started, and a thick black cloud descended from the sky. There seemed an infinite army coming down with the cloud. Liu Bei hurriedly ordered retreat. His men were disorganized, and returned in defeat. Zhu Jun said, "We need to do something to stop his voodoo. Tomorrow we can use the blood of pigs, sheep and dogs. Let soldiers hold the blood and feces, and hide on the top of the hill. When the rebels come, we pour the dirty stuff from the top of the hill. This can break the voodoo." Liu Bei ordered Zhang Fei and Guan Yu to prepare as said. Next day, Zhang Bao' army and Liu Bei's met again. Zhang Bao again started voodoo in the middle of the battle. Suddenly wind, thunder, sands and stones, and a huge army came down from the sky in a black cloud. Liu Bei ordered to retreat, and Zhang Bao pursued. Just as they turned over the hill, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei gave the signal, and all the dirty stuff poured down from the top of the hill. Many paper men and straw horses fell to the ground. The wind and the thunder suddenly stopped. Zhang Bao hurried the troops back. Zhang Fei, Guan Yu attacked from both sides, and Liu Bei, Zhu Jun turned around and attacked from the front. The rebels were totally defeated. Liu Bei saw the flag of Zhang Bao and chased it. As he got close he shot an arrow at Zhang Bao. It injured Zhang Bao's arm. Zhang Bao retreated into the city of Yang. Zhu Jun's army surrounded the city. He now received news that Huangfu Song had won a few battles, and because Dong Zhuo kept losing, the Emperor replaced him with Huangfu Song. Now Zhang Jiao had died of disease. Huangfu Song won seven consecutive battles, killing Zhang Liang at Quyang. They dug out the body of Zhang Jiao and chopped off his head. The rest of the rebels all surrendered. Huangfu Song was promoted. Huangfu Song also urged the Emperor to return Lu Zhi back to his old post. Cao Cao was also promoted. After Zhu Jun heard this news, he asked his troops to increase the pressure on the city of Yang. The rebel finally crumbled. A rebel general Yan Zhang killed Zhang Bao, and surrendered with Zhang Bao's head.
There were three Yellow Turbans, Zhao Hong, Han Zhong, and Sun Zhong. they gathered tens of thousands of rebels, ravaged through the country, and declared revenge for Zhang Jiao. Zhu Jun took the order from the Emperor and went to the Wan City to put down the rebels. Zhao Hong sent Han Zhong out for the battle. Zhu Jun ordered Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei attack the southwest corner of the city. Han Zhong came to defend the southwest corner. Zhu Jun then led two thousand cavaliers to the northeast. Han Zhong worried about the defense in the city, so he hurried back to the city. Liu Bei attacked the retreating rebel and scored a big victory. The enemy finally retreated into the city, and Zhu Jun had it completely surrounded. When the city was out of food, Han Zhong asked to surrounder. Zhu Jun refused. Liu Bei asked, "The Gaozu (high ancestor) Emperor won China because he welcomed people who turned to him. Why are you doing the opposite?" Zhu Jun answered, "The time is different. Then at the end of Qin dynasty, people had no leader, Gaozu did what he did to convince people to follow him. Now China is ruled by one Emperor, and only rebellion is the Yellow Turban. If we allow them to surrounder when they lose, and they rebel again when we leave, it sets a bad example to the country." Liu Bei said, "I Agree. But now we have them completely surrounded, and refused them to surrounder. They will fight to death now. It will be hard to overcome tens of thousands of men who will fight to the end. We can remove the troops from the southeast corner, and attack from northwest. The rebels will abandon the city and flee. And they will not have the will to fight. Then we will be able to defeat them." Zhu Jun agreed. They removed the troops from the southeast and stepped up the offense from the northwest. Just as they expected, Han Zhong abandoned the city and ran. Zhu Jun's army followed. They shot Han Zhong, and the rest of the rebels scattered and fled.
