Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At this moment, the soldiers behind Ma Chao slowly made way. The elders of the Dong clan, led by Dong Min, appeared, supported by others and leaning on their canes, slowly approaching. Though they were old, they still carried a dignity that spoke of the vicissitudes of life.

Dong Huang looked at these familiar figures and spoke first, his voice filled with endless emotion and melancholy: "Huang'er, since your uncle passed away, our Dong family in Longxi has been in a state of panic. However, it was all thanks to General Ma Chao's support. Your uncle's funeral was also handled by General Ma Chao without any effort. Moreover, General Ma Chao did not get involved in the military power of Longxi. That power is still firmly in Bai'er's hands. Although our Longxi Dong family has lost your uncle, who is as strong as a mountain, "I rely on the city, but General Ma Chao's constant care has kept Longxi free of any fighting. Today, my Dong family remains the most powerful in Longxi. My son, if you were to fight here now, it would only embarrass Bai'er. You must know that in this situation, with General Ma Chao leading his troops here, if he truly wanted to attack the city, he would have taken it long ago. He didn't do so simply because he felt pity for his soldiers, all of whom were from Xiliang, and he didn't want to cause any more bloodshed, let alone engage in battle with you, the relatives of Lord Dong."

The other elders nodded, their eyes filled with earnestness. They said, "Yes, Dong Huang, we've watched you grow up. The Dong family is still prosperous today, and it's all thanks to General Ma. Your persistent resistance will only make Dong Bai embarrassed. Listen to our advice and surrender now."

Dong Huang's eyes welled up with tears as he listened to these words. With tears streaming down his face, he leaned his hands against the city wall, his gaze fixed on the city walls with deep affection. He spoke slowly, "Uncle, Third Uncle, ever since my uncle passed away, I've lived in constant fear, constantly worrying about how to preserve his reputation and the legacy of our Dong family. Now that I see you're all doing well, I, Dong Huang, am relieved."

At this moment, Dong Min gently waved behind him. Dong Huang's wife, holding their young son, slowly approached from behind the army formation. Dong Huang's son was still young when he left home, and now seeing him again filled Dong Huang with mixed emotions. That tiny figure seemed to be the softest concern in his heart, and his hope for the future. He looked at his wife and child, the deep affection in his eyes like a surging tide, unable to subside. He knew that this war could no longer continue. For the sake of his family, for the sake of the Dong clan, he had to make a difficult decision.

Dong Min, standing by, said to Dong Huang's child with tenderness, "My son, that's your father standing there. Come on, call him out." When Dong Huang left home, his son was still a young and ignorant child. Seeing his father again now, he felt a sense of strangeness and timidly hid behind his mother, not daring to say a word. Dong Huang's wife gently squatted down, gently stroked the child's head, and patiently persuaded him, "My dear child, call your father out! He's your daddy." Dong Huang's son hesitated for a long time before timidly calling out "Father," his voice as thin as a mosquito's. Then he pursed his lips tightly, not daring to make another sound.

When Dong Huang heard the call, tears instantly burst out like a flood. He replied with a trembling voice and choked sobs, "Hey, hey, father is here, good son, good son." The voice was filled with endless love and longing.

The Xiliang warriors watching from the sidelines were also deeply moved by this heartwarming scene. Their thoughts drifted far away, remembering the innocent smiles of their children back home, and the aging faces of their parents. First, one or two soldiers secretly wiped away tears, and then, like a spark, the suppressed sobs spread rapidly, and in an instant, the whole city was filled with tears.

The soldiers behind Ma Chao all had red eyes and shouted loudly: "Brothers, surrender! Go home and stop fighting." The voice echoed in the air, carrying the longing for home and the expectation of peace. The defenders on the city wall were also deeply moved by the shouts, as if they were bewitched by an invisible force. They slowly dropped the weapons they were holding tightly in their hands, and the sound of the weapons falling to the ground seemed to tell of their inner struggle and exhaustion. They said in unison: "General, surrender." One after another, the defenders, including the generals behind Dong Huang, all knelt on the ground with tears in their eyes, and pleaded earnestly: "General, surrender, let the brothers go back, go home. We also want to go back to that warm home, hug our children, and be with our parents."

Ma Chao then shouted again, "General Dong Huang, surrender now. All the warriors of Xiliang, regardless of their commanders, are my good men. If you return willing to join the army, you will retain your official position and be directly incorporated into my command. If you do not wish to join the army, you can travel around and reunite with your families. Do not let your brothers down because of your momentary obsession. These brothers have all followed you loyally and fought hard for the reputation of Lord Dong. Until now, leave them a way out. I believe Lord Dong's spirit in heaven would be comforted and would hope that we can lay down our weapons, return home, and enjoy the rare peace and warmth."

