Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Ma Chao finished his memorial service, the remaining civil and military officials began their purely routine memorial service. Each of them harbored their own thoughts about the elder Lu Zhi lying in his grave. While their expressions wore the proper solemnity, they lacked any genuine emotion. The entire process was rushed through, with little verbal exchange; it was simply a formality.

After the ceremony, the emperor stepped forward again, gently grasped Gongsun Zan's arm, and said with a warm expression, "Marquis Ji, you have come all this way through thick and thin to pay your respects to Master Lu. Such thoughtfulness is truly rare. I believe that Master Lu's spirit in heaven would surely understand your kindness. Furthermore, the respect shown to Master Lu by the civil and military officials in the court is truly heartfelt. This solemn occasion is largely a reflection of Master Lu's lifelong conduct, and I am deeply comforted. I believe that Master Lu's spirit in the afterlife can sense all this and find comfort in it. Marquis Ji, now that the ceremony is over, please return to the palace with me. I have already prepared a banquet to welcome you back."

Gongsun Zan quickly put on an air of flattery and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I've come all this way, exhausted from the journey. And now, during this memorial service, thinking of Master's voice, appearance, and smile, I'm overcome with grief. I simply don't have the heart to enjoy the feast right now. Your Majesty, could we please arrange it another day?"

After the emperor heard this, he pretended to complain and said, "Alas, Marquis Ji, why are you so sad? If Master Lu knew about this in the afterlife, he would feel distressed to see you so depressed." After that, the emperor called out the names of several people and said aloud, "Marquis Wen Lu Bu, uncle Liu Bei, generals Guan and Zhang, and Marquis Wei Ma Chao, these are all important ministers in the court. You will all come with me to the banquet later to welcome Marquis Ji." Everyone responded in unison.

The emperor then addressed Gongsun Zan, saying, "Marquis Ji, please do not refuse any further. Furthermore, the Imperial Concubine Gongsun is still in the palace and has been eagerly awaiting a meeting with you and your daughter today. She has been meticulously preparing for this occasion. How can you let her down?"

Gongsun Zan pretended to be unable to refuse and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty, I am truly grateful for your generosity. I will obey your command."

In this way, a welcoming banquet that seemed warm but actually had its own plans was decided in the atmosphere after the memorial service.

Arriving in front of the carriage, the emperor was the first to climb aboard, and then he invited with a warm face: "Marquis Ji, Imperial Uncle, Marquis Wen, and Marquis Wei, please ride with me. I am truly filled with emotion as I come here today to pay homage to Master Lu. This wonderful situation we have today was created entirely thanks to Master Lu's painstaking efforts. Now, seeing Master Lu's talented disciples, my heart is filled with even more emotion. You are all my trusted ministers, and I will need your help in future court affairs. Come aboard, and we will return to the palace together."

Liu Bei and Ma Chao hadn't taken any action yet, but Lü Bu was eager to try. Gongsun Zan, however, appeared overwhelmed with gratitude and said, "Your Majesty, we have performed only a modest service, yet Your Majesty holds us in such high esteem. I absolutely cannot ride in the Emperor's carriage. I only wish to obey Master's command and contribute my humble efforts to the Han Dynasty. Your Majesty, please ride ahead, and we will accompany you as escorts."

The emperor and Gongsun Zan seemed to be putting on a show. The emperor then humbly said, "Alas, Marquis Ji, what are you talking about? I am deeply grateful for your contributions to the country. It's just a carriage, so why should we distinguish between high and low? Today, we are all disciples and juniors of Master Lu, so let's not talk about the etiquette between monarch and subject for now."

Gongsun Zan, still feigning gratitude, hurried to the carriage and gestured for the driver to hand over the whip. He said, "Since Your Majesty is so kind, I cannot refuse. When I was in Youzhou, it was a borderland, rainy and difficult to travel. I am very familiar with operating a carriage. Let me hold the whip for Your Majesty, so that I can express my gratitude as a subject."

The emperor laughed heartily and said, "The Marquis of Ji is truly a loyal minister and a good general. I am very pleased."

Liu Bei watched the scene silently from the sidelines, fully aware that it was clearly a staged performance. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, wondering why such a show of force? This act was a snub to Ma Chao, akin to a declaration of war. After all, Ma Chao had previously coerced the emperor into making Lu Wan his empress. Gongsun Zan's hasty march to Chang'an, just before the ceremony, clearly had an agenda. Liu Bei felt helpless. Lu Wan and Ma Chao had been a loving couple, and the emperor's coercive actions had already displeased him. Now, with such an obviously ulterior motive, he was probably trying to maintain balance within the court. But this was nothing more than an attempt to pressure Ma Chao into service through moral compulsion, friendship, and status. How could such actions truly earn his loyalty?

