In the early morning, Zhang Shihao, full of vigor, went to stand guard.
However, the Empress, who had suddenly fallen ill during the night, drank the medicine prescribed by Zhang Shihao.
She had been bedridden for two days.
Zhang Shihao visited the Empress multiple times to treat her illness.
More than ten days passed.
Time flew by.
The entire Luoyang was not peaceful.
The Golden Rooster Guards, Commandant of the Guards, Superintendent of the Palace, and other Officials responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace, both inside and out, turned Luoyang upside down, but still failed to catch the assassin.
They couldn't even find a single clue.
Liu Hong was furious and immediately demoted the Commandant of the Guards, responsible for the Imperial Palace gates, and the Superintendent of the Palace, who guarded the Imperial Palace, to the lowest rank.
They were sent back to their hometowns.
If it weren't for the Powerful Families and Officials intervening, their heads might have been chopped off.
The search for the assassin in Luoyang continued, and Zhang Shihao was not idle; he was busy with his sign-ins.
Due to his promotion in official rank and the Empress's heavy reliance on him, the rewards he received from signing in included many good items.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining an Overlord Bow!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Reward Transformation Card, which has been placed in your warehouse!"
"Reward Transformation Card (Permanent): This Transformation Card can mark a physical reward the host has already obtained, allowing other rewards to be transformed into that item!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a set of Erguotou brewing recipes!"
Zhang Shihao's face was full of smiles; whether it was the Overlord Bow, the Reward Transformation Card, or even the Erguotou brewing recipe, they were all good things.
The Overlord Bow could enhance his combat power; he already possessed Li Cunxiao's unparalleled physical talent and Yang Youji's divine archery skills. With the Overlord Bow, there was no doubt that his ranged offensive capabilities would skyrocket.
The Reward Transformation Card could mark needed items, which were rare and highly sought after.
The Erguotou brewing recipe could even produce high-proof liquor of up to 60 degrees.
However, the alcohol content of liquor in the Han Dynasty was only equivalent to that of beer in later generations.
In ancient times, where alcohol content did not exceed 20 degrees, Erguotou represented a path to immense wealth.
On one hand, he paid his respects to the Empress every few days.
On the other hand, he was busily recruiting Eunuch Guards.
That's right, recruiting Eunuch Guards.
The Iron Eagle Elite Soldiers' soul possession also had conditions.
Only those with a basic loyalty to him, Zhang Shihao, could be possessed.
This basic loyalty, regardless of whether it was high or low, as long as there was loyalty, could allow for possession.
Zhang Shihao would not touch the existing Eunuch Guards in the Imperial Palace.
Because the soldiers trained through the Iron Eagle Elite Soldiers' soul possession would undoubtedly be extremely powerful, they would be the elite of the elites.
And to train Iron Eagle Elite Soldiers, a full three hundred of them, from the Eunuch Guards who seemed as weak as chickens in the Imperial Palace, would be too illogical.
Recruiting anew was undoubtedly the most convenient method.
Zhang Shihao immediately sought out General He Jin.
The Empress even personally conveyed a message to He Jin, urging him to fully support all of Zhang Shihao's requests.
With General He Jin's strong assistance, an explosive piece of news quickly spread throughout Luoyang and its surrounding areas, even extending to the entire Sili region.
The newly appointed Regular Attendant, Marquis of Yiyang, and Commander of the Palace Guards, Zhang Shihao, was vigorously recruiting Eunuch Guards to cultivate his confidants.
Furthermore, for anyone selected, the Marquis of Yiyang, Zhang Shihao, would even pay out of his own pocket, directly awarding one gold coin as a resettlement fee.
As this explosive news spread, Luoyang and its surrounding areas, as well as the entire Sili region, were in an uproar.
In fact, as news of Liu Hong's assassination spread, Zhang Shihao's reputation for exceptional martial arts and extraordinary medical skills also became widely known.
Everyone around Luoyang knew that another powerful Eunuch, with a status equivalent to Zhang Rang, skilled in both martial arts and medicine, had emerged in the Imperial Palace, and he was deeply trusted by Liu Hong.
Now, upon hearing that Zhang Shihao was recruiting confidants and offering one gold coin as a resettlement fee,
countless people in the Sili region, including Henan Yin, Henan, Hedong, Hongnong, Jingzhao Yin, Zuo Fengyi, and You Fufeng, were moved.
One gold coin, that was ten thousand cash, a grand gesture, absolutely full of sincerity.
Similarly, countless people decided to become Eunuchs to try their luck.
It wasn't simply to make a name for themselves that they decided to become Eunuchs.
Instead, with continuous natural disasters, an inactive court, Powerful Families rampant in the provinces and commanderies, and another year of severe drought and disaster, countless families had no food and starved to death. Facing imminent death, becoming a Eunuch in the Imperial Palace was not unacceptable, as it's better to live poorly than to die. One gold coin as a resettlement fee could potentially save several family members from starvation, sacrificing oneself to preserve the family.
Moreover, Zhang Shihao was recruiting Eunuch Guards to cultivate them as confidants.
Everyone knew that Zhang Shihao had risen quickly, and despite being favored by Liu Hong, he was currently very short of people. For some people on the brink of life and death, this was an absolutely once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a gamble.
As soon as Zhang Shihao's banner for recruiting and selecting Eunuch Guards was unfurled outside the South Gate of Luoyang, it instantly caused a sensation in the surrounding areas of Luoyang.
Men from the surrounding areas of Luoyang who could no longer survive swarmed to participate in the selection!