Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

It's undeniable that Dong Zhuo's sudden death struck many of his soldiers like a hammer, plunging them into a state of deep bewilderment. These soldiers had followed Dong Zhuo from the desolate Western Liang to the prosperous Luoyang, witnessing countless luxurious experiences and experiencing countless wealth and splendor. Now, faced with the prospect of following Ma Chao back to the bitter cold of Western Liang and continuing their defense, some were filled with hesitation.

When they heard the decision, some soldiers frowned, their eyes full of worry; some whispered to each other, discussing their future prospects in low voices; and some stood still, their faces full of helplessness.

Furthermore, Dong Huang was Dong Zhuo's nephew after all, and psychologically, he was more easily accepted by the soldiers than Ma Chao. The Western Liang army had seen too many renowned generals fall apart, but the soldiers still held fast to the banner bearing the Chinese character "Dong." The banner fluttered in the wind, as if harking back to past glory.

Hua Xiong and Niu Fu were now speaking indignantly. Dong Huang had stirred up such a scene so recently after their old master's passing, leaving most of the soldiers bewildered and blindly following Dong Huang to stay in Chang'an, intoxicated by his so-called wealth and splendor, completely contradicting their old master's original intentions.

Li Ru, however, showed no signs of worry. His expression was calm as he spoke to the two calmly, "This might be a good opportunity to cleanse the land and preserve the past. When the old lord was alive, he rose through the ranks rapidly, wielding immense power, which led to the rise of many arrogant and reckless generals. However, these seemingly powerful individuals were shattered by true strength, leaving them powerless to fight back. And now, among the soldiers and generals who have followed Dong Huang in Chang'an, who hasn't enjoyed a life of luxury and wealth, thus fostering a sense of arrogance? While we nominally follow Miss Dong Bai, we are effectively subordinate to Ma Mengqi of the Ma family. While General Ma Chao's military achievements in Xiliang are undoubtedly remarkable and his prestige is high, he still pales in comparison to the powerful Prime Minister Dong. Furthermore, these soldiers consider themselves Prime Minister Dong's former subordinates. If we control them too strictly, we'll inevitably provoke rebellion; if we don't, military discipline will erode. Therefore, this change of events is actually a good thing."

Xu Rong nodded gently and agreed, "Yes, lax military discipline has always been the root cause of our Xiliang Army's criticism. General Ma Chao has always been strict in his military discipline since he took command. If these arrogant and powerful generals really followed General Ma Chao back to Xiliang, it would indeed be a headache."

Dong Bai felt a deep sense of indebtedness towards Ma Chao. She felt that with Dong Zhuo's departure, she had entrusted Ma Chao with a heavy responsibility. However, Ma Chao was misunderstood by his uncle, Dong Huang, leaving him torn and insecure. However, Ma Chao never minded and devotedly helped her. He busied himself with handling his grandfather's funeral arrangements while also trying to clean up the chaotic situation.

Faced with the sweetheart's slightly apologetic confession, Ma Chao smiled lightly, gently embraced Dong Bai in his arms, and said slowly: "Not to mention that you and I have such a deep friendship and have long been in sync and clear about our minds, just to say that Mr. Dong saved my Ma family's life, and promoted me, Ma Chao, from an ordinary soldier, and treated me with many preferential treatments. Although some of Mr. Dong's actions in the court later may have been too radical, how could I, Ma Chao, be an ungrateful person. Even if we didn't have such a close relationship, I, Ma Chao, would certainly follow Mr. Dong's last wishes and escort his coffin back to Xiliang. Don't worry, and don't be too sad, I am here for everything." Dong Bai hugged Ma Chao tightly, silently, his eyes red again.

The following is further polished and expanded for you:

The entire army was clad in white mourning attire, a solemn and dignified scene. Dong Zhuo's body, treated with respect and care, was carefully placed in an incredibly large and luxurious coffin. Ma Chao, with the proper respect of a son or nephew, worked with Dong Bai, meticulously preparing the necessary preparations for the smooth return of the coffin to Xiliang.

