Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The court officials watched as Ma Chao, once so awe-inspiring in Xiliang and throughout the northwest, revered as a deity, was now reduced to his knees by his master's scolding. They secretly felt relieved, their fear of the de facto ruler of the northwest lessened somewhat. Some of them raised their lips slightly, revealing a subtle smugness; others shook their heads slightly, as if lamenting Ma Chao's current state. Their eyes reflected a mixture of fear of Ma Chao's former power and the pleasure of seeing him suffer a setback.

The emperor watched Lu Zhi calm down and slowly sat down. He then turned and spoke condescendingly to Liu Xie, the King of Luoyang, saying, "Royal brother, quickly help General Ma up." Liu Xie hurried forward to support Ma Chao. Ma Chao still struggled slightly at this moment, feeling both awe for the emperor and guilt towards his master. Liu Xie continued gently, "General Ma Chao has come a long way, and now you stand up to answer. Do you want me to go down and help you myself?" Hearing this, Ma Chao's heart trembled and he quickly stood up. The three generals and the guards kneeling on the ground behind him also breathed a sigh of relief and stood up in unison. Their movements were coordinated and swift, as if to show the emperor and everyone else their loyalty and obedience to Ma Chao.

Liu Bian stared at Ma Chao, his eyes full of sincerity, and slowly said: "General Ma Chao, you and I have actually known each other for a long time. Looking back to the night when my father passed away, the situation was so critical. Without you and the four generals Sun Ce, Pang De, and Dian Wei working together to assist from both inside and outside, how could I have successfully ascended the throne? Moreover, in the past few years, the northwest region has been able to remain stable and free from the wanton invasion of foreign races. It was all thanks to your family's bloody battles in the northwest. It is because of your bravery that my precarious Han Dynasty can "You have made a name for yourself among foreign tribes, making them dare not underestimate the Han. And all of this achievement is yours. Although you aided Dong Zhuo during his rebellion and the chaos he wreaked on the court, it was to repay his kindness. This should not be a stain on your character. Now that you have led the people to Chang'an to serve, it is clear that you are a man of character. Master Lu was indeed a bit harsh. To be honest, Master Lu has scolded me quite a bit. However, I am deeply grateful for all the help he has given me, both inside and outside the court. As a disciple, we must never be angry with our master."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao respectfully stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Ma Chao is deeply ashamed. Your Majesty, you are too kind. Master, it is only natural for me to reprimand my disciple. I dare not harbor the slightest resentment." His expression was extremely respectful, his tone was extremely sincere, and his eyes revealed deep respect for the emperor and utter awe for his master. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, as if to show everyone his steadfastness and loyalty.

At this moment, Lu Zhi slowly stood up, snorted softly, and looked at Ma Chao sternly. He said, "Hmph, merits are merits, faults are faults, and merits and faults must be clearly distinguished. Ma Chao, you must always remember the majesty's forgiveness for you, serve the country well, and don't let me down again."

Ma Chao quickly bowed his head respectfully, his heart filled with awe. He said solemnly, "I will follow Master's instructions."

Liu Bian chuckled, "Hey, Master Lu, stop scolding me." Then, with a serious tone, he said, "Ma Chao, I await your reward." Ma Chao knelt on one knee again, a surge of nervous anticipation welling up in his heart. He wondered: How will Your Majesty reward me? Although I have my merits, I sincerely wish to serve the Han Dynasty. I hope Your Majesty's reward will give me more opportunities to contribute to the country. He said respectfully, "I am here."

Liu Bian said with full vigor, "I have just mentioned all your contributions, so I will not elaborate. I will appoint you as General Zhenbei and Marquis of Wei County, and grant you a brocade robe, a jade belt, a set of fine armor, and a mansion in Chang'an, named the General Zhenbei Mansion. As Marquis of Wei County, you will receive a fief of 5,000. You will be in charge of important affairs of the capital, and you will also be appointed the Chief of the Guards."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao was horrified. He quickly declined, saying, "Your Majesty, I could accept any other reward, but this county marquisate is truly too generous. I am still young and have done nothing for the court. I feel guilty accepting it. I cannot obey your command." He pondered, "How can I accept such a generous reward with a clear conscience? Your Majesty, I must make my position clear. I cannot let greed for reward compromise my duty as a minister."

Liu Bian said magnanimously, "Hey, General Ma Chao, don't be so modest. Merits must be rewarded, and faults must be punished. As long as you are willing to work hard for the Han Dynasty, I will not hesitate to reward you. Not only you, but also everyone present, and everyone in the world, as long as you are willing to work hard for the Han Dynasty, regardless of your background, I will not hesitate to reward you. I hope you will not disappoint me."

Ma Chao wanted to refuse again, but the emperor did not give him a chance to speak, and said solemnly: "Brother, don't refuse anymore. This Han Dynasty still needs your help to pacify it. Besides, this will also set an example for the people of the world, letting them know that if they are loyal to the court, they will naturally be rewarded with high positions and generous salaries, and it will not be a problem to have their wives and children ennobled." The emperor's eyes were firm and full of expectation, as if the future of the Han Dynasty was pinned on Ma Chao.

