Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At dawn the next day, Xu Rong and Li Ru escorted Dong Zhuo's carriage, leading the remnants of the defeated army retreating from Luoyang towards Chang'an. Hua Xiong remained behind to assist Ma Chao, who was now short of capable generals. Pang De was seriously injured, and Xu Huang and Ma Dai, injured in the Chang'an Incident, remained there to recuperate. Xu Rong and Li Ru had originally planned to leave some soldiers with him, but Ma Chao refused. The army had followed Dong Zhuo back from Luoyang, suffering heavy casualties. Many were wounded, and morale was extremely low. Leaving them would be of little use.

By mid-morning, the coalition forces were still deployed, but the attack hadn't begun. Three or four horsemen emerged from the ranks. In front was Lu Zhi, a man not yet octogenarian, but already hunched over. Behind him, the three brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were escorting them. The four men rode to the foot of Hangu Pass and demanded that Ma Chao, who had been in the city, come out to answer their calls.

Ma Chao arrived at the tower and looked at the four men below. The first thing that caught his eye was his master's hunched figure. Two years had passed since they'd parted in Luoyang. His once upright and handsome master was now hunched over, his former spirit gone, though his eyes still shone with brilliance. Instantly, Ma Chao's heart was filled with deep sorrow, his eyes welling up with tears. He dropped to his knees on the wall, his voice trembling as he cried, "Master! I am an unfilial disciple!" Tears streamed down his resolute face.

Lu Zhi looked up at Ma Chao on the city wall, his eyes full of regret and helplessness, and said in a hoarse voice: "Chao'er, your teacher thought that you were determined to defend your country and care about the people of the world, but now... how can you be so confused!" There were tears in his eyes, and his words were full of disappointment and eagerness. The trembling tone seemed to tell of his inner grief and indignation.

Ma Chao's eyes welled with tears as he choked back tears as he replied, "Master, I have never forgotten your teachings. Since we parted, whether it was suppressing the rebellion in Xiliang, conquering the Eastern Qiang, or defeating the Xiongnu, I have always fought with all my might to defend my homeland! In every battle, I have charged at the forefront, solely to protect the territory and people of this great Han Dynasty." His face was filled with pain and entanglement, his brow furrowed, and his voice became intermittent with emotion. "But Dong Zhuo... he was kind to me and helped me when I was in trouble. I..."

Lu Zhi was heartbroken, tears streaming down his face, and he loudly rebuked: "Even so, why do you still want to act as Dong Zhuo's minion and be an enemy of the emperor and the princes? You are putting yourself in an unjust position and failing to live up to your teacher's expectations of you! Do you know how many people's lives will be destroyed by your choice now, and what kind of crisis will the Han Dynasty be in?" His beard trembled with excitement, his hands clenched into fists, and his body trembled slightly with anger.

Ma Chao bit his lip tightly, with a look of stubbornness and helplessness on his face, and said in a sad voice: "Master, Dong Zhuo has been so kind to me, and it is difficult for me to betray him. But now... Dong Zhuo's time is numbered, and he was almost killed by an arrow. I am also in great pain in my heart, and I don't know where to go." He looked lonely, with confusion and struggle in his eyes, like a lamb lost in the darkness.

At this time, the wind whistled past, ruffling everyone's hair, but it could not blow away the solemn and sad atmosphere.

Zhang Fei couldn't bear it any longer and roared, "Don't tell the master that his ideals haven't changed. He is obviously a traitor. If it were me, I would have twisted Dong Zhuo's head off long ago!" Zhang Fei's eyes widened like copper bells, his face flushed red, veins bulged on his forehead, and his thunder-like roar seemed to break the sky.

He gripped the Zhangba Snake Spear tightly in his hand, the muscles in his arm tensed with anger, and the spear tip gleamed coldly in the sunlight. "Ma Chao, you are such a traitor! My elder brother once had high hopes for you, believing you were a hero who cared for the people of the world. Now it seems you are nothing more than Dong Zhuo's lackey, aiding and abetting his tyranny and harming the people! I, Zhang Fei, despise disloyal and unrighteous people like you the most!"

While shouting angrily, he smashed the ground with his spear, kicking up a cloud of dust. "I, Old Zhang, will draw a clear line between us today. If you don't repent, don't blame my snake spear for not recognizing you!" Zhang Fei's roar echoed in front of Hangu Pass, making everyone's ears buzz.

Guan Yu stood by, stroking his long beard, his eyes narrowed, his expression stern. Though he didn't say a word, his overwhelming presence was enough to demonstrate his dissatisfaction and disappointment with Ma Chao. Liu Bei, on the other hand, frowned, looking at Ma Chao with a look of pity, seeming to hesitate as if he were still trying to persuade Ma Chao to repent.

Ma Chao on the tower heard Zhang Fei's angry rebuke and trembled slightly. A trace of pain and shame flashed across his face, but was quickly replaced by stubbornness. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, but he didn't know how to respond to Zhang Fei's scolding.

