Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The attendants worked swiftly, and in no time they had erected a tent by the roadside, brought over a low table and cushions, and opened a wine jar, the rich aroma of which mingled with the scent of grass and trees carried on the wind. Dong Bai, Zhang Fubao, Gongsun Rou, and the others dismounted from the carriage and found shady spots to rest, their gazes occasionally glancing into the tent with a hint of curiosity. Xu Huang, Zhang Xiu, and Pang De had already returned to their camp as ordered—Qiao County was, after all, Cao Cao's territory, and it was inconvenient for the main army to enter the city; they would only camp ten miles outside the city, keeping their movements discreet yet enough to let the city know the significance of Xiliang.

Ma Chao pulled Zhang Song into the tent and laughed, "What's wrong with that? Drinking is about enjoying yourself. If you're holding your breath, you won't be able to drink to your heart's content even after entering the city. Come, come, Brother Yongnian, let's have a few drinks outside the city first and let the wind blow away some of our pent-up frustration."

Zhang Song's steps were heavy as he was pressed down onto the futon. His hand holding the wine cup trembled slightly, and he finally couldn't help but ask, "Brother Zhen... no, you just said that Cao Cao should wait, what... what does that mean?" He already had a vague guess in his mind, but he couldn't believe it. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice became somewhat distorted.

Ma Chao sat down opposite him, picked up the wine jug and filled his cup, then suddenly threw his head back and laughed, his laughter carrying the arrogance and imposing presence of someone long accustomed to a high position: "What do you mean? It's exactly what it sounds like." He put down the wine jug, his gaze falling on Zhang Song's face, and said, word by word, "With my status as Ma Chao, would it be an insult to Cao Cao to make him wait a little longer at the city gate?"

"Ma...Ma Chao?!" Zhang Song's wine cup clattered to the ground, the wine splashing onto his robes without him noticing. He abruptly looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar face before him—the "son-in-law of the Zhen family," whom he had just mistaken for a merchant, now exuded a heroic and sharp aura, all traces of his former commoner nature gone. He was clearly the legendary King of Xiliang, who had terrified the Xianbei on the grasslands and kept Liu Zhang awake at night!

The "merchant scheming" he had secretly criticized, and the seemingly casual chatter, all suddenly became clear. He remembered how he had mocked Ma Yunlu behind her back yesterday, even calling Ma Chao a "cannibalistic demon." Cold sweat poured down his forehead, running down his cheeks and into his collar, making him shiver.

"I deserve to die... I deserve to die!" Zhang Song knelt down with a thud, his knees hitting the muddy ground hard. Ignoring the pain, he kowtowed repeatedly to Ma Chao, "Zhang Song of Yizhou is blind and arrogant. I have lost my sense of propriety before Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

At this moment, he dared not harbor even the slightest bit of wishful thinking. He felt that being alive until now was already an immense blessing. The map of Sichuan hidden in his clothes seemed to have become scorching hot, making his heart race with anxiety—it turned out that he had been carrying his trump card in front of the other party for so long, yet the other party had seen right through him. Such cunning and methods filled him with awe from the bottom of his heart.

Seeing him shivering on the ground, Ma Chao picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and said in a tone that revealed neither joy nor anger, "Get up. It's windy outside the tent; have a drink to warm yourself up."

Zhang Song dared not move, and lowered his head even further: "Your subject... Your subject dares not."

The wind outside the tent rustled the willow branches, carrying the faint sound of horses' hooves in the distance—it seemed Cao Cao had received the news and was rushing this way. Ma Chao put down his wine cup, looked outside the tent, and said calmly, "If you truly submit, I can forgive your past rudeness. But you need to think carefully: do you want to continue clinging to your maps and searching for those unreliable warlords, or do you want to stay by my side and build a real career?"

Zhang Song lay prone on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold earth, his back soaked with cold sweat. He finally understood that his thoughts and the hidden map were completely exposed to their eyes. His so-called "search for a wise ruler" was nothing more than a charade they had already seen through.

"Your Majesty's kindness in not abandoning me is my deepest gratitude." His voice trembled, filled with barely concealed fear. "But... if I surrender now, my family and clan in Yizhou will likely... will all suffer at Liu Zhang's hands!"

Ma Chao raised his hand to signal him to stand up, his tone softening: "Since you are truly loyal, I will take care of you." He picked up his wine cup, his fingertips gently stroking the rim. "Your purpose for this trip is, on the surface, to unite the feudal lords against my Xiliang, that's true. But the path you chose was wrong from the very beginning."

Zhang Song slowly raised his head, knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with confusion.

“Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Liu Biao, Lü Bu and their ilk,” Ma Chao chuckled, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty, “think about it yourself, which of them dares to truly contend with my Xiliang? Cao Cao is currently preoccupied with his own problems, Liu Bei is living under someone else’s roof, Liu Biao is old and senile, and Lü Bu is just a brave fool—these people are nothing but stumbling blocks on your path, they can’t accomplish anything.”

Zhang Song nodded silently. The setbacks he had encountered these past few days had already made him see things more clearly.

“If you want to fulfill Liu Zhang’s ‘mission,’ the real path you should take is to head north to Hebei and ally with Yuan Shao.” Ma Chao’s tone shifted, his gaze sharpening. “Yuan Shao and my Liangzhou have a long-standing feud, and he has coveted the Central Plains for a long time. If you go and negotiate peace, he will surely agree immediately. In this way, you will not only ‘successfully’ fulfill Liu Zhang’s mission, but you will also make him lower his guard against you.”

He paused, looked at Zhang Song, and said frankly, "As for your map of Western Sichuan, to be honest, it's not necessary for me. Zhang Ren is familiar with the mountains and rivers of Yizhou, and Fa Zheng understands the people of Shu. Whether I have that map or not, it won't make much difference to my taking Yizhou."

