Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Zu Mao's release by Ma Chao, he could find no trace of Sun Jian's troops within the allied forces. He endured harassment and humiliation from the allied forces. In desperation, Zu Mao stole a horse and fled. He searched anxiously for Sun Jian, but to no avail. For countless days, Zu Mao pursued him relentlessly, yet days passed without success. When he finally reached Jingzhou, he heard rumors circulating in the marketplace that Sun Jian had died. Zu Mao couldn't believe it, but after inquiring through various sources, even official reports from Liu Biao's side in Jingzhou, the truth was undeniable. Overwhelmed with grief, Zu Mao had to accept it. Growing increasingly anxious, he raced relentlessly towards Changsha. Finally, after overcoming numerous obstacles and difficulties, Zu Mao arrived outside Changsha and located Sun Ce's camp.

Sun Ce had just been defeated by Huang Zhong and was feeling distressed when he suddenly heard a report from outside the tent that Zu Mao had returned. Sun Ce and the three generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang, were all overjoyed. They quickly rushed out of the tent and went to the gate to personally welcome Zu Mao.

Zu Mao saw the crowd from afar, his eyes welling up, his steps quickening as he practically trotted over. Sun Ce was the first to run up to Zu Mao, gripping his arms tightly with both hands. His voice trembled with excitement, "Uncle Mao, you're finally back! These past few days, I've been worried about your safety!" Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke.

Cheng Pu arrived shortly after. This veteran, a veteran of many battles, could hardly hide his excitement. Tears streamed down his face. He patted Zu Mao's shoulders with both hands, his voice choked with sobs: "Brother, it's truly a blessing from heaven that I can see you again!"

Huang Gai, a burly man, came over with big strides. He hugged Zu Mao tightly with his strong arms and said loudly, "Brother Zu Mao, we are very worried about you when you leave!"

Han Dang also hurried over, his eyes filled with joy and excitement at the reunion. He held Zu Mao's hand and looked him up and down: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!"

Zu Mao looked at these brothers who had been through life and death together, tears welled up in his eyes, and his voice was hoarse and trembling: "I will die without regrets if I can see you again!" For a moment, the five of them hugged each other tightly and cried inconsolably. Their longing and concern turned into endless tears at this moment.

After a long time, everyone gradually calmed down their excitement, but their hands were still tightly clasped together, as if they were afraid that if they let go, the other party would disappear again.

After everyone calmed down a bit, Cheng Pu was the first to ask, "Brother Zumao, how did you escape death?"

Zu Mao took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "After I was captured, I thought I was doomed. For the first few days, everything was peaceful. Then, Dong Zhuo was shot on the battlefield, and Ma Chao of Xiliang rushed to rescue him. He then retreated from Hangu Pass and personally released me. I was determined to find you, so I headed straight for the allied camp. Who could have imagined that not only would I find no trace of you there, but I would also be humiliated and despised by them. But I never gave up, traveling all the way, sleeping in the open air, just to be with you again."

After hearing this, Sun Ce clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "This coalition army is so ruthless and ungrateful!"

Huang Gai's eyes widened in anger, and he was indignant: "What a bunch of snobs! Brother Zu Mao has suffered!"

Han Dang sighed: "Alas, the world is so fickle! Fortunately, you have returned safely, brother."

Cheng Pu patted Zu Mao's shoulder, his eyes full of pity: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Sun Ce asked Zu Mao how Ma Chao was doing recently. Zu Mao replied, "Ma Chao is truly a rare talent. He is a man of great stature, exceptionally brave, and has a heart for the nation. He is truly a remarkable young general."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce smiled with satisfaction, "It is a blessing for my brother Ma Chao to have such a distinguished character. I only hope he gets better and better and achieves great things."

Cheng Pu nodded and said, "Young Master and General Ma Chao have a deep friendship. I believe General Ma Chao will not disappoint Young Master."

Huang Gai also agreed: "Yes, such a hero will surely make a difference in this troubled world."

Han Dang smiled and said, "It is a blessing for the young master to have such brothers. I hope they can all be successful."

Then Zu Mao asked how Sun Jian died. Sun Ce was shaking with grief and said in a choked voice: "When my father was fighting with Huang Zu, Huang Zu was insidious and cunning, and set up many ambushes. My father was surrounded and fought hard, but was ultimately outnumbered and unfortunately... died." At this point, Sun Ce burst into tears and almost fainted.

Upon hearing this, Zu Mao's hair stood on end with rage, his eyes nearly spitting fire, his teeth chattering, and he clenched his fists and roared, "Huang Zu, you despicable villain! I, Zu Mao, will not be a human being until this blood feud is avenged! Even if it costs me my life, I will seek justice for my lord and make Huang Zu pay for his blood debt with blood!"

