Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yuan Shao suddenly changed the subject, his sharp gaze sweeping across the group reflecting on their failure, and abruptly shifting the conversation to the Emperor, Lu Zhi, and Gongsun Zan. His expression darkened, his tone heavy, as he spoke: "Now that Dong Zhuo has entered Hangu Pass, the road to Xiliang and Chang'an is clear. With our current strength, such a fortress is indeed difficult to breach in a short time. So, how should we proceed with our grand plan to slay this traitor?"

Upon hearing Yuan Shao's words, Emperor Liu Bian looked at Lu Zhi with a hint of anticipation, his eyes filled with a desire to reverse the situation. However, Lu Zhi remained silent, his brow furrowed as if he was racking his brains for a solution.

Seeing this, the emperor prodded Gongsun Zan again, saying, "Gongsun Zan, Ma Chao and you are both disciples of Master Lu. Can you persuade Ma Chao to surrender? This could also bring a turning point in the war." Gongsun Zan, upon hearing this, looked embarrassed and secretly groaned. Although he, Liu Bei, and Ma Chao were all brothers in the same school, they were not familiar with each other and had no idea how to persuade him to surrender.

Lu Zhi, who had been silent until then, sighed deeply, a sigh filled with helplessness and compassion. He slowly turned to face Emperor Liu Bian, his gaze firm yet filled with worry as he spoke, "Your Majesty, I cannot bear to see this raging war, the displacement of the people, and the devastation they endure. Ma Chao was once my disciple, and I know his character well. Tomorrow, I will risk my life to persuade him to surrender, in order to reduce the bloodshed, quell this conflict, and restore peace to the world."

Liu Bian looked into Lu Zhi's determined yet worried eyes, sensing his sincere loyalty. He nodded slightly in agreement and said, "Lord Lu, you are truly loyal. I trust you. If you can successfully persuade Ma Chao to surrender, it will be a blessing for the country and the people."

After quickly and methodically arranging the defenses of Hangu Pass, Ma Chao rushed to request an audience with Dong Zhuo. Ma Chao was filled with confusion. The battle had been so fierce and prolonged, yet Dong Zhuo had never appeared on the battlefield. Now that he had successfully returned to Hangu Pass and meticulously arranged the city's defenses, Dong Zhuo still hadn't sent anyone to summon him.

Ma Chao waited patiently outside Dong Zhuo's room for a long time before he saw Xu Rong and Li Ru slowly emerge from Dong Zhuo's room. Li Ru, upon seeing Ma Chao, quickly stepped forward and respectfully said, "Greetings, Mr. Wenyou. I see you were discussing matters with Lord Dong. I was wondering why Lord Dong hadn't summoned me."

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Li Ru's face, and he forced a smile. He opened the door and led Ma Chao inside, while lowering his voice and saying, "Mengqi, don't be surprised by what you see."

Ma Chao, in Dong Zhuo's tent, immediately saw Dong Zhuo lying weakly on a sickbed, wrapped in layers of gauze. Blood was faintly visible, suggesting he was injured. Li Ru, standing nearby, explained with a serious expression, "Mr. Dong just fell asleep."

Li Ru then detailed to Ma Chao the various twists and turns of his return from Luoyang Pass. Dong Zhuo had fallen prey to a bandit trap at Hangu Pass, carelessly and rashly entering the pass and being shot by four or five enemy arrows. Fortunately, Dong Zhuo's strong physique had saved him from immediate death. However, Dong Zhuo's advanced age had prevented the wounds from healing, leaving them red, swollen, and festering, accompanied by a persistent high fever. Dong Zhuo's condition fluctuated, with periods of lucidity followed by periods of drowsiness and confusion.

Ma Chao hurriedly asked, "What did the imperial physician say?" Upon hearing this, Li Ru's face showed a somewhat helpless expression, and he said solemnly, "The imperial physician also said that it all depends on the lord's fate. They are also helpless and can only try some fever-reducing decoctions, but after using them, there is no effect. This high fever is erratic and burns people."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Dong Zhuo's forehead. He instantly felt the heat. Ma Chao anxiously asked Li Ru, "What should we do next?" Li Ru, filled with worry, sighed deeply, and said, "The Xiliang army now relies entirely on Dong Zhuo to maintain its position. His current state is truly worrying. Furthermore, the Xiliang army has suffered numerous losses, including Li Jue, Guo Si, Duan Wei, and Zhang Ji, all of whom are missing. Lü Bu has also become disloyal, leaving only Hua Xiong and Xu Rong by his side. Judging from the current situation, I'm afraid Chang'an cannot be held."

