Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At night, candlelight flickered in the room as Lu Zhi slowly lay down on his bed, carefully tended by his wife. He gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar layout of the room, overwhelmed with emotion, and said to his wife, "Ah, now I feel like this is home." His wife, looking at his haggard face, felt both distressed and reproachful, unable to resist saying, "Master, you simply don't take care of yourself. If anything happens to you, what will we do?" Lu Zhi gently held his wife's hand, smiling and persuading her, "Alright, madam, don't say these unhappy things. You've been in Xiliang all these years, and with Mengqi taking care of you, I think things won't be too difficult."

The lady nodded slightly, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. She said, "Everything is fine. Mengqi has truly dedicated himself to us. He treats me with the respect of a mother and Lu Yu with the care of a brother. It's just that..." A hint of worry crossed the lady's face, and she paused. Hearing the lady's pause, Lu Zhi frowned and said, "Just what? Madam, feel free to say whatever you want to say."

Mrs. Lu hesitated for a long time, and finally said: "It's just that Wan'er and Mengqi spend every day together, and I see that they have a secret crush on each other. Ma Chao, this kid, is really lovable. Not only is he handsome, but he is also good at both civil and military affairs. How can he not be liked by girls?" At this time, Lu Zhi's expression changed slightly. He sat up straight and said seriously: "Wan'er has also studied with me since she was a child. I have told her about books like "Nujie" and "Biography of Heroines". Since ancient times, marriages are decided by parents and matchmakers. How can they be decided privately? This matter is of grave importance, madam. "Our Lu family is a distinguished one, and marriages must be governed by the code of etiquette and cannot be taken lightly." Madam agreed, but she was also concerned about her daughter's feelings. She sighed softly and said, "Master is right, but it's not easy to forcibly stop the children's relationship. What should we do?" Lu Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "We need to consider this matter carefully. Let's observe their situation first, and then make any plans. We can't ignore Wan'er's feelings, but we can't break the rules either."

Lu Zhi thought for a while, frowned slightly, and said slowly: "If you say so, Meng Qi is also a good match. His character and talent are both remarkable. I just don't know what his parents think. If they are in love with each other, I really don't want to be the one who breaks up the couple." After hearing this, the lady nodded slightly, but she was still worried.

Lu Zhi observed his wife's expression and asked, "Madam, why are you still so worried?" His wife hesitated, pondering for a long time before finally summoning the courage to speak. "Master, you don't know that Ma Chao has more than just Wan'er as his beloved. Let's not talk about others. Just look at Dong Bai. She's Dong Zhuo's granddaughter. Even when Dong Zhuo was still alive, Ma Teng and his wife were very fond of her. Furthermore, there's Cai Wenji, who lives in Xiliang. She's had a tragic life and is now a widow. How can we be so indifferent to her? If Wan'er and Meng Qi really get together, I'm afraid there will be many troubles in the future."

The couple sat in silence, both worried about their daughter's affairs, and the atmosphere in the room became a little solemn.

After hearing this, Lu Zhi's face turned ashen instantly, and the blue veins on his forehead twitched slightly. He opened his eyes wide and said with a little anger: "Mengqi, this child, did not want to serve the country back then. Instead, he helped the old villain Dong Zhuo to commit atrocities and resist the heavenly soldiers. Now, he is fickle and unfaithful in the matter of his children. He has studied with me for so many years, but he is so unbearable. I am really disappointed!" His words were full of pain and anger, as if he was extremely indignant and disappointed with Ma Chao's behavior.

Seeing Lu Zhi so angry, the lady hurried forward, gently held his hand, and softly comforted him: "Master, we also saw the contradiction in Meng Qi when we were in Xiliang. On the one hand, there is Dong Zhuo's kindness to his family, which may be heavy in his heart, making it difficult for him to make a choice; on the other hand, your teachings as a master, he must also take them to heart. Meng Qi is still a child after all, and his mind is not yet fully mature. In such a complicated situation, it is inevitable that he will be confused and make mistakes. How can we be so harsh to him? As for the affairs of children, you see, "A young hero like him is naturally outstanding in appearance. Even Pan An and Song Yu might not have such a look. Moreover, this boy has a cheerful personality, strong martial arts skills, and such extraordinary charm. How could he not attract girls' love? And how could it be all his fault? Every one of these women is deeply in love with him. Master, please don't be too angry. It's not good to get sick from anger. Let's think of a way to guide Meng Qi to the right path." The lady's words were full of understanding and tolerance. She tried to ease Lu Zhi's anger, and at the same time, she also found some reasonable explanations for Ma Chao's behavior.