Just as Zhu Jun is mopping up the battlefield, Zhao Hong and Sun Zhong arrived. Zhu Jun immediately pulled back to avoid the strong rebel army. Zhao Hong retook the Wan City. Zhu Jun camped ten miles outside the city and was preparing for battle. A reinforcement arrived from east. The general leading the army was Sun Jian. He had a large forehead and a wide face, and a very strong and big body. He was from the country of Wu (southern China). His ancestor was the famous Sun Tsu (who wrote "The Art of War"). When he was seventeen, he and his father were going through Qiantang River, when they saw pirates robbing some merchants and dividing the goods on the bank. Sun Jian told his father, "I can get them." He took a knife and went ashore, and yelled orders as if commanding an army. The pirates fled. Sun Jian caught a pirate and killed him. He was named by the mayor as the captain. Later there was a rebellion by Xu Chang, who called himself "Yang Ming Emperor," and gathered tens of thousands of men. Sun Jian and the county marshal led a thousand volunteers and defeated the rebels. They beheaded Xu Chang and his son. The Emperor therefore named him a governor. Now he led the army of Huai-Si to join the battle against the Yellow Turbans. Zhu Jun let Sun Jian to attack the south gate, Liu Bei the north gate, himself the west gate, and left the east gate open. Sun Jian climbed up the wall first. He killed twenty rebels, and the rest ran away. Zhao Hong took a spear and jumped on a horse, and charged Sun Jian. Sun Jian grabbed the spear and stabbed Zhao Hong with it. Zhao Hong fell off the horse. Sun Jian mounted the horse and rode back and forth among the rebels, killing many. Sun Zhong led the rebels charge out the north gate, Liu Bei shot him with an arrow. Zhu Jun's army killed tens of thousands of rebels, and the rest all surrendered. Zhu Jun returned to the Capital, and was promoted to be Cheqi General, and the Governor of Henan. Zhu Jun also praised Sun Jian and Liu Bei. Sun Jian had connections and was promoted. Liu Bei waited for many days and was not offered any position.
The three brothers were bored in the Capital. One day when they were wondering on the street, they met Minister Zhang Jun. Liu Bei told him of his achievements. Zhang Jun was surprised. He immediately went to see the Emperor. He said, "The Yellow Turban rebellion was caused by the Ten Eunuches, who used only their relatives in the government. Now we should behead the Ten Eunuches, hang their heads, and announce to the world that we will reward merits. Only this way we can have true peace." The Ten Eunuches countered, "Zhang Jun is lying to the Emperor." The Emperor ordered Zhang Jun to get out. The Ten Eunuches discussed, "This must be someone who had helped put down the Yellow Turbans who complained. We can just give them some small position and we'll deal with them slowly." Therefore Liu Bei got to be the mayor of Ding Province Zhongshan region County of Anxi. He sent the soldiers back to home, and just kept a dozen or so people with him. During the whole time he was in Anxi, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were with him all the time. They ate on the same table, slept on the same bed. When Liu Bei sat somewhere, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood beside him.
Less than four months later, the Emperor sent an order that all who got their positions because of their military merits should be screened, and those who did not fit should be removed. Liu Bei was among them. The Minister of the Post came by the county. Liu Bei went out the town to greet him. The Minister did not even dismount the horse, and just acknowledged him with the point of the whip. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are both angry. When they arrived at the guest house, the Minister sat down and Liu Bei stood below. After a long time, the Minister asked, "What is the family background of the mayor?" Liu Bei answered, "I am the descendent of the King of Zhongshan. I made to this post through thirty odd battles against the Yellow Turbans." The Minister said, "You pretend to be the relative of the Emperor, and fake your military records. We are screening out the kind of officers like you!" Liu Bei did not dare to argue and returned to his office. Others suggested to him, "The Minister is obviously asking for bribes." Liu Bei said, "I never made any money from my post, how can I bribe him?" Next day the Minister arrested the deputy and ordered him to accuse the mayor of abusing his post.
Zhang Fei had a little too much to drink, and was passing by the guest house. He saw a few dozen old men crying in front of the house. He asked why they were crying. The men said, "The Post Minister is forcing the deputy to harm the mayor. We are here to beg him, and we were beaten by the guards." Zhang Fei was enraged. He jumped off the horse, walked straight into the guest house. The guards tried to stop him, he just brushed them aside. The Minister was sitting, and the deputy was tied up on the floor. Before the Minister was able to say anything, Zhang Fei grabbed his hair and pulled him out of the house. He tied him on the wooden post, took a willow branch and started lashing at the Minister. He broke a willow branch and took another, then another. After he broke a dozen or so branches, Liu Bei arrived. The Minister begged Liu Bei to save his life. Liu Bei stopped Zhang Fei. Guan Yu cam out from behind Liu Bei and said, "Brother, you only got this small post for all of your military accomplishments. Today you are further humiliated by this Minister. I don't think this is the place for us. Why don't we kill him and go away. We can pursue a different future." Liu Bei took his official seal, hung it on the neck of the Minister, and said, "You deserve to die. But I'll let you live this time." And they left. The Minister asked the Governor of Ding Province to arrest the three brothers. Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei fled to Dai Province where Liu Hui was Governor. Liu Hui hid them at his home.
