The Peach Garden Oath of Brotherhood among Heroes (part 1)

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The verse goes:
The mighty Yangtze River flows eastward, washing away the heroes of yore. Right and wrong, success and failure, all turn to nothingness in an instant. The green mountains remain, but how many times has the setting sun turned red? The old fisherman and woodcutter on the riverbank are accustomed to seeing the autumn moon and spring breeze. With a pot of turbid wine, they joyfully meet each other. How many events of the past have been reduced to mere laughter and conversation?

It is said that the great trend of the world is that long periods of division will inevitably lead to unity, and long periods of unity will inevitably lead to division. During the end of the Zhou dynasty, the seven warring states competed for power, and were eventually unified by Qin. After the fall of Qin, Chu and Han contended for supremacy, and were eventually unified by Han. The Han dynasty, from the time of Emperor Gaozu who rose in rebellion by slaying the white snake, unified the world. Later, Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty, and it continued until Emperor Xian, when it was divided into three kingdoms. The chaos began during the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling. Emperor Huan suppressed virtuous officials and trusted eunuchs. After Emperor Huan's death, Emperor Ling ascended the throne. Grand General Dou Wu and Grand Tutor Chen Fan assisted him. However, eunuchs like Cao Jie manipulated power. Dou Wu and Chen Fan plotted to eliminate them, but their plans were leaked, leading to their deaths. The eunuchs became even more rampant.

In the second year of Jianing, on the day of the full moon in April, the emperor was in the Wende Hall. As he ascended the throne, a fierce wind suddenly arose, and a large green snake descended from the beams, coiling around the throne. The emperor fainted from fright, and attendants rushed him into the palace. The officials fled in panic. Shortly after, the snake disappeared. Suddenly, there was thunder, heavy rain, and hail, which lasted until midnight, destroying countless houses. In the fourth year of Jianing, in February, there was an earthquake in Luoyang; the sea overflowed, and coastal residents were swept into the sea by huge waves. In the first year of Guanghe, a hen turned into a rooster; on the first day of June, a black cloud, over ten feet long, flew into the Wende Hall; in autumn, July, a rainbow appeared in the Jade Hall, and the cliffs of Wuyuan Mountain collapsed. These ominous signs were numerous.

The emperor issued an edict asking the ministers about the cause of these disasters. Minister Cai Yong submitted a memorial, stating that the falling rainbow and the hen turning into a rooster were caused by women interfering in politics. His words were sharp and straightforward. The emperor sighed after reading it and went to change his clothes. Cao Jie, who was spying from behind, reported this to the other eunuchs. As a result, Cai Yong was framed for another crime and sent back to his hometown.

Later, Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Feng Xu, Duan Gui, Cao Jie, Hou Lan, Jian Shuo, Cheng Kuang, Xia Yun, and Guo Sheng formed a clique, known as the "Ten Regular Attendants." The emperor trusted Zhang Rang and called him "Father." The government became increasingly corrupt, causing widespread discontent and the rise of bandits.

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