Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Dong Bai was moved by Li Ru's calm demeanor and his persuasion. Although she was still worried, she was no longer as anxious as before. She waited quietly, just waiting to see the reaction from Xiliang Wuwei County.

The messenger hurried to Wuwei County. It was deep winter, bitterly cold, with blizzards and snowstorms, making the roads impassable. The gates of Wuwei County were nearly deserted, a scene of complete silence. From afar, the soldiers spotted a swift horse approaching, its rapid gallop stirring up a cloud of snow. Since he was dressed in Western Liang clothing, the soldiers urgently inquired about the matter. The messenger, breathing a puff of white air, called out from afar, "Urgent news from Chang'an! I must see the lord! Urgent news from the young master! I must see the lord!" The crowd, fearing no delay, quickly removed the deer's antlers, opened the city gates, and let him in.

Ma Teng was suddenly shocked by the urgent news from Chang'an, and his heart was shaken. He was well aware of the complex situation in Chang'an, and the arrival of this urgent news must have meant something major had occurred. Ma Teng hurriedly received the messenger. The messenger was practically carried by soldiers to meet Ma Teng. He carefully pulled the letter from Xu Shu from the pocket of his armor. Ma Teng took the letter, unfolded it, and his face instantly turned extremely grim. His reaction was almost identical to Dong Bai's: he was immediately furious and filled with worry. Ma Teng paced the room nervously, commanding, "Quickly summon the civil and military officials to discuss this matter!" Ma Teng could not suppress his inner anxiety, unable to sit still in the room or in the hall, his heart filled with worry for his son Ma Chao far away in Chang'an and anxiety about the current situation.

Madam Ma was in the inner chambers when she heard the news and rushed to the main hall in a panic. Her steps were hurried, her skirt flying, and her heart was filled with worry for her son, Ma Chao. When she stepped into the main hall, she saw Ma Teng still with a look of anxiety on his face, pacing back and forth anxiously. The heavy footsteps seemed to hammer at her heart, making her feel more and more uneasy.

Madam anxiously asked, "Master, has Chao'er sent a letter? What happened? Why are you so anxious to summon the civil and military officials to discuss matters?" Ma Teng's face was solemn, and his slightly furrowed brow seemed to be filled with a thousand worries. He slowly handed Madam Xu Shu's letter, which seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

Madam Ma took the letter with trembling hands, her eyes scanning the paper eagerly. Her eyes were filled with nervousness and anticipation, mingled with deep worry. As she read further, her expression grew increasingly grim. When she saw the letter describing Ma Chao's growing white hair due to the worry and anger he felt over Lu Wan's marriage to the emperor and his master's past, she could no longer contain her emotions, tears pouring out like a broken dam. She sobbed bitterly, saying, "My poor Chao'er! Master, please quickly find a way to send troops. We will send troops to bring Chao'er back. How could Lu Wan be so cruel? How could her family treat Chao'er like this? How have we, the Ma family, wronged them? What kind of wise emperor is this? We're not even going to protect this court anymore." Madam Ma was overcome with emotion, almost mad, her heartbreaking cries echoing through the main hall for a long time.

Seeing his wife in such grief, Ma Teng felt a surge of panic in his heart. He hurried forward to offer his comfort, "Madam, don't worry. I summoned the civil and military officials to discuss this matter. Now that you know the news, return to the inner chambers and rest. We must discuss the specifics of what to do. Don't worry too much." Sobbing, Madam Lu was supported by her maids as she walked back to the inner chambers. As she left, she turned back to Ma Teng with a worried look on her face, saying, "Master, you must ensure Chao'er's safety at all costs. Even if this daughter-in-law is gone, we can still find a good one. You must bring Chao'er back safely." Ma Teng watched his wife depart, his heart filled with worry and heaviness. He knew that the current situation was complex, and ensuring Ma Chao's safety would be no easy task. But he also secretly resolved that, no matter the cost, he would see his son back safely. For the sake of his son and the Ma family, he had to make careful decisions and respond to this sudden crisis.

At Ma Teng's urgent summons, the civil and military officials hurried to the main hall of the Ma residence. When they arrived, each one had a solemn expression, faces filled with worry and tension. The atmosphere in the hall was tense and oppressive, as if a heavy rock was pressing down on everyone's heart.

Ma Teng's face was serious, his brows furrowed. He slowly showed everyone Ma Chao's letter, then spoke to them in a heavy and anxious voice, "You have all always been my right-hand men. Now that this incident has suddenly occurred and the situation is critical, do you have any good strategies to deal with it?"

Chenggongying stroked his beard slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he spoke first: "My lord, don't be so anxious. Read carefully what the young master said in the letter. Although this matter is tricky, it is not completely irreversible. What's more, my Xiliang is now strong in both men and horses, and powerful. Even if the various forces are willing, they dare not do anything extreme." Chenggongying's words were steady and powerful. His mature and steady words calmed Ma Teng's anxious heart a little.

