Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Jia Xu's brow furrowed, his expression solemn. He painstakingly chose his words before slowly speaking, "My Lord, allow me to say something that may be unpalatable. The depth of the friendship between General Ma Chao and Young Master is difficult to judge at this moment. I always consider matters from a comprehensive, mature, and prudent perspective, and my opinions are always designed to be the most prudent and cautious. If we follow Young Master's arrangements, basing our decisions solely on the personal relationship between him and Ma Chao, the uncertainty will be enormous. To be frank, if Ma Chao doesn't treat Young Master as you value him, then once we have exhausted our strength in aiding Ma Chao, how will we maintain our foothold in Xiliang?"

Zhang Ji nodded slightly and said solemnly, "Mr. Wenhe, I've certainly considered your concerns. That's why I invited you here specifically. I wanted to use the matter of Ah Xiu and Zou Shi to test Ma Chao's sincerity towards Ah Xiu and the depth of their friendship. Otherwise, how could I confidently entrust the future of Ah Xiu and our Zhang family to Ma Chao?"

Jia Xu looked puzzled and asked softly, "My lord, please forgive my ignorance. I don't quite understand your specific plan. Please explain it to me."

Zhang Ji straightened his back, his eyes gleaming with determination and wisdom. He spoke slowly, "Wait a moment, and have Hu Che'er quickly go to Ma Chao and tell him: Last night, the young master secretly engaged in an affair with Zou, and I happened to discover and capture him red-handed. I am now raging with rage, determined to publicly behead Xiu'er to appease my hatred. Meanwhile, Mr. Jia Xu, you must pretend to beseech and dissuade me, while I will feign rage and remain unmoved. Once Ma Chao hears this news and rushes over, at this crucial moment of life and death, we will truly see the extent to which Ma Chao is willing to sacrifice and the actions he will take for Xiu'er. Only then can we fully understand his true character and the depth and sincerity of his deepest affection for her."

Jia Xu stroked his beard and said, "My lord, this is a brilliant plan."

When Zhang Xiu heard this, he felt a loud buzzing in his head, as if he had been hit hard by a heavy hammer. His mind was filled with the thought of covering up this matter and not letting Ma Chao know a single word. But his uncle's plan and arrangement was simply exposing this matter nakedly in broad daylight. How could he accept this? Zhang Xiu was instantly panicked, his heart in turmoil. With a plop, he knelt straight on the cold ground, begging with tears in his eyes: "Uncle, please kill me now! If General Ma Chao finds out about this, how can I continue to serve under him for the rest of my life? How can I face him and the people of the world when my personal morality is so poor?"

Seeing Zhang Xiu so distraught and at a loss, Zhang Ji could not help but feel furious and shouted, "I told you you were foolish long ago, but now it seems you are truly foolish and completely confused. You are so determined to entrust your life and property to Ma Chao without reservation. As your uncle, I shoulder the responsibility of our family's prosperity and disgrace. How can I not carefully test him and see how sincere he is to you? If it is really as Mr. Wenhe worries, that he is pedantic, rigid, and self-righteous, and cannot tolerate even such a private matter as your love affair, then what should I do?" "How can I, then, with a clear conscience, entrust you, everything behind you, and the power I've painstakingly cultivated in Wancheng, all to him? Besides, Xiu'er, you'll be serving as a general under him in the future, charging into battle and achieving great things. Throughout history, if a general is flawless, too perfect, like a god above, detached from the mundane world, how can he expect his monarch to trust him completely and wholeheartedly? The hearts of men in this world are complex, and the hearts of monarchs are even more unpredictable. If you don't do this, there will be resentment and trouble in the future."

Jia Xu nodded slightly, and with a serious expression, he softly persuaded from the side: "Young Master, calm down and listen to me. This is a trick to defile yourself, and the deep meaning of it, young master needs to think carefully. Throughout the ages, those who have done everything perfectly in the eyes of the world, like moral role models, often do not have a good end, and it is difficult to gain the absolute trust of the monarch. Looking at Bai Qi in the Warring States Period, he had great military exploits and was awe-inspiring, but he knew that the way to be a general is not to rely solely on military exploits to make a living. He asked the King of Qin for money, mansions, and beauties at the right time. He seemed greedy, but in fact he was telling the King of Qin that he was just an ordinary person with seven emotions and six desires, and selfish greed. It was because of this that the King of Qin was able to safely hand over the military power to him, and the Qin army soldiers trusted him. "Yes. Look at Wang Mang, too. Before he usurped the Han throne, he was humble and courteous, of noble character and exceptional talent. His actions were impeccable, like a saint in the flesh. But what happened? He secretly plotted against the entire Han empire. How could such a thing not instill fear and suspicion in the monarch? Isn't the same true of General Ma Chao, who is now being ostracized by the emperor? He always does things flawlessly and considers everything carefully. The emperor can't find any evidence against him, so how could he not harbor suspicion? Especially for a general like you, commanding a large army, if he doesn't let the lord know even a few of your weaknesses, that you have human emotions and desires, how can he sleep peacefully in the dead of night, trusting you with military power and letting you lead the army?"

