Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

As Li Ru listened, the sneer on his face grew more pronounced, a smile as if covered in ice, chilling him to the bone. His gaze pierced Zhang Lu like a knife, his words as sharp as poisoned arrows, interrupting their questioning: "Tianshi, listen, listen to this ridiculous rhetoric! First, you made such unreasonable demands, and now you've pulled off this absurd act of impersonating the Young Master, brazenly tarnishing the reputation of my Young Master of Xiliang. By acting in this way, you, Hanzhong, are treating Xiliang like a piece of fish on the chopping block, to be humiliated at will! You must give Xiliang a clear and reasonable explanation of how you intend to compensate for its losses and restore its prestige in the eyes of the people."

Zhang Lu's face flushed crimson, like a lit powder keg, raging with anger and anxiety. He spun around, his eyes as wide as bells as he glared at Zhen Mi, practically cleaving every word through his teeth. "You rascal, stop trying to argue! Even if it was a misunderstanding at first, why didn't you clarify the truth during the peace talks, which hinged on the survival of Hanzhong? Now that things have gotten so out of hand, Hanzhong is in imminent danger. If I can't quell the fury of Xiliang, I will hack you into pieces and leave you with no place to bury your body!"

Yang Song, standing nearby, was so frightened his legs had already gone limp, his face pale as paper. He forced a fawning smile and looked cautiously at Li Ru, his voice trembling with fear. "Mr. Li Ru, this... this is truly a heartbreaking misunderstanding. It's all due to Zhen's audacity and greed, and he truly doesn't represent the sincere heart of Hanzhong towards Xiliang. I hope you will be magnanimous and grant us Hanzhong another chance for peace talks. If you are willing to show some leniency, Hanzhong will be grateful and will reward you handsomely."

Li Ru's cold gaze swept over the crowd, musing to himself that Hanzhong was in such a state of panic that he could manipulate them. He slowly said, "Negotiations are possible. Xiliang can consider the terms you mentioned earlier, including trade." Zhang Lu and Yang Song's eyes flickered with hope, as if grasping at a lifeline in a desperate situation. Li Ru continued, "But the compensation you've proposed for war losses is absolutely impossible. Instead, Hanzhong must compensate Xiliang for the losses incurred by the ceasefire. As for the occupied territories, returning them is possible, but Hanzhong must provide sufficient money and food." He paused, observing the nervous expressions of Zhang Lu and Yang Song, and felt a surge of joy. These two were already in such a state of panic that this final condition would surely bring them to their knees.

An unreadable look flashed across Li Ru's eyes, and he continued, "There's one more condition..." Before he could finish, Zhang Lu and Yang Song felt as if a sudden turn of events had occurred, and they saw a glimmer of hope for peace talks. Zhang Lu was overjoyed, figuring that as long as war with Xiliang could be avoided, Hanzhong could be saved, and the people wouldn't have to suffer. Even harsher conditions would be acceptable to him. Moreover, Xiliang had not only agreed to cease hostilities but also to return the occupied land. It would only cost him some money and food, ensuring Hanzhong's supplies were adequate—a minor expense. Yang Song, on the other hand, figured that if peace could be reached, his position in Hanzhong would be preserved, and perhaps even his contribution to this cause would earn him greater esteem. The two men nodded in agreement.

Li Ru sneered at this, thinking these two were so eager, it seemed they were frightened by the war. He said, "You didn't even ask what the conditions were? You're so careless. Aren't you afraid that I'll propose something you can't accept?"

Zhang Lu smiled broadly. Although he felt a little uneasy, he said eagerly, "Mr. Li Ru, no matter what the conditions are, as long as we can stop the war and negotiate peace with Xiliang and save the people of Hanzhong from the ravages of war, we will agree." At this moment, he was completely focused on ending the war. Even if the conditions later became difficult, he could only take it one step at a time. Yang Song also nodded continuously and echoed, "Yes, yes, yes, sir, just say it, we will definitely do it." In his heart, he silently prayed that Li Ru's conditions would not be too outrageous, otherwise he would end up in trouble.

Li Ru chuckled and said, "It's not a big deal. It won't cause any harm to you. To be honest, not all people in my Xiliang are brave and aggressive. Just like my lord, he has always advocated Taoism's inaction and adhered to the concept of being kind to neighbors and living in harmony with them. This time when I came to your Hanzhong, I saw that Taoist teachings are flourishing, the people are united, and everyone has faith. It can be seen that the power of faith should not be underestimated." He swept his eyes across everyone's faces, observing their reactions.

After a pause, Li Ru continued, "The last condition is that I want you to send someone to Xiliang to spread the teachings."

Zhang Lu was overjoyed upon hearing this. He had originally feared the conditions would be extremely harsh, but he hadn't expected such a "great offer." He quickly agreed, beaming, "If you're willing, how about sending my legitimate son, accompanied by a group of guardians, to Xiliang to explain the teachings in detail to General Ma Teng?" Zhang Lu was overjoyed, believing this would not only facilitate peace talks but also provide an opportunity to establish friendly relations with Xiliang and expand the influence of Taoism in Hanzhong.

Yang Song, standing aside, was secretly gladdened, his heart finally at ease. He thought this offer was a boon for Hanzhong, and couldn't help but agree, "That's excellent. Master Zhang is so knowledgeable, he'll surely let the people of Xiliang appreciate the subtleties of our Taoism."