The Ten Eunuches since had the power, they killed anyone who disagreed with them. Zhao Zhong, Zhang Rang asked for bribes from the generals and the soldiers, and whoever refused would lose their positions. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun both did not give bribes and both were removed from their posts. Things got worse. There were bands of rebels everywhere in the country. Urgent reports went to the Capital, and the Ten Eunuches hid them from the Emperor.
One day, The Emperor dined with the Ten Eunuches in the imperial garden. Minister of Criticism Liu Tao walked to the Emperor and cried loud. The Emperor asked the reason. Liu Tao said, "The Heaven is about to fall, and the Emperor is still dining with the Ten Eunuches. There are rebellions throughout the country, and all the good men have left the government. Disaster is in front of your eyes." The Ten Eunuches all knelt down and removed their hats, and said, "We cannot live anymore if the Ministers don't let us. Please save our lives and let us return home. We'll donate all our properties to the government." The Emperor was angry, and said to Liu Tao, "You have your own servant, why don't you let me?" and ordered him beheaded. Liu Tao yelled, "I'm not afraid of death. I just regret the four hundred years of Han Dynasty will end in your hands." The guards pushed him out. As they were ready to execute him, a man yelled, "Stop! Let me talk to the Emperor." It was Minister Chen Dan. He went in and asked the Emperor why Liu Tao was to be executed. The Emperor said, "He slandered my servants and offended me." Chen Dan said, "Everyone wants to eat the Ten Eunuches alive. They have no contribution to the country, yet you revere them as your own parents, and make them run the country. The country is collapsing. Eunuch Feng Xu was a Yellow Turban. Others are bad also." The Emperor said, "The matter is not clear regarding Feng Xu. Aren't there a few loyal men among the Ten Eunuches?" Chen Dan Knocked his head on the steps, trying to convince the Emperor. The Emperor was angered, and ordered him be put in jail along with Liu Tao. The Ten Eunuches murdered them during the night. They then faked an Emperor's order to Sun Jian asking him to lead an army to put down the rebellion by Ou Xing.
Withing fifty days Sun Jian put down the rebellion and he was named the Duke of Wucheng. They then named Liu Yu as the Governor of You Province and asked him to put down the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun in Yuyang. Liu Hui of Dai Province sent a letter to Liu Yu and recommended Liu Bei. Liu Yu used Liu Bei as his forward. Liu Bei arrived in Yuyang and fought a battle with the rebels for several days. Zhang Chun's soldiers killed him and surrendered. Zhang Ju saw that it was over, and hung himself. Liu Yu wrote to the Emperor stating the merits of Liu Bei, and the Emperor pardoned Liu Bei's past offense of beating the official. Gongsun Zan also wrote to the Emperor stating Liu Bei's contribution in putting down the Yellow Turbans. Liu Bei was thus named the mayor of the town of Pingyuan. Pingyuan is a rich town, and Liu Bei was able to set up a rather good army there.
In the summer, the Fourth Month of the Sixth Year of Zhongping, the Ling Emperor was ill. The Emperor asked General He Jin into the Palace to discuss the heir of the thrown. General He Jin started out as a butcher. He had a sister who was a concubine. After she had a son, named Bian, for the Emperor, she became the Empress. He Jin became a General because of his sister. Another concubine, Wang, also gave birth to a son, named Xie. Empress He poisoned Wang. The son Xie was raised by the grandmother, Empress Dong, who was the mother of the Ling Emperor.
Empress Dong asked the Emperor to set up Xie as the heir. The Emperor liked him too. When he was ill, eunuch Qian Shuo said, "To set up Xie, you must first kill He Jin." The Emperor agreed, and ordered He Jin to come to the Palace. As He Jin went to the gate, Minister Pan Yin told him, "Don't go in. Qian Shuo wants to kill you." He Jin turned back and went home. He gathered all the ministers and planned to kill all the eunuches. An officer rose from his seat and said, "The problem with the eunuches has been a long time, and they are many. How can we kill all of them? If we are not careful we will all be killed." It was Cao Cao. He Jin yelled at him, "You are too young to understand these affairs." Just as they couldn't decide what to do, Pan Yin arrived and told them the Emperor had died. Cao Cao said, "We should first set up the right man as the emperor, then we can deal with the eunuches." He Jin asked, "Who will do this for me?" A man said, "I will. Please give me five thousand men and I'll do it." This man is Yuan Shao. He Jin gave him five thousand imperial guards. They went into the Palace, directly to the coffin of the Emperor, and held the ceremony for the son Bian that crowned him as the new Emperor.
