Chapter 21: Mandated by Heaven, May Longevity and Prosperity Prevail Forever!

Yuan Shu’s startling declaration revealed his ambitions without restraint.

Ever since Sun Jian’s death, when he obtained the Eternal Jade Seal of the Realm from Madam Wu, the idea of claiming the throne had taken root in his mind.

The Yuan clan was the foremost aristocratic family under heaven, and as its legitimate heir, Yuan Shu now controlled Yangzhou—the wealthiest region in the land—with a vast army at his command. Moreover, possessing the Eternal Jade Seal, a symbol of imperial authority, further bolstered his claim.

If not him, then who else deserved to be Emperor?

His decision to openly declare his ambition now stemmed from his inability to tolerate Yuan Shao’s dominance over him any longer.

You’re merely exploiting the Emperor’s name, aren’t you?

Then I’ll simply proclaim myself Emperor! I will become the true Son of Heaven!

Suppressing his burning excitement, Yuan Shu addressed the gathering, “Currently, the Liu dynasty is weakening, with turmoil engulfing the realm. Our Yuan family has served four generations as prominent ministers, enjoying immense prestige and support across the nation. The people willingly pledge their allegiance to us.”

“I propose to follow the heavens’ mandate and heed the hearts of the populace by ascending the throne immediately. What say you, my lords?”

The assembled civil officials and military generals exchanged glances, remaining silent. How should they respond? What could they possibly say? Agreeing or disagreeing seemed equally inappropriate.

The most crucial point was that since Yuan Shu had voiced his intention to proclaim himself Emperor, he must have already made up his mind. Would opposing him serve any purpose?

Just as Yuan Shu thought everyone’s silence indicated tacit agreement, Yan Xiang suddenly spoke.

“My lord! You must not do this!” Worry filled Yan Xiang’s face as he earnestly advised against it. “In ancient times, from their founding ancestor Houji until King Wen, the Zhou people accumulated virtue and merit over generations. By then, they controlled two-thirds of the realm, yet they remained cautious subjects of the Shang Dynasty, never daring to assert independence.”

“My lord, although your lineage has enjoyed high office and great wealth for generations, the Yuan clan may not rival the prosperity of the Ji family. Moreover, while the Han Dynasty is indeed weakened, our sovereign is neither tyrannical nor incompetent; he cannot be compared with the cruel and unjust King Zhou of Shang. The hearts of the people still align with Han.”

“In such circumstances, choosing to ascend the throne would defy universal norms, making you a target for all factions, wouldn’t it?”

With Yan Xiang leading the dissent, others found courage in his words.

Yang Hong also chimed in, “Indeed, my lord. Even with the Emperor under their control, neither Cao Cao nor Yuan Shao dare usurp the throne. If you were to declare yourself Emperor, it would surely invite envy and resentment from other lords.”

It was no secret that their lord harbored ambitions of claiming the imperial title.

Or rather, virtually every powerful hero across the land likely entertained similar thoughts.

While ambition was one thing, who dared to truly proclaim themselves Emperor at this moment? The Han Dynasty might be weak, but it had not yet perished.

As Yan Xiang rightly pointed out, after four centuries of rule, loyalty towards the Great Han ran deep among the people. Moreover, the current Emperor had committed no significant transgressions, leaving Yuan Shu with no justifiable reason to claim the throne. His legitimacy would be fundamentally flawed and unsupported by popular sentiment.

Yuan Shu, visibly angered, retorted, “Because they’re unworthy!”

“I am the rightful heir of the Yuan family, while Yuan Shao is merely a collateral descendant; as for Cao Cao, he descends from eunuchs—how can they compare to me?”

“Furthermore, I possess the Eternal Jade Seal of the Realm, clearly indicating that Heaven’s Mandate lies with me!”

“My lineage, the Yuan clan, traces back to Emperor Shun through Duke Hu of Chen. This aligns perfectly with inheriting the ‘Metal Virtue’ following the Han Dynasty’s ‘Fire Virtue.’ Metal succeeding Fire accords with destiny.”

“Haven’t you heard the prophecy: ‘The successor to Han shall rise high on the road’? My name is Shu, courtesy name Gonglu, precisely fulfilling this prophecy!”

