Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

When Li Ru led the Xiliang delegation farther and farther away outside Hanzhong City and disappeared in the dust, the usually peaceful Hanzhong City was like a deep pool with a stone thrown into it, and ripples appeared because of the two pieces of news.

The first piece of news, like the warm winter sun, dispelled the gloom that had long shrouded the hearts of the people of Hanzhong: After a protracted conflict, Xiliang and Hanzhong had finally reached a peace agreement, bringing an end to the fighting. The Wudu County, once occupied by Xiliang, had now been returned intact to Zhao. Furthermore, both sides had agreed to put aside their past grievances and live in harmony with their neighbors. Merchants would then flow between the two regions, sharing what they had and what they needed, promoting mutual economic prosperity and painting a harmonious picture of thriving trade.

The second piece of news, however, was like a double-edged sword, stirring complex emotions within the people. Zhang Fubao, the Saint of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect, the beloved jewel of the sect leader, and with a deep love for the people, resolutely led 500 of her followers to Xiliang, determined to free the common people from the bitterness of war. In the eyes of the people, Xiliang was a land of danger and treacherous. The Saint's future was uncertain. On the one hand, the people of Hanzhong rejoiced at the hard-won peace and expressed gratitude for the heavens' mercy; on the other, they worried about the Saint's foray into this dangerous territory, and at the same time, they expressed sincere gratitude and admiration for her selfless and righteous act. For a moment, a chorus of emotions swirled within Hanzhong, as people debated their hopes for the future and their concern for the Saint.

After Zhang Fubao left, Zhang Lu sat alone in the room, the air around him seemed to be filled with depression. How could he not see that his beloved daughter Fubao had a deep affection for Zhen Mi?

Yet, Zhen Mi, a mere merchant's daughter, had caused such calamity, dragging Hanzhong into a deep crisis. Now, even his precious daughter had been forced to journey to the bitter cold of Xiliang to quell the situation. The thought of this filled Zhang Lu with rage, like a broken dam, overflowing like a devastating flood.

He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, and paced back and forth, his chest surging with rage as he thought about it. Finally, he abruptly stopped, kicked over the stool at his feet, and yelled hysterically outside, calling for the servants, practically roaring at them to bring Zhen Mi to him immediately. He had decided that only by executing Zhen Mi could he even begin to calm the rage that surged like a raging wave within him.

Previously, because Zhen Mi was impersonating Ma Chao, Zhang Lu had deliberately brought him together with Zhang Qiying, hoping to marry the gentle Zhang Qiying to Zhen Mi. Over time, Zhang Qiying developed a deep affection for Zhen Mi. Zhang Fubao had recently departed for Xiliang, leaving Zhang Lu with no time to deal with Zhen Mi. During this time, Zhang Qiying had been making frequent, unobtrusive visits, bringing her food and keeping tabs on her. She also secretly observed her father's attitude towards the Zhen family.

Zhang Qiying rushed to Zhang Lu today after hearing her father was about to execute Zhen Mi. Zhen Mi had just been brought in. Zhang Qiying anxiously addressed Zhang Lu, "Father, please spare Zhen Mi's life for my sake. He may not be as renowned as Ma Chao, but he is a young talent. Why must you kill him?"

Zhang Lu flew into a rage, roaring, "This heartless wretch, impersonating Ma Chao, deceived us, dragged Hanzhong into danger, and even caused your sister Fu Bao to suffer in Xiliang. He toyed with the people of Hanzhong at his will. I cannot quell my hatred unless I kill him!"

Zhang Qiying was filled with grief. She fell to her knees with a plop and cried, "Father, if you hate him so much, why did you match me up with him back then? I'm sincere to him!"

Zhang Lu was now filled with a mixture of anger and pain. He slowly raised his hand, trembling, and placed it on his forehead, rubbing it vigorously, as if trying to dispel the pain that surged like a tide. His eyes were tightly closed, his brows knitted tightly into the shape of a "chuan" character, and he kept muttering to himself, "What a bad fate! What kind of evil has this caused me!"

Suddenly, his eyes shot open, blazing with fury. With lightning speed, he unsheathed the gleaming sword from his waist. The blade traced a sharp arc through the air, pointing directly at Zhen Mi. His voice, distorted with rage, thundered, "How dare you, a mere merchant's son, fabricate such a monstrous lie, toying with the very fabrications of Hanzhong, from the dignitaries to the common people. If I let you go, how could I possibly live in the future? How could I possibly dispel the burning hatred in my heart!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qiying's heart trembled. She fell to her knees with a thud, the sound of her knees hitting the ground particularly abrupt in the silence. Tears streamed down her face, her hands clutching tightly at her father's trouser legs. Her voice became hoarse with grief as she pleaded, "Father, father, please spare him! If you must punish him, please kill me. I'll die in his place!" Her cries were like the cry of a cuckoo, a cry of tears.

Zhen Mi's heart ached at the sight of Zhang Qiying, who showed such deep affection and loyalty. She suppressed her inner panic, trying to keep her voice steady as she addressed Zhang Lu, "Tianshi, please calm down for now and don't attack! Miss Qiying, there's no need to be so distressed and hopeless. Listen to what I, Zhen Mi, have to say."

Zhang Lu's eyes widened like an angry lion, and he shouted at Zhen Mi angrily, "After all this, what else do you have to say?!"

