Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The emperor looked at Lu Zhi's hunched figure. After a few words of defense, Lu Zhi coughed uncontrollably, perhaps because of his anxiety. The emperor showed a look of heartache and hurriedly stepped down from the dragon throne. He supported Lu Zhi with one hand and gently patted Lu Zhi's back with the other hand. He said softly, "Master Lu, don't be anxious. I still trust you. Don't be anxious either. Don't get angry because of other people's speculation. You must take care of yourself."

The emperor then turned to his ministers and said, "The situation is unclear. We haven't yet contacted General Ma Chao, and Xiliang is still Han territory. We must not panic and see enemies everywhere." Then the emperor turned to Lu Zhi, seemingly seeking his advice, and said, "Master Lu, what do you think we should do in this situation?"

Lu Zhi coughed for a moment, then suppressed the discomfort churning in his chest. He took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, we are now in Chang'an and have clearly announced this to the world. However, we heard earlier that the Di and Jie peoples in Xiliang were rebellious, and this may have delayed Meng Qi, preventing him from leaving. Now is the time to send someone to contact Xiliang. I believe Ma Chao is not the kind of person with such ulterior motives."

Liu Bei, the emperor's uncle who had rushed back from Hedong Commandery, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I am certain and can vouch for the fact that Ma Chao is not the type of man who would resort to arrogance and ambition. We should follow Master Lu's advice and send an envoy to contact him first."

The emperor nodded slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "Since that is the case, my dear ministers, who do you think would be a good candidate to send to Xiliang?"

In the court, the ministers were whispering to each other, but no one responded for a while.

Seeing this, the emperor glanced at everyone and asked again, "My dear ministers, do you have any suitable candidates?"

At this time, Grand Commandant Zhang Wen stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I recommend Shangshu Lang Wang Can as your envoy. He is eloquent and well-versed in etiquette and rituals, and will surely fulfill his mission."

The emperor frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "Wang Can? He does have some talent, but I'm not sure if he can handle such a heavy responsibility."

Liu Bei stepped out again and said, "Your Majesty, Wang Can is indeed a man of talent and learning. If you send a military commander to accompany him, this trip will be a safe one."

The emperor nodded and said, "Uncle, your words are reasonable. Then I will order Lieutenant Li Tong to lead 500 elite soldiers to Xiliang with Wang Can."

Lu Zhi said worriedly, "Wang Can and Li Tong should make the preparations first. I will write a letter myself later, and you can take it to Ma Chao."

Wang Can and Li Tong responded in unison: "We will obey your orders, sir."

Li Tong and Wang Can took the order and left.

After the court meeting, Emperor Liu Bian and Liu Xie slowly returned to the harem. As soon as they entered the harem, Liu Bian's face instantly turned gloomy. His eyes blazed with fire, and he angrily drew his sword and swung it wildly at the table, chopping and slashing at the neatly arranged documents, exquisite study items, and ornate lamps. For a moment, the hall was filled with the sound of ping-pong and chaos. While venting his anger hysterically, Liu Bian angrily shouted at Liu Xie, "Open your eyes and look carefully. Look at this Ma Chao of Xiliang. Where is he in the slightest bit of the respectful demeanor that a minister should have? He actually conducted a large-scale military review in Xiliang with such fanfare and without any scruples, and even swaggered into alliances with various tribes. In each of these things, how is this consistent with the duty of a minister? In what way is a minister supposed to do?"

Liu Xie was startled by Liu Bian's sudden outburst. He composed himself and quickly tried to persuade him, "Brother, calm down! Brother, calm down! Don't be so angry. Didn't Master Lu say with such certainty that Ma Chao would never have second thoughts? Besides, Uncle Liu has come forward to recommend Ma Chao. In my opinion, perhaps Ma Chao really won't do anything wrong."

Liu Bian snorted heavily after hearing this, and gnashed his teeth as he said, "Humph! No way? You think too simply! He's a minister. Ever since I established my capital in Chang'an in the autumn and issued a decree to the nation, not only has Xiliang not sent any troops to help suppress Dong Zhuo's remnants, but even now, Ma Chao has refused to come to the court for a meeting. Just based on his disregard for the court, even if he's not certain to rebel, he's definitely a self-serving individual with ulterior motives. Calling him the second Dong Zhuo is no exaggeration!"

Liu Xie looked bewildered and asked, "Brother, if you believe this in your heart, why did you express your opinion in court?"

