Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao's long and unsuccessful siege of Tianshui County filled him with anguish and frustration. He was a man of compassion, extremely reluctant to resort to a brute force assault, simply because he truly hated to see soldiers on both sides die in vain in the flames of war. This initial compassion left his generals and advisors with no good strategy.

During those two or three months, messengers from Chang'an frequently arrived, inquiring about the progress of the battle. Ma Chao, helpless, relentlessly launched another siege, but predictably, the defenders repulsed him. In reality, had he cast aside his concerns and chosen a swift victory, with his military prowess and the strength of his troops, he might have captured the city in just a few days. However, this would have contradicted his original intention of cherishing the lives of his soldiers and avoiding unnecessary casualties.

During this period, Ma Chao was restless, constantly pondering how to achieve a bloodless victory, allowing both sides to capture Tianshui County unscathed. However, Dong and Huang's resolve within the city was as unwavering as a rock, and Ma Chao's vision seemed like a distant dream, impossible to achieve. However, his resolve remained unwavering, and he continued to diligently search for a compromise solution.

Ma Chao's state of mind left his generals in a state of utter bewilderment. Capturing Tianshui County without sacrificing manpower was a difficult task, leaving his advisers racking their brains to no avail. His generals and advisors would periodically come up with an idea and present it to Ma Chao. Even Xu Huang, empathizing with Ma Chao's confusion, offered a suggestion: "General, a short pain is worse than a long one! How about a quick victory and a direct, forceful push? It's better than being trapped here day after day, with no way to fight. My axe is practically rusting." Xu Huang's face was filled with anxiety, his rugged features etched with anxiety and frustration at the current situation. He gripped the axe tightly, as if expressing his eagerness for battle. However, Ma Chao's brow remained furrowed, his resolve preventing him from easily changing his mind. He knew that a forced attack would inevitably result in countless casualties, a consequence he most desired. But the current predicament made him fall into deep thought.

Inside the military tent, everyone stared at Ma Chao's dilemma and tangle. The atmosphere was heavy, yet no one could devise a good plan. Just then, Hua Xiong, the towering figure of Xu Rong's army, strode into the tent. His massive figure instantly blocked out the light from the doorway, darkening the tent.

Xu Huang had just offered a plan to Ma Chao but it was rejected. Now, blocked by the sunlight, he felt unhappy and said, "Hey, big man, get out of here quickly. I'm Old Xu here. What are you doing in this military tent? You're just blocking the sunlight." Hua Xiong replied in a muffled voice, "I'm here to offer advice to the general too. What's wrong?" Xu Huang sneered, "If the general didn't accept the ideas of a wise and brave scholar-general like me, Old Xu, what good ideas can you, a fool?" Hua Xiong was furious when he heard this: "I will not let you go after I've told the general. How can you be considered a wise and brave scholar-general? You call me a fool, but I think you're almost the same. I've heard that this thief in the general's tent is not a good person, and I haven't offended you." Xu Huang said anxiously, "Who are you calling a thief? I'm a great general, how can you slander me?"

Seeing the two arguing, Ma Chao said somewhat unhappily: "Okay, okay, stop talking." When everyone heard Ma Chao's words, they immediately stopped arguing and silence returned to the military tent.

Ma Chao tried to calm his tangled, irritable state. His gaze slowly swept across the solemn faces of the crowd. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he said with a faint smile, "Alas, perhaps I've been a little too obsessed with my thoughts. I've been a bit distracted lately, and I'm sorry to have caused you all to worry about me." He then turned his gaze to Hua Xiong, a gentle smile on his face, and said softly, "General Hua Xiong, you've come here today. I believe you have something on your mind. Why don't you tell me?"

Upon hearing this, Hua Xiong scratched his head, then smiled innocently, a bit shy and awkward, and said, "Ah, General, you're joking. I'm just a rough guy, how can I have any good strategies to offer you? I'm just seeing everyone so worried and helpless, and I'm very anxious. Back in our Xiliang army, when we encountered difficulties, we just had to charge bravely. But when there were any tasks or problems, it was Mr. Li Ru who took charge of the overall planning. Mr. Li Ru was very thoughtful, and every arrangement was extremely reasonable and appropriate. Whenever we, as rough guys, have questions or problems, we just go to Mr. Li Ru for advice, and he always gives us a good answer. I see that everyone has been racking their brains to come up with a good plan to break the city, but they still haven't found a feasible solution. I wonder why we have forgotten you, Mr. Li Ru?"

Hua Xiong's simple words were like a ray of light, instantly piercing the fog in everyone's minds. Ma Chao was stunned at first, then a light flashed in his eyes, as if he had just woken from a dream. At this moment, Xu Shu also nodded slightly and echoed, "Yes, General. When it comes to understanding the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, no one in the entire Xiliang army can surpass Mr. Li Ru. We have been pondering this for so long, but we have ignored you and asked for your advice. How foolish!"

Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing Xu Shu's words. Ma Chao gently tapped his forehead and said with a touch of excitement, "Right, right, right. Truly a revelation. General Xu Rong, quickly arrange for someone reliable to invite Mr. Li Ru. The situation is at a stalemate, and we desperately need his wisdom to clear the fog and point the way forward."

Xu Rong, receiving the order, was about to leave to arrange for manpower when Ma Chao anxiously said, "Ah, forget it, that's not necessary. This place isn't far from Longxi County. I'll go there in person to ask for advice, so you don't have to travel all the way." He then said, "It's better to do it today than today. We have nothing to do anyway. Mr. Wenyuan and Mr. Yuanzhi, you two continue to plan the attack. Don't let Tianshui County relax; keep them on their toes. I'll personally take Xu Huang and Zhang Ren and make the trip." With that, he led Zhang Ren and Xu Huang out of the tent, mounted their horses, and galloped off towards Longxi County. Their horses' hooves kicked up clouds of dust, and they quickly disappeared from view. Only Zhang Liao and Xu Shu remained in the tent, beginning to plan the next offensive. The entire camp was bustling with activity, while Ma Chao eagerly set off to Longxi County to seek Li Ru's assistance.

Ma Chao galloped along, the clatter of his hooves swirling in the dust behind him. He hurried to the residence of Li Ru in Longxi County. The sun was shining brightly, shimmering in the gardens. Li Ru, dressed in a sapphire, sat leisurely on a stone bench amidst the blossoms and lush green grass of the garden, delicate teacup in hand, savoring his fragrant tea. A gentle breeze ruffled his sleeves, and he looked incredibly relaxed.

He looked up and suddenly saw Ma Chao rushing over in a hurry. Surprise flashed across his face, and then he stood up and said in surprise, "General, why are you here in such a hurry? Shouldn't you be busy fighting in Tianshui County? How come you have time to come to me today?" Ma Chao's eyes were full of anxiety, and he hurried forward and said, "Sir, I have encountered obstacles in the offensive war in Tianshui County. I am really at a loss, so I came to seek your advice."

Li Ru nodded slightly, reached out and gently picked up the teapot beside him. With graceful movements, he poured Ma Chao a cup of steaming hot tea and said softly, "General, don't worry. Have a sip of tea first and relax." He frowned slightly and asked, "Given your military prowess, Tianshui County, as far as I know, only has 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers and horses, which is not a lot. However, the generals under your command are all brave and skilled warriors. Add to that the Longxi troops led by General Xu Rong. Logically, taking Tianshui County should be a piece of cake. Why is the war being hindered?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's face was instantly tinged with shame. His lips moved slightly, but before he could speak, Xu Huang, standing by, could no longer contain his anger. He stepped forward and shouted, "Alas, sir, you don't understand! With our strength, we could easily crush that tiny Tianshui County. But the general, for some reason, wants to take Tianshui County without a fight and the bloodshed of our brothers. But how can you have the best of both worlds? If it were me, Xu Huang, you should have just led your troops and marched straight in. You'd probably be leisurely enjoying tea in Tianshui County right now. Why bother with all this trouble?"

Li Ru's lips curled up slightly in a gentle smile after hearing Xu Huang's blunt words, but he didn't immediately respond. He simply turned his gaze to Ma Chao again, his eyes questioning, waiting for Ma Chao to elaborate on the reason. Ma Chao, in turn, coughed slightly in embarrassment.

Ma Chao sighed softly and spoke solemnly, "Tianshui County is well-fortified, easy to defend and difficult to attack. This is a well-known fact. If I were to ruthlessly attack at all costs, disregarding the casualties and losses of my soldiers, with our current strength and capabilities, I'm confident I could capture it within just three or four days. However, every time this thought crosses my mind, I'm overwhelmed with reluctance."

He raised his head slightly, his eyes revealing a complex mix of emotions as he continued, "Dong Huang is currently stationed in Tianshui County. His men once served under Lord Dong, and each of them is a brave warrior. Lord Dong has been very kind to me, and Bai'er and I have a deep friendship. General Dong Huang is Bai'er's uncle, and now that Lord Dong is deceased, he is a close relative. His men have long been loyal to Lord Dong, and are all exceptionally talented generals. Given these circumstances, how could I possibly be so cruel as to do something so heartless and unrighteous?"

Ma Chao slowly lowered his head, looked at the ground beneath his feet, his voice trembling slightly: "Besides, even if we launch a strong attack, the soldiers under our command will inevitably suffer casualties. Every soldier is the pillar of his family, the son of his parents, the husband of his wife, and the father of his children. When I think that these lives may be lost in this fratricidal attack, my heart aches as if being cut by a knife. How can I bear to give such an order?" Ma Chao's brows were tightly furrowed into the shape of a "chuan" character, and the entanglement and pain on his face were like dark clouds. His eyes were full of cherishment for the lives of his soldiers and the reluctance to give up Dong Gong's past kindness. He seemed to be a little breathless under the pressure of this dilemma.