Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Seeing Hua Tuo's face etched with suspicion, and remembering how the two men had just treated the wounded with such sincerity, and how they had shown no regard for the money she offered, Zhen Mi felt a strong urge to explain herself, to try to restore their image. However, perhaps due to excessive nervousness, or perhaps because she was too immersed in the role, she unconsciously slipped back into her assumed role and said, "Alas, as you know, we are often away from home, and we are always cautious in our actions. In these turbulent times, people's hearts are unpredictable. Before we know each other well, I dare not easily reveal the truth. I hope you will not blame me, old sir. I am Ma Chao of Xiliang. My Ma family caravan was originally planning to travel to Yizhou on trade. The journey was smooth, but when we arrived here, we had no idea what had happened in Hanzhong. Why were we suddenly ambushed by the local garrison? The caravan suffered heavy losses, which is truly frustrating."

Hua Tuo stood there quietly, his gaze calm yet penetrating, staring directly at Zhen Mi. Though sincerity shone in her large, beautiful eyes, the flaws in her words were as clear as the stars in the night sky. Hua Tuo, a man of many years of medical experience and countless encounters, was surely fooled by this little disguise. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, her delicate skin, graceful features, and the subtle, girlish gestures that slipped through her mind had already revealed her true identity.

Furthermore, Xiliang's Ma Chao was a renowned hero, a man known throughout the land, his reputation already resonating among the feudal lords. How could such a renowned figure condescend to personally lead a caravan on a trade mission? The absurdity of this was simply too obvious.

The young girl thought her fabricated lies would get away with it, perhaps fooling the inexperienced or the unwary. But in front of Hua Tuo, it was child's play. Hua Tuo had practiced medicine for decades, and had seen countless people from all walks of life. How could he, with his vast experience and keen discerning eyes, be so easily fooled by such a simple disguise? But Hua Tuo, out of kindness, refused to confront her. He thought, for a young woman in such turbulent times, disguising herself as a man, tirelessly leading a caravan across the land, the hardships and sufferings she faced were self-evident. Perhaps she had simply adopted the banner of Ma Chao of Xiliang to seek a sense of security and freedom from the pressures and dangers of this treacherous, dog-eat-dog world.

Hua Tuo wore a faint smile and said in a gentle voice, "My friend, there's no need for such forced explanations. The most urgent thing is to take care of your injured companions. The weather is freezing cold. If we insist on continuing on, the road will be difficult and bumpy, and it will be extremely detrimental to the recovery of the wounded. In my opinion, it's best for us to stay here and recuperate for a while."

Just as Zhen Mi was about to speak, Zhang Fubao beside her couldn't help but show a look of surprise on his face.

Zhang Fubao's eyes were wide open, his anger was evident in his words, and he shouted, "Great! So you are Ma Chao from Xiliang! I really wasted such a handsome appearance of yours. I thought you were not a vicious person, but why did you come to invade our Hanzhong without any warning? Do you know to what extent the casualties of our Hanzhong people and believers were heavy? In the past few days, I have witnessed those tragic scenes with my own eyes, and my heart aches. Why did you attack us for no reason?" Zhang Fubao really failed to recognize Zhen Mi's female body. Due to his lack of experience, he determined that the person in front of him was Ma Chao. While he was secretly confused, because of the invasion of Xiliang, he thought of his father's anxious look in recent days, and his anger became more intense.

Zhen Mi looked helplessly at the noisy, menacing girl before her. Although Zhang Fubao was also disguised as a man, Zhen Mi, having traveled extensively with the caravan, had seen through her story and had long since seen through her. Unable to defend herself, she bowed and said, "I wonder who this young man is? Why are you so concerned about my status? If I have offended you, Ma Chao apologizes." Seeing this, Zhang Fubao followed Zhen Mi's lead, curling her lips and bowing. "I am Sun Bofu, Sun Ce of Jiangdong, meeting General Ma Chao." Zhen Mi couldn't help but laugh. Although she had never met Sun Ce in person, she knew him to be a spirited young hero. Both Ma Chao and Sun Ce, whom she was impersonating, were renowned and powerful princes of Xiliang. What's funny is that one of them pretended to be Ma Chao and the other pretended to be Sun Ce, but they had no idea that Sun Ce and Ma Chao were sworn brothers. It was really ridiculous that they pretended to be each other so shamelessly.

Zhen Mi looked at the noisy "young man" in front of her with a headache, secretly wondering how to escape this inexplicable entanglement. As for Zhang Fubao, although he was filled with anger at Xiliang's invasion of Hanzhong, looking at Zhen Mi pretending to be Ma Chao, her exquisite face and extraordinary demeanor made him admire her and wanted to get closer to her.

"General Ma, you have come all the way to Hanzhong, but you are leaving in such a hurry. Are you hiding something?" Zhang Fubao raised her eyebrows, trying to make her tone sound more intimidating, but a hint of shyness in her eyes betrayed her.

