With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 248, Ma Teng Arrives

"His Majesty!"

Xiahou Lan ran over excitedly. Liu Xie was practicing his swordplay in the training ground, so he stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Your Majesty, General Ma Teng has arrived!"

"Huh? I didn't expect him to actually come." Liu Xie was overjoyed. He thought that after waiting for so long, Ma Teng wouldn't come, but he actually did.

"How many people are here?"

As Liu Xie walked towards the city gate, he asked.

Xiahou Lan hurried to catch up, saying as they walked, "Your Majesty, there are quite a few people here, several hundred in total. Ma Teng has brought his family along as well."

Liu Xie did not hold any formal welcome; he immediately went to greet them outside the city.

Sure enough, a large group of people arrived outside the city, dressed in various styles. Many of them had their hair loose and wore their robes fastened on the left, their attire clearly different from that of the people from the Central Plains.

Some were on horseback, some were in carriages, there were men and women, young and old, all in a chaotic and disorganized manner. Most of them were family members, and there were about thirty people including attendants and guards.

The leader was of average appearance, with sharp features and a thick beard that covered his lips and chin, giving him a rugged and powerful look.

His hair was loose, and he was draped in an animal skin, looking like a chivalrous knight-errant. He was around fifty years old.

This man was burly, but his eyes revealed an undisguised worry.

Liu Xie recognized Ma Teng at a glance, smiled and walked over quickly, with Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan following closely behind.

"General Ma, I have been waiting for you for so long, and you have finally arrived."

Ma Teng was stunned for a moment. He had just seen a young man in white robes walking over, and he had assumed that the man was a messenger and had not considered him to be the emperor at all.

Since Liu Xie had just arrived from the training ground, he was dressed in civilian clothes and without a crown, so it was understandable that Ma Teng didn't recognize him.

Ma Teng hurriedly dismounted and was about to kneel down when he was stopped by a pair of strong and powerful hands.

"General Ma, there's no need for formalities. Everyone, please don't stand on ceremony. You've all come from a long way and must be tired."

Liu Xie smiled and took Ma Teng's hand, asking him with concern about his journey.

Did you encounter any bandits on the road? Did you experience any water or soil acclimatization problems? What difficulties did you encounter? They asked about your well-being and were extremely attentive.

Ma Teng answered truthfully and introduced his family members one by one.

Ma Teng had three sons and one daughter: his eldest son Ma Chao, his second son Ma Xiu, his third son Ma Tie, his daughter Ma Yunlu, and a nephew named Ma Dai.

Ma Chao and Ma Dai stayed in Xiliang. Ma Teng was getting old and, on the one hand, did not want to continue fighting, and on the other hand, he was also somewhat worried about the imperial court.

Ma Teng had received the imperial edict several months ago, and after much deliberation, he had been hesitant about whether to come.

Liu Xie did not send anyone to urge him, leaving the decision entirely to Ma Teng.

Come if you want, we won't force you if you don't want to.

Upon hearing that Ma Teng had arrived, Cao Cao also arrived with his men, and Xun Yu and the others also received the news one after another.

When everyone arrived, they saw Liu Xie dressed in casual clothes, already familiar with Ma Teng and the others, chatting and laughing.

Cao Cao glanced at Xun Yu and said with a hint of reproach, "Your Majesty's casual attire in greeting us is far too inappropriate."

Xun Yu smiled and said, "My lord, although His Majesty is dressed casually, it precisely shows His Majesty's sincerity. He didn't even have time to change his clothes before rushing over."

Cao Cao couldn't help but think of Xu You, who had come out barefoot to greet him, showing his sincerity.

But it was precisely because of Xu You that Cao Cao suffered a crushing defeat at Wuchao, falling into a passive position in his struggle against the emperor.

Wuchao was the turning point in Cao Cao's life. The thought of Xu You made Cao Cao's eyes turn cold and he gritted his teeth in hatred.

"I didn't expect Ma Teng to actually come."

After a while, Cao Cao sighed and then walked towards Ma Teng.

Xun Yu watched Cao Cao's retreating figure and gently shook his head. He knew that Ma Teng's arrival had disappointed Cao Cao.

Ma Teng's acceptance of the imperial pardon was tantamount to enhancing the emperor's power, which was not what Cao Cao wanted to see.

However, Cao Cao still treated Ma Teng with great courtesy.

After exchanging a few polite words, Cao Cao suggested, "Your Majesty, General Ma Teng must be tired from his journey. Let's quickly bring him into the city and hold a welcoming banquet for him to celebrate."

