Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The head of the Wei family appeared to be extremely enthusiastic, smiling and polite on the surface, but in fact he was extremely cold inside. They only exchanged some meaningless and meaningless greetings with Ma Chao in order not to offend him.

Finally, the head of the Wei family asked casually, "Oh, I wonder what brings you here, General Ma?" Ma Chao replied calmly, "I'm here on behalf of Mr. Cai Yong. Mr. Cai Yong was in Luoyang, where he condemned Dong Zhuo's actions and tragically died by hurling himself into the Golden Palace. Before his death, he entrusted Cai Wenji to me, asking me to take good care of her."

When the head of the Wei family heard this, an expression of feigned regret immediately appeared on his face. He sighed heavily and said in a sad tone: "Oh, Mr. Cai Yong was such a talented man, but he suffered such a misfortune. It is really heartbreaking! He was so talented throughout his life, but ended up with such a tragic end. It is really a jealousy of talent! His attainments in the literary world and his influence on the world are obvious to all. Now he leaves like this, it is such a loss to us. It's such a pity, such a pity!" Other members of the Wei family also followed suit, saying some high-sounding words like "It's a pity for Mr. Cai Yong" and "Mr. Cai Yong is so great".

The head of the Wei family introduced Ma Chao with a broad smile, "General Ma, this is my son Wei Ji, courtesy name Boru. This is our third son Wei Xuan, who doesn't have a courtesy name yet." However, he made no mention of his second son, Wei Zhongdao. Upon hearing this, Ma Chao couldn't help but ask curiously, "Head of the Wei family, what about your second son, Wei Zhongdao?" A flicker of discomfort crossed the Wei family head's face, but he quickly chuckled, "Ah, Zhongdao... he's in poor health and has been living a secluded life. It's better not to mention him, it's better not to mention him." Ma Chao frowned slightly, but said nothing more. However, his curiosity and doubts about Wei Zhongdao grew stronger.

Ma Chao still insisted on meeting Wei Zhongdao, after all, he was Cai Wenji's husband. Although the head of the Wei family was reluctant, he did not dare to openly defy Ma Chao, so he had no choice but to order his servants to carry Wei Zhongdao over.

When Wei Zhongdao was carried in, he was pale as a sheet, emaciated, and looked gravely ill. Ma Chao was shocked upon seeing him. Lu Wan, standing nearby, covered her mouth in astonishment and whispered to Ma Chao in a low voice, "Brother Chao, look at this Wei Zhongdao. He's clearly a sickly man! How could Wen Ji marry such a man?" Lu Wan shook her head, her face filled with confusion and bewilderment. Ma Chao, looking at Wei Zhongdao's frail appearance, was consumed by a tangle of thoughts, unsure of what to do.

Later, Ma Chao asked to see Cai Wenji. The Wei family members were immediately displeased. They felt that Ma Chao's move was an insult to them. After all, Cai Wenji was their daughter-in-law, so how could they allow an outsider to visit her casually? But on the surface, the head of the Wei family still forced a smile and said helplessly, "Alas, General Ma, it's not that we don't want to, but it's just unfortunate that Cai Wenji has been unwell for the past few days and is not convenient for her to meet with outsiders."

At this moment, Cai Wenji came running over with her maid. Because of Ma Chao's arrival today, the mansion was suddenly in a panic. The servants were rushing back and forth, and the noise in the mansion was endless. Cai Wenji was originally sitting in her room painting, but the noise disturbed her and she lost her inspiration. She asked the little maid to ask what was going on. The servants did not know the subtle thoughts between Cai Wenji and the master of the house. They only knew that Cai Wenji was the wife of the second young master. They did not dare to hide it, so they revealed the news of Ma Chao's visit to the maid. When the maid came back and told her, Cai Wenji was overjoyed and rushed to meet him excitedly.

Cai Wenji hurried along, her skirt fluttering in the wind, her hair a little disheveled, yet it didn't diminish her radiant beauty. Her bright eyes lit up the world the moment she saw Ma Chao and Lu Wan, joy and anticipation spilling from them like sunshine. And when she looked at Ma Chao, her joy seemed to overflow.