Zu Mao calmed down his raging anger a little, and then asked, "What is the current situation of our army?" Sun Ce sighed deeply, his expression as dull as a dead leaf in late autumn, and he slowly said, "Changsha has now been secretly stolen by the shameless villain Liu Biao, and he actually arranged a guy named Han Xuan to be the prefect. We are full of resentment and wanted to take back Changsha in one go, but our troops are too few. The other side has a general named Huang Zhong, who is extremely powerful and brave. I couldn't defeat him when I fought against him. What makes me even more sad is that my mother and younger brothers and sisters are missing in this chaos, and their lives and deaths are unknown." After speaking, Sun Ce seemed to have lost his spine, and he was quite disheartened. He lowered his head, his eyes were empty, and his face was full of helplessness and sorrow, as if he had lost all hope and strength in an instant.

Huang Gai, Cheng Pu, Zu Mao, and Han Dang watched Sun Ce so dejected, their anger barely concealed. Cheng Pu frowned, his gaze determined as he spoke, "Young Master, how can you be so dejected by setbacks? Our Lord's vengeance remains unrequited, and now your wife and your siblings are missing. Now is the time to rally! Do not let our Lord rest in peace!"

Huang Gai's face flushed red as he shouted, "Young Master, cheer up! You are the bearer of our lord's blood. You should lead us to restore our lord's glory and avenge his blood feud! Don't let the soldiers down!"

Zu Mao was the first to fall to the ground, tears streaming down his face. "I, Zu Mao, have been deeply indebted to you, my lord. Now that you are gone, I wish I could die in your place. Now that you are in this critical situation, young master, it is time to rally your forces. I, Zu Mao, will bow down before you, my lord, through thick and thin. I will never betray you!"

Generals Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang also knelt and said, "My lord, we are with you, even in life and death. Please cheer up and overcome this difficult time together!"

Sun Jian quickly wiped his tears, stepped forward and helped them up one by one, saying with emotion: "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of my uncles. However, the situation is dire now, and I don't know what to do next."

Cheng Pu stood up and bowed, saying, "My lord, given the current situation, we must not act hastily. Our most urgent task is to reorganize our forces, recruit talented individuals, and build up our strength so that we can retake Changsha."

Han Dang agreed, "General Cheng is absolutely right. We still need to send someone to find out the whereabouts of the Madam and the young masters and ladies to ensure their safety."

Huang Gai continued, "At the same time, we can form an alliance with the surrounding forces and jointly fight against Liu Biao, which will give us a chance of victory."

The following is an expansion after adding relevant content for you:

Sun Ce said: "Now we have no troops and no territory. How can we recruit soldiers? We are really at the end of our rope."

Zu Mao, having had direct contact with Ma Chao, suggested, "My lord, given the current situation, why not abandon the deep hatred in Changsha and seek refuge with your sworn brother, Ma Chao? General Ma Chao is a man of great integrity, a broad mind, and a true lover, and he will certainly not refuse you. Seek a place to stay first, and once you're settled, you can borrow troops from your brother and return to establish your own foundation."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce frowned and fell into deep thought. After a long moment, he said, "Although seeking refuge with my sworn brother can alleviate my current difficulties, it will ultimately mean living under someone else's roof, and I'm unwilling to accept this. I, Sun Ce, was once full of vigor and ambition, determined to carve out a place of my own in these troubled times. Now, I have to rely on others. How can I accept this?"

Cheng Pu said, "My lord, as long as there is life, there is hope. The situation is critical now, and the enemy is strong. If we don't endure the humiliation for now, find a chance to breathe, and conserve our strength, how can we avenge our grievances and achieve our great cause in the future? We must not let a moment of anger ruin our important cause."

Huang Gai also advised, "My lord, what Zu Mao said is not without reason. If we continue to act recklessly, given our current situation, we will only make the situation worse, and even risk annihilation. A gentleman's revenge is never too late! As long as we can endure humiliation and endure hardships, we will one day be able to avenge our past humiliation."

Han Dang said, "Yes, my lord. The best strategy is to survive first and then develop. Once we gather strength and recuperate, we will be able to regain our former glory and make a comeback."

Sun Ce sighed deeply, "Well, this is the only solution for now. I just don't know if my brother is willing to take us in."

Zu Mao said, "Don't worry, my lord. General Ma Chao is a man of loyalty and righteousness, and he is generous and open-minded. He will definitely accept us. Moreover, my lord and General Ma Chao are sworn brothers, and their friendship is deep. He will definitely not stand by and watch someone die."