Yuan Shu firmly believed in his destined right to the throne. Upon his birth, an augur proclaimed him endowed with Heaven’s Mandate, and later obtaining the Eternal Jade Seal further validated this belief. He, Yuan Shu, was indeed Heaven’s chosen one!

“But my lord…” Yan Xiang attempted to continue his counsel, only to find Yuan Shu growing increasingly impatient.

“How can we achieve greatness with such timidity and fear!”

With these words, Yuan Shu stormed out, clearly dissatisfied that everyone opposed his claim to the throne.

After Yuan Shu’s departure, Yang Hong anxiously turned to Yan Xiang. “Secretary Yan, what should we do now?”

“My lord has made up his mind, and he likely won’t easily abandon the idea of proclaiming himself Emperor. However, given the current state of affairs, if our lord declares his sovereignty, he will become the target of all factions.”

“We must find a way to stop him,” Yan Xiang responded, visibly troubled.

Persuade him? But how? How could they convince him otherwise? The allure of claiming the throne was too great—few could resist it. Moreover, after today’s confrontation with Yuan Shao, their lord’s desire to become Emperor had become irrepressible.

“The only option left is to write for help.” After much deliberation, Yan Xiang came up with a plan.

Yang Hong asked skeptically, “Whom should we seek aid from?”

Yan Xiang replied gravely, “Sun Ce!”

Following Sun Jian’s death, his sons and family continued serving under Yuan Shu, with Sun Ce being one of them. In fact, Sun Ce surpassed even his father’s achievements. With merely a few thousand troops, he managed to conquer four commanderies in Jiangdong!

Currently, Sun Ce was stationed in Huiji County, highly regarded by Yuan Shu. Yan Xiang intended to send him a letter, hoping he could persuade Yuan Shu against declaring himself Emperor.

Fuming with rage, Yuan Shu stormed back to his palace chambers and proceeded to throw a violent tantrum, smashing numerous objects within.

“Rascals! A bunch of unambitious rascals! Why can’t I proclaim myself emperor? If I do so, they would all become ministers of my reign! Why must they oppose me?”

After venting his anger by destroying more items, Yuan Shu sat panting amidst the chaos of his chamber. Slowly, he raised his head towards a nearby table where a square-shaped jade seal rested gracefully.

A beam of moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the jade seal, casting it in a radiant glow, imbuing it with a sense of sacredness and solemnity.

Alas, one corner of the seal was chipped and repaired with gold.

This was none other than the Eternal Jade Seal of the Realm—the symbol representing divine mandate and rightful succession!

“The jade seal, my Eternal Jade Seal of the Realm!” Yuan Shu’s eyes fixated on the seal, filled with intense longing. He clumsily crawled over to the table, carefully picked up the jade seal with both hands, and held it up against the bright moon outside.

The seal seemed to merge harmoniously with the full moon, creating a breathtaking sight.

“Mandate from Heaven, may longevity endure…” Yuan Shu murmured, his gaze entranced as he reverently traced the intricate patterns and the eight inscribed characters at the base of the seal.

These eight words resonated within his heart like a bewitching melody.

“I possess the Eternal Jade Seal of the Realm; I am destined to be the Emperor!”

Yuan Shu’s eyes gleamed with determination as he abruptly turned and shouted outside, “Guard! Bring Zhang Ao to me immediately!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Moments later, a guard escorted an elderly Daoist, clad in a robe and sporting graying hair, into Yuan Shu’s palace chambers.

With one hand clutching the jade seal, Yuan Shu grabbed the old man by the collar, staring intently at him and demanded, “Did you truly mean it when you said I’m fated to become Emperor? You weren’t lying?”

Terrified, Zhang Ao gazed upon Yuan Shu’s bloodshot eyes, fearing that any negative response might lead to Yuan Shu crushing the jade seal on his head. Trembling uncontrollably, Zhang Ao nodded frantically, “Yes! Yes! As per the divination signs, my lord, you indeed possess the destiny of an Emperor! However…”

“Hahaha! I am destined for the throne! I am meant to be the Emperor!” Yuan Shu burst out laughing ecstatically, holding the jade seal tightly while shouting madly within his chambers.

Witnessing Yuan Shu’s descent into madness, Zhang Ao paled. After a moment of hesitation, he decided against revealing the rest of his prophecy:

“My lord, although you do have the fate of an Emperor, just…it is very short.”