Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The situation in Western Liang and the tumultuous conflict in Chang'an seemed like another world, one Ma Chao was completely oblivious to. Leading the Western Liang army from Chang'an, he set out with single-minded determination for Yangzhou in the south. But who could have foreseen that upon leaving Chang'an, a blanket of snow, obscuring the sun, would descend like a surging tide. Despite the Xiliang soldiers' high morale and their courage to brave any adversity, the demonic snowstorm rendered the march a quagmire, making every step arduous.

The snow danced like a mad demon, a boundless white curtain that tightly enveloped the heavens and the earth. The wind, like a maddened beast, swept the snowflakes with reckless abandon, mercilessly lashing the Xiliang soldiers who stubbornly advanced. Under the tyranny of the wind and snow, the entire marching column struggled forward, its pace becoming increasingly slow. The soldiers' once resolute faces, whipped by the cold wind, were flushed like ripe persimmons. The warm breath they exhaled instantly turned to frost as soon as it left their mouths, as if to testify to the cruelty of this blizzard.

Ma Chao sat firmly atop his towering warhorse, his gaze fixed anxiously on the troops struggling forward in the snowy wind. His brows knitted together so tightly that they could pinch a fly to death. Just then, Xu Shu and Zhang Liao, braving the wind and snow, laboriously rode their horses to Ma Chao's side. Xu Shu's eyebrows were covered with snowflakes, like two white caterpillars. He cleared his throat, which was dry and hoarse from the cold, and shouted with all his strength, "General, look at this snowstorm! It's getting more and more fierce. If it continues like this, the soldiers' strength will soon be exhausted. If we don't take this time to rest and recuperate, even if we can finally reach our destination, we will be just a group of tired soldiers with no fighting power. We will inevitably be in dire straits!" Zhang Liao nodded vigorously, repeatedly patting the thick snow on his body, and said in a muffled voice, "Mr. Xu is right. Preserving the soldiers' strength is the most important thing right now. We must not let their blood and sweat go to waste in this merciless snowstorm." Ma Chao slowly looked around, watching the soldiers struggling in the wind and snow, his eyes full of pity and reluctance. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his whip and shouted, "The entire army, station and rest!"

In the tent, charcoal fire burned in the stove, making crackling sounds from time to time, but the tent was still chilly. Ma Chao sat at the table, his eyes fixed on the map, thinking about his next move. Xu Shu, holding his cloak, walked slowly towards him, breaking the silence in the tent: "General, I have an idea. Our marching route will soon approach Wancheng, where Zhang Xiu and his uncle Zhang Ji are stationed. Zhang Xiu was once a general, so why don't we go to Wancheng and ask Zhang Xiu to cooperate in sending troops to support you. We are weak now, and Yuan Shu in Huainan is powerful, so we can use his strength."

Ma Chao's brow furrowed, a complex expression flashing in his eyes. He slowly shook his head, "Mr. Yuanzhi, this is absolutely unacceptable. Zhang Xiu and I may have been master and servant in name only, but in reality, we are brothers. In the past, we fought side by side, a bond that was as deep as life. Now, he has broken away from Xiliang's control with Zhang Ji's troops and formed his own army. If I were to go and ask him to send troops to help, wouldn't that be pushing him into a fire pit? He'd be caught in the middle, torn between two options. How could I bear this? I absolutely cannot put my brother in such an awkward position and cause him unnecessary trouble just for my own needs."

Zhang Liao clasped his fists aside and said solemnly, "General, I understand your loyalty and righteousness, but you must also consider the current situation. Yuan Shu's forces in Huainan are like a ferocious beast, gazing at the surrounding areas with eager eyes. Our current situation is like a small boat in a turbulent sea, vulnerable to destruction at any moment. Zhang Xiu is a man of great loyalty, and I believe he understands the principle of "the lips and the teeth are cold". Perhaps deep down he also wants to help us, but he just lacks the opportunity. If we don't try, won't we miss this golden opportunity that could turn the situation around?"

Xu Shu leaned closer to the fire and nodded slightly. "General Zhang Liao is absolutely right. General, you are a man of great righteousness, but in these turbulent times, sometimes difficult decisions have to be made. We are going to Wancheng not to force Zhang Xiu to send troops, but simply to explain the pros and cons to him. If Zhang Xiu is willing, this will be a good opportunity for him to expand his power and make allies. If he is truly in trouble, we will not force him and will simply consider it a visit to an old friend. What do you think? Moreover, we are now weak and facing a powerful enemy like Yuan Shu, so we must unite all forces we can. Zhang Xiu values ​​friendship above all else. If we can invite him sincerely, explaining the situation to him and appealing to his emotions, perhaps he will remember our old friendship and lend us a hand. Moreover, although Zhang Ji is not a man of great foresight, he is now a powerful leader. I believe he understands that in these turbulent times, every ally means a guarantee of survival."

