Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao sighed lightly, with a hint of emotion in his eyes, and said: "Hey, why bother? General, get up and let the county soldiers pass. After my army sets out, we will not fight with Dong Huang this time, so there is no need to panic." Ma Chao's words revealed his magnanimity and tolerance. He was unwilling to fight with Dong Zhuo's old subordinates. On the one hand, it was because he did not want to hurt the old friendship. On the other hand, it was because he had a more important goal, which was to rush to Chang'an as soon as possible to report.

"I'm sure General Dong Huang, now that he's in need of men, won't blame you. Besides, as fellow soldiers from Xiliang, I don't want to embarrass you." Ma Chao's words were filled with understanding and sympathy. He understood the defenders' plight and their helplessness. He didn't want to hurt his former comrades over a momentary dispute, nor did he want to plunge more people into the suffering of war.

The defending general stood up trembling, a hint of gratitude on his face. With no other options, he ordered his soldiers to clear the way. Ma Chao led his army away at a gallop, raising a cloud of dust. The defending general watched Ma Chao's retreating figure, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that he and his soldiers were mere pawns in this war, their fates subject to the clutches of others at any moment.

Upon receiving the order from the defending commander, the soldiers who had called for help galloped off at top speed. Their furious march sent panicked cries of "The Western Liang army is coming!" The cry spread like thunder, stirring panic. The defending commanders, upon hearing the news, were overcome with fear, their faces pale and filled with anxiety. Faced with this sudden crisis, they were disoriented, unsure of what to do. They hurriedly arranged their defenses and waited anxiously for Ma Chao's arrival.

When Ma Chao arrived with his army, the defenders reacted in the same way as the first. They had long heard of Ma Chao's reputation and were well aware of his bravery, so they simply didn't dare confront him. Ma Chao continued to insist he was merely passing through and wouldn't embarrass them. His army remained disciplined and harmless throughout the entire journey.

Wang Jie watched the Xiliang army advance, facing numerous passes. Each garrison commander pleaded for surrender, but Ma Chao refused. Ma Chao, however, continued on his journey without stopping. Wang Jie, anxious at this, again urged Ma Chao, "Why not seize this opportunity to recruit these people? If these counties surrender, wouldn't that mean they're back under the emperor's rule?"

Ma Chao had already lost his tolerance for Wang Jie. He said coldly, "You only know how to take advantage of the situation to gather these people and bring these counties under our command. But Dong Huang has not been defeated yet, and his troops are still there. If we take them under our command now, let alone whether we will fight Dong Huang, even after we leave safely, Dong Huang will regard these soldiers and civilians as rebels by surrendering. How could Dong Huang, so angry and humiliated, let alone let these people go easily?" This is just the rear of the Tianshui Army. Dong Huang currently has at least 30,000 to 50,000 Xiliang troops at his disposal. If a real battle were to take place, it wouldn't be easy to defeat them in a day or two. We'll lose too much time, and we can't hold out for long. If we leave, these civilians and the garrison commanders will surely become targets of Dong Huang's wrath. We won't recruit them, nor will we engage them in battle. We'll simply hurry on. They'll be intimidated by the Xiliang Army's prestige, or perhaps by the bonds of former comrades. Dong Huang isn't stupid, and he certainly won't blame them.

Wang Jie was about to speak again, but Ma Chao ignored him and ordered him to continue on his way, leaving Wang Jie furious but helpless. The envoy's guards were happy not to engage in battle, firstly to avoid casualties, and secondly to see this envoy, whose boasting had infuriated them, suffer a setback. So, they bundled up their angelic chariots and followed Ma Chao's army forward.

The reinforcements rushed ahead like frightened birds. Ma Chao advanced steadily behind them, his army well-organized and imposing. Along the way, they advanced unhindered, like a surging tide, resolute and unwavering.

After two or three days of non-stop galloping, the reinforcements arrived at the Tianshui County capital, exhausted and exhausted. Even with frequent horse changes, human stamina was limited, and it was difficult to sustain such intense travel for extended periods. Upon reaching the city gate, the messenger felt his legs weaken, his body swaying slightly, as if he might collapse at any moment. Seeing this, the defending commander hurriedly inquired about the situation. Upon learning that the Xiliang army had already entered Tianshui County, he was horrified and, without further delay, immediately led the messengers towards the county capital.

Dong Huang was now the prefect of Tianshui County. Due to the recent onset of winter, the war with Chang'an had temporarily stalled and come to a halt. Dong Huang was discussing the next strategic deployment with his generals, Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang, when he heard the garrison commander arrive with a message. The commander, panicked, hurriedly reported that a messenger had brought word that the Western Liang army had already entered Tianshui County. Dong Huang's anxiety instantly overwhelmed him. He hurriedly stood up and paced anxiously around the room, his face etched with anxiety. "What should we do? Instead of being defeated by Chang'an, we're now faced with Ma Chao, the killer. I've long said that Ma Chao is a traitor. It's only been so long since my uncle passed away, and he's acting as a pawn of Chang'an, attacking my uncle's former troops. He's truly despicable," Dong Huang said bitterly. Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang were also in a state of panic. They were both well aware of Ma Chao's reputation, and when they thought about facing this extremely brave and fierce general, they felt uneasy.

