Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In the spacious reception room, the charcoal brazier burned brightly, filling the room with warmth. Ma Teng leaned back in his armchair, listening to his mother and Gongsun Rou chat, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. When his mother inquired about the customs and culture of Youzhou, Gongsun Rou smiled and recounted amusing anecdotes from the grasslands; when his mother reminisced about Ma Chao's childhood mischief, Gongsun Rou chimed in, "The Prince of Liang must have been exceptionally heroic in his youth," every word resonating deeply with his mother.

The more Madam Ma listened, the happier she became. She held Gongsun Rou's hand tightly, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "This girl's personality is truly endearing. She looks dignified and generous, and speaks so considerately. She's much better than my impetuous sons."

Gongsun Rou responded with a smile, her posture humble, but her eyes kept glancing at Li Ru, carrying a hint of urging.

Li Ru sat on the other side, holding a teacup in his hand, his fingertips icy cold. Listening to Gongsun Rou's impeccably worded words, his heart pounded—this girl wasn't docile at all; she had clearly won over Ma Mu! Back in Youzhou, he had personally witnessed her arguing fiercely with several veteran generals in front of the tent to secure provisions for Gongsun Zan, her fierce spirit no less than a man's. This gentle demeanor now was most likely a prelude to that event.

Ma Teng yawned, completely unaware of the underlying meaning, only thinking that this Miss Gongsun was indeed quite remarkable, worthy of the Gongsun family's reputation. He glanced at the restless Li Ru, assuming he was pondering Gongsun Rou's purpose for coming, and whispered, "Sir, what do you think of this young lady..."

Before they could finish speaking, they were interrupted by footsteps coming from the corridor. Everyone looked up and saw Dong Bai, Lu Wan, and Cai Wenji and others walking in. Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall brightened up.

Dong Bai's laughter, like a string of broken silver, rolled into the hall. He was still in the corridor when his voice broke through the curtain: "I heard that Sister Gongsun has arrived? Let me see who she is."

Before the words were finished, a group of women gracefully entered. Dong Bai, dressed in a light red dress, walked at the front, followed by Cai Wenji in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), Zhang Fubao in a green shirt... Indeed, they were a group of beautiful women, making the hall brighter.

Ma's mother smiled and released Gongsun Rou's hand, turning to pull Dong Bai: "You've finally arrived, Bai'er, look—"

Gongsun Rou had just stood up when her gaze swept over the crowd, and the smile on her face froze. Among the seven or eight women, their jewelry jingling, their elegant attire and graceful figures captivating, the most striking was not the charming Dong Bai, nor the gentle Cai Wenji, but the one standing slightly behind—dressed in a simple white dress, with minimal makeup, yet possessing an air of calm and composure, her eyes reflecting the serenity of someone who had experienced the vicissitudes of life.

It's Lu Wan.

Gongsun Rou's fingers clenched tightly around her sleeve, digging into her palms. The late Emperor's Empress... how could she be here?

Back when she entered the palace as a concubine, Lu Wan was the Empress. She even fought over the Empress's position. Now, seeing her old friend again, and surrounded by women with deep ties to the Western Liang Army, Gongsun Rou felt her scalp tingle, her face flushed and turned cold, and even her breathing became somewhat labored.

"Rou'er, come here, let me introduce you." Madam Ma, oblivious to her awkwardness, pulled her into the crowd. "This is Bai'er, a daughter of the Dong family, you should have met her before; this is Cai Wenji, whose talent is unparalleled in Luoyang; and this is Fu Bao, the most cheerful and outgoing..."

She pointed to each of them one by one, finally stopping in front of Lu Wan, and said with a smile, "This is Lu Wan. You two probably didn't have the chance to meet before. You're like sisters, so be closer to each other in the future." Ma's mother was indeed unaware of the connection between the two.

Lu Wan nodded and smiled slightly at Gongsun Rou, her gaze calm and unwavering, as if she were merely meeting an ordinary young lady from a noble family, and said softly, "Miss Gongsun."

The polite address of "Miss" was like a fine needle, gently piercing Gongsun Rou's feigned composure. She hurriedly lowered her head, curtsied in return, and whispered, "Sister Lu... Sister Lu."

They were once "enemies" within the palace walls, but now they had to address each other as "sisters." Gongsun Rou felt extremely uncomfortable. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cai Wenji looking at her gently, and Dong Bai blinking his amused eyes. She felt even more uneasy.

Madam Ma continued her rambling, "Rou'er is General Gongsun Zan's daughter. This time you're in Chang'an, you should stay a few more days. Let Bai'er and the others show you around..."

Gongsun Rou forced a smile and agreed, but her mind was in complete turmoil.

Gongsun Rou unconsciously twisted the cloak's straps, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards Li Ru in the corner. Back in Bingzhou, Li Ru had been subtly guiding her, while Liang King Ma Chao, not only possessed striking good looks, but also a rare and exceptional spirit—his battlefield prowess and sense of responsibility in protecting his region. She had been captivated then, feeling that such a man was worthy of a daughter of the Gongsun family.

Her father, Gongsun Zan, had lost Youzhou, and his spirit had waned. He was deeply grateful to Ma Chao for readily ceding Bingzhou, and often told her, "Xiliang is powerful; if we could form a marriage alliance, it would be the best outcome for the Gongsun family." Hearing this, her admiration for Ma Chao grew even stronger. Upon hearing of Ma Chao's triumphant return, and with a hint from her father, she volunteered to come. She was confident, knowing that Li Ru had laid the groundwork, that she was a suitable match, and that her appearance was not inferior to others.