Ma Chao was about to say something else when Dong Zhuo suddenly woke up with a dazed look in his eyes. When he suddenly saw Ma Chao, he suspected that he was still dreaming and murmured, "Ma, but Ma is coming." Ma Chao quickly crawled forward and lay on the edge of the bed. Dong Zhuo struggled to raise his hand. Seeing this, Ma Chao hurriedly held it tightly.

Dong Zhuo said weakly, "The horses are coming. I'm dreaming again. Where's Dong Bai? Where's my darling granddaughter Dong Bai? Can't I even see her in my dreams?" Then Dong Zhuo called out, "Li Ru, Wen You, Wen You." Li Ru hurried forward and replied, "My lord, Wen You is here. This is not a dream."

However, Dong Zhuo ignored Li Ru and said to himself, "Hurry up and find a solution. Let's retreat to Xiliang. We don't want this world anymore. We will not fight for it anymore. I just want to see Dong Bai one last time before I die. I want to make sure Dong Bai is well. Then I can die without regrets."

Ma Chao felt a mixture of emotions as he observed Dong Zhuo's current state. The once powerful and ambitious Dong Zhuo had now lost all trace of his ambition. His former scheming and lust for political power were now gone. He looked like an ordinary old man in his twilight years, longing only to return to his ancestral home, see his family, and find a final peace and warmth.

Ma Chao tried to pull Dong Zhuo out of his chaotic thoughts, anxiously calling out, "Lord Dong! Lord Dong!" However, Dong Zhuo seemed to have lost his soul and fell into a deep sleep again. Now he couldn't be sure whether Dong Zhuo was asleep or in a deep coma.

Ma Chao lay on the sickbed, full of worry, muttering to himself: "What should I do in this situation? What should I do?" For a moment, Ma Chao was also confused. His usually resolute face was now full of sorrow, and his eyes revealed confusion and helplessness.

Ma Chao and Li Ru discussed the current situation with grave expressions. Li Ru, frowning, suggested worriedly, "The coalition forces are now strong and powerful, while our forces are already severely weakened. Even if we fight them, I'm afraid victory will be difficult. In the end, both sides will suffer losses, and there will be no good outcome." Xu Rong echoed, "Yes, the situation is so critical now. I really don't know what to do. No matter how we fight, the casualties will be the brave men of the Han Dynasty. It's truly heartbreaking."

Ma Chao's expression was resolute. He said, "Why not negotiate peace? Perhaps we can gain a glimmer of hope." Li Ru, however, shook his head and said bitterly, "Mengqi, you're overthinking it. Even if we propose peace, I'm afraid they won't let Prime Minister Dong and his men go. They hate Prime Minister Dong to the core. How could they give up so easily?"

Ma Chao pondered for a moment and said, "No matter what, let's retreat to Chang'an first. Let Mr. Dong meet Dong Bai, which will fulfill his wish." Li Ru and Xu Rong looked at each other, both with helpless looks on their faces, but they really had no choice at the moment, so they had to do as Ma Chao said.

Li Ru frowned and said anxiously, "Mengqi, it's not easy to retreat to Chang'an! How can we ensure that the coalition forces will not pursue us relentlessly during our evacuation? The risks are too great. If there is any mistake, we will be doomed." As he spoke, he paced back and forth in the room, his expression becoming more and more solemn.

Ma Chao's eyes were determined, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Mr. Wenyou. I've considered this. You see, there are a large number of civil and military officials who evacuated Luoyang, and a number of prisoners are also held within Hangu Pass. We can return them all to the coalition forces and, in exchange, request peace talks. After all, these officials and prisoners are quite important to them. I'm sure they'll feign agreement, even if they're reluctant, to ensure a smooth transition. This place isn't too far from Chang'an. If we march at full speed, we can reach it in about a day and a night. Tomorrow morning, you and the others will evacuate first, while I'll remain at Hangu Pass to engage the coalition forces. I believe the exchange of officials and prisoners will be enough to delay them. I'll try to buy them time until the afternoon. Then, in the evening, we'll create a false alarm to confuse them. That way, by the next morning, even if they realize we've withdrawn, it will be too late to pursue them."

Li Ru stopped and looked at Ma Chao, his eyes still filled with doubt. "Mengqi, while this plan may be feasible, it carries many uncertainties. What if the coalition forces break their promise, or something unexpected happens while you're trying to maneuver?" Ma Chao clenched his fists and said resolutely, "Mr. Wenyou, there are no foolproof plans at this point. We can only fight to the death. I'm willing to pledge my life to buy time for everyone and ensure a smooth retreat to Chang'an!"