Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The atmosphere was tense, frozen, heavy and oppressive. Wang Jie, the Emperor's envoy, stood proudly, his expression devoid of fear. His face was filled with aloof pride, as hard as ice. In his slightly upturned eyes, Xu Huang was clearly just a crude warrior, not worthy of his attention at all. Wang Jie's brows were furrowed, his eyes wide and blazing like flames. He shouted, "Who the hell are you? How dare you draw your sword against this envoy! General Ma, tell me, what exactly do you mean by this?"

At this moment, Ma Chao's face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it, and his displeasure was clearly written on his face. He raised his hand slightly, and the generals behind him immediately understood and hurried into action. With vigorous steps, they quickly rushed to Xu Huang's side and hurriedly pulled him away. Ma Chao took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner emotions. Still speaking in a calm tone, he slowly said, "Since the angel is already aware of my connection with the Xiliang Army, you repeatedly use this to attack me. Ma Chao is dedicated to serving his country, and this heart is clear to the sun and the moon. Please don't force me any further."

Captain Li Tong stood aside, his expression solemn, completely oblivious to Wang Jie's pride. On the surface, he seemed to be defending Wang Jie. He leaned slightly to the side, extending his hands in a blocking gesture, but in reality, he was separating Wang Jie from Ma Chao. He said to Ma Chao respectfully, "General, General, we are all family, so please don't offend the peace." As he spoke, Li Tong's hand casually swung. This seemingly protective gesture accidentally gave Wang Jie, a scholar, a tug. Wang Jie, already frail, was nearly thrown to the ground by this sudden pull. His face flushed crimson, and anger surged in his heart like a surging tide. Wang Jie's eyes widened, his lips trembling slightly, as if he would explode at any moment. Li Tong, realizing his own imprudence, quickly turned around, clasped his hands respectfully, and said, "Ah, envoy, our mission is to summon General Ma back to Chang'an. Now, we should prioritize the emperor's decree and return to Chang'an first before making any further plans. After all, the emperor hasn't issued a decree for General Ma to attack Dong Zhuo's remaining forces yet."

Wang Jie's face still held a lingering stab of anger, but his mind raced, already thinking of further words to provoke Ma Chao. Soon, his expression faded, replaced by a seemingly calm yet calculating expression. He spoke slowly, "General, since you claim to be utterly loyal to the Emperor and patriotic, now is the perfect time. Lead your troops to capture Tianshui County. This will not only demonstrate your loyalty and patriotism to the Emperor, but will also bring Tianshui County under the rule of the King. Your abilities are well-known, and I believe that even the small Tianshui County will be no problem for you."

Ma Chao was already filled with rage at this point. By saying this, Wang Jie was forcing him to fight Dong Huang. However, Ma Chao managed to hold back his anger. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his inner anger, and said, "May the angel have your permission. My father and I, the Ma family, have received an order from the emperor, which is for me, Ma Chao, to serve in Chang'an. Without seeing the emperor's edict to go to war, Ma Chao dares not make any decision on my own. I ask the angel to see clearly. After I return to Chang'an to report, I will be appointed by the emperor. Ma Chao will come to conquer Tianshui County without hesitation. Please see clearly and do not delay me any longer. The emperor hopes that I can return to Chang'an to report before the Spring Festival. What is your intention in repeatedly obstructing me?"

Xun Yu stood beside Wang Jie, his expression filled with worry. He was trying to persuade him, whispering, "Sir Wang, please refrain from causing trouble at this moment. Avoid any drastic measures. After all, if these warriors really start fighting, all our efforts will be in vain, and what good will it do to the Emperor?" Wang Jie leaned closer to Xun Yu and whispered in a low voice, "Don't panic, Your Majesty. This envoy knows what's going on. I simply want to temper their arrogance, suppress them for the Emperor, instill fear in them, and effectively keep these warriors in check."

Wang Jie's eyes revealed a hint of determination and cunning, and he raised his chin slightly, as if he was planning some grand strategy. Xun Yu frowned, clearly still worried about Wang Jie's actions, but also knew that it was difficult to change Wang Jie's decision at this time.

Afterwards, Wang Jie raised his voice and said loudly: "Okay, okay, everyone present today is a witness that a man of honor has a word that cannot be taken back. Since the general has said so, when I return to Chang'an, I will report to His Majesty and ask His Majesty to appoint you as the commander-in-chief to attack the remaining forces of Dong Zhuo." His voice echoed in the air with an unquestionable majesty.

Ma Chao no longer wanted to argue with Wang Jie. A hint of annoyance crossed his face. He turned to Lieutenant Li Tong and said, "General Li, we will bypass Tianshui County and ride straight to Chang'an without stopping." Li Tong quickly clasped his hands together, his expression respectful, and shouted, "I dare not disobey your command."

