Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Lu's praise left Zhang Fu, Zhang Gui, and Zhang Qiying perplexed, their mind swirling with confusion, unsure of his true intentions. Zhang Fu, unable to contain himself, spoke first, relying on his status as the eldest son. "Father, while my siblings and I may be somewhat mediocre, there's no need to praise Ma Chao so highly, as if no one in the world could surpass him. Father, please tell us directly what your intentions are." Zhang Lu's blunt words momentarily embarrassed him, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. He simply ignored Zhang Fu's question and addressed Zhang Qiying directly, "Qiying, if you agree that Ma Chao is truly exceptional, I'd like to betroth you to him. This would be a great boon for you and for our entire sect."

At these words, Zhang Qiying's cheeks flushed, as delicate and alluring as the clouds on the horizon. Shy at the prospect of marriage in front of her father and brother, she turned away, unsure how to respond. Seeing her daughter's shy expression, Zhang Lu assumed she shared his desire, so he pressed her further, "What's the matter, Qiying? While I dote on Fu Bao, I've never neglected you and your siblings. If you're reluctant, I won't force you." Though his words were somewhat insincere, Zhang Lu simply wanted Zhang Qiying to clarify her stance. Zhang Qiying said, her voice as soft as a mosquito's, "I leave it to you, father." With that, she hurried away, concealing her shyness.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Lu hurriedly said, "Qiying, wait a minute. Your father already knows what you mean. But don't leave yet. Your father still has something to tell you. Tomorrow, Zhang Fu, Zhang Gui, you two brothers will take Qiying and Fu Bao to visit Ma Chao. While making friends, you should also care about his daily life and diet, so as to demonstrate Hanzhong's respect for Xiliang and its sincerity to Ma Chao. Zhang Fu, Zhang Gui, Fu Bao will be dressed as a man at that time. You must remember that she is like your fourth brother. You must not let Ma Chao misunderstand. And Qiying, you just need to dress up carefully and go to the meeting in the most beautiful posture." After hearing their father's arrangement, Zhang Fu and Zhang Gui secretly felt that this move was a bit inappropriate, but they did not dare to say much, so they could only nod in agreement silently.

Zhang Qiying felt her cheeks burning, scorching hot. A surge of shyness washed over her like a surging wave. Her head hung low, like a frightened quail, desperate to hide completely, never daring to raise it. Zhang Lu realized he had nearly finished explaining everything he needed to say, and seeing his daughter's shy expression, though he had some unspoken thoughts, he felt it was inappropriate to say more. He waved his hand and quietly told them to withdraw and make their own preparations.

The next morning, as the sun began to shine, Zhang Fubao had already dressed carefully, her men's clothing accentuating her heroic presence. After meeting with her two brothers, they all arrived outside Zhang Qiying's boudoir. Zhang Fu and Zhang Gui, upholding the reserved manners and etiquette of men, stood outside the door, their faces slightly reserved, hesitant to enter their sister's boudoir.

Zhang Fubao, however, showed no such shyness. She pushed open the door and walked in. Inside, Zhang Qiying was clearly dressed up, radiating a radiant beauty from within, like a pearl covered in dust, its brilliance still unseen. Zhang Fubao, perplexed by the scene before her, stepped forward and teased her sister, "Oh, sister, you look like a goddess descending from heaven today. We're only going to visit Ma Chao, not to go on a blind date, yet you've dressed up so glamorously. Are you deliberately trying to captivate Ma Chao and make him lose his mind?"

These teasing remarks made Zhang Qiying blush like the morning glow, her cheeks burning like fire. Embarrassed and anxious, she gently raised her hand and struck Zhang Fubao, scolding him, "You little girl, you're just talking nonsense and have no manners. If you keep talking nonsense like this, I'm going to tear your mouth apart."

Zhang Fubao, however, still had that playful look on her face, and kept on asking, "Why, sister, did I hit the nail on the head and tell you what was on your mind? If you really have feelings for Ma Chao, I will be the one to act as a matchmaker for you. After all, Ma Chao and I are old acquaintances who have met several times." Zhang Fubao's special feelings for Ma Chao were like the first buds sprouting in spring, looming in the hazy mist. She herself didn't know the reason for her love for him, and was still in a confused and confused state.

Zhang Qiying couldn't stand Zhang Fubao's unbridled nonsense anymore, so she said, "Fubao, come here. Are the brothers ready? Father ordered us to go visit General Ma Chao together. If everything is ready, we should set off immediately."

Zhang Fubao smiled and replied, "Oh, sister, you're deliberately changing the subject. Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore. My brothers are already ready and are waiting outside your boudoir. Come on, let's go meet the renowned Young Master of Xiliang. So, that talented young man we stumbled upon last time was none other than Ma Chao. I'd heard of his renowned name before, but I didn't know his identity the last time we met. Today, we must get to know him again and see what this legendary figure, the one Daddy praised so highly, really looks like."

