Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Finally, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Ma Chao and his companions arrived in Wu County, exhausted from their long journey. However, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were not waiting in the city. The Shanyue leader, Shamoke, had once again launched an invasion of Wu County, and the two sides were engaged in a fierce battle.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had already planned this, and they devised a clever strategy, launching a surprise attack from both sides. Suddenly, shouts of killing erupted, and Shamoke's troops were thrown into disarray. Unable to withstand the fierce attacks of Sun and Zhou, Shamoke led his men back into the mountains in disarray.

The Shanyue were known for their ability to navigate the jungle, and the terrain was extremely advantageous to them. Despite suffering a significant loss this time, when Sun Ce and Zhou Yu pursued their forces, they were met with the tenacious resistance of the Shanyue, utilizing the complex terrain. Taking advantage of their familiarity with the mountains and forests, they skillfully set up obstacles, complicating their pursuit. Ultimately, while Sun Ce and Zhou Yu achieved some success, they were unable to completely defeat the Shanyue forces and achieve complete victory.

Ma Chao and his companions rode at top speed, arriving outside Wu County, exhausted. After settling his men on the shores of Lake Tai, Ma Chao hurriedly entered Wu County with only Pan Feng, Wu Anguo, Lu Su, Gan Ning, and twenty personal guards.

When Wu County Magistrate Wu Jing heard that Ma Chao was coming, he hurriedly straightened his clothes and hat, and went out to greet him with a smile on his face. He bowed from a distance and said loudly: "Ah, General Ma, your visit really brings honor to our humble home in Wu County! You must have been tired from the long journey, General!" Ma Chao hurriedly returned the greeting and said humbly: "You are too polite, Lord Wu. I am sorry to bother you with my visit." Wu Jing waved his hands hurriedly and said: "Of course, General, and my nephew Sun Ce are like brothers. You are one of our family members. Why should I bother you?" After that, he cordially led Ma Chao and others to his mansion.

As they were marching, Ma Chao heard that Sun Ce's mother was at the mansion. A flicker of surprise and respect flashed in his eyes. He hurriedly stopped and respectfully addressed Wu Jing, "Sir Wu, I've long heard of Uncle Sun's virtuous reputation. Though I'm not talented, I've long admired her. Since you're here, I wonder if I could have the honor of meeting you?" Wu Jing was delighted to hear this and said repeatedly, "Why not? Since General, if you're so inclined, I'll arrange it."

Soon, Wu Jing led Ma Chao to the back hall with ease. Sun's mother had heard that Ma Chao was coming, so she had specially brought Sun Quan and Sun Ce's younger sister, Sun Shangxiang, to wait there.

As Ma Chao entered the back hall, he saw the elegant decor. His mother, Sun's mother, sat at the head of the table, her sleeves flowing lightly, her demeanor dignified. Her face wore a gentle smile, yet hinted at authority. Ma Chao felt a surge of respect, and hurried forward, prostrating himself respectfully. His voice was loud and sincere, "Junior Ma Chao, greets Aunt. I've long heard of your kindness and generosity, and your wise management of the household. Meeting your face in person today is truly a lifetime honor."

Sun's mother's smile deepened. She raised her hand slightly, gently signaling Ma Chao to stand. Her gaze, filled with the loving caress of an elder, surveyed Ma Chao from head to toe. Ma Chao stood tall and straight, like a pine tree, his slender figure accentuated by his sartorial attire. His features were chiseled, his brows sharp, his eyes sparkling with radiant beauty, a strikingly handsome figure. Sun's mother couldn't help but feel a fondness for him, nodding silently. She knew that her son, Sun Ce, and her sworn brother, Zhou Yu, were both exceptionally handsome and graceful, but the Ma Chao before her was even more remarkable than them. His aura was unparalleled, like uncut jade and pure gold, a truly dazzling sight.

But the two striking strands of white hair on Ma Chao's temples were too eye-catching, like tiny flaws on flawless white jade, and they made people feel pity. These white hairs seemed to silently tell the vicissitudes and hardships he had experienced.

Mother Sun's eyes were filled with joy. She hurried forward and gently helped Ma Chao to his feet, saying repeatedly, "Well, well, well, my nephew is indeed worthy of his reputation. He is so handsome and handsome, even more outstanding than my son Ce'er and Zhou Yu. If it weren't for your generosity and support, how could Sun Ce have stood firm in these troubled times and laid such a foundation? I must thank you very much for all this."

Ma Chao slowly stood up with the help of his mother, his heart filled with emotion. He quickly said, "Aunt, you are too kind. It is all thanks to Bofu's own hard work that he has built such a remarkable foundation. Although I am the elder brother, I have not been able to help much. Aunt, such praise makes Ma Chao feel ashamed."

Mother Sun took Ma Chao's hand and led him to sit aside, her eyes full of concern: "My dear nephew, I heard that you have been running around for the court all these years, sleeping in the open air and eating in the open air. It's really hard."

Ma Chao bowed slightly and said gratefully, "Aunt, I will always remember your care. These years of wandering abroad have been full of ups and downs, but they have also tempered me. Now that I can join hands with Bo Fu and fight for the court, all the hard work is worth it."

Mother Sun nodded gently, her eyes filled with hope. "It is a great blessing for you brothers to be together now. I only hope that you can support each other and achieve great things, so that the people in this troubled time can live a stable life soon."

Ma Chao's expression was resolute. He cupped his hands and replied, "Don't worry, Aunt. Ma Chao and Bo Fu will work together to live up to your expectations and bring happiness to the people of the world."