Zhang Song looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment—he had thought this map was his biggest bargaining chip, but he hadn't expected the other party to take it so lightly.

"I spared you because I value your talent." Ma Chao's gaze fell on his face, scrutinizing him with expectation. "Yongnian, you only need to tell me, are you truly surrendering now?"

Looking into Ma Chao's calm eyes, Zhang Song's last trace of hesitation vanished. He took a deep breath, solemnly bowed, and kowtowed. His voice, though still trembling, held a newfound resolve: "Your subject Zhang Song is willing to surrender to Your Majesty! In this life, I will only follow Your Majesty's lead. If I harbor any disloyalty, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!"

Ma Chao smiled and helped him up, saying, "Alright! In that case, you can go to Hebei with peace of mind. As for Yuan Shao, you can first tell him about your alliance with Liu Zhang against me, and secretly present him with a map of Xichuan. Yuan Shao will definitely treat you as an honored guest. When you return to Yizhou, you only need to keep Liu Zhang in check and wait for the right opportunity."

He then summoned a servant to bring a jar of new wine, which he filled for Zhang Song: "This cup of wine is to wish you a safe journey. Remember, Xiliang will always be your support, and I will send people to secretly protect your people, ensuring that Liu Zhang does not harm them in the slightest."

Zhang Song held the glass with both hands, his eyes welling up with tears, and drank it all in one gulp. The liquor was spicy as it went down his throat, but it warmed his heart.

Zhang Song said, “My lord, since that is the case, I will go to Hebei first. It is not unreasonable to present the map of Xichuan to Yuan Shao. The geography of Xichuan is all in my mind, and I can draw another one at any time. After I return and complete my mission back to Xichuan, I will secretly contact Zhang Ren and Fa Zheng, and I will certainly contribute my humble efforts to your great cause.”

Just as Zhang Song was about to bow and take his leave, Ma Chao pulled him back with a smile and said, "Yongnian, don't be in such a hurry to leave." Zhang Song was taken aback and looked at Ma Chao with a puzzled expression.

Ma Chao smiled calmly, picked up the wine pot and refilled Zhang Song's cup: "You were treated coldly by Cao Cao. When I said I would help you get revenge, it wasn't just a casual remark." He tapped the table with his fingertips. "Now that you've come to Qiao County, you should let Cao Cao 'make up' for the lack of courtesy. You can stay and see him before you leave."

Zhang Song's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Ma Chao's composed expression, he suddenly understood—this was clearly a gesture to vent his anger. Having a powerful figure like Cao Cao waiting outside the tent—if word got out, who would dare underestimate Zhang Song? This favor moved him more than any reward of gold or silver. His throat tightened slightly, and he simply replied softly, "Yes."

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer outside the tent, mingled with the clanging of armor. Xu Shu's voice rang out from outside the tent, tinged with respect: "Your Majesty, Lord Cao, along with Guo Jia, Xiahou Dun, and other officials, have arrived at the tent."

Ma Chao grunted in response but didn't move. Instead, he filled his own wine cup and pushed it towards Zhang Song, saying, "Come on, Yongnian, let's drink three more cups. After that, it won't be too late to see him."

Zhang Song's hand trembled slightly as he picked up the wine cup, not out of fear, but because of the warmth of being valued. He clinked cups with Ma Chao and drank it all in one gulp. The first cup of wine made the grievances he had suffered in Cao Cao's mansion vanish; the second cup filled him with awe and a sense of belonging to Ma Chao; after the third cup, he felt a surge of strength throughout his body, as if even his back had straightened a bit.

Outside the tent, Cao Cao reined in his horse, his gaze falling on the casually erected tent. The canvas fluttered in the wind, revealing a casual disregard for his surroundings. Xu Shu stood solemnly before the tent, dressed in a plain long robe. When Cao Cao looked at him, he merely nodded slightly and made no further move.

Cao Cao dismounted, straightened his clothes, and bowed slightly to Xu Shu: "Sir, I have heard that the King of Liang is here, so I have come to request an audience." His tone was deliberately respectful, after all, the weight of Xiliang at this moment could not be ignored by him.

Xu Shu returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his voice calm and even: "Lord Cao, please wait a moment. My lord is currently drinking and chatting with friends and is not available to receive guests at the moment."

"What friend?" Xiahou Dun couldn't contain himself and shouted gruffly, "He actually expects my lord to wait here? Even if the emperor summons him, there's no such etiquette!" He gripped the hilt of his sword, his face full of resentment. In his eyes, his lord was of such high status, while Ma Chao was merely a prince of Xiliang, yet he dared to put on such airs.

"Shut up!" Cao Cao turned his head sharply and shouted, his brows furrowed. "How dare you be so presumptuous before the King of Liang?" Although he was also holding back his anger, he knew that it would be inappropriate to get angry at this moment. If Xiahou Dun's words were to reach the tent, it would only create unnecessary enmity.

Xiahou Dun was taken aback by the shout, and lowered his head dejectedly, still muttering, "He was clearly deliberately being negligent..."

Cao Cao ignored him, but clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white—Ma Chao's actions were clearly a warning, but he couldn't retaliate.

Guo Jia gently tugged at Cao Cao's sleeve and whispered, "My lord, please calm down. The King of Liang has always acted unpredictably. His actions today must have a deeper meaning. Let's see what he intends to do."

Cao Cao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and nodded. The wind blew through the tent flap, and he could vaguely hear laughter and conversation coming from inside, making the wait seem exceptionally long.

Just then, the soft clinking of cups came from inside the tent, followed by approaching footsteps.

"Alright, three cups of wine finished, it's time to go see Lord Cao." Ma Chao's voice came through the canvas, carrying a hint of lazy laughter.