Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao's hands, like iron pliers, gripped Hu Che'er's collar tightly, nearly pulling him off the ground. Hu Che'er was already extremely nervous, and Ma Chao's rough tug on his collar made it difficult for him to breathe, and he coughed rapidly. Xu Shu, quick-witted and quick-witted, saw Hu Che'er's distress and hurried forward to Ma Chao, saying, "General, please release Hu Che'er. He can't even breathe if you're holding him like this, so how can he describe what happened to you?" Ma Chao looked down and realized his mistake. A trace of embarrassment flashed across his face, and he quickly let go of his hand, saying anxiously, "Tell me everything quickly."

Hu Che'er tried hard to calm himself, sorting out his chaotic thoughts. He spoke, "The young master drank too much last night, and in his drunken stupor, he ended up in the same room with Zou. Today, the lord learned of this, and he was furious, nearly fainting. He immediately ordered the young master to be tied up and threatened to behead him in public to vent his hatred."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao felt his head buzz, as if struck by a heavy hammer. Suspicion filled him, and he wondered to himself: Ah Xiu has always been a steady, respectful, and virtuous person. How could she do such an immoral thing? Everyone around him also looked at each other in bewilderment.

Hu Che'er didn't know how to explain further. Only Jia Xu's instructions echoed in his mind. He just kept urging, "General Tian, ​​please hurry and rescue our young master! If you delay even a little, the young master's life will be in danger. Mr. Wenhe is trying to dissuade the lord, but the lord is so furious that it's probably useless. The lord is so angry that he's almost vomiting blood. I'm afraid the young master is doomed this time!"

Ma Chao was extremely anxious. He stamped his feet heavily and said resolutely: "Forget it, forget it. No matter what the situation is at this moment, hurry up and come with me to rescue Ah Xiu!" After that, he took the lead and rushed out of the door with big strides. Seeing this, everyone hurriedly followed him, and a tense rescue operation began.

Although Ma Chao had always trusted Zhang Xiu's character and integrity, his thoughts raced back to the look he'd observed Zhang Xiu give Zou a few days earlier. It seemed as if there was a tinge of suppressed emotion in that look. He wondered if perhaps Ah Xiu had been suppressing her feelings deep within her heart for so long, and perhaps, after last night's drunken stupor, she'd been unable to control herself, leading to her blunder. This seemed plausible, and while Ma Chao still felt a sense of unease, he didn't overly doubt the truth of the story.

As he rushed out of the mansion, the biting cold wind howled past, but Ma Chao remained oblivious. His mind, like a high-speed precision machine, rapidly strategized his response. He knew Zhang Ji had a fiery temper, and once he got angry, even ten oxen couldn't stop him. Furthermore, this was something no man could accept. Rescuing Zhang Xiu now couldn't be done by force. He needed to devise a comprehensive plan that would both appease Zhang Ji's wrath and keep Zhang Xiu safe. Time was running out, and as he raced, he repeatedly weighed the pros and cons, trying to find a way out of this rapidly changing situation.

Ma Chao's steps were swift, but his thoughts were swirling like a tangled mess. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, his figure frozen in place. Seeing this, the soldiers following closely behind him, rushing towards him, also hurriedly stopped, their faces filled with confusion, their eyes fixed on Ma Chao.

Ma Chao's face was solemn. He turned to Xu Shu and Zhang Ren and said, "Mr. Yuanzhi, and Zhang Ren, you two, listen to my orders. Even if we rush over now, I'm afraid it will be useless. Quickly return to our camp and mobilize the army to march towards Wancheng immediately. If negotiations with Zhang Ji don't go smoothly, we may have to resort to force to rescue Ah Xiu and rescue her from the city."

Xu Shu frowned and said with an embarrassed look, "General, this is a family matter between uncle and nephew after all. It would be inappropriate for us to intervene so rashly. Wouldn't this directly antagonize Wancheng and trigger an unnecessary dispute?"

Ma Chao raised his head slightly, his eyes revealing a resolute expression as he spoke firmly, "Although Zhang Ji and I once served under Lord Dong, we rarely interacted with him. If it weren't for Ah Xiu, we wouldn't have had any close ties with Wancheng. But Ah Xiu is like a brother to me, so how could I bear to see him beheaded? Even if it means vengeance against Wancheng, I won't hesitate!"

Xu Shu, seeing Ma Chao's resolute expression, knew he had clearly already prepared for the worst. His mind was set, and further persuasion was futile. Without further hesitation, he and Zhang Ren exchanged a glance before turning back to the palace, mounting their horses and galloping like arrows towards the military camp outside the city.

Seeing that they took the order and left, Ma Chao hurriedly strode towards Zhang Ji's mansion. It seemed that every hurried step he took was stepping on everyone's heart, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense and solemn.

At that moment, inside Zhang Ji's courtyard, Zhang Xiu was tightly bound with ropes, unable to move. Several soldiers, like a formidable enemy, held him tightly, forcing him to kneel on the cold ground. Jia Xu, his face filled with worry, feigned sincere dissuasion, his words piercing his ears. To make the scene more convincing and flawless, Zhang Ji quickly ordered Zou Shi to be tied up as well, intending to kneel beside Zhang Xiu. However, all this was done without Zou Shi's knowledge.

Zhang Ji had other plans in mind. He was testing the waters, wanting to see how genuinely Zou felt for Ah Xiu. So, after giving the order to tie up Zou and bring her over, Zhang Ji leaned closer to Zhang Xiu, lowering his voice and repeatedly admonishing him not to reveal anything in front of Zou, lest his plan be ruined.

Zhang Xiu, filled with helplessness and torment, could only nod silently. Until Zou was pushed and dragged closer, then roughly pushed to the ground, kneeling beside Zhang Xiu. Zhang Xiu glanced sideways, seeing Zou's face filled with fear and helplessness. A wave of pity suddenly surged in his heart, and he subconsciously wanted to persuade her. But as soon as he opened his mouth, he was met with Zhang Ji's sharp eyes, like a knife. The warning in his eyes made Zhang Xiu swallow the words that were on his lips.

Zou watched Zhang Xiu, pinned to the ground, awaiting his execution like a lamb to the slaughter. Her delicate body trembled uncontrollably, her heart filled with fear, nearly suffocating. She was bewildered, unable to comprehend how events had taken such a sudden turn, culminating in such a horrific outcome. Zhang Ji's words to Zhang Xiu the previous night still lingered in her ears. Everything had seemed normal then, but who could have imagined such a sudden change overnight, with both of them now facing execution?

Zou was in a state of turmoil, her mind racing with thoughts. She wondered if Zhang Ji had changed his mind. After all, such a violation of moral principles might be easy to say, but if it really came to that, few people would be able to face it with such composure. Furthermore, in Zou's eyes, Zhang Ji was like a cold-blooded butcher, his methods and temper instilling fear in everyone.

At that moment, Zou stared at Zhang Xiu, her heart inexplicably filled with an irrepressible tenderness. Last night's intimate encounter with Zhang Xiu had allowed her to truly savor the joy and satisfaction of being a woman, a feeling she had never experienced before. And now, Zhang Xiu's gaze, filled with endless longing and deep affection, seemed to melt her heart completely. Zou took a deep breath, silently steeling her resolve. Summoning her courage, she spoke, "Master, this is all my fault. All the sins are mine alone. Do not blame Ah Xiu. I am but a frail, withered woman; death is not worth the loss. Ah Xiu is still young, and he is the only child of your Zhang family. If he dies because of me, the Zhang bloodline will be cut short, and the family line will be cut short. If you wish to vent your anger, kill me. Take all your wrath out on me. I only ask that you spare Zhang Xiu. With my death, this matter will be buried, never to be known again. You two, uncle and nephew, can reconcile as before, and Ah Xiu will continue to carry on the Zhang family's bloodline and its legacy." Zou's fear had completely vanished, her expression calm, as she faced the threat of death with equanimity. In her heart, if her death could buy Zhang Xiu a chance of life, then it would all be worth it.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiu's eyes welled up with heartache, and he was about to cry out. Quick-witted Jia Xu quickly signaled Hu Che'er, who quickly grabbed a piece of linen and stuffed it into Zhang Xiu's mouth, silencing him. Zhang Xiu was distraught and desperately struggled to get up. He couldn't bear to see Zou's desperate attempt to die. He wanted nothing more than to quickly tell her that this was all a lie, a test set by his uncle. His heart was filled with pity and compassion for this woman, and he desperately wanted to comfort her flustered and determined heart.

But Zhang Xiu was tightly bound with ropes, and the soldiers beside him held him down, preventing him from moving an inch. A rag was stuffed in his mouth, causing his face to flush red. The veins in his neck bulged, twisting and distorting like earthworms. His eyes were red from anxiety and exertion, but at this moment, he was truly powerless and could only utter a muffled "wuwu" sound, filled with helplessness and anxiety.

Zhang Ji lazily lay on the soft couch. Although his body showed a hint of weakness, his face was filled with ferocity, his eyes as sharp as a blade. He angrily scolded, "Humph, you shameless bitch, you actually dare to say you're willing to die for him?"

At this moment, Zou had already put life and death aside. She was only thinking about saving Zhang Xiu, and responded anxiously and resolutely: "I do! I do, sir. Just kill me! I am a rootless duckweed in this world, drifting without support. It's not a pity if I die. I only ask you to keep A Xiu. A Xiu is still young. Leave him a way to live, sir." There was a firm light in Zou's eyes, and her words were full of deep affection for Zhang Xiu and her determination to sacrifice herself to save others.

At this moment, a chaotic and hurried sound of footsteps came from afar. Zhang Ji raised his head slightly and looked over sharply, and saw Ma Chao and his group rushing towards this side in a hurry and anxiety.

Seeing this, Zhang Ji's eyes flashed with a sharpness, and he deliberately raised his voice by several decibels. His voice was filled with unquestionable determination and ruthlessness, and he shouted: "Humph, so what if you say you are willing to die for him? Don't think that you can get away with it. Today, neither of you can escape, you must die! Otherwise, where can I put my old face in the future? How can I swallow this anger!" After that, he glared fiercely at the tied Zhang Xiu and Zou, as if they were lambs on the chopping board to be slaughtered, with no possibility of escape.