At this moment, a gentle breeze seemed to whisper a longing for peace. Sunlight bathed the crowd, adding a touch of warmth to this scene filled with tenderness and emotion. Every face was filled with longing for home and hope for the future. At this moment, the shadow of war seemed to dissipate, replaced by a yearning and longing for a peaceful life.

On the city walls, soldiers knelt in a heap, their eyes filled with expectation as they gazed at Dong Huang, awaiting his decision. Dong Huang knew he could no longer mobilize these soldiers. A wave of longing had already swept his brothers' hearts away. Yet, they continued to await his decision, lingering only on the memory of Dong Zhuo's kindness to them during his lifetime. Dong Huang's ambitions had long since been eroded by repeated failure, leaving only a lingering desire for his family's legacy. Seeing his family intact, and seeing his son and wife again, that lingering desire was completely shattered.

Dong Huang raised his hands weakly and said in a hoarse voice: "Forget it, brothers, let's surrender now. Leave a way out for you brothers to go back and see your parents and wives and children." There was an instant cheer on the top of the city, and deafening cheers rang out from below.

However, Dong Huang suddenly drew his sword from his waist, placed it across his neck, and said in despair, "Uncle, if you are still here, you will see that I have done my best. To live up to your reputation, I will die today to prove my loyalty." Other generals, including Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang, were unable to come to his rescue, and an uproar erupted below the city walls. Dong's relatives cried out in panic, "Fool, fool!" At this critical moment, brothers Jiang Jiong and Jiang Xu, standing behind him, acted swiftly. Jiang Xu stepped forward to embrace Dong Huang's arm, while Jiang Jiong grasped Dong Huang's waist, preventing him from breaking free. Dong Huang cried anxiously, "What do you mean? Let go!" The two generals ignored his cries and held him firmly in check.

At that moment, the soldiers opened the city gates and filed out. They embraced the soldiers besieging the city below, tears streaming down their faces as they spoke of their longing for their loved ones. The tightly embraced figures seemed to speak of the cruelty of war and the preciousness of peace. Amidst this heartwarming scene, Dong Huang gazed upon everything before him, a chorus of emotions welling up within him, his sword slipping quietly from his grasp.

Ma Chao led his generals into the city, and Dong Huang was also restrained by two generals and brought before Ma Chao. In the city lord's mansion, all the Dong clan members were present in the hall. Dong Huang was no longer able to say anything, nor was he able to struggle. Looking at the clan members in the hall, tears welled up on his face. He said to Ma Chao, "Forget it, Ma Chao. Your uncle has always had high hopes for you, and you have a deep friendship with Bai'er. I hope you will not let Bai'er down. In this situation, you must give an explanation to the court. Take my head and go make a name for yourself."

Ma Chao laughed heartily, walked over to Dong Huang and gave him a hug, then pulled him to sit down in the City Lord's Mansion. Dong Huang was reluctant, but he didn't understand what Ma Chao was thinking. Ma Chao laughed heartily, invited the generals to sit, and said, "Uncle Dong Huang, for Bai'er's sake, I should call you uncle, too. If I were truly devoted to the court, willing to be a lackey, and solely focused on achieving great things, why would I have to stand here for so long with you? With the ability of my generals, if we had launched a forceful attack, Tianshui County would have been conquered in three to five days. Why has it taken over half a year? And Uncle Dong Huang, Ma Chao's campaign in Tianshui County has already caused dissatisfaction at the court, but so what? Do I, Ma Chao, forget the kindness you've shown me? I cherish your kindness every day and never forget it. I could spare all the men in this city, but would I sacrifice you alone for my own wealth and glory?"

Dong Huang also said, "You've subjugated all these Xiliang warriors. They can't be handed over. If you don't hand over my leader, how will you explain yourself to the court?" Ma Chao replied, "Mr. Li Ru has already made it clear and given me a plan: find someone of your stature and hand him over. I could have insisted it was you, and the court wouldn't have dared to embarrass me. But I've thought about it, and I don't want to risk even this one of my brothers' lives. Knowing it's a deception, why would I, Ma Chao, be so upright?"

Ma Chao's uprightness and magnanimity were like a strong spring breeze, sweeping through every corner of the City Lord's Mansion. Dong Huang's generals, gazing at Ma Chao's imposing figure and resolute gaze, were overcome with admiration. They had initially harbored a lingering fear and uneasiness, wondering what their fate would be in this volatile situation. However, upon witnessing Ma Chao's courage, that apprehension vanished, replaced by heartfelt admiration and conviction.

Ma Chao's words and actions exuded a reassuring power. His uprightness assured the generals that following a lord like him meant they didn't need to worry about backstabbing and plotting. His magnanimity, demonstrating a grand vision and unwavering confidence for the future, reassured the generals that under his leadership, they could carve out a niche for themselves in these turbulent times.

These generals sighed in their hearts that it was a blessing to have a lord like Ma Chao. They secretly made up their minds to follow Ma Chao wholeheartedly.