Lü Bu, standing by, was eager to try, but Wang Yun, standing behind him, pulled him back. Though perplexed, Lü Bu, trusting Wang Yun, remained silent. After the emperor's performance concluded, Wang Yun quietly approached Lü Bu and whispered, "This is nothing more than a show and provocation by the emperor. Why bother getting involved in this mess?" Lü Bu simply watched the scene with fascination, his lips curling up slightly in a faint smile.

Ma Chao, on the other hand, was now contemplating the current situation. The emperor's deliberate actions, coupled with Gongsun Zan and the other two putting on such a show before the crowd, made this situation seem familiar to him. He recalled the same situation when he had first arrived in Chang'an. Back then, with his master still around, he felt a mixture of guilt towards him and a sense of righteousness, grateful for the emperor's actions. But now, looking back, a strange feeling welled up in his heart. After all, Ma Chao knew full well that Gongsun Zan's arrival would undoubtedly create numerous complications regarding Lu Wan's empress status, and the situation from now on would become increasingly complex and unpredictable.

Everyone followed the emperor to the palace and saw that he was sitting steadily in the main seat. The main seat was very imposing. There was a table on each side of the high platform, neatly and orderly.

Gongsun Zan was seated at the head of the left row. Behind him, on the right, sat the great general Yan Gang, a man of imposing stature and commanding presence. Further down, Lü Bu took his seat. However, as he sat down, he instructed the waiter to rearrange the seats behind him, placing Wang Yun further down. This way, Wang Yun's seat would have been the third from the left.

Ma Chao sat at the top right, and behind him sat Xu Shu, who had a quiet expression, as if lost in thought. Liu Bei sat below Ma Chao, and behind him sat Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

After everyone was seated according to their seats, the emperor instructed: "My dear ministers, there is no need to be so formal. Today is a family dinner and there are no outsiders. There is no need to be too restrained. Just relax and drink." As soon as he finished speaking, a group of palace maids came forward gracefully, holding all kinds of exquisite delicacies in their hands. They gradually placed plates and bowls of them on the table in front of everyone. For a moment, the hall was filled with fragrance.

At this time, the palace was brightly lit, and everyone was sitting at the table, each with their own thoughts. The emperor raised his eyes slightly, his expression seemed friendly, and spoke again:

"Marquis Ji, today's occasion is a family dinner, so let's put aside all the formalities and not follow the royal etiquette. Think about it, in terms of status, you are still my father-in-law. You have gone through so much trouble to come here, and I see the hardship you have put in. Since you have come all this way, why shouldn't I let my daughter come to meet you? This family reunion, sharing the joy of family, is the atmosphere that a family dinner should have."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Zan hurriedly left his seat, bowed respectfully, and repeatedly thanked him, saying, "Your Majesty, I am truly unworthy of such grace. I truly do not deserve the title of father-in-law. I have only made minor contributions. How could I have deserved such favor from Your Majesty and such a close relationship with you? I am truly overwhelmed."

Gongsun Zan straightened up slightly and continued, "However, since Your Majesty has stated that today is a family dinner, and there are no outsiders at the table, if I continue to be so reserved, it would seem that I am ignorant. Since Your Majesty has made this arrangement, it must be for your own consideration. I will respectfully obey your command."

The emperor smiled and nodded, then ordered the waiter, "Go, quickly invite Consort Gongsun here, and tell her that I and all the other ministers are looking forward to her coming."

Then, the emperor looked around at everyone and continued, "We are here today for a family dinner, but this matter also arises from the memorial service for Master Lu. The Imperial Concubine Lu is Master Lu's daughter, and we are all from the same school. When Master Lu was alive, he taught you all very attentively, and this master-disciple relationship is very important. Now that Master Lu has passed away, I will ask the Imperial Concubine Lu to come and meet you so that we can all reminisce about our fellow disciples. This will not only fulfill our friendship with Master Lu, but also add a bit of warmth to this banquet, just like a family gathering together, isn't it wonderful?"

When everyone heard this, no one raised any clear objections for a moment. They just remained silent, each with their own thoughts in their minds.

But Liu Bei felt that this was extremely inappropriate. He knew that this was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Moreover, how could the emperor's harem and concubines easily meet with foreign ministers? This was really inconsistent with the etiquette. So he said:

"Your Majesty, this is probably unreasonable, isn't it? Your Majesty is wise and knows that the harem is strictly governed by rules. The concubines have always lived in seclusion and rarely come into contact with outsiders. Now, arranging for Concubine Lu to meet with us, the outsiders, even though today is a family dinner, will inevitably cause a lot of criticism if word gets out. It will probably affect both Your Majesty's holy name and Concubine Lu's reputation. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider."