Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At this moment, Liu Bei hurried over with the Emperor. Seeing this, Lu Wan and Madam Lu quietly retreated to the side. Liu Bian eagerly sat down at the head of the bed, tightly grasping Lu Zhi's hands. He said, "Lu Zhi, your health is improving. How wonderful! I knew you were blessed." Lu Zhi smiled, his face weary. "Your Majesty, please do not comfort me any further. I know my own health very well. Now, my end is near. Your Majesty, in the future, you must promote virtuous ministers and stay away from villains. You must not indulge in women, and you must not imitate those licentious and unjust monarchs. The people of the Han Dynasty are still suffering, and their lives are in dire straits. It is all thanks to your wise leadership, Your Majesty." Emperor Liu Bian said with a look of fear, "Master Lu, Master Lu, please do not say so. The world still depends on you to steer the ship." Lu Zhi sighed and said, "Your Majesty, I am afraid there is nothing I can do. I am simply filled with regret for not being able to see the Han Dynasty's revival. I have failed Emperor Xiaoling's trust. Now, I must go and reunite with my late emperor."

The emperor's face was filled with panic, tears streaming down his face. He clutched Lu Zhi's hand tightly and said anxiously, "Master Lu, my father-in-law, you must hold on! General Ma Chao hasn't returned yet. If you leave now, I'm afraid he'll be unhappy. After all, Wan'er is already married to me, and you haven't even seen him for the last time. If he gets angry, what should I do? Master Lu, you must hold on!"

Lu Zhi's face was filled with sorrow, a trace of sadness rising from his face. He said, "Your Majesty, life and death are determined by fate. I'm afraid I won't be able to endure seeing Chao'er. Your Majesty, don't worry. Ma Chao is loyal and righteous. With my daily guidance and Wan'er's relationship, I think he'll be fine. Xuande is here too. Let him persuade him as much as possible. He will definitely not have any rebellion."

The emperor said, "While Master Lu says so, I know that General Ma Chao is not a bad person. He is kind-hearted and loyal to his country. However, when people are angry or emotionally agitated, they are prone to make mistakes. I am afraid that if General Ma Chao gets too excited, he will be doomed."

Lu Zhi said: "Forget it, forget it. I will leave a last letter for Ma Chao to read when he comes back." He said to Lu Yu: "Lu Yu, you write for your father." Lu Zhi said quietly: "My disciple Ma Chao, you have been here since you were a teenager to study. I did not like your father's warlord style and was not willing to accept you as my disciple. But you stood in the snow outside the door of the teacher, with a firm will and a sincere heart to learn. I also admired you and accepted you. Later, I saw that you were diligent in learning and your talent was displayed in Luoyang, which comforted me. I was afraid that you would go astray because of your talent. I taught you the principles of loyalty and patriotism. Unexpectedly, when Emperor Xiaoling passed away, it was largely thanks to your efforts, and the unity of master and disciple that helped us turn the situation around. And yet, the traitor Dong became a political tyrant. Speaking of this, my heart aches. From childhood, you followed me in learning about loyalty and righteousness, yet you nearly strayed and ended up serving the old traitor. Thankfully, you finally came to your senses and made amends before it was too late. However, during the campaign against Tianshui, you didn't give your all, harboring selfish motives. This is truly unacceptable. Today, I, your teacher, will die here. Remember my teachings: be loyal to the emperor and love your country, and never harbor any rebellious thoughts."

Lu Zhi said a word, and Lu Yu wrote it down. Lu Zhi asked, "Yu'er, have you written it down?" Lu Yu replied with tears in his eyes, "Father, I have written it down."

Lu Zhi continued, "Chao'er, you are exceptionally capable and talented, and I am very pleased with you. However, you are somewhat indecisive when it comes to righteousness, which is truly unacceptable. You must remain true to your heart. The Han Dynasty is on the verge of a revival, but I cannot see it. You must protect the Han Empire for me. If you ever rebel against the court, I will not be able to rest in peace in my grave." Lu Zhi paused and said to Lu Yu, "Let's stop here." Lu Yu solemnly wrote below: "Master Lu Zhi's final words."

Lu Zhi's eyes had gradually lost their luster, as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He gazed at the top of the bed curtains and murmured, "Heaven, if only I had another three or five years, I could have secured the throne and restored the glory of the Han Dynasty. But Heaven has not granted me this, and today I must go before the late emperor."

As he spoke, a tear of pain dripped down his dry face. By this time, Lu Zhi's breath was already weak, his voice barely audible. He muttered, "Emperor Xiaoling, I have devoted my entire life to you. I will follow you on your unfinished journey. Time waits for no man… time waits for no man… time waits for no man…" With these words, he expired.

Seeing this, everyone in the hall was heartbroken and burst into tears. The cries echoed in the room, as if expressing everyone's respect and reluctance to part with Lu Zhi, and their sorrow for the Han Dynasty losing such a loyal minister and mentor.

