Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Xu Shu thought carefully and confirmed that what he said was correct, he said to Ma Chao: "General, if you say that Master Lu acted like this yesterday, it was out of public interest. But being refused entry to the mansion today must be due to personal reasons. Could it be that you did something privately that made Master Lu so dissatisfied that he refused you entry?" Xu Shu looked at Ma Chao sincerely, with a hint of inquiry in his expression, trying to find some clues from Ma Chao's reaction.

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's brow furrowed, and he fell into deep thought. He thought back to the past, but nothing came to his mind. He muttered to himself, "I don't think anything's wrong." His eyes betrayed confusion and bewilderment; he truly hadn't noticed anything was wrong. He was completely absorbed in his mutual affection with Lu Wan, and with the tacit approval of his master's wife, and his master's usual fondness for him, he hadn't considered this as an obstacle, completely oblivious to how much his master valued his reputation.

Back then, due to being misunderstood regarding the emperor's affairs, Lu Zhi carried a tremendous burden and pressure. It was like Cheng Ying in "The Orphan of Zhao," filled with grievances and no one to turn to. It wasn't until the emperor returned to Chang'an and Lu Zhi once again appeared before the public as the emperor's tutor that he seemed to straighten his back, but at the cost of seeming to age by decades. Now, Lu Zhi felt embarrassed and humiliated by his children's affairs, so his treatment of him was understandable.

But Ma Chao hadn't considered this. The others stood at the gate for a long time, their discussion yielding no concrete explanation. The sun grew increasingly blazing, shone down on them, but it couldn't dispel the gloom and confusion within them. Ma Chao stared at the gate of the Lu residence, his heart awash with mixed emotions, unsure what to do.

Zhang Ren suggested, "General, how about we come back another day?" Ma Chao said firmly, "It would be best if I could see Master today. This misunderstanding is getting worse and worse. I must know how I've upset Master so I can make amends. The longer I wait, the more frustrated Master will be, and the more it will damage our relationship."

At this time, Xu Huang said, "General, if you want to go in, it's just a small courtyard. With only you and me, who can stop us? Just go in directly. Why bother with so much trouble? Ask your master in person and see what he thinks. It's lucky you've been refusing such a good disciple. If it were me, I would have fought my way in long ago."

Ma Chao said in humiliation, "Gongming, how can you be so rude in Master's residence?" Xu Huang curled his lips, but Xu Shu's eyes seemed to light up and he advised, "General, rather than waiting here and pondering, why not follow General Xu Huang's advice and cut the Gordian knot? We should rush in and question Master directly. Your Master's wife and Miss Lu Wan are here, and they will surely speak for you."

Ma Chao said with a hint of worry, "Breaking in? Such banditry is likely to displease the Master." Xu Shu said, "Alas, General, don't dwell on it for too long. Make a decisive move now. Although Xu Huang's banditry remains undiminished, this is a good idea."

After a moment's hesitation, Ma Chao said, "Alright, let's just charge in." Xu Huang, however, muttered reluctantly from behind, "It's the same advice, but it's better to do it my way. I'll scold you, but Mr. Xu Shu will agree to accept it. So why is it that I, Old Xu, can't speak? Or is it that I, Old Xu, am too shy?" Xu Huang then said to Xu Shu, "Yuanzhi, let me ask you first. What do you mean by 'excessive banditry'? What do you mean by 'my bandit mentality'? In the end, you'll have to do what I say." Xu Huang kept on talking, and everyone looked at him, smiled at each other, and headed straight in. The sunlight shone on them, illuminating their determined yet slightly uneasy figures. With their own thoughts, they headed towards the unknown, unsure of what would await them.

Ma Chao and his men forced their way in. The servants didn't dare to stop them and hurriedly reported to Lu Zhi, "Master, General Ma Chao insisted on coming in to see you, and we couldn't stop him!" Lu Zhi angrily slammed the table and said, "Good, good! Does he still regard me as his master? He's been in Xiliang for so many years, has he lost his respect for teachers and basic etiquette?" Then he ordered Dian Wei, "Dian Wei, go and drive them out. I don't believe I won't see him today."

Dian Wei suddenly stood up, turned around and was about to leave, then turned around and scratched his head with a bitter look on his face and said, "Sir, listen to me, it's not that I, Dian Wei, don't listen to you. The key is that I can't beat General Ma Chao. What do you think I should do out there? Let him beat me?" There was a bit of helplessness and embarrassment in Dian Wei's words, and his honest look eased the tense atmosphere a little.

Lu Wan, watching the seemingly numerous conflicts between her master, her father, and Ma Chao, was consumed with anxiety, tears welling in her eyes as she said, "Father..." Lu Zhi seemed oblivious. Lu Wan hurried to her mother's side, took her arm, and hesitantly said, "Mother..." Mother Lu sighed and said, "Master, after all, we were master and apprentice. There's nothing wrong with us. Why are you so determined?"