Ma Chao's gaze was fixed on Cai Wenji, a wave of affection creeping within him. His gaze lingered on her haggard face and emaciated figure, eyes filled with pity. With each additional glance, his emotions surged like a tide. When his gaze swept over Wei Zhongdao, lying on the sickbed, a touch of pity caused his brows to furrow slightly, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat.

Lu Wan looked at Cai Wenji with a smile on her face, her eyes unconcealed with joy, as if she had seen a long-lost relative. Her eyes keenly captured the complex and indescribable emotions on Cai Wenji's face, and concern flashed in her eyes, as if she wanted to convey warmth and comfort to Cai Wenji through her eyes.

Cai Wenji glided gracefully before the two men, bowing slightly. Her voice, crisp and urgent, rang out, "Wenji greets General Ma. Wan'er, you're here too." Ma Chao quickly returned the greeting, his gaze never leaving Cai Wenji, a silent sigh lamenting the helplessness of fate. Lu Wan, smiling in return, gazed at Cai Wenji with understanding, as if she could read her inner struggle and pain.

When the Lu family saw Cai Wenji rushing so eagerly toward Ma Chao and Lu Wan, their faces suddenly turned extremely ugly, as if they had actually eaten a fly. However, due to Ma Chao's overwhelming power, even though they were extremely dissatisfied, they dared not express it openly, and simply suppressed their pent-up emotions deep in their hearts.

One of the elders of the Lu family approached Cai Wenji and scolded her softly in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Wenji, you are a member of the Wei family after all. How can you run out like this so abruptly? It's so disgraceful!" His words were full of reproach, as if blaming Cai Wenji for her disrespectful behavior.

At this time, Ma Chao heard what the Lu family said. He immediately stepped forward, frowned slightly, and revealed a hint of displeasure in his eyes. He said: "Wait a minute! Wen Ji was just anxious when she saw her old friend. What's wrong with that?" His voice was firm and powerful, and there was no room for doubt.

Ma Chao then turned to look at Cai Wenji, his eyes filled with concern and protection. He continued, "Don't blame Wenji. She's a sentimental person, and her behavior is perfectly normal." Ma Chao's words seemed to offer Cai Wenji a protective shield, shielding her from the Lu family's criticism. Cai Wenji glanced at Ma Chao gratefully, feeling even more touched by his defense. Seeing this, the Lu family member, though reluctant, swallowed the words that were about to come to their lips, not daring to say anything more.

The Lu family members were silent, each with a gloomy face but not daring to say a word. The air around them seemed to be frozen, and the atmosphere was particularly solemn for a moment.

Only then did Ma Chao and Lu Wan finally have a peaceful conversation with Cai Wenji. Ma Chao's eyes were filled with concern, his brows slightly furrowed as he asked softly and cautiously, "Wenji, are you doing well here?" Lu Wan then leaned forward, her eyes equally filled with worry, and said softly, "Yes, Wenji, we're all very worried about you."

Cai Wenji tried hard to force a smile, but it looked so pale and weak. She forced a smile and said, "Everything is fine. You really don't need to worry."

Ma Chao's gaze lingered on Cai Wenji for a moment, then he asked with a tone full of tenderness, "Wenji, why have you lost so much weight recently?" Cai Wenji's eyes flickered slightly, and she looked a little flustered. Then she quickly changed the subject and said nonchalantly, "Oh, maybe my appetite hasn't been very good lately."

After saying these caring words, Ma Chao's expression gradually grew extremely heavy. He hesitated for a long time, his lips moving slightly before he finally spoke slowly, "Wenji, there's something... I must tell you. Master Cai... Master Cai... has passed away."

The moment Cai Wenji heard these words, she froze in place as if struck by a bolt from the blue. The smile she'd managed to force vanished, replaced by a wave of shock and agony. Her eyes grew empty and blank, her lips trembling violently, but no sound escaped, only a painful sob emanating from her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes, soon pouring out like a flood, streaming down her pale face, leaving distinct tear streaks. Her body began to stagger, as if it had lost all support. Her mind was blank, only the words "Master Cai has passed away" echoing relentlessly. Each echo tightened her heart, a pain so severe it stifled her breath. Everything around her seemed to have vanished, leaving only the grief and despair in her heart, enveloping her like a thick haze.