Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yang Song held his head high and chest out, his expression full of righteousness, and said in a resounding voice: "My lord, you have great ambitions and want to create a grand cause. This will benefit thousands of people in Hanzhong. At this moment, what does a little bit of cold weather matter? Even if I need to go through fire and water for my lord and sacrifice my life, Yang Song will not refuse and will move forward bravely without any intention of retreating." Zhang Lu was inexplicably moved when he heard this, his eyes were slightly red, and he asked in a trembling voice: "Then according to your opinion, when is the most appropriate time to set out to wipe out the barbarians?" Yang Song's face instantly showed a resolute look as if "How can I return home if the Huns are not destroyed?" Of course, there was a lot of acting in it. He responded with a resolute gaze, "This matter is of grave importance; it's best to act sooner rather than later. The situation is critical. If Song were to delay even a single day, Wudu would be in even greater danger of being annihilated by the enemy. Song's mind was made up. A moment later, he packed his bags and rushed to Wudu without stopping to discuss peace with the Western Liang army, striving to maintain peace in Hanzhong." Deeply moved by his words, Zhang Lu strode forward excitedly, steadily lifting Yang Song to his feet. He looked like a true example of a loving couple, a harmonious ruler and minister. He immediately issued orders for rewards, ordering fur cloaks and golden gold to be brought. He also instructed his attendants to carefully select the extremely precious century-old ginseng from his treasury. Zhang Lu personally handed the ginseng to Yang Song and said earnestly, "Sir, the journey is long and the weather is cold, the environment is harsh. This century-old wild ginseng is extremely effective. You must hold on to it well for emergency use. Don't overwork yourself."

Hanzhong City was a scene of bustle, with everything being meticulously planned. Upon receiving the order, Yang Bai assembled an army of 10,000 men, a formidable presence. Their mission was to personally escort the rumored Ma Chao to Hanzhong. Yang Song, fearing no slack, quickly assembled a team of 500 envoys, all with solemn expressions. They were about to head to the front lines of Wudu City to negotiate peace with the Western Liang army.

However, this seemingly well-planned operation concealed a formidable hidden danger. None had ever seen Ma Chao in person, and their knowledge of his appearance and stature was complete. They had based their plans and actions solely on hearsay, as if groping through a fog. While seemingly meticulous, their foundations were shaky. Yet, neither side hesitated, for the military situation demanded no time. They set out on their journey, galloping day and night, undeterred by the distance and the physical and mental fatigue, hoping only to reach their destination and fulfill their respective missions. But the ever-present uncertainty hung like a shadow over these hurried travelers, uncertain of the outcome: success in achieving their goal or a ditching quagmire from which they could no longer escape.

Everything was arranged properly under Zhang Lu's command. At this moment, he suddenly remembered his daughter Zhang Fubao, who had declared a "hunger strike" for Ma Chao. As soon as Yang Song left, Zhang Lu walked towards his daughter's courtyard with a worried look on his face.

Entering the courtyard, he cleared his throat as usual, then coughed heavily. The sound was particularly loud in the quiet courtyard, intending to inform his daughter of his arrival. This sudden cough instantly threw Zhang Fubao, who was eating happily in the house, off balance. In her left hand, she was still holding a greasy chicken drumstick, and with her right hand, she was frantically stuffing the plates of tempting dried fruits and candied fruits in front of her into the hands of the little maid next to her. The chicken drumstick seemed to have become a tricky object in her hands. She widened her eyes, quickly tore off the remaining chicken meat and stuffed it into her mouth. Her cheeks bulged like a little squirrel. Because she ate too fast, she felt a lump in her throat and almost choked. The little maid hurriedly handed over a cup of warm tea that had been prepared long ago. Zhang Fubao took it and gulped down a few mouthfuls, and then she recovered. Then, she hurriedly grabbed the handkerchief and wiped the corners of her mouth. She looked embarrassed and cute. In her panic, she even forgot to take off her shoes. She rolled onto the bed like a whirlwind, quickly pulled the quilt over herself, and put on a sick and weak look.

The maidservant deftly hid the dried fruits and candied fruits, which hadn't been put away yet, in a corner, then hurried to the courtyard to greet Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu's face was solemn, and he whispered, "How has the young lady been these past two days? Has she eaten anything today?" The maidservant's face was filled with feigned anxiety and fear, and her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "Master, the young lady hasn't eaten a single grain of rice or water since you said that. She's lost so much weight, and I'm heartbroken." Zhang Lu's brows furrowed tightly, and he said anxiously, "Come on, take me to see her."

