Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Inside Chang'an City, the snow on Zhuque Street had just been cleared, revealing the bluestone pavement, but it couldn't mask the restlessness in the air. When Hu Che'er dismounted, the frost on his armor hadn't completely melted. Hearing that Ma Chao had sent Hu Che'er, he had just entered the Liang Prince's residence when he was surrounded by Ma Teng and his family.

"Where is Chao'er? When will he arrive?" Ma Teng took the baggage handed to him by Hu Che'er, pressed his fingers on the fabric, as if trying to feel his son's presence through the fabric.

Hu Che'er knelt on one knee: "Reporting to the old lord, the king is on his way back and will arrive soon. This is a letter the king entrusted me to bring back." He handed out the short letters one by one to the women in the hall, and finally took out a sealed letter with wax seal, "This one is for Mr. Li Ru."

The young women took the text message, their fingers gripping the thin paper. It contained only a few words: "All is well, do not worry, your return is near." The handwriting was strong and weathered, bearing the marks of battle, yet devoid of any tenderness. They looked down at the letter, smiles playing on their lips, but a barely perceptible hint of disappointment lurked in their eyes.

Li Ru opened the secret letter, his eyes scanning the handwriting. His brows gradually relaxed, and finally he clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Your Majesty has won a great victory on the grasslands this time, sweeping away the Xianbei. From now on, there will be no more worries west of Chang'an!"

Ma Teng leaned over and read a few lines, then couldn't help but mutter, "This brat, he only tells us 'Don't worry,' but he has so much to say to you." His words were tinged with sarcasm, but his eyes darted towards the girls, clearly worried that they might feel uncomfortable.

“Uncle, what are you saying?” Dong Bai, dressed in an apricot-colored ruqun, spoke first, her cheeks slightly flushed. “His Majesty is considerate of us and is afraid that saying too much will make us worry. Besides, he is working hard outside, and he should be keeping important military and national affairs in mind.”

Zhang Fubao, whose hair was styled in double buns, nodded in agreement: "Yes, as long as he comes back safely, that's all that matters. Wouldn't it be more reassuring to say things face to face?"

Seeing their protectiveness, Li Ru smiled and smoothed things over: "My lord, you see, the ladies all understand the King's thoughts. He's hiding his romantic feelings and putting the affairs of state first. When he returns, he can apologize to you ladies—but in my opinion, the ladies will have already served up the prepared snacks before he even apologizes."

These words made the girls blush, and they all lowered their heads, clutching the letters in their hands even tighter. Seeing this, Ma Teng laughed loudly: "Sir, you really understand these subtleties! Alright, don't stand there anymore. It's freezing cold, you should all go back and make some preparations. He should be back soon."

Sunlight streamed through the windows, falling on the girls' flushed cheeks and on Ma Teng's graying hair. The snow continued to fall, yet it seemed to carry a warmth—no matter how long the wait, as long as the returning loved one was on their way, it was sweet.

Li Ru returned to his residence, dismissed his attendants, and left only a few core members of the Celestial Masters sect. In the flickering candlelight, he unfolded Ma Chao's secret letter and read it again. His fingertip paused heavily on the words "slaughter of millions," and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

"Gentlemen," he said in a low voice, but with an undeniable authority, "His Majesty has accomplished great things on the grasslands, and this news cannot be kept secret. You must immediately send men to various states in the Central Plains to spread the word about the Xiliang cavalry's sweeping victory over the grasslands and the annihilation of the Xianbei—emphasize 'the slaughter of a million' and 'the triumph of the frontier.'"

One of the key figures cupped his hands and asked, "Sir, won't such a grand display arouse the suspicion of the warlords in the Central Plains?"

Li Ru sneered and slammed the secret letter onto the table: "It's good that they're wary! In the past two years, the King has been lying low, and some people have probably forgotten the power of the Xiliang cavalry. The peaceful days in Chang'an have been too long, and some people are always envious. Let them hear that a million Xianbei tribesmen have all become the dead under the King's blade. What are their little territorial disputes in the King's eyes?"