Liu Bei had already made preparations for Lu Zhi's funeral. Everyone in the Lu residence donned plain clothing, a scene of solemnity and mourning. The emperor also issued a decree, requiring the entire city of Chang'an to be in deep mourning for Lu Zhi. For a moment, white banners fluttered everywhere in Chang'an, and everyone wore mourning at the loss of Lu Zhi, a virtuous and virtuous minister. The cries of grief echoed through the streets and alleys of Chang'an, as if commemorating Lu Zhi's lifelong achievements and virtues. His passing plunged the entire city into grief, as people remembered his loyalty, wisdom, and kindness, lamenting the unpredictable and helpless nature of fate. Amidst this somber atmosphere, the people gained a deeper understanding of Lu Zhi's importance to the Han Dynasty, and were filled with both anxiety and anticipation for the future.

Liu Bei inquired about the emperor's funeral procession. The emperor, looking hesitant, replied, "I didn't allow Ma Chao to see Master Lu for the last time before he returned. He must see the remains and the portrait. Otherwise, I fear his emotions will be difficult to control. For now, let's hold the funeral until Ma Chao returns." His words were filled with worry about the situation and his concern for Ma Chao's reaction. Liu Bei nodded slightly, expressing his understanding of the emperor's concerns, while also pondering the various possibilities of Ma Chao's return. A tense and mournful atmosphere permeated Chang'an as they waited.

Liu Bei also relocated Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun to his mansion and deployed his troops inside and outside Chang'an, preparing for a decisive battle. This was all due to his concern that Ma Chao's return would excite him and spark conflict. Liu Bei knew Ma Chao's bravery and feared that if he acted drastically in his grief and anger, it would cause great unrest in Chang'an. The entire city awaited Ma Chao's return in a tense atmosphere, as if a storm were brewing.

From the moment Ma Chao received Lu Yu's letter, his heart was consumed by endless anxiety and worry. Without hesitation, he mounted his warhorse and galloped towards Chang'an. Winter had already arrived, and the biting wind razed his face like a knife, the icy air threatening to freeze him instantly. However, Ma Chao paid no heed to the inclement weather. His only thought was to return to Chang'an as quickly as possible to see his master.

Along the way, his BMW Aurora seemed to sense his owner's eagerness. This king of horses needed no whip to urge him on, galloping away like lightning. Its nimble form soared across the road, kicking up clouds of dust. Even with such intense running, Aurora showed no signs of fatigue, still brimming with strength and energy.

This proved difficult for the generals and guards who followed him. During this arduous journey, they had to constantly change horses to barely keep up with Ma Chao. Each change of horses was a race against time, and they dared not slack off for fear of losing their lord. The journey would have taken five or six days, but Ma Chao, working day and night, managed to reach Chang'an in just three.

Ma Chao was exhausted from all the traveling. His face was etched with fatigue, his hair disheveled, and his eyes betrayed a deep weariness. But even so, the thought of his master's voice and smile overwhelmed Ma Chao's thoughts. His heart was filled with worry for his master and the state of Lu Zhi's condition. He wondered how helpless and distressed Lu Wan and her family must be facing all this. Thinking of this, Ma Chao was consumed by worry, the anxiety burning in his heart like a raging fire, making him restless.

In the distance, the towering silhouette of Chang'an loomed. The generals behind him breathed a sigh of relief, their faces tinged with relief. Meanwhile, Ma Chao gazed into the distance and was shocked to see Chang'an's tall, sturdy walls draped with white cloth and banners, a desolate and bleak scene. Ma Chao's heart trembled, a wave of shock and disbelief washed over him. Yet, he refused to believe what he saw, clinging to a glimmer of hope. After all, if his master had passed away, how could he have the entire city of Chang'an decorated in white? It didn't make sense.

Ma Chao galloped towards Chang'an City like a gust of wind. Li Tong, the city gate guard, spotted a man on a galloping horse from afar, closely followed by a group of knights. He immediately raised his guard. Instantly, the soldiers at the city gates sprang into action, their spears like a forest, ready for battle. Li Tong stared intently at the approaching figure, his expression grim, ready to respond at any moment.

As Ma Chao approached, Li Tong shouted, "Who are you? Halt!" However, Ma Chao was too concerned for such thoughts to bother him. His mind was preoccupied with worry for his master. Ma Chao's eyes widened as he shouted, "I am Ma Chao!" He raised his spear and swept it across, his fierce momentum sweeping like a hurricane. The soldiers guarding the city gates felt a surge of overwhelming force, their weapons flung aside and falling to the ground. Li Tong, realizing it was Ma Chao, was startled and saluted, hastily ordering his soldiers not to stop him. Ma Chao didn't even bother to reply. He clamped his legs against his horse's belly and, like lightning, leaped through the Chang'an city gates. Xu Huang, Zhang Ren, Zhang Liao and a group of personal guards behind him did not stop at all. They entered in a line. The sound of horse hooves echoed in Chang'an City, leaving behind a chaotic city gate and the astonished Li Tong and the soldiers guarding the city.