Behind him, Hua Xiong roared in anger, "How dare you, a scoundrel, slander my general like that?" He was about to say more, but Ma Chao, with a sullen expression, rebuked Hua Xiong, "Back off! Stop arguing in front of the master." Ma Chao's brows were furrowed, his eyes wide, a fierce and commanding expression. His hands, gripping the city wall, were white from the exertion. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, yet his face was etched with weariness and weariness.

Then he closed the door with his hand and said, "Master, Mr. Dong is about to die. I only ask that you escort him back to Xiliang. I don't want to fight with the two armies. Let's stop fighting and make peace. I will protect Mr. Dong and return to Xiliang, so that even if he dies, his soul can return to his hometown. If Hangu Pass and Chang'an can stop fighting and make peace, I am willing to hand them over." At this time, Ma Chao pursed his lips and his chin was tense, showing his inner determination.

Lu Zhi said in pain, "Fool, are you still stubborn?" Ma Chao said, "Master, I am not stubborn. I just don't want internal strife, and I don't want my good man to die at the hands of my fellow tribesmen. When this battle is over, I will return to Xiliang, guard the gate of Xiliang, and protect the border for the country. How about it?" There was a hint of pleading in Ma Chao's eyes, and the blue veins on his forehead twitched slightly. The wind blew his hair, adding a bit of loneliness.

Lu Zhi's face was filled with regret, but he knew Ma Chao wouldn't change his mind. A counterattack against Dong Zhuo was impossible, so he returned to the camp somewhat helplessly and said to Ma Chao, "Let's do this for now. I'll go and discuss it with them." Ma Chao looked at his master's graying hair and slumped over the city wall, his shoulders shaking violently as he wept heartbreakingly. His broad back trembled with grief, and the iron plates of his armor clashed with each other, making a dull sound.

Lu Zhi returned to the camp to confer with the other princes. Yuan Shao stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "If this matter can be resolved without bloodshed, it would be a good solution." Cao Cao nodded slightly, his expression grave, and said, "This would prevent further casualties, but the details of releasing the hostages require careful consideration."

Everyone gathered together to discuss the details. Some suggested that Ma Chao surrender some of his military power first, while others believed that Dong Zhuo's remaining troops should be disarmed. The debate raged, the atmosphere tense and heated.

However, some objected, wondering how Ma Chao could possibly give up his military power. "Humph, Ma Chao has always been brave and stubborn, how could he easily surrender his military power? Don't overthink it!" Yuan Shu slammed the table and shouted angrily.

"Yes, this matter may not be that easy. Ma Chao is loyal to Dong Zhuo. Asking him to give up his military power voluntarily is nothing but a pipe dream." Kong Rong frowned.

"But if we don't do this, how can we ensure our safety? What if he goes back on his word, wouldn't that be like letting a tiger return to the mountain?" Tao Qian said worriedly.

Everyone insisted on their own opinion and refused to give in. The atmosphere in the tent became increasingly solemn, as if a layer of frost had condensed.

The situation remained deadlocked. Yuan Shao, his brow furrowed, glanced anxiously at Lu Zhi. Lu Zhi, also grimacing, sighed helplessly and sent Liu Bei as an envoy to question Ma Chao. Yuan Shao folded his arms, his face solemn, his eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation. Cao Cao, stroking his beard, watched the situation unfold with a serious expression. The other princes whispered to each other, while others paced anxiously, their faces uneasy.

After receiving the order, Liu Bei headed for Hangu Pass alone. Ma Chao, who was standing on the city wall, saw Liu Bei approaching and had a complicated expression, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Mengqi, the situation is tense now. All parties hope to find a proper solution to ensure the peace of the people. I have been entrusted by Mr. Lu Zhi to discuss this with you."

Ma Chao was silent for a moment, then replied, "Brother, I can release the civil and military officials for now, but the issue of military power requires further consideration."

Liu Bei nodded slightly and said, "It's not easy for Mengqi to make such a concession. However, the various princes still have many concerns about this. I wonder if Mengqi can make some further concessions to reassure everyone."

Ma Chao frowned, and after a long moment of contemplation, he said, "Brother, I, Ma Chao, am solely committed to escorting Lord Dong back home. I have no other intentions. If you want me to back down again, I must guarantee the safety of my soldiers and not pursue this matter further."

Liu Bei knew the seriousness of the matter and did not dare to make a decision on his own. He said, "Mengqi, let me go back and discuss it with the other princes. I will definitely give you an answer."

Liu Bei returned to the camp and relayed Ma Chao's words. The warlords once again engaged in a debate: some believed Ma Chao's terms were acceptable, while others worried that they were a stalling tactic. Some bristled with anxiety, while others calmly analyzed the pros and cons.

Cao Cao stood up and said, "The situation is delicate right now. It would be best if it could be resolved peacefully. But we must also be prepared in case of any changes."

Yuan Shao finally made the decision and agreed to Ma Chao's decision to let all civil and military officials return to the city first.

Liu Bei went to Hangu Pass again to convey the decision of the princes, and Ma Chao agreed after hearing it.

Afterwards, Ma Chao began to arrange for the release of all civil and military officials. The gates of Hangu Pass slowly opened, and carriages carrying the frightened civil and military officials drove out.