He stood up and paced a few steps, the candlelight casting long shadows on the wall: "Furthermore, we must let the world see—the princes of the Central Plains are busy fighting amongst themselves, and the people are displaced; while my king is expanding the territory of the Han Dynasty on the grasslands and eliminating troubles for the border people. The people themselves know who is superior and who is inferior."

Another key member understood: "Sir, you want to use this matter to establish your authority, both to promote the King's name and to deter others from coveting Xiliang?"

“Exactly.” Li Ru nodded, a calculating glint in his eyes. “Tell those who spread the message to be clear—the King of Liang is back, and the swords of Xiliang are still sharp. Anyone who is blind will be taught a lesson by the Xianbei.”

The crowd acknowledged the order and were about to leave when Li Ru called them back, "Wait." He pondered for a moment and added, "By the way, His Majesty will be returning to Chang'an soon. Let those who are waiting to see Xiliang make a fool of itself give up their plans."

After the core members left, Li Ru gazed at the swirling snow outside the window, a cold smile playing on his lips. The murky waters of the Central Plains should also be stirred up by the iron cavalry of Xiliang. With the King's return, the game of chess in this world needs a new approach.

As messengers from the Celestial Masters sect sped across the land, news of Ma Chao's sweeping conquest of the grasslands and annihilation of the Xianbei swept across the Central Plains like thunder. Just as the smoke from year-end cooking fires began to rise in the cities of various states, this news unsettled the feudal lords, even dampening the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Inside Chengdu, Yizhou, Liu Zhang was smugly pleased with himself as he looked at the military reports on his desk. For the past two years, Zhang Ren had led his troops in a fierce attack on Jiameng Pass, and the battle reports returning always stated that "the Xiliang army suffered unnecessary losses." Liu Zhang stroked his beard and laughed, "Everyone says Ma Chao is incredibly powerful, but in my opinion, he's nothing special. Yizhou's terrain is treacherous; even with his iron cavalry, he'll find it difficult to take a single step."

Before he could finish speaking, a guard stumbled in, holding an urgent report in his hand, his face pale: "My lord! Urgent report from the north... Ma Chao... Ma Chao has annihilated the Xianbei on the grasslands, and it is said... it is said that he killed a million of their people!"

Liu Zhang's smile froze instantly. He snatched the urgent report, his fingers trembling as he unfolded it. The handwriting was hasty but glaring—"The King of Liang personally led the Xiliang Iron Cavalry north to attack the Xianbei. In three months, they wiped out their royal court. South of Langjuxu Mountain, there was no trace of the Xianbei. All the kingdoms of the Western Regions sent envoys to submit to them..."

With a "snap," the urgent report slipped from his hands. Liu Zhang slumped onto the couch, muttering, "A million...he actually has such a force? That..."

He suddenly realized—Zhang Ren had been attacking for two years without success, not because the Xiliang army was weak, but because Ma Chao had not taken Yizhou seriously at all, and his main force had already moved to the grasslands and made such a great achievement!

“It’s over…it’s over…” Liu Zhang’s forehead was covered in sweat, and he felt a chill run down his spine. “If he turns back and heads south, given his momentum in destroying the Xianbei, how can Yizhou…how can Yizhou resist him?”

The civil and military officials inside the tent were in an uproar. Some said, "We should immediately cease hostilities and appease the King of Liang," while others said, "We should fortify the passes and request reinforcements from the south." A chaotic clamor ensued. Liu Zhang, however, paid no heed to any of it, his gaze fixed on the north, his eyes filled with terror—the overlord of Western Liang, whom he had underestimated, was about to return to Chang'an, carrying the lingering power of his conquest of the grasslands. This New Year would likely be anything but peaceful.

Outside Xiangyang, Liu Bei's camp was brightly lit, and the map was densely covered with small flags marking the offensive and defensive positions of both sides. He was discussing siege strategies with Pang Tong when his personal guard rushed in to report the news that Ma Chao had swept across the grasslands and achieved unparalleled feats.

Liu Bei held the text message, his fingers trembling slightly. After a long while, he finally let go, shaking his head with a wry smile. Seeing this, Pang Tong raised an eyebrow and said, "My lord, Ma Chao is indeed a rough gem, but unfortunately, the chaos of the times has dulled his edge. If he had been able to serve the court back then, the north wouldn't be in such a chaotic state."

