Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Fubao, anxious, hurriedly pulled a personal item from her bosom. It was a talisman meticulously carved from smooth jade. The jade was delicate and lustrous, its value evident at first glance. Her name, "Fubao," was engraved on it. This was a highly valued token of the Tianshi Sect, and its name, "Fubao," was renowned within the sect. It could be argued that Zhang Lu named his daughter Zhang Fubao because of this precious item.

Zhang Fubao stepped forward quickly and handed it to Zhen Mi. "Don't worry. Take this with you. Anyone you meet in Hanzhong, whether they're soldiers, Five Pecks of Rice followers, or even ordinary people, will know that this is a talisman from the Heavenly Master. Show it to me, and no one will give you any trouble. If you ever come to Hanzhong again, be sure to come and visit me."

Seeing such a valuable item, Zhen Mi couldn't help but feel hesitant. However, seeing that Zhang Fubao was determined to give it to her, she couldn't refuse, so she had to reach out to take it and bowed deeply on her horse: "Thank you very much, Brother Sun. It's not advisable to stay here for long, so I'll take my leave now." After that, she spurred her horse and galloped away.

Zhang Fubao stood there blankly, her eyes following Zhen Mi's retreating figure, eyes filled with reluctance and longing, almost infatuated. A gentle breeze blew past, her hair fluttering in the wind, and her thoughts seemed to be carried away by the retreating figure, and she could not recover for a long time.

Here, the garrison commander, blocked by Zhang Fubao, could only watch Zhen Mi and her entourage ride away. He listened to the conversation between Zhen Mi and Zhang Fubao and was shocked to find that the young general who had left was actually Ma Chao.

The commander hurried forward and whispered to Zhang Fubao, "Miss, is that Ma Chao from Xiliang?" Zhang Fubao feigned composure and nodded, "Yes, what's wrong?" The commander was extremely anxious. "Miss, you actually gave all our sect's treasures and talismans to Ma Chao from Xiliang, and you're trying to stop us. Now Xiliang is invading our Hanzhong area. No matter why he came here, we must not miss this opportunity. I must report this to the city lord immediately."

Zhang Fubao worriedly grabbed the guard and said, "Can you let him go without telling my father? He didn't bring many soldiers with him and he doesn't pose much threat to us." The guard looked embarrassed and said firmly, "No, Miss, I'm sorry, I can't do it. This is a military matter of great importance. How can we take it lightly? The decision can only be made by my lord." After that, he hurried to the city to report to Zhang Lu.

Zhang Fubao feared Zhang Lu would actually order a pursuit of Ma Chao, as Zhen Mi's army was small. She was terrified and hurriedly bid farewell to Hua Tuo. She took her maid with her, completely ignoring the fact that her disguise as a man was about to be exposed. She hurried home, desperate to secure a chance for Zhen Mi's life before her father issued the order.

The garrison commander rushed into Chengdu Prefecture, eager to see Zhang Lu. Upon meeting Zhang Lu, he spoke eagerly and anxiously, "My lord, something terrible has happened! We've spotted Ma Chao outside Hanzhong."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lu's face turned pale and he was in a state of panic. "What's going on? Could it be that Ma Chao is leading his troops to attack? But there's been no news from the front." His advisor Yang Song pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, this seems unlikely. Ma Chao has been serving in Chang'an, and Hanzhong is always heavily guarded. If Ma Chao really was leading his troops, how could we have been so unaware?"

The commander remained anxious, his tone firm, "My lord, it's absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes. He didn't bring many troops with him." Zhang Lu frowned, his face full of confusion. "If you're sure it's Ma Chao, why didn't you just capture him?" The commander sighed helplessly and explained, "My lord, you don't know. He was treating a follower's injuries at the medicine house outside the city. The young lady happened to be there. Not only did she obstruct our capture, she also gave Ma Chao a talisman, a token of our sect, which caused Ma Chao to flee. I have come here to implore my lord to order us to pursue him from all parts of Hanzhong, so as not to miss this opportunity."

Zhang Lu paced back and forth in the hall, his expression anxious. He shouted, "Then send word to all directions immediately. We must capture Ma Chao with all our might! If we can capture him, the crisis on the front lines will be resolved, and we can also seize the opportunity to negotiate with Xiliang and create a favorable situation."

Advisor Yang Bai shook his head slightly and calmly analyzed, "My lord, I'm afraid something's amiss. Ma Chao commands a large army and holds a high position in Chang'an. Even if he were on the march, how could he lead only a handful of men, and for that matter, be so coincidentally encountered by the young lady? There must be something hidden. My lord, please think twice before impulsively causing any misunderstandings that could lead to an unmanageable situation."

Zhang Lu paused, pondering for a moment before saying, "Regardless of whether it's Ma Chao or not, since this possibility exists, we can't delay even a moment. If it's Ma Chao, then this is a godsend opportunity. We can seize him while he's short-handed. This way, the crisis on the front lines will be resolved, and we can also take the initiative in negotiations with Xiliang. This is a move that has only benefits and no harm."

Yang Song thought for a long time and felt that what Zhang Lu said made some sense, so he turned around and drafted a letter of order to convey the order to all places in Hanzhong, requiring a strict investigation and pursuit of all suspicious persons, especially those suspected of being Ma Chao and his followers. No clues should be missed, or those who were holding the sect's token talismans. Once discovered, they would be arrested and taken back to Hanzhong City to await punishment.

