Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Ma Chao stared at Zhang Ji's unmoved face, feeling extremely anxious. His words became sharp and he shouted, "General Zhang Ji, please don't mention that Zou is Zhang Xiu's aunt. Do you really have no doubts about the right and wrong of this matter?" After that, Ma Chao strode up to Zou and Zhang Xiu, turned to face the crowd, raised his hand to signal everyone to take a closer look at Zou, and said loudly, "Look, everyone, this Zou is so beautiful that she can make fish sink to the bottom of the water, geese fall to the ground, and the moon hide in shame. Her face is as beautiful as a flower in full bloom in spring, and her figure is as graceful as a willow swaying in the wind. Looking at her age, compared with Zhang Xiu, they are truly a match made in heaven. General, please forgive me for saying something offensive. "If you were to ask me, would you consider this: is it Zhang Xiu and Zou who are more harmoniously matched together, or would it be you and her? Recalling those days in Luoyang, during the chaos of war, General, you forced Zou into marriage, even before Zhang Xiu and I were even working together. Did you, General, fully adhere to the ancestral precept of marrying someone of equal social status, holding a formal ceremony to marry him? Can you honestly say you weren't seduced by Zou's breathtaking beauty, leading you to act so illogically? You've fought on the battlefield for half your life, witnessed countless vicissitudes of life, yet it's inevitable that you would hesitate before this beauty. Zhang Xiu was merely young and impulsive, impulsively committing such a grievous blunder. Why would you force him into such a desperate situation?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji's face flushed crimson, his eyes filled with shame and anger. He then laughed in anger, "Haha, Marquis Wei, you sound so high-sounding, as if you were a righteous man with the world at heart, but in the final analysis, it was all just for a woman. Your deeds have long been known far and wide. Everyone knows that for a woman, you dared to use force to intimidate the emperor and force him to make Concubine Lu his empress. Could it be that your actions reflect your true feelings for a woman, while my feelings for Zou are false?"

Ma Chao was speechless after hearing Zhang Ji's words, and secretly groaned inwardly. After all, every word Zhang Ji said was true, and he did have such a shameful past. But now Zhang Xiu's life was hanging by a thread, so how could he argue with Zhang Ji too much about this matter? Ma Chao's brows knitted tightly together like the Chinese character "川". Although Zhang Ji had pierced a sore spot in his heart, as if pierced by an arrow, he remained composed. He took a deep breath, clasped his fists, and respectfully addressed Zhang Ji, "General Zhang Ji, this is a different time now. I may have been rash and inappropriate in the past, but Zhang Xiu's mistakes are incomparable to my past actions. Right now, I am solely concerned about your family's great cause. Just think about it, if Zhang Xiu were to die because of something like this, what would become of your Zhang family's legacy in Wancheng? The building would undoubtedly crumble, its foundations crumbling. This is truly a case of losing the greater for the sake of the smaller. General, you are a wise man. You should prioritize the greater good of your family. You must not let your impulsiveness cloud your mind and make hasty decisions."

Zhang Ji simply snorted coldly, his voice so cold it seemed to penetrate a person's heart, and his expression grew increasingly gloomy. "Ma Chao, stop your flattery here. Zhang Xiu's crimes are heinous and violate the moral code. How can you easily absolve him of his guilt with just a few words? My Zhang family's reputation and reputation in Wancheng have been painstakingly built over generations, and we will not allow them to be tarnished by such a shameful act. Although I have had some romantic affairs, Zhang Xiu's actions have seriously crossed the line for my family. Now, countless eyes in Wancheng are staring at me, waiting to see how I will handle this matter. If I easily forgive him, how can I face leading them in the future? How can I convince them of my loyalty?"

Seeing Zhang Ji's unwavering attitude, Ma Chao knew this situation was extremely thorny. However, thinking of their brotherly bond, he couldn't bear to give up. So, Ma Chao clasped his fists again and spoke sincerely, "General, you are well aware of Zhang Xiu's military achievements and his loyalty to you. He was truly confused this time, lost in the temptations of wine and women. If you can show mercy and allow him a chance to redeem himself and earnestly redeem himself, he will undoubtedly be grateful and repay you with his life. But think about it: in these turbulent times, with foreign enemies eyeing him covetously, if you kill Zhang Xiu, who will bravely charge into battle for you once war breaks out? Who will possess his strategic vision and courage to protect the people of Wancheng? I hope you will reconsider your actions."

Zhang Ji's face was grim as he continued, "General Ma Chao, this is ultimately a family affair of our Zhang family. It is unwise for you to intervene forcefully. Furthermore, I am now terminally ill and dying, as everyone can see. When I pass away, I will no longer be able to care for my legacy and the people I leave behind."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao raised his voice and said, "What? General Zhang Ji, as a ruler, are you completely abandoning the brotherhood you've come all the way from Xiliang with? Are you acting so foolishly just for a woman?"

Zhang Ji's eyes were blazing as he spoke, "General Ma Chao, don't think I don't know why you've come. If you're interested in taking over, then don't try to stop me. I'll swear this oath today. Since I'm about to die, I'm willing to hand over Wancheng to you, and the entire Western Liang army will submit to you, so that you can find a safe home for my brothers. General Ma Chao, are you satisfied with this arrangement? I know you're struggling to find enough troops for this campaign in Yangzhou. Don't interfere with how I deal with Zhang Xiu. I'll definitely help you. In the future, all the foundations of Wancheng will be handed over to you. But today, I'm determined to kill Zhang Xiu."

Seeing Zhang Ji's resolute attitude, Ma Chao said helplessly, "I have no intention of interfering in the general's legacy. Even if my campaign in Yangzhou is difficult and dangerous, I will not need to use a single soldier from Wancheng."

Ma Chao's expression was solemn, and he spoke righteously, "General Zhang Ji, to be honest, you absolutely cannot kill Zhang Xiu today. Although you and I once served under Lord Dong, we do not share a deep friendship. What truly connects us is the brotherhood between us. Even if Zhang Xiu has made a grave mistake, as a brother, I will do my utmost to protect him. Today, there is no way you can touch him."

Zhang Ji glared at him, "General Ma Chao, you insist on stopping us? Don't think our Wancheng army is a pushover. Even if you try to intervene forcefully, what can you do?"

Ma Chao laughed heartily, looking up to the heavens. "General Zhang Ji, Mr. Wenhe, please take a look at my troops. Are there some missing men? To be honest, before coming here, I ordered Generals Yuan Zhi and Zhang Ren to return to their headquarters. They are now speeding towards Wancheng, only twenty miles away. You can try and see if I, Ma Chao, can hold out until reinforcements arrive."

Instantly, the atmosphere was tense, ready to explode. Zhang Liao, Pan Feng, and Wu Anguo quickly secured Ma Chao and Zhang Xiu behind them. Their gazes were sharp, vigilant, as they watched the surrounding Wancheng soldiers, their positions firmly in place, a silent declaration of no retreat.

Hu Che'er hurried forward, clasping his fists, and reported, "My Lord, General Ma Chao did make such an arrangement on our way here." Jia Xu also seized the opportunity to speak up, "My Lord, you need to reconsider this matter. If war breaks out, Wancheng will be plunged into devastation. Think about it, we old brothers and General Ma Chao's men are all from Xiliang. If a war breaks out, those who will be killed or injured will be our brave men from Xiliang."

After hearing this, Zhang Ji fell into a long silence. His gaze slowly shifted to Ma Chao, who stared back at him without wavering. Their eyes met, sparks flying, yet the situation remained stalemated. After a long pause, Zhang Ji gritted his teeth and said, "Never mind. I don't want to start a war and cause the people to suffer. In that case, I'll spare this young man's life for now. But this Zou..." His eyes pierced Zou like knives. "Zou, you've seen what happened today. Although I can't kill Zhang Xiu, I can't let this anger go so easily. I'll use you as a scapegoat today to vent my hatred and put this matter behind me. What do you think about leaving Zhang Xiu alive?"

Upon hearing that she had been able to save Zhang Xiu's life, Zou felt a pang of sorrow, but she also knew that this was the result of Ma Chao and the others' utmost efforts, and she had no other plans. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Zou. She tried to approach Zhang Xiu, but was stopped by the soldiers. Seeing this, Ma Chao frowned and glared at the soldiers escorting Zou. He shouted, "Let her go, and let her say goodbye to Ah Xiu."

The soldiers dared not stop her, and Zou walked lightly towards Zhang Xiu. Zhang Xiu was pinned down tightly, his mouth blocked, and he could only make a "woohoo" sound. His eyes were full of pity and heartache, and he struggled desperately to get closer to Zou.

Zou tried hard to hold back her tears and said in a trembling voice, "Axiu, it was my fortune to meet you in this life. I didn't expect that you would fall into such a desperate situation now. It's me who has implicated you." She stretched out her hand and gently stroked Zhang Xiu's face, "Don't be sad, life and death are predestined. I only regret that I can't be with you anymore. I will remember the past time in my heart. I hope you will live well in the future, restore your reputation, and don't sink because of me." Tears welled up in Zou's eyes, but she stubbornly refused to fall.

Zhang Xiu's eyes were filled with pain and reluctance. He kept shaking his head and making unclear sounds in his throat, trying to stop Zou from continuing.

Zou smiled sadly, put down her hand, took a step back, and straightened her clothes. "The time has come, take care of yourself." After that, she turned around and walked towards Zhang Ji with her head held high. There was no longer fear in her eyes, only determination.

Witnessing Zou's resolute determination, her willingness to sacrifice her life for Zhang Xiu, Ma Chao felt a surge of sorrow and reluctance. He clasped his fists and addressed Zhang Ji, saying, "General Zhang Ji, I have a humble request. This woman has completely disregarded the fear of death, solely hoping to exchange her own death for Zhang Xiu's life. Setting aside past disputes, such deep friendship and heroic deed are truly rare. Why not spare her life, allowing her to continue serving Zhang Xiu? This would fulfill her wishes while also serving Zhang Xiu—a truly beautiful act. It would also enhance your reputation as a benevolent and generous person, earning even greater respect and admiration from the soldiers and civilians of Wancheng."