Ma Chao rubbed his forehead, lost in thought, his eyes full of confusion. He stood up and paced back and forth within the tent, his mind reeling from past memories of his time with Zhang Xiu. After a long pause, he slowly stopped and sighed deeply. "Well, let's go to Wancheng and reminisce with Zhang Xiu. But I must be clear: I have no intention of sending troops. I cannot allow my brothers to be wronged, and I certainly cannot allow our friendship to be tainted by the impurities of profit."

Zhang Liao and Xu Shu exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of relief in the other's eyes. Zhang Liao said, "General, you are so kind and righteous. Zhang Xiu will surely be grateful when he learns of this. Perhaps this trip will yield unexpected surprises." Xu Shu also said, "I hope so. I only hope Zhang Xiu can understand your earnest intentions. This is a hope for both of us."

After the few people had discussed it, they fell into a long wait. The wind and snow raged like a mad beast for two or three days, until the weather finally cleared up and the conditions were met for another departure. Seeing that the end of the year was approaching, Ma Chao thought, I can't celebrate the New Year before reaching Yangzhou. In recent years, he has been fighting outside and celebrating the New Year in the army more than once, but this time is different. According to his calculations, he must at least rush to Yangzhou. No matter how the war develops, Liu Yao is there, who can provide some supplies and reward these soldiers who have made a long expedition. So, as soon as they can move forward, the army will rush to Wancheng without stopping.

As the army neared Wancheng, it was spotted by Wancheng's scouts. Ma Chao's army of over 40,000 men marched across the land like a giant, winding dragon. The dust raised by their horses' hooves covered the sky, and even from a distance, one could feel the awe-inspiring momentum.

The scouts of Wancheng, hidden in the woods lining the road, nervously watched the massive force, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion. Most of these scouts were veterans of the Xiliang Army, and when they saw the familiar uniforms, they felt a surge of familiarity, momentarily forgetting the danger.

Ma Chao's vanguard quickly noticed something was amiss, and their well-trained troops sprang into action. Like nimble cheetahs, they silently moved towards the scouts' hiding place. Before the scouts could react, they were surrounded.

The scouts were terrified, some even drawing their weapons. But seeing the Xiliang troops didn't attack immediately, they didn't dare act rashly. One daring scout attempted to break through, giving his horse a hard kick and charging towards a weak point in the encirclement. However, the Xiliang troops were well prepared and easily stopped him.

Zhang Liao, the vanguard general, rode forward. A burly figure, clad in heavy armor, he looked imposing in the sunlight. His gaze swept over the captured scouts, and he asked in a deep voice, "Are you scouts from Wancheng? Why are you spying here?"

The scouts looked at each other in bewilderment, no one answering for a moment. Then the brave scout from before bravely replied, "Who are you? You led a large army to attack Wancheng. You appear to be from Xiliang. What are you doing heading to the Central Plains now? Who is commanding your troops?"

Zhang Liao frowned slightly, his expression dignified. He announced loudly, "We are the troops of General Ma Chao, the General who Guards the North of Western Liang and the Marquis of Han. We are merely passing through Wancheng with the goal of conquering Yuan Shu in Huainan. We harbor no ill will toward Wancheng." The scout's eyes remained suspicious. He looked Zhang Liao up and down, hesitating for a moment before saying, "Your attire is indeed Western Liang style, but you are a general, and you look like a senior commander. I have no impression of you. Back then, I served under General Zhang Ji under Prime Minister Dong, and I know almost all the generals in the army. Are you trying to deceive me?"

Zhang Liao raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a confident smile, and said in a steady tone: "Don't worry, my general is in the central army. If you don't believe me, just follow me to the central army and you will know. It just so happens that my general wanted to come and reminisce with your young master Zhang Xiu, and he must have something to entrust to you." When the scouts heard this, they were skeptical and full of curiosity. One of them said, "If General Tian is here, we will go to see him first." After that, Zhang Liao ordered the soldiers to lead the scouts of Wancheng to the central army to ask to see Ma Chao.

Along the way, the scouts were anxious, monitoring the movements of the surrounding Western Liang troops and speculating on Ma Chao's intentions. The Western Liang soldiers marched in neat formation, solemn and resolute, their imposing presence awe-inspiring the scouts. As they approached the central army's main tent, they spotted Ma Chao, awe-inspiring in his presence, surrounded by numerous soldiers.

Ma Chao stood tall and proud, his bearing imposing. The years hadn't left him with a trace of decadence; his demeanor remained unchanged. Everyone spotted him from a distance and instantly recognized him. The scouts in Wancheng, now certain he was a friendly force, beamed with joy, shouting, "General Shenwei Tian! General Shenwei Tian! We finally see you!" They broke into a trot as they shouted.