Dong Huang tried to calm himself down and asked the soldier who had called for help, "How many troops does Ma Chao have?" The soldier replied breathlessly, "General, it's hard to say exactly how many there are, but judging by the force's size, I'm sure there are quite a few." Dong Huang frowned slightly, feeling even more uneasy. He knew that facing such a formidable enemy, he had to make a decision quickly.

Dong Huang was filled with anxiety upon hearing the news of the approaching Western Liang army. Zhao Gang stepped forward and offered his advice, "General, Ma Chao's might is unstoppable, and he's also one of Dong Gong's former subordinates. Longxi County has also surrendered to him, and they share a long-standing friendship. Why not surrender to Ma Chao together, perhaps this will save our lives?"

Upon hearing this, Dong Huang's eyes widened in anger. He flatly refused, shouting, "Such an ungrateful man! He's acting like this before my uncle's body is even cold. Our allegiance to him is merely a stepping stone to his own prosperity." Zhao Gang tried to persuade him further, but Dong Huang, already furious, suddenly drew his sword, pointed it at Zhao Gang, and shouted, "Zhao Gang, what's the matter? Are you planning to betray me and enjoy wealth and glory?" Zhang Wu, seeing this, quickly intervened, "General, calm down. Zhao Gang has no such intention. Now that the Xiliang army is approaching, the most urgent task is to strengthen the city defenses. In my opinion, we should station archers on the city walls to block the enemy with a barrage of arrows. At the same time, we should set up obstacles at the city gates to slow the enemy's advance. Finally, we can set traps along the main roads to prevent the enemy from breaking in." Dong Huang's expression softened slightly after hearing Zhang Wu's advice. He nodded slightly and said, "As you say, we will quickly establish the city defenses."

Everyone rushed into action. Soldiers busily moved defensive equipment, while archers quickly scaled the city walls, nervously preparing for battle. Zhang Wu personally directed the soldiers to erect barriers and reinforce the city gates. Zhao Gang, in turn, led a group of soldiers to set traps along key thoroughfares within the city to prevent the enemy from breaking in. The entire Tianshui County was in a state of intense preparation, filled with anxiety, unsure if they could withstand the onslaught of the Xiliang army.

Dong Huang's generals were still resting their guards in Tianshui County when a scout arrived with a report that Ma Chao's army was approaching Tianshui County. Dong Huang was enraged and shouted, "What are these garrisons doing? They've let Ma Chao's army approach the county so quickly! Messenger, quickly request reinforcements!" Dong Huang was furious. "A quick report! It's only been a day or two, and our fortifications haven't even been completed, and Ma Chao's army is already here. What the hell are these bastards doing?"

Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang hurriedly tried to dissuade Dong Huang from his anger. Zhang Wu said, "General, calm down. Getting angry right now will serve no purpose. We should first consider how to defend the city." Zhao Gang nodded in agreement, "General, our top priority is to prepare our defenses against Ma Chao's army."

Upon learning of Ma Chao's imminent arrival, Dong Huang urgently prepared for battle. He immediately ordered his scouts to continue their scouting. An hour later, the scouts returned with another report, informing Dong Huang that Ma Chao's army had taken a detour, apparently bypassing Tianshui County. Dong Huang was puzzled by this, wondering why Ma Chao would choose such a detour. Nevertheless, the news brought him some relief.

Dong Huang snorted coldly and said, "Don't you two want to say something? Humph, Ma Chao is quite self-aware. After all, our Xiliang army still has 40,000 to 50,000 men. If he dares to attack the city, he will not end well." Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang exchanged a glance. Zhang Wu said, "General, Ma Chao may be avoiding a direct confrontation with us. Perhaps he has other motives for this march." Zhao Gang nodded and said, "General, we must not let our guard down. We must strengthen our defenses to prevent Ma Chao from having other plans." Dong Huang nodded slightly and said, "You are right. We will continue to strengthen the city defenses and closely monitor the movements of Ma Chao's army."

Everyone spent a long, tense hour, well into the night. Scouts kept reporting on Ma Chao's army's movements. After repeated confirmation, they finally confirmed that Ma Chao had no intention of attacking Tianshui County and had already retreated further and further away. Dong Huang, Zhang Wu, and Zhao Gang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this news.

At this point, Dong Huang felt the pangs of hunger rising. He immediately ordered fine wine and delicious food, and he and Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang began to drink heartily. As they drank, Dong Huang said, "Even if Ma Chao doesn't want to fight us, he definitely has ulterior motives." The other generals echoed his sentiments. Dong Huang was filled with doubts and concerns about Ma Chao's actions.

Dong Huang, thinking of Ma Chao's swift arrival, could not help but feel infuriated, believing the defenders must have failed to resist with all their might. He then discussed with his two generals whether to hold the defenders accountable for their mistakes. Zhao Gang, however, advised, "General, perhaps Ma Chao, mindful of our old friendship, does not want to make an enemy of us. Besides, how could these county soldiers under the generals possibly stop Ma Chao's elite Western Liang cavalry?" Dong Huang understood Zhao Gang's words. He suppressed his anger, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "You're right. We're already at war with Chang'an. If we were to become an enemy of Ma Chao, I wouldn't be able to afford the consequences."