After Liu Bian had vented his anger with all his might, he felt like a deflated ball. He held the sword on the ground with his hand, his body trembling slightly, breathing heavily, and said in a slightly tired voice: "Brother, you are still too naive. You don't understand the current situation in the court. Look at the group of civil and military officials in the court. They are all cowards who are greedy for life and afraid of death. They are cowardly and incompetent. They can only flatter on weekdays. When faced with major events, they can't put forward any valuable insights and opinions. There is no one who can be relied on or trusted. In this precarious situation, who can we really rely on? "The only ones we can rely on are Master Lu and Uncle Liu. And you have to understand that Uncle Liu and Master Lu are originally master and apprentice, and Ma Chao is Master Lu's most prized student. In this situation, if we don't go along with their wishes, how can we still count on those good-for-nothings who can only tremble and tremble in fear under Dong Zhuo's tyranny? Brother, you must remember my words. Right now, the only ones we can rely on are Master Lu and Uncle Liu. Furthermore, we'll be counting on them to lead the troops to encircle and suppress the rebellious bandits in all directions, so we must not openly confront them, lest we cause more trouble."

After listening to Liu Bian's words, Liu Xie nodded thoughtfully and said solemnly, "Brother, you are absolutely right. It is true that I haven't considered everything thoroughly enough. So, how should we deal with this Ma Chao matter?"

Liu Bian gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. He pondered for a long moment before saying, "Let's wait and see if Wang Can and Li Tong can uncover the truth of the situation during their trip to Xiliang. We'll make a decision after they return. If Ma Chao truly harbors rebellious intentions, I will never forgive him easily!"

Liu Xie responded respectfully, "It's all up to you, brother. I will fully support your decision."

Liu Bian frowned, pacing anxiously in the hall, his expression still furious. He said fiercely, "I want to see what Ma Chao is thinking and what he wants to do!"

After the two brothers finished speaking, they fell silent. The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly solemn, as if covered by a thick layer of frost. Deep concern about the situation in Xiliang hung over their hearts like a gloomy haze, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Lu Zhi returned to his residence accompanied by Liu Bei. Along the way, Liu Bei walked side by side, his expression solemn. Liu Bei frowned, speaking with concern, "Master Lu, we all know Ma Chao's loyalty and bravery. However, the current situation is turbulent. He has made numerous military achievements in Xiliang, gaining widespread fame, and his influence is expanding at an astonishing rate. While I believe in his unwavering loyalty, it's inevitable that those with ulterior motives will exploit this opportunity to smear him."

Lu Zhi sighed deeply, nodded slightly, and said, "Xuan De's words are not without reason. I also know that Ma Chao is an upright man with his heart set on the Han Dynasty. However, he now has a powerful army and horses, and all forces are eyeing him covetously. If he is not careful, he may fall into an irretrievable situation. We have high hopes for him, and we only hope that he will act with caution and not give treacherous villains any opportunity to exploit us."

Liu Bei paused, staring into the distance. His tone was heavy as he spoke, "Master Lu, the Dong Zhuo Rebellion still resonates with us. While Ma Chao may not be as evil as Dong Zhuo, his power is already drawing widespread attention. If we fail to properly address him, I'm afraid another major rebellion will ignite, ultimately bringing suffering to the people."

Lu Zhi's eyes were deep, and he sighed with emotion: "I have been loyal to the Han Dynasty all my life. Seeing this situation, how can I not be worried? I only hope that Ma Chao can understand our painstaking efforts, put the overall situation first, and devote himself to the revival of the Han Dynasty."

The two of them walked and talked, and soon they returned to the mansion. As soon as they stepped into the mansion, a servant hurried in to report that Li Tong and Wang Jie had been waiting in the hall for a long time. Upon hearing this, Lu Zhi ignored his fatigue and immediately said, "Please come in quickly."

Upon meeting Li Tong and Wang Jie, Lu Zhi didn't pause for a moment before asking Liu Bei to grind ink, preparing to personally write a letter to Ma Chao and hand it to them. Lu Zhi's expression was serious, and he wrote swiftly, with Liu Bei quietly assisting him. Soon, a profound letter was complete. Lu Zhi solemnly handed the letter to Li Tong and Wang Jie, saying, "This letter carries great weight. Please ensure it reaches Ma Chao safely."

Li Tong and Wang Jie took the letter with both hands and said in unison: "We will definitely live up to the mission!" Then, the two of them set off to go to Xiliang.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao, in Xiliang, was completely unaware of the events unfolding in Chang'an and their potential repercussions. Due to his mother's disapproval, he temporarily shelved his plans to attack the Xiongnu, waiting until after the Spring Festival. Now, he was accompanied by his confidantes, Cai Wenji, Lu Wan, and Dong Bai, along with his sworn brothers Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, and numerous trusted generals. With little to do during the winter months, the family would either go hunting or hold banquets. These days, the palace was always packed with guests, and Sun Ce was often drunk.