Zhen Mi took a deep breath, slowly raised her head, and looked calmly at Zhang Lu and Zhang Qiying. With a solemn expression, she slowly revealed her identity: "Tianshi, Miss Qiying, I am indeed from the Zhen family, there is no doubt about that. However, I am not a man, but a woman. Tianshi, fearing Xiliang, wants to put me to death today, but you don't know that I, Zhen Mi, have already been engaged to Yuan Shao's second son, Yuan Xi. In fact, I am his fiancée. Now, if Tianshi insists on killing me, does that mean you have no regard for the Yuan family's reputation? The Yuan family is no weaker than the Ma family. Tianshi, aren't you afraid of further trouble in the future?"

Zhang Lu gripped the longsword tightly in his hand, its cold gleam illuminating his volatile expression. The Yuan family remained a dominant force, a formidable power among the feudal lords. While Hanzhong had no direct connection to the Yuan family, if he rashly killed Yuan Xi's fiancée, there was no guarantee the family wouldn't use it as an excuse to launch an attack. The stakes were a tangled web, weighing heavily on Zhang Lu's mind, causing his sword-raising hand to freeze in mid-air, unable to lower it.

As for Zhang Qiying, the moment she learned that Zhen Mi was a woman, it felt as if her entire world had collapsed. She had always believed her true feelings had found a place, but she hadn't imagined it had been a farce from the very beginning. Her heart, filled with love, felt like it had been stomped on, trampled upon. Despair and pain washed over her like a tide, tears streaming uncontrollably. She slowly released her grip on her father's trouser leg, slumped to the ground with a hollow look in her eyes, and kept muttering to herself, "How could this be... How could this be..." At this moment, she was numb with heartache, as if she had lost all sense of the world.

Zhang Lu gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles whitening. The blade, as if sensing its master's inner conflict, trembled slightly. Yuan Shao remained a powerful figure, a formidable force, not to be easily offended. If he rashly executed Yuan Xi's fiancée, Zhen Mi, and Yuan Shao used this as an excuse to march south, Hanzhong would be plunged into war, and the people would suffer the same fate. This was not what Zhang Lu wanted. As the lord of Hanzhong, he had to consider the safety of his people.

At this moment, Zhang Lu's mind was swirling with thoughts like a whirlwind. Killing her might alleviate his hatred for a moment, but it could also bring about catastrophic consequences. Not killing her would leave him with a bittersweet rage. His brow furrowed, his gaze shifting unsteadily over Zhen Mi, his gaze filled with struggle and conflict. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and the entire room was filled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

Finally, after a painful weighing of pros and cons, Zhang Lu sighed deeply, his raised arm slowly lowered like a deflated ball, and he sheathed his sword. He looked at Zhen Mi with a complex expression, a mixture of resentment and helplessness. His tone, though still a touch cold, lacked the murderous intent he had previously held. "Well, I won't argue with you today." Then, turning to his servants, he instructed, "From now on, treat Miss Zhen with respect and courtesy. Do not neglect her in the slightest."

Zhen Mi felt a sense of relief at Zhang Lu's change of heart, and then, filled with guilt, she approached Zhang Qiying. She slowly knelt, tears glistening in her eyes, and spoke with deep remorse, "Miss Qiying, I disguised myself this time out of sheer helplessness. I didn't intend to cause you such severe harm and suffering. This is all my fault, and I truly apologize. I hope you will be magnanimous and forgive my recklessness and ignorance."

Zhang Qiying looked at Zhen Mi, kneeling before her, her eyes filled with sorrow. Recalling her sincere treatment of Zhen Mi during these days, all those beautiful hopes and expectations had now vanished. The pain in her heart was like a sharp needle, piercing her piercingly. Uncontrollably, tears welled up in her eyes again, rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto the cold ground.

She stared at Zhen Mi quietly, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart. But Zhen Mi's attitude was sincere, her words earnest, and her eyes were filled with regret and self-blame. Recalling every moment she had spent with Zhen Mi, she knew she wasn't deliberately deceiving her. After a long inner struggle, she slowly reached out her trembling hand and gently helped Zhen Mi up. Her voice was trembling and choked with sobs, "Forget it. Now that things have come to this, how can I blame you entirely? I can only blame fate for bringing you and me into this situation."

Zhen Mi burst into tears of gratitude, tightly grasping Zhang Qiying's hand, her eyes filled with emotion and relief. She looked at Zhang Qiying and offered a sincere proposal: "Miss Qiying, although you and I have experienced many ups and downs, we are destined to be together. After this incident, our friendship has become even more precious. How about we become sworn sisters, from now on, calling each other sisters and supporting each other? What do you think?"

Zhang Qiying nodded slightly, a glint in her eyes. The two of them immediately came to the hall and solemnly swore an oath before the gods of heaven and earth. From then on, they became sworn sisters, all past grudges and hatreds vanished, leaving only the bond of sisterhood.

Zhen Mi had been delayed for a long time in Hanzhong City and had no intention of staying any longer. Zhang Lu felt deeply hurt by this incident for his daughter, Zhang Qiying. Since his daughter had already chosen to let it go and even become Zhen Mi's sister, it was a satisfactory outcome. So, he released the Zhen family's entourage, returned the detained caravan and supplies, and ordered them to depart. However, no one could have anticipated that their next encounter with Zhen Mi would bring unexpected twists and turns.