Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Outside the city of Chang'an, the emperor's carriage was parked steadily on the side. The air around him seemed to become particularly solemn because of the various situations that were about to happen, as if an invisible pressure was quietly spreading.

The emperor cast his gaze into the distance, only to see Gongsun Zan leading a vast army, marching towards them at a rapid pace. The army's momentum was truly astonishing. The soldiers stood tall and straight, their spirits high, their armor gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. From afar, it looked like a moving torrent of steel, stirring up an invisible gust of intimidation wherever they passed.

When the emperor saw this scene, he couldn't help but feel secretly happy in his heart, but his face remained expressionless. He just looked around at the people around him slowly with a faint expression.

The three brothers, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, stood respectfully on the left side of the carriage. Liu Bei, on the other hand, stood at the front, his posture erect, his hands clasped neatly before him, his eyes slightly lowered, seemingly lost in thought, as if the world around him had nothing to do with him. Behind Liu Bei, the two powerful generals, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, stood steadily, their gazes radiating vigilance and determination.

Turning his gaze to Lü Bu, he saw him tilting his head slightly, a look of intense interest in his eyes. He would occasionally turn his head to whisper something to Wang Yun beside him. Back when Lü Bu had come to Chang'an to submit to the imperial court, the emperor had gone to great lengths to win him over. Not only had he showered him with gold and silver, but he had also preserved all his previous titles intact, without any changes, a gesture of great honor and favour. Wang Yun, as a result of these events, had been promoted to the position of Grand Tutor, his status becoming even more respected, and his influence at court seemingly even greater. Wang Yun and Lü Bu were inseparable, seemingly boundless in conversation. Their relationship was so close that anyone observing could sense their unusual intimacy.

Elsewhere, Ma Chao and Xu Shu stood quietly to the side. Ma Chao narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze like a deep, cold pond as he gazed coldly at Gongsun Zan's imposing army. His expression remained composed and calm, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts. Xu Shu, upon first seeing Gongsun Zan's vast and intimidating army, showed a flicker of shock. But the shock was fleeting, and he quickly regained his usual composure, as if the momentary emotional fluctuation had been an illusion. Then, his composure returned to normal. The two stood quietly, not exchanging much, yet their silence seemed to hold endless thought, as if each was mentally calculating their next move in the face of the situation.

Following the emperor's procession were the civil and military officials. At this moment, they seemed like dispensable mascots. The emperor always acted arbitrarily, neither following their ideas nor consulting them on many matters, as if their presence were merely a formality. However, these veteran officials each had their own complex network of influence. While the emperor harbored many complaints, he dared not easily deprive them of their rights. Each of these veteran officials, in turn, was engaged in their own calculations, their thoughts even more complex than the present situation. Each one secretly pondered how the changing situation would affect them and how to best protect their own interests in this ever-changing landscape.

After Gongsun Zan gave the order to set up camp on the spot, he immediately led a group of personal guards with Yan Gang and galloped towards the place where the emperor's ceremonial guard was outside the city of Chang'an.

Seeing that they were approaching their destination, Gongsun Zan decisively ordered his personal guards to stop and stay, while he and Yan Gang continued to drive their horses forward.

Gongsun Zan has always been an arrogant and domineering person. In addition, the personal guards following behind him all rode white horses with their coats as pure as the first snow in winter. The armor they wore was also of the same style. From a distance, they looked neat and uniform, with extraordinary momentum, like a torrent of white steel, giving others a strong sense of oppression.

Gongsun Zan's movements were quick and decisive. He pulled the reins suddenly, and the horse neighed and stopped steadily. Then he jumped up and dismounted easily. The whole set of movements was done in one go, as smooth as flowing water, without any delay.

This action instantly drew the attention of the civil and military officials behind him. They were all intimidated by his aura, and a sense of invisible pressure arose. Even the knowledgeable Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, as well as Lü Bu and Ma Chao, could not help but look sideways. This was sufficient proof that the extraordinary aura displayed by the White Horse Volunteers was indeed not to be underestimated.

Gongsun Zan galloped all the way and arrived before the emperor in a moment. He dismounted with swift and neat movements, then knelt on one knee and bowed loudly, "Your Majesty, I, Gongsun Zan, pay my respects to you. It is a great honor for you to take the trouble to welcome me here from afar. However, I am also extremely ashamed and embarrassed in my heart!" His words were like a loud bell, echoing in the empty space outside Chang'an City, as if to show his extraordinaryness.