Pang Deyi's face was filled with indignation, his eyes burning with rage and fighting spirit. He said anxiously, "My lord, Xiliang now boasts 300,000 cavalrymen, and its might is feared by all. Just give the order, and I will lead the cavalry to Chang'an to cheer you on. I want to see who dares to put you in such a difficult position under the attack of my Xiliang army."

Upon hearing this, everyone began to discuss the matter. Fa Zheng frowned, his face filled with worry as he spoke, "My Lord, the General is in Chang'an right now. The letter simply urged us to be prepared and not act rashly. It didn't say we should lead our troops to Chang'an. If we rashly lead our troops there, and frighten the Emperor and his men, and they panic and do something that harms the General, we'd be completely defeated."

Others also expressed their opinions. Some, with serious expressions, advocated caution and refraining from impulsive action, lest they fall into even greater danger. Others, more passionate, advocated for immediate military action, demonstrating Xiliang's might and deterring those who dared to embarrass the general. Still others suggested sending troops to Chang'an first to gather information and gain a detailed understanding of the situation before making a decision. For a moment, the room was abuzz with discussion. Ma Teng, watching the various voices, felt a deep conflict within him. He worried about his son's safety, yet he feared the consequences of any rash action. In this tense atmosphere, everyone was grappling with the best course of action. The heated debate seemed to grow even more dignified within the Ma residence, making it almost suffocating.

Ma Teng's mind was awash with thoughts. What everyone said made sense, but how could he be assured of his son's safety? He said slowly, "We'll make preparations and mobilize 100,000 cavalry. Ling Ming, I'll trouble you to go to Chang'an to help Chao'er. We can plan the rest later." Even after saying this, Ma Teng's heart was still filled with worry. The thick worry enveloped him like an impenetrable fog.

At this time, Fa Zheng said, "My lord, since we have not been able to come up with an idea, why don't we go to Longxi County to seek advice from Mr. Li Ru?" When Ma Teng heard this, it suddenly became clear. He admired Li Ru's wisdom very much. After all, he and Li Ru became colleagues when he was under Dong Zhuo, and he had many conversations with Li Ru because of his children's marriage. What's more, Li Ru's wisdom does not need him to evaluate at all. As Dong Zhuo's think tank and counselor, how could ordinary people achieve it? Ma Teng calmed down a little at this time and said, "Okay, what Xiaozhi said makes sense. Then Gongming, you should gather the troops first, and then I will go with you to Longxi to listen to what kind of advice Mr. Li Ru can give us." Everyone dispersed as ordered, and the hall returned to silence.

Yet, Ma Teng's heart remained heavy as he slowly paced back to the house. After all, his wife was still in a state of emotional collapse, and he had to comfort her. Meanwhile, he was deeply concerned about his son's situation. Each step seemed to carry a heavy burden, and the heavy footsteps echoed in the silent corridor, as if expressing his inner uneasiness and anxiety.

Meanwhile, in the harem, Madam Lu was tearfully complaining to Cai Wenji about the unfair treatment Ma Chao had received. Her face was filled with indignation, and her voice choked with sobs, she said, "Wenji, look at how much the Ma family has done for us, the Lu family, and yet they repay us with such ingratitude. They've angered Chao'er to this point; it's truly heartbreaking." Cai Wenji, upon hearing that Ma Chao, so young, had even grown a single strand of gray hair due to the immense effort he put into this matter, was heartbroken and burst into tears. Although not officially mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the two knew each other's concern for Ma Chao like a mirror.

The two women wept bitterly together. Cai Wenji, still suppressing her grief, gently urged Madam Lu not to grieve so much. Madam Lu embraced Cai Wenji, patting her back reassuringly. "My dear child, I'm sorry for making you feel so frightened." Cai Wenji, naturally, offered no complaints, saying, "It's all right. I have a deep affection for Chao... Ma Chao."

Ma's mother continued, "I really don't understand why Chao'er must marry Lu Wan. This child is simply incorrigible. Is there any need to be so angry and heartbroken?" Then, as if to point it out, she addressed Cai Wenji, "Wenji, Auntie has something unpleasant to say. You and Chao'er are deeply in love, as well as Miss Dong Bai from Longxi. We don't insist on marrying Lu Wan alone. It's simply that this child is so deeply in love. Now that Lu Wan has become the imperial concubine, Wenji, I've been thinking that you and Bai'er should marry Chao'er as soon as possible, so that Chao'er won't be troubled by constant thoughts of this woman."

Cai Wenji was suddenly asked this question, and her heart was shocked. She said in fear: "Aunt, Wenji... Wenji really dare not have such improper thoughts. With Wenji's status, how could..." Madam Lu said: "What's wrong with status? I have already seen that Chao'er likes you very much. I am a military general from the Ma family, so I don't care so much. Do you dislike Chao'er?" Cai Wenji blushed and didn't know how to answer for a moment, but her heart was beating like a deer, with a lot of thoughts in her mind.