Mother Sun smiled kindly and pulled Sun Quan and Sun Shangxiang aside. She said to Ma Chao, "Come here, Mengqi, this is Bofu's second brother, Sun Quan. He's eleven or twelve years old now. He has a very different temperament from his older brothers. He's a gentle and reserved child who enjoys reading and has little interest in swordplay." Pointing to Sun Shangxiang, she said, "This little girl is their younger sister, Sun Shangxiang. She just turned nine this year. She's always dancing and chattering, not at all the quiet and gentle girlish demeanor. She loves swordplay and is very mischievous. It's like these two siblings have different personalities, and they're giving me a lot of worry."

Ma Chao naturally understood Sun's mother's intentions. She treated him like one of her own, a family friend, and was introducing him to them. He immediately stepped forward to greet the two. He first looked at Sun Quan and asked gently, "My dear brother, what book are you reading now?" Sun Quan replied gracefully, "To answer your question, I'm reading the Spring and Autumn Annals." Ma Chao nodded slightly and casually challenged Sun Quan with a few words. Sun Quan responded fluently and clearly. Ma Chao couldn't help but praise him, "My dear brother, you are extremely intelligent and have a deep understanding of the Spring and Autumn Annals. You will become a great man in the future." Sun Quan smiled shyly and said with emotion, "I used to think that generals like my elder brother and Ma Chao were mostly brave and courageous. I didn't expect that Ma Chao also has such profound knowledge."

His uncle Wu Jing couldn't help but interject, "You only know that your brother, Ma Chao, is now in a high position of power and authority, but you didn't realize that he was already famous in Luoyang as a teenager. He was not only a martial arts expert, but also a talented writer." Ma Chao chuckled modestly and said, "Uncle, that's all old news. Why bring it up again?" Sun Quan looked at Ma Chao with admiration and said firmly, "Brother Ma Chao is so capable. I will definitely learn from him in the future." Ma Chao smiled and nodded, "You're welcome, my dear brother. If you need anything, I will be happy to share everything I know."

Ma Chao turned his gaze to Sun Shangxiang again, his smile growing even wider as he said gently, "This must be my little sister." Sun Shangxiang stepped forward confidently, clasping her fists and bowing like a man, and said in a heroic tone, "Greetings, Brother Ma! I've heard from you a long time ago that your martial arts are far superior to his, and that you've even given him guidance!" Ma Chao smiled and waved his hand, "We're brothers. We just spar with each other on a daily basis. How can that be considered guidance?"

Sun Shangxiang pouted slightly and said stubbornly, "She's a martial arts expert, so what? Why are you so embarrassed to admit it? If I were better than my brother, I wouldn't be so shy about it." Sun's mother couldn't help but laugh, "You naughty girl! Your brother Ma is so humble and polite, unlike you who acts crazy all the time." Sun Shangxiang, upon hearing this, rubbed herself against her mother unwillingly, saying coquettishly, "Mother, you always criticize me. I'm usually very well-behaved, aren't I?" Sun's mother smiled and gently rubbed her head, saying, "You little girl, I'll have to ask your brother Mengqi to discipline her tomorrow." Then, with a hint of apology, she looked at Ma Chao and said, "Mengqi, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you with your little sister's carefree personality." Ma Chao quickly smiled and replied, "That's not true, Auntie. My little sister is innocent and naive, and I love her very much. My little sister Yunlu is a little older than Shangxiang, and she's just as fond of military attire as I am of red clothes."

When Sun Shangxiang heard Ma Chao talking about Ma Yunlu, her curiosity was instantly ignited. She tugged at Ma Chao's sleeve tightly, her big eyes blinking, and asked expectantly: "Brother Ma Chao, please tell us more about Sister Yunlu. What other interesting things has she done?" Ma Chao looked at the innocent and lively girl in front of him, who was about the same age as his little sister, with his eyes full of doting. He patiently continued to tell her the eccentric and interesting things about Ma Yunlu, from how she galloped on the grassland to how she playfully teased her brothers, and he described it vividly.

After inquiring about Ma Yunlu's situation, Sun Shangxiang's thoughts began to wander again. One moment, she asked Ma Chao about the scenery beyond the Great Wall, the next, she wondered what the fastest horse he had ever ridden looked like. Suddenly, as if she had discovered something new, she fixed her eyes on Ma Chao's temples and spoke bluntly, "Brother Ma Chao, you usually look so dashing and handsome, but how come you have gray hairs at your temples so early? These two strands of gray are so out of place with your heroic appearance." These words pierced Ma Chao's heart like a sharp arrow. He stiffened slightly, and a sharp pain surged in his heart.

Sun's mother had been watching closely, and when she saw this, she quickly spoke out to stop them, her face full of anger: "You silly girl, how can you be so tactless when speaking? You say nonsense without thinking." Then, she looked at Ma Chao with concern, her eyes full of worry: "Mengqi, if there is anything difficult, don't take it to heart." Sun's mother knew that since he had two strands of white hair at such a young age, there must be some unknown sadness behind it, but it was not a good idea to ask too much about such things.

Ma Chao was slightly startled, but after a moment, he smiled calmly, his expression calm, as if the pain he had just felt had never occurred. "Aunt, there's nothing to be ashamed of; it's just a matter of the past. My nephew has been deeply entangled in love throughout his journey, and has experienced many twists and turns. These white hairs are the marks left by time."