Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

A moment later, Dian Wei strode in, followed by Lu Yu. He was tall and imposing, towering over the room like a small mountain, his broad shoulders seemingly capable of carrying a heavy burden. His bronze skin, shimmering in the morning light, radiated a unique sheen, as if telling of the trials and tribulations he had endured. Dian Wei exuded the boldness of a warrior, an unadorned simplicity and magnanimity that instantly captured his integrity and openness.

"Come, Dian Wei, sit down and have dinner with us," Lu Zhi said warmly. Dian Wei bowed slightly, clasped his hands together, and gave a solemn salute to Lu Zhi and his wife. The gesture, though a bit rough, was full of respect. Then he sat down carefully, his face filled with gratitude. That gratitude was not just for the invitation to dinner, but also for the trust and respect that Lu Zhi and his family had shown him.

The family sat together, the table laden with steaming hot food. Lu Zhi smiled as he looked at his family and Dian Wei, a warmth welling up in his heart. The children's laughter, his wife's gentle concern, Dian Wei's respectful and honest demeanor filled the morning with life and energy. They began to enjoy their breakfast, each bite carrying the taste of home. The warm scene seemed to have a magical power that could dispel all gloom and worry.

As Lu Zhi watched Dian Wei devour his food, he felt more and more that it was a waste of talent for such a brave man not to contribute to the country. So, he put down his bowl and chopsticks, smiled and said to Dian Wei, "Dian Wei, with your skills and bravery, if you could serve the country and make great achievements on the battlefield, you would definitely achieve great things. Why are you willing to stay in my Lu Mansion forever?"

Dian Wei still had food in his mouth. When he heard Lu Zhi's words, he quickly stopped chewing, widened his eyes, and said in a panic, "Sir, I feel very good in the Lu Mansion. I don't have so many complicated thoughts. I just want to stay here and watch over you, your wife, and the young masters and young ladies."

Lu Zhi continued to persuade him, "Dian Wei, you have such ability, you should not limit yourself to this. The country is in need of talents. If you join the army, you may be able to achieve great military achievements and bring honor to your family."

Dian Wei scratched his head and said frankly, "Sir, I know you're doing this for my own good, but I promised General Ma that I would protect Lu Zhi and his family. He wants me to stay here, so I have to. If you don't let me stay, I'll have no choice but to go back to Ma Chao. I have to keep my promises, otherwise I won't feel at ease."

Lu Zhi smiled helplessly and said, "You are a man who values ​​friendship and loyalty. Well, since you insist so much, then let's stay at the Lu Mansion for now. However, if you change your mind in the future, you must tell me."

Dian Wei nodded quickly and said with a smile, "Okay, sir. Don't worry, I will protect you all here. If anyone dares to make trouble, I will beat him up!" After that, he waved his big fist, looking very honest and cute. The family looked at Dian Wei and couldn't help laughing. The atmosphere in the restaurant became even warmer and more harmonious.

The sunlight shines through the window onto everyone, illuminating the outline of happiness and filling this morning with the warmth and tranquility of home, as if time has stopped at this moment, just to preserve this beautiful moment.

The aroma of breakfast still lingered in the air, barely dissipating. Suddenly, a servant hurried to the door, breaking the silence with a report: "Master, Madam, they say General Ma Chao wants to see you."

Before Lu Zhi could respond, Lu Wan's eyes lit up, her face involuntarily brimming with joy, her heart overflowing with delight. She was overwhelmed with joy, eager to get up and go out to greet him, her feet already moving unconsciously. However, Lu Zhi saw all of this, and seeing his daughter like this, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. So, he deliberately coughed loudly, the sound being particularly abrupt in the quiet room.

Lu Wan could clearly tell that her father had coughed deliberately. Her face flushed with embarrassment. Her steps, which had been about to take a step, seemed to freeze in place. She stood there, bewildered, her hands unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her clothes, her eyes revealing a hint of panic and shyness.

Mrs. Lu sighed helplessly at the father and daughter's behavior. She understood her daughter's thoughts and her husband's concerns, so she could only watch silently, unsure how to persuade them.

At this moment, Lu Zhi frowned unhappily and said, "Can't we even have a peaceful breakfast? Go tell General Ma Chao to leave. I have to go to the palace to express my gratitude today, so I really don't have time to see him." With that, he lowered his head and continued to eat his breakfast, but his expression remained somewhat gloomy, as if he was still a little angry about his daughter's recent misconduct. Lu Wan, on the other hand, remained standing, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. She bit her lip and slowly returned to her seat, but her mind was clearly no longer on her unfinished breakfast.