“Yes…” Liu Bei gazed at the dark night sky outside the tent, his voice filled with melancholy. “He was originally loyal to the country, but he was suspected by the emperor and forced to rebel. If the court had treated him well back then, with his bravery, how could the Xianbei and Qianghu have ravaged the north for so long? We wouldn’t have to fight with our own relatives in Jingzhou.”

He recalled his past with Ma Chao, when Ma Chao was still a young man, his eyes arrogant yet sincere, wholeheartedly wanting to serve the court. Who would have thought that fate would play such a cruel trick, now one of them has become a regional hegemon, while the other is fighting among his own clan, wasting the country's resources.

"Enough," Liu Bei waved his hand and placed the message on the table. "Let's put Ma Chao's matter aside for now, and we still have to attack Xiangyang. But... seeing him triumph in the north, and then thinking about us fighting amongst ourselves here, it's really not a good feeling."

Pang Tong stroked his beard and pondered, "The world is in disarray, which is not something that one person can reverse. My lord, you only need to stay true to your heart, take Jingzhou first, and then plan the northern expedition. There will be a day when the world will be at peace."

Liu Bei nodded but said nothing more. He simply gazed at the lights atop Xiangyang city walls, his sense of despondency growing ever stronger. They were both members of the Liu clan, both yearning to restore the Han dynasty, yet now they fought to the death. And the one once abandoned by the court had become the bulwark protecting the northern frontier. What an irony of the world!

Outside Xuzhou City, the campfires of Cao Cao's army camp illuminated half the sky, casting flickering light on everyone's faces.

Cao Ang clutched the newly arrived message in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, his eyes brimming with barely suppressed excitement. Beside him, Ma Yunlu, seeing his expression, couldn't help but chuckle, "What's wrong with Zixiu? He seems happier than if he'd won a battle himself."

Cao Ang slammed his fist into a tree trunk beside him, pacing back and forth excitedly, muttering to himself, "A true man should be like this! A true man should be like this! In just two years, he has managed to turn the grasslands upside down. I am truly impressed by the King of Liang's methods!"

Not far away, Zhou Yu was staring at the map in a daze. Hearing this, he turned around, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. His tone was calm but with a deliberately guiding gentleness: "Zixiu, please calm down. The King of Liang was able to achieve this feat because of his extraordinary courage and determination, but more importantly, he seized the right opportunity—acting swiftly during the Xianbei's internal strife. This not only enhanced his reputation but also eliminated the hidden dangers in the northern frontier. This move was extremely brilliant."

He walked to Cao Ang's side, lightly tapping the map with his finger, tracing the area of ​​the northern grasslands: "Look, the King of Liang's move, seemingly only to wage war on the grasslands, is actually shielding the entire Central Plains from the northern frontier's advance. Now that we have just taken Xuzhou, our foundation is not yet stable. If the northern border is in chaos, we will be attacked from both sides. How can we have the energy to manage this place? He is guarding the gateway for the world."

Cao Ang stopped in his tracks, deep in thought: "Brother Gongjin, are you saying that the King of Liang is not only seeking personal gain?"

“Of course.” A hint of approval flashed in Zhou Yu’s eyes, as if he had expected him to ask this question. “Think about it, with his strength, if he only cared about his own interests, he could have simply established himself as king on the grasslands. Why would he send a message back to let the world know? He is telling everyone that the northern frontier is stable and that they can focus on developing the Central Plains. This kind of vision is beyond the reach of ordinary generals.”

Ma Yunlu chimed in, "Brother Gongjin is right. My elder brother has always been like this. Back in Xiliang, he often said, 'In times of chaos, protecting the land and the people is the most important thing.'"

Cao Ang was deeply moved. Recalling the legends of Ma Chao sweeping across the grasslands and protecting the border people, he looked at Zhou Yu with a more inquiring gaze: "Brother Gongjin, you have known the King of Liang for many years. In your opinion, what exactly does someone like him seek?"