Liu Jin was somewhat shocked to see this formidable gathering; any one of them, if singled out, would be a person whose name would go down in history.
However, this group of people before him were also individuals who stirred up the world.
It truly echoed the saying: capable ministers in times of peace, heroes in times of chaos.
This was not just applicable to Cao Cao alone; which of these people before him were not loyal to the Han Dynasty, wishing for peace for the common people of the world?
But when chaos arrived, the ambition in their hearts would fully erupt, and slowly, the dragon-slaying youth would eventually become the evil dragon.
He Jin, seeing that everyone had arrived, immediately stood up again and laughed heartily!
“Gentlemen, today I would like to introduce a brave and skilled general to you all.”
After saying this, he looked at Liu Jin, who was beside him, and slowly said!
“This is none other than Liu Jin, Liu Wenyi, who slew Zhang Liang, broke through Guangzong, and defeated hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin quickly stood up, cupped his hands slightly towards those around him, and said in a clear voice!
“I, Liu Wenyi, greet all you heroes.”
Dozens of gazes in the hall turned towards Liu Jin.
Many were filled with surprise, not expecting Liu Jin, who had defeated hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban, to be so young.
He looked to be barely of age, much younger than this group of people.
But some revealed disdain, their hearts filled with contempt.
He was merely a borderland warrior who had only entered the inner circle by sheer luck; otherwise, how could such a person be worthy of drinking and feasting with them?
Overall, the gazes of the people in the hall were still filled with kindness.
After all, Liu Jin, at such a young age, was able to achieve such great renown, at least enough to be enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general. He was a very promising individual, and among this group of people, he was worth befriending.
Yuan Shao, sitting in the lower seat, smiled, raised a cup of wine, and slightly cupped his hands towards Liu Jin, a gentle voice coming forth!
“I have long heard that Liu Wenyi is young, brave, and skilled in battle, and is also praised by His Majesty as the Qilin Child of the Imperial Clan.”
“Come, I toast Brother Wenyi.”
Liu Jin looked at the polite Yuan Shao and did not neglect him. He raised a cup of wine, cupped his hands slightly, and said with a smile!
“Thank you, Benchu, for your praise. My humble reputation is not worth mentioning.”
“Although I am visiting Luoyang for the first time, I had heard from thousands of miles away that the model of the age is none other than Benchu.”
“Seeing you today, it is indeed no exaggeration.”
Yuan Shao laughed heartily upon hearing this, thoroughly enjoying the compliment that the model of the age was none other than Benchu.
Although he held a prominent position and had the Grand Tutor as his backing, he was not considered the best candidate for cultivation within his clan, as he still had a legitimate younger brother, Yuan Shu.
His position within the clan was higher than his own.
Therefore, he could only find another path, using the title 'model of the age' to enhance his reputation and recruit ambitious individuals from across the land to serve him.
Only in this way could he surpass Yuan Shu and become the clan's primary candidate for cultivation.
Soon, the two raised their cups and drank them dry, then took their seats.
Afterward, several people successively stood up and clinked cups with Liu Jin in greeting.
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes slightly, observing Liu Jin in the distance.
Although his status was not high, his composed and calm demeanor indeed showed outstanding qualities, and his future achievements would definitely be extraordinary.
The banquet began, and everyone started to drink and chat in small groups.
He Jin raised his wine cup, drank it all, and set it down heavily on the table.
A thud echoed, and everyone's gazes turned towards him.
He Jin, with a hint of worry on his face, slowly said!
“These Eunuchs are becoming increasingly arrogant and overbearing, daring to influence the court and suppress the Grand Tutor.”
“A while ago, they even disparaged me, the Great General, to the Emperor, leaving me feeling powerless.”
“Does anyone have a good method to deal with these Eunuchs?”
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall instantly fell silent, not daring to express themselves freely.
After all, these Eunuchs were not to be trifled with; they were the current Emperor's favored ministers, and their status and power were immense.
No one could guarantee whether any of the dozens of people in the hall were spies for the Eunuchs. If the news of today were reported, they would be dismissed from office, or even arrested and imprisoned the next day.
However, everyone's gazes subtly swept towards Cao Cao.
After all, everyone knew that Cao Cao was a descendant of Eunuchs, and they wondered if he would inform them.
Cao Cao saw these gazes, remained expressionless, but his heart was filled with anger.
His hands in his sleeves were tightly clenched, only to turn into a helpless sigh.
Being a descendant of Eunuchs indeed made people wary of him.
But he had long declared his loyalty and was not on the same path as these Eunuchs; otherwise, he would not have killed Jian Shuo's uncle, a Eunuch, as a pledge of allegiance.
Because of this incident, he was forced to leave Luoyang, and his clan had to pay a great price to settle the matter, yet he still faced cold treatment from everyone.
The prejudice in people's hearts is a great mountain, forever insurmountable.
Cao Cao showed a bitter smile, raised his cup, drank it all, and sat silently to the side.
After a moment of silence in the hall, Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a clear voice!
“The Great General is right; this group of Eunuchs has become lawless, relying on the Emperor's favor to accept bribes, sell official positions, and suppress us Grand Tutor.”
“If they are not eliminated, there will be no peace in the court for a single day.”
“However, these Eunuchs have the Emperor's backing, so if we want to eliminate them, we must find a way through the Emperor. Relying solely on us, it will probably be difficult to contend with these Eunuchs, and we might even face death.”
Many people nodded upon hearing this, feeling the same way.
If the Emperor did not agree, they would have no way to eliminate these Eunuchs. If they dared to act against these Eunuchs on their own, it would be no different from seeking death.
Liu Jin looked at the faces of the crowd, which were filled with both fear and a desire to eliminate these Eunuchs, and their thoughts were complex, not united.
He sneered in his heart; no wonder these Eunuchs were so arrogant. How could this group of timid, disunited people before him possibly deal with the Eunuchs?
Liu Jin did not dwell on this matter. With his current status, he had no way to get involved, and he would not stay in this center of power. A slight misstep could lead to a burial without a grave.
He could only pretend to be insignificant, letting the Great General bear the risks, while he guarded the outside, slowly developing and accumulating strength, waiting for the arrival of chaos.
After some discussion, everyone failed to come up with any useful methods, only sighing repeatedly.
In their eyes, there was only one great mountain: if the Emperor did not agree, they would have no way to eliminate the Eunuchs. Any more thoughts were useless.
Time passed, and the banquet ended!
Everyone left the General's Mansion one after another, taking their carriages towards their own residences.
Liu Jin walked out of the mansion gate, watching the sky gradually darken.
He stretched, a smile on his face, looking somewhat relaxed and at ease.