Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Sun Jian entered Yuan Shao's tent and clasped his hands, saying, "Recently, I have been unwell and fear I cannot stay long. Therefore, I wish to take my leave and return to Changsha." His tone was steady, and his expression remained unchanged. However, upon hearing this, Yuan Shao let out a slight cold laugh, his gaze filled with meaning. "Is it possible that your ailment is due to the Imperial Jade Seal?"
Sun Jian's expression changed at these words, and he quickly asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Yuan Shao remained calm, lightly shaking his feather fan as he replied, "We are raising troops to deal with Traitor Dong for the sake of the country. The Imperial Jade Seal is a treasure of the court; it should belong to the alliance leader and be safeguarded by the lords until the Han Dynasty is restored and it can be returned to the palace. Since you have obtained this treasure yet wish to leave in hiding, it is only natural that people would suspect you."
Sun Jian replied coldly, "Yuan Shao, I pride myself on being upright and honest. When have I ever hidden the jade seal? Your words are nothing but baseless slander."
Yuan Shao's eyes sharpened as he decisively said, "What happened to the object from Jianzhang Hall? Do you think this matter can be concealed?"
Sun Jian felt his anger rising but kept his tone restrained. "I have never possessed such an item. Why do you insist on twisting my words?"
Yuan Shao sneered as he stood up. "If you truly do not possess it, why not calmly remain and allow us to search? This would prove your innocence."
Sun Jian suddenly stood up and swore by pointing to the heavens, "If I, Sun Jian, have hidden the jade seal, may I meet a terrible end in the future and die by sword or arrow!" His voice rang out powerfully, shaking those present.
The lords exchanged glances, their expressions troubled as they whispered among themselves. "Since Wentai has sworn such an oath, it must not be mere words." Yet Yuan Shao remained unmoved. He turned and commanded a soldier to step forward, coldly asking, "When Jianzhang Hall was dredged up, did you see this object in General Sun's possession?"
The soldier trembled with fear and bowed as he answered, "I did see..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Sun Jian could no longer contain his fury. He drew his sword from his waist and shouted angrily, "Dare to tarnish my name? Come forth and meet your death!" He swung his sword down fiercely.
Seeing this, Yuan Shao shouted sharply, "Sun Wentai! Do you intend to kill someone to silence them?" He then drew his own sword in response, while Yan Liang and Wen Chou behind him also unsheathed their swords, their eyes gleaming with hostility.
Behind Sun Jian, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang drew their swords, closely guarding their commander. The atmosphere in the tent was tense, filled with a palpable sense of impending conflict.
Seeing this, the lords hurried forward to dissuade them: "Yuan Shao, General Sun, we are all allies against the bandits; why must we turn against each other?"
Sun Jian's anger had not yet subsided. He waved his sleeve and coldly said, "I do not wish to stay here another moment!" With that, he strode out of the tent and mounted his horse, leading his troops away.
Yuan Shao watched Sun Jian's retreating figure with a cold smile, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. "Sun Wentai, you do not know your own limitations!" He then quickly wrote a letter, sealed it, and handed it to his trusted aide. "Take this letter to Jingzhou at once and present it to Liu Biao. Instruct him to intercept Sun Jian on the road and seize the Imperial Seal!"
The next day, a scout reported back: "Cao Cao has suffered a great defeat while pursuing Dong Zhuo at Xiangyang and is now retreating with his forces." Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao ordered someone to bring Cao Cao into the camp. To show his appreciation, Yuan Shao arranged a grand banquet and invited the lords to gather together to ease Cao Cao's frustrations.
After three rounds of wine, Cao Cao held his cup with a troubled expression. Taking a deep breath, he sneered and said, "Gentlemen, I, Cao Cao, raised my banner for righteousness, aiming to eliminate bandits and support the state. Yet since I took up arms, my fervor feels as if it has been thrown into an ice cellar—my heart is utterly chilled!"
The lords exchanged awkward glances; some bowed their heads in silence while others frowned slightly, seemingly unconvinced. Yuan Shao took a sip of wine and was about to speak when Cao Cao suddenly slammed his cup down on the table with forceful intensity. "What I propose is this: I suggest that I lead elite troops from the He'nan region to garrison Mengjin and Sour Jujube to control the Yellow River's strategic points; you all should hold Chenggao and occupy Granary to cut off Dong Zhuo's retreat; Yuan Gonglu from Nanyang should lead his army into Danshui and Xi Yi while using Wu Pass to suppress Sanfu. In this way, we can fortify our defenses and avoid direct confrontation with the bandit forces. Instead, we will disturb their morale and strike when their supplies run out. This dual strategy will not only stabilize the hearts of the people but also achieve great merit in eliminating the bandits!"