The four siblings strolled gracefully to the courtyard where Ma Chao was temporarily trapped. Surprisingly, they encountered no guards to stop them. Zhang Fu stepped forward and politely asked, "Excuse me, has General Ma Chao risen yet?" The guard bowed slightly and respectfully replied, "My lord, General Ma Chao rose at dawn and is now in the hall." Zhang Fu nodded slightly and said, "In that case, please announce that the four siblings are here to see you."

The guard went inside to pass on the message, while the four siblings waited patiently in the courtyard. Zhen Mi, in Hanzhong City, was treading on thin ice, peril lurking on every side. She knew full well that she was a woman, now impersonating Ma Chao's fame. A single misstep could lead to total defeat, and so she was constantly on edge, unable to find peace. Last night, she had tossed and turned, unable to sleep, only managing to fall asleep late. Today, again, her worries had kept her awake early. Upon hearing that Zhang Lu's children were coming to visit, she feared no delay, hurriedly tidying her clothes and rushing out to greet them.

Zhang Fubao looked up and saw "Ma Chao" approaching. He was dressed in a brocade robe that perfectly outlined his slender and upright figure. His face was extremely handsome, his eyes were deep and bright, and his every move showed his extraordinary demeanor. She was so excited that she couldn't contain herself. Before her brothers could say hello, she was the first to say, "Hi, Ma Chao, do you remember me? Since we last parted, I have been wondering when we would meet again. I didn't expect that not long ago, we met again."

Zhen Mi immediately recognized this quirky "boy" as the "gentleman" she had encountered outside the city the other day, disguised as a man and treating her troops. Thinking of the many setbacks she had encountered, she felt a little helpless, but she couldn't blame this innocent girl. So she greeted him and said, "This..." Glancing at her, she saw that she was still dressed in men's clothing, so she wisely refrained from pointing it out. She continued, "Brother, how could I not remember you? I have to thank you for giving me such a valuable gift. It's a pity that the jade talisman was taken by the Prime Minister."

Zhang Fubao smiled brightly, reached into her bosom, and pulled out her talisman. She waved it gently in front of Ma Chao's eyes and said playfully, "Hmph, I told you to keep it safe, but you didn't? Look, here it is." Then, she handed it directly to "Ma Chao," that is, Zhen Mi, and reminded her, "You must keep it carefully this time."

Zhen Mi could only give a wry smile, thinking to herself: This was the very thing that caused me so much trouble last time, and now you're giving it to me again. But she still managed to put on a smile and said pleasantly, "Okay, okay, whatever you say." Then, with a puzzled look on her face, she asked, "This is the Hanzhong City Lord's Mansion. Why are you here?"

It was only then that Zhang Fu, Zhang Gui, and Zhang Qiying finally found a chance to interrupt. Zhang Fu stepped forward and said respectfully, "Brother, this is my fourth brother, Zhang Fubao. We've come here today at our father's command. We're worried that you might be getting bored in this mansion, so we've come to chat with you."

After saying this, Zhang Fu turned back to the crowd and introduced the people around him to Ma Chao one by one. He pointed to Zhang Gui and said, "This is my second brother, Zhang Gui. You should have remembered him from last night's banquet." Zhang Gui stepped forward, bowed, and said gently, "Brother, did you rest well last night? If I was not very hospitable, I hope you will forgive me." Zhen Mi quickly returned the greeting, a humble smile on her face. "Thank you for your concern. I rested well here yesterday. Everything is fine."

Zhang Fu then pointed to Zhang Qiying and introduced her, "This is my third sister, Zhang Qiying. Father thought that since the three of us brothers had come to visit our brother, we shouldn't leave our sister alone. She has long admired your reputation, so she came along to meet you." Zhang Qiying took light steps, bowed slightly, and saluted Zhen Mi, saying softly, "My brother is truly extraordinary and dignified. I'm truly honored to meet you today."

Zhen Mi also bowed slightly in return. The moment her eyes met Zhang Qiying, her heart couldn't help but move slightly. She felt that this woman was gentle and quiet, with a kind of spirituality between her eyebrows. She responded politely at the moment: "Third sister, you are too kind. I, Ma, am just a warrior. How dare I deserve such a high praise." When Zhang Qiying heard this, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. She lowered her head and said nothing, which made her look even more shy and charming.

Zhang Fu then pointed at Zhang Fubao and said with a smile, "This is my fourth brother, Zhang Fubao. Since you two are old acquaintances, there's no need for me to introduce you." Zhen Mi smiled and replied, "Of course. Last time, you treated my troops, and I'm very grateful." Zhang Fubao was stunned at first, clearly not expecting Zhen Mi to bring up this matter. Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui and Zhang Fu couldn't help but exclaim in curiosity, "Oh, there's this?"

Ma Chao then recounted his encounter outside the city, where Zhang Fubao had treated a wounded soldier. Zhang Fubao's face lit up with pride, and she raised her chin towards Ma Chao, saying, "Of course, my medical skills are truly remarkable. They're quite impressive." She winked at the crowd, looking playful and adorable. Seeing this, everyone was amused by her expression, and a burst of laughter filled the originally tense atmosphere, transforming it into a joyful and cheerful one.