Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Liu Bei argued, "Your Majesty, what you are asking about is not my character, but my martial arts. My three brothers cannot defeat Lü Bu's bravery!"

The emperor nodded slightly, a hint of emotion in his eyes. "I've heard of Lü Bu's bravery. Back then, at Hulao Pass, Uncle Liu, General Guan, and General Zhang fought Lü Bu. That battle was truly earth-shattering. It would be wonderful if Lü Bu could be loyal and serve me."

Liu Bei lowered his head slightly, his expression solemn. "Your Majesty, although Lü Bu is brave, he is erratic and capricious. He is not someone you can trust. Moreover, for his own selfish interests, he has betrayed his master for personal gain. Such actions are despised by the world."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. "Hmph, that Lu Bu is nothing but a man of courage but no strategy. If I meet him again, I will definitely cut off his head in return for your majesty's reward."

Zhang Fei's eyes widened, and he shouted, "Second brother is right! Why should I be afraid of Lu Bu? Next time, I, Zhang Fei, will beat the living crap out of him!"

The emperor waved his hand and smiled, saying, "I have no doubt of the courage of the three generals. However, Lü Bu's martial arts are truly rare in the world. I wonder if anyone else besides Lü Bu can be considered a master of martial arts?"

Liu Bei pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, the world is vast, and there are many heroes. For example, Yan Liang and Wen Chou of Hebei are both brave enough to be matched by ten thousand men. However, both of them served under Yuan Shao. Although Yuan Shao has three generations of high officials, he is stubborn and self-willed, and will never achieve great things."

The emperor nodded slightly, lost in thought. "Uncle, you are absolutely right. I have also heard of Yan Liang and Wen Chou. It's a pity I haven't been able to use them. In these troubled times, I must recruit talented individuals to bring peace to the land."

At this moment, Guan Yu raised his chin slightly, his expression full of arrogance, his eyes revealing a hint of obvious disdain. He slowly said, "Although Yan Liang and Wen Chou are renowned for their bravery, Your Majesty need not be overly concerned about them. I have heard of them, but upon closer inspection, they are not truly peerless heroes. If they were truly as valiant and invincible as the rumors say, Yuan Shao would not have suffered such a defeat during his escape."

The emperor nodded slightly, speaking thoughtfully, "Yes, I think these two are indeed inferior to General Yunchang, General Yide, and General Zilong." He then slowly scanned the three men. Though they smiled, they hesitated to agree hastily. After all, they had never actually fought Yan Liang and Wen Chou, and their true strength was only hearsay.

The emperor then asked, "Leaving aside the others, these two are at most on par with the three generals. Apart from these two, do I know anyone I know who possesses even greater martial prowess?" The emperor's question clearly had a purpose. He wanted someone to name that person, so he could logically lead into the following discussion. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to inquire about the world's most unrivaled martial artist.

Liu Bei fell into deep thought for a moment, and at this moment, Zhao Yun seemed to suddenly remember that person and said, "Your Majesty, if you really want to say who can compete with Lü Fengxian, I think it can only be Ma Chao of Xiliang. In the past, Ma Chao and Lü Bu had a fierce battle, and the scene was shocking. Lü Bu's bravery is known to the world. He danced with his Fang Tian Hua Ji with great vigor, as if it had the power to split mountains and rocks. And Ma Chao was no less inferior, his long spear was like a dragon and a tiger, majestic and powerful. The two of them fought back and forth, killing each other in a dark and chaotic manner, and it was difficult to tell who was better. That battle left the spectators stunned, and their hearts were filled with admiration and yearning for the two heroes. Although Lü Bu's martial arts are high, they are not inferior to Ma Chao. I am ashamed of myself." After listening to Zhao Yun's words, Zhang Fei was a little dissatisfied, but seeing Zhao Yun praising Ma Chao so much, he thought that this person really had extraordinary abilities. Recalling that legendary fierce battle, Zhang Fei couldn't help but reveal a hint of admiration. Guan Yu nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "Ma Chao of Xiliang is undoubtedly braver than we are. That day, he fought Lü Bu with equal strength. His bravery is truly unparalleled. Such battles are truly rare to witness once in a century, and they are truly breathtaking." Liu Bei suddenly realized, slapping his forehead and saying, "Alas, Your Majesty, you've truly overlooked this talented junior brother of mine. I didn't see his prowess in battle during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, so I forgot about him."

The emperor now had the answer he had hoped for, a complex expression on his face as he spoke with deep sorrow, "Ma Chao of Xiliang, Ma Chao of Xiliang... I know him from the past. During the great upheaval in the palace, if it weren't for Ma Chao, Sun Ce, and Pang De sacrificing their lives to help, I think Empress Dowager Dong would have succeeded. And then there's that burly fellow named Dian Wei. It's said that these four men contributed greatly on the night of my father's passing. I've always had a good impression of Ma Chao, but when Dong Zhuo was wreaking chaos, he lay low and took refuge in Xiliang. And when our army was fighting Dong Zhuo, he helped him resist our allied forces. This truly pains me deeply."