Entering the room, Zhang Fubao lay on her side on the bed, her back to the door, as if she had no strength left. Hearing Zhang Lu's footsteps, she stirred slightly, rolled over, and turned her face toward the bed, feigning complete ignorance of Zhang Lu's presence. Zhang Lu quickly walked to his daughter's bedside and was about to sit down beside it, but then he thought again, thinking that this might annoy his daughter, and he stayed by the bed. He bent slightly, leaned forward, and asked softly with concern, "Fubao, why are you still angry with Daddy? How can you go on eating like this?" Zhang Fubao chuckled to herself, but pretended to be indifferent to his concern. She thought to herself, "Hmph, you're so good at pretending! Let's see how I can hide this from you." Seeing his daughter like this, Zhang Lu sighed helplessly and said earnestly, "My daughter, you must understand that in these turbulent times, how can love be compared to military and national affairs? We are now facing the enemy, and the situation is extremely critical. If I let Ma Chao go, Wudu City will be captured in a flash. If all of Wudu County falls, the foundation of Hanzhong will be completely destroyed."

Zhang Fubao muttered with reluctance, "I don't understand your concerns about family and country, but how can you let your daughter go back on her word and break her promise?" Just as she finished speaking, a loud burp suddenly burst out of her mouth, which seemed particularly abrupt in the quiet and slightly tense atmosphere, making the scene instantly awkward to the extreme.

Zhang Lu was so absorbed in his worry and persuasion for his daughter that he was belatedly alerted by the sudden hiccup, leaving him momentarily stunned. The maidservant, however, was quick-witted. Her eyes darted around, and she quickly said, "Alas, sir, the young lady hasn't eaten in a while. This must be a hunger hiccup." But Zhang Lu, perceptive enough, could smell a faint aroma wafting through the room. It was clearly the distinct aroma of roast chicken. He frowned and said, "The room is filled with the aroma of food." The maidservant's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly explained, "Young lady, I brought the food here, but she didn't eat it. I left it out for a long time to cool before I took it away."

Zhang Lu was a little confused, but he didn't dare to ask any further questions. Meanwhile, Zhang Fubao, lying on the bed, covered her face with her hands and began to cry. "Father, you don't care if I live or die. Why are you pretending to be so?" she cried. "What does it matter to you whether I eat or not? Even if I starve to death, I don't think Father would care."

Zhang Lu loved his daughter more than anything else. Seeing this, he quickly coaxed her, "Hey, you still have to eat the Fubao rice. How could Daddy not care about you? Even if it was...how could Daddy make you sad? Even if I invited Ma Chao here, I treated him with courtesy. How could I pose any threat to him?"

Zhang Fubao was secretly thinking about her plan and muttered in response, "That's hard to say. It's because you didn't catch him. Even if you caught him, you wouldn't know what to do." She was still complacent about her "clever plan" at this time, thinking that Ma Chao must have fled far away with the talisman she gave him.

Zhang Lu, unaware of Zhang Fubao's thoughts, said, "Of course we'll treat him with courtesy. You don't have to stop fasting. You'll be able to see Ma Chao in a few days. Father has learned of his whereabouts and has sent Yang Bai with a large army to bring him to Hanzhong City."

Zhang Fubao froze in shock, as if struck by lightning. Then, anxiously, he suddenly sat up and said, "Why, Daddy, what's going on?" Zhang Lu patiently explained, "When he was being interrogated, he pulled out your talisman, but the guard saw through it and detained him."

Zhang Fubao then realized that it was his own talisman that had exposed Ma Chao's whereabouts. He said anxiously, "Dad, you can't do this! How could you do this? Doesn't my talisman say that with this talisman, I can enter and leave Hanzhong freely?"

Zhang Lu sighed softly and said to his daughter earnestly, "Oh, my dear daughter, don't worry. Daddy won't make things difficult for him. I invited him to Hanzhong only to persuade the Western Liang to cease hostilities and negotiate peace. I have already sent Mr. Yang Song to the Western Liang front. Once the two sides reach an agreement, I will let Ma Chao return."

Zhang Fubao looked at his father's sincere face and said hesitantly, "Dad, are you telling the truth?" Zhang Lu nodded slightly and said firmly, "It's absolutely true. How could Dad lie to you?" Zhang Fubao hesitated and said, "Then if Ma Chao comes..."

Zhang Lu rubbed his temple helplessly, a headache in his voice as he said, "Fu Bao, I can assure you I won't harm him in the slightest. But when Ma Chao arrives, you must not meet with him privately again." Zhang Lu had already noticed his daughter's feelings for Ma Chao, but in his mind, what was his daughter's status? She was a person of great fortune, destined to become the mother of the country and a noble concubine. Even with Ma Chao's wealth and influence in Xiliang, how could he be a match for his daughter?

Zhang Fubao was about to argue, but Zhang Lu waved his hand and said earnestly, "My dear daughter, please stop talking. This is Daddy's bottom line. You also know that you carry the destiny with you. The future prosperity of our sect depends on you. It's best to give up those inappropriate thoughts as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fubao was immediately furious and simply turned away, ignoring Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu patiently tried to persuade his daughter a few more times, but seeing that his daughter still ignored him, he had no choice but to leave with a heart full of frustration and headache. Before leaving, he still reminded his daughter: "Make sure to eat well." Zhang Fubao pretended to be reluctant and said "hmm." Seeing this, Zhang Lu left with a slight satisfaction. However, he was completely unaware that Zhang Fubao was secretly thinking: "If he comes to Hanzhong, I will definitely meet him secretly and see what you can do to me."