Seeing this, the emperor calmly and steadily stepped down from the gorgeous and solemn carriage, with a gentle smile on his face. He took a few steps forward, stretched out his hand and helped Gongsun Zan up, and said in a tone of intimacy and with some emotion: "Oh, Marquis Ji, what are you talking about! Quickly stand up, don't be so polite, it's too formal with me. Thinking back to the past, the traitor Dong Zhuo disrupted the government and the people of the world suffered. It was you, Marquis Ji, who first initiated the uprising and raised your arms, which attracted heroes from all directions to respond and come forward. Come and support me in our campaign against the thief Dong. At that time, all the princes under heaven followed the Marquis of Ji's actions. I can still vividly remember the magnificent scene, as if it were right before my eyes. How could I have achieved what I have today without your generous support? Your loyalty and bravery, Marquis Ji, shines like a brilliant star. I have always remembered it deeply in my heart and have never forgotten it for a moment! The emperor spoke these words with sincerity, but there seemed to be a hidden meaning behind them.

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Zan's eyebrows danced with joy, unable to hide the smile on his face. His eyes narrowed into slits, his heart filled with pride. He thought to himself, "Hmph, Your Majesty, you've hit the nail on the head. I, Gongsun Zan, was so powerful back then. I've truly played a significant role in the current state of affairs!" While there was a hint of boasting in His Majesty's words, so what? It was the truth. And to state it so solemnly in front of the entire court, it showed how much Your Majesty values ​​me. Hmph!

Thinking of this, Gongsun Zan couldn't help but become more complacent. He straightened his back, raised his chin, and looked at everyone arrogantly. His eyes were asking whether everyone knew about his achievements, and there was also a naked demonstration in his eyes, as if declaring to everyone, I, Gongsun Zan, am not someone to be trifled with. Today I will let you all see how powerful I am. His arrogant and domineering nature was fully exposed at this moment.

The emperor took Gongsun Zan's arm affectionately and said with a smile, "My dear, you must have come a long way and it must have been very tiring. Come and meet the nobles of the court. They are all looking forward to a good visit with you and to reminiscing about old times."

At this time, Liu Bei, accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, stepped forward steadily and was the first to greet Gongsun Zan. Liu Bei bowed respectfully, his expression solemn and his tone steady, saying, "Brother, you have come all the way from Youzhou to Chang'an, through the mountains and long roads. You must have worked hard."

Gongsun Zan, however, seemed not to hear Liu Bei's words of concern. He just waved his hand casually, walked forward, stretched out his hand and patted Liu Bei's shoulder heavily, with such force that seemed to show his authority, and said loudly: "Hey, Xuande, why should we be so polite to each other, brothers? Think about the battle in Jizhou. Although you came to help, even if you didn't come, could I, Gongsun Zan, not win? But brother, I still have to thank you for coming to lead the army to help. We are brothers, please don't be estranged with me here." His tone was full of arrogance and disdain, as if Liu Bei was still dependent on him as before, and he completely disregarded Liu Bei's feelings.

Liu Bei, though displeased by these words, remained silent with a gentle smile. He quietly took a step back, maintaining a certain distance from Gongsun Zan without appearing particularly close. After all, he was now a man devoted to the Emperor. How could he allow himself to become too close to Gongsun Zan and thus provoke a rift between them? Liu Bei was well aware of the stakes involved.

Gongsun Zan turned his gaze to Lü Bu, who remained impassive, seemingly unfazed by Gongsun Zan's outburst. He maintained his composure. Seeing this, Gongsun Zan, though somewhat apprehensive, maintained a defiant demeanor. He bowed, his face aloof and calculatedly polite, yet his gaze still shone with arrogance. He spoke loudly, "Marquis Wen is here. I'm truly a little uneasy that you've troubled me to come greet you. I hope you won't mind. Haha!" His laughter was tinged with sarcasm, as if testing Lü Bu's limits.

Lu Bu didn't want to spoil the fun at this time, so he just raised the corner of his mouth slightly and responded with a chuckle: "There is nothing important happening in the court now. General Gongsun leads such a mighty cavalry to come. It's really impressive. The show is really grand. I, Lu Bu, have really opened my eyes today, haha!" Lu Bu's words seemed to be a compliment, but in fact they contained a mystery, and he was subtly mocking Gongsun Zan for deliberately showing off.

Gongsun Zan wasn't angry after hearing this. After all, he had come here to demonstrate his power. He didn't care what others thought of him. As long as everyone knew how powerful he was, that was enough. He thought to himself, "Hmph, no matter what you say, I, Gongsun Zan, will let you all know today that I still have a say in this court!"