Chapter 643

Yuan Kui narrowed his eyes, wrapped in a black robe; his aura was hard to define as either decaying or gloomy.

"Do you know what this thing is called?" Yuan Kui asked, looking at Yuan Shu.

Yuan Shu nodded and replied, "I know, isn't this a jade ring?"

A jade ring, a type of decorative jade pendant.

Small ones are the size of a thumb and are usually worn by women as earrings.

Larger ones are the size of a jade pendant, usually worn by men, either hung at the waist or played with in the palm.

"Then do you know the origin of this jade ring?" Yuan Kui asked again.

This time, Yuan Shu shook his head, indicating he did not know.

But since it was a treasure cherished by Yuan Kui, Yuan Shu knew its origin must be extraordinary.

"Have you heard of the Feast at Hongmen?" Yuan Kui said.

Yuan Shu nodded hurriedly: "I know, back then Xiang Yu set up the Feast at Hongmen east of Xianyang, intending to kill Gao Zu."

Yuan Kui picked up the jade ring and said, "This jade ring is the very one worn by Fan Zeng, the strategist of the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu."

"Fan Zeng and Xiang Yu agreed to kill Gao Zu during the banquet."

"However, Fan Zeng signaled to Xiang Yu three times by raising the jade ring he wore, but Xiang Yu remained silent and did not respond."

"In the end, he had Xiang Zhuang perform a sword dance to try and kill Gao Zu."

Yuan Shu looked closely at the jade ring in the vermilion-lacquered box.

It was indeed a treasure; it was actually the jade ring worn by Fan Zeng.

This jade ring alone was worth at least a thousand pieces of gold.

But Yuan Shu was even more confused: since it was so precious, why give it to Duan Yu?

Shouldn't it be Duan Yu giving them a gift?

Yuan Kui took a deep breath and shook his head with some disappointment.

"You don't understand?"

Yuan Shu shook his head with a stiff expression: "Uncle, nephew... nephew is dull-witted."

"You just need to deliver this jade ring to Duan Yu," Yuan Kui said, too lazy to answer, and waved his sleeve.

Yuan Shu dared not ask further, so he took the wooden box from the desk and withdrew.

After Yuan Shu left, Yuan Kui stood up and walked to the door of the study.

He looked up at the stars in the dark night sky.

"How can the chessboard of this world be changed by the human power of one or two people?"

"Duan Yu, you want to be a student of the Son of Heaven and walk a path that Zhang Huan, Huangfu Gui, and Duan Jiong never walked, but do you know that what controls the overall situation of the world is not you, nor is it me..."

"It is the hearts of the people, which are like the vast sea of stars!"

In Buguangli, at Duan Yu's residence.

Duan Yu, having just returned from the palace and passing through the front courtyard, was stopped by the guards Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu.

"Lord, this was just sent by Situ Yuan Kui via Yuan Shu."

Tie Shitou held the vermilion-lacquered wooden box in his hand.

Hmm?

Seeing the wooden box in Tie Shitou's hand, Duan Yu was stunned for a moment.

Sent by Yuan Kui?

Why would Yuan Kui send him something?

Duan Yu took the wooden box and opened it.

By the moonlight overhead and the torches held by the soldiers behind Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu, Duan Yu saw the jade ring in the box clearly.

Duan Yu held it in his hand; it felt warm and smooth, clearly an ancient and very precious piece of fine jade.

It was no ordinary item.

Why did Yuan Kui send him this jade ring?

"Did Yuan Shu say anything?" Duan Yu looked at the jade ring, then looked up at Tie Shitou.

Tie Shitou nodded and replied: "Yuan Shu said this is the jade ring worn by Fan Zeng, the strategist of the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu."

Oh?

Duan Yu raised an eyebrow.

The jade ring worn by Fan Zeng, the strategist of the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu.

Duan Yu, holding the jade ring, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

Then, a slight arc appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Wang Hunu, standing beside Tie Shitou, frowned and asked: "Lord, Yuan Kui sent you a gift, and such a jade ring at that—what does this mean?"

Tie Shitou also looked at Duan Yu with confusion.

Duan Yu shook the jade ring in his hand and said with a smile: "This is our Situ warning me."

"Huh?"

Wang Hunu widened his eyes.

"At the Feast at Hongmen, Fan Zeng looked at Xiang Yu and raised the jade ring he wore to signal Xiang Yu to kill Gao Zu, but Xiang Yu did not respond."

"Yuan Kui sent me Fan Zeng's jade ring; do you know what this jade ring represents?"

Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu both shook their heads, indicating they did not know.

"A jade ring (jue) implies a 'decision' (jue)."

Duan Yu explained: "Back then, Fan Zeng raised the jade ring to signal Xiang Yu to order the killing of Gao Zu; the jade ring represented the need for Xiang Yu to make a decision."

"But Xiang Yu did not listen to Fan Zeng and eventually let Gao Zu go, leading to his own death surrounded by the enemy at Gaixia."

"Yuan Kui sent me this jade pendant; one meaning is to urge me to make a decision, and the other is to warn me that if I cannot make a decision, my fate might be like Xiang Yu's—surrounded on all sides!"

"Heh." Duan Yu smiled and placed the jade ring back into the wooden box.

Through Duan Yu's explanation, Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu both understood.

A small jade ring actually held such deep meaning.

"Put it away. Since it is the Situ's good intention and the jade is so precious, we naturally cannot let his kindness go to waste."

"This jade ring is worth at least a thousand pieces of gold; sell it and exchange it for grain and weapons."

Duan Yu shoved the wooden box directly to Tie Shitou.

Then he strode toward the back courtyard.

"Xiang Yu?"

"Liu Bang?"

"The old man compares himself to Liu Bang?"

"And compares the people of the world to being surrounded on all sides?"

"Heh."

Duan Yu smiled and waved his sleeve.