Chapter 1045

Yuan Shu sat alone in his dim study, the candlelight flickering all around, reflecting off his face, which was clouded with uncertainty. In his hand, he gripped the Imperial Jade Seal that he had once believed could allow him to control the world; at this moment, however, it felt like a hot potato, weighing upon him with unprecedented heaviness.

"My Lord, My Lord!" The urgent cries from outside the door interrupted Yuan Shu's deep thoughts. He frowned, placed the seal on the table with displeasure, and said in a deep voice, "What is the matter that you are so flustered?"

The door was pushed open violently, and Ji Ling rushed in with an anxious look: "My Lord, something terrible has happened! Sun Ce has suddenly launched an army, captured our Lujiang Commandery, and is now closing in on Shouchun!"

"What?!" Yuan Shu stood up abruptly, a flash of terror crossing his eyes. He had never expected that just as he had recovered from Cao Cao's blow, Sun Ce would strike him again with such a heavy one.

"This... how is this possible? Does Sun Ce not have an alliance with me? Why would he suddenly betray the pact?" Yuan Shu asked in disbelief.

Ji Ling shook his head, his expression grave: "It is said that once Sun Ce learned that you had obtained the Imperial Jade Seal, he believed you intended to declare yourself Emperor, which threatened his status, and thus he decided to strike first."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu felt a bitterness in his heart. He had originally thought that this Imperial Jade Seal would be the aid that helped him achieve great things, but he had not expected it to become the root cause of his betrayal and isolation.

"My Lord, what should we do now?" Ji Ling asked anxiously.

Yuan Shu took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself down. He understood that panic at this moment would only make the situation worse. After pondering for a moment, he spoke slowly: "Pass down the order: the entire army is to prepare for battle to meet Sun Ce. At the same time, send men to seek reinforcements from the Guandong noble families such as Liu Biao and Liu Bei, so they know that I, Yuan Shu, am not fighting alone."

Ji Ling went to carry out the order, while Yuan Shu sat back down at his desk, looking at the Imperial Jade Seal with a complex gaze. He understood in his heart that this battle was not just about holding onto his territory and troops, but about proving his own ability and determination. He could not be defeated by Sun Ce like this, nor could he let the people of the world laugh at him, Yuan Shu, as a man of courage but no strategy.

However, Yuan Shu's plan did not go as he wished. Sun Ce's army was like a hot knife through butter, capturing several cities in succession and closing in on Shouchun. As for the Guandong noble families like Liu Biao and Liu Bei, although they agreed to send troops to help on the surface, they were actually harboring their own secret agendas and were reluctant to dispatch their armies.

Yuan Shu was burning with anxiety, yet he was helpless. He could only watch as Sun Ce's army approached step by step, while he himself was at his wit's end.

Just then, Yang Hong stood out once again. He advised Yuan Shu: "My Lord, we have reached a moment of life and death; we must think of a foolproof plan. In my opinion, it would be better to offer the Imperial Jade Seal to Sun Ce in exchange for his withdrawal. In this way, we can preserve Shouchun and avoid a direct conflict with Sun Ce."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu felt a struggle in his heart. He knew well that this Imperial Jade Seal had extraordinary significance to him; it was the symbol of his great undertaking. However, the current situation left him no room to think. He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice: "Fine! We shall do as you say. You are to go to Sun Ce's camp immediately, present the seal to him, and tell him that I, Yuan Shu, am willing to form an alliance with him to plot for the world together."

Yang Hong went to carry out the order, while Yuan Shu sat alone in his study, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He did not know if what he was doing was right, but at this moment, he had no other choice. He could only hope that Sun Ce would keep his promise and spare Shouchun.

However, Yuan Shu's hope was dashed once again. After Yang Hong brought the Imperial Jade Seal to Sun Ce's camp, Sun Ce did not withdraw his troops as Yuan Shu had wished. On the contrary, he became even more determined to attack Shouchun. He believed that Yuan Shu's action was a sign of weakness and that he should take this opportunity to eliminate this major threat once and for all.

When Yuan Shu learned the news, his heart turned to ash. He understood that he had truly reached a dead end this time. He looked at the Imperial Jade Seal that had once made his heart yearn, his mind filled with endless regret and helplessness. He finally understood that the true world could not be obtained by a single jade seal, but required wisdom, courage, and unremitting effort. However, all this realization had come too late.

On the day Shouchun fell, Yuan Shu fled toward Runan with his remnants. He wandered in displacement, and his former glory and honor had long since vanished. His heart was filled with endless regret and unwillingness, but none of it could be undone.

Life in Runan was not easy for Yuan Shu. He had lost most of his troops and territory and could only rely on his remaining forces to barely scrape by. Whenever the night was deep and quiet, he would sit alone in his tent, recalling his past glory and honor, his heart filled with endless regret and unwillingness.

"My Lord, My Lord!" A burst of hurried footsteps broke Yuan Shu's deep thoughts. He looked up to see Ji Ling running in, drenched in sweat.

"What is the matter that you are so flustered?" Yuan Shu asked with displeasure.

"My Lord, something terrible has happened! Liu Bei has suddenly launched an army, captured our Runan Commandery, and is now closing in on our main camp!" Ji Ling said, panting for breath.

"What?!" Yuan Shu stood up abruptly, a flash of terror crossing his eyes. He had never expected that just as he had escaped from Sun Ce's blow, Liu Bei would strike him again with such a heavy one.

"This... how is this possible? Does Liu Bei not have an alliance with me? Why would he suddenly betray the pact?" Yuan Shu asked in disbelief.

Ji Ling shook his head, his expression grave: "It is said that Liu Bei learned you had lost most of your troops and territory and believed you had lost the ability to contend for the world, so he decided to take the opportunity to launch an army and seize our territory."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu felt a bitterness in his heart. He had originally thought that although he had lost most of his power, he at least had Liu Bei as an ally to rely on. He had not expected that Liu Bei would also kick him while he was down at such a time.

"My Lord, what should we do now?" Ji Ling asked anxiously.

Yuan Shu took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself down. He understood that panic at this moment would only make the situation worse. After pondering for a moment, he spoke slowly: "Pass down the order: the entire army is to prepare for battle to meet Liu Bei. At the same time, send men to seek reinforcements from other Guandong noble families, so they know that I, Yuan Shu, have not been completely defeated and still have the strength to fight."

Ji Ling went to carry out the order, while Yuan Shu fell into deep thought once again. He understood in his heart that this battle was not just about preserving his own life and remaining forces, but about proving his own ability and determination. He could not be defeated by Liu Bei like this, nor could he let the people of the world laugh at him, Yuan Shu, as a good-for-nothing failure.

However, Yuan Shu's letters for help were like stones dropped into the sea, receiving no response at all. He understood in his heart that those Guandong noble families had all seen his decline and were unwilling to form an alliance with him anymore. He could only rely on his own strength to face Liu Bei's army.