Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao and his entourage saw Zhang Xiu off in Longxi County, as he was about to depart for Nanyang to serve his uncle. Although Zhang Xiu was one of Ma Chao's generals, Ma Chao never considered him more than a subordinate. Due to their similar age, Zhang Xiu always admired Ma Chao and devoted himself to him during his campaigns. Ma Chao, in turn, treated Zhang Xiu like a brother, personally teaching him martial arts and providing him with thoughtful care in his daily life. This deep, though unspoken, bond formed over the years they fought side by side.

Zhang Xiu looked at the crowd, his eyes filled with sadness and reluctance. His voice choked with emotion, he said, "I'm heading to Nanyang now. I don't know when I'll be able to fight alongside you brothers again. General, thank you so much for your care and trust along the way. I will never forget this kindness."

Ma Chao stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and said with a hearty laugh, "You little brat, why are you playing such a sentimental game with me? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by all these brothers?"

Xu Huang also joked, "Zhang Xiu, you are so fussy. Are you reluctant to let us bully you? Don't embarrass us brothers when we get to Nanyang!" Although he said so, his eyes were clearly full of concern.

Zhang Xiu laughed and scolded Xu Huang, "You rascal, you only know how to talk nonsense. I'll fight you again when I get back!"

Everyone couldn't help laughing when listening to their bickering, but the laughter was also mixed with the sadness of parting.

Ma Chao meticulously prepared a thousand elite soldiers for Zhang Xiu. Each of these soldiers was dashing and well-equipped, their weapons gleaming coldly, and their horses were all majestic and majestic. Ma Chao looked at Zhang Xiu with a determined gaze and said earnestly, "Brother, you are traveling to the Central Plains. Although the situation may seem somewhat stable now that the Emperor has established his capital in Chang'an, the Central Plains is now a land of numerous warlords and complex forces, all of whom harbor ulterior motives. Nanyang County, nestled in the Central Plains and surrounded by wars, presents an extremely precarious situation. You should advise your uncle not to be afraid of the fact that Mr. Dong was separated from him during the war. Remember, Xiliang will always be your home. Its doors are always open to you, and you are always welcome back. These thousand elite soldiers will accompany you and lend a helping hand."

Zhang Xiu's eyes welled up at Ma Chao's heartfelt words, and he quickly knelt on his knees, bowing in gratitude. His voice choked with emotion, his words halting, "General, I have no way to repay your kindness. I will always remember your deep affection and friendship. I am deeply grateful for your arrangements. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will repay you with my own life. I will not fail in my mission to Nanyang and will not disappoint you."

Dong Bai was also dressed in a neat warrior outfit at this time. The clothes were well-cut and set off her heroic posture. She was wearing a thick fox fur coat, the fur was as white as snow, and it fluttered gently in the cold wind. Dong Bai walked forward with lotus steps to see Zhang Xiu off. In her hand was a carefully prepared cold-proof cloak. The cloak had fine stitching and high-quality material, which showed that she had put a lot of thought into it. Dong Bai looked at Zhang Xiu with gentle and concerned eyes, and she opened her red lips and whispered softly: "General, you have a long journey ahead, and the journey will be extremely difficult. I hope you take good care of yourself and don't neglect your health." The tone was full of sincerity and blessings, and her dignified and elegant posture clearly had the demeanor of a mistress.

As for Dong Bai, Zhang Xiu dropped his usual playful and carefree demeanor, his expression becoming exceedingly solemn and serious. Not only was Dong Bai the granddaughter of his former lord, Dong Zhuo, a distinguished figure, but she was also Ma Chao's beloved, holding a position of esteem in the hearts of all, like a future mistress. Zhang Xiu solemnly accepted the cloak, his hands trembling slightly as he bowed deeply. He spoke earnestly and solemnly, "Thank you, young lady, for your concern. I will never forget your kindness and will cherish it. You and the general, take care of yourselves here. May everything go smoothly and be free from disaster. I hope to see you all well when I return."

The following is an expansion of this paragraph for you:

Ma Chao strode forward and embraced Zhang Xiu tightly, his powerful arms seeming to convey all his blessings and reluctance. He patted Zhang Xiu's back vigorously, each stroke of his palm carrying a heavy expectation. Then, Ma Chao released his hand, forcing a smile, and said, "Alright, brother! After a thousand miles, we must finally part. I'll see you off here, and you must walk the road ahead alone. I hope that when you return, you will have achieved great success, reverberating across the Central Plains, and making your name known to the world!" Ma Chao's eyes were filled with determination and trust.

Zhang Xiu nodded solemnly, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "General, I've taken your words to heart. Don't worry, I will live up to your expectations."

