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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 smirked slightly, his gaze filled with deeper meaning. "Could it be that the illness afflicting Wentai 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 waving his feather fan. "We are raising troops to deal with Traitor Dong for the sake of the nation. The Imperial Jade Seal is a treasure of the court; it should rightfully belong to the leader of our alliance 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 secrecy, it is only natural that suspicions arise."
Sun Jian replied coldly, "Yuan Shao, I pride myself on being upright and aboveboard. When have I ever concealed the jade seal? Your words are nothing but baseless accusations."
Yuan Shao's eyes narrowed sharply as he declared, "What became of the item from Jianzhang Hall? Do you think this matter can be hidden from the heavens?"
Sun Jian's anger surged within him, but he kept his tone restrained. "I have never possessed such an item. Why does Yuan Shao insist on twisting my words?"
Yuan Shao sneered as he stood up. "If you truly do not have this item, why not remain here openly and allow us to search? That would prove your innocence."
Sun Jian suddenly stood up, swearing by pointing to the heavens. "If I, Sun Jian, have concealed the jade seal, may I never find peace in this life and die by sword or arrow!" His voice rang out powerfully, shaking those present.
The lords exchanged glances filled with concern and whispered among themselves, "With Wentai swearing like this, it seems unlikely he speaks falsely." 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 item in General Sun's possession?"
The soldier trembled in fear and bowed his head to answer, "I did see..."
Before he could finish speaking, Sun Jian could no longer contain his fury. He drew his Pei Jian from his waist and shouted angrily, "Dare to tarnish my reputation? Come and meet your death!" With that, he swung his sword down.
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. Behind him, Yan Liang and Wen Chou also unsheathed their swords, their eyes glinting with menace.
Behind Sun Jian, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang drew their swords, standing guard for their commander. The atmosphere in the tent was tense, charged with the threat of violence, as if it were a powder keg ready to explode.
Seeing this, the lords hurried forward to dissuade them: "Yuan Shao, General Sun, we are all part of the coalition 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 any longer!" With that, he strode out of the tent and mounted his horse to lead his troops away.
Yuan Shao watched Sun Jian's retreating figure and sneered coldly, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's. "Sun Wentai does not know the heights of heaven or depths of earth!" He then took up a brush and quickly wrote a letter, sealing it before handing it to his trusted aide. "Take this letter to Jingzhou immediately and present it to Liu Biao. Order 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 diminished forces." Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao ordered someone to bring Cao Cao into the camp. To show his gratitude, Yuan Shao prepared a grand feast and invited the lords to gather together to ease Cao Cao's frustrations.
After three rounds of drinks, Cao Cao held his cup with a troubled expression. Taking a deep breath, he let out a cold laugh and said, "Gentlemen, I, Cao Cao, have 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 lowered their heads in silence while others frowned in disbelief. Yuan Shao took a sip of wine and was about to speak when Cao Cao suddenly slammed his cup down on the table with force, raising his voice: "What I propose is this: I suggest that I lead elite troops to station at Mengjin and Sour Jujube to control the strategic Yellow River; 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 Xiyi while we use Wu Pass to suppress Sanfu. In this way, with deep moats and high ramparts firmly held, we can defend our strongholds without engaging directly with the bandit troops but instead disturb their morale until their supplies run out before striking hard. This dual pressure will not only stabilize the hearts of the people but also establish our merit in eliminating bandits!"
Cao Cao scanned the crowd with piercing eyes, his tone growing more intense: "However, you all hesitate and linger here without advancing your troops. You allow Dong Zhuo's bandit forces to easily seize the emperor and burn Luoyang; now he has firmly established himself 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 how I can 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 casually as he said, "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 here and flaunt your words?"
Cao Cao met Yuan Shu's gaze directly and replied with a cold smile: "Your words are indeed amusing. But I must ask you this: As a member of the esteemed Yuan family—four generations of high officials—why are you so passive today? Are you content to watch Dong Zhuo trample over our land while the people cry out in despair? If we speak of family heritage, I am not worthy compared to the Yuan; if we speak of loyalty and righteousness, I am ashamed as a subject and dare not compare myself with you!"
Yuan Shu rose angrily to retort but was stopped by Yuan Shao's hand. In a serious tone 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 we proceed."
Seeing this reaction, Cao Cao smiled coldly but said no more. He raised his cup and drank it all in one go before standing up and leaving the table with a wave of his sleeve. The lords exchanged glances with one another; the atmosphere at the feast grew even more strained before it ultimately ended abruptly.
After the banquet, Cao Cao walked alone with his hands clasped behind his back, his face dark with contemplation. He turned to glance back at Yuan Shao's camp, sneering to himself, "These rats all have their own agendas; how can they achieve anything? Rather than waste time, it would be better to seek another opportunity." He returned to his army and immediately issued orders to pack up and move towards Yangzhou.
Meanwhile, Gongsun Zan walked alongside Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, engaged in animated discussion. Zan sighed, "Yuan Benchu may have a good reputation, but he is indecisive and not fit for great matters. If this continues, chaos will surely arise. I wish to return north to Pingyuan and guard 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 alleviate the people's suffering."
Guan Yu spoke solemnly, "Elder brother, what Gongsun brother says is very true. The supplies here are scarce and our troops weak; without a clear strategy, it will be difficult to stay for long."
Zhang Fei rode forward and shouted loudly, "Elder 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. "Indeed, my younger brother has the heart for the world. In that case, I shall return to Pingyuan and appoint you as Chancellor of Pingyuan. Stabilize the people and nurture the troops while waiting for the right opportunity." Liu Bei bowed deeply and replied earnestly, "I will not fail your trust."
A few days later, Gongsun Zan traveled north to Pingyuan and arranged for Liu Bei's appointment before returning to his headquarters to reorganize the troops.
In Yan Province, Governor Liu Dai was dissatisfied and led his men towards Dongjun to borrow grain from Governor Qiao Mao to meet military needs. However, Qiao Mao refused him outright: "Yan Province has suffered from poor harvests in recent years; how can I provide support? Do you intend to take advantage of my misfortune?"
Liu Dai was enraged by these words and slammed his hand on the table. "If you do not provide grain, are you not condemning my soldiers and civilians to starvation? You insolent boy, 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; before he could don his armor, he was captured by Liu Dai's soldiers and executed on the spot. Liu Dai declared loudly, "Spare those who surrender!" The remnants of Qiao Mao's forces all surrendered, and their supplies were entirely claimed by Liu Dai.
This incident reached Yuan Shao's ears, infuriating him as he slammed his hand on the table. "Liu Dai has committed an offense against authority; Qiao Mao died unjustly! But now that my army is in disarray, what can I do?" He looked around at the other lords; their hearts were restless and many had intentions of leaving. With no other choice, he led his troops to break camp and retreated towards Kanto.
Outside Luoyang City, the great fire had been extinguished; however, amidst the ruins and debris lay traces of blood that lingered in the air like a haunting memory. The people either fled or perished; the world was enveloped in silence, broken only by a cold wind that stirred up the scorched earth and blew it away into the distance—an ominous sign that turmoil had yet to settle across the land.
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