Ma Chao glanced at Wang Jie calmly, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at someone of no particular importance. Then, he pulled the reins, his horse neighing loudly, and he rode off without a backward glance. Behind him, the generals whipped their horses, their hooves thundering like thunder, raising a cloud of dust as they quickly followed Ma Chao into the distance.

With this, the army marched towards Tianshui County in a mighty force. Ma Chao's original intention was to gallop past Tianshui County, bypassing the city and heading straight for Chang'an. Ma Chao led his army at full speed into Tianshui County. The county soldiers had not anticipated the sudden onslaught of enemy troops from Xiliang and were thrown into panic. The defending commander hurriedly announced the enemy would be met and quickly dispatched swift horses to request assistance from Dong Huang in Tianshui County.

At the battlefront, Ma Chao gazed at the frail defenses of the county soldiers, sighed softly, and wondered, "Should we still attack?" Before Ma Chao could make a decision, Wang Jie, with a frantic expression, arrived from behind, his chariot driven by a driver. He shouted, "General Ma, we're already locked in battle, why don't you just order a charge?" Ma Chao frowned slightly and said coldly, "I've been commanding troops across the land since I was over ten. Do I need you to tell me about military matters?" Ma Chao no longer had any regard for the angelic envoy. Wang Jie had been frustrated, yet his eyes gleamed with excitement. He knew that once they engaged the county soldiers, there would be no chance of peace. Ma Chao's journey would be filled with dangers, and he was determined to confront Dong Huang. Wang Jie didn't reply, but simply stared at Ma Chao coldly, waiting to see what he would do.

Ma Chao rode resolutely to the front of the battle formation, his generals closely following behind him. Each of them was awe-inspiring and imposing. However, Ma Chao waved his hand with a carefree and confident gesture. He shouted to the opposing camp, "Commander of the camp, come out and answer!" His voice, as resounding as a bell, echoed in the air.

The defending general gazed upon the imposing army from afar, feeling an uncontrollable fear well up in his heart. The vast mass of troops and horses exuded a chilling aura. Seeing no response, Ma Chao shouted again, "If you don't answer me again, I've already given you a chance. If you don't come out and answer me again, don't blame me, Ma Chao, for ignoring our old friendship. I believe you've heard of my name, Ma Chao. With your weak defense, my army will charge through, and what will be left?" His words were filled with majesty and dominance, leaving a chill in the air.

The moment the defending general heard Ma Chao's name, his defenses were instantly broken. Ma Chao's reputation was known to everyone in that era. He rode out tremblingly, his voice trembling as he spoke, "General, General, our Tianshui Commandery was once under the rule of Lord Dong. Now you are leading a large army. How are you going to demonstrate your power?"

Ma Chao narrowed his eyes slightly and said with a firm look: "Since you have followed Mr. Dong, you should know the name of Ma Chao. Please make way for us quickly. We are just trying to hurry up and will not make things difficult for your commander." His words were concise and clear, but they were powerful beyond doubt.

Upon hearing this, the general struggled internally. Finally, he made an unexpected move. With a thud, he dismounted and, without dignity, knelt before the two armies. Thus, he humiliated himself before the eyes of the crowd. But at this moment, he could no longer care about these things; he only thought about saving his own life and the lives of his soldiers.

Ma Chao couldn't help but frown slightly, with a hint of doubt in his expression, and asked: "What is your intention as a guard?"

The guard's face was filled with helplessness and bitterness. He spoke urgently, "General Ma, General Ma, we surrender. Please accept us. We are truly desperate in this situation." His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes revealed deep despair. He knew that he and his soldiers faced a dilemma. If they did not let Ma Chao pass, they would surely be attacked by Ma Chao's army. If they did, Dong Huang would not let them go easily.

Ma Chao shook his head slightly and said in a firm tone: "We are in a hurry to get on the road. We don't have time to care about you. Just get out of the way and don't hurt you at all." Ma Chao's words revealed confidence and decisiveness. He had full confidence in his own strength and believed that his army could pass smoothly without having to entangle with these guards.

The defending general had a sorrowful face, his voice full of helplessness and pleading, he said: "General Ma, please allow me to report. We have been fighting ever since we parted ways with you with General Dong Huang. Now General Dong Huang is guarding Tianshui County. If we hold on to you, we will let you go. Even if you leave, we will be held accountable by General Dong Huang, and he will not forgive me. I beg you to leave me and my brothers a way out." The defending general's words were full of fear for the future. He knew Dong Huang's methods very well. If they were held accountable by Dong Huang, their end would be very tragic.