After saying this, Zhang Xiu mounted his horse and slowly left with his thousand elite soldiers. He didn't dare look back, fearing that if he did, he would burst into tears.

Ma Chao and others stood where they were, staring at the direction where Zhang Xiu left for a long time, until the figure disappeared into the sky.

The cold wind was still howling, blowing everyone's clothes. Ma Chao took a deep breath, turned to the people around him and said, "Let's go, we also have our own way to go."

Upon returning to Longxi County, Ma Chao and Dong Bai discussed the current situation in the warm and quiet house. Ma Chao's expression was solemn, his brows furrowed. He spoke slowly, "The situation in the world is becoming increasingly clear. Dong Huang has suffered repeated defeats, his troops have been severely depleted, and morale is low. Tianshui County will inevitably fall. In my opinion, it is better to send an envoy to Dong Huang to convey his message, to persuade him to surrender with both reason and emotion. I can guarantee him and plead for him before the Emperor and Master. I guarantee that I will not pursue the past."

Dong Bai was a clever woman, so she knew Ma Chao's consideration for Dong Huang stemmed from his concern for her relationship with the Dong Zhuo family. She couldn't help but feel touched. She nodded gently, her eyes full of understanding, and said softly, "Brother Chao, I understand your intentions. It's up to you to decide."

Ma Chao continued, "Now that the Han army has occupied Fufeng County, the situation has become increasingly urgent. We must find a way out for Xiliang and cannot sit idly by. I plan to escort Master's wife to Chang'an soon to reunite with Master. I will also contact Master and the Emperor to discuss the current situation in Xiliang and plan a bright future for it. Only in this way can the people of Xiliang be freed from the suffering of war and live a peaceful life."

When Dong Bai heard that Ma Chao was leaving, she suddenly turned pale and was at a loss. She threw herself into Ma Chao's arms, hugged him tightly, her face full of reluctance, and said coquettishly: "I don't know how many ups and downs you will have to go through when you leave, and I don't know when you will come back. How can I not worry? How am I supposed to get through these days and nights?" Her voice trembled a little, and her eyes were red.

But Dong Bai was not the kind of woman who did not know her own limits. With Ma Chao's gentle comfort, her emotions gradually calmed down.

Dong Bai went down to prepare gifts with great joy for Ma Chao to take back. She threw herself on Ma Chao, her heart and eyes filled with concern for him, and she really wanted to let him take all her family property with her.

Ma Chao shook his head helplessly and joked with Li Ru, Niu Fu, Xu Rong, and other former Dong family generals and elders, "Hey, look at Bai Er! She's such an outgoing girl." The old generals and elders, now wholeheartedly loyal to Ma Chao, all laughed at his words. Li Ru twirled his beard lightly, his eyes full of amusement, and said, "Oh, as I should, as I should. Besides, sooner or later, all of this will belong to you, General?" Dong Bai blushed instantly, but she was reluctant to leave, and simply glared at Li Ru coquettishly.

Ma Chao said softly, "I'm only going there to escort my master's wife back to Chang'an after returning home. I won't be away for too long. I won't take too many of the civil and military officials with me. They will all stay here. You don't have to worry about the situation. Besides, Mr. Li Ru is in charge of the overall situation. There will be no chaos." Dong Bai said, "I'm not worried about defense at all. I'm still worried about you." Ma Chao took Dong Bai into his arms again and hugged them tightly, as if he wanted to knead each other into his life.

Everyone in the group laughed with good intentions, and the laughter echoed in the house, finally making Dong Bai so shy that she buried her head in Ma Chao's arms, not daring to lift it up.

Dong Bai blushed for a moment in Ma Chao's arms, her cheeks flushed like a ripe apple. She bit her lip and said coquettishly, "Everyone's watching!" Then, blushing, she broke free from Ma Chao's warm embrace and, like a frightened deer, hurriedly turned to prepare a gift. Her steps were a little hurried, and her clothes fluttered in the breeze.

Ma Chao watched her hurriedly departing figure, his eyes filled with tenderness, as if he could follow her to the ends of the earth. Li Ru and the others, observing this scene, exchanged a smile and tactfully excused themselves to attend to their respective matters. They knew full well that this was the time to give the young couple more time alone.

A few days later, Ma Chao, laden with gifts meticulously prepared by Dong Bai, set out on his journey home. Along the way, his eagerness to return home flared, and his steed, sensing his master's eagerness, galloped away at full speed. The thought of seeing his family soon filled Ma Chao with a profound sense of joy; even the gentle breeze seemed to carry the warmth of home. The scenery on either side of the road receded rapidly, his heart already having flown to that warm home.