After the ceremony, Yuan Shao led the men to arrest eunuch Qian Shuo. Qian Shuo escaped to the imperial garden, was killed by eunuch Guo Sheng. All the guards surrendered. Yuan Shao said to He Jin, "The eunuches are all part of the rebellion. Now it's time to kill them all." Eunuches Zhang Rang and others hurried to the Empress He and begged, "It was eunuch Qian Shuo who wanted to kill the General. We were not involved. Please save our lives." Empress said, "Don't worry. I'll save you." She ordered He Jin to come, and told him, "We are from a poor family. If not for eunuch Zhang Ran, how could we get to this position? You have killed eunuch Qian Shuo. Why don't you spare the others?" He Jin went back and told the ministers, "We don't want to kill too many people." Yuan Shao said, "If you leave them they will come back and get you." He Jin said, "I have decided."
Next day, Empress He ordered promotions for everyone who contributed. Empress Dong met eunuch Zhang Rang and said, "He Jin's family now has all the power. I'm worried. What can I do?" Zhang Rang said, "Empress can listen and direct in the cabinet meeting from behind the screen. You can name Xie as a King, give the military power to your brother, and rely on us." Empress Dong therefore named Xie as the King of Chenliu, her brother Dong Zhong as General to lead the military, and ordered the eunuch Zhang Rang to participate in the state affairs. Empress He did not like this, so she invited Empress Dong to a dinner. Halfway through the dinner, Empress He said, "We are women, and we are not supposed to interfere with the Emperor in running the country. When Empress Luu interfered, she and her family and all of her relatives ended up executed. We would better stay inside the Palace and let the ministers run the country. What do you think?" Empress Dong replied, "You have no place to say this. You poisoned Wang. And now you think you can rely on your son and your brother. I can easily chop off your brother's head." Empress He said, "I'm speaking nicely, why are you mean?" Empress Dong said, "You butchers, what do you know about running a country?" The eunuches separated them and each returned to their room. Empress He immediately asked to see He Jin, and told him about this meeting. He Jin planned with the ministers. Next morning, the ministers stated that Empress Dong was originally a concubine. It was not appropriate for her to stay in the Palace anymore. They sent soldiers to move her out of the Palace. They also sent soldiers to get the military seal back from Dong Zhong. Dong Zhong hung himself. The eunuches saw that Empress Dong lost, they approached the brother of Empress He, He Miao, and her mother, and eventually managed to win favor from the Empress He and regained their power.
Sixth Month of the year, He Jin poisoned Empress Dong, and buried her at the Tomb of Wen Emperor. Yuan Shao went to see He Jin, and said, "Eunuches Zhang Rang and Duan Gui are spreading the rumor that you poisoned Empress Dong. This is a good excuse to kill them. We must do it soon, or they'll get us." He Jin said, "Let's discuss it." He Jin's men secretly told Zhang Rang. Zhang Rang bribed He Miao and had him go to Empress He. He Miao said, "General He is in charge of assisting the new Emperor. But he always wants to kill someone. This is not the way to run a country." After awhile, He Jin came in, and asked Empress He about killing the eunuches. Empress said, "These are people who served the old Emperor. Why do you want to kill them? This is not showing respect to the old Emperor." He Jin returned from the Palace, Yuan Shao asked, "What happened?" He Jin said, "The Empress would not allow it." Yuan Shao said, "We can order the armies from the provinces to come and do it. This is too important to get a permission from the Empress." He Jin sent for the armies. Minister Chen Lin said, "Please don't do this. It is too dangerous to have all the armies and generals to come to the Capital. Who knows what they have in mind? All you have to do is to make up your mind and do it. You don't need all those armies. If they come it will be chaos." He Jin laughed at him, "That's a coward's opinion." Another man also laughed, "This thing is easy. We don't need to discuss it this much." Who is this guy? It is Cao Cao. If you want to know what Cao Cao had to say about this, please wait for the next chapter.