Chapter 003 동탁의 음모 06

6.於是袁紹、曹操各選精兵五百，命袁紹之弟袁術領之。袁術全身披掛，引兵布列青瑣門外。紹與操帶劍護送何進至長樂宮前。黃門傳懿旨云：「太后特宣大將軍，餘人不許輒入。」將袁紹、曹操等都阻住宮門外。何進昂然直入。至嘉德殿門，張讓、段珪迎出，左右圍住，進大驚。讓厲聲責進曰：「董后何罪，妄以酖死？國母喪葬，託疾不出！汝本屠沽小輩，我等薦之天子，以致榮貴：不思報效，欲相謀害！汝言我等甚濁，其清者是誰？」進慌急，欲尋出路，宮門盡閉，伏甲齊出，將何進砍為兩段。

後人有詩歎之曰：

  漢室傾危天數終，

  無謀何進作三公。

  幾番不聽忠臣諫，

  難免宮中受劍鋒。

  [三國誌詩003-p01]

Whereupon both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao chose five hundred best men under their command, at whose head they placed Yuan Shu, a brother of Yuan Shao. Yuan Shu, clad in mail, drew up his troops outside the Forbidden City's entrance, while Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, holding swords, went as escort.

When He Jin neared the Palace of Happiness, the officers from the Inner Bureau said, "The orders are to admit the Regent Marshal and none other."

So the escort was detained outside. He Jin went in proudly. At the Gate of Grand Virtue, he was met by Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, and their followers quickly closed in around him. He Jin began to feel alarmed.

Then Zhang Rang in a harsh voice began to revile him: "What crime had Empress Dong committed that she should have been put to death? And when the Mother of the Country was buried, who feigned sickness and did not attend? We raised you and your paltry, huckstering family to all the dignity and wealth you have, and this is your gratitude! You would slay us. You call us sordid and dirty: Who is the cleaner?"

He Jin was panic stricken and looked about for a way to escape, but all gates had been shut. The eunuchs closed him in, and then the assassins appeared and cut He Jin into halves.

  Closing the days of the Hans, and the years of their rule were near spent, 

  Stupid and tactless was He Jin, yet stood he highest in office, 

  Many were they who advised him, but he was deaf as he heard not, 

  Wherefore fell he a victim under the swords of the eunuchs.