When everything was arranged, Ma Chao summoned the captured Yan Yan, Zhang Ren, and Fa Zheng, and many Yizhou soldiers who had been captured by Xiliang also stood in front of him. Ma Chao's face showed a bit of sadness, and he said in a heavy and sincere tone: "In fact, from the moment we came back, I had already made up my mind to let you go back. But I didn't expect that fate was so unpredictable and things in the world were so unpredictable. There were too many unexpected changes in the meantime. Mr. Dong passed away suddenly. This sad news forced many matters to be delayed, which delayed a lot of time. Here, we have also prepared coffins, which can be used to bury the Liu brothers decently and send them back. You know, "After all, they are descendants of the imperial clan. It is morally and morally impossible for us to treat them with the slightest disrespect. Upon your return to Yizhou, you must truthfully report everything to Yizhou Governor Liu Yan. Regardless of how fierce and brutal the previous battles were, Lord Dong is now dead, and the Liu brothers tragically lost their lives on the battlefield. We in Xiliang sincerely hope to put aside our past grievances with Yizhou, reconcile our hostility, and never again ignite the flames of war. Remember, in every campaign, the suffering, casualties, and deaths are all the innocent people of our great Han!"

Fa Zheng, Zhang Ren, and Yan Yan were filled with mixed emotions after hearing Ma Chao's heartfelt words. Tears welled in their eyes as they were filled with gratitude for Ma Chao's magnanimity, yet they were also overwhelmed by the grief and grief over the deaths of their two young masters. They had accompanied their young masters on the campaign, filled with lofty ambitions, but who could have imagined such a tragic end, with both young masters shed blood on the battlefield? Ma Chao, their current adversary, displayed such broad-mindedness and extraordinary generosity, which filled them with both sincere admiration and a sense of unease. On the one hand, they were deeply grateful for Ma Chao's kindness and tolerance, and on the other, they truly admired his great concern for the people of the world. However, they were also concerned about how they would face their lord, Liu Yan, upon their return to Xichuan.

Fa Zheng couldn't help but ask, "General, what are your plans now that you've returned to Xiliang?" Ma Chao's gaze was penetrating as he spoke slowly, "The Xiliang army, burdened by Dong Zhuo's reputation, is often portrayed as a vicious and evil force. In reality, Xiliang is a bitterly cold land, where most people struggle to make ends meet and constantly guard against foreign invasions. This is precisely why the people are known for their toughness. The land is barren, and Prime Minister Dong led so many of Xiliang's warriors on this expedition, yet only one in ten has returned. This is undoubtedly a devastating blow to Xiliang. Upon our return, we will rest and recuperate, restoring Xiliang's strength as quickly as possible. This war will not be fought. As long as the imperial court tolerates Xiliang, we will remain a solid barrier to the Han Dynasty's northwest."

Upon hearing this, Fa Zheng immediately bowed and said with deep respect, "General, you have a heart of righteousness that truly commands my admiration." Yan Yan and Zhang Ren also hurried forward, bowing and kowtow. Ma Chao smiled freely, clasped his fists to the crowd, returned the greeting, and said generously, "Mountains are high and rivers are long. Let us part now! I hope that the next time we meet, it won't be on the battlefield."

After bidding farewell to the crowd, Ma Chao solemnly supported Dong Zhuo's coffin and led the remaining Xiliang troops on their return journey. Ma Chao's powerful Xiliang cavalry suffered heavy losses on this expedition, with most of them being killed on the battlefield. Xu Huang, Zhang Xiu, Ma Dai, and Pang De—four capable and skilled generals—were all wounded, especially Pang De, whose injuries were so severe that he was still unable to ride and had to be dragged on the return journey in a carriage.

Fortunately, though the number of Dong Zhuo's former troops returning with Ma Chao was small, each one was a sturdy veteran who had survived countless battles. Furthermore, as if blessed by heaven, they had Li Ru among the civil officials and Xu Rong among the military generals, both of whom had always held crucial positions in Dong Zhuo's army. Furthermore, there were the generals Hua Xiong and Niu Fu, who, while not exceptionally skilled, were veterans with years of command experience. Furthermore, they had successfully subjugated the surrendered generals Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, making this a mixed bag. Although Ma Chao refused to take over Dong Zhuo's territory, he had already fully demonstrated his loyalty to him. Furthermore, Ma Chao no longer had to torn between the meticulous guidance and care of his master and the appreciation, promotion, deep gratitude, and favor of Prime Minister Dong. Thinking of this, Ma Chao finally felt a sense of relief.

On the walls of Chang'an, Dong Huang led his former Xiliang subordinates, who were now reveling in their pleasures, as they watched Ma Chao and Dong Bai walk away, supporting Dong Zhuo's coffin. Their hearts were filled with a mixture of mockery and pride. The wealth of Chang'an made these generals and Dong Huang unwilling to let go, yet they had no idea of ​​the ferocious battle that was about to unfold.