Chapter 105: Jia Xu's Decision; Lu Bu Seeks an Audience

Embarrassed by his failed attempt to recruit Lu Bu, Yuan Shao couldn’t fathom how such minor incidents would prompt Lu Bu to reject his goodwill.

Moreover, there were no significant past grievances between them.

Although they had been adversaries when Lu Bu served under Dong Zhuo, this was merely due to their allegiances at the time. They never harbored personal animosity beyond that.

With Dong Zhuo’s death, those conflicts evaporated like smoke.

In theory, by humbling himself and extending goodwill towards Lu Bu, showcasing grand gestures, and even breaking protocol to offer him a dukedom, anyone else would be overwhelmed with gratitude.

Yet, instead of appreciating these efforts, Lu Bu displayed intense hostility.

Baffled, Yuan Shao sought counsel from his advisors, hoping they could discuss and exchange opinions to understand what might have caused this reaction.

Once he identified the root cause, he intended to address it accordingly.

Tian Feng furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment before speaking up, “Liu Bei now shares a deep bond with Lu Bu. I suspect that Liu Bei may have fabricated slander against my lord in front of Lu Bu, leading to such hostile feelings.”

“We should have killed Liu Bei back in Yecheng.” Tian Feng remained deeply resentful over not eliminating Liu Bei earlier.

Liu Bei had once pledged to capture Pei County within ten days under penalty of death. Yet, he had somehow survived this impossible task and even managed to rebuild his forces, gaining Lu Bu’s trust along the way—an astonishing feat!

Furthermore, during the recent expedition against Yuan Shu, Zhang Xiu surrendered and handed over his city, showcasing Liu Bei’s extraordinary courage and determination.

Tian Feng was now more convinced than ever that Liu Bei posed a significant future threat, regretting deeply his failure to persuade Yuan Shao to eliminate him earlier.

Seeing Tian Feng bring up past mistakes again, particularly the missed opportunity to kill Liu Bei, Yuan Shao grew slightly irked. With a cold snort, he retorted, “How could such a mere peddler of straw mats and sandals possibly achieve anything noteworthy? Today, the Emperor has appointed him as Governor of Jing Province. As long as Liu Biao lives, there is no chance for Liu Bei to assume that position.

Currently, Lu Bu controls all of Xuzhou, with Yangzhou also within his grasp. Our immediate priority must be to win him over! If we forge an alliance, Jizhou, Qingzhou, Bing Province, Yangzhou, and Xuzhou—five out of the Nine Provinces—would be under our influence. With such control, achieving our grand ambition would be imminent.”

Yuan Shao had completely lost hope in recruiting Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Their unwavering loyalty to Liu Bei made them unapproachable.

However, there might still be a chance with Lu Bu, who possessed greater valor than the other two and controlled vast territories—a formidable force not to be underestimated.

“My lord, Lu Bu is notoriously unpredictable, having changed allegiances thrice,” Tian Feng cautioned. “The risk of attempting to sway him is simply too great.”

A worried expression crossed Shen Pei’s face; he strongly advised against Yuan Shao trying to win over Lu Bu.

Lu Bu was undoubtedly fierce, but the bloody examples of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo loomed large. Who could predict if Lu Bu might suddenly stab them in the back someday? Yuan Shao frowned silently, recalling how this very concern had initially deterred him from accepting Lu Bu’s offer to join his ranks.

However, circumstances had changed, allowing that treacherous opportunist to grow so formidable. Deep regret washed over him.

Compared to securing Xuzhou and Yangzhou, what did the risk of betrayal matter? He felt confident in his ability to subdue Lu Bu, just as he had done with countless other advisors and generals who had defected to his side over the years. Once they joined his command, each one swore unwavering loyalty to him.

“What does the Supervisor of Court Ceremonies suggest?” Yuan Shao finally turned his gaze toward Jia Xu, who had been quietly drinking tea without participating in the discussion.

Unlike Tian Feng and Ju Shou, Jia Xu wasn’t officially part of Yuan Shao’s retinue. Yet regardless of whether Yuan Shao invited him or not, Jia Xu always attended their deliberations. Consequently, Yuan Shao considered Jia Xu akin to a trusted household servant.

Jia Xu had hoped to enjoy his tea undisturbed, only to find himself drawn into the conversation nonetheless. Setting down his cup, he pondered briefly before asking, “Does the Great General wish to know whether to court Lu Bu or how to do it?

“If it is the former, I cannot provide much guidance, for both advantages and risks exist, requiring the Great General’s own judgment.”

“If it’s the latter, then I can offer some thoughts.”

As a strategist, unless under extreme circumstances, Jia Xu did not need to make decisions for his superiors. His role was merely to provide methods to achieve their objectives after they had made up their minds. This approach ensured he would never invite undue harm upon himself.

“How should this general win over Lu Bu?” asked Yuan Shao.

Jia Xu smiled slightly and replied calmly, “Examining Lu Bu’s past experiences, each time he changed allegiances, it was driven by ambition, wealth, power, or beautiful women. If the Great General wishes to sway him, these aspects could serve as starting points.”