Zhang Xiu's face flushed red, and with a look of dissatisfaction, he shouted, "The friendship between the general and I is sincere and deep. Why should we use such despicable tactics to measure it? Your actions will only make me a laughing stock and bring shame upon myself."

Seeing his expression, Zhang Ji deliberately fanned the flames, saying, "You say General Ma Chao has deep feelings for you. Think what you will. But don't you know that in this world, wealth can tempt the heart, and power can dazzle the eyes? Now his power in the court is growing, and the Xiliang army is becoming stronger and more powerful. And you are just a general under his command. Let's not talk about other things. Just take the generals he brought with him this time. Which one is inferior to you?"

Zhang Xiu was irritated by these words. His chest heaved violently, and he gritted his teeth and said, "General, you have already made it clear that we are nominally subordinates, but in reality we are brothers. You may look down on me, Zhang Xiu, but you must not denigrate the deep bond between you and me."

Jia Xu seized the opportunity and snorted softly, "Hmph, Young Master, I find it hard to believe what you say. Throughout history, countless generals have been suspected by their superiors, and even brothers have not been immune and have been guarded against. Moreover, the relationship between you is merely that of a subject and a general. How strong can this friendship really be?"

Zhang Xiu responded angrily, "You may not believe me, but the general is definitely not such a heartless person."

At this moment, Zhang Ji slammed his hand on the table and said resolutely, "Okay, since you are so sure, I will have to take a closer look. If it is really as you say, after I die, all of this will be in your hands. Then I can die with peace of mind."

Zhang Xiu stiffened his neck and replied angrily, "Alright, that's it. It's absurd for you to judge General Ma Chao with your own narrow minds."

Zhang Xiu spoke with such confidence, making a bet with everyone. Yet, he completely failed to notice the subtle smiles plastered on the lips of Jia Xu and Zhang Ji. Without this provocation, arousing his intense desire to protect Ma Chao, how could he have willingly exposed such a private matter to Ma Chao and actively cooperated with their carefully orchestrated performance and probing?

With his plan and objectives clearly laid out, Jia Xu, with a solemn expression, once again gave Hu Che'er detailed instructions, instructing him in detail on how to conduct himself before Ma Chao, and the manner, demeanor, and tone of voice that would best convey his anxiety, ensuring that others would immediately understand his genuine concern. Hu Che'er memorized each instruction, not daring to slack off. Once all arrangements were finalized, Hu Che'er, without delay, hurried towards Ma Chao's residence. Meanwhile, Ma Chao and his entourage had already risen and had just finished breakfast, unaware of the "test" that lay ahead.

Hu Che'er, his face frantic and his feet swift, raced to Ma Chao's courtyard like lightning. Before he could even step inside, anxious cries erupted like thunder: "General Divine Might! General Divine Might!" The echoing sound shook the surroundings, startling Ma Chao and the others into haste. Hu Che'er's face was filled with anxiety and fear. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead on this cold winter morning, and he frantically searched the courtyard like a headless fly.

Seeing this, Ma Chao's heart tightened and he blurted out, "Hu Che'er, why didn't your young master come with you?" At this moment, Ma Chao had slightly relaxed from the heavy mood of yesterday, and there was even a hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth that had not yet faded.

Hu Che'er, upon seeing Ma Chao, was as if granted amnesty. He dashed to Ma Chao's side in a few strides, dropped to his knees, and clasped Ma Chao's legs tightly with both hands. With tears streaming down his face, he cried out, "General Tian, ​​please, please save my young master! Please save him quickly! If you were even a moment later, my young master would be dead."

The lingering smile on Ma Chao's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of astonishment and panic. Without hesitation, he grabbed Hu Che'er by the collar and said urgently, "What happened to Ah Xiu? Tell me everything!" At this moment, everyone in the hall was stunned by this sudden change. Each face was filled with astonishment and confusion, completely unaware of what had happened.

Ma Chao radiated a powerful aura and chilling pressure like a lion. This sudden sense of pressure sent Hu Che'er into a state of panic. His mind went blank, and he nearly forgot all the lines Jia Xu had carefully instructed him to speak. He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but his words stuttered out like beads from a broken string: "General... General, my young master... he... he was with... with Zou last night..." Hu Che'er's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and his eyes were filled with panic.

Fortunately, Ma Chao and the others saw his expression and thought it was just extreme anxiety and nervousness, so they didn't suspect anything. They just frowned and waited anxiously for Hu Che'er to continue, completely unaware that this was a carefully planned test.