Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After causing a scene in the palace, Xu Huang feigned indifference and swaggered to Xun Yu to demand food and fodder. Xun Yu looked helpless and bewildered. How could he possibly have any food and fodder for Xu Huang? He could only offer a few perfunctory words. Xu Huang, of course, refused to comply, cursing and speaking in a voice filled with anger and dissatisfaction, before storming out of Chang'an.

After leaving the city, Xu Huang seemed like a different person. He walked in a hurry and quickly met up with Jiang Jiong from the grain transport team. Jiang Jiong was puzzled when he saw him coming. Xu Huang had no time to care about anything else. He just shouted that he had to rush to Yangzhou. Jiang Jiong couldn't help but ask, "Gongming, what are you doing in Chang'an City? You have wasted so much time for nothing." Xu Huang laughed heartily, with a bit of unrestrained and cheerfulness in his laughter: "I really had a great time in Chang'an this time! In front of the palace, those palace guards dared to stop me, so I taught them a lesson. Then I went straight into the palace and pointed at their noses and scolded them in front of the old emperor and a group of important ministers. That feeling was really refreshing!"

Jiang Jiong remained puzzled. "This is truly unnecessary. If the imperial court had food and fodder, they would have given it to us long ago. Why put us through all this trouble and endure all this anger?" Xu Huang shook his head slightly, a profound expression on his face. "You don't understand, do you? This is Mr. Wen You's plan. If Mr. Wen You's calculations were accurate this time, Young Master would have seen the true face of the imperial court and no longer harbored any attachment to it. Look at the world these days. Those high-ranking officials only care about their own personal gain, forgetting the affairs of state. That damned emperor is not a wise ruler. If it weren't for Young Master, I would have returned to Xiliang and lived a carefree life long ago."

The general nodded repeatedly. He, too, had suffered greatly from the world's currents. Years earlier, he had even joined Dong Huang, and his frustration and dissatisfaction with the chaotic world had long been pent up. Now, speaking with Xu Huang, it felt like finding a kindred spirit. Li Ru had arranged for Jiang Jiong to accompany him on this grain transport, so they could keep an eye on each other. And so, the two of them accompanied him on the journey, their conversations filled with lamentations about the world and their uncertainty about the future. It was a true sympathy.

Xu Huang had once joined the Baibo Army, engaging in treasonous activities that openly opposed the imperial court. At the same time, Dong Huang also advocated for independence from the imperial court and sought to establish his own regime. Jiang Jiong, in his former allegiance to Dong Huang, had effectively thrown the imperial court's authority and legitimacy to the winds. In their minds, the so-called righteousness of the court had long since faded.

Li Ru deliberately placed Xu Huang and Jiang Jiong together. His ulterior motive was to use them to discredit the imperial court in Ma Chao's eyes. The court's treatment of Ma Chao had been harsh and unkind, leaving him unsatisfactory in every respect. Li Ru knew that even if Xu Huang and Jiang Jiong's actions couldn't fundamentally change Ma Chao's feelings, a slight inflaming of his resentment toward the court would be beneficial to their plans.

Xu Huang and Jiang Jiong hurried along, raising clouds of dust beneath their feet. Their hearts were filled with concern for the fighting on the front lines, yet they had no idea what kind of difficult situation Ma Chao was facing on that battlefield.

Xu Huang's expression was filled with conflict and unease. His mind replayed the solemn expression on Ma Chao's face when he handed him his orders. Back then, Ma Chao had ordered him to swiftly mobilize over 60,000 cavalry to support the battlefield, a weight of trust and expectation. But now, he had only brought back provisions, with no sign of the Xiliang cavalry. Despite Li Ru's meticulously orchestrated plan, his heart still felt like a heavy weight, weighing heavily on him. He knew he had failed to fulfill Ma Chao's instructions, and the thought of facing him filled him with uncertainty, a wave of worry washing over him. Yet, this worry was mingled with a deep concern for Ma Chao. He was consumed with anxiety, desperate to reach the front lines and check on Ma Chao's well-being, his steps quickening with anxiety.

Jiang Jiong observed Xu Huang's shifting expression from the sidelines. He sighed softly and said softly, "Brother Gongming, don't worry. This is all Mr. Li Ru's strategy. The Young Master is wise and intelligent. Even if he can't grasp the deeper meaning at the moment, he certainly won't punish you lightly. Look, when has the Young Master ever been harsh with us subordinates? He's a man of great generosity, unlike those superiors who only exploit their subordinates and pursue personal gain." Xu Huang said, "How many of us don't sincerely want to follow the Young Master, hoping to carve out a career with him in these troubled times and share in prosperity and wealth. But in this situation, if we anger the Young Master over this, we'd be losing more than we gain. It's all Mr. Li Ru's fault. He hid behind such a difficult problem, pushing me to the front."

After hearing Xu Huang's criticism of Li Ru, Jiang Jiong looked warily around at the Xiliang soldiers escorting the grain. His voice deepened, "Brother Gongming, you must be careful with your words. We both know Mr. Wen You's methods. He's a meticulous man with many spies. If word of this gets out, we'll both be in big trouble."

Xu Huang was startled upon hearing this, his neck instinctively shrank, a look of guilty conscience etched across his face. His eyes frantically scanned the faces of the surrounding soldiers, only to see that they were all focused on getting on with their journey, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. He slowly breathed a sigh of relief, patted his chest, and said with some annoyance, "Oh, my mouth is always so loose. That Mr. Wen You is even more cunning than a monkey when he's caught in the act. How dare I spout such nonsense?"

