Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The princes and officials in the hall had varying thoughts. Some were genuinely moved by this scene of fraternal friendship and respect, believing the emperor to be benevolent and magnanimous, and that the Han Dynasty had a bright future. Others simply echoed the sentiments, their own petty calculations at heart. They all shouted, "Your Majesty is wise!" Some even secretly wiped away tears, exclaiming, "The Han Dynasty has a bright future. With this holy emperor, the Han Dynasty has a bright future." But how much sincerity and how much pretense was truly discernible was difficult to discern.

Lu Zhi was also filled with emotion, thinking to himself: "The emperor has such a broad mind, it seems that the Han Dynasty really has hope." He was loyal to the Han Dynasty, and seeing Liu Bian deal with it in this way, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

Liu Bian quietly observed Lu Zhi's demeanor, feeling a surge of pride. He knew full well that everything he possessed, though seemingly grand, was in reality fragile. The various princes present in the hall were filled with divergent motives, each harboring their own agenda. Some sought to exploit the chaos to expand their own power, while others plotted for greater gain. Few truly dedicated themselves to the restoration of the Han Dynasty. The civil and military officials, however, were mere fence-sitters. When Dong Zhuo was at his peak, they had been coerced by him. Now, with the allied forces at their disposal, they rushed to his side. What was there to hope for? His only recourse was the Youzhou army led by Lu Zhi's apprentice Gongsun Zan, and the three brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei all obeyed Lu Zhi's orders. Everything he did was to cultivate Lu Zhi's high hopes for him. Only then could Lu Zhi continue to work tirelessly for his cause. He knew very well that he had to handle this complicated situation with great caution, as any mistake could lead to a complete loss.

After Liu Bian put on a show, he felt that he had achieved his goal, so he said to the civil and military officials and princes in the account: "My second brother and I have met again after a long separation, and it is time for me to tell you how much I miss him. As for how we can capture Hangu Pass and the subsequent battles, it all depends on you gentlemen." After that, he pulled Liu Xie to sit next to him.

Liu Xie whispered to Liu Bian, "Brother, why don't you ask for my permission for everything now?" Liu Bian smiled implicitly and said in a low voice, "Second brother, you and I are actually not much different now. This Han Dynasty is said to belong to my Liu family, but look at these tents, they are all arrogant and powerful generals. Let them quarrel first, and we should be patient for now." Liu Xie listened and nodded thoughtfully, with confusion and worry in his eyes.

Liu Bian, however, was deeply dissatisfied with the princes and civil and military officials. With his intelligence, how could he not have guessed the intentions of Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and the others? They were merely using the pretext of defeating Dong Zhuo to expand their own power. However, they were still immature, and he was planning to use them to destroy Dong Zhuo, so Liu Bian could only tolerate them for the time being.

The crowd in the hall deliberated several times, with arguments swirling. Finally, they decided to continue their advance the next day, first asking Ma Chao if he was willing to surrender and negotiate peace. With Lü Bu's presence now in the mix, everyone felt that Xiliang would have to pay a greater price to negotiate peace. With the civil and military officials already welcomed back, they felt even more daunted. If all else failed, they could capture Hangu Pass and march straight to Chang'an. The princes in the hall rubbed their hands, their eyes gleaming with excitement, eager to establish themselves in this great battle and expand their territory and influence.

If anyone in the coalition army was feeling terrified and anxious, it was likely Zu Mao, Sun Jian's general. Ever since he and his fellow civil and military officials were released, Zu Mao had been consumed by anxiety, consumed by worry about Sun Jian's safety. He anxiously searched the coalition camps for Sun Jian and his men, searching nearly every corner, but to no avail.

Zu Mao, anxious as an ant on a hot pan, resorted to inquiring from officers in other camps. Their stories were mixed, with some sarcastically claiming that Sun Jian, seeing Dong Zhuo's power, had quietly fled. Upon hearing this, Zu Mao's rage surged, and he roared, "Stop your nonsense! How could my general be such a coward!" However, he had no soldiers or generals under his command. As a surrendered general who had been released, he secretly clenched his fists in the face of these officers' jeers and provocations, but he dared not act rashly. The surrounding soldiers had already drawn their weapons, their blades gleaming coldly in the sunlight, forcing Zu Mao to suppress his rage.

