Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao and his companions hurried along, hastily heading for the Lu residence. Along the way, the streets of Chang'an were draped with white banners, creating a solemn and murderous atmosphere that only intensified Ma Chao's suspicion. He galloped through the bustling city. Chang'an had been deserted for the past two days, and even the few pedestrians who were around were in a hurry, not affecting his speed.

Soon, Ma Chao arrived at the gate of the Lu Mansion. Looking up, the entire hall was painted white. The white plaques and white decorations everywhere reassured Ma Chao that any remaining doubts were now certain. With a mournful cry of "Master!", Ma Chao's body swayed, and he nearly fell from his horse. After all, Ma Chao had been driving at full speed all the way here. Fortunately, his BMW Aurora was in tune with him, sensing his unusual behavior and slowing down slightly, stopping firmly before reaching the Lu Mansion.

Ma Chao, distraught, fell from his horse. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the brothers who had been greeting him at the gate, saw Ma Chao's plight and rushed forward to offer him support. Ma Chao eagerly asked, "Yunchang, first, our master..." Guan Yu, his face pained, slowly said, "Mengqi, I offer my condolences. Master Lu has passed away." Zhang Fei offered Ma Chao mourning clothes, but Ma Chao ignored them and rushed inside.

Behind them, Zhang Liao, Zhang Ren, and Xu Huang, along with their personal guards, were handed mourning clothes by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. They accepted them, put them on, and followed Ma Chao inside. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei exchanged a glance, and thinking of their elder brother's instructions, they felt uneasy. They handed over the matter to others and hurriedly followed.

Ma Chao rushed into the Lu Mansion like a madman, his figure swaying and anxious like a leaf in the wind. He rushed through the front room without hesitation, and his footsteps hurriedly swept through the courtyards. The sound of his rapid footsteps seemed to be the cry of his inner pain and anxiety.

When he arrived at the main hall, officials from the imperial court and envoys from various vassal states who had come to offer condolences all cast astonished glances at him. However, Ma Chao's eyes were empty. His world seemed to consist only of the gently fluttering white curtains in the hall and the faint flickering light of a few white candles.

In the center of the room, the master's coffin stood silently, its lid solemn and dignified. Ma Chao felt as if all his strength had been drained from him. He approached step by step, each step feeling like a heavy burden. When he finally reached the hall, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud. The muffled sound seemed to be the unleashing of his inner grief.

Liu Bei hurried forward and said, "Mengqi, please dress yourself first." He was about to ask someone to hand him mourning clothes. But Ma Chao was like a madman, kowtowing repeatedly and crying out in sorrow, "Master! Why did you leave in such a hurry? I rushed all the way back, but I still couldn't see you one last time. Do you know how much pain I feel? You are the light of my life, the guide for me. Now you are gone. How can I bear this great sorrow? Master, why did you leave without waiting for me to come back? I still have so much to say to you and so many questions to ask you!"

Madam Lu sat on a low seat to the side of the main hall, lost in thought. Her haggard face and swollen eyes betrayed her inner grief. Lu Wan knelt quietly beside the coffin, a look of sorrow on her face. Her sorrowful expression resembled a flower struck by frost, its former radiance extinguished. Her gaze had been fixed blankly ahead, but the moment she heard the familiar sound of footsteps, she immediately spotted Ma Chao approaching.

At that moment, a complex emotion flashed through her eyes: surprise, sorrow, and deep helplessness. She longed to rush forward and speak to Ma Chao, pouring out her grief and longing. However, her current status as an imperial concubine was like an invisible shackle, restricting her actions and making it inconvenient for her to speak to Ma Chao.

So, she could only gaze at Ma Chao with deep affection, her gaze filled with a thousand words. Seeing Ma Chao's grief-stricken expression, her heart ached like a knife. Tears silently flowed from her eyes again, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the ground. Those glittering tears seemed to represent the endless sorrow in her heart, gleaming a heartbreaking light in this sad atmosphere.

She lowered her head slightly, trying to control her emotions, not wanting others to notice her loss of composure. But her heart was always tightly tied to Ma Chao, bearing this great sorrow with him.

Liu Bei and Lu Yu had no choice but to come forward to support Ma Chao, who burst into tears and recited for a long time, almost collapsing emotionally.

Finally, with Liu Bei's help, Ma Chao slowly rose. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Brother, brother, why did Master leave so hastily?" Lu Yu's eyes swollen as he spoke mournfully, "Since you left, Master, my father has been seriously ill, his condition fluctuating. Furthermore, over the past two months, urgent military reports have been arriving from the court. Father, deeply concerned about the court, has suffered repeated setbacks..." At this point, Lu Yu choked up, his voice filled with endless sorrow.