Then, the emperor walked past Ma Chao and said to Xu Huang, Xu Shu, Zhang Ren and the personal guards behind Ma Chao: "All the generals and soldiers who came with you from Xiliang will be rewarded, which will be delivered to you one by one later." The emperor's words were like a warm current, flowing through everyone's hearts.

Ma Chao had no chance to speak, so he could only stand up, his heart filled with emotion and responsibility. He turned to the people behind him and said, "Why don't you accept my order and express your gratitude?" The three generals and their personal guards then knelt solemnly and said in unison, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. We will follow you and ensure the longevity of the Han Dynasty." Their voices were loud and firm, filled with loyalty and determination to the Han Dynasty.

Ma Chao, feeling both grateful for the emperor's reward and burdened by the heavy weight of future responsibilities, vowed to do his utmost to contribute to the prosperity and stability of the Han Dynasty and live up to the emperor's trust and the expectations of the people.

The emperor's reward for Ma Chao was truly generous. The courtiers stood by, their minds divided. After all, after returning to Chang'an, they had endured Dong Zhuo's rebellion, endured hardships along the way, and finally waited for the emperor's return. Yet, he had never shown them such generous rewards and respect. Everyone was thinking, some with envy, some with jealousy, and others pondering how to gain further favor in the future.

Not to mention the court officials, even the three brothers, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, felt a sense of dissatisfaction. Liu Bei had been granted the title of Marquis of Yicheng, Guan Yu the title of Marquis of Hanshou, and Zhang Fei the title of Marquis of Xinting. Ma Chao, having just begun his service, had been directly granted the title of Marquis of County, leapfrogging several ranks. While Liu Bei felt a touch of emotion, he wasn't overly dissatisfied. He knew Ma Chao's surrender was of great significance and crucial to the stability of the Han Dynasty. Guan Yu, while slightly resentful, always restrained himself and never let it show. Zhang Fei's resentment was evident, his eyes wide open, as if he was deeply dissatisfied with the reward. However, because Liu Bei had secretly encouraged Zhang Fei, Zhang Fei, despite his anger, dared not act rashly. He could only suppress his dissatisfaction, muttering to himself, but he dared not take any further action.

Xu Huang, however, seemed to have turned the tables. He raised his chin and raised his eyebrows at Zhang Fei, a provocative look that nearly sent Zhang Fei into a rage. Zhang Fei's eyes widened, glaring at Xu Huang. If Liu Bei hadn't held him back, he would have rushed forward to confront Xu Huang.

Guan Yu looked at Xu Huang's face, and a sense of familiarity washed over him. He frowned slightly, wondering why this man looked so familiar. He must have had some connection with him before. He secretly resolved that once the situation stabilized, he would visit Xu Huang and find out the source of this familiar feeling.

Only then did the angel Wang Jie and Lieutenant Li Tong step forward to report. Angel Wang Jie solemnly knelt before him and declared, "Wang Jie has fulfilled his mission and hereby reports to Your Majesty. I impeach..." However, the emperor gently stopped Wang Jie, saying, "Your Excellency Wang Jie has endured the hardships of the journey. Your Excellency has served you well in bringing General Ma to Chang'an. Your hard work and contributions are truly remarkable. Envoy Wang Jie and Lieutenant Li Tong are each promoted one level." It was clear the emperor was trying to silence Wang Jie. Seeing Wang Jie's indignant expression, the emperor knew without hesitation who he was impeaching. But the emperor had gone to such great lengths to present himself as a courteous and magnanimous emperor, so how could he let Wang Jie spoil the mood? Wang Jie was stifled by the emperor's words, speechless, his face flushing. He accepted the decree and thanked him. He felt a surge of frustration and resentment. He wanted to point out some of the inappropriate aspects of the mission, but the emperor refused to grant him the opportunity. He could only sigh inwardly, thinking of finding a time later to explain the pros and cons to the emperor. Lieutenant Li Tong, on the other hand, accepted the order calmly and thanked him. He knew full well that in such an occasion, he should not say much and should only obey the emperor's orders.

At this point, Wang Jie respectfully thanked him and spoke again, "Your Majesty, this humble servant went to Xiliang this time. In addition to completing the mission Your Majesty entrusted me with, I also brought back someone. I believe Your Majesty would certainly like to see him."

The emperor, whose expression had been calm, suddenly became interested after hearing Wang Jie's words. He raised his chin slightly, a gesture imbued with an innate dignity and majesty. Curiosity flickered in the emperor's eyes, as if a deep thirst for knowledge had been aroused. He narrowed his eyes slightly, fixed his gaze on Wang Jie, and said, "Oh? Who are you referring to, my Lord? Please come out at once so I can see him." The emperor's voice was low, yet filled with authority and anticipation. The surrounding courtiers pricked up their ears, curiously awaiting Wang Jie's response.