Cao Cao scanned the crowd with piercing eyes as his tone grew more fervent. "However, you all hesitate and remain stagnant here while allowing Dong Zhuo to easily abduct the Emperor and burn Luoyang! He has even established himself firmly in Chang'an! Not only does this bring shame upon us but it also chills the hearts of the common people. Today, I ask myself in shame why I sit alongside you!"
At these words, the atmosphere in the room tightened suddenly; Yuan Shao's expression shifted between dark and light while other lords struggled to hide their embarrassment. Yuan Shu let out a cold laugh, setting down his cup as he said lightly, "Cao Mengde, if you are so eager for battle and so confident in your abilities, why not go alone and slay Dong Zhuo? Why must you sit with us and flaunt your words?"
Cao Cao met Yuan Shu's gaze directly with a cold smile. "Your words are indeed amusing. But I must ask you this: The illustrious Yuan family—four generations of three dukes—why are you so passive today? Are you content to watch Dong Zhuo trample over our land while the common people cry out in despair? If we talk about family background, I am no match for the Yuan family; if we speak of loyalty and righteousness, I am ashamed as a subject and dare not compare myself with you!"
Yuan Shu slammed his hand on the table in anger and was about to retort when Yuan Shao raised his hand to stop him. In a deep voice he said, "We have gathered today to discuss important matters; we should not quarrel among ourselves. Though Mengde's words are harsh, they are not without reason. Gentlemen, we must think carefully about how to proceed."
Seeing this reaction from everyone else, Cao Cao let out a cold laugh without saying more. He lifted his cup in one gulp before standing up and sweeping away from the table. The lords exchanged glances as the atmosphere grew even more strained; ultimately, the banquet ended abruptly.
After the banquet, Cao Cao walked alone with his hands clasped behind his back, his face dark and brooding. He turned to glance at Yuan Shao's camp, sneering to himself, "These rats all have their own agendas; how can they accomplish anything? Rather than waste time, I should seek better opportunities." He returned to his army and immediately ordered the camp to be dismantled, leading his troops towards Yangzhou.
Meanwhile, Gongsun Zan walked alongside Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, discussing matters fervently. Zan sighed, "Though Yuan Benchu has a reputation, he is indecisive and is not fit for great affairs. If this continues, chaos will ensue. I wish to return to the plains and defend my territory. Xuan De, what do you and your brothers think?"
Liu Bei slightly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, his expression humble. "If my brother wishes to return north, I am willing to follow. However, with the world in turmoil, it is our duty to relieve the people's suffering."
Guan Yu spoke solemnly, "Eldest Brother, what Gongsun Brother says is indeed true. Right now, our supplies are scarce and our forces weak; without a clear strategy, it will be difficult to stay here for long."
Zhang Fei rode forward and shouted loudly, "Eldest Brother, listen to me! We should conserve our strength and wait for the right moment to act! It’s better than wasting time with these people!"
Gongsun Zan nodded with a smile. "My dear brother truly cares for the world. In that case, I shall return to the plains and temporarily appoint you as the Prefect of the Plains. Stabilize the people and nurture the troops while waiting for the right moment." Liu Bei bowed deeply and replied respectfully, "I will not fail your trust."
A few days later, Gongsun Zan headed north to the plains and arranged for Liu Bei's appointment before returning to his headquarters to reorganize his troops.
In Yanzhou, Governor Liu Dai was dissatisfied and led his men towards Dongjun, intending to borrow grain from Governor Qiao Mao to meet military needs. However, Qiao Mao refused him outright: "Yanzhou has suffered from poor harvests in recent years; how can I provide support? Are you trying to take advantage of our misfortune?"
Liu Dai was enraged by this response and slammed the table: "If you do not provide grain, are you not condemning my soldiers and civilians to starvation? You insolent child, do not be so arrogant!" That night, Liu Dai launched a surprise attack on Qiao Mao's camp. Caught off guard, Qiao Mao was startled awake and was captured by Liu Dai's soldiers before he could don his armor; he was executed on the spot. Liu Dai commanded loudly, "Spare those who surrender!" The remnants of Qiao Mao's forces all surrendered, and their supplies were seized by Liu Dai.
News of this incident reached Yuan Shao's ears, and he slammed the table in anger: "Liu Dai has committed an offense against authority; Qiao Mao died unjustly! But now that our forces are scattered, what can I do?" He looked around at the other warlords; their hearts were unsettled and many had intentions of leaving. Helplessly, he had no choice but to lead his army away from their encampment towards Guandong.
Outside Luoyang City, the fire had been extinguished; however, amidst the ruins and debris lay traces of blood that lingered in the air like a heavy fog. The people either fled or perished; silence enveloped the land as a cold wind swept through the scorched earth, blowing towards the distance as if announcing that the turmoil had yet to settle.
Comment 0 Comment Count