Lu Zhi was still indignant, his chest heaving violently, the anger on his face not diminished, he said: "Wan'er is born tall and graceful, beautiful, and has a good personality. Besides, with the status of my Lu family, she is more than enough to match Ma Chao. How can she be entangled with three women? What is a wife? What is a concubine? Although it is common for a man to have three wives and four concubines, how can my daughter, Lu Zhi, be someone else's concubine? It really makes me angry!" He became more and more excited as he spoke, and his voice rose unconsciously, as if he wanted to vent all his dissatisfaction.

As he spoke, he coughed violently again, his body trembling. The lady hurriedly patted his back, her movements gentle and rhythmic, as if soothing a wounded beast, while slowly stroking his chest to soothe him. Her eyes were filled with worry as she said, "Alright, alright, sir. We'll discuss this later. Children have their own thoughts. So, we shouldn't, there's no need to interfere. There's no conclusion yet, and you're so angry. You know Wan'er's temper. She's filial and respectful to us, but when it comes to her own marriage, you're pushing her too hard. If she gets upset, what will we, as parents, do?"

Lu Zhi opened his mouth to say something, but as soon as he did, he coughed violently again, a cough that threatened to tear his heart and lungs apart. Seeing this, his wife grew even more anxious and continued to soothe him, "Stop talking, Master. We've just returned. Don't argue with your daughter about this for the next few days. Your health is more important. If anything happens to you, what will happen to the family? We can discuss the children's affairs slowly; there will always be a solution. You should rest well and take care of yourself so that you have the energy to deal with these matters." His wife's words were tinged with anxiety and heartache. She stared at Lu Zhi, hoping he would listen and not let this matter further damage his health. The room was filled with tension and worry. Lu Zhi's cough was particularly abrupt in the silent night, while his wife's soothing voice was filled with helplessness and concern. Both of them were caught up in their worries about their daughter's marriage and Lu Zhi's health.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, but Lu Zhi was already sleepless. He rose early and sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes still glazed over, still thinking about his daughter and Ma Chao. He had tossed and turned the previous night, not getting enough rest, his mind swirling with this matter. But after all, he couldn't think of a better solution. After all, if he forced this matter, given his daughter's temperament and Ma Chao's situation, it would put them both in a difficult position. But if he didn't ask, the thought of his daughter sharing a husband was too much to swallow, and he felt like a huge stone was weighing on his heart.

The lady finished her morning arrangements and, upon entering, noticed Lu Zhi still frowning, his face etched with worry. She approached him, her heart aching, and said with concern, "Alright, Master, let your children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Don't dwell on this. Wan'er is already grown up, she has her own ideas. Even if it's true, and Ma Chao marries several wives, as long as Wan'er agrees, what can we, as parents, do? The headaches are for these women and Ma Chao, not for us as parents. We should just provide guidance and avoid interfering, lest we damage the father-daughter bond."

As Madam Lu spoke, she reached out and helped Lu Zhi up, continuing to persuade him, "Alright, alright, Master, we've just been reunited, let's have a peaceful breakfast together. Don't dwell on this any longer, and don't scold your daughter again during dinner. It's not easy for your daughter either. She must have suffered a lot in the past few years since we were away from her."

Lu Zhi listened to his wife's words and knew that what she said made sense, but his face still showed reluctance. He sighed and said helplessly, "Okay, madam, I understand. I'm just worried that Wan'er will be wronged in the future. As a father, how can I not think about her happiness? Forget it, let's not think about it for now, let's eat." Lu Zhi stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked to the dining room with his wife. However, the annoyance in his heart had not completely dissipated. He secretly thought that when the time was right, he still had to talk to his daughter about this matter, hoping to find a proper solution that would not wrong his daughter and would also take the overall situation into consideration.

During breakfast, the dining room was filled with a warm atmosphere. Lu Zhi looked at his two children gathered around him. His daughter, Lu Wan, was beautiful, her eyes bright, while his son, Lu Yu, exuded a heroic spirit. He was filled with joy. Thinking of the turmoil of last night, he refrained from speaking, fearing that this rare and warm atmosphere would be ruined.

As usual, Mrs. Lu ordered Lu Yu in an orderly manner, "Go and call Dian Wei in to have dinner together." Lu Yu left as she was told.

Madam Lu explained to Lu Zhi, "Dian Wei has been guarding us by our side for all these years, doing his duty wholeheartedly. Whether it's daily travel or the chores of life, he's always attentive and never slacked off. Whenever there's danger, he's always the first to rush forward to protect us. We should also invite him along for meals, not treating him like an outsider. Master, he's a warrior after all, and can be a bit rash and outspoken. If he's done anything inappropriate, I hope you'll forgive him."

When Lu Zhi heard about Dian Wei, his eyes lit up with admiration. He said, "Dian Wei is obviously a righteous man. He once served me well. He has devoted all his efforts to you. How could I treat such a loyal man with disrespect? His straightforwardness and loyalty are rare qualities. With him around, I can rest assured about your life in Xiliang."