But standing in this reception room, looking at this group of women, her confidence began to crumble. Dong Bai was bright and beautiful, with a cheerful and spirited air about her; Cai Wenji was gentle and quiet, with untold talent hidden in her eyes; the Zhang sisters were charming and lively, like flowers with dew on their petals; not to mention Lu Wan, whose grace, refined by the trials of life, was something she could never match.

Which of these women wasn't stunningly beautiful?

Gongsun Rou subconsciously touched her cheek. Her previous confidence in her appearance had been almost completely shattered amidst the jingling of the other women. She took a deep breath and looked at Li Ru, her eyes pleading—what happened to their agreement to mediate? How come there were so many women in the Liang Prince's residence who were close to Ma Chao?

Li Ru felt a chill run down his spine from her gaze. His hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, and he could only pretend not to see it. He lowered his head and took a sip of tea, but inwardly he was wailing.

Ma's mother was still warmly inviting everyone to sit down, saying, "Please sit down, please. Add some more firewood to the charcoal brazier so you don't get cold."

Dong Bai noticed Gongsun Rou's gaze sweep over Li Ru twice, and seeing the flicker in his eyes, she understood seven or eight parts of the situation—it must be that old fox's doing. She raised her eyes and eyebrows, staring directly at Li Ru with a questioning look in her eyes.

Li Ru was thrown into turmoil by her gaze, feeling as if he had seen a venomous snake. He hurriedly picked up the teacup and brought it to his lips, his hands trembling uncontrollably. He knew Dong Bai's personality all too well; she appeared gentle but was actually shrewd and decisive. If she exposed this matter in public, he feared he would be in deep trouble.

Madam Ma gestured for everyone to take their seats. Dong Bai had already sat down first, her demeanor as composed as the mistress of the house. She looked at Gongsun Rou, her tone calm yet weighty: "Please sit down, all of you sisters. Miss Gongsun, please sit as well. In this freezing weather, it must have been difficult for you to come all the way from Bingzhou. May I ask what brings you here?"

These words sounded like casual conversation, but they directly raised the issue without any ambiguity.

A hint of unease flashed across Gongsun Rou's face. Her fingers clenched tighter in her sleeve as she looked at Li Ru again, hoping he would step forward and say something. But Li Ru wished he could disappear into the ground. He half-covered his face with his sleeve, pretending to drink tea, and didn't even dare to lift his eyelids.

Gongsun Rou's heart sank, thinking to herself, "Whether I stick my neck out or not, I'll still get stabbed." She had just sat down in a chair when, after a moment's thought, she suddenly stood up and knelt down in front of everyone with a thud.

The sudden turn of events startled everyone in the hall, causing them to stand up. Madam Ma cried out urgently, "What are you doing, young lady? Get up!"

Gongsun Rou did not rise, her eyes reddening, her voice trembling slightly, yet each word clear: "I have come here today not for official business, but for personal matters. I... I have long admired the Prince of Liang, and since hearing of his victory over the Xianbei and his extraordinary achievements, my respect for him has only grown stronger. My father also intends for our two families to form a marriage alliance, so I have dared to come and humbly request General Ma, Madam Ma, and all my elder sisters to grant my request and allow me to remain in the Prince of Liang's residence to serve him..."

As she spoke, she gently tapped her forehead on the cold floor tiles, lowering herself to the extreme, revealing both her girlish shyness and her desperate courage to everyone.

The hall fell silent instantly, save for the occasional crackling of sparks from the charcoal brazier. Dong Bai's smile faded, Cai Wenji frowned, Lu Wan's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, and even Madam Ma was stunned, opening her mouth but unable to say anything.

Li Ru's face, hidden behind his sleeve, was now as white as paper—what was bound to happen had finally arrived.

Ma's mother hurriedly stood up, reaching out to help, but suddenly remembered something, her outstretched hand freezing in mid-air, her face full of difficulty. She already considered Dong Bai her daughter-in-law, and now, seeing Gongsun Rou kneeling in public, if she rashly helped her, she feared both hurting Dong Bai's feelings and disrespecting the Gongsun family's daughter. Looking behind her, she saw Cai Wenji, Zhang Qiying, and the others, though silent, their eyes filled with complex emotions. Which of these children didn't have a deep bond with Ma Chao?

For a moment, the old lady was filled with mixed feelings—she was secretly pleased that her son had such charm and that she would have no worries about having children in the future; yet she was also worried about how to resolve this messy situation. She opened her mouth, wanting to persuade Gongsun Rou to get up first, but swallowed the words back and could only look at Dong Bai with a pleading look in her eyes.

Dong Bai had already stood up, her skirt sweeping across the ground, creating a gentle breeze. She didn't look at Gongsun Rou kneeling on the ground, nor did she pay attention to Ma's mother's gaze. Her eyes were fixed on Li Ru in the corner, and her voice was so calm that it revealed no emotion: "Li Wenyou, you tell me, what exactly happened?"

Li Ru's heart skipped a beat. This "auntie" wasn't even calling him "uncle" anymore; he knew he couldn't avoid it. He lowered his sleeves, coughed twice, and forced himself to step out of the shadows, forcing an awkward smile: "This...this is a long story..."

"Then let's get to the point." Dong Bai interrupted him, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Miss Gongsun said that my father had the intention, and that you were the mediator. I'd like to hear how you 'mediated' things, sir."

Ma Teng, who had been listening in confusion, finally realized something was amiss and looked at Li Ru: "Sir, what exactly is going on? Did you have an agreement with the Gongsun family?"

Li Ru felt two pairs of eyes staring at him, and sweat beaded on his back. He could only mumble, "When I spoke with General Gongsun Zan in Bingzhou earlier, I did mention... the friendship between our two families, but I didn't go into details..."