Yuan Shao sighed helplessly. “How could I be unaware? Today, I submitted a memorial to the Emperor, appointing him as Protector-General of Chariots and Cavalry, even breaking protocol to confer on him the title of Count of a Commandery. In terms of nobility rank, his position surpasses mine.”

“Additionally, I meticulously selected more than ten beauties, intending to gift them to him when he visited my estate. Yet, he refused to come at all.” Yuan Shao believed he had shown utmost sincerity, but it seemed like casting flirtatious glances at a blind man—utterly futile.

Jia Xu paused briefly, a peculiar look flashing in his eyes. He tactfully suggested, “Has the Great General considered that perhaps Lu Bu does not aspire to be Protector-General?”

His words left everyone momentarily stunned.

The position of Protector-General of Chariots and Cavalry was the pinnacle for military officers within the imperial court, second only to the Great General himself.

If not the position of Protector-General, then what did Lu Bu want?

Suddenly, Yuan Shao’s eyes widened incredulously as he exclaimed, “Could it be… Could it be that he wants my title as Great General?!”

Jia Xu remained silent, but his silence spoke volumes.

Yuan Shao’s expression darkened instantly.

He understood now; everything made sense.

Why Lu Bu held such animosity towards him, why he ignored all attempts at goodwill, and why there was no reaction when Yuan Shao received the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry today in the Great Hall.

It turned out, Lu Bu’s true ambition was to become the Great General!

“Arrogant!” Chunyu Qiong burst out angrily. “What right does a brute like Lu Bu have to covet the position of Great General?”

Yuan Shao, grim-faced, said nothing.

He could tolerate Lu Bu having a higher noble rank, as nobility conferred prestige during times of prosperity. However, amidst chaos, it ultimately amounted to mere vanity.

No matter how vast Lu Bu’s fiefdom might be, could he truly control it?

But military appointments were different!

As both the Great General and Grand Marshal, Yuan Shao nominally commanded all armed forces across the land, wielding authority second only to the Emperor himself—a position inherently justified by righteousness.

If he yielded the title of Great General to Lu Bu, not only would he lose command over Lu Bu, but he would also be compelled to follow Lu Bu’s orders!

Taking a deep breath to suppress his anger, Yuan Shao said expressionlessly, “Let’s abandon any plans to recruit Lu Bu.”

Lu Bu sought the position of Great General, which Yuan Shao could not relinquish. Thus, attempting to win him over was futile.

“It seems directly commanding Lu Bu will no longer be possible; we’ll have to rely on imperial decrees to direct him instead. No matter, it amounts to the same thing,” Yuan Shao thought to himself.

With complete control over the Emperor, issuing decrees aligned with his intentions was effortless. As long as Lu Bu remained loyal to the throne, he would have to obey those edicts.

“Today’s session is adjourned. Gentlemen, please retire for some rest.”

As Yuan Shao concluded, everyone began to take their leave one by one.

Jia Xu glanced at Yuan Shao, contemplating internally, “If Lu Bu conquers Yangzhou, he will control two provinces, matching Yuan Shao’s power. Judging from his behavior today in the imperial court, it appears he feels guilty towards the Emperor. For our future prospects, I must discuss this with Guo Jia.”

Over several months, witnessing firsthand the internal conflicts and power struggles within Yuan Shao’s faction, Jia Xu had come to believe that Yuan Shao was unworthy of loyalty. With Lu Bu’s arrival, his allegiance once again leaned towards the Emperor.

Resolute in his decision, Jia Xu resolved to have an honest conversation with Guo Jia.

After all the advisors and generals departed, Yuan Shao climbed into a carriage heading towards the prison. He intended to visit Yuan Shu.

Within the imperial palace, Liu Xie held the Imperial Jade Seal, examining it with fascination, unable to put it down.

“How truly magnificent.”

By mandate of heaven, may longevity flourish.

Every time he read these eight words, his blood boiled, stirring deep emotions within him that were hard to describe.

Now, he understood why Sun Jian secretly hid the Imperial Jade Seal and why Yuan Shu couldn’t resist declaring himself Emperor. Holding this artifact amplified the desire for ascension to the throne by countless times.

For the jade seal represented supreme power!

The only imperfection was a chipped corner, which had been repaired with gold but still marred its perfection.

“Legend has it that after Mistress Wang broke a corner of the jade seal, the escaping dragon qi traveled northward, leading to frequent invasions from the northern territories throughout history. Over centuries, this resulted in the birth of a demonic dragon, allowing barbarians to breach the border defenses.”

Liu Xie gently touched the damaged corner of the jade seal, recalling a rumor he had come across in his previous life.

“Sigh, what a pity that this sacred symbol of sovereignty is not ultimately mine. I wonder when Yuan Shao will claim it.”

As Liu Xie sighed, a eunuch’s voice echoed outside his sleeping quarters:

“Your Majesty, the Protector-General requests an audience at the palace gates.”