Zu Mao had no choice but to swallow his anger and inquire again. However, the information he received was mostly groundless and clueless. The last piece of information he received, perhaps the only one close to the truth, was that after arriving in Luoyang, Sun Jian parted ways with the coalition forces and disappeared.

Zu Mao was at a loss for a moment. Without General Sun Jian in the coalition, his presence was meaningless. He considered borrowing weapons and horses from other generals to return to Changsha, but was met with another barrage of ridicule. Those who followed him offered either sneers or outright rejections, leaving Zu Mao feeling despair and anger.

As darkness fell, Zu Mao made up his mind and secretly stole a warhorse, taking advantage of the night to rush towards Changsha. Along the way, he was extremely anxious, hoping to find Sun Jian's whereabouts as soon as possible.

Night fell, the inky black sky shrouding the earth like a vast black curtain. Ma Chao set up torches at Hangu Pass, the blazing flames illuminating the surrounding area. He directed his soldiers to place countless straw men on the pass. From afar, it looked as if a large number of soldiers were standing in formation, creating a scene of heavy defense.

Afterwards, he quietly assembled his troops, and the soldiers moved lightly, trying not to make any noise. Ma Chao's expression was solemn, as he pondered the future. He knew that abandoning Hangu Pass and rushing towards Chang'an was a risky move, but it was also his only option at the moment. He reasoned that Dong Zhuo's carriage would soon be approaching Chang'an after a day's march. He would arrive there tomorrow morning and discuss the next steps with everyone, only then would he have a chance of survival in this chaotic world.

Ma Chao personally approached Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, clasped his fists in salute, and expressed his sincere gratitude. With a frank look in his eyes, he told them the truth without reservation: "Generals, to be honest, Lord Dong has been shot and is seriously injured. He is almost at the end of his strength and could die at any moment. Without Lord Dong, the backbone of the Western Liang army, it would be leaderless and in chaos. Under such circumstances, even if you two follow us, it would be difficult for you to achieve anything. I wonder what your plans are for the future. Ma Chao will not stand in your way."

Zhang Liao and Gao Shun exchanged a glance, seeing a shared resolve in each other's eyes. They both knelt and bowed solemnly before Ma Chao, saying, "General Ma, now that we've broken with Lü Bu, we're homeless. In the past, we've admired your superb martial arts and heroism. We have no other desire but to follow you in defending our homeland. We've always admired your bravery in fighting foreign invaders on the frontier, and we know you harbor a deep sense of loyalty and righteousness. Across the Central Plains, various factions scramble for power and profit, their relentless fighting only costing Han troops and draining the Han's vitality. But you, General, are different. You've consistently stood firm on the frontier, resisting foreign invasions and defending the Han's dignity and territory. This is a truly heroic act, a righteous act. We two are willing to follow you, through fire and water, no matter the cost! Anyone who breaks this oath will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"

Upon hearing these words, Ma Chao was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, his body trembling slightly. He quickly stepped forward, grasped the two men's arms, and lifted them to their feet. He laughed heartily, his voice filled with joy and pride: "Having the help of you two generals is like a fish in water! With you two fighting by my side, what worries me about achieving great things? From now on, we will brave this chaotic world together and achieve great things, protecting the people of the Han Dynasty and freeing them from the suffering of war!"

After saying this, Ma Chao no longer hesitated, his eyes becoming firm and resolute. He jumped on his horse, shook the reins in his hand, and shouted softly, "All soldiers, follow me!"

Leading the crowd, including the captured Fa Zheng and the corpses of Liu Fan and Liu Dan, the sound of horse hooves rang out rapidly in the silent night. They galloped forward, quietly leaving Hangu Pass, their figures gradually blending into the boundless darkness.

The moonlight, like water, cast a shadow over them, casting a series of silhouettes as they galloped. Ma Chao rode ahead, his sleeves rustling in the wind. He had only one thought in mind: to rush to Chang'an, to reunite with Dong Zhuo and his men, and to discuss strategies for dealing with this complex and ever-changing situation.

The soldiers behind him followed closely, no one spoke, only the heavy breathing and the sound of horses' hooves intertwined. They knew that this was a journey of life and death, and they had to race against time.

The horses galloped, raising clouds of dust. They rushed towards Chang'an, like shooting stars across the night sky, carrying hope and determination.