Lu Yu also bowed to his father and said, "Father, Brother Ma Chao has taken great care of us in Xiliang. In Xiliang, Brother Ma Chao has protected the country and the people, always caring about the people. The people all respect him deeply, which is enough to prove that he is a good person. Isn't this a bit heartless of you?"

Lu Zhi looked at the four people in the hall, his anger gradually fading, but he said stubbornly, "Hmph, I'm going to the door now. I'll see if he even wants his master to beat this evil disciple." With that, he walked out angrily, even his sick body feeling as if it had been stimulated by this. His steps were filled with a sense of urgency and mixed emotions. It seemed that he wanted to confront Ma Chao directly, but he was also worried that the situation was getting out of control.

Xu Huang led the way, striding forward with long strides, muttering something to himself, as if nothing in the palace could stop his momentum. Ma Chao followed closely behind, his brow slightly furrowed, his eyes revealing an eagerness and determination. His steps were steady and powerful, each one carrying the resolve to see his master and resolve the misunderstanding. Zhang Ren and Xu Shu lagged behind slightly. Xu Shu observed his surroundings sharply, pondering possible scenarios and countermeasures, while Zhang Ren wore a vigilant expression, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

Upon entering the mansion and reaching the courtyard, they saw an old man standing in front of the hall, gazing at them sullenly. Xu Huang's enthusiasm instantly subsided, like a popped balloon, his once proud head lowered. While Lu Zhi was a match for Xu Huang in terms of physical strength, his presence and the imposing presence he exuded made Xu Huang retreat involuntarily. He stumbled and hid behind the three men, a trace of embarrassment and fear on his face.

When Ma Chao saw his master standing in front of the hall, his eyes lit up for a moment, then a hint of nervousness flashed across his face. He quickened his pace, practically jogging forward, and in a few steps he was in front of his master. Then, without hesitation, he fell to his knees with a thud, his knees making a dull sound as they collided with the ground. He stretched out his hands, palms touching the ground, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his head almost to the ground, saying, "Master, even if I have made a thousand mistakes, I am still your disciple. If you have anything to say, you can reprimand me in person, and I will never say a word. Now you don't even want to see me. How can I face this?" Ma Chao's voice trembled slightly, carrying a mixture of sincerity and urgency. His shoulders shook slightly as he spoke, revealing his inner uneasiness and awe for his master.

Before Lu Zhi could even speak, Ma Chao cried out in dismay. Lu Zhi's resentment resurfaced, and he shouted, "What do you mean by 'how can you handle this?' You've studied with me for years. Don't you understand what it means to respect your teacher? Or have you been leading troops in Xiliang for so long that you've forgotten everything I taught you, relying solely on force to resolve everything, and lacking the ways of a gentleman?" Lu Zhi's words lashed out like a barrage of bullets, his face darkening, his eyes revealing deep disappointment and anger.

Ma Chao was speechless, his body stiffening slightly. His hands unconsciously clenched the dirt, his knuckles turning white. After a moment, he timidly said, "Master, wasn't this a matter of urgency? I didn't know how I could have angered you so much. Didn't I tell you yesterday? Why are you so angry today? Please tell me so I can correct my mistakes." Ma Chao lowered his head, his eyes closed, his brow furrowed, his face filled with guilt and resignation. He felt fearful and wronged. He longed for Master's forgiveness, but he didn't know what to do. He could only helplessly wait for Master's response. The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly became tense and oppressive, as if even the air itself had frozen.

Lu Zhi said, "Let's not talk about how you handle state affairs. You're loyal to both sides. You can't be all things to all people. At least you have the excuse of defending against foreign enemies. If you can justify it, I won't pursue it further. But you, at such a young age, have such poor personal ethics. You've been entangled with three women, Lu Wan, Dong Bai, and Cai Wenji. You're young, yet you don't want to make progress. You're obsessed with beauty. What can I say about you?" Lu Zhi's tone was filled with deep disappointment and reproach. He looked at Ma Chao with eyes filled with heartache. His brow furrowed, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen with anger and helplessness. He shook his head slightly as he spoke, as if he was extremely dissatisfied and puzzled by Ma Chao's behavior. It was as if all his hopes for Ma Chao had been dashed in this moment. He was desperately hoping for a reasonable explanation or a promise to change.

Ma Chao suddenly heard his master's anger about this, and instantly felt embarrassed. His cheeks flushed slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of panic and bewilderment. He had a bond with each of the three women, but facing his master now, the feeling was no longer simply that of a mentor and disciple. It was more like facing a future father-in-law who was dissatisfied with his behavior. He was like the man caught cheating on his wife, his father-in-law was speaking up for his daughter, and he didn't know how to explain it.