Chapter 45: Sun Jian, Oh Sun Jian

……

Liu Bei fell silent, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei remained speechless. After learning the news about the Imperial Seal, their immediate priority in informing Liu Bei was the hope that the seal would fall into his hands.

Yet now, Chen Xi was saying the seal was merely bait. Had it not been for the previous series of schemes that had earned the trust of Guan and Zhang, they would have slapped him across the face by now.

Liu Bei took a deep breath, his eyes slightly reddened as he looked at Chen Xi and said, "I placed too much importance on the Imperial Seal. Just as you said, it is merely an external object. Li Ru is truly terrifying!"

Liu Bei's heart was bleeding. He finally felt the horror of Li Ru. Even though Chen Xi had told him it was nothing more than bait, he still felt the urge to seize it. Moreover, others did not know it was a trap; they truly believed the information had been accidentally leaked after Sun Jian recovered it from the water.

"Let's go and take a look. As long as Lord Xuande remembers not to touch it regardless of how it is nominated, it should be fine. I expect even if Sun Jian loses face, he will stubbornly refuse to admit anything," Chen Xi said with a sigh. Li Ru's handiwork was virtually irresistible to the warlords of the Guandong coalition. Right now, forget about pursuing Dong Zhuo—the fact that they weren't already engaged in a free-for-all brawl was a blessing from the heavens.

"Very well!" Liu Bei said solemnly. "I ask that Zichuan reminds me more often in such matters in the future. Li Ru is indeed far-sighted. It seems this campaign is, as you said, merely Li Ru's strategic retreat—a strategy to stir the winds and clouds of the world after retreating to the Western Qin."

Chen Xi did not bring up the Imperial Seal again. Since Liu Bei said he would not touch it, there was no need to remind him. If he could not even control such a small amount of desire, then he would not be Liu Xuande.

"I wouldn't call it a strategic retreat," Chen Xi said, shaking his head. "If Dong Zhuo were still the man he used to be, there would be no question that these were all decoys, and the retreat was merely to watch the fire from the opposite bank. But things are different now. Dong Zhuo is broken. These schemes are still being executed, but the core has changed. Without his grand ambitions, Dong Zhuo's end is not far off."

"Oh, then that is good." Liu Bei was momentarily stunned. Although a hint of joy surfaced on his face and he opened his mouth to say something, he ultimately remained silent, letting it dissolve into a sigh. After all, Li Ru was a rebel.

As usual, Liu Bei led Guan, Zhang, and Chen Xi into the main command tent. However, unlike the previous atmosphere of mutual goodwill, the air inside the tent was stifling and oppressive. As Liu Bei entered, except for Kong Rong, Tao Qian, and Cao Cao, who signaled him with their eyes, everyone else wore expressions of wariness.

"Alliance Leader Yuan, since Luoyang has been taken and Dong Zhuo has fled, our predetermined strategic objectives have been achieved. In a few days, I shall return to Mount Tai to take up my post. As for other matters, I ask you all to show some consideration; let us not make a laughingstock of the Xiliang warriors," Liu Bei said, feeling helpless as he saw the extreme wariness of the crowd. A single piece of news had truly succeeded in dividing the warlords. He spoke with a deliberate hint of withdrawal.

Upon hearing Liu Bei's words, the crowd could not quite grasp his exact meaning, but they clearly understood his intention to withdraw. Since he was exiting the alliance, he would naturally pose no threat to their struggle for the Imperial Seal. To the others, Liu Bei was no longer a constraint, but rather an asset! Suddenly, everyone became warm and welcoming toward him.

*Sigh, I can only help you this far. It seems some have already understood the implication. Zichuan said Ju Gong is wise; as expected, he has grasped the underlying meaning. But is his unpredictable expression hard to imagine?* Liu Bei thought with interest. It wasn't that he didn't want to make it explicit, but there was no point; they would fight for it regardless, and it would only drag him into the fray.