Liu Xie did not nod immediately, but looked at Ma Teng and asked for his opinion, "General Ma, what do you think? If you are too tired from the journey, you can settle down first, and we can have a feast and get together tomorrow. It doesn't matter if we camp outside the city."

Although these words were not very meaningful, Xun Yu understood Liu Xie's meaning.

When Ma Teng and his family arrived in Xudu, he must have been feeling uneasy. It wasn't something that could be easily resolved with a simple welcoming banquet.

Perhaps he was worried that he would be placed under house arrest. In such a situation, could he really eat the best food with peace of mind?
Ma Teng hesitated for a moment, then bowed and replied, "It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide!"

Liu Xie nodded and smiled, “General Ma has been on the frontier for a long time and is a general on horseback. I believe your family is new here and is not yet used to it. How about this, let’s set up camp outside the city first, and then settle in the city after everyone has settled in. We will not hold a banquet for now. Today is just a chance for everyone to meet and get to know each other.”

Cao Cao leaned closer to Liu Xie and whispered, "Your Majesty, isn't this arrangement a bit too casual? General Ma Teng is, after all, a regional warlord. Will they complain about us setting up camp outside the city?"

Liu Xie smiled and said, "Everyone, please feel free to make yourselves at home. That way, it won't seem like we're strangers."

Ma Teng naturally had no objection. Liu Xie immediately ordered Xiahou Lan to lead men to help set up camp outside the city. After exchanging pleasantries with his ministers, Liu Xie sent the others back to the city first.

Liu Xie spent some more time with Ma Teng's family before heading home after dark.

Mathieu was somewhat angry and said to Ma Teng, "Father, we have come from afar, and His Majesty only allows us to camp outside the city. Isn't this going too far? Does he not respect you?"

Ma Teng looked at the tall and magnificent city wall opposite and shook his head. "This is fine. From what I've observed, His Majesty is approachable and unlike any other. Whether the banquet is good or not, whether the food and wine are plentiful or not, we didn't come to Xudu for these things."

After nightfall, Zhao Yun led several dozen Dragon Guards out of the city.

Upon hearing the sound of hooves, Ma Teng instinctively shuddered, then his eyes widened, and he became alert.

Before he could even get close, Zhao Yun greeted him with a smile, “General Ma, I am Zhao Yun, the commander of His Majesty’s personal guard. By His Majesty’s order, I will be your bodyguard tonight.”

Zhao Yun is now famous and is the emperor's closest bodyguard commander. Not long ago, he killed Wen Chou with his spear at Baima City.

The emperor actually appointed his own guard commander to stand guard for him at night, which immediately thrilled Ma Teng.

Moreover, he discovered that Zhao Yun had only brought a few dozen soldiers, which served both a protective function and prevented Ma Teng from feeling uneasy. If several thousand soldiers had suddenly appeared, even if they were there to provide protection, it would have made Ma Teng's heart pound.

Ma Teng repeatedly expressed his gratitude, "How could I trouble General Zhao to come and protect me?"

Zhao Yun, without a smile, said very seriously, "General Ma trusts His Majesty and the court, which is why he traveled all the way from Xiliang to Xuchang. Your safety is now the most important thing in Xuchang."

Zhao Yun gave a brief greeting and then dispersed his men to patrol the perimeter.

They deliberately kept a distance so as not to disturb Ma Teng's family's rest.

Now, Ma Xiu stopped complaining and felt very pleased. He said to his younger brother Ma Tie, "Our father is really impressive. His Majesty actually sent Zhao Yun to protect us."

Ma Tie's eyes lit up, and he grinned from ear to ear. "General Zhao is something else! He's the hero who killed Wen Chou. Such a big shot is actually here to protect our safety."

Zhao Yun strictly followed Liu Xie's orders without any hesitation. When Ma Teng's family members got up at night, they could see Zhao Yun in his white robe and silver armor not far away.

His body stood proudly upright, like a pine tree, making everyone feel at ease even though Ma Teng and the others slept outside the city.

With Zhao Yun around, there's no need to worry about any danger at night.

After daybreak, Zhao Yun returned to the city to rest.

After the court session ended, Liu Xie instructed Xun Yu to prepare a banquet, while he took Ma Teng and his sons for a stroll in the city, giving Ma Teng a briefing on the current situation in Xuchang.

Although Ma Teng was a rough man, he was also meticulous. Before coming here, he had done some research on the situation in Xudu.

After getting to know him, he discovered that the emperor was not only approachable, but also acted entirely like the master.

This gradually dispelled Ma Teng's concerns. If the emperor's word was not enough and Cao Cao controlled everything, then Ma Teng would not feel at ease.