Ma Chao suddenly turned around, his piercing gaze like a sharp sword piercing the mourning envoys. His eyes burned with rage as he fiercely and resentfully declared, "Master's passing is the responsibility of all of you, the princes!" His voice echoed through the hall, tinged with endless grief and accusation. Ma Chao's frenzied demeanor frightened the envoys into silence, causing them to retreat unconsciously.

Ma Chao turned to Liu Bei and Lu Yu and asked, "How are the arrangements for Master's funeral?" Liu Bei quickly replied, "The Emperor has issued a decree suspending court for seven days. With Master's passing, all the civil and military officials have come to pay their respects. Everything has been arranged." Lu Yu said, "We're just waiting for your return, Brother Chao, so we can start the funeral arrangements." With that, Lu Yu accepted the mourning clothes from a servant and presented them to Ma Chao. Liu Bei quickly took them, and the two frantically dressed Ma Chao. Ma Chao stood quietly, allowing them to fiddle with him, his eyes fixed on his Master's coffin. His heart was filled with grief and sorrow, as if the entire world had lost its color.

Ma Chao kowtowed several more times, each one expressing his deep respect for his master and a sense of reluctance to leave. Afterward, he slowly stood up and bowed to Ma's mother. Ma's mother's face was filled with sorrow, her haggard features etched with grief. On the one hand, she was grieving over her master's passing, and on the other, she was filled with worry for Ma Chao. For a moment, she didn't know how to face Ma Chao.

Ma Chao's bloodshot eyes betrayed an endless sorrow. Seeing this, his mother, too, felt a pang of grief. She knew all too well the deep bond between Ma Chao and Lu Zhi, a bond that deepened even more deeply in this moment of grief. Ma's mother gently said, "Chao'er, there's no need to grieve. Prioritize your master's funeral first, and don't be patient with anything else." Ma Chao was puzzled, assuming his wife's words were a jumbled mess of grief over his master's passing. He didn't delve into the meaning, merely nodding silently, his heart still consumed with longing for his master and his grief.

At this time, the emperor, who was resting in Lu's mansion, immediately rushed to the mourning hall with Shi A and Wang Yue after hearing the news of Ma Chao's return. The emperor looked solemn and hurried, his heart filled with fear and worry about Ma Chao.

Generals Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and Zhang Ren, along with their personal guards, also rushed to the scene, donning mourning attire. However, the personal guards were barred from the crowd and could only gaze anxiously from a distance, their eyes revealing their concern for their general. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, unwittingly or not, separated Zhang Liao, Zhang Ren, Xu Huang, and the others from Ma Chao. Their expressions were solemn, as if they were on guard. But Ma Chao, immersed in his grief, was oblivious to this unusual development.

At that moment, Ma Chao's gaze was drawn to Lu Wan's forlorn figure. He saw Lu Wan kneeling alone beside the coffin, her frail form looking especially helpless beneath the white drapery. Endless pity and grief welled up in his heart, as if a sharp blade were twisting its way through him. He slowly walked over to Lu Wan's side and knelt beside her. With eyes filled with heartache, he said, "Wan'er, don't be sad either. Although Master has passed away, I'm here to face this with you." Lu Wan looked at Ma Chao with a face filled with sorrow, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string. Her voice trembled as she said, "Brother Chao." Ma Chao, distracted, didn't notice that Lu Wan had now styled her hair in the style of a married woman. Lu Wan's grief made Ma Chao assume she couldn't face her father's passing. Seeing Lu Wan's tears, Ma Chao felt a surge of heartache, and he reached out to embrace her. Wang Yue intervened, saying, "General Ma, how dare you be so disrespectful to the imperial concubine?" Ma Chao was struck by lightning, his body trembling violently as he stared at Lu Wan in disbelief. His eyes were filled with shock, pain, and bewilderment, as if his entire world had collapsed at that moment.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun, under Liu Bei's command, led his pre-arranged men and, after Ma Chao and the others had arrived, quietly approached the circle. They moved cautiously, trying not to draw attention. Zhao Yun's face was stern, his eyes wary. He kept a constant eye on his surroundings, prepared for any emergencies. His men, too, wore solemn expressions. Following Liu Bei's instructions, they quietly blended into the sorrowful and tense atmosphere, awaiting further orders.

Ma Chao stood there, stunned, as if struck by lightning, as if he had heard unbelievable news. In that moment, time seemed to freeze, everything around him blurry, only shock and pain swirling within him. After a moment's pause, he abruptly stood up, his body trembling slightly with excitement. His eyes fixed on Lu Wan, filled with confusion, anxiety, and despair.

"Wan'er, what...what on earth happened?" Ma Chao's voice was hoarse and trembling, as if every word exhausted all his strength. He couldn't accept the reality before him. How could Wan'er, who had grown up with him and laughed with him, suddenly become the imperial concubine? Countless questions filled his heart, and he desperately wanted answers from Lu Wan.