Yang Song had just finished carefully writing the order, holding it in both hands and respectfully presenting it to Zhang Lu for his lord's review. Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard. Everyone looked up and saw Zhang Lu's daughter, Zhang Fubao, dressed in men's clothing. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and beads of sweat were rolling down her forehead and slightly pale cheeks. She was panting, obviously having run all the way here.

Zhang Lu's brows furrowed upon seeing this scene, his eyes filled with reproach and dissatisfaction. He sternly rebuked her, "Fubao, where have all those ladylike manners you practiced? Look at yourself now. You're dressed in men's clothing, without any trace of dignity or grace. And you're running about in such a disarray, sweating profusely. How can you possibly have the grace and manners of a lady of noble birth? This is simply unbecoming!"

However, Zhang Fubao was filled with anxiety and worry at the moment, and she paid no attention to her father's scolding. She rushed to Zhang Lu anxiously, stretched out her hands and tightly grasped her father's arm, her eyes full of anxiety and fear, and asked with a trembling voice: "Father, what did the guard say to you just now?" Seeing his daughter like this, Zhang Lu's face became more gloomy. He said in a stern voice: "Humph, I haven't planned to investigate the matter of you going out without permission and disguising yourself as a man. You are so good, don't fight it yourself first. "You've confessed. The garrison commander came to report that they had spotted Ma Chao, but you intervened at the crucial moment, allowing Ma Chao to easily evade capture. Don't you know that Hanzhong and Xiliang are currently locked in a tense war? Ma Chao holds a crucial position in Xiliang, commanding a large army and a renowned reputation. Capturing him would undoubtedly be a golden opportunity for Hanzhong to turn the tide and escape our predicament. How could we let such a golden opportunity slip by?"

Zhang Fubao, though afraid at her father's rebuke, summoned her courage and pleaded, "Father, please listen to me. Ma Chao didn't have many men with him, and many of his followers were wounded and unable to move. Although he's from Xiliang, I saw with my own eyes that he was merely passing through Hanzhong with a caravan. He has nothing to do with our war." Zhang Lu's rage intensified upon hearing his daughter's words. He angrily declared, "You child, how naive! Ma Chao commanded all of Xiliang. How could he condescend to engage in such trivial matters as traveling for business? Even if he did come with a caravan, there must be some hidden secret or conspiracy. And you were so foolish as to let him go so easily. This is simply wasting our opportunity. Do you understand the gravity of the consequences?"

Tears quickly gathered in Zhang Fubao's eyes. Amidst her tears, she spoke earnestly and sobbingly, "But, Daddy, if you really catch him, he will definitely be in extreme danger." Zhang Lu looked at his daughter like this, thinking that she was too kind and simple-minded, and did not notice the strangeness and deep affection in her words. He sighed helplessly and said slowly, "Danger? You little girl may have thought too optimistically and too strongly of our situation in Hanzhong. Do you know that the iron cavalry of Xiliang are now eyeing us covetously at the front line, like a dark cloud pressing down heavily on our heads in Hanzhong, making it almost difficult for us to breathe and raise our heads. In this situation where the enemy is strong and we are weak, even if we are lucky enough to catch Ma Chao, how can we bring him any danger? On the contrary, we have to treat him as a superior. "He'll be treated like a guest, and treated with hospitality. If Father can successfully capture him, he'll only use this opportunity to negotiate with Xiliang, seeking a ceasefire and a non-aggression agreement. Only in this way can we slightly ease the immense pressure Hanzhong is currently facing and achieve the peace I've longed for." Zhang Fubao stared at Zhang Lu through tearful eyes, her gaze filled with both anticipation and uncertainty. Between sobs, she asked, "Father, are you telling the truth?" Zhang Lu, seeing his daughter's expression, felt both anger and amusement. He shook his head with a wry smile, sighing, "Ah, my daughter, you're simply too kind and merciful. Don't you consider the vast disparity in strength between Xiliang and Hanzhong? It's clear that Xiliang holds the absolute advantage, like a butcher wielding a knife, while Hanzhong is left like a fish on the chopping board, vulnerable to bullying."

Zhang Fubao looked at her father with a hint of doubt in her eyes. Zhang Lu ignored his daughter's gaze and turned to Yang Song beside him, issuing a decisive order: "Send the message to all places in Hanzhong immediately. Send the letter immediately. Do everything possible to capture Ma Chao. Only in this way can the crisis on the Hanzhong front be alleviated." Yang Song quickly accepted the order and hurriedly left to make arrangements.

Zhang Lu then frowned and pretended to be angry and asked, "You girl, you don't look dignified all day long. Tell me honestly, what's the matter with you wearing men's clothes? Why did you appear outside Hanzhong City?" Zhang Fubao looked up at his father, his eyes full of cowardice, his lips trembling slightly. He wanted to say that he went outside the city to treat patients, but when he thought of his father who never supported him to do such things, he swallowed the words back and could only let the cowardly tears fill his eyes again.

Seeing his daughter's expression, Zhang Lu, still feigning seriousness, reprimanded her, "From today on, until Ma Chao is captured, you are not allowed to set foot outside the City Lord's Mansion. If I, your father, learn of your disobedience, I will severely reprimand you and show no mercy."