Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After a round of toasts, Lu Wan finally came to Ma Chao's side. Seeing Lu Wan coming, Ma Chao quickly stood up. He leaned against the table, staring at Lu Wan with eyes full of affection, as if carrying a burning flame, and as if holding a thousand words, as if he was going to devour Lu Wan whole the next moment. Lu Wan slowly raised her glass, and said in a soft voice with a hint of firmness: "Brother Ma, I thank you for everything you have done for me. It's just that the world has finally improved a little after my father's painstaking efforts. I hope that Brother Ma, you will consider my father's last wishes and the people of the world in everything, and don't provoke a war easily. Please calm down the anger in your heart for the time being."

Ma Chao listened quietly to Lu Wan's words, his mind suddenly filled with a thousand thoughts, as if he had thousands of words to say, but when they came to his lips, he didn't know where to start. In the end, he just responded with a heavy "hmm". That simple word seemed like a solemn promise. Then, he took the wine glass from Lu Wan's hand, raised his head and drank the wine. When he raised his head and closed his eyes, a crystal tear slowly fell from the corner of his eye and landed on a strand of white hair at his temple. Lu Wan saw all this, and she felt as if her heart was stabbed by a sharp knife. The pain spread instantly, making her immersed in endless sorrow and helplessness.

Lu Wan's heart was filled with misery and sadness. It felt like a thick, dark cloud, weighing heavily on her heart, yet she couldn't express it. Suddenly, she felt a strong sense of dizziness, as if the whole world was spinning. Her vision became hazy, and her feet suddenly lost their strength, unable to stand.

Ma Chao had been keeping an eye on Lu Wan. Seeing her like this, he quickly moved to help her. But as soon as he reached out, he saw Lu Wan gently wave him off. Ma Chao suddenly realized that their identities were no longer the same. How could they possibly be so affectionate in front of so many people?

Ma Chao watched Lu Wan's shaky figure, his heart aching as if struck by a heavy hammer. Concern and deep affection surged within his chest like a flood. He longed to rush forward, embrace her tightly, and offer her the ultimate support. But his steps seemed frozen in place, unable to move, the difference in status between them akin to an insurmountable chasm.

Once, they might have been able to spend time together without reservation, sharing their innermost feelings. Those beautiful memories shone like bright stars deep in Ma Chao's memory. But now, everything had changed. He was a powerful lord, while she was the emperor's consort. This shift in status seemed to tear them apart from the same world, casting them into two completely different realms.

Every time their eyes met, the deep affection suppressed in their hearts would surge forth like a tide, but with it came the harsh realization of reality. In such a public place, even a simple gesture of support could cause an uproar, inviting endless suspicion and disaster.

Just like now, seeing Lu Wan nearly faint, Ma Chao was terribly anxious and instinctively wanted to reach out to help her. But the hand he had just extended, the moment Lu Wan gently waved her hand, withdrew as if struck by electricity. In that moment, he clearly felt the huge impact of the difference in status, like a basin of cold water, mercilessly extinguishing the burning fire in his heart.

At this time, Dian Wei was beside Ma Chao. Seeing Lu Wan staggering, he just extended his hand to her but did not take the initiative to help her. Seeing this, Lu Wan had no choice but to reach out and hold Dian Wei's strong arm, so that she could barely steady herself and recover a little.

He could only watch helplessly as Lu Wan, holding onto Dian Wei's arm and forcing her frail body forward, walked away, step by step, with difficulty. Her departing figure seemed to have taken away all the warmth and hope in his heart, leaving behind only endless bitterness and helplessness. Amidst the clamor of the banquet, he alone savored the unforgettable pain caused by the difference in status.

Wasn't Lu Wan the same? Though she forced herself to maintain a dignified appearance, her heart was already riven with wounds. Her deep affection for Ma Chao was like a seed buried deep within her heart, stubbornly growing even in the harshest of conditions, poised to burst forth at any moment. However, her current status weighed heavily on that seed, preventing it from fully blossoming.

Every time she locked eyes with Ma Chao, she could see the fiery affection in his eyes, yet at the same time, she also understood how powerless this affection was in the face of reality. She could only bury these emotions deep within her heart, masking her inner turmoil with a cold exterior. Even at this moment of extreme physical discomfort, she could only endure it alone, not daring to reveal a single word, simply because the shackles of her identity had already imprisoned her, causing her to sink deeper and deeper into this abyss of pain.