Jiang Jiong looked at Xu Huang's expression and couldn't help feeling angry and amused. He shook his head and said, "You still have something to say?" After that, the two of them smiled at each other in tacit understanding, and then put all their thoughts on getting on the road. Their figures gradually walked away on the road, leaving only a series of hurried footsteps echoing in the air.

While Ma Chao was stationed in Wancheng, his mind was in a tangle of confusion, constantly concerned about the progress of Xu Huang and Sun Ce. He knew that this meeting in Wancheng was of great significance and could not afford to fail, so he decisively dispatched batches of scouts to closely monitor the necessary routes, daring not to slack off even in the slightest.

Xu Huang and Jiang Jiong led thousands of valiant soldiers, slowly advancing, escorting provisions. The long journey, winter weather, and the heavy baggage transport, left the soldiers exhausted. But under Xu Huang's leadership, they maintained their orderly formation and resolute pace. Finally, they approached their designated rendezvous point, only to be hastily intercepted by scouts sent by Ma Chao.

Xu Huang raised his thick eyebrows, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hurriedly asked, "Why did the young master change his location to Wancheng? Wancheng is Zhang Xiu's territory. What's going on?" The scout immediately clasped his fists and replied, "General, it was Zhang Xiu's sincere invitation. After careful consideration, the young master decided to station in Wancheng and has been here for quite some time now."

Upon hearing this, Xu Huang was startled for a moment, then a brilliant smile broke out across his face. That smile seemed to dispel the fatigue and gloom from the journey. He said excitedly, "It's been a long time since I've seen Zhang Xiu, and I've missed him terribly! The young master is meeting him in Wancheng today, so I can go and have a chat with him and rekindle our old friendship." He turned to face Jiang Jiong, clapping his strong, powerful hand on his shoulder and jokingly saying, "Brother, listen carefully. Zhang Xiu is no ordinary man. When you have the opportunity to compete with him on the battlefield in the future, you'll discover his interesting qualities. In terms of skill, intelligence, and appearance, he's only slightly inferior to me. I guarantee that once you meet, you'll be attracted to each other's charm and have a great conversation. You might even become close friends!"

Seeing Xu Huang beaming with joy as he gushed endlessly about his friend, even going so far as to indirectly praise himself at the end, Jiang Jiong couldn't help but burst out laughing. This laughter was particularly abrupt on the quiet road, attracting the attention of the surrounding soldiers.

Xu Huang paid no heed, his heart brimming with curiosity and confusion about what was happening in Wancheng. He turned to the scout, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Hey boy, tell me in detail! How is the young master doing in Wancheng? How's that kid Zhang Xiu doing lately?" Seeing Xu Huang's anxiety, Chi Hou straightened his back, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "General, listen. A big event happened in Wancheng recently. With the young master's help, General Zhang Xiu married Ma Yunying, the younger sister of Shanzhu. The wedding was a bustling affair, and the whole of Wancheng was immersed in joy."

Upon hearing this, Xu Huang was struck by a bolt of lightning. He froze in place, and it took him a long while to come to his senses. He muttered with suspicion, "This is bizarre! I've followed the Young Master for many years, so how could I not know that he only has a younger sister, Ma Yunlu? And who is this Ma Yunying who just appeared out of nowhere? And how could she possibly marry Zhang Xiu?" He muttered to himself, scratching his head vigorously, as if trying to sort out his tangled thoughts. Suddenly, as if struck by something, his eyes lit up, and then his face flushed crimson. He cursed loudly, "Fuck him! Zhang Xiu, this brat, who usually keeps a low profile, actually managed to secretly arrange his lifelong event, and even established such a relationship with the Young Master. This bastard is really lucky!"

Having said this, Xu Huang could no longer contain his inner anxiety and curiosity. He yanked the reins, causing the horse to feel pain, raise its front hooves high, and let out a loud neigh. Xu Huang then raised his whip, creating a beautiful pattern in the air. With a crisp "crack," he lashed it hard across the horse's rump. The horse took off like an arrow, raising a cloud of dust. As he galloped, Xu Huang turned back and shouted to Jiang Jiong, "Jiang Jiong, I'll trouble you to take care of the grain transport for now. Take your brothers and follow the scouts to Wancheng. I have to go and see what this bastard Zhang Xiu is up to. I can't let him catch up with everything!" As he spoke, his figure had already vanished into the distance.

Although Xu Huang, upon hearing the news of Zhang Xiu and Ma Yunying's marriage, had unleashed a barrage of seemingly disgruntled curses, as if harboring some deep hatred for Zhang Xiu, those familiar with his temperament knew he was simply expressing his inner turmoil in this loud, somewhat rude manner. Beneath that seemingly irritated exterior lay a burning desire to reunite with the young master and Zhang Xiu. He was consumed with anxiety, wishing he could immediately sprout wings and fly to Wancheng. He raised his whip high in his hand, lashing it against the horse's back again and again, urging his mount to a lightning-fast gallop. Each blow was accompanied by an inner cry: Zhang Xiu, Zhang Xiu, you have quietly accomplished something remarkable! I must hurry! If I arrive too late, I won't even be able to enjoy the wedding wine!