Liu Bei merely smiled at the attempts to win him over without making any formal declaration. He was now like Kong Rong, acting merely as a witness. If the seal were truly obtained from Sun Jian, and if its preservation were permitted under the witness of the imperial clansmen and the descendants of sages, there would be much to discuss in the future.

They waited and waited, until the flowers had withered, before Sun Jian finally appeared with Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang. He looked pale, appearing as if half of him were already buried in the earth.

"Cough, cough, cough... Alliance Leader, please forgive me. My old ailment has flared up, and I can no longer lead the situation. I have failed your kindness, and I deeply apologize for this. Cough, cough, cough!" Sun Jian coughed as he spoke, looking truly unwell. "Out of necessity, I intend to leave Luoyang today and return to Jiangdong, lest I die in a foreign land."

Sun Jian's words were profoundly desolate. A robust man had turned into a white-haired old man overnight; his original heroic aura had vanished, replaced by the frailty of a man merely seeking to die in his hometown. How helpless was this?

If it weren't for the matter of the Imperial Seal, Yuan Shao would have let him pass without a second thought, perhaps even seeing him off for ten miles. But now that the seal had entered the equation, let alone the fact that Sun Jian wasn't even dead—even if he were, they would dig him up to find that seal.

Sitting in the seat of honor, Yuan Shao sneered inwardly, thinking, *Look how tactful Liu Bei is. You, on the other hand, actually dare to play tricks on me? You're seeking death.*

With a cold sneer, Yuan Shao looked at Sun Jian and said, "Your illness is a lie; obtaining the Imperial Seal is the truth, is it not!"

Sun Jian was greatly alarmed. How could Yuan Shao know? He had thought he had suppressed the news well. His eyes darted around as he feigned ignorance. "Why can't I understand what the Alliance Leader is saying? When did I obtain an Imperial Seal?"

Yuan Shao sneered, "Ask the people around you—is there anyone who does not know?"

Sun Jian froze. After he had obtained the seal, he had not conducted any further searches; he had gone straight to his own camp to prepare his troops to leave Luoyang and return to his home in Yangzhou to wait for the right moment. He had paid no attention to the rumors in the camp. In his mind, the matter should have been a closely guarded secret.

When Sun Jian turned to look at the crowd, panic surged in his heart. Almost everyone was looking at him as if he were a fool. Sun Jian immediately realized that the secret of the Imperial Seal had been exposed!

"Sun Wentai, what else do you have to say!" Yuan Shao said without mercy. "Hand over the Imperial Seal! It is not something you can touch!"

Sun Jian steeled himself, chin thrust out, and said, "I haven't obtained the Imperial Seal at all, so what do you expect me to hand over to you!"

Yuan Shao was furious; Sun Jian's stubbornness was driving him mad. "Hmph, I'll let you see someone!" He clapped his hands, and a soldier walked into the tent. "He saw with his own eyes that you fished the Imperial Seal out of the water!"

Sun Jian was enraged. That man was originally his own personal guard, and now he was standing by Yuan Shao's side. He drew his sword, intending to kill the man.

"You dare kill a soldier? You must be bullying me! Where are Yan Liang and Wen Chou!" Seeing that soft persuasion had failed and seeing Sun Jian draw his blade, Yuan Shao shouted loudly.

Yan Liang and Wen Chou instantly appeared at Yuan Shao's sides, swords pointed at Sun Jian. Meanwhile, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang stood before him, each clutching a weapon. In an instant, the entire tent was filled with tension, looking as though a single wrong word would result in a bloodbath.

The warlords rushed forward to restrain them, but Sun Jian pointed a finger to the heavens and said, "If I have stolen the Imperial Seal, I shall surely die under a rain of arrows in the future." Having said this, he ignored everyone's reaction and departed, leading his already-prepared troops to leave rapidly before anyone could react.

(End of Chapter)