The emperor had been watching the situation from his seat. Seeing Lu Wan in such a state, he hurried over to her side and asked with concern, "My beloved concubine, what's wrong?" Lu Wan suppressed her discomfort and said, "I was already feeling unwell today, and this scene reminded me of my father, and I feel a little depressed. Your Majesty, please continue the banquet with the brothers. If there is nothing else, I will return to the palace." The emperor listened and said hurriedly, "We are all family here, not outsiders. Since my beloved concubine is unwell, please return to the palace quickly. I will send for the medical officer to examine you."

After hearing this, Lu Wan slowly raised her eyes and looked deeply at Ma Chao once more. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Then, she continued to support her already weakened body, striving to maintain her dignified demeanor. She turned around and slowly left the banquet.

When Dian Wei saw Lu Wan leaving, he no longer cared about eating or drinking, and hurriedly followed Lu Wan. His hurried footsteps seemed to reveal some concern for Lu Wan.

Seeing that Lu Wan had left, the emperor calmly returned to the main seat, picked up his wine glass again, and said calmly, "Wan'er has always been weak, and today she is in a trance because of missing Master Lu. Let her return to the palace and have a good rest. I will send a medical officer to treat her carefully. Let's not let this scene disturb our interest and affect the friendship between you fellow disciples. Come, come, let's continue drinking and having fun."

But who would have thought that just as the emperor finished speaking, Ma Chao suddenly stood up. The love between Ma Chao and Lu Wan was deep-rooted, and that feeling had long been like a tree taking root, deep into the bones. How could he not see that Lu Wan was now weak?

When Ma Chao heard the emperor casually mention Lu Wan'er's frail health, he was immediately enraged. In his memory, Wan'er had been so healthy and lively, her agile figure like a deer leaping through the woods, her clear laughter like a mountain spring, her whole body brimming with youthful energy. How could she have looked so sickly now?

But now, watching Lu Wan'er staggering at the banquet, struggling to leave, Ma Chao felt a wave of heartache. It was as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, each beat accompanied by a piercing pain. He hated himself for not being able to always be by her side, and even more so, he hated the trick of fate that had led Wan'er to this situation, leaving him powerless to do anything but watch her suffer. The pain surged like a surging tide, instantly drowning him.

His face was stern, and he looked directly at the emperor with a firm gaze, and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, let's not drink this wine. I know in my heart that judging from the situation of today's banquet, it may not be enjoyable, so it is better to call it a day. I will take my leave first, but I have only one request here, and that is that the enthronement ceremony in a few days must be held smoothly as scheduled. If any complications arise in the meantime, I will never let it go!" After that, he completely ignored the different reactions of the people in the hall, flicked his sleeves, and led Xu Shu beside him, turned around and left the palace.

Gongsun Zan was so angry that his face turned red when he heard Ma Chao's rude words. He was about to open his mouth to yell, but he saw that Ma Chao ignored them all and had already walked away with big strides. He could only watch Ma Chao's back as he left. The anger in his heart was suppressed and he had nowhere to vent it. He was gritting his teeth, but he could do nothing.

At this moment, Wang Yun quietly nudged Lü Bu, who was still watching the show with great interest. Lü Bu was so engrossed in the performance that the nudging suddenly jolted him back to his senses, as if awakened from a dream. He quickly stood up, and the moment his eyes met Wang Yun's, he understood Wang Yun's intention, knowing it was time to leave.

Lu Bu then said, "Your Majesty, I have had enough food and drink today and feel quite satisfied. Lord Situ and I still have some trivial matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."

Wang Yun quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty, I am old and my health is not as good as it used to be. I feel exhausted after sitting for so long and I'm afraid I can't hold on much longer. So I have to take my leave now. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

When the emperor saw Ma Chao leave, he realized the atmosphere at the banquet had changed and everyone's drinking mood had almost died down. However, he still spoke up as usual to persuade them to stay, saying, "Hey, Master Situ and Marquis Wen are leaving soon. Why not have a few more drinks? Why rush?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yun and Lü Bu hurriedly thanked him, saying things like "Your Majesty, your hospitality is hard to refuse." However, they didn't stop walking, and took their leave with a resolute attitude. Seeing this, the emperor made no further attempts to persuade them to stay, and allowed them to leave. So, Wang Yun and Lü Bu also hurried out of the palace.