Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Xu Huang quietly passed the news to Zhang Xiu in the quiet of the evening. Zhang Xiu was so excited upon hearing this that he hurried over to discuss countermeasures with his uncle Zhang Ji. Zhang Ji sat upright on the couch, his face haggard but resolute. He spoke slowly, "Since my nephew has such great ambitions, there is no need to worry. I, an old man in my twilight years, do not need to worry whether I can survive this disaster or not. With a wise and resourceful man like Mr. Jia Xu guarding Wancheng, I don't expect any major chaos. Even if Hu Chi'er meets with an unexpected event, as long as he is still alive, he can pass on the news. A real man born in troubled times should gallop on the battlefield and make great achievements. Never indulge in the gentle world and lose your fighting spirit."

Zhang Xiu blushed slightly at his uncle's words. Indeed, he had recently married Zou, and in their tender years, it was inevitable that they would be demanding in matters of love. Zou, now known as Ma Yunying, knew of Zhang Xiu's impending expedition and made no attempt to stop him. And Zhang Ji's words didn't imply any dissatisfaction with Zhang Xiu or Ma Yunying. In fact, because Ma Yunying was now Ma Chao's sister, marrying into the Ma family of Xiliang filled Zhang Ji with joy and relief. He felt that he was approaching death, and he was surprisingly open-minded about these mundane matters.

With the plan finalized, Zhang Xiu resolutely bid farewell to Zhang Ji and his newlywed Ma Yunying. Clad in armor and imposingly at the head of most of Wancheng's elite troops, he rushed out like a surging torrent of steel, heading for Xinye. His goal was to advance early, lest Ma Chao directly refuse his request for troops from Wancheng. Meanwhile, outside the camp, Xu Huang feigned indifference to shield Zhang Xiu's troop movements, secretly making frantic arrangements. Ma Chao, meanwhile, was preparing for a major military deployment, a scene of frequent and chaotic mobilization. Therefore, Zhang Xiu's quiet departure from the city did not raise much alarm in Ma Chao. Although Ma Chao's camp was not far from Wancheng, amidst the bustle and clamor, he failed to notice anything unusual.

Early the next morning, Zhang Liao had already set out ahead, leading the way. Zhang Ma Chao, accompanied by Xu Shu and Zhang Ren, arrived to bid farewell to Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the outline of Wancheng appeared somewhat desolate in the hazy mist. Upon their arrival in Wancheng, Jia Xu was already standing there to greet them. Seeing this, Ma Chao wondered, "How did Mr. Wenhe know of our departure so early and wait here?" Jia Xu smiled and replied, "General, this is a significant move. If Wenhe had been unaware, how could he possibly offer advice to you? Moreover, Wancheng has always been a strategic battleground; how could he not be on guard?" Ma Chao nodded in agreement, "Mr. Wenhe is indeed a man of foresight. I wonder where General Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu are now? My army is marching, and I've come to bid them farewell." Jia Xu hesitated, wanting to speak, but ultimately remained silent, leading Ma Chao towards the city lord's residence.

Entering the mansion, he saw Zhang Ji lying on the sickbed, his face haggard and expression listless. The room was filled with a strong smell of medicine. A few rays of sunlight struggled to penetrate the window lattice and sprinkled on the ground, but they could not dispel the heavy smell of illness. Zhang Ji forced himself to speak, his voice hoarse and weak: "General Ma Chao, since you came today, I have a few words from the bottom of my heart that I have to say. You are now determined to march into Yangzhou, but I think that Xiliang is the foundation. Now Xiliang is in the midst of war and the situation is critical. It is the right way to take care of Xiliang first. Think of Xiliang, the vast desert, which is where we were born and raised. The people there are looking forward to peace and your return." Ma Chao frowned slightly, and was about to argue, but Zhang Ji said again: "Xiu'er and I have been through ups and downs in this Wancheng, and now we are exhausted. "I am truly weary of these days of wandering and constant war. We all long to return to Xiliang and be with you. The vast desert sands of Xiliang are our true roots. The glorious years of the past, the joyous laughter of our tribe, all took place in that land." At this point, Zhang Ji couldn't help but burst into tears, his dry eyes dripping, soaking the pillowcase. "I know my time is drawing to a close, and I fear I won't be able to return to my homeland in Xiliang. I only hope that after I die, Xiu'er will bury my remains there. Only then can I rest in peace. Let these old bones rest in peace on the land of my homeland, in the company of our ancestors."

Ma Chao's face was filled with surprise, and he wondered why Zhang Ji had confided all this to him alone. However, seeing Zhang Xiu and Zhang Ji's faces etched with weariness and sadness, he couldn't bear it, and quickly soothed them gently, "Uncle, please relax and take good care of yourself. I will handle everything. I understand the importance of Xiliang, but the affairs of Yangzhou are also of greater importance. I will consider and will not abandon Xiliang." With that, he tucked in the blankets for the two men and checked on the charcoal fire and food inside. After a few more pleasantries and some caring advice on recuperation, he slowly withdrew.

The early morning in Wancheng was quiet and languid. Ma Chao searched everywhere for Zhang Ji, but couldn't find him, so he asked Jia Xu. Jia Xu, a faint smile on his face, feigned ignorance as he replied, "Perhaps it's still early. The young master is newlywed, so it's only natural for him to rest in his room." He then looked at Ma Chao with a hint of teasing. Ma Chao was amused and said helplessly, "In that case, let's go to Ah Xiu's courtyard and say goodbye."

When they reached the courtyard, a maid hurried in to report that the young master and mistress had not yet risen, and gestured for Ma Chao to wait. Hearing this, Ma Chao quipped, "Ah Xiu has been so captivated by her beauty that she's not even out in the bright sunshine to attend to military affairs or practice her martial arts, but instead indulges in the pleasures of bed." Everyone was amused, except Xu Shu, who felt something was amiss, but didn't know where to begin, so he put aside his concerns for the time being.

After a long time, Ma Yunying hurried out, packing his clothes in a hurry. His cheeks were flushed, just like the clouds in the sky. With a bit of sleepiness and shyness as if he had just woken up, he stepped forward to salute Ma Chao. Seeing this, Ma Chao's smile persisted. He asked, "Sister, where is your brother-in-law? My army is leaving today, and he didn't come to see us off." Ma Yunying lowered her head slightly, her voice soft as a mosquito: "Brother, please allow me to report. Last night..." Before she could finish her words, shyness was already overwhelmed. After a pause, she continued, "He hasn't woken up yet. I just pushed and shoved him, but it didn't work." Ma Chao couldn't help but laugh and waved his hand. "Forget it, it's winter, and there's no urgent battle. Let him rest well." At this point, Ma Chao's expression grew more serious, and he warned earnestly: "Yunying, since you are my sister, I will speak frankly. Zhang Xiu is a military commander, and many affairs in Wancheng will depend on him in the future. You must not interfere too much, and don't let him indulge in comfort." As he finished speaking, Ma Chao felt his face heat up, and Ma Yunying's ears flushed with shame. "Alright, that's all I have to say. I'll take my leave," Ma Chao said.

Ma Yunying escorted them out of the courtyard. Ma Chao and his entourage didn't stop, but marched straight out of Wancheng and joined the vast army. Atop the city wall, Jia Xu's brow furrowed, a look of sorrow on his face, his gaze following the retreating troops until the smoke and dust gradually blurred his vision.

The army snaked its way across the vast landscape like a long dragon. Along the way, a howling wind swirled clouds of dust, chilling the bones. But these Xiliang soldiers, with Ma Chao, their renowned leader, stood tall and proud. Ma Chao's reputation as the "Mighty General" was forged through countless bloody battles, a truly honorable achievement that filled the soldiers with awe and pride. Despite the harsh conditions, their morale remained high. Their rest in Wancheng had allowed them to recuperate, and they were now particularly motivated to act.

By evening, the army was nearing Xinye County. Zhang Liao's vanguard troops were already well-entered, with tents everywhere. Seeing this, Ma Chao was pleased and ordered everyone to help build camp, preparing to rest and recuperate in Xinye.

At this moment, Zhang Liao approached Ma Chao with a gloomy expression. Seeing this, Ma Chao couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Wenyuan, why is this happening? The army has just begun its march, and already we've encountered difficulties?" Zhang Liao hesitated, then stamped his foot and said, "Alas, General, there is indeed a difficult matter." Ma Chao responded straightforwardly, "Just tell me what it is. When marching, difficulties are inevitable. We all need to work together to overcome them." Zhang Liao shook his head helplessly, thought for a while, and sighed, "Forget it, let him tell you himself."

Ma Chao's face was filled with confusion. Just as he was wondering, he saw a figure coming out from behind the tent in the distance. Ma Chao looked closely and saw that it was Zhang Xiu, whom he had not seen in Wancheng today. Behind him was the burly and strong figure of Hu Che'er, but Hu Che'er seemed a little shy and did not dare to move forward.

Seeing Zhang Xiu, Ma Chao couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Ah Xiu, what are you up to? The army is leaving today, and you were nowhere to be seen when we saw you off. How come you are here in advance?" Zhang Xiu was no longer shy at this moment. He strode forward with great vigor and came to Ma Chao. He knelt on one knee and said loudly: "General, Zhang Xiu has led 30,000 former Xiliang soldiers from Wancheng to meet with you. Please arrange the specific military affairs." Ma Chao hurried forward, grabbed him up, and pretended to be angry and said: "Don't call me brother anymore. What's the matter with you? You brought these 30,000 soldiers and horses with you. Aren't you going to take over Wancheng? "Have you drained all your capital?" Zhang Xiu's expression straightened. "In the army, personal matters are disregarded, only military affairs are discussed. Please address me by my title, General." Ma Chao, upon hearing this, stepped forward and lightly punched him, jokingly scolding, "You rascal! I'm asking you a question! What will become of Wancheng if you leave?" Zhang Xiu replied calmly, "Wancheng still has nearly 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers, and with Master Wenhe in charge, there will surely be no rebellion. My uncle and I have already discussed this. Since we have decided to surrender to Xiliang and return to our homeland, we have spoken and cannot go back on our word. This is what a real man should do. How can I go back on my word and enrich myself?"

Ma Chao thought to himself, no wonder Jia Xu, Zhang Ji and Ma Yunying behaved so strangely today, they had planned this in advance. His face darkened, and he said to Zhang Xiu sternly, "General Zhang Xiu, stop fooling around and return to your Wancheng base immediately. Don't laugh with me here. Your uncle is seriously ill now and won't live long. If you are not by his side to take good care of him, how can you be worthy of his deep kindness in raising you? Besides, you and Yunying were newly married not long ago, why are you making such a fuss?" Zhang Xiu knelt on the ground with a plop and wailed, "Oh, my good brother, my great general, please allow me to follow you. I'm really feeling suffocated in Wancheng. Besides, a man has ambitions to travel all over the world and make achievements, so how can he be hindered by love? Only by staying by your side can I fully realize my ambitions. Moreover, this battle in Yangzhou is very difficult, how can I stay out of it? Your troops are insufficient to begin with, and if I lead my troops here, won't it be a helping hand for you?" Xu Shu now fully understood the key points and knew that all this had been planned in advance. He, Zhang Liao, Zhang Ren, and others all urged him, "General, just follow Zhang Xiu's advice. Since he's led such a large army here, he must have General Zhang Ji's approval. General Zhang Ji's actions are well-intentioned, and I hope you'll understand."