Ma Chao stood solemnly at the door, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his expression austere and resolute. Behind him followed Zhang Ren, Xu Shu, and Xu Huang, all standing respectfully. Zhang Ren's face was calm, his eyes revealing a resoluteness; Xu Shu's gaze was deep, as if lost in thought; Xu Huang was a burly figure with a heroic demeanor. All three carried gifts, beautifully wrapped, their care evident. His personal guards also drove a carriage, which stood out in the morning light. Inside, they carried specialties brought from Xiliang for his master, presumably rare items from Xiliang, bearing Ma Chao's heartfelt wishes for his master.

Ma Chao said, "Master was so angry yesterday, I must apologize to you today. I want to make my feelings clear to you and prove that I, Ma Chao, also care about my country, the world, and the people, and I am definitely not a selfish villain." His words were sonorous and powerful, and his eyes flashed with determination, as if announcing his determination to everyone.

Xu Shu looked at his general thoughtfully, his brow furrowed slightly, perhaps pondering how best to help the general resolve the conflict with his master and restore harmony to their relationship. Xu Huang, however, was less restrained and spoke casually, "General, honestly, your master's harshness was a bit excessive yesterday. After all, the general commands a vast army, and everyone in the northwest praises him. For him to be so reprimanding is truly unacceptable." Xu Huang's words carried a hint of discontent and confusion, a feeling of injustice for his general.

Ma Chao didn't take it to heart. He smiled and said, "This is my teacher. If he is dissatisfied with me and can't scold me, what kind of master is he? A master and an apprentice are like father and son. If he scolds me like this, it means I haven't done well enough. I must work hard to satisfy him." After that, he stood at the door, full of confidence, as if he saw the moment when he proved himself to his master. The sunlight shone on his body, outlining a firm outline. He exuded an aura of courage and prepared for the next meeting with his master, looking forward to letting his master see his changes and determination.

After a while, a servant came hurriedly and reported, "Master Lu is busy today and has to go to the palace to express his gratitude. Please come again another day." After hearing the servant's words, Ma Chao's face was instantly filled with confusion, worry and sadness. He murmured, "It seems that I have really disappointed the master. The master doesn't want to see me today." The gift box that was originally held tightly in his hand slipped to the ground unconsciously with a dull sound, as if all his strength fell along with the gift box. He was in a state of despair, and his eyes had lost their former luster. He just stared blankly ahead, motionless.

Seeing this, Xu Huang felt indignant and said to Ma Chao, "How can the general be such a strict teacher? We have done nothing wrong. We are resisting foreign invasions in the northwest and keeping the northwest safe. The people all praise you. In the northwest, you are like the people's second parents, and they respect you very much. Why are you treated like this when you come to Chang'an? In my opinion, we might as well go back to Xiliang and live a carefree life." Xu Huang became more and more excited as he spoke, with an indignant expression on his face.

Ma Chao, however, turned a deaf ear to him, seemingly lost in his own world. His body felt limp, as if his spiritual support had been taken away, and he was on the verge of collapse. Zhang Ren quickly stuffed the item in his hand into Xu Huang's arms, quickly stepped forward, gently supported Ma Chao, and looked at him with concern, fearing that something might happen to him.

Ma Chao's appearance made Xu Shu frown and think deeply. After a moment, he didn't care about the letter to the relative or the hierarchy, and said in a light voice: "Mengqi, don't be so sad. How can you lose your fighting spirit after a little setback?" Xu Shu's voice was not loud, but it was full of firm strength.

Ma Chao's spirits sank. He raised his head and looked at Xu Shu, his eyes filled with a hint of expectation and confusion. He asked, "Teacher, why are you teaching me?"

Xu Shu said, "Originally, I didn't want to explain, but I was afraid of hurting our relationship as master and disciple. However, today's situation, in my opinion, does have several aspects. First, Master Lu Zhi's reprimand yesterday was a form of response. First, Master Lu's harsh reprimand in front of the entire world silenced everyone, and the matter was no longer pursued. Second, your master's reprimand meant that the emperor could only appease him. If he had just been reprimanding and blaming you, we would have seen a backlash before we even entered Chang'an. Third, it also meant that you could put aside your Western Liang pretensions and be cautious in Chang'an. Fourth, it also meant that you could focus your attention and continue to contribute to the country. Judging from yesterday's situation, it was clear that he was not disappointed in you."

After hearing this, Ma Chao remained somewhat puzzled and said, "I know that Master scolded me yesterday out of love for his disciple. The deeper the love, the more severe the criticism. But why is he acting like this today? Yesterday, he was shutting up the world and doing it for outsiders to see. But why is he avoiding me today? What's his intention?" His brows were furrowed, his eyes full of doubt and confusion. As he spoke, he unconsciously shook his head slightly, as if trying to think of the reason. There was a hint of urgency in his tone, wanting to understand Master's thoughts. After all, the master-disciple relationship was extremely important to him, and he longed for Master's recognition and acceptance. Now Master's attitude made him feel confused, and his anxiety and uneasiness were fully revealed in his words.