In the autumn of the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869), Empress Dowager Cixi sent An Dehai, a trusted eunuch, south to purchase dragon clothes. An Dehai openly demanded huge bribes all the way, which made the place restless. After the ship arrived in Shandong, local officials reported to Governor Ding Baozhen. Ding Baozhen, who was incorruptible and strong-willed, sent troops to capture An Dehai in Tai 'an on the grounds that eunuchs were forbidden to leave Beijing without permission, and promptly reported to Empress Ci 'an who was in conflict with Empress Dowager Cixi. After being approved, he decided to execute An Dehai on the spot. But just then, Empress Dowager Cixi handed down an imperial edict to save An Dehai. Ding Baozhen decisively decided that "the front door will obey, and the back door will be beheaded", and pulled An Dehai to T-street outside the west gate (now the northern section of Drinking Tiger Pool Street) to be beheaded. Since raw rice is cooked into mature rice, Empress Dowager Cixi can't help it in the end.

This period is a relatively credible history. As for false eunuch's theory, I'm afraid it was invented by later generations.