Zhang Fei's eyes widened upon hearing this, and he shouted, "Since the emperor says so, I think Ma Chao is also an accomplice to the tyrant. What's so regretful about that? I, Zhang Fei, hate such fickle people the most. If I meet him, I will fight him for three hundred rounds and let him know how powerful I am."

Liu Bei frowned slightly, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Your Majesty, there may be a hidden reason behind this. General Ma Chao may have had his own reasons. Back then, Dong Zhuo was powerful, and much of the Western Liang region was under his control. General Ma Chao may have been forced to act in order to protect the people."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and nodded slightly, saying, "Brother, what you say makes sense. Furthermore, Ma Chao is highly skilled in martial arts. If he could be employed by Your Majesty, he would be a great help."

Zhao Yun also spoke up, "Your Majesty, the current situation is unpredictable. If we can recruit General Ma Chao, it may add strength to your great cause."

The emperor listened to everyone's words and fell into deep thought. After a long moment, he said, "Forget it. The past is over. The traitor Dong is gone, and Ma Chao is a disciple of Master Lu Zhi. I have ordered him and his son to come to the capital to help the country. I don't know what they will choose, but I hope they won't disappoint me. Master Lu Zhi is highly respected and knowledgeable, and his disciple must be no mediocre. If Ma Chao can abandon his evil ways and serve me, I will certainly make him a great ambassador. However, if he still persists in his wrongdoings, I will not tolerate him. My country needs the assistance of loyal ministers and capable generals for long-term stability. I will wait and see what choice Ma Chao and his son will make."

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. My master, Mr. Lu Zhi, has been loyal to the emperor and patriotic throughout his life. His noble deeds are admired by the world. I believe that my junior brother Ma Chao will understand the master's good intentions and contribute his strength to the well-being of the country. As the master's most favored disciple, I have been deeply taught by the master since childhood. Influenced by his morality and righteousness, I am definitely not the kind of person who would help the tyrant to commit atrocities. Please be patient, Your Majesty, and wait until the father and son arrive to observe their behavior before making a final decision. It is indeed premature to draw conclusions now."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and nodded slightly. "Your Majesty, do not worry so much. With such a virtuous and respected figure as Mr. Lu Zhi, with his prestige and guidance, he will surely guide Ma Chao to turn from evil to good and become a loyal and patriotic man. If Xiliang can successfully submit to the imperial court, then the world will be halfway to peace. In my opinion, Ma Chao is also a man who understands the greater good. If he can understand the current situation and serve Your Majesty, he will surely achieve great success."

Zhao Yun also clasped his fists and spoke, "Your Majesty, General Guan is absolutely right. Mr. Lu Zhi is a man of high moral character and profound learning. Through his teachings and actions, his disciples are sure to excel. If General Ma Chao can come to his senses and serve Your Majesty, it will be a blessing for Your Majesty and the entire nation. With General Ma Chao's martial prowess, if harnessed for righteous purposes, he will surely achieve great feats on the battlefield, expand Your Majesty's territory, and ensure the safety of the people."

Zhang Fei, however, was filled with disdain. He shouted, "Your Majesty, why should you worry so much? Let's see how that horse behaves. If he's loyal to Your Majesty, that's fine. But if he's not, with my second brother, Zilong, and I here, we'll capture him and present him to Your Majesty. I, Old Zhang, simply don't believe it. Is this Ma Chao a superhuman being? My Zhangba Snake Spear is no pushover. I don't care if he's the Xiliang Jin Ma Chao. If he dares to disobey Your Majesty, I, Old Zhang, will make sure he never returns."

Liu Bian frowned slightly, and explained solemnly, "It's not that I don't want to believe in your teachings or General Ma Chao's loyalty, but rather the current situation. Xiliang is now a strong and powerful land, having successfully defended the borderlands many times. For this, I am deeply grateful. However, Chang'an has just been established, and powerful enemies are everywhere. If Ma Chao can become my arm, then there will be hope for peace and stability in the world. If Ma Chao insists on keeping his troops to himself as before, we in Chang'an will not be able to freely fight against other rebellious forces, and we will have to be constantly on guard against this fierce tiger next to my bed, which is really worrying. In this situation, every prince in the world is keeping his troops to himself, so how can I not be worried?"

At this moment, Guan Yu and Zhao Yun also deeply sensed the emperor's deep concern. Guan Yu stroked his long beard and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, rest assured. If Ma Chao is as you suspect, we will not give up. Even if we have to join forces, we will eliminate this great threat to the country. Please rest assured, Your Majesty." Zhao Yun also clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, General Guan is absolutely right. We will do our utmost to protect Your Majesty and the country. If Ma Chao has any evil intentions, we will show no mercy."

The emperor nodded slightly and said, "Well, now we shall only wait for the envoy's return and see how Xiliang reacts. I sincerely hope that General Ma Chao will consider the people of the world and serve me, so that we can achieve great things together. If he does so, I will treat him well. But if he remains stubborn and unyielding, then I will have no choice but to take decisive measures to ensure the stability of my country."