If Cao Cao had even the emperor under his control, would he still be polite to him?
Ma Yunlu also had a boyish personality, with bright, sparkling eyes, looking around here and there, as cheerful as a butterfly, chattering away whenever she encountered something interesting or fun.

She was fifteen or sixteen years old, with a head of jet-black hair, a delicate face, and bright, large, and captivating eyes. Every move she made exuded a natural, wild beauty, and her whole body radiated healthy vitality.

As they strolled around, Liu Xie also recommended accommodations to them. The dignified emperor transformed into a qualified guide, working full-time as a real estate agent.

Emperor Liu Xie only made a recommendation; he did not arbitrarily choose a place for Ma Teng to stay. The emperor personally accompanied him, a treatment that deeply moved Ma Teng and his family.

At noon, Emperor Liu Xie hosted a grand banquet for Ma Teng and his family in the main hall, and in front of all the court officials, formally conferred upon Ma Teng the title of Grand Herald.

The Grand Herald's main function was to oversee foreign affairs, equivalent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Responsible for coordinating relations with other ethnic groups or states.

Liu Xie felt that this official position was quite fitting for Ma Teng's identity. He was a Han Chinese, but also had Qiang blood. He had been on the frontier for a long time and had dealt with many different ethnic groups.

Liu Xie has not yet appointed Ma Xiu and Ma Tie. He will wait until Ma Teng is settled before considering their appointments. He does not want to impose too much of a constraint on Ma Xiu for the time being.

After the banquet, Cao Cao summoned Guo Jia and the others to the Prime Minister's residence and said, "I must say, Your Majesty is very good at winning people's hearts. At first, I thought Your Majesty had mistreated Ma Teng, but now I understand."

Besides being arrogant, Cao Cao could quickly see the essence of many things once he calmed down.

Guo Jia smiled and said, "My lord, His Majesty has always been like this. He is so approachable to me, to Wenruo, and to you, just like a friend. He makes people feel very close to him and there is no sense of distance between them."

Cao Cao nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty is indeed very capable."

Mao Jie shook his head. "My lord, I don't think this is a tactic, but rather..."

Mao Jie thought for a moment, trying to find a better word to describe it.

Guo Jia interjected, "It should be said that this is His Majesty's innate affability."

Mao Jie nodded. "That's exactly what I meant."

But someone nearby gave a faint snort. Guo Jia turned his head and saw that it was Xun You.

Xun Yu was also there. He gave Xun You a reproachful look. During this time, Xun Yu had also taken the time to talk to Xun You, telling him to be more careful in his actions in the future, and if things really got too bad, to resign and leave temporarily.

Based on past experience, Xun Yu noticed that Liu Xie's target was Xun You.

In fact, Liu Xie never deliberately targeted anyone, and Xun You was not without a choice.

As long as Xun You recognizes his position now, either siding with the emperor or simply remaining neutral, he will be safe and sound.

As the saying goes: When gods fight, mortals suffer.

In the battle between the emperor and Cao Cao, how many underlings died?
It could never be the emperor who died, nor could it be Cao Cao.

But the unlucky ones kept coming one after another, and if they died, they died; nobody cared.

Liu Xie appointed Xun You as Imperial Censor as a warning to him.

"Gongda, what do you think?"

Cao Cao continued to treat Xun You with the same enthusiasm and high regard as always.

Xun You glanced at Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao said that His Majesty is naturally affable, but I don't think so. When His Majesty takes action, he doesn't even blink. Zhongde and Boning are still fresh in our minds. Although there was no conclusive evidence at Wuchao, it was probably His Majesty's doing. In my opinion, the affability that His Majesty shows is just a facade to deceive us. In reality, he is more decisive than anyone else."

Xun Yu sighed and said with concern, "Gongda, how can you say that?"

Xun You's voice turned much colder. "Did I say something wrong? What did Zhongde do wrong? What did Boning do wrong?"

Xun You was clearly agitated. Ever since he became the Imperial Censor, Xun You had harbored resentment towards the emperor.

Guo Jia and the others stared wide-eyed in surprise, looking at Xun You with puzzlement.

This is a topic that's impossible to discuss, and no one dares to discuss it.

Didn't you do anything wrong?

At first glance, it seems that Xun You's words make some sense. Everyone is doing things and has not done anything wrong. But in fact, it is not only wrong, but also very wrong.

Because everyone, including Cao Cao, disregarded the emperor and restricted or even undermined his power.

Xun Yu's expression also changed, and he looked at Xun You, his nephew, with a serious expression.

He truly did not want Xun You to become mired in trouble and ultimately meet a tragic end.

The consequences of an emperor's wrath are not something anyone can bear.

(End of this chapter)