When Li Ru heard Zhang Lu's proposal, a faint smile appeared on his face. He waved his hand gently, his tone gentle but unquestionable: "A gentleman does not take away what others like. Your son shoulders the important task of inheriting your Taoist tradition. Many affairs in Hanzhong will need him to preside over in the future. How can he leave here easily? How could I make such an unreasonable request." After hearing this, Zhang Lu's favorability towards Li Ru instantly increased, and he felt that the man in front of him was reasonable and considerate.

Zhang Lu pondered for a moment, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he quickly said with a smile: "Then, sir, how about this arrangement? Let my second son Zhang Gui represent me and his brother, and represent Hanzhong to go to Xiliang to spread the doctrine to the people in your place. Zhang Gui is a smart and intelligent child, and he has quite a few insights into the doctrine. He will definitely live up to your trust." Zhang Lu felt that his second son Zhang Gui had always performed well. If he went to Xiliang, he could not only fulfill the conditions for the peace talks, but also take the opportunity to showcase the style of Hanzhong Taoism.

However, Li Ru still shook his head slowly, the smile on his face not diminishing, but his eyes were more profound. He said slowly: "No, no, no, alas, this is not what I really think." After finishing speaking, his deep eyes turned slightly, and he slowly raised his hand, and his slender fingers pointed steadily at Zhang Fubao, "Let's go to this young master."

Li Ru had been in the martial arts world for many years and was a shrewd and calculating person. He had already learned everything about Zhang Lu's offspring before arriving. Although Zhang Fubao was dressed in men's clothes and deliberately disguised himself, how could he escape his sharp eyes?

Zhang Fubao was struck by a bolt from the blue. She had never traveled far in her life, and the thought of traveling alone to the distant and unfamiliar Xiliang instantly filled her heart with fear. Her eyes widened, tears quickly filling her sockets. Her voice trembled with tears as she piteously cried, "Father, I've never traveled far... The world outside is so unfamiliar, I... I'm so scared." Her eyes were filled with deep reluctance and a helpless plea for help from her father.

Zhang Lu had always had high hopes for his youngest daughter, Zhang Fubao. He had always hoped to leverage her intelligence and talent to expand the sect's reach and enhance its influence. Now, faced with the prospect of sending his daughter to the unknown and uncertain Xiliang, how could he bear to let her take such a risk? His face was filled with embarrassment, his brows furrowed tightly together. He looked at Li Ru with worry in his eyes and said, almost pleadingly, "Sir, can you consider a different candidate? Others are welcome, but Fubao is still young and has never experienced such a long journey in an unfamiliar environment. I'm really worried about her. I hope you can understand my father's painstaking efforts."

Upon hearing Zhang Lu's plea, Li Ru's face turned cold, his eyes etched with unwavering determination. He refused with a resolute tone, "Zhang Lu, there's absolutely no turning back. I'm determined. The young master must go to Xiliang." Zhang Lu's brow furrowed like a twisted dough knot, his heart swirling with conflict. He knew full well that this decision could change his daughter's fate, and his daughter was so precious to him.

Zhang Lu knew that Zhang Fubao possessed a special destiny, foretold by Daoist masters as a motherly figurehead of the nation. From her birth, Zhang Lu placed high hopes on her, placing the heavy responsibility of carrying forward the sect's power on her young shoulders. He had imagined countless times that with his daughter's destiny and talent, she would bring unprecedented glory to the sect and spread its teachings far and wide. But now, Li Ru insisted on taking his daughter to Xiliang. This uncharted journey, like an ocean teeming with hidden reefs, threatened to sink his boat of hope at any moment.

After a long stalemate, Zhang Lu was at his wit's end, as if his spine had been pulled out. He sighed deeply and confessed helplessly: "Sir, to be honest, this is my little daughter Zhang Fubao. She is a weak woman. It is not suitable for her to go to Xiliang, where the mountains are high and the waters are long. There will be many inconveniences." After saying this, his eyes were full of pleading, as if he was begging fate.

However, upon hearing this, Li Ru was not the least bit shaken. Instead, a meaningful smile appeared on his face. He stroked his beard and said slowly, "That's very good. To be honest, my wife has always been a devout believer in Taoism, and my young lady, Ma Yunlu, is also quite knowledgeable about Taoism. If your daughter goes there, she can perfectly keep them company and exchange ideas with each other. Isn't this a perfect opportunity to have the best of both worlds?"

Zhang Lu's anger burned like a raging fire, and his eyes glared at Zhen Mi in the hall like sharp blades. If Zhen Mi hadn't impersonated Ma Chao, triggering this series of nightmare-like events, how could he have fallen into such a desperate situation? He was so furious that he slammed the table so hard that the teacups on the table jumped. He shouted, "Come! Take this Zhen Mi out and behead her. I will vent my hatred!"

The soldiers rushed forward like hungry tigers, ready to capture Zhen Mi. At this critical moment, Zhang Fubao's heart suddenly tightened, and fear overwhelmed her like a tide. But as she looked at Zhen Mi's life, kindness and courage burst out from her heart, instantly overcoming the fear that always lingered in her heart. She stumbled to her father and knelt heavily with a plop. Tears welled in her eyes, rolling down like beads from a broken string. She pleaded desperately, "Father, please, spare Zhen Mi's life! I am willing to go to Xiliang, just for your sake."