Chapter 45

......

Liu Bei was silent, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei remained speechless. After learning about the jade seal, they immediately came to inform Liu Bei, hoping that the jade seal would fall into his hands.

Now, Chen Xi said that the jade seal was merely a bait. If it weren't for the series of plans that had made Guan and Zhang recognize Chen Xi, they would have already slapped him.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and looked at Chen Xi with reddened eyes, saying, "I placed too much importance on the jade seal. As you said, it is just an external object. Li Ru is truly terrifying!"

Liu Bei's heart was bleeding. He finally felt the horror of Li Ru. Even if Chen Xi told him now that it was just a bait, he still wanted to seize it. How much more so for others who didn't know it was a bait, thinking it was something Sun Jian accidentally found and leaked.

"Let's go and take a look. As long as you remember not to get involved no matter what, Sun Jian will deny it to the death even if he loses face." Chen Xi sighed. Li Ru's strategy was almost irresistible to the warlords of Guandong. Now, it wasn't just about pursuing Dong Zhuo; it was already a blessing that they didn't start fighting among themselves.

"Alright!" Liu Bei said solemnly, "I hope you will remind me more about such matters in the future. Li Ru is indeed far-sighted. This war is indeed just a strategic retreat by Li Ru, a plan to stir up the world after returning to Western Qin."

Chen Xi didn't mention the jade seal again. Since Liu Bei said he wouldn't touch it, there was no need to remind him. If he couldn't control such a small matter, he wouldn't be Liu Xuande.

"It's not a strategic retreat." Chen Xi shook his head, "If Dong Zhuo were still the same as before, then these would indeed be baits, and the retreat would be to watch from the sidelines. But now, Dong Zhuo is finished. These plans are still being carried out, but the focus has changed. Without his ambition, Dong Zhuo's days are numbered."

"Oh, that's good." Liu Bei was taken aback. Although a hint of joy appeared on his face, he opened his mouth to say something but didn't speak, sighing instead. Li Ru was, after all, a rebel.

As usual, Liu Bei brought Guan and Zhang and Chen Xi to the tent. However, unlike the previous harmonious atmosphere, the tent was now filled with a heavy and oppressive air. When Liu Bei entered, everyone except Kong Rong, Tao Qian, and Cao Cao gave him a nod, while the others looked wary.

"Lord Yuan, since Luoyang has been taken and Dong Zhuo has fled, our strategic goals have been achieved. I will soon return to Mount Tai to take up my post. As for other matters, I hope you will show some leniency and not let the Xiliang warriors mock us." Liu Bei, seeing everyone's wariness, felt helpless. A single piece of news had divided the warlords. He deliberately hinted at this.

When the others heard Liu Bei's words, they didn't understand his true intentions but heard his intention to withdraw. Since he was no longer a threat to their pursuit of the jade seal, Liu Bei was no longer a hindrance but an ally! Everyone immediately became more friendly towards him.

【Sigh, I can only help you this much. It seems some have already understood the implications. As Chen Xi said, Ju Gongyu is wise. He has already grasped the meaning, but his unpredictable expression is hard to fathom.】 Liu Bei thought with interest. He didn't want to make it clear, as it would be meaningless. The struggle would still happen, and he would be drawn into it.

Liu Bei just smiled at everyone's attempts to win him over, showing no particular response. He and Kong Rong were now just witnesses. If the jade seal was really obtained from Sun Jian and preserved with the approval of the Han imperial family and the descendants of the sage, there would be much to discuss in the future.

Wait, wait, and wait until the flowers withered. Finally, Sun Jian appeared with Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang, looking pale and as if half of him was already buried in the earth.

"Cough, cough, cough. Lord, please forgive me. My old illness has flared up, and I can no longer lead the coalition. I have failed your good intentions, and I deeply apologize, cough, cough, cough." Sun Jian spoke while coughing, looking truly ill. "I have no choice but to leave Luoyang today and return to Jiangdong to avoid dying in a foreign land."

Sun Jian's words were filled with sorrow. A strong man had turned into a white-haired old man overnight, his heroic spirit reduced to a mere shadow. He only wished to die in his hometown, how helpless.

If it weren't for the jade seal, Yuan Shao would have let him go without a second thought, even sending him off for ten miles. But now, with the jade seal, even if Sun Jian were dead, they would dig him up to find it.

Yuan Shao, sitting in the main seat, sneered, thinking, 【Look at how considerate Liu Bei is. You dare to play tricks with me, asking for death.】

Yuan Shao, with a sneer, looked at Sun Jian and said, "Wen Tai, you are faking your illness, and you have the jade seal, right!"

Sun Jian was shocked. How did Yuan Shao know? He had sealed the news well. He turned his eyes and feigned ignorance, "Lord, I don't understand what you are saying. When did I get the jade seal?"

Yuan Shao sneered, "Ask the people around you, who doesn't know?"

Sun Jian was taken aback. When he got the jade seal, he didn't search further and returned directly to his camp, preparing to leave Luoyang and return to his hometown in Yangzhou, not paying attention to the rumors in the camp. In his mind, the matter was very secret, and no one else knew.

When Sun Jian turned to look at the others, he was suddenly very anxious. Almost everyone was looking at him as if he were a fool. Sun Jian immediately realized that the jade seal had been exposed!

"Sun Wen Tai, what do you have to say!" Yuan Shao said without any mercy, "Hand over the jade seal, it's not something you can touch!"

Sun Jian's heart hardened, and he said defiantly, "I never got the jade seal, what can I hand over to you!"

Yuan Shao was furious. Sun Jian's stubbornness was driving him crazy. "Hmph, let you see someone!" He clapped his hands, and a soldier walked into the tent, "He saw you retrieve the jade seal with his own eyes!"

Sun Jian was enraged. The man was originally his bodyguard, now standing by Yuan Shao, and he drew his sword to kill him.

"Are you going to kill a soldier? Are you mocking me? Where are Yan Liang and Wen Chou!" Yuan Shao, seeing that Sun Jian was drawing his sword, shouted loudly.

Yan Liang and Wen Chou instantly appeared on either side of Yuan Shao, pointing their swords at Sun Jian. Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang also held their weapons, and the entire tent was tense, ready for a bloodbath at any moment.

The warlords rushed forward to mediate. Sun Jian pointed to the sky and said, "If I stole the jade seal, I will die by a thousand arrows." Without waiting for a response, he left, quickly leading his already prepared troops away before anyone could react.

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