Zhen Mi bowed helplessly, "Brother, I've already said that I'm just a merchant passing through. I have no choice but to suffer this misfortune. I don't know why your garrison would suddenly attack. I just want to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible."

"Hmph, it's not that easy for you to just leave when you say so. Let me ask you, are the Xiliang cavalry as brave as the rumors say?" Zhang Fubao moved closer curiously, staring at Zhen Mi without blinking.

Zhen Mi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "Little brother, can we discuss this matter of the Iron Cavalry later? My caravan has suffered heavy losses and I must return to report."

"No, you haven't answered me yet. I heard that General Ma Chao is extremely brave. Do you have any unique skills?" Zhang Fubao crossed his arms and blocked Zhen Mi's way.

Zhen Mi rolled her eyes and jokingly said, "As for me, my ability is to run very fast. For example, right now, I just want to run away from you as quickly as possible."

Zhang Fubao blushed upon hearing this, but refused to give in. "If you dare to run, I will tell everyone in the city that Xiliang Ma Chao is here. Let's see if you can still escape."

Zhen Mi sighed deeply, "Little brother, why are you making things difficult for me?"

Zhang Fubao bit his lower lip and whispered, "You are Ma Chao. If you can stay for a few more days, I will treat you well and ensure your safety."

At this moment of tension, the guards protecting Zhang Fubao quietly informed the city commander of the unusual situation. Soon, the sound of horse hooves and the footsteps of marching troops could be heard in the distance. Zhen Mi's face suddenly changed, and she was extremely anxious. She pushed Zhang Fubao aside and said urgently, "Brother, please don't try to stop me. I must leave. The Hanzhong defenders have arrived, and any further delay will make it difficult to escape."

Zhang Fubao, however, looked smug, his chest puffed out. "Hmph, you can't leave now, but don't be afraid, I'm here to protect you." Zhen Mi looked at the innocent woman before her, knowing she must be of prominent status in Hanzhong, but she couldn't fathom her true origins. The army had already surrounded the small medicine house like a surging tide, and Zhen Mi was filled with anxiety, yet she was helpless and could only secretly ponder a strategy. Zhang Fubao stood before her with a determined look, as if he could single-handedly hold back a massive army.

The garrison commander hurried over with his troops. As soon as he reached the medicine hut, his gaze locked onto Zhen Mi, who was standing with Zhang Fubao. His heart tightened. He knew full well that the identity of this "young general" was a mystery, and the situation was extremely dangerous. His only thought was to get Zhang Fubao away from this suspicious figure who had come from nowhere.

"Sir... Sir, the situation here is unclear and could be dangerous. You'd better move behind me and let me investigate first." The general said stiffly, emphasizing the word "Sir" as a subtle hint to Zhang Fubao's identity, but he didn't dare to be too blunt, for fear of angering the lord's beloved daughter.

Zhang Fubao, however, was completely unimpressed. Her face darkened, her eyebrows raised, and she shouted, "General, how rude! General Ma and I are merely having a casual conversation. You previously attacked our caravan without cause, and now you're driving my friends away without cause. What are your intentions? I believe you're the cause of all this trouble in Hanzhong. I will uphold justice here. Stop meddling in other people's affairs and take your men with you!" Her words were spoken with such righteousness that the general felt anguish. He knew Zhang Fubao's position in his lord's heart. If he offended her in the slightest, or even displeased her with his words, he would be in danger of losing his head.

The guard groaned inwardly, yet he forced himself to maintain composure. He glared at Zhen Mi, a look that threatened to bore a hole through her, but then reluctantly shifted his gaze back to Zhang Fubao, his expression filled with worry and helplessness. After a brief stalemate, he knew he couldn't forcefully take Zhang Fubao away today. Reluctantly, he waved his hand and slowly retreated with his soldiers.

Zhen Mi watched the storm gradually subside, feeling relieved. She looked at Zhang Fubao with gratitude, her eyes slightly red. "Thank you, brother, for your generosity today. Ma Chao will never forget your kindness, and I will repay you with gratitude in the future." With that, she hurriedly prepared to leave this troubled place with her followers.

Seeing Zhen Mi about to ride off, Zhang Fubao was filled with anxiety and couldn't help but shout, "Hey, Ma Chao, can we really be considered friends?" Zhen Mi turned her head from her horseback, gazing at the woman, who, despite her men's clothing, was still charming and lovely, and replied with a smile, "Of course, Brother Sun and I are definitely close friends."

Zhang Fubao's face lit up when he heard this, and he quickly asked, "Will you come to Hanzhong again?" Zhen Mi shook her head slightly, looking hesitant, "I was ambushed by Hanzhong